This Guy AND I Came to Live Out Loud!

Yesterday morning, I was on the road again! Thanks, Willie Nelson, for the song to accompany my travels to here, there and back again. I really am so grateful that I can hit the road at any given time to be a part of special occasions, get caught up with dear friends and family members and take in some of my favorite places. This time will be a real joy as I stay at my BFFs’ lovely home and then have a special package delivered to me by his grandpa who lives further south in Oklahoma, my 11-year-old, Bryson. He’s going to be my buddy for the next several days here in Tulsa and back home in Frisco. And the finale of this trip will be attending the confirmation of a precious young woman I have sponsored into the family of God.

I'm taking it all in as I get to bask in these precious moments, events, celebrations and accomplishments of my precious family and friends around me. In the words of Émile Zola, French Nobel Prize winner in 1901, “If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I will tell you, I came to live out LOUD.”

I'm certainly not a "rocking chair" grandmother. No offense, if that's your gig -- rock on, Baby! But, for me, I've set big goals for my life and I won't accomplish them if I take a laid-back approach. To me, living out loud means living life with passion, being open to possibilities, and reaching for the stars.....well, at least the top of trees! Living-Out-Loud is living, laughing, and loving unashamedly. It means deliberately choosing to be inspired and motivated enough to live without limits -- or just getting off the couch and doing something! It means letting go of fear, getting gutsy and getting going.

Living-out-loud is unique to everyone. See this guy with the sign "Honk if you love Jesus!" He was standing outside of the service station where I filled my car up with gas. In this Texas heat, one could say "He fell off the turnip truck -- to stand out there with one of "those" crazee signs -- it's obvious there's something wrong with him!" Nope. He is merely living OUT LOUD, because he can. I pulled over and asked "Why do you do this?" He said "Well because I can. On January 9th, after being told I wouldn't live beyond a few months, I was totally healed. I had told the Lord that if He'd heal me I'd declare His love and healing power every chance I could. So here I am -- keeping my promise." He is really living out loud -- so loud that I noticed him. He is using his gratitude, zest-for-life and enthusiasm to make a difference. What if we did the same?

Here's how I live out loud: I purpose to be present to take in God's signs and wonders. This is one I cultivate daily. I purposely choose positive thoughts and intentions. If a stray negative thought creeps in, I quickly change the channel. I take time to enjoy and appreciate family, friends, food, music, children, blue skies, sunshine and ordinary moments. I invest time in my relationships, put the “good” china on when I have friends and family over. I light up the candles for ambiance. I know that giving and doing my best is the most important thing I can do to show the love of life and of those who I value so much in my life. I take a deep breath and express my gratitude for being alive. And, while I’m at it, I observe the sights and sounds and smiles around me. I am so thankful I can see and hear!

I just may not pass this way again, so I'm making the moments count. I’m going to LIVE OUT LOUD with every moment that I can! Why don't you join me? It will be worth the trip! <3

On the Road Again -- Back to My Traveling Sacred Space

I headed out for my 4-hour trek from Austin to home in Frisco yesterday afternoon. I'm strategic about my travels. I left in the afternoon, since it was a Sunday and less traffic, but usually, on a week day, I'll leave at 6 am -- early enough to get ahead of Austin morning traffic and being sandwiched between what seems to be an endless number of cars going an average of 10 mph. The same thing when I leave Frisco to go to Austin -- I usually leave at 6 am to get ahead of the Dallas morning traffic.

I’m convinced traffic can bring out the worst in drivers, so much so, that some folks avoid congested highways at all costs. If I did that, I wouldn't ever be driving because that traffic is a part of my life these days. I’m quite conscious of the need to let several car lengths go between my car and the next car, but then comes along a vehicle that squeezes in between me and my well-thought out distance. Honestly, the fact that I’m willing to tackle those congested highways may not impress you, but it sure impresses me. For that matter, maybe God is preparing me for becoming the oldest Nascar driver EVER!

I make the most of these travels. It’s just me in my Buick Enclave “home” for those several hours of driving. I have 240 precious minutes in my car before I arrive at my destination, and instead of getting frustrated by the feeling of my foot constantly hitting the brakes and looking over my shoulder to be sure there isn’t another vehicle in my blind spot, I use this time and my car as a “holy space”. It becomes my little sacred car chapel. I’ve learned I can get so much accomplished when I relish this time instead of suffering through it.

Here are my car chapel options: I can listen to uplifting music and let the words settle inside of my heart. I can praise and pray. I have plenty to praise God for and I have plenty to pray for. I can endeavor to be in the moment and listen for God’s brilliant ideas for my next blog and post. I can listen to inspiring faith and motivation CDs. I can make phone calls and encourage a friend or family member. I can pray for other drivers that are on the road with me. Who knows? They may be encountering overwhelming circumstances in their life and my prayers may help them face another day. Many times in those early morning hours, I can bask in the sun rising and witness, once again, God’s indescribable artistry and appreciate His mercies that are new every morning.

Here's some really good news. Establishing little "heaven on earth" moments can just as easily be done in an office at work, in a kitchen while cooking dinner, in a classroom or gym. I've come to realize that when we're "acknowledging God in ALL our ways (even those on the high-ways), we are relinquishing our ways to submit to His ways that direct our paths, streets and highways. As for me, I’ll keep taking to the road for these sweet travel journeys and I’ll keep singing with Willie Nelson, “On the road again. Just can’t wait to get on the road again.” And I think I’ll keep on having church while I’m there!!

Round' and Round' She Goes, Where She Stops, Nobody Knows

"Round' and round' she goes, and where she stops nobody knows!" I heard someone say that about me. These days many of my friends and family ask me "Where are you now, Donna?" Yesterday, I showed up in frigid cold Tulsa, but I sure got to hug a lot of "warm hearted friends" last night.

Here's a little trivia for you. Long before "American Idol", "The Voice" and "America's Got Talent" became mega-hits, there was a radio and television series that started the talent competition craze. It was called: "The Original Amateur Hour" and on that show, the "gong" was made famous (those who didn't make the cut got the gong) as well as "the wheel of fortune" (identified who would be up next to perform) along with the phrase: "round' and 'round she goes, and where she stops, nobody knows." Some of those first-time struggling amateurs that performed included Frank Sinatra, Pat Boone, Gladys Knight, Ann-Margret, Connie Francis, Jim Stafford and many others. It's amazing what can be remembered and learned from the internet!

Back to me and this season of my life where I really am on the go. And, though I'm going from here to there and back again, you can count on one thing....I'm endeavoring to follow God's lead -- where He goes, I want to go.

When I was my daughter's travel companion and road manager back in the late 80's, we'd load up our van and head out for her next ministry/singing gig, and inevitably we'd sing Willie Nelson's song "On the road again -- just can't wait to get on the road again." But the song I love and sing often in my travels is Chris Tomlin's song "I Will Follow!"

"Where you go, I'll go; Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move; I will follow you
Who you love, I'll love; How you serve I'll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you.

Those are pretty bold claims, aren't they?: "Who you love, I'll love. How you serve, I'll serve. Where you go, I'll go. Even if I lose my life, I'll follow you." When I hear those words coming out of my mouth, it's a little sobering. Do I really consider the implications of what I'm singing? Or am I just speaking with bravado the way the Apostle Peter did in his early days of following Jesus? After all, he was the impulsive one who was always making those sorts of big, bold statements. He told Jesus things like "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." But when Jesus was arrested, those claims fell apart. Peter ran and hid and even renounced Jesus. Thankfully, that failure wasn't the end of Peter's story. In time, God's grace and power would transform him into a man whose boldness was based on God's strength rather than his own. In time Peter did respond in the only way a disciple can, by laying down his own ambitions and embracing what it meant to truly follow. At the end he even willingly gave his life for Christ.

But, sincerely, as a follower of Jesus Christ, isn't that the desire of our hearts -- to follow Him to the nth degree -- laying down our own agendas and faithfully show up to go or stay, move, love and serve as He did. The last quote reference I'll use in this post today is "Follow the Leader", a game we played as kids where the leader moved around and we had to mimic the leader's actions. What if we made that our mode of operation -- FOLLOW THE LEADER because I know where He goes....I sure want to go, be and do as He does! Stay tuned -- soon, I'll be back to Texas because I'm following my LEADER -- here, there AND everywhere!