The Thrill of Victory

I make my blog post and move over to my emails and, first thing, my eyes about bug out as I see that our Dallas Stars Hockey Team won their Western Conference Championship the night before. For the first time in 20 years, the Dallas Stars are heading to the Stanley Cup Final! Now they have my attention.

Isn’t it funny how we get lackadaisical to our teams when they aren't making their marks in their game seasons? As I walked my two Frisco grand-dogs a couple of weeks ago, I saw homes with Dallas Stars team flags in their front yards. I simply thought “loyal fans – wonder if they know someone on the team” – not once thinking that they may be doing well in their season. Suddenly, I am a fan! Suddenly, it feels good to have a win during this season when there have been so many loses. I am amused as I watch the final seconds of play, hearing the mega-crowd cheering with all out abandonment. Amused, that there are NO fans in the stands and what we hear is just a sound bite. Still, a win is a win is a win!!

In 2018, it was our Winnipeg Jets who beat the Nashville Predators 5–4 and clinched a spot in the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs. Our Winnipeg cousins, Gord and Sher, brought me a Winnipeg Jet shirts that season and, suddenly, we are amped up and become loyal fans of their home team (and ours from when we lived there for seven years in the 80s & 90s).

Aw! The thrill of victory! We could use many of those days – right? And, there are “wins” happening all around us if we would but SEE them instead of the agonies of defeat that have seemed way too common in these last few months.

This season is just temporary anyway. It’s merely a season – and seasons come and go. I have friends and family members who saw the passing on of loved ones and I have friends who welcomed precious babies and new life into their homes. There were those who lost their jobs but found better ones. There were those who had some big wins by using their abilities to be innovative and creative. I have seen two churches in Austin merge and become one gigantic church that can reach the lost of their city in a greater way. I heard that some churches have thrived so much with online church that they have fed more hungry people, helped many financially and created more programming and outreaches than ever before. So many joys of victory – if we would but SEE.

Here’s an agony of defeat and thrill of victory story that changes the way we SEE our seasons. Jesus came to this earth for you and me – showed us the way to live in victory by following His lead, trusting in Him and His promises – showing us that even in times of defeat – we still win. He suffered the agony of our defeat on the cross and the joy of victory in His resurrection. When God looks at us, He doesn’t see defeat and failures. He sees victors who are made clean through the blood of Jesus. He won the victory for us and now we get to cheer on the “home” team. We get to show people how important our Savior (aka our Coach) is. We get to help others get ready. Because ready or not, Jesus is coming. We are all team-players when it comes to being devoted followers of Christ. We suit up daily, we exercise our faith by studying God’s Word, praying, spending time with our Coach. He has all the team plays and staying in His presence, we have the wisdom of our Coach. We will not know the agony of defeat because our relationship with our Coach assures us the thrill of victory that awaits us. Now, let’s do everything we can to spread the word about our TEAM so others can celebrate with us. Let’s do everything we can so they will never have to know the agony of defeat!

Helping Hands -- Teamwork

Day 16 of my daily photo inspirations -- this one came today from a sweet friend and great photographer,  Angelina Hope, who captured this photo.  She called it "Helping Hands".  I love it!  When I first saw this photo, I just saw ME, then Angel pointed out the "Helping hands" -- that helped me cross over to the other side!

TEAM -- Together Everyone Accomplishes More.  This photo was taken at Allaso Ranch campgrounds last weekend.  We were divided into teams of about 8-10 members each, and this challenge was crossing from one of three platforms until all members were across, with only two planks.  But the platforms were further apart than the longest plank we were given.  First we had to determine how to accomplish such a task.  Brainstorming was key.  One of the bright players gave his concept and sure enough it was the right plan, however, it was easier said than done.  Our team was made up of small, medium and robust members, and it there always had to be two players on the middle platform to hold the plank with his/her feet.  You couldn't jump to the platform and you couldn't let the planks touch the ground.   And every player had to get across successfully. And successful, we were -- because of teamwork and HELPING HANDS.

Whether it's at a camp utilizing the strength of a team, or teamwork at home or teamwork at work or play.....being a part of a team that collaborates and helps each other to get the tasks and jobs done....is where success begins and ends.  I love Phil Jackson's (NBA's New York Knicks President) quote about teamwork:  “Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the Me for We”.  Teamwork.....makes the DREAM WORK!
#Unstoppable #ShiftHappens #Teamwork #HelpingHands

Respectaholics Anonymous -- Teamwork Made the Dream Work

Day 13 of 365 Days of Photo Inspirations
It started with the call from our leader, Staci, "As 3 to 6 year alumni of the Unstoppable Leadership Summits, you will be the Coaches of the teams, and those who have attended for 2 years, will be the Captains."

And these were her instructions to us -- "You and your teams will choose a:
1) Team Name and Chant/Cheer. 2) Team Branding (Colors, shirts/costumes, etc.); 3) Team Leadership Skit based on a "law" from John Maxwell's book: "21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership".

NO BIG DEAL. Right? Wrong!!! It was a huge deal to each coach and captain and their team -- we're all about being "in it -- to win it"....and each team produced over-the-top table decorations and awesome chants that spoke to what it takes to be an effective leader worth following. Every team gave it their absolute best, but I'll admit, I'm particularly partial to my team, Team Respectable Me! We spent weeks brainstorming, letting our imaginations and creativity come to life, and getting full costumes together. Sincerely, T-E-A-M -- together everyone accomplishes more.

We chose the Law of Respect. You know the little minions in Despicable Me? We used them as our model, except turned them into Respectable Me Minions. Our chant? (After the minion "Banana Song" -- Ba ba ba ba ba ba de -- I respect you and you respect me.
We gotta treat each other RESPECTFULLY. We are Team Respectable Me!

Our costumes? We each had on our minion overalls, shirts, hats, gloves and goggles.
Our GIVE? The most amazing minion cookies made by our captains, Miguel Cervantes and Zoila Cervantes, who have a bakery in Kansas City -- a treat given out to all of the attendees.
Our skit? Respectaholics Anonymous -- we were recovering Disrespectful Minions who had become Respectable Minions. We each spoke to the kind of leader we once were, but now, we were respectable. Staci was our "guest minion" and was, of course, the rogue minion who demanded respect by singing Aretha's "R-E-S-P-E-C-T"! It was our job to tell her our "despicable disrespectable" transformation to our NEW and IMPROVED Respectable Me stories to help her become respectable, too! Absolutely so hilarious -- we could hardly keep from laughing our sides out.

This day 11 of my 365 days of photo inspirations shows our team in all our glory -- but the glory isn't in all the hard work, the determination, the effort or THE GLORY! It's about a "cause" -- a "commitment" -- a " MOMENT" to give it our all -- the best way we could. I give our TEAM a standing ovation, high five's, big pats on the back and request for a big ENCORE in our everyday commitment to do our best in any situation and circumstance we encounter. To Team Respectable Me -- I say, "WELL DONE, you good and faithful Respectable MINIONS!"

Mama's Got Game!

Have you heard it said about someone “He or She’s got game”? Typically that means – “They are really good at something!” But when someone says that about me, it means “She’s NOT simply a fan watching the game from the sidelines or the stands -– she’s in the game, playing on the field, and not only hitting the ball – but knocking it out of the ballpark (well, at least in my imagination).” This Mama’s got game!In October, 2011, my son, Ryan, and his amazing wife, Shawntel, were talking strategies about what their next business enterprise would be. After all, Ryan had, just a few months prior, exited from the company he founded and built to a $1.2 billion valuation. After 10 years of diligence and hard work, it should have been time to relax back and enjoy the fruit of their labors, but that was not to be.

It was in that same month that Ryan had an epiphany – to create a company, uncharacteristic of typical “big enterprise mentality”. This company would be one that placed its values on relationships and core values and providing a tangible means of helping people make a better living for themselves and their family. So, of course, I wanted to be a part of something that had those kinds of ambitions. When I first heard the vision and plans for this company, I said, “Game on!” But, then Ryan said, “Mom, I told Dad I was going to take care of you. You just be the grandmother of Solavei (the new company). Initially, I thought, “Beautiful – Mama can be a cheerleader and support the “Sol Train” (aka Solavei Team)! But after hearing my daughter, Staci, sharing with an individual about Solavei, and hearing her passion for seeing our country’s economy revived and many people’s lives transformed, I could just hear my Honey speaking to me from heaven and saying “Donna, what are you thinking? Really, you’re going to sit back and watch what we believed, prayed and planted the seeds for – for over 40 years? Do you really want to be the grandmother of anything besides our six grandchildren?” And to that, I answered with a resounding, “NO!”

So, then, I had to put a plan together, a case for Mama being in the game. No handouts expected. No rules of engagement any different from any other player on the field. I had to not just “talk the talk”. I had to “walk the walk” and put my plan to action. I set out to be the “Poster Mama” – showing others what can happen when we stop whining about being “too little or too big; too old or too young; too female or too male; too black or too white; it’s too difficult or too easy”……and to JUST DO IT!! And, so I am!!

Yes, here I am today….playing in this game. I’m loving it. And, my team is loving it too! I’m a Founding Member of Solavei. Last week, my son said to me, “Mom, you’re a machine!” Some of my friends are probably thinking, “What happened to Donna? Where is she?” Would you please tell them for me? “Donna’s in the batting cage – she’s practicing her swing, throwing the ball – practicing her pitches, she’s on the field doing her warm-ups, getting the plays down and working hard to be her best -- from sun-up to sun-down.” Oh, yes, Donna’s got game! And, it’s not a competition with anyone other than ME! And at the end of this game season, I will have fulfilled my game assignment!! And you won’t hear me saying “I wish I had!” Oh, no! I’ll be saying “I’m so glad I did….and look, now I’m going to Disney World….oh, actually, it will be Hawaii – Solavei rewards its players for their “WINS”!