There have been posts that I've written for my work blog that I have posted here. Few and far between, but I recently wrote one that I wanted to share here. Here you go, as it was written on my work blog:
For the next 15 days, I’m going to participate in Reverb 10. It’s an open online initiative that encourages participants to reflect on this year and manifest what’s next. It’s an opportunity to retreat and consider the reverberations of your year past, and those that you’d like to create in the year ahead. We’re connected by the belief that sharing our stories has the power to change us.
Today’s Prompt – FUTURE SELF: Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead?
The first thing that popped into my head this morning after reading today’s prompt was Desiderata. It’s a favorite of mine. There are so many things that are right in line with my thinking and beliefs – it just speaks to me. I always find it refreshing when I look back over it periodically, and what I find is that it always grounds my perspective. Do you have something like this that keeps you grounded?
Today’s prompt calls me to write my own version of Desiderata. So, here you go, the advice for myself….
——–
Maintain and grow the relationships you’ve built up over the past year and pay special attention to your long-lasting relationships. Those need just as much nurturing as new relationships, sometimes even more. Know that those who you can call friends are special and not to be taken for granted or advantage of. You are only part of this. Do your job. Nurturing is active. It’s not a passive exercise. And it’s not a standard message & click.
Aim to be kind to all those you come into contact with. For most of those people, you’ll only have that one moment in time to leave your impact on them. Make it a positive one.
Breathe. Before speaking. Collect your thoughts. Stand in your power.
Knowledge is precious. In everything, you have an opportunity to teach or learn. Recognize this and as much as you can, do one or the other. You are doing a disservice to you and those around you if you do not.
Be gracious.
Slow down. Smell the roses, even when there are no roses to smell. The machine that you’re a part of is a magnificent one and it will keep running if you take a moment to recognize where you are and how you got there. Without looking around, you will not see the beauty in what you’re responsible for. Do not rest, though, because the machine keeps running. And there is always someone else who thinks they can keep it running faster, better, more efficient, and more powerful than you.
Take care of your business always. Commitments are made to be kept. They’re tied to your word. Don’t minimize those words because they’re important. Follow them up with action. Consistent. Persistent. Relentless. This is critical.
The world is a balancing act and your world is no different. Know your limits and boundaries. Your sacrifices have consequences, big and small. You must be OK with them.
Don’t lose sight of your passions or your dreams. Both are unique to you and once they’re gone, it’s almost impossible to get them back. Keep them burning however you need to – write, read, talk, create – this flame cannot go out.
Remember that faith enables real magic to happen. Continue pushing and taking risks and know that you can’t control everything. Sometimes shutting your eyes is all you can do to let everything take its course.
Most of all, do not forget that life is a joy, even though it most often feels like job. Don’t take yourself so seriously. You are a speck. Laugh. Smile. Pay attention to others doing the same.
And know, in your heart, that all will be good.
Friday, December 31, 2010
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve and we're in bed at 11:10. It's late.
We spent the evening with the Schwarte's. They're so great. I love having close friends who are in the same life-stage as us, living a minute a way from our house, and wanting to spent special times with us like New Year's Eve.
It sure was nice. We have lots to be thankful for this year. We can only hope that 2011 is as good to us as 2010 was.
And maybe I'll blog more.
We spent the evening with the Schwarte's. They're so great. I love having close friends who are in the same life-stage as us, living a minute a way from our house, and wanting to spent special times with us like New Year's Eve.
It sure was nice. We have lots to be thankful for this year. We can only hope that 2011 is as good to us as 2010 was.
And maybe I'll blog more.
Christmastime, pt. 6
One of the best moments of Christmas was on Christmas morning. She slept in our same room, on a palette beside our bed, and when we woke up, she said, "Momma, you know what the best part about Christmas is?"
Momma: "What?"
Gracie: "The best part about Christmas is that Jesus was born."
:)
Momma: "What?"
Gracie: "The best part about Christmas is that Jesus was born."
:)
Christmastime, pt. 5
The kids were good this year and Santa was kind to them. Even though we weren't in our house, he knew where to deliver the presents in The Woodlands (thanks to a note Gracie left for him the day we left). In The Woodlands, he brought Gracie the pair of Chuck Taylors (purple) that she asked for, plus Candyland, and all of the great things (like candy) in her stocking. He brought the boys a set of toy cars from Cars. And stockings, of course.
But that wasn't all.
When we got back to Wylie, what did we see? That Santa left a few things in our house, too! For Gracie, he left a real-life ballarina outfit and a note about the new dance classes he arranged for her. And for the boys, bikes!! Yikes!
Santa is a great Santa, for sure. Especially when little boys and girls are good.
But that wasn't all.
When we got back to Wylie, what did we see? That Santa left a few things in our house, too! For Gracie, he left a real-life ballarina outfit and a note about the new dance classes he arranged for her. And for the boys, bikes!! Yikes!
Santa is a great Santa, for sure. Especially when little boys and girls are good.
Christmastime, pt. 4
We are blessed. For sure. The fact that our kids are able to receive so many gifts and we're able to give is something that quite a few people don't have. Our kids got so many great things. Our friends and family gave generously. We can only hope to teach our kids what it means to give in that way much more than it is to receive things. We're blessed enough to where we don't need anything. We need to turn that around much more than we already do and give to others who are truly in need. We talked to both sides of our family about pooling our money together and going in for families/causes who really need it. I want to do this. Next year, since we're going to be starting a brand new tradition with staying here, as a family, I really want us to be purposeful about giving. I want that to be what our kids think about when they think of Christmas.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Christmastime, pt. 3
It's crazy how much the boys are talking now. Complete sentences. Max is clearer than Nick, but they're both putting sentences together.
Max's thing is that he says, "uh, uh" before most of the words. So, it's something like this, "I uh uh show you uh uh the girl uh uh turned the light off."
Nick's thing is that he growls. He's got an ever-present pirate voice.
Over the past two weeks, this development has been rapid. It's fun.
Max's thing is that he says, "uh, uh" before most of the words. So, it's something like this, "I uh uh show you uh uh the girl uh uh turned the light off."
Nick's thing is that he growls. He's got an ever-present pirate voice.
Over the past two weeks, this development has been rapid. It's fun.
Christmastime, pt. 2
I was reminded this morning of one of the best moments of our Christmastime travels - the Christmas Eve service that Steph and I went to in the Woodlands.
The Fellowship of the Woodlands church - a megachurch - had 20+ pre-Christmas services across 4 difference campuses. The last one was held at the "Chapel in the Woods" at their Woodlands location at 11 PM on Christmas Eve. So, after we put the kids down, we stayed up long enough to go. And I'm so glad we did.
It was a beautiful building, this Chapel in the woods. There's obviously a lot of money that has gone into the church and the chapel was a reflection of that. Simple architecture, huge glass windows, awesome A/V system (their TVs were mounted on these devices that rolled in/out of the walls), sat about 300. And it was completely full.
The service consisted of Christmas carols sung by all, solo and choir performances, and few brief messages by their Guy Smiley-pastor. He was a little creepy, but said some nice things.
The solo performances were, by far, the best thing about the service. This one lady sang "O Come Emanuel" and it was haunting. I felt like I was there, in Bethlehem, the night that baby Jesus was born and this was a poor woman's proclamation. She sang it with such emotion. It was stunning. Their version of "O Holy Night" was good, too, but not as good Emanuel.
Steph and I left feeling great and making a commitment to each other that no matter what, we need to make a tradition out of going to the Christmas Eve service every year. It just reminds us of the true meaning behind Christmas - Christ's love for us. It is amazing. Much more amazing than any gifts we could give each other and all of the other hoopla surrounding this time of the year.
The Fellowship of the Woodlands church - a megachurch - had 20+ pre-Christmas services across 4 difference campuses. The last one was held at the "Chapel in the Woods" at their Woodlands location at 11 PM on Christmas Eve. So, after we put the kids down, we stayed up long enough to go. And I'm so glad we did.
It was a beautiful building, this Chapel in the woods. There's obviously a lot of money that has gone into the church and the chapel was a reflection of that. Simple architecture, huge glass windows, awesome A/V system (their TVs were mounted on these devices that rolled in/out of the walls), sat about 300. And it was completely full.
The service consisted of Christmas carols sung by all, solo and choir performances, and few brief messages by their Guy Smiley-pastor. He was a little creepy, but said some nice things.
The solo performances were, by far, the best thing about the service. This one lady sang "O Come Emanuel" and it was haunting. I felt like I was there, in Bethlehem, the night that baby Jesus was born and this was a poor woman's proclamation. She sang it with such emotion. It was stunning. Their version of "O Holy Night" was good, too, but not as good Emanuel.
Steph and I left feeling great and making a commitment to each other that no matter what, we need to make a tradition out of going to the Christmas Eve service every year. It just reminds us of the true meaning behind Christmas - Christ's love for us. It is amazing. Much more amazing than any gifts we could give each other and all of the other hoopla surrounding this time of the year.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Christmastime, pt. 1
What a rich and eventful Christmas it's been. We're back home now, after travelling to The Woodlands for 2 days and Austin for 2 days (Woodlands pre & Christmas morning, Austin post & Christmas afternoon). We always ask which one we went to first every year, I should just read this blog to tell us the answer. Duh.
Travelling this year was bittersweet because it's our last year to travel. This has been something that Steph and I have talked about for 2-3 years now, and finally, we've both reached that place to where we're at peace with the decision, and even more, excited about it. So, all of our travel and family time this year, was underscored by knowing this was the last time we're doing it.
Family is great to be around for Christmas. It's just part of Christmas for both of us. Ever since we've been married, we've travelled together, first to one place, then to the next - and that's how we spent our Christmases. And when we're there, for the most part, there's no better feeling. As the years have gone on and certainly with kids, there are moments where we've wished that we were in our house, but by and large, there is an overwhelming sense of comfort when it's family-time Christmas. It's the travelling. Especially with 3 kids. That's been the biggest strain. Whew.
And now, our kids are old enough to where they can appreciate Santa and even look forward to his arrival in our very own house. They'll get to wake up in their beds, come into their living room, and look under their tree for what Santa has left them. That's what we really want. That's what the kids deserve and need.
So, we're going to see how it all works out next year. :)
More about the trip later.....
Travelling this year was bittersweet because it's our last year to travel. This has been something that Steph and I have talked about for 2-3 years now, and finally, we've both reached that place to where we're at peace with the decision, and even more, excited about it. So, all of our travel and family time this year, was underscored by knowing this was the last time we're doing it.
Family is great to be around for Christmas. It's just part of Christmas for both of us. Ever since we've been married, we've travelled together, first to one place, then to the next - and that's how we spent our Christmases. And when we're there, for the most part, there's no better feeling. As the years have gone on and certainly with kids, there are moments where we've wished that we were in our house, but by and large, there is an overwhelming sense of comfort when it's family-time Christmas. It's the travelling. Especially with 3 kids. That's been the biggest strain. Whew.
And now, our kids are old enough to where they can appreciate Santa and even look forward to his arrival in our very own house. They'll get to wake up in their beds, come into their living room, and look under their tree for what Santa has left them. That's what we really want. That's what the kids deserve and need.
So, we're going to see how it all works out next year. :)
More about the trip later.....
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
More Catch
Max wanted to play catch again last night. So we did. He placed himself about 3 feet away from me, stood firm, and then started throwing. Then, catching. He's got the timing down for that distance. We played for about 5 minutes then it was time to go to bed. He got upset and wanted to continue just like I did with my dad when I was little. So we went on for about 5 more minutes. Then it was really time for bed. It was awesome.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Our First Catch
Max and I played catch for the first time last week. I've thrown the balls around with the boys many times before, but they haven't done anything but chase it and throw it wildly across the room. This was the first real game of catch that we've played where he was just as engaged as I was and we actually threw and caught back and forth.
He's got this little squishy football that fits perfectly in his hands and he started throwing it to me, actually pretty good too. Then, when I would through it back to him, he got the timing right so he caught them almost every time.
This is the moment I dreamed about when I was a boy, playing catch with my dad. I thought, someday I'm going to be able to play catch with my son and I want to play catch with him as long as he wants because as a boy, there was nothing more that I wanted to do than play catch. And now, Max knows what it means to play catch. I love it.
He's got this little squishy football that fits perfectly in his hands and he started throwing it to me, actually pretty good too. Then, when I would through it back to him, he got the timing right so he caught them almost every time.
This is the moment I dreamed about when I was a boy, playing catch with my dad. I thought, someday I'm going to be able to play catch with my son and I want to play catch with him as long as he wants because as a boy, there was nothing more that I wanted to do than play catch. And now, Max knows what it means to play catch. I love it.
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