17 Ways to Realize your Dreams

#1  See yourself in 5 years

#2 Visualize yourself being who you've always wanted

#3  Pray - ask for what you've always wanted

#4  Plan one step toward your dreams

#5  Write a story about yourself living your dream

#6  Put a note on your mirror telling yourself it's possible

#7  Reject any negative self talk against your dreams

#8  Paint a sign or a picture that reminds you of your dreams

#9  Tell 3 friends (who you really really trust) to encourage you

#10  Meditate on your dreams

#11 Thank God for your dreams

#12  Find a scent that reminds you of your dreams

#13  Build a strategy beginning today, tomorrow, in a month that will lead you to your dreams.

#14  Believe in yourself

#15  Believe in your dreams

#16  Seize every opportunity to move toward your dreams

#17  Receive the abundance of your dreams

Grace

I've been mulling around a song in my head. A song about grace.

But I've been frustrated.

The problem is words and even music don't come close to being able to describe grace. I find I am unable to effectively express how very much grace changes me, daily.

Thing is, I have not experienced life without God's grace. I am unable to imagine what life would be like. I've not known that kind of hopelessness. 

So writing a song about grace sounds a little cheesy.

And GRACE is NOT cheesy.

Grace is eternal.

Alive.

Forever.

Now I'm wondering if the song should be:
NOT cheesy...yea yea yea
no
not cheesy
yea yea yea
never cheesy
yea yea yea
Grace is never cheesy!

No?  Okay, I'll keep working on it...

The Journey

The journey is filled with ups and downs

ins and outs

arounds and throughs.


The journey is joy, laughter and hope

family and friends

sunshine and smiles.


The journey is sorrow, sadness and pain

family and friends

thunder and rain.


The journey is dancing round and around

dancing with love

in sorrow and joy.


The journey is the point.

The journey is life.

The journey is.

Overwhelmed

From time to time we all feel overwhelmed (unless of course you are that one in a million who thrives on stress). 

I am not one of those people!

When I am feeling overwhelmed, I give up. 

Throw in the towel.

Let go.

I don't do it because I am quitting. Or because I just refuse to deal with the stress.

I do it because I've learned that when we are at our weakest, that's when God is strong. Scripture tells us, "my grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness."

Letting go means I am giving God space to take over. 

Breath deep. Relax. Release it to God.

Be A-MAZED at what God is about to do!

Keep at IT!

I've been writing speeches, papers, Science Projects, newspaper articles, and a plethora of other things for longer than I care to think about.  I was around 11 when I started writing and giving speeches.  One thing sticks out.

My dad saying, "keep at it."

I would write a draft of a speech and take it to him and he would point out the good points and then he ALWAYS asked what made it unique from any other speech.

"What makes this great?"

I would trek off to my room and pout for a bit and then dig deeper for the 'zing'.  Sometimes it would take a while, but eventually something would emerge. Here's the deal though.  If he would not have asked me the hard questions, I would not have put my whole heart into it.  See, telling me there WAS more MADE more.

I can't say it was pleasant, or warm and fuzzy, or exciting.  Many times it was painful.  Digging deeper hurt.  Telling myself what I've written is okay but not great is difficult.  Having someone else tell me is even harder.

A few months ago after I completed a book (which I was ready to publish), an experienced editor read parts of it.  I expected her to come back and say, "it was just great!"  Know what she said?

"Now, don't get me wrong...it's good," with a smile.  "It's just not great."  Smile again.  "I think you can do better.  Just slow it down a little.  Take more pauses between writing the chapters.  Rest and let it settle.  Take time to let the greatness emerge."

Really?  A lot of research went into this book...lots of difficult translating from ancient texts.  Didn't she realize that?  Didn't she know how hard I worked?

Discouraged, I put the book aside.

I hated it.

I loathed the process.

I didn't want anyone else to read it.

Ever.

Then I heard my dad's voice in my head saying, "keep AT IT."  Dig deeper.  Dig until it hurts.  Put your heart into it.

I haven't touched it for six months, but I think I'm about to read the first chapter again.  So, back to my room I go.

Mull and wait.

Slow it down.

Think and pause.

Let it rest and settle.

I WILL come.  I know it will because I am keeping at it.

What a day!

What to do when the dog runs off, the car won't start, you're two hours late for work, everything you touch falls apart at work, and when you go out to leave work your car won't start yet again?

Makes me wonder if I should have stayed in and skipped the hassle. But, as it is I decided to stick it out. In my younger days I would have stuck it out because I was certain it wouldn't get worse.

Now I know it can...

So why did I stick it out?

I've learned (the hard way) that there's good and bad in everything.

I choose to look for the good.  I focus on that.

#1 It was a beautiful morning! 

#2 I was able to round up the pup (a miracle)!

#3 I have roadside assistance.

#4 While I waited for them I cleaned out my car.

#5 I have a job where I can use comp time (so I still got paid). 

#6 God sent me (through channels) a great quote on failure.  See: http://blog4retreats.blogspot.com

#7 And my daughter was headed my way when I got off work. We jumped the car, went and got a new battery, AND I won't have to go through this next winter when it's 10 degrees and windy!

It's a WIN WIN!!!

I thank God for faithful provision!

(More coming on the questionable alternator)

Being Human

So, I've been working on being human.

A series of events brought this on, but it wasn't really anything I wanted to do.

See, I liked my life the way it was. I go to work, I write, I restore old things. I spend time with my family and friends.

It's comfortable.

Predictable.

I like predictable.

The problem with being human is that it's real.

No masks.

Vulnerable.

I hate vulnerable.

I like comfortable.

Geez this is hard.

A Day Like Today...

Ever had a day where everything you touched went sour?

Yup.

That was today.

Know what I hate most about it?

I'm reminded I'm human.

Frail.

Breakable.

Screwed up.

Need others.

Need to learn to laugh it off.

Need to let go of trying to be perfect.

Need to relax.

Need to accept myself for who I am.

Wait...

What just happened here? 

Listen Well

I had a communication professor in college who was an absolute genius. He was well into the autumn of his life and retired shortly after I graduated. Ergo, all of the 20 something's thought he was just an old geek. I was in my late forties when I returned to school to finish my degree, and I started noticing a recurring pattern from the prof. 

He told great stories. Stories about his old dog, stories about fishin', even stories about his last great meal. Now, I love stories, so I looked forward to going to class. That's about the time I figured out these weren't just stories he was telling for the heck of it. Here's the kicker. With each story he was giving us an example of our upcoming persuasion assignment.

Now I was really intrigued. 

I started following his outlines when I prepared my next assignment, and I started getting A's. 

Everybody said he was giving me A's because I was older. Nobody figured out the ole genius had a hidden plan in plain sight.

All it took to find it was a little listening.

My wise old professor was telling the stories of his life. Each story was layered with a different form of persuasion, a unique outline, and was filled with everything unique and real in his life. 

Really, it just doesn't get much better than that. Because, you see Sharing our true selves is a most precious gift. 

Paper Journey

My journey has included connecting with my story, my heritage, and with my future on paper.

I have stories about my children, my grandchildren, and people who have touched my story. I've been a newspaper editor and a photographer, but in the autumn of my life I suddenly want to draw.  I want to add pictures to the words.

What about you? What is your paper journey?

Do you dream about publishing your works? It's easier than you think to publish, and I would be glad to walk you through the process. At my publishing "net" lotsagrace.org we dream about helping you realize your writing/publishing dreams.

Drop me a line if you have questions...