Tag: #Letigocoach

Dream While Awake

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I haven’t written a Blog in three weeks. This was not intentional. It was like giving myself permission ‘not to’ if it wasn’t inspired. Not long ago, I felt this need to Blog almost every day, but letting go of that ‘need’ is freeing.

My last post entitled, Time and Talents, caused me to ponder what I really wanted my life to be. God has given my daughter and me a beautiful life, but there is always more in store with God. Looking at everything I’ve laid my hand to, and asking myself, “Is this God’s very best? Do I see any fruit from my labor? Do I want to continue everything I’ve been doing the past 3 years?” Comfortable feels good doesn’t it?

The last few weeks I have been preparing my nest, and myself for more. Making room by de-cluttering my mind, home, and even washing my truck. Taking care of everything God has given me, and looking to see if it still fits in my life. Loosen the grip on the seen, and make room for the unseen.

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A couple of weeks ago, I was lying in bed getting ready to go to sleep. Before I drifted off, a slide show began rolling through my mind. It was a recap of the past 5 years, and I could see how far God had brought me. The slide show brought me up to the present moment, and I could see my current surroundings, but it slowly rolled for a glimpse more.

I was still lying in my bed, but the bedroom looked different. It was lighter, and brighter. My current light fixture attached to the ceiling was replaced by a dainty, crystal chandelier.

Imagine your most beautiful life. What does it look like?

God has even better in store. It’s far more than we can see.

We have dreams in our hearts, and God knows our heart.

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This is my dream. To sit on the beach at any given moment. What that looks like specifically, I am not sure, but this picture has been sitting on my laptop for quite some time.

Will I live at the beach, or have a vacation home there?

To watch the sunset over the sea, and drift off to sleep with a window open listening to the waves. To walk along the beach at sunrise, breathing in the salty air. There will be a loft in the house with a magnificent view for writing, painting, building stained glass, and whatever else lies deep in my heart. A lot is unknown, and unseen, but this is my dream.

God’s timing is impeccable, but also unpredictable. To believe in my heart for God’s very best as I did 5 years ago. You may be thinking, “Sounds good Barb, but how are you going to get from point A to point B?” My love for people, networking, helping others achieve their dreams, and my adoration for ‘pretty’, has led me to new career opportunity.

A new passion? No…God has renewed the passion I had 20 years ago. It will take stepping out into the unknown again, and trusting Him in a big way. Thank you to all the souls who have taught me to wait, and wait well. To be unsettled where I am, and be able to utilize what God has taught me up to this point, because there’s more in store.

Hope and Love

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It was 5 am when I heard a distinctive sound. Numi was about to throw up in my room. I scooted her outside, thanked God for waking me up, and protecting my row of shoes.

My phone was blinking, letting me know I had mail. It was a comment on my Blog, and it touched my heart so deeply, I’m shaking as I type this. God was at work early this morning.

A woman found my Blog during the night, and read Blog after Blog, after Blog.

She left a comment, but then had a change of heart and asked me to delete it. I will do as she asks, but her comment will be forever imprinted on my soul. I needed to hear her words.

God works through people. They tell us what we need to hear. That is my hope while I write. That God will work through me, and you will read something you need to hear.

This woman validated what I have been doing the past three years. I’ve posted so many Memes on social media, I told my daughter yesterday, “My life is a Meme.” She laughed and disagreed, but from all those Memes, I could run some of my favorite ones through my mind at any time. I am mindful when talking with friends, or I’ll give them a quote from a Meme.

You can laugh along with me here, but it’s true. So, what God has called us to do, which is encouraging others, is a gift. People are reading our words, seeing our Memes, and it helps keep them going. What I want this woman to know is, the comment she left this morning will help keep me going.

When you leave a comment, your words fill me with hope and love.

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One of my all time faves.

 

 

Together in Stillness

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Last Friday, a friend asked what I had planned for the weekend. If I had anything productive, as in getting a lot done. The weekends are well spent replenishing my soul.

I try and get everything I want to accomplish, completed during the week. I have a couple of things left to do this week, so today is my last day to get them done. Otherwise, they fall over onto next weeks to-do list.

That is never fun. A new week should have new accomplishments. That is how I gauge moving forward in life. Get it done and move on.

 

Friday also means final Radiation treatment for the week. I get two days off, and my skin needs that. Yesterday, I noticed I was getting a slight burn by it. I had to increase the lotion.

What does Friday mean to you?

I hope it’s not just another day, because they truly are special. It’s the wind down of the week, and the anticipation of the weekend. If my daughter is home, we do something fun. One of our favorite brunch restaurants is only open on the weekend, so maybe we go there.

If she goes to see her father, I spend time on me. Catching up on my reading, and learning new things, or just relaxing in the stillness of the moment. I encourage you to do whatever replenishes your soul. Whether it’s alone, or with loved ones.

If my daughter was 5 years old again, and I knew what I know now, our weekends would have been much different. I used to work right through them, whether it being house chores, or actual business. I never stopped. Today, I would sit on the floor with her, and play a game, or build a Lego kingdom. I would slow down the pace and enjoy the weekend.

This is what we’ve done for the past 4 years, and I am blessed by it. We slowed the pace of life to match our heartbeat. Yesterday, she spent alone time in her room, just caring for her tender soul. I spent a large part of the day sitting on her bed, just to be there. Self care doesn’t mean you have to be alone. Sometimes it’s two hearts sitting together in stillness.

Different Is Good

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When I’m at the lake, the coffee maker usually wakes me up. It’s set on a timer to start brewing, but this morning that didn’t happen.

I overslept because I forgot to add water.

This year has been so different. Not only walking through Breast Cancer, but my daughter and I were apart for Thanksgiving.

This was when having two separate lives showed up. She felt led to be with her father, and I wanted to be with Chef and his family. I missed her terribly, but it was nice cooking with Chef, and having Thanksgiving here.

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I have spent twenty something years cooking the entire Thanksgiving dinner myself. This year I was only responsible for two dishes. The dressing, and some sweet potatoes. Chef had everything else under control. We were going to cook the entire dinner for his family. It’s funny looking at it now, but I was so nervous about cooking the dressing!

His Mother has always made the dressing, and I was in charge of making something they had certain memories of. Keeping it Grandma’s Dressing recipe, all I could do was my very best. Thanksgiving morning, Mr. Smith went to his families home to put the turkey in the oven, and I started making my dressing. Why was I so nervous about making this one dish?

Meanwhile, my daughter had volunteered to cook Thanksgiving dinner for her Dad, and brother. She called me stressed out about cooking the ham. Being a mother, I just wanted to step in and help her, but I couldn’t. This was something she chose to do, and at 17 years old, I had faith that she could.

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She did all of this. I love the way she put the pottery I left behind to good use. This picture reflects what she saw over the years, and she duplicated it amazingly well at her young age. She make it look like Thanksgiving, even though we were apart.

The expectations we place on ourselves can be brutal.

My daughter and I both have a bit of perfectionism we struggle to let go of. The dressing turned out well, and we had a beautiful Thanksgiving. Chef did an amazing job in his Mother’s kitchen, pulling the entire meal together in record time. It’s incredible to watch him, and he only burned his fingers twice.

Maybe your holiday’s look different this year, but I am finding that different is good.

Letting go of expectations of myself, allows me to enjoy what’s in front of me instead.