NaBloPoMo...I Can't Believe I'm Doing This

For years since I've had my blog, I've marveled at the folks who every November participate in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) where bloggers are challenged to write daily for a month to improve their writing skills.  Knowing I love to write, I'm a bit ashamed to say I've never participated...though other bloggers I admire have in the past, such as Katrina.  

So folks, here it goes...I'll confess that I'll be using some NaBloPoMo prompts to stir the ole creative juices each day.  I hope you enjoy and be sure to come back...if for no other reason than keeping me accountable.

I recently watched the remake of Steel Magnolias on Lifetime.  It made me realize what a remarkable job Julia Roberts and Sally Fields did in their respective roles of Shelby and Me-Lynn.  You can't remake a classic like that.  It's like if you tried to remake When Harry Met Sally with two entirely different actors than Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal.  Or The Ten Commandments without Charleton Heston.  It's just wrong folks.

The remake of Steel Magnolias did include all those lines I love...even the obscure one from the doctor after Shelby's kidney transplant:  "Looks good, looks real good" that only die hard fans will remember.  My favorite quote from the movie...by far is my favorite quote for life....

"I'd rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special."  

We all live life with too much angst and fret and let those moments pass by that we could never grasp again because we're afraid, or just think it's a silly dream or passion.  Live life to the fullest.  30 minutes of wonderful is worth all the pain that may come along with it.

Five Minutes: Voice

Each week Gypsy Mama chooses a word to write about for five minutes. No editing, stream of consciousness. Today's word is: Voice.

Ready. Set. Write.

In today's society, we live in email and texts.  Rarely in business communication are voices heard.  Although the written word has been cherished for ages, especially when drafted on fine parchment with beautiful handwriting, today's written word has definitely taken a beating.  Shortened acronyms to communicate common words, misspellings, bad grammar.  Yet, we rely on this mode of communication a lot...A LOT.  Even as I write this entry, I realize how many people read this that have most likely never heard my voice.  

A voice can reflect so much about a person.  When you know them well, you immediately know their mood when they open their mouth.  I work with a Sales Rep in southern California and when she calls me she always knows whether I'm having a bad day or good day.  She could email me all day long and not know that as I hide behind the mask of email communication and never know my temperament.   There is something to be said for voice-to-voice communication.

Now with the technology of Skype and Facetime, we can communicate voice-to-face anywhere there is an internet connection.  Even with this technology, though, I long for people to continue to use the written word well and let their personalities and moods shine through.  My friends will tell me that my blog reads like I talk.  I'm happy when I hear that, because that is my ultimate goal.  

There is One Voice I long to hear.  The voice of Jesus when I one day bow at His Feet and hear Him hopefully say "Well done, my good and faithful servant."  

Lessons Learned from Puppet Making

This past weekend I went to Elizabethtown to my friends', Julie and Rod, house to spend the day making a puppet with their youngest, Clayton.  Clayton adores me.  That may sound pious, but folks, it's true.  If that boy was my age, I'd marry him in a heartbeat.  I don't know that a man could love me as much as that young man.  He is precious.  His birthday was in September and all he wanted was to make a puppet with me.  He wants to be the next Jim Henson (and he is well on his way), but become the Christian version, taking his puppetry very seriously.  He made a resolution at the beginning of the year that he'd make his own puppet.  Being the crafty (double entendre intended) sort that I am, I was all about a day of creativity.  By the end of the evening, we had Rupert the Fish.  We'd hoped for Isaac William...but he's our next project.  From this puppetry experience, I learned some lessons...

1.  Planning is essential - You can't just wake up one morning and say "I'm going to make a puppet!" and expect to have it complete by the end of the day. Clayton spent hours researching the tips on making puppets, then drew out his various patterns, and schematics of the puppet.  He made his materials list and his Mom went out and bought the items needed.  She and Rod told me I'm the most patient person on the planet to do this, but when you love crafts - and you love this sweet boy - it's easy.

2.  Hot Glue is the best invention ever - I was in charge of hot glue and any other carcinogen products that we used.  When we got in a pinch and didn't want to take the time for sewing, hot glue worked great.  Of course, if you touched it, it was painful, but it dried in an instant and was very adhesive.  Hot glue and I are friends.  

3.  With felt, foam and covered wire, you can make the best hands ever - My favorite part of the puppet was the hands.  Clayton had made a pattern and had it all planned out and it worked like a charm.  I cut out the pattern in foam, then hot glued portions of covered wire on each finger so they would become pose-able.  Then I covered the wire-enhanced foam hands with orange felt and sewed it all together.  Voila!  We added a dowel rod and all of a sudden you have a working puppet arm that has pose-able fingers.  Genius!

4.  Humans did not evolve from tadpoles - After making the puppet head 3 times, and then changing our plans completely, I can confirm that God created us.  We didn't evolve.  A puppet is merely foam and felt plopped on a hand to come to life.  Creating a puppet head is so intricate and difficult that there is no way our complex bodies just happened.  Unfortunately, we didn't get to make Isaac because we couldn't perfect the head.  After more research, I'm hoping we'll be able to make the perfect round puppet head.  

Clayton took Rupert the Fish to church the next day to show off to his class.  He was so excited.  I am now doing research to figure out how to perfect the puppet head.  Let's hope another puppet is in our future....one that will be equipped with a well-crafted head.

Humbled and Grateful

Every year my company awards employees in various categories of recognition. There is "Best of..." in each of the vertical businesses...."Best Display of Corporate Values" among others.  The entire list of employees eligible goes out to the company for nominations.  No one in upper management can participate...only peers.  Once the nominees are tallied, each category presents four folks up for the vote.  The winning candidate is chosen by their peers.  

This year, I was surprised to win the "Best of B2B" award.  For those of you who are wondering, "B2B" stands for "Business to Business."  The winners each receive an Apple gift certificate for an iPad, which is quite exciting for me, the technology geek who is too cheap to buy an iPad or Android tablet, though I've pondered buying one for quite some time.  I'm now planning my budget to accessorize my prize and, of course, a name for said iPad.

Winning this award not only surprised me, but humbled me...and caused me to be very grateful from a heart that grumbles more than speaks gratitude.  It was just about a year ago that my company was acquired.  I said good-bye to co-workers I'd worked with for years and built companies with and started on a journey that seemed quite unknown.  I rarely make it over the "acquisition line" and knew that nothing in this life is certain when it comes to jobs.  I began to ponder what my options would be and how I should navigate these new waters in a new world order.  I never would have believed that a year later I would be here.  But, God is good, and I am grateful.

Not only did I grow in my knowledge and lessons learned in my career, I've grown and learned so much in my personal life as well.  As I reflect back over the year, I see how God has been working in my life all along and yet, I never knew exactly what was happening.

A year ago my focus and thoughts were elsewhere.  I was preparing to face an impending change of employment.  I worked out all the scenarios in my head on how I'd proceed once I lost my job.  Well, I still have my job, and though nothing is guaranteed, I've weathered our acquisition, another large acquisition, loss of many co-workers (voluntarily and not so voluntarily) and a difficult layoff a month ago that caused a loss of both of my bosses and my counterpart.  I press on knowing that for this season, I'm where God wants me.  

What did I learn over this past year?  One of the lessons I learned (among so many) was that although I'd love God to come into my kitchen and write on my nice blank wall each morning every step I need to take, I really only need to trust Him.  You see, trust is a challenge for me.  Trusting people is hard because I've had many in my life not be so trustworthy.  Many times I transpose that characteristic unfairly to God.  He knows that, so He does things to stretch my faith to trust Him oh so much more.  Over the past year, I've prayed and begged God for "what's the next step here?" in many areas of my life....work, service in His church, relationships, etc....and I've heard more often than not one phrase...."Trust Me."  Really, God?  It's that simple?  What He showed me was that if I devote my life to Him, pray, get in His Word daily, I don't need all the answers or all the steps that my little OCD planner heart longs for.  I just need to take one step at a time and my immersion in Him will guide my way.  Oh, my sinful heart may take steps in the wrong direction, but He will work it all out for His Good.  

As crazy and chaotic as my life has been over the past year, I feel very confident that I'm right where I need to be.  I wouldn't have put myself here in this place a year ago, but looking back at the journey, I have many confirmations I'm where God wants me for now.  So I'll enjoy the soon-to-come iPad prize and remember each time I use it that God is good and He can be trusted, even when my doubtful heart doesn't want to believe.  Humbled, Grateful and Blessed.

Five Minutes: Focus

Each week Gypsy Mama chooses a word to write about for five minutes. No editing, stream of consciousness. Today's word is: Focus.
Ready. Set. Write.

The more technology in my life, the less I focus.  You would think with the advanced tools we have we'd accomplish more in much less time.  Although sometimes that is true, it has just made me more ADD and quite distracted.  Let's take work for example.  I have two instant messaging platforms I'm logged into at all times....wait, three, if you count the one connected to in our CRM.  My email notifier pops up on my screen in the bottom right hand corner when mail arrives, which is about every 5 minutes (or less.)  My phone rings and the caller ID pops up on my computer screen.  I keep my cell phone tucked away at work and only look at it periodically in my day or I'd have those bells and whistles dragging me away.

This week has been a busy one, but at the end of the day on Friday, I'm thankful that I accomplished most all I needed to this week.  When I left yesterday I was exhausted and literally fell asleep with my phone in my hand playing a round of Hanging with Friends.  This morning I was able to spend some quality time in the Word and in prayer and it was so refreshing.  One of the lessons learned was keeping Jesus on the throne of my heart...not any other thing...not a possible husband (that I long for)....not a job...not anything, but Him.  Ahh, the focus that comes from a wise and simple lesson such as that.  May I keep my focus on what is eternal, not temporal...and may I keep my focus always on Him.