What would you do with an unexpected blessing?

There is a small prayer in I Chronicles 4:10. Jabez prays, "...bless me indeed..." We never hear exactly how God answered Jabez's prayer (only that He did), but doesn't it make you wonder what happened?

A few years ago, Dr. Bruce Wilkinson wrote a book on this prayer, "The Prayer of Jabez". Many of you have read this little devotional, where the reader is invited to ask God for the unlimited blessings He can give us.

Have you ever wondered what that would look like?

Would it be a 'yes' to a cherished desire? The first thing that frequently comes to our minds is usually material: a dream vacation, a home, financial independence. Or it may be family concerns such a desire for a child, concerns for a troubled teenager or reconciliation among estranged family members.

Such tangible things are easier for us to imagine. However, sometimes God's blessings for us are not the things we imagine. Did you ever experience a time as a child when the beautifully wrapped toy under the Christmas tree turned out to be a savings bond or some other practical item? (I'm dating myself here, aren't I?) To a child, it's kind of like getting underwear. But as adult, I realize that I was given an investment! Pretty cool, but I didn't appreciate it then.

So I wonder sometimes if I will recognize the unlimited blessings from God. Will they be what I think they will be? Or does God have a different 'package' under the tree?

One of my goals for 2009 is to strengthen my existing friendships and nurture new ones. So one of my prayers has been to bring me in the path of new aquaintainces. I've also been praying for the qualties of a good friend, to help me be a good friend.

Yesterday, God may have brought me yet another blessing in the way of a friend, but until right now, I hadn't looked at it that way.

My husband left for his afternoon round of voice lessions right as our son was getting off the bus. Ten minutes later, my husband pulled back into the driveway said, "I can't believe I'm doing this," and then opened the back door to let a little dog out of the car. Then he jumped back in the car and drove off, leaving me with a confused dog and a busload of excited children.

Now I have been asking for a dog for a while. Our son is very energetic and I thought a dog might be fun for him. But now that a dog was in my garage (fleas!), all I could think about were the practicalities: Is she lost? What can I feed her? Good heavens, she looks like a pit bull!! Where can I put her until I can get her flea dipped?!

It wasn't until lunch today that I looked at her another way. We went for a walk and sat down to rest for a minute. She curled up next to me, a calm little companion and lifted her chin so I could rub her face and neck. I realized that God had answered a friend prayer with the appearance of this dog. Not only will she keep me company without interruption while I work at home, but she will also be a work-out buddy, keeping me motivated to take daily walks. When I told my trainer I had a work-out buddy, I never pictured a dog!

So while she will never have pedicures with me or tell me what looks good on me in the dressing room, Ruby will fill a friendship role in my life for as long as she is part of our household.

What about you and the friends in your life? Are you satisfied with those relationships? Could they improve? Are you missing a "type" of friend: Do you have a cheeleader, an accountability friend, a spiritual buddy? Might it be possible God has placed that "missing" person in your life, but you haven't recognized her yet?

What baby step can you take today to reinforce an existing friendship or find an opportunity to make a new friend? Recently, many of my friends and I have connected via Facebook. Is there someone to whom you can reach out? Is there someone you've been saying, "let's get together" to, and can you make a firm date to see her? Is there a small group at church where you might get to know new people?

Who might be the unexpected blessing in your life?

Smiles and Blessings,
Sharon


P.S. Thank you to all of you who commented last week and for the prayers offered up for Kenny and his family. Please continue to bless them with your prayers as they prepare to bring him home next week! I will keep the link to his blog on the upper right of this blogsite.

What would you do if life threw you a curve ball?

Yes, it has been a long time since the last post, hasn't it? When Donald passed away, I planned to take an extra week or two off from posting. Little did I know that it would be nine months!!

The logistics of dealing with long-distance estate issues were more time-consuming than I thought. Spring was very busy with life coaching, speaking engagements, Evan's final days at pre-school and planning for a return trip to California. There were even loose ends from my own parents' estate to wrap up, and they needed to be done in person.

Evan and I spent part of May and June away from home. Much of the day was spent entertaining my energetic little boy, who had to endure waiting at the DMV and going to the county clerk's office. We found time for fun, but at the back of my mind was the never-ending 'to-do' list.

Evenually, I got sick. Poor Evan was stuck in the house with me for two days. As often happens when we get sick from overdoing, God finally got my attention. He said, "Enough, daughter. Rest and prepare for what is coming."

Darrin arrived for a few days, and we planned a much-needed July vacation. I was able to chart out goals for my business. Evan was to start kindergarten on August 25, and I composed a schedule that would allow me to coach and also help my friend Gigi Hudnall with her start-up business. Everything was falling into place. I was rested and prepared.

Or so I thought...

Three days after school and Gigi's business started, she and her 5-year-old son Kenny were in a terrible car accident. Kenny was paralyzed from the neck down, and the Hudnall's lives were thrown into chaos. Friends and extended family prayed, brought meals and helped Gigi keep her newborn business afloat. The Hudnalls were amazing in the face of such a crisis and thousands of people logged on to Kenny's blog to pray for the family.

My ideal plans were tossed right out the window. Evan was having a hard time adjusting to kindergarten, my mornings were taken up with helping Gigi by attending meetings for her business, driving the van with Evan proved to be less than idyllic... Then a much loved friend experienced a life-threatening medical crisis, and on and on it went. I was uncomfortable and felt that I wasn't giving enough to my family, my business, my friends.

Plans to attend my high-school reunion nearly went out the window too, but God kept prompting me to go. Isn't it great when we listen to Him? It was a wonderful mini-sabbatical, and the Lord placed several dear friends and spiritual 'uplifters' in my path. Once again, I was reminded that my timetable is not His timetable. "Relax daughter," He said to me over and over until I got it. (I'm so glad for His infinite patience!!)

So December was spent in the lap of His love. Yes, things were still busy, but now I had a sense of His peace. It was alright to re-launch the blog in 2009. It was OK to not have my photo up on Facebook right away. Everything that had to be done was done, and as for the others...Well, sometimes we just have to give ourselves some grace. He certainly does.

Things fell into place, but it felt different this time. It was not frenetic. There was no sense of forced urgency. Yes, I made plans and thought about goals, but it was in His time, not mine.

So thank you all for your patience, prayers and good wishes over the past nine months. My prayer for 2009 is that you live in the lap of His love, remembering the amazing grace He has shown to us. How reassuring to know that He is big enough to catch any curve ball life throws at you.

Smiles and Blessings,
Sharon

P.S. Kenny is doing extremely well. To read about this incredible family of faith, click on the link above. You will be blessed beyond measure!

My father-in-law Don passed away this week. After the deaths of my own parents, Don and his wife Betty became surrogate parents to me and I will miss him greatly. But he left a wonderful legacy on living out his dreams that I would like to share with you.

Back in the 1970's, Don was a busy production executive for ABC television in Los Angeles. It was a wonderful job, allowing him to witness moments of history. He was present at the Kennedy-Nixon debates, trying to convince Richard Nixon to put on some make-up. One of his favorite assignments was to cover many of the Apollo space launches in Houston.

But it was also a stressful job, and he would get away whenever he could. His place of refuge was Morro Bay, California; a beautiful little fishing village on the Central Coast. On one memorable trip, he looked out over the peaceful bay with the fishing boats bobbing in their slips and Morro Rock rising over the ocean. The gentle California sun warmed his shoulders and he turned to his children and said, "This is where I want to retire."

He had no idea how that was going to happen. Life was hectic, money was tight; but over the years, he planned his strategy. It took about 10 years, but eventually he was able to move permanently to the Central Coast. He and Betty lived in a lovely little home overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Their house became a place of refuge for their family, too. Whenever we needed a break, the door was always open to us and we spent many happy hours here in Cayucos.

Don and Betty became much-loved members of the community, volunteering at the Senior Center and eating out at restaurants where they became part of the family. They loved to drive out to Morro Rock and look at the sea otters frolicking and raising their pups in the sheltered waters of Morro Bay.

So here's to a life well lived, and a dream fulfilled. We are all the better for having known Don and Betty and in our grief are able to gather together at this place of refuge. May you be blessed in living out your dreams, too. And should you ever find yourself in Morro Bay, drive out to the rock, look for the otters and tell them Don and Betty sent you.

What would you do if you had all the time in the world?

In the James Bond film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" James falls in love with the beautiful Tracy di Vicenzo. During the action-filled story, they dream of a time when they are not being chased all over Europe by the evil Blofeld. "We have all the time in the world," says Tracy, the only woman ever to marry James Bond.

James and his wife live happily for a time, with no thoughts about the past. The only tears at the wedding are those of Miss Moneypenny, and Mr. and Mrs. Bond look forward to living a life together as if they truly did have all the time in the world.

Time is such an issue for so many of us today. Schedules are overflowing with jobs, children, chores. Rollover your 401K now!, pick up the phone and call today!, don't let another minute go by!; our ears are constantly barraged with so-called urgency imposed upon us by others.

What about the urgency we place upon ourselves? Have you ever uttered the following: "I know it's late, but they're depending on me, I have to make the brownies right now." Or, "Billy really wants to take swimming lessons, I think we can squeeze in one more thing. He's only got three extra-curricular activities." Or how about the insidious, "If I don't do this, it won't get done."?
(Generally translated, "...it won't get done my way.").

Now I am not suggesting that you break promises or shirk responsibilities. If we say we'll bring the brownies, then we should be men and women of integrity and bring them. But do they have to be homemade when the only chance you'll have to bake is at 10:00 p.m.? Can Billy drop Tae-Kwan-Do for the summer in exchange for swimming? Can you learn to look the other way and let your spouse fold the laundry, even if it's wrong? (gasp!)

In "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", Stephen R. Covey talks about ways to re-prioritize our time by analyzing each task and assigning it a category. Doing some thoughtful planning can help us manage the frantic quality of post-modern life.

When I first started doing this, I noticed two things:
1. It really helped free up some time, and
2. The people whose action items ended up in the bottom category hated my new system!

I am still working on my journey of time-management, but I have found that making some changes in this area has freed me up to do the things I am called to do: spend more time with family, have a better career-life balance and work at staying healthy.

Of course, we do not have all the time in the world. Our life-journey is finite and there are things that must fill some of that time. But just for a moment, allow yourself to think about this week's question. What is your time desire? Would you take a year and backpack Asia? Would you spend more time archiving your family history? Is mission work a passion? Try and think about big-picture dreams.

Then, because time is a concern, think about how you might whittle an hour into your week for your time-desire or something similar that would feed your passion in this area. Is there a class you can take? Maybe it's something you can translate into a family activity. Perhaps a family member or friend has a time-desire you can both share. If your time-desire involves travel, is there something local you can do, such as visit a restaurant from a part of the world you enjoy?

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." What seems time-prohibitive may merely be so right now, in this season of your life. But that does not mean it will always be.

What would you do if you had all the time in the world?

Smiles and Blessings,
Sharon

What would you do if you were completely fearless?

Several years ago, I found myself alone in a rural French town a week before my birthday. I was there for work, not pleasure. The only French I could speak was what I could cram into my brain on the flight over. It was cold, wet and grey outside. I didn't know anybody. The only birthday party I could foresee was a pity party.

Then my dear friend, Mark, called me out of the blue. We hadn't seen each other since he relocated across the country, and he was astonished to hear that I was in France. He was traveling with his new business partners, who just happened to be German. Mark told me he would be in Munich the following week and asked if there was any way I could break away for a visit.

I was so moved and grateful to be rescued from such dismal prospects on my birthday. We arranged for us to meet at the train station in Munich.

When I arrived, I saw Mark and he took me out to the car. The car turned out to be a Bentley limo, complete with liveried chauffeur. It turned out that his business partners were from a wealthy, formerly aristocratic family. When they heard that Mark's friend was coming to visit AND it was her birthday, they pulled out all the stops.

Like Cinderella, I was whisked all over town in a beautiful silver coach. I was the only woman in the group and was treated like a real princess. Mark's friends belonged to all the exclusive clubs in Munich. When we arrived at a discotheque, we were the ones to get in while all the others waited behind the red ropes. I ate five-star food, stayed in a five-star hotel, shopped in five-star stores, and was not allowed to pay one pfenning for any of it. We ended that day in a very chi-chi rathskeller club in the former dungeon of a castle somewhere outside the city. (I have NO idea where it is now...) The members offered toasts to my health. It was one of my best birthdays ever!

The next day Mark and I were walking in the town square and I was musing on all the things I had experienced for the first time. I had never celebrated my birthday in Munich. I had never been to a discotheque on my birthday. Then Mark and I walked past a tobacconists' shop where there were Cuban cigars in the window. In the spirit of doing something we'd never done before, we bought a Cuban cigar and sat on a park bench, smoking cigars while we watched the world go by.

Ever since then, it has become a tradition in our family to do something you've never done on your birthday. It could be something small, like smoke a Cuban cigar (I admit this is not the healthiest choice...), or something big like going to Munich.

My challenge for you this year is to try something new on your birthday. A food you've never tasted, a place in your town you've never been, an activity you've never tried. Set a goal for a milestone birthday to take that special vacation you've always dreamed about. Try something outside your comfort zone. Maybe even try something that scares you a little.

One of the biggest fears we all face is that of change. But doing something unfamiliar, yet easy and fun, can encourage you to conquer those bigger changes when they come along. Some of those changes might not be fun or easy. But stretching your 'change' muscles in small areas can equip you for the tougher ones. Just as marathon runners start by running a 5K, start small. It's all about those baby steps!

What would you do if you were completely fearless? I'd love to hear your answers!


Smiles and Blessings,
Sharon

p.s. Thanks to those of you who commented last week. If you haven't read last week's blog comments, check out the dream story posted by one of your fellow bloggers. Here's praying that you get the chance to live out your dreams!

What would you do if money was no object?

Welcome to my exciting new blog, The Purpose Post! This will replace my former blogsite Speak with Purpose. Don't worry, I am still doing speech and audition coaching. But as Darrin and I begin to expand our business, I decided that I needed to have a name that was more inclusive of all the coaching services I am offering.

I am so happy that you have stopped by for a chat. This is meant to be a fun and motivational site, so I want to hear from you.

In order to get some comments going, take a look at the question at the top of the page. What do you think about it? How would you answer it? There's only one rule: It must be for yourself. No fair saying, "I'd pay off my house", or "Send my kids to college." We know that you'd do all those things if money was no object. I mean, we're women!!

This question is to encourage you to think about YOUR dreams. Even if it is something that is no longer possible to you due to health or other concerns, just thinking about your no-holds-barred dream can point your way to things you CAN do. It's all about those baby-steps.

I can't wait to hear your answers.

Smiles and Blessings,
Sharon

p.s. Remember, yesterday is history. Tomorrow's a mystery. Today is the gift. And that is why it's called The Present.