Let me tell you about my sisters...

I have two sisters. One is 4 years older and one is 7 years younger. We've had our ups and downs. We've had our moments of hating each other. We've had more than our share of fights. We've moved far too many times together and now live 3,000 miles too far apart from each other. There was a time when I could not wait to be out of the same house as them...when I was jealous of my only child friend...when I was eager to be grown up and apart. Now I miss them more than words can say. Washington, DC, is a very long ways from Chino, CA.

Many of my California friends will never really know my sisters. For those of you who do, you know just how true this statement is: my sisters are courageous. My sisters are strong. My sisters have overcome significant odds and are truly amazing women.

One sister courageously left everything she knew behind and faced a journey to take back her life. She has grown exponentially in the past year. She is discovering how much she is really worth and how truly amazing her life is going to be. The possibilities are endless.

My other sister (not to be confused with "The Other Sister") has endured more in her years than most do in an entire lifetime. She is a survivor. However, she is not satisfied with just surviving. She is changing her world. She stands when everyone else would cower in fear. Actually she does more than stand. She fights. She keeps moving forward and moving up. The doors of opportunity are just now beginning to open and the world hasn't seen anything yet.

My sisters...truly amazing. Deeply inspiring. Absolutely strong.

It's All About Perspective

I've been having one of those weeks. You know the week I'm talking about...the one where every day feels just a bit off. It seems that everyone is a bit more negative or touchy or critical. Drivers are more ridiculous. Customers are more exhausting. Minor annoyances seem monumental. Ring any bells? Let's just say I am more than happy to say good bye to this week and hello to the next.

I feel a little discombobulated this week. Perhaps it is my sugar and soda withdrawal kicking my butt. Perhaps I am emotionally sensitive this week. Perhaps I am overwhelmed by the expectations I place on myself. Whatever the reason, I do not quite feel at home in my present circumstances. That is not a feeling I welcome or enjoy even slightly.

As I was driving home from work tonight, I was mulling over the events of the week. Analyzing what I have said or done and what those around me have said or done and what that means for my future...over-analyzing would probably be a more accurate description. I drove home completely overwhelmed by my feelings of inadequacy and angst. I was hoping to walk into my home feeling exactly that...HOME, peace, calm, rest. However, I felt the exact opposite.

As I was ranting and raving, (ask my BFF about the ranting), I simply said, "God, I can't do this anymore. I can't be here. I need it to change." Right then the still, small Voice that had been speaking to me all day finally broke through my chaos.

Relax. Take a deep breath. Stop seeing things through your eyes and let Me show you what I see. I see promise and potential. I see victory and abundance. I see peace and possibility. I see lives changed because of who you are and where you are. Rest. Let Me do the work. Let Me bring the breakthrough. It's not up to you.

Inhale. Exhale. Rest. Tomorrow is a new day and my God promises new mercies and unfailing love.

And He Saw That It Was GOOD

Every detail of creation reflects the thumbprint of God. From the smallest insect to the largest whale, from the grain of sand to Mt. Everest, God was concerned with the details. He spent each of the days of creation thoughtfully crafting each feather and hanging each star just so. And He saw that it was good.

I imagine with every stroke of His artist's paintbrush, He saw more than just the creature at hand. I imagine He saw every dog that would ever bark, every bee that would ever sting, and every fish that would swim...in a bowl or the sea. I imagine He saw the entire rain forest as He painted the trees in place. I imagine He saw every mountain being conquered and every stream refreshing all who stepped in. And He saw that it was good.

I imagine His infinite mind saw every detail, both good and bad, of all time. I imagine He felt the sting of pain at His creation, broken or destroyed. I imagine He cringed in sorrow when the sparrow fell to the ground or the lone wolf lost its pack. But He saw that it was good.

And finally, I imagine He saw every face of every child as He gently sculpted the details of Adam's face. He saw every broken bone and scraped knee. He felt every broken heart and caught every tear. And He saw that it was good.

God does not see just what is in the viewfinder. He sees the entire landscape. He seez beyond the single stroke of the paintbrush to the entire masterpiece. Despite His view into all of eternity, the destructiion, the joy, the tears and pain, He saw that it was good. Very good.

New Year. New Blog.

I have the best of intentions, but you know how the saying goes. I will not go so far as to say that I am paving the road to hell; however, my best of intentions were simply not good enough this year. I intended to run more regularly. I intended to not drink soda or eat any fast food. I intended to read through the Bible. I intended to blog weekly. The list could go on.

That is what is so beautiful about a new year. Nature (or Pope Gregory) sees fit to turn the page on the year past and offer a blank slate for the year ahead. That, my friends, is a wonderful thing. As the first day of this new year comes to a close, I am reflecting on the past year and dreaming about the future. I am trying to imagine what could possibly happen...what breakthroughs are just around the corner, what dreams I have yet to dream, what impossibilities are destined to be realities.

I have decided that resolutions are ineffective and only manage to help me wallow in guilt. And who needs help wallowing in guilt? Instead, I have decided to allow myself to dream and imagine. A little every day. And not simply dreaming on accident. I will dream on purpose.

My intention is to write more regularly about my dreams and plans, but we know what happens with my intentions. Perhaps this year you will join me in the dream world. One can hope.

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." ~ Walt Disney

"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly." ~ Langston Hughes