2009 Objectives - Mid Year Update

Happy July everyone!

It is sort of unbelievable to me that half this year is in the hopper already.

I recently took stock again at my original set of objectives for this year and am eager to update you all.

You know you are my accountability group.

Here you can see the original post.

1. Coming along just fine - especially this summer with summer hours. I have successfully taken time with the kids to just hang and it has been fun.

2. Ok - so monthly date nights have been brutal but we did get a nice weekend getaway just us in last weekend AND two weeks ago we saw The Hangover and laughed our butts off. We will be working towards this AGAIN and I hope to report at the 3/4 year mark that we are better and more consistent with this objective.

3. The nails. I have kept Emma's up periodically. Mine - not so much I did have a pedicure in the last month but that is it. Must do better.

4. Election - CHECK and I can even say that I've had a bit of controversy in my first 60 days - check out my other blog. It's been fun and a test of my leadership from my very first meeting in May.

5. This conference booking eludes me. I was close with a Sport Illinois potential conference but it has not worked out. However, I have picked up a new objective, I am working with an off-road racing team to get them 100% funded for the 2010 racing season. Tall order but we have started to lay out a kick a$$ plan that I am certain will be executed to completion.

6. Book progress. None. At the quarterly review, which you can see here, I was not putting any energy here. I had even picked up piano lessons which I took off for the summer. I plan to resume them this fall. This one may have to go with me into next year.

7. We did it - I finally found Maggie's Inc and now I have professionals cleaning my house YAY ME! - Thanks Jules, they are working out just fine. Every two weeks my house is spotless and pretty good in between - I am happy about this one.

8. Beth Moore bible study - I am going to pick up one this week. I'd been studying from a compilation called Hopeful Heart and it is good. Devotional in style but not as in-depth study as the Moore titles but very good. I am looking at doing Believing God , Day-by-Day.

9. Bikes - yeah they are so still in the rafters of the garage and with the weather we've been having - not sure what the deal is here. I will make a commitment to work with Emma for the remainder of the summer and the fall. We are going to ride bikes before 2009 is over. Period.

There you have it. A little more progress on some items. Still hanging on to others. New additions to the list and yet - I am encouraged.

I will say again that the importance of accountability makes objectives worth pursuing. You are my accountability folks.

Thanks for joining me on the journey - I'll holler around mid October with the 3rd quarter results.

Until then... I'll keep working, working, working.

You Can Do It!

I feel moved to encourage some people today.

Whatever you are facing...

Broken relationships ...

Work frustration and/or desperation - Unemployment ...

Personal turmoil of any kind - depression, self-doubt ...

Everyday irritations that have piled up ...

Sickness or sickness of a loved one ...

Take a step back. Breathe deeply. Take a moment to remember ...

Why you value the relationship that is strained ...

A time you loved what you did every day and if that time was when you were a kid - then you need to start visualizing something that you realistically can work towards ...

Who you really are - take a minute to think of three great things about yourself

What is really important - that's right the big stuff - your health, people in your life, your talents ...

Again who you are - you are not your sickness nor does it define you ...

I assert today that life is full of seasons ... perhaps you are in season of growth that is really taking everything out of you.

Take heart and remember you can get through it.

Thumbprint On My Heart Forever: Thanks, Kenny the Naperville Barber

So exactly three weeks ago tomorrow, I was hanging out in Naperville with a high school friend I hadn't seen in over 20 years. Reunion by Facebook. We ate an awesome dinner and reminisced over wine and cocktails and laughed our familiar laughs over and over again.

Not wanting to stay out too late or wanting the night to come to an abrupt end, we headed across the street to Potter's Place for another round, which ended up being 7-Up for me with the 30+ mile trek back to Lake in the Hills in my mind. I was distracted at best, worried about getting home in the worst way.

There at the end of the bar was Kenny. Kenny is not his real name, just in case he's not into public recognition.

Now Kenny was basically the Mayor of Naperville. Not a person passed without greeting him. He held court with a small group of friends and stopped to talk to anyone who he made eye contact with.

We - Carmen and I - were no exception.

I'll pause here with the message I want you to take away. Never, and I mean NEVER think you know people until you take time to know them. We should look deeply into people's eyes and hear them when they speak to us. Really strive to know others - even those who are so different than you. You will never be sorry for doing so.

Kenny had a tattoo on his arm - Isaiah 40:28 - 31. Look it up.

He smoked but was careful not to smoke on us.

He respected us (younger than he) professional black females (PBF) that entered the bar that night.

He spoke candidly of how we should "love and feed our husbands - if we had them" one did, the other doesn't. Anymore.

He talked so frankly about his relationship with Christ and how Jesus had saved him.

He initiated a conversation about the state of Corporate America and the PBF - daring, was he. He even commended Carmen and I for our success "considering...." I quickly commended him for caring enough to ask.

He introduced us to a woman - single and beautiful woman raising her two daughters after a nasty divorce - who he led to Christ.

The woman's face lit up when I mentioned I was a "Creeker"

It was the most bizarre yet touching thing that happened to me in awhile. On a beautiful Thursday night, I was in a bar in Naperville, IL with a high school pal talking Jesus with the local pub crawlers.

It was perfect.

Every word that Kenny said to me rings in my ear. His message of love, peace and understanding and the simplicity of grace that was so prevalent in his life was so authentic that it just covered me that night and ever since.

I was still processing my encounter with Kenny when the news of MJ hit one week later on June 25 so I had a pause in processing but it resumed immediately after the memorial concluded yesterday.

My encounter with Kenny was like an encounter with Christ himself. He is a simple man- a barber and hard working divorced dad who wore his convictions on his forearm, Isaiah 40: 28-31.

I am forever changed by his compassion, his struggle and his love for others.

Kenny reminded me that through our mistakes and flimsy attempts to know God and please Him -all God really asks of us is to be the best fill-in-the-blank (Denise, Kenny, your name) we can be and love others.

Forgive others.

Have mercy on those we say we love the most.

As we said goodbye that night - it was with a solemn hug and big smile that Kenny said, "I may not see you again on earth - but I will see you on the other side."

Yes - Kenny you will.

I can't wait to see your smile again. I'll let you get me that drink I passed on that night.

Authentic Shock and Sadness

I am absolutely shocked and saddened by the loss of Michael Joseph Jackson today. Funny, I'd been formulating a post on the amazing way that God uses different people to speak to you if you are open. I was going to blog about a chance encounter last Thursday night but that post will have to wait. I can barely type as I reflect on all the things MJ meant to me.

He was the original MJ - before there was Michael Jordan. It was tough for me to even call Jordan MJ because of this fact.

He was the person I looked to that gave me hope as a young black girl that we, too, could mean the world to people. Before Michael - I'd only see white artists on MTV and there was no BET so seeing him and his videos were like the Super Bowl to me everytime a new one debuted. Seeing women of all ages and races CRY over him was so impactful on me growing up.

His talent wowed and amazed me over and over. Billie Jean is one of my all time favorite songs along with Don't Stop til You Get Enough. Seeing him dance tonight in the clips gave me chills.

His posters lined my bedroom wall. Right On magazine could not give me enough posters. I was introduced to John Stamos because of my insatiable yearning for all things Michael that I bought a Tiger Beat one day.

He was the first guy I dreamed I'd marry. Ask my stepmom - I talked about it all the time.

His work on "We Are The World" and countless other philantropic endeavors inspired me.

His duets with Paul McCartney introduced me to the Beatles.

Throughout his tumultuous later life - I prayed for him each time there was a flare up. I saw him as person who was tormented and needed grace - not just from God but from everyone.

Someone I know asked today - "didn't we lose him a long time ago?" Yeah but secretly, I'd always hoped for a resurfacing of the real Michael we all grew up loving.

Poor black kid from Gary Indiana makes it big. Astronomical.

It is surreal to think that we are without this tremendous talent so soon.

May God comfort his family and especially his three children.

Thank you Michael for all you were to me. May you rest in peace with your Maker.

The Beauty of the Big Mouth

Throughout my lifetime - I have been told many variations of the same premise...

You are a good communicator

Talking is your specialty, huh?

You are a motor mouth

Oh my, can you talk girl!

You are so expressive

Breathe, Breathe

I've got a big mouth. Literally and figuratively. I see this big mouth as a gift. There are women who pay big $$$ to have the full lips I was born with. There are hundreds of thousands of classes out there on "How to Communicate Effectively" and again, I was born with that gift.

Something I learned long ago and am living out daily... if you use your gifts wisely, you will be blessed.

Today, I assert that the beauty of my big mouth is that it often engages others. Not just for my benefit but for the benefit of all parties.

When you engage people and they get excited - you can accomplish lots.

What are you accomplishing today with your gifts?

Happy Weekend!

I can honestly say this weekend could not have come sooner.

Opening the door to the spotless house and immediately jumping into PJs is my way of saying good riddance to a funky week.

Remember "The Plan"? Well, I made awesome progress on one facet this week.

So cool that putting a blog post out about making progress in "The Plan" actually kept me accountable to making a move. I love it. Even if no one reads or comments - simply putting it out in the universe that I need to make a change - motivated that change.

I am a 100% believer in accountability but for me it is not normally 'virtual' accountability. Usually, I confide in a few people and ask them to help me. 

Lesson learned.

Next week, I will tackle a few more.  Mark my word.

Until then.... happy weekend!

Making Space To Layout "The Plan"

Is it me or is it always difficult to lay out "The Plan"?

Without question - I have the motivation. Heck, everyday life provides me with nuggets of inspiration/motivation for laying out "The Plan".

I certainly have the ideas. I have never lacked ideas and I don't now.

So what is keeping me from laying out, and subsequently executing "The Plan".

Time.

Space.

Clearly, I need to rearrange my priorities.

You see - I'm the one in your network/friend group/family - who hates when people blame busyness or lack of time as an excuse to not keep in touch and/or spend time together. You can read between the lines - people. Things and/or people in your life that you repeatedly are 'too busy' to talk to or see are things and/or people who are low on your priority list.

No offense and none taken.

Facebook, email and the internet have allowed us to keep a periferal view of those (and the interests) we care about - and I am NOT knocking that. I certainly use those tools as well.

But for the special and important people/interests - we always make time. Always.

So, the question for me today - how do I truly make space for "The Plan"?

I've made a few weak attempts at making time/space but they have not made a dent.

Today - I assert that I will be making more time for "The Plan." Starting now.

Well - after I get the kids to bed.