When fall comes to a CLOSE here in North Idaho, many of us retreat to our separate nests to tuck in for the winter. Other than school, sports and necessary errands, I tend to hibernate, enjoying the cozy fireplace and the other comforts of my home.
This year I have employment that will put me on the road in the icy weather, communicating with strangers and interacting with coworkers pushing me beyond my hibernation comfort zone. The other thing that will be different this coming year is no migraine.
I look forward to being CLOSE to my fellas up on the ski hill because I couldn't be there last year.
I will be CLOSE to my friends and my family as we celebrate birthdays and holidays since I missed most of them in 2018.
Finally, I want to be extremely CLOSE to my God, to my beloved ones, and to the ones God has put in my path to treasure, encourage, and support through the cold gray months ahead. This will draw me into relationships this winter instead of into hibernation.
Thank you for joining me these past 31 days as I have met this challenge head on. I know every blog hasn't been brilliant, but it is the first time in my adult life I have written every day for 31 full days.
Blessings to you and I will be writing again for Five Minute Friday on November 2.
Today's prompt has so many possibilities on where to take it.
One of the things I've been asked the most often since my Love has been a hot air balloon pilot is WHEN do you get to live your dreams?
Here's the thing:
I am.
I have dreamed of having a husband, a family, a family sport/focus my whole life. I love horses and I have always wanted to get back into that, but I am not missing anything - or any part of me. WHEN I'm driving the chase truck, predicting where he's headed next, getting the truck and trailer into and out of crazy places, figuring out how to pack out the balloon from a barbed wire fenced field without damaging it or us, and backing up the trailer like a bad ass I am living my dreams.
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WHEN I wept over infertility, lost our baby, decided to do a triathlon or five, my friends were there. One in particular is on my mind today. It's her birthday and I can't stop thinking about her impact on my life. She's always supported, encouraged and told me the truth. She has taught me it's not about how you feel about something, its about what you are committed to. She inspires me to be better. I dreamed of that. Having people in my life to push me to be the best me WHEN I want to quit on what's important to me.
WHEN you surround yourself with people who love you, encourage you, and inspire you, you ARE living your dreams. Every.day.
The Five Minute Friday prompt is WOMAN this week and SHE is the first one that came to mind. What I love about her: She doesn't give up.
We are surrounded by Wonder Women. The exhausted mom wandering the grocery store with toddlers hanging from the "car cart". The checker at that same store who has the power to encourage or dissect this dear warrior with a few choice words. The woman in the next aisle who hears the hysterical pleas for cookies (they never beg for carrots do they?) and casts judgement or prays a blessing over the distressed little and the mama.
We have the opportunity to see the Wonder WOMAN in our midst. She's probably not 6'2", a size 0 and dressed in red, white, and blue. She's possibly in yoga pants, a messy bun, yesterday's mascara under her eyes, and stains on her favorite t-shirt. Or she could be rocking the wedge heels, tidy capris, with classy accessories to go with her favorite shirt that makes her feel like a movie star.
Every WOMAN has a hero inside them. We don't know what they've survived, conquered or slogged through in the last 10 minutes, 10 days or 10 years. Let's see them. Encourage them. Remind them not to give up - especially the one in the mirror.
Parenting sons with ADHD, Chronic Pain, and Tourette's Syndrome is
a high intensity and often thankless endurance level race with no finish line.
My heart hurts (with their struggles). My head hurts (from the mental endurance
and research required to navigate all of this). My spirit is in fervent and
constant contact with the only Resource I know has their best interests in
mind. I cling to the verse, “The Lord is near to the heartbroken…” (Ps 34:18
AMP). The joy, peace, and hope are tangible too, a lovely part of being near to
the One who holds us all in capable hands with limitless options and provision.
I am working as a writer/editor and coaching people to move
forward in their personal and professional lives. My husband is launching a new
business (Blue Sky Ballooning) as well as maintaining his full-time day job and
all that entails. And parenting. A lot of parenting. Like, have nothing else on
our plate except parenting.
Our circles of friends have shrunken like grapes into raisins due
to lack of mental, emotional, physical time and opportunity. Our agreement is
that there is no one and nothing more important than being present and
parenting these amazing people we've been entrusted with.
We prayed and waited for over nine years to get pregnant and live
this life. We are here. Now is the time. Everything else, for the most part, is
on hold or in the background. The friends that support and encourage us are
kept very near and the ones who we love but don't do frequent life with, we
miss.
We give each other breaks, tag team during intense moments, and
check in with each other often to know when the other needs extra support. It
isn't the seamless teamwork it sounds like. It is messy. Painful. It takes long
talks, sometimes tempers flare and then more talking to process our next steps.
Together. Staying near to God and to each other.
We make a point to connect when we feel empty of energy and
frustrated by our situation knowing that we are better together in every way,
even when drained.
Our goal is to raise Mighty Men. Guys who will accept
responsibility for their lives, their actions, and their responses to
circumstances. We are teaching them grit and tenacity by requiring them to dig
deep and do the hard things they don't want to. We are involving them in our
family hot air ballooning business because there is an amazing volume of
education and challenge to glean in working hard, the science, skill, team
work, and communication.
We practice speaking life. To each other. To the people in
our paths. Because when things are hard, encouragement always helps, whether
you are giving or receiving it. The boys’ favorite song together is “Speak
Life” by TobyMac. They all know all the lyrics. You should hear them sing it.
It’s amazing.
As I look at my goals from 2017, I realize I made more
headway than I thought I did. As I consider my goals for 2018, I realize some
of them need to carry over into the coming year.
I told you all of this to encourage you, as you look
forward to 2018, set your goals based on who/what is most important to you.
Consider the reality of your circumstances, but don’t let it be the ultimate
and only indicator of how you set your goals.
I spent the last 18 months working with a fantastic coach
named Terry Gurno (terrygurno.com) who shared this
format of goal setting with me. I enjoyed it and plan to use it
again.
If you would like to see a copy of what my goals were for 2017, send me an email at jennifer@livecourageouscoaching.com
I’m still praying, evaluating, and considering for 2018.
Let me know how I can help you move forward. I am available
online, by phone and skype as well as locally in North Idaho and Spokane, Wa.
areas.
I only take a few coaching clients at a time, so be sure to
contact
me
if you are interested so I can let you know what time(s) I have available.
