Crafting

What I could change, but don’t!

What I could change, but don’t!

I have heard, "just live with it" many times in life, and it upset me because they did not have to live with it, I did! And at times, friends and family added a caveat to try and make me feel better, like, "just live with it, for now." They did not understand that it did not make me feel better, it left me feeling hopeless. But even more difficult to handle is when I heard, "just live with it" within myself. And the unspoken caveat in me was, "because you know it will never change, even though it could." Ouch! Then through prayer and self-reflection, I realized there were things I found "the art of living with" in my life. Knowing I could change but didn't was heartbreaking until I grabbed onto the hope of God's Word and the grace…

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Living with what I could change, but don’t!

Living with what I could change, but don’t!

I have heard, "just live with it" many times in life, and it upset me because they did not have to live with it, I did! And at times, friends and family added a caveat to try and make me feel better, like, "just live with it, for now." They did not understand that it did not make me feel better, it left me feeling hopeless. But even more difficult to handle is when I heard, "just live with it" within myself. And the unspoken caveat in me was, "because you know it will never change, even though it could." Ouch! Then through prayer and self-reflection, I realized there were things I found "the art of living with" in my life. Knowing I could change but didn't was heartbreaking until I grabbed onto the hope of God's Word and the grace…

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The Art of Intentional Learning & Pruning

The Art of Intentional Learning & Pruning

Proverbs 1:5 (KJV) A wise man will hear and will increase learning.Proverbs 1:5 (AMP) The wise will hear and increase their learning.Proverbs 1:5 (ESV) Let the wise hear and increase in learning.Proverbs 1:5 (NIV) Let the wise listen and add to their learning. In this scripture, we hear a clear message that if we are wise in our hearing, we will increase our learning. Being wise in our hearing is being intentional in hearing because that will dictate our learning. What does "The Art of" mean? The art of something is when we move in it, creating beautiful work by using our imagination and proven truths. We need to understand that this same beauty is when we live with a mind and heart of intentionality. Our learning is like our legacy; not optional. We will learn, and we will have…

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The Art of Management and Marriage

The Art of Management and Marriage

I want to share with you two extraordinary roles that over time have become looked on as ordinary. They look ordinary because those that skillfully do them make it look so easy and natural. But the truth is there is nothing easy, natural, or ordinary about them. I am speaking about "The Art of Management and Motherhood". So why do I pair these seemingly different roles together? I do so because I have occupied both of these roles for over 30 years and I know that they are more similar than different. Those of us that are skillful at management and motherhood carries a wide range of influence on this generation and the generations that will follow after we move on to a new season. Art is not perfect and neither are we. But art is skillful and so are…

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Recognize and Respect the Press of Others

Recognize and Respect the Press of Others

As we continue to look at the ability we have in building a well-crafted legacy, we have discussed the four foundational elements that bring movement within your building. They are Passion, Bravery, Forgiveness, and Restful Emptiness. Click the links to read about each of them. In this segment, we look at recognizing and respecting how we "builders" demonstrate a pressing of moving through challenges and obstacles we face. The press of others and yourself is the fuel that keeps us moving, expands your thinking and contributes to our personal growth RESPECT Respect comes from a Latin word that means “to look back at”.  Respect is given “after”, or on the other side of a circumstance or season. Respect is a response to something that causes us to look back at it in wonder and admiration. Respect does not have to be spoken…

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Building Your Legacy – Elements (Part 2)

Building Your Legacy – Elements (Part 2)

Forgiveness and Restful Emptiness are two of the four elements of change in our life and legacy. Click here to read about the other two, Bravery and Passion. Forgiveness If we do not build our legacy from a place of quick and full forgiveness we will end up stuck in life. Stuck means we will experience a lack of productivity and creativity until we forgive. Being stuck will also cause us to be blind to what we should be grateful for in that area and halts fruitfulness.  Being a forgiving person release a spirit of gratitude in our life. Just like gratitude, forgiveness must be expressed. If I do not express it, it can not be activated in my life and legacy. I express my gratitude to God first and then to those that He uses to give me cause to be grateful.  I express…

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Building Your Legacy – Elements (Part1)

Building Your Legacy – Elements (Part1)

As a recap, in the first segment of Building Your Legacy, we reviewed the definition of legacy along with the need for four foundational elements to be at work so that your legacy can bear fruit. In this segment, we will look at two of the four foundational elements of Passion and Bravery. Passion Passion is one of the four elements of change in your life. As it relates to the element of passion being foundational in the building of our legacy, it is not about finding our passion. The element of passion is about the intense fire of enthusiasm that we bring into our legacy. God gives us peace to not be concerned about seeking our passion, but to seek Him, and He will bring our passion or purpose to fulfillment. I cry out to God Most High,to God…

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Building Your Legacy with Elements

Building Your Legacy with Elements

"Building Your Legacy" is a new series of highlighting topics to aid in building your life and legacy as it becometh you. The first segment of Building Your Legacy is to define legacy and elements of a well-crafted legacy. You are writing your legacy every day, that is a fact. But a well-crafted legacy is not automatic, it requires that we are an active participant in the building of our legacy. We all need the proper supplies or elements when we participate in any building process. For a well-crafted legacy lets start with the basic elements that will go into your legacy. So what is a legacy? When we think of a legacy we commonly think of two things. It happens at the time of our natural death and it refers to a time when our finances or personal possessions…

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Simplifying Life is Personal and Enjoyable

Simplifying Life is Personal and Enjoyable

Personal Simplification To simplify scares many turns off many, and intrigues many. I went through all three of those feelings from the time I was introduced to the concept of simplicity, about four years ago. My first exposure was with Megan Starbuck and her blog Living Tiny, Dreaming Big. Her writing about tiny living came right about the time I was getting excited about tiny homes (which I hope to have someday). In her blog, she addressed various ways, reasons, and outcomes of embracing simplicity, no matter the size of your home, family, or life. Through reading her blog, she took me from being turned off and scared to intrigued because Megan made it very clear that living a life of simplicity is total, 100% personal. What a relief! So many before Megan, made me feel I had to do…

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Exposure to Foundational to Beneficial

Exposure to Foundational to Beneficial

EXPOSURE Exposure is powerful.Exposure is hard to forget.Exposure causes a reaction.Exposure demands a response. Exposure can be the start or foundation of something or the capstone or finishing off of something. Exposure can cause a reaction. Exposure demands a response. The root word to exposure is "expose", which comes from Latin word exponere or expound, and was influenced by the Latin word expositus or to "set out" and the Old French word poser or "to place". It is important to know the history of a word because it gives clarity and understanding. Expose is to reveal, set out, and to place. When we are exposed to something, it is going to cause a reaction and demand a response. The reaction is emotional, the response being foundational of what we do with what we have been exposed to. Twenty years ago…

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