Calling all comedians. What do you think this elephant is doing? Funny comments get peanuts!
My sister, nieces, and I went to the zoo Tuesday in Montgomery, Alabama. Jess snapped a picture of this curious elephant.
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Is your city debt free? This mayor needs to call Dave Ramsey. Maybe all cities need to be run by someone from the Greatest Generation. Hazel has been the mayor of her city for 31 years. She is a former Hockey player, and still ice skates.
Click Here! Be Prepared to be inspired by Hazel.
Love,
Lisa
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Eutaw (pronounced like Utah) is a very small town just west of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Monday, I went to Eutaw to visit a dear friend. She’s my favorite fishing buddy and super competitive. So competitive, she could be the poster child for second born children. Just before Christmas, she found out that she had breast cancer. Several weeks later her house burned. She’s now living in a cozy cabin much smaller than her home while her house is being rebuilt.
I was hoping to lift her spirits and just maybe, for once catch more fish. Instead, she inspired me with her positive attitude and caught 4 fish to my 1. Just between us, I think she trains the fish in her pond to bite her hook better. We enjoyed great conversation and a gorgeous sunset. She’s informed her doctor that it’s his job to worry about cancer. She’s gonna focus on living. She’s planting wild flowers, hanging bird houses, and traveling. She was more at peace than I’ve ever seen her. Life has given her Lemons lately and she’s definitely throwing a party. Thanks Judy for the inspiration! Do you have friends that find a way to throw a party, too? We’d love to hear about them.
Love,
Lisa
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*On Casual Fridays, we make recommendations about books, websites, movies, etc. We would love to hear your Casual Friday recommendations, too.
Would you agree that a buddy makes difficult things a little easier and enjoyable things even more enjoyable? Exercising, following an eating plan, sharing the calories of a dessert, fishing, cleaning, walking in the woods, and piddling are just a few things that I like to do with a buddy.
Last week a radio broadcast caught my ear with the buddy concept. Back to the Bible.org was the broadcast and Powered by 4 is their Bible engagement plan. In other words, it’s a Buddy plan for studying the Bible. There’s also a Blog where you can connect with people who are reading the same Bible passages. It only takes 2 minutes to sign up, and it’s absolutely FREE! Tami Weissert, the voice and face of Powered by 4 (aka P4 facilitator), has this to say about it. “Join me and over 7,000 others who are reading, discussing and living out God’s Word together. You’ll love the interactive community we call Powered by 4.”
I’m trying it. Won’t you join me? Send this post to your buddy.
Have the best weekend yet!
Lisa
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Preface: I am blessed that God put Susan in my life this year. She loves the Lord and walks the walk. She’s real. I hope you find strength through this story.
When Susan Norris was dating her now husband, Randy, she befriended his childhood friend, Jason, and Jason’s girlfriend, Courtney. They became close friends… planning their weddings together, planning the birth of their children, and vacationing together. Susan’s son Timothy and Courtney’s son Tucker were born 12 weeks apart.
Courtney and Susan
Shortly before Tucker’s first birthday in 2001, he was diagnosed with cancer. Susan remembers the year of chemo and hospital visits that they would make to see Tucker. She remembers how Tucker’s eyes would light up to see Timothy, and Timothy would push him around in a cart or wagon.
Tucker gave his last battle against cancer last May, shortly after his ninth birthday. Susan’s son Timothy sat at Tucker’s bedside during his last week on Earth. How, as a parent, do you teach your child to deal with grief at such a young age? How does a 10-year old boy process that he has lost his best friend?
Timothy Norris, with the help of his parents, is learning how to deal with his loss. He is living out Tucker’s bible verse that Tucker embraced throughout his battle with cancer, Joshua 1:9. “Be strong and courageous for the Lord your God is with you.”
Recently, while out to eat with his parents, Timothy saw a Relay for Life kick-off party at the restaurant and said that he “should do that for Tucker.” Ryan Gaines, a member of the Norris’ church, had the idea to create a video for youtube.
Sometimes kids come up with ideas and they stay just that – an idea. Not this time. Susan made sure to put the action behind the idea to make it a reality.
Susan worked with Timothy and asked him what he wanted to say. She helped him write the script and helped him to practice. Details didn’t go unnoticed. The video is shot in Timothy’s bedroom, and the trophy on his bedside table is one that was given out at church for memorizing 15 bible passages. Tucker had one just like it.
Timothy has a goal to raise $1,000 for cancer research, and he invites kids to join him in the Relay for Life walk. Susan purchased plastic bats, cut slits in them for money collection, and gave the bats out to kids to collect donations. Timothy, with the help of his mom, is teaching other kids the ethic of service and how to show compassion for others.
Thank you, Susan, for teaching us about love and courage.
Love and Blessings,
**If you would like to read Tucker’s story, you can click here to read it on CaringBridge.
**Read about The Church at Ross Station here (where Randy Norris is the pastor).
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Why do Random Acts of Kindness make us feel so good? Whether we are the giver or the receiver, they make our hearts smile. Recently, I was on the receiving end of an Random Act of Kindness. I was feeling a little blue, because I was missing my nieces who live 2 hours away. Then in my teacher’s box at school, an apple and note appeared. I was so tickled. So simple, yet it meant so much. I had no idea who did it or who to thank.
Why did it make me feel so good? Did the randomness make me feel like it was a smile from God to encourage me. Was it because I was reminded that the simple things in life are the best things? Maybe I was being reminded that love is a verb and not a feeling like Hollywood tries to teach us.
I later found out it was a precious teacher. Instead of giving up something for Lent, she decided to do Random Acts of Kindness. Mrs. Hairston, thanks for teaching me about love “the verb”.
Why do you think Random Acts of Kindness make us feel so good? How do you teach your kids about Random Acts of Kindness?
Love,
Lisa
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Has this ever happened to you?
Something exciting happened to you, or maybe you learned something new. You are about to burst to share it. The person you want to share it with is on RED. You share it anyway. Then you are really disappointed, because they didn’t listen. It wasn’t that your loved one was mad, in a bad mood, or doesn’t love you. They simply weren’t ready to listen.
Several years ago I listened to an audio book about being a good listener. I must share with you the color system that I learned. I’ve shared it with many friends. This system saves feelings from being hurt and time. Everyone I’ve ever shared it with, loves it.
If you need attention for an important matter start by asking the listener, “What color are you on?” If they don’t know the color system it gives you the perfect chance to share it.
RED - I don’t have a lot of time to listen. I’m busy. I don’t want to hurt your feelings, so please don’t tell me anything I need to remember. I NEVER share my heart with someone on RED. I make it short or I usually go back later.
YELLOW – I have a little time if you hurry, but don’t tell me your life story in order to ask a simple question. I NEVER share my heart with someone on YELLOW. I share information only and as quickly as possible.
GREEN – I have all the time in the world. Let’s go sit on the porch and talk. GREEN is the only time I share my heart.
I’ve learned to take expectations off of people that they should always be ready to listen. The other person usually likes the fact that I respect their time enough to ask “What color are you on?”. The system works well, especially on the phone when you can’t see their non-verbal cues.
What color are you on?
Love,
Lisa
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I think that being a mom is a rewarding, scary, stressful, fulfilling, daunting, wonderful, overwhelming responsibility. I also think that for me to be the best mom I can be, I need to be the best person I can be. By best I mean happiest and most successful.
I’ve recently started reading a new book by Marcus Buckingham called Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently. In it, he asks readers to take the Strong Life Test at StrongLifeTest.com, where it will measure the answers against nine life roles and indicate to a reader/test-taker what her Lead Role and Supporting Role are.
I took the test today, and as no surprise my leading role was TEACHER. Here’s what the test said about that role:
TEACHER
You begin by asking:
‘What can she learn from this?’
Your best quality:
Your faith in the others’ potential
Your smartest career move:
Any job where you’re paid to facilitate the success of others.
My supporting role turned out to be ADVISOR. Here’s what it said about that role…
ADVISOR
You begin by asking:
‘What is the best thing to do?’
Your best quality:
Your ability to find a solution
Your smartest career move:
Any job where you’re paid to be opinionated
This is stuff I’ve always known. However, I’ve been in a position where my employer wanted me to be a different person… to be more of a “Caretaker” or “Weaver” by Buckingham’s test. I actually thought that my personality was flawed. The pressure was on that I needed to be like someone else. Those were some of my unhappiest days.
As most of you know, I have two daughters. Their personalities are very different, and I don’t try to change them. I appreciate their differences and try to build up their strengths rather than try to change them to conform to my own desires or to be like each other. Because I want them to have their happiest and most successful life, too.
Are you currently in the role that is best suited for you in order to bring strength and satisfaction to you? Try taking the test at StrongLifeTest.com and find out more.
Let us know how we can help you, and share with us how you celebrate your children’s personalities.
Love,
During the 17 years that he spent at the Gallup Organization, Buckingham extensively researched the nation’s best leaders, managers, and work places. He has written four bestselling books, First, Break All the Rules , Now, Discover Your Strengths, The One Thing You Need to Know and Go Put Your Strengths to Work. Find out more at MarcusBuckingham.com.
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