Is what I am doing today, going to achieve the goals that I set yesterday?

I met a beautiful older woman today, she is a neighbor down the road from me, that unfortunately until today I have not known.  I found a handwritten letter in my mailbox with her name and my address on it, so I asked around my neighborhood to whom it might belong to, instead of just writing “not at this address” and sending it back. I don’t know about you but, I love getting “real” mail, you know the ones that come in that snail mailbox, sometimes don’t come at all and are usually late? Seeing a handwritten note in my own mailbox is the highlight of my day! It makes me feel like someone is caring about me, someone is interested in me and wants to be part of my life. When I get “real” mail, I always send something back too! Because I want the person to feel the same way I do! Life is way to short to always be hooked up to electronic devices as our only source of conversation. For years once a week, I took the time to write one card or letter to someone in my life that I hadn’t seen or spoken to, somehow I fell out of this habit. I am once again inspired to write again, not just here on my blog but to those around me that I care about.

This wrong addressed handwritten letter affected my life in two ways, one, reminding me that I too need to send my love and encouragement to those around me. Two, that this lovely woman that had no idea I was coming greeted me with a huge smile, a firm handshake and most of all sincere appreciation of just bringing her the letter that should have gone to her anyway.  She told me, “I am 94 and keep in contact the old school way” I smiled and told her my heart was old school but I was not 94!  She thanked me again and I reminded her that it was truly no trouble at all for me to find her and get it to her.

As is finished my short drive home I realized I am but half her age,  I hopefully have the same amount on this other side of my age.  My question to myself was, “what will I do with this time that is in front of me?” If I have done all the things I have done in my life, how many more things can I accomplish and achieve in another 47 years? Wow! The possibilities are endless, but the road to excellence requires planning and due diligence, goal setting and perseverance.  This task is nothing new to me, but I am inspired to look hard at my daily life and decide “is what I am doing today, going to achieve the goals I set yesterday?”

What will your day bring you?

The Mission Trip

 

A 4 am wake up call excited to leave, a long 12 hour bus ride with 51 loud, excited high school kids. Crossing the border was a breeze this year, with the exception of teaching them how to fill out immigration forms and not make mistakes,  but we are always cautious taking the kids over the border, then simply grateful when we are done crossing.  Then onto the Ranch for our 6 night stay, in bunk houses with 15 roommates, which makes for such great sleeping... not so much!!  A blend of not so much sleep and a lot of activity and strange germs that can take you down in a blink of a sneeze (been there done that). To our 6:30 wake up call to some very fun music lifting us from our cozy sleeping bags.

This year was very different in many ways, changes to pastoral staff and changes to the ministry itself. It was a time to be flexible and open to many changes.  It was absolutely wonderful! My team "Periferico"  as we have nicknamed it, was an amazing team. Serving one another, serving the church and the afternoon ministries together as a unified team was a true treasure. This team was different I believe because of the student leadership and what was required of them before we left to go. They were ready, the hearts of the students were prepared to serve, they were determined to be a team, and a strong one at that. The high school students came along side my son who is a Jr. High student, as a fellow leader not looking down upon him, but requiring him to step up and join them in the work load and the accomplishments. Nick will be forever changed from serving on this team.

Onto the day we will go. Serving the church that we were assigned to doing our Vacation Bible School with puppets, drama, crafts, music and snack. All in Spanish... did I mention I don't speak Spanish? So I am blessed to have a translator that was simply wonderful this year, she was so willing to help me in any way she could. After the morning routine, we were taken by the city bus (they are rented just for us for the week) to The Refuge, this is a home for about 75 elderly that have either been left on the streets by family or abandoned at hospitals with no where to go. Our ministry there is multiple layered, the church sends a medical team to take care of wounds and illnesses but my team, we feed them, sing to them, bathe them, and wash their feet.  Seeing my young man of a son serve in this way rendered tears to my eyes, his willingness to come along side a timid senior to help her serve in such a way that she was stretched beyond her normal comfort zone. We were able to serve on the Sports Camp Team in the afternoon, come along side another church to help with their vacation bible school that served the kids the entire day, and also enjoy a Fiesta! In my opinion our church is the best! Then again I've served on this church team for 11 years, and I might be biased, I have only served on one other church during my years going. The carne asada tacos are the best!

Listening to the worship songs sung in English and spanish at the same time, was astounding! It might be what heaven sounds like! Truly my heart was bursting, my emotions on high alert, this was the time to make sure I didn't have the Mission Mountain Top High. Maybe I came home with a  little... but that's normal right?

After serving on this team for many years, I have grown to love the Pastors Wife Eunice.  When we greet each other, its like sisters hugging and laughing. But there is one huge issue, she doesn't speak English and remember I don't speak Spanish. Over the years we have promised to try and study so we could sit and talk someday. And then another year passes and neither one of us manage to get it done, we laugh about it and try to not take up the time of the translator for our personal benefit. But its hard. I want to know so much about her, to know what it is her heart desires, to know what to pray for her for or about, to hear her just talk to me.  This year was different, as we were saying goodbye I suggested we email and just trust google translate to help us, knowing that it was going to be rough but promising to always see the good in the email, I was resolved to get to know her once and for all.  Then my sweet translator Ruth, helped us. She patiently and kindly spoke for each one of us, telling each other our hearts, and dreams and where we were going to serve in the next months. At the end, both Eunice and I were in tears, we finally heard each others heart. I asked Ruth "how in the world, did you get through that without crying?" her response was classic "it was really hard, I almost lost it a few times, but needed to keep it together for you two" This was our first real conversation.  I truly love this woman as a sister and can only imagine how we will grow as we can get to know one another on our own.

So another 4 am wake up call, up the hill to the buses we walk, to load up and head back over the border.  The border crossing was  uneventful this year of any grand stories, but the stories we had on the trip are never ending. Another 12 hour bus ride with the same 51 loud teenage kids that now kinda smelled bad... I'm sure I wasn't a fresh flower either.

Coming home from a Mission Trip is always sweet. It's home and I love it here. That first night home in my bed, after a yummy dinner my hubby makes me, is delightful.  The very long and hot first shower after a week of quick, sometimes cold showers that are still very refreshing and much needed. Yet despite all of these creatures of comfort, still I cannot wait to pack up and to go back again.  In the meantime, time to figure out google translate....

 

Life's Abundance.... This is the time!

Truth be told... I skip breakfast... A lot!  Its always been too busy in the life of having four children to get them out the door to school and eat myself. I would like to think I pack my breakfast and lunch with me most of the time, but my Nick told me recently "I think you leave it at home more than you bring it" truth out of the mouths of babes. But I can feel the toll that this ugly habit has had on my body.  It's been time for a change for a while but now I'm committed... Wanna know why? 

When my friend came to me to share this product, I was super excited... because she was super excited! Then I tasted the product and I was pretty much won over right there, this was a line that I needed to share with my peeps.  Now I have the full product line and can I tell you how excited I am to try out new things with them.  A protein powder that is TOTALLY healthy for my body and my son's body, greens that he will drink and that I completely enjoy.

So I am joyfully making my drink in the morning and guess what?   I have time ... because I am important and it's important to take care of me. It's a choice I had to make. Now I'm feeling the lovely energy of good nutrition in my body as I run around doing all that I do.

Someone told me today. "Ask a busy person if you want to get something done, then it will get done" this is so true! Those of us that move at the speed of light in a day, get stuff done!  Now I have the energy to go along with the spirited will in me.

 

Such a beautiful product line, both inside and out!

Such a beautiful product line, both inside and out!

So the great thing about this company is although this product line is fairly new, the company has been around and is a proven leader in supplements and nutrition. 

I would be happy to share samples with you, as the line is so new sample packets are not quite ready, but I'm ready to share it with you!

Here's my link to know more about the product, Let me know if you have questions or just want to try it!

http://www.lifesabundance.com/annettebarton You can order directly from this site... I did and I cannot tell you how joyful I am because I did!

www.teamsuccessstyle.com for more information about being a leader too! Shannon is my awesome go to for all the questions I have, just let her know I sent you!!!

Are you Listenting? or are you Fixing?

Lets be honest... we all want to be heard way more than we want to hear others., at least for the most of us, its our selfish tendency.  Being a good listener is a jewel of a character trait. I sit right between being a great listener and looking for the niche to be a great solution creator! Don't get me wrong this is not perfect, I sometimes use the wrong one at the wrong time. Im still human and a work in progress or as one of my coaches would say "I'm green and growing not ripe and rotten". 

This past week I found myself in mixed groups of people all serving on this mission trip that I went on (which was FABULOUS, and I'll tell you more later) The consensus that I heard was that one or the other in a relationship and/or marriage is the listener and one is the fixer, before these conversations I would be the first to throw the guys under the bus as not being the greatest listeners but desiring to fix the problem being heard way before the story was even out of the mouth of the story teller.  But I learned that women do it to! Who knew! Just kidding, it's in all of us.  So as I was talking to these men and women, it was no suprise to me but I learned again, that each of us desires to be heard when we are having challenges or problems, both percieved or actual. We need each other to get through our day!

There are friends and spouses in this world that defy this nature and can understand the story teller even without words, when others can hear you speak a million words only to be still confused and now frustrated themself. Someday I hope to grow to be the best listener I can be.

The only way I can see is to define what you need first off! Yep you, the story teller, the one who is speaking.   Sometimes, we know that we just need a listener to rattle some ideas around in our head and heart.. maybe its a problem personally or with business,  sometimes we already know that we need advice and help from the person that we went to. Be specific.. words like "can you listen to me about this problem/concern I'm having"  "I know you can help me with this challenge, could you help me figure this out".  You are giving your listener the stage to know what it is they are expected to do! It seems simple, but think about all the communications challenges you personally have had when you aren't being listened to or not being helped, that just this simple setting of a stage couldve helped. I think of the first years of my marriage, oh my! this would have been golden nuggets of wisdom in figuring out who we were and how to communicate.

Ok, now for the listener... to be a good listener you need to listen. Simple right? Not so much, some of our brains go right to how can I help fix this problem they are having?, where in my experience have I worked through this? What would I do if I was going through this? Relying on our wisdom is a wonderful gift, if that is what the story teller needs. But first you have to find out. You have to simply listen and find out what it is they need. As you are listening you can find the clues that the story teller is telling you. If this isn't clear... wait for it.... ASK!  When you are first correcting this very common problem in relationships, it might be ackward to ask am I listening or am I fixing? But so many people both male and female, husband and wife, friends have said to me, WOW that would make my life so much easier!

It seems easy enough to me, yet I find myself on the wrong side of a conversation doing the exact opposite of what that person needs. So when I acknowledge this error I will stop, and verify what it is they are going through and set the stage again for myself,  if I am listening or solution creating! I'm learning to be better and better everyday.

Its Mission time for me.

At Easter time, on Palm Sunday 150 people would enter the church in a haphazard way, in all matching T-shirts, sometimes a very bright color with spanish words on the back.  Tell me that it was another year that the church was sending our High School youth group to Tijuana.  I always thought in my heart.. I would really like to to this and would love to go someday.

Well someday came and every year for the past 11 years I have not been home for Easter. My kids grew up not having me be present for the egg dying,  basket finding, the egg hunt and the brunch. One of my sons birthday is Easter Monday and sometimes his birthday fell on the time when I was gone, it feels like more times than not. Not one of my kids ever complained, my husband encouraged me to go be the hands and feet for Jesus! David took on Easter and made it fun for the kids with baskets, church and brunch at the grandparents house and then managed to get through Easter Break without me. Josh would even hold his "birthday" for me to return and celebrate with all of us back home. My little Nick, didnt even know I should be home for Easter as I started going when he was just 2. Each of them just loved me and supported me in what I was doing.

Our church takes the high school group to Tijuana to serve the churches there, to do a Vacation Bible School and to sometimes feed and bathe the elderly of the community. Sometimes it was giving food away at the local dump or visiting the orphanage. Tijuana is a lost and desolate place, yet the lives of those that live there love seeing our busses arrive. The connections and friendships that we have made have sustained throught the years.  Now we have a Sports Camp in the afternoon and Pastoral training for the churches. The food crew gets up in the dark of night to make preperations to feed us 3 times a day and provide many meals for those we serve and take care of. The medical team tends to the injured and sickly at the refuge with unending service and love.  We have done alot more than I first started.  This team from NorthCreek Church is an amazing team to be part of!

Once you know me, you'll realize I am not a crafty person. Sure I can copy anything from Pinterest just like you can, but to create it from my own idea... well thats stretching it just a little to say the least.  Year after year I have been allowed to head up the craft team for this event, (still not sure why) and it is always a huge blessing to me to see the 4000 crafts come together for the kids to finish off at camp, and did I mention I have a budget of very little? Its a challenge, but a wonderful one! Its fun to see what can be created out of a little imagination and alot of paper cutting from my team!

The best part for me is to get to know the kids on my Craft team and to pour into thier lives just a little bit during the few months of training just before we leave.  Then it is my absolute joy to ride on the bus with the kids to see them safely arrive over the border to our rancho that we stay in, (no hotels for us!) its cozy and safe and the girls all bunk together.

I cannot imagine not going on this trip, its part of me and thankfully my family understands my love for this ministry. Over the years all of my kids have gone with me... or me with them.  Now my youngest can come with me and now he too understands how much more important what I am doing is, than an Easter basket or an Egg Hunt.

So here I go... Its mission week for me, I cannot wait to see what is in store for me this year.

Why I make time to talk to the girls in my life...

I am a Proverbs 31 wife... not perfect. But I am perfect for my husband, I am his helper and his soulmate. I have been a high school youth group leader for 9 years and 3 years of Jr High before that! It is by my lessons that I have been through and by grace that I am able to lead a group of young women in bible study. Some of "my" girls choose to have me in thier lives for longer, to mentor and hold them accountable through the college years.  I have mentored many tough paths in life... without judgment and with love and encouragement.  Only to come to the place of leaving it all up to God and to live a life of forgivness and choosing to share what paths He has had for me to strengthen and grow other women and girls. I have walked with women in troubled marriage and divorce, adultery and pornography. Drugs, alcohol and abuse. Eating disorders both overeating and undereating or not eating at all.  I have been challenged with helping women and girls with depression, suicide and the unexpected death in the family. I have counseled rape, incest and molestation.  I have taken another mother's child to raise as my own. In this crazy world we live in today, nothing shocks me anymore.

I have been in the corporate workplace, property managment as well as have managed a busy chiropractic office as my work loads have changed.  I myself have worked in so many fields that I understand most women and where they are coming from or where they have been. I know that I have an extremely high work ethic and will do everything in my power and authority to do whatever befalls me to do to the best of my ability.

I am the youngest of 7 children of a mixed family. I understand the challenges that prevail. My parents divorced way too soon. I've lost family in many ways, some with Gods grace of time and with the swift blow of murder. I was infertile and told I would never have children.

Lastly yet the most important to me... I have been a wife for almost 30 years and a Mom of 4 amazing kids for almost 25 years.

I too have walked a life of frustration and sometimes pain... but it doesnt have to stay that way. You can be free of the entrapment of pain and suffering

I have been coached and mentored by amazing people for almost my entire adult life, to empower the best in me and my relationships. I completely understand why I need to be coached and mentored, to keep me in align with my goals, aspirations and most of all my faith, to bring me closer to the one who desires all of me. God.

Honestly... I get it! Life is a little rough somedays... I'm here to listen and help you get back on the path that you have chosen even if you are not sure what that path is today.

 

Today is a New Day!!!

My family means the absolute world to me!  I choose to be all I can be just for them. To serve and to love each one with all that I have to not only make thier world a better place but mine as well. This does not mean, they dont have chores or that I do everything for them. I teach each of them that they hold a part in our world just as I do. I choose to be a better Wife, Mom and friend everyday! To be honest... some days this isn't as easy as others. But this is what I am called to to, when I have a postive outlook on my world and my life, it reflects on all of those around me and thier world changes too. I selected a phrase for my life this year and it's "I Choose". Not only to I choose what I do and how I do it, but I also choose the attitude and actions that go right along with it. I started my year with goals and my own collection of #lifeiswhatIchoose. I decided to have a full 30 days of selecting a joyful and inspiring addition to my life on my Facebook and Instagram page. Nope, I didn't hit a bazillion followers, and I know I didn't go viral, but i followed through because I wanted to, because I Chose to. It was my choice, I had no one person telling me to change to be this or that. But my family and friends were rooting me on, not even knowing where this would take me. I did, at least then I dreamed I did.

One of my very good friends has been a true inspiration to me in making this website and blog go from an idea, a dream and helping me to overcome my own obstacles to make it a reality. I am so grateful for her love and encouragement to me.  Two years ago, I had an idea... a really, really good one, it was this one! But I allowed the dangers of negative thinking and listening to a voice that said I was not enough. Sadly for two years, I believed it, I chose to believe it. I am sure the small world that I live in was forever affected by that choice that I made. The lostness, the sadness and even bitterness that I allowed into my life had to trickle down into the lives that I loved so much and wanted to protect from any ounce of negativity. This happened even though I tried so hard to fight it back. Getting over this was like slaying a small dragon (I've had bigger ones)   I choose that path NO MORE! I am who I am because that is how God has made me, my intentions are to grow and learn, to always be teachable and approachable to what erorrs I may have, to be a positive sparkle of hope in those around me. So really the life that I desire to live is Joyful By Choice. I'm looking forward to sharing where I've been, how God has shaped my life, what I know and all of the goofy things that I do, (I do alot of those, and I love sharing because frankly... its funny and we all need a laugh)