Don't Be a Bitch-Be Nice to People-Thank Them Profusely

This week is Administrative Professionals Week. I know a lot of naysayers and critics would say, "Wow another holiday to stimulate retail spending." Well, I work with three assistants and they usually keep me on track with what I have to take care of and have my back. If you don't learn how to be nice to them and appreciate the little things they do, you won't thrive in the office environment, get much done on your to-do list, and ultimately never progress in your career. There is just way too many things that professionals have to do, and if you can't rely on a good assistant, your projects will take even more time to accomplish. Plus, people need to feel appreciated. Employees are willing to walk over hot coals for their bosses if they know that they are respected and thanked.

This also goes with any relationship or blessing or grace. Have you ever been nice to someone and the good deed was unrequited? Have you given a significant donation for a person's mission trip, written a check for church, loaned a person your car for a few days, worked a twelve hour day and you never hear even a thank you from that person? Isn't it heartbreaking when you feel like you gave and your blessing wasn't acknowledged. I am not sure why people are so ungrateful. I am not sitting on a high horse while saying this. I have a stack of blank thank you cards that need to be written. I'm not perfect and I know that nobody is completely perfect. I know that there are probably many nice things that people do for me that go unnoticed or unrecognized. But, that's not an excuse. Being gracious is an art that can be practiced.

You have to make the time to be thankful and appreciative. I know that sometimes people can get so self absorbed in their own lives and drama and not realize how selfish/whiny/negative they are being. Sometimes I want to slap them and shout at them and tell them to snap out of it, but I guess that's when God steps in. With a heart of gratitude for your present gifts given today, you can move out of negativity and stop being so gross and ugly.

I was raised in a family where we were taught whatever you give it will be given back to you ten times more. (And ultimately whatever you give to God, He will repay you in so many ways abundantly in different and unique ways.) The more convicted you are about realizing that your resources aren't really yours and they are God's resources the easier it may be to give. I've been challenged lately about tithing. That's giving to charities and others 10% of your income. That is a significant amount. I think the easier it is for you though the more open your heart and your mind can be to give more and receive more.

And, dude, I know that it's hard. It's also hard to give when you feel like you don't have the resources - time, money, and talent. But, God gives us everything we need to give what we can right now. And, saying thank you to someone is free and doesn't take much time.

** This post is dedicated to my cousin Sheila. She recently had a birthday AND a wedding. A few weeks ago, we had a conversation about grace and gratitude. She inspired me to write this post. The photo above is a photo at her bridal tea/ shower.**

The Things that Matter Most

"The things that matter most must never be at the mercy of the things which matter least." -Goethe

I was very inspired by the concept of the Big Five for Life over the weekend. While I was enjoying my three day birthday weekend, I was listening to a podcast interview with John Strelecky and the most interesting question came about: "What if after you died a museum exhibit was dedicated to your life? In proportion to how you spent your time, the exhibits represented the way you prioritized your time."

That was a very eye-opening question which was a little bit inspirational and a little bit heartbreaking. I don't want to be viewed as a workaholic putting in work that I don't have my heart/desire/dreams involved in. I know that some people would advise me to tolerate it. That's just the way life is. We are called to do work and to put up with it.

I want to be different. I want to challenge myself to learn new things, be creative, travel to different places, pursue a healthy lifestyle incorporating yoga, running, triathlons, and rock climbing, and in the end I hope to leave a legacy for other women to feel empowered and confident to do the same.

Why are we so busy tolerating the minutiae of the everyday? I know that some people have obligations to others, but don't we owe it to God the person who created us to be who we were ultimately intended to be?

Running-Calmness-Bluebonnets

Three beautiful gifts that I can savor, meditate on, and appreciate. When you are worried, take a step back and make sure you can rest in what God's love has already given you in your present moment. Change your heart and look for ways to be grateful. When you live with a positive, joyful, inspirational spirit, you can grow with patience, grace, and maturity.

Matthew 6:25-34
I tell you not to worry about your life. Don't worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn't life more than food or clothing? Look at the birds in the sky! They don't plant or harvest. They don't even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren't you worth much more than birds?

Can worry make you live longer? Why worry about clothes? Look how the wildflowers grow. They don't work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn't as well clothed as one of them. God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow.

God will surely do even more for you! Why do you have such little faith?

Don't worry and ask yourselves,
Will we have anything to eat?
Will we have anything to drink?
Will we have any clothes to wear?

Only people who don't know God worry about those things. Your Father in heaven knows you need all of these. But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.

Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.

-------------------
Rest in God. The challenge of being an artist is slowing down long enough to examine the artwork that God lays out for us. We are too much in a rush sometimes to even enjoy our present moment.

"The thing that is really hard and really amazing is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself." - Anna Quindlen

Easter is here

Sometimes it's hard to meet with God. I know, He is supposed to be this huge priority, but how does He end up being someone we should be with instead of someone we WANT to be with. I had it all planned. I was going to participate in Holy Week and have a lot of time to reflect on Lent and finish strong in the end, but things just came up. I often wonder if my understanding of what God's presence truly is is in fact messed up in my mind. I have created rules in my head - I can only talk to God after I sang some worship songs in church, or we can only talk when I am not angry, or we can only talk when I feel at peace and am calm, or we can only talk when I have my journal...

In my mind, I know that earlier in the year, the message that Sister gave me was that God is present ALL the time. It's in what Ecclesia talks about as snapshots in beauty. If we can't appreciate the little moments with God, then how are we going to appreciate the huge moments. Are we insane? Are we ungrateful? Are we overlooking the little surprises around us? When will I learn that God wants to be with us all the time - it doesn't shut off?

So, when I feel like I wasn't present with God because I didn't formally kneel down and pray, perhaps I need to see where God in the every day and in much easier terms that I could understand and digest. St. Ignatius said that our examens should only be 5 minutes long, but done DAILY. I think my problem is that I wanted these huge highs with God. If it wasn't intense then it really didn't feel like God. (How sad/dumb/or mindless is that?)

There needs to be a shift in my heart where I know that there are other ways to achieve God's presence. Start thinking creatively towards how we can see God each day. Simply be devoted in what you have going for you in the very moment and be grateful for what God gives you now. Bask in God's gifts. His love is un-ending. I have collected little nuggets of God's presence over the past few weeks and would like to share them now.

:: the brightly colored pink azaleas outside, on my desk, in my bedroom, and bathroom
:: margaritas and a nice deck on a sunny spring Houston day
:: the Gerbera daisies in the living room (again they are pink!)
:: finding a career mentor
:: reading in bed and thinking about Artist's Way
:: on the pink theme -- taking care of myself when I feel bad. So calling in sick and getting a manicure and a pedicure. It has been a long time since I invested in the luxury of getting pink toes and fingernails done by someone else.
:: signing up for yoga teacher training even though I still feel weird about it
:: celebrating birthdays and saying goodbye to friends
:: prayerfully being convicted to increase my financial gifts even when I feel like I don't have enough money or have the ability to make sacrifices to make bigger gifts
:: making time for myself to practice yoga
:: managing my money and being mature with God's resources (hooray for the Dave Ramsey class especially on following a budget)
:: taking deep breathes, finally wearing my nightguard and taking more assertive steps to protect my health
:: having crucial conversations and defending yourself
:: oysters, beer, the beautiful weather in Galveston with the view of the Elissa and cruise ship with your boyfriend
:: hanging out with good friends at the park or on a patio with sangria
:: tasty Filipino treats and teaching him about Filipino cuisine like how to make fried rice with longonisa and day old rice
:: going on a three mile run even when you don't feel like it
:: sushi - that just needs one word
:: examining your options and being open to what God tells you to do
:: sitting on the hill at Miller Outdoor Theatre and listening to the Robbie Seay Band on Easter Sunday
:: being able to serve tons and tons of people food on a Sunday afternoon with your boyfriend
:: sharing your financial, personal, and career goals with your boyfriend and knowing you have his support and partnership
:: laughing and watching silly game shows on the Filipino Channel with my dad and boyfriend
:: being grateful that my relationship with my dad and mom are strong and healthy -- the more I talk to women my age the more I realize that this isn't the norm
:: getting to talk to other women about their relationships with God
:: making the best of what I have and being present with what's going on now
:: balancing your contentedness for now and slowly reaching for your goals

In actuality, if you are open to appreciating your surroundings, you will see how much of God's presence is flooded in your life - in the small and big and in other people. Don't limit God because you can never do it. He is without limits and boundaries. Be grateful that you are a part of His beautiful glory and creation.