Winning Strategies

Start Something for a Boy or Girl Today

Ever thought that this may be a good time to start something?  Maybe a good time to start something BIG?  Ever considered becoming a BIG sister or BIG brother to a child that could use a little of your time and commitment?

Now may be the right time.  Watch these motivating stories online:  http://www.bbbs.org/site/c.9iILI3NGKhK6F/b.7932445/k.8399/Start_Something_Web_Series.htm

 

 

It's not about you.  It is not about the work waiting for you on your desk, or the LONG list of TO DO's that you feel that you HAVE to get done.  That all adds up to a pile of wood, hay, and stubble.  It all erodes away.  Relationships that you invest in are really the only thing that stands the test of time, and lasts beyond rust, age, and changing fashions.

If you're reading this, there is a reason.  If you are feeling a 'tug' to volunteer or donate, do it.  Life is about what YOU DO and what you DON'T DO, not about what you thought you'd get around to.

Create a legacy that changes the world around you.  Years ago when I started my online encouraging website and blog, my motto was simply 'Encouraging Women to Change the World'.  As I begin to get more male readers, I changed it to 'Encouraging YOU to Change the World'.   Fast forward several years, and I felt led to change it to 'Encouraging YOU to change YOUR World and the world around you'.  So many were doing for others and suffering in their own lives.  Changing the world, I think, starts with your own world.  Once that is in order, you can reach out and touch the lives of those around you.

I encourage you to REACH out,  and TOUCH a life.  Work to invest yourself in someone that could forever be changed as a result.  At this moment, I'm praying that God will select a very special girl to be a part of my life, and someone that I can grow with and get to know.  I'm excited at the possibilities. 

May God encourage you to start something!

For more information, find Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization online:  http://www.bbbs.org
It is not too late to begin.

Habits of the Happiest Couples I know...

I really love it when someone finds a few great suggestions that remind us of what we know, yet encourage us to think about what she should be thinking about.  I love this short slide show by Good Housekeeping with the habits/tips of the happiest couples she knows:

http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/staticslideshowgh.aspx?cp-documentid=24065118&GT1=32023

Try on one or two of these habits...you just might find that they fit you like a glove AND they improve your relationship.

Connecting in Relationships- Making a Concerted Effort

Truly connecting with your spouse takes a time committment that we are often remiss in accomplishing. We think relationships just 'happen', when in reality they take work. They are like having a second job. You can't keep them just because you want to- you have to show up for work and accomplish the tasks. Relationships are the same way. In order to grow and flourish, we must put in a major time committment.

It is an area that we all lack in. We want the perfect relationship without putting in the time and the hard work of it all. We want to enjoy the fruits without tilling the soil. We want to ignore it all for awhile and hope that all is still well when we return to it months later. Unfortunately, time without attention causes our fruit trees to be full of worms.

It is our 10 year anniversary. Michael and I are tilling the soil, adding fertilizer, and spending time together to grow and enrich our relationship.

Hopefully I have guilted you in considering spending a little time with your spouse (smile). For many of my readers- you recognize that your wifes/husbands paid me to write this.

Why Relationships are So Difficult

I began the 'Love Dare' a few days ago.  It is a book that was written to strengthen your love relationship with your mate.  It is spoken of in the newly available for rent movie, "Fireproof".

It very quickly points out that Love is not selfish.  In order to love fully, we must sacrifice our own needs and desires and put the other person's needs and desires before our own selfish nature.  Wow, this is much harder than it sounds.  We are, by our purest nature, selfish creatures.  We innately strive to fulfill our needs and desires, pushing our needs to the forefront of our mates.  It is amazing to me how counter-intuitive this is.  We don't think of entering into relationships to fulfill the needs and desires of someone else.

We enter into relationships to fulfill needs within ourselves.  Can you imagine if the dating services advertised that way?  Sign up for this dating service.  This relationship will give you a chance to fulfill someone else's needs and desires- putting them in the forefront- AHEAD of your needs and desires.  The reality is that we see movies and advertisements that showcase the exact opposite.  We 'sign up' for relationships that will "complete us".  We envision time spent where our needs are met first and primost.  We think about time spent where the 'world' revolves around us. 

This is an amazing journey of discovery.  I encourage all of you in committed relationships to consider taking the journey.  Find yourself a copy of the book, "The Love Dare" and let your journey into discovery begin!