Are you raising the next Olympic athlete?

October 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment

There's an unspoken question among parents when we watch Olympic athletes or successful professional athletes such as Gabby Douglas or the Williams’ sisters. 

Could my child be next?

How are we to know?  Could we be depriving our child of "their" opportunity?  If so which opportunity- soccer, basketball, football, or is it piano, violin, or maybe it’s art, music or dance.  We are blessed with the curse of opportunity.  So many wonderful opportunities.  How do we choose?

In our attempt to expose our children to many opportunities, we can over-expose them to choices and create confusion.

Here are some guidelines to consider the next time you think about signing up for any classes.

  • What are your goals for your family?

There is a saying” If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there”.  Each family needs goals, a sense of purpose, a bigger mission to point towards.  Goals help us to make decisions about what is best for our family in all areas- physically, mentally, spiritually, and financially.

  • Can you afford the time commitment?

Not just the class each week, but the travel time, prep time, and at-home practice time.  The time involved with activities is greater than just the scheduled class or practice time.  There’s also practice time at home.  Not to mention travel time to and from games or performances.

  • What are the most important things your child needs right now?

Assess the needs of your child.  Take into consideration their age, attention span, and their current interests.  If your child is more interested in playing outside with friends than attending his next class, he may be telling you he doesn't need a structured lesson right now- he needs to run and get dirty.

  • Is this “opportunity” about your child, or your own self-interest?
  • Can you afford the financial commitment?
  • Is the coach, teacher, or instructor a person of character and integrity?
  • Is the benefit greater than the missed opportunities?

Missed opportunities = all of the other things that come up that you can’t do because of this activity.  For example, relatives come to visit, but they are only here a couple of days and you have practice schedules to maintain. Or you really want to spend this gorgeous afternoon at the park, but it's time to go to class.

If you have the next amazing athlete or musician, it’s a gift from God to enjoy, not a burden to endure.  If you find yourself burdened with commitments, hoping  your child won’t miss their “thing”, ask yourself if maybe the real thing they are missing is the space to discover their unique gift from God.

Filed Under: Blog, Connect to Purpose, Connect to Your Kids

Clothing Swap- Save the date!

September 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

UPDATE!!!!! 

New location!!!

Bethany Lutheran Church

3701 West Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749

Thursday, October 18th from 1-3pm for the 7th Annual Clothing Swap.

This is an open gathering.

We would love to have you join us!

 

Start gathering your items and prepare to bring them to the swap.

The following items are welcomed:

clothing for the whole family, games, toys, baby items, books, etc.

 

All unclaimed items are donated to charity.

 

If your children are in need of some clothing, or if you are in need of more space in your

overflowing closets and drawers, this is a great opportunity.

 

 

Here's what to expect:

Gather up all of your family's outgrown-BUT-still-useful clothing, coats,

jackets, toys, books/curriculum, etc., and bring it all to 3701 West Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749

 

 

Our goal this year is to make the "shopping" as easy as possible. Instead of making 1 big pile, we will have the following options:

 

GIRLS SIZES

0-24mos.,

2T-5T,

6 & 7,

8 & 9,

10 TO JUNIOR

WOMENS

BOYS SIZES

0-24,

2T-5T,

6 -12

MEN

MISCELLANEOUS

SHOES

Please PRESORT the items you will be bringing so that they can be put in the correct pile.
May God bless you in your giving and receiving.

Each mom is then free to collect any items that will be of use to her family.

We ask that there is a continued spirit of giving and sharing as we have experienced in the past.

This not the place for greed, hoarding,snatching or any other unfriendly conduct.

 

If your goal is to come and take the best items to resell, we kindly ask you to rethink your motives.

When you come to this event and see the community coming together with open hearts and open hands, giving to

meet the needs of one another, it should move you to want to do the same, not take advantage.

 

There are NO limits, there is NO cost.

We freely give and we freely receive at this event!!!

 

Once all the moms are done "shopping" @ around 3pm, we gather the leftovers to donate them to charity.

Each year most moms leave with arm loads and we still have piles to donate.

So bring plenty of bags to take home your goodies.

 

You are welcome to attend the swap even if you don't have items to contribute to the swap.

This is an opportunity to bless others as well as be blessed, so come.

The church is located in South Austin:

3701 West Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749

Hope to see you on Thursday October 18th @ 1pm!

Be sure to bring a friend!!

In the past we have had anywhere from 40-60 or more families participate and it's growing every year.

 

Note: Stay tuned to this page for any updates, or subscribe to my newsletter and don't miss a beat!

Please forward this message and spread the word.

If you have any further questions, I would be happy to answer them. Otherwise, I'll see you at the swap!!

SUSAN

PS- Any and all volunteers are needed and appreciated the day of the event !

Thanks in advance.

Filed Under: Blog, Connect to Others, Connect to Purpose

The Root of All Conflict

September 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Does this sound familiar?

Shaunti Feldhahn, a bestselling author, wrote a book entitled “For Women Only”.  In her book she discusses the stereotypical argument when a couple is lost.  The wife suggests the husband ask for directions.  Immediately he gets defensive.  The wife tries harder to help him by pointing out all of the people and places he could stop and get directions. 

He only fumes more with each “suggestion”.  She can’t understand why he’s not asking somebody, anybody for help, and he just wants her to trust him while he figures it out.  Interestingly the wife doesn’t think this is a matter of trust, it’s a matter of being lost.  Round and round they  go, until hopefully they find their destination.

So, what’s really going on?

Shaunti reveals that men believe that when their wife “suggests” they ask for help, what their wives are really saying is, “you can’t do this, but he can, or she can, or anybody can, but you.  So, just ask them, because you are just not capable”.  Whereas women don’t internalize this at all. 

Typically women problem solve out loud.  We think, share, and process information out loud.  So to stop and ask directions is a part of the problem solving process and is in no way a reflection on our intelligence or ability in any way.

In this example, the couple argued over directions, but the real conflict was a deeper issue.  And that is true for all conflict.  Arguments all have fruit, but it’s not settled until we deal with the root.  So if you are experiencing conflict with anyone - your husband, child, neighbor, friend, the only way to settle the issue is to deal with the root and resist the distracting fruit.

Get to the heart of the matter.  Determine to uncover the hidden fear that is working behind the scenes.

Stop!  Look! And Listen!

Do you remember being told that in elementary school?  It was a reminder taught to all children as a caution when crossing railroad tracks.  To prevent accidents they encouraged everyone to stop before crossing, look both ways, and listen for a train.

Who knew that this would also help us deal with conflict in the home.  There are 3 fundamental needs we all share and when they are violated in some way, it is like a train wreck.  It’s better to prevent the accident in the first place, than to have to clean up the aftermath of an unfortunate collision.

 

3 Basic Needs we all share:

  1. We need to know that we are loved and accepted without strings
  2. We need to know that we are valuable, important and capable
  3. We need to know that we are not alone to face life

It's a powerful moment when we deal with the root of conflict.

What about you? Do you find yourself dealing with the fruit instead of the root of conflict?

Filed Under: Blog, Connect to Others, Connect to Purpose, Connect to Your Kids, Home Manager Tips

Did you hear about the BIG announcement?

September 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The event was a roaring success!

We almost maxed out the room!

A huge THANK YOU to everyone !!

 

While here in Austin Shari and I launched a brand new online experience!  Watch this video!


Isn't that exciting! 

So for all of my subscribers who were unable to attend, we missed you.  However, you did not totally miss out!  You can still be a part of the online course.

According to Zondervan, Shari is considered to be America's premiere expert on fashion and personal image consulting.

For 5 weeks Shari will go into great detail teaching you step-by-step how to look your best.

Learn about what colors look best on you?

How to :

Save time and money when shopping.

Plan your wardrobe.

If you have a limited budget, how do you pull together a great looking wardrobe?

And sooooo much more!

My role is to be your resident homegirl! 

I will be there each week to greet you, make sure you have all of your handouts for class, while I also share on issues of inner beauty and faith.

 

I hope that you will join us!

Invest in yourself without having to leave the comfort of your own home.  Doesn't get any better or easier than that, right?!

Go to http://www.fashionmeetsfaithonline.com to read more.

In the video I said "email me for the savings code", scratch that.

Here it is: Special savings code for Austin is: FMFA

Using that code you will save you an additional $50 !!!!

You can use this code until  Tuesday, September the 25th, then the special pricing goes away.  My friends here in Austin are the only ones who know about the course for now.  Shari will be announcing it to her email list in a few days and seats are going to go fast!  She has over 13,000 women on her list.  So if you know it's time to invest in yourself and kick it up a notch, don't delay!

Go to Fashionmeetsfaithonline.com and sign up right away!

If you have any questions or need any help, just let me know.

SUSAN

Filed Under: Blog, Connect to Purpose, Home Manager Tips

A Word of Encouragement – Printable

August 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

This is a blessing for every mom who could use a word of encouragement today!

Share this blessing with a mom today!

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Connect to God, Connect to Purpose, Home Manager Tips

The Deception of Success

August 19, 2012 by 4 Comments

This summer I decided to do summer school with my children.

Each morning my children and I met at the kitchen table, 7am sharp.  Not 7:01- 7!  Yes, I am that kind-of mama.  All of my friends’ children hug them and bless them when I share that story.  Anyway, we would have summer school from 7-9am each morning, then breakfast.

My children needed to beef up their math skills.  Math was one subject that really suffered this past school year for everyone.  But one particular child really struggled.

One morning I chose to focus solely on her and helping her grasp multiplication.  This is my fourth time helping a child with multiplication, should be a piece of cake right?  Wrong!

The more I tried to explain the math concepts, the less she understood.  The less she understood the more frustrated I was becoming.  I felt like I was explaining kindergarten concepts to a 3rd grader and making no progress.  Ugh!

This particular child is also very sensitive.  When she senses that I am upset with her, I can forget it, all learning is over.  And I was indeed upset.

You see we were only supposed to be at the table for 2 hours. 

I wanted to focus on her first, but not for the whole table time.  I wanted to help her, but I didn’t intend for it take the entire school session.  So yes I wanted her to understand, but even more I wanted her to get her work done!

Completing her math assignment for the day allowed me to put a check in a box and call it done!  But I had a problem, my daughter did not understand the concept.  She could have put some numbers on a piece of paper, answered some questions, and possibly gotten a few right, but she did not understand the process.

I wanted to have a successful day of summer school and that meant completing this math assignment.  I was deceived.

My priorities were all out of whack.  The goal of completing an assignment became a higher priority than my daughter.  Finishing the task took precedent over her lack of understanding.  My timetable refused to make space for her to get detailed explanation she desperately needed.

This is not the first time.  There have been times where my success was defined as a clean home, an organized desk, a completed to-do list, a whirl wind errand list, you name it!  I had made my mind up and I was set on accomplishing my goal and achieving success meant completing my list.  Have you ever been there?

Let's commit as moms to service over success.

Let's ask, how can I best serve my family right now.

Maybe we could even shift success to mean when we best serve the needs of the person God has placed in front of us right now.  Then we are free to trust Him with the time to complete the tasks we desire to complete.

Let's choose service as the best form of success!

Filed Under: Blog, Connect to Others, Connect to Purpose, Connect to Your Kids
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