Just last week I was in Nairobi, Kenya teaching at a women’s conference.   It was an eye opening experience in many ways.The one thing I won’t forget is  how many times    someone from Nairobi had said thank you to me. I heard the word thank you being said  last week in Nairobi more than I heard it being said in my entire life. And I’m not  exaggerating.

After I spoke or sang a song the women said “Asante Sana” which mean’s “thank you very much” in Swahili. Sometimes they would say just “Asante” which means “Thank you”. If I handed a women something they said “Asante”. If I they were worshiping the Lord they would say “Asante” to the Lord. They were just so appreciative.

I’m wondering how many times we hear or say the words thank you or thank you very much. I confess until last week I said it rarely. I learned a hard lesson last week. I learned I needed to say thank you more.

Last week being in Africa has changed me in many ways but the one thing I learned is to show appreciation. I learned to say Thank You!
I learned to say it often. I learned to say “Asante Sana”.

Sometimes I think this is a struggle for me and maybe for most of you.   I continue to work on this daily.  Just showing up and being me.  Just doing the best I can in a situation or at an event.  Realizing that in the process I am enough!

BOXES OF LIFE

Recently, a friend and I were discussing some boxes we still have over our parent’s houses.  Well she took one home over the Christmas holiday.   She told me as she was browsing through it she couldn’t believe some of the stuff she saved.  It got me thinking about how cool this was that as she went through this box.  Also that she is not the same person that she was back then.  Transformation has happened!  I’m wondering if you went through some of the boxes that you have saved what would you find?   Would you find that you are different?  I hope so!

I’m continually going through some of the boxes in my life.  I’m glad that the cover is on the past boxes and I am in a new box now.  The box I’m creating now is my own personal box.  Things that I’m starting to gather are books and journals and ideas.  The receipts are calculated and recorded.   The things that are not there are my pains and failures from the past, because that’s the old story.   My life is so dramatically changing every day.   Mostly my new box is about the new me.  What about you what new box are you creating?

More importantly why I mention this whole box thing.  I would venture to say that most of us, including myself have come a long way in our lives.  I’m in the midst of my biggest adventure ever.  I’m of belief that on January 12, 2013 that I will be so much different than my box of January 12, 2012.  I am excited about what is unwritten and not in the box right now gathering dust.  I’m excited that new things that I will be packing into my box.  I know it will be vibrant and it will have great impact on life and encourage more change for the year to follow. 

Some thoughts I am pondering as I begin to transform and evolve as a person with a new box.  Why am I holding on to the old boxes?  What really needs to be saved from the past?  What will I continue to add to the new box?  What will I look like after the box is closed and tucked away in some attic?  What is one thing that won’t be in your box this year?  What is one thing you will be putting in your new box?  

AND SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS.........

The quest for Perfection can stop you from Success!

(2 Ways that perfectionism prevents us from Success!)

 "People throw away what they could have by insisting on perfection, which they cannot have, and looking for it where they will never find it"  Edith Schaeffer

I have a confession to make sometimes (not all the time) I don’t get things done because I’m striving for perfection.  It’s funny, because I have never in my whole life thought I was a perfectionist.  But lately it has been just that.

 So here my thoughts on why trying to be perfect will come back to haunt us and prevent us from success. 

 One way perfection stops us from success is saying these exact words.  “It’s not ready yet, but someday it will be.”  That has been my line so often and what ends up happening is that because of this line nothing gets done.  I am so guilty of this.  I come up with all these plans and I say to myself.  I still need to run it by 3 zillion people.  Or I need to tweak it.  This line leads me into so many excuses to why it’s not ready that I become paralyzed.  And then I accept the fact that I am not ready.  And then nothing gets done

 The 2nd thing that comes up with perfection that prevents us from success is this conversation in our heads that it won’t work and then I get stuck in the land of “What ifs”.  Like what if I fail.  And if it fails I’m not perfect.   What if it comes across as not how I wanted it to come out? And who ever said I had to be perfect.  And stop waiting to be perfect because then it will never get done.

 There are many other reasons that perfection seems to get in our way.  What does this quest for perfection do to you?  How does it hinder you?  I would love to know drop me a line.

Concert in the  New York City

We had snow but we still went into the city.  We had a blast!  The

music was great, the company even greater!

Remembering BELIZE!

This is a big hello to my Belize Buddies, Roomates and Sisters in the Lord!

I miss you guys.  We had so much fun!  We worked so hard!  We Crushed it!

And we were such a team!  You ladies Rock!  Drop me a line at lori.duncan@hopechurchct.org  and let me know how you are doing!  Woo Hoo!

This is my new logo for my business, okay I'm excited.

Spirit Night August 26, 2011

My son Robert playing his tenor sax!

Very Cool!  

Cooper, I love HIM sooo much.  This is his famed NIKE commercial picture. 

That's my sneaker.  In a way I think he just wants to be close to me.

JUST DO IT!

The Leadership Summit was great this year.  And as usual the morning session with Bill Hybels was heart wrenching and touching!  And of course challenging.  Here is what Bill had to say:

Jeremiah received a tough calling from God: to speak God’s word to God’s people. The words God wanted Jeremiah to speak were words of warning to shake them up and wake them up. Nothing goes well. No one likes what he has to say. God tells him to keep speaking so he does. He gets beaten and put on display for shame. In Jeremiah 20, he tells God how he feels. “You sweet talked me… and I bought it. This isn’t what I had in mind.” He was torn between being faithful to his calling and his ache for success. Give up the ache to be successful in the eyes of the world and go with what God is calling you to do. Jeremiah wrote his lament down… it’s in our Bible. At the end of his lament he had clarity: throughout all of it, God’s mercies were new to him every morning. “I have had very little hardship carrying out what God has called me to do.” If you watch one episode of the evening news, you know our world is broken and it’s getting worse. The fixes that are going to be required for the ills of our society are not going to be easy assignments. They won’t be short-term assignments. God is looking for some strong-shouldered leaders who are available to take on tough callings. “I stand in awe of leader who receive tough assignments.” Do you have the courage to listen? What is your tough calling?

Bill said, “This world won’t get fixed unless leaders like us are available for tough assignments.” What tough assignment will you step up to after the Summit?  Bill and I wrote it down on the broken pottery!

Italian Garden

This single flower sticks out to me!  As I photographed it, I couldn't help but think
how amazing God is.  That this is all part of His wonderful creation!.

Ashville, North Carolina!

The Biltmore House

Celebrating 29 years of

Marriage!

Footprint 

Every year I am involved in a picnic for the gals at Bridgeport Rescue Mission!

Here is a picture of us volunteers and of course my friends Ruth and Carolyn putting horns 

on me.  Cmon this is something I would do!

Amazing Wall Picture!

I let my son Corey paint one of his 4 walls.  This is what he painted.  

He is such a good artist!

Corey doing a duet in the spring concert.  He is singing at this point.

I am a proud Mama!

 Belize Spring Break 2011

This was just another incredible missions trip down

to Belize.  It was different for me because two days before I left I got sick.  And unfortunately for me I remained sick for the whole trip.  I pushed through and persevered to the best of my ability and I was blessed.

I had an incredible time with the teen girls in my room. Watch my 2 youngest sons minister to the poorest of poor.  Watch my husband work hard and sweat.  And even had a chance to play some basketball with some orphans.  I heard testimonies that will have an everlasting impact on my family.  And was fed all week spiritually and physically by a church with a servants heart.  It doesn't get much better than that.

 This is Leroy!  I think I fell in love with him the minute he climbed on the bus below.

He said to me when he got on the bus.  Hi Granny!  I cracked up.  He called me granny all week.  He lives in a culture where gangs are present.  There isn't a day that goes by where I don't think about him.  Mostly just wondering what his lot in life will be.

The bus, and of course Eustes our bus driver.

He was the best bus driver ever.  He maneuvered this big bus around the most narrow streets in Belize.  We loved Eustes and our bus. 

I can say much more about this trip but I will end it this post with this passage in Philippians.

Philippians 2

Be Like Christ

 ¹ Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any ^(A)fellowship of the Spirit, if any ^[a](B)affection and compassion, ^2 (C)make my joy complete ^[b]by ^(D)being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. ³ Do nothing ^[c]from ^[d](E)selfishness or ^(F)empty conceit, but with humility of mind ^(G)regard one another as more important than yourselves; ^4 (H)do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. ^5(I)Have this attitude ^[e]in yourselves which was also in^(J)Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, although He ^(K)existed in the ^(L)form of God, ^(M)did not regard equality with God a thing to be^[f]grasped, ⁷ but ^[g](N)emptied Himself, taking the form of a^(O)bond-servant, and ^(P)being made in the likeness of men. ⁸Being found in appearance as a man, ^(Q)He humbled Himself by becoming ^(R)obedient to the point of death, even^(S)death ^[h]on a cross. ^9 (T)For this reason also, God ^(U)highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him ^(V)the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus^(W)EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of ^(X)those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is ^(Y)Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

A surprise party for Laura!

I mention this in my Blog because Laura has been

such a faithful servant.   And in a time of need 

you can really count on Laura.  Laura is mostly involved with

the teens in ministry but she had been a big part 

of women's bible study.  Our youth pastor

and wife threw a big party for her.  I am blessed to have her as my 

Friend!

Roberts 16 Birthday Party!

It was fun day had by all.  I have been blessed with 3 sons and a daughter.  He shares the middle spot with
Kristine.

I contemplated 16 candles!