Carson awakes at 7:20a.m. (this is a good time for Mommy) and we subsequently hear his door open and then shut. Next, he comes running into our room and closes our door (it’s a must). He has a book in hand and wants me to read it right away. So, we hop onto the bed and begin reading “Easy Street” about how to build a road.

Carson: “This is my favorite book.”

Me: “This is your favorite book?”

Carson: “Yes it is. I like this green dump truck.”

Me: “Yeah.” (At this point, I think my email has caught my eye, so I’m not 100 percent in the story.)

Carson: “I liiiike THIS green dump truck.”

Me (back engaged): “You like that green dump truck?”

Carson: “Yes I do.”

It dawned on me that he only knows that I hear him when I repeat what he says. AH! Same is true in all relationships, but people, especially in marriage.

When you have two people who no doubt “hear” things differently, it’s important to say “I hear you.” … And it helps to repeat what you heard.

Andy frequently prays, “Lord, don’t give me too much or too little, but just what I need to accomplish your purposes.”

I also recently read a poem while looking up content for Leadercast about the adage that you don’t get anywhere until you get started. That first step is always seemingly the most difficult, but if we spend our time dreaming of what we could be (one day, at some point in the future) we totally miss who God has called us to be TODAY.

So give us, this day, our daily bread… Just what we need to be who YOU have called us to be this moment.

1 Corinthians 4:8 says: “Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?”

We cannot waiver. We cannot hesitate. We must have vision and we must GO AFTER IT.

I love the call to have vision, to lead others into battle and to fight for the here and now. How many times do we promise (ourselves, even) that we will do this better or that better. Or say, tomorrow this and tomorrow that. I’m the world’s best putter-offer. (Note: I could have said ‘procrastinator’ but that was too easy. I like ‘putter-offer’ better.) Then, we look back and wonder where the time has gone.

My other favorite quote is by Annie Dillard when she said: “How we live our days is … how we live our lives.” I read it in Francis’ Chan’s book, “Crazy Love”. You should definitely read this book.

I was challenged today even to live in the NOW. To not compare myself and my situation to others’, but to go as far as to not even compare myself to myself. 2 Corinthians 10:12 says “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” It later says in v. 18: “For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”

We compare ourselves to ourselves, I think, when we project future behaviors, i.e. ‘Tomorrow, I’ll be this or that’ (see above). I’m not saying anything about goal-setting. Most of the time, we only accomplish goals we actually set, but that’s a whole ‘nuther post.

So as I start paying attention to how often I compare myself…even to myself…I hope I’m challenged to stop right there. I want to focus on being full, not fuller than I am now. I want to be well, not better than I am now. Focus on being where you are. And don’t blow an uncertain trumpet, for goodness sake.

I just picked up and finished the first chapter of “Switch: How to change things when change is hard” by Chip and Dan Heath (brothers). I loved their first book, “Made to Stick” too. Check them out on Amazon.

The first chapter, summed up, says that in order to change things, you must direct the rider, motivate the elephant and shape the path. In other words, you must provide clear direction (vision), emotional appeal (motivation) and shape the path, including one’s environment.

So, here’s my dilemma: I’m totally down with the motivation part of this equation. Can I tell you how many times I get motivated each day? A thousand. Its literally my downfall. I am persuaded like the wind, but not for just anything. I am motivated by things that fascinate me and/or for which I am passionate. And sometimes, I’m caught up in what others are passionate about too.

I get SO excited. My friend Anna used to laugh when this would happen, because I literally get so excited that I let out an exuberant “Yippee!” when it happens. I recently tweeted (my how times have changed): “How does one go about changing the world with so many ideas?” to which I was replied to with the answer: “Pick one thing and dedicate your life to it.” …What? Really?

I don’t want to pick just one thing! I want to do them all! “Focus” said another person’s response. Great. THAT word. Love that word. (My husband’s greatest strength happens to be focus. Just imagine, for a second, our marriage. Mr. Focus meets Mrs. Spontaneous. YOWZERS. hehe.)

Hence, I’ve decided to “hunker down” (like a good UGA Bulldog grad) and attempt to seek God’s clear direction on what it is that He would have me focus my life toward accomplishing on this earth. Here is my list of things about which I am passionate (both big and small, sometimes even seemingly insignificant, but I’m still passionate about it!):

Marriage, parenting, Carson (naturally), baby sign language, my company See.Spark.Go, my family, personalities/strengths of others, cooking once-a-month (& making HUGE messes in the kitchen!), innovation, leadership, getting new business/clients (even if they are for other companies I believe in), Passion (the movement), Catalyst, Big Stuf, reading, running, speaking in public (weird, I know), studying, understanding, knowing, teaching, sharing, discovering, stationary, interior design, making things happen, make-up (the kind you put on), Jittery Joe’s, Brands ‘N Eggs, education, role models, Biblical history, faith, Jesus, Big City Bread, my sister’s mad skillz (which include but aren’t limited to: tennis, photography, shopping, baking, decorating, creativity, professionalism), getting “the interview” and/or “the job” (doesn’t make nice for being satisfied with the one you’ve got!), dancing/performing, list-making, writing, shopping, designer jeans, connecting people, helping make dreams a reality…

I do see a common thread. Do you? But the thing is, I don’t always feel like I’m the BEST at something. What I do believe is that I am the BEST ambassador you could possibly have. But, I can’t sell anything to anyone. I have to believe YOU are the BEST at what you do, first.

There you have it. Now, any ideas what I can do with that!?

When I was younger, I remember not being afraid to let God be God and embrace His calling for my life. That was exciting. I remember the mystery of youth and the wonder of what God had in store. As time passes, though, that mystery becomes more of a longing and a struggle to call the shots myself.

Can you imagine what Sarah and Abraham felt when God promised them a son long after Sarah was of child-bearing age? Can you imagine what it must be like for Tamar to go back to her family disgraced and wait 20 years – 20 YEARS – before her role as a mother was fulfilled? I sometimes feel like if God doesn’t answer in a couple of days that I’m missing something. Hello? Can I get an amen?

But lately, I’m more aware of how busy my life is and how distracted I am from Him. And I truly believe that any jadedness is the result of my lack of worship. Worship is more than amazing music and powerful song lyrics. Worship is stopping to breathe in God’s breath. In Genesis 12:8, Scripture says Abram pitched a tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. “There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.” Later after leaving Egypt, Abraham finds himself at that very same alter and it says, “There Abram called on the name of the Lord.”

What strikes me about this passage is that Abram was a worshiper. He built alters in places where he met with and called upon the Lord. We are called as Worshipers first and foremost. I’m challenged to built alters – I guess you could even call them reminders – of the Lord’s faithfulness, dare I forget. Every chance I get, I want to remember that it’s because of Him and His namesake that I’m where I’m at, doing what I’m doing, for His glory. He’s my Creator. MY CREATOR.

This day, I call upon the name of the Lord. Your fame and Your renown are the desires of my soul. (Isaiah 26:8).

I’ve got so much more stirring inside me, so stay tuned! I hope the Lord is tugging at Your heart and that you are responding, waiting, worshiping, expecting…Expecting God to do something Big in and through YOU. He will.