Is This Really My Life?!

I recently had the opportunity to spend 4 days in San Francisco, CA with about 2,500 of my favorite people :-)  It was a whirlwind long weekend of meeting incredible people, connecting with people I hadn't seen in a while, and learning so much that I thought my head might just explode. A few photo highlights:

I met our Doctors -- smart, beautiful, fun, generous.

I met our founding consultant -- not yet 30 years old, retired kindergarten teacher, in the biz for 2 1/2 years, and our first millionaire!

I met our CEO -- an icon in this industry

And I got a glimpse of my future when the President of the Direct Sales Association (sort of like the BBB for the standard brick and mortar business) spoke as a keynote speaker for the first time ever.  He stood on stage, placed his hands on his hips, slowly shook his head back and forth, and looked at us with an incredulous look on his face.

"You just have NO.  IDEA.  what you all have here, do you?  You are in precisely the right place, at the right time, in the right market, and with the right company.  I've never seen anything like it.....it's the perfect storm!"

His vision of where we'll be in the next few years....where I'LL be in the next few years....absolutely took my breath away.

And oh man, did we have FUN!  As I was walking down the sidewalk on the way to the convention center from our hotel for the 15th (or so) time, I turned to my friend and said, "Seriously! Pinch me!  HOW is this my life?!"  We laughed as we flip-flopped our way down the sidewalk with our heels tucked in our purses.

Life is good.  It feels so wonderful to have a dream in my heart...

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Catching Up Thru Photos

I love fall in Boise!

Evidence of a happy weekend:











My favorite time of day in my office:





Crazy sleepy boy!








- Posted using BlogPress from iPhone

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Humble Pie

There's nothing like the honestly of children to keep a person humble.  Sammy was my source of humility this morning.  I was brushing her hair before school, and I asked her "If you sing while I brush your hair, will it make me young and beautiful?" (in reference to the recent movie "Tangled")  Her reply?

"Well Mama, you're beautiful already, but you're sure not YOUNG."

Well ok!! :-)  She sang me a pretty song anyway...I checked the mirror...nope, no change.  I guess I'll stick with my new Anti-Age skin care instead.

The fact is, I wouldn't want to be younger....look younger, sure.  But BE younger?  No thanks.  I wouldn't trade my life now for my life a year ago.  And for my life 5 years ago?  No way -- I wouldn't have my Thomas!  Ten years?  Ack -- no babies at all yet!

And frankly, there is no amount of money on earth that you could give me to make me willing to be a teenager again!

I'm loving life.  My kids are strong and healthy and fun.  My husband is my best friend and greatest love.  I have God Himself watching over me and guiding my steps.

This.
Right Here.
Right Now.

Is precisely where I want to be.

It feels good to be able to say that, because I've been wondering lately if I'm on the right path.  Shouldn't I devote myself full time to running my home and caring for my family?  If I go back to work, shouldn't I make use of my engineering degree instead?  What about photography?

In fact, someone asked me recently if I miss photography.  It really gave me pause.  Do I miss photography?

Well no.  I don't.  Mostly because I'm still shooting!  But now, I'm shooting for ME.  I'm not shooting to "get the shot" that someone will want to hang on the wall.  I've gone back to my photography roots -- shooting God's beauty.  It's a sort of prayer or meditation for me when I go out in the world with my camera.  "Lord, show me You in this beauty. Help me capture it."  And I shoot.  I enjoy.  I soak up a God who is in the vast expanse of the mountains and sunset....and is also in the details of the wings of butterflies.

"But what about making money as a photographer?  What about taking family portraits?", he asked.

No.  To be honest, I never made a whole lot of money at it.  And it was physically difficult for me to spend all those hours crouched behind a lens, sweating the shot, and then processing on the computer and popping Tylenol to keep my arm, shoulder, and back from hurting with all that computer time.

But more importantly, I feel like I'm adding so much MORE value with what I'm doing now.  I'm building something valuable and lasting for my family.  I'm helping others do the same.  And, when I compare hour for hour vs dollar for dollar.....I'm doing a much better thing for my family.  Financial freedom around my family's needs.

But this work is certainly a life lesson for me.  It's a team effort, which is hard for the fiercely independent like me.  And there's an element of letting go of control that's scary for this type-A control freak.  I wake up some mornings with a terrible stomach ache...only to realize that I'm not even breathing right.  I want this so badly for my family and for each member of my team.....it has to be a deliberate choice for me each day to simply do my best and rest in that.

All I can do.....is all I can do.

In the end, it's really not about me at all.  I believe that this is where God put me.  This is what He's called me to.  This family.  This body.  This business.  It's where He wants me, and I'll give it my all....but at the end of the day everything about me is for HIM.

It feels good, really.  Letting go of that burden to do it all perfectly all the time -- such a relief!

I'm so thankful that we have a Mighty God.  A God who reminds me that all things are possible through HIM.  All things are held together by HIM.  My every thought is known by HIM.

It gets my eyes off of me, and on what really matters.....of course....Him!

Humility.  It's not about me.  It's about who I am relative to the One who matters most.  The One who matters, period.

This humble pie?  There's not a hint of bitter or sour in it.  It's the sweet flavor of peace.....of trust....of rest in the One I live for.

"Humility is the fear of the LORD;

its wages are riches and honor and life."

Proverbs 22:4

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