SabbaticalScapes

For the past two weeks, I have been –ahhhh — a couch potato. Friends call me and they know what I am doing –absolutely nothing.  But alas, there is only so much daytime tv one can take. So, I moved on to house projects.  I pulled out old clothes, rummaged through my closets, and have a list of other things that I want to clean up and clear out. However, can you guess what will interrupt my organizational tasks? That’s right – a TRIP!!! I am leaving for Cabo this weekend. So, the excitement continues to bubble up in my spirit again.

Inspiration – “Maintaining a complicated life is a great way to avoid changing it.” Elaine St. James

Be Blessed!

-A

Hi All,

It has been just over a month since my sabbatical started…and I have no regrets! You might be wondering how the finances are coming along. Well, it has been interesting not having an actual check being automatically deposited into my account. My main concern lately has been ensuring that I am getting the most for my money. For example, my homeowners insurance was up for renewal and the policy increased. This was unacceptable.  So, I started to rate search and found a better policy for far less money. It pays to shop around.

Other bills are pretty much the same. I did have some unexpected purchases to help my nephew out with his college expenses. Thank God I set aside a little for events such as this from the beginning.  One thing for sure is that I wish I could find a better option for tv. Seems like out of all the channels, there is never anything on worth watching! Bummer. They need to have an “a-la-carte” option. In any case, I am still watching what I buy and monitoring my accounts accordingly. So, planning is still key.

Oh – I forgot to mention that Cabo is back on for October. WOO HOO!!!!

Last week was busy as well. I spent it preparing for my Wall of Honor induction ceremony.   In addition to being inducted, I was also selected to give a speech at the ceremony.  Being pretty shy and quiet, this was a huge step out of my comfort zone.  But, I believed God gave me the right words to share with those present.

As it turned out, everyone loved the speech! I was so excited.  Having my friends and family there made the night so special. Several friends even placed notes of congratulations in the ceremony booklet – making the event even more spectacular and memorable. Thank you all! I love and appreciate each and every one of you.

Here is a picture from the ceremony.

 Inspiration – “It’s time to start living the life you’ve imagined.”  Henry James

Be blessed beyond measure!

-A

Last night, I was glued to the tv watching Michael Jackson’s funeral.  He was such an awesome entertainer. I  remember hearing that he wrote down a goal to sell over 25 million records with Thriller and posted the note on his mirror so that he could see it daily. True or not, this really inspired me. We know that Thriller went on to be the best selling album in history and launched Michael into Super Stardom!! 

A mentor and friend of mine, Darlene, was laid off from her job as an engineer with an MBA several years ago.  She was introduced to a business a few months prior, but didn’t really take it seriously. When she got laid off, things changed. With only a little in savings, this smart classy woman decided to make the business work. It had to work! She stepped out, never looked back, and became a very successful insurance entrepreneur.  This week, Darlene passed away.

After high school, my younger brother Kevin, took a job as a night security guard. But he knew that he loved big trucks as a child and that God had a plan for his life. Kevin did something radical. With no money, he gathered his stereo equipment and sold it all to get tuition money for truck driving school. He graduated the top driver in his class, with many accolades and kudos from the instructors! Furthermore, God used his time on the road as a venue to inspire and encourage many people he met along the way. Kevin also became an ordained minister.  He passed away at the young age of 30.

As I sit here and think about these wonderful inspirational people, I just wanted to spotlight each of them as an example to illustrate that life is precious and can be so short. They were each faced with a decision that propelled them to the next level in their lives.

Being on sabbatical is giving me an opportunity to really focus and gain clarity on things that are really important to me. Not that I didn’t know before, but to really take some time to be free of stress and the daily grind. Some people have a balance without leaving their jobs. I applaud them. For a long while, I would be at work dreaming that I was somewhere else. Finally, I was at a point wherein I was virtually compelled inside to leave. So, I left. This is so out of my comfort zone, but I know this is a defining moment in my life.

Inspiration– “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven…What do people get for all their hard work? God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end…And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God…God’s purpose in this is that people should fear him.” Ecclesiates 3:1-14

Be blessed!

-A