F.L.O.W.E.R.S.

This is the time of year that I just love. Flowers are blossoming, trees are filling out and for the most part, the weather is pretty good. I get to shed the weight of the winter and look forward to making plans for the summer.   As I get older, I really do take time to enjoy nature.  I often find myself noticing the colors of flowers and the fullness of trees.

It is that time of year, where you are in between seasons. Some days feel like summer and other days feel like early fall. But, it is beautiful to see.

Some times as I go through life, I find myself in between seasons. This used to be a place that I dreaded because I felt like I was wasting time. It did not appear that I was going any where or getting anything done. As soon as I thought it was safe to move on, the weather changes. As soon as I think it is safe to pack up the winter gear, a severe cold front comes through and completely takes me off course. Some times I still get upset when in the morning it feels one way and by the afternoon it feels another. I am either under or over dressed for the change.   Ever felt like that before?

Sometimes I have to stop and remind myself that I am not responsible for the weather.   It would be foolish of me to go out ill prepared for the day.  If it changes while I am out, so be it. I can't stop the weather from being the weather. If I know that this time of year is unpredictable, then I should expect it and prepare for it.

So the next time you are out and the sun is shining bright, take some time to notice the pretty colors of the flowers and the fullness of the trees. If by chance while you are out and it starts to get cloudy, look up at the clouds and see what shapes you. If it starts to rain, look up to see if the sun is trying to peep through the clouds.  If it is, keep looking for a rainbow. Because, the rainbow tells us that the rain is coming to an end.

Let me know your thoughts... Keep the conversation going! Leave your comments by clicking on the "comments" link just below this post.  Don't forget to share this with your facebook friends and follow me on twitter  @askjema
Until next time
Be Blessed, Sisterfriend

Managing your Skill Set

How many times have you sat in a meeting and felt like you were the only grown up in the room?  What do you do when you disagree with the person in charge? What do you do when you know that 'a' decision being made is not the 'best' decision? 

I have dealt with all of these situations. In each one, I had to remember what I was there to do. I had to remember who was depending on me to still be there when the meeting was over. I had to remember if I was on the other side of the table, what would help me to hear from others.

This may not be easy to do all of the time.  Especially when you know with every fiber of your being that the decisions being made are not the best decisions. But what can you do???

You do what you know is right to do.Sometimes, it doesn't feel right, but a good leader is also a good follower. You state your position, devoid of emotion. You respond in such a manner that your message will be heard. At the end of the day, you want to show that you are a team player, but that you are also an independent thinker.

There are some people in leadership positions that have no clue about leading, directing, motivating or developing people. Some are in their position not because of what they know, but because of who they know and how long they have been around.  Unfortunately, that has little to do with how you do your job.

So remember to be true to yourself and to be true to the mission of what you have been hired to do. Trust me, it works.

 Let me know your thoughts... Keep the conversation going! Leave your comments by clicking on the "comments" link just below this post.  Don't forget to share this with your facebook friends and follow me on twitter  @askjema
Until next time
Be Blessed, Sisterfriend

Are you Focused or Distracted?

As I listen to all that is going on in the world today, it becomes clear to me that we are easily distracted.

I have a 4 year old, and one of the areas we are spending time with him on is staying focused. We know that as he is getting ready for the kindergarden, he needs to practice staying focused. There are times when he is at school working on his math and one of his friends/peers will start to talk to him. In that moment, he loses focus. He is no longer doing what he should be doing, but what someone is doing.

How many times do we find ourselves off focus? Where we are not doing what we should be doing, but what someone else is doing? Even when we know that we have something else to do, we get off focus or distracted.

Our world is off focus. We claim to be nation that has a strong spiritual base built on Christian values. If that is the case, then we should be more concerned about the 'least of these'.  We have gotten off focus of taking care of ourselves and of those that can't take care of themselves.

I believe that if I stay focus on me and lend a hand to those that need it, in the end we all are better.  My need to stay focus on me does not preclude me from seeing the need of others. One of my favorite movies has a famous line: 'Am I My Brother's Keeper?'. The response: 'Yes You Are!'. 

What does that statement mean to you? Do you believe that you are responsible for someone outside of yourself?

I do. Because I may be lending the hand today and needing the hand tomorrow.

Let me know your thoughts... Keep the conversation going! Leave your comments by clicking on the "comments" link just below this post.  Don't forget to share this with your facebook friends and follow me on twitter  @askjema
Until next time
Be Blessed, Sisterfriend

Do You Love You?

I love me. I don't always like me, but I do love me.  Why do I love me? Because, in spite of my imperfections, I am what I am. 
I have taken the time to get to know me and figured out my likes and dislikes.  What about you? Do you really know you? Do you know what you like or dislike? Do you think it is important for you to inform others of your fondness of you?  I do.

I think it is of vital importance for you to tell others of the things that move you. Some will call that bragging or being conceited or even cocky. I call it convinced of what I know to be true about me.  When we allow people to stand in the way of us moving, that is our fault. When you love something, you cherish it, you nurture it, you protect it. For some of us, our actions are not showing that we love ourselves. We allow ourselves to be mistreated, to be abused, to be deprived, to be neglected, to be taken advantaged of or taken for granted.

We generally feel love for someone or something after we have spent some time with them.  Take a look at you and tell yourself that you love you.  Send yourself some balloons or flowers that say 'I Love You'.  Write yourself a note about how great you are. Take some time to celebrate you.   It is my belief that we need to spend more time with ourselves so we can learn to love ourselves more. 
  

                                                                                                                                     
What do you think?

 Let me know your thoughts... Keep the conversation going! Leave your comments by clicking on the "comments" link just below this post.  Don't forget to share this with your facebook friends and follow me on twitter  @askjema
Until next time
Be Blessed, Sisterfriend