Month: January 2018

I have noticed something lately that I want to name. It is not something I am proud of, but I have become more aware of it in these last weeks. We have been dealing with an ongoing caregiver shortage at Visiting Angels. I wish it were something that we were doing wrong and could quickly change, but it isn’t that simple. We have tried many things including job fairs and facebook ads. Getting people in the door is hard. We have a few people schedule interviews and never show up. It is a real problem and one that does not change by positive thinking or the commitment to never give up.

I have noticed that my brain is weary as a result of this and my capacity feels like it is shrinking some. A shortage of caregivers brings other struggles, causing us to turn away services to people in need. My co-workers said to me last week, it just isn’t fun to say no to people when they call for care. People call with the hope we will help, and we have to say we can not assist you at this time. We do our best to offer perspective and invite them to call back, but will we have more caregivers tomorrow, or the next day?

But I learned a valuable lesson this week about how I am approaching my day to day. I have begun to believe that things aren’t possible. Not everything, but little things. A client asking for a new caregiver or adding hours, my first thought is that it just isn’t possible. Well, I was in one of those spaces and saying to my co-worker, it just isn’t possible and she said how about this? She had a solution that would work, and I had entirely missed it. It was evident to me I was shutting my mind and eyes to possibility. I am so very thankful for that lesson. I have recommitted to embracing a perspective that is all about potential. Believing that there is an option for most everything we will encounter if I am willing to consider every angle.

I am still weary and hoping for 15 more caregivers to walk through our door and apply for work. I am still uncertain of how a change will come to be, but I am committed to holding onto hope. I believe that we will continue to carry out our mission every day. I am choosing to focus on the many times we can and do say yes to new clients because we do have possibilities and I want to believe that this too will pass and God will prepare the way. And we have 55 amazing caregivers who go forth every day and provide excellent care. There is so much to be grateful for.

I wonder where you might be weary and fatigued and shutting your eyes to possibility. I hope you also have someone in your world who will remind you of all that is possible. Don’t lose hope my friends in spaces you feel weary and uncertain. Consider all that is possible and never forget to always hang onto hope!

I am meeting weekly with my friend to set our weekly goals and name our wins for the week. We also name where we know our choices did not align with our stated intentions. It is beneficial to know that each week I will have a conversation about how my choices support or sabotage my desires for change in my mind, body, and soul.

Last week I said I wanted to be more attentive to how I felt when eating. I have never paid much attention to that and yet know that I have sensitivities to some foods and I would like to identify which foods affect me in which ways.

Being attentive has been a fascinating process. I am learning things about how my body responds and feels, about when my energy is high or low and feeling the impact of going diet coke and sugar-free this week.

To be attentive to something specific is a very deliberate process. Often I move through the day aware of so much but being genuinely attentive to nothing. I enjoy the nights I am working at The Journey Christian Counseling Center because I feel fully attentive to one person. But to choose to be fully attentive to something in my own body takes even more discipline. I now believe that to tune all my senses inward after eating to identify how I feel is much more than a one-week goal. I think I have tapped into yet another journey of a lifetime.

I am recognizing that the attentiveness is bringing awareness and the awareness is shaping my choices as I consider new information. I used to think this was an act of discipline, I now believe it is an act of kindness towards myself.

I wonder what it is that you would like to be attentive to. Is there something within your own journey or is there a person who would benefit from your attentiveness. How do our phones, TV’s, Netflix, computers, Ipads, (name your vice) deter us from being attentive to people or spaces that are important to us?

There are so many areas to grow. Consider naming one area you would like to be more attentive and approach it with kindness and curiosity!

I see it all over social media

What is Your Word?

I have pondered and wondered and reflected, trying to settle on a word that will carry me through?

I have wondered about a word big enough that stays with me through 12 months.

A word that reminds me of what is right and invites me to grow.

A word that settles my heart and brings me peace in the midst of daily busyness and activity?

A word that invites me to settle in and stop analyzing?

A word that encourages me to live into all that awaits me.

Of all the words I looked at and considered, I came up with a word that requires my engagement and action.

Creating Space

Creating space to practice my cooking skills, to reflect, to be active.

Creating space for devotions and friends and family, for alone time and daily routine.

Creating Space feels right for me in 2018.

I wonder what word will inspire you in 2018? I hope you will think on this idea and commit to one by February 1, 2018. I am sharing a whole list of options to inspire your thinking. Dream and enjoy the process of envisioning what will be right for you in 2018!

Tomorrow we remember Martin Luther King Jr. I wonder what this means in your mind, heart, and schedule tomorrow? Today I have taken time to listen to his speech, reading and learning more about him and considering the compelling questions that result from Dr. King’s life and teachings. 

The King Center posts the following on their web page:

It is a day of interracial and intercultural cooperation and sharing. No other day of the year brings so many peoples from different cultural backgrounds together in such a vibrant spirit of brother and sisterhood. Whether you are African-American, Hispanic or Native American, whether you are Caucasian or Asian-American, you are part of the great dream Martin Luther King, Jr. had for America. This is not a black holiday; it is a peoples’ holiday. And it is the young people of all races and religions who hold the keys to the fulfillment of his dream.

Dr. King once said that we all have to decide whether we “will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. Life’s most persistent and nagging question, he said, is `what are you doing for others?’” he would quote Mark 9:35, the scripture in which Jesus of Nazareth tells James and John “…whosoever will be great among you shall be your servant; and whosoever among you will be the first shall be the servant of all.” And when Martin talked about the end of his mortal life in one of his last sermons, on February 4, 1968, in the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church, even then he lifted up the value of service as the hallmark of a full life. “I’d like somebody to mention on that day Martin Luther King, Jr. tried to give his life serving others,” he said. “I want you to say on that day, that I did try in my life…to love and serve humanity.

We call you to commemorate this Holiday by making your personal commitment to serve humanity with the vibrant spirit of unconditional love that was his greatest strength, and which empowered all of the great victories of his leadership. And with our hearts open to this spirit of unconditional love, we can indeed achieve the Beloved Community of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream.

What role will I play in unconditional love and service to all people? What role will you play in achieving the community of Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream? Some of his great quotes inspire me to join the vision again and perhaps most importantly to remember to speak the truth and not be silent.

As I end this post tonight, I leave you with some of my favorite quotes from this man who cast a vision and is known for his courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service.

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.             

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity    

Martin Luther King, Jr.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Today I spent time preparing Beef Stew for Sunday dinner. I am hosting my family, and due to some limited table space in my kitchen, it often works best to make a one-dish meal. So with some consultation, Beef Stew was selected for the menu.

This morning at Costco I had expected to find the carrots and potatoes and be on my way. As I glanced at the potatoes, I saw a 5lb bag of colorful potatoes. They were a perfect size, and I will admit, I was drawn to the colors. I began to envision a stew that wasn’t just brown meat and golden potatoes but was delighted that this Beef Stew would have a splash of color.

As I went to find the bag of carrots, I have to admit, I was almost giddy. Never did I even consider that I would discover colorful carrots. All of a sudden the whole Beef Stew Dish was becoming delicious, not only in imagined flavor but also in presentation.

One of my goals for 2018 is to increase in my kitchen skills and to become comfortable in working with foods from the earth. I am learning that the enjoyment of foods from the ground is much greater than I ever dreamed of. I am looking forward to serving colorful stew to some of my favorite people.

I wonder if you have considered color in the foods you consume each day? Give it some thought, go explore the produce section and live the adventure of colorful nutrition that comes from the earth.

Do you ever end a week and feel filled to capacity in your mind and heart?

Full of thoughts

Full of wonder

Full of worry

Full of gratitude.

I have had that kind of week. I have much to consider in the coming weeks in my business, in my personal life, in my leadership at my Church, in my desire for new routines and outcomes and in those spaces where my heart feels disrupted and unsettled.

I have learned that when I start to feel that I am reaching capacity, I must pay close attention to a few things:

Do not overprocess and let my mind rest. When I am considering big decisions, I find that all the what if’s begin to spiral in my mental cavity. I am reminded of the importance of holding every thought captive and channeling my thoughts into prayerful, reflective, strategic spaces.

Sabotage the sabotage: When I am contemplating big decisions and feel uncertain, procrastination, distraction, and doubt settle in. I want to sabotage the sabotage and keep moving into spaces where God is inviting me to risk and trust Him more fully.

Converse with a few trusted souls: It is essential for me to be engaging with a few trusted souls. I am so grateful for good people in my life, and I must create the space to have meaningful conversations. It always seems when I do this, my capacity increases because the good that is within me takes root and the extra is sifted out, giving me more room to think, feel, breathe and live!

My mind and heart feel very full, and it is good for me to remind myself what I need. I like to pick one song each week to really listen to often. This one has calmed my soul this week and reminds me that God holds me and cares about every last detail. I am looking forward to moving through a few things this week that I anticipate will bring me greater peace. But when I am at peace, anxious, filled to my capacity or fully relaxed,  may I never stop singing Give me Jesus!

 

 

Tonight I am troubled. I don’t find it beneficial to engage in political talk these days, and at times the choice to stay silent is equally disturbing. I understand that there are many different views and perspectives, but I do not see how what is reported here can ever be supported. I do not know how we can be silent about what is transpiring among us?

And so tonight, in my distraught state, I am choosing to share these words with my niece and nephew. I want them to be able to look back someday and know that in the midst of the chaos that swirls in the news about what the President of the United States believes about the people of Haiti, we will not be silent. We will choose to celebrate their country of birth, their heritage, their family who resides in Haiti and always embrace their stories.

These two are from the beautiful country of Haiti! They have brought life, color, laughter, joy, and delight to the Borgdorff family. We embrace every bit of Haiti that flows through them and stand in gratitude tonight for their presence in our lives. Forever and always we will hold their hearts.

 

 

 

 

It seems like every time I spend time looking at Pinterest I am surprised at how much I enjoy it. There are so many ideas, and I find my mind and heart provoked with good thoughts. Recently I came across this self-care schedule.

I am committed to self-care in theory as I work to live a life of wellness for my mind, body, and soul. But often at the end of the day, I struggle to identify where I took the time to care, even in small ways, for myself.

Then I came across this self-care schedule. It took me a few days to decide to print it and a few days more to decide to post it. I find it interesting to pause each day and read the questions for the given day. It is fascinating to notice where I see myself considering the issues and how I am starting to transition into action. I can feel my intention growing as I prioritize self-care in new ways in 2018.

Self-care used to include stopping the chaos that seemed to always be circling around my mind and heart. I am so very grateful that I have moved beyond that and am no longer living in that cyclone of chaos. Now I must consider the next steps. It is no longer self-care for me to sit in the quiet, I am ready for a new level of self-care. For me, I am enjoying that the self-care invites me to engage the clutter or engage my thoughts on my body image or invite me to lose inhibitions in places I feel stiff or stilted.

I am grateful for the spaces I am choosing to consider and embrace self-care. Thanks to Pinterest, I have a structure to work with. I hope you are embracing your self-care this year. I hope your self-care is engaging your mind, body, and soul and is full of kindness for yourself and your story. 

 

Everything in me wanted to bypass this in my folder of inspirational nuggets. It is only the 9th day of January 2018. I can’t write about Begin Again yet. I know it is true for me, but I don’t want to admit that yet. It seems like I should not be beginning again already, after all, it is only the 9th day of 2018.  Welcome to my internal dialogue when deciding how honest to be when I am selecting a blogging topic.

I have committed to focusing on my choices and behaviors this year as opposed to my outcomes. I can’t make the scale show a certain number, but I am the one who chooses what goes into my mouth. I can’t control how I will sleep, but I can make sure my behaviors leading into sleep are setting me up for the best rest possible.

And so, on this 9th day of January, just a short 9 days into the new year, I am aware of how many times I have committed to Begin Again. In my commitment to live honestly with myself and others, I can assure you that this Begin Again flashes in my head daily. I am learning to create expectations and grace in my daily life. I am learning to increase my expectations in areas I fear and allow for grace, especially when I have risked growth. I wonder what your expectation/grace/begin again conversation looks like in the privacy of your own thoughts? Do you have daily goals for yourself? Are you aware when you are acting a way that is counterproductive to what you long for? Are you striving to control your outcomes or influence your beliefs and actions for good?

I am grateful for the words Begin Again and that I am willing to use them daily if needed. I hope you also will join me in making these two powerful and kind words become words of kindness and grace that you embrace into your own journey.

 

 

 

I have been interested in identifying ways that I can live more disconnected this year. I am not looking to disconnect from people but technology. I am aware that technology is a gift in my life. Technology has allotted me much more than it has cost me. I am committed to not being an all or nothing thinker this year, but finding the healthy balance in so many areas. That being said, there are ways I can benefit from using my technology differently in 2018.

I came across these recommendations and began to consider these changes in my daily routines.

• Use an alarm clock instead of your phone.
  • This one feels doable, but I have indeed become accustomed to Alexa, so I don’t even open my eye’s to look at a clock. I simply say, “Alexa, what time is it?” When I started to use Alexa, I did start to charge my phone in the bathroom. It is essential to be able to hear it if it rings, but it does feel good to not be sleeping with my phone.

• Do not check your email in the first hour of the day.
  • This is one I am going to work on in February. With an early morning workout, there is no need to check my email before or even immediately following my exercise. I will commit to not checking my email before 7 am.
• Identify specific times to check social media
  • We have come to use Social Media for communication with clients and caregivers and also as a recruiting tool. I will begin to give some thought to how to limit or change my current patterns.
• Cook from a cookbook instead of an online recipe
  • I really like this idea but feel limited by the vast array that is accessible via the web. I believe I will work to print and work from paper first. That means I will need to get ink and paper for my printer. See how many good things develop from this idea of disconnecting.
• Use pencil and paper again.
  • And I will say that this one almost gives me that feeling of being giddy. I so enjoy a variety of pens. Then to obtain a few cool notepads or journals and I am good to go. I will have to sort out what I will work to write down, but I know for sure I will keep using my computer for a lot of this as well.

I wonder if you find your interest peaked in practicing ways to disconnect from your technology. There is no magical way, and I encourage you to identify your 3 to 5 ways you will venture into this experiment. I am learning that most anything beneficial, will likely take some time to establish, so give it a go and be patient. I am eager to hear from you about what you are trying and what you are learning about yourself in the process.

Now I better take my scrabble turns, shut down my electronics and call it a day.