Who's On Your Team?

So, there's a football game today! Which got me thinking about teamwork and our message from church a couple of weeks ago. And love, and family. Bear with me, they all mesh, I promise. It's what I do. 

Being part of a team is definitely a bonus when you're trying to win. In any area of your life- parenting, your job, friendships- having a strong, cohesive team can be the deciding factor in how you feel when you get up to face the day. Despite setbacks and minor losses (and we ALL have them), knowing you're not going it alone can help lend strength, tenacity, and problem-solving creativity.

When you think about the bigger picture of life, this is especially true! You want to be surrounded by people who:

• have a shared vision of "winning" or what the end game might look like
• elevate you and challenge you to be your best self
• compliment your weak areas
• are reliable and someone you can count on
• are a fan of you! 

Let's get real, these people may or may not be your family. For me, my team consists of the people I choose to surround myself with. If I consider you family, you better believe there is a fierce love and loyalty there! 

In Of Mess and Moxie, author Jen Hatmaker refers to love as a way of listening to another person's story, perspective, pain, or experience without judgement. Love is a way of breaking down barriers and truly making another feel welcomed. 

If, as the author claims, "isolation concentrates every struggle", then a handy solution would be found in true teamwork. Think about your worst day at work, or a regrettable parenting memory. Were your burdens eased at all by venting to a trusted co-worker, calling a close momma friend, or the arrival of your co-parent? Even just sharing our struggles with someone close to us can lift stress and help us find solutions we'd otherwise be unable to see on our own. 

Humans weren't made to exist in a vacuum. If you look around, you'll find you probably already belong to several "teams", some you may or may not consider family. And the even better news is that, as social creatures, we have the ability to seek new connections, or teams, or repair ones that need strengthening. Love can do that, too. 

One of my longest-playing teams is that of my college girlfriends. I think we're closing in on 25 years now! This is definitely a team-family-tribe that I cherish, and we all rely on in various ways. I have a great team at work, and other teams I'm working to build as a single mom. My kids and I even make a team (some days)- ha! 

I challenge you to think of all the teams you play on, your role, and how well the team characteristics fit. Is there room for improvement? Is there a need in your life that could be better met by a new team? 

Hello Again!

I'm overjoyed to have found my long-lost blog, and am looking forward to connecting with a host of new readers and friends! Let me re-introduce myself (since a lot has changed since my last post)...

I'm Bekah, a single mother of 2 teen girls. Let me tell you upfront that my life gets crazy!

To pay the bills, I work with children with disabilities and their families. I'm good at it. Really good. I've also been at my current job for almost 14 years. My caseload is so demanding that it often interferes with being able to effectively parent my own kids (more on that later). I'm stressed more often than not, and even though I love what I do, it's beginning to weigh me down. So I'm starting to weigh my options. More on that later, too. 

For fun, I read, write, sometimes crochet, hang with friends, and binge TV with my girls. We watched Friends all the way through at least 7 times. I love to take pictures, but not in an artsy way, just for reflection and documentation. I'm really into my planner. I watch endless videos about self-improvement, self-reflection, reaching an audience, empowering women, being your authentic self... you get the picture. I could sit in a coffee shop, just chatting and writing probably every day. 

I'm on a huge internal overhaul. Vision boards, manifesting, prayer and Bible study, writing and journaling, thinking and talking- so get ready for it! 

I'm pretty honest and tend to overshare. So if you like deep conversations with a complete stranger, you've come to the right place! Let's be friends :)

One Little Word for 2013

This year's word snuck up on me. I wasn't expecting it. It took a while for me to recognize it, to acknowledge it, to accept it. It sounds so....not me. And then I thought, "maybe that's the point". The One Little Word that has chosen me for 2013 is ACTION.

Here's the post that really got me thinking this word was choosing me.

I still need to spend some time with this word to discover what it really means to me. Maybe that process will take all year. I don't know. So far, I know it means moving my body and exercising (a continuation of HEALTH, my OLW for 2012).  I know it means finishing some projects around the house. It means doing more than watching TV in the evenings. It means following through with some expectations for my kids (think chore chart, from 2011's OLW- CALM).

...see how these words never really go away, how they complement and bolster each other? I just love that.

I can't wait to find out what else ACTION will come to mean to me this coming year.
Do you have a guiding word or make resolutions for the New Year? I'd love the hear about it!

Thankful Thursday 12/27/12

the last Thursday in 2012
I haven't blogged in over a month
I'm still in my PJ's and it's 2:30 in the afternoon
shopping for a car just stinks...

these are just random thoughts as the year wraps up

but here are my gratitudes for the week, the day, this moment...

I am thankful my kids got to play in some serious snow yesterday and today!
I am thankful hubs made it safely to and from work in said snow.
I am thankful for neighbors who will give me a lift when needed.
I am thankful for friends who are just there when I need them, for problems big and small.
I am thankful for hot chocolate.
I am thankful for forgiveness, both giving and receiving.

Enjoy the last few days of 2012!

Thankful Thursday 11/1/12

Just a hodgepodge of thankful thoughts today...

I am thankful that all we got from Sandy was a little wind and rain. My heart goes out to all those on the east coast.

I am thankful to live in a country where I am allowed to VOTE! My husband and I exercised our right to vote early on Monday.

I am thankful for a little pill called Relpax. It (most of the time) nips my migraines in the bud.

I am thankful my oldest daughter is learning to cook a few simple things. Tonight she is making soup and grilled cheese, and I get a break!

Thanks for stopping by. What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday 10/25/12

We just got back from "Math Night" at my kids' school. There are lots of math-related activities. Tonight we estimated the weight of a pumpkin, graphed different varieties of candy corn (white chocolate and green apple- who knew?) and launched tennis balls at targets.

I am thankful for my kids everyday...just look at these faces!

Tonight I was reminded how thankful I am for their school and their teachers. These men and women are so creative and patient, and I know they truly care about my children. Tonight my youngest daughter's teacher, Mrs. N, told my husband and I that we need to have two more kids so I can send them to Central. When I asked her why, she said, "Because the two you already have are so awesome!" What a compliment!

I am thankful for the adults in my life who care about my kids, teach them, and keep them safe. They really are partners in raising my daughters.

Thankful Thursday 10/11/12

As I mentioned a few days ago, reinstating my Thankful Thursday posts is one way I can work towards my goal of health, my One Little Word for this year.

I am thankful for our neighbors. It is so nice for my kids to have so many friends living next door, and the hubs and I have made new friends, too. We all end up hanging out or doing something together at least once a week!

 

I am thankful for my Kindle Fire. Seriously, I just love that thing. Everyone else in the house loves it too- I barely have a chance to use it these days!

 

I am thankful that my youngest daughter is discovering a love for Harry Potter! She's been an avid reader for quite a while now, but I think it's exciting that we'll get to have discussions about some of my favorite characters ever.

 

I am thankful that my husband was able to buy a new guitar. He's patiently waited for one for over a year, and I love listening to him play in the evenings.

I love the sense of fulfillment and gratitude this practice cultivates. Definitely good for my mental health!