Place: Milkd (where else?)

Poison: Long Mac

Favourite Things: my pencil case…

I heard a speaker at last weeks ‘Leadership Summit’ say, ‘Greatness is not a function of your circumstance, it is the result of your disciplined choices…’

Wow, what an amazing statement. So often I say, Oh that’s not happening because…Oh I can’t do that because…Oh well thats how the cookie crumbles…I cant fulfill my dreams because…

But this statement kicks me in the butt, with a big, its not about what happens to you, its how you respond to it. Thinking about it late last night, I want to live a great life. Not because I want to be a rockstar or famous, I want to live a great life because I understand the priveleges that I have and want to reflect them by my choices.

People who I believe are living a great life: My Mum and Aunt Eileen, Elaine Fraser, Aidie Warrilow, Mrs Chis…Women that you probably don’t even know, but I do, and I so believe they are living a life of greatness, serving their family and their God but also living the life of their dreams…

Am getting ready for a HUGE event manaegement month, and my simple prayer is ‘Lord help me to make GREAT choices’

Choices in the way I speak to others when stressed, Choices in how I steward my time to be effective and love those closest to me at the same time. Choices of who I spend time with and who I don’t, not because I want to be clicky, but I want to be around people who speak life. Positivity and great conversations are a gift that I don’t take lightly.

Miss intense this morning needs to chill out…intensity and peace the tension between greatness.

Much Love

A

Place: at home

Poison: Diet Coke

Favourite Things: My four poster bed

Every idea has a time of awakening. Every idea has power, but once in a lifetime, sometimes for the lucky maybe a second, an idea comes along that will change your life.

I believe there is a great idea inside of everyone, something that will make such a contribution to the world that it will take your breath away. An idea that is longing to be birthed and given the resonance for it to ripple around the world.

Every person, no matter who you are, has a unique personality and signature that has the ability to impact this world. It could be an idea about a friend, an idea to revolutionise a childs life, an idea of how to connect one with another, an idea of grand proportions, that is just awaiting expression.

Creativity is not in limited supply. The worlds market for oil maybe sky rocketing and forecast to run out, but creativity is not in short supply. It is limitless, it is unfathomable, it is eternal.

The ideas within your soul, mind and spirit are awaiting expression, and our world needs your imprint to make it continue to grow and change.

The ideas you have are valuable. Their currency is rare, because there is not one other soul on the earth that can bring the creative expression that you alone can bring. Because there is no other you. I do believe in soul mates, I was the child of a twin so I understand that their are people who are inexplicably connected to others, but not one single other person has the same finger print as you, so not one other person can bring a resonance to the same big idea that you have…

Share them. Unlock the ideas and dream big

Thats what you were created for…

Expectant

A

Place: Milkd

Poison: Water

Favourite Things: Lap top bag, green. hmmm.

I totally have this thing about family. I also have this thing about Christmas. When I come to think about it, I have this thing about traditions as well… Although I am single and one day hope to have a family, I love that my mum taught me to love traditions.

Traditions like Boxing Day with the Smith Family, a tradition that I adore. Birthday parties, family toasts (special speeches at family night) and breakfast in bed. The Christmas tree up on the first day of December and down on the 12th of January. Camping with friends and family. Standing outside the door until the person leaving has driven away. Grace. Monday night= family night. Baileys, Pina Colada’s and spas! Bali with cousins and parents. Reading before falling asleep. Big walks along the beach. Dinner music…

At this time of year, the real romantic comes out in me, and my love of traditions, warms my weary soul. It is at the end of the year that I believe family and traditions should burn bright.

THE RIGHT TO BE RIDICULOUS IN YOUR PAJAMAS AROUND THE ONES WHO LOVE YOU THE MOST. Nice. That’s a tradition I will always carry into my sphere, no matter who I am with.

LAUGHING FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER, BECAUSE FAMILY IS HILARIOUS. (my Sister and I last night!)

SENDING CARE PACKAGES TO THOSE WHO ARE IMPORTANT TO ME BUT LIVE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY, Miss Hannah, Miss Ruth, Beautiful Annie, Outrageous Claudine, Hilarious Serg, have all been recipients…(ps standby ruthie package number 2 is on its way right now!!!!)

The right to be ridiculous and let the tension of a week fade away in the bright lights of family tradition.

LOVE IT!!!!

A

Place: Milkd

Poison: Long Mac

Favourite Things: Thinking about the conference I have just walked away from…

Today I attended a world wide leadership summit, where 70,000 leaders around the world are sitting watching video cast of leadership teaching and inspiration. Here in Perth, there would have been maybe 500 people sitting receiving teaching from the worlds best in leadership training.

The last session was an interview with Bono (u2), an address to leaders about world poverty and the AIDS crisis, and I am numb. I can’t say I am a U2 groupie, so for those who have bono fatigue stop right now and go to www.bonofatigue.com and get over yourself.

For the rest of you, here are my simple reflections on the interview. I love their music, no I’m not going to their concert, not because I didn’t want too, just wasn’t a financial priority at the time when tickets went on sale. Anyway, despite the mockers and the die hard fans, wow this man has something to say.

Not just something to say, but a passion that dwells so deep, it threatens to cause a tsnuami of poverty relief, due to the deep purpose that is set in his heart.

I am not a christian who is jumping on the Bono band wagon, because he reads and digests scripture. I am deeply moved by what he has said, ‘Celebrity is just a currency, and I have decided to use mine to eradicate poverty’.

I sat in this big auditorium, full of leaders and I said to God, My God, ‘What is it lord that one person like me can do…’

What is it that you can do, because we have the potential for this generation to eradicate poverty, AIDS, the gulf between the first and third world. We actually do have power, the power we have is a voice to make a difference one child, one life, one dollar at a time.

What I loved from his interview was this statement ‘The part of the Lord’s prayer that moves me the most is “On earth as it is in heaven”…’

Me too, I don’t want to wait till heaven to find the source of life. I want to help bring it to earth as it is in heaven.

Another thing that struck me that he said was ‘I am nothing special, I am just strategic. I use the influence I have as a strategy’

Some more amazing, thought provoking statements…

Grace turns our world upside down

Love thy neighbour is not a request its a commandment

2003 scriptural versus talk about the poor, only one speaks about judgement, and that relates to the poor also, so why is the church so often judging sexual issues, moral issues, instead of just loving the poor.

Stop asking God to bless what your doing, find what God is doing, it’s already blessed.

hmmm

So what if you have Bono fatigue, he’s actually doing something.

What are you doing?

A

 

Place: My Office

Poison: Diet Coke

Favourite Things: My white watch!

Last night chatting with friends, we had a big discussion on what actually is your heart? I know sounds very deep, but I found also very intriguing.

See we all get so busy with the external that it is so easy to loose track of the internal in our lives. When someone says ‘put your heart into it’ or ‘my heart is broken’ or ‘be still my beating heart’, what exactly do we really mean?

Heart means far more than emotions or feelings. James Houston says ‘The centre of those qualities that make us human…the innermost part of human personality’. That’s what I believe your and my heart is.

See I think the internal, the realm of our heart is way more important than anything, the external focused world relys upon. I don’t think we should be lead by our hearts, but without checking the condition of our heart, it is so hard to open yourself to new and exciting parts of your destiny. How easy is it to live with a heart that is shut down by fear. Our external emotions are merely an outward expression of a deeper reality.

The heart does not respond to principles and programs; it seeks not to be efficient, but seeks passion, art, poetry, music, beauty, mystery, joy…The list goes on and on.

These are what rouse the heart, male and female alike. Its just the way we respond to them that differs. Indeed they are the language that must be spoken if one wishes to communicate with the heart.

For me I don’t want to be heart driven, (emotional and inconsistent) but I don’t want to be disengaged throughout my life either. The problem I have found in my life is I am either lead by love or lead by fear. It is fear of rejection and fear of mistrust that has created so many scars in my heart realm.

Creativity, life, moments, kindness, love, are all captured by the heart.

A vulnerable but satisfying place to dwell.

BIG HEARTED PEOPLE, MAKE THE WORLD A JOY!

heartfelt

A