Truly Random Thoughts

As I sit here at my desk on a rainy pre- Fourth of July morning, many thoughts are swirling through my head. They run the gamut from practical to the truly bizarre; but hey, I have always been an eclectic thinker! Some of these random thoughts:

• updating my palm pilot calendar for July
• notes to self to buy jr. high student new school uniforms prior to the store rush
• mental grocery list for holiday soggy cook outs
• the remarkable ability of Journey's new lead singer from the Phillipines to sound exactly, and I mean EXACTLY like Steve Perry- so uncanny, because when he speaks (vs. sings) he really sounds like he has a French accent
• the further remarkable ability to be transported back to my college years through listening to Journey's Greatest Hits on my IPod- more on this later!
• the legalization of gay marriage
• researching a disorder to help a friend who was recently diagnosed
• where to go for lunch
• thoughts about postings read on a Runescape Addiction site
• whether "Hancock" will be better than the ratings portrayal
  

(Told you they were eclectic and totally random!)

I am truly bummed that the extended weather forecast is calling for rain. We have a lot of holiday plans for the next couple of days that also include two family birthdays. I was looking forward to this holiday more than ever because I was asked to be part of the Mercy Health Plex Float in the Anderson Township parade. I have been an avid spinner for years and a long-time member of the Plex, and will be on a spinning bike wearing the Team Plex Americana Jersey. (Watch out Lance Armstrong!!) I actually participated in a Live Strong Ride sponsored by the Lance Armstrong Foundation last spring. It was a lot of fun and we raised a good amount of money for the foundation. So if you don't mind getting wet, come out to Anderson and watch the parade on the 4th starting at 11:00 a.m. down Beechmont Avenue.

Ok, the above list is weighing on my mind now. I had better make my list and hit Krogers before it's packed. And btw, I received a lovely voicemail from them this morning warning me about possible E Coli contamination in the ground beef I might be harboring in my freezer. Good thing I have been using Laura's Lean Ground beef for years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More on my fascination with Journey in a later post.........................

CYA- as in See Ya, not Cover Your Ass!

Michelle Therese Gabrielle

CREATING VISION

Vision can be a powerful force in our lives. Just as we develop vision and mission statements for our organizations, so too must we create vision for our own personal lives. Measurable goals and objectives flow from our view of who we are and where we want to go creating the blue-print for the journey of our lives. Sometimes the journey takes us on paths that are twisted with hair-pin turns and shrouded with darkness. It is during these times that we need to be prepared by carrying the light of trust within us. Trust is the lantern that lights the way and keeps us on the true path to our vision. How wonderful is it when the path is clear and unobstructed? When the results of our objectives match neatly to our goals and align perfectly with our vision, then the time arrives to reach higher and deeper. Do we create a new vision or do we expand what we have and ask how we can make a difference in something greater than ourselves by applying these results?

The key to creating vision is being open to the possibilities. If we shrink within ourselves in order to make others more comfortable, then we are not letting our true gifts (strengths) come through and thus run the risk of limiting the potential that exists within us. Stand up and be who you truly are- we are all meant to shine in our own way.

I attended a recent Lecture entitled “Celebrating What is Right With Our World” It featured Leisa Anslinger, author and the Pastoral Associate for Evangelization, Catechesis and Stewardship for Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in the Cincinnati Archdioceses and Dewitt Jones , well known free lance photographer for National Geographic. There were several key take-aways that I received and want to pass on.

1. Change is good; ACCEPTING change is key.
2. Be authentic and your eyes will be open to the possibilities.
3. Switch your focus from being the best in the world, to being the best for the world.

These points all refer to vision work. The challenge is to create a personal vision for yourself that reaches far beyond the boundaries of your own life. We feel such a heightened sense of purpose when we have a plan that aligns with who we are intrinsically and when we can expand the plan so that others benefit from the gift of our labors, then an exponential explosion occurs which reaps advantages for countless others.

Use today to create your own version of vision. When you do, you will find a path that will start you on the journey to the rest of your life. Good luck!