PIN-TEST

Pretty sure that when your Pinterest boards show more gardening and chicken coops than weddings, you're winning.

Win:

Winner:

Still winning:

Dang...well, had to get one in there:

MC EMCEE B

Life has involved a LOT of opportunities to be on a microphone lately and boy, howdy, has that been fun. I LOVE a mic. LOVE. People say "how do you do that?" and I think, well, I love to talk.

Why would I not LOVE my talking projected to way more people than possible without a microphone?

Some mornings you wake up and something reminds you of someone you miss, someone who made you sad and probably doesn't deserve the space in your mind that morning. And, boo, cheering section stares at their feet and shuffles.

My friends, the answer is always, ALWAYS Beyonce.

Beyonce will tell you that he "showed his ass and baby, you saw the real him." She will remind you that he is most certainly NOT "irreplaceable" and she will also wag a finger, give a spin and raise an eyebrow. Because you? YOU are AMAZING. And fierce. And him? He sucks. He is dumb. Remember? He showed his ass! He did NOT "put a ring on it" - and thank God, because you dodged a bullet. Some men are "soldiers". You need those. The others? Not so much.

Beyonce will remind you of these things anywhere you like. In the kitchen in your sweatpants (you look athletic and strong). When applying makeup (you don't really need it, you're "feelin' so crazy right now"). Also, when cooking ravioli for 4 year olds. Which needs no explanation about your awesomeness, right?

I'm not sure Beyonce realizes the scope of her reach on the modern day breakup but, then again, she probably doesn't need to be told. Because she is teaching you to "put your love on top".

TIENDITA

Whether it's committing to emcee a fashion show, organizing a Zydeco dance contest or going out with someone that I find out is actually married (#wishiwaskidding), I will say this: I DO IT RIGHT.

The accomplishments run the gamut, but one thing is clear: I am the queen of embarrassing myself, usually in public, usually in front of people that I admire, usually when I'm trying to DO THE OPPOSITE OF MAKE AN ASS OF MYSELF.

Recovery, my friends, is the key. Redirection. Trust me, I know.

Someday I'm going to look back and laugh. Someday will probably be tomorrow.

AS IF

So, because I'm amazing, I almost passed out in Church yesterday and I don't know WHY that is such a remarkable thing for me but...

First, it would be remarkably embarassing.

Second, there is something really remarkable to me about being out of control of something - a situation, a comment, a newspaper article, my own flawed body. The same body that I'm fairly certain was trying to smack me across the head and say "SLOW DOWN" and like, maybe get some sleep and eat something because humans require those things to function.

I sat in the pew, panting and trying to breathe and control the steamroller of weakness that was plowing over me and it totally. DID. NOT. WORK.

Thank you sweet Jesus I made it out of mass and the second I stepped into the air, I felt immediately better. But absolutely shaken.

..........................................

We are inherently weak people. We give in. We give up. We get mad. I do, anyway.

Recently, I made myself completely weak and vulnerable, for someone else.

And guess what? It failed MISERABLY. I mean, completely nosedived.

But rather than give in, give up...I set the phone down, had a good 15 minute sob, deleted the evidence and MOVED. THE EFF. ON. Because you know what? That sure didn't work. But there's one more winding road that didn't lead somewhere. Try, try again.

So IV and I took the afternoon yesterday to nap and paint pictures and dance around the kitchen to "40 Day Dream" courtesy of the sweetest friend in the world who made us a killer kitchen dance mix. And we loved, LOVED, loved being weak. 

IF_____, THEN __________

Why are we so tempted to fill in the blanks?

So eager to fill those spaces with every worry in the world, every instance of conditional belief and test?

So willing to deliver that list to our enemy to use against us?

So what happens when the blanks are filled?

I go on. I get mad. I fall down. I want to bang a Bible against my head a few hundred times. Repeat. 

And then...the magic. I am OK.

I listened this week to a statement about what IF? What IF I actually take the courage God is handing me? Is it possible that I might be one decision away from the biggest game changer on my life's map? The biggest bend in the road? 

If ______? Then GOD. 

LEAN IN

1. Sit at the table.
2. Make your partner a REAL partner.
3. Don't leave before you leave.

Lean in, sisters...

http://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_leaders.html

CRISIS COMMUNICATION

Rules of crisis communication:

Follow the "Rule of Three" - three message points, three sentences, key content in the first 30 words.

Keep it simple. The average person's comprehension drops to a 6th grade level in a crisis.

Choose your words carefully. Enough said.

Wouldn't it be amazing if we applied these rules to relationships and communication with each other?

I'm constantly amazed at the messages that are given to me each day. So thankful!

HE STAYED

This is such an incredible message from one of my favorite bloggers, straight from the Panhandle:

http://www.puravidanow.blogspot.com/2013/02/he-stayed.html

I CURL BABIES FOR FUN

Seriously, what is WITH my biceps?

FIERCE

Beware: though she be little, she is but fierce.