Asking AND Receiving IS Required

I am grateful to be alive, up and active today!

I say that because for about 60 seconds on Saturday I seriously wondered if that would be the case.  I was on about mile 4 of a 6 mile hike with Tommy carry 10 pounds of weight in my backpack.  I had not prepared well this week and it was showing in the exhaustion I was feeling.  I saw the root, lifted my foot and got caught.  I saw my body being propelled towards the edge of the mountain we were climbing and felt it being pushed in towards the trail.

Angels protected me and by some miracle I came away with barely a scratch, and just small bruises.  I was in pain, though, and grateful Tommy soon took my 10 lb. pack.

I was reminded of a couple of things.  First and foremost, I need to prepare better for my adventures so I'm not so tired.  Second, that to create miracles I need to ask for and receive help from others (even angels).

I was pondering that this morning as I did my personal devotion.  My intention in reading was to devise a better plan for creating a miracle.  This miracle has to do with my hike, but is different.  You see I'm hiking each Saturday this spring in preparation for a 24 mile hike on May 31st to raise awareness for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  Tommy and I are $4000 from our fundraising goal.
While we are ever so grateful for the MANY people who have contributed $10, $50 and $100 to our stash we will need many more to complete this task!  http://bit.ly/1o11BRE

We started this project to raise enough money to pay for one wish to be granted.  The stories of how these wish granting projects create miraculous changes for the kids they bless who are fighting long-term illnesses are amazing.  (They aren't all to Disney World either, I've learned of some creative wishes being granted like baby-grand pianos purchased, shopping sprees for little ones, tickets to music concerts and more).

If you will unite with us in this work we know it can be accomplished.
As we receive your help we know you will be blessed 100 times what you give.

In doing this challenge we have heard of great people banding together to collect funds from their friends or work-place.  We have been grateful to hear of some who contributed $400-$500 from one person.   Whether you can give $5 or help collect $500 we will willingly receive your help.

We can do the hiking, we can spread the word but to make this miracle work we must receive your donations and assistance!  Click here to donate   http://bit.ly/1o11BRE

THANKS AND LOVE,






Marian Hobson


http://bit.ly/1o11BRE

Fathers Of Our Modern Age

I have enjoyed ready Parents magazine for over a decade.  While I did so much more religiously ten years ago (Four toddlers in the house meant I wanted HELP!)  the June 2014 edition's section just for Dad's captured my attention.

I sat down to read the first article by Darchak Sanghavi, M.D.   He describes how he is more of an "engaged" father than his Dad.  He also quotes statistics that overall fathers are more engaged than a generation ago. 

I'm personally grateful that my husband follows those statistics.  Our kids are better people because of the way Tommy and I have worked together to teach that all members of the family are responsible for the care and upkeep of the home, the preparation of meals, and the clean up.  (we could all improve too).  My husband cooks 1-2 times per week as do I.  Each of my kids also cooks (on a good week) the family meal once per week.  It's a team effort to make this family run.

I also have problems with Dr. Sanghavi's article, not because I don't believe he states the truth (he's spot on for most folks).  My issues are that it sounds like he's dug up the "issues" without properly tackling the probable solutions.

First he states that the families of today are "best captured by the frenzied and earnest Phil Dunphy, of Modern Family who chronically struggles with competing family demands and is often professionally adrift".  Why do Dad's getting more involved in the home mean that they have to be in struggle?  

I always say that if there is stress and struggle we are not in alignment with our goals.  If your goal is to be an "Involved Dad" (or Mom) and getting to soccer games is a headache, maybe soccer games should be opted out of for a wrestle in the yard.   If you are sacrificing professional growth to pick your kids up from school, or change diapers,  maybe you should begin to create a new career path.

The fact is that everyone finds things in their life that may not be going "just right".  I support anyone who does in taking it as a lesson to figure out a new way of doing things.  Seeing stress or "competing demands"  is an invitation to create something new.

Dr. Sanghavi compliments his own father on his example of selflessness while pines for a "closer" relationship.  He then expresses desire that his own kids "won't feel the same".  I sympathize with the feeling.  I have wished my kids won't "blame" me for things I fell short at but I have also come to realize that if they do it's a good thing.  When they can see where I "screwed-up" they are open to being better than me.  I  am all about being the best parent I can be and seeing my kids be better than me.  My grandkids deserve it.  Whether it is now, or in their adult years, I hope we can all see where we can improve, forgive and move on to create a better reality.

It's what I tell my kids, my clients, myself and my husband.  SEE what can be better then work with God, yourself, your family and your community to make it better.


(ps... one thing I haven't addressed here but was briefly mentioned in the article was the number of fatherless and two-home families.  A subject for another day)

Sometimes It's Just Got To Be Done

"It's not what happened to you, it's how it affected you that matters"

I heard that phrase from a mentor about twenty years ago.  We were discussing an experience that had happened in my childhood but was affecting me in my day to day life. What I have learned since that day is, it's not just what happened to us or how it affected us that matters but what we DO with the affect.  As I have embraced personal development more and more in my life I have learned that processing events is a critical step of our self-growth.  (and sometimes processing means self-indulgence)

Today I gave my first speech in my Toastmaster's Club.  I had rehearsed the speech a couple of times and was impressed with how relaxed I was about it.  Yet when the Toastmaster (leader of the meeting) started my introduction the nerves kicked in.  I delivered my first line and went on to a simple introduction.  I started my first story which flowed into my second quite easily.  I was impressed with myself for making eye contact and feeling good about the delivery when "it" happened.  My mind went completely blank.  As I tried to understand the only thought I could think was "He knows I messed up".  Unable to process that I attempted to think what my next line was.  As I began to stumble through the next words I realized I needed to go back and explain the purpose of the second story before going on to the third.

I wrapped up the speech in four and a half minutes.  Overall I was pleased with the result but a part of me was unable to function.  It wasn't until my mentor (who had heard my speech before) came up to me after the speech that I realized the thought I had had was about him....  there is much I'm still learning about this experience.  Many things that will help be to give better speeches in the future.

The point of my blog today is self-care.

My little freezing up on the small stage of my Club was really not that big of deal but it has affected me deeply. I went home, I pulled out my computer and I opened up one of my favorite shows "The Good Wife" on CBS.  The show tackles tons of issues around what is right and wrong.  The episode I watched today fit my mood.  The main character, Alicia Florick (played by Julianna Marquiles) is tackling the question of how she has often been the "good" person who cleaned up everyone else's mess.  She's asking herself if she is going to cross the line.

I'm crossing my own line today.
I'm watching "The Good Wife".  I'm watching TV shows during business hours.
Sunday I crossed my own line and ate candy for the first time in months.

These are disciplines I have self-imposed because of habits I wanted to overcome.
I felt controlled by my desire to watch that show and would miss sleep on Sunday night, the night I knew was critical to my starting the week off well.   I was over-eating candy and sweets in a big way too, just as I was spending to much time doing unprofessional things during business hours.

Sometimes it's just got to be done.

This little "stray" is helping me process.

These indulgences give me tactile sensations that the human-side of us needs.
We can't be "on" all the time.  We can't give all the time.  We can't drive ourselves all the time.

If we do we will cause ourselves to collapse.

Collapsing takes so much more out of us!
If we allow ourselves to collapse we risk loosing everything.
If we allow ourselves to indulge we increase our chances of success.

So today I'm watching The Good Wife and relaxing.

It means I have had to restructure my schedule for the day slightly but in the future I now know I will need to plan a little down time after any speech.  It will save me from exhaustion.  It will allow me to process and in the end it will make me a better speech presenter, a better wife and a better person.

How can you allow yourself to process today?
Where might you "indulge" yourself and be human, even just a little?