Dallas!

9:43 p.m. (Central Time) Today's project was to get from Riverside, CA to Dallas, Texas for the Mary Kay Seminar. Last night, I walked Steve's caregiver through all the house and food issues, kissed Steve goodnight and goodbye, and went to sleep. My cellphone alarm was set for 2:30 a.m. I am writing this on my phone so not sure how to skip lines!

July 23rd, 3:06 p.m. Today's project was to get up at 3 a.m. (CST), read my scripture, do some serious journalling with the Lord, freshen up quickly before waking up my sister beauty consultant and traveling companion at 4:55, and post Psalm 142:1 on Facebook:

I cry out to the LORD with my voice; with my voice to the LORD I make my supplication.

The last five days have been thrilling, encouraging, and spiritually inspiring, with warm personal comments and challenges from beloved leaders. Yet moments of oddball, unwarranted conversations (and non-conversations!) threatened to dampen my confidence and distract me from what the Lord is speaking to my life at this time.

Ever notice that when you are listening to the Holy Spirit and asking for guidance in rearranging various elements of your life, niggling, petty worries tend to come up? "Everyone seems to be talking to everyone but me," (realistically, that's pretty common on a momentary basis); "I'm different from everyone else," (realistically, are there any two people alike?); "My life has too much going on to organize my business and consistently achieve," (in actuality, the testimonies of the dedicated Christian women who have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams make my life's challenges look downright manageable)! I Corinthians 10:13 says,

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

My excuses began to melt away in the glare of the Holy Spirit's bright light!

"I'm too old to work toward the goal of being a Sales Director." In what way? Physically? Yesterday a number of us decided to walk two miles in the sweltering, 100+ heat from the Dallas Convention Center to the Hyatt Hotel. The girls were anywhere from 30-40 years my junior, but along with my daughter's best friend, and wearing heels, I reached the hotel first, just walking a quick, steady pace, uphill and down. So that excuse is nonsense.

Mentally worn out, with an aged brain? A brand new director I met is 62 years old, and more focused, probably, than many of her younger peers! And a number of high achievers are considerably older than that, and came on stage last night to receive their diamonds in wheelchairs.

"I don't have time." Yes I do, if I decide to utilize the same number of hours that God gives everyone-- in a structured manner! And we received great training on how to do just that. I am currently praying about eliminating any non-essential activity God shows me, and I will.

"I'm not organized." Not so! A few tweaks, a lot of doing what I've been told for almost four years, and taking advantage of a customer delivery service will save time, money, and shipping costs while improving my ordering status. And getting serious about financial management will improve every other area of my business. I've been instructed on that, too. Already my customers are receiving their catalog every quarter, and are organized by time period and the way I know them, ie., teachers, family, customers from my daughter, neighbors, church friends, beauty salon, etc. Physical receptacles will put these matters to rights. And tracking my daily activity will let me know why bookings and sales are or are not happening.

Coming home today to a very clean house and a happy husband let me know that Steve is going to be fine as I use a few hours a day to make the most of what I've been given by the Lord in every area of importance to a business owner. He supports me wholeheartedly. After the Lord Jesus Himself, that's one approval I won't go forward without!