I have goals?

5:22 p.m. Today's project was to create a goal poster for myself, my life, and my Mary Kay business. I don't think I made one four years ago when I began my business, or it's been long lost and forgotten. Whatever the case, I've been drifting along without a real focus or target, for all of my efforts. And I've had some very good success, am building a team, and have good sales monthly.

But I never could make an absolutely clear statement as to my specific goal. I could state at our Thursday Nights Together a specific goal for the week or a happening I was excited about and looking forward to, no problem, because I'd be so busy cheering on my fellow consultants and being genuinely delighted for them. But making a statement about my ultimate goal, to be a Sales Director, was just plain fuzzy in my mind. and that's no way to conduct one's life, ministry, or career.

How often have we heard sayings such as, "If you aim for nothing, you'll be sure to hit it every time," from pulpits to coaches' pep talks, to sales rallies. I've sold life and group insurance; alarm systems, and Shaklee vitamins, (and sold the public on myself in 3 successful local elections)! All of which are part of our family's lives, even if brand names and causes have changed. Marriage and childbirth derailed my progress in the other endeavors, and that's a high calling that has nothing regrettable about it. But in the fall of 2007,with kids grown and Steve and I working full time,  my daughter Heather recruited me as a Mary Kay consultant. After trying the products, I was sold. And the Lord spoke to me so strongly to start my own business that I knew it was Him!

When we have stated that we are believers in Christ, and will worship only the Lord, He will be with us, as He promised the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 26:17-18:

Today you have proclaimed the LORD to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice. Also today the LORD has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments. 

And what did Jesus say to those of us in the New Covenant sealed with His blood?

If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15). God has no problem making Himself clear, and
being part of a strong Christian leader's unit, "Laurie's Legacy," sealed the deal!

Whatever the Lord has called me to do, I've done by the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit to the best of my ability, as unto the Lord. Primarily, that brings to mind most particularly His call to me to teach God's word to His women, back in 1980; and to serve my husband and children as an imperfect human being under attack of the enemy continually, as will happen to those who step forward for Jesus. II Timothy 3:12 confirms:
...all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

So why the aimlessness with my current business? It is very gratifying to see a woman perk up and feel beautiful, some for the first time ever. The profitability has certainly been welcome for our disability and pension income limits. And I just love skincare and makeup personally, such fun, like playing with colors or dress up (which I also love to do)! There are just no downsides to this career, because I even enjoy calling ladies to book appointments, mostly people I already know. To my mind, booking calls in this business is nothing compared with making 200 "cold calls" out of the phone book every day as a new insurance agent!

After attending a wonderful training session Saturday, I decided to not only increase and document my activity better, but make my goal poster. I included a picture of me laughing insanely, totally abandoned and having fun with a 2 year-old great-niece in a jump house. (Laughing my head off was a lot more frequent and effortless before my husband began losing his brain power and daily functioning to Alzheimer's. But it's not unheard-of even now, praise the Lord)! I added some jewelry, which I used to totally love, and can see building up an interest in again, ditto the designer purse. I don't need or want a new car, but I included the first career car because it represents a high level of achievement. Some vacation scenes and the word "escape" have pretty blatant applicability! I even glued on a gold star marshmallow lollipop that I carefully covered in glue to fight next spring's ants; and since I was working on details for the 2013 Israel trip this morning, I clipped that word out, because I am truly working my business now to afford the trip with my church.

Pictures from my two trips to Wales and England stirred me up to rekindle my dream, or rather, determination, to return and see parts of England and Scotland I didn't visit on our 2003 and 2004 missions trips. Cycling back to current dreams and accomplishments, I glued on a picture of myself when named Queen of Recruiting in one of our unit's newsletters, as well as a clipping about the annual Seminar in Dallas, imagining myself walking on the stage as a new Sales Director!  Then a quote from Mary Kay Ash herself:

"I believe each of us needs a reason to get up in the morning. We need something to anticipate...something that truly excites us."

For me, it's my time with the Lord to start each day--reading, journalling, communing with my Jesus. But I'm like any other conscientious Christian in that I want to live this life to the fullest, to work hard, to accomplish whatever God has shown me to do. I just had forgotten that I had personal dreams, so wrapped up was I in the overwhelming responsibilities that have dulled me. My Mary Kay "girl time" has actually been an oasis of fun mixed with challenges, which I do love. Now gratefully, I'm putting a focus on my business that it has deserved all along, and only gotten intermittently.

Since I've opened my big mouth and set my goals, better get going on the first one--two new team members by the end of the month!  Now that's good and scary at the same time, but so was raising the first deposit for Israel, and that's already banked.

So let me get back to work!!