A champion indeed!

1:08 p.m. Today's project was to attend the Breakfast of Champions, Mary Kay's monthly recognition breakfast, at the Norco Hills Country Club, with Steve. We were especially gathering to honor Cara Murray, who, at the age of 21, has become a Sales Director of her own "Shining Lights" unit!

I was apprehensive about helping Steve dress in a suit and tie, but by waking up at 5:30 and keeping our general morning routine in a low-key way, all went well. We made good time and only hit some low fog at Corona. It turned out to be a beautiful morning!

Cara first came to our Senior Sales director Laurie's training meeting when she was a senior at Arlington High school, bringing six girls with her. Once she made the decision to become a consultant at a breakfast three years ago, Cara has worked consistently and energetically to facial 30 women a month, and that's the key to her success. she credited setting goals and meeting them, and letting failures lead to success.

I would say, not letting setbacks become stall-outs!

Cara shared Jesus' words in Matthew 7:7-8 with all of us:

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks it shall be opened.

She told us that when her mother (a Mary Kay Consultant in the '90's) died of melanoma when Cara was 16, even though the family was mourning, they rejoiced because her mom went to be with the Savior she loved. But that left a hole in Cara's life, a hole that needed filling with role models, godly examples for her to follow and learn from. She also needed a career after college. She certainly has one now, plus a free car she'll be driving soon! As to Cara's astounding move up the career ladder as a leader of women, hear I Timothy 4:12:

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

I could not stop crying during her talk, because the inspiration was so powerful. Others were dabbing their eyes as well. I guess I thought of how my daughters cried when I had breast cancer, although it was tiny and I'm an 8 year survivor, by the grace of God. I wonder what kind of role model I am, or where that role modeling should take place (probably everywhere and every day, from what the above scripture tells me)! Like any believer who is honest with herself, confession of lack in attitude and actions is a regular occurrence. I'm so proud of my own daughters, and of the young women in our unit, building their teams, helping other women create businesses of their own. They have their lives ahead of them, and unless the Lord returns first, they can aspire to a decades-long career in Mary Kay.

With Steve there at my side, looking sharp, handling everything with minimal confusion, I couldn't help but wonder how my "moment of fame" will go when I move further along in my business. Will Steve even be able to attend? Will he be wheelchair bound? He's been so joyfully supportive, so proud of my every advancement and even the tiniest earnings from facials and parties. Will I be able to speak coherently without sobbing if he cannot stand by my side? Who will I have created a better life for? He supported me so well for so long--he deserves to enjoy any success the Lord gives me, as well as to fellowship with other couples in the Mary Kay family. Steve wouldn't care about any jewelry I might win, but he'd have loved the travel and free cars!

Well, there's no sense being maudlin, and this morning was not about me anyway. GO CARA!

I'll trust the Lord to set my goals, walk with me toward them, and provide the unique joy in the journey that only He can--circumstances not withstanding.