The Potential of a Circle Approach

Earlier this afternoon I recorded a YouTube video about something that I have been thinking about these days.  Check out "Why Do Circles Work Better".  Okay, so I now realize that is a rather cryptic title!  Here is where I am coming from with this line of thought... I will expand a bit more here on what I shared within the video.  

When I think of a circle in life, a few things come to mind.  One is that we each have circles which make up a certain rotation within our everyday life: Friends and family plus co-workers, neighbors, contacts from our past, parents of our kids' friends, church and community connections, etc.  We were not designed to function in isolation from everyone around us!  God created us for relationships with one another, as messy as that can become from time to time.  What you and I decide to do has a ripple effect that flows out to those in our circles.  

The second thing that I picture when I think of circles is that this is one of my own favorite approaches to learning.  Being able to experience something with those around you is oftentimes much more meaningful than hearing something from a distance and then going on your way without any real reason to apply what you have heard.  There is a lot to be said for accountability!  Even when this simply comes in the form of a follow-up discussion and on-going exchange of ideas in relation to a given topic, you are in a position to really put into action what you have heard.  While recording that video earlier this afternoon, one example that came to mind was from my time as a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Coordinator a few years ago.  So often we come away with more after hearing from someone who is present within our circle rather than someone we know only from a great distance.  There are of course times to learn within a large group setting and the energy there can be indescribable!

As I apply this circle idea to coaching and my Challenge Groups, I think of how we each have to opportunity to influence those in our circle.  This is not necessarily through one big, grand moment complete with drum-roll!  Rather it is through the consistency of everyday life and how we are approaching it.  In the video I was sharing a bit about a recent conversation that I had with a friend as we were facing a buffet table during a "bring a dish to share" sort of event.  Pretty AMAZING to pause and picture the ripple effect of my own learning and decisions!  The other thing with circles is that THIS IS WHY Challenge Groups WORK SO WELL!!!  Back to that idea of a community where there is on-going discussion and putting it all into practice together.  Accountability can be the difference between what we plan to do and what we ACTUALLY do any given day.  For example, today is Day One in my Summer Challenge Group.  Part of today's assignment was to take and then share within the group a sweaty, post-workout photo.  I oftentimes do my workout early in the morning.  But today my five year old son was in our bed at 5 AM and it was my husband's early morning at work.  Plus we have been preparing for a big adventure that begins tomorrow morning and my mind has been between five lists and I was chomping at the bit to get started with all of that.  So... my workout??  Hmm... I am not at all opposed to working out later in the day.  I just know this: if I do not begin around the time planned, my likelihood of completing said workout drops lower and lower as the hours pass.  BUT, wait!  I needed to share a post-workout photo within the group today.  And my goodness, Total Body Cardio Fix from the 21 Day Fix is only 30 minutes long PLUS it is one of my favorite routines.  SO, time to push play!  My 7 year old daughter joined me for the entire thing.  She was using 2 and 3 pound weights and I had the 12's today.  She even wanted to snuggle in for that sweaty photo at the end!  One thing I have learned is that even on the days I may drag my feet with getting to the point of actually pushing "play", I NEVER regret having done so by the time that I finished!  And today is was the accountability to my fitness/nutrition circle (aka my challenge group) that made all the difference.  Thank you friends!

 

My Mom is...

Happy Mother's Day!  I am a mom of two kids who are now ages 5 and 7.  So Mother's Day of course has meaning for me as a mom.  But this day brings about much reflection and gratitude for me as a daughter.  Tonight I have been thinking of my Mom and how she is the person who has held the most influence in my own life.  You would just have to know her and spend the day with her to really picture who she is.  And you would be aware of her true self right away.  My mom is real.  With everyone.  And I am thankful for that!

Mom, thank you.  I love you!  Here are some of the things that cross my mind as I think about how "My Mom is..."

The one who has always encouraged me to try anything that I am interested in exploring!  It may not go quite as planned but you never will know unless you try and you'll learn lots along the way! 

A HARD worker!  She has always demonstrated to me that if you want to make something happen, get started!  Especially with taking on home/property projects, there was never any sentiment that my Dad wasn't getting it done.  Rather that he was at work and we might as well go ahead and see what we could handle in the mean time.  He could always bail us out later, if need be.  Lucky guy, right??  Thankfully my mom is very skilled!

Creative. And energetic. And has reserves that I can only begin to imagine!  We especially see this now that she is a grandmother of six who are currently ages 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8!  My mom is like the Pied Piper and each one of the kids is crazy about her!

Deeply faithful.  She is loyal in all that she does and is unquestionably a woman of her word!  My mom is a top-notch teacher.  When I was younger she taught my Missionette group and set many Bible verses to music.  I memorized so many that way and they are still with me today.  What a blessing!  Today when I call her for perspective and advice, she always goes back to, "What does Scripture say about this?"

Not much older than me!  I arrived when Mom was just 16 years old.  I am incredibly grateful that she and my Dad are very much in love and still going strong after 36 years of marriage!  By God's grace, they have beat the odds and are a great encouragement to all who know them.

A horse girl at heart!  Mom sold her pony when I came along.  By the time I was 8 years old she had talked Dad into riding lessons for us girls.  The next year we bought a horse and boarded him nearby.  The year after that we bought a farm and this is the place that my parents still call home today!  

Courageous and not at all bitter.  When I was a senior in college we almost lost my Mom due to a drunk-driver who crashed into her and my Dad.  She spent a long time in the ICU down in Pittsburgh and for awhile it was unknown whether she would walk again?  She has made an amazing recovery through lots of hard work and God's healing hand.  Back when all of this happened, her response was never "Why me?" but rather "Why not me?"  That was quite a winter!  Two months after the car accident, Dad slipped on the ice and broke bones for the first time in his life.  My parents were a sight during that season.  And they were only ages 39 and 40!  I don't know what we would have done without some faithful friends who helped us all through that time in our lives!  

Home.  The place where my Mom is will always be "home" for me.  There is nothing like taking my kids there with me.  They will  probably definitely wind up pretty messy!  And when it is time to go they will be far off on an adventure with Grandma.  But she will have already packed a snack for them to enjoy on the road back home.  There will be hugs and chaos as we get into the car.  And as I pull down the hill of their driveway and out onto the highway, there are oftentimes a few tears.  Mom, I love you!  Thank you for everything.  I can't imagine my life without you.