Izabella

Italy Adventure Info

For those of you who follow me here, there's an official site for info just about my Italy adventure. A little less personal, a little more specifics on why I'm leaving hair & makeup to do missions full time. You'll find it here.

Evidently, I have silly co-workers

This is created and posted by one of my co-workers in Italy. I, unfortunately, did not meet him while I was there...but look forward to some silly antics.

 

 

Sunday Morning Nuggets

We are going through a series at Victory called, "One Month to Live".  This morning was titled, "Leave Boldly".  Based on I Kings 2:1-4 where David is on his deathbed talking to Solomon, the question is -Who is going to be at your death bed? Those are the people you should be giving your best to! Your time, your energy, your attention, your love, ... Who are they? And are you really giving them your best? Where are your priorities?

  My fav quotes are theses:  "Derek Jeter isn't gonna be at your deathbed."  "Eli Manning will not be clinging to your hand as you take your last breath!"  "Your boss will not be there." 

How true!  Yet how many of us spend more time and energy with those people than the people around us that really matter?  Do you spend more time at work than at home?  Do you bring work home?  Do you spend more energy on Monday Night Football than on activities with your family? When is the last time you did something together outside the realm of television - expending energy on a walk, a bike ride, a board game? Even just a conversation over hot cocoa? Do you know the dreams and aspirations of your children?  Your spouse? Are you helping them achieve them? Or are you too caught up in your own busy-ness?  Are you investing in the lives of the important people who will be at your deathbed? 

Will they care when you're gone?

Marcus Buckingham's Find Your Strongest Life

I love Marcus Buckingham. There. I've said it. I've seen him speak several times and he is fearless, effervescent, charismatic, and knows how to work a room like nobody's business. But I have a few issues with this particular book.

To begin, it feels like the same book he's written before. This one is just the girl-power version. The front cover cries out for you to take the "Strong Life Test - Discover the Role you were Born to play", so I did.  The question are fairly ambiguous and could be answered more than one way. The first result was quite far out in left field, so I took it again - answering the questions from a different mood. Still me - just on a different day. Not surprisingly, I got totally different results. Does that mean that the role I was born to play depends on my mood? Am I a stereo-type?

In chapter four we find this:

"A strong woman feel that her needs are fulfilled. She may sometimes feel tired- and given all the roles women are expected to play today, who wouldn't be? - but she doesn't feel overwhelmed and empty.  In fact she feels the opposite of empty.  She feels filled up.  Her purpose needs are met - she feels she is dong what she is supposed to be doing, however imperfectly.  Her relationship needs are met- she has a loving husband, a supportive boss, a caring group of friends."

Does this mean because I don't have a husband that I'm not a strong woman and can't possibly be fulfilled?  That because my relationship needs are not always met that's why I'm tired and overwhelmed at the end of the day - instead of the fact that I'm in 16 credit hours of grad school while working and - having just accepted a job overseas that I am delirious with excitement about- planning an international move?  That's just malarkey.  I am strong, confident, and feel completely fulfilled - despite (according to this) that I am not married with a marvelous boss and fantastic, well-behaved children. 

As much as I love Marcus-and no one does stats like he does- I did not love this book more than anything.  There are some great things here.  But I think most of them have been said before. If you need some self-esteem and are feeling down on yourself, it is a good reminder to look at yourself how others truly see you- instead of the way you THINK others see you- and accept your fabulousness.  But I'm beyond all that. I'm a few pounds over my ideal weight, I'm starting some wrinkles, my hair is thinning, and I need reading glasses...But I am happy, self-confident, and fulfilled. I'm living my strongest life. Even without a fantastic husband and perfect children.

At the end of the day, I still love Marcus...And I may buy the next book. Maybe the next one will be different.

I gave in...

...and re-tested. I did not change every answer, but there were a few that I hesitated on the first time through, so I gave the other answer this time. Both seemed to be the "right" thing in the situations, so I answered this time with the other one.  (did that make sense at all?)

Here's the revised result:

Your
Lead Role
Motivator

You begin by asking:
'How can I raise the energy?'

You are acutely aware of the energy in the room, and you feel compelled to do what you can to elevate it. You do this with your outlook—you are an instinctively optimistic person.

Your best quality:
Your infectious energy

Always:
Step in and take responsibility for the group

Be careful you:
Don’t get sucked dry by emotional vampires

Your smartest career move:
Any job where you’re paid to keep a group of people excited.

 

Although this "lead role" sounds more like me than "creator", my supporting role is still "teacher"...which completely baffles me! What's up with that? Teacher?  Not so far...  But I will admit here that I have been dreaming of finishing my degree online while I'm in Italy so I can teach at the college level when I get back in a few years... Weird, huh? Never have thought of myself as a teacher before....

I think I should test again...

Marcus Buckingham's new book Find Your Strongest Life just arrived in the mail. But I found the Strong LIfe Test on my friend Kristine's blog, so I did the sensible thing and took the test before I opened the book. I think i need to take the test again... Was I drunk? You take the test yourself (in the next post) and see what it says about you.  Then tell me if this sounds like me:

 

Your
Lead Role
Creator

You begin by asking:
'What do I understand?'

You aren’t immune to the feelings and perspectives of others, but your starting point is your own insight, your own understanding.

Your best quality:
Your ability to find patterns invisible to others

Always:
Find time to be by yourself

Be careful you:
Don’t think so long, you never do anything

Your smartest career move:
Any job where you’re paid to produce new content.

Your
Supporting Role
Teacher

You begin by asking:
'What can she learn from this?'

Your focus is instinctively toward the other person. Not her feelings, necessarily, but her understanding, her performance, her skills.

Your best quality:
Your faith in the others’ potential

Always:
Tailor your style to each student

Be careful you:
Don’t come to believe that everyone is capable of everything

Your smartest career move:
Any job where you’re paid to facilitate the success of others.

 

 

The Strong Life Test for Women

The Butterfly Circus

I'm fairly certain that this delicious man cannot make a bad film. When Jesus is with you, who can be against you? Enjoy this short film...

Love

Running Dialog this week

From the Complete Jewish Bible: (my current fav translation)

"Stop your weeping, and dry your eyes, for your work will be rewarded", says Adonai.

"Isn't Efrayim my very dear son, a child who delights me so? I speak about him all the time!  I can't help but recall him to mind, In sum, I deeply yearn for him; I will surely show him favor," says Adonai (Jer 31: 16, 19-20)

I lift my inner being to you, Adonai; I trust you, my God. ... Make me know your ways, Adonai, teach me your paths.  Guide me in your truth, and teach me; for you are the God who saves me, my hope is in you all day long.  Remember your compassion and grace, Adonai; for these are ages old.  Don't remember my youthful sins or transgressions; but remember me according to your grace for the sake of your goodness, Adonai.  ... Who is theperson who fear Adonai?  He will teach him the way to choose.  He will remain prosperous, and his descendants will inherit the land.  Adonai relates intimately with those who fear him, he makes them know his covenant.  (Ps 25:1-2, 4-7, 12-14)

Oh God, you are my God; I will seek you eagerly.  My heart thirsts for you, my body longs for you in a land parched and exhausted, where no water can be found.  I used to contemplate you in the sanctuary; seeing your power and glory; for you grace is better than life.  My lips will worship you.  Yes, I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.  I am as satisfied as with rich food; my mouth praises you with joy on my lips when I remember you on my bed and meditate on you in the night watches.  For you have been my help; in the shadow of your wings I rejoice; my heart clings to you; your right hand supports me.  (Ps 63: 1-8)

God, you have done great things; who is there like you?  You have made me see much trouble and hardship, but you will revive me again and bring me up from the depths of the earth.  You will increase my honor; turn and comfort me.  As for me, I will praise you with a lyre for your faithfulness, my God.  I will sing praises to you with a lute.  Holy One of Israel, my lips will shout for joy; I will sing your praise, because you have redeemed me.  All day long my tongue will speak of your righteousness.  (Ps 71: 19b-24)

Fill us at daybreak with your love, so that we can sing for joy as long as we live.  Let our joy last as long as the time you made us suffer, for as many years as we experienced trouble.  ...May the favor of Adonai our God be on us, prosper for us all the work that we do - yes, prosper the work that we do. ( Ps 90: 14-17)

Let them give thanks to Adonai for his grace, for his wonders bestowed on humanity!  Let them extol him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the leaders' council.  ... But he also turns desert into pools of water, dry land into flowing springs;  there he gives the hungry a home, and they build a city to live in, there they sow fields and plant vineyards, which yield an abundant harvest.  He blesses them, their numbers grow, and he doesn't let their livestock decrease.   (Ps 107: 31-32, 35-38)

When a woman is giving birth, she is in pain; because her time has come.  But when the baby is born, she forgets her suffering out of joy that a child has come into the world. ... I tell you that whatever you ask from the Father, he will give you in my name.  Till now you haven't asked for anything in my name.  Keep asking, and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.  (John 16: 21, 23-24)