click here to open post Sep 19, 2011 | posted in Inspire, Personal | 17 comments

Life is simply tumultuous.

When I was younger, I had the impression that you’d grow up, struggle some and then you’d eventually reach this space that where all the struggles of your past would culminate in a life of simplicity and ease. This is not the case. Part of living in a fallen world, I suppose.

But if you look at it from a different angle, it all makes sense. And I really wouldn’t have it any other way.

We all know I love to run (post coming soon, cross my heart and hope I never, ever die). But the question that bears answering is this, WHY do I love to run? Do I love to run because it’s easy? Because I’m so good at it that long runs fly by in careless ease? No. I run because it’s hard. I run because when I finish a long stretch, I feel like I’ve accomplished something significant. I feel stronger. . .  because I am.

I run because then, when life hands me a heavy load to carry, as it inevitably and consistently will, I feel up to the challenge.

I don’t run because it’s fun, I run because of the type of person running has helped me become.

If life were easier, where would the sense of accomplishment live? When would we feel the joy of overcoming the impossible? How could we ever feel the elation of a job well done?

In short, if life were all my adolecent self thought it would be, how could I ever hope to become more like Him? And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about, right?

The beautiful promise is that no matter how hard it gets, and it will be unbearable (and often so), we are promised that our burdens will be made light as we put our faith in His love.

click here to open post Sep 08, 2011 | posted in Inspire, Personal | 14 comments

Image source. I love it. I want one of my very own.

Oy.

I’ve NEVER considered myself a writer. Not until very recently. But the absurd reality is that since early, early childhood, my head has been swimming with words. Words that fill me with joy and inspire me to my core, words that make me wild with anxiety and burden my soul. . . words that scream at me from the inside. WORDS.

I write, because if I don’t, I go crazy. Wildness overcomes my soul and I start to feel like I’m going to catch fire from the inside out.

Just so we’re clear, this is all very embarrassing for me to admit. I feel silly and trendy and ridiculous. But the bottom line is this, complete transparency makes me feel more at home in my own life. Writing it all out, the good, the bad, the downright ugly. . . somehow, putting it on paper makes it all make sense. Somehow it gives me bearings and helps me know where I’m headed and the significance of where I’ve been.

But there’s no time. There are too many distractions. I’m constantly overcome with debilitating anxiety when I sit down to write, because trust me, I’m FULLY aware that I’m only marginally good at it.

The reality is, there are SO MANY THINGS in my life that I’m not very good at but that bring me immeasurable joy, clarity and peace. I’ll never be the best at ANYTHING I do. Never.ever. But that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t. . . do. And the same is true of you. Whatever your “thing” is. Get out and do it. With your whole heart. We’re only here once. . . and not for nearly long enough.

No more excuses.

I’ll be here. . . keeping calm. Writing on.

What will you be doing?

xx, N

click here to open post Sep 07, 2011 | posted in Inspire | 13 comments

Watch this through to the end, and then you try and tell me you’re not inspired to live better, to work harder and to get up, brush yourself off and go make your life happen.

Friends, God feeds the sparrow, yes, but He doesn’t throw the worm directly into its mouth. If we want a life of joy, happiness and freedom, we have to stand up and take it, one simple (yet triumphant) decision at a time.

Thanks Cha Cha for sending this to me. It made my week!

xx! N

PS. I’m ba’ack. Didja miss me?

click here to open post Mar 30, 2011 | posted in Inspire | 7 comments

A letter from Japan. Beautiful lessons on kindness, endurance and rediscovering what matters most.  Enjoy.

Hello My Lovely Family and Friends. . . .

Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. . . . I am now staying at a friend’s home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.

During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.

Amazingly where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, “Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another.”

Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are constant and helicopters pass overhead often.

We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on. But all of this is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.

There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun. People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening at the same time.

Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No cars. No one out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled. The mountains are Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them silhouetted against the sky magnificently.

And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on, and I find food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no.

They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is a bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is better off than others. Last night my friend’s husband came in from the country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.

Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don’t. Rather, I feel as part of something happening that much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard, and yet magnificent.

Thank you again for your care and Love of me,

With Love in return, to you all,
Anne

I want to direct your attention to the Making Things Happen Tumblr page. I blog there regularly, but don’t regularly direct traffic to those posts.

Here are some links to recent posts I’ve written. They don’t have official titles, so I’ve given a quick description of each.

Thoughts on screwing up.

Be the kind of person you want to be around.

Putting first things first.

Finding peace despite it all.

Focus: the game-changing art of doing what you’re doing, while you’re doing it.

The right tools for the job.

Obstacles or opportunities.

You are capable. (And so am I).

The Olympics of your life.

Breaking through.

Tomorrow will always be tomorrow.

Shhhhhhhhh. . .

Limiting beliefs.

Subscribe to the MTH Tumblr ramblings, here.

xx!

Me

PS. Spring Break is my FAVORITE.