“God likes to choose the smallest and most inconsequential places to birth miracles.”This is the one of four quotes that impacted me in a sermon Pastor Robert Morris preached on December 18th.
We’ve all seen various movies of the birth of Jesus and the circumstances under which the King of Kings was born.
Mary, a virgin, is found pregnant – a huge no-no in those days!
Joseph feels betrayed and is ashamed – so he decides to call off the wedding.
Mary’s baby Jesus was born in a stable and was set to rest not in a crib, but in a “a feeding trough” (an open box in which feed for livestock is placed)! A nice word for it, “a manger.”
Mary’s baby Jesus was wrapped in strips of cloth. It was customary for women who were to give birth to carry these strips of cloth, which could also serve for burial in case she died during child birth (very significant since the purpose of Jesus was to “die” for the sins of His people and the world).
A nice term for these strips of cloth, “swaddling cloth.”
So no, it was not a nice, soft, cuddly blanket that we would find at our favorite Walmart or Baby Depot today!
The birth of this baby was troublesome from the moment of inception. “Troublesome” to us. But in God’s eyes, a miracle.
There are many times in our lives when we need (more than) a miracle! And to our surprise, the miracle has come from the most insignificant place or circumstance.
It is said that the reason why Bethlehem is significant is because it’s the location of the phenomenal birth of Jesus.
Your miracle is probably wrapped up in the most insignificant place or circumstance.
If you look hard enough, you may find it staring straight into your eyes!
To the world and others, you may be a “nobody”. But God loves to use “nobodies” to make some great “somebodies”!
This ought to change our perspective of life’s problems we face.
Life is never “perfect” and I don’t think it will ever be.
The only perfection we can find is in enjoying a life of peace, joy and love in our hearts and in our homes.
What could be better than for you to enjoy your children’s embrace and the warm touch of your supportive spouse on a daily basis?
Nothing beats this!
So many people live in fear, stress and in hopelessness.
If you’ve got problems going on right now, take heart. Your miracle will be birthed out of your circumstances.
Wow!
God’s timing is always perfect!
Isn’t it funny how we realize this after the fact?
Watch the full sermon Oh Little Town of Bethlehem online.
“You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.”
This is the slogan for the new movie “The Social Network” that tells the story about how Facebook came into existence.
I went to see the movie last night with my husband and walked away with a few things that can work for life and business.
This is what I learned:
The movie portrays Mark Zuckerberg as someone who was consumed by his idea. Interestingly, it seemed that he was fueled by disappointment.
We all have something that fuels us. Whatever that might be, it produces surges of energy that we need to take advantage of during those moments…otherwise, those ideas could be lost.
It’s a good idea to have an “idea notebook” (or Word doc) where you jot down your ideas. Great ideas can come to you like a flood and if you don’t jot them them, they’ll be long gone.
The idea of Facebook did NOT start with a detailed business plan, an elaborate marketing plan or not even a financial plan! You can spend hours without end on planning and never get off your tushie and do something.
In the movie, Mark told Eduardo to hold his horses, that it was not the time to find advertisers. “We don’t even know what this is yet” said Mark.
Do enough planning, count the cost, do a bit of research, but get started!
Don’t worry about not having every single detail complete.
Just start with what you have and fix the kinks along the way!
Boldness is key to achieving anything in life. Nothing comes free in this world. But if we are bold enough we will get what we desire!
If you’ve seen the movie, what are your thoughts on it?
I’ve discovered that one of a woman’s greatest calling on earth is to be a Mother.
Lately, my daughters have both been expressing how happy they are to belong to this family!
I’m not the best cook in the universe, but to my daughters I am! I made them my special meat sauce with spagetti for their lunch today.
And here’s what my older daughter Gianna said:
“No man or children have a wife or mom that cooks as good as you! Not that I mean this to be nice or anything, but you beat the pro cookers!”
What an insight!
What a lesson on gratefulness.
Who said you can’t get some real life lessons from the mouths of babes to be grateful for those close to us, and to express it?
Later in the afternoon, Gianna surprised me with a love letter. This is what she wrote:
“Dear Mommy,
I appreciate all the sacrifices you’ve made for me. You’ve made my first years of life extraordinary! you could not have not tried to be an excellent Mom, but you did. I love you a whole lot!
Gianna,Your Princess”
I love children because their hearts are so pure.
Hmmm. No wonder Jesus said we can’t enter the kingdom of heaven unless “we become as little children”!
How have your children blessed you today?
My husband, Nestor Lima, just published his book Encounter With Purpose: A Divine Appointment With Your Destiny.
In his book he talks about someone that took over a year and a half to discover her purpose. Well, that’s me alright!
After much digging and personal research, I was able to boil down my purpose statement and it is this:
To create environments for increased comfort and productivity.
Over a year ago, that settled well in my heart and it seemed to “fit” my personality.
However, just the other day I was able to put my finger on it and realized how it is that I do that.
I realized that I fulfill my purpose of creating environments for increased comfort and productivity through:
And I do this to my clients and my family.
I can walk into any environment and change it with my presence: my charisma, my attitude, my respect, my admiration. I can make someone smile by saying something positive.
I’ve helped many entrepreneurs with a word of encouragement or a tip I’ve provided during my seminars that would help them enhance their business.
I keep my house in order and spent quality time designing and creating a space for my daughters to be more productive in their studies (they are homeschooled).
I love to teach and share information. Thanks to the internet, I can blog about different topics from the perspective of a Mom entrepreneur helping other women who are seeking a lifestyle of balance, significance and family-focus, all while achieving their dreams and utilizing their talents, skills and creativity.
And the same is true the other way around.
As I meditate on my discovered life purpose and look back at my life since my childhood, I can see clearly that I’ve always done things to create an environment for increased comfort and productivity, whether it was for myself or my family.
I have done this by being an orderly individual. And yes, I am a clean freak! I highly dislike a mess and do not mind cleaning my house. I am very industrious and don’t have a lazy bone in my body!
It took me a while, but I have gained clarity of my purpose.
And here’s what i realize: when your environment (your home or office) is in order it creates two things: comfort and productivity!
Comfort:
Because if feels good to be in a clean and organized environment.
Productivity:
Because you know where everything is, which redeems time and avoids the need for you to be running around like a chicken without a head looking for things!
One thing that my husband discusses in his book is that our purpose touches both the temporal and eternal.
To tell you the truth, I always felt that my husband’s purpose was more “spiritual” than mine. Well, listening to a sermon by Pastor Robert Morris earlier this year, he explained that “comparison is a sin” because it will always make you feel inferior or superior than someone else, and both extremes are not healthy.
The fact that my purpose might focus more “regionally” (my home and business) and my husband’s purpose might be more “internationally” (taking and sharing his message of purpose to other countries), does not mean that my purpose is “less important” than his. It is just different. And that’s what makes ‘lil ‘ol me unique! Not more. Not less. But unique.
Oh! This has been liberating!
I have come to embrace everything about me, including my Spanish-speaking accent, and the fact that I look a bit Indian to the point that I’ve been asked in the past “what part of India or Pakistan” I’m from!
So, I call Indians and Pakistanis my cousins!
Anyway, back to how my purpose touches the “eternal” is by sharing my knowledge of business and online marketing strategies with Christian businesses and entrepreneurs so that they can increase their website traffic that could eventually lead to increased business.
As they do that, they contribute monetarily to the Kingdom of God.
Some of us get to equip and do business, while others get to go out into the fields and share the Good News.
And once we discover our purpose, and our purpose statement fits perfectly like a glove in our hands, you and I can experience joy, significance, fulfillment and success.
Why?
Because…
You will never be the happiest and most prosperous as when you focus on what you do best, what you were designed to do… your Life Purpose!
PS:
Order your book Encounter With Purpose today! You’ll never be the same!
I had a new home builder colleague call me the other day needing another female builder to talk to about an issue she was having. She tells me that contractors are not keeping their word.
Frustrated, she wants to set the record straight but her friends and family are telling her that she might be too rough. Her friends and family are not in the construction business.
Okay. If you are a wife and mother with small children, and you’re operating a home building business in particular, you need to toughen up.
Here’s why.
You have a customer that has high expectations of you and whose demands you need to meet, and preferably exceed.
So, how should you handle challenges with contractors? How do you toughen up as a professional woman?
Here are a few tips that work for any business:
You have no time to be babysitting contractors that will not respond within the reasonable time frame that they have committed. If they will not return your phone calls or emails, hire someone else.
Be specific with your requests and reiterate what they say, example, “Great! I look forward to hearing back from you by…” If they don’t meet that, make sure you give them a call or send them an email and state your concern.
Set the record straight. For example, in the home building industry, you need to have detailed requirements including cleaning expectations. Clean job sites are very important in construction. Clarify your cleaning guidelines and what would be the consequences if expectations are not met.
Customize your expectations and requirements to your business needs or tasks that you’re outsourcing. The more details you provide, the better.
It is important to build good relationships with contractors. Those who do their job well, go the extra mile to help you meet your goals to please the customer and are responsive, deserve respect, good treatment and why not a token of appreciation such as a lunch or gift card?
As with any business, building good and solid relationships is key to your success. You cannot do it alone. But it is important to set the expectations beforehand so that all parties involved know what is expected of them and what are the details and deliverable.
Every business is a people business. And doing business with people, is all about building strong relationships with quality contractors.
As a professional, career or woman business owner, don’t let others disrespect you. Stick to your word and expectations you have set. Don’t budge. Of course there will be exceptions to the rules as we all sometimes face unexpected situations, and your contractors are not exempt from it – they’re still human.
But overall don’t be seen as “softie” because you’re female.
Business is business and you need to learn to be objective (which sometimes will require for you to put emotions aside and listen to your own guts) if you’re going to be successful.
How have you toughen up?
This is my second year homeschooling my children and I’m absolutely excited!
During my first year, I found myself preparing classes for two grades, 2nd and 4th at that time. I’ll never forget the times when I had Nathalia (2nd grader) working on her math problems while I gave Gianna (4th grader) her spelling test. I recall Gianna saying to me one day: “Wow Mom! You’re a great multi-tasker! I definitely want to grow up and be like you some day!”
Homeschooling my children has been life changing, emotionally enhancing and personally rewarding.
Homeschooling has given me the opportunity to know my children better and to really become close to them. I have come to appreciate their intelligence, talents, creativity, abilities and have seen how their level of emotional stability has increased. They are healthy and always joyful! I notice how this contributes so much in their ability to focus on their studies and be very productive.
My daughters share with me that when they were in school they would feel melancholic and at times would cry silently at their desk bowing their heads just wishing they were with me.
We modern women face great challenges in maintaining the balance between pursuing our dreams in career and/or business, while meeting our responsibilities as loving wives and mothers.
Mothers have always had a great demand to be nurturers and providers of love and care. A house without a woman’s touch and her motherly love must be pretty empty and void of grace.
I love the fact that education is so available to women today. I personally got my education prior to getting married and having children. I met my husband in the middle of completing my master’s degree. The idea of quitting my dreams or completing them after we were married was never brought up, and it wouldn’t have been an option on my part as I’ve always been very goal-oriented.
(PS: you know you’ll be marrying the right person if their relationship enhances your life rather than defer or steer you away from your dreams!)
Having a career is extremely beneficial. I personally experience greater respect and better treatment.
However, once you become a mother, you become acquainted with a deeper you: a self-less person who puts the needs of her children first. And you’ll do anything to make your babies’ lives a little easier!
I believe that marriage is the greatest test of humility.
Motherhood is the greatest test of love.
My outlook changed and I decided I would make the most of being with my babies because no one else gives a rip about them as much as my husband and I do. This is what keeps me going!
I was always used to doing business dealings and being among business people and entrepreneurs. I did not know how I would cope in being a homeschooling parent and entrepreneur!
I’ve discovered that this has been a high calling for me! I find it a privilege to be so close to my children and watch them grow.
Plus, I know that in a few short years, my firstborn will be attending college, ready to spread her own wings and fly. It’s not many years away – just about 7!
I’ve learned that life does not end here. Once the kids are off to college, a new phase in life begins. In the meantime, I can still pursue my dreams while I get to enjoy them.
My husband allowed me to see how I was so privileged to be home with the children. I always wanted to do that since I had my first child, but the circumstances then did not allow it.
And the results, are priceless!
My children are focused, very intelligent, they do their studies in a college-style independent level, they follow the curriculum to the teeth (while of course I stay on top of it!), they enjoy their hot lunches, my job of grading papers is extremely easy as they get excellent grades, they take tests and quizzes every single week, I get to work from home….and they come with me everywhere – business meetings (when appropriate), board meetings, etc!
Can’t beat that!
My children were attending a very affordable great Christian school where they learned great manners and a heart for God and His Word. We all loved it.
My children did not go through the devastating experience other kids have gone through in the public school system. They were very well taken care of.
(PS: All the bullying in schools affects children tremendously and the school system will not give my children the care, love and attention that they really deserve. If they don’t “fit” the mold or fit in with their “friends”, your children may be placed in a position that could hurt them, instead of enhancing their learning. We’ve all been victims of that at some point or other when we were in public schools ourselves. One way it had affected me was in not voicing my opinion, thoughts and ideas. During my high school and college years, I had to change that. But it can affect children to be timid and suppress their real talents.)
Last year I pulled all my hairs out preparing the classes for two grades, etc. I would be exhausted come 3pm. Then this summer I learned about the “live streaming” program with Abeka, the same curriculum I had been using. I bought the program for under $800 per child. I had checked on several Christian schools in the area and they were $10K per year, per child!! I feel proud we did pretty darn good!
I basically have bought my children highly qualified virtual teachers for an entire year with all the books and teachers materials, etc for a very affordable price, while they get to learn from their comfort of their own home, stay focused, experience no distractions and have no bad influences.
Again, can’t beat that!
It is wonderful that I can be working and still see how they are soaking in learning from their virtual teachers… I love A Beka Academy Video Streaming and God-centered curriculum – the Rolls Royce in Christian home-based education.
Because each minute is well maximized, you have the opportunity to add other activities and introduce your children to other things you feel important.
In my case, I’m a blogger and trainer. And I’m passing that to my daughters. I created their blog and am training them to document their thoughts, ideas and persuasions. This not only helps them express themselves, but they practice their writing skills they are learning.
Check out my children’s website at GiannaLima.com.
I used to hear the myth that homeschool kids don’t get the “social” aspect that they do when they are among other kids.
There are many ways to supplement the social aspect.
My daughters play soccer and have made really good friends with some of their teammates. There are many homeschooling parents groups locally that can organize activities to help kids meet other kids.
Homeschool kids are as social as any other kid. And on the contrary, you can tell the difference in their vocabulary when they hang around other kids!
So, how can you homeschool, while pursuing your dreams?
Thanks to the internet, career and business women who want to be part of their children’s lives in a more intimate level can do so.
Here are a few tips as you consider homeschooling:
Your why will sustain you when the going gets tough! Your motive, the reason why you are doing this must be greater than the challenges of doing it.
In my case, my children expressed that they wanted to be homeschooled because they wanted to spend more time with Mommy to build a stronger relationship with me.
That is heavenly!
How could I say no to such a sincere and pure desire and request?
How else would I respond when my two daughters ages 6 and 8 at that time got on their knees on the hard, cold, tiled floor of our kitchen and begged to be homeschooled for this very specific reason?
It was hard for me to let go of the things I was doing. At that time I had completed two major construction projects in my business just 6 months earlier. During that time, I was not able to get the adequate rest I needed after a surgery I had had because of the really tight deadlines I had to meet. I completed these 2 projects and then my husband had recommended that I rest.
Well, I sort of did!
It’s really hard to be still when you don’t have a lazy bone in you!
It was during this transition in my life that the opportunity to homeschool came. I took it. And I’m loving it!
Create a schedule. Set expectations. Use a curriculum that educates your children in alignment with your values. Use online tools to make your life easier.
I personally create my daughters’ schedules on a monthly basis so that they can see the full picture of when they have tests, quizzes, and special reports due. I use a Microsoft Word calendar template and have created other forms for me to use. My daughters love the quality work they get from me. Download these Homeschooling Resources.
So what’s the key?
Organization.
And it comes easy once you’ve developed a system, which sometimes means working another part of my day after the girls go to bed. But everything in life requires a sacrifice, doesn’t it?
Get a curriculum that is solid, rich in content and that’s online. In this manner, your children will also develop and enhance their computer skills.
Both my daughters are absolutely enjoying their new online program. They love to log online. They get to choose the next class they’re supposed to be taking. They love getting their green “check marks” for completing each lesson. They actively participate with their online classmates. And I get to work on my business in the same room at the same time!
Again… you guessed it – can’t beat that!
I’ve taught my children to do their laundry and to keep their rooms clean and organized. My little one loves to play with dolls, and lots of them! But the rule is that if she is not willing to pick up the mess, then she can’t play.
We’ve learned to distribute tasks, train the girls to assist in various activities in the home, help put dishes away, wash dishes from time to time, and do their own laundry when Mom is really busy. At ages 7 and 9 they do a pretty darn good job at washing their own clothes, folding them, putting them away, and keeping their rooms organized.
My husband also helps around the house with cleaning, laundry, cooking, etc!
Don’t try to do it alone! Get help.
Nothing in this universe can replace the warmth of a Mommy at home and what I see in my two daughters is stability, a deep love for learning, discipline, and an extremely close relationship with Mom and Dad.
When children are emotionally stable, they perform.
Period.
So my focus has shifted to build my businesses around the lifestyle I desire – my time with my children and the gift of home schooling, because that’s what it is, a gift that my husband and I are giving them, which they will never, ever forget.
Neither will I!
Naturally, when you focus on what you really want out of life and what you want your days to count for, you will say “No” to some things. When you say “Yes” to your goals, you automatically say “No” to everything else that does not move you forward or is not in alignment with your dreams. I love one of Dr. Mike Murdock’s Wisdom Keys: “The only reason men fail is because of broken focus.”
My husband, Nestor Lima, says that when you focus on your purpose, your purpose includes every you do and it excludes everything else that does not align with it.
I would not change anything I’m doing. At first I was apprehensive, but as with anything, you eventually find your rhythm and create a system that works for you.
After a while, you’re fine and life flows peacefully and very productive.
Thinking of homeschooling?
My daughter said to me the other day: “Finish what you start. And only start what you know you will finish”. Love it! If only it were a bit easier!
As adults we have so many responsibilities that at times we don’t get to complete the tasks we start. Especially for us mothers, we tend to be the first up and the last ones to go hit the pillow at night. And if you’re a parent with a growing family, it is very difficult to even find that “me” time, let alone check off every single darn item on your daily to-do lists!
Don’t be too hard on yourself! We’ve all ‘been there, done that’! You are not alone. Thousands of us Mom entrepreneurs work hard at maintaining a healthy balance between being ALL the things that we need to be… from being a caring mother, a loving wife, to being a successful career woman or business owner.
So how do you finish what you start?
Here are a few things that I try my best to do as my days can sometimes go wacky!
Prioritize
Keep the eye on the big picture by listing the major things you want to accomplish in life and walk your way backwards. To help you, list the top 3 things that you want to be remembered for.
For example, in my case when my days are over on earth, I want to be remembered for these 3 things: loving mother, caring wife and great entrepreneur.
So, based on my “big-picture” goals, every day I do something towards these goals. For instance, on a daily basis I kiss and love on my children and tell them how much I love them, I show respect and honor to my husband by being a loving wife, and I work on my business with all my heart and soul.
By keeping your lifetime goals in perspective, it will help you focus on what is most important and prioritize your time accordingly. This will help you include what you need to do, and exclude what steers you away from your dreams.
Otherwise, how can you achieve your lifetime dreams if you don’t move them an inch day-by-day towards their achievement?
Jot it down
Make a list of the things you need to get done. Use whatever system works for you. Although I’m a computer person, I still use an agenda to jot things down. Why? Because it’s easily and readily available.
Schedule it
Use Microsoft Outlook or whatever other program works best for you. I like using this program because I can set it to remind me of what I need to do at least 15 minutes in advance. This helps me stay on target.
Get it done
I recall reading in Mary Kay Ash’s book “You Can Have It All” to list the top six or seven things you must accomplish each day. From that list, do the most difficult tasks first. Sometimes you may not feel like doing certain things, put give yourself a little push and focus on the reward of having accomplished that task.
Keep it simple
There are more worries and problems in this world than we can all handle! Try to keep your life simple, and by that I mean don’t over-complicate things. Always think simplicity and focus on just getting things done.
So, this is how I’ve found to help me finish what I start and only start what I know I will finish!
What tips would you like to share?
I love to share inspirational quotes from time to time! Here’s just a few that I hope will help you keep life and priorities in perspective:
-Napoleon Hill
-Connie Podesta
-George Washington Carver
How to Recharge Your Life with the Source for Continuous Motivation
Passion is an essential ingredient for success. In the midst of the busyness of life and the many activities that clutter our lives, we need to dig deep to re-discover those things that inspire us.
Life is too short to live all stressed out without doing the things you love the most.
Here are a few tips to help you re-discover your passions.
Thomas Anderson, in his book titled Becoming a Millionaire God’s Way, explains: “Passion is directly related to the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Faith Words, 2008, page 39). When it comes to business, Donald Trump suggests, “Don’t think about how you can make money. Instead think about what you can produce or what service you can offer that is valuable and useful to people and to your community.” (Donald Trump, Think Big, Collins Business, 2007, page 43).
To discover your passions, you may want to start by asking yourself these questions:
Your answers to these questions could help clarify your passions. You may find it helpful to ask a few of your friends to give you a list of the attributes they see in you. You may find that some of the things they identify in you, you may have identified already in your personal analysis. This will serve as confirmation and encouragement to focus your attention in working on your strengths.
The things that you find similar in both your personal research coupled with your feedback you get from others will solidify your confidence and lead you to embrace your unique characteristics.
Passion gives you focus. When you concentrate all your efforts into on specific area, or a small group of related areas of expertise, the results are more effective and satisfying.
It is advisable for one to know a little about several things but to be an expert in one area. When you focus on developing and becoming an expert in one area, you position yourself as an expert to a group of people that will listen to you and be willing to buy from you the solution you offer them.
Passion is energy. The more you focus on growing in the areas that motivate and inspire you, the more effective, productive and vibrant your life will be!
How to Organize Your Life and Be Happy
With the plethora of benefits from the information age, the monster of “busyness” crept in so subtle causing almost everyone in the planet to conform to a lifestyle of work around the clock!
We now face a huge battle to regain our freedom, enjoy work-free weekends and live a lifestyle of simplicity. This can be a tremendous challenge for people who work from home to separate life and work.
What can you do to take charge of your life again and have time to stop and smell the roses?
Here are some simple steps that you can take to accomplish just that!
1. Set Parameters
Establish a system that guides your daily routine. Follow a daily schedule of what you want to live out your life throughout the day. Set a specific time twice daily to check your emails and voice mails, for example, this could be at 11AM and 4PM. If you do this, inform the people you work with or your clients of your new organization to make your day more productive and free of interruptions.
To be even more productive, you may want to consider hiring a virtual assistant to help you with office work and check your emails filtering the ones that are most important for you to reply or work on.
2. Create a Master To-Do List and Prioritize It
Make a list of all the things you need to do, from mailing payments, to writing that book that you have been wanting to for years! Each evening, go through the list and select the items that you will work on the following day. This will help save you time that could go wasted the next morning when you are trying to figure out where to put your attention and efforts in for the day.
Select the top three or four items from the list that require the utmost attention and need to be complete with urgency. Of these three or four items, prioritize the list. Work on the most difficult tasks first.
3. Close Shop on the Weekends
You may be thinking that you just could not do that. However, you will be surprised how people will respect your privacy and established policies when you inform them and stick to your guns. Of course, there could be incidents that emergencies could occur, depending on the type of work you do. Still, even for this, you could be creative and figure out a way to have someone trained to put out fires for you on the weekends.
One of the hardest things for business owners to do is to turn off their cell phones on the weekends. However, this is vital to maintain a healthy balanced family life by nurturing the relationship with your loved ones.
4. Take Mini-Vacations
There is no need to wait for an entire year to take time off. You can practice taking mini-vacations two to three times per year to recharge and nurture your family life. Search online in your local area to learn about activities that may be free or low-cost. Sometimes we want to see the world outside the area where we live, when we could have some good places to visit and have fun locally!
Adding structure to your life will relieve unnecessary stress, increase your productivity and improve your connection with those you love most!
