MKMMA–Week 12–EQUIPPED DARING STEPPING OUT

Thank you Readers for the encouragement you have given me on this journey.  Your words are the hands that push me forward and pull me up.  Week 11 was extreme to say the least and I really appreciate and love each one of you.

Week 12.  Almost over and it sure has been packed!

Sunday came and with it was the web cast.  What an interesting one and fun one too!  By far my most favorite!  Learning about the senses from Mark and then having Trish teach about mental exercises get both side of the brain active while focusing on our DMPs and desires……these were great!  The Davene explaining about Bear Hugs Kettle and how we can choose our reactions of whether I let something continue to hurt me or I choose to enjoy things that build me up.   Very Good!  Top this off with the 30 to 60 Cards that Mark explains where I can remind myself twice or more each day that I am successful…..Reminds me of Og saying, “For what is success other than a state of mind.”  Usually if I goof up or someone criticizes me for something I have done I used to beat myself up with those thoughts.  I love going through these cards because it lifts me….I AM LIFTING MYSELF UP!!!!!

Then came the end of the web cast and the start of an adventure……..Are you kidding me, Mark?   was a thought in my head when Mark said to go to a mirror and state my one sentence DMP outloud for the next fifty minutes.  Seriously?  I am in my back office and there are no mirrors there but it is dark out and there are windows.  Substitution?  No! Felt like I was cheating.  OK….Plan be…..Vanity mirror in drawer of bathroom……get back to office and not have to explain to family what I am doing (embarrassment avoidance)….That didn’t seem good either so like the Polar Plunge I jump right in the exercise, standing in front of the mirror in my bathroom after telling my wife I will be there a while.

I start.  I read and look at myself.  I say it without reading and have to look at it to get it right.  I keep repeating, reading and repeating. In about twenty minutes I can repeat it with out reading.  I incorporate combination exercises while speaking my DMP to myself in the mirror.  Left knee up to right hand. Drop it. Right Knee up to left hand.  Drop it.  Right hand on left ear.  Switch. Left had on right ear.  Amazing the time flies!  Then, My mind challenges me.  About 35 to 40 minutes into this I begin to hear my head say, “But you don’t hav……..”  I cut it off and keep repeating my desire with enthusiasm and excitement into the mirror.  I feel like I am addressing a large audience and when I mention me, my hands are near my heart and when I mention others, my hands are spread wide.  When I mention what I earn, my hands return to my heart.

I felt more confidence than I have enjoyed in a long time and this was good.  I didn’t have any tearful experiences but it was worth it.  Thank you for this challenge MKMMA!

Tuesday was a special day for me.  I helped a close family share in the celebration of their father going to Heaven.  Those days of visiting him are gone now and I miss Norm.  He was 98 years old……. but about every two weeks Tina and I would go over and see Norm and Luella.  Norm share so many things (including jokes and word problems with me).  This year I helped him by using a friend, Rich, to put in a garden.  It was 36 old maple sap buckets filled with Norm’s 60 year old garden dirt and placed in three tables so that he could garden without bending over.  He loved to see things grow. Someday I will see him again and look forward to it.

Wednesday ended in a way I couldn’t imagine from the beginning it had.  As you are aware as a reader, we became foster parents to two little sisters…..3 and 15 months about 15 days ago.  Sometimes it is not a “good fit” and the stress creates conflict.  Such was the case with this placement.  However I believe God’s hand was in this.  3PM I get a call from my wife that she is requesting the assigned time frame from Social Services to place the children in a different home.  I care for Tina and I want the best for her first….above all others.  I agree and say to go ahead.  In about an hour and a half we have a call the a family wants to come meet the girls and take them home.  That night before the people came, for the first time since the girls came to our home, the oldest one held my hand as I prayed before dinner.  That was special.  When the couple came and their daughter, the girls were very comfortable with them and went right to them.  Tina is relaxed again and I am fine too.  That was our first experience with Fostering and we will see what’s next.

That same night me and another MKMMAer helped one of our MKMMA friends by giving him the “Daniel and Rip version” of the past Sunday’s webinar.  Using the notes and the slides, we filled in the blanks quite well for Rich.  We may not have had the eloquence and pizzazz of Mark, the fabulous Daven and the wonderful Trish but we got him up to speed and you should have heard him when we got to the part about going to a mirror for the next 50 minutes…….Funny….Sounded very familiar.

Wasn’t sure whether I should or shouldn’t have done it but in part twelve line 4 it says, “Knowledge of your power: Second the courage to Dare; third, the Faith to do.

Press On!