pay it forward.

"It is more blessed to give than to receive."

The Christmas season is in full swing.  Calendars are packed with company parties, decorating the family tree, fundraisers for local organizations, craft fairs, concerts and multiple shopping excursions.  In the midst of the hustle and bustle, it can be easy to lose sight of the beauty of this holiday month.  (A personal favorite for maintaining perspective:  25 Days, 26 Ways to Make This Your Best Christmas Ever by Ace Collins.)

Day 16 of Collins' book examines the life of the historical Saint Nicholas and the spirit of Santa Claus.  The reader is encouraged to find ways to make a difference in the lives of others.  "Magnify your blessings by sharing them."

In August of this year, I woke up on a Friday morning with inspiration to embark on an adventure.  Armed with a set of greeting cards from my talented friend, Patrick Edmiston, and a few twenty dollar bills, I penned the following notes:

Welcome to Pay It Forward Friday!  You are now faced with an opportunity to keep this moving forward and be a blessing in the lives of those around you today.  Your mission:  find five people you know and five people you don't know and do something unexpected for them.  Have fun and see how far even the most simple gesture will reach.  Enjoy today!

How will you make December 2, 2011 a Pay It Forward Friday?  What would you do with $25 to make someone's day?

thanksgiving - heart of thankfulness.

Twenty five days ago, I was presented with the challenge to express thankfulness each day leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. The final result? Ten posts in twenty two days. Any middle school student who is learning the value of a passing grade will tell you that my average clearly constitutes failure. To that eighth grader, I would respond with, "false.".

Anyone who skims Facebook updates or follows a Twitter feed is aware that an attitude of gratitude permeated social media this month. Individuals who generally broadcast how much they are frustrated by traffic or seek sympathy as they battle a sinus infection, changed their tune. It was encouraging to observe.

Whether we realize it or not, our determination to recognize that we should give thanks, is an exercise of worship. Our words are powerful! Ephesians 5:4 makes it clear: "Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving." Are we willing to make this counter-cultural commitment? Our voices are heard by an audience and I guarantee there is someone watching how you live your life. As for those words? They are not whispers.

Research shows that twenty one days are required to develop a habit. It is my hope that the twenty four days leading to Thanksgiving provided a training ground. Thanksgiving truly isn't confined to an American holiday in November. Left over turkey is now a main ingredient in enchilada recipes across the country, the Cowboys won, Black Friday has passed, but the decision to choose gratitude before complaining resides in each moment for the rest if our lives.

2011 is drawing to a close and 2012 will be here before we know it. If a month of Thanksgiving has passed you by, don't hesitate for a single second to engage in giving thanks for everything good that has happened in this last year. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude and take on a heart of thankfulness in all you do. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise!"

thanksgiving - day twenty one.

On the day of my birth, my parents signed a certificate, with my footprints on it, verifying that I was, in fact. . . a Humphreys.  One year and 355 days later, a baby boy showed up.  I'm pretty sure I asked for a sister, but my parents once again confirmed: he was a Humphreys.  Two years and 352 days later, another baby boy made his way into this world.  On that day, I think I had given up on the idea of a sister, and accepted reality that I would be the only princess in the Humphreys' household.  Before your level of concern is heightened, don't worry.  I've adjusted.

While we share the same last name, my little (mind you, they are now 6'3" and 6'4") brothers are most definitely individuals.  We have all chosen separate roads in life, but at the end of the day, WE ARE FAMILY.  [Insert melody from 1979 here.]  Today, I am thankful for who they are in my life!


Dominick will always be "Deej" in my world.  He is a loyal friend who, undoubtedly holds integrity at his number one core value.  Ask him for a definition and you will surely have a sermon coming your way.


I will never forget the day our cousin, Alan, took us on our first snowboarding adventure.  After a day of digging ourselves out of waist-deep powder and catching our heel edge over and over again, I walked into his room the next morning to see if he could move.  His response?  "I haven't tried yet."

 

In March, he took a trip to serve kiddos living in an orphanage in Guatemala.  I can't wait to see where God is leading him next!

Derek.  Oh, my Little Bear.  Almost once a week, I run into someone and they say something to the affect of, "I saw your brother last week!"  Let me guess.  King Soopers.  Gets 'em every time.  My dad has always described him as the "happy kid of the family."  Derek has one of the most genuine, joy-filled smiles you will find and a hug to match.  When we visited family in Montana, our Great Aunt Gerry could hardly get enough.  The next time she was in Colorado, one of the first items on her agenda was to steal a hug from him.




Side note:  My dad's expression in the left pic is priceless.  It was taken in the Florida Keys, where Derek is in his element.  Something about the ocean and 90 degree temps makes this kid's day.  Promise him a shrimp dinner after a day of snorkeling and you would think he won the lotto.

Lesson #423:  You may never fully understand one another, but you will always be siblings. 

thanksgiving - day twenty.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have it's full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:2-5 ESV

Wisdom is one of the most precious gifts I have ever been given. In all of my human endeavors, I will only make it as far as my logic will carry me. "Make it" seems to imply that I'm barely getting by, dragging one foot in front of the other, clinging to a rope on the side of a mountain, hoping that I will summit the peak. This weekend, I am thankful for the wisdom that I have gleaned from the Word and from the guidance of those whom I trust.

As we wrapped up our luncheon celebration for my aunt's birthday, my grandmother and I shared a heart-to-heart moment as she passed on to me the treasure of Psalm 112. A mere 24 hours later, my uncle explained the analogy of a runner, chasing after the finish with everything in their being. To this runner, there is no distraction, cheer or boo that will slow their pace. As I read through the beautiful text of Psalm 112, I see an undeniable parallel between the example of the runner and verses 6-9: "For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries." The psalmist does not indicate that bad news will not hit the headlines of our life story, but if our eyes are fixed on Christ and we chase after His calling with reckless abandon, our pace will remain strong.

As you venture into a new week, I encourage you to check your pulse, glance at your stopwatch and narrow your focus. If you lack wisdom, James reassures us that God will give it to us, GENEROUSLY! All we have to do is ask.

thanksgiving - day seventeen.

Fourteen has the potential to rank as one of the most awkward years of life.  Decisions about learning a second language, who to expose your secret crushes to, and whether or not you are cut out for the basketball team are around every corner.  When each day seems to carry with it the fragility of the unknown, something about coming home to the smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, a two-arm hug, and a listening pair of blue eyes serves as a reminder that a woman of Strength stands in your corner.  It would seem impossible that she walked through the same moments of adolescent youth only twenty four years ago.

After picking us up from school one afternoon, my parents gathered everyone into the living room to explain that my untouchable heroine had been diagnosed with breast cancer.  My world froze.  How could this invincible person require treatment for something more than a common cold?  Superwoman was about to face her kryptonite as the chemotherapy would temporarily rob her of her gorgeous blonde locks. I lay in bed that night and cried myself to sleep.  My imagination drifted to graduating from high school and planning my wedding without her, but I always had the deep-seated hope that God was in control.

Strength is defined as "one that is regarded as the embodiment of protective or supportive power; a support or mainstay."  Today, I am thankful for this remarkable woman that I am blessed to call both "Mama" and "friend."  Thirteen years later, it stands as no surprise to me that she continues to rejoice with me in times of celebration, intercede in moments of loneliness and pour out words of encouragement, even in my least shining moments.  I will forever love her to the moon. . . and beyond!!!

thanksgiving - day sixteen.

I will openly attest to the fact that Writer's Block happens.  Sitting in my living room amidst a million distractions, I doubt I am in a prime location to attempt picking up where I left off.  Nevertheless, a fearless cheerleader, whom I will gladly label as [day eight] entered stage left a few days ago with an unexpected way of reminding me which way is up.  This might be one of the most disconnected entries ever published, but I'm hoping that a recommendation to just "bang out a couple hundred words" on the first thing that comes to mind will have eight more days of Thanksgiving hidden between the lines.  Tomorrow is a new day [day nine].

Friday morning, I boarded a plane with two of my coworkers to travel to the beautiful coast of California to embark on a November adventure!  As soon as we landed, the clouds came in for a huddle and for the next nine hours or more, buckets of rain were falling from the heavens.  With the Santa Barbara International scheduled for the next morning, the thought of running for 13.1 miles, drenched from head to toe, suddenly seemed less appealing than all the hours that were devoted to training for my fourth half marathon.  It was such a relief to wake to mostly clear skies, take in the fresh scent of eucalyptus at mile seven and gaze out over the coast for the final stretch!  When it was time to return home, I couldn't help myself but to be thankful for health and wholeness in my body, enjoyable company and another great escape that will go down in the history books [day ten]!

Everything in me wants to fast forward to feeling "caught up" on my personal assignment, so I'm resorting to a list of six of the most random things I am thankful for on this sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven (as a side note, today President Obama officially proclaimed November 24th as Thanksgiving Day www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/16/presidential-proclamation-thanksgiving-day-2011):

[day eleven].    6:00 a.m. spin class - "That's not sweat, your fat are cells CRYING!"

[day twelve].   Sorting through all of my work email after being "unplugged" for five days.

[day thirteen].  Chamomile Citrus tea.

[day fourteen].  Connecting with one of my best friends from high school who is engaged to be married in 24 days!  "Have sons, Rachel.  Have sons."

[day fifteen].  Catching up on the U COUNT trip to India.

[day sixteen].  Unlimited text messages. (This one is borrowed, without permission.)

thanksgiving - day seven.

Awkward moments often define my life.  The people around me may not be aware, but I am humbled on a regular basis.  There have even been times when I've paused and looked around to see if there were any hiding places for hidden cameras.  I submit Exhibit A:

No more than three hours into a perfect August day, I manage to find myself with a busted shoe.  Fortunately, a roll of Scotch tape at my desk came to the rescue, but I know that not all curve balls in life are accompanied by a quick fix.  Today I am thankful for the imperfections that teach us how to not only cope, but finish strong!  (Even if it is a matter of a wardrobe malfunction.)

thanksgiving - day six

I am a list maker.  There is something about having a check mark through each square that precedes a goal, task, or shopping item that evokes a sense of accomplishment.  During my LifePlan, I identified the need to experience something new or set out on an adventure each month as part of my Life Generating Cycle.  When I shared this Life Learning with my Dad, he started laughing, wondering if sleep was part of the plan.

Today, I am thankful that I have been fortunate enough to have already experienced moments that have been nothing short of remarkable.  One of my favorites:  performing Beethoven's Fifth Symphony with my high school choir from the Carnegie Hall stage in 2001.  I will forever cherish moments such as this. 

 

While I may never take part in a performance at Carnegie Hall again, my heart skips a beat when I consider the idea that the best is yet to come!

thanksgiving - day five

Only your heart fully knows the depth of your emotions, but sharing your dreams, your passions and your disappointments with another will make them tangible for someone else. It is, in these moments of authenticity, that acquaintances are renamed FRIENDS.

Friends are treasures that God carefully gift wraps in a human body. When we find ourselves unsure, complacent, excited, scared out of our minds, overjoyed, crushed, invinceable or at peace, we know exactly who to turn to. Friends have this incredible capacity to see straight through our veil of tears into the promise of Hope. They know that a new day will dawn as soon as the raging storm comes to an end. They are acutely aware that we are not defined by our moments of weakness. They have listened to out wish lists for the future and are confident that what is on our hearts will surely come to pass.

I am thankful for the amazing, intelligent, loving individuals that I hold in my bouquet of friends. Their presence in my life carries a sweet aroma of authentic beauty. I carry them with me, close to my heart, every. single. day.

thanksgiving - day four.

By recommendation, staying hydrated is part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  Consuming sixty-four ounces of water each day may seem like an act of discipline, but according to UNICEF  in 2008, 884 million lack access to safe water supplies.  That's approximately 1 in 8 people around the world.

When showering, brushing my teeth or asking for a glass of water sans ice, with a lime, I rarely pause for even an instant to be thankful that the risk of disease is slim to none as a result of my contact with this "elixir of life."

In our celebration of abundance, may we remember that not everyone on the face of this planet can take charge of their health by simply drinking clean water.  Looking for a way to make a difference?  Visit www.water.org to learn about WaterCredit and how your donation can have a significant impact!

thanksgiving - day three.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King Jr.

There are many men who will throw their golf clubs into the back of their SUV and meet up with the guys for a round of 18 as part of a Saturday morning ritual for the Have-It-All-Together Gang.  I know a man who has chosen to kneel in prayer with those whom hundreds abandoned.

He is a man of second chances.  Without hesitation, he opened his home to a teenager caught at the end of his rope.  That teenager has graduated from college and is now a proud husband and father of two, living out his dream of coaching.

Thirteen years ago, he shared laughter and tears with his wife as they stood in her hair salon to shave her head when the effects of the chemo set in.  I have been to the place where he asked her to marry him, at the base of the Grand Tetons.  It is nearly as beautiful as the picture of love that God has formed in them over the course of three decades.

When his little girl came home from third grade requesting to sign up for the baseball team, a word of discouragement never graced his lips.  He has always believed she could do anything.

He is a man of true integrity, a natural leader.  He is my coach.  He is one of the few who will draw out the black and white when I have let the picture fade to gray.  He is my knight in shining armor.  He will let me talk shop when I have career questions, in the same way he would let me crawl into his lap when he was working on the furnace at age three.  Even now, I have so much to learn about this journey called life.  Today I am thankful for this man I call. . . Dad.

thanksgiving - day two.

Who says Thanksgiving is reserved for the fourth Thursday in November, when we O.D. on Tryptophan and find ourselves in food comas while watching football at Grandma’s house?  A dear friend and former co-worker, Julie, posted the Thanksgiving Challenge on Facebook and I choose to accept.  I hope you decide to follow suit:

Post, journal, tweet, capture in a photograph, blog, tell your best friend. . . however you choose to express something that you are thankful for the next 24 days!  As Shakespeare once said, “O Lord that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness.”  

In the summer heat of 1989, my family moved to the beautiful state of Colorado.  My dad will forever be a Wyoming boy, but he definitely raised a Colorado girl!  While I breathed Wyoming air for the first five years of my life, Longmont, Colorado is my birthplace.  As far as I am concerned, I am a Colorado native.  One of the joys of living here is the expression of all four seasons.  At 4:00 a.m. this morning, I awoke to one of my favorite things to give thanks for:  a winter wonderland!  It was only yesterday that I found myself setting out on a lunch 5k in shorts and this morning I was scrapping my windshield decked out in my coat, gloves and snow boots!  I am still kicking myself that I didn’t send my good friend, Michael, an “Hokay so, we have like 800 more inches of snow than everyone else!!!” text.  To some, looking out the window to see eight inches of fresh powder spells an hour of back-breaking shoveling before work, but to us, this means that we get to plow to work in four-wheel drive, baby!

Watching the flakes fly under the street light draws so many childhood memories to my attention.  I will never forget being bundled from head to toe, building snowmen and snow forts with my little brothers, laughing at our chocolate lab as he would bound through the yard in search of the snowball he was determined to retrieve.  There was also the time that we had the brilliant idea to make Cody our sled dog.  When he took off in a mad dash, my dad came in to get the keys to the car, giving my mom a quick recap of what just unfolded:  “The good news?  The dog is gone.  The bad news?  He took the kids with him!”

First flakes also serve as an indication that the slopes of the Rocky Mountains (a.k.a. Our Big Backyard) are being flocked by a white blanket!  The time is near when we will be riding the lifts and shredding the hills.  Also on my to-do list this winter:  snowshoeing and ice fishing!  Who is with me?

Even though I missed the first day of November in keeping record during a month of thanks, I will play catch up by noting that the sight of a red Starbucks Christmas cup is simply one more thing to be thankful for this morning!  Cheers to snow in November!

Post your thoughts on how you choose to celebrate with a thankful heart this month and shine on!!!