May 1 - May Day

May Day

May 1st is known as May Day. One of the most popularly known May Day traditions is to hang a basket full of spring flowers and/or other small gifts on a neighbor's doorknob. The trick is you don't want the neighbor to see you! If you get caught, you are supposed to get a kiss.

I honestly have never did much to prepare for May Day. It seems to sneak up on me each year. I am just not good with holidays that are the beginning of the month. I need a few days warning that the month has changed and a special day is coming. I have never taken May Day baskets to school for my kids to hand out. The kids and I have brought treats to friend’s houses, rang the door bell and ran, but I am sure that it was not a planned event, it was more of a “Oh, it is May Day – Let’s do something fun.”

I think some of the best memories and surprises are the ones that are not planned out, they are just spur of the moment ideas to bless someone else’s day.

Blessings
Robin

April 30 - Time

“Since time is one immaterial object which we
Cannot influence –
neither speed up or slow down,
Add to nor diminish
– it is an imponderably valuable gift.”
- Maya Angelou

April 29 - blessings

Yesterday’s blessing received more feedback that any other blessing to date. I am glad that the message was positive and timely for so many of you. I know that God guided me in the Blessings last night.

Andrew and I were talking about this tonight and he comment on how wonderful God is to take something negative and make it a Blessings.

I do want to clear up one concern. No one on the Blessings distribution list offended me or hurt me in anyway. You are all my friends and I value my relationship with each of you. Thank you for being part of my life.

Blessings
Robin

April 28 - Overcome evil with Good

Tonight, I someone did something to me that was not very nice. I wrote my blessing for the night about the event that took place. It felt good to write about it, but after it was completed, I then decided that I needed to pray, wait and pray a little more, before sending out the Blessings that I wrote.

So, what to write? I flipped open one of my resources and read Romans 12:17–21.

17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d]says the Lord. 20On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[e] 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. ~Romans 12: 17 – 21

After reading this scripture, I am so glad that I decided to wait to send out my original Blessings about the events of the evening. I have a lot to think about. Originally, I thought I would do nothing, but pray for the person that did this to me. Now after reading the scripture, I think I need to cook for them and bring her a bottle of wine.

Overcome evil with good!

April 27 - Pregnancy

Pregnancy

Tonight, I chatted with a friend’s daughter, who is eight months pregnant. She is ready to have the baby and the sooner the better. This brought back memories for me of my pregnancies.

It has been over a decade since I was pregnant, but I remember it like yesterday. I loved the feeling of having my baby with me day and night. I do remember wishing for the pregnancy to be over, but I believe that as mothers we have to get so miserable at the end of our pregnancy that we are willing to do whatever it takes to deliver the precious gift of a child.

I will never forget the feeling of separation from Morgan, shortly after her birth. Todd went with her and the nurse to the nursery. I was left in my room with my diet coke (you can see that this addition to diet coke has been going on for a long time). I place my hand on my stomach as I had done for the past months and she was gone. I had learned to love the feeling of having my baby with me at all times. I had just given birth to a beautiful child, but I immediately felt empty when she was away from me.

I loved pregnancy, because I was with my child 100 percent of the time, but that is not possible in life. I realized as I matured as a mother that the feeling of emptiness would come back time and time again – The first day at daycare, the first day of school, the first day of summer camp, the first sleep over and now as my baby girl looks into the future it is only a year before she looks at the next stage of independence – college. I am sure that I will have that feeling of emptiness all over again, but this stage will be over and it is time to move on to the next one.

I am not be able to be with my children 100 percent of the time like we were in the beginning, but no matter what we will always have a special bond of mother and child.

Blessings
Robin

April 26 - Normal

Normal?

“No one is normal!
Only the people
that you do not know very well
appear to be normal.”
- Wm Paul Young The Shack

What is normal anyway? I thought I had a normal life, until I became a Unit Manager at the age of twenty-two. All of a sudden I was responsible for a staff of thirty people and they openly shared information with me about their lives and families. I soon learned that my sheltered life growing up in central South Dakota was no where close to normal. Today, I realize and understand that normal is different for everyone.

Blessings
Robin

April 25 - Mom birthday

A person of sixty-five
has spent twenty years in bed
and over three years in eating.- Arnold Bennett

Today, my mom turned sixty-five years young. I am sure that she has enjoyed all twenty years of sleep and the three years of eating.

I wonder how many years she has spent having coffee with friends?

April 24 - The Shack

I had the opportunity to see the author of The Shack, Wm. Paul Young. He shared an inspirational story of his faith walk. It is that walk that lead him to the point of writing The Shack as a gift for his children. Today, his gift to his children has sold over six million copies world wide and had impact the lives of many. He told the audience that he never intended for this book to become what it is today, but he acknowledged that God had this plan all along. He gave all the glory to God for the success of the book.

It is amazing to me what can be accomplished when it does not matter who gets credit for the success, only that God is honored and glorified.

Blessings
Robin

April 23 - Be a Friend

"To have a friend, be a friend."

I have a friend that has taken this statement to heart. She is one of the people in my life that is always there to support me and my family, no matter what. It is not just me that she is a friend to. She is a friend to so many and in turn she has many friends.

She is quick to write a note to let people know how important they are to her.

She is always there to lend a hand and help a friend. Just this week she knew that my family was having a busy week and she brought dinner over, because she knew my kids would probably be eating cereal for supper.

Her house is often full of kids, because every kid is welcome at her house. All the parents know that the kids are safe and cared for at her house.

She babysits for friends, so they can attend important events without worrying about their children.

She prays for the many friends that she has made over the years. She does not just say “I will pray for you.” She actually does!

Most of all she is willing to listen.

I hope that I can be a friend to each of you, as my friend has been to me. --- To have a friend, I must be a friend.

Blessings
Robin

April 22 - Pickled Herring

Childhood memories

Tonight, I had a business dinner at Minerva’s, a upscale restaurant in Sioux Falls. Minerva’s is known for their fantastic salad bar. I almost always have the salad bar, because it has a something that reminds me of the good times in my childhood. Pickled Herring!

My dad would bring home pickled herring as a special treat. We would all sit around the table savoring the flavor and talking as a family. It sounds funny to say, but pickled herring has blessed my life.

Blessings
Robin

April 21 - Carpe diem

Carpe diem

Carpe diem is Latin for “seize the day”. I have these words on the wall of my office to remind me, it is my job to seize each and every day of my life. It does not matter if I am home with my family or in the office with my work family. The day will be what I make of it.

I choose to Seize the Day!

Blessings
Robin

April 20 -- Moo....

Moo…..

Last summer, Farmer Brown told Andrew he should have a bottle calf. Of course, Andrew loved the idea! He has been talking about it for almost a year. Recently through a series of events, Todd started to like the idea of raising calves. With some help from Farmer Brown, Todd, Andrew and Ross brought home their first bottle calves from a local dairy. Andrew and Ross are now the proud owners of four little Holstein bull calves.

Some people would think we just can not say “NO” to our children and their pets. Actually, as parents, we are looking at this as an opportunity to bless our boys with some life lessons. As parents our goal is for the boys to learn about farming, gain some responsibility, develop an understanding that not all animals are pets, and learn about the financial risks and reward of a business venture.

Rule number 1 – We call farm animals by stall numbers, not names. They have named them Mr. Petey, Jonsay, Cozmo, and Timmy. I guess they failed the first lesson.

Learning’s of the day one:
Ross – “Milk replacer smells so good!”
Andrew – “Hunger calves can drink their milk really fast!”

More blessings and lessons to come!

Blessings
Robin

April 18 - Prom

It is the season -- Prom Season!

April and May are full of High Schools across the country celebrating Junior and Senior Proms. Our daughter, Morgan will attend her Junior Prom this weekend. It kind of feels like a Master Card commercial at our house.

Dress $300
Hair $ 30
Mani/Pedi $ 50
Shoes $ 35
Jewelry $ 40
And the list goes on and on – Flowers, dinner, tanning, pictures, Post Prom event, borrowing Dad’s truck….

Memories of a life time – Priceless

April 17 - Gradtitude journal

"When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives
but are grateful for the abundance that's present....
we experience heaven on earth."

Shortly after Ross was born I began a gratitude journal. In this journal I wrote down five things that I was grateful for each day. I did not allow myself to repeat entries for thirty days. At the end of the first month I read a powerful list of the 150 gratitude entries in my journal. I have kept a gratitude journal off and on for the last ten years. Today, I do not journal; however I do mentally think of the things that have blessed each day before going to sleep at night.

April 16 - Computer Tech

“We have reached the limits
of what is possible to achieve with

computer technology…”
- Computer Scientist, John von Neumann, 1949

This is an interesting quote from 1949. Sixty years ago, the computer science world believed they had reached the limits what could be achieved. Look at what we have today – home computers, cell phones, TV’s, Xbox, Wii, GPS and the list goes on and on. I know that there are times that I think that I have reached my limit of what I can achieve in my life, but really the only thing that is limiting me… is myself.

April 15 - Dancing in the storm

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...

it's about learning to dance in the rain!"

I found this quote and it made me think of all the times in my life that I got so wrapped up in the storm, that I forgot the rain helps me grow. I know that I feel blessed to have had storms in my life. I do not like being in them, but I love the rainbow after the storm. I am going to work on learning to dance in the rain, instead of focusing on the storm.

Blessings
Robin

April 14 - Making a Difference

Making a Difference

Tonight, my mother in law called me excited and bewildered all at the same time. A friend of mine dropped in on her and gave her a dozen beautiful roses. Dorothy was so excited to tell me about the roses and their beauty, but she just did not know what she did to deserve this gift. I assured her that the gift was from the heart and to welcome the kindness and generosity. Dorothy was taken back by the fact that someone would give her a dozen roses for no reason, other than to brighten her day. She told me this is something she will always remember.

Both Dorothy and my friend were blessed today!

Blessings
Robin

April 13 -Advice

Advise, from a man who had lost his childhood Dreams

A couple months ago our church served at a local food kitchen, call “The Banquet”. A guest of The Banquet talked to one of our young boys, Jeffrey, about his dreams. The guest asked Jeffrey, “What do dream of being when you grow up?” Jeffrey answered him. The guest told him that the people he was helping serve that Saturday were drug addicts, alcoholics, thieves, and mental cases. The guest told Jeffery to hold on to his dreams and work hard, because no one that was at The Banquet had dreams as a child to be an addict, alcoholic, thief or mental case, but somehow they lost their dreams and became who they are today.


Blessings
Robin

April 12 - hunter of blessings

"Become a hunter of blessings,
actively seeking them out
in every experience and person you encounter."
-- Kate Nowak


Blessings
Robin

April 11 - Easter Outfit

Easter Outfit

I remember as a child getting my Easter outfit each year. Often it was a handmade dress or a special purchase to celebrate Easter. Everyone in church had on a new outfit, it seemed. I remember the new white shoes that I would get each Easter to wear with my new dress. I know that my mom spent time each year preparing my Easter outfit. It seems that our society has lost the dedication to new Easter outfits that we had during my childhood. I know that I do not worry about having a new outfit for myself for Easter or for my children.

I wondered about the tradition, was it just the little church that I grew up in or was it really something that happened everywhere? I was relieved to find in my research that new clothing for Easter was a tradition outside of the little church in Harrison, SD. New “Church” clothing on Easter was to celebrate the renewal of the year and the promise of spiritual renewal, thus an external sign for an internal renewal of the spirit.

I do not have a new outfit for Easter this year, nor do my children. I wish I had invested the time to have a new Easter outfit for everyone to see that I recognize the renewal of my spirit and on this special day of Easter.

Blessings
Robin

April 10 - Easter

Easter says you can put truth in a grave,
but it won't stay there.

~Clarence W. Hall

April 9 - Guidelines for feedback

Guidelines for feedback

Here are some guidelines for providing feedback.

Be specific
o Explain exactly what was done well.
o Avoid saying “You did a good job!”
Be Sincere
o Explain why it was important to you.
Be timely
o Give feedback as soon as it is possible
o Feedback given a month after the behavior took place has lost its impact

Blessings
Robin

April 8 - Ask for feedback

Ask for Feedback

No news is good news… Right?

I have heard from so many people that they do not receive regular feedback from their boss on their performance. Then at the end of the year they have a surprise in their Annual Performance Appraisal. No feedback, does not necessarily mean good feedback is coming. It is our responsibility to ask for feedback on our performance/behaviors. Keep in mind, timing is important. Set up a time with your boss and let them know in advance that you would like specific feedback on your performance.

What about asking your family for feedback? Todd and I have conversations regarding what we need from each other. It is so much more important to have the conversation before the emotions build up.

Blessings
Robin

April 7 - Timing of feedback

Timing of Feedback

The timing of feedback is critical. It is important that the person receiving the feedback is ready to receive feedback. I know that I have had times that I just am not emotionally ready to receive feedback on my behaviors or performance. A good way to ensure the timing is right is to set a time to talk about it. I have found that it is just not wise to spring coaching/feedback on people. It is hard for people to have self discovery if they have not had time to think about the topic at hand ahead of time.

Todd and I have found that when we need to have serious conversation with one of our children. We tell them we will be talking about the topic at a specific time. This gives the kids the opportunity to think about their behavior and for Todd and I to be prepared. We also find that we are all less emotional, because the timing if right.

Blessings

Robin

April 6 - balanced feedback

Balanced Feedback

When providing feedback to other people it is important that it is balanced. As human beings we tend to hear and remember the negative feedback more than the positive feedback. In order to provide balanced feedback it is important to start and end with positives.


Balanced Feedback model:
· Feedback on Positive behavior
· Opportunity for improvement
· Feedback on Positive behavior

This model begins and ends on a positive note and it also provides twice as much positive feedback as opportunity for improvement. I feel that positive feedback is light as a feather and makes me feel good. Opportunities for improvement require me to do something and can be heavy like lead. They do not always feel good, so it is important to have more good things than improvements.

Blessings
Robin

April 5 - Praise Feedback

Praise Feedback

I will be focusing on feedback for a couple days. Yesterday, I shared Curbstone Coaching with you. Today, I will share One-Minute Praise.

One-Minute Praise
• Describe specific behavior
• Express value or impact it has
• Support the continuing of the behavior

I have found this model to be very effective in reinforcing positive behaviors at work and at home. Here is an example of one-minute praise at home.

“Thank you for putting the dishes away without being asked. By having an empty dishwasher, we can load the dishes right after dinner tonight and have more time for family fun. Keep up the good work on this. I appreciate it.”

I have found that One-Minute Praise takes little effort on my part, but the rewards are great!

Blessings
Robin

April 4- feedback

Effective feedback

I have utilized the Curbstone Coaching model for years in my career and personal life. I have found this to be an effective tool in providing performance feedback to staff. The focus is on helping people identify their own strengths and opportunities to improve. Let’s face it no one wants to be told what they could improve on or what they are doing wrong, but deep down we all know there is opportunity to improve. When the ideas for improvement come from the person making the improvements, it is more likely that the person will take ownership for it.

The Curbstone Coaching model also focuses on the things that the person is doing well and reinforces positives. We all need positive feedback in our lives and jobs. It is a great model to use in many conversations.


Curbstone Coaching Model

1. Ask: How are things going for you?
2. Ask: What is going well for you?
3. Tell: I have observed/heard you doing _______ well.
4. Ask: What do you want to improve?
5. Tell: I feel that you can improve _________.
6. Summarize the conversation

Blessings
Robin

April 3 - forgiving

It is very easy to forgive others their mistakes;
it takes more grit and gumption to forgive them
for having witnessed your own.
- Jessamyn West


I know that it is much harder for me to forgive myself of my mistakes than it is for me to forgive others.

Blessings

April 2 - giving

True giving is done
without the slightest trace
of expecting to receive.
- Alice R Pratt