Passion

“When work, commitment, and pleasure all become one and you reach that deep well where passion lives, nothing is impossible.”

Does it get any better than this?  Not for me.  After waiting over 20 years, I finally got my horse.  This is Bullitt.  He's an Andalusian/Arab horse called a HispanoArab.  These pictures were taken a few years ago. He's a gorgeous grey now and 16 hands.  I'll post newer ones soon.

I'm hoping to get him down here in a couple months.  I miss riding and can't wait until I can do it several days a week.  He's a big part of me finding my passion in this stage of life.  You're never too old to make your dreams come true.  With all the transitions in my life lately, I have to admit I haven't felt the motivation I'm used to feeling and I wondered why.  After a phone call with my friend and powerful coaching buddy, I realized it's because I haven't fed my passion.  I am in the process of reconnecting with that part of me.  It has always been like breathing for me, so no wonder I've felt blah lately.  I'm missing my air. 

“If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you.”

- T. Alan Armstrong
Are you living in passion?  Are you excited to get up every morning and create something from it?  Do you feel fulfilled?  What are your passions?  When was the last time you felt swept up in something?  Please share your thoughts and passions!

Much love,
Rachel

Another Chapter

Life seems to be made up of chapters to me. Perhaps because I love books so much, I tend to look at my life as though I was writing my own story. As I look back on my life, I see definite chapters, the times in my life where there was major change. I'm grateful for those times. I am a better person because of them. It's interesting to see how each chapter seems to support the next in surprising ways. Life is not ever the way we think it will be.

I'm in a new chapter again. For the last year and a half I've been a busy working mom, alone most of the time as Les has been working hard in Kansas and Iraq. I loved my job. I loved working with the girls at Greenbrier and leading a great bunch on women as my staff. I learned so much and was definitely out of my comfort zone most days. I think God took care of my little family while we needed me to work and then it was time for me to come home. I saw the signs in each of the boys in different ways and Les and I prayed so hard to know what to do. My boys are the bottom line and I decided to come home. In the process, we decided to move as well.

So, we are now in North Carolina (to stay!) and I got a job with Greenbrier that allows me to be home with the boys and just travel occasionally. I'm so grateful. This chapter has been a lonely chapter. It's hard to be separated from my best friend, the person that makes my heart warm. I miss Les terribly and look forward to him coming home. It's hard to be the new person again. I remember my mother telling me to pray for the character traits I wanted to have and I think I've been praying for patience for almost 40 years now. That may explain a few things. Be careful what you pray for! Anyway, I know I need to be patient as time will connect me to others I get to meet. The boys are so happy here. It was all worth it just for that. Grayson has a group of boys already in and out of my house. Landon has made some great friends and we are now establishing "social time" rules. Thirteen!!!! Mitchell is busy at Hollister working up a storm.

How will this chapter play out? What choices will I make to create the future I want? Who will I be a year from now? Change is exciting. Scary, but exciting. It's movement and with movement comes adventure, knowledge, hopefully wisdom gained, new opportunities, and stretch marks! I'm grateful for the chance to do some of the things I haven't been able to do this past year. 

"Having thus chosen our course, without guile and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear and with manly hearts.”  -Abraham Lincoln