My Life on a Schedule!?!?

I think this saying is going to go on my mirror! For the past 6 yeas since I have been a stay at home wife/mom I have been in total resistance to living on a schedule. I mean for 20 something years I was up at 5am with somewhere to be and something to do, so yes, at the first chance to not get up before the sun, I took it and have lived that way ever since.... and loved it!!! I've even trained my 4 year old not to get up before 8am! 

The only drawback seems to be that with no schedule on paper I run one in my head what I want to get done that day and where I should go and it works to get by the daily things, but I'm finding that as I have set much bigger goals these past couple years the day just seems to go by without me actually getting any closer to what I say I want. Or when I was totally focused on a goal everything else in my life seemed to fall out of balance.

So, I decided it was time to put my life back on a schedule as if I had places to be and people that were excepting me, only the its me that I am accountable to..... and its amazing what I am able to accomplish each day. I am definitely guilty of making reasons why I didn't exercise, or why I needed to finish off the cake, I mean better it be gone in one day than add those calories everyday for a week right? Or why I didn't have time to do XYZ is my favorite reason, ummm excuse. Funny how in my head I am so justified, but when I say them out loud to someone they just sound like pure excuses. Now we all know excuses hold us back but this quote is pretty harsh that by stating every excuse I make is MY choice to fail in my dreams. Well I have HUGE goals and dreams, and I would much rather succeed than fail. (Hear my music at www.lundynrae.com) 

I have to say I am loving the schedule thing! I think I'm on week 3 of my life on a schedule! I know exactly what I want to accomplish each day and what time I want to have it done by. It has been amazing how much I can actually fit in my day, who woulda thought! I love that I have to account to myself (and my business coach, Melissa Haupt who is AMAZING by the way if you want that extra push, www.melissahaupt.com) for accomplishing what's on my day, and if I didn't do what I committed to do I get a chance to look at what I was more committed to, not an excuse why I didn't do something, but what was it that I was more committed to than my goals and dreams. I can really see if the thing I was more committed to worth not getting me closer to my goals.

So if your looking to accomplish more in your life and feel a little more fulfilled, get your life on a schedule! Its amazing what a difference it makes. Here's to a successful run at our dreams!

Don't Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle!

         To start off the Christmas season I normally watch White Christmas and Miracle on 34th Street, this year I thought I'd start off with a little humor and watched Jingle all the Way. I thought it was pretty funny and was quite critical thinking seriously, who leaves shopping until the last minute like that.... until the next day I went out Christmas shopping...... and struck out at every store I went to with my Christmas list! I thought how in the world can everything be gone? It's the 1st of December????? Darn those Black Friday shoppers.... I seriously started to feel like the main character, racing from store to store to get there before some other mom looking for the same princess thing for their little girl! It doesn't really help either when the ONLY thing my darling little 4 year old asked Santa for is a Sleeping Beauty Vacuum..... do they even make those????

As my anxiety started to rise to panic I called my husband and asked him what now? He calmly reminded me that our daughter was 4 and she wouldn't really care what she got as long as we created the magic of Christmas in our home.

And he's right. The magic of Christmas is in the putting up of the tree, drinking hot chocolate.... (which here in Arizona we have to wait until December for it to cool down to the 70's so we can feel chilled enough to want it!) Singing carols, seeing the lights, visiting Santa, baking goodies for our neighbors and giving to those in need. And of course Celebrating the birth of our Savior. I love how the most exciting thing to my 4 year old is to hear about baby Jesus.

Looking at this season through the eyes of a child is probably the smartest thing we can do to put ourselves in the right frame of mind for Christmas. As adults we all know the meaning of Christmas, and know that that is where we should be focusing, but no one else is going to get the tree up, do the baking, finish the Christmas shopping, make sure family pictures are taken, get Christmas cards out, buy presents for the teachers, PLUS manage the day to day household tasks, and worry about how we are going to pay for all this fun without putting anything on the credit card! SO how do we make sure that as we create the Christmas magic for those around us we actually get to feel it too?! 

For me I decided to take on the challenge that the commercial part of Christmas doesn't have to look any certain way. (Which for someone who likes to make sure everything is perfect is definitely going to be a challenge) In fact I even decided to make a few of gifts this year! A totally new adventure for me, and I'm actually kind of excited to put a little of me into my gifts! SO if my tree stands a little crooked and is decorated with popcorn, my sugar cookies have too many sprinkles from a little helper, and I don't get my Christmas cards out til New Years, just know I was enjoying the magic of this Christmas season and truly celebrating my Savior's birth!

ps. If you want a great Christmas gift of inspiring music go to my website http://www.lundynrae.com and purchase my cd A Better Plan, an inspiring and empowering gift to last all year!!!

    

Once in a Lifetime....

So I know I'm a little late on the gratitude thing... but as Thanksgiving ends and we head into Christmas this is my favorite time of year. It finally gets a little cool here in Arizona, and the Christmas lights start popping up all over the place!  I have sooooo many things that I am grateful for that it would bore you to list them all, and you might get a little jealous.... Just kidding! But the number one thing on my mind today (as I work off those extra 3 pounds I gained from turkey day) is how grateful I am to be me!

I saw this quote and I just had to share!
                                         

GIRL!!!

I love this because today I am so thankful for the unique talents and gifts I have been given that make me... me. This is so true, there never has been nor ever will be again on this earth a me or for that matter a you! Often we find ourselves in the business of comparing, from body sizes and features, to clothes, to homes and cars, to attributes; and we don't often enough take the time to recognize what makes us different than those around us is actually a GOOD thing! Everyone has a unique set of gifts and skills that only you can offer the world in a way that only you were meant to in order to change the world. It starts with you being great at who you are and spreads from there!

                               

I love this picture (maybe it's because this looks a lot like my daughter's dance class!) and not quite sure why it cut off the Th in the first word, but you get the point!

Marianne Williamson said:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves "who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. We are all meant to shine as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone."

 I love focusing on my unique gifts to the world. I'm grateful that I have been given the talents I have. There is a place for them and I will be as big of an influence on the world as I can dream I will be. And so can you, and as you pursue your dreams whatever they are for you, and as you pursue your greatness you will awaken within others the desire to tap into their unique gifts and talents, to arouse their passion for life and unleash their greatness on the world.  Oliver Demill, a great advocate for freedom said in a recent address I heard that each of us was sent here with a specific mission and purpose, and the purpose of life is to discover what that purpose is and then work at it. Imagine what the world would look like if each person here on earth was discovering their own mission and then working hard to fulfill it. Some may be drawn to feed the hungry, others educate, heal the sick,  others to spread beauty. Can you imagine a world full of purpose driven people! That's my purpose, to spread beauty and awaken the greatness within those around me as I strive to achieve the greatness within me! What's your purpose and mission? And how would you like to pursue it?


Life is good! This time of year we get to be grateful for what we have and who we are, give of ourselves to those in need and appreciate the greatness in those around us.

Creating Awareness: My Journey

Join me as I embark on a goal to take the message of  adoption with my song A Better Plan 

to 1 million people!

Consider Adoption: A Better Plan

The other day I was at the mall and stopped to let my daughter play in the children’s area for a while. I was surprised at the number of teen mothers I saw playing in there with their babies. I was proud of them for choosing to give that child life yet I was struck with sadness that they were missing out on things that were essential not only for their own growth but for the well- being of their child. This is true for any young woman of any age that finds herself pregnant and alone. I wondered why these girls chose to parent over adoption and wondered if there is really that much education about the benefits of adoption.

When my daughter was first placed in my arms I imagined a life of constant laughter, sweet kisses and hugs, dressing her up, having an instant friend that loved me unconditionally, fun play dates at the park, and cute pictures and crafts that covered my fridge. Everyone around me was so excited for my new life and all the joys it would bring. I was so excited for all of these moments. And I’ve had them and each memory is cherished and loved and I look forward to creating more of them. But what people seem to fail to mention was the sleepless nights, endless poopy diapers, what to do when the crying never seemed to stop, and as they grow older, still sleepless nights, new messes of toys, picky eaters, the constant demand of my attention, no privacy in the bathroom, and I don’t think I’ve ever been able to sit and enjoy a meal without having to get up 10 times to get one more thing demanded by a sweet 3 year old. Even as I write this I am having things placed on my head and being barraged with questions, and demanded that I come and get breakfast for her RIGHT now!

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE being a mother, but there is no way I could do this without the help of her dad, one amazing husband. With his help in raising our vibrant and beautiful daughter I have still been able to get some me time, continue my education and pursue my music career. Without him I would not be able to function as the loving mother my daughter needs me to be. I would not be able to still be me! Every woman and mother deserves that. Every mother needs a break, a time to rejuvenate, and pursue their hobbies and passion that allows them to continue their own growth and development. It’s not selfish, it’s essential! I am a better wife and mother because I am able to take this time and despite the daily demands still feel like a sexy, vibrant, beautiful girl. Not only do I deserve this, but so does my daughter, in fact it is essential to her well-being. Her happiness is increased by the security of the home we offer, both of us being able to give her love and meet the demands of a growing child. Now I recognize that this is not always possible and I honor and respect those single parents out there. I honestly don’t know how they do it.

I’m not about condemning or judging those who have chosen to parent or even those that chose abortion. For me it’s about creating the awareness of the positives of adoption for those currently still making the decision. Helping them to make an educated decision what is right for their life and their baby. My hope is that by listening to my song A Better Plan people will truly come to understand that adoption really is about love; A truly heroic act.  And that while the pain of giving up your child for adoption is heart wrenching and excruciating in the moment, there is great healing in the selfless act of giving your child to a loving couple that can give your baby more than you can at this given moment in your life. And though abortion may appear to solve the perceived immediate problem providing instant relief, it brings with it a burden you alone carry for the rest of your life.

Curtis J Young of the Family Research Council says, “Rarely does an unmarried pregnant woman stop to consider the tremendous cost and responsibility of choosing single motherhood. Successful child-rearing, while greatly rewarding, is also very demanding, even for two-parent families. It requires a great deal of time, self-sacrifice and financial expense.”  In her book For the Love of a Child, social worker Monica L. Blume points out, “Almost every birth mother I have ever seen who is choosing to single parent believes she will be one of the very few who beat the odds.”  Many of these unwed mothers count on the father remaining fully involved or on having their own father help raise the child. And many single mothers hope to eventually get married. Unfortunately, such hopes are not often realized. And many unwed mothers find that single parenthood is much more challenging than they expected. Studies have shown that single mothers have higher rates of illness, have less social involvement, and, if they are teenagers, are less likely to eventually marry than those who place their babies for adoption.”

Some may view placing a child for adoption as “abandoning” that child. But adoption is not abandoning your responsibility. It’s taking more responsibility. It is truly taking care of your own, because you’re saying, ‘I can’t give this child what he or she needs, but someone else can.’

To echo Curtis Young, “Adoption is not a breaking of trust but a keeping of faith, not an abdication of responsibility but an act of redemption, not the abandonment of a baby but an abandonment of self for a baby’s sake.” As I wrote in the song A Better Plan, ‘Sometimes love comes at a cost we don’t understand, and you have to trust someway, somehow, it’s part of a better plan.’

Taking this song to 1 million Listeners

http://lundynrae.com/?albums=lundyn-rae-a-better-plan

Don't Think you are Making a Difference?

Saw this today and fell in love with it! It took me back to when I spent time in Japan as a missionary. The mosquitoes there are green and huge and can leave scars when they bite so I was EXTRA paranoid, especially when I would lay down at night  on my futon exhausted, just about to fall asleep and here a distinct whine in my ear! Many times I kept my roommate up searching that little bugger down so I could get some sleep!

Last weekend I attended a seminar by Darrell Knoch (www.truewealthuniversity.com) when someone asked the question if they could really make a difference in this world with just their own small actions.  He emphatically course corrected that thinking! One of the things he said that I really related with was "the way you think of yourself is the way you impact the world." So if you want to increase the way you impact the world increase the way you think about yourself, or improve your self esteem and belief in yourself. (For great tips how to improve your self esteem check out Darrell's book , Mastering a Healthy Self Image)

 I saw this image on my friends facebook page and I had to steal it!

Sometimes you are the only one that has a firm belief in who you are and what you can accomplish. But as long as you keep focused on who you see yourself to be you will bring about mighty change in this world! I love this image because even though many may see me as a cat I KNOW I am a lion! And its no one's job to prove it to them but mine!

Just remember, if you don't think that your actions are making any kind of difference in the world, think back to that night when you were just about asleep only to sit upright from a tiny buzzing by your ear! Your impact is greater than you think and just like the ripple effect in still water, you never know how far your actions are being carried.

Stand for Something

For the last week I have been researching and contacting some of the biggest pro-life advocates and adoption supporters I can find to help me spread the word about my Option Adoption project, (see previous blog post!) http://www.gofundme.com/Save-a-Life (If any come to mind as you read this send the names my way ;0)!

I have to say I am so impressed by what these people have accomplished and the supporters they've gained along the way. They have also accumulated quite a few enemies as well! I read the quote earlier " you've got enemies? Good that means you stood up for something in your life!" So many of them are women that are just passionate about a cause. They are wives, mothers, sisters, students, yet still find time to speak, write and blog about a cause dear to them... and they are making a difference.

As I start working in my own projects, promoting and asking for help to get the music video done for my adoption song, A Better Plan, I feel so passionate about it that it is sometimes frustrating when nobody seems to respond with the same passion! But I have to remind myself that's OK, because I have a vision and it just takes the right person in tune with my vision to help it move forward. It's not in alignment with every one's purpose, but there will be those so moved to take action with me!

I love the quote I posted at the top, it's a great reminder to me that if it were easy everyone would be doing it. That's why I just keep pushing forward. The more obstacles the sweeter the reward of achieving my goal. That being said I'm sending up prayers for as few obstacles as possible and the strength to climb over the ones in my way!

Yet I find as I pursue moving my music forward my life is fuller. I know that the messages in each song uplift, inspire, motivate and heal. The message of A Better Plan is only the first of many that I will stand and create a movement for. Search your heart, find your purpose and stand for something. It will cause you to walk a little taller and strive to be better in all aspects of your life besides fill you with peace and joy knowing you are making a difference and walking with God here on earth!