The Red Velvet Rope

The Red Velvet Rope by: http://48daysblog.wordpress.com/

Have you ever been at one of those big opening night events - where all the important people walk the red carpet on the other side of that red velvet rope? Well let’s imagine that you have a red velvet rope for your life? Who are you going to let inside? What “friends” do you really want to spend your time with? What relatives do you want to allow inside your red velvet rope? If you have a business, what customers will you select?
Don’t just think this is being self-centered or egotistical. If you have no red velvet rope you will find that your life will be taken over by people and activities that may not be in your best interests. In working with a young lady just recently released from prison, she is seeing that her old friends and hang-outs set her up for the same self-defeating behaviors that led her to prison. She needs to break those connections, hold her red velvet rope up high and decide who gets in.
This is just like setting and living by your own goals - if you haven’t identified your goals, I can assure you you’re living out someone else’s goals for your life. If you don’t have a red velvet rope, you’ll have customers stealing your valuable time, family members who just want to pull you down to their level, friends who don’t embrace your desires for a higher level of success, and activities that waste your highest areas of contribution.
So define who and what you will allow inside your red velvet rope:
What kind of people do you enjoy being around?
What goals do they have for their own lives?
How are they enriching the lives of other people or making the world a better place?
Are they happy, creative and optimistic?
What activities do you find energizing and invigorating?
What kind of environment brings out your best talents and makes you feel purposeful and fulfilled?
Now what people and activities will get past the red velvet rope that protects you?
You might just be amazed at the increase you will see in peace, productivity and profits.Remember the Aesop fable about The Man, The Boy and The Donkey? Trying to please everyone is futile. Even Jesus said Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! (Luke 6:26) Use your red velvet rope to weed out the undesirable parts of your life.
***************************************************************
Thanks to Mike Estes at BornToWin.com for mentioning this concept from Michael Port’s Booked Solid to me at a recent lunch conversation.
I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. Bill Cosby

Lord, I give it all to You

I am so excited! Even with the blackberry today (after many calls this morning) I made it to Light of the Village! We had a great group of Dayspring members come as well as a lot of kids from the community. I didn't realize how much I missed serving. God has given me that desire and passion, and due to other cirumstances, I have put it on the backburner. God, please forgive me.

I felt complete for the first time in a long time today for several reasons. 1. I was loving God and through Him, loving people. 2. I was putting others first. 3. I was surrounded my people I love (missing a few) 4. I was able to see kids smile and enjoy themselves. 5. I was encouraged by there love. It was truely a great day! I am very thankful I didn't let Satan win, because I almost didn't go b/c I was running late with on call. I'm not going to make the mistake again, it's time for me to get things in the right order. Lord, I give it all to you!

Help

Well friends- it's seems just like yesterday I was on call but I believe the time has come for me again. Please pray this weekend there are no issues and everything goes well. I'm super excited about our church serving tomorrow at Light of the Village. It's going to be an awesome day of living worship! I'm pumped! I just don't want to hace to work the entire time, or to be honest all all while I am there. I am praying that there are no issues. Then tomorrow night, there is another window to swith out a peice of equipment and so that means all of our customers go down. Fun Fun! Pray that things work smoothly and quickly. Because I would really like to go the Bay Bears game Sunday night as well. Wish me luck---b/c it's time for on call!

I am free to run!

"Through YOU, my heart screams I am FREE to run, dance and live for you." John 8:36. This morning in church, we sang three of the songs I love the most right now. I Am Free, This is What It Feels Like to Be Free, and Amazing Grace My Chains Are Gone. I get excited and tearful at the same times with these songs. I'm so blessed to be free in some areas of my life and I give God glory for it, however I struggle with other areas and seek His freedom. Even in the midst of times like this morning when things aren't going my way, I'm Free in Him. I'm not bound to a computer that doesn't work. I'm not chained to a position or people that don't understand and are judging because you can't make things work they way they want it too. Drew and I this morning got to discuess before services about the cardboard testimony. He shared with me that one of the pastors from that church, was at camp with them this week and shared the movement that happened from it. Drew said it was amazing becacuse He hadn't heard anything about it or seen it, then he meets this guy and hears and then three hours later, his blackberry goes off and it's me sharing about it. God's good! Anyway, I say that to say, I was commenting on how my sign this morning would be, "Even though I can't fix computers and make words on the screen come up" I would flip my sign and have it doesn't matter----God can fix anything. Drew announced nothing was working again, but that it didn't matter. I wanted to kill him as I heard him say, Tiffany Lamey . . . . . shared with me this morning how she hates technology when it doesn't work, however she loves Jesus. After the shock of him mentioning my name and everyone turning around, I realized that I did say it and it's true that I love Jesus and that's what matters: Not if I can get a computer to work or not. It doesn't matter! I'm FREE!!!! Needless to say, after I taught Sunday School for Linda Peak and came back in the service and stayed for the entire service. I was free from the soundbooth b/c it didn't work. I know that God stopped the computer from working today b/c He wanted me to experience that freedom. It wasn't something that we couldn't fix or figure out--- I believe that he wanted me to have a true posture of worship instead of working through the service. I am very greatful for the time. I experienced Freedom and looking forward to seeing other things He releases me from or changes my attitudes about.

Not messing around

Well, I shared yesterday that I have started a new book and let's just say it didn't waste any time kicking off. I'm already very uncomfortable with it's challenges. It started off asking some questions that made me think:

What was I born to do? Love God, love people
What would be my greatest contribution to others? Loving God and with His love, loving others. I believe when that is done- Christ is most glorified and everything would fall in place.
What do I really love to do? (When I’m doing it times just flies by) I love to be with people, time flies by when I am helping people and working with them to make a difference. I also love lead and organizing events that can be enjoyed by families together.
What are the recurring themes that I find myself drawn to? Working with a team of Christ centered people that all have the same goal and purpose.
How do I want to be remembered? I want to be remembered as a person that Loves God and loves people. Seriously it sounds so simple, but it’s the banner I want to live by. If I love God and follow Him faithful, everything else is going to fall accordingly to His purpose and plan.


These questions weren't that hard they developed into: While daydreaming what do you see yourself doing? What have been the happiest and most fullfilling moments in your life? Let's just say I felt my toes get stepped on. I don't want to say I haven't daydreamed but to admit to what it is more diffuicult for some reason. I guess it goes back to the worth issue. My worth is defined by what I do. WOW! Growing up as I said I wanted to do ministry my parents said I wouldn't make any money and I couldn't do that. When I said I wanted to major in Christian Education- I was told I couldn't do anything with that. Etc. The end result of my daydreaming consist of me sharing the freedom of Christ with others and living in it! I need to just work things and develop that in mylife more now.

48 days . . . .

I'm super excited. I am starting this new book today and I can't wait to see how God uses it in my life. I desire to work for more than a paycheck. I'm afraid I've falled in the trap already that adults live for that purpose is for a paycheck to pay the bills, so you can just have this cycle and work to pay for rent to have a place to sleep, clothes to wear to work, etc. I have found myself asking, Is this all there is to life? I can't stand that attitude in myself and I have made the choice today to change it. There is purpose in what I do. I am with at least thirty different people a week, most of the time more, but at least thirty. What I can do can make a difference and that is what my purpose is, not drawing a paycheck.

Anyway- I'm doing this challenge of diet and self change together. I'm realizing that life isn't going to change, if I don't get up and move---so I'm moving! I've already encountered some tough questions in here though, so I'll hopefully be able to share them throughout this journey.

To God be the Glory

Let me just say this: Everyone has a story to tell---Oprah didn't come up with that on her own. Everyone has a story they are living. Everyone has a life with pain that can be overcome. And everyone has the opportunity to turn that pain, that turmoil, those really poor decisions you made (yeah, I raise my hand on that one), into something for which you can give God glory.

Today, one my best friends sent me this video link from Youtube. I watched it after a crazy and frustrating day and could help but cry like a baby. God's amazing! In situations we don't understand and don't think we can overcome---God is there. In sickness when we don't see the end ----God is there! Wow I could go on and on with situations that I am dealing with as well as close friends and family members.


So ... do me a quick favor and view this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ


What is my cardboard testimony? Are you going to take the time to stop and think about?
Hurt and discouraged which inturn is daily changed by Held by the Hope
Burdend and Confused which in turn is daily changed by Lead by the Way
I could go on and on and I think you could too . . . . .we all have been set free! We just need to hold on to that freedom--and run with it.

Wow----I have been praying for change in my church and people to be real. How amazing would it be if people were challenged by this and we presented it. Walls would be destroyed, lives would be changed, and people would be unmasked and it wouldn't be about us----We could realize and come together holding up our signs saying "To God be the Glory- for this is what He's done in Me." How awesome of a picture would it be to have people standing around the entire church--holding there signs. Wow---YES I'm still crying! I've had revival in my heart tonight!

I hope your with me on this----I am just such a visual picture that this brought it all home for me and I pray it ministers to you too.

Let's run in the freeom of Christ,
Love ya'll-
Tiff