Come on in... sit down, and have a cup of dare!

Come on in... sit down, and have a cup of dare!
The Dare Chair... scroll down the page to find out what this chair is all about!

Quote of the Week

"Happiness is like a kiss. You must share it to enjoy it." ~Bernard Meltzer

Get Your Groove On! Choose any song you wish, and start dancing in the kitchen!


Sunday, August 15, 2010

City Girl and Town Girl


Once upon a time there were two girls. One was from the city, and the other was from a small town. Both city girl and town girl were shy... shy as could be. They were blonde, sweet, and full of smiles. They were the kind of girls that would hide behind Mama's leg, holding on for dear life if an adult was speaking to them. City girl remembers that when she was in second grade, the principal joked about her blue fingernail polish in the hallway one day. She was so shy she couldn't even speak.

City girl and town girl both had a good childhood; nothing out of the ordinary. Life took them on similar routes all the way to high school. Along came cheer-leading. City girl's dad was completely against the idea, but city girl wanted this more than anything. She dug down deep, and used her stubbornness for good. Town girl had the support of her family, and wanted it almost as badly as city girl. They both got what they wanted... a spot on the cheer-leading team.

Cheer-leading was their common bond. It brought both of the girls out of their shyness. Watching the girls bloom was a true gift; The beauty hiding behind the shadows of shyness blessed everyone they touched. Who would have thought that cheer-leading could awaken souls? It did, and city girl and town girl were thankful... Their lives had been changed for the better.

City girl chose the predictable route... college, job, family. Life was good; not always easy, but good. Town girl, who always wondered why her family left the big city for a small town, was ready to see the world! She also, chose the college route, but chose something much more adventurous and brave... She chose the military! Town girl became a soldier. She pushed fears aside, expectations aside, challenged herself, and was now on her way to becoming a remarkable woman.

City girl had a reawakening. She found out that she actually has a lot to offer. She is pushing past the limitations her mind had put on her, and breaking down the fences. She is happy... oh, so happy. There is energy and life waiting beyond those fences.

City girl admires town girl very much, and secretly wishes she would have had more courage when she was younger. She smiles when she sees town girl... anticipating the future... knowing full well that town girl will blossom into an incredible flower unlike anything the world has ever seen.

And just who are city girl and town girl? Mother and daughter. Yes, you see, I am city girl, and my beautiful daughter is town girl. I admire her so much... more than words can say. She takes my breath away. She has grown up to be an admirable young lady that I am proud to know.

Go meet the world, town girl, with open arms... It is waiting for you. The world will be more beautiful because of.... YOU.
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3 comments:

JeriLyn said...

beautiful Lisa! your writing is wonderful! letting go.....fills us with so many mixed emotions!!!!! I am sure you are very proud of her and it is so exciting to see what God has in store for our kids when we let them go !

August 16, 2010 at 7:24 AM
Unknown said...

Lisa that is so amazing and I feel blessed to have seen some of this tranformation in your little girl take place. She is so beautiful inside and out and she does indeed make the world more beautiful. Give her a hug from her old Sunday school teacher, she and you will be in our prayers.

August 16, 2010 at 10:23 AM
Julie said...

You're making me cry .... isn't it just the best thing to see your children become amazing young adults?

September 16, 2010 at 6:56 AM

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The Dare Chair

Come on in, and pull up a chair! I'm here to inspire you, encourage you, or just plaine Double Dog Dare you to get out and do something you never thought you could do! Periodically, I'll add a quote, comment, or story which will hopefully give you just enough of a nudge to follow your dreams... to take that class, go rock climbing, run a marathon, start that exercise routine, eat healthy, write a book, or whatever your heart desires. You are the author of your life... live it!

Monday: Sit down, have a cup of dare, and write down your goals. Post them all over the house, if it helps! No matter how crazy the goals seem, don't talk yourself out of them! You are strong, you are invincible, you are WOMAN!

Tuesday:
Find a friend to hold you accountable. Accountability is huge! If you have a network of support, your chances of failing are less. Make sure you choose someone that is not afraid of pushing you! Usually moms, grandmas and husbands are not the best choices; they're either afraid of hurting your feelings, think you are fine just the way you are, or do not want to end up in the dog's house! So, choose that friend that is honest, no matter what the cost... trust me, you'll need her!

Wednesday:
Okay, so now you have someone to hold you accountable; great start. Now, be a blabber-mouth. Tell as many people as you can what your goal is. Knowing that so many people are waiting for you to succeed will be a huge motivator. I know when I skiied the Birkie, there were many times along the trail that I truly wanted to quit. I knew I had a cheering section on Main Street waiting for me to cross that finish line. That was enough to motivate me to keep going, one stride at a time.

Thursday:
If you fully realize nothing else, take a big dose of reality on this one... this is going to be hard, uncomfortable, and many times not enjoyable (depending on what the goal is). So, now that you know that, get over it! Achieving your goal will be worth the sweat and tears. Really... it will. Push yourself beyond your former limits. Get rid of self doubt! Even if it is the hardest thing you've ever done, do it with all you've got! Swallow your insecurities, hide your inhibitions, and show yourself just how strong you really are. YOU CAN DO THIS!

Friday:
Try not to look too far into the future. Break your goal into steps, and focus on one at a time. Now, if your goal is to join a class, by all means bite the bullet and do it now; no need to take baby steps on that one! But, if your goal is for example, a marathon, don't quit after the first week because you can't run ten miles! Give yourself time to reach the larger goals. In the meantime, give it ALL YOU'VE GOT, and be pleased with the little steps towards your goal.

Saturday:
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, GIVE UP!!! (Take it from Winston Churchill... he knew what he was talking about!)

Sunday:
Take one day to rest, or have a special treat. You've worked hard all week, but make sure you don't reward yourself too much... i.e. a whole bag of Hershey's Kisses!!!

SHARE YOUR SUCCESSES WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. SHOW THEM YOUR PROGRESS, WHETHER IT IS ART WORK YOU'VE DONE, CLASS WORK, A NEW DANCE YOU'VE LEARNED, OR THE NEW PAIR OF PANTS YOU NOW FIT INTO. CELEBRATE!!

Check out the Blog Archive for writings pertaining to the Dare Chair: April--Uncomfortable, Checking In

INSPIRING QUOTES: If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or Fight Like Hell. ~Lance Armstrong
If human beings are perceived as potentials rather than problems, as possessing strengths instead of weaknesses, as unlimited rather that dull and unresponsive, then they thrive and grow to their capabilities. Barbara Bush
Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly. John F. Kennedy
He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions. Louisa May Alcott
There's a need for accepting responsibility - for a person's life and making choices that are not just ones for immediate short-term comfort. You need to make an investment, and the investment is in health and education. Buzz Aldrin

This Chick's Groovy Music... start dancin'!

  • Aretha Franklin
  • Chicago Motion Picture Soundtrack... This one is great to sing along to... especially when cleaning the house!
  • Chris Botti... great trumpet player, his music is just beautiful!
  • Christmas Music, of course! Bing, Frank, Rosemary... all the classics!
  • Diana Krall
  • Ella Fitzgerald
  • Eric Clapton... I can' t seem to hear enough of his music lately!
  • Eva Cassidy... worth finding!
  • Johnny Cash - great for two-stepping around the kitchen island... if a babe is in your arms, all the better! (A tiny babe, or a Hunky Babe... either one will do!)
  • Loggins & Messina.... ahh... "feel good" music
  • Neil Diamond... I've loved his music my whole life.
  • Norah Jones
  • Phantom of the Opera (motion picture soundtrack)
  • Ray Charles... I can't help but to smile when I hear him sing.
  • Renee Olstead
  • The Notebook Motion Picture Soundtrack