Chapter 1: The Common Start, The Uncommon Finish
uugghh, just the title feels like a punch to the gut...
I can start really well - I am an excellent starter. A half trained dog, unfinished drywall, piles of papers still on my floor from when I was "cleaning" my desk a week ago... Yes I am a starter for sure.
I don't want to talk about finishing - I think I'm allergic to finishing, my dog ate all my finishing abilities.
That is why I have assigned myself this book. I have read it several times before and loved it each time. I have started a day planner more than once. Nothing sticks for long - I think its because of the fore mentioned flibbertygibbetness. And that is why I am blogging about it - even if no one reads this, this is how I am keeping myself accountable.
Lets see how this goes shall we? Come along for the ride, imaginary blog fan. I would challenge you to join me in implementing the tools of this book, but I know you are already a well oiled, organized machine. So just enjoy my travels to the healthy lifestyle land Donna Otto tells me I can have.
Donna Otto - The Real Deal
It was a balmy spring in 2005 and my sister in law and I were in Chattanooga. We attended a week long conference led by Kay Arthur, Donna Otto, and Emilie Barnes. On their own, all three of those women are powerful influences and mentors; but together - I can't even describe how motivating and encouraging they were. The topic of the week - Youniquely Woman: Becoming Who God Designed You To Be. The week was chock full of challenges and scriptural emphasis on exactly what it means to be a woman - and how empowering it really is to embrace womanly things. Donna Otto, specifically, was a charming speaker and gave amazing real world advice.
I left that week so fired up to really embrace being a keeper of my home. After traveling into the wee hours of the morning, we returned safely home and I went to bed. The very next day, lightning struck our apartment and we lost our home and most everything we owned. So much for being a keeper of my home, right?
Well, several weeks later as we were trying to get back to normal - I received a package from Donna Otto. My sweet sister in law had called the organizers of the event and asked for copies of the materials for me and told them why I needed them. Word traveled and Donna Otto took it upon herself to assemble me a personal package of gifts - all of her books, a feather duster (I know it sounds random but it actually has relevance) and sweet little gifts to encourage me. Needless to say, I was encouraged. I had never even spoken to this woman - she didn't know me from Adam. And yet she took the time to demonstrate the great love and mercy of our Savior to me, a stranger.
It touched me deeply and I have had a soft spot for her ever since.
Fast forward three years and I find out that she is speaking at a woman's event for my church. I immediately sign up thinking that maybe I will be able to corner her for a second to tell her how she impacted me in such a rough time. Imagine my glee when I hear that I get to have dinner with her and my in laws. Of course, she was amazing at the event and a hoot at dinner. At the end of the evening, she pulls me aside and tells me that when she heard about my fire she wrote my name on a tile in her kitchen and that she prayed for me every time she passed it - all this time. I was floored. She invited me to stay in contact with her (a privileged I am ashamed to say I have rarely taken advantage of).
Long story short, she is the real deal and a super star in my eyes.
So, Miss Otto, I want to learn from you and this time I want it to stick.
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