Wednesday, May 14, 2014

what matters

I gave a talk last night to a group of young ladies and their moms.  Some of the girls in the group read my blog and thought it would be fun to hear from me.  I have never done this kind of speaking before.  Autobiographical.  It was a very unpolished speech and I will always doubt myself but it is done and it was done with good intentions.  So there ya go.

This group was so attentive and kind.  Katie took to the girls her age and had such fun meeting and chatting with them.  I think she would like to go to another meeting!  That's cool.  My little extrovert.

It was hard for me not to get to speak with more people one on one.  I like that the best. 
But I did meet a lovely mom and her daughter who is an artist and the daughter is working on starting a blog....and she happens to go to Hillsdale College (my alma mater).  Pretty amazing, huh?   I suggested she go home and listen to Sara Groves' Add to the Beauty.  I just know it will inspire her to pin point her blog purpose.   





~Edward Steichen 1906




Add to the beauty.
Love and encourage one another.
Lead a quiet life...
You have value because God values you.



Do you know that nothing in this life will ever matter, unless it is about loving God and loving
the people He has made.
~Francis Chan



And then I bragged about you guys.
I told them that you have encouraged me more than I have encouraged you.

It's a blessed place, this blog is.
I'm thankful for what God has done.


Encourage one another,
Donna

p.s.  Hi Claire!  I'm sorry we did not get to speak together.  Katie recognized you...isn't that funny? It was so nice to see you last night.









24 comments:

  1. I would have loved to heard your words!!! So cool . I love that someone saw your amazing potential for ENCOURAGING others and asked you to speak. What a great event!!!

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  2. Kathy, you said it perfectly: I'm sure everyone left the meeting encouraged.

    I"m so glad to hear about this. After a long online connection, it's always special to hear the voice.

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  3. Donna, I love you and I'm very pleased and proud to read this.

    I am a blessed gal because of the opportunity I had to spend time with you across a table last year :-)

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    1. I was thinking along similar lines: I'm so thankful for the face to face time I've had with you, Donna.

      I often go back to a fun moment at my dentist's office. Another patient, a friend of mine from long ago, was in the waiting room. She said, "I saw your picture on Quiet Life." My first thoughts were, "Donna? She's my friend!"

      And I feel that way about the regular (and not so regular) commenters, even though we've not met. Donna Elsie: the greatest friendship facilitator.

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    2. Anonymous10:56 AM

      Also (((LOVE)))
      Mary Z

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    3. Anonymous12:36 PM

      LOVE!!!

      Debbie Z.

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  4. How exciting! I am sure all the women there were very encouraged by your words. You are a blessing, Donna!

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  5. Thou shall not covet. Thou shall not covet. Thou shall not covet.

    Working on it, but wishing I could have been there last night (-:

    Add to the Beauty is a perfect song to help focus a blog. One of my all time favs.

    You are the Huge, Donna Elsie. So glad you got to spread the encouragement to local folks.

    Mucho love,
    Di

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  6. Anonymous10:50 AM

    LIKE.... I agree with everyone above ^^

    What a neat experience for you last night! I am thankful for you too Donna and all the lovely people here.
    Love,
    Sarah P. from Iowa

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    1. Anonymous10:53 AM

      Oh, and I love the picture above!

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  7. Anonymous10:56 AM

    Is it weird that I feel proud of you? No matter, I DO!! What a blessing for that group -- and what an honor for you.

    Keep doing you, Miss Boo. No one does it better!

    xoxo
    Mary Z

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  8. You all are making me blush. Imagine how Pooh would feel.
    That's me. Exactly.

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  9. I am so glad you were able to present. I know you were a blessing. I would love to hear you talk one day : ). I have been thinking of you non stop yesterday and today. I shot for the

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  10. Archdiocese as they are preparing for the World Meeting of Families and it is going to be held in Philadelphia. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia visited Philly. What a lovely human being he is. I kept thinking that you would love the things he was saying and doing.

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  11. Anonymous11:19 AM

    The image on today's post....is it a photo or a painting? Do you know who the artist is? Just wondering.....it is lovely. I enjoy my daily visit to your page. Thank you.

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    1. Hi. All I know about the picture is that it is from 1906. It is a photo.

      Okay.. I went and found the photographer's name. It is Edward Steichen. I'll post on blog now that I figured it out.

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    2. Anonymous7:00 PM

      Thank you!

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  12. Anonymous12:40 PM

    Thank you for the beautiful Edward Steichen photograph. I have admired his work for a long time. And thank you even more for your words. I have printed out your paragraph right under the photograph and I am taping it to the corner of my computer screen. It is a perfect capsule of all that matters in this life. Loving God and loving others. You are such an encouragement and I just know you were fantastic giving your talk last night.

    Debbie Z.

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  13. Anonymous2:15 PM

    {{{LIKE}}} everything you said Donna and all the QLCS comments, too.
    You are a blessing and as a friend of mine says, "An angel with skin on."
    love and prayers, jep

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  14. Amy J in WI10:12 AM

    What a neat opportunity, Donna. I am proud of you for accepting and just doing it! As I tell my kids, when give the opportunity for action vs inaction, take the action. You usually are blessed because of it :).

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    1. Thank you Amy! Good advice!! I met some great people!

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  15. I'm glad you were able to speak to them! I'd love to sit in on one of your sharing sessions one time. And I learned something new? I don't think I knew you went to Hillsdale! We have read Impremis for years.

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