Reporting For Duty

A little over a year ago, I started this Seasoned With Salt blog. All this time later, it has turned into a full blown coaching business. The very first blog entry I wrote was about when God calls, we need to LISTEN and move into action immediately.

It doesn't necessarily mean that when you receive the calling from Him that everything will fall into place right away. After all, I have been plugging away at this for a little over a year in preparation! As a single mother, it has meant a lot of late nights and weekends. And fortunately, my kids are flexible and spontaneous like I am, so we've had some creative and fun family time right in the midst of all this change.

One year ago, I received a calling from God to live my passion, reach his people, and do it all for His glory. One year ago, I moved into action in preparation, made plans, prayed, refined those plans, actively prayed and listened for his guidance, cried my eyes out at times in frustration (technical issues, okay?!), and kept moving forward one step, and one instruction at a time.

Today, I can't tell you what my future looks like, because I find myself living by faith and not by sight. I don't know what a year from now looks like. I have an idea, but until I work through this next year, plan my steps, seek God's guidance and will, and continue to live by faith, I will have no real idea. I can imagine, but I've found that what I imagine and what God has planned are two totally different things. Usually, I imagine and dream too small. God always surpasses what I envision. Isn't that awesome?! (I tend to think of things in my small mindedness of what is possible, and sometimes I forget to think of things in God's awesomeness where EVERYTHING is possible and unlimited!)

Yes, this past year has been so much preparation and planning. It has been the time period in which I have been called, trained, and equipped. One of my favorite quotes is, "God doesn't call the equipped. He equips the called." That is so true! He has provided me with everything I need this past year, and now the time has come.

In three days, I report for duty to live His calling and become completely focused on that. I am not just a coach because it's a job. I am a coach of this magnitude and passion, because I have been called. And, now it is with honor that I look forward to reporting to duty.

I can't wait to wake up each day and know that I am called to serve the Lord by reaching his people to discover the potential he has given each of them. How can I contain such excitement for this mission!? I am so absolutely excited to have the opportunity each day to focus my life on Him. I know that without a doubt that in doing so, He will continue to guide me from here forward. I think I am too excited and happy to be scared. And, speaking of scared? I'm not. I am peaceful and smiling, joyous to the core. Yes God, I am reporting for full-time duty.

Three days left...and I want to punch in early ;-)

Get Off Your Buts!

I attended the Town Hall For Hope and listened to Dave Ramsey lastnight, and as always, he is right on the money. Ha, that was good...right on the money!

As a coach, I just had to write about my thoughts-what else is new, right?!

If you have some of the following thoughts the blog entry on Move Into Action will be right up your alley. The more I thought about it, I knew I couldn't ignore it. The problems we face are most often caused by the buts (excuses) we make. I'm can't ignore what I'm passionate about, and every person has potential. No if, ands or buts.

I included all the links at the bottom of this post. Happy Friday!

Do you always seem to sabotage your efforts?

Does life seem to be passing you by?

Are you nine life areas what you thought they'd be by now?

Do you find yourself saying, I would, but...

Get Off Your buts and Change your life!

Are you participating in the recession? http://www.moveintoaction.com/articles/20090424

While you are visiting my life balance website, be sure to Get off your buts (excuses!)

Want a GET OFF YOUR BUTS T-SHIRT?

Stimulate the economy and buy one!

Visit my store! http://www.zazzle.com/moveintoaction

Change In Plans

When I left work tonight, my evening agenda started unraveling beyond control. I didn't take my lunch hour until 4pm, so I could meet the appliance repairman at my house. Sunday while I was doing laundry, my front loading washing machine was leaking water straight through the bottom, and it was no minor leak either.

So, this evening my schedule started by looking like this:

4:00pm, Repair guy to fix washer
5:30pm, Dinner at the Anchor with family to celebrate Grandma's b-day
7:30pm, Surge at church

Not too bad, and that's what we had planned on for this evening. But, little did I know, it would all change.

Here's how it really went down:
4:00 Arrive home with headache from not eating lunch all day and desperately needing a snack.

5:00 Still no repair guy

5:05 Call Aunt to have her pick up the kiddos and take them to the restaurant so they don't miss
celebration with Grandma.

5:15 Dad arrives to pick up kids. How that changed is beyond me, but it works!

5:20 Repairman calls to say he'll be here in 10 minutes.

5:40 Call Dad at restaurant. Family hasn't ordered yet, so I meet them there. Repairman said it might be another two days for the part. It's okay, we'll just shower and wash clothes when the neighbor turns on his sprinkler system.

6:45 The kids don't want to go home just yet, so they ask if we can go for a drive around town. I have 30 minutes before I need to leave for bible study, so I agree.

6:50 We see a really cool house for sale. It's only $245,000. Can I just write an IOU and we'll just move in tomorrow? Never mind, I can't spend the stimulus package like that. Oooops, sorry!

7:00 We're about to head back home, when we see two teenage boys, one of which is laying in the street with his bicycle next to him, and his friend talking to him. My son realizes the boys are in his class at school and he is friends with them. He thought the guy laying in the street was "kind of hurt" and joking about it.

My son has me pull over and jumps out of the car to catch up with his buddies for a laugh over a fall off the bike, oops kind of thing, but realizes that it is far more than a silly "ha, ha, ha" type of incident. I see cell phones coming out, so I get out of the car and go to inquire about the seriousness of any injuries. The young man thinks he broke his wrists and can't get up off the pavement unable to put pressure on them. So, I stick my arms under his arms and around his chest to lift him up without hurting the wrists and get him to the side of the road.

He's in some serious pain and he's doing everything within his power to control showing his emotions. We moved him out of the street and offered to get him home, make calls from cell phones, etc, but he lived just a few houses down.

I know, long story. I didn't make it to Bible study tonight. Instead, I was in the right place at the right time to help someone in need. It's not about what happens in our churches as much as it is what happens when we are outside. What do we ignore? What needs are we meeting? And then are we pointing them to God, Christ, and our churches?

I know, more questions. Questions are good! They make us think! They stretch us to the "what if's" and allow growth and problem solving! They challenge us to learn and become more. So, if my questions bother people, I make no apologies. I don't want to change that! Why should I? What does positive change mean for people's lives? See? More questions! Ok, I'll stop for now.

When I got the kids back home after dinner and all the other activities, my daughter told me she really needed some clothes washed for tomorrow. So, I packed a basket full of laundry and took it over to my parent's house to wash it. Yep, I was missing Bible study tonight. I was big time disappointed as it's something that I do look forward to every Wednesday. For me, it's like eating cereal with no milk if I miss it. It feels like something is missing. In this crazy and draining world, Surge is something that gives me a boost or hope in the middle of my week.

But, tonight I just wasn't going to make it. NOT!!!

When I got to my parent's house, I pulled my laptop out of my bag, put the laundry in the washer and checked my email. And there it was...a reminder about Surge being on ustream.tv tonight. Oh, was I one happy camper! Pulling up Surge online made me think of the kids who used to get so excited over the radio shows before the days of TV. Not that I am old enough to have ever seen any of them...really, I am not!

I pulled up Surge online and began to watch it. And the best part? Pretty soon, I am not alone. Curiosity set in. My Dad got to see how Bible study and the church is utilizing technology formerly only seen in the business world being used to reach the people in the world for Christ. Had I not been doing a load of laundry tonight at my parent's house, I couldn't have shared the link and information. Yeah, God!

So, by not making it to Surge tonight, I got to help a young man injured laying in the street, and show another person that Christ can be accessed anywhere, anytime, and through the latest technology. Woooohoooooo!

I have to admit, my evening took on a whole new perspective when I thought about how my agenda fell apart, but I feel that God's agenda was met. What does it mean exactly? I don't know and that's not the point. The important thing for me is to just let God lead while I follow and do what He calls me to at the proper time. Had I waited to help that teenager in the road, he could've been hit by a car behind me. Timing is important! And I think the real lesson here is not my timing being the controlling factor, but trusting God's timing.

It's definitely been something I've been learning about. And it's not easy. It's not easy until I trust God and let Him be in control. Then I find it really does become easier. A lot easier. Even if it means I am not in church or where I had planned on being. I need to consider the surroundings I find myself in and reach the people around me...where ever that is.

Don't Panic, Just Buy Batteries

I have heard several references to the end of the world, or the end of the world as we know it. I heard it again today while listening to the radio in my car. Unfortunately for me, I plugged in my MP3 player only to discover the battery was too low. Yeah, and my charger is at home.

I tune into one of the stations, and I heard yet another conversation on the end of the world and all it's order coming in 2012 due to a sun or "solar" storm...something like that.

The disc jockey in all her wisdom, said to ride it out, "Just buy lots of batteries."

I am asking, "Why?"

Immediately, I found my brain referencing Scripture. I found myself calm and peaceful. In an instant, I could've become panic stricken and gone into "hoarding" mode to prepare myself. But, I didn't. In an instant, I found myself praying and thinking out loud to God, "You alone are in control!" And no panic was necessary.

Because the truth is....

God IS in control.

The next time we find ourselves in a panic state, state of confusion, or in a difficult situation...acknowledge that God IS in control.

Because He is.

No Sinner Left Behind

Ok, my brain is doing it again. I would really like to get to bed at a decent hour, but after posting the last blog entry, I immediately thought about what it would be like to reach every person in the world for Christ.

And we'd call it, "No sinner left behind."

What IF:
I am the only believer that encounters someone who doesn't know Christ and their eternal salvation is dependent upon me. It IS in our job description if you want to think of it as such. We are ALL called upon to reach everyone from one corner of the earth to the other, from one corner of our city to the other, and from one end of our parking lots to the other.

We really need to think about the consequences of not reaching out to non-believers. It's not like they are just going to fail one grade. It's eternity!

We need to face the fact that we are ALL sinners and our focus is not on what is INSIDE our churches, but rather WHO is outside that we haven't reached yet.

I have to admit, God has officially kicked my butt tonight. And, I am thanking Him for the rebuke and reminder. It is uncomfortable, but it is necessary. It maintains my focus!

No sinner left behind.

I got the message loud and clear.

Now, it's time to put it into action and do something with it.

Thank you, God!

Come, Share MY Space!

Why does having God in my life matter? Here a just a few of the gazillion reasons it does matter to me and what it means:


1. I can have a bad hair day and know that I am still B-e-a-U-tiful.

2. I love my kiddos even after they misbehave or make a mistake the same as God loves me when I do.

3. Perfection is a thing of the past. Perfection hasn't existed since Jesus was sent. I can strive to improve and live a more Godly life, but I'll never be perfect. It's okay. Neither will you ;-)

4. I love learning. The more I learn, the better my life gets in so many ways.

5. I know that I can forgive other people for all the stupid-hair brained things they do, just as I want to be forgiven for all the stupid, hair-brained things I do.

6. Judging others, gossiping, or being a know it all is not my job and personally, I'm glad I don't have to know so many things about other people. Less is best...trust me!

7. I know what God expects of me and how to best live my life because I can trust His word in the Bible.

8. God doesn't change the rules like people do. What He meant back then is what He means today. He doesn't change the commandments as we go along, so learning them isn't like trying to keep up with the IRS tax code which changes annually. Once you know them, you know them.

9. God doesn't expect me to read his mind, so I shouldn't expect people to read mine.

10. No matter what I lose in this world, I gain with Christ.

11. I can make plans for my life, but God has the right to change them to suit His plans.

12. I know that God is not some far off being that only watches what goes on from zillions of miles away. He is very involved in the details of my life and is nearer than I ever thought possible at times.

13. Before becoming a Christian believer, I thought God existed. All I could say to people was, "I think God ..." and after becoming a believer and spending time with Him in prayer and the Bible, I know he is a "feel". I KNOW He exists, and I KNOW what it is to feel His presence.


My hope is that just one person will read this and want to connect with God. And if you do and want to post your own list, I hope one more person will see that list. And, so on, and so on, and so on. If you don't have your own blog or space to post how your life has changed, you can post here in my comments section. I'll share my space!

Wow...if you're a Hutch resident, that sure gives a new meaning to "Come Share Our Space!" Sharing space for Jesus! We'll make room for everybody!

I Need A Job FAST!

One April Session Remaining!


Register Now!!!
Career Coaching Webinars

If you or someone you know needs to get a job fast and wants to cut through the bologna to learn what you need to know quickly, then these Webinars are for you!

Watch them individually or with a few friends and learn from a professional coach:



Employment Jump-Start Webinar
In today's economy, with corporations and small businesses downsizing and reducing staff, it is imperative that you know how to beat the competition when searching for your next position.

Christine Pechstein has the knowledge and know-how you need to be successful in your employment search. As a career coach, life balance coach, and job club instructor, she has the information you can't afford to do without. And, she has made it affordable.

Individuals who have been instructed by Christine have said that when they went to the unemployment centers, the information they received was vague and everything was hard to navigate.

The training and information Christine Pechstein offers is useful immediately, can be put into practice right away, and helps individuals get better results.

This fast paced webinar is a quick jump-start and covers topics such as:

Knowing how to identify and sell your skills
Application know-how
Resume 101
Cover letters
Packaging the product to sell-YOU
Avoiding self-sabotage
Interviewing as an art
How to beat your competition
Follow up

Webinar Cost is only $29 per participant and runs for approximately TWO hours! Plus, the presentation materials will be yours to keep for future reference!

Gather your friends, colleagues, and family and split the cost by watching as a group!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009, 9:30am-11:30am, CST (registration closed for this session!)
Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 1:00pm-3:00pm, CST (registration closed for this session!)
Wednesday, April 29, 2009, 10am-12:00pm, CST REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

Register at the above links today!* Seating is limited!



__________________________________________________________




Interviewing Is An Art Webinar
-Mastering The Top 10

Interviewing is an art that everyone can do. Can you tell a story? Then you can learn to interview effectively. This fast paced webinar will take you through the top 10 interviewing questions and give you examples that you can start tailoring right away!

Have you had multiple interviews not not received job offers?
Are you struggling to answer the questions?
Would you like to dominate your competition?
Do you want to improve your interviewing skills?
Would you like to leave a lasting impression on the interviewer in such a tight and competitive job market?

If you answered yes, then this webinar is for you!

Christine Pechstein is an experienced job coach, life balance coach, and job club instructor who will take you through specific examples and SHOW you how to get started. You will learn to tailor these questions and answers to fit your situation and career profile. Plus, the presentation materials will be yours to keep for future use.

Interviewing Is An Art is only $15 per person.

Gather your friends, colleagues, and family and split the cost by watching as a group!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 10:00am-11:30am, CST Registration for this session now closed.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009, 4:00pm-5:30pm, CST REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

Register at the above links today!* Seating is limited!

As always, Christine keeps her materials and coaching affordable, so space is limited on a first come, first served registration process.

Learn more at http://moveintoaction.com/articles/20081214

Want Life Change???

What’s the 30 Day Challenge everyone is talking about?

Yes, it's true! Move Into Action has added another product to enhance the life balance and coaching services!

It’s a six page, 30 day, short-term plan that assists individuals who wish to change their life in one of the nine different life areas. We often think that life change is something that happens way off into the future, and we automatically believe it will just “happen” when we get older.The truth is that you and I can achieve life change anytime we want to without waiting an eternity to see results! All we have to do is have a dream or an idea, set a goal, and work toward it.

Most times, we know how to dream, we know how to set a goal, but when it comes to working toward it, we think we must have these elaborate plans in place to get anywhere. If we continue to think that way, we will never get past the dream and idea phase. To succeed you must have an action plan with immediate steps you can start taking today!

Dream it. Plan it. Live it. Master it. Become it.

Give yourself permission and stop waiting for someone else to tell you it's ok to start living!

Subscribe to become a Life Change Subscriber or order your individual copy today.

In case you are interested, the March 2009 plan is available! Take a sneak peek below...

March 2009
30 Day Challenge Life Area: Community
Challenge and Goal: Get involved in your church

This six page challenge will also show you how much of your time you spend in just this one life area, so you can readjust if necessary. It's a good one, because EVERY believer should be giving some of their time, talents, and gifts to the church.Your challenge for the next 30 days is to set your action steps and get involved at your church. As a Life Change Subscriber you will have access to the 30 Day Challenge Forums. Take advantage of encouragement, ask questions, meet other "Challengers" and talk about how your life is changing in just 30 quick days!

Check in often-Life change often!

Visit my life balance and career coaching website at http://www.moveintoaction.com/

Our Comforted Constitution

I was writing my blog entries tonight and had the CBN Christian Network on the TV. I wasn’t really paying attention to the program until Feed The Children aired. After watching this program about the starving and abandoned children that are dying, I knew that God was getting my attention, because that was the issue. I wasn’t paying much attention.

I was so focused on the economy, my business, checking my email, and thinking about my daughter’s slumber party, that I wasn’t getting it. Thankfully, God has many ways to get my attention even when He chooses a method that isn’t comfortable.

I was thinking about our economy crisis and the desperate attempts to create a bail out that will never be paid off before the second coming of Christ. Yes, America’s crisis is bad. Our economy stinks, gas prices are rising, and it costs me more to drive my car. Instead of focusing on the issue of starving and dying people in another region of the world, I was soley focused on what was affecting me, right here in my own little bubble.

The people in this African village have no gas station, no autos, and there is no economy. There are no jobs, no money, and no healthcare benefits, period. In fact, there are no hospitals, no medications, and children are being abandoned because their parents are dying.

No, I’m afraid we Americans and Christians are so self-focused that we overlook what is happening all over the world. We choose to focus on the problems that touch us directly and make our lives uncomfortable. Americans send tweets of this nature: “ I lost my job and cannot afford cable. I’m miserable. Help! Somebody give me a job!”

The people in other countries don’t even have email. They don't send tweets, and there is no cable TV. And they have no grocery stores, no clean water supplies, and they live in one bedroom shacks for homes. We complain about the lack of affordable health care coverage. Other countries don't even have doctors or hospitals available to get emergency care. Yet, we moan, groan, and storm our government, because we are treated unfairly?

Under our Constitution we have the right to freedom. We do not have the freedom to receive all rights, just because. By trying to run our government this way, we will run it out of business. No business runs itself that way because they can't afford to, and our government can't either. After all, who is going to bail out the government?

What is being an American really about. The right to be comfortable? I don’t remember that being part of the U.S. Constitution. America used to be built on Independence. Now the citizens are spoiled and dependent.

We want to receive bailouts instead of pride ourselves at being the bailout for those weaker than we are. America has gone from the land of opportunity to the land of the comfortable and spoiled.

We are a land that values the rights of comfort over the founding principles and God. We are a nation that screams poverty and injustice while watching cable on our television sets with the fast food we purchased in front of us.

One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all. That was our foundation.

One bankrupt nation, without God, with corruption, but comfort for all. Is this what our goal is?
When we look outside of the comfort of our bubble, we can begin to see where we have begun to break down as a nation. And in order to regain our strength, someone is going to have to make people uncomfortable. Success doesn’t come from comfort. Blood, sweat, and tears hurt, man.

But, that’s where our dignity, thankfulness for what we do have, and our willingness to share will impact more than just ourselves.

Be an American that impacts the world and make a difference today. Stop thinking about your comfort by making a sacrifice to bring comfort to someone else. It’s time to start living under God, with liberty and justice for all.

Visit Feed the children. It costs less than two value meals per month. And if you have a hospital nearby, clean running water, a toilet with paper, food (no matter how little), a TV, a beat up car or better, a pet that's not kept for food...stop whining. Focus on someone other than yourself. I did, and my perspective has changed. No more whining.

http://www.feedthechildren.org/site/PageServer?pagename=dotorg_homepage

Human Trafficking and Job Hunting

After watching MSNBC investigates until the wee hours of the morning last week, I learned about human trafficking that is taking place in every neighborhood (even small town USA) to women and teenage girls. Please take a moment to learn about it here or by doing a google search on human trafficking. Ladies, the job market is fierce, emotions are running high, and we may come across that one thing that sounds perfect. Please check into it, and beware. Please search for employment safely, and when in doubt, please listen to your gut feeling. Please use a safe network. Don't fall for the many traps being used today.

Additional information:
Florida girl taken as sex slave
Please note: Places of concern are modeling venues, salons, massage parlors, and nude bars. And, believe it or not, Craigslist under Escorts. If you are a man and you visit these places, please realize that your own daughter, niece, or 10 year old neighbor could be trafficked and sold for prostitution. The only way to stop it is to not be part of it or promote pornography it in any way. Period. Take a stand! For help please visit http://www.wisechoice.net/resources/
Polaris Project learn more about human trafficking and get involved.

Change, Change, Change...

Change, change, change...

change of fools....

was that a song??? Chain of fools or Change of fools? Hmmm...It was well before my time anyways! Well, I am a fool regardless. Yes, I am in the process of moving my Seasoned With Salt blog off of my coaching website to:

1. Create needed space for job matching and other creative services
2. Separate business and Christianity (Yeah, I know...)
3. Keep my technical skills sharpened
4. Sleep??? What's that when you run a business? (Are you kidding? I love it!)

Bear with me while I transfer all the blog posts to this site, but remember-everything business coaching will remain at Move Into Action.

I'll be up late, so drop me an email or tweet or find me on Facebook if you'd like! Entertainment is appreciated!

The Spring Cleaned Life

Each year when the warm weather starts to return, I find myself searching through my closet. I alternate between spring and winter clothing, and after a few weeks of this my closet and drawers desperately need to be reorganized. Actually, I find this to be true after each season has come and gone.

Since I’m a person who naturally can’t stand chaos and disorganization, I find myself cleaning stuff out and rearranging quite often. I believe a lot of that is just part of being a life balance coach. It is a plus though. Each time I clean something out, reclaim space, and eliminate what I no longer need, I also regain my time. By cleaning out the old, I don’t have to root, sort, and hunt for things I can find quickly!

But, there is something so much more important that needs a good cleaning several times per year that often gets neglected. It’s more important than any closet, dresser, or basement. It’s your life.

I created the 30 Day Challenge, a six page packet to aid individuals in reaching their goals by planning action steps and a plan based on what they want each life area to look like. They follow these specific steps week by week for the next 30 days to become what they dream in each area. But, as I worked through one of mine in the life area of community, I realized something completely different.

I stared at the calendar page with a “deer in the headlights” look on my face. By utilizing this calendar technique just to chart my activities for a couple of months, I realized how much time I was spending in one area of my life, but was too out of balance in the rest. Me, a life balance coach, who practices what she preaches in the coaching world, had become so far out of balance! How’d that happen? It happens to everyone, and I mean everyone, as time progresses.

We volunteer for one or two activities, and pretty soon we’ve volunteered for five or six without realizing it. We promise someone we will help out temporarily, which quickly becomes permanent. We try to help others by running errands, adding activities, and becoming involved in projects. For me, I realized how quickly I added activities that began to compete with my time with God, my time with my kids, and my time focusing on what God calls me to do. Personally, when I get frustrated, it means that I am out of balance. Balance equals peace where imbalance leads to stress. To destress, I need to rebalance my priorities and my time based on my priorities.

I know I control my time, and I was ready to reclaim it. I was ready to reorganize, and soon, I realized I also had to eliminate. Yes, the hard part was shaving some obligations and activities off my to-do list. But, I also as a coach understood that if I chose not to eliminate some things, I would have no hope of rebalancing properly. Who would I have to blame for my overcommitted schedule? No one but me. But, wait! I’m a leader! How can I possibly say, “enough?” Easy. Pick up the phone and be honest. Send an email.

Do whatever it takes to rebalance, reshift, and focus your time. I honestly knew that I was becoming diluted. And when I’m diluted, no one is getting quality anything. God is not getting quality time from me, my kids aren’t getting quality dinners and are eating too much fast food, and I am not able to focus the gifts and talents He provided me with to do His will.
That is enough to make me say, “enough!” It doesn’t mean that I have to sit at home and do nothing. Not at all. I am still very much involved in several activities at church and in the community. But, I have cut them back by 50%.

So, how’s it going after spring cleaning my busy life? It’s fantastic as always! My oldest daughter commented tonight about how each evening this week has been fun and relaxed like our weekends. Even though we have school and work keeping us busy, our evenings have been full of good food (and yes, I’m even spending the time in the kitchen to cook it!), the type of laughter that makes our faces hurt, and the peace that comes from a balanced life.

If you are not balancing your life, controlling your time, and maintaining your priorities on a regular basis, you will experience stress, illness, fatigue, burnout, and compassion fatigue. The world will not restore what it takes out of you. The only restoration source for your internal well is Christ. Do whatever it takes to realign, rebalance, and keep your focus