you Get What you Value
Coffee, trending clothing, a good long voice text with my bestie, TikTok Fridays, car rides with my spouse, conversation with a small crowd in my home over a charcuterie board and Sunday mornings with the body of Christ. All things I spend my time and money on. All things I value.
Look around your home. Scroll your Instagram. Take a look at your spending. Check out your calendar from last week. We spend our money and our time on what we believe is important. And theses things tend to be rooted in what we value. Whether you have sat down and actually identified those values is a different story. But inevitably we all have things we value and like it or not, they determine your priorities. Your values are the measures you use to tell if your life is turning out the way you want.
When you have identified your values and live them out loud, life is usually good. Because you get what you value. When you are unclear or lack intention, and you make decisions without alignment, that’s when things can go wrong. This can be a source of real discontent.
Values exist whether you recognize them or not. Life can be easier when you clarify your values. They serve as a rudder that helps steer your ship. When you honor them they lead to a life that is meaningful and rather rewarding.
This past week I was able to see a value in our home live and in action at a global event. In our home, we value people. And to take it one step further, we value ALL people. We believe that life should be lived out helping others win. And it is best when immersed in people who are not exactly like us– but diverse and different.
Eighteen years ago, different changed our life.
Different cracked our hearts wide open to love big.
Different opened doors of great awakening.
Different catalyzed authenticity.
Different was for our good.
Different made me better.
Different has brought challenges and led to advocacy in a world that often is unaware of how different can be celebrated.
This past week our family experienced a day that felt like a dream. It was the sum of so many values we have been living out, believing in and standing up for. It all happened on a runway in Los Angeles, California. Addie was selected to be part of the Runway of Dreams Fashion Show.
The event was founded on the basis that clothing is a basic human need. Runway of Dreams empowers people with disabilities with confidence and self-expression through fashion and beauty inclusion. The vision is that one day the adaptive category will be as commonplace as petite and plus size, and people with disabilities will have access to fashion that excites and empowers them. The mission is lived out by raising awareness, educating consumers and advocating for industry change, supporting next generation design innovators and providing access to fashionable adaptive apparel for those in need.
You may not have realized that the sizes of clothing and what she needs access to is different. You probably didn’t know that her disabilities limit her due to some skills that you or your child possesses and with a different design, a simple tweak, she can be successful and independently dress.
The dignity in the room was palpable. There was a sense of pride and self respect—as there should be. People with disabilities are people first. Our lives are made better when we all help all people win. It’s always good to connect in our likeness, but the world will be changed for the good when we can champion what’s different–a great thing to be.
You can watch the event live today, March 15 on the Global Premier 7:00 pm EST.
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