Perception

 I have written about my wrestle with perceptions before. 

I find myself re-visiting this topic and, maybe, with more insights than I had before. I just gave a speech, where I found a different way to explain the reality of perceptions.

I asked the audience to look at this picture. 

I shared how some people will look at this picture and the first thing they will notice is the dirty, muddy, road. I have a friend that is allergic to everything and not about ANY creepy crawlies. I would bet my hard-earned money those would be her first thoughts. 

Some people will get excited OR nervous about what could be at the end of that road or driveway. Will they need to make a decision? I can feel the anxiety building.... Will the view be so spectacular they are left in awe? (Two different perceptions right here.)

Some people will be drawn to the light, which then allows them to appreciate ALL that the light is shining on. It may cause them to truly study the picture and the beauty in it. 

What is the truth? All of them and none of them, all at the same time. We form our perceptions based on our life experiences. EVERY perception we make as humans if from a limited vantage point. Therefore, how great would it be if EVERYONE moved through life knowing that there is moRE to EVERYTHING. I think we would see more second chances, more conversations, more respect, and A LOT more grace for one another. 

One of the many things I have wrestled with in business, is the general perception of others. The perception of the general public, my clients, bidders, non-profits, family, and friends....the list could go on and get broken down even more, in some regards. I wrestle with it, even though I KNOW the above..... That there is moRE to everything. There are things that I don't see. There are things that I don't understand, and the same for others. 

Over the years, I have had to learn the finesse of living with the one overall truth, which is that: Our perceptions are reached by our own experiences, which are true - BUT, all of our perceptions are limited. Thus, not the ULTIMATE truth....which is the only one that really matters. I think this is one of the major reasons grace, mercy, and forgiveness are so important to God and are in so many of His messages to us. Our perceptions will ALWAYS (until maybe when Jesus comes back) be limited. That is a fact. The more wisdom He deposits in us, the more we will know, and (most likely) need to ask forgiveness for. 

I could write a book about the role perceptions have played in the growth and restructuring of my business. However, what I REALLY want to leave you all with is this truth....this explanation. As you see changes happening around you and you feel the feels on whether or not you like it, whether or not it's "right," whether or not it is "fair," whether or not it was "handled properly," JUST REMEMBER - everyone's vantage point is different and NONE of them see the full picture. 

I am a firm believer that The Holy Spirit ebbs and flows at God's command. I am also a firm believer that The Holy Spirit is mysterious and thorough in His movements. I promise you, that our God knows each one of us so intricately. He knows how hard certain things are for us to let go. He knows our hearts in such a way, that He removes what we will not. He cuts the rope of what we keep hanging onto. He places just the right people in our path at just the right time, and removes the influence of persons, places, or things that are NOT part of His plan for our lives. So much of it won't make sense, but we want it to. 

It is why grace and mercy and forgiveness are bypassed for judgement and condemnation so often. We want to understand. We want to make it so. We want to have some handle on why things are the way they are. Yet....this is why He asks us to Just. Have. Faith. in Him. We can't. He can, and He LOVES us so incredibly and fully....WAY more than we love ourselves. Buck Up Baby! & have a little faith. You know what you know, but there is SO much you do not. Trust Him. 

Also...be sure to put perceptions where they belong. Rest in God's truth and the wisdom He has blessed you with. Doing this files off the rough edges that brush against you when experiencing the limited perception of others. 

A Pregnant Auctioneer

So....How's that work? That was the question I asked myself when I found out I was pregnant with Baby Heath.

I do the first thing I thought of & Googled it. What did I find.....NOTHING...except pregnancy symptom sites. So....I looked a little harder and found all kinds of things about breathing devices & an older blog post from a female auctioneer (not pregnant & not about pregnancy & auctioneering). Then I think.... "Well....who could I talk to?" All my mentors are men & let's face it.... They just won't GET it or they think I can't handle it... OR they just giggle and congratulate me like my teacher did.

So folks....Here it is.... My EXPERIENCE as a PREGNANT AUCTIONEER.

LOTS of emotions were felt. Right timing? Can I still call bids? Will I have to stop the bigger I get? Could it hurt the baby? What will the auctioneers I'm working for think? What will this do to my progress? How will it limit me? Can you tell I worry a little?

I'll start from the beginning. Right Timing? What have I come to see? PERFECT TIMING! This was a personal question....that had LOTS to with other situations besides auctions. God's timing is ALWAYS PERFECT! We prayed & still PRAY for a happy, healthy baby & wanted Kylee to have a sibling. We were ready to try, then a few uncertainties with work arose & we thought maybe we should wait, but OBVIOUSLY that didn't happen :).

Baby Heath @ 31 weeks :).

Does what is going on with your full-time job REALLY matter...in the GRAND scheme of things? I KNOW GOD has equipped me & my husband with the tools I need to SURVIVE & SUPPORT my family in ANY situation. Everything in his plan is PERFECT & has a PURPOSE.

This is my favorite pic. Some people see & some don't, but it looks like he's looking at the camera. His eyes are open & you can see his sweet little cheeks & chin :).

As far as all the specific worries about being a PREGNANT AUCTIONEER.....it will all depend on your body, what you're used to, what you health is, BUT....for me.....I kept on keepin' on. I called bids in Odem up until I was 5 months pregnant. It kind of worked out as a good stopping point b/c we had to move for my full-time job. The auction in Odem is A LOT more INTENSE than some of the FUNDRAISING & EVENT GALAS I have continued to do. You're, pretty much, on your feet from 9AM until about 4 or 5PM & your catching bids, calling bids, answering questions from LOTS of bidders..... I miss it, BUT it was good timing.

I made the personal decision to keep it quiet. For several reasons.... BELIEVE ME.... I'm sure I THOUGHT about things TOO MUCH. This industry is SO different & so PREDOMINANTLY MALE that I just didn't have the energy to deal with ANY negativity. I REALLY want to do the BEST I can & DO NOT want to be looked at as WEAKER, LESS CAPABLE, SOMEONE to WORRY ABOUT....any of that. Now let me tell you.....The folks over at ELCO Auction are some of the BEST you will find.....not just as an AUCTION COMPANY, but as PEOPLE. I had only been helping them there since January & was JUST getting to know their regular bidders & to be honest....IT MADE MY LIFE EASIER....by handling it the way I was MOST COMFORTABLE with.

Lookin' a little large there :).

ANOTHER REASON I decided to keep quiet is.....working in the CORPORATE WORLD...(no matter what ANY handbook or company policy says) you have to PROTECT YOURSELF as a WOMAN in the WORKPLACE. EVERYONE looks out for NUMERO UNO & we should too! REMEMBER that ladies. I was in the middle of a potential work transition  & I didn't WANT anyone to think I was LESS CAPABLE. This is a WHOLE 'nother blog post....BELIEVE ME.

Carmine Church Auction.

There were a couple of potential auctions I was turned down for. I can't say for sure why, but if the auction was relatively close to my DUE DATE (5 months +) I would be UP FRONT about it.

I could & can PRETTY EASILY handle auctions that last a couple hours or so. At about 5 months....BABY HEATH was getting HEAVIER and my LUNGS had LESS ROOM to move, so (A LOT OF TIMES) I got winded. LUCKILY....at MOST of the AUCTIONS I've done after 5 months....I've had UNCLE MELE there. I also got a little warmer than normal :).

Again....your HEALTH & the HEALTH of your BABY are the MOST IMPORTANT things. I've been EXTREMELY BLESSED to not have to battle high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or any other complications - Thus far & have a HEALTHY, GROWING BABY!!

Besides my Doctors...the only person I could REALLY talk to about the whole AUCTIONS & PREGNANCY thing is my VERY GOOD FRIEND & FELLOW AUCTIONEER..... Mrs. Stephanie Womack out of Nachadoches, Texas. If you're ever in that neck of the woods be sure to stop by Liquidator's Auction. She's got a sweet little girl too & will one day....probably have to go thru this same experience. It AMAZES me how the GOOD LORD puts certain people in your life....

I was worried about my progress as an auctioneer. This should probably be a whole 'nother blog post, but I'm dumping it all RIGHT HERE. GOD has a way of keepin' us on track. At the time we may not understand it OR agree with it (so foolish, but true). In this journey I have encountered A LOT of unknowns, opportunities, crossroads, questions, & have figured out A LOT about who I want to be, don't want to be & what I want to do. POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES turned into MOTIVATORS, but not necessarily the opportunity that I expected. I'm still at a few of those CROSSROADS & still have UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, but realized....I'm dealin' with GOD's TIME & MY TIME. I don't have to make some of these decisions b/c somone tells me to OR go a certain direction - until I figured out what is RIGHT for me and MY FAMILY. That took havin'  A TON of DIFFICULT DECISIONS dumped on me (at once) to figure it out....

Last question I had for myself...will I need to quit the bigger I get? Well...I can't say my experience will be the same for everyone. I called bids at 2 auctions this weekend. My due date is November 18th & GOD-WILLING, (if I'm not havin' a baby) I'll be calling bids at one on November 10th. Granted....I WILL NOT do a big auction alone...BUT I sure as heck don't feel like its too much. I still work on regulating my breathing & SUPRISINGLY being PREGNANT has helped me with that.

FOLKS! 2012 has been a RoLLer CoAsTer of a year for me. Sometimes it's hard to have a blog titled "Buck Up Baby," when you feel like runnin' off to a FAR away land.... That's NOT exactly what I'm all about, but the idea has been TEMPTING. It has been a real MiX of REALLY GREAT things, NOT SO great things, & CoNfUsing & DiFFiCult things....and all of them having a pretty SIGNIFICANT impact on our lives. BUT...like always...the WORDS ring TRUE: BUCK UP BABY!!

SOMETIMES....you SADDLE UP, climb on & WHOOP & RIDE & PULL that head around, but you JUST GET BEAT. I don't know about ya'll....but I learned from little on that - THAT was ONLY ROUND 1. You pick yourself UP, dust off, & CLIMB on again (a little MORE DETERMINED, pissed off & MEANIN' BUSINESS). You keep at it long enough & you'll wear'm out. PERSISTANCE my friends... The LONGER you go at it - the more you'll WIN. LIFE is a MARATHON just PREPARIN' us for that FINAL JOURNEY. SO....BUCK UP BABY & give it all you got!

STAY TUNED!! UPCOMING BLOG: Martinis, Minks, & Manure GALA!!! Sounds like a BLAST doesn't it?!