A Chapter Comes to an End

You talk about a rough few months. I AM PAYING ATTENTION. I took the liberty of reading my blogs from this first chapter, where the "Buck Up" journey began. As I documented my thoughts and feelings...from the most humblest of beginnings...I would contemplate whether some of those words mattered....whether those stories needed to be told.....whether certain credit was even interesting to the reader. 

I KNOW, without the shadow of a doubt, that IT ALL MATTERS. As I find myself holding a heavy, HEAVY page and have CONTEMPLATED for MONTHS (at least) on whether or not it was time to turn it, I AM SO GRATEFUL to be able to look back at the last chapter. Having the opportunity to use my own words to........give me the COURAGE and STRENGTH & CONFIRMATION to turn this heavy page is a beautiful gift I gave to myself....and others, quite possibly. 

As I read my blogs from the beginning of this journey it was really such a mix of awkwardness, nervousness, uncertainty and gradually mounted to EXCITEMENT & courageous steps, INTENSE moments of soul-searching and digging and digging and digging to get to my WHY. Part of me was SO glad when I left the "corny" stage of my blog writing & now, as I grin recalling it, I think....maybe I should inject a little more of that "corny."

My WHY was SO clear. It was SO incredibly clear from the beginning.....to help people. Whatever people came into my life I wanted to help them and I did. I went from wanting to help the organizations and bidders that gave me a chance to the friends that were comforting in scary times to other auction companies, to the clients that hired me to assist with settling their loved one's estate to raising money to help make a sick friend's life easier. Then I transitioned to wanting to help other auctioneers, working mothers, women in business, people on the edge of making a life-changing transition. 

What a journey.  WHAT. A. JOURNEY! As I begin quoting the courageous words that have given me all that I need to turn the page I want anyone reading this to KNOW.....IT ALL MATTERS. It matters SO much...even the corniest of the corny! Buck Up Baby & be BRAVE enough to put yourself out there KNOWING that you will grow. You will grow into who you are called to be.....and you'll keep groWING. 

Why is this page SO heavy? Well....it's FILLED with these invisible questions that have no answers. Energy used to not really be a concern of mine. Ten years ago, I had plenty of it and the excitement of something new just fueled it. Now, in my mind, each invisible question has a weight I attach to it. EVERY decision we make takes a certain amount of time, money, and energy and you can't get it back....not easily at least. Now my fuel supply of experience was slowing me down. As I went back to my very first blog called "Just Gettin' Started," I say: "If you don't know what to do...just do something. That's probably the sales skills in me." 

This is the first known picture I have of me selling. This is at Carmine VFD, taken by the late Melissa Wickel. 

I don't know (in FULL view) what is next. I have these little bread crumbs. That is all I have, and...the combination of bread crumbs don't always make sense, but then again....neither did a young mother, with a college degree in advertising....& a good paying job....feeling called to figure out all she could about the business of selling things by talking fast. It really is SO much more than that, but I'm not sure I knew that in the beginning.  Here is to me doing SOMETHING. I am turning the page, finishing the chapter, and starting another.....with a COMPLETE blank page in front of me. 

From "Startin' to Tackle That Mountain," I said: "My overall MAJOR plan is to pursue my auction career. I have a plan, but having worked with MANY businesses of all shapes and sizes over the last 7 years I KNOW that certain elements of that plan will have to change, happen sooner, happen later, happen differently, not happen at all...So for now, until I get more of the details panned out, I'm pursuing my auction career." 

I smile as I re-read that. I had NO IDEA what was in store for me. I had dreams, within the industry, that I chose not to pursue.....because I was made aware of something bigger and better than what I was able to dream. I smile because I made a business and a life and MANY friends doing things in this industry that I had NO KNOWN DESIRE to embark on. When I wrote that I had NO IDEA that I would go on to have numerous appearances on a hit TV Show, like Texas Flip N' Move or achieve the title of 2021 Texas State Reserve Champion Auctioneer. I'm still working on the Champion title. 

Photo Cred: Myers Jackson on my first or second shoot with Texas Flip N' Move.

Wrapping up shoots for a season.

Toni, Donna, & Randy joined the Buck Up Crew for Lights, Camera, Texas benefiting the Family Crisis Center and Children's Advocacy Center.

One of my last shoots. We brought little Hunter along. The last season I shot with them I was either pregnant with Hunter or just had him. The fam made a trip out of it with me and we spent a few days in DFW. 

Last 4 Photos: Photo Cred - Myers Jackson

Today, my overall plan is to turn the page. I have ideas and I have the ability to pivot at any given moment. God & life has taught me that. 

There reaches a point when you reach the goals you set out for. You made and continue to make the most of EVERY situation. You EXPLORE and you find. Then...you find yourself wanting more of something and not really knowing what. For me, I want to live out God's purpose for me. I don't want to miss a thing. I don't want to NOT experience what God has planned for me. In God's most perfect way, The Holy Spirit led me to a class that was less about skill development and totally about self-development and discovery. It was the Interpersonal Communications Class offered by the National Auctioneers Association. I wrote a blog about my experience called "Accept the Compliment." 

My Interpersonal Communications Class

The Compliment Giver - Suz

The life-changing truth uncovered about myself in that class was: "I had such little respect for myself that I squandered every EXTRA ounce of energy I had on being better and perfect for other people, with ABSOLUTELY no regard for myself." Yeah...it's HEAVY.....kind of like this page I'm getting ready to turn. It amazes me how we function...how we cope as humans....and the things we do in response to trauma. I REALLY do want to experience all God has planned for me and there was no way that was ever going to happen if I didn't own the fact that I was not respecting myself and then dive into what that meant. As I look back, this was a pivotal lesson, that took quite some time for me to grasp. It also took me down and kept me on a path, I hadn't planned on going down. 

Now.....having walked through similar situations meaning....hitting "brick walls" within the workplace...when it was The Good Lord's way of shutting doors to help me make the decisions He needed me to, to get me going the direction He needed me to. Another example would be....things just not working and forcing me to make decisions I would not normally make. I AM PAYING ATTENTION.  I have walked that walk and do not want to resist that truth any longer than necessary. I have identified these transitional moments and messages as I have made my way to where I am now. 

Over the last several months I have found myself unwilling to be disrespectful to myself. Isn't that a novel idea. I find myself being more thoughtful, asking myself more questions before making a decision, saying NO more easily, knowing what I DON'T like and what I will not allow to mess with my peace. My peace has become EXTREMELY important to me and if someone or something is not contributing to my peace, it has made my decision-making process much easier. MUCH. In fact, I have made decisions that create short-term stress at the aim of life-changing peace. 

My blog post: "A Locomotive Rolling Down the Tracks," is raw. It is real. It is confusion and frustrations and thoughts that went from my brain, to my fingertips, to your screen. You may want to check it out for reference. In that post I said: "For 10 years I built and developed something that I thought I wanted to, that served a purpose and helped many people - including myself, in many different ways and in many different seasons." I DID build and develop something I wanted to. Just because that is what I wanted then....when my focus was SOLELY to be better FOR OTHERS and their needs. That does NOT make it wrong. The way we did things, the choices I made, the services we offered were COMPLETELY in line with what was important to me. Now....other things are important to me also. HONORING and BEING KIND to myself is something brand new that BARELY existed in the last chapter. Now that, that vision is clear - I can turn the page and invite you along. 

Father, I am thankful for these words....Your words that you have brought me this week, to ENCOURAGE me to believe: "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope." Romans 15:4 NIV

You can check out my other blog: Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus!

Buck Up Baby....& turn the page!

ALL

What a BLESSED, wonderful morning! God is good!

Today, I want to share with everyone MY WORD for the year. I have tried finding my "Word for the Year" in the past & although I picked one, I can't recall it EVER jumping out at me, much less it sticking with me throughout the year.

This year was different. God has really placed certain things on my heart & one of those things is to really, truly work on loving myself the way HE loves me. He's been sending me reminders lovingly & so when a prompt in one of the Facebook groups I am a member of asked what our chosen "Word for the Year" was, it was so, so clear to me.

My word is ALL. What that word is to me is a reminder that God loves ALL of me. My husband & my kids love ALL of me. My friends love ALL of me. I can be so, so critical of myself & hard on myself when I don't meet the expectations I set for myself in the time I want to meet them. If I can learn to love ALL of me the way God & those closest to me do I truly believe that a peace will consume me, like nothing I have ever experienced & that peace that God blesses me with will pour onto EVERYONE around me in a way that I could never ever do on my own & what a blessed beautiful gift that will be.

Go to wordart.com to make your own image.

God is just so good. As I reflect over the last couple of months He has sent me to scripture, and articles & encouraging places to remind me that He loves the things I almost loathe about myself. He loves it, because He will use it. Those things will be connectors for Him.

Photo cred to Myers Jackson

Something God taught me this morning as I was praying is that we will have to wrestle with sin. As I'm laying in bed, but waking up, TRYING to pray intentionally, I was hit with the things I am normally hit with every morning. I'll start out with the plan of what will free my mind & as I feel like I'm getting somewhere & connecting, the devil tells me: "You really need to be thinking about this." "You really should be better at this." "If you don't do this, this will happen." "You should be doing this a certain way & you're not, so you suck." You get the picture. It took a little while, but I was determined this morning. I had and still have enough time to get my day started how I need to & it was like The Holy Trinity came in with a beaming light & cleared my mind. All the mind critters left. I even had a similar situation like I described in my last blog: "Accept the Compliment", where I wanted to retreat & God bless my Interpersonal Communications class, because I knew to let the wall down & to soak it in. Let the truth soak in, to the fact that there was absolutely NOTHING I could do to make God love me anymore than He already did in that moment.

Buck Up Baby & let's make 2019 a FANTASTIC year!! God bless!

Auctioneer Bid Calling Contests - An Explanation to the Public

The Texas Auctioneer Association State Convention is knocking on the door. What that means to me as an Auctioneer is that I have an opportunity to fellowship with Auctioneers from across the state & some visiting from other states, meet with vendors that help me improve business operations, receive continuing education in areas specific to my auction company's role in this industry, and I get to compete for the State Champion Auctioneer Title.

When I mention the competition to friends, family, and members of the public that aren't as familiar with auctions some picture each contestant coming in guns blazing ready to light the stage up. Others ask questions trying to understand why there is such a thing, and others seem like they want to ask me questions, but they don't know what to ask.

Considering that the contest is literally right around the corner I thought this would be a great opportunity to share what competing means to me & many other contestants & invite friends, family, & members of the public to join us for the Prelim round taking place on Sunday at the Hilton in College Station. Prelims are scheduled to start at 2:45, but if you are interested in coming, be sure to LIKE the Texas Auctioneer Association Facebook Page for the latest updates. You can also go to the Texas Auctioneer Association Website, where there is LOTS of interesting info about the auction industry.

Last year when I made the Top 10!

Getting back to what competing means to me. Several years ago, I attended my first convention. I had never been to one, didn't know what it was about & literally walked in like a sponge...just soaking it all in. I decided to sign up for the rookie contest & wound up placing 3rd. Stepping up and competing showed me something. I went from knowing very few people to meeting a group of people that were there doing the same thing I was...working on making ourselves better....learning things we did not know, but needed to...meeting people that could help us with the things we hadn't experienced yet....and dedicating ourselves to bettering our method of communication with others in the sale of merchandise. Not only did I meet and make friends with the other competitors, but after I stepped off that stage - there were people that didn't know me, make a point to talk to me....even if it was just to tell me how I did or shake my hand & introduce themselves. It put me out there. As a rookie, I didn't really know what that meant, but I knew it was good & I liked the way it felt.

Every single time I compete I learn something & I leave better than I came. Being judged by other Auctioneers & those in the industry that hire us, let's us know how well we are communicating with our audiences & helps us to see where we can be more effective.

First year of the Texas Lone Star Open in Fort Worth, TX. 

Let me also say, that standing on a stage in front of our peers, the best of the best in the industry, and other Auctioneers that have decades of experience is not the same for  us as when we stand in front of a crowd of buyers at a gala, car auction, cattle auction, estate auction or any other for that matter. The way I see it, we are putting ourselves in the fire BECAUSE we want to be sharpened.

As I continued to compete, it did not take me long to realize that we are REALLY competing against ourselves. Our performance has EVERYTHING to do with us & not a thing to do with the other competitors. All we can do is go out there and be our best self & take the feedback we've gotten and practice and apply it. We are mindful of things like: pitch, tone, rhythm, hand gestures, presentation, descriptions, speed & increments. Then, for the State Championship contest - we are also judged on our industry knowledge through an interview portion. 

In the Ringman competition last year, where I was a Top 3 Finalist.

If I could compare it to something mainstream, I'd compare it to The Voice. All of those singers can sing. The judges give them feedback & they apply it, but there can only be one winner at the end of the day. It doesn't mean the other's can't sing. It means that day...the winner MOVED the people the most & COMPELLED them to vote. I just think about what those judges tell those singers that run the risk of leaving the show. Something along the lines of: "Once you reach this point you are all winners. Your life will be forever changed, once you walk off this stage."

Earlier this year, I was calling a benefit auction & a lady came up to me, shook my hand & told me she had never heard or seen a female auctioneer & she complimented me on my clarity & told me she had more fun at that auction than any she'd ever been to because she could understand me and she knew what was going on. Then she said..."What you all do as Auctioneers is a dying art." I had such an appreciation for that lady.

She never enjoyed auctions before, so she rarely bought at live auctions - but that day...she bought items, lots of items & she called what I did a dying art & she enjoyed herself enough to let me know about it.

As an Auctioneer, who is around Auctioneers on a regular basis & who hires Auctioneers to help call my auctions - I can tell you all what we do is alive and well, with EXTREMELY talented male and female Auctioneers right here in our state & you have the opportunity to see some of them this Sunday.

2nd Year of the Texas Lone Star Open

At the end of the day, we care about our buyers and our sellers & we want to use the tool God blessed us with to communicate as effectively as possible. Buck Up Baby & come on out! There are lots of GREAT items up for bid, with money raised going to special projects like our scholarship fund & Scottish Rite Children's Hospital.

This past December at the U.S. Bid Calling Championship in Las Vegas
(Pregnant with our new baby!)

Photo Cred: Myers Jackson, Wes Pool, U.S. Bid Calling Championship

Exciting Announcement!

Hey Friends & Followers! I have a pretty cool announcement to share with everyone!

I will be an Auctioneer in Season 5 of the hit DIY Network show - Texas Flip N Move!! New season will start November 25th (the Friday after Thanksgiving). The first episode you will see me on is on December 2nd!! Set your DVRs & Tune in EVERY Friday 8PM Central Time!

DIRECTV - Channel 230

Dish Network - Channel 111

I want to shoot a quick message out to ENCOURAGE all of you who do not regularly watch the show - to START! It's been my privilege to get to know the cast & crew that is a part of this show & to be a part of the action! 

It is a FAMILY show. My 4 & 7 year old LOVE to watch it with us. It has FRESH & CreAtiVe design ideas! My FAVORITE thing about this show & all it stands for is highlighting REAL, true blue, working men & WOMEN ;). You get to see a snapshot of the lives of HOUSEMOVERS, CONTRACTORS, BUILDING PROFESSIONALS, DESIGNERS, & AUCTIONEERS & learn a little bit about our industries!

Buck Up Baby & TUNE IN - Friday NIGHTS - 8PM Central Time!!