Believing when you don't want to believe

"I lost my job". I came home early last December and told my wife. My daughter comes crawling up to me and I pick her up and hold her while she's sucking her fingers.

"I'm sorry," Kacy says. "What happened?"

What I said next was just a bunch of details about mistakes happen - blah, blah - boss yells at me - blah, blah - never liked me - blah, blah blah. A lot of tears of fear being shed of what was going to happen next. Then I feel something.

*squish* - my daughter, Averi sticks her slobbery finger in my ear and gives me a baby wet-willy.

Thanks, kid.

That was a hard time for me and my family (not the wet-willy). It's interesting how the Lord works in our lives. What he blesses us with at the most unexpected times. To give you background, I was planning on quitting that job I lost a month later, in January. I was terrified to do so because I did not know how we were going to pay for what we needed. Then the next day after receiving the news I sat down and talked to President of the company. He essentially told me that he would pay my salary through January for me to find a job that would give me a good beginning in my career.

Speech-less.

Again, I came home in tears. No baby-willy's this time. Kacy and I had been feeling for a couple months that we should move to where her family was in Arizona. I began applying to jobs like crazy and I even tried to get a little creative in the applying process.

While down in Arizona for the Christmas holiday, I was applying to any job I could find. Kacy suggested on Christmas I take a break from the madness. I woke up Christmas morning and felt I should apply to one job. I applied and a few days later was called for an interview.

That has been my job now since the beginning of the year. 

The Lord is here to bless each of us. In our own individual way, a way we may not understand. At times we may feel discouraged and afraid but if we are willing to follow Him, we will be blessed.

Believe in yourself and in His plan. You may have to do something crazy like move to another state...but the blessings of being willing to do His will instead of your own...immeasurable.

Baby wet-willys notwithstanding.

A World Worth Living For

Have you ever sat back and given yourself time to think? Have you thought about how you treat other people? Have you thought about how other people have treated you?

Have you grown a little bit more wise today?

Today, I was feeding Averi. As I watched her hold the bottle and gulp down her milk in about 5 seconds flat - I thought about how I want to do things differently as a parent, and I became a little be frightened realizing that...this world is way messed up, people.

Way messed up.

I thought about how I would teach her about strangers, about why there is war, about the adversary and how he is real - even though you can't see him.

I thought about making good friends, not being a hypocrite, and I can't control everything she will choose to do or to say...

But I can show her why this world is worth living for.

I can show her the importance of: talking to the guy on the street, making food for a family that needs it, loving people who hurt you, and admitting you're wrong even when all the pride in your body wants to defend the opposite,

and how to be Christ-like.

Will I be perfect? Nope.

Will I make mistakes? Absolutely.

But at least she'll know why life is worth living.

To live the laws of God, serve other people, and being willing to change who you are today....

To be a better person tomorrow.

To Lead with Confidence

Every once in a while I go to the gym. More times than not it's because my wife, KacyAnn is pushing me out of the house telling me I'm "a little fluffy", but I go.

A few weeks ago I went and played a pick-up basketball game at the gym. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Now, let me give you some background here - there is a full court game being played of 5-on-5. After one team wins, 5 other players in the gym form a quick team and go in to play the winning team. The winning team then continues to play until they lose a game or one of their players leaves. Pretty simple, right?

Not today.

The team we ended up forming were as follows: 5 white guys, all under 6'1" with one guy that - - well lets just say he was in his mid-50's and didn't look to be in basketball shape. The team we were up against?

5 Black guys, all over 6'5".

*Gulp*

As we started the game, I noticed something strange about one my teammates. I don't remember his name, but for the sake of my story we'll call him - David.

David was walking around to our team introducing himself and saying, "let's go guys we've got this. Let's go."

Yeah-let's just go home and save ourselves the beating that we're about to have put on us by this Goliath basketball team.

We start playing and David keeps passing the ball. To everyone on our team! Mr. Mid 50's would fumble a pass and he would shout, "That's alright man. That's alright we'll get it next time." He would pass the ball to a smaller guy on our team and he would make one. David would say, "I'm comin' to you next time hot hands."

He showed confidence in others, and they did what was needed to win.

Toward the end of this game we needed only 2 points to win the game. Because of my "fluff" I was a little late getting to that side of the floor. David tossed me ball at the top of the 3 point line and said, "Game winner right here baby."

Swish.

We ended up playing 2 more games in a row that night until David and I had to leave.

I wonder how much different the world, our jobs, and our families would be...if we just expressed more confidence in each other, our coworkers, and loved ones...

I bet more people would perform above their perceived potential. And probably knock down the winning shot a lot more than we realize...

"Game winner. Right here baby."

Swish.