Every day on Facebook I see that someone's relationship status is changing from "single" to "in a relationship" and within a months time it goes back to "single". The first week of that relationship, you see statuses about how lucky they are and how much they love that person. The second week they have made them their profile picture and are posting on their significant others page about how much they miss them and can't wait to spend the weekend together. However during the third week, the relationship the relationship has slowed down, the profile picture is of themselves, no more posts about their boyfriend/girlfriend, etc. The next week, you see the dreaded "____ went from being "in a relationship" to "single" or "it's complicated".
That's the same type of relationship that some of us have with God. When we first come to Christ, we want to tell everyone! We want to show everyone our Bible, talk about how great He is and go to church every time there is an event going on. People see that we have changed for the best. After a few months, we start missing random Sundays to go out of town or to a friends birthday party, etc. We stop talking about what God is doing for us and begin to fall back into our old ways. Other things begin to take priority over God. It's only a matter of time before we only go to church on Christmas, Easter, Father's Day and Mother's Day.
The fact of the matter is that people tend to get into a Facebook relationship with God. When you're in that type of relationship, things tend to get away from you. It may feel like God isn't there for you or He's not providing for you but the truth is that you put Him in the trunk of your car while you were drinking and driving playing Lil' Wayne at 3 AM Sunday morning and didn't get out of bed for church. Do you honestly think God wants to do great things for you while your slapping Him in the face? The golden rule says "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.": did you give him praise in advance so that you may possibly receive that promotion at work? Or did you EXPECT that promotion and were going to give praise afterwards? We have to put God first in every single thing we do and not get caught up in the unimportant things in life. Money is going to come and go but our salvation is here for a lifetime.
Sometimes we even tend to put our relationship with our boyfriend/girlfriend over our relationship with God. We then wonder why it's so hard to get over that person because we put everything we had into that relationship. We spent so much time trying to please that person that we forgot what was pleasing to God. Like money, boyfriends and girlfriends are also going to come and go so we have to remember not to get caught up in them. A person needs to establish a strong relationship with God before they can establish a relationship with someone else. After that relationship is established with Him, He'll provide you with the right person. Don't rush to be in a relationship, find yourself first.
Be blessed.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Best Friends Forever
Remember that friend you had back in elementary that was supposed to be your best friend forever?? I bet you and that person are no longer best friends for most of you that are reading this. Maybe they passed away, moved away, betrayed you, took your dog or just changed as a person and you grew apart. Some people change best friends more than they change their clothes some would say.
You'll always have those friends that you'll call or text at least once a week for the rest of your life but what about the rest of the 762 contacts in your cell phone? Exactly, you make "friends" throughout your life but hardly speak to them. Think about Facebook..I have 1,545 Facebook "Friends" and of those, a maximum of 50 may like your status (unless you do a To Be Honest). On a regular basis, you may get 5-10 likes. You may only be actual friends with 100 of those FB friends and you'll only see a portion of their statuses and pictures on the news feed. So what is an actual friend?
According to thefreedictionary.com, a friend is a person whom one knows, likes and trusts or a person with whom one is allied in a struggle. Do you like all of the contacts in your phone? Facebook friends? The answer to that is probably no. You'd probably call those acquaintances. The reality is that our actual friends list is a really short one. I personally have a handful of people that I can talk to about anything and trust them to not judge, people I could call if I needed a ride, money, etc. True friends are few and far between as the saying goes.
With all of this being said, there is one person that will NEVER leave your side and that's my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. No matter what is going on in your life you can always talk to Him. He's not going to judge you or make fun of you, He's only going to listen. He has the ability to supply your every need. He's going to bless you abundantly as long as you let him. But sometimes it seems we'd rather update a Facebook status than get on our knees and pray. In order to be blessed, we have to establish a friendship with Him. The power of prayer is extremely underrated, give it a try. There's only one person that died for me and I think I owe it to Him to give Him a call every now and then.
"Be careful who you call your friends...Would you rather have 4 quarters or 100 pennies?"
God Bless
This post is dedicated to Sulphur Springs graduating class of 2007, Justin Gammill, Tyhler Reppond and Tanner Higgins R.I.P and the best friends I've acquired over the last 22 years.
You'll always have those friends that you'll call or text at least once a week for the rest of your life but what about the rest of the 762 contacts in your cell phone? Exactly, you make "friends" throughout your life but hardly speak to them. Think about Facebook..I have 1,545 Facebook "Friends" and of those, a maximum of 50 may like your status (unless you do a To Be Honest). On a regular basis, you may get 5-10 likes. You may only be actual friends with 100 of those FB friends and you'll only see a portion of their statuses and pictures on the news feed. So what is an actual friend?
According to thefreedictionary.com, a friend is a person whom one knows, likes and trusts or a person with whom one is allied in a struggle. Do you like all of the contacts in your phone? Facebook friends? The answer to that is probably no. You'd probably call those acquaintances. The reality is that our actual friends list is a really short one. I personally have a handful of people that I can talk to about anything and trust them to not judge, people I could call if I needed a ride, money, etc. True friends are few and far between as the saying goes.
With all of this being said, there is one person that will NEVER leave your side and that's my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. No matter what is going on in your life you can always talk to Him. He's not going to judge you or make fun of you, He's only going to listen. He has the ability to supply your every need. He's going to bless you abundantly as long as you let him. But sometimes it seems we'd rather update a Facebook status than get on our knees and pray. In order to be blessed, we have to establish a friendship with Him. The power of prayer is extremely underrated, give it a try. There's only one person that died for me and I think I owe it to Him to give Him a call every now and then.
"Be careful who you call your friends...Would you rather have 4 quarters or 100 pennies?"
God Bless
This post is dedicated to Sulphur Springs graduating class of 2007, Justin Gammill, Tyhler Reppond and Tanner Higgins R.I.P and the best friends I've acquired over the last 22 years.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Praying For Patience: Sitting On Your Situation
Too often in life, we want something but we don't want to be patient enough to wait for it. We ask God for whatever it is and we expect an answer right then and there. Also, we expect that we will get what we want and not what He wants. If it's God will, it will happen: there is no reason to fret and worry about what is going to happen. I struggle with this too, actually going through it at this very moment. We want answers right away but sometimes we need to wait. Patience is a virtue: Good things come to those who wait. Ever heard those sayings??? Well I know they're true. If God sees that it's necessary to reveal his plans to you, He will. He has all power and has never made a mistake. The mistake we make is making a hasty decision based off of emotion.
Have a talk with God but remember you that have to give Him time to answer. Have you ever called someone and they didn't pick up but you know that they have their phone on them? That's exactly what God does...He can answer whenever He wants to but may want you to wait for when the time is right. He wants you to realize that he has all control over every situation. We get so caught up in wondering what is going to happen or planning the future that we forget about today. Tomorrow is not promised and neither is this very second.
Enjoy all of the blessings that are going on in your life but also embrace the struggles. Things could ALWAYS be worse so you need to cherish what you do have and thank God for what He's giving you at the time. Your answer will come soon enough and then you have to take that leap of faith and follow what He says. Sit on your situation, don't run away from it.
Be Blessed
"Never think that God's delays are God's denials. Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius."
Have a talk with God but remember you that have to give Him time to answer. Have you ever called someone and they didn't pick up but you know that they have their phone on them? That's exactly what God does...He can answer whenever He wants to but may want you to wait for when the time is right. He wants you to realize that he has all control over every situation. We get so caught up in wondering what is going to happen or planning the future that we forget about today. Tomorrow is not promised and neither is this very second.
Enjoy all of the blessings that are going on in your life but also embrace the struggles. Things could ALWAYS be worse so you need to cherish what you do have and thank God for what He's giving you at the time. Your answer will come soon enough and then you have to take that leap of faith and follow what He says. Sit on your situation, don't run away from it.
Be Blessed
"Never think that God's delays are God's denials. Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius."
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Game of Life
What do you think of when you hear the word complete? Does it just mean getting it done or does it mean giving all you have to finish the task at hand? There are lots of words that come to mind when I see the word complete; finished, whole, entire, undivided, to name a few. However, in the definition of the word complete, you don’t see the word perfect. When I see the word perfect I think of the word flawless. Do you think of people as being perfect or even flawless? Is it possible to be perfect?
Every starting pitcher that's ever thrown in a baseball game is to throw a perfect game. Is it possible? We all know that the answer is yes: history tells us that. But during that game, did they throw any balls, throw one in the dirt only to be scooped up by his catcher, or did his coach every come out to calm him down? Does that make it an “imperfect” game? In my opinion there has never and will never be a truly “perfect” game. But, does that mean that you shouldn't be content with only throwing a complete game?
A pitcher that has pitched a complete game will tell you that it did not come easy. It took many decisions during the full nine innings. He learned his strengths and his opponent’s weaknesses as the game went along. He learned how to work the strike zone and what his best pitches were. The hitter may have gotten a hit but he always came back and struck out the next. Even if the hitter hit a homerun, it didn’t mean the game was over. He had to come back throwing and continue to give his best. With this being said, the pitcher can’t win the game alone. He needs assistance from his infield, outfield, catcher, his teammates’ bats and let’s not forget the coach.
You may be thinking, “Where is he going with all of this?”...well we are the pitcher and life is the game of baseball. Like the pitcher, we are going to come up against obstacles in our lives. It all depends on how we face those. Will we let life knock us down and not do anything about it or will we get back up? Our family and friends are there for us to use. Be sure you use them as tools and not crutches. We use crutches to depend on but what do you do when those crutches aren’t there anymore? You have to depend on yourself and use your friends as tools when you need that extra advantage. The game of life is just like baseball, you’re going to have ups and downs but at the end of the day, you give it all you have hoping to come out on top. You give the game all you have until your coach pulls you out.
God is our coach. Although we may not feel like we’re done, He knows when it is time to come out. He knows what decisions need to be made. God is the almighty coach because he knows what’s going to happen before it happens. He put us in the game of life and our job is to be a reflection of him with the best of our ability. We should always give 100% of us while we are in this game because you never know when he has decided that enough is enough and pulls us out. Nine innings is not always the same length of time and neither is life. Whether that is thirty, fifty or one hundred years, our job is to put everything we have on the line for our family, friends and most of all, our coach. Live life to the fullest because you just never know when your time will come and you’ll be taken from it. Think again about your definition of complete....
How will you decide to throw your complete game?
Every starting pitcher that's ever thrown in a baseball game is to throw a perfect game. Is it possible? We all know that the answer is yes: history tells us that. But during that game, did they throw any balls, throw one in the dirt only to be scooped up by his catcher, or did his coach every come out to calm him down? Does that make it an “imperfect” game? In my opinion there has never and will never be a truly “perfect” game. But, does that mean that you shouldn't be content with only throwing a complete game?
A pitcher that has pitched a complete game will tell you that it did not come easy. It took many decisions during the full nine innings. He learned his strengths and his opponent’s weaknesses as the game went along. He learned how to work the strike zone and what his best pitches were. The hitter may have gotten a hit but he always came back and struck out the next. Even if the hitter hit a homerun, it didn’t mean the game was over. He had to come back throwing and continue to give his best. With this being said, the pitcher can’t win the game alone. He needs assistance from his infield, outfield, catcher, his teammates’ bats and let’s not forget the coach.
You may be thinking, “Where is he going with all of this?”...well we are the pitcher and life is the game of baseball. Like the pitcher, we are going to come up against obstacles in our lives. It all depends on how we face those. Will we let life knock us down and not do anything about it or will we get back up? Our family and friends are there for us to use. Be sure you use them as tools and not crutches. We use crutches to depend on but what do you do when those crutches aren’t there anymore? You have to depend on yourself and use your friends as tools when you need that extra advantage. The game of life is just like baseball, you’re going to have ups and downs but at the end of the day, you give it all you have hoping to come out on top. You give the game all you have until your coach pulls you out.
God is our coach. Although we may not feel like we’re done, He knows when it is time to come out. He knows what decisions need to be made. God is the almighty coach because he knows what’s going to happen before it happens. He put us in the game of life and our job is to be a reflection of him with the best of our ability. We should always give 100% of us while we are in this game because you never know when he has decided that enough is enough and pulls us out. Nine innings is not always the same length of time and neither is life. Whether that is thirty, fifty or one hundred years, our job is to put everything we have on the line for our family, friends and most of all, our coach. Live life to the fullest because you just never know when your time will come and you’ll be taken from it. Think again about your definition of complete....
How will you decide to throw your complete game?
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Knowing When To Look Back
Do you ever feel like your back is against the wall? That nothing seems to be going right and you just can't figure it out? Walk around and just feel down on yourself because you can't do anything right and you think that you're doing all of the good in the world and not seeing anything good coming from it? Those people that are out there doing everything that the world does is reaping all of the benefits: they are living the "good life" and so happy that you want what they have? They have everything that they want and you're losing loved ones left and right. They are living in the luxurious two story house and you're struggling to pay the rent in your one bedroom apartment. You look up and ask God "What am I doing wrong? I'm doing all you want me to do but nothing good is happening for me!?!?"
If you are one of those people, I can honestly say that I was in your shoes not too long ago. If you've read my blogs or know me, you know that my father passed when I was 7 and also both of my grandmothers passed away from cancer within a year of each other when I was in middle school. I'm not the only person who has ever dealt with issues like this but at the time I felt like God was constantly testing me and in better words, "picking" on me. While all of this was happening I just couldn't get a grasp on why all of these things were happening to me when I didn't feel like I deserved this. Looking back on it now, He gave me all of these trials so that I could grow and be a stronger person.
More recently, I had troubles with finding a teaching job. In May of 2011, I took my Math certification test and made a 239 out of 300. That comes out to be a 79.67%, well I needed to make a 240 or 80% in order to get my certification. I was crushed to say the least. Every single interview turned out to be a bust. I had all of the credentials, but I needed that ONE point to even be considered a contender for the job. All I needed one person to give me a shot; that person was the Athletic Director at Quitman HS, Ron Callahan. He called me for an interview and believed that I was the man for the job. Others weren't too sure that I was the guy but he kept fighting for me. He gave me a shot when no one else would all because of one point. After 60 days, I retook the test and made a 256 (85%) and made a 95 on the other test that I needed in order to be highly qualified. The crazy thing is that the test seemed so much easier: it was as if God had threw a couple of easy ones in there that weren't there before. It's just crazy how He works. After all of the tests were taken and the contract was signed, I was introduced as the new math teacher/coach at QISD.
I say all of these things not to brag on me, but to brag on God. He truly does have all control. I truly believe that Quitman is where I was supposed to go. It's been a total learning experience and He has blessed me over the past four months more than anyone knows. There was truly a reason I was brought there. Although it wasn't where I originally wanted to be, I couldn't think of a better place to begin. Also, who knew that I'd meet an amazing woman who came all the way from San Diego, California to be at this tiny school in east Texas. If you don't believe God does things for a reason, you just might be crazy.
Whenever you feel that you're going through it all, just know that God does have a plan. He has the blueprint for your life already mapped out and we're just his pieces that he is moving around. If you try and figure it all out when you're going through it, you're going to stumble and might even fall flat on your face. But if you trust in Him and just let him work his magic, He'll surely provide. You have to go through it before you can see what is actually happening. Looking back isn't always a bad thing, it's just knowing when to do it.
Be blessed.
If you are one of those people, I can honestly say that I was in your shoes not too long ago. If you've read my blogs or know me, you know that my father passed when I was 7 and also both of my grandmothers passed away from cancer within a year of each other when I was in middle school. I'm not the only person who has ever dealt with issues like this but at the time I felt like God was constantly testing me and in better words, "picking" on me. While all of this was happening I just couldn't get a grasp on why all of these things were happening to me when I didn't feel like I deserved this. Looking back on it now, He gave me all of these trials so that I could grow and be a stronger person.
More recently, I had troubles with finding a teaching job. In May of 2011, I took my Math certification test and made a 239 out of 300. That comes out to be a 79.67%, well I needed to make a 240 or 80% in order to get my certification. I was crushed to say the least. Every single interview turned out to be a bust. I had all of the credentials, but I needed that ONE point to even be considered a contender for the job. All I needed one person to give me a shot; that person was the Athletic Director at Quitman HS, Ron Callahan. He called me for an interview and believed that I was the man for the job. Others weren't too sure that I was the guy but he kept fighting for me. He gave me a shot when no one else would all because of one point. After 60 days, I retook the test and made a 256 (85%) and made a 95 on the other test that I needed in order to be highly qualified. The crazy thing is that the test seemed so much easier: it was as if God had threw a couple of easy ones in there that weren't there before. It's just crazy how He works. After all of the tests were taken and the contract was signed, I was introduced as the new math teacher/coach at QISD.
I say all of these things not to brag on me, but to brag on God. He truly does have all control. I truly believe that Quitman is where I was supposed to go. It's been a total learning experience and He has blessed me over the past four months more than anyone knows. There was truly a reason I was brought there. Although it wasn't where I originally wanted to be, I couldn't think of a better place to begin. Also, who knew that I'd meet an amazing woman who came all the way from San Diego, California to be at this tiny school in east Texas. If you don't believe God does things for a reason, you just might be crazy.
Whenever you feel that you're going through it all, just know that God does have a plan. He has the blueprint for your life already mapped out and we're just his pieces that he is moving around. If you try and figure it all out when you're going through it, you're going to stumble and might even fall flat on your face. But if you trust in Him and just let him work his magic, He'll surely provide. You have to go through it before you can see what is actually happening. Looking back isn't always a bad thing, it's just knowing when to do it.
Be blessed.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
TBH (To Be Honest) to Myself
TBH...It's been a long 23 years. You've dealt with deaths that some can't even imagine. Losing your father at the age of 7 and growing from it is admirable in itself. You're family is full of different personalities but you have grown together and learned from all of the things you've been through. If there's one thing you can do better, take better care of your sister. She needs you although sometimes you don't think so. Tell your mom you love her just a little bit more, kiss her goodbye from time to time. BE THERE FOR YOUR FAMILY.
You've made plenty of mistakes along the way. You've broken a few hearts, been heartbroken a few too many times, broken a few laws, knocked a guy out in a basketball game, been jumped at a party, played a few too many games of BP, danced a little too much at a bar more than a few times, said a few too many cuss words, but all in all you've grown from a chubby immature teen, into an inspirational young man.
Although you've had all of these bumps along the way, you managed to from graduate high school and junior college with honors and graduated with a good GPA from TAMU-University Commerce. You've got a great head on your shoulders and I know you're going to touch the lives of many teens not only in Texas, but in this world. Teaching and dealing with the youth of this world is your calling and I know you'll be great at it. Your effect on this world can be limitless if you allow God to take control.
You've met a once in a lifetime woman in Marissa and you better do everything in your power to make her happy! God brought you to Quitman to meet her and now it's time to grow in your relationship. Never let her go and treat her like every single day is the first time you met. Tell her how beautiful she is, how much you care about her, etc. If she wants you to keep her on her toes, knock her off her feet by showing her what true love is and she'll forget all about that ;).
You've accomplished a lot in life and it's only the beginning. In just your second year in the profession you've went from a 2A to a 5A. Some never reach that level and you're doing it at 23. Keep up the hard work and continue to touch the lives you come across in life. Things are only going to get better from here. P.S. I know your dad and everyone else in your life are proud. Keep it up :)
(Yes I just did a TBH for myself...deal with it)
You've made plenty of mistakes along the way. You've broken a few hearts, been heartbroken a few too many times, broken a few laws, knocked a guy out in a basketball game, been jumped at a party, played a few too many games of BP, danced a little too much at a bar more than a few times, said a few too many cuss words, but all in all you've grown from a chubby immature teen, into an inspirational young man.
Although you've had all of these bumps along the way, you managed to from graduate high school and junior college with honors and graduated with a good GPA from TAMU-University Commerce. You've got a great head on your shoulders and I know you're going to touch the lives of many teens not only in Texas, but in this world. Teaching and dealing with the youth of this world is your calling and I know you'll be great at it. Your effect on this world can be limitless if you allow God to take control.
You've met a once in a lifetime woman in Marissa and you better do everything in your power to make her happy! God brought you to Quitman to meet her and now it's time to grow in your relationship. Never let her go and treat her like every single day is the first time you met. Tell her how beautiful she is, how much you care about her, etc. If she wants you to keep her on her toes, knock her off her feet by showing her what true love is and she'll forget all about that ;).
You've accomplished a lot in life and it's only the beginning. In just your second year in the profession you've went from a 2A to a 5A. Some never reach that level and you're doing it at 23. Keep up the hard work and continue to touch the lives you come across in life. Things are only going to get better from here. P.S. I know your dad and everyone else in your life are proud. Keep it up :)
(Yes I just did a TBH for myself...deal with it)
Thursday, July 14, 2011
A Blessing In Disguise
The basketball season of my senior year just happened to be one that would change my life forever. This little 7 year old boy showed up at my game in a replica jersey which resembled my jersey. I thought it was awesome that he was wearing my jersey but I figured I'd only come across him a few times and that would be it. His mother took a picture of us on the court and I was on my way to the locker room and I was on my way. Little did I know, but my life would be changed forever.
I never knew that that kid and his family would be such a blessing to me. Ryan, now 12, just amazes me at everything he does. He is a great athlete and one of the smartest PEOPLE, not kids, that I've ever talked to about sports. He is the little brother that I never had and I thank God for him. His sister Lauren, 16, is a little sister to me. She never ceases to cheer me up when I'm down and she is the most mature 16 year old that I've ever came across. His dad Tory is the cool dad that everyone wants. The relationship he and Ryan have is the father-son relationship you'd see in movies. I cherish every moment that I spend with them two.
I never knew that that kid and his family would be such a blessing to me. Ryan, now 12, just amazes me at everything he does. He is a great athlete and one of the smartest PEOPLE, not kids, that I've ever talked to about sports. He is the little brother that I never had and I thank God for him. His sister Lauren, 16, is a little sister to me. She never ceases to cheer me up when I'm down and she is the most mature 16 year old that I've ever came across. His dad Tory is the cool dad that everyone wants. The relationship he and Ryan have is the father-son relationship you'd see in movies. I cherish every moment that I spend with them two.Daidre gets her own paragraph...she IS my mother. She has always treated me as if I were her son. She's been at my graduations, been generous on every birthday, holiday, etc. She is always there for me when I need advice or just someone to talk to. She's there to straighten me out when I'm being stubborn. She truly is a person that I don't know what I'd do without.
I just finished my senior year in college and they are here for me just like on day one. They have been a blessing financially and emotionally when it comes to school. If I ever needed ANYTHING, they were there for me. Whether it was a book for class, or just a swift kick in the butt to get me motivated, they were there to give it to me. This is just a small letter of appreciation to them, I could go on and on about how much I appreciate what they have done but I'll save you the time because you'd be here awhile.
Some don't understand my relationship with their family, but in our eyes, they are my family. They are an inspiration to me and I strive to have a family half as successful as them. I'm truly grateful for all that they have done for me. God put them into my life for a reason and I know that they'll be here for the rest of my life.
Be blessed, Thanks for reading
"A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold."
Special Thanks to Fieldhouse Sports and the Motes family for working around my crazy school schedule and everyone else who have helped me along the way.
"Family isn't about whose blood you have. It's about who you care about."
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