Success. How bad do you want it?

    

      I have been in an inspirational mood lately.  There is nothing wrong with that, but if you know me well at all you know that I consider myself a realist and a bit of a skeptic, usually not an optimist.  I was raised to believe in myself and to value hard work.  I believe that hard work achieves success and think it is important that we try to surround ourselves with like minded individuals.  Nothing frustrates me more than to see someone who claims to want success but isn't willing to do what it takes to achieve it.   

     I love being around people who are not satisfied with where they are.  *Dont misconstrue this*  I am not referring to people who are not ever happy with what they have, rather I am speaking of people who constantly desire to do more with their lives.  It is inspirational to hear about elite athletes excelling after putting in countless hours of practice, missionaries who sell everything they have to live their lives for others, people who are ill and give us the courage to fight while they fight daily for their lives, and soldiers who risk it all to protect what we do on a daily basis. 

     It is that 'what we do' that has inspired me lately.  We all know that we aren't guaranteed another day but how often do we think about that as we complain on our way to work/school in the morning or complicate relationships over meaningless things?  I believe that each of us has an innate desire to be successful in almost everything we do.  Most of us just don't want it bad enough.  We worry so much about how other people are living their lives that we forget to focus on our own.  What are you doing to be the best you that you can be? 

    I was given this video by one of my athletes and wanted  to share it with you.  We used it as a motivational video prior to a basketball game last week.  It is particularly inspirational to athletes but it's message can be applied to all.  Listen carefully as Eric Thomas (aka The Hip Hop Preacher) tells the story of a man who thought he wanted to be successful.  It is a challenge to all of us to take a look at ourselves and decide how bad do we want to be successful?...as a student, an employee, an employer, a parent, a son, a daughter, a wife, a husband, a Christian, the list goes on and on...How bad do you want it?

Tebowing on a platform

One of the latest fads sweeping the world of social networking is "Tebowing" (go to tebowing.com/) While our country essentially mocks him for praying alot, Tim Tebow just laughs and seems inspired to see so many people taking notice of his bold faith. He has been mocked and criticized for years now so this latest trend is nothing new to him.

Several weeks ago I was flying to California and decided to finish his book "Through My Eyes" that I had started back in the summer. Having gone to Auburn during a couple of Tim's most successful seasons (2006 and 2007) I never was a big fan of his. Sure I thought it was cool that he put Bible verses on his eye black and yes he is built like a heavyweight MMA fighter and no I couldn't deny his passion for the game...but he was a Gator. That being said, I was by no means a Tebow fan when he was in college. Something about his journey to the NFL changed all of that for me. I have been fortunate enough to spend a little time interning and working in professional football. I have seen how hard guys work to make a team and how much harder they have to work just to stay on the team. I have also seen and lived how hard it is to live out your convictions in that environment.

Tim Tebow was (and still is) criticized more than ever since entering the NFL. It is amazing to me how a guy who has succeeded at every level he has played at still gets so little respect. Even after 5 wins in 6 games, the skeptics get louder and louder. But it doesn't seem to phase him. He still preaches his motto "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work as hard" and stays true to his convictions giving God the glory in every circumstance. I finished his book on the same day that he had a huge win over the New York Jets after which he praised God and gave the credit to his teammates. It was amazing to see the very things that he said made him who he was displayed that night. His work ethic is exceptional and his faith and character are even more amazing.

I'm not writing this to say that I have officially jumped on the Tebow bandwagon, nor am I saying that the Broncos are a great team. I'm simply saying that it has been my observation that Tim Tebow believes that God has given him a great gift in his athletic abilities to use as a platform for Him. The part I love the most about Tim's story is his understanding that the harder he works, the more likely his chances of success in football are. The more successful he is, the greater his platform to share his faith becomes. Sure it is nice to get credit for your efforts. We all love to hear words of affirmation when we succeed. It is only when we realize that we have been put where we are for a reason that we will truly succeed. Everyone has a platform, but very few of us use it.

Eventually I would like to work again in big time athletics, but for now, as my wife finishes up her Masters degree I understand that God has placed me exactly where he wants me, in fact, he always has. I wish that I had the courage to use my platform more often rather than just blending in with the crowd, but that is something that I am trying to change. Life should be fun and exciting but ultimately there is much more to our existence on this earth than a Lombardi trophy or having everyone agree with everything we say or do. So the next time you find yourself "Tebowing" stop and think about what things you do in your life that merit being emulated. As I think about the people in my life who I want to end up like someday, I tend to think of individuals with character and integrity not just people who won trophies or lived to make themselves look great. I really suggest this book to everyone, especially the skeptics. You won't agree with all of it, but more importantly you can't deny some of it.



*Tim Tebow was criticized for saying that he loved God too often by a former player, his reaction is found in this interview: Tim Tebow with Skip Bayless

Shoulders and Legs: Round 2

Complete 4 sets of each exercise starting with approximately 8 reps and ending with around 4.  Adjust weight accordingly. 

Hamstring Curls

Standing Arnold Press

Bulgarian Split Squats

Shoulder Cable Straightforwards

Good Mornings

Handstand Pushups

Goblet Squats

Standing Rows

Real Peace for a Real Christmas

   

  Christmas is a special time of year for most people.  We get to take a break from our normal routines and spend time with friends and family justifying eating far too much and reflecting on the year.  We stress out over what gifts to get everyone and try to please all the people we can, many times for the wrong reasons.  We are also reminded to remember the "reason for the season": the birth of Jesus, which is the true meaning of Christmas.  This year I have decided to spend some time looking at the story of Christmas from the perspective of Jesus' parents, Mary and Joseph. The more I thought about the story from their point of view, I began to realize just how amazing their stories were and found solace from their Christmas journey.  Their faith in God's plan is an extremely inspiring story and that makes this Christmas much more special to me.

     Last year was a tough Christmas for Emily and me.  We have been trying to start a family for a couple of years now but last year's holidays put us over the one mark.  It marked a year full of hope that had fizzled into frustration and disappointment.  Many of you cannot relate with the pain of infertility but those who can know that it is a deep ache that never seems to go away.  The feeling is similar to losing a loved one, only as time goes on the hurt seems to deepen rather than to heal. One of the toughest things for me has been having no guarantees that we will ever have a child.  Having patience is hard enough when you know you are going to receive something but being patient for something that is uncertain can drive you crazy.  I didn't allow myself to enjoy Christmas as much last year because the gift I really wanted was something I didn't have. My hope seemed to die a bit more with each birthing announcement we received, every new Facebook sonogram profile picture, and with news stories on TV about children being mistreated.  It seemed the more I thought about it, the more people wanted to ask us questions like: "When are you guys gonna have some little ones?!" or "Do y'all not want kids?"  Meanwhile it seemed like anyone else who wanted to have kids just said the word and a stork was dropping one off at their door 9 months later.  For the first time in my life, I wasn't having things go the way I thought they should and it was killing me. 

     As we spent our holidays doing our usual, I couldn't help but notice that it seemed the baby population had at least tripled since the previous Christmas.  You know how you don't really notice a car until you get one, then you feel like everyone else has the exact same one?  Well, wanting children apparently makes you ultra aware of any human being under the age of 3.  That Christmas was full of selfish feelings and was followed by many more self loathing days thereafter.  All the while I prayed asking God, "Why?" with most of my prayers having the word "but" in them.  It is one thing to say you trust God it is another to truly place ALL of your trust in Him regardless of his response.

     When the angel of the Lord appeared to Mary and told her that although she was a virgin she was going to have a son, that son being Jesus Christ, I tend to think the initial thoughts that went through her head were just like any of ours would be.  She thought of what others would say, how this would affect her personally, and how her clothes would fit differently from the weight gain (she was a female after all).  What she didn't do however was simply say that she trusted God fully, she actually did trust God fully.  Imagine if you heard that a girl was a virgin and was going to have a child.  I don't know too many fathers that would be really happy with that news of their daughter.  I can only imagine what her family, friends, and peers thought and said about her.  But her belief that God had a plan for her life superseded everything else around her.  She knew that whatever God was up to was the best plan for everyone, even if she didn't immediately see it. 

     Speaking of not seeing it, Joseph was blindsided!  Now the angel of the Lord tells him that Mary is pregnant and he is to be the baby's earthly father.  He had a huge decision to make!  I'm not sure how he thought he would explain this to Mary's dad but I know the thought of having that conversation would be enough to make any man run.  Joseph had to trust that the things that were happening to him had a purpose and God had him exactly where he wanted him.  Despite what his buddies thought, what his family said, what the community thought of him, Joseph decided to man up and place all of his trust in God.  

     Our journey through the past couple of years has shown us many things.  Besides patience, and patience ....and patience we have learned what it means to fully trust God.  I have believed all along that if God wanted to put 8 babies on my couch right now, He could.  That wasn't my problem.  My problem was that I wanted Him to give me what I thought I deserved regardless of what He was trying to do in my life.  What I have learned more than anything is that I need to get rid of my agenda and trust that God's plan for my life, kids or no kids, is the best plan for me.  The only thing I can control is what I do.  He has placed me in this situation for a reason and although I don't know what the future holds, I know that I have a choice to make an impact for Him or selfishly live a mediocre life.  

     I really wanted to write this blog with an ending that included us being pregnant but that's not my story yet.  I actually bargained with God and told Him that if He would give us a child I would use that perfect ending to our story to help others in similar situations.  Just because that's not my story, doesn't mean my story can't help someone.  1 Peter 5:8 tells us that Satan prowls around like a lion seeking anyone that he can devour.  He was using our situation to make me angry, full of doubt, and afraid to talk to anyone. My story now is a story of peace.  Regardless of what you are going through in your life whether it be marriage problems, job insecurity, financial troubles, illness or infertility, it isn't until you give God complete control that you will have peace.  Where would we be today if Mary or Joseph decided that the plan they had laid out for themselves was better than God's?  I am ready to enjoy Christmas surrounded by the people and the things that God has blessed me with abundantly.  May this Christmas be your best ever and may the peace that comes only from a relationship with Jesus Christ comfort you this season.