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Not Necessarily Accepted

January 3, 2013 — Leave a comment

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You’re looking at a guy who was not necessarily accepted by the masses. I was pointed out as different by my peers, and they were right, I was different.

I didn’t like the same music kids my age listened too. I didn’t watch the same TV shows. I didn’t even read the same literature!

I was 11-years-old when I started watching the “State of the Union” address on TV and analyzing the speeches myself, literally rolling my eyes at the commentary.

But, there’s something kind of fascinating about that kind of experience growing up. You realize quickly that you won’t be fully accepted by EVERYONE!

And you know what, that’s fine! I have come to terms with it!

What about you?

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Again…What Is A Man

December 6, 2012 — 1 Comment

Operation: Spring Break

A while back I wrote this article for another purpose. Its short and to the point! Enjoy! – The Editor

A few days ago, I started asking myself the question “What is a Man!?”

Believe it or not, I always thought I knew right especially since I AM one!

But wait…truth of the matter is I know I am a man on the outside but the inside is what truly counts, right!?

Oh sure, the hairy exterior, the muscles and the ability to quote sports scores or worthless trivia is one thing, the status of ones “manliness” goes so much deeper than that.

My responsibility here is to tell you that a man is someone whose likeness is like that of God!

That means love of the one who created you, loving your neighbors, your family and then yourself, not to mention taking care of what has been entrusted to you.

The man who refuses to stand up for what’s right and take responsibility are those who choose to remain in perpetual boyhood.

 

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Letter To My Bullies

November 28, 2012 — 1 Comment

Dear Bullies:

You, yes you! I certainly hope you are doing well, wait, no, I hope you are doing great!

You know those times that you and your crew talked about me at the bus stop, on the school bus, in the classroom, in the hallway, in the cafeteria and even during recess!? How about the times you sought out to embarrass me and try to rip out the single bit of dignity and self-esteem that I had until I was in tears?

NOW you remember!? Good, great, I just wanted to solidify and clarify the history here.

Well, I just wanted to let you know that in spite of all the things that you did…I forgive you!

In fact, not only do I forgive you, but I thank you!

In fact, I rejoice! Besides, it wasn’t about me anyway, but what was being done and proven through me!

I know this sounds strange, but truth is, I’m stronger now because of it!

No, I haven’t been working out! I’m still kind of on the skinny side, wears glasses, read a lot and so forth!

How do I know I’m stronger!? Romans 5:3-5 says “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. “

My hope and prayer is that you and every bully out there knows that their strength comes not from brute force, harsh words or intimidation of others, but comes from knowing God and through His power and strength enduring through life’s issues, and in turn, becoming stronger.

And want to know something else!? Even after going through all of that…even after enduring the verbal and physical abuse…I don’t even look like I suffered!

So…Thanks! Because, as Joseph said in Genesis 5:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

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Rest

November 23, 2012 — Leave a comment

This time last year, I was not sitting in a cubicle going over paperwork.

Last year, I actually took part in the craziness that is “Black Friday” and sat in line for the X-BOX 360 at a Wal-Mart.

What game did I play all day Friday on my brand new X-BOX…”Portal 2.” If my memory recalls, I slept in later than I usually do and woke up to grab a coffee and breakfast. After which, I started playing and didn’t stop until about 5pm that evening. I began to notice how dark it was getting as I sat there and let my mind wonder through the scenarios on the game. The only thing that quite literally stopped me in my tracks was a phone call from a friend of mine who just came into town and wanted to hang out.

One of my great struggles is to actually sit back and relax, to be a kid again and just have fun! My mother, my mentor and Pastor, close friends and others have all told me that I need to actually chill and relax from time to time. Needless to say, I took that request VERY seriously on that Friday.

The truth is, in a society and environment that’s constantly about hustling and moving around all the time and staying connected, we all could use a break.

We get so wrapped up in our business and work that we truly forget that in order to properly function we need rest.

If we fail to rest, we risk sickness, we risk frustration and we risk ineffectiveness.

That’s a risk neither of us can afford, period!

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Drawn by Kendall Lyons (c) Cartoon Daily News

Drawn by Kendall Lyons (c) Cartoon Daily News

One of the harshest lessons I learned as a teenager is that sometimes you have to go it alone.

I was usually the one kid who would volunteer first because the other kids were “too cool” to do the job, whether it was in my youth group at church or in class at school. Trust me, I wasn’t trying to come off as THAT kid who was trying to impress anyone. I just hated dead air, silence and slow response time. I was pretty impatient!

Sometimes, in the face of career paths, family matters and even lifestyle, it’s no one else but God and you facing today and tomorrow. And to be honest, that’s all you need anyway! And if you think about it, if you absolutely can’t do one simple task without somebody, then I would suggest taking a serious, long evaluation of yourself and the matter at hand.

We all need help from time to time! By no means am I advocating the notion of “every man and woman for himself.” But if you are depending on a human being so heavily to be your guide it says more about your spiritual capacity as well as level of self-esteem and confidence then it does about the other guy.

In the book that I’m writing, I make the point that being different does mean that you have to go it alone. Then suddenly, you’ll blow up in popularity and prosperity, and THEN all of a sudden, people will start noticing you and will want to go with you.

Beware of THAT! Because people will try to leech off of your energy, your creativity, your success and your drive. Why, because they don’t have the courage or the audacity to go on their own and make something of themselves!

You can’t afford that! You don’t have to accept it! You certainly don’t have to go with it or settle!

Perhaps the reason you haven’t got to where you are in life is because you are afraid of walking alone and in that alone time you know very well what will come out: Thoughts you couldn’t bear to wrestle with, issues that you couldn’t face and talks with God that will HAVE to happen in the midst of seemingly annoying silence and loneliness.

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