Be "Ful" for Fourteen

As 2013 comes to an end, I look back at the year at both the blessings and disappointments. The older you get the more you realize that the only constant in life is change. Graduation, marriages, children, jobs, moving, losing touch with friends or losing loved ones all become the changes that occur each and every day. We have all experienced highs and lows this past year. If there is one thing I learned this past year it is this: Every person we meet, every experience whether good or bad and every road that we travel down are all part of a journey that has been designed specifically for us. There will be people in your life that disappoint you, there will will be tough times that you may not understand and you will end up places you never thought possible. On the brighter side of that, there will also be unexpected "life lifters" I call them, there will be many joys such a becoming an aunt and you will begin to realize exactly what it is that makes you happy.

I was fortunate enough to get to meet and hear the famous author Jon Gordon speak this past year. His optimistic and positive outlook on life are contagious in the books he writes. When he spoke, he talked about having a word that you write down and look at every day for a year that has meaning for your life. Last year my word was "Spark." I wanted to be a spark to people that I came in contact with throughout my journey. As 2014 is drawing near, I have picked the suffix "FUL." Feel free to pick this word as well.

I chose this word quite frankly because it has multiple meanings: I encourage all of you to be "Ful" of something this upcoming year. The definition of full is a state of the greatest amount of strength. It also means that we have no empty space. So as 2014 rapidly approaches let's be "ful."
BE:
Beauti"ful" - be a person of good quality
Cheer"ful" - be noticeably happy and optimistic
Delight"ful" - be charming
Faith"ful" - be loyal, constant and steadfast
Grate"ful" - be appreciative
Help"ful" - be ready to help others
Insight"ful" - be understanding
Joy"ful" - be a great pleasure to be around
Meaning"ful" - be receptive to what is significant in your life
Merci"ful" - be compassionate and forgiving
Respect"ful" - be obedient in and attentive
Success"ful" - be a person who aims high and wants to be the best person you can be
Thank"ful" - be pleased with the family, talents and life in which you have been blessed
Youth"ful" - be young and be with those that bring out the best in you
Zest"ful" - be a person with energy and enthusiasm for life

I hope you all will be encouraged to be "Ful" in 2014. Understand that God's love for us should make us feel full. There should be no emptiness. If you feel lonely, sad or disappointed, pick one of these words to reflect about the journey that God has chosen for you. For every good and perfect gift comes from Him. The greatest gift is that He sent His son to experience and walk this world that we live in so that He could feel pain, betrayal, loneliness and also love. And lastly, be Boast"ful" in knowing that we know who God is and that he exercises kindness, justice and righteousness here on Earth.

Go be "FUL" in 2014!!

Elf on our Shelf..

It seems that The Elf on a Shelf phenomenon has taken off the past few years. Every morning for about a month the first task for a child is to discover where their elf has hidden that night. It's fun to check facebook and see the creative ideas that people come up with to entertain their kids. And for the most part the kids understand and believe that their elf reports back to the North pole every night to tell Santa who was naughty and nice. Every time I see one of those elves, I think to myself what a clever idea to make kids act right during the Christmas season.

As we sit and understand the greatest gift of Christmas is the birth of Jesus, maybe we should think about God as our Elf on a Shelf each day of our lives. From a distance, He watches over us day and night. Just as you can't touch the elf on a shelf or they will lose their magic powers, we can't touch God, however we know He is there every moment of our life.

Each day I believe God puts an elf on our shelf in some way. It may be a player we coach, it may be patient, it may be a phone call from a friend, it may be a client, it may be someone in line front of us at the busy department store, it may be a teacher, it may be a waitress, it may be a nurse, it may be a mailman or the list could go on and on. At the end of each day is our elf proud of us? Were we naughty or nice to the people we encountered that day? Regardless, God is watching our every move. Are we being imitators of Him and living a life of love?

So as Christmas is upon us, don't just celebrate love and cheer during this time of year. We should practice it all year round. God has given us all the greatest gift we could ever receive in the birth of Jesus. So when you sit down from all the hustle and bustle tonight, be grateful and thankful for the time with family and friends that you get to enjoy. And say a little prayer for those less fortunate than ourselves. We often want to complain of long lines, last minute runs for presents and groceries and having to clean the house for guests. Don't complain, say thank you and remember just like your kids' elf on a shelf watches their every move, God is watching our every move. And just as your kids don't want to disappoint Santa, We shouldn't want to disappoint God. Think about it...makes sense doesn't it?

Merry Christmas to all of you!

Better is one day in HIS Court

Better is one day in "His Court." So many times as athletes we forget that it is a privilege to be part of a team and not a right. You need to make sure your you know how fortunate you are to be blessed with a talent to play a game you love and are given an opportunity to experience and travel to places not many get to enjoy. And win or lose you are still blessed to "play" and be given a chance to be a reflection of what God has chosen and blessed you to be. It's not always about winning. It's about learning to compete and digging down deep to find out who you are. You see effort and being the best you can be is between you and you. Don't ever take for granted one single day. Give life your best every day because God gives us His best each and every day. 

As an athlete, you often take for granted being on a full scholarship, getting to travel to Hawaii or Las Vegas for a tournament, and not having to worry about money to eat. Not to mention that you receive shoes, numerous travel sweats, backpacks, travel bags and so many other little perks that most students never get to enjoy. Say thank you. Be appreciative. Have accountability. You are receiving a free education and will leave college debt free and all you have to do is give it all you have on the floor and in classroom. Don't cheat yourself. Be the best you can be. You will look back and realize that your coaches pushed you to help prepare you for life after the basketball court. Only then will you understand the lessons you learn while playing a game you love. You learn how to compete, how to overcome, how to work as a team and that it's not always about you. These will all be critical ingredients when you step out into the court of life. And speaking from experience, I can promise you it's harder out there in the court of life than on the basketball floor. So embrace the experience and treasure the journey. You will learn so much about yourself. 

The next time you want to complain about practicing, going to study hall or having to get on a plane or bus one more time, remember the opportunity you have to represent yourself, your family, your school, your community and the One who has blessed you with the talents you have been given. The hard work, long hours or practice, conditioning and travel are important aspects that help mold you into the person that you will become. When you graduate from college, you know what hard work is, you know how to persevere and you know how to handle adverse situations.

Most aspiring young kids will never have the chance to do what you get to do for 4 or even 5 years. Use your gifts and bounce high on His court and never take for granted the times you get to use your talents in which you have been blessed. Better is one day in His court than anywhere else...Give Him the glory. Never forget who you are because you know whose you are! 

What is your "Faith" Value?

One of my favorite words in the English language has always been "Believe." I used to write this word on my basketball shoes, I have it written in my car and my quote bookis filled with "Believe" quotes.To believe in something means to have a faith in knowing that every situation, every person we meet and the circumstances that occur to us during our lives happen just as they are meant to be.

At some point in our life, we have all believed in something. Whether it be Santa, The Easter Bunny, God, love at first sight or even yourself; We have all believed in something. I miss the enjoyment of believing and waking up on Chrsitmas morning to see what that jolly man left for my sister and I. I love the sounds, smells and lights of this time of year. As Christmas approaches, I challenge all of you to look inside yourself and believe. Believe in hope, believe in life, believe in love and believe in the real meaning of Christmas. As you are shopping, decorating and cooking, remember what this season is all about. It is about the joy and celebration of a birthday of the greatest man to ever walk this Earth. He is the reason we are all here. He is the greatest gift we can receive this Christmas season.

So many times we get caught up in buying presents and going to Christmas parties that we forget that the real meaning of Christmas is to cherish the memories, spend time with our friends and families and have faith in knowing that "For unto us a child is born and He shall reign forever and ever."So as Christmas rapidly draws near, value the important things in life:

1. Believe in something greater than yourself; This life is not about us
2. Believe in the spirit of giving: Give your time and give your love to things that really matter
3. Believe in forgivness: we have all made mistakes; Learn to forgive so that you can be forgiven
4. Believe in Good: Always try to do the right things and have courage to stand up for what is right
5. Believe in your journey: God's journey was a tough one to do what He did for us: Have faith that
    His plan is always greater than yours
6. Believe in the word Merry: Be joyful, happy and let people see the excitement of the season
7. Believe in Peace: Pray for our country and our nation: It's disturbs me that Christ has been taken
    out of Christmas
8. Believe in the Celebration of why we celebrate Christmas: renew your faith and understand the real
    meaning of the season

So what is your "Faith Value?" Do you believe? So many times during this time we struggle with the loss of loved ones, of not having enough money to buy presents, of not having a relationship with our friends and family. It's not about the gifts. It's about giving, forgiving, loving and celebrating the birthday of a why we are all here! So, stop and take a deep breath and pray for those less fortunate than you, pray for the little children that don't get a chance to ever believe, pray for our schools, pray for our country and pray for Faith, Hope and Love during this Christmas season. And don't forget when you celebrate with family and friends that every day we get a chance to "Believe."

Who is your "Contractor?"

Construction is a common word that we use quite often in our world today. Houses, athletic facilities and new buildings are always being built around us. Choosing the right person to build these new projects is an integral part of the process. Due to the time constraints, cost and design, the contractor will be your most valuable asset. You want someone who is honest, hard-working and eager to listen to your concerns and dreams of what you want the finish product to look like.

Buildings are an important part of our lives. They are where we work, go to school, play athletic contests, eat and sleep. Just as we need these concrete establishments, we also need the building up of ourselves in life. Just as it takes months or even years to build a building, sometimes it takes that long for God to help build us into who He wants us to be. Often times we rely on our boss, our friends, our coaches or even our parents to build our confidence. We don't feel like we are successful unless we make lots of money, live in a big house or win a championship. We depend on others to help build our reputations and tell us who we should be.

Who is your contractor? I learned a little song in childrens church years ago called "He's Still Working on Me." It has always been a favorite of mine and I often catch myself singing it from time to time.

"He's still working on me
To make me what I need to be
It took him just a week to make the moon and stars
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars
How loving and patient He must be
'Cause He's still workin' on me

There really ought to be a sign upon my heart
Don't judge him yet, there's an unfinished part
But I'll be better just according to His plan
Fashioned by the Master's loving hands."

We should all remember that He is the potter and we are the clay. He can make a message out of our mess if we let Him. If you feel like sometimes you aren't who you want to be, pray for the constant builder to help mold you into His perfect masterpiece. In life, just as buildings, we get torn down, we get flooded, we get damaged and need to get rebuilt or fixed. You don't need to search for a contractor when the ideal one is always waiting to provide just the right materials to help you to become the best that you can be.

God's Treats

I've always had an obsession with Funfetti cupcakes. There is something about this particular kind that just make me smile. I've often related cupcakes to friendships. In our lifetime, we have many different types of friends. Some friends are there for a lifetime, others are there for a short time but leave a special place in our hearts and others are there in our time of need. God puts people in our lives for a reason each and every day. Some friends disappear and you never speak to them again, yet they teach us life lessons. New friends may appear out of nowhere and you feel like you've known them for years. We may not understand the role of some of the people that are placed there, but each has an everlasting effect on our life.

FUNFETTI CUPCAKE FRIENDS: These are the people that make you laugh. They are fun-loving and a pleasure to be around. We all have these friends that we don't talk to often, but when we do it's like you never miss a beat. These are people that come and go, but leave us with a little bit of sunshine that we never forget. 

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE FRIENDS: These are friends that you share your deepest, darkest secrets with. They are the ones that you meet in college that you become ultimately close to and keep in touch with the rest of your lives. They are your teammates, your classmates or who you call your brothers and sisters. Theses friends may be in your life for a long time or come and go, but these friends you cherish for a lifetime. 

VANILLA CUPCAKE FRIENDS: These are the life-long friends that you have known for almost all of your life. These are the friends you have had since grade school or high school.  These are the friends that you have been in their weddings, you have been at the hospital when their kids were born and friends that you miss every day. Very few of us have many of these, but the ones we have we need to cherish dearly. As you get older, you realize that real friends are hard to find. These are the people that would drop anything to come help you or be with you in a time of need. These are the normal, down to earth people who know everything about you and have walked through the not only the good times, but the hard times as well. 

So the next time you bake cupcakes or happen to enjoy one of these small, yet delicious treats; think about your friends both new and old and be grateful for what they have given you, taught you(both good and bad) and continue to bless you with for the rest of your life. The next time you want to make someone smile....bake them some funfetti cupcakes!