tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78160794194507989662024-03-19T15:50:53.771-07:00Kansas FFA Vice PresidentUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-75167735319386341832015-10-11T23:33:00.002-07:002015-10-11T23:33:47.451-07:00Are we there yet?<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Are we there yet?” That was one of
my favorite questions when my family was driving anywhere as a kid. I remember
one road trip that was particularly long. We were going to Plains, Kansas to
visit family. In case you were wondering, Plains is a tiny little town that is
the definition of Western Kansas. Did you know Plains has the widest Main
Street in the United States? Well now you do! Anyway, as you can imagine, the
ride to Plains is a long one and 6-year-old Bailey was not very patient. Every
couple of minutes I would ask, “Are we there yet?” Since we were obviously still
moving and in the middle of nowhere, the answer was always, “No and don’t ask
again”. But I would ask again and again and again. Finally, my dad said, “You
know Bailey, half the fun is getting there. If you wait until we get there to
have fun you’ve already wasted half the time.” As a six year old I didn’t
understand this, but looking back he may have a point. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRDxERp1wI82tZGnk6iqUz4qe_GaS-RrVZPBryr5_sUQ3uhrx2CKGr7NC8homVjvK3Y1BV-N_vylyJS8Ut_YIaS9TY2Gq_e3IZL116MgLqMAnrY3XlAweVfKhzoG8rtXjBMSs8o3vfSol/s1600/IMG_4070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRDxERp1wI82tZGnk6iqUz4qe_GaS-RrVZPBryr5_sUQ3uhrx2CKGr7NC8homVjvK3Y1BV-N_vylyJS8Ut_YIaS9TY2Gq_e3IZL116MgLqMAnrY3XlAweVfKhzoG8rtXjBMSs8o3vfSol/s200/IMG_4070.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main Street in Buhler<br />on a Saturday evening. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I grew up in the small town of
Buhler, Kansas. Population 1335, Buhler is a quaint town. I love my hometown,
but as with any little towns there wasn’t a lot to do. Growing up we had to
make our own fun. From adventuring outside to going to the library or even swimming
at the pool, which even on the hottest days was freezing, we always found
something to do. But when we got to high school it was different. If I had a
quarter for every time I heard someone say “I can’t wait to get out here” I
would be able to pay my college tuition in quarters!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were in such a hurry to grow up and move
on. Well since that time I have graduated and moved out of my beloved hometown
and I realize I was a little too excited to leave. I was focused so much on the
next step that I forgot to savor the little things.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A couple of weekends ago I got to
go home for Buhler Frolic, our annual town celebration. For years I was a part
of the parade, from being on the grade school float, to band, to the FFA float.
For the first time I can remember, I got to stand and watch the parade go
by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so fun to see this celebration
of Buhler in a new light! My heart was filled with so much Buhler pride. Later
that evening I was given the amazing opportunity to speak at the banquet
celebrating my high school’s 100<sup>th</sup> year. While at the banquet I got
to hear so many stories about the journey Buhler High has taken from its start
in 1915. It was incredible to see all of the history and memories made in my
own high school! Being back home and enjoying a fun day was just what I needed
to remind me to cherish the little moments and remember that child like wonder that
we seem to lose as we grow up.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkK7v7zAFpSVHXsiK8SNPZtcNHaqYPCAkKNqoANkrUHbiCGglXEfIeR_99ZRhsvszMAwbztPuS9QWhYfB6YN-YYUBNhLDa-xIxlgqUASZHrGOPwhGrZGHHwVf7xnAeU5dqXGoz5-ffOOU7/s1600/12141524_10206102559896244_6631847775769426822_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkK7v7zAFpSVHXsiK8SNPZtcNHaqYPCAkKNqoANkrUHbiCGglXEfIeR_99ZRhsvszMAwbztPuS9QWhYfB6YN-YYUBNhLDa-xIxlgqUASZHrGOPwhGrZGHHwVf7xnAeU5dqXGoz5-ffOOU7/s320/12141524_10206102559896244_6631847775769426822_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many people celebrating Buhler High School!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s easy to get focused on the next event or
goal and forget to stop and smell the roses. The same thing can happen during
our time in FFA. Make the most of everyday, every class period, every moment
because life isn’t just about the big moments, it’s about all the little ones
put together too. Whether a freshman, senior, graduate, alumna, or a supporter
of FFA there will come a time when we have to hang up our blue jacket. When we
finally reach our destination, I hope we can all say that we enjoyed the
journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of asking, “Are we
there yet?”, ask how will I enjoy the ride? Because after all half the fun is
getting there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04371600500176001104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-65412235122343520242015-08-27T10:22:00.000-07:002015-08-27T12:59:20.075-07:00Tennis Shoes in a Sea of Boots<div class="MsoNormal">
As school commences, I reflect back on my freshman year of
high school. Entering high school was a big step that came with major changes. When
each new chapter of our lives begins, we are faced with many possible changes; it’s
our choice what we make of them. The first change I faced as an incoming
freshman was that of a new school with unfamiliar faces- a lot of them. Being a
bit shorter than most, it made everything seem so much bigger than it really
was. The second challenge I was faced was the actual school part. I had no idea
what to expect with many of my classes. Among those classes was Intro to Ag Science.
I had no idea what I was getting into taking that class. I wasn’t raised on a
farm, knew very little about agriculture, and I was terrified to get out of my comfort
zone. With a little nudging from a friend, I took the leap and joined FFA.
Joining was the easy part; from there, I was faced with many other chances to
either get involved, or remain in my beloved comfort zone. Not long after the
year was underway, there was an invitational livestock judging event. I decided
that if I was going, I was going to do well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I practiced and prepared a little bit every night prior to the contest.
When I finally got there after a very long bus ride, I was a bundle of nerves.
I promptly decided that this was no place for a city girl wearing tennis shoes
as I wandered through the sea of boots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Regardless of how I felt, it was too late to give up, so I had to go
through with it. I didn’t think I was going to do very well because I was so
far outside of my comfort zone. Once the day was over the bus ride stretched on
for what seemed like eternity; I was ready to be back at school and back in my
comfort zone where I promised myself I would stay. About 15 minutes before we
were back at the school, my advisor got the fateful email with the results
enclosed. He glanced at the screen and began reading off the results. I only
half listened because I didn’t expect to hear my name. Then I heard my name,
and it caught my attention. Mr. Seuser repeated; “In 2<sup>nd</sup> place,
Bailey Peterson.” My promise of staying in my comfort zone was completely forgotten.
I was hooked on FFA.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEH8aPOxJjO4DRFauE8XprpfazD-1qy_Y2aNiuEavvMiqaHVManYnHmT9focI3f-ZP3E2U9mKeso3vOZ2qf3P52-zmo34pKa8T8OdkMLaCT4NtiSUcWgKGJhIMS2HSI2HsXs3qc-_MH9BI/s1600/IMG_6713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEH8aPOxJjO4DRFauE8XprpfazD-1qy_Y2aNiuEavvMiqaHVManYnHmT9focI3f-ZP3E2U9mKeso3vOZ2qf3P52-zmo34pKa8T8OdkMLaCT4NtiSUcWgKGJhIMS2HSI2HsXs3qc-_MH9BI/s200/IMG_6713.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This award reminds me what<br />
stepping out of our comfort<br />
zone can do for us. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Our comfort
zones are where we reside for the greater part of our lives. If we never step
out of our comfort zone, we are missing so many opportunities. If I hadn’t
taken a risk and joined FFA, who knows where I would be right now? Or, if I
hadn’t taken a risk and tried something new and strange to me, I never would
have found my passion for FFA. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many
times we are presented with an opportunity, yet we chose to stay in the
comforts of familiarity. Think of all of the things we could do when we leave
our comfort zone behind. Sometimes it won’t work out perfectly, but you never
know, sometimes it will. As we journey through this year, take those chances.
Maybe try a new CDE, take a chance and grow our SAE, or talk to someone new at
a Conference. Let’s step out of our comfort zone, embrace every opportunity,
and see what we can accomplish as we dream outside the box. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Here’s a
little bit more about me: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I love animals! I love cats, while at heart I’m
a dog person. I have trained and competed with my dogs for close to 10 years
now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9bg1QdciGeK4dsm54_vfW33-wjvln0BA3VWxoDKvt2av81MziIegFMUwYDgkj2q0vK2mxrW1Lsa41PH3tIpnHNp-6BXMx7pKN2TC6JW55JTosgtpQsKj8GsJWLVa0RdGZ4fupWiAMlyA/s1600/IMG_4225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9bg1QdciGeK4dsm54_vfW33-wjvln0BA3VWxoDKvt2av81MziIegFMUwYDgkj2q0vK2mxrW1Lsa41PH3tIpnHNp-6BXMx7pKN2TC6JW55JTosgtpQsKj8GsJWLVa0RdGZ4fupWiAMlyA/s200/IMG_4225.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of my dogs, Logan. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I enjoy Netflix watching, some of my favorite
shows are Psych, The Office, and Parks and Recreation. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I volunteered at my local zoo and rehab facility. I have some really awesome stories from my time at the zoo, so if you ever want to hear one just ask!<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZkJ2huORsF7y7J5cg5alld7S6lgSWg9OluV4yWNfemn0HCUAP_ipUWATCvPX_60p3uhMqwMmL073CE8BJQ0rgjZEr-YN_UkS9ndEvWe85kno5Jp7ehL_GfrvdD9DLTb2BRru33nsONdA/s1600/IMG_4268_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZkJ2huORsF7y7J5cg5alld7S6lgSWg9OluV4yWNfemn0HCUAP_ipUWATCvPX_60p3uhMqwMmL073CE8BJQ0rgjZEr-YN_UkS9ndEvWe85kno5Jp7ehL_GfrvdD9DLTb2BRru33nsONdA/s200/IMG_4268_2.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a baby bobcat I got to socialize at the zoo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I love the game Rumikub, which is basically
numbers and puzzles put together. I’ll play anyone, several times. But I also
love board games in general. <o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I love FFA! I couldn't get enough of it, so I have decided to become an ag. teacher and advisor in the future.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiih0J1dMucKTXsemyTo-QtzoZHpujPQuLpbRXGNGOz8Kf4HLO_wFdzSFdTcE9VBIv-SqEu-rA2McxkpxKuRlgvyyz04k9oxyn1Cl8rfb6S4TwznbH5WfuMvJxdQG4q3NR9uWJMd6DLgXih/s1600/IMG_1737.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiih0J1dMucKTXsemyTo-QtzoZHpujPQuLpbRXGNGOz8Kf4HLO_wFdzSFdTcE9VBIv-SqEu-rA2McxkpxKuRlgvyyz04k9oxyn1Cl8rfb6S4TwznbH5WfuMvJxdQG4q3NR9uWJMd6DLgXih/s320/IMG_1737.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Some of my favorite memories have been made while wearing the Blue Jacket.<br />
<o:p></o:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04371600500176001104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-76541412705593151172015-03-15T17:04:00.001-07:002015-03-15T17:04:51.115-07:00Stop and Smell the (Sage)"...What the results are showing is that your worst allergies are to hickory trees, cats, and sage. You said you were going to California next week? They have sage everywhere out there"<br />
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Thank you, Doctor. I <i>really</i> appreciate you pointing that out.<br />
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Yep, I went and had an allergen test last week (I'll spare you the details because they aren't too pretty). I've always known that trees and cats really set my allergies off (sorry, Taylor, I can't join your Cat Club) but finding out I'm allergic to sage was something new. And as my doctor was eager to point out, I would get an actual field test in California over spring break.<br />
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Not only was my doctor right about my allergies, but he was spot on about the sage in California as well. There are parks called "sage hill," streets named after the plant, and according to this lovely sign, the foliage of the area is basically nothing but sage:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkX3QQS0-3lSGYd-6VkXUvoeDJ5HKh-LvpeB8c2x7EeYBUZl__cvpS7QMYDY8NtA_aqdbH-qtFG-RpQXWm4swQJaX__AfZEN7M5hIhwnL36G0dGm93b6TTLS2HueDNvYNv3sTlDuyd8h4/s1600/unnamed-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkX3QQS0-3lSGYd-6VkXUvoeDJ5HKh-LvpeB8c2x7EeYBUZl__cvpS7QMYDY8NtA_aqdbH-qtFG-RpQXWm4swQJaX__AfZEN7M5hIhwnL36G0dGm93b6TTLS2HueDNvYNv3sTlDuyd8h4/s1600/unnamed-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Long story short, I might as well be surrounded by hundreds of cats. This realization made me start to dread the trip and, once we got here, pretty miserable with anticipation of the allergy attacks to follow. In the middle of worrying about myself, though, I almost missed out on an opportunity to enjoy the company of my family and this kind of view:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52l-GVJxFw7qY5uVC2cAKfj3XP3B0AKKJRZRTBawVFGdljM9Lnjq-GlSjHZwlJ7cvQPORNlW6pKXSuukwupAcUwaIzSzOJCVtUtarBW2VC0t-PrVz01ux_m0OJK-TPsM94Qb34br1TV8/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52l-GVJxFw7qY5uVC2cAKfj3XP3B0AKKJRZRTBawVFGdljM9Lnjq-GlSjHZwlJ7cvQPORNlW6pKXSuukwupAcUwaIzSzOJCVtUtarBW2VC0t-PrVz01ux_m0OJK-TPsM94Qb34br1TV8/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I know my issue with sage is just a small, menial problem, but how often do we let something like this happen in our every day lives? Do we get caught up in everything that is going wrong instead of enjoying the blessings we're surrounded by? </div>
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<b>Here's my challenge to you for this spring break: Take five minutes and focus on nothing but what you're thankful for (writing in a journal or creating a list could help!) Forget about whatever is the sage in your life right now and really let yourself enjoy wherever you are, whatever you're doing, and whoever you're doing it with! Stop and smell the sage!*</b></div>
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<i>*Do not actually smell sage. Trust me, the allergic reaction will not be worth it. </i></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-5080353354338726602014-12-31T10:53:00.001-08:002014-12-31T10:55:40.821-08:00Get Loud<h2 style="text-align: center;">
TOUCHDOWN---KAN-SAS CITY!</h2>
If you're a resident of Kansas, or a surrounding state, you most likely read that in the voice of Mitch Holthus, longtime announcer of the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, I've been a Chiefs fan for a long time thanks to my dad who has had season tickets for longer than he's had me. In fact, my dad and I have a long-standing tradition of going to one game together every year. This tradition has been a highlight for me growing up; we get KC BBQ, dress in red from head-to-toe, and cheer our hearts out. There's just one little issue: in the past 12 years of attending games, I had never seen the Chiefs win in person, that was, until this Sunday.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6C6RVW-w1SwtyfLueK-uU_Jl2b25K9TEHbrKppg-62BNv0DAWh7KU_zF8Rk6zzMzsk_wi-OfAzqYN9aC3aitRykgNdjgPi7iZj6RSftMddVXNM2Cwcb9znCFLtUOzlYly-eakmAA2oYk/s1600/IMG_2208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6C6RVW-w1SwtyfLueK-uU_Jl2b25K9TEHbrKppg-62BNv0DAWh7KU_zF8Rk6zzMzsk_wi-OfAzqYN9aC3aitRykgNdjgPi7iZj6RSftMddVXNM2Cwcb9znCFLtUOzlYly-eakmAA2oYk/s1600/IMG_2208.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dad and I attended our 12th annual Chiefs game this Sunday and, possibly due to a miracle, THEY WON! It's safe to say that I won't get my voice back fully for at least another week. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkA8fRzLD5DP3UbFX-zVW9jktO2nlkhWfvTnPih6MibTzwbqnam8-FiZEnA7aE6q1E6fAgz8nPgnPT0B6MVAJWwLevFPRYLFflmxxwTTP80ROnMKx2anHnbz8bvb6-3KCxQxSGuNo1Ms4/s1600/IMG_2209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkA8fRzLD5DP3UbFX-zVW9jktO2nlkhWfvTnPih6MibTzwbqnam8-FiZEnA7aE6q1E6fAgz8nPgnPT0B6MVAJWwLevFPRYLFflmxxwTTP80ROnMKx2anHnbz8bvb6-3KCxQxSGuNo1Ms4/s1600/IMG_2209.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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When you're walking into a stadium for the 12th times with a personal record of 0-11 of games attended, your excitement level isn't at its highest. This changed quickly though, due to the atmosphere of Arrowhead Stadium-the loudest outdoor stadium in the NFL! See, when Chiefs fans get excited, they definitely don't fail to show it. The noise level rises quickly and plays a huge role in pumping the Chiefs up while disorienting the other team. <b>Noise is a key factor in any Chiefs victory at home.</b></div>
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This isn't just true for football, though. We all have the capacity to get loud and make noise for things we care about. Maybe that something is our faith, a social injustice like hunger or poverty, or a positive message that we think everyone needs to hear. Oftentimes, though, we hold back out of fear of being judged or from a lack of confidence. When this happens, our voice isn't heard and it definitely isn't making a difference like it could be. One of my favorite quotes comes from someone who has never held her voice back, despite the danger that came with speaking out:</div>
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<i>"I raise up my voice - not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard"</i></div>
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<i>-Malala Yousefzi</i></div>
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Malala is the world's youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize thanks to her efforts in standing up against the Taliban in support of education for women and girls. She knows that raising awareness is a more effective means to reach change than through the Taliban's tactics of violence and fear. I strongly recommend checking out a clip of her interview with Jon Stewart here:</div>
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So what will you use your noise factor for? What message do you believe needs to be heard and how will you spread it? We live in a world where a message can go viral within minutes and our voices can do so much more than cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs to victory, so let's define our messages, lose our fears, and <b>get loud!</b></div>
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<i>*Disclaimer: Despite my love of Chiefs football, I'm still pretty illiterate when it comes to the game and the terms and phrases of the sport. If you're a sports genius, hit me up because together we can be unstoppable playing trivia. </i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-89382005700570621532014-11-09T17:27:00.002-08:002014-11-09T17:27:20.476-08:00Days are Long<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Bethany, you have to remember that <b>the days are long</b>..."</i></div>
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Earlier this week, I sat down for a life chat that made me really dig deep and think hard about where I am and what I'm doing with all of my time and energy--something that I think we all need every now and then. I mean, when you really think about it we all have the same number of hours in the days, even though some seem longer than others, so how do we make sure we're taking advantage of these hours and not just letting time pass by? </div>
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<b>Get Better</b></div>
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One of the best ways to spend our time is by striving to make ourselves better. We would all agree that personal development and improvement is something we want, so what can we do to actually get there? (Brace yourself, the answer is going to come as a shock...) By <u>setting goals!</u><i> </i>It's cheesy, I know, but bear with me. I know we're driven to set goals (especially SMART ones) on a pretty regular basis during different class activities, professional development events, or leadership-based workshops, but, for the most part, we aren't really using them effectively. It's easy to jot down a few small actions when we're sitting in a workshop and prompted to write down "three goals for the coming semester" but if we can shift our perspective just a little bit, we can set some goals that will really help us to get to where we want to be. Start by jotting down the answers to these questions:</div>
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<li>What kind of person do I imagine as the best version of myself? <i>(Get descriptive with this one! Do you want to be a strong leader? Noticeably kind and caring? More knowledgeable and well-read?)</i></li>
<li>What skill set(s) would be a part of this? (<i>Great presentation skills? Empathy and listening skills? An understanding of current events or issues?)</i></li>
<li>What goals do I need to set to develop these skills? <i>(This is where the rubber meets the road. These goals can be as big or small as you want, just think how they can build on each other to get you where you want to be. Maybe this means setting a goal of giving a speech to a coach or mentor to receive feedback at least twice a month, writing a heartfelt card to someone who needs it once a week, or reading the top five news stories everyday.</i></li>
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<i>"...the days are long, but <b>the years are short"</b></i></div>
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The end of this piece of advice may be the most important. Yes, it's hard to pack more into our already busy schedules, especially something that doesn't have any real deadline like the goals we just made. But here's the deal: time is flying by. Confession time...I still write the date as 2012 on my papers everyday, because seriously, what happened to the time? If we become so caught up in what we're doing that we forget to make the time to make ourselves better, we will never become the person we imagine ourselves being or have the skills that we value most. </div>
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So, set goals. Smash them. Be stronger. Be better. Show people who you are. Never apologize for being awesome. And when you need a little motivation to keep going, come back here and either reevaluate the goals you've set or just take a look at this incredibly inspiring cat poster:</div>
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Seriously, who isn't ready to go out and conquer the world after seeing this?</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-65125738490296174052014-08-27T13:34:00.000-07:002014-08-27T13:34:28.188-07:00Let's be Awesome<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Oh my gosh, that's awesome!"</span></div>
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-My answer to pretty much everything when I'm excited (so all the time)</div>
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Awesome. It's a great word, isn't it? You can use it to describe how you're feeling, what your day was like, T-Swift's latest song (no shame), or, most often in my case, to describe a recent meal. But just the other day, a good friend pointed out to me that I might use the word "awesome" just a little too much. I mean, yah, I really enjoyed my lunch today at Chick-Fil-A, but was it really awesome? If you're a word nerd like me, you might appreciate knowing that, according to Dictionary.com, the definition for awesome is as follows:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: start;"><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Awesome-inspiring</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">an</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">overwhelming</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">feeling</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">of</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">reverence,</span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">admiration,</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">or</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">fear;</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">causing</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">or</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">inducing</span> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; display: inline; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">awe</span></div>
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So yes, Chick-Fil-A is indeed delicious, but it probably doesn't result in an overwhelming feeling of awe. Overusing the word "awesome" could actually cause it to lose some of its value. If we describe everything as being awesome, how can we designate when something actually is? </div>
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Being more careful with our use of the word doesn't have to mean using it less, though. What if we were to strive to actually <b>be more awesome</b>? For those who have been living under a rock, or just don't know how to work a computer (like me) and haven't checked out the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jcl-5wlzn4" target="_blank">Kid President YouTube videos</a> yet, take some time to do so, I promise it'll be worth it.</div>
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So, what if we all become a little more conscious about our use of the word "awesome"? Not by cutting it out and using it less, but by giving ourselves more reasons to use it? How will we strive to really <b>be more awesome</b>?</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-15225194707498736302014-07-29T06:42:00.000-07:002014-07-29T06:42:48.762-07:00Don't Turn BackThere's no doubt about it, I am my father's daughter. We're both stubborn, known for our signature walks, and, above all else, we can't sit still. My wonderful mother tries to counter this need for constant movement through what she calls "intentional relaxation" aka "forced relaxation." Dad and I can only take so much of this carefully orchestrated quiet time before we set out in search of our latest adventure, which is exactly what happened on our most recent family vacation.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYnV_Tnn9QdRTMXZFHievQH8oYkgklypce8cDaa2ZBpG0Jf5o9iv9mVic2nKY1SBBIGkMf7l3ggiTeevLz9mO-1CzxVsV2WhjBLt-50Dxp_Fp7ZknHn7nhB7aW1ZSU30Z1EbiRQlQUqE/s1600/unnamed-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYnV_Tnn9QdRTMXZFHievQH8oYkgklypce8cDaa2ZBpG0Jf5o9iv9mVic2nKY1SBBIGkMf7l3ggiTeevLz9mO-1CzxVsV2WhjBLt-50Dxp_Fp7ZknHn7nhB7aW1ZSU30Z1EbiRQlQUqE/s1600/unnamed-5.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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After a weekend on the lake, Dad and I decided we should satisfy our need for excitement through a hike in the Ozarks. A quick Google search brought up a nearby trail and we set out with nothing but our favorite ball caps and two bottles of water. Now, neither of us have any real experience hiking, but how hard can it be? I mean, it's just walking around in nature, right? Wrong. Completely wrong. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQErQh0nZx91xjTteBbFTxStXYW54j9InXGX1ZmrXiPMvnNARSQmHupihBJSGhbmgHKsTyNOZ2JzHz5NJ8AETOVUN5mRA7KlNbkAiNo44nRO-3rrWmQ-NrqeQo3F4MXvOgSTyqZC47as/s1600/unnamed-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQErQh0nZx91xjTteBbFTxStXYW54j9InXGX1ZmrXiPMvnNARSQmHupihBJSGhbmgHKsTyNOZ2JzHz5NJ8AETOVUN5mRA7KlNbkAiNo44nRO-3rrWmQ-NrqeQo3F4MXvOgSTyqZC47as/s1600/unnamed-1.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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Turns out that hiking is pretty hard work. I know, I was surprised too. But halfway through our hike, I found myself tired, out of breath, and just ready for a mid-afternoon nap. I had set out full of enthusiasm, but lost that excitement as soon as I started to wear down. At this point, though, there was no turning back because we were as far from our starting point as the end of the trail. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kU2MPI4HmHab7WxgQlvg7spEdol1Y4s2bYXpm7brW_Hd_hZAmogrlThMEljD8FUoicqCEyhRNh3QQz4-EAM5I8eSlgbEPGWxSz7t6SaU3p_6B3Gd1FVthT3J7mwx7yick0KcruZ_k_w/s1600/unnamed-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kU2MPI4HmHab7WxgQlvg7spEdol1Y4s2bYXpm7brW_Hd_hZAmogrlThMEljD8FUoicqCEyhRNh3QQz4-EAM5I8eSlgbEPGWxSz7t6SaU3p_6B3Gd1FVthT3J7mwx7yick0KcruZ_k_w/s1600/unnamed-2.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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How often do we do have something similar happen in our lives? We set out with a new goal in mind and then get busy, distracted, or just plain worn out. But let's take a minute and ask ourselves these questions:</div>
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What would it look like if we followed through on all of our projects and goals?</div>
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What could we accomplish?</div>
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How would those accomplishments feel after the hard work we put into them?</div>
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As most of us are getting ready to head back to school and the responsibilities that come with it, let's be intentional about following through and continuing to pursue our goals, even when we get bogged down with day-to-day life. If we can do so, there's no doubt that we'll be more successful than my attempt at hiking! No matter how tired we are or how uncomfortable it may be with the work we have to put in, let's strive to push ourselves, refuse to settle, and, most importantly, don't turn back. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-88572732405880434342014-04-17T11:27:00.001-07:002014-04-17T11:27:42.469-07:00Perfection(less)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVGLYC6nyVGVf7WgzTPMV6OjjhCjfih69EzqN3THbKJqOJfHVW-NSx6ZKpSKPwZPVw9dXfCkUW9D631ZvjTtBVwsK4TLPhHV9n7rW1CHn7kyxCEE8Mvycp91mhPuf1Syp362qIAqggY0/s1600/IMG_1062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVGLYC6nyVGVf7WgzTPMV6OjjhCjfih69EzqN3THbKJqOJfHVW-NSx6ZKpSKPwZPVw9dXfCkUW9D631ZvjTtBVwsK4TLPhHV9n7rW1CHn7kyxCEE8Mvycp91mhPuf1Syp362qIAqggY0/s1600/IMG_1062.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHplG7YRzfHx9f7PiSK64YbHa-DPMLOed4hO6lSxgiOyeA1REaSBMqkcPP2oSfzA1GVdpxwf6dki-F5m8eSsVw0gIHJR2WfMms2ZUcGbcCMGxnLJsXzfhjnmeVyBS6ja2jF0PbDYKKf4/s1600/IMG_1105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHplG7YRzfHx9f7PiSK64YbHa-DPMLOed4hO6lSxgiOyeA1REaSBMqkcPP2oSfzA1GVdpxwf6dki-F5m8eSsVw0gIHJR2WfMms2ZUcGbcCMGxnLJsXzfhjnmeVyBS6ja2jF0PbDYKKf4/s1600/IMG_1105.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
During our senior year we were given the opportunity to choose practically anything we wanted for our senior project in English. I chose to make a cookbook because I love to bake. However this wasn't just a cookbook with random recipes. Instead I spent the time to talk to members of my community and get recipes they really love and that have a story attached to them. Therefore my cookbook turned into a storybook at the same time. I then decided to try (almost) all of the recipes so I could include pictures and give recommendations to people as to which recipes I really liked!<br />
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However no matter how excited I was to make all of these recipes, not all of them turned out very well. The cookies you see in the top left spread out and looked more like I was making a whole sheet of cookies! Just below that is my wonderful attempt at these famous kolache's that everyone loves. As you can see I didn't even make it to the kolache stage as my dough turned out like a ten pound weight. Although these recipes turned out wonderfully when they were made by the ladies who gave me the recipe, my first attempt for these recipes was a flop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3jy0OJG6siIF-O-9T-B_EseGZyr1w_yG37Tm0bgAPQPe7E_rzNL16CwHNrfE1tn48eJOHZjgqgkZV7PY7okoW3d7ostO6mKFfxomMGhRqooOrY52K0gou6PTgGazGZRr9roxpS4_h8Q/s1600/IMG_1099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3jy0OJG6siIF-O-9T-B_EseGZyr1w_yG37Tm0bgAPQPe7E_rzNL16CwHNrfE1tn48eJOHZjgqgkZV7PY7okoW3d7ostO6mKFfxomMGhRqooOrY52K0gou6PTgGazGZRr9roxpS4_h8Q/s1600/IMG_1099.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a>But I am oh so glad that I decided not to give up on making any more of the recipes because I would've missed out on the recipes that did turn out deliciously. Arlene Kleinschmidt's crescent rolls beat Pillsbury out of the can crescent rolls any day and Arlene Carlson's cinnamon rolls have become a new family favorite recipe. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiMJN3_cDMfwlUJ8D0X2YrkAmOB7V_703ewWEU2Klbexvhe4yptlybTZqE3sTWnIiIBcRBHU7-fuAeg6Hwvcwuxj9rExXpsvU14hhutsh7NcdMBHUubyzjumOmBD2OmUAi8vrOnUMJas/s1600/IMG_0403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiMJN3_cDMfwlUJ8D0X2YrkAmOB7V_703ewWEU2Klbexvhe4yptlybTZqE3sTWnIiIBcRBHU7-fuAeg6Hwvcwuxj9rExXpsvU14hhutsh7NcdMBHUubyzjumOmBD2OmUAi8vrOnUMJas/s1600/IMG_0403.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>While I may have had some difficulties with a few of the recipes, there were many more than turned out wonderfully. With practice I'm sure that the other recipes would have turned out just as great, even if they didn't the first time. But all in all if I hadn't kept trying recipes after my attempt at kolaches or tea cookies, I would've missed out on making and eating a super moist frosted chocolate cake and a delicious peach cobbler.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSgXcX2yFXf29VzrQHqBloHttcX5Y8HgGXOyCb8vFlnqwHeAEARqJpWYKXtjrR_KJpyqwOoudH_HYc2kk5P7EGaWvtduMU5jZ6BPfDUYrXvlg41Y59wUaJJy07F2QY8z0CF5yAt5IHX4/s1600/IMG_1156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSgXcX2yFXf29VzrQHqBloHttcX5Y8HgGXOyCb8vFlnqwHeAEARqJpWYKXtjrR_KJpyqwOoudH_HYc2kk5P7EGaWvtduMU5jZ6BPfDUYrXvlg41Y59wUaJJy07F2QY8z0CF5yAt5IHX4/s1600/IMG_1156.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>My question to you is; How many times are we so afraid of failing that we don't even want to try the first time? Is there something we really want to do, but maybe we've tried and haven't had success before? Or maybe it's like when we're staring at our computer screen trying to think of what in the world to write our 5 page paper on because we want it to be perfect to we're too afraid to even start it because we crave perfection.<br />
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Whatever it is that you want to do, don't be intimidated or afraid to start a project because you want so badly for it to be perfect. When we realize that we probably are going to have some things that turn out less than perfect, that's when we can really start trying new ideas!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-64049757947176149932014-03-13T15:05:00.000-07:002014-03-13T15:05:49.732-07:00Simple Joys<div style="text-align: center;">
Spring break is fast approaching and whether we are excited for no homework, a vacation or the potential spring weather, I have a challenge for you. </div>
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Often times I find myself in days like today where my to-do lists seems like it is a mile long and I have deadlines looming over my head. Do any of you ever feel like you have the whole world to conquer in one night? I certainly know that feeling. Sometimes our brains may look a little like this. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyD6b_nGu8soQZQDIIM-s82y6B3pGsSXNQnnRRPOYumAe1DkM-_SVu1qBAVIQ6wMjcc2Q5_35qA9h5TxgMbZ80yoxOsPjKJclAOr7Pt5sO5ZxI46nfvFxgYt_Uv5i8pCPEd4Iaphx9Q7g/s1600/IMG_1253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyD6b_nGu8soQZQDIIM-s82y6B3pGsSXNQnnRRPOYumAe1DkM-_SVu1qBAVIQ6wMjcc2Q5_35qA9h5TxgMbZ80yoxOsPjKJclAOr7Pt5sO5ZxI46nfvFxgYt_Uv5i8pCPEd4Iaphx9Q7g/s1600/IMG_1253.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>.</div>
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This was all of my mail to sort through while deciding on what college to go to; I chose K-State!</div>
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Our lives may be a little crazy to the point where we don't even feel like we ever have a break from the nonstop go-go-go. One of the things I've learned is I often get so caught up in being the busy bee of life that I've forgotten to enjoy the little things while I am pushing so hard to meet deadlines. I've let weeks go by without even talking to my sisters or nieces in all of my rush to conquer my to-do lists.</div>
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The lesson I've learned is to enjoy the little things in life. This is a personal motto I've been working towards as I realized in high school that I was constantly on the go and sometime forgot to simply enjoy my life!</div>
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Here are some moments that I've captured through photos of simple joys that I am grateful I took the time to stop and enjoy. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtOZr1gO-8fBv8_rQZfxjv0JJxl7sUrqzt5EJttrVnYsQxTWurZIwJvkNRz1jkZBq841nB3SuVH3NnFrZczhF9yRq34kMfyInCjPN3Mp7v2dkj9o_Mj4TDPMG5DePXhHarc8iq0ytHLQ/s1600/IMG_0973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtOZr1gO-8fBv8_rQZfxjv0JJxl7sUrqzt5EJttrVnYsQxTWurZIwJvkNRz1jkZBq841nB3SuVH3NnFrZczhF9yRq34kMfyInCjPN3Mp7v2dkj9o_Mj4TDPMG5DePXhHarc8iq0ytHLQ/s1600/IMG_0973.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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We burn pastures every year at my farm. I am so glad I took the time to capture this "ordinary" day on the farm with a picture of my dad and me. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLhlhyGL-EuYniWqJ_vOYRcu4jI4ZbsRlLQz4CSxAxz2Ox97XnHwu0ffGwoP7t8IzCFQHPoZfwq2JcSQQZrReIpQtpgg4rzPH2vBres1HUotLKzio8OlA776mhp90TBkuu1s__zWpLMw/s1600/IMG_2111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLhlhyGL-EuYniWqJ_vOYRcu4jI4ZbsRlLQz4CSxAxz2Ox97XnHwu0ffGwoP7t8IzCFQHPoZfwq2JcSQQZrReIpQtpgg4rzPH2vBres1HUotLKzio8OlA776mhp90TBkuu1s__zWpLMw/s1600/IMG_2111.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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On our safari in South Africa our main attention was of course on the animals. However I happened to take my eyes away from the hunt for the animals in order to take this beautiful picture. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEym7AYmb2buAeVKsJg4H8qqBB58UPXkTUhRoesZM8bzqy3FhiL7yMPsfVJfnOzd-6x6NKgNnQ2eoqIkdSmN8rC3yMAUg_D3vVF52H__pNDohXLNggfokdLBe0zLK7El4K49T1Jj2m4c/s1600/IMG_1616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEym7AYmb2buAeVKsJg4H8qqBB58UPXkTUhRoesZM8bzqy3FhiL7yMPsfVJfnOzd-6x6NKgNnQ2eoqIkdSmN8rC3yMAUg_D3vVF52H__pNDohXLNggfokdLBe0zLK7El4K49T1Jj2m4c/s1600/IMG_1616.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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After completing the Spartan sprint of 3.8 miles packed with 15 obstacles, our team took time to celebrate our accomplishment before we showered and put on proper clothes for the 40 degree weather.</div>
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You can always get more money, you can always be more accomplished, but one thing you can never get back is time. My challenge for you this spring break is to take time to enjoy the little things and make the most of the 86,400 seconds you have everyday. Because after all, you can never get more time. </div>
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How will you use your time to stop and appreciate the <b>simple joys</b> in everyday? </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-36590965387851758292014-01-19T15:30:00.000-08:002014-01-19T15:30:38.912-08:00Unbelievably BlessedI am unbelievably blessed-and so are you. I learned many life lessons during my time in South Africa the past few weeks. One of them was just how blessed I am. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeWYR5giLqbQ_tC0J4OIRmznZUjn5SuBrQ4SQ5HLvbEF1jnOKXGyxR5cOKY8bPgUm6XglAI9waiE0sT3zhARL4GYWjd54bZi9OkYnsXJaHXZeWwB4tMJ8S9CrZJu5ty67i76tcYmHq24/s1600/IMG_2010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeWYR5giLqbQ_tC0J4OIRmznZUjn5SuBrQ4SQ5HLvbEF1jnOKXGyxR5cOKY8bPgUm6XglAI9waiE0sT3zhARL4GYWjd54bZi9OkYnsXJaHXZeWwB4tMJ8S9CrZJu5ty67i76tcYmHq24/s1600/IMG_2010.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>For agriculture, especially here in Kansas we are blessed with fertile soil for which to grow our crops. Where I live, we are able to produce crops very profitably without irrigation. We also have the security that our crops will not be set on fire, nor our office broken into, or fences taken for steel to the point where we need armed security. A farmer we met in South Africa has high powered electric fences (like we would see surrounding our prisons) and employs six armed workers just to patrol and safeguard his land. <br />
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American agriculturists are blessed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKugOMoSL0qHEY3prcfZJBp-TlHbbpUXamuTIYlgdz_REGbAEibOaVJ4xq2pDadnx1Q6xvfHB-Y-lial9OKVh3rDgMGjJZ3wYyz5LaIK6D1aX8kqHNFlmapm3AzbzPTBWsScB7R42zrPc/s1600/IMG_2738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKugOMoSL0qHEY3prcfZJBp-TlHbbpUXamuTIYlgdz_REGbAEibOaVJ4xq2pDadnx1Q6xvfHB-Y-lial9OKVh3rDgMGjJZ3wYyz5LaIK6D1aX8kqHNFlmapm3AzbzPTBWsScB7R42zrPc/s1600/IMG_2738.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>I have a heated home with electricity, running water and a bed to sleep on. However while in South Africa we walked through a shantytown where electricity was minimal, running water was hauled from local spouts, every house was surrounded by razor wire, community porta-potties were their toilets and 10-12 people slept in a space smaller than my room. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORgxYqEpI316qmynaXBfVk0Ev_gFSYb0HyN57Wik1Nil4OwiC16dZx2-OxuMi-FACc7tH5A94Jy0MMOhURWPH7JRNE-zdX_oUxROImIhv5um1ausfzfbCfBUbqJskyJkBBRKDnrEbyjg/s1600/IMG_2764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORgxYqEpI316qmynaXBfVk0Ev_gFSYb0HyN57Wik1Nil4OwiC16dZx2-OxuMi-FACc7tH5A94Jy0MMOhURWPH7JRNE-zdX_oUxROImIhv5um1ausfzfbCfBUbqJskyJkBBRKDnrEbyjg/s1600/IMG_2764.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
We that have a warm home, hot showers and a bed are blessed.<br />
<br />
I have parents who have loved me unconditionally since I was born, sisters who are my greatest supports and a close extended family. While visiting Mrs. Sabina Khoza Fair Deal Training and Education Center, we learned that she has is now the adoptive mother to three orphans because HIV/AIDS claimed their parents' lives. Eighteen percent of South Africa's population is HIV/AIDS positive.<br />
<br />
I am blessed by the love of my family.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;">
Mrs. Khoza shared this saying with us on the Sunday morning that we spent with her:</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"When God blesses you, he blesses you abundantly." </i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4bBBLm5sS-yMfs2fqu2syJLJp-WXoWcFK9yKMESPpop_B72Rz5O9zkHgzF-ZjrpQLXrISzpMiShFW2BEeryPwyQXrmOotTnpMb1ZtQU0MpkUjHIbiWtSpBTymSJBldtz_i8R1QIl1Tk/s1600/IMG_2554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4bBBLm5sS-yMfs2fqu2syJLJp-WXoWcFK9yKMESPpop_B72Rz5O9zkHgzF-ZjrpQLXrISzpMiShFW2BEeryPwyQXrmOotTnpMb1ZtQU0MpkUjHIbiWtSpBTymSJBldtz_i8R1QIl1Tk/s1600/IMG_2554.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My challenge for you: The next time you catch yourself complaining, look all around you, look at your life and thank God......thank him for how he has blessed you abundantly. </span></b></h3>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-27460150725941458482013-12-12T19:44:00.000-08:002013-12-12T19:44:25.470-08:00The Season of Waiting We spend four hours furiously wracking our brains to do our top notch work on our ACT to hopefully get us the scholarship money we want for our dream college. Then we wonder for weeks what we received until finally we receive that email. <br />
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We spend everyday since Thanksgiving waiting in anticipating for Christmas morning to see what Santa brought us with a child's innocence, or in our cases now what is under the tree from our parents. <br />
<br />
We spend months preparing for a CDE or even years for a proficiency area. Yet, we never know what the outcome is immediately.<br />
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But sometimes we wait after we do something that nags at our conscience, and we wait to see if anyone will find out. <br />
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Waiting...waiting...waiting. Waiting is against our nature and patience is something we all lose sometimes. But let's think for a moment, if there was nothing leading up to Christmas, no break from school except for that day, would it be as special? Think of all the cooking, decorating, parties and gatherings in anticipation of the day. <br />
<br />
But the result at the end of waiting is called delayed gratification. Christmas wouldn't be near as special without the anticipation. Our experiences within FFA wouldn't be near as rewarding if they didn't take time, effort and some time spent waiting. That Grand Champion ribbon you won with your steer at the county fair is so much sweeter because of the months put into feeding and working with him.<br />
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What about those time when we mess up, wouldn't it be easier to just find out immediately if we were going to get caught cheating or lying? Of course! But let's think about that feeling of guilt and having your stomach in knots waiting to see if you are caught in the middle your lie. If it weren't for the time we spend sweating about those times we mess up, we probably wouldn't have learned our lesson near as well. The end result of the prolonged guilt is to hopefully teach us a lesson about what we did and that the feeling of guilt is enough to make us think twice before making that same mistake again.<br />
<br />
My challenge for you: The next time you find yourself waiting, think about the lesson you're learning or the sweet reward of delayed gratification you'll received at the end of your wait. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-65209681631593997202013-10-17T14:18:00.000-07:002013-10-17T14:18:49.612-07:00There's No Place Like Home <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdMEwLcs416BrNbY69eaUDIj7rL56c7rDk4lIx1Y5j58-uhU7pV3zzhCCOWUB0JGzH8yxO_hkZZDHwYZH4f_goWKfbz6cybNB2wP3YYrc_9-KRCjINFkarkgRzQEBm5kP9vGfcj65i_4/s1600/IMG_6875.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdMEwLcs416BrNbY69eaUDIj7rL56c7rDk4lIx1Y5j58-uhU7pV3zzhCCOWUB0JGzH8yxO_hkZZDHwYZH4f_goWKfbz6cybNB2wP3YYrc_9-KRCjINFkarkgRzQEBm5kP9vGfcj65i_4/s640/IMG_6875.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
There's no place like home, where the sky is perfectly blue, there are plenty of hay bales to hop and ponds to fish. Home is the community that has helped raise me alongside my parents and family. Home is where I developed a love for the country and a passion for agriculture. Whether the place you call home is a small, agricultural community or a bustling town, we all have those things we love about our homes. And we all have one thing in common, Kansas is the place we call home. <br />
<br />
There's no place like home-Dorothy got that right. Kansas is the place that many of us call home-from the rolling Flint Hills to the open plains of western Kansas, we are all proud to be Kansans. The country is my home in Kansas, but I know that there is much more to our state than that. <br />
<br />
There's no place like home-who knew so many types of people could call one place home? College has taught me to open my eyes up to the diversity of people with all different backgrounds who call Kansas home. While Kansas is consistently ranked number one in wheat production and produces just under 20 percent of the total U.S. beef, among other agricultural commodities, there are Kansans that don't know this side of Kansas. We Kansans should all be proud of our agriculture industry and our role in feeding the world's population. However, there are still many people that haven't heard all of agriculture's story. Likewise, I am still striving to learn more about the culture and way of life of the well over a million Johnson and Sedgwick county residents.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>I challenge each of you to not only share the story of agriculture, but also to listen to our fellow Kansans' stories so that we can all know more about the diversity of Kansas, both in and out of the agriculture industry. Then can all proudly say together,"There's No Place Like Home, There's No Place Like Home, There's No Place Like Home." </b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-21310650847555334122013-09-12T17:14:00.000-07:002013-09-12T17:14:31.839-07:00Traditions<div class="MsoNormal">
What do milk jugs, eggs, sugar, cream, vanilla, buckets
and a bunch of community members get you? Gallons and gallons of homemade,
hand-cranked ice cream is the correct answer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Every year my church family comes together to hand-crank anywhere from
50-80 gallons of ice cream to be sold at Burdick’s Labor Day Celebration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Dad has even engineered a machine to crush
up milk jugs that we froze water in for ice to freeze the ice cream with. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This tradition started long before I began cranking
ice cream as a child every Sunday before Labor Day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Our lives are surrounded by traditions, such as
hand-cranking ice cream, that were started long before us, just as some
traditions within the FFA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have
traditions of opening and closing ceremonies, the Creed, National Convention
and, of course, the blue and gold corduroy jacket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We uphold and honor these traditions by doing
our part to continue them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbL4kinjBEceqFXunnn-Nqw4V75tjhyp4E8ys9-1iBY2liFasKfsnOVzD2RtZYNMVkiT6w2mM1iv4z-19mEBB8Yk-pcqQ-mOmyc3lxsir6ow2wJcl7JKVHLytuLMwJmRecM1Sy5jpgyZ4/s1600/FFA+jacker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbL4kinjBEceqFXunnn-Nqw4V75tjhyp4E8ys9-1iBY2liFasKfsnOVzD2RtZYNMVkiT6w2mM1iv4z-19mEBB8Yk-pcqQ-mOmyc3lxsir6ow2wJcl7JKVHLytuLMwJmRecM1Sy5jpgyZ4/s320/FFA+jacker.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We often talk about the origin of traditions
because often times there is a significant meaning hidden behind the initial
event. However, unless the event is
repeated then there isn’t a tradition. As you participate in FFA realize that
you have a really outstanding opportunity to help carry on the traditions of
advocating for agriculture and developing premier leadership skills. Next time
you put on your blue corduroy jacket, think about all of the traditions you are
able to help continue to thrive and impact the next generation of leaders. And remember, all traditions start with one
moment or event, your chapter’s next tradition could begin with you! </span><!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-6910440319465203902013-08-06T18:50:00.000-07:002013-08-06T18:50:05.456-07:00Leave A Legacy<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ask yourself this question; when you look back at the end of your life, what do you want your legacy to be? </span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7fa3f415-5662-5581-7b50-dcf6aa5597d3" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Grandpa is a third generation farmer whose whole life revolves around his </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">agricultural</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> lifestyle and values. Grandpa loves his family, is devout in his faith and treasures his agricultural lifestyle. The legacy my Grandpa will leave will be one of a strong man who loved the Lord, his family and the land. This legacy will never be world renowned, but it will be passed on throughout our family. Sometimes in life, numbers and facts simply can’t measure the values of a person and their legacy that will live on in the hearts of their loved ones. </span></span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Grandpa instilled the value of hard work into all of his children. No two days on the farm are ever the same, yet they all consist of the same trait--hard work. All of his children grew up helping on the farm and were encouraged to take their own risks to learn with my Grandpa’s guidance. For example, while in high school, my Dad and his older brother purchased a swather and thus did custom swathing for local farmers to pay off the cost of the swather and make a profit. My Dad and his siblings spent their free time out hunting and fishing on the land. My grandparents were never idle and therefore, neither were their children. Think for a moment about: what values are being instilled in you?</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another value my Grandpa instilled in others was a passion for agriculture and the land in which we live on. “For I know the joys and discomforts of agricultural life” could easily be spoken from my Grandpa’s heart. Grandpa started working the land with horses and no electricity, yet ended up using tractors with technology beyond what could have been imagined when he was young. Yet the triumphs my Grandpa shared in are significant. Because of his passion for agriculture, three of his children now farm for a living within miles of their childhood farmstead. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are just a few of the many values that will be included in my Grandpa’s legacy when it is his time to go. All of us have values that make up who we are and how we will choose to live our lives. As we go on with our own walk of life, let's all stop and take a minute to look back and see the legacy that we are leaving behind and thank those who help us leave our legacy. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-6965714155678300292013-04-20T21:18:00.002-07:002013-04-29T20:45:15.374-07:00Roots<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just about everything starts somewhere, somehow, someway,
someday, at sometime. We all have roots of where we came from and while
attending the Girard FFA Banquet I began to realize my roots of my passion for
agriculture.</span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On my way to the banquet I was informed my mom had never
been to a Girard FFA Banquet before even though her dad was the ag advisor for
some thirty some years – I found that a little interesting. So it was going to
be a night of firsts for the both of us.</span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Walking up to the building that happens to be named after my
grandpa - I thought about my grandpa and all the banquets he attended in his
lifetime, I thought about my Aunt Jackie and all of her FFA moments, and now I
was getting to go watch my younger cousin be recognized for her achievements.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The roots of agriculture and FFA my grandpa set is now on
its third generation.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFn2iaV2US4rwzoddiFpeL_y0qB2A0CYx1AAnJHQ-7Eds-zBu4cEByUZn8SDqHGVLRgkIoHItbltiw0xPFWAfU8iAwAulvFFWFcX4wHHb2xZuBre7H2T_tZ3QTBfPBmg9ED-7iIkjwho/s1600/IMG_0675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFn2iaV2US4rwzoddiFpeL_y0qB2A0CYx1AAnJHQ-7Eds-zBu4cEByUZn8SDqHGVLRgkIoHItbltiw0xPFWAfU8iAwAulvFFWFcX4wHHb2xZuBre7H2T_tZ3QTBfPBmg9ED-7iIkjwho/s320/IMG_0675.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Discovering my roots - What are yours?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As FFA members and agriculturalists there are many roots we
are challenged to withhold – one big one being feeding the world.</span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But there are always new roots to be planted- our chapter
starting a new service project, applying for a proficiency award, or
encouraging members to become more involved.</span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just like a tree some of these roots could grow into deep
meaningful traditions, while others may be shallower but they all play a part in
anchoring down the tree; just like we all play a part in the future of
agriculture and FFA.</span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finish the year strong, and start GROWING some new roots!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-33191448798981350562013-02-26T20:22:00.001-08:002013-02-26T21:03:44.077-08:00Go-To Dance Move<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The past 9 months of my life have been spent with 5 other
individuals – AKA: my teammates, my friends, and some of the best dancers I
know.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Throughout our State Office year we have learned each other’s
strengths and weaknesses, we have team code words and phrases, we know how to
get on each other’s nerves, and we know how to make each other smile after a
rough day. But a few things we had in common from day one – our love for dancing in the car and our fear of not being good enough or living up to previous state officer teams standards.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomvxfx5aEGWwUtbpd26R5N11y-bTKbAy8GdbvzBfjjCDh8EiRJmXoXn3fHjkESyJlu9l4hcrjlp4eEbQ7-wHQKFab_VLPFaUhUp0qnUtFNQYiywXC67FmWGhNTLW6cSC8LRm3WsmbUAg/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomvxfx5aEGWwUtbpd26R5N11y-bTKbAy8GdbvzBfjjCDh8EiRJmXoXn3fHjkESyJlu9l4hcrjlp4eEbQ7-wHQKFab_VLPFaUhUp0qnUtFNQYiywXC67FmWGhNTLW6cSC8LRm3WsmbUAg/s1600/Untitled.jpg" /></a>A few of us were riding in a car and Kayla started making
fun of how everyone had their “Go-to” dance moves when jamming out to the radio on the way
to different events.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is Denver – the serious faced, looking ahead, and just taps
his finger to the tunes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Emily – The happy girl, who brings all of her former
cheerleading experience to her dancing and that huge smile never leaves her
face.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kayla – She is the rapper of the group who does a hand
bobbing thing (I really don’t know what it’s called.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Eminem comes on the radio – watch out!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Justin – We like to call it the half hearted fist pump. He
doesn’t quite make a full fist but one hand or two he will fist pump to every
song.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And Chelsey – she is the crazy, rock out, singing every word
with the windows down.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally, myself – uuuhhhmmmm.....Let's just say, my parent’s money that went
towards eight years of dance lessons wasn’t well spent.</div>
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<br /></div>
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We try to mock each other’s dancing and singing, but the
problem is it is never as good as the original move. We have been told our team
is unique and we will never be like another team. That was the moment we
understood why. Our service as a team is like a dance move – if we try to copy
another team’s “dance move” it won’t be as good as the original. We had to
create our own dance move and set our own standards.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn26EeuT93YHmz4-wcJkRAU2lw0MmHhqOm8pN6hgByoFuEiwmmUHgfYqHTBCuidBH6KQrBqfJDrRmg5S6SDKP3B-wKTgBMAvtGi3-QzNE4EtVao8_76-JC1uFZVy9QSI5zrbBVdlplugo/s1600/dance+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn26EeuT93YHmz4-wcJkRAU2lw0MmHhqOm8pN6hgByoFuEiwmmUHgfYqHTBCuidBH6KQrBqfJDrRmg5S6SDKP3B-wKTgBMAvtGi3-QzNE4EtVao8_76-JC1uFZVy9QSI5zrbBVdlplugo/s320/dance+image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not only does this apply to teams, but also to our
individual self. As people, we are all unique and have our own dance moves in life.
Sure we will have moments where we wish we were someone else but 99.9% of the time
we will return to what we are good at – our “Go-To” Dance Move!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When the lights shine bright, the pressure is on, and
everyone is watching – <span style="font-size: small;"><b>Just Keep Dancing!</b></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-54992123125141253982013-01-17T13:52:00.000-08:002013-01-18T14:35:31.789-08:00Life in My Dad's Eyes<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Its calving season on the Neely farm and things aren’t
starting out so hot – we have already lost two of my brother’s AI calves (and I
wasn’t about to be the one to tell Clem). This didn’t make for a very happy
papa but the thing about my dad – it may have been 10 degrees and
freezing drizzle outside, he might be running on 3 to 4 hours of sleep, and the
calf may have never made it no matter what –but he always takes the blame for
the calf not making it.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lesson 1:</b> <u>Never
blame anyone or anything else</u> – if you have the power to make a difference
and you don’t take action that is worse than making a failed attempt.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/555678_328518623869639_746292082_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" border="0" class="spotlight" height="240" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/555678_328518623869639_746292082_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #351c75;">So gates have not always been my best friend. I have
managed to pull one back into my face and gave myself two black eyes. The other
day when trying to move a cow calf pair through the barn, I got my arm stuck between
two gates. And the list goes on. Every time an incident like these occur I get told: “You got to be smarter
than the gate.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For as sarcastic and
blatantly obvious that statement may seem; it’s true.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #351c75;">If I would have thought through it and pushed on the stuck
gate and instead of pulling it towards me; it wouldn’t have been able to “whack”
me in the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I would have only
been moving one gate at a time instead of juggling opening and shutting 3 gates
at the same time my arm would have never got stuck.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lesson 2:</b> <u>Think
before acting</u> – this doesn’t just apply to gates but to life in general.
How will "this" action affect the people around me and/or myself?</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #351c75;">In high school my life was consumed by horses and barrel
racing. There were very few days I would not be found riding a horse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like any sport and any athlete there
were the days I would come out on top and days when I would have bruises up and
down my shins from hitting barrels. Those days when I would win – my dad was
always there to make sure I stayed level headed – same goes for on the days
things didn’t go as planned.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lesson 3:</b> <u>Humbleness
</u>– We might be having the best day ever, but the person next to us might not be so fortunate - we have to keep them in mind when it comes to our actions and words of how great our day has been.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/249500_2129942296121_1318651_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" border="0" class="spotlight" height="248" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/249500_2129942296121_1318651_n.jpg" style="height: 258px; width: 332px;" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Calibri;"> Through the ups and downs, twists and turns, I know the one person who I can always count on for some good life advice.</span></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-37653467623612864502012-11-30T20:28:00.002-08:002012-12-02T10:10:25.743-08:00The Stoplight<span style="font-family: Calibri;">"Sorry I was late, got stuck at a stoplight." How many of us
have used that as an excuse for being late? Or maybe we got stuck behind the
person who actually drives the speed limit. Why does it always happen to me?!?
If only that light would have stayed green for 3 more seconds or that person
would drive 3 miles over the speed limit it would be much more convenient for
us, or would it?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is not unusual to see many students get pulled over
driving through campus, more than likely, for speeding. There are many days
where I have to speed check myself because sometimes 20 miles per hour does
not seem fast enough when running a little behind.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then there are those days when the world’s slowest driver is
in front of me and I mumble and grumble to myself because it is such an inconvenience
for me, till I see that hidden cop car waiting to catch an impatient speeding
driver heading home from class. That slow driver has saved me several times and
ended up being a convenience after all.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Those speeding days were put into perspective one early
morning on the way to a greenhand conference. Fellow teammate Chelsey, former
National President Ryan Best and I were in the car at 7 in the morning driving
down the foggy highway. Chelsey is driving my beloved trailblazer, I am in the
front passenger seat singing Cruise, and Ryan was in the back.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoJ6TActq3lRtKcMMtI2lJFYiOyCvJNRy25QJqFFNUKHUmLGPVxnPt5Clau42h3qlWEb_DWHGaEMiXR_UJHZTH0hJlwWEeXbdC7ygamFu_l7soZFun5pY5cVEo63VHaL2yHI1Fv0pIow/s1600/RCG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoJ6TActq3lRtKcMMtI2lJFYiOyCvJNRy25QJqFFNUKHUmLGPVxnPt5Clau42h3qlWEb_DWHGaEMiXR_UJHZTH0hJlwWEeXbdC7ygamFu_l7soZFun5pY5cVEo63VHaL2yHI1Fv0pIow/s200/RCG.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryan, Chelsey, and I at the Greenhand Conference</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I look down for one second and Chelsey slams on the brakes
and screams, “OH MY GOSH!!!” I look up to see two vehicles spinning and glass
flying right in front of us. Chelsey pulls off to the shoulder, tells me to
call 911 and takes off in her official dress and black heels to check on
people. By the time I get to my phone another witness was already on the phone.
All the victims were a little shaken up, but okay.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The one thing I forgot to mention, I was running late that
morning to pick up Chelsey and Ryan. I was getting stopped by what seemed like
every red light in Manhattan. Looking back, that last stoplight might have saved
us from being in that wreck. A few seconds and we would have been the ones
getting hit. All of suddenly that stoplight became a lot more convenient.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are going to be many so called, “inconveniences” in
our lives, but we never know when that inconvenience just might save us from a
ticket or being in an early morning car collision that would make for an awful
day. Instead of saying that stoplight made me late, one day you could be
saying, “it saved my life.” </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For me, that stoplight is no longer an <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">inconvenience</b>.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-69484817233596610402012-05-02T11:08:00.000-07:002012-05-02T11:09:33.852-07:00Without the Soundtrack<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #000090; font-family: 'Princetown LET'; font-size: 36pt;">Without the Soundtrack<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PUpoyR7DSGI/T6F31iw8sLI/AAAAAAAAAFA/hGXaaKsH2B8/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-05-02+at+1.02.57+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PUpoyR7DSGI/T6F31iw8sLI/AAAAAAAAAFA/hGXaaKsH2B8/s200/Screen+shot+2012-05-02+at+1.02.57+PM.png" width="200" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1818; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 11pt;">The music swells, the weather experiences a
sudden change, and they start to run.
Somebody yells out, “Go get ‘em son!”
We all recognize this point in a movie when we know everything is about
to work out in the character’s favor.
But the things that are turning points in our life are rarely huge
climatic moments like in the movies.
They don’t happen with an awesome soundtrack of compelling music, in the
middle of a thunderstorm, or require us to jump on a plane at the last
minute. Now although I do wish my life
had a soundtrack, or maybe even a running commentary, it just doesn’t work that
way. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1818; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 11pt;">Most of the moments I can recall that have
caused me to view life differently, change how I think, or even how I act, have
been small moments. To anyone else, they
would seem trivial. But to me, they have shaped the path of my life. Several of those moments have helped me
realize something I would like to share with you. As you read, think of the moments and events
that have shaped you, no matter how big or small- something someone said to you
that you will never forget, when someone went out of their way to do something
for you, when you took notice of something in a different way that has changed
how you think about things. Whatever has
impacted you, think about how it has changed your life and how you can let it
continue to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1818; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 11pt;">Karli is the first person who introduced me to
this idea. I have known Karli since I
was in the first grade. While most of us
were working at the pool or on someone’s farm for the summer, Karli left the
country. It started out with a mission
trip to Costa Rica our freshman year. Lots
of our classmates thought this was ridiculous. She would have to raise tons of
money. And what difference could Karli,
just a girl we’d grown up with, make in someone’s life? But Karli did it. She then proceeded to go on more mission
trips throughout high school, to Chicago, Peru, Romania, and Ethiopia. Karli didn’t have to spend her time every
summer eating peanut butter and jelly everyday in places with no plumbing. But she did, because she knew what she would
experience those summers was more valuable than what she could get by sleeping
in and making trips to the pool.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1818; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 11pt;">Another person who lived this idea in my life
is Jennie Weltmer. Jennie was my cross
country coach my senior year. I first
met Jennie when she married Simeon, a family friend. Soon after they were married, Jennie toured
in Afghanistan while Simeon was in med school.
Jennie has been through so much in her life. By no means was she required to serve time in
the military. After what Jennie has been
through, anyone would say she has done more than her part.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1818; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 11pt;">The last group of people who have inspired me
were students and faculty at my high school.
After the disaster in Haiti, several individuals were talking at lunch
and decided that they wanted to do something.
These girls approached out FFA and FCCLA advisors with the idea that our
school and community hold an event to benefit the Haiti relief effort. After some brainstorming, they came up with
the idea of having a chili feed at one of our basketball games. This may seem like a non-event. Meals are held at ball games all the
time. But this one was different. It wasn’t to raise money for prom or help a
club raise their funds. This was seeing
that people needed help, and responding the best way they knew how. These students created something that
involved the entire community. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1818; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 11pt;">Each of these individuals has demonstrated what
it is to serve in a big way. We all know
that we can help others by trying to brighten their day, helping with
concession stands at the ball game, or signing up for an hour time slot with
our chapter’s service project. But we
can also help others in big ways. We can
be the one that sees a need and fills it.
It is important to serve in the little ways we can. But we shouldn’t be afraid of serving in big
ways too. We are all extremely blessed
to have the ability and the means to make a huge difference. We should not let the fact that it is scary
to do something big stop us. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1818; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 11pt;">Yes, it might be a big commitment, it might not
go as planned, we might miss out on some things we wanted to do. But the experiences we gain in return will be
the most worthwhile memories we ever make. We should not doubt just how far we can go if
we want to make a difference. It
requires us to do something we aren’t quite sure how to, to give up our time,
to take a risk. But that fear we have is
actually a good thing. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 11pt;">It proves what
we are doing is worth it. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1818; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 11pt;">This is just one area of my life I have been
inspired in. We are influenced everyday
by the people around us. They can change
our attitude and maybe even change the course of our life. Not all these people are big parts of my
life, but they left an impact on me. We
can have that impact on others too.
Those people that influenced me probably didn’t wake up in the morning
with the idea that they were going to change someone’s life that day. But what they are doing is waking up<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i><u>every</u> morning realizing that
life is not a solo flight. If we invest
in others, we can impact them this same way.
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #660066; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 11pt;">We don’t have a soundtrack of background music
to tell us when we are about to experience something that changes our life.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1818; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 11pt;"> These moments will come from learning from
each other and happen everyday. I have
learned from others that serving in big ways is something I am capable of,
something we are all capable of. What
have you learned from those moments when something is highlighted for you, when
something happens that you continue to think of, years later? Take what you have noticed and apply it in
your life. It keeps running through your
brain for a reason.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: 'Beautiful Every Time';">"Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing
that ever has."<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: 'Beautiful Every Time';">-Margaret Mead<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-248248515826582842012-04-02T20:10:00.004-07:002012-04-02T23:16:14.665-07:00Be Like, You<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> 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mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:Mistral;font-size:36.0pt;">Be Like, You</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="color:blue;">Like</span></i><span style="color:blue;">, who would even wear that?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#E36C0A;mso-theme mso-themeshade:191color:accent6;"><span style="mso-tab-count:7"></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My mom was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like</i> “you’re going.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:lime;"><span style="mso-tab-count:2"> </span>It was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like</i> the best moment of my life! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:5"></span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span><span style="color:fuchsia;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>It looked <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like</i> he was having a really bad day.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">How many times a day do we saythe word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">like</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We use it as a word to fill in space. We use it as a word to soften the blow.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(“It’s almost <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">like</i> he was mad at us.” is a whole lot less scary sounding than “He was definitely mad at us.”)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We use the word “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like”,</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">like</i> everyday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(See what I did there? <span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;">J</span></span>)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">But its not just the word we overuse, its also the thought.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So often we think, “What does this look<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> like</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What does this sound <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">like</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What did she think I was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like</i>?”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span> We are so concerned about what things seem <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like.</i><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Does this shirt make me look <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like </i>I’m fat?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Does being friends with him make me look <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like </i>I’m a loser?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Does getting a bad grade once make me look<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> like</i> I don’t care?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Did the way I just said that make me sound <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like</i> I’m stupid?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You get the picture.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We are always trying to keep up appearances and impress people around us.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We want them to see us at our finest.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While making a good impression is important, it can also become a vicious cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When we start trying to be something we are not, is when the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“like”</i> is a problem. We’ve all seen the romantic comedies where someone turns out to be different than they said they were.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Their lies catch up with them, and no one seems to appreciate being lied to.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Eventually we will slip up, someone will discover we are only being <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like </i>something and not the real thing.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:blue;">When we act like something we aren’t, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">like</i>”</b> is all we will ever be</span></u><span style="color:blue;">.</span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It can be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like</i> we have character, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like </i>we are putting others first, or<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> like </i>we know what we’re talking about.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But we can never have character, put others first, or know what we are talking about if we are only acting.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When we act, we are only going to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">like</i> something else, not the real thing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">We can decide to stop acting, stop caring what it looks <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">like</i> we are.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We can be who we are, an original, not a copy of something else. When we stop worrying about what things are<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> like</i>, and worry about what they really are, life becomes a lot simpler.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We don’t have to worry if that decision made us look dumb to other people, if we know the real reason we made the decision.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Being real takes courage.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But it has a high reward.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When we are real about who we are, we can be reassured everything else in our life is real too- our friends, our goals, and it will lead to real happiness.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Why be</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="Matura MT Script Capitals"font-family:";"> </span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="Brush Script MT Italic"font-family:";font-size:18.0pt;">like</span></i> something else when you can be the </b><span style=" ALL AGES DEMO"font-family:";font-size:24.0pt;">real</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"> you?<o:p></o:p></b><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6CONqII5KdQ/T3pq3tf45FI/AAAAAAAAAEk/p1uFsYwXvio/s1600/be%2Breal.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6CONqII5KdQ/T3pq3tf45FI/AAAAAAAAAEk/p1uFsYwXvio/s320/be%2Breal.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727007381493703762" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 190px; " /></a></p> <!--EndFragment--><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-44761313792015476142012-02-28T16:35:00.006-08:002012-02-28T16:57:11.004-08:00Y.O.L.O.<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #232020"></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 36.0px 'Moonlight Shadow'; color:#609c45;"></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 36.0px 'Moonlight Shadow'; color:#609c45;"></p><p color="#609c45" style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 36.0px 'Moonlight Shadow'; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;color:#33cc00;">Y.O.L.O.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'; min-height: 20.0pxcolor:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; color:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">How many activities do you do that you don’t have to? Go on. Count them up. My guess is its more than just a couple. From a very young age, we are encouraged to get involved. Competitive events, sports, and clubs- we dabble in a lot of different past times. Perhaps it comes from our upbringing, or perhaps from a “have-it-all” mindset. Either way, between school and homework and all of these extras, I sometimes find myself running on empty.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; min-height: 18.0pxcolor:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; color:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Usually I thrive on being busy. I love feeling like a part of things and helping people. Living the experiences in each new activity can be exhilarating! In high school, it didn’t seem like a big deal- every one was involved in everything. Even though I often felt tired, worn out, and just plain overwhelmed, I convinced myself the experiences I was gaining were worth it. In many ways they were, but a recent wake up call caused me to shift my perspective.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; min-height: 18.0pxcolor:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; color:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Not long ago, I was home from college for a much needed break. It had been a long week of trying to keep up with classes and manage all my activities. I was so thankful to be home where I would have the chance to catch up on things and finally see my best friends from high school who I hadn’t seen for several months. I showed up at my friends house, excited to spend the afternoon with her. We popped in a movie and talked up a storm. But after awhile, I noticed myself beginning to zone out. I was paying more attention to the movie and let my conversation with my friend trail off. I was mentally exhausted, and before I knew it, I was waking up to the movie’s end credits. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; min-height: 18.0pxcolor:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; color:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My time with my friends who attend a different college than me is very limited. I am lucky to see them about five times a year. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#cc33cc;">And I fell asleep</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#7f2399;">.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> I was immediately appalled at myself for wasting such precious hours. My friend deserved much more of myself than I was giving her.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; min-height: 18.0pxcolor:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; color:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">When we stretch ourselves thin, we often become obsessed with completing each and every thing on our calendar and to-do list. We don’t know how to stop adding more and more on. When I do this, I find myself thinking I am taking every opportunity I have, and truly exercising my time to my limits. It’s almost like a star athlete just trying to do one more mile.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; min-height: 18.0pxcolor:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; color:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But when we try to do so many things, we cannot really accomplish anything. We go from thing to thing, not really present in any moment. What we hold dear to our hearts falls off the board. The things we believe in seem to fade into the background because we are addicted to never, ever slowing down. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; min-height: 18.0pxcolor:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; color:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We cannot contribute because we are so burnt out. We are “there” physically, but not mentally. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#000000;">We can learn to focus on what is important, areas we can make a difference in, not everything we can possibly cram into a 16+ hour day. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> Don’t lose sight of who you want to be by overdosing on a busy schedule. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; min-height: 18.0pxcolor:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; color:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">As an activity-a-holic, we get so excited when we have just one good meeting that we feel like we contributed to. The truth is, every activity can be like this if we choose not to “zombify” ourselves. Those brief moments of sunshine can happen every day, several times a day, when we choose what is important to us, instead of just rare moments when the sun breaks through the clouds. Being involved is important and can offer us amazing experiences. But if we do not take time to live those experiences, they are wasted.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; min-height: 18.0pxcolor:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; color:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Now perhaps it’s because I live under a rock, but the term </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;font-size:100%;color:#33cc00;">Y.O.L.O.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> (pronounced yo-low, not spelled out) is a new one for me. I learned it while visiting the South Barber FFA chapter. It stands for </span><span style="font: 18.0px Chalkboard; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#cc33cc;">You Only Live Once</span><span style="font: 18.0px Chalkboard; letter-spacing: 0.0px">.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> This phrase is one I want to live by, truly living each moment, because I only get to live it once.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'; min-height: 23.0pxcolor:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 14.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'; color:#bd2b5c;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;color:#ff6666;">I want to treasure where I am, when I am there; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 14.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'; color:#bd2b5c;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;color:#ff6666;">be with who I’m with, when I am with them; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 14.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'; color:#bd2b5c;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;color:#ff6666;">and sincerely contribute to what I can,</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 14.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'; color:#bd2b5c;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;color:#ff6666;"> because I have the passion and mental presence to do so.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 14.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'; min-height: 23.0pxcolor:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 14.0px Chalkboard; color:#232020;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You can do anything, but not everything. - David Allen</span></p><p></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-6556105517273795102012-01-26T08:44:00.000-08:002012-01-26T09:47:34.923-08:00If I Only Had a Brain<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 36.0px Blockography"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If I Only Had a Brain</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry; min-height: 17.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px Palatino"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><i>“I could wile away the hours</i></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px Palatino"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><i>Conferrin' with the flowers</i></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px Palatino"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><i>Consultin' with the rain</i></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px Palatino"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><i>And my head I'd be scratchin'</i></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px Palatino"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><i>While my thoughts were busy hatchin'</i></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px Palatino"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><i>If I only had a brain.”</i></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry; min-height: 17.0px"><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We are experts at figuring out ho</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">w much better things would be “</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#9e2cb6;">if only</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">.” I can’t count the number of times I’ve made the excuse that I didn’t have what I needed. Whether it was the right program on my computer, the people skills to make new friends, the resources to write a paper, or enough money to </span>buy the super cool thing calling my name at Walmart.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry; min-height: 17.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">When there is always something new to set our sights on and the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, it is difficult to realize the difference between “need” and “want.” There are many things I want. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry; min-height: 17.0px"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">-A three door, navy blue pick-em-up-truck.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">-A bloodhound puppy named Copper.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">-A printer that doesn’t think pink is the new</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(236, 57, 120); "> black.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">-A new pair of square toe boots, preferably in red.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">-And a shopping spree at Barnes & Noble, just to name a few.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry; min-height: 17.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EFPUlBoodDY/TyGP00bQ4JI/AAAAAAAAADQ/zENToBPdPMk/s200/truck.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701996740816724114" style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FzWkSnJFiq4/TyGP0yT9qeI/AAAAAAAAADY/8EVnmBlo-3U/s1600/Bloodhound.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FzWkSnJFiq4/TyGP0yT9qeI/AAAAAAAAADY/8EVnmBlo-3U/s200/Bloodhound.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701996740249233890" style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px; " /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:appleberry;font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_eUN2YqgRDU/TyGP1MqqraI/AAAAAAAAADk/RTINpAMI_BQ/s200/Boots.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701996747323780514" style="cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 200px; " /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Did you get all that Mom? (only joking!) We all have a few thi</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:appleberry;font-size:12px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">ngs on our mind that would definitely make life easier, or we would just be excited to have. That list of materialistic “wants” is very different fr</span>om the list of things I need. In fact, when I think about it, I already have more than I need.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry; min-height: 17.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">-A support team of family and friends who are always there for me.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">-A roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, and clothes in my closet.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">-A dream for my future.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">-Gas in my car and food in my fridge.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">-Goals to spend my time working towards. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry; min-height: 17.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTpt1zlNEICLqGbokbL6tZCEqshMjodSOTekCRt_WLfiOz1HH8BpQn1SFxEXNcZ3zxszWmxqFHCOK2lg-qg5vRctJXmb5ETtyixZC3_XZZRHwtmMxJqFmshQWF6fCd3C55ymBOjkJpyw/s200/Family.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701997532591586402" style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px; " /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWG0zj47-SkdWJZAoF_T99ShggUpf0VnYJnqukRXVxpC_S3NYQSDkDzaZHH4DZmBA8BEdzPh3baWLaRYKL6ernI-5dLs5aiNJWLmgOEpgNmy91uIEznIdUxaFiZ4k_ds9D8GomHSPxjbc/s200/Team.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701997541624756162" style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px; " /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wGOJ-mpsA_ovsWf02ObJLPnG8JhxHVo4yoGYaUdvIUprfBSKkNJNlfX5j2RDSfkC3fWrZ4D9TGEh2g5fpuKNa0kbGOT9rZidD7hKNhqPre8nC9V4ca55rJ7xNd6bNP2ENWYeWdJhLSQ/s200/Friends.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701997531262645586" style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">What else is there? At times, when I think of all I don’t ha</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:appleberry;font-size:12px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">ve, that second list can seem trivial. In truth, those items are the most important of all. Without them, I would have much bigger problems on my hands. So often we think of what we don’t have, when really, if we just look around us, we would see those aren’t the things that make us happy at all. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#003748;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#860d06;">If I really need a new pair of square toe boots just to make me happy, I am a very uncreative person. If I can only get a job done by having some fancy program on my computer, I am a very ineffective person. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#7a7a7a;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#7f2399;">There are other ways</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">, if only I use my brain and take the time to find them.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry; min-height: 17.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We can choose to focus on the things we do have. By learning to do what we can with what we have, we can see how </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#9e2cb6;">lucky</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> we really are. We all know the story of the Wizard of Oz (and non-Kansans never let us forget it!) The unlikely friends set off on a journey to find a brain, a heart, courage, and a home. But once they get to the place they think all their dreams will come true, they realize they had what they wanted all along- if only they had known how to look. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry; min-height: 17.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#9e2cb6;">Happiness</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> doesn’t come from a store. It comes from realizing the only one who can control our happiness is the one we see when we look in the mirror. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px appleberry; min-height: 17.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px appleberry"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px">It’s not about getting what we want. It’s about wanting what we’ve got.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-88414954047145341852011-12-28T17:26:00.000-08:002011-12-28T20:38:05.555-08:00What's the Difference?<p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:ThisWay;font-size:36px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">What’s the Difference</span><span style="font: 36.0px 'Arial Black'; letter-spacing: 0.0px">?</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ArmyChalk; font-size: 14px; "><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ArmyChalk; font-size: 14px; ">The easy things in life are usually our favorite: that class that just comes to us without effort, those friends we can just be ourselves around, the questions on a test we answer first. It seems there are so many things in life that require so much effort. So when we find the things that are simple, we often turn to them first and make excuses why we can’t possibly do the rest today.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> When I was in kindergarten, my parents helped teach a teenage youth group. I got to tag along and loved being around the much cooler and much wiser big kids. A memory from their conversations always sticks out in my mind. They were joking about the three answers that could answer any question about church- Jesus, God, and the Bible. Let me give you an example.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>What was the story in the sermon about today? - Jesus.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span> </span>Where was the story from? - The Bible.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span> </span>What did Jesus do in the story? - Talked about God.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>What about God?- That He sent Jesus.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>Why did He send Jesus? - Se we would know God.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>How do we know God? - Read the Bible.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </span> </span>See what I mean?</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">These answers are easy. They require no thought, no work. Many times I find myself trying to slide by with these easy answers and “good enough.” A quote that continually pops up in my life is “Two roads diverged in the woods and I took the road less traveled and that has made all the difference.” I have not always taken the road less traveled. Many instances have come when I went along with the crowd and shouldn’t have, when I took the easy way out.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">At the end of my freshman year I was elected as chapter sentinel. FFA was still pretty new to me and the other officers on the team all seemed so much older. They all seemed like they knew what they were doing. I wasn’t sure what I could contribute to the team. I felt that my ideas would be stupid compared to theirs and that there was no way I could possibly do anything for my chapter. I let the year slide by and was quiet as a mouse at officer meetings. I took the easy way out that year. I let my fear of my ideas being rejected and feeling stupid overcome my responsibility to help lead my FFA chapter that year.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk">Another time I took the easy way out was much longer lasting. My freshman year, I got involved in livestock judging. I loved it! I had very limited interaction with livestock before, and was fascinated to discover that not all cows were the same. I continued to livestock judge all through high school, and dreamed of one day being as good as “the boys.” “The boys” happened to be the star livestock judgers at Smith Center. As much as I aspired to be as good as them one day, it never happened. I worked at my judging skills, but only half heartedly, always intimidated by their superior knowledge. I took the easy way out by creating excuses for myself. They had been around livestock their entire life. They showed at all the county fairs. They knew who all the judges were. I could never compete with that, I told myself. Instead of practicing harder, I took the easy way out. “The boys” went on to win the state contest and compete at nationals.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk">Doing what is easy and doing what is right are sometimes on opposite ends of the board. And often the consequences are much more drastic than not doing as well as we would have liked. Sometimes we end up with regret, sad circumstances, and hurt- for us and those we love. As we make decisions, it is important to think about why we are making them. Is it because our friends made that decision? Is it because we are tired and don’t want to think about it anymore? Is it because we think no one else will care?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Don’t be satisfied with excuses and “good enough.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span>Are you being the best friend you can be?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span>Is that F on your report card really somebody else’s fault?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span>Are you really too busy to help do some grunt work for your chapter?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>Is leading on that girl or boy really “being nice?” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>Are you really applying all your strengths to the best of your ability?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>Is this an honorable decision you will be proud to have made?</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Expect honesty from yourself. Sometimes the lies we tell ourselves are the most hurtful of all.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Two roads diverged in the woods. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I took the one less traveled and that has </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">made all the difference.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Don’t let yourself be sucked into the norms of today’s society, where politicians can have affairs, celebrities can embezzle money, and we can always find an excuse. Let’s take the road less traveled- Let’s expect more of ourselves and never be satisfied with what is easy. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The path we choose with every decision</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 14.0px ArmyChalk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> is what makes all the difference. </span></p><p></p><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-87485478240036955782011-11-25T20:15:00.000-08:002011-11-25T20:30:39.213-08:00In Your Dreams<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-family:Virgin;font-size:36px;">In Your Dreams</span></div><p color="#7f2399" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 36px/normal Virgin; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Al Bayan';font-size:78%;"></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Al Bayan'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> We spend a lot of time<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3366ff;"> </span></span><span style="font: 12.0px 'Airplanes in the Night Sky'; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#7f2399;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3366ff;">dreaming</span>.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> Dreams occur during REM sleep which we get about two hours of per night (if you sleep eight hours.) That’s </span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px">730 </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">hours per year that we spend dreaming. And that’s just while we are asleep.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Al Bayan'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to new research from Harvard, people spend nearly half of the time they are awake daydreaming, and not thinking about what they are actually doing. If you are awake for sixteen hours, as the average person is, you spend eight hours daydreaming everyday. T</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">hat’s</span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px"> 2,920</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> hours per year.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Al Bayan'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Together, that’s 730 hours dreaming plus 2,920 hours daydreaming which totals </span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><b>3,650 </b></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">hours spent in la la land every year. <i> </i></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#ba160d;"><i>That’s 42% of your time.</i></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Al Bayan'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And just what do we spend 42% of our time dreaming about? Everything. We dream about things that have already happened and how we would have done them differently. We dream about the future and all its possibilities. We dream of tests at school and spats with friends and the things on our to-do list. We dream of the things we want and the things we never had.</span></p><div><div> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Al Bayan'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What I dream about most is what I want to do. There always seems to be so much of it. I want to get great grades and be involved in all the fun clubs. I want to get on the right track to my career and be a best friend, sister, and daughter. I want to stay in shape, be a good influence, and make a difference in my com</span>munity. And on top of all that, I want to have time for my hobbies. The list goes on and on.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Al Bayan'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Everyone has their own list. And at times, we all feel that we don’t have enough time, that all these ambitions can only be accomplished in our dreams. What we need is<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3366ff;"> </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#6435e2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3366ff;">inspiration</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#388af6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cc33cc;">Motivation</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#6fbb54;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33cc00;">Determination</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">. These come from all kinds of sources. But they wear off quickly. With so many obstacles that get in the way of achieving our goals, inspiration has to be constant for us to reach our targets.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Al Bayan'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>One source that has never ceased to provide inspiration for me is the FFA. It doesn’t seem to matter if the event is as big as National Convention or as small as a five minute workshop for the sole purpose of helping a friend with a video application. It can be a speech by a retiring officer or a conversation with an alumni member. No matter </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">the method, I am always left with a feeling that I should </span><span style="font: 24.0px Blockography; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#e81f13;">DO</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> something. FFA events always leave me with </span>a challenge.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Al Bayan'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sometimes, I find it easy to fall into habits and start to think that just sliding through things by the seat of my pants with “good enough.” But then, when I least expect it, the FFA seems to grab me by the shirt collar and gi</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">ve me a good shake. It reminds me of what I am capable of. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#9e2cb6;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3366ff;"><span style="text-decoration: underline; ">I </span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'From Where You Are'; text-decoration: underline; ">can</span><span style="text-decoration: underline; "> do more</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cc33cc;"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#388af6;"> I </span><span style="font: 12.0px 'From Where You Are'; text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#388af6;">can</span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#388af6;"> give more</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33cc00;"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#6fbb54;"> I </span><span style="font: 12.0px 'From Where You Are'; text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#6fbb54;">can</span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#6fbb54;"> be more</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#6fbb54;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33cc00;">. </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It rem</span>inds me that I shouldn’t settle for good enough when I can do better.</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylqCVugxsbn0Lv_wx51TZ9rg32Qk1nE3_fvndP3Bm5BqlqdKPCGZdSl9SEJRlHWGR_YOObN0C2JAzNsYg_BTVsLl5vtxTXBpSfzxHYnhPJpsZOpsVRHkVXiALy0prx2HRx4b8jB5glBc/s200/quote.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679154957919580306" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 153px; " /></div><div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Al Bayan'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> FFA has transformed my life at every run-in and will continue to do so. It inspires me to be a better person and think of what could be possible instead of being satisfied with what already is. It forces me to dream of bigger, better things when I don’t think I am capable and to </span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px">take action</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Al Bayan'; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>What could you accomplish if you spent your 42% dreaming of all the positive differences you could make? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 18.0px 'KG Love You Through It'; color:#ec3978;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;color:#993399;"> “All our dreams can come true, if we have the </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 18.0px 'KG Love You Through It'; color:#ec3978;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;color:#993399;">courage to pursue them.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Al Bayan'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">~Walter Elias “Walt” Disney</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816079419450798966.post-89245540301516168762011-10-30T13:58:00.000-07:002011-10-30T14:31:26.014-07:00Homemade Jollification<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-family:'From Where You Are';font-size:x-large;">Homemade Jollification</span></div><div> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Mom, I’m bored!” was a common saying in my house over the summer months. </span>My brother and I didn’t do summer sports, we weren’t in 4-H, and there are only so many times you can watch Free Willy or the Fox and the Hound. Add in the factor that when you live twenty-five miles out of town, there aren’t exactly tons of people breaking down your door to come over for play dates and you get two siblings willing to try anything for a change of pace.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Now generally my mom’s answer to this statement was probably similar to what your mom told you. “Clean your room. Mow the yard. Do the dishes.” You know. The boring stuff. To which we always replied, “Mom, we want something FUN!” What we didn’t realize is that fun isn’t wrapped up in a little package sitting on your doorstep every morning. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px ;color:#7f2399;"> Fun is made, not delivered.</span></p></div><div> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To cure our boredom, my brother Landon and I generally made up games to play. Luckily we also have a very creative Dad to help us out. We had an endless arsenal so none of our games would ever get old. If You Catch It, Pet Shop, Survivors, Explorers, Narnia, and our own version of soccer were just a few. But my all time favorite wasn’t really a game at all. It was the grass sled.</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62LPNePZegA9ltUpJsqT34z1bK2CndGp3Z3smdVA9xSFsqr6AKqkxdWXchSBEc994E1M2J6ntvTzi5nD1Q7nJlFbkPybjIC-6O2QoZVJNMzuOici4zRHmq7zQ53O5nv1q6dTZ-VE2yio/s320/Grass+Sled.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669400560329614898" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><br /></span><div> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you are looking to make a grass sled you need three basic components.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>1. A riding lawn mower.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>2. A length of rope.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>3. A cardboard refrigerator box.</span></p><div></div></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> You can probably guess where I’m going with this. We would flatten the refrigerator box, tie it to the back of the</span></p><div><div></div></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">lawn mower, and my brother and I would ride it like a chariot while my dad drove around on the mower. Having the expansive yard that we did, this could occupy us for long periods of time, basically until Dad was sick of driving us around. This took a simple task of mowing the yard and turned it into the highlight of most of my summers as a kid. This is not fun bought from a toy store. This is a nice big batch of hom</span>emade jollification.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Now maybe my family is easily entertained, but I like to take this same approach to life in general. By finding entertainment in the bland things, such as mowing the lawn, a simple boring day can be turned into a great one. The problem is not that life is boring. The problem is our perspective. By shifting our perspective, we can see things in a completely different light.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;"></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This picture says it perfe</span>ctly.</p><div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_82dZDOGjWys3hUD0vUAes5eYSaqnclPivkGEX4xkgw4e1PyJuzbR1GkgBtYfvlcmXlZ6lCvfhdUNyD4VKD8ZgydxgI5anW_9cu53hVPMtF7N3DllHfjLVMPXD_f-7MLb-LYkTD8S_zM/s320/Krebs.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669399543260549330" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 320px; " /></div></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">(For those of you who don’t know, the </span>Krebs cycle occurs in plants, which makes this even funnier for this horticulture major) Instead of seeing just a sign saying not to chain your bike to the railing, the person who posted this sign decided to shift their perspective and have a little fun that day. Maybe I’m the only person who saw this and secretly laughed about it all day long, but even so, the shift in perspective turned an ordinary sign into a hilarious joke. At the risk of getting a few hater looks here, I’ll even quote Hann<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:small;">ah Montana lyrics, just because they’re so true.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 13.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Life’s what you make it, so let’s make it rock!”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>See things as you wouldn’t normally see them. Take a trip back to five-year-old land when you could get hours of entertainment from a single action figure or hot wheels car. Next time you are having a day lacking a little spunk, shift your perspective, and try looking at the world in a different light. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px 'Beautiful Every Time'; color:#7f2399;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;color:#993399;">Fun is all around us, if you only know where to look! </span></p></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0