inspiration

first i'll say sorry for the no blog yesterday - there will always be a story when i dont get to it, but yesterday's will probably be the most common - after sitting thru an all day meeting and driving home from sunny pocomoke and getting stuck in traffic for 4.5 hours - then jumping right back in the car to run the kids around....i opted for the i could really use a beer option instead of the i really should blog option.....i'm human :)

interestingly, today i spent a good part of the afternoon watching the whitney houston funeral - which really wouldn't normally be my speed, but i just couldn't seem to help myself.....i dont know whether it was the time in my life when she made such an impact or what, but i am seriously saddened by her death.....and felt compelled to watch the tributes....and honestly found it very moving......

Even when she was tired or a bit lost, she gave and gave and then gave some more. When she did not want to do things, she did them anyway, and we are so much better for it." — Patricia Houston

and then we all watched a special on walter payton.....who is arguably one of the best to ever play the game - because he combined his physical gifts with a huge WORK ETHIC.....he famously ran a giant hill by his house every morning - and it became a symbol of his drive.....even his motto "never die easy" was a testament to his belief that you dont take the easy way - hard work is what makes all the difference.....

I think Walter's legacy will be that of a man with a God-given ability that got the most out of it at every possible chance. He did it with pride, he did it with dignity, he did it with respect for the game." -- brother Eddie Payton

i think the lives of both of these icons should serve to inspire - everyone in this life has ups and downs - we make questionable choices and fight our own demons....but PERSERVERENCE, BELIEF, HARD WORK & KINDNESS - these are qualities that should inspire....the fact that their incredible talents brought them to public attention is often what people find the most inspiring.....but those are god-given gifts - and i admire what they did with them - and believe me, they did amazing things with their gifts.....but having a beautiful voice or outrageous athleticism is not what made them great - what elevated them was their DESIRE to be BETTER.....to NOT let the gift be ENOUGH.....to do the BEST with the gifts they were given.....to WORK HARD and to fight the good fight!! 

that's the take away from today....struggle is a part of life....but its in the way we ATTACK each day....and the way we PERSERVERE that make the difference!  it keeps coming back  ironically to the JOHN 10:10.....no matter how or what you choose to do - the biggest lesson of all is that we were given this life, and while we are here, we need to LIVE IT TO THE FULL!