From experience I can say all of this with some conviction.

Be Happy, Don't worry.
Exactly. Doesn't seem like a freakin hard concept to understand. Sometimes... it is. Right now, life is pretty good for me. I am in a very happy relationship, I just got a new job, a new tattoo, a new house for sure, and financially things are starting to look up. What's the problem you ask? Well, I'm waiting. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. I'm waiting for something to go terribly terribly wrong. I know what you're thinking... "stop thinking like that!" "think positive." "geeze, negative Nancy." It's just that when things are going so freakin good, you wonder... am I not noticing something that I should be? But, then I take it back. We really should think positively. We really shouldn't worry so much. We gotta stop focusing on what's wrong, or in my case what COULD go wrong, and focus on the now, the good, and the happy. Life would be pretty miserable if all we did was worry, and expect the bad and the ugly. I have a couple friends who could testify to that... so seriously, don't worry, be happy. :)

"Build a bridge and get over it."
Harsh, but true. If you know me at all, you know that I can be blunt, harsh, and honest. Personally I think we all need people like that in our lives. I have one, sometimes I want to punch her in the face, but its good to have her around. Anyways, thats not the point. Lately I've noticed that some of my friends are... living in the past, still worried about what happened yesterday, or the horrible thing that happened to them 5 years ago. Now I'm not saying you should shove these issues into a bottle just to let them explode later. Just deal. I haven't exactly had a perfect life. Sh** happens. Pardon my French. But we gotta deal, then build a bridge and get over it. I'll admit, I've victimized myself. And sometimes I find myself doing it. It's important that we catch our selves when we do and remember this process of dealing, building and getting over it. Otherwise... we can't even start "being happy and not worrying."

I've been workin' on the railroad...
Last, hard work really does pay off. I have noticed a couple of my friends who have been less than motivated to do anything with their lives. It drives me nuts. It might be because my advisors taught me that you have to be motivated to accomplish goals and such, but still. You gotta have goals first. I just wanna shake people and tell them to grow up! Especially people who take things for granted. It's like on My super Sweet 16. Oh how I hate that show. Whiny little rich snobby kids who don't care who they hurt to get what they want. Disgusting. I wanna send them all to Africa to stay there. See if they can survive til there super sweet 17th... My point is... and i do have one (HA i love Ellen)... is this: Not happy where you are? Feel lazy? Whined to get what you want lately? Well... WORK A LITTLE. Geeze.

The End
You might be wondering why I've said all this... well because I've been noticing those three issues the most.I'm not perfect either, never claimed I was but, I hope the people dealing with each will read this. Hate it or love it. Take or leave it. It's your choice. It's your life. What do you want to do with it?



Shalom in the Home.

Summer is here and so are all the questions that come with it.

Summer is usually a time to celebrate, a time to relax and get a tan... yeah right.
Summer comes and I panic.
I have to have something to do! If I don't, I start to think of everything I have to do to get ready for next year, I worry about where my life is going when it's just fine.

My year as a state officer is over, but my influence is not. After convention was over, I began to think about life. Where was it going? Had I done anything worth mentioning in my short 20 years? Just because I served for Kansas FFA doesn't mean I did it right.

I started thinking about all the service experiences I've had. Mission trips to Mexico, service projects of all sorts, including canned food drives, cleaning, and traveling to Mississippi to help clean after the hurricane, being an intern/assistant youth pastor, being a state officer... and what exactly do they amount to? For me if I know I've touched one person, thats awesome! But lately... that doesn't satisfy me. I want to really help people. Somehow make a positive difference.

Perhaps I have. But what now? I can't just stop there.
None of us should just stop there. Our service should never stop.

Right now I am living back in my hometown for the summer and I can't decide if thats the best decision. I should be doing more. Or should I? Should I relax? I have no idea.

All I know is that I have a lot of people who are doing amazing things. Mr. Epler- teaching in Kuwait, Annarose-studying in France, Becky- Internship with Cargill, Emily-studying in the Czech, Shane-at home farming, Emilie- at home farming, etc.

What am I supposed to be doing? In time, the answer will show up. For now, I am enjoying a stress free summer. A summer where I am finally openly gay with an amazing girlfriend. For now the summer consists of seeing my cousin get married, another one graduate, traveling here and there in Kansas and Oklahoma, swimming, seeing and playing with the puppies, and going out with my awesome friends.

Summer is summer. Life goes fast, I guess I'm learning to enjoy it and live in the moment even more. Yeah, thats it. Ya know? I'm ok with that. I can be the support of those that are doing amazing things but maybe have doubts? I can be a cheerleader! :) I have been know to "celebrate" people every now and again ;)

So remember, life life, enjoy it while you can and... celebrate.

Shalom in the Home.