With Age Comes Wisdom

It was my great grandma's 90th birthday so i paid her a visit. As i walked in and saw her sitting in her wheelchair with a smile on her face an overwhelming sense of joy came over me. I can't really explain it. It would be somewhat like acing that test you just studied for. I knocked on the open door to let her know that I am here and she turned and smiled, but she didn't remember my name and that didn't bother me.

A little later more family members showed up and some of my great granmas freinds from church came as well. She introduced her freinds to me and my family and when it came to me she still couldn't remember my name but the ont thing that surprised me the most is that she could tell her friend of every accomplishment, every event, every activity, school events, and church events that ive participated in. This absolutely amazed me! I was speechless. This woman can't even rememember her own grandsons name but she can remember events that happened 2 years ago that were told to her by somebody else. I guess this is what they mean by saying "It's not the beginning and ending dates on the tombstone that matter, it's the line between the 2." 

This really had me thinking of what im doing with my life and if I am just doing it for the name or am I doing it for God. A lot of times I can get caught up in what i'm doing and do it for the name instead of doing it for a good reason. But from now on, that will no longer happen. Seeing what kind of mark we can leave on people when we do good things even though we may not notice it later has changed my perception immensly. We may not always be thanked, or congratulated, they may never remember our names ever again, but they will remember what you did for them and how you did it. Go through the world and do good deeds, people will remember. i promise.

Who Says Writing Isn't Physical?

Very seldom do I actually write some of my best stuff sitting at a computer. Well, I mean of course I write it at the computer but usually the ideas come while I am playing basketball or cleaning the house. Then I rush around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to find a scrap piece of paper and a pen to write that idea down. 

Because I've played sports all my life, I will be outside shooting hoops for 3 or 4 hours at a time. It’s during these times that my book often comes together. A new chapter or a new thought will come to me as I'm attempting my next free throw or jump shot. 

If you’re stuck with your book, homework, project, music assignment, etc. Don’t hesitate to get up and clean the house. Just make sure you are still able to continue thinking. You’re still writing and thinking even though it looks like you’re taking a break or doing something else. Stay in the writing and thinking project but get your body moving to create new ideas.

On a normal day, I'll shoot a basketball for up to 3 and a half hours and every time I step away I get a new idea and write it down. Who says writing isn’t physical?

Being a Follower

To be a follower of Christ is a great thing and this is something that I am truly proud of and everyone should be proud of, but as christians we can't just settle for our own benefit. We get get what we want or what we prayed for and we become comfy in life and sit back as the world turns and continue to ask ourselves "what can I do to help the world?" 

As christians we are called to spread the good word of god and by doing this we are opening our hearts and softening areas in our life that may have been hardened with stone, or covered with  thistles. In Mark 16:15 it says "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." we are called as human beings to spread the good word of god to EVERYONE regardless of age, color, ethnicity, rich, or poor. No one is to be left out.

So what are you doing to bring people to christ? is it your words? your actions? music? As humans we have become very lazy in following god and bringing people to god. We get wrapped up in our own lives watching reality TV, shopping, and having the latest ipod. Oh, but then you say "It ain't like that. I have school, band, sports, etc." We dont get involved or bring people to Christ unless we benefit from it somehow. WAKE UP!

This is a midnight wake up call. Some of these people may have never even picked up a bible and read even a sentence, and you may be the only bible they read, so why not act like it?

I've Got A Dream

A lot of things in life fascinate me, but none other than dreams. Why do we have dreams? Is there any meaning behind the dreams we have? What happens if you die and don't wake up? I mean haven't you thought about these questions before, or am i just weird like that? Scientists define a dream as an image that passes through our mind as we sleep. 

When I was younger i had dreams all the time, and I would love to tell them to my mom and dad. I had some of the craziest dreams that involved me being out in the middle of the sea with a pirate and a flying monkey. As i grew older I became more interested in my brothers dreams and my best friends dreams, as i really didn't dream anymore. I wished that i still dreamed because I enjoyed the excitement and fantasy of my dreams. I've learned that a lot of people live without dreams. I will often go months without dreaming now, or even being able to remember the slightest thing that happened in my dream the night before. 

There are dreams that are much more important than those in our sleep. They are the dreams that drive us and push us to become a better person, to become a doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc. These dreams help us reach beyond ourselves to live for something more. My dreams at night my be foggy and may be lost in the space time continuum but I have not lost sight of the dreams that i have during the day. I have many dreams for God's Church, myself in the future, etc. But dreams don't amount to much unless they are acted upon. 

Never let someone tell you that you aren't good enough to do something, follow your dreams.....I did and I'm almost there....Let's get to work

Austin 

Perseverance

trying to fit into the resolute theme of life, I want to talk bout what it means to perservere.

I suppose it brings up thought of being determined and not giving in. Perservering is more than that,  Henry Ford said that “You cannot build your reputation on what you’re gonna do”, so we can’t rest on just saying, we HAVE to do the do, and for as long as it takes!

Perservering is soldiering on through the highs and lows of training to achceive your ultimate goal. I have been there and know what it is like from a rehab point of view, having a few injuries of differnt types myself, one broken right wrist, several stitches, and a chest injury in particular that i was diagnosed by the physio as “forget it, its had it”." There was no way that I was going to sit back and let a doctor tell me that I couldn't participate in any phhysical activity because of my chest. Now  after a couple of years, in some ways my chest actually excels, even though in others ways it not quite 100%. 

We have to persevere with God as well, through the rough times in life when its sticky, rough, hard to bear, and teary. We have to perservere and trust that God will give us what we need when we need it and that there is a plan for everything in life.

What I have learned is that you must must must perservere, because you never know what can be acheived until you give it a go, and I mean a go for the long haul. Never give up on God, he can do some pretty amazing things.

Austin

Good Morning

I love how this song draws you in. I hope you all are having a great morning. Here's a little John Lennon classic to get you going today. It will sure get me going.

If Only....

Two of my most favorite things to do in life is to:

Write: I am able to express who I am and how I feel every day and share that with other people and hopefully touch their lives.

 Laugh: Spending time with people who make the world a better place. Movies that make you laugh till you cry. Music that just brings back beautiful moments of laughter and happiness.

Somedays I wake up in a mood where I say "If I didn't have to do school today, today would be better." there are alwasy going to be those "If only" moments in life. Let me paint a picture for you. A dad is walking through the mall with his 3 year old son and sees the latest adn newest toy. The Kid cries out "I want one!" the dad tells him no. The Kid cries out again "but i need it!". the dad still replies no. finally the kid resorts to the oh so famous saying "But I thought you loved me!" as he is on the ground crying and weeping now. The dad picks him up and carries him outside to the car. 2 days later they drive to the sports store where he takes his kid in and walks briskly to the kickball aisle. He looks at his faithful young son and says "pick one." The son picks the orange kick ball and parades around the store.

Aren't we like that in our walk with God. We ask God for things and say "God if you could only give me this today, then i'd be happy." A lot of things in life and most of the things don't happen on a dime. There is a plausible reason as to why he has not given us our request. Maybe we're not ready to have that yet, or we don't really need it. Most things come with patience. but like the boy in the story the grass is always greener on the other side. If we wait and listen to God's word, he will come through and give us something greater and better than the "Thing" we were asking for earlier. Right now God has given me the ability to write and enjoy the laughter in myself and others.So I'm going to sit back and cherish every moment that i can. What has god given you?

With Love,

Austin