But I'm Right!

I hate being wrong.  The other day, I was running by the beach when something happened that I had to share. 

I love running, always have.  It is my time to think, to pray, to get away from the craziness of the world.  I always listen to music, and I often find myself dancing while I’m running.  This particular time, I am enjoying the run, jamming out to my music, and tuning out the rest of the world when a bike sneaks up behind me narrowly missing me. 

Are you kidding me?  Yes, I am running in the bike lane, but he is in the wrong lane going the wrong direction.  Why don’t people pay attention?  Why don’t people follow the rules?  There is clearly a symbol on the road that says he is going the wrong direction so why doesn’t he see it?  The symbol is right there saying that… oops… I am the one going the wrong direction. 

I wanted to find the guy on the bike and apologize for being wrong.  Even though I didn’t say anything out loud, I still felt guilty for being so angry at someone when I was the one who was in the wrong.

This whole situation got me thinking… What else am I wrong about?  There are so many situations when I am convinced that I am right only to find out later that I’m not.

Lessons of the Day:  You are not always right.  Be slow to anger.  Take a step back.  Try to get some perspective.  Read the directional signs (the Bible is what I was thinking.)  When you are wrong, accept it.  Take responsibility.  And apologize when necessary and able.  Don’t let this defeat you.  Learn from your mistakes.  And keep going! 

My Role in My Story

Everyone has a story.  It didn't occur to me until recently that each person is not simply the protagonist in their story, but they actually play multiple parts.  I  had no idea how many roles I play in my own story, and the list surprised me.  

To my God, I am a follower, a disciple, a princess, a witness.  To my family, I'm a daughter, a sister, a sister-in-law, a niece, a cousin, and, as of January 30th, an aunt.  To a sweet guy, I am a (lucky) girlfriend.  For some people, I am a friend.  For Beachy Beach, I am the assistant (Karen's shadow, the director of first impressions, IT guy, electronic "expert," my favorite: Karen's spoiled princess, etc).  For Plexus, I am an ambassador.  And to a sweet puppy, I'm her Mommy.  

When I first realized the number of parts I play and hats I wear, I honestly felt a overwhelmed and stressed, but then I remembered I serve a great God that is always strong even in my weaknesses.  Alone, I cannot handle everything, but "With God ALL things are possible!"  I won't say this is easy, but I know it is all worth it.  And I know so many people play numerous more roles that I do, and I applaud those that can juggle everything.

Some of these roles are brand new to me, and I still have so much to learn with each of them.  I recognize that I am a master of none of these, and there is always room for improvement.  But because I now understand what parts I play in this story, I will be able to go into a New Year with a better game plan.  In 2016, I will have the opportunity to learn my lines and hide God's Word in my heart (Psalm 119:11), let God be the Director of my life, (Proverbs 3:6), practice until I get it right (Philippians 4:9), dress my part with strength and dignity (Proverbs 31:25), overcome stage-fright and other fears (Psalm 27:11), and when all else fails, improv and make it up as I go but seeking God first in all things (Matthew 6:33).  This year, I promise to do my best in every role that I play.  

We are only a few hours away until midnight, and I have decided the verse I will strive to live by in 2016, is Colossians 3:23-24: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

Happy New Year to You and Yours!  May God Bless You in 2016!

We Will Always Cheer for Victory!

Rant for the day: I love Troy! I love football. I'm competitive, but I know winning isn't everything. It wasn't too long ago that Troy won 5 sunbelt championships in a row. The question was "where" not "if" we were going to a bowl game. Teams use to be scared of us. We used to joke that Troy was the team that would "almost beat" everybody.  In 2007, UGA was ranked #10 when they beat us 44-34, and Florida was ranked #4 and beat us 59-31. I was at the 2008 LSU game when we were winning 31-3 at the beginning of the 4th quarter. And the list goes on. They were losses, but we put up a good fight against huge SEC teams, which was awesome! 

We didn't have to beat these big schools for the games to be fun. It was fun simply showing up, cheering on our Trojans, singing our fight song with our amazing Sound of the South, believing we had a shot at winning, and watching the other fans sweat from nervousness. These were the "good ol days" of Trojan football. 

This season hasn't exactly been the best for Troy, but it definitely makes me appreciate our football team more. I'm not expecting an undefeated season, but I've been to 3 bowl games and want to go to more.  I'm not going to echo what everyone has already said. Changes obviously need to be made, but I wish they would be made voluntarily. 

With all of that being said, I love Troy, and Troy will always be my #1 Team. Troy became a part of my family before I did. Both of my parents, both of my brothers and sisters-in-law, and several of my aunts, uncles, and cousins went to Troy. Troy has given me so much, and I have so many happy memories of Troy, especially football season. I've been to the Swamp, Death Valley, the Superdome, and other places to cheer for Troy, and I want to continue the traditions. So I'm going to stay optimistic and look forward to Homecoming! Cheers to T-R-O-Y! We are with you all the way! 

Where Were You?

September 11, 2001: Where were you? Where were you when you realized it wasn't just another day? Where were you when you found out that America was not as invincible as you thought?

I was in Mrs. Carlisle’s 7th grade English class. After the first plane hit the World Trade Center, we went to the library to watch the news. I thought it was a horrible accident. The only logical explanation was a plane was flying too low and hit the building. As we stared at the screen watching the sky fill with smoke, we watched the second plane hit. At first, we thought they were showing a replay of the first plane's crash, but the commentators said differently. I was in complete disbelief. What were the chances of two planes flying too low and hitting two buildings that were side by side? My heart sank when the answer hit me. It wasn't an accident.

My eyes stayed glued to the TV the entire day trying to comprehend what they were seeing. My mom suddenly appeared in the library asking me if I remembered Jason's grandmother's name; she was trying to call her. Jason was a childhood friend that had lived a few blocks from my house, and though our families were really close, we hadn't seen them for a few years. Was she seriously asking me this right now? Didn't she have any idea what was happening? Of course, my mom knew. She also knew something I didn't. Jason was working in New York at the World Trade Center. After spending I don't know how much time praying, wondering, and holding my breath, there was nothing but pure joy and relief when we found out that he wasn't in the building when the planes hit.



A few years ago, I went to Ground Zero with my mom. The only way I know to describe it is unbelievably overwhelming. I ran my fingers over the names on the memorial, closed my eyes, and prayed. I prayed for those families and friends. I prayed a thank you for keeping Jason safe. I prayed a thank you for keeping my family safe. And I prayed a thank you for Mrs. Carlisle because I was in her classroom when it happened, and she was a large part of the reason why I majored in history. After we left the memorial, my mom wanted to stop at a cafe a few blocks away. We sat for a little while looking at our travel guide map trying to figure out our next destination, and then I noticed something that made me laugh. We were on Carlisle St.

"Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?" was the song by Alan Jackson that summed up September 11th better than anything in my opinion because it captures the emotional experience from that day. "On that September day," I was scared. I was confused. I was heartbroken. I was angry. But surprisingly, there were other emotions I didn't expect. I was grateful. I was optimistic. I was hopeful. In this song, Alan Jackson also reminds us of the Giver of faith, hope, and love, and that the greatest gift that was ever given is love. This song basically says to enjoy the simple things, to help each other, to be grateful for another day, and not to wait for something like this to happen to "dust off that Bible at home." By the way, instead of watching I Love Lucy I watched M*A*S*H* reruns.

You remember where you were. If you actually made it through this longer-than-expected post, I want to know your answer. Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning That September Day?

The Only Men I Need

I've locked up my heart
And I've lost the key
I don't need a man 
To take care of me
I've run out of patience
And I don't have time
For stupid dating games
That's the bottom line

I'm done with guys
I've sworn off men
Not gonna let someone 
Hurt me again
All they do
Is leave me feeling bad
So the only men I need
Are Jesus and my Dad

Orlando got married
Lance Bass is gay
Superman broke my heart
Prince Charming lost his way
Kenny Chesney still won't come
To knock on my door
And I can't wait
For Tim Tebow anymore 

I'll be alright
When the next guy lets me down
'Cause my Dad and Jesus
Are always around

I'm done with guys
I've sworn off men
Not gonna let someone 
Hurt me again
All they do
Is leave me feeling bad
So the only men I need
Are Jesus and my Dad

You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

Eggs are bad for you.  Eggs are good for you.  Gluten is bad.  Gluten is good.  Water is good for you.  Only purified water is good for you.  Tap water is pretty much the same.  No, tap water is not the same.  Chocolate is bad for you.  Dark chocolate is good for you.  Sugar is bad.  Sweet & Low is good.  Sweet & Low gives you cancer.  Splenda is good.  Splenda takes 4 days to digest.  Sugar isn’t as bad as Sweet & Low or Splenda.  Carbs are good.  Carbs are bad.  Protein is bad.  Protein is good.  Diet drinks are good.  Diet drinks make you crazy.  Germ-X kills all the bacteria so yay!  Germ-X kills all the good bacteria so boo!  Do you notice these repeating trends? 

Moral of the story: Everything in Moderation.  Too much of anything is a bad thing.  Yes, you should eat healthy so that you can live a long, healthy, active lifestyle, but there’s no sense in being miserable.  If I die in a car crash tomorrow, I want to die happy knowing I enjoyed that piece of chocolate birthday cake.  

*The above statements were my personal opinions written by me and for my personal enjoyment.  If you enjoyed it as well, that makes me happy.  If you did not enjoy it, or if you found it disagreeable, ignorant, or offensive, I apologize.  Let us agree to disagree and move on with our lives.  Life is too short to eat celery, and life is too short to argue over trivial things.  Have a nice day!

Trying to Get Even

"The only people we have to get even with 

are those who have helped us."

I'll be honest.  I am terrible at showing appreciation.  I am the world's worst person at sending thank you notes, and I often forget to show the proper amount of gratitude people deserve.  I get so excited about the act of kindness that I'm too busy saying words like "Shiny!" or "Yay! Pink!" that I forget to say the words "Thank You." 

While I've been working at Beachy Beach Real Estate for Karen Smith, someone who is simultaneously the most generous and the most grateful person I have ever met, I have changed my attitude of giving, receiving, and reciprocating.  Her life motto is "The only people we have to get even with are those who have helped us."  
  
It occurred to me recently that just because I may have missed the "proper etiquette" deadline for sending a thank you card, doesn't mean I should never send it.  While I do agree it's better to show appreciation immediately, I think the "better late than never" rule applies as well.  

There are friends that have showed me love, kindness, and support over the years that I will never be able to repay.  Among these friends are a few brothers (now alumni) of Alpha Tau Omega at Troy University.  They are friends that always go above and beyond, and they make up some of my happiest college memories.  They were always there even if that meant a midnight Red Bull run or a midnight movie premier.  

In 2010, when two of my ATO friends, Austin Bivins and Kyle Crabtree first started talking about walking from Troy, Alabama to Panama City Beach, only one word came to mind: "Crazy!".  The word that now comes to mind is "Respect".  Other than small donations, I have never gotten involved with Walk Hard as much as I've wanted.  This year, I wanted to start trying to "get even" with my ATO friends that have done so much for me.

Walk Hard is a six-day hike from Troy, Alabama to Panama City Beach raising support for The Wounded Warrior Project.  Standing in Pier Park as the Walk Hard team finished the 125 mile journey was nothing short of incredible.  It makes me wish I would've been there in previous years to support my friends and makes me regret letting my fear of PCB spring break traffic and craziness get the best of me.  In my attempt to "get even," I had the joy of welcoming my friends' littles, grandlittles, and great-grandlittles to the beautiful place I now call my home and share a little Beachy Beach love!

Panama City Beach Mayor Gayle Oberst was there to welcome the team at Pier Park declaring March 12, 2014 "Walk Hard Day."  Another special guest who was at both the send-off and the finish line was Billy Williams, a Desert Storm veteran.  While the final amount raised for 2014 has not been announced yet, the brothers of ATO presented The Wounded Warrior Project with a check for $16,200.  

When asked why they are walking, these were a few of the answers: 

"I am walking for the sake of others.  I am blessed to have legs that allow me to walk, so why not use them to raise awareness for those who are not able?  We often take the small things for granted, and I believe Walk Hard is the perfect opportunity for me to realize how fortunate I am.  I am fortunate to be an American, to have been raised by such a loving family, and ultimately that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for me to be able to spend eternity in heaven with Him when I am so undeserving.  For I am blessed, so I want to be a blessing to others!  That is why I Walk Hard!" - Jake Thibodeaux

"Many of the older brothers encouraged me to become apart of something bigger than myself. I believe that by participating in WalkHard, I will have the opportunity to do that very thing. I am so excited that I have the opportunity to support the Wounded Warrior Project through walking. This is an organization that really hits home to me, having had a brother serve in the military and by having being raised in a military-based city. I know that this will definitely be a spring break that I never forget!" - Dash Merritt

So what do a bunch of guys want to do after walking 125 miles want to do?  Go to the beach and spend the remainder of spring break resting, recovering, and rejoicing!  Congrats to the Walk Hard Team and the brothers of Alpha Tau Omega!  And to all my ATO Alumni friends, Thank You!

You can still donate to The Wounded Warrior Project by going to www.walkhard.org