Wednesday, December 22, 2010

My Own Little World

One of my favorite songs right now is "My Own Little World" by Matthew West. Earlier this fall, I was literally brought to tears as I drove to school one day and this song came on the radio. Watch the YouTube video, then read more below.

How often do we live inside our own little worlds? I'd be interested (and probably appalled) to know how many times a day I use the words "I," "me," or "my." I'm guilty of it, and I hate it. I get so wrapped up in what I want, where I want to be, what I'm trying to accomplish, that I forget about all of those around me. And the sad thing? I know I'm not alone.

What would this world be like if we all started living for those around us? Imagine the difference we could make. There are so many people walking right around us that need to know that someone cares, that need to know that they matter and they're worth something. All it takes is us looking outside our own bubble to others, but then what? What do these actions look like? What can we physically do for others? Where do we even start? I'd love to know your ideas.


Another blog is coming soon on not missing what matters, because

"I don't want to miss what matters
I wanna be reaching out
Show me the greater purpose
So I can start living right now."


Thursday, September 23, 2010

DIVE

Almost five and a half years ago, I experienced the biggest moment of my life up to that point. I stood on a stage in front of 6,000 FFA members, parents, and guests and poured my heart out through my retiring address. Most people don't realize that I spent the morning crying, vomiting, and hyperventilating. Yep, it was a pretty big deal. When I look back on the day, it was such a small moment in time, though I didn't realize it then. And why was it such a big deal? Because I was making a public statement of my beliefs and ideals. I was going to be held accountable for my thoughts. And, more importantly, I hoped that my words would make a small difference in this world.

The premise of my speech was pretty basic. Using the acronym DIVE, I encouraged the audience to live four pillars in their everyday lives: Have Confidence, Take Risks, Live in the Moment, and Be Passionate. Those four principles had carried me through the most life-changing year I had experienced while serving as the Ohio FFA President and stretching myself to step out of my comfort zone more than I could imagine.



So, why do I bring this up today? Lately, I've been wondering if I'm still living those four principles. As I gave my retiring address, every thing in the world seemed to make perfect sense. Yet, now, as an "adult," I tend to get confused my different interests pulling me in 18 different directions. At times I'm so busy at work that I fail to live in the moment. I have confidence, but what if it comes across as arrogance? Am I taking risks, or am I being stuck in status quo? I'm passionate about many things, but am I pursuing my passions? Those are pretty deep rhetorical questions, but they're things I ask myself pretty frequently. As I continue to "grow up," it's imperative that I remember to DIVE, and I encourage you to do the same.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Back to Blogging... For Now

Almost four months has passed since I blogged last. That's a third of a year. I hate the cliche' phrase "time flies," but it's so true. In just a couple of months, I'm going to turn 25. When did that happen? Greg and I have been married almost two years. A small drop in the bucket, I know, but still it's pretty incredible since it seems like yesterday. I'm in my third year of teaching. Never thought I'd step foot into a classroom. All those examples just go to show that time does have a tendency slip away from us. I guess that's why it's even more important that we live lives of purpose.

One of my biggest struggles with blogging is finding something valuable to write. I mean, anyone can write what they had for lunch today, but I want to write with deeper meaning. So, instead of backtracking like I have for a while, I'm going to start living in the moment. I can't promise that I'll write every week, but i am going to look for more examples of purpose, value, and meaning and my daily life and share those with you.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

So, about last year...

I'm noticing a pattern. It goes something like this:
  1. Think about how I really need to blog.
  2. Tell myself to take a few minutes to update my blog.
  3. Put off blogging until tomorrow.
  4. Repeat.
Tonight, I've actually made it to step five. Blogging. Big milestone in my life.

I've thought about the quickest way to summarize the past year. I decided to list adjectives to describe my life. Here goes:
  • Fun
  • Challenging
  • Fast-paced
  • Educational
  • Meaningful
  • Perplexing
  • Full
Ok, maybe that's not the best way to do it. After all, it doesn't paint a very clear picture. How about instead, I list some milestones?
  • Greg and I bought a camper and went on our first camping trip. Looking forward to lots more!
  • I survived my first summer at the Crawford County Fair and can't wait for another one.
  • Found a new church home at Crossroads Community Church in Mansfield. We love it.
  • Started off the school year on the first day of school. Great concept!
  • Have become actively involved with the dairy farm through sharing the story of agriculture through social media (find Dial Dairy on Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger!) and through feeding calves with my mother-in-law.
  • Traveled to Chicago for the first time and got to share the experience with 18 students.
  • Celebrated our first anniversary. Many more to come. :)
  • Launched my own small business specializing in small graphic design and webpage projects. Visit Impact Communications to learn more.
  • Last week I was named Teacher of the Year which reaffirmed my faith that I've chosen a career that I'm good at. This week I've taken on the role of farm wife, taking supper to the fields, and next week, we're out of school. Life is good.
I hope to update this blog more often. Stay tuned to see the new developments in our world. Thanks for reading!