define "success"

  Ok, two blogs in two days. Maybe it's an outlet, maybe it's just an overflow of life. Call it what you will, but with me, what comes up, comes out. Being somewhat transparent, ok, a lot transparent, this is a great way to allow pent up angst, energy, creativity, whatever you want to call it to have an avenue of travel.

  We all admit that life happens, right? Good, bad, right, wrong, life rears it's ugly head and then says, "DEAL WITH IT!"  So, I admit that I've really been struggling with what makes a person successful. Of course the first thing is obviously the financial part. That's the standard that others, and even ourselves, judge us by. You've got to have the cars, the nice home, plenty of vacation time and the other bells and whistles that scream "success."  In reality, it's when all these "things" are stripped away,  that we are then able to really define success. I've experienced the above. Had the bank accounts, had the home, had the "let's jump on a plane" moments. And, no regrets. But life happened. Circumstances beyond what anyone could control, happened. So, "success" had to be redefined.

  If being successful means that I have a son that has a heart as big as the state of Texas, I'm successful. How many parents can say that their teenage son actually respects a girl enough to ask her parents first if it's ok for him to ask her out? How many parents can say that their son says he'll be home around 11 and shows up at 8 and explains that alcohol was involved and he didn't feel like it was a place that he should be? If that is the definition of success, I qualify for top level management.

  Or, what about the most beautiful daughter that is the apple of a daddy's eye that still has time to stop and hug and say "I love you!"  And, knowing that she acts like she's embarrassed by the jokes I tell her friends and acting "uncool," I know deep inside that she's happy that I connect with her friends. If that is what defines success, boss man, I want a raise.

  I had the opportunity in the past month to talk with a lady whose husband has Alzheimer's Disease. She stated  that she was paying over $240 a month for his medication with no insurance. We were able to get him fully insured for a little over sixty bucks a month and more importantly, he was able to get his med's for forty bucks for a ninety day supply. Of course I received a commission for that. But the money was not the issue. Knowing that someone in need, with limited resources,  was now in the capable hands of some of the finest doctors available. You can't place a dollar sign on that. Seeing the relief in the eyes of this lady was more than a tender hearted kid like me can handle. Yes, we leaked....together. An eighty year old woman and I...in public.  Success? Absolutely.

  Acts 3:6 says, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have, I give to you in the name of Jesus Christ."

  It's not about the money, the cars, the homes> It's about surrounding yourself with people that care. So with that, I am successful. It's about the slap on the back, the "atta boy" when least expected, it's about encouragement, it's about knowing that people have your back no matter the circumstances, it's about having people that will dance with you in the storm, it's about someone saying "hey man, you've got a booger hanging," it's about people helping people. I crave that kind of success. It's what fuels me for life. It makes my feet hit the floor in the mornings.

  So, define success?......a penny for your thoughts.

What's a grit?

We've all heard the old saying, when life gives you lemons, all together now........yeah, I knew you guys were sharp. But lemons tend to be sour. Life isn't always sour. Sometimes it's just, well, blah. Like a grit. If you're not from the south you need to know that it takes several pieces of a grit to make "grits." And once you make them they're pretty bland unless you know what you're doing. A little salt, a little butter, (yes, butter, not that stuff that's one molecular structure away from being plastic) and voila` you got yourself something worth eating.  Why not take it a step further?  Whoever would have thought to drop a shrimp in a bowl of grits? Aren't you glad for stupidity simplified? It's sort of like "you got chocolate in my peanut butter!"  "no, you got peanut butter in my chocolate!" Anyway, I'm glad someone was bold enough to actually step out and try the first bite. 

I believe that's where most people miss it. Actually settling for second best if you will. Didn't God promise us more than just bland grits? John 10:10 says "I am come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly."

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of settling. Life was given for a purpose and we oftentimes neglect to butter and salt it. We have our pity parties, whoa is me, and it's always looking like rain. Through some very tough circumstances of life dealing some pretty crappy hands, I've always tried to be a "glass half full" kind of guy. But sometimes the strongest of hearts can take a beating. And sometimes you get tired of looking good on the outside. That's why we have to keep focusing upward. And when I say put shrimp in my grits, don't hand me any of those little small cocktail shrimp that take a dozen to fill a spoon. I want shrimp that scream "YEAH BABY!" 

2011 looks promising. But when you're at the bottom, "up" always looks good. Here's to a year of grits. And shrimp.

btw.....please pass the salt