Well it's official!!! Last day of November means last day for these crazy beards! Maybe not for everyone, but certainly for me. I have to be honest. It was a fun ride until it started to feel like a broom on my face when I tried to sleep on my pillow at night. Plus it felt a little weird shampooing my hair AND my face! Felt a little bit like Teen Wolf…if you remember what that even is! All in all…good time with good friends…worth it!
Then Tuesday hanging out with Steve from NC, eating at Butterbee’s and playing some new game of Monopoly with cards till 12:00am. Leave it to Steve to find us a new game! Love ya bud!
That’s just the first 2 days this week, so I’m looking forward to being with family once I finish this blog! As always, I’m sure I’ll return with stories. Just might not be able to share all of them with you. Be sure to enjoy your families this holiday and don’t forget to be thankful! We only have family and friends for a short time!
Who am I? Have you ever confronted yourself with this question? I’m not talking about an audible question that you ask yourself and then quickly answer...only to look around and see if anyone saw you talking to yourself. I’m talking about a more in depth look inwardly as to who you really are! For instance if I asked, “Who are you,” could you define yourself by more than just a first, middle and last name? If so, how would you define yourself…the core of who you really are?
I am pushing for these answers in my own life. Granted I know myself pretty well after 33 years of being Clayton Hershner, but there are so many unknowns as to what I am REALLY capable of. I mentioned one of my goals being skydiving in a previous blog, but that is just one of the ways in which I hope to test myself and see exactly what and where my boundaries are, where each of my weaknesses lay, and where each of my strengths reside! I am going through my goals for 2010 and it has pushed me to look at this from a professional viewpoint, but also from a personal vantage point. I want to reveal these areas in my life so I can be confident of who I am! The tested, tried and true version of who I am…not just who I THINK I am! This kind of confidence I’m talking about is described by Maximus Decimus Meridius in the movie Gladiator, played by Russell Crowe.
In case you are not familiar with this movie: Maximus lost his wife and son to a corrupt emperor who now confronts him in this scene, unaware that this gladiator is Maximus...whom he despises. When asked his name, Maximus responds not only by revealing his name, but by revealing “Who he is!” Notice that he defines his identity through his full name, by those he leads, by the allegiance of the one he serves, and even by his pain! He has been tested and tried by life in many ways and confidently reveals “Who he is!”
Do I believe we should all go out and be gladiators, testing our limits in order to better define the core of who we are…you tell me. Because I will say this! As I encounter difficult seasons in my life, the ones I turn to first are those who have bravely fought through life’s battles and have intentionally weathered those storms!
Because of this I choose to be a gladiator!
What are you celebrating today?
I got home last night and saw something that wasn't there the day before. In fact when I saw it, (if I'm being honest) it kind of drew me in. It was as if I were a moth to a flame. I walked in our front door and immediately my shadow was cast on the door behind me. This 7 1/2 foot object was taking up a large portion of my living room, but for some strange reason I was okay with it. When I was younger it was typical to see a live one of these in our house. Yes for some it's a little premature but it is...our Christmas Tree!
I may be setting myself up, but let me know what you think:
In your opinion when is the best time to set up a Christmas tree?
It got me thinking. What are you working towards in your life? Are you working towards something to accomplish…besides just making it to Friday? Even if it’s a small step forward, I am convinced that we need to set goals for us to accomplish. Cole counted to 20. Honestly for a 4 year old that’s not a huge step. I mean it was something he needed to be able to do, but it’s wasn’t huge. When setting goals I think we sometimes think we need something monumental or BIG! I’m not discouraging that, but I think smaller goals are just as important. If we always set these BIG goals ahead of ourselves, we can get discouraged with the climb and walk away thinking, "I can’t do it!" And we believe that! But if you read my blog labeled, “I haven’t been able to yet,” then you’ll know that this is a lie! It’s not that you can’t, it’s simply that you haven’t been able to yet. BIG difference!
For me, I’m not a big reader. I wish I liked reading more than I do, but I don’t. So one of my goals is to simply go through several books this year that will help me sharpen myself towards becoming the man that I need to be! So far I’ve completed one book and I am currently going through 2 others. Not a big step you say? You’re right…for some! But for me I’m intentionally stepping forward with a goal in mind. One of my bigger personal goals is to go Skydiving! Not a big step you say? Now you’re just flat out lying! Actually for me it’s a HUGE step because I’m scared to death of heights, not to mention the falling and possibly hitting the ground part. It may not get me over the fear of heights, but it will be my approach to come face to face with one of my fears. Again, it’s my attempt to step forward.
This last part is important too! When you accomplish a goal you need to celebrate it with someone, even if it’s a Frosty from Wendy’s!!! As big or as small as your goal is, celebrate it! Don’t diminish your work and write it off as petty. Be proud of your accomplishment and celebrate it! Who knows, you might inspire someone else in the process!
Your turn…what’s one goal you have?
Now how and when will you move forward to accomplish it?
Each day I post something that has caught my attention for that particular day and so I share about it. Well today, since I live in
What do you think about it? Or do you even care? I would love to hear your responses regardless where you stand. Here is a link that describes what I’m talking about.
Well that wasn’t the case this morning. Instead Owen decides he’s going to "go potty,” which he’s now learning to do all on his own. - (By the way, when do we quit cheering for people when they "go potty?” ) Well while he’s in the bathroom he decides that he’s going to try putting on some of Holly’s makeup. As you can see from the picture, it’s more art than anything. But I don’t know what worries me more, the fact that he put makeup on his face all by himself, or the fact that that he did it so well! Actually our reaction to this little face painting escapade ended in us laughing and taking some fun pictures.
Hey does anyone out there have any good stories from your night out?
This past Friday was unusually warm for the end of October in
With the woods right behind us we took the boys on a little hike and found some firewood that we started picking up to use for a fire. (Hey picking up wood might not sound exciting to you, but for boys under 5 it WAS!!!) We weren’t just after any type of wood though! It had to be wood that was dry and ready to burn! If you have never been down by the river and noticed the wood, much of it is dry on the outside but wet on the inside, from being soaked by the river. You can tell this by the weight of the stick or log. (Probably more info than you needed!)
All of a sudden…there it was! At first I just stared at it without making a single move. I looked at Holly, who was right beside me, then quickly looked at the boys to see if they saw it too. It was HUGE and even seemed a little dangerous at first! But being the man that I am, I quickly ran towards it…grabbed it…and it lifted me off of the ground! That rope swing was AWESOME!!! Holly and I both took turns swinging on this rope, yelling to the boys, “Hey watch me!” (Almost as if our children were the adults!) They didn’t even care because, to them, breaking sticks was more fun. So Holly and I kept taking turns, seeing who could swing out the farthest. We did this until our hands hurt!
At the end of the night we asked Cole what his favorite part of that day was, he said, “Picking up firewood!” (Surprised?) The best part for Holly and I had to be the swing! But I think more than that, it was our ability to look back and know that we made a day worth remembering for us and for our boys! And because of that, October 30th, 2009 will no longer be...just another day! Are you beginning to see what the keys to a great adventure are? For us it wasn’t a financial investment. It wasn’t even well planned or thought out. It was simply looking for a way to be free, have fun and willing to be a child-at-heart! All of us will leave “today” behind as we step into “tomorrow.” It’s up to you to decide how it will be remembered!
