Do I expect too much?

The past two weeks at church, The Journey, we have been divulged in a series that has left a lot on my mind. It has focused on the "fires" we are faced with in life and our perspective. This Sunday really left me with a big question....

Do I expect too much, but give too little?

Any time I have been faced with a fire, big or small, I begin to ask God for a way out and for it to be convenient for me. He never fails to answer my prayers or get me through the situation, but am I doing my part after he answers my prayer?

I go to church most Sundays, I worship him, I praise him, and I am alert and attentive during service, but I do not follow him on a daily basis with this same focus and enthusiasm as on Sunday Morning. Although I have made a great deal of progress in my personal life with some of my struggles, I still make the same mistake of putting my pleasure before his plan. I may use vulgar language, I may make crude jokes, I may give selfish advice, and I do not live my life as an example of a Christian seven days a week. I let my surroundings influence my behavior in whatever environment I am in. I tend to conform with the environment instead of refraining from saying or doing some things that I may not have done outside of that particular environment.

I know everyone has their struggles, but I have been making a conscious effort to face my head on! I need to be held accountable and give back to a God who gives me so much.

Opening Meet

This past weekend was my coaching debut in competition gymnastics for Intrigue Athletics.
We competed in Gallatin, TN, at "You're The One" Gymnastics Meet, hosted by The Master's. We were represented by a Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5 team. I have been coaching Team Gymnastics for the past three years, but this is my first season as a USAG Coach. This gave me the opportunity to be on the floor with my girls and right up in the action during the competition. It was a great experience and something I can't wait to do again.

I never imagined I would be coaching gymnastics on any level and definitely never dreamed I would be on the floor with these girls at the meets. Coaching these girls has been a challenge, but after this weekend I realized how much I enjoy it and how rewarding it realy is. Watching these girls compete and succeed after all the time, tears, and sweat they put in during offseason was unbelievable. When you are on the outside looking in on a sport, we often forget all the time and effort these kids and athletes put into practice, conditioning, private lessons, fundraisers, etc... I am now on the inside and I see it first hand, so to see these girls improve and make strides toward the ultimate goal in December was motivation and reassurance that my time coaching these girls was worth it. It gave me a renewed drive and committment to not only coaching these girls, but doing it the right way.

Sometimes in life we get to a point in our jobs, hobbies, and other things that we donate time to where we become idle. I realized this weekend that I do not want to become idle with these girls and that I want to be able to give them what they deserve. I always expect the best out of my girls, so I should return the favor and give them my best regardless of what is going on in my life or if I have had a bad day.

So I have challenged myself to not become idle and to put into these girls what they gave me this weekend. Where do you need to challenge yourself and refuse to become idle?

AD at MCA

As many of my friends and acquaintances are aware of I have started a new career at McClain Christian Academy, MCA, in Lebanon, TN. I was hired on as the Athletic Director, AD, of a virtually non-existent Athletic Program. To elaborate a little, MCA did not have a single athletic team or anything close to one, and I was hired to change this situation and move them in the right direction. This includes no equipment, no fields, no jerseys, limited funding, etc.

This being my first job in the education field and as an Athletic Director I have been faced with challenges daily that other AD's escape. Building a program from the ground - up. I have embraced the challenge and I am convinced it is a blessing. With that being said, there are so many instances where I feel like I'm in a stalemate, that I am failing to make progress fast enough, and that I am overwhelmed. I love this job, the kids, and truly believe this is a school that is going in the right direction.

I would love any advice or help anyone could offer in this endeavor. Whether you started a business, organization, etc, or just have some good advice feel free to comment.