Standing on the Steep Side

     During the break from school these last two weeks, I have really been fortunate to get caught up on some odd jobs around the house that I just had not had the chance to complete. It felt good to check some items off my own "to do" list. One of the tasks that is necessary for me to complete each year is to clear the leaves out of the gutters on our home. Where we live is surrounded by oaks, maples, and a variety of other deciduous trees that share their wealth of leaves with our yard, my truck bed, our driveway, and the aforementioned gutters on the house. As most of you realize an abundance of leaves packed into your gutters can only lead to problems if left unattended. The leaves will clog up the downspouts thus causing rain or melting snow to back up in the gutter and the extra weight of the wet leaves and water can result in the gutters falling from the weight and pressure. So saying all that, it is extremely necessary for me to do my annual gutter cleaning and our Winter Break provided me with the opportunity.
     This task is where the topic of today's FTM originates.  I positioned the ladder on the back side of the house to ascend up to the rooftop since the back side of our home is definitely the only side to make such an ascent. If you look at our home from a side view angle you would understand exactly what I mean. The elevation difference from the backyard to the front yard is probably about 40 to 50 feet. Once I made my way onto the backside of the roof standing and walking back and forth is really no big deal. The house has an awning that attaches to the roof which runs almost the entire length of the roof line. In other words if an accident occurred and I accidentally feel the awning is there to break the fall. No big deal. So I made my way the length of the roof, back pack leaf blower mounted, blowing out the gutters and also clearing the downspouts of any possible leaves that had made their way down the exit pipe for runoff water. That was the easy job, now I had to move to the steep side of the roof. Climbing up to the peak of the roof and looking over to the other side, automatically causes my knees to buckle a bit and my danger alert begins to sound off in my mind. Like I said the drop is probably 40 to 50 feet and add to that a backpack blower that weighs twenty to thirty pounds and you can see why my danger alarm was sounding off in my head. As I made my way over the apex of the roof walking with the backpack on my back no longer interested me. I removed the backpack and scooted it alongside my bottom side as I sat on the roof now, no more standing and walking for me! My fear of heights, coupled with my desire to stay healthy and alive,  plus common sense knowledge that falling from the front side of the house would be a serious health issue created a "heightened" (pun intended) sense of care and caution. I edged myself close enough for the extended hose portion of the leaf blower to reach the gutters and cautiously cleared the gutters in much the same way that I had done the rear section of gutter on the house. I didn't dilly dally around on the front side of the roof any longer than necessary and upon reaching the peak of the roof and climbing over the top, I once again was able to stand and walk confidently around going back over the roof line to assure that all the leaves and debris had been cleared. I descended down the ladder and patted myself on the back for a job well done!
     Standing back from the roof I reflected on the fear and anxiety I felt while standing, well sitting, on the front side of the roof. You see standing back and looking at both sides of the roof revealed to me that the pitch is exactly the same front and back. That means that there is no actual difference in how much of a risk exists to falling on one side or the other. Why was I able to walk around on the back side of the roof, yet as soon as I topped the roof line I resorted to sitting and scooting around the same roof? It had to do with trust. I trusted that if I were to fall on the backside of the house the awning would be there to break my fall and that knowledge gave me confidence and courage to complete the job. On the other side no awning and a higher drop depleted my trust and confidence in my own ability to walk around on the roof.
     Isn't that how it is in life? As long as we are in our comfort zone all is good and we walk around confidently knowing that as long as we stay on the "safe" side of the roof we don't have to worry about placing ourselves in too much of a risky situation. Our worries and concerns are slight at best because we are comfortable and our walk is familiar and has proven itself to be safe. Yet if we stay on the "safe" side of the roof the job that needs to be done will not be accomplished. The leaves had to be removed on the steep side as well and so it is in life that the jobs that involve more risk and pose a more "dangerous" set of choices need to be completed. Stepping out of our comfort zone, choosing to move over to the side of the roof without the awning is not what most of us choose to do on a daily basis. If we walked through life alone always fearing we might fail or fall our purpose in life would never be completed. But there is a big difference between my gutter cleaning experience and our daily lives. In life we have an awning that is there to buffer us in case we fall. We can trust and have confidence that if we fall, there is someone there to catch us. Our Lord and Savior reminds us in Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” With this assurance we can be bold, courageous, and trust that we can walk onto the steep side of the roof in life, and that God will be with us wherever we walk!
     As we enter 2017 it is my prayer that each of us seek to get out of our comfort zones and take that step of faith to accomplish more than we have ever attempted before. Some of us have ideas that need feet to get started, others have walls that we feel we will never be able to climb, and others have bridges that have been broken and need mending to rekindle a relationship. Whatever needs to be done take a step of faith this year, knowing that our God is with you and he is there to catch you if you fall! Stand on the steep side! Happy New Year! Coach Carter 

 

Comfort and Assurance in Loss

     Just the other day a dear family in our community, the Gilberts, were faced with the passing of one of it's members. The loss of a loved one is hard anytime, yet around any holiday the memories can be difficult. I can personally relate to this because my family lost our mother at almost the same time of the year in 1985. Although that was over thirty years ago I still miss my mother and have a message of comfort for anyone that has lost a loved one, whether it be recently or if it has been an extended period of time since your loss. On the morning of December 22, 2016 I was going through my morning time of devotion and prayer and my focus was set on those of us that have experienced the pain of losing a loved one. I typically journal my prayers and the following excerpt was a part of that particular day's prayer.
     Dear Father God, 
As I come to you this morning let me first ask you to comfort the Gilbert family. Anytime we lose a loved one whether it be expectantly or completely unexpectedly it is hard. We are devastated by the loss and the thought that we will never see this person that is such an important part of our life again. We may have regrets about things we left unsaid or even possibly something we said and never had the chance to say I'm sorry. We have sorrow for children that will grow up not knowing this person and those of us that did have the opportunity to know this person, but will no longer have them to call upon for friendship, advice, comfort, guidance, or possibly protection in times of need in this hard world we live. Comfort us dear Father God knowing that this person is not so far away, especially not as far away as we may think. The love shared, the lessons taught, the memories made, the foundation that has been set and the example that has been forged are all constant reminders that this beloved person is right here with us. A smile on a child's face, a saying or familiar way of handling a situation, kind words of memories from friends and acquaintances, morals displayed, advice given, lessons taught, or a special way of doing things are all reminders that will stay etched in our memories and our hearts for the rest of our lives. Let us keep those memories real as we pass down the legacy of this one we love so dearly and never let the thought that this part of our family is ever gone. Just as You have promised to never leave us nor forsake us as our Father in Heaven, our loved ones that have passed will remain in our hearts, memories, body, and soul forever. Thank you Father God for the knowledge that our loved ones are right there with us every step along the way. Amen
     Whether you have experienced loss in the past or if you are dealing with loss at this moment never feel like you have "lost" this person from your life. In so many ways that person is right there with you. Place your focus on all the ways this person's legacy is visible in your life. You are that person's legacy, carry it forward and never let it die or be forgotten! "... Never will I leave you nor will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a prosperous 2017 to each of you, may God bless you, your family, and your endeavors as we enter the new year! Never give up and never quit and always do your best! 
Coach Carter

 

How Can You Become a Better Coach in Life?

     I love coaching. To those that know me that is a pretty obvious statement because I have been coaching athletic teams for almost thirty years. Most of that thirty years has been spent coaching wrestling where I feel I am adequately capable because I wrestled myself in school and I have been around the sport pretty much since I was 13 years old. Let me do the math... that's around 40 years of exposure to the sport of wrestling. That time around a wrestling mat has given me an ability to see things and understand situations on the mat that many others might not be able to pick out. In other words my time invested in wrestling helped me become a better coach in wrestling.
     Several years ago while I was still teaching middle school my principal, Glen Kanipe, came to me and offered me the opportunity to compliment my coaching experience in wrestling with a new middle school sport, volleyball. At that time in the early 1990's volleyball was no where as popular as it is today, and to say I new enough about the sport to be a coach of it would have been a stretch for sure. I would compare it to someone asking me to teach physics or German, it was definitely out of my comfort zone. Mr. Kanipe explained that he felt I had the ability to coach and that the rest would come with experience and time spent studying the game. In the early stages observation, experience, and some good mentoring from a friend or two were my tools for starting this fledgling program in our school. I also read books on volleyball and studied how other programs achieved success. We experienced some early success which translated eventually translated into some championship seasons and even a couple of undefeated seasons.
     Fast forward about ten years to 2013 when I created Extreme Team Volleyball a local "travel" type volleyball experience for youth in our Lakeway area. At this point I realized quickly that my past knowledge of this sport was going to be a good base, yet the game had progressed so far and the depth of knowledge necessary to coach it was out of my current scope of understanding. To stay at a competitive level I had to reach out to resources that would actually coach me up and equip me with the understanding of the game that would be necessary to compete and succeed. Websites, coaching clinics, observing, and asking lots of questions enabled me to learn and grow to the point that I know feel more confident on the court and that has translated into success for the athletes I have had the opportunity to coach.
     You see I have the ability to coach, God has given that to me I believe, yet what I needed to coach a sport that I wasn't near as comfortable as I was in wrestling had to be sought out and acquired. Being a good motivator and hard nosed conditioner will take you so far, but if you don't know the offenses and defenses of a sport you can only go so far on hard work and hustle. It takes knowledge of the sport and an understanding of how things work together on the court to reach championship level output. Those skills have to be sought out they don't just come to you because you have the title of coach. Coaches that experience study, reflect, react, and modify on their sport and always seek out more knowledge of their sport of choice.
     Anything we want to do in life is pretty much just like that. Our walk in our faith is definitely similar to my "coaching up" experience. If we ever want to fulfill our purpose in life and help others as we are directed to do, we must immerse ourselves in what we believe in, and seek out positive counsel when we have questions. Just as in coaching, learning from others that have the experience and knowledge that we are seeking is a great opportunity for personal growth. I believe the tool that serves me best is my willingness to be a life time learner, understanding that I do not have all the answers and that I can takeaway something from every experience I endure or overcome in life.
     All of these skills will translate into an increased ability for us to "coach" others up in their life and in their walk of faith. I challenge you today to reflect on what areas you need to be coached up in so that you will be better equipped to "coach'em up" when given the opportunity. Prayer, meditation, studying, hearing, and memorizing to heart what you need to know are all "practice" tools that will grow you into a champion on the court of life!
Have a great day and a fantastic week. Coach Carter

What is Music if You Don't Dance?

     Our title today poses the question, "What is music if you don't dance?" I can extend the same concept to, what are books if we don't read them?, what is a bicycle if we don't ride it?, even going as far as what is food if we do not partake and eat it? All of these are beneficial and in most cases healthy opportunities to partake in, yet in the case of many of the aforementioned life choices many of us have not made the choice to "move" on the very things that will help us or benefit us in our lives.
     Books make a pretty good paper weight until they are picked up and read. The lessons, knowledge, and even entertainment they will provide are locked within the front and back cover and regardless of how many times you look at the book, pick the book up, or even browse through the pages the message that the book contains will not be obtained until you sit down and read the actual pages and chapters. Too often people buy a book or even rent a book at the library, only to leave it sitting on the coffee table or nightstand. Unfortunately, the knowledge within the book will not be gained until you make the move to read it. No osmosis available here.
     What about a bike? How about exercise equipment or sports equipment such as balls, skates, frisbees, or even tennis shoes made for walking or running? Soon we will be welcoming a new year, 2017, and a plethora of New Year resolutions will be made, committing to exercise more or maybe just to start exercising in some cases. Well the resolution is a good start, but the actual action of getting on the bicycle and regularly riding it, or the move to not only join a work out center, but to actually start working out is what has to happen before any of the benefits will be realized. We can go out and purchase the best shoes made for walking or running, but we will never gain the benefits until we put the shoes on the road or trail and put forth the effort to walk or run regularly.
     What about music? Our original question was what is music if we don't dance? Well obviously music can be enjoyed by the ear without having to do any type of physical movement, but I would suggest that without some type of movement whether it be head bobbing or actually moving our feet and body in some sort of manner music will not fulfill it's ultimate purpose. That is what music was created for, entertaining the mind and causing us to react to the mood that the music creates in us. Even if you aren't versed in the latest dance craze or you haven't been formally trained in the waltz, foxtrot, salsa, or maybe even the boot scooting boogie, when we hear music our foot begins tapping, our hands start clapping, and our bodies eventually begin swaying and bobbing. That is what music is supposed to do, don't hold back dance!
     One other example mentioned in the opening of today's FTM Thought was the idea of what good is food if it is not eaten? Although it's true that some of the stuff we eat today would probably do us more good if we didn't eat it, yet overall if we chose not to eat our bodies would soon grow weak, malnourished, and sickly to the point of eventual starvation and death. So out of all the other examples eating is one of those that we are all going to eventually do just because we have to eat or else. As I mentioned what we eat though is our choice. Healthy or unhealthy we choose what we take into our bodies because as we have concluded we are all going to take in calories on a daily basis.     
     The concept of eating is utilized throughout the Bible as well. One particular scripture that comes to mind is found in Psalm 34:8 "O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." Taste and see, the end result won't happen until you have completed the first part of the command. How can we ever "see" if we do not first "taste" the word of God? Just as reading a book, listening to music, getting on your bike, or sitting down to the table to dine requires an action on our end so does our relationship with our Lord and Savior. If you have a relationship I challenge to go deeper, develop a routine, create a private time to spend with our Father. If you do not have a personal relationship it's time to move from the thinking about it stage to the action step of making it happen. Music without dancing is just noise, and a life without a purpose is just wasted air, "taste and see" what can happen if you place your life in the hands of the one that created you for such a time as this! 
Coach Carter

Coach =Teacher / Teacher=Coach

     As you read the title of this week's FTM Thought I'm sure many of you were thinking "Oh this one isn't for me" because maybe you haven't ever coached a sport or you aren't a teacher in the field of education. Well let me put those thoughts to rest real quick. If you are a parent then you coach and teach each and every day. If you are a coworker in whatever profession you work in then you should be encouraging, teaching, and supporting your coworkers every opportunity you have, which by the way is probably each and every day! If you are a student, a nurse, a construction worker, whatever it is you do you are coaching and teaching so my suggestion is read on this one is for you!
     Myself, I have been coaching athletes for over 30 years and I have been teaching in a school either as a classroom teacher or as a school level administrator for the past 25 years. Needless to say, I love what I do, it would be sad to be in the same profession as long as I have and not be content with your life. Actually, in my opinion, I don't believe there is a higher calling than to teach someone else what we have been given as knowledge. Whether we teach someone how to do long division or if we teach that same person how to bake a cake or how to fix a leaky faucet we are all teachers. Same concept applies in coaching. I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to coach wrestling and volleyball for the past 30 years. Coaching athletes to love the sport they are participating in has always been job one for me, and then to coach up my athletes to get the most out of their potential as possible win or lose is a close second as a goal for me as a coach. In life more people might feel like a teacher, but not near as many would feel like the title "coach" fits the description of what they do on a daily basis. I assure you if you work, live, or spend time with other people you are a coach. I profess to you today that the two words are interchangeable and the two titles are actually one in the same.
     I say we are all teachers/coaches in life because we all have the responsibility to "teach" those we have been placed over such as our children, our coworkers, our students, etc.... and in that teaching we are tasked with the responsibility to "coach" them up along the way, guiding them, showing them the way,  leading them into the "game",  and then being there in support win or lose to prepare them for the next competition in life. The comparison between the two titles makes the names interchangeable. Let me explain.
     A coach strives to take an athlete from where they are when they begin and take them to a higher level of performance. A dear friend and fellow coach, Doug Swint, preaches to our athletes "Progression not Perfection" constantly. The mentality he is trying to develop in the volleyball player's mind is that none of us will ever be perfect, but we can all constantly be progressing and getting better at what we do. That holds true in the classroom as well. We do not teach students one set of skills and then say "Well you know everything now so you are finished", we teach them that one set of skills is necessary for the next step in the progression of learning new and more complex principles. It is a progression for sure.
     The teacher should always be a source of encouragement regardless of what condition his or her "team" is when they receive them each year. We should be coaching them up and finding the answers to the challenges that face our team during the upcoming season in the classroom. Coaches spend hours studying film of not only their opponent, but also of their own team to see what they can find to correct or "reteach" before the next competition or test as the case may be. During class a coach will find the mistakes his players are making and reteach them and practice them so that the next time they are asked to perform they will be able to carry out their responsibilities on the court, field, mat, or classroom wherever the competition is taking place.
     As I stated in the beginning of this week's post, I have had the opportunity to coach and teach for over 30 years and I have been blessed to have the opportunities I have had. It is my firm belief that as a coach/teacher we must do everything we can humanly possible to teach our athletes/students/ children/coworkers to never give up and to never quit. If we can instill in those we teach that concept then life will always be about what is next not about what happened in the past. During a volleyball season a couple of years ago I had a team that actually lost 42 straight sets in volleyball. I had taken a younger less experienced group of players and played them up in a league in nearby Knoxville, Tennessee. This team never gave up, working harder than any group I had ever coached, and constantly improved, doing so with a positive attitude along the way. Good sportsmanship and hard work characterized this team from beginning to end. At the end of the season the director of the league and the other coaches and referees presented me with a plaque as the "Best Coach of the Season". The guy that coached the team that didn't win a single set the whole season?? The director explained that everyone there was so impressed with the way the girls handled the adversity, the way they went about their game on the court and how they showed outstanding sportsmanship after each loss. And they all made note of how far the team had progressed during the season getting better at their overhand serves, passing, and other components of the game. The "Best Coach Award" wasn't really about me in the end, it was about how our team had performed and grew.  That plaque is more dear to me than any of the championship trophies my teams have garnered over the years because this group was recognized for something they can take away from athletics and apply to life. That is what teaching and coaching is all about. Proverbs 22:6 instructs, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Whether you work in a school, coach your child's little league team, or if you are a supervisor on the job, or possibly you are a parent raising your children we each have the responsibility to "coach'em" up! Coaching and teaching have one fundamental similarity that weaves the two together. We all want to see our team succeed. Success is not measured on a scoreboard or in how many championship trophies we acquire over the years. It isn't compiled in how many of our students graduate high school or even college. The true measure of our success will be in how many of our "athletes" go on to help others, teaching them and coaching them up in life. Go out and be a coach today! You are a teacher just be careful what you teach. Hard work, positive attitudes, diligent practice, and always progress over perfection in life! Play hard and live life! Enjoy your life you only have one to live!
Coach Carter

    

Dear Younger Me, ...

     There's a song out that I really enjoy entitled "Dear Younger Me" by the Contemporary Christian band Mercy Me. If you haven't heard it give it a listen it shares a great message about this crazy life we are all living. The premise of the song goes along with the old saying, "hindsight is always 20/20". I would like to pose a question to each of you reading this message today, "What would you do if you could somehow go back and tell your younger self what mistakes you made and how to avoid those same mistakes as you grow and mature?"
     At first the idea sounds enticing, just as it did to me, yet after listening a little closer to the words of this insightful, musical proverb you might need to rethink your thought process. The idea of going back and redirecting some of the choices we made along the way in life seems like a no lose situation, yet as the song suggests the end result could possibly change who we are today. The lyricist ponders "Do I give some speech about how to get the most out of your life
Or do I go deep
And try to change
The choices that you’ll make cuz they’re choices that made me".
And that is the thought I want to clarify today. If we could go back and coach our younger selves and through that coaching we keep ourselves from going through the adversities, the trials, the wrongs, and even the tragic choices that we made would that change who we are today? Would you be part of the same family? Would you have the same career? Would you have the same opportunities to make a difference that you have today due to the choices that you made along the way?
     I'm pretty sure some of our readers today are saying "Yes that would give me a chance to do things differently and I wouldn't have ended up where I am at today." But what if where you are right now is exactly where you are supposed to be? As the lyrics suggest the choices you make are the choices that make you who you are. If you aren't happy with who you are then it is time for some self reflection.
     I have learned many things in life yet none of them have been more important than understanding that everything that happens to you in life prepares you for what you are to do in this life. What appears to be a terrible page in your life's story, may actually be the precursor to what would amount to your biggest success in life. The trials and tribulations that we endure are actually the lessons we must learn so that we can fulfill what we were created to do in this life. That may be a hard thought to process let along accept, yet when you are capable of looking at adversity as a growth opportunity then you are on the road to becoming who you were created to be!
     At first it sounds very tempting to think that we could go back and change the bumps and barbs that we had to endure in our younger lives, yet just as the story of Joseph from the Bible teaches the adversity we endure is actually what must happen for the good that was intended to take place. Joseph's brother's were jealous of their younger brother and sold him into slavery. Bad time right? Yet Joseph ended up being one of the most powerful leaders in the land and much later in life during a famine Joseph was able to save his family from starvation. The same brothers that sold him into slavery came to him pleading for help, fearful for their lives yet with no where else to turn they came  and here is what Joseph said to them,
"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." Genesis 50:20 
     That is where we have to get if we want to grow and become all we are meant to be in life. Hard times are just that, hard. Yet if we can trust that those very hard times are essential to who we are and what we are to become then our lives are transformed. How is this possible you ask? How can I use the bad choices I made in the past to make a way for a better future? The answer is found in two simple words FAITH and TRUST. Without those two words it is virtually impossible to see what your true purpose in life is.
     Today's thought goes a little deeper than normal, yet for somebody out there this is the very thing that is holding you back. You were created to do great and wonderful things, don't let the adversity that can catapult you to your purpose be an anchor that weighs you down and causes you to sink. Take the experience and rely on your FAITH that their is a bigger outcome for good designed to come from your experience and TRUST God to see you through!

"Every mountain every valley
Thru each heartache you will see
Every moment brings you closer
To who you were meant to be
Dear younger me, dear younger me"
Mercy Me

Make a difference this week, start with yourself and then go out and find someone that needs help more than you and lend a hand up!
Coach Carter

Thanksgiving Should Be Just Another Day

     Whoa! Before I start a controversial online war, let me clarify the title of today's Flat Tire Ministries Thought. I love Thanksgiving and I am so "thankful" for the opportunity to lay aside a day specially created for each of us to stop and reflect on what we have to be thankful for and then sincerely give thanks for all we have. In a culture where the commercial world barely squeezes Thanksgiving in between the goblins and pumpkins of Halloween and the snowmen and Santas of Christmas it is critically important that we as parents, teachers, and caring adults teach others of all ages the importance of giving thanks. Today's thought has two goals in mind. First I hoped the title would spark an emotion of "hey what's he mean Thanksgiving should be just another day??",  secondly my goal today is to motivate you into not waiting on Thanksgiving day to give thanks. It is my hope that you will begin to look at what you have to be thankful for each day and give sincere thanks each day. Unfortunately many people will even forget to give true "thanks" on Thanksgiving. The hustle and bustle of preparing the turkey dinner, cleaning up the house for the visit of family and friends, taking advantage of a day off from work to get caught up on some fishing or hunting, or the latest news about which players are injured and will be unable to play in the Thanksgiving Day ballgames engulfs many people's thoughts on the day that we should be spending deep sincere time giving thanks. My question at this point is, if we are too busy on Thanksgiving to really stop and give thanks, is it even feasible to think we are stopping to give thanks each day for our countless blessings?
     Here's something to ponder, when can you recollect the last time you gave thanks for your car? May not take too long for many of us. The answer is most of us don't give thanks for the means by which we make a safe, daily commute to school, work, or any of the other many tasks our vehicles allow us to do on a regular basis. Now take a moment and think about when was the last time you complained or gave thoughts to wanting a newer, bigger, smaller, faster, sportier, or flashier car, truck, or SUV? Nothing wrong with wanting to do better for yourself, yet when have you honestly given thanks for the one you have? Okay how about this one, when is the last time you gave thanks for your job? Or When was the last time you woke up and growled about having to get up and go to that same job? What about something basic like your vision? The other night at our school's Thanksgiving program, I forgot my reading glasses and I struggled to read basic lines from pages I had in front of me, yet how often do I give thanks for eyesight that allows me to see perfectly even if it is with the assistance of a dollar pair of reading glasses? If I were blind I might just appreciate the opportunity to wear reading glasses if they would allow me to see. Are you starting to understand where I'm headed today?
     Here's something you might want to do to help you see where you are in the giving thanks business. If you made a list of things that you give thanks for on a daily basis, or even a weekly basis, and then you made a list of things you complain about on a daily basis, which list would be longer? Remember if you do this be honest with yourself nobody else is looking. Whichever list ends up longer the great thing about your list is you are in charge of it. If you don't like what your list reveals then change it! Start your day in reflection and meditation giving thanks for all you have been blessed to have. If your muscles ache when you get out of bed, be thankful you are able to get out of bed. If your oatmeal is mushy or your biscuit is hard, be thankful you have the means to buy the food you have and that you have food to eat. When you arrive at work and the first thing that happens is a calamity, be thankful that you are capable of handling calamities and that you have a job calamities or not. When you want to argue and complain about your marriage, your children, your finances, your life in general, I want you to really stop and look at the gifts you have been given and learn to be thankful for each of them each day!
     We are way too blessed and we need to be giving thanks for those very blessings each day! It is so easy to get caught up in the rush of each day to the point that we need a special day to stop and give thanks, yet if we would only stop each day long enough to reflect and give thanks for all we have and all that has been given to us our "Thanksgiving Day" would mean so much more! Ephesians 5:20 encourages us with, "Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ". Whatever you do this special holiday season, take time to give thanks and then make it a part of every day you are given! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Coach Carter

Red Bull? Monster? NOS? What Energizes You?

     Not sure where they came from, but "energy" drinks are pretty much a part of our national retail effort to energize young and old alike on a daily basis. What happened to black coffee? Somewhere along the line soft drinks like Mountain Dew entered the equation and from there we have entered the realm of "five hour" energy solutions. I'm not so certain that these "energy" drinks are actually supplying us with energy, if you qualify caffeine as a source of energy then I guess they meet the mark, but I'm not so convinced that we need to be getting our energy from a chemical substance in a high octane form.
     As normal culture goes I guess I am pretty much the weird guy in my world. I gave up soft drinks  almost forty years ago, cokes were still being sold in glass bottles, and I haven't regretted it yet. I never was a big coffee drinker, but I did enjoy a glass of refreshing sweet tea on a daily basis. Almost two years ago I decided to cut those two items out of my drink selections as well. I really haven't missed either of those either. I have yet to drink an energy drink and to be honest with you I'm not sure how people could handle me if I did!
     Today the majority of my liquid intake is water, and I do enjoy fruit juices or an occasional hot green tea with honey. I can tell you most people would ask me where do you get so much energy? "They ask me how many cups of coffee have I had today?" or "What are you on?" Of course as I have explained no coffee, no caffeine, and no supplements, so why do I have so much energy? My secret is really not a secret at all. Let me share.
     When I wake up each day I carry out a stretching regimen, series of core exercises with a run or walk, and light weight lifting on alternating days. Then I spend a period of time in devotion and prayer with my Lord and Savior each and every day. After that part of my morning is complete, around 5:30 AM, I get ready for work and head out the door energized and pumped! When I get in my truck I turn on some inspirational music, 106.9 is my favorite, and make the morning commute to work arriving most days around 6:30 even more pumped from the influx of positive messages I take away from the uplifting music. By the time I start unloading my students from their cars and off our buses at 7:00 I am so energized a Red Bull energy drink would be a like a sedative to me!
     The point I am trying to make today is not that everyone should quit drinking caffeine, nor is it that I think everyone should get up at 4:30 each day and spend an hour or more exercising. No the critical component for my energy output is the input of positive influences I ingest literally and figuratively each day. The old saying you will get out of it what you put into it applies well here. If you spend your time laying in bed until you are forced to roll out and the first thoughts that go through your head are "Oh I wish I could lay here another hour" or the last thing and the first thing you see and hear each day are the rantings and ravings of the TV what can you expect to takeaway from it? "Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord maker of heaven and earth" Psalm 121:1-2. I have made the personal choice to place as many positive influences in my daily life as possible and I firmly believe that is where my strength and energy come from each day.
     When I look around I see God's creation and it makes me smile. I give thanks for the opportunities that I will have each day to help others. I reflect on how fortunate I am to have the home I have, the truck I drive, the job I am blessed to have, and the bountiful blessings of my family, friends, and coworkers. The opportunities that I have been given that allow me to make an impact on not only the students in my school, but all the opportunities I have been blessed with to work with children and adults for the betterment of our community and beyond. I could go on and on because I have so much to be thankful when it comes to opportunities to help others.
     You have to make the decision. Where will you get your energy? Will it be in a bottle or will it come from the life you have to live? Will you stop and reflect or will you pop the top and say "I hope I can make it through another day"? I challenge you to look at life as a chance to make a difference and through that kaleidoscope you will begin to see life differently, you will begin to feel differently, and you will receive more energy to do more for others and thus yourself than you will ever receive in a 10 oz. bottle!
    

Thank you for reading, reflecting, and sharing this message. Your supportive comments and thoughtfulness to share this blog with others that might benefit from it are an inspiration to me! Go out and do something amazing! Coach Carter

Don't Stop You Are There

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." Thomas Edison  inventor of the lightbulb who made thousands of attempts to create the light bulb before experiencing success.
     Yesterday, my wife, Missy, and I went for what we had planned to be about a mile and a half hike on a trail at nearby Panther Creek State Park. It was mid afternoon when we pulled in at the trail head so with a little over a mile hike in front of us their was ample amount of daylight left in the day and the beauty of the fall foliage was in full array for us to enjoy. After venturing through the first half of our hike we came upon a fork in the trail with an option to veer off our main trail to reach an outlook point with the distance being little more than a few hundred feet. Call it curiosity, we decided with such a short distance to travel why not detour quickly and gain an opportunity to see the lake and the surrounding areas from a "birds eye view". As we made our way along the detour we traversed what we thought would have been around 400 feet which was the distance on the trail marker and we were no where near anything that would resemble an outlook destination. We began a back and forth scaling of the peak that lie in front of us each time thinking that the next turn back would signify our ultimate goal. At this point the westward sun was beginning it's dissent and we were beginning to worry a little about how much daylight we still had left and the topic of turning back entered our conversation. At the very moment both Missy and I wanted to say let's turn back, the two of us agreed that we would venture on just a little further. We finally reached a plateau and it was obvious that our goal was within site just a few hundred feet ahead. Somewhat more fatigued than originally planned, and definitely more time invested than we had allowed for the hike we reached "Lookout Point". And may I say, "WOW" what a view we were rewarded with by not giving up on reaching our detour's destination. The beauty of God's creation was on full display and my binoculars enabled me to view so many wonderful sites. I knew our journey had been worth it all. After enjoying the view and recouping our energy we safely made our return trek down the mountainside and returned to our vehicle with a more challenging three mile hike completed and a feeling of accomplishment stored inside our hearts and minds. It was a good day!
     In life we face those same uphill challenges, sometimes what feels like daily and for others it is more like one major obstacle that just will not move on out of your path in life. At times the challenge begins to feel like it is too much and we cannot see what appears to be an end in sight. Your challenge may be physical in nature such as a medical condition, disease, or other health related matter, or it might be a marital issue, financial problem, job or school related matter, or possibly a battle with something internal such as addiction or depression. Whatever it is you are facing it is  imperative that you do not give up in working towards surmounting the obstacle in front of you.
     I challenge you to never give up and never quit in life. Just as Edison made thousands of what most would have labelled failures in his quest of inventing a light bulb but never quit, you too must not look at your failed attempts as failures but instead as part of the journey to your success. You must adopt the mindset that anything you are facing or going through is all part of the training you are intended to do in life for who you are supposed to be in life. Think about it as practice and preparation for game day.
     During practice many times it hurts to the point of wanting to quit. The level of intensity placed on the athlete in practice enables him or her to withstand the pressure of the actual event. Remember "no pain, no gain", that's what I'm talking about! At just the precise moment when we feel like we just can't go on, we turn the corner and we have finally reached our goal. A proverb comes to mind here, "It is always darkest just before the dawn". When you are tempted to give up, when life is dark (possibly the darkest you can imagine) don't ever give up. Instead look up and see your adversity through the eyes of God. His plan for your life is so much more than we can see and the trail you are traveling is all part of the preparation for what you are ultimately supposed to be in life. Don't ever give up, don't ever quit, and always give your best!
Remember Galatians 6:9 "So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." NLT
Go climb that mountain one more time, ten more times, ten thousand more times if necessary, but always keep in mind, you are just around the bend of reaching your destination! Just as I tell my athletes GO EXTREME or go home!
Coach Carter

Slow Down Your Reaction Time and Step Up Your Reflection Time

     Seems like today many people are prone to act out or speak out first, and then go back later to think about what was said and how it might have been taken or how it might have made the recipient of the comment feel. And that's okay. That's what asking for forgiveness is all about. We just have to remember that after we have "blurted" out what is on our mind it's there. It's not like we can rewind the tape and edit that part out, the words and thoughts we purvey are more like a cut or wound we might experience along life's journey.
     I remember when I was around sixteen my father included me in on a job to place a five strand barb wire fence around a farm he had bought and intended to place a herd of cattle. This required securing the boundaries of the property with the barbed wire. On more than one occasion I received cuts on my arms, legs, and body due to the razor sharp barbs on the fencing. One slip of the pullers and the wire would whip back towards the spool and in most cases result in a fresh incision on somebody's arm or other exposed area of flesh. Many times the injury would bleed, but not enough to be worried about getting stitches, and allowing the cut to scab over and eventually heal was usually all that was needed. Even after the healing process was complete though, sometimes there would be a reminder of that cut, a scar. The scars I acquired during that fencing job way back more than 40 years ago still remain on my arms and legs, bringing back memories of the very day I obtained them on that farm in Grassy Valley, Tennessee. If we are not careful with our words they will create those same type of wounds and eventual scars.
     Today's thought is titled "Slow Down Your Reaction Time and Step Up Your Reflection Time" for a very good reason. Words said in haste without time given to how the message will be received many times create wounds that will need to heal. Unfortunately, after the healing process the words we spoke that created the injury leave a scar. Just as scars on our flesh are there 40 years later the scars that remain from our rash words exist in our minds and our thoughts in most cases the rest of our lives. What we need to do has more to do with inaction than it does with an action.
     Bad day, stressful events, difficult person to deal with, several difficult persons to deal with, those are just a few of the reasons why we might react in a hurtful manner with our words on any given day. Unfortunately,  the person that ends up receiving the blunt end of our barrage isn't even the one that caused us to be in that place. In other situations we are in direct exchange with the person or persons that are about to receive a deep cut from our statements of vindication or provocation. I believe this is where we have to train ourselves to take a moment to reflect on what we are about to say before we react based solely off emotion and say something that will eventually leave a scar on someone's mind or memory.
     Just as the barb wire cut me on the surface sometimes and deeply in other instances our words and thoughts can be just as hurtful and lasting. Anger happens, bad days happen, triggers happen and each of us respond in our own manner. What I hope to inspire in you is to reflect first before you react. Take just a moment before you blow up or blow off some steam and think about what you are about to say and the lasting memory that your words will leave behind. I'm afraid too many of us don't think about the scar, most of us think "they'll get over it" and you are correct, they will get over it. Probably for the most part people will move on and not give another thought to what you have just said. In other cases the words may be forgiven or forgotten on the surface, but after the apology has been offered or the thought has been placed in storage the scar will linger on and on.
     In my profession working directly with young minds it is critical that I  utilize this reflection strategy relentlessly. The words of teachers carry a great amount of weight on a child's self concept so it is critically important that we think before we speak. Guess what? It's the same for our colleagues, our spouses, friends, relatives, and yes even the person we pass on our journey each day. At work, home, or out to eat at your favorite restaurant we all have interactions and opportunities to react before we reflect. Start today giving some time to your thoughts before you open your mouth to express those thoughts. It's definitely a process, too often speaking before we think it through is a fault we could all be labelled guilty. But if we exercise the art of reflection it can become more of who we are and more of how we respond in adverse situations. Our goal in life should be to leave memories not scars. Have a fantastic week!

Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”

Squirrels are Relentless, How About You?

     This past week I was fortunate to experience "Fall Break" which meant no school, yet my schedule was pretty much filled  with tasks, honey-do list items, and yes also some rest and relaxation. I am blessed in where we live due in part to the teeming wildlife that surrounds our wooded, lake home. Deer, raccoon, rabbits, birds of all types including American Bald Eagles all frequent the area throughout the year. One additional "critter" that lives in abundance is the squirrel population. Squirrels are a sight to sit and watch and during some of my down time from my job's list, I spent some quality time just watching the squirrels. In particular I watched the squirrels put forth a relentless attack on a bird feeder I had placed on a bent pole designed to keep the squirrels out and allow the birds to feed throughout the winter. Not only was the pole design meant to be a deterrent, but the bird feeder itself offers a built in deterrent in a feature that closes the opening to the seed when too much pressure is placed on the perch area. Not that I am against feeding our squirrels, but as the name suggests this particular device is called a "bird" feeder for a reason.
     As I previously stated squirrels are relentless. Their ingenuity and cleverness in their myriad attempts to access the contents of the bird feeder were amazing to watch and acrobatic in performance to provide a visual description. Stretching as far out from the stem of the pole as possible, barely able to grasp the tip of the bird feeder, squirrel by squirrel they attempted to get at the seed to fill their own jaws for winter storage. A couple of the lighter weight squirrels performed a "flag pole" type climb and then embarked the upside down portion of the pole by hanging on by just a foot grasp and an extended upper hand clasp. Really I was waiting to see if the ingenious bunch would decide to make a human ladder of squirrels stacked up on each others shoulders. In their attempts and the ultimate failures and occasional successes they experienced I noticed one underlying theme that struck me quite off guard. The squirrels I observed saw something they wanted and they were not going to be denied. They set their minds to the object of their quest and then they went about the business of doing what needed to be done to reach their goal. They were RELENTLESS! That is where the underlying theme kicked in, how relentless are we in our pursuit of our goals and our aspirations?
     Just as the squirrels attacked the bird feeder from every direction possible and just as they stretched their bodies out to the point that I wondered if they were going to disconnect their arms from their bodies, we must develop that same level of resiliency in life if we really want to fulfill our purpose in life. We must be willing to look at our pursuit from multiple viewpoints and we must stretch ourselves to limits beyond where we thought we were bound. If something you want to accomplish in life is worthy of your pursuit then it only stands to reason that you will go beyond what is normal to reach your destination.
     If your pursuits don't seem worth the stretch and the effort then more than likely it isn't a goal worthy of pursuing anyway. The pursuit of materialism, self-centered goals, and the quest of power for power's sake are a few goals that would not deem themselves as worthy of this type of relentless pursuit. Yet on the other hand, if your pursuit deals in helping others, teaching others, learning more so you can be a better more capable leader, or more importantly you are in pursuit of following the plan that God has set for your life then you should be relentless to a fault!
     Through prayer, planning, and a never give up attitude you will find an answer for your quest, you will breach the divide that has kept you out of reach of your destination. You my friend just need to be a little more "squirrely"! Don't ever give up and don't ever quit and always give your best!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Looking forward to the week and the pursuit of being RELENTLESS!

Coach Carter

Time is an Invaluable Treasure, Spend it Wisely

     If you know me and even if you have only been introduced to me through this blog, I would hope you have gathered that I am a relentless optimist. Whether it is an inborn trait passed on from an amazing set of parents and grandparents, or whether it has been nurtured in me through trials, experiences, and a lifetime of living out my mantra of "never give up and never quit", I fully believe the glass is half full and maybe just a little bit above halfway! Coupled with that optimistic mindset there has to be a certain degree of realism stirred into the mix and when I say realism I'm talking about the realism associated with the inevitable aspects of life. Whether I believe the sun is going to come up tomorrow or not it is going to, whether I believe good will overcome evil in the end it will, and whether I believe I am going to live forever or not I will most assuredly pass from this life at some point! The question is do you understand that the sand in your hour glass is not running north? I came to a realization a year or so ago and it has dramatically impacted my outlook on living, I'd like to share it with you in hopes that it motivates you to take action over inaction today!
     I have a book case set of shelves in my office and over the years I have collected certain items that have a special meaning or are a reminder of an event in my life that has made a lasting impression on my life and provides me with stories to share with students, staff members, and other guests that visit me at school. One of those items is an hourglass that was designed with a three minute mark. Turning the glass upside down of course creates a downward stream of white granular specks flowing, as gravity would cause, towards the bottom of the glass encasement. On one particular occasion I had an epiphany of sorts in that as the grains lessened in the top portion of the glass I realized that I along with the rest of the world's 7.4 billion inhabitants have one thing in common. None of us is gaining grains of sand in our hourglass. Now don't start labeling me a pessimist or someone with a negative outlook yet. No. for me this "Aha" moment if you will wasn't a negative for my mind it was a call to action that has had a positive impact on my life ever since I came to understand the truth behind "time".
     To sit around waiting on the right time to do something is the exact type of thinking that will cause you to miss out on life and the opportunities that you need and want to take advantage of, yet for some reason we think we will have more "time" later to do the very thing that needs to be done now! A friend of mine gave me a little round piece of wood close in size to a quarter and written on both sides of the wooden coin is the word "toit". Puzzled, I inquired what the meaning of the inscription on the coin meant to which my benefactor replied, "This is for you when your answer to someone about when you are going to do something is I'll do it when I get around to it.  Now you have a round "toit" so you have no excuse on procrastinating about a project or about some time to spend with someone you need to be spending time." My round "toit" sits on the same shelf near my hourglass.
     People, when are we going to start living our lives like we don't have a tomorrow instead of like we have an unlimited number of tomorrows to put off today until we decide it is the right tomorrow. When will we start realizing that our tomorrows are almost over and the opportunity is streaming down through the tiny opening in the glass that now feels like it is the width of the mouth of the Nile River? Solomon the author of the Book of Ecclesiastes admonishes us in chapter 3 that "There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

²     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace."

With that in mind when do you think you need to get started? Most of us don't go around thinking about the time we have left on this rock, but instead as we age we begin planning for our retirement and our end of time plans. Why should we be thinking about the end? Why don't we think about the beginning we are provided each and every day. Each day we receive is a gift and we have the opportunity, no the responsibility to make the most out of each and every day. 

      Spend more "time" with your children while you have "time". Find a cause or an organization that you can connect to and spend "time" investing in helping others more than the "time" you spend worrying about yourself. Turn off the tube, take a walk, read a book, read The Book, plant a tree, plant an orchard, help a child, or start a non-profit to help a population of children. Find something to get involved in, donate your time to an organization that is already established, or just go visit someone you haven't seen in awhile and just be a friend. Keep in mind spending "time" doesn't cost anything, but the impact of the  investment of "time" cannot be calculated, nor can it be compared to all the other things we spend our "time" doing. Work, meetings, deadlines, TV time, sitting around, playing video games,  or laying around in the bed are things that so many of us spend our "time" doing and the return on these types of investments will not do much for us or for those we love, or for those we could be helping. I guess the bottom line here is this; should we go around thinking about how much time we have left before we die, or should we be giving thanks for each moment of each day we are granted and then go out and spend our time investing in people, causes, and service to others that will leave a legacy of hope, faith, and love for our future generations and for those we come in contact with each and every day! As the grains of sand funnel through my hourglass the only thing I can see are the grains that are still in the top of my glass and as long as one grain of sand is left I want to see how much of an impact my God will allow me to make on my world! Wow, what a pump! Have a wonderful week, go out and take advantage of the gift you have been given! 

Coach Carter

Proper Preparation And Perseverance Prepares Us For Our Purpose

     The other day a colleague of mine at school shared a thought that later became today's title for our thought for the week. Jennifer Harbin actually shared this thought with our entire staff fueling some inspiration as our educators trek into the daily struggles and successes of teaching the masses. Little did she know that my topic for the week's thought was all about being trained and prepared to help others in life. So when I read Mrs. Harbin's alliterative quote I immediately borrowed it for my title this week. Thank you Jennifer for sharing your note of inspiration!
     In education or any field of labor it is mandatory to provide training to those that we hire so that they can more effectively do the job they have been hired to do. Sending someone out to fix a leaky pipe without any proper training in the skills of a plumber would be challenging at best for the worker and unfortunately more than likely a disaster for the owner of the leaky pipe as the house might get flooded before the pipe got repaired. So the message to gather at this point is to understand that the education each of us receives, the training we take part in, and the professional development we participate in isn't necessarily for us, it's for us to do a better job for the people we serve.
     As educators our teachers spend a great deal of time learning, perfecting, and adapting their craft. Obviously this builds up our skill set and prepares us to be better teachers. Training to be a better teacher is not worth a "hill of beans" if we don't apply the lessons learned in teaching our students. So here again it's important to understand we prepare, we learn, we grow, and we plan not for our benefit in our jobs, but we do all we do to help others whether it is students in schools, homeowners for skilled professionals, chefs for restaurants, or whatever the field is for those it serves. Follow me here I'm about to reach my point!
     The top three reasons people say they do not attend church are as follows: 1. It is irrelevant to my life, 2. People that attend church are hypocrites, and 3. The moral failure of church leaders keeps them from attending. Each of the top three reasons are all related to how the individual feels about church and how they personally feel about what church will or can do to affect them individually. Guess what people? Being involved in a church, reading your Bible, listening to inspirational messages and music, and developing a personal relationship with our maker isn't for you. Just as a professional constantly modifies and improves his or her craft for the benefit of his customer or client, we in life must have a positive influx of help and hope so we can be there for our spouses, children, friends, coworkers, or even the person we meet on our commute to work on any particular day. In other words being a part of a local body of Christ is not about me, it's all about what I can gain that will help me in my daily journey to help others.
     Now I receive daily training somewhere we all do each day. I choose to saturate myself in positive messages, inspiring music, and literature that invokes me with a sense that my purpose in life is so much more about what I can do to serve others than it is about what "I" can get out of life while I am here. The question you need to ask yourself today is where do you receive your daily training and who is providing that training? Maybe you get your training from television. I know there are some positive messages to be gained from television, but the majority of it is questionable at best. "Dating Naked", "Housewives of wherever", a host of murder detective series, or maybe even the "Survivor" series. Really? Good luck getting some positive messages to share with someone that is in need of a support from you. Possibly you get your daily training from watching professional sports figures. There are positive men and women involved in sports no doubt, but I'm not sure that we can encourage or invoke a sense of hope in the people we come in contact with on a daily basis by sharing the scores of last weekend's highlight reel. Or maybe you keep up with Hollywood's weekly marriage and divorce rate for your personal building up and education. There again what do you hope to gain from the onslaught of worldly views that plague our entertainment community

?
     Today ask yourself this question, Where do I receive my help in life so that I can be a help to others? Remember the training you receive isn't for you, you train yourself so that you can help others. It isn't about you! I can't stress that point enough, I can't put enough emphasis on the concept that what we do is not for our benefit it is all done so we can help others. So again in conclusion, where do you receive your help each day is the question you have to answer.  "Where does my help come from, my help comes from the Lord maker of Heaven and earth" Psalms 121:1-2.
     Have an awesome week and do something that will help you help others as you journey through the week!

Taking Turns

     As part of our job as educators it is important that we not only teach the core subjects of reading, math, science, and the social sciences, but also the intangibles of manners, etiquette, and other socially acceptable actions. One of the traits that primary and elementary teachers have to cross is that of teaching students the art of "taking turns". For many of our students the formal education setting is new and having to allow others to go first is something that has to be taught. Educators teach to "wait your turn", figure out "who's turn is it next?", and the skillful art of getting in line for a "turn". This is all a necessary part of becoming a functioning, well adapted part of society. We sure don't want adults out there breaking the line at a sold out movie, or walking into a crowded McDonald's and stroll right up to the cashier to place their order in front of everyone that is patiently waiting their turn in line. I suppose if it were a small child breaking the line most of us would not get too offended, yet when it is an adult that thought process would be slightly different, and well it should. The apostle Paul spoke to this topic in I Corinthians 13:11 as he commented, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." The problem today is when it comes to taking turns in adulthood, it appears many people want someone else to take a turn while they sit back and watch. Guess what? It's YOUR turn!
    If you haven't figured it out by now let me be the first to enlighten you, there are an unlimited number of opportunities to serve in our own communities, states, nations, and abroad. You can volunteer, offer assistance, organize, start a drive, start a non-profit, step up, man up, whatever you want to label it but the main thing is to not allow others to do what you should be doing. It's YOUR turn! If you aren't sure where you want to be plugged in here are three quick action steps that will get you going in the right direction, Ask, Seek, and Knock (refer to Matthew 7:7 for more details on this one). The key to taking your turn is actually moving from thinking or talking about it and heading into the actual doing something about it mode.
     The recent protest by some of our professional athletes is rooted in good intentions, yet it is my opinion that good intentions that are not backed up by good actions are pretty much just words spoken. Tony Dungy, a highly successful National Football League coach and inspirational author and speaker recently related a story about something his father told him once about his actions. On the NFL Today show, Coach Dungy was being asked about the silent protest by athletes taking a knee during the playing of our national anthem and his response was that his father told him many years ago that "whatever you do make sure it will have a positive impact on others. If his actions would benefit others then it was a worthy investment of his time." That isn't the exact message, but you get the gist of what he was telling his son Tony. I would say the meaning of what the elder Dungy shared was to put your heart into something and then put your body into motion and go into action.
     Verbally supporting a cause or crying out that something must be done about an injustice in this world is all well and good, but guess what, it's YOUR turn to get involved. One of the athletes that has been in the forefront of the taking a knee protest is Colin Kapernick, the quaterback of the San Fransisco 49ers. Kapernick is attempting to bring attention to the social injustices that fill our news headlines and continue to shock and dismay. Mr. Kapernick has moved his involvement to the next level of stepping up by making a decision to donate one million dollars to communities and organizations that support communities in need. I would contend that this is a wonderful gesture on his part, and it absolutely does take money to make things happen, but to be completely honest, without people, without their hands and feet getting involved the money just won't get it done. It is going to take each of us stepping up to the plate and saying "it's MY turn!"
     It boils down to this, the things we want to see change, won't change until we do something about it ourselves. Attending church, placing our tithes in the offering plate, and then walking out the door until next Sunday is the pretty much the same thing as the silent protest that Kapernick is carrying out. We support the ministries of our local church or organizations with finances, but we must do more.  Or how about all of us that are paying our taxes, going to the polls and voting, but then heading back to the house and sitting on the couch watching the news and complaining about what is going on in our world. Until we accept the responsibility to "man up" and get involved with what we want to see change the "same old same old" will be the norm and change will not occur.
     We teach our children to "wait their turn", but as grown men and women it's time to take YOUR turn and invoke change that will have a positive impact on the world in which you live! Make a difference, make a change, it's YOUR turn!
Coach Carter

Paper Towel Dispensers "Give Me More"

     As I started thinking about the topic for the FTM Thought this week I really had two different topics that kept coming into my thought process, yet one of them continued to surface, so I have come to the conclusion that this must be a direct message for someone out there so here we go!   
     When you visit any restroom best practice is to always wash your hands. In today's automatic dispenser world that practice has become one filled with mechanical assistance designed to eliminate waste and promote healthier conditions to boot. The problem is in most cases one wave of our hands under the magic sensor does not usually produce enough substance to get the job done. I cannot think of many times that I have not waved my hand multiple times for additional soap, water, or paper towels.(In most cases my efforts are justified as it appears the settings on these machines are designed to cut expenses by providing a minimal output.) When we wave our hands under the sensor we are basically saying "I want more". Our society is stuck in this "give me more" mentality as this is the prevalent "modus operandi". Many people are programmed to want more and not be satisfied with what they have. When this is put into a material world context it is usually not a good thing. A bigger house, faster car, bigger toys, more wealth, the list goes on and on you get the picture. But, on the flip side of that there is a way that the paper towel dispenser / "give me more" mentality can be fruitful and beneficial. What if we started thinking "I want more opportunities to help others", or "I want more time to spend with my wife or my children". What if we all started thinking I want more faith, more seeds to sow, more positive messages to share with others, or more love to give in all areas of our lives? 
     What would happen if each time we were standing at a sink in a restroom and as we were waving our hands under the automatic dispenser of whatever we gave a thought to what we want more of that will help someone else and not just ourselves. I believe it's worth a try, how about the next time you're waving your hand under that sensor for some of that foamy soap, or waiting for the warm water to activate, or maybe just seeking an additional piece of paper towel to fully dry your hands you gave just a moment of thought to what you truly want more of to help others more than yourself. More positive messages, more knowledge, patience, endurance, hope, faith, charity, or even peace. Then as you begin to gather your thoughts and channel them into a focus, start looking for ways to make your thoughts become reality. Read more, listen to positive messages more, find positive people to support you in your efforts more, pray more, and place more trust in our Father and less on man. 
     If you truly want "more" it takes effort. You can stand in front of that paper towel dispenser and nothing will happen until you wave your hand in the correct location on the dispenser. You can stand there and wish more paper towels would dispense, or you can possibly stand around long enough until someone else comes up and does it for you, or you might even give up and walk out of the restroom with wet hands and dry them on your pants leg, but if you want more you have to put that want into action. As for me I want the whole roll of towels! I want more chances to help others gain hope, I want more opportunities to serve God through my service to man. I want more of Him and less of me. John 3:30 states "He must become greater, and I must become less". Our lives should be fixed on it being more about Him working in us, than it is about us working for Him. Ask, seek, knock or in this case wave your hand under the sensor and you will receive! Have a great week, pray for me, and pray for more!
Coach Carter

Help Wanted - Apply Inside

Before the days of online job applications it was a pretty common sight to see signs hanging on business establishment doors reading, "Now Hiring Apply Inside". If a person passing by saw the sign it presented an opportunity to change that person's life. They would go inside, inquire about the position available, ask for an application, fill it out, and then possibly get an interview, and if the application checked out and the interview went well that person could very well end up with a new job. The point of today's message is that none of this happens if that same person doesn't take initiative. He or she could read the "Now Hiring Apply Inside" sign and just keep on walking down the street. That same person could possibly read the sign and decide to enter the establishment, but upon entering they find a seat, watch the employees working, have a favorable impression about what is going on in this business, but at the end of his or her visit decide to get up and walk out the door without ever applying for the job. It is pretty apparent to each of us that if this is the approach taken that same person will not be hired for the open position. As a matter of fact the business in need of help will never know that the person leaving the door would have wanted a job, and no one will ever know if that person could have been the hire that changes the dynamics of that businesses' future growth and success. In other words everything is left to the proverbial "I wonder what would have happened if I had only....."
     In life we are that potential person reading the "Now Hiring Apply Inside" sign. We read or hear positive messages, (hopefully you see Flat Tire Ministries as a thought that fits into the category of a positive message), we like the thought that the message invokes, but we just don't apply it to our lives. A message heard and not acted on will have little impact on your life. You may be inspired by watching a story about how someone changed their life by losing a vast amount of weight, or maybe you are a smoker and would like to follow a plan to quit smoking, or some of us are intrigued by the idea of eating healthier and exercising more, possibly we may even hear a message on how to make our marriages, our jobs, or our lives better. It is safe to say that many of us want to deepen our faith and develop a closer relationship with our Maker. All of these are worthy goals, yet as we established earlier none of these things will happen if we don't open the door and apply. We can do as the person seeking to apply for a job and enter the business only to watch and observe, never taking the necessary step to apply. It doesn't serve us well to be an observer and never actually apply what we see and hear to our lives. The principle that every action creates a reaction is very applicable here. How can we ever change our lives from our present state if we don't take the initiative to apply the necessary steps to create change.
     Unfortunately, many of us read the "Apply Inside" sign and we enter the door to get more information, yet once we see the requirements and responsibilities we decide that the job is going to be a little more challenging or it is going to entail harder work than we are willing to invest. We would like to change, we know we need to change, but we turn around and walk out the door without even applying and putting forth our best efforts to see what might happen.
     Listening to inspirational messages, watching television shows about people that have made life changing decisions that have altered the course of their lives, attending your church regularly, or even reading this blog can all be part of the first step in the process of change, but if you really want to see change occur you have to "Apply Inside".
     "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." James 1:22
When you make a change tell somebody, inspire others to action by your example. If you "apply" for a change in your life or in the life of others know that this blog is interactive. Create an action and see what the reaction is. Share your story. Enjoy the day that our God has given us to enjoy!
Psalm 118:24 "This is the day that the Lord hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!"

Don't Plan on Reaching Your Destination if You Don't Get Up and Go There

Sound advice, "Don't plan on getting there, if you don't get up and go there!" Simple enough wouldn't you say? Problem is too many people want to sit around and wait for some type of divine intervention or the day I win the lottery before they plan on setting forth to reach their destination. Destiny is a funny thing, many people think of it as something inevitable, predetermined, fate. If it doesn't matter what we do or even if we do or don't do something then we don't have very much control over our lives and I just don't believe that. I choose to think of it more in line with how the late American orator and politician William Jennings Bryan is quoted as saying, "Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for it is a thing to be achieved." We do not know our destiny, yet we have a plan and it is our responsibility to go out and work to see our plan come true. Along the way things may happen that alter the direction of what our plan was. What many may consider a stumbling block to our destiny may actually be the next step in reaching our true destination. We must not allow roadblocks to keep us from moving forward. As the apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 8:28 "All things work together for good". Then in verse :31 Paul provides comfort for us along the journey by adding that "If God is for us then who can be against us?" Believe me there is a plan for your life.
     Go forward today with the mindset that you want to  reach and fulfill your destiny. Do not be deceived thinking that your destiny is an one way street that leads to a final destination. Thank God for each diversion and even the stumbling blocks along the way, because that bump in the road might actually be the bump that places you on the path God intends you to be on to fulfill His plan for your life. Be willing to look at each day and find the good in it because, "This is the day that the Lord hath made I will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
     Move forward, press on, and never give up, nor never give in!
Coach Carter

Being Thankful for the Apple Tree

     Appreciation. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as "an ability to understand the worth, quality, or importance of something : an ability to appreciate something". Another way to explain the concept of appreciation is found in a Vietnamese saying, "The next time you eat a piece of fruit, think of the person that planted the tree." As we move along through life it is so easy to get caught up in the drive for more that we forget to stop and be thankful for all the things we have right in front of us. I experienced a couple of instances this summer that really brought this concept home to me which is the topic of this week's FTM Thought for the Week.
     My wife Missy and I are blessed to have a sweet granddaughter named Ivy that we both enjoy spending time with and love making memories together. The only problem is Ivy lives in upper Virginia, near the Richmond area, which is approximately a fifteen hour round trip affair. That being said, when we get the chance to have Ivy spend some time with us, we like to extend her visit as long as possible. During her stays, I pretty much lose Missy as she devotes her full attention to Ivy, as she should, and they get so absorbed in each other that it is fun to just sit back and watch and listen to them interact. Ivy is Missy's joy. 
     Now back to our appreciation thought. Ivy has been visiting us from Virginia for a few years now and with her being so far from home she has always slept with Missy in our bed, and I have been relegated to the couch during her visits. Well I'm not getting any younger and although couches can be very comfortable, I wake up most mornings with a catch in my back and a neck full of stiffness during Ivy's stay. Not the way most of us desire to wake up from a night's rest. First thought on appreciation, be thankful for your bed! On any given night in the United States of America over 500,000 people are considered homeless. When we lay down at night  it is safe to say that not too many of us give thanks for the bed we are laying down in at that moment. Take a week on the couch or better yet go downtown and find a corner bench or a doorway of a vacant building and see how much we should be appreciative of something so little that we take for granted like our bed. 
     At another point this summer my brother-in-law Glen, that I introduced to everyone last week, had asked me to help him in placing rafters on a garage he was constructing at his house. Now by trade I am an educator and a carpenter I am most definitely not! With that being clarified, I do have a strong back and a strong capability of following directions and providing support where needed. The job itself wasn't too bad and we were able to place the rafters on the building in the span of one day so it wasn't such a daunting experience as much as it was one that made me really stop and think how appreciative I am for the work that construction workers do and how much I appreciated my profession as an educator! 
     The job of a construction worker or any other outdoor laborer during the blistering heat of summer or the sub-zero freeze of winter is something that we see happening every day, but I would guess most of us don't give too much thought to what these men and women endure so that we have roads to drive on, houses to live in, and places to shop and dine as we please. We not only take our jobs for granted, but we also take for granted the work of so many others, regardless of the type of work whether it be construction, plumbing, fast food cook, or ditch digger. We are probably guilty of taking the work they do each day, in conditions we would not want to be in, for granted. 
     The key to today's thought is to stop and appreciate what you have and what has been and is done each day for us. Your bed and your job are just two tiny areas of life that we need to bump up the appreciation bar. If you are able to read this on your computer or mobile device it is safe to say you are living a much better life than more than half of the world. If you were able to get up out of your bed, step onto your bedroom rug, and then venture into the kitchen for a cup of coffee and a hot meal of your choice then you should be appreciative. In our world there are countless numbers of people that will not eat today, period. When you go to work and complain that you hate your job, stop and think of those that are paralyzed or victims of a condition that has rendered them unable to get up out of bed. The list goes on and on, we are so busy trying to "keep up with the Jones'" or even better passing up the "Jones'",  that we have forgotten how blessed we are and how thankful we should be each and every day. 
      If we can only start thinking about all we have to be thankful for and then take it a little deeper to be thankful for all that everyone before us has done to make life better for us, then it might just change our perspective on our life. Like the old saying at the beginning of this week's blog, "When you eat some fruit think about the person that planted that tree." Think deeper, broader, and definitely think less of what you don't have and give thanks for all you do have. Have a great week, I appreciate the opportunity to share with each of you and I am thankful for the life I have been given to live! 
"give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus"
 1 Thessalonians 5:18