Blessing #11 - The Unknown Hair Stylist - Words that Stick!

In the fall of 2009 I was getting a routine haircut at a Great Clips in Maryville, TN.  There was nothing special about the day, and nothing about the personality of the woman who cut my hair, it was just simple conversation.  However, the woman chose to share something with me that has stuck with me for several years now and has had a major impact on my life.  The lady talked about her struggle with her weight, she was probably in her sixties, and told me that she had made some changes in her life that had helped in her overall health and how she feels.  I have had a autoimmune disease (Behcet's Syndrome) all my life, although I did not know until around 2000.  So I've heard every idea/remedy/cure you can imagine to make you feel better or to improve your health.  This lady had no idea my health background, obviously she could see I'm obese, but I her words didn't come in the way as if she was trying to exchange something valuable for me, just simply small talk about her life.  However, to this day I'm sure she still has no idea how much her words would impact my life.  You must be wondering what profound wisdom gave me that day!  Well she simply told me that she had lost over 50 lbs in a year, out of respect I asked her "how".  She simply replied, "I put down the cokes, started drinking water instead.  She continued to talk about how she hated water, but simply learn to use a lot of ice and add a slie of a lemon."  That's it, nothing that you would think would be life changing.  But I knew what she had done did make a change in her life, and she had major results.  See it wasn't the advice she gave that helped me, it was her testimony of pursuit and making small decisions to make that difference.  That night, I went home and thought about making my own pursuit.  That night I vowed to "try" to stop drinking drinks that contained sugar.  I drink cokes,tea,coffee,water constantly. Matter of fact that day I realized the majority of my calories came from drinks.  That one day turned into nearly three years now.  I didn't even follow the same pattern she did, but I cut sugar from my beverages.  In the process (though it's gone up and down), I now too have lost around 50 lbs.  Now it's complete habit that I now prefer diet beverages or water.  As I saw how the words like this stick, I now think of that pursuit she had and now try to apply it to other parts of my life!  One person makes a difference, in many cases they never no!  Who knows how much healthier or longer I will live because of just a few words! From this, I also no pray that my words always be ones that stick for others! 

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

Blessing #10 - Gloria Hawkins - Mentor

Mrs Hawkins, was my high school Anatomy & Physiology professor.  The first day I entered her class I knew, I as a student was in for a treat!  She was a vibrant, witty, and compassionate person.   Mrs. Hawkins has touched many students lives and I was fortunate enough to have her has a friend and mentor during my last few years at Pampa High School.  Mrs. Hawkins came into my life right after, I became a Christian.  We shared a common passion of humor, faith, and we are both like sponges when it comes learning!  Her class was one of the most challenging courses I took in high school, not just because it was a tough subject to learn (even though my mom was a nurse and I learned a lot while she was in college), but because Mrs. Hawkins challenged to truly learn and to be the best at all that we did.  On a personal note, Mrs. Hawkins helped me to explore the avenues life was leading me.  Up to that point in my life I had wanted to attend Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas (from the time I was in grade school).  However, the class led me to see that was not where my deepest passions were.  I was also overwhelmed with trying to learn the full counsel of scripture.  I was trying to devour it like I do any subject matter.  I knew she was a woman of faith and I would ask her questions about things I would be dealing with in life and she would often remind me of a scripture on how to deal with the given situation.  She was very quick witted and full of combacks.  I myself have that same type of personality and I at times had buried it, afraid it detracted from "looking smart"and in the process became too serious.  By being too serious, I wasn't connecting with people in the best way I could, because I was being authentic to who I was.  But what she did for me the most, that set her apart from all of the other people in my life at the time was that she invested time.  I had always seen so many peers invest in people because of "what" they did (top athlete, over the top grades, etc).  Taking that extra time out of her day or a lunch, she showed me that she believed in me for WHO I was.  Something I myself was struggling with.   I just saw myself as just an average person with little to give except time, attention, and compassion…which boiled down to be all it took to do ANYTHING in Christ.  God uses available people, Mrs. Hawkins “Red” was AVAILABLE to me, and what a difference that made and how that in turn has helped me know HOW to be available to others!  Thank you Ms H!  Love ya!

“This quote definitely reminds me of the essence of the wisdom she taught her students:

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered; Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway.”

                                                  - Dr. Kent M. Keith

Blessing #9 - Johnnie Smith - Preserver

When I think of Johnnie, I automatically think of her as one of my strongest supporters, uplifters, and ecouragers in life.  The word I chose to describer her "preserver" carries the essence of the rest of these words as well.  I call her a preserver because she captures the best of people and preserves those memories and legacies.  She has a heart for nature, genealogy/family, cooking, and so many more things.  She is a very gifted person with her gifts to capture nature behind the lens of her camera, the stories she tells of loved ones, her time for her loved ones, and her joy for cooking and crafts.  Johnnie is a lot like the rest of my family and inhails life and all it entails and see the beauty in it all!  She loves walks in nature, hunting, fallage, time with family, good cooking, and all the things that make worth living!  Johnny came into my life many years ago (during my college years).  I had been doing genealogy since I was 14 and during my college years Johnnie and I connected online about our common ancestors the Shores.  The more we visited the more we found we had in common, and have to laugh here...the more we learned we were even more related that we first realized.  I'll forget offhand the many ways we connect, but some are through our Wilson family, our Shores family, our Johnson family, our King family!  But more than that we connect on a very personal level.  We have weathered many storms together, encouraged one another, cried together, and laughed!  She has helped me not only to perserve family memories together, but to preserve life....to remember to take the good with the bad, and only to cherish all that God has given me!  She was the one who called me with the news our cousin Kent (which we shared a common bond with) was killed tragically in a car wreck. I wouldn't have been able to fall apart like I did, with anyone else.   It was one of those times we didn't want to experience together, but I know in God's wisdom He knew it best we shared even the saddest moments together!  Johnnie we don't get to talk often as much as we use to, you supported me through desperate times and I love you so very very much!  It takes a strong person to walk through the valley, and not just give lip service to "I'll be there when you need me".  You have helped drowned out the critical voices in my life!  When you're not around I still know you are with me cheering me on in whatever I'm facing.  Preserver also carries an additional meaning of prolonging something to keep at it's best.  Thanks for preserving my life by being a part of it! I have a friend in you! Love you cuz!

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."    - Walter Winchell

Blessing #8 - Katrina Kepf - Natural Gifts

Katrina was one of my mom's co-workers in TN. Katrina is one of those people when you meet, you know right off the bat that they have a great sense of humor.  Katrina is a very straight-forward person who says what she thinks in a very caring, very funny, and usually in a sarcastic way.  Some of my favorite people in life are like this! Though I have a sense of humor, I'm not blunt, and to me this is a unique and special gift, definitely something not all can pull off.  Most of these people take me way out of my comfort zone, and usually challenges me to be more outgoing and wittier faster than any other person can!  Katrina is also VERY creative and artistic.  With that creative side, Katrina also has a unique gift of picking up on others natural abilities and giftings.  When she met my brother, right away she picked up on his creative and artistic nature of expressing himself (photography, drawing, writing, etc.).  She challenged Travis to help her crop her daughters pictures and help her to put together a DVD for her daughters wedding.  Travis helped by editing and enhancing some of the pictures.  However, he asked for my help in putting the photos and music together.  Katrina truly encouraged Travis and I in our project and really helped bring out the best of our abilities.  I've done smaller projects before, but wanted to learn a lot more before getting to deep into the production side.  However, the more we did, the more passionate we became about the video. When we had finished the video, Katrina and her daughter ended up honoring us by using this amateur wedding video in their wedding.   Katrina, her husband, Kelsey (the bride), and a host of others used their unique and special gifts to make the wedding ceremony a success! It turned out to be SUCH a beautiful wedding.  One of the most beautiful one's I had ever been to. The Kepf family gave Travis and I a special gift after the wedding (one I am still overwhelmed by to this day), this gift will allow Travis and I to continue pursuing our passions of media presentations! (Thank you guys, we just wanted to do it because we loved you guys). Katrina and her family treat us just like family, and it's amazing to see how close we feel to them all now!  They are blessings to our family!  Each on of Katrina's 3 daughters have special artistic abilities and I know it's because she shared her talents as well as encouraged each of their unique talents in their lives!  Katrina, your like an aunt to me (like a baby sister to my mom). 

 Thanks for blessing  our lives! Even though we're far apart I know I could call you anytime any of us just needed to talk, have a laugh, shed a tear, or had a need!  And every time we talk we're always able to  pick up in the conversations right where we left off, just like time and space had never separated us! Thanks for being the truest form of a friend!  Love ya!

“Everyone has a talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark places where it leads. “ – Erica Jong