I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day on this absolutely beautiful Friday morning! It has been a while since I have seen this early of a Friday morning. Because it has been more convenient for me, because it works best with the crazy Haslam family life, I have been writing "Happy Friday" on Thursday nights. I decided earlier this week that I was going to get up a little earlier this Friday morning and actually write "Happy Friday" on Friday morning like I always used to do. I almost regretted it when I woke up!! :)
I have a few different things on my heart this morning. Just going to share and see where it leads us.
Senior Night
Tonight at 6:30 p.m. my Beautiful Bride and I will stand side by side, we will most likely hold hands and #5 - our 17-year old son - will line up across the field from us. The three of us will be introduced, a message that we have for him will be read as well as the message that he has for his Mom and I. We will walk towards each other, hug and I will have one more chance to tell him how much I love him and believe in him before he plays his final regular season home football game.
As I look to tonight my heart is not filled with sadness...the thing that keeps coming to mind is "This is so awesome!" Kath and I have often talked about this; I truly don't have a single "I wish Payton was..." moment/thought. I truly have enjoyed every step of our journey together up until this moment and I anxiously look forward to those to come. I don't wish he were in Kiddy College at Wayne State College...I smile as I remember he and I holding hands - one of the greatest feelings in the world is the precious hand of a child in yours! - as I walked him to class. I don't wish we could start this high school journey over...my heart feels warm as I remember his successes, I feel proud of my son as I remember the adversities he has overcome. Tonight is not a sad ending...it is the celebration of a new beginning! It is now, at this moment, that it is so clear to me; life is about the journey. It is a process. There are highs and their are lows...neither of which define us. It is a privilege, an honor to be Payton's Dad. I have enjoyed every moment of our journey to this point and I look forward to each step from this point forward!
Live In The Moment
How come, with me being the parent, I share things with my son to help him grow and the thing I share with him grabs my heart and transforms my life?!?! Hey, I am the adult here! He is the one that is supposed to be learning.
I shared this with you all a few weeks ago I believe. This thing has grabbed a hold of my heart, challenged my spirit and God is using it to transform my life. Let me share it again real quick and then I will share a few thoughts - This is taken directly from Training Camp: A Fable About Excellence by Jon Gordon:
The best
seize the moment because they don’t allow their fear of failure to define them.
They know this fear exists, and they overcome it. Their faith is greater than
any score, performance, or outcome. Even if they lose, they are still on the
path to greatness. And even if they fail, they are one step closer to the
perfection they seek.
Ironically,
even though the best have a dream and a vision within their sights, it is the
journey, not the destination, that matters most to them. The moment is more important than
any success or failure. The moment is the success. The moment is the reward.
When the
best are in the midst of their performance, they are not thinking “What if I
win?” or “What if I lose?” They are not thinking “What if I make a mistake or miss
the shot?” They are not interested in what the moment produces but are only
concerned with what they produce in the moment. When all eyes are
watching, they know that this is the moment they have been preparing and
waiting for. Rather than hiding from pressure, they rise to the occasion. As a
result, the best define the moment rather than letting them moment define them.
To seize the moment, don’t let your failure define you; let it fuel you. Don’t
run from fear; face it and embrace it. Don’t let the fear rob you of your love and
joy for the game; let it push you into the moment and beyond yourself.
Let it inspire you to live and work each day as though it was your last.
Don’t let
the moment define you. You define the moment. Define it by knowing
that your practice and preparation have prepared you well. Define it with your
mental strength, faith and confidence. Define it by knowing that regardless of
the outcome, you have given your very best.
Everyone
talks about destiny. Everyone searches for it, not realizing that every moment
is your destiny.
Make every moment of your life count. Realize that this is your one shot, yet
don’t focus on the result or the outcome of the shot. Just focus on the shot.
Don’t
focus on the past, and don’t look to the future. Success, rewards, accolades,
fame, and fortune are merely byproducts for those who are able to seize the
moment – not those who look beyond it. Ironically, to enjoy success you must
not focus on it. Rather, you must focus on the process that produces success.
You are
more than your successes. You are more than your failures. You are who you are in the
moment. Enjoy it. Live it. Make the most of it. Make it yours.
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