No Words

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day on this beautiful warm, humid day on the Texas Gulf Coast.

This past month, and particularly these last couple of weeks, have been incredible for me. Have you ever been so blessed, so overwhelmed that there are literally no words to describe the deep, abiding peace in your soul and and the indescribable gratitude that you feel? This is where I find myself as I sit here writing this Happy Friday. There is a warmth in my heart, a peace in my spirit and I just feel so, so very grateful. Let me briefly outline for you what has brought me to this point, extend a couple of heartfelt thank you's and share a few things that are on my heart.

All of this started a couple of weeks ago with Father's Day. My Beautiful Bride and three Tender Warriors honored me far greater than I feel I deserve. Actually, truthfully, they do this every day, not just the one day a year we call Father's Day. The love, honor & respect they extend to me truly inspires me to be the best man, husband & Dad I can possibly be...every day. While I fail far more often than I would ever like to admit each day God brings new mercy & grace, I meet Him in my chair, study His gameplan (the Bible), I pour out my heart to Him (pray) and then I go out & do the very best I can.

Then came the "Surprise Party." You see, yesterday I turned 50-years old. My Sweet Girl arranged for a surprise birthday party for me last Friday night. The thing is I surprised everyone by leaving work a little early that day. Everyone was supposed to be coming to our house at 6:30 p.m. and I showed up about 4:30 p.m. Surprise! I feel I have to share this little nugget with you though; I absolutely adore my wife. We have grown up together, beginning our relationship when I was 17 and she was 16-years old. At this point I have seen her at her absolute best, and worst. I decided many years ago that this marriage, this family, was the hill I will die on. They don't have to love me or even like me, I will not quit fighting for them until the day God takes me home. Having stated this, when I walked in the door and surprised Kath & the boys when they were getting ready to surprise me for my birthday, she explained that the ladies at my office had called/texted her to tell her I was coming home early. They asked what they should do. She told them not to worry about it, it would be fine and we are just going to enjoy the moment. I will tell you, when she explained this to me I fell more in love with her...she had never looked more beautiful, her voice had never sounded more glorious - it was surreal.

That night we had so many friends come over...it was such a blessing. We talked, laughed, cried...oh yeah, and Dave & I totally dominated in Corn Hole! :) (That wasn't pure-hearted!) As I reflect on that night I can't help but wonder how my family & I got so blessed. To have so many wonderful people in our lives who love us, who are willing to do life with us...I am just so very grateful.

And then on Wednesday I went to work. My last day before vacation and the day before my birthday. Every morning when I get to work I say good morning to Jennifer and ask her how she is doing. She & her kids come up with different adjectives and we have fun each morning discussing how she is that day - my favorite is still "Staggering." I will then get a cup of coffee and then go walk around and talk to each of my colleagues, see how they and their families are doing, sometimes talking work stuff but mostly just taking a few minutes to recognize each other, to do life together. Well, on Wednesday things were different. When I got there Jenn was standing outside her office door and upon seeing me said, "I am staggering today!" I laughed and said I am glad to hear that. I then opened my office door and I found that the team I am blessed to be a part of at work had decided to bless me far greater than I could ever possibly deserve. They had taken post-it notes, wrote notes on them - some inspirational, some just absolutely hilarious, put the post-it notes all over my office (literally), they had placed black balloons on the floor and there was confetti all over my desk. I walked in, taking it all in. Then I turned around and found that all of those people that I walk around and see every morning had all come to see me on this morning. I don't think I have ever felt more loved by co-workers in my life than I did at that moment.

I feel I would be remiss if I didn't tell you a little bit more about my team. My Beautiful Bride and I refer to them as "The Ladies" and they sure are something special. I have the honor & privilege of serving them - encouraging, empowering & equipping them to become the best they are capable of becoming. We are like any other team or family - we get mad at each other sometimes, we argue, we laugh, we cry, we work our tails off however the thing I value & appreciate most is we never stop loving & fighting for each other. And what they have done for me over these past few days has absolutely blown me away... I don't deserve the love & kindness they have extended to my family & I however I am so very grateful for each one of them.

As I have reflected on all of these events of the past couple of weeks I haven't been able to come up with words to adequately describe to you how blessed I feel or to adequately express my gratitude to all those who have blessed my life so richly. So I have decided to extend a couple of heartfelt thank you's.

1. Lord, thank you...for creating me, for sending Jesus to die for my sins that I may one day enter Heaven, for the talents, gifts & abilities you have given me, for the hopes, goals & dreams you placed in the deepest recesses of my heart, for ALWAYS being there for me, for leading my life, for the family you gave me to as a child, for Kathy & the family you created through us, for family & friends that are beyond anything I could have ever hoped for or imagined.

2. To my family & friends, thank you. I literally have tears in my eyes as I type this. I do not know how I got so blessed to have each one of you however I do recognize the blessing that is each one of you and I am so grateful. It is truly an honor & privilege to be doing life with you...

There is just a few more things I want to share with you before wrapping up this Happy Friday...I apologize for the length and I thank you for the mercy & grace.

First, I just want to say "Happy Birthday" and "I love you so much" to my Mom. You see, my Mom celebrated my birthday in Heaven yesterday however if she we still on this earth the first person I would have heard from yesterday would have been her. I would answer the phone and she would sing "Happy Birthday" to me. She would then say, "I know where you were 50 years ago today." We would then tell each other "Happy Birthday." I got to do this for 48 years. She was a truly amazing woman and I am so blessed to be her son. I miss her every day! As my Mom would always charge us, please, "Put a smile on your face, a bounce in your step & you make this a great day." Happy Birthday Mom...I love you!

Finally, I want to share 3 scriptures with you that are deeply personal to me, that I have leaned on heavily the first 50 years of my life. I thought perhaps they may speak to the hearts of some of you as well.

1. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." - Hebrews 12: 1 - 3

From the time I was a young boy this scripture spoke to my heart. It was really funny to me this afternoon when I thought about it...do you see "What Will Your Influence Be...?" in this scripture? I do. There was about a 25+ year gap between the first time this scripture spoke to my heart and "What Will Your Influence Be...?" was conceptualized.

2. "He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity." - Proverbs 2: 7

This verse means so much to me! I cling to the last part in particular..."He is a shield to those who walk in integrity." This is why things like honesty, integrity & being pure-hearted are foundational to me. While I will make mistakes and things will sometimes go wrong, when they are done in a pure-hearted manner, with integrity, God will lead, guide & protect...I have countless stories to testify to this fact.

3. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." - Isaiah 41: 10

Such a sweet reminder...so powerful.

Please don't hesitate to contact me at any time if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful week, a safe & Happy 4th of July and please cherish your precious families.

Kev