A Few Random Things

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day on this glorious Saturday afternoon! It is College Football Gameday, the Houston Cougars have already gotten a "W" today...life is good! :)

Before diving into this weeks Happy Friday, I promised last week to share with you the name of the gentleman whose quotes I shared. His name is Aaron Malone. :)

This weeks Happy Friday is going to be short. I just want to share a few things I came across this week and let you think about them, apply them to your life however you feel convicted to do.

The first one comes from The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes & Posner. It says:

"You don't just owe it to yourself to become the best leader you can possibly be. You're even more responsible to others. You may not know it, but they're expecting you to do your best."

The second is an incredibly powerful quote I came across this week. It's from Dan Pearce and it says:

"Dads. Do you not realize that a child is what you tell them they are? That people almost always become what they are labeled? Was whatever your child just did really the "dumbest thing you've ever seen somebody do"? Was it really the "most ridiculous thing they ever could have done"? Do you really believe that your child is an idiot? Because she now does. Think about that. Because you said it, she now believes it. Bravo."

And finally, I want to share a scripture with y'all. 

"Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don't just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and in what they are doing." - Philippians 2: 3 - 4 (TLB)

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

Have a great day, an awesome weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev

First Things First

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you having a great day as a beautiful new day begins to dawn on the Texas Gulf Coast! New...pretty powerful word. Let's seize THIS day and all the hope, opportunity & promise that it has to offer! :)

Hurricanes Harvey & Irma. Hurricane Maria. Wildfires across the West & Northwest. A(nother) devastating earthquake in Mexico. And these are just the various storms of nature that I know about. There are also storms of life. All storms bring with them pain, destruction and tremendous loss. So I wanted to pause for a moment this morning and ask a simple question; what is the condition of your well this morning Friend?

Ken Whitten, the Pastor at Idlewild Baptist Church, once said, "What's in the well always comes up in the bucket." I have shared it with ya'll many times and I remind myself of it nearly every single day. It is impossible to give to others what we ourselves do not have. The well will eventually run dry if we do not refill it with fresh, clean, life-giving water. So as you are perhaps pouring yourself out in prayer or in action to serve others who are suffering through the various storms let me ask you, how are you filling your well?

It's interesting; how many times did Jesus go away and spend time with His Father? I don't know the answer - kinda hopein you did! :) - however it happens quite regularly, especially after a full day of ministry. So, Jesus need to take time away to fill his well by spending time with His Father but you & I don't?!?!

I love my Bible. It is the Amplified version and throughout there are little points where Joyce Meyer shares insights that help better understand the scriptures. This morning in one of these life points she asks the question, "Who do you receive encouragement from?" That is a great question. The reality is you & I are receiving encouragement from someone...who is it? And, are our thoughts, actions & words after receiving their words of encouragement leading us to live the lives we want to live? We can encourage folks positively or negatively and, in fact, we do. The fruit that is produced by our lives and theirs will tell us which choice we made.

Here is a scripture for you to ponder, the one that led to Joyce's question. "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." 2 Thessalonians 2: 16 - 17

I also want to share a few quotes about encouragement with you as well. Please remember though Friends, unless the well is filled first, nothing else will matter.

"Listen, read and speak words of encouragement to yourselves and others always." ~ Terry Mark

"Taking an interest in what others are thinking and doing is often a much more powerful form of encouragement than praise." ~ Robert Martin

"Try a little encouragement and be patient. All of us are doing our best to stand up and reach our full potential. Take every chance to whisper words of encouragement, especially to those who are faltering. Life is not a competition. Its an opportunity to feel the joy of seeing others thrive, and using your words to raise them up." ~ Kemmy Nola

"Each person has an ideal, a hope, a dream which represents the soul. We must give to it the warmth of love, the light of understanding and the essence of encouragement." ~ Unknown

A couple of other things I wanted to share with you this morning.

1. Now this first one, well, this is terrible and I have a confession to make. There is this dude who sends out an email every week, to me and several other guys. It is much like Happy Friday - thoughts, ideas, reflections, etc. The thing is, I can't remember the dudes name right now..augh! So, last week he had some really good things in his email that I wrote down and want to share with you. When I receive his email this week I will write down his name and share with all of you next week. For now, know this is from someone other than me... :)

"People experience growth when they feel loved & appreciated."

"How am I fostering an environment for the people around me to feel loved and appreciated?"

"If you're not looking to foster a team like atmosphere in your home and work place you're not maximizing the potential of the people you influence."

2. The second one came from one of Joyce Meyer's editorial sections in my Bible. I read it last Sunday. It was so profound to me that I typed up little notes with the following on it and gave one to my Beautiful Bride and each of my Tender Warriors. Here is how our note cards read:

"Anything that offends God in our conversation needs to be eliminated.

Psalm 17: 3: "I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress." This says we need to plan to keep our mouths from speaking bad or negative things. Whatever we do in this life of faith, we must do it on purpose. Discipline is a choice. It is not necessarily easy, but it begins with a quality decision.

Psalm 19: 14: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

Prayer - "Lord, I pray that You will help me to develop sensitivity to the Holy Spirit concerning all manner of my conversation. I do not want to be stubborn like a horse or mule that will not obey without a bridle and bit. I want to move in Your direction with only a gentle nudge from You. Place a guard over my lips and let all the words of my mouth be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer In Jesus' name I pray, amen."

Scripture - "Set a guard, O Lord, before my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips." Psalm 141: 3."

Please don't hesitate to contact me 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 weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev

When Life (Harvey) Gives You Lemons...Make Lemonade

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you having had a great day on this beautiful Thursday evening.

This week we have a special guest blogger, my Beautiful Bride Kathy. With this, we are posting Happy Friday a few hours early. I have not even read this Happy Friday yet however I know you are gonna love it because I know the heart of the woman who wrote it! Enjoy!

A beautiful story was written on the corner of Meadows Blvd and Louisiana here in Texas last Friday. Two young boys with big hearts and myself, big pitchers of lemonade, and even bigger signs that read, "HOPE for Harvey Families," set up a lemonade stand.  This story started at 10:00 am and ended at 6:00 pm. We all had one mission. We all had one goal: to reach the hearts and souls of Harvey families with a simple lemonade sale.

 People on bikes, people in golf carts, people in construction trucks, people on walks, all stopped.  It was beautiful to see every race, every denomination, every background, and every age stop by.   We met so many wonderful people, all with huge hearts. We cried together, we laughed together, we hugged, we shook hands, we shared stories. We offered words of encouragement, we smiled, and we truly felt a bond that I just can't explain in words. It was a lemonade sale, but it was more than just lemonade. It was about making a DIFFERENCE!

This day has a left a lasting impression that we will truly hold close in our hearts and souls forever. My son even said, "Mom, this is so fun and so much better that anything else that I could be doing today." Proud Mom moment...truly a Tender Warrior! Even with sticky hands, sunburned faces, messy floors inside from spills, running in and out of the house, and a "lemonade headache," this day will go down as one of our happiest moments. You see, Friends, it wasn't about the money...it was about the hearts and souls of people. It was about coming together no matter what race, age, or background.  Stuff is just stuff and items can be replaced, but lives are ETERNAL. Touching others and being touched by them.

 Let me highlight just two of our special friends who took the time out of their day to be a part of this lemonade sale. I wish I could share more. Maybe on another Happy Friday!

 My friend's mom from down the street pulled into our driveway with her daughter, got out of their truck, walked over to the lemonade stand and handed Landry a donation. She said, "A lemonade sounds so good right now."

You see, her husband at that moment was at home, lying in a hospital bed on Hospice. She needed a break. She sat in our yard, cheered people on, encouraged those that drove by, and truly enjoyed the moment. Even in the midst of her own "storm," she took the time to open her heart. Even with her heart breaking she chose to give HOPE for Harvey families. The very next day her husband entered the gates of Heaven.

Now let me tell you about our last customer. She is a mom on our street with two beautiful little girls. She showed up late, but Landry was still outside cleaning up. She walked up and asked if we had any more lemonade. Of course, Landry said,  "Yes!" He ran inside and yelled, "Mom, we need three  more drinks!" "Right on it," I answered.

 I walked outside with the lemonade. As I walked up our eyes met, we shared a smile and we tenderly hug. I introduced myself, shared a little about ourselves, and then the dreaded question, "Did your house flood?" "Yes," she replied.

My heart ached at that very moment. I offered words of encouragement and we hugged again. You see, even though her house flooded  right down the street from ours, she came to our corner to make a difference in others lives.

My heart rejoiced. She was the epitome of selflessness. The epitome of reaching out to others. She opened up her heart even though her heart has ached the past week. A beautiful spirit. A beautiful soul. Lord, I pray that I may live my life this way. A beautiful soul is never forgotten.

So as I end this "Happy Friday," I hope and pray you can all experience a beautiful story on the corner of your street. It will change your life forever. LIKE MINE IS!

BTW...we raised $1273.00! BOOM! HAPPY FRIDAY!

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.blogspot.com.

Have a great evening, an awesome Friday and please cherish your precious families.

Kev

Lean On Me

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Before diving into this Happy Friday I want to respectfully ask for your prayers for those in the path of Hurricane Irma as well as those who continue to recover from Hurricane Harvey. Thank you so much! :)

I want to share a couple of other things that really touched my heart last week as we dealt with Hurricane Harvey - I meant to share them last week however the heart was overflowing and I kinda got caught up in the moment. :)

The first is a conversation I had with my youngest Tender Warrior, Landry. On the Monday after the biggest rains, when many had already been rescued and taken to evacuation shelters, my Beautiful Bride & Landry took needed items to one of the evacuation shelters. As Landry & I sat down to have lunch I could tell something was on his mind. He went on to tell me that as he & Kath walked a way from the church that was serving as the shelter he turned around and looked back. A little girl, holding her dog on a leash, waved goodbye to him. His eyes welled with tears as he told me this and he then looked down. I asked him if this hurt his heart and he shook his head "yes" without lifting it. I then told him we needed to be praying for this little girl and her family. Again, he shook his head "yes." As I sat there and looked at this perfect picture of what a Tender Warrior really looks like, I was so grateful for the heart of compassion that beats in the chest of this little man. I am highly confident that it is the image of this little girl, forever emblazoned in his heart & mind, that drives him to continually serve those impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

The second was the countless calls, emails, messages on Facebook, etc. that I received from friends - I use this term here to encompass all friends, former co-workers, coaches, players, etc. that we have been privileged to do life with - from all across the country. Some I had literally not heard from or spoken to in years. Sometimes we get so caught up in the "I have not spoken to them in years" or, "It really wouldn't matter" that we don't make the call or send the text. Please, let me testify, it DOES matter. I can't begin to tell you how much every single communication meant to me. So please, the next time you feel that little conviction in your spirit to reach out to someone, do it! It will truly bless both of your lives.

So, those two things are not at all what I REALLY want to talk about this Friday! :) What I really want to talk about is the need we all have, at some point in time, to borrow from someone else's strength. I couldn't capture exactly how to say this however I knew what it looked like...I had seen it several times over the past two weeks. I had looked into the eyes of men who loved their families just like me, who were striving every day to be the best men, husbands & fathers they could be just like me and they were broken. The thought that kept coming to my mind was "borrowed strength," and I was very willing to share every ounce of strength I had, however I couldn't come up with the right words to articulate it. Then, on Wednesday, I saw a video from the Tonight Show were Jimmy Fallon announced a $1,000,000 donation to J.J. Watts Foundation for Hurricane Harvey Relief. After making the announcement, the Houston Gospel Choir sang "Lean On Me." Tears welled in my eyes as I realized that this song, by Bill Withers, captured what I was seeing perfectly. If you want to be blessed by a beautiful rendition of this song, please go to YouTube and look up "lean on me at the tonight show" and you will find it.

Here are a few lyrics from this song:

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain

We all have sorrow

But if we are wise

We know that there's always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you're not strong

And I'll be your friend

I'll help you carry on

For it won't be long

'Til I'm gonna need

Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride

If I have faith you need to borrow

For no one fill those of your needs

That you won't let show

Just call on me brother, when you need a hand

We all need somebody to lean on

I just might have a problem that you'll understand

We all need somebody to lean on

Lean on me, when you're not strong

And I'll be your friend

I'll help you carry on

For it won't be long

'Til I'm gonna need

Somebody to lean on

And one more stanza to share...

If there is a load you have to bear

That you can't carry

I'm right up the road

I'll share your load

My eyes again welled with tears as I typed those words for I have seen them lived out. There is great wisdom in this song, great wisdom!

Right about now you might be saying something like, "Ya Kev, but I live in Arizona, Nebraska or somewhere else completely unaffected by Hurricane Harvey." Here is the thing, people are experiencing hurricanes in their lives all of the time...just like me and you. It might not be a storm of nature however it could be a mental, physical or spiritual storm. Will you & I have eyes & hearts to see? Will we let them lean on us? We will be their friend? Will we help them carry on? Because, just as the song continues on, the day is coming when each one of us will face our own storm...not if, when! We will in fact need someone to be strong for us when we cannot be strong, not because we don't want to but because the waters are raging.

And there is a real key, four word, sentence typed above...I hope you caught it. It says, "Please swallow your pride." I have seen this, and had this conversation more than once, over the course of the past couple of weeks. Strong men - spiritually, mentally & physically - who are suddenly struck with the realization that they don't have enough strength this time. There is a progression you can see of determination, resignation and then humility. There will be a time when we will all need to swallow our pride, raise a hand for help and then be carried by our friends - whether for 1 step or 20. There is no shame in this...perhaps just another form of strength.

I want to close by sharing a couple of scriptures that speak directly to being someone others can lean on.

"Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." 

- Romans 12: 13

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity." 

- Proverbs 17: 17

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." 

- Galatians 6: 2

I pray that each one of us will be one that others can lean on when they are not strong! :)

Please don't hesitate to contact me 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 weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev

What a Week

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn. I don't necessarily know who you are, where you are or what storms you are facing in your life however I can testify that each new day is in fact glorious, regardless of any of the above.

As you undoubtedly know, Hurricane Harvey was an incredible storm that brought unimaginable damage to so, so many. This morning I am going to share reflections from this past week. At this moment I am not exactly sure what "the point" of this Happy Friday will be...perhaps it is simply therapeutic for me to write about what we have lived, done & seen. I trust that God will use this to encourage, empower & equip others as we face storms - of life & of nature - in our lives.

Last Friday at this time my oldest Tender Warrior, Payton, and I loaded up in the truck so I could take him to the University of Houston. The football team was being bused out to Austin later in the day and we didn't want his car parked there as we were expecting severe flooding. It was already beginning to rain. We talked about how the city flying by our windows would probably look much different when he returned. We talked about the fact that we might lose cell phone service, that there might be a time when I wouldn't be able to talk to him but I assured him that I would call/text as soon as I could. I must of assured him 20 - 30 times as we drove the 45 minutes to UH that his Mom, brothers & I would be just fine. 

After running into work for a few hours and preparing the office for the impact from Harvey, I hustled home to make more preparations. My other two Tender Warriors, Gehrig & Landry, helped me work around the house - I didn't know at that moment that for the next 6 days these two would be by my side almost constantly, ready to work and do whatever needed to be done.

I had never been through a hurricane before so I didn't know how much time is spent waiting for the storm to hit. Kind of sounds funny doesn't it? You know the storm is coming, that you can't do anything about it and so you wait. 

There were 2 times during this past week that I was woken up in a panic. Friday afternoon was one of them. Having completed our preparations and eaten lunch I laid down to take a nap. Throughout this I became really aware that I must get rest when I could as I anticipated times that sleep would not be an option but the mental & physical strength needed would be extreme. I was jolted from my nap by my Beautiful Bride as there was a tornado warning. This would become a recurring theme throughout Friday & Saturday as Harvey was generating tornado after tornado in advance of making landfall. At one point there were 8 different tornado's happening at the same time in our area. It was kinda weird; that first warning when Kath woke me up caused great alarm & concern however they became so regular that it became "oh, it's just another tornado warning." I was also acutely aware that this could be dangerous, to become so callous to the warnings. 

Friday & Saturday were spent visiting with neighbors, talking about the impending storm, etc. Like I said, a lot of waiting. The rains continued to fall but there is nothing unusual about that living on the Texas Gulf Coast. We would intermittently watch the television as Harvey began to make landfall about 100 south of us. 

I went to bed somewhat early on Saturday, fully expecting that all of our strength would be needed the next day...I had no idea how right I was about that one! The 2nd time I got woken in a panic happened at 2:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. Kathy & Gehrig came to get me to tell me the waters were rising. We went out our front door in a driving rain. Before I got past our front yard, the water was more than ankle deep. I looked to our neighbors house to the left and their car in the street was under water up to the hood. The street beside our house was now a river. As I walked out to the corner the water was now nearly knee high. This is where one of the lighter moments of all this occurred. As I am standing at the corner Landry exclaims, "Look Dad!" I look down and a fish is swimming past me!

Gehrig & I walked around a little bit to see what was happening. The river that used to be the road beside our house was about 1" from completely coming over and running into our back yard. We walked to the next street over and standing at that corner the water was up over my knees. By now it is about 4:00 in the morning and we decide to get any sleep we can until it starts to become light around 6:00 a.m. so we would be ready to work.

Around 5:30 a.m. my Beautiful Bride wakes me up again. The rains have not let up, let alone stopped. We now have water nearly half way up our yard. The news is showing homes flooded up to the 2nd floor. They are anticipating twice as much rain as we have already received. It is at this point that Kath & I have a conversation I will never forget. We decide what things we will try to save and what things we will not. I decide I will get our ladder from outside, which 2nd floor window we will set it be and the window we will break to climb out on the ledge of the 1st floor so we can then climb to the roof if needed. It's a surreal moment, when you are having a very real conversation about how you will try to save your families lives. Thankfully, these actions were not needed.

A little after 6:00 a.m. Gehrig & I pulled on our fishing waders and go outside to see what is happening. It is still raining really hard. Our street is now a running river as well. A big truck turns the corner and looks down the street. I tell the gentleman driving that he will not make it down the street as the water is more than waist deep in the middle of the block. A late 50 to early 60-year old man hops out of the passenger side. He says he has to go get his elderly Mom out. We offer to help. Kath quickly asks if he wants us to get Gehrig's kayak and go help him. He says yes. He starts walking down the street while Gehrig & I go get the kayak. I can't begin to tell you how hard it is to walk in a more than waist deep river in waders. We got to the sweet women's house and waited outside for her and her son. It is a very humbling experience when you watch a person carry out of their house their most cherished possessions, the only things they think they can take, prepared to lose everything else. For this sweet women it was a small safe and a plastic bag with clothes. We gently helped her sit in the kayak and then we walked her out. I prayed for this sweet woman as we walked through the waters. When we finally made it to the truck and got her in, her son, tears welling in his eyes said, "thank you and God Bless you" and then gave me a hug that I will never forget. I don't know the man's name nor his sweet Mom's name but I will never forget that moment.

I am standing out in front of my house chugging a bottled water when my neighbor from across the street comes out and says he has a friend down the street with a small family who needs help getting out. I don't realize at this moment that the lives of my family & I are about to profoundly change in a very positive manner forever. We again walk through the river that used to he our street down to this sweet families home. During the night they had to escape their one story home and go to the 2nd floor of their garage to sleep. 

After they too had decided what things they would take with them, we loaded the Mom, 3-year old little girl & 5-year old boy into the kayak and walked them out. As soon as the little boy sat in the kayak he said, "I am the captain!" I got the captains permission to head down the street.

After we got that family to our neighbors house we got out of our waders and into some dry clothes. The waiting then began again - waiting for the rain to stop and for the floodwaters to recede. That evening we had a cookout at our neighbors house. The rains had let up and 4 different families came over. We ate and sat around and visited. It was during this time that another funny moment happened. As the flood waters began to recede their was the most pathetic looking craw-fish you have ever seen walking down the street. He looked exhausted and could care less that we were there...I understood completely. My sweet neighbor gently picked him up and put him back in the water. Your empathy for every living thing goes up when going through storms.

Since we have more room at our home the sweet little family came to stay the night at our house that night and they have stayed here every night since. They are all sound asleep upstairs right now as I type this Happy Friday and for this I am so grateful. We have spent so much time sitting around the kitchen table talking about faith, family & life. The man is a great Tender Warrior, doing everything he can to take care of his precious little family. His Bride is a very sweet, kind woman who absolutely adores her husband and their two sweet children. And those two little ones? Such sweet, special kids! I wonder if they realize they are stuck with the Haslam's forever?!?! :)

The last 4 days - I think it is 4...you lose complete sense of time during these storms - have been a blur of helping those whose homes were flooded begin to recover. Ripping out carpets, drywall, etc. It is funny, though the days have been long and the work has been intense, I did not feel tired at all until the end of the day yesterday. Perhaps I finally felt the fatigue as I knew this was the last house we were going to gut...until this weekend.

I have to tell you one of the most heartwarming moments I saw during this past week. The streets that were flooded by water on Sunday were once again flooded on Tuesday...with cars of family, friends and complete strangers coming to help others. It literally brought tears to my eyes.

I also must tell you about my Prayer Warriors...these are the group of men that I call on when I need prayer. I am very mindful of the fact that my Beautiful Bride & Tender Warriors look to me for leadership, strength & courage. I don't want to place my stress on them and, I believe, it is my responsibility to alleviate their stress. So, when I feel myself feeling stressed I go to these Godly men I am blessed to do life with and ask them to lift me up in prayer. I sent them 2 text messages asking for prayer during this storm - 1 was in the early morning hours Sunday and the 2nd was on Monday night when it had started raining heavily again. My requests were simple; for faith, safety & that the light of the Lord would shine through me in all of my interactions. I hope these men know how much I truly love, value & appreciate them.

So what all would I tell you about this week? Storms are real but God is greater! Family & friends mean everything! Most people are genuinely good and the greatness of others is on full display when storms come!

Please continue to pray for Texas and for those in Louisiana who also were impacted by this historic storm. The devastation of property is real and broken spirits abound. Please be the hands & feet of God where you can. For many the only hope they may say is in your face and sometimes, they just need to be carried by us for a little while, to borrow our strength. We will all be on all sides of a storm at some point in time in our lives...let's never forget and always love. With what I have seen & lived over the past week, I can assure you that love is in fact enough.

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

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev