Happy Friday, Friends!
I want to briefly tell you how incredibly blessed I have been over the past month. The weekend of September 16th my oldest Tender Warrior, Payton, and I took a trip to Athens, GA to watch the Georgia Bulldogs play the South Carolina Gamecocks at Sanford Stadium. We left on Friday afternoon, thoroughly enjoyed our trip getting to Athens, took in the full game day experience, and then had a wonderful drive back on Sunday morning. Last week my Beautiful Bride, Kathy, and I took a little mini vacation to Destin, FL. We left on Wednesday, listened to several podcasts on the way down – taking time to discuss them afterwards, visited shops in Destin, 30A, and Fort Walton, and then listened to College Game Day on ESPN and the 1st quarter of the Red River Rivalry as we drove home last Saturday. Here is the thing; it wasn’t what I was doing, though admittingly visiting Sanford Stadium was a dream I had since I was a teenager, but rather it was who I was with and the time we spent together that I will forever cherish in my heart.
When I think of my trip with Payton, I think of the random stop at the apple orchard somewhere in north Georgia, admiring and talking about the beauty of the small towns and countryside of north and central Georgia, of walking all over the beautiful University of Georgia campus talking about life, family, and dreams the entire time, and the dinner we ate together in the hotel room the night after the game. When I think of my trip with Kathy, I think of the incredible lunch at HWY 65 Barbeque, of listening to the podcasts – learning and growing together, exploring 30A, walking out on the fishing pier at Fort Walton Beach, and sitting on the beach each evening, talking about life, family, and our dreams, as we watched the sun set on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday night. It is these things that make my heart full, that I cherish so deeply. It wasn’t necessarily what we were doing but that we were doing these things together, that we were investing in each other, that made all this so special to me.
I am very mindful that all of us choose who and what we will value. I cannot, nor do I want to, tell you or anyone else who or what they should value. I am simply here to testify to what I believe and have found to be true in my life. I truly believe, to the depths of my soul, that my highest calling and greatest responsibility is as a husband and father. And I have found that while I have sacrificed personal goals and dreams, hobbies, and wants and desires for them, I sit and type this message without any regret whatsoever. I have chosen to bring my life into alignment with my beliefs, I have been highly intentional in the things I will do and not do, and I have committed my life to becoming the best man, husband, father, leader, and friend I can personally become.
This week I simply want to ask you to thoughtfully consider the life you are living. Is the life you are living in alignment with your beliefs? Are you intentional with the things you will and will not do? Are you striving every day to become the best person, parent, spouse/partner, leader, and friend you can become? Are you happy with your answers to these questions? Perhaps you have a completely different set of priorities and questions…that’s cool. Are you happy with what they are producing in your life? If not, perhaps you need to reconsider your priorities.
For those like me who believe that what matters most in life is the people we are blessed to have in our lives, I simply want to encourage you to honor your priorities. You don’t have to go to Sanford Stadium or Florida…Kathy and I have had many wonderful evenings simply sitting out on our back porch talking and the boys and I have spent hours playing catch, golfing, etc. Again, it is not about where you are or what you are doing, it is about who you are with and investing in each other.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for any of 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, please cherish your precious family, and please stay well! 😊
Kev
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