Example

 Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama!

With this week’s Happy Friday, I hope to encourage and inspire all of us to thoughtfully consider the lives we live and make sure the message(s) we are sending are what we want them to be. I will share several quotes, a couple thoughts, and a challenge or two.

Unbeknownst to me, my word for the week has been “example.” I didn’t really realize it at the time, however “example” has been chasing me all week.

On Monday I selected the memory verse I would work on this week. I settled on 1 Timothy 4:12.

“12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

Sure, it is obvious to you because I told you we are focusing on “example” however it did not really hit me until Wednesday morning. On Wednesday morning I was reading my book, Warrior: Equipping Men for Spiritual Victory by Lance Ingram. I was reading a section titled, Fathers – Live the example we teach when I came across this quote:

“It’s time to wake up and realize that our purpose as fathers is to simply set the example of integrity, excellence, and closeness to Jesus so that the next generations are exposed to the same peace, power, purpose, and promise that a relationship with God brings!”

Pretty powerful, isn’t it? Based on this section and that quote, my word for the day when looking for quotes to share on Twitter and Facebook was “example.” What came up were three of my favorite quotes of all time! They challenge and inspire me every time I read them!

“Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” – Mark Twain

“People may teach what they know, but they reproduce what they are.” – John C. Maxwell

“What you are speaks so loudly, I can’t hear what you are saying.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Then, when working on my memory verse, the word example jumped out at me like it was bolded, highlighted, underlined, AND had a spotlight on it. At that moment I smiled…clearly, I have been being led to think about and work on being an example, or more specifically, the type of example I am setting, all week!!!

So, what kind of example are we setting? What kind of fruit are the lives we are living – the things we actually do, not just say – producing? Do we like what it looks like?

Have you ever had a mirror held up for you in the form of your small child? When, instead of doing what you want, hope, and pray they will do, they do what they have watched you do? You know, you tell them we treat everyone kindly and with respect. And then there is the day that you are tired, you have had a bad day, and you are at your wits end. And then, someone does something that finally lights your fuse and you are rude and disrespectful. Then your precious little one does the same thing one day and all the sudden you feel like the worst parent who ever lived. Please be kind to yourself…we have all been there!

This isn’t a “don’t we all suck?” kinda Happy Friday! I want to remind all of us that it is the things that we consistently do that determine the lives we live…and the examples we set. Just as I can’t read my Bible or pray one time and expect my kids to follow my example of “integrity, excellence, and closeness to Jesus,” one failing moment will not ruin them for life either. And there is a lot to be learned, a great example to be set, in being accountable for the things we say and do, apologizing, and then doing the hard work of making sure we don’t make the same mistake again…we need more of that in this world!

So, the question for all of us this week is, “what examples are we setting?” If the people I am blessed to have in my life follow my example in faith, in being a man, husband, father, leader, and friend, would I like what that looks like? Would the world be a better place for it? Each one of us must answer those questions for ourselves. And the wise among us will be accountable and make course corrections when and where necessary.

And as for the challenge this week, I will let Tony Robbins handle that…

“I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.” - Tony Robbins

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, please cherish your precious family, and please stay well!

Kev

A Special Season, People, and Place

Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! This day, this weekend, they are going to be magical! I am genuinely excited to live each day, starting with this one, fully!

My heart is full of deep gratitude and appreciation this morning. With this Happy Friday, I simply plan to let what is in my heart flow out…

My family and I have been in Florence, Alabama since May 27^thish, 2019. This season of life, the people we are blessed to have in it, and this place are truly special. My family has been so blessed, our lives have been so radically transformed, that I can offer no other explanation than the greatness and goodness of God. Thank you, Jesus!

I want to share a few reasons for my effusive praise this morning.

There was nearly 3 months between the time I accepted my job in Alabama and the time I started. During that time, I prayed fervently about the church we would attend, the groups my family and I would be able to connect with at church, etc. We started researching churches and we had a list of 10 or so churches that we wanted to visit as soon as we got here. The first one on the list was Faith Church. We went the first Sunday we were here…we never went to another church. I could tell you how much we love the pastoral staff, how we love the groups we are a part of, and how many people we love deeply at our church, and it would all be 100% accurate. Though deeply grateful for all of these things, what makes my heart want to burst is what happened to my youngest Tender Warrior, Landry. Faith Youth is remarkable, and Landry got connected right away. Almost immediately, Landry could not get enough church! He caught on fire for the Lord! If the church doors are open, Landry wants to be there. He has grown and developed in ways that I never could have imagined! He has given his testimony, he got baptized, and he served an internship at the church. I have told people many times, the reason we came to Florence very well may have been for Landry’s spiritual growth and development…and I am great with it!!!

Tomorrow will be a very special day in the lives of the Haslam family and what takes place will impact eternity. My oldest Tender Warrior, Payton, is going to marry a beautiful, God-fearing, woman. She is from Alabama, graduated from the school where I work, and after graduating from college, she moved to Nashville with her sisters so they could pursue their music careers. It was at a concert where she and her sisters were performing that my Beautiful Bride met her and said, “I have a great son you should meet.” Trust me, Kathy would be very happy to tell you the whole story! To watch Payton and Halla grow in their lives individually and as a couple has truly been a blessing. Perhaps we moved here so Payton and Halla could meet…I am great with it!!!

For a number of years I had suffered with severe knee pain. I was so bowlegged…I don’t even know how to describe it! Over the years I had begun to wobble when I walked because of the pain…didn’t realize it then and I am still not happy that my family did not tell me I walked that way! Seeing a dear friend at a Tennessee football game during the pandemic, he said, “It kills me to watch you walk. Will you please get your knees fixed?” In short order Kathy and I decided I would do just that and so we reached out to our church group and asked if anybody could recommend an orthopedic surgeon. All the sudden Kath’s cell phone started buzzing, over and over again – “Jeff Hovater” “Jeff Hovater” “Jeff Hovater” I told Kath, “I don’t know Dr. Hovater but clearly I need to!” I went to meet with Dr. Hovater, he stated, “you don’t have to be a doctor to be able to tell you need your knees replaced,” and we scheduled the surgery for Monday, December 7, 2020. The entire appointment lasted no longer than 20 minutes! The only thing that didn’t go according to plan was the surgery ended up getting moved from Monday, December 7^th to Friday, December 11^th. From the surgery to the rehab to where I am at today…there is no way it ever should have gone as well as it did! And I realize, and fully appreciate, that my experience is not “normal.” After surgery, the nurses kept asking, “Do you want any pain medicine?” Repeatedly I kept saying, “No, I am good.” To this day I have still not taken so much as a single Tylenol or ibuprofen. I had a double knee replacement and went from using a walker to walking on my own in 11 days. The people in rehab were remarkable, they kept pushing me and I kept rising to meet their expectations. Today my legs are straight – the first thing I looked at when I woke up and was amazed…I had never seen my legs straight before! – I do not have any knee pain, and I walk on my full foot, not just on the outside of my feet (yes, I was THAT bowlegged!). Now, I know we did not move here for me to get my knees replaced, however I will forever be grateful for the remarkable skill of Dr. Hovater, the excellent care I received in the hospital in our little town, and the exceptional team at rehab. Together, they dramatically changed the quality of my life!

There are a couple of chapters that are still being written as I write this Happy Friday. Kathy has grown exponentially in her faith, she serves regularly at church, and she is leading a group of incredible women in a weekly Bible Study. Gehrig has met a very special girl, he is working full time, and he is going to school full time. I can feel the special things that are happening in their lives, and it is an honor and privilege for me to have a front row seat. God is clearly on the move through this season of their lives though these stories are not yet complete. Perhaps we moved here for their stories…

I will end this Happy Friday as I began it; This season of life, the people we are blessed to have in it, and this place are truly special. The lives of my family and I, as well as all the lives we will impact for the remainder of our lives, are forever positively impacted because we came to Florence, Alabama in 2019. There are not words to adequately express the breadth or depth of my gratitude! With this I humbly say, “thank you” and I exuberantly say, “Praise the Lord!”

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, please cherish your precious family, and please stay well!

Kevin

Road Trip

 Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! 

 

Last weekend I had an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. My oldest Tender Warrior, Payton, is getting married a week from tomorrow. With this, all 3 of my boys and I loaded up in the truck, headed to Atlanta, and had a Bachelor Weekend. It truly could not have gone better…it was all we had planned, hoped, and imagined.

 

We all had to work until a little after 1:00 p.m. last Friday. By the time we got home, packed, and got on the road, it was about 2:30 p.m. The trip was good – we stopped at Buc-ees in Leeds, AL and had a really good time talking. With the time change and stops, we arrived at our hotel at about 7:30 p.m.

 

We unpacked at the hotel and headed to Longhorn Steakhouse. Each of us enjoyed a great steak – the youngest, Landry, ate a 22 oz. ribeye! – and sat and visited for more than an hour. It was awesome!

 

After a great night of sleep, we headed to Mercedes Benz Stadium to watch the U.S. Women’s National Team play Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. We were blessed by one of Payton’s former co-workers with seats in the premium seating area. This included all you could eat and drink as well as field access. It was amazing! Japan scored within the first minute of the game and the stadium fell awkwardly quiet. If you want to ever watch some amazing athletes, watch the U.S. Women’s National Team! The United States came back to win 2 – 1.

 

Since we had all inclusive tickets and time until our next adventure, we stayed and watched the first half of the Brazil vs. Canada game.

 

We all then hopped in the truck and headed over to Truist Park to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks play the Atlanta Braves. This experience would not disappoint.

 

The Diamondbacks jumped out to a 6 – 0 lead in the first inning – sound familiar? By the time it was over we had seen 27 hits and the Braves had won 9 – 8.

 

We had left the hotel at 10:00 a.m. to begin this great day and we got back at 11:30 p.m. According to Payton’s watch we had walked 6 miles. We were all exhausted and it did not take long to get to sleep.

 

Sunday morning we all got ready, packed the truck, and headed to Summer Grove Golf Club. We had breakfast at the clubhouse, bought Summer Grove gear, and then headed out to the driving range before our round began. We golfed 9 holes with Landry & Gehrig beating Payton & I in a best ball scramble.

 

After golf we swung by Jersey Mike’s, had lunch, and then headed for home. We arrived back home right about 5:30 p.m. We had done an awful lot in 53 hours.

 

So, there is a snapshot of what we did. Now I want to share lessons learned and the things I will forever cherish.

 

This was the first time in a very long time that just the 4 guys had gotten away together. We all recognized this and, I believe, we all cherished this great blessing.

 

I absolutely loved the talks on the drive – there and back – as well as at dinner. Some of the talks were serious, some were ribbing each other, and some were just silly…I will cherish them all.

 

Payton has always loved the U.S. Women’s National Team…to see how excited he was getting to see them in person was awesome!

 

Just hanging out with my boys, eating and drinking as we watched the U.S. Women’s National team play was just special. I recognize, value, and appreciate it.

 

Look, it might be cool to chant, “SEC!,” “SEC!” or “We Are! Penn State!” or whatever it is you yell when you go to games, but  NOTHING compares to sitting in a stadium and chanting “USA!,” “USA!” While the SEC might mean more, cheering for your country hits at a whole different level!!!

 

One of the coolest moments to me was when the U.S. Women’s National team walked around the stadium after the match waving to the fans and thanking them for their support. Might sound silly or maybe I am just getting older, I got kind of emotional. It was a very kind and thoughtful gesture. And I would be remiss if I did not mention the Japanese players. They all lined up, bowed to one side of the stadium and waved, turned, and did the same to the other side of the stadium. Both were the epitome of class.

 

At the baseball game I felt just this great sense of peace. My heart was happy, completely content. I was sitting with my Tender Warriors, we were watching a baseball game, and life was good!

 

The golf course was pretty. We all hit at least one phenomenal shot and some that…well, never mind. It was competitive, it was fun, and as was said more than once, “We are playing golf on a Sunday morning. How bad can it be?”

 

I do have to tell you this; as we were driving back we noted that we had not encountered one rude or obnoxious fan. Everyone was kind, respectful, and just enjoyed the game. As I pointed out to the boys, does that mean we were the rude and obnoxious ones?!?! 

 

So, a few thoughts and I will wrap this up:

• It is the people that we have in our lives that makes life worth living.
• Yes, going to games and playing golf is fun. Real connection happens in the hours of conversation when everyone is fully present.
• If you ever get a chance to take a road trip with your kids, take it. Better yet, don’t leave it to chance…YOU plan it.
• Show up every day in the lives of your kids – the good ones and the bad ones. The days you feel like it and the days you don’t. The reward is they actually want to spend time with you and their siblings when they are older.
• Being a parent is an unspeakable honor, privilege, and responsibility. Though we all grow older, the honor, privilege, and responsibility never ends.
• It is not about the number of hours, it is what we choose to do with them!

To Payton, Gehrig, and Landry – Thank you for blessing me with a weekend I will cherish for the rest of my life. It is truly an honor and privilege to be your Dad. I love you, I am proud of each one of you, and I believe in you with all my heart.

 

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, please cherish your precious family, and please stay well! 

 

Kev

Are We Growing?

 Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! This day right here…it is going to be a special one! I can feel it! 

 

You might have thought I have not been reading The Complete 101 Collection: What Every Leader Needs To Know by John C. Maxwell. No chance! With this Happy Friday I want to share some excerpts from Chapter 1, What Will It Take For Me To Improve? from the Self-Improvement section. I will then share a few thoughts and our challenge for this week.

 

“Growth must be intentional – nobody improves by accident.”

 

“Most people fight against change, especially when it affects them personally.”

 

“But know this: people unwilling to grow will never reach their potential.”

 

“Most people don’t realize that unsuccessful and successful people do not differ substantially in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.”

 

“If you want to be successful, you have to keep growing.”

 

“The happiest people I know are growing every day.”

 

“The people who reach their potential, no matter what their profession or background, think in terms of improvement.”

 

“The only way to improve the quality of your life is to improve yourself. If you want to grow your organization, you must grow as a leader. If you want better children, you must become a better person. If you want others to treat you more kindly, you must develop better people skills. There is no sure way to make other people in your environment improve. The only thing you truly have the ability to improve is yourself. And the amazing thing is that when you do, everything else around you suddenly gets better. So, the bottom line is that if you want to take the success journey, you must live a life of growth. And the only way you will grow is if you choose to grow.”

 

“Everything you do today builds on what you did yesterday. And altogether, those things determine what will happen tomorrow.”

 

“Self-development is a higher calling; it is the development of your potential so that you can attain the purpose for which you were created. There are times when that’s fulfilling, but other times it’s not. But no matter how it makes you feel, self-development always has one effect: It draws you toward your destiny.”

 

“But growth is always worth the price you pay because the alternative is a limited life with unfulfilled potential.”

 

“Whatever you do, don’t allow yourself to stay on a plateau. Commit yourself to climbing the mountain of personal potential – a little at a time – throughout your life. It’s one journey you’ll never regret having made. According to novelist George Eliot, “It is never too late to be what you might have become.””

 

Some pretty powerful words, aren’t they? Somehow, we know that they are right, they are true, and, if you are like me, you feel a little convicted right about now. I pray we will never forget, however, that knowledge by itself is simply knowledge. To actually apply what we know to our lives is true wisdom.

 

So, the challenge this week is really simple; are we growing? Are we committed to and challenging ourselves to grow in all aspects of our lives every day? Please remember, the goal is not perfection. The goal is continual improvement, day after day. Whatever path we may choose, please remember, it is drawing us to our destiny.

 

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, please cherish your precious family, and please stay well! 

 

Kev