Keep Your Head Down

I only have a few minutes so instead of blogging about my wonderful weekend I'll just share a thought. I went golfing on Saturday with my brothers. It's a new thing I'm trying to pick up and the first lesson I've learned is that golf is an inconsistent sport. If you're looking for some consistency in life and you want to try something new, don't try golf. You'll feel like your skills are superb one day and you'll start throwing clubs the next. The second lesson I learned is the point of this blog. Maybe it's far fetched, but I like it.

We were on the third hole. It was a short hole and the last one was really bad so I thought, "Great. This is my chance to do pretty well. I can make it to the green in just a few strokes." I swung and it was crap. I swung again and it was crap. Justin said "You can't pick up your head. If you pick up your head, the whole thing goes to pot." I responded with, "You just can't anticipate great things in this game can you?" I then took that line and turned it into something more and applied it to my life because thinking is what I do.

Sometimes in life we need to look up and see the whole picture or the entire golf course. We need to see everything before us and look at the possibilities that lie ahead and have an eternal perspective. Then we need to look at the hole we're currently on, or the stage of life that we're currently in and evaluate what needs to be done there. At each hole there are tasks to perform to get us to our goal for that stage of life, which can be likened unto each shot we take to get closer to the hole. Here's the most frustrating part. We get so excited about reaching our ultimate goal that we pull our heads up to look at the results when really we need to keep our heads down to finish the task at hand. Even when you pick up your head the task gets completed; but if you don't follow through all the way with the best that you know how it might take even longer to reach your goal.

The moral of my story is this: Don't anticipate great things. Expect great things because they definitely can and will happen, but don't anticipate them. Anticipation is distracting. Focus on the task at hand, follow through, and look how much closer you are to the ultimate goal. Then take a look at the big picture and measure your progress.

So get out there and enjoy the rest of the golf season before the cold comes. Just remember to keep your head down.

Mahmeeseetuh

Mamacita,

Just wanted to give you a shout out and thank you for all you've done. I want you to know how grateful I am that you were born 23 years ago :) and how grateful I am that of all the babies in the nursery Grandma and Grandpa picked you. Without you I'd probably still be on earth somewhere with some family but I would look different, I would be different, and my family would be different...and I'm glad that's not the way it is. So thanks Mom for choosing Dad and having me and being amazing. Your example has led the way for me through the years. I appreciate your enthusiasm for life. I just want to highlight one particular thing today in your honor: she plans her work and works her plan. She accomplishes the things she sets her mind to and always follows through with what she says she's gonna do. What a wonderful lady.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

Follow-Up

For those who were curious about how my blind date turned out...it turned out the same way they always do. We had a good time and he said he'd call again sometime. But don't worry, I didn't get my hopes up. I've learned that boys aren't truthful at the doorstep. Instead of being honest and not saying anything at all they get word vomit and say things they don't mean like "I'll call you again sometime." So it was another date that turned out the same way as all the rest; but I'll not be deterred from giving anything a shot. Anyone care to throw another one my direction?

The New Do

For my birthday, Baker gave me a gift certificate to visit her hairstylist (a hint maybe?) I've been getting my hair cut at dollar places and I haven't been pleased. So today I decided to put my certificate to work and get some work done by a professional in a real salon. This is the first hair cut I've liked since I decided to go short, and I've had three or four.

Now if you'll excuse me, me and my sexy new self are going to dinner and mini-golf with a stranger.

Birthday Boy

I want to wish Justin a happy birthday today! He's a great person with so much to offer. Let me list some of the things I like most about Justin...

1. He's passionate about the things he talks about whether it's sports, legal stuff, religion, etc. I admire his passion for things.

2. He's easy to talk to. Sometimes I wonder how much he actually listens to me since I tend to ramble sometimes; but listening or not he's easy to talk to because he doesn't jump to conclusions or pick sides. I can say the kinds of things that I might not feel comfortable saying to other people. Example: if we're debating an issue and we disagree, I feel like I can be as bold and blunt as I want because he listens to me and doesn't take offense easily.

3. Justin is really good at listening to both sides. He definitely has his opinions and so do I, but instead of getting into a huge debate we listen to each others' arguments and take them for what they're worth. There might not be any convincing each other, but we listen to each other.

4. He's an incredible dad. His boys' eyes light up when he walks in the room. He wrestles with them, bathes them, reads them stories and I really admire him as a father. I hope I can marry a man who will father my children as well as he fathers his own.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JUSTIN!

Happy Father's Day

Just wanted to wish Dad a Happy Father's Day!

Birthday Girl

Happy birthday to my dear older sister. I think it's weird that I am old enough to have a sister that is twenty five years old! She's a fabulous person and although we had our arguments growing up, we get along quite swell now. On this day, I would like to share with her some of the memories I have of her past birthdays.

1. Kim had the chicken pox on her birthday one year. It was so sad. It didn't matter what present she opened next because she still felt miserable.

2. Once Kim opened all of her birthday presents, my birthday list was complete. I always wanted whatever she got and since my birthday was a little over a month later, I never had to wait long to mimic her little girl desires. (ex. She asked for Moon Shoes one year so I did, too. She asked for Whoppers on just about every birthday and even though I didn't like them that much, I asked for them too because she did.)

3. She got to celebrate her birthday alone last year since Chris was worried about which end to stick over the toilet. And because a good number of us had been flattened with a case of salmonella she didn't have anyone else to celebrate with.

And that's all I got. Thanks, Kim for being so great! I hope you had a wonderful birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIM!