Quick note

I know I don't write much. Sometimes I want to. Maybe I'll catch up on some memories I want to put in writing. Maybe. For now the focus is conquering September in amazing fashion.

Update

Wow, it has been awhile since I have posted anything. There has been a lot going on, as usual. Work, slow pitch softball, sand volleyball, YPN, Water. Next weekend YPN will be hosting a big music event at the Missipi Brew - Revelry by the River. I will be there after my one coaching appearance of the season with the Wilton Fresh-Soph team. It will be a busy day, but I will love it. And Sunday I will be tired, and I know it will be a busy day, too. But I have a week to prepare for that, right?

Counting calories...

Is not fun. And can be hard. Like when I was cooking last night and didn't know exactly how many calories were in what I was going to eat. Or when I go out to eat. I was able to go online and figure out how many calories I consumed, but that took more time than I really want to put into it. But I'm determined to keep up the work. I think I will have days, though, where I throw the calorie counting out the window and eat what I want. Then I'll jump right back on track. That's my plan. Fun or not.

I will say that it is crazy to me how quickly calories add up. I had no idea. This is an eye opener. A not-so-fun but worth it eye opener.

Focus on the goal

"The reason most people fail instead of succeed is that they trade in what they want most for what they want at the moment."

The head coach for the softball team I work with has this quote on his office door. It's a reminder for his players and students, but it's not just for them. It's for all of us. It reminds me to keep my eye on the prize.

Reminders

A friend had these quotes on her blog recently. It's a nice reminder. And nice reminders are good.

"The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now, is that I am the chosen child of God, precious in God’s eyes, called the Beloved from all eternity and held safe in an everlasting embrace… We must dare to opt consciously for our chosenness and not allow our emotions, feelings, or passions to seduce us into self-rejection." (Nouwen)

"You can deal with an enormous amount of success as well as an enormous amount of failure without losing your identity, because your identity is that you are the beloved. Long before your father and mother, your brothers and sisters, your teachers, your church, or any people touched you in a loving as well as in a wounding way-long before you were rejected by some person or praised by somebody else-that voice has been there always. “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” That love is there before you were born and will be there after you die." (Nouwen)

Smile

I remember being an 8th grader playing pitcher on the Varsity softball team. I have always been very hard on myself, and at that age I didn't quite understand how to control that in the midst of a game. The first baseman would tell me to smile during the game. She would say something about having a beautiful smile and that I needed to smile. I know she wanted me to keep my head up and keep moving forward and working hard regardless of what just happened. I think that's true for me in life in general...keep my head up and keep smiling. I have a beautiful smile, so I should show it. I know me...I won't always smile, I wear my emotions fairly visibly most of the time, and I'm not always happy. But I need to remind myself sometimes to keep smiling. It's a good lesson, and this post is my reminder today. :)

Death and funerals

I don't handle death and funerals very well. Shocking, I know, since most people would probably say the same thing. But that is what was on my plate this week. After a battle with cancer, my Grandpa Grage passed away on Sunday, March 28, which happened to be Palm Sunday this year. The week where we prepare to celebrate Christ's death and resurrection, which is an amazing and wonderful thing (which is very much an understatement), is filled with pain and grieving this year. My heart hurts and hurts worse to see my family hurt.

Today we laid Grandpa to rest. And while I believe he is in a far better place at home with our Lord, it still hurts here. I feel like I've cried for far too much of the week, but I know that's how I handle it. And it will get better, this I know. We love him, and we will miss him. And I hope to grow up to be like him...always helping others and smiling until the end of his life here.

And now...

I have a lot running through my head and heart right, yet I think that is the best thing for me. A little inner turmoil, a little trying to figure things out, and a lot of working on the person I am intended to be. Focusing on Truth has helped so much. I need it, and I want it. Hoping to bring honor to the One who knows me and loves me best through it all and beyond.

Right now

So it's been quite awhile since I have written anything. Life has been busy, which is nothing out of the norm for me. My weeks are spent busy with work, working out, volleyball, YPN, and spending time with some of my favorite people. Throw in there a little bit of Water and coaching on the weekends, and my life is even more jam-packed. And I love it. I contemplated an opportunity this week, an opportunity that would shake things up. I quickly turned away from it because I realized that right now I am right where I need to be. I have great things going on...helping coach the sport I love most, continuing to play sports, spending time with very important people, commitment to things in this community, and a job that is helping me develop and grow. So here I am. And here I go...off to the next task that makes my life what it is. :)

Today

Today I am kind of crabby. And my heart hurts. And it's probably only just begun. So let me cry and let me hurt. Because there is no way but through this. I am strong during the week, probably because I am more distracted. Weekends have been tough. It will get better, and I believe in the hope of greater things. But it still hurts.

Not going away

The slide below explains why I (and many others I know) won't stop talking about Water.

Thinking about Water

I am thinking about Water this afternoon. I'm not yet to the point of thinking ahead about projects to come...although, I do need to be thinking that way by Sunday. Instead, I'm thinking about what was accomplished recently. Like First Gift, which raised over $10,000 online in 24 hours through gifts of $10. Like a huge weekend in the Muscatine and the Quad Cities with charity: water president Scott Harrison, bringing awareness to the issue of clean water and raising $30,000+ in 3 days. Like a church who chose to take an offering on Christmas Eve that would be used to give clean water to the people of Liberia...and the people gave $65,000!

I'm thinking about the people who have chosen to give to something greater than themselves. I'm thinking about the people I care about who have chosen to care about this cause. I'm thinking about the people who will have clean water because others have decided that it is not okay that people are living without clean water and suffer from diseases and death from unclean water. Lives are being changed across the ocean and here, including mine.

What we can control

"...we can't control whether we win or lose, but we can control ourselves..."
-Lisa Fernandez

I have gotten so much better at this in the last few months. It's easy for me to teach this when I coach, but it wasn't so easy for me to put into practice. My highly competitive nature is good to a point. It was all very clear to me this summer when a teammate and I got into a fight during a game. Not good. Not good to the point that I cried on the way home. I'm not embarrassed about that...I should have been in tears because the whole thing was quite ridiculous and it was my fault. Everything was fine soon after. The best part is that I've changed. I'm still competitive, but I'm much calmer (generally). I just do the best I can and whatever happens, happens. I'm sure it helps that I am on a really good team, but I'm pleased with how I respond.

How to stand tall

"You can stand tall without standing on someone..."
-Harriet Woods

Water video

A local high school student, Steven Bieber, followed our water efforts this fall. He started taping at the Run/Walk 4 Water and continued all the way through Water Weekend with Scott Harrison. Thanks for caring about the cause, Steven, and thanks for being a part of the team!

Water 4 Christmas Fall 2009 from Steven Bieber on Vimeo.

Thanksgiving 2009

This year we had Thanksgiving at my mom's house. My sister's family, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and one cousin were there. It was a full house, but it was great to all be together. I wanted some good pictures to hold the day in time. Here are a couple...

My grandparents and me

My sister, mom, and me with my mom's parents

My sister's family with our grandparents

Where's my focus?

This is going to be honest. Today was a melancholy day for me as I came off of a very busy and emotionally tiring weekend. It was all worth it, so that is not the point. As I was cooling down after my run tonight, I realized something. I realized that sometimes I lose sight of heaven. I forget that there is something far better than this waiting. Instead I can get caught up in the pain and frustrations and busyness and stuff of this life. And then I sometimes spend my time dwelling on things I can't change instead of moving on. That was part of my deal today, too.

So when I got frustrated tonight at volleyball, I reminded myself that it's not really that big of a deal. Life went on. I know that seems silly, but I do believe change starts in small things. Tomorrow will be a new day, a day that's never been used before. And a day to have the right attitude and focus.

Essential

"Water is essential to life. Without water there is no life."

Water Weekend - Day 1

Day 1 of Water Weekend was a huge success! We are so excited about the impact this can have. Scott Harrison tells the story well. People are rising to the occasion and making a difference. I can't wait to see what today has in store!

On the brain

I have water on the brain. All I can think about is Water Weekend. The events. The people who will be at the events. The people who will have clean water because of the events. All of the work and energy is 100% worth it. All of it. Because clean water matters.

Scott Harrison is coming to town!

This weekend, the founder and president of charity: water, Scott Harrison, will be in Muscatine and Davenport. He will have a very full schedule, speaking at multiple events between two cities. I cannot even wait to meet him and hear what he has to say! Click here for a full list of events. I think everyone should consider attending at least one of the events; it will definitely be worth your time.

The first gift was a big one.

The results from $10 Friday came in earlier this week, and...over $10,000 was raised in 24 hours! Absolutely amazing! That's the equivalent of 1,000 people in Liberia getting access to clean water for 10 years. 1,000 lives that will change because many people let the first gift they gave this holiday season be the gift of clean water. Thank you to all who participated!

Do something

I borrowed this from Amy's blog because I like it...

“It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little.” -Sydney Smith

Waiting

And now we wait. We wait for the total from $10 Friday, where people from all over donated $10 online so that people in Liberia can have access to clean water. $10 can give 1 African clean water for 10 years, and that's a very big deal. People were generous and passionate about the cause and spread the word so others could participate in this big day. So it is okay that we wait because we know that there are people in Africa who won't have to wait much longer for clean, safe water.

Africa

Jody is in Africa right now with charity: water. They are witnessing why water is so important, meeting the people, seeing the projects that are already done. She has been posting on her blog some details of the trip. Can't wait until they get home to hear the stories and see the pictures. And not gonna lie, I wish I was in Liberia with them.