Simple life

The most challenging part of the trip to Switzerland for me was how simply the people lived. Hard work and provision for family plus time with family was the order of each day. It was amazing to find greater value in people instead of things! American culture does not do us any service by...

How would you finish this statement? Isn't it time that we consider what is really most important and live like it!

A good looser

Growing up with Joby was the amazing! We were the best of friends since grade school. We have so many great memories together that I cannot hardly remember them all.

We were brothers. I could not have asked for a better young man to grow up with!

It was because of this relationship that I learned to be a good looser! You see, Joby was a great athlete. He was tall and strong, left-handed and a great work ethic. During those early baseball years, he was an All-star and was able to play at a high level of success!

Joby was brilliant. He did amazingly well in school and graduated top of our class! Joby cared for people and was in church every weekend with his family. He served his parents/family by watching over his two younger siblings.

Bottom line: Joby excelled at everything and I was not! However, he won and excelled with such dignity that I learned to loose well. He was such a great winner, that I learned to be a good looser! To try and fail against such a humble person was the best thing this ego-filled young man could have ever experienced!

I thank God that I grew up with Joby Taylor. God has helped shape me through his influence in so many ways!

I was reminded of Joby and our friendship as I rode my motorcycle and thought about my childhood. I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Who are you grateful for? Have you taken the time to tell them? Do it today!

Of all places to put this!

Recently I was visiting a camp near where I live. During a quick restroom break I had a funny experience!See if you can figure it out by looking at the picture!

Give up? Let me shed some light.

At the top of the frame you will notice the air-freshener. You will also notice its placement directly over the toilet.

As I was standing there using the bathroom, the air freshener decided to spray...right on top of my bald head. I just started laughing trying to understand who would put it right there!

Life lesson? "Don't take things so seriously, have some fun." Keep an eye out for what makes you laugh and tell someone today! Enjoy life!

My head smelled great! LOL

Becoming a servant

My best friend Joby and I mowed grass for years in Oklahoma. We created TC Lawncare and worked many days during the summer taking care of peoples yards. While it was work, it taught us about serving others! The Skaggs family would be nervous if their grass grew half an inch that week, so we took care of their lawn about every 5 days. We have so many stories about our adventures in mowing.

I bring it up now because cutting grass and a few church "mission" trips helped me to see the world differently! During our Senior year of High School, Joby and I both went to Haiti for a work trip. We helped construct a church building in the mountains.

I learned that I make weekly mowing lawns the same as an adult in Haiti makes annually! That truth rocked my world! God was forming in me a need to serve! To this day, I look back at trips like Haiti and mowing grass all summer as furtile ground for Servant training.

Who are you serving today? How has your past shaped your servant response to those around you? You can serve the less fortunate and well as the extremely wealthy, because God's love must be shown to all! You can serve those far away, a neighbor across the street and inside your own household. 

Don't forget to serve!

Boy Scouts

Sitting on a motorcycle for hours each day, I had plenty of time to think. Day 1 we covered nearly 500 miles arriving in Telluride, CO to camp for the night.

During that day I spent time just being grateful. Thinking through all the things that I was glad that happened in my life. I began with the earliest memories and worked forward.

It didn't take long to arrive at "Boy Scouts". I began at the earliest possible age and did not leave until I was 18 years old. I was one rank away from Eagle Scout (story of my life), but loved being involved.

Greatest lesson for me? Being in the Scouts helped forge me into being a hard working young man. Our troop was not driven by proper uniforms or lots of merit badges, rather we focused in on service and help to the community and scout camp.

I am grateful to have learned hard work, discipline and a love for the outdoors!

Think back over your life. What are you grateful for? Spend some significant time working backwards and discover all the twists and turns that your life has taken and how that has actually become a great part of your story today!

In the Summer of 2012, I was able to take a Sabbatical. In short, the camp gave me 4 weeks off after 10 years of serving to be refreshed and renewed. We took a lot of family vacation time, but in the middle I was able to go on an 8 day, 3,400 mile motor cycle ride!

During this time of the motorcycle, I spent a lot of time...thinking! Later I totaled up about 70 hours of sitting and thinking about my life.

Over the next few posts, I am going to begin to unveil some of what I discovered. This is done in part to remind me about all that God whispered during that ride and partly because I hope it brings reminder to you.