Homeless Vets

I recently got into a discussion about homeless vets in the us.  The conversation was good as a whole but started with the comment of.  We need to make sure the contract is read and understood.  I have never seen the contract before so I am not sure what is in it.  But I do know that no matter what is in it, it does not explain the homelessness.  It is hard for me to imagine spending my time risking my life only to be messed up in the head and left to fend for myself.

The reason why this is so hard for me is if you brain wash me in the name of preparation for war.  Then I finish my assignment and go back home to a life that does not even look the same.  I should be supported until I am able to fend for myself.  I call this "Giving a vet a fish until he trust in themselves to fish again".

We have to take better care of the people who take care of us.  We take care of them by providing the mental health they need as well as a place for them to feel at home in.  I know this is a hard thing to do considering everything going on here in America, but considering as much money as the Gov. waste on themselves.  This should be a part of what is needed to help those that have sacrificed so much for us all.

Namaste

BUILDING YOUR HOUSE: A TEACHING

BUILDING YOUR HOUSE: A TEACHING

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his

Plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife

and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he

wanted to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just

one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was

easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship

and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.

When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house.

Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is your house...

my gift to you."

The carpenter was shocked!

What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would

have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best

into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have

built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently.

But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail,

place a board, or erect a wall. Someone once said, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."

Your attitude, and the choices you make today, helps build the "house" you will live

in tomorrow. Therefore, build wisely!

 

(c) 2008 Amy Flynn. All Rights Reserved.

 

Put your trust in the Creator

Put your trust in the Creator

My spirituality is not as strong as I thought. I learned this at the Grand Canyon's West Rim today. I know it's true because my youngest told me I don't trust her climbing on the Rocks close to the edge.

I do trust her but not my thoughts of something happening to her and God, her Universal Father letting something happen. As her earthly Father I refuse to watch something happen that could kill her.

If she fell my wife said she would have a heart attack. I would have jumped after her. So that leaves Alyssa by her self so how stupid is that, on my part. But this little girl holds a part of my heart.

The moment put me in the mode of something happening while there and emotionally I could not handle it.

The lesson for me is I have to let my kids go on a Spiritual level. Trust they are guided and will be taken care of, always.

I just keep thinking of the bible, "I see the wood, I see the knife, what will be the sacrafice". Is what I keep asking myself. I told my God that I am not there yet, I could not do what Mohamad did, and be ready to kill his own child.

We left the park as we came, together but I was changed by the experience. Changed because I now know I have a lot of work to do. It's no different than Alyssa cutting Trucks off, not driving in the center of her lane. The thing about her is she is older and she listens me on these safty levels.

Ths is a choppy post from my phone but I wanted to share how the Grand Canyon pushed me forward in my Spirituality.

"What you won't do for yourself, you'll do for your kids"

OBMO

When it is time to GO!!

When it is time to go it is time to go!!

My Family has been ready to move from the state of Minnesota for some time now.  It started with the desire to move to Maui, and now weeks away from moving to California.  Sometimes it does not seem like it will happen because I get stuck in my head about wanting to doing the right thing. 

It is time to do something else is what I keep telling myself.  Yes I have left the state before but that was with different intentions.  This time my intentions are new and my desires have changed.  See I have wanted to live in LA since I was 15 years old when my Father sent for me to live with him in South Central LA.  That was a long time ago and many things have changed since then.  I don't even know what it looks like now but I am excited to go see.  The difference is now I have a family to care for, and that changes the whole thing in my opinion.

This move is hard because of how many things we have to move and not sure what we need.  In my perfect world we would take what we can fit in our cars and that is it.  That sounds smart but may not be the smartest move so we contemplate on what to bring or not.  It is one of the hardest things I have every had to deal with because I just don't know.  Top it off with I don't have a job, much Money at all and don't know the little family I have out there.  Yet the door was shut and nailed closed!  It is amazing to me how that happens.

See I was blessed to get my last job.  I say blessed because no way in the world should I of have that job if you look at it from the outside.  See I was the Latin American Rep that did not speak or write any Spanish.  But I was so hungry that Beth could see it in my eyes and in my heart.  I got that job and turned it from a issue position to a complaint free zone.

Well this dream has started to out grow this position.  See I was doing good for the company and the customers but not for myself.  I was losing everything while gaining nothing.  I was losing my life, my life's desires.  My desire is to be a paid Public Speaker and a Life Style.  I have no idea how or when this will be but working a job in Minnesota does not allow for much space for that.  I put it on the back burner because my family welfare is very important to me.

But now that my oldest Alyssa is going to College in LA it made all my thought come to life.  See now I have a reason to move West.  My wife Nikki is a East Coast Girl and our youngest Lilli talks like she is from the east.  We made this plan to move far west Maui and now are moving to LA, so 2,000 miles closer.  To my surprise my team was let go after almost 4 years with the company. 

What is funny is it came 6 months after I told the company I was looking for work out West and if they could assist me with something that would allow me to support my family.  We began the search with no luck at all.  The reason it is funny is I was ready to leave my position but the Source said take some Unemployment with you, some Severance Pay, some Health care.

So now We just sold the house weeks before not I lost my job and planning to move to LA.  To me I took this a sign to move anyways.

To me this was the sign "It's time to GO!"a

John Wooden's Pyramid of Success

John Wooden's Pyramid of Success

ENTHUSIASM
Your heart must be in your work. Stimulate others.
COOPERATION
With all levels of your co-workers. Help others and see the other side.
LOYALTY
To yourself and all those dependent upon you. Keep your self-respect.
FRIENDSHIP
Comes from mutual esteem, respect and devotion.
INDUSTRIOUSNESS
Worthwhile things come from hard work and careful planning.
SELF-CONTROL
Emotions under control. Delicate adjustment between mind & body. Judgment and common sense.
ALERTNESS
Be observing constantly. Be quick to spot a weakness, and correct it or use it, as the case may warrant.
INITIATIVE
Cultivate the ability to make decisions and think alone. Desire to excel.
INTENTNESS
Ability to resist temptation. Concentrate on your objective and be determined to reach your goal.
CONDITION
Mental–Moral– Physical. Rest, exercise and diet must be considered. Moderation. Dissipation eliminated.
SKILL
A knowledge of and the ability to properly execute the fundamentals. Be prepared. Cover every detail.
TEAM SPIRIT
An eagerness to sacrifice personal interests or glory for the welfare of all. "The team comes first."
POISE
Just being yourself. Being at ease in any situation. Never fighting yourself.
CONFIDENCE
Respect without fear. Confident. Faith in yourself knowing you are prepared.
COMPETITIVE GREATNESS
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Be at your best when your best is needed. Love of a hard battle.

SUCCESS

Faith

Patience

Your Ready To Fly

Well today is the day that my family has thought about for the last 10 years at least.  It is amazing to me how it kind of sneaks up on you.  Alyssa Jenee is Graduating from High School today June 4th 2010.

I am very proud of her for not only Graduating but also doing it with great style and passion.  See she gets good grades and has a passion to do great things.  Sounds a lot like me when I was in school but the difference is she is taking it to the next step, moving to new state to pursue her desire.

Life will show her some challenges to make her stronger and she will have some moments of regrets.  My hope and desire is that she continues in pursuit with great diligence.  See WIT (Whatever It Takes) is what I tell her, my only requirement is it does not involve selling her body or doing something she does not believe in.

Other than that this is going to be a great adventure, and I am looking forward to watching you grow.

OBMO

Happy Birthday

This is a re-post:

 

Today is my Birthday and I have graduated from it being about me and my birthday to being about my kids birthday's. Yes mine is the 11th of June my oldest is the 18th and my youngest is the 21st.

This was one of many lessons that I have learned after Nate Walker's passing. I do not truly know the lesson 100% but I can tell you this. It means more to me for them to have great memory's about the day they blessed me. This blessing will be forever so I think the honor in that is what is so special.

I will never forget when I would rush to go wish him a happy birthday June 1st every year because I knew mine was only 10 day's away. He is the most special man I have every know, well until my mom married my Dad.

My Grandpa Nate (Pops) shares no blood relation with me, but you could not tell him or I that because of how we feel about each other. This part is so important to me because my blood grandpa Charles Logan Sr. was Nate's best friend during childhood. I remember doing everything with Nate even more so then his own true blood son's little Nate. It is a very special relationship to me because I lacked a true role model in my life. So GOD blessed me with his wisdom for such a short time. See he died 11/11/97 at 10:10am at the young age of 66 as a Veteran passing on Veterans Day. I was and I am still crushed by this loss because I don't have this kind of relationship with anyone. The closest is my dad (Donnie), see to love someone like they are your own flesh and blood is the best love you can share with someone when they are not your true flesh and blood. That is how he got the name Pops because he is the closest to Pops I have every seen.

Back to the Birthday stuff. I would wish Pops Happy Birthday and he would say thanks or knowing him he would say nothing. He would reach in to his big wallet and give me money for my birthday. I would say "Pops this is your birthday" he would always reply with "you better come over here and get this while I got it" so I would of course go to get my gift from him. I say him because after giving to me this money he would always say "now you better get over to see your grandma and get what she has for you". It always touched me that he thought of me on his birthday. I never understood why until I had 2 birthday's that mean more then mine.

Still to this day my Wife wants to make a big deal out of my Birthday and I am like whatever because I would prefer the kids have the special Birthday. Now this does not mean I don't appreciate party's or gifts because I do and look forward to them, I just I just don't expect them.

Happy Birthday to me but most of all to my Girls Alyssa (AD) and Lilli (Lil)