SOMEDAY...TODAY

I AM ASHAMED that I can be such a disappointment in areas of life that mean the most... I am a professional in areas of life that serve only...ME. I am "that guy" who throws out the all too common "I'll call you this week".."let's have lunch soon"..."Really miss you...gotta get together"..."Yes, We'll be there"..and of course ..I don't tend to follow-up as I should. I HATE THAT about myself..

MY WIFE AND I are fortunate enough to have within our circle of close friends...a few angelic people who really have a tight grasp on serving others and this is how they live day by day. No lip service...no false promises...no watered down false intentions.......just real service to others with a loving heart. As I watch this ongoing "love in action" revealing a true caring heart... I always walk away with God prompting me to take a closer look at how I live ....for others.

HAVE YOU EVER used these words..."I'm too busy"..."We don't have the money"... "prayin' for ya"..."We need to get serious about..." "SOMEDAY I am will do that" ??

Life is what happens while you are sitting there saying... someday.

A LADY IN MY OFFICE used to stop me in the hall and say "I really want to go skydiving someday. It looks like so much fun and I've always wanted to do it." Knowing that I enjoyed skydiving on a regular basis, she always wanted to talk about skydiving and how it felt to fly a parachute with the wind in your face. I came to work one morning and found out that she died of a heart attack the night prior at the age of 53. I still think about here an a regular basis when I walk the hallways of my office.

EVEN IF I DON'T BECOME the champion of serving others daily, making things happen today instead of tomorrow and don't become the ideal humanitarian....I will strive to do the following:

Spend even more time talking to God...and listening.

Love better

Serve deeper

Improve when it comes to living the SOMEday...TOday.

Tell my wife how much she means to me even more than I do now.

Use the words "I LOVE YOU" more often with friends and family.

LISTEN...more than I YAP my pie-hole!! (That's a hard one for me).

Give to others until it really does affect my comfort zone and actually makes a difference.

IF YOU ARE READING THIS post..I hope to see you soon and I really hope that I can serve you as a friend or family member in a way that reflects Christ IN ME.....not ME about me. Seek God for your needs, try to make your someday happen as soon as possible and serve other until it truly makes a difference in their life.

MORE DOGS....LESS PEOPLE

I WAS 7 YEARS OLD when Benji, the little white Lhasa Apso with vampire fangs, came into my life. On my knees I sat as that 10 week old, high energy, vampire toothed dog...jumped right into my heart. As the years went by, Benji came to love my mother more than me. It could have been the hamburgers and ice cream my mother bought him at the drive through window of McDonald's on a regular basis...or the fact that I drove him crazy by wrapping him up in bed sheets and laughing.... as he sat there trying to fight his way out.

BENJI IS LONG GONE NOW ...and I have enjoyed the sloppy kisses from many four legged friends since the days of the vampire toothed Apso. There was a sheep dog named Tramp, An Irish Setter named Lady, a Sheppard named Sadie, a Great Dane named Austin....and for the past 7 years I have come to know the four legged love of my life...Ollie.

KING OF THE HOUSEHOLD...keeper of the bone, protector of the castle and owner of our hearts. My wife has enjoyed the facial licks of this majestic little white Parson Russell terrier for almost 15 years. Twenty pounds of high energy love and a never ending talent for begging when food is within 50 feet. If you ever drive past our home on Sharon road, there is a good chance you have been spotted by our white fur child as he sits on the sofa gazing out the window.

THE AVERAGE LIFE SPAN for the Parson Russell is about 12-14 years. I ask God just about everyday to give us another 15 or 20 yrs and let Ollie hold the world record for healthy long life.

I just learned of a friend who lost their dog at the hands of a fast driver in front of their house.

I have another friend who has lost two of his three dogs in the past year. I have no problem telling you that when Ollie is gone...our lives will be forever changed. My wife and I have no children...only Ollie. One day.. down the road, we will have more dogs after Ollie is gone and we will love them dearly.

MY WIFE OFTEN SAYS...more dogs..less people. The number of people that walk the earth is not the problem but people really could learn a few things from dogs. It sure would be great if every time we came face to face with friends and family...we got excited about it, wagged our butts a little more expressed unconditional love. I know Ollie makes me smile every time I come home and every time he comes in the room. I hope that you have that affect on the people in your life...and don't be afraid of a big sloppy kiss. Bark less...Wag more.........

BREAST CANCER.....

I WAS WAITING for the doctor to come into the room and begin the surgery....

It was confirmed that I had skin cancer and the doctors found it early. They covered my head and face with sheets leaving only the area of my forehead to be worked on exposed. When all was said and done, I left with 12 stitches and a big lump on my head. This all happened last year and now you really can't even see the area from which the skin cancer was removed...

THIS IS breast cancer awareness month and it hits close to home. Our very dear friend in Charlotte NC received the news that she, at 40 years old, had breast cancer. This wonderful young woman decided to take the route of having a double mastectomy and now she has received the all clear...cancer free.

MY STEPMOTHER was not as fortunate as our dear friend here in Charlotte NC. She lost her battle with breast cancer and her story has been experienced by far too many young women in the world. An estimated 2.4 million women in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer on average in the USA.

PLEASE BE ACTIVE in the fight against breast cancer and encourage all the women in your life to be tested on a regular basis. If at all possible, please participate in a fund raising event for breast cancer and/or donate to the cause. There are too many new cases of this desease all around us and we need to do all we can to learn...and fight.

God Bless you,

Rodney