Cooperland

Today is the first day of school at Berkeley High after DJ Weathers was killed in a car accident.  Reading Facebook statuses I’m already noticing that many students were having a very rough day dealing with the loss.

Let me just say to all of the students of Berkeley High: I’m sorry that you’re having to deal with this, and I wish I could take the hurt away that you’re feeling.  Given enough time it will go away.  Just always lean on God to help you; especially in a time such as this.  I love you; even if I don’t know you.  And if you need anything feel free to ask.

Here’s a repost from my former blog, All Signs Point 2 God.

I watched Rocky Balboa last night while Bridgett is out of town. Rocky has to be one of the greatest movie characters in history. In the latest movie. Rocky is talking to his son, and it rings bells in my head every time.  It goes like this:

I’d hold you up to say to your mother, “This kid’s gonna be the best kid in the world. This kid’s gonna be somebody better than anybody I ever knew.” And you grew up good and wonderful. It was great just watching you, every day was like a privilige. Then the time come for you to be your own man and take on the world, and you did. But somewhere along the line, you changed. You stopped being you. You let people stick a finger in your face and tell you you’re no good. And when things got hard, you started looking for something to blame, like a big shadow. Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that! I’m always gonna love you no matter what. No matter what happens. You’re my son and you’re my blood. You’re the best thing in my life. But until you start believing in yourself, ya ain’t gonna have a life.

Now, hopefully I’ll never reach a point where I lose track of who I am and who I am in Christ, but I love the line where he says, “I’m always gonna love you no matter what. No matter what happens. You’re my son and you’re my blood.  You’re the best thing in my life.”  I can just hear God saying that to me.

But I also love, “But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!” This makes me think. Am I willing to take the hits? I’d like to think so. I’d like to think that I have what it takes. I’d like to think that I can keep moving forward, even when getting hit by life.

Then I realized that even though I am weak, I am strong. So I have what it takes.  I can take it. I have the power. Not in me, but in Christ.  And the cool thing about it is that Hell doesn’t even know what I’m capable of.  And it’s all through Jesus Christ.

Are you willing to take the hits to be what God wants you to be and to go where God wants you to go?

Can I be completely honest?  I try to do that anyway, because with the changing culture, being transparent with your life is of the utmost importance.  But seriously, let me get something off of my chest.

I believe that one way that people grow together is to share their fears.  One of my biggest fears is the fear of failing.  I feel as if it was scared into me as a kid.  Throughout grade school, I passed every class with at least a C.  It wasn’t until college that I failed a class, which to this day is the only class that I’ve ever failed.  My biggest apprehension at trying anything is trying my best, and finding that my best isn’t good enough.

But failing doesn’t have to be a bad thing.  Failing implies that I tried.  Who cares if I fail, because, at least, I tried.  And hopefully I learned something along the way.  No, I don’t want to fail. Who wants to fail, but if I never try, then I fail at life.  And that’s my greatest fear.

What’s your greatest fear?

Ever had a day like that?  Where everything seems to go wrong, and nothing goes right.  That was my day yesterday and so far today.  In fact, the only good thing yesterday was going to the Cane Bay/Timberland softball game.

It’s okay though.  I still know that I’m loved by God, and that’s encouragement enough to keep going, and to keep forging ahead.  Like Rocky Balboa says in the latest Rocky movie, “It’s not about how hard you hit.  It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

And guess what?  I’m still moving forward.  And all I have to say to life is this: BRING IT!!!