Men in Uniform

lol. I've been asked this question a couple times before for various reasons... At first, a part of me wants to be confused, offended or get defensive. I stop though and remember last week when I was running through the Times Square Subway station to catch my next train. My heart stopped when I noticed a big black duffel bag laying next to a pillar in the middle of the busy station. I started searching for "a man in uniform" and found one a moment later. Another frantic gentleman reached him at the same time and we quickly pointed out the bag to him. I didn't wait around, but hurried on. I know that there are those with evil intentions who want to "test" our system and see what they can get away with, BUT.... I can't help, but be fascinated when I think about the less than 1% of our population that takes the fight to the enemy overseas. Our Military. As I read, observe and learn more of what military life entails the more my respect levels rise for anyone who serves or has ever served. Yes, it's a frustrating War on Terror we are fighting, with sometimes painfully slow progress, but I grow in gratefulness daily to all the sacrifices that attribute to every safe bus ride or airplane flight I take. The more I know, the less I take that lightly.

Of COURSE I have "a thing" for men in uniform. EVERY American should.

Here's one simple way to show your support to soldiers who are far from home:

Other ways you can support the troops:

Fisher House Foundation (www.fisherhouse.org)

Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust (www.dav.org)

The Veterans Northeast Outreach Center (www.northeastveterans.org)

Home is where my heart is...

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and it's not the same man."

-Heraclitus

We touched down on the snow covered runway and the little plane jerked back and forth until it came to a complete stop. The above quote is referring to my "river": New York City. I walked through LaGuardia terminal and couldn't help but feel as if it had been years since I was last here. Was it really only 5 days ago I left for the Omaha Auto Show? I'm technically back home but I feel like a stranger. I've recently realized that the more I travel, the more time I must attend to the health of my heart since that is the only real home I have... No matter where I am I can close my eyes and pray about my concerns or just bask in the peace that passes all understanding. I lived in New York a couple years ago, but I'm back and it's like the first time. My heart is stirring with new vision and dreams. I don't know what's next, but do know that my heart is being strategically prepared. God is responsible for that and I just have to be willing to be stretched... It's not very pleasant most of the time, but I must remain in an expectant posture and be ready for the next risk that presents itself to me. As 2011 begins, I am reminiscent of all that I learned about great men and women of God during my 4 years at Liberty University. I read and learned about men like Charles Spurgeon, Dr. AW Tozer, George Mueller and even sat under the teaching of the late Rev. Jerry Falwell. What did they have in common? What allowed these men to be so effective and driven as visionaries and leaders? Though there are a couple of things the one that always stuck in my mind is the way each of these men awoke early in the morning hours to approach the throne of the Almighty God and come into his presence. They spent the early morning hours in prayer and solitude. They took their cue from Jesus.

• Mark 1:35 "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."

• Luke 5:16 "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

"If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten."
-T. Robbins

I want more than what I've always had. New York, New York is the city God has chosen for this season of my life and taking to heart wisdom and the example set by great men and women of God... then 7:00am here I come.