Happy New Year, another year come and gone. It’s amazing to me how fast time goes by as we get older. My little guys are no longer little guys, it’s hard for me to think that Justin will be graduated and on his own this year. Ouch. I was just changing his diaper, how can that be possible, and Austin my 13yr old went shopping with me last week for new shoes, a size 14! He put on over 30lbs in the last year, WOW. He starts up his Wrestling season this week at Heath Middle School; I know will have a great year he is maturing so fast. Justin has had a great first half of his season at West. He is ranked #1 in the State at 189lbs and has dominated all of his opponents this year. He has so many opportunities in front of him. He ended up being all conference again in Football at Defensive End again this year. I remember being a senior in High School and just wanting to be done with School, but as we look back now at life thoughs were great years and life was really not very hard. Funny how you can get overwhelmed with circumstances but in retrospect things really aren’t so bad.

2007 was a growing year for me in many ways still trying to get used to my new life and really find myself. Only had one fight in August that went very well down in Dallas. I am preparing for a title fight in Hawaii this month in Hawaii for the Heavyweight belt in X1 World Combat. I’m looking forward to a great year, Real Estate is slow as it is most places right now but we have to make the best with what we have. I am purchasing houses for myself and doing much of the repair work to get them in shape to resell quickly. It’s a great time to by houses at the right price it’s just a difficult time to sell them at the price you deserve.

In addition to training for my next competition, selling and fixing up homes I will be speaking in K-12 schools this year. I’m excited to be in front of kids and share with them some of the things that helped me find success in life. It’s easy to get mixed up with the wrong crowds today and give in to the peer pressure that is out there. If I can make a difference in one student I am satisfied.

I have spent a good deal of time with the Lord seeking his direction in my life, so often we get going on our own paths and it’s easy to try and set our own path. I have to stop myself regularly and seek direction. It’s often the path less traveled that we need to take the difficult one, the one that’s not convenient for us to take. I want to be used by the Lord and live as he wants me to live, and in order for that to happen every day I wake up I have to say no to myself and yes to him. I have to pick up my Cross and carry it even when it’s heavy and inconvenient. Why is it that it’s so easy to do wrong and so hard to do the right most of the time? I’m glad I have the Lords conviction in my life and can feel his presents with me always.