A Little Hard Work Never Hurt Anyone......

That is of course unless you have been reduced to a pencil pushing pansy!

My whole life I have lived by the principle that if you want something, it is only obtainable if you are willing to work hard enough to achieve it. I have also been taught to never hesitate to offer a helping hand. Growing up in the country, I learned first hand how to work. No, I did not grow up milking cows and feeding stock at 5am before walking uphill to school; but I did learn how to break a sweat and get things done. Being a big kid, I was naturally a little lazy, but my parents made sure that didn't define me as they required me to complete my fair share of chores/tasks/jobs.

For the past 4 years I have worked as a marketing executive for a small software firm and have gratefully forgotten the days of taking extra shirts to work so I could change when one would get too heavy from the absorbed sweat. Unfortunately, my dad still has to do this. :( Needless to say, I have been reduced to a pencil pushing pansy!

Last week I volunteered to help put some flooring down for a family in need at our church. Traveling wears me out and after being on the road all week, I took off at lunch on Friday and went to help install laminate flooring. We broke at 4:30 for a Good Friday service and reconvened at 8:30. Tuckered out, I went home at 11:45. I showered and went to sleep. The following morning, I got up at 8am and packed my clothes for the weekend and then left to go to Austin. Thankfully, my lovely wife volunteered to drive and after I came out of my early morning fog, I took a quick nap. We went to Michele's grandmother's house where we worked from 10:30am to 4pm trimming a huge pecan tree. Matt, Randy and I worked the ground with an electric chain saw and gloves; clearing the limbs out and loading them on a trailer. We spend time that evening visiting with Michele's family before crashing at her dad's house about midnight.

For some reason, I felt tired on Sunday. I have been working out faithfully in the evenings for over a month now, but I had forgotten how to work. With blisters dissolving and aching muscles renewed, I have volunteered to meet at 6:30 tonight to help finish the flooring project!

I thank God for the health to be able to get sore while lending a hand to those whom are less fortunate than me.