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Strength

     One of my greatest pleasures in life is getting to see my nephews succeed.  No matter if its in school, work, football, cattle, or just life in general.  This is my nephews senior year in school and it seems like only yesterday that they were running around screaming laughing and jumping on beds.

     Over the years we have all had to summon inner strength that has helped us move forward in life.  We find that strength in many different forms.  Some find it in friends, some find it in faith, others find it in family.  I am one of those people that finds it in all three.

     When the boys were younger, their personalities formed quickly and very independent of each other.  I think what is funny is when they were younger, we really expected their personalities to veer into certain directions.  As they get older, they actually have followed that path pretty well.  They always surprise me more and more each day which proves two points.  One, you never know whats really ahead and how amazing people are, and two, just when you thought you could not get any stronger, you see how others succeed and it gives you more strength in your own life.

     As a young boy, I never really dreamed about being a lawyer or a doctor.  I loved cattle.  As I got older I realized I love the people that love cattle.  Working with people is one of my niches in life and something I do well.  A lot of people ask themselves daily, what else is out there, is there more?   Some even work really hard to seek out that next adventure or step in life, others work hard and watch for it to come along their path.  I do not believe there is a right or wrong way.  I do believe that be successful we have to be willing to take those steps and branch out to others adventures when the door opens.

     The point to some of this rambling is that when we get defeated in our lives or feel like we are stuck and spinning our wheels.  We will find strength in the most amazing places.  Recently for me and I have had a lot of questions about what I want out of my life and where I want to go with my professional career.  I have even felt defeated just like others in those endeavors.

     When talking with my nephews step mom, she always keeps me up on the info they wont tell me.  She lets me know that one of my nephews took another part-time job.  So he is working 2 part-time jobs, finishing his senior year in high school and taking college courses at the local junior college.  He is the twin that smarts comes naturally to him and he never has to study, a natural athlete, and a real charmer.  He was also the one that does not always apply himself in school when younger, he is making up for that now.

     The other twin has always had to work for his grades and loves making good grades. He was never the natural athlete like the other one. He studies and applies himself to everything he does.  Over the last couple of summers he has spent a lot of time not only working a part-time job, he has been working out.  Lifting weights and really bulking up.  He has done well with this studies and knows what he would like to be when he grows up.  He has also been successful in football. Something that surprises me a little.  He had to work at it all though to be successful.  

     The point I am wanting to make is that when I hear and see the success that my nephews have in their lives, it gives me strengths that I have forgotten or lost sight of in my own life.  These are two boys that are almost 18, and they have their heads on right. With everything that those two have been through in their lives, they show me that we all move on and continue to live.  They show me that hard work does pay off and will bring you rewards.  They give me strength.

     When we look around at all that is wrong in our lives and this country, we need to be reminded that it's not a politican in D.C. or the idiots who talk on the news stations that is in-charge of our lives.  We are in-charge of our lives, we are the ones that gives the power and strength to not only ourselves, to others and to even this great country.  The United States of America has a long history of being built on people with strength. People who work hard, persevere and move forward. Farmers, ranchers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and police are some of the strengths in this great nation.  If left to our own devices, the world would continue on without most issues if you take all others out of the equation.

     Your strength as a human does not come from government, or a policy.  Strength comes from family, friends, faith and the strength of others in our everyday life.  Do not let anyone tell you otherwise and do not let those who do not know your life, try to tell you how to live it.

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.
Helen Keller 

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