This summer:3:_SHIFT_

Current Location: Indianapolis International Airport, IN
Location in 3 hours: Minneapolis, MN
Location in 4 hours: Grand Forks, ND

At the start of any significant momentum shift in my life, I like to set goals. I've found that if I don't have my focus on things that I find important and want to pursue, I will easily getting knocked off balance and fall to the mercy of my--often wild--surroundings. As the start of my job has drawn nearer, I've considered what this summer's goals will be. I've come to realize they are the same basic goals that I always seem to make for myself. Sure, I have silly little goals that change from year to year, but I think instead of thinking up goals for myself, I have discovered life themes... passions, if you will.

It's as simple as this:

Love God.
Love People.

This summer I want to start each day dedicating everything I have to God. Giving Him my job, my insecurities, my pride, my relationships, my safety, my laziness, my personality... everything. As long as I stop trying to take control and "make the most of everything" in my eyes and let Him lead me to what is most important, I will live more fully and learn to love God more deeply. I believe I have so much more to learn from my experiences this summer than to just be a better kid-wrangler and airplane traveler.

By taking the focus off myself and onto God, I will be able to better love other people as well. I know that times will get frustrating with people in the airport, at the bases and with my partner, Charles, but it will be a whole lot easier if I allow myself to put things into perspective and see through God's eyes. There is so much to learn from people, and I don't think we give them enough credit. Yes, the Bible is a great tool. Yes, sermons and prayer are great, but God has put so much of His love into each and every person that there has to be so much to learn just from loving them! Love on yo brotha; that's all I'm sayin. ha

Cool. that's bout enough for now. Here are some of my goals. If you don't hear me talk about them for the rest of the summer, kick me in the shins next time you see me.

Goals:

Photography-
_Take plenty of silly pictures.
_Take important pictures.
_Don't photograph EVERYTHING. Leave some things to memory.
_Take self-portraits.
_Don't break the camera.

Relationships-
_Really get to know Charles.
_Really let Charles get to know me.
_Make friends across the world.
_Be patient, kind, don't envy or boast or be proud, don't be rude or self-seeking or easily angered, keep no record of wrongs, rejoice in the truth, protect, trust, hope and persevere.

Daily Checklist-
_Spend time alone with God.
_Refine my dance skillzzz.
_Do something I've never done before.

Health-
_Eat food that my body was meant to eat.
_Exercise everyday.
_Rock climb as much as possible!
_Take my vitamins and meds.
_Sleep.
_Learn to do hand stands.
_Sing.
_Don't have to use my epipen.

Job-
_Be brilliant. (That one's for Rusty.)
_Be a role model.
_Be in love with my work.
_Be resilient.
_Be flexible.
_Be forgiving.
_Have a ball. :)