The World is Bigger than You & Bigger than Me

The world is bigger than you and me. 

My wife was born in Nicosia, Cyprus while her parents worked to spread the love of God. She only lived there a few months before retiring to the US, yet here parents and two sisters were there for a little over five years. Thus our trip was her and her sibling first return back to the island nation. We have attempted to travel for the last three years, yet due to the pandemic, we have been delayed until now. 

John

   John Kraft (@flatlanderspursuit) • Instagram photos and videos 

 This is John. 

John is an inspiration to me in many ways. 

John is my cousin who chooses to live out his dreams. He doesn't just talk about it...he does. 

Today was our final workout together. For the last few months, we'd get together weekly for a bootcamp style workout...burpees, sprints, cinderblock chucking fun. 

John is almost 10yrs younger than me and kicks my tail each week, routinely finishing each element before me and always doing more than expected.

John leaves this week to spend a few months as a rafting guide in California before continuing his journey retracing the steps of Louis & Clark. 

John is combining walking, rafting, and biking to complete the trail over the course of a few years, along the way connecting with many inspiring more. 

I stole a few pictures from John's IG page....

I am confident John has encouraged and motivated many people on his journey, and he will continue to do so for many more...

My time with John has been a reminder of the importance of telling those you care for that you are proud of them and love them. 

Don't wait to tell someone you love and are proud of them. 

Our time is short on this earth, and God's Love is for all to know and experience. 

Be safe out there, John, and never stop exploring God's creation. 

Battling Depression & Suicide as a Christian

I have spoken frequently about my mental health struggles and the journey of the last few years. What I have not done is be as open about my faith struggles along the way. 

How do one's belief in Jesus and their faith coincide with battling inner darkness that does not stop...

In an attempt to help fight the stigma and create an avenue for hope, this past Sunday, with the Lord's help...I shared my depths and story of depression & suicide. If you need the message of hope or know someone who does...please share and help all know they are not alone. 

Trevor

How You View the Path Will Direct Your Path

Last week I had the opportunity to travel to Colorado for an ASCD curriculum leaders conference.

After the conference, of which I got to spend three days with two of my Generation Esports colleagues, Chris Shima and Dr. Mike Russell, 

I took a few days to ski at Loveland Valley.

Loveland straddles I-70 over the top of the Eisenhower Tunnel on the continental divide.
While I'd consider myself a competent enough skier to handle most terrain, I found Loveland to be right on the edge of my skill set.

Yet the most challenging thing was the ability to judge the terrain confidently through my goggles.

A few years ago I bought a cheap knock-off brand from Amazon...and I now regret that decision.

Eye protection is a must while skiing due to the cold, wind, snow, and sun that bombard your eyes. BUT, just having a pair of sunglasses or goggles will not cut it.

If the goggles you have are made for sunny days and it's overcast, all of the terrains will look the same. You will have a very difficult time telling if a bump or drop-off is coming your way. Especially when you are flying down the mountain at warp speed. Additionally, if the goggles you use are designed for overcast days and allow lots of light, you will feel almost blinded on full sun days.

The majority of my time on the mountain was overcast and snowing..much like the picture below. Thus visibility and the goggles I had made skiing even more challenging. 

There was a time when I decided to hike a ridgeline to get to a power bowl, and upon making it to the drop-in point, I couldn't tell if I was on the edge of the mountain or the sky...my visibility was so poor. 

Three Years Ago...

 At the start of the pandemic, I started a VLOG...Video Log...of my experiences as a school principal during the pandemic. 

While doing some Google Drive cleaning, I came across this video I made in early April after we had been shut down for a few weeks to remember what we did to serve kids and function as a family. 

Click on the image to watch the VLOG from 4/7/2020

Interesting to think back on the initial start of the pandemic...how we operated, and how we made decisions as school leaders. 

While there are many actions we now look back on and heavily question and second guess, the reality is that God was in control through it all. 

He will ALWAYS be in control. 

Even as the world feels like it is spinning out of control, God has never promised us peace while on this earth, and the sooner we accept that, the sooner we can go about the work of helping bring our brothers and sisters closer to Jesus. 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him". Jesus

Do Nothing....By Yourself

 

When was the last time you sat in silence for an extended period?

No music, video, or others talking to you...just you and nature?

 
Albert Einstein was known for his brilliant scientific discoveries and attributed much of his creativity and insight to his time spent in solitude. He once said,

"The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind."

Earlier this week, I went for a long walk at a neighborhood park while waiting for a friend to get home. I sat for a bit and just looked out over the pond....my first instinct was to grab my phone and scroll social media, check email, watch youtube....anything...

It was SO hard to just sit and do nothing. 

Annie, the family dog.

 

This is our dog, Annie...

She has been a part of the family for a few years and continues to be a blessing to each of us in different and unique ways. 

There is something about a dog that has the ability to create a mood and positive climate for our crew. She is the go-to "comforter" when someone gets hurt and is always there to celebrate with you. 

Dogs are special. 

So much good to say about our family dog.