 Cheyenne is a great place to visualize a variety of stories on the decorative cowboy boots around town. I stopped recently at the Art Gallery to examine their boot a little more closely.     Yes, that is Butch Cassidy listed there.   I hope you are never featured on a boot like this. May your deeds be righteous!
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 Crossing the state of Nebraska over 100 times in the last 14 years has made it a bit tedious. Yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, my mind needed a break from the monotony of Interstate 80, and my body needed some movement as well. I decided that a stop in Kearney would be good. Other than the Archway Monument across I-80, I knew nothing about Kearney. I don't recall ever getting off of the highway and venturing too far into town. During yesterday's adventure I was surprised at how big the the town is and the number of restaurants from which to choose. I also saw a sign for the University of Nebraska at Kearney, so I asked my faithful GPS how to get to it. I stopped to look at the Ron and Carol Cope Stadium. It is a beautiful stadium. What really caught my attention was the lone athlete striving to improve. How will that type of dedication, determination, and discipline pay off? Time will tell. My days of being an athlete are over. However, this individual working out at the stadium prompted my thinking about other areas of my life in which dedication, determination, and discipline could still play a huge role in my accomplishments. Regardless of our age and state in life, maintaining focus on a few key items will keep us sharp and moving forward. These are a few of the questions I pondered in light of my dedication, determination, and discipline, or lack thereof. 1. What would my spiritual journey look like if I pursued it with vigor? In what ways can I grow in my prayer life? Can dedication, determination, and discipline play a significant role in a person's pursuit of holiness? 2. How would my authorship of the next book be progressing if I had a little more dedication, determination, and discipline in my writing habits? 3. What impact would I have on my little corner of the world if I exhibited more diligence in my dedication, determination, and discipline in my work to add value to other people's lives? My encouragement for you: Be Your Best Self Today!  Do you typically experience the pain of discipline, or the pain of regret?
Pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps is part of the American culture, especially in the West. I stopped in at City Hall recently in Cheyenne, Wyoming for a meeting and noticed the decorative boot outside commemorating the 150th anniversary of Cheyenne back in 2017. What has changed for the city in the last five years since that celebration? Were any goals set and achieved? Making it more personal, how have you and I grown as individuals in the last five years? Did we set goals, or have we just lived day-to-day wishing for better outcomes? Have we experienced the pain of discipline (and the accompanying successes connected to it), or the pain of regret?  Discernment is a process. The process may vary from one individual to another.
-- When confronted with making a big decision, some will start with prayer and meditation. Then, they may make a list of pros and cons regarding the situation. Others will start the discernment process by consulting his/her spouse, a trusted friend, or a mentor in the field. Gathering information, analyzing the available data, and making projections based upon that data can be a key determinant in the process. Finances, relocation, and a myriad of other issues can all play into these scenarios. These things will impact your logical thinking, your analysis, your emotions and feelings connected to the decision at hand, and will cause a certain level of stress depending upon how many complicating factors are involved in the decision-making process. -- What strategies and moves in life are you feeling prompted to make through your discernment process?  A guy at the local gas station said the moose hang out in town in people's yards. I drove all through town looking. I drove out to the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge. I saw pretty scenery, but no wildlife of any kind. The signs on the road kept reminding the drivers that we were in the territory of "Game Crossing." Yeah right!   There was a moose sculpture at the Moose Visitor Center. It is the only one I saw.    The wildlife viewing was nonexistent, but it was a scenic and pleasant drive.
This was my second visit to Walden in ten years. Probably my last.  It has been nearly 23 years since my ordination to the diaconate. As I look back and think about this particular moment in the ritual, I really had no idea what would be in store for me as I placed myself at the service of God and His Church.  Thank you to each of you for your service to God's people. Happy ten year anniversary!  I miss Deacon Frank immensely. It was a pleasure to serve with him at the cathedral.
My prayers are lifting up his family today as they mark this milestone in his absence.  I went to school for five years back in the 1990's when I was studying to become a deacon. I know the challenges of keeping up with the demands of life and then adding on the pursuit of academic studies on top of it. It is no small task. I congratulate all those who are celebrating these types of milestones. Today, I wish I could have been in Standish, Maine. However, I had to be content with watching my daughter receive her Master of Arts Degree via livestream. Maybe I will be able to attend a doctorate ceremony down the road? Congratulations Maria on the achievement! Thank you, Tyler, for helping make this day possible. Your support of her endeavors is appreciated. May God bestow abundant blessings on you both for your commitment to build the Kingdom of God!    Mother's Day was not too much fun in 2014. Eight years have passed since this event.   After many hours of shoveling, I was able to retrieve our cars on May 12.
Let's not repeat the experience.  Whether it is at home, work, or school, when does your presence bring healing to others?
-- On the flipside, who has the greatest healing influence in your life?  Leaving the house at 5:30 AM this morning reminded me of my earlier working years in St. Louis. Back in the day when I worked in downtown St. Louis, or even in St. Louis County in Maryland Heights, Missouri, I would leave the house that early each day to avoid rush hour traffic. Today, I did it to join 500 of my closest friends for breakfast at Little America Hotel and Resort in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  It was a privilege for me to be a judge when the Boys and Girls Club of Cheyenne were selecting the Youth of the Year. The panel of judges chose Tommy Valencia as our local winner. Tommy went on to win at the state level as well. He will now go on to the regional competition in Dallas, Texas later this summer. It was amazing to see how much his presentation skills had improved since the original competition. That young man has a bright future. The Keynote speaker, Gian Paul Gonzalez, was quite inspirational in his message. He has quite a story and I was blessed to hear it. One line I wrote down for future reference is this: "Fame is what we do for ourselves. Greatness is what we do for others."  No one touched my heart this morning like Mr. Justin Pendleton, Chief Executive Officer for Boys and Girls Club of Cheyenne. This man truly understands the sacred dignity and value of each human being in our midst. "There aren't bad kids. There are bad circumstances." Justin, thank you for your service to the community. I am beyond fortunate each time I get to partner with you on an endeavor to enhance our community. Your inspirational leadership and your kindness is a blessing to us all.  Finally, I had some fun hanging out with a couple of basketball players from the University of Wyoming. It was nice being eye-to-eye with some folks for a change. Take note--I was not the tallest person in the room this time.
It was great to be in attendance at an energized event, even if it did have to start at 6:30 A.M. The nearly 500 people in attendance for this fundraiser demonstrated the wonderful attributes of the Cheyenne community. Don't let the negativity of the evening news wear you down. There is a lot of good still happening in our society. Mr. Justin Pendleton and the staff of Boys and Girls Club of Cheyenne demonstrated that in a big way today. Congratulations on a fantastic event! |
AuthorThis is my personal blog. The opinions expressed are those of Deacon Vernon and the blog's readers. This site operates independently and is not affiliated with any other entity. The information I provide is on an "as-is" basis. I make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information on this blog. I will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information. Furthermore, I will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its use. |
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