I apologize for my absence yesterday, I had a busy day preparing for my next Blessed&Appreciative event.  You can find out all the information your heart desires on our website at www.blessedandappreciative.org.  Blessed&Appreciative has changed my life.  It's brought me numerous moments where I find myself in tears of joy.  I truly feel like I am doing my part as a human being to make this world a better place, to leave my mark, to make Jordan's impact felt.  I am surrounded by an amazing team of men; various shapes, ages, colors, backgrounds, and talents.  The beautiful part of it is that our goal is all the same, to help others.  It's now Saturday afternoon.  This morning I had the opportunity to host a basketball/football clinic for 50 boys and girls ages 7-12 in my city of Harrisburg.  I found great joy and peace in seeing the smiles on all these kids interacting with each other, while looking to me for guidance and support as a role model.  Some of these kids even were calling me Tim Tebow!  Maybe it's my ugly mug that they found resemblance, maybe my muscles, maybe my hair, who knows?!  While others may have simply disregarded that comment from the 8 year olds, I took it to heart.  Maybe they felt my caring heart, maybe they felt my presence as a young man who truly saw all the goals and dreams oozing out of these kids' pores.  Kids are so special because they are human beings in their purest form.  No boundaries; with a kid it is what you see is what you get!  At the end of the day I found myself sad however...sad that I will never be able to do more for these troubled young individuals.  A lot of their problems start with their parents, who really do not care.  A lot of these parents just saw this Saturday morning as an opportunity for someone else to watch their little rascal for a few hours...I wonder if some of those parents even asked their kids if they enjoyed the camp?  Or if they learned anything new?  Or if they made new friends?...regardless of the fact, I know that I did my part, MY WHOLE BLESSED&APPRECIATIVE TEAM DID THEIR PART, to hopefully make the city of Harrisburg a better place.

I  learned two things today:

1) Don't ever take great parenting for granted.  Great parents are the reason that some of us have the life opportunities that we do now.  I love my parents from the bottom of my heart.  I would absolutely take a bullet for either of my parents without thinking twice.  I think they are the most amazing people on the face of this earth.  I'd say that whether I was related to them or not.  Maybe some of you out there can find happiness in telling your parents that you love them today...maybe just a hug...maybe just kiss your mother...who knows what kind of peace will find your heart if you do one of those things....

2) No matter how bad you think you have it, there is always someone out there who has it worse.  I count my blessings every single day that I am alive.  It's an blessing to be woken up by the grace of god every morning; to take in new experiences and to have the privilege to grow as a human being for those 24 hours.  There are people out there without arms or legs, people out there without eyes to see, people out there without ears to listen, people out there who have brain damage that will never be able to feel love again.  We will fight along side of those people.  Those people are our brothers and sisters.  They feel pain also, some in a much much worse way.

Take this weekend to reflect on life...think of an old memory that makes you smile.  Share a moment with an old friend or a relative that wouldn't normally reach out to.  You never know where happiness awaits you...

I'll never give up.  Neither will you.  We will fight this battle together.  AND WIN.

When you have no one else, just remember, you have me.

-J