End Game?

End Game

I had finished watching the movie starring Cuba Gooding, "Life of a King", a very uplifting and moving film centered around the game of chess. The over all theme was, “What is your endgame?” If you ever get a chance to see this movie don't pass it up (you will need at least 3 tissues). 
While going through some of my Face Book posts and replies, I read a statement from one of the many outstanding students in my past. I tweeted out to the community about a course I was taking to benefit the students within my sphere of influence at present and this one reply eluded to him not reaping the benefits of my present day endeavors. I responded back saying
..."As I was reading your reply to my tweet from this morning. I could not help but feel your frustration to your question, 'What would have been if...?' "

One of the many things I am learning about life is that in relationship to others I need to keep the endgame in mind at all times, the past needs to stay in the past. That means some steps are on firm solid ground while other steps are treacherous, for every yes that I say means, I must say no somewhere else,  all this while keeping the end game in mind. Our lives are summed up by that little dash/line between our date of arrival and our date of departure from this world. What story will it tell?

King Solomon (wisest/richest man that has ever lived or will ever live) upon his death left a nation bankrupted because he lost the focus and the purpose of his life. But he was wise enough to realize this fact at the end of his life, "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, with every secret thing, whether good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14).
So what is your endgame?

So what is my endgame?  "He learned how to serve others before serving himself."

Until the next time, 
Dragoncoach1

What is your abiding excuse?

I realize that it has been quite sometime since I have posted to this blog.  Time runs out quickly when you are engaged in so many things.  As I get older somethings just go by the wayside and though they are great they do not carry the importance I once thought they had in my life. So I am living for the day when I can greet the sun at my front door, live the day for the Lord, and then bid the sun a good nights rest at the back door.  In the mean time ponder this...

While going through some of the posts to my page this morning a former student wrote about how bored they were at school and not liking school in general.  It hurt my heart to read such a statement as I sit and listen to the speech of an outstanding man who endured all types of hardships, so that we (minorities in particular) can have equal access to all that our society can offer. One of these people was Dr. King.   
To all who think they are oppressed by one system or another I say to you that too many people got hung from trees, blown up, shot, hosed down, bit by attack dogs, beat with clubs for you to say that school is boring, for you to say that the instructor is prejudice against....(submit your excuse here).
Now I may be old school by our parents taught us (because they remembered Selma,Alabama, Dr. King, Medgar Evers) 1. the teacher got theirs (education) you need to get yours, 2. The teacher is right and on the off chance they might be wrong... the teacher is right!
I fully admit that times are different in 2015 as compared to 1960's when I was in middle school. But school is boring because as students we choose not to go beyond what comes out of your instructors mouth or the text book on your desk. School is designed (Public School for the most part) is designed to teach the minimum, your role needs to be to seek the maximum on every topic, etc. We live in the 21st century (we have been for 25 years) where access to information and higher learning is literally in the palm of your hand (try removing all the games of distraction from your device and start using it for your advancement)  or on your desk (actually put your face in a book). 
Students, if the only time that you engage yourself in a subject is when the instructor is in front of you (from Academics to Athletics) then the best you can hope for is mediocrity. And to my fellow instructors of students this applies to you also, academically and professionally (social media does not have to be the demon child, it is a tool of the 21st century)!

2015 is here, step up and take charge!!
The Dragoncoach1