Hurricanes and Hope

As some of you have followed, Hurricane Issac is currently making its’ way across the Gulf as it contemplates where to land.  Experts expect it to hit somewhere between Louisiana and Florida.  A quick glance at a map will show you Keesler Air Force Base lies right in the middle of those two points.  So as we here at Keesler prepare for another week of class and training we also prepare to welcome our stormy friend Issac.

Before we talk about where the hurricane is going let’s talk about where it has been.  The last couple days have been tense for areas in the Caribbean including the orphanage that I am running for in Titanyen Haiti.  While mudslides, tragic stories of deaths and injuries occurred across a still healing country I received a message of hope this morning.  The Maranatha House passed the storm with relatively little damage despite the strong winds and rain (damage did occur on parts of the roof on the cafeteria building).  Part of this has been because of money raised for new buildings on the compound in the past and most recently strong window shutters (installed within the last 2 weeks) that kept the weather at bay.  It is wonderful to have sincere prayers answered and to express to you all that your support and donations equate to the protection and service for a country and people that is far from recovered. 

I had hope for Haiti with the hurricane approaching this past week and that hope was fulfilled.  I remind myself of that hope this week as Issac is likely to become more up close and personal for those along the U.S. Gulf Coast including myself.  The power of one thought has shown and will continue to show itself in different ways in our lives.  Currently it is rearing its’ head as a thought of hope.

Hope has come in handy this past week as I think beyond the current hurricane situation.  I have been motivated and inspired by having people read my blog and wish me encouragement.  In fact a close relative has chosen to run the marathon with me after hearing about this blog.  However, with all of this positive I face the grim reality of the financial goals of the One Thought Away project.  My original goal of $3,400 set in May seems hard to accomplish with donations totaling less than $1,000 thus far.  I know I am not running in vain as I already have seen positive change in people through this even if we never raised a single dollar. 

However, powerful thoughts lead to powerful actions and I hope the powerful thoughts that you all have shared with me and those that kindle inside you will manifest into powerful actions.  Please understand that the dollars donated do not sit idle, but are managed to have the largest impact possible for the Maranatha Village orphanage and the immediate Titanyen community such as the recent shutters installed at the orphanage.  In a recent interview ABC news reported:

“Jean-Robert Sauviren, an unemployed 63-year-old father of six said as he stood barefoot in the water and held aloft his arms. ‘Maybe we don't deserve anything.’”

We need powerful actions because that is what allows us to put shutters on buildings to protect from hurricanes, it is what allows us to rush the children to Cholera clinics and it is what allows us to remind a burdened group of people that they are loved and cared for and they do count for something.

I have hope you read this.  I have faith you will act on how you feel drawn to.  I have love that love is the reason we will act.

Hope, faith and love; what else do we need? J

Read my original post on details of how you can support here

http://miles-dodge.blogspot.com/2012/05/one-thought-away.html

Just Run

Have you ever heard the phrase paralysis by over analysis?  I suffer from this condition from time to time.  It describes the condition when one is so concerned with preparation, or analyzing a situation to an extreme where they actually do not do anything.  This morning was a perfect example.  I was having trouble with my phone app that measures how much I run which allows me to post maps for you all to track my progress.  I literally spent 15 minutes tapping my phone and talking to my phone and to myself trying to get it to work.  Phrases like “come on come on, hurry up, please just work!” and thoughts of when my next phone upgrade sprinted through my head.  Then it hit me of why I was out there.  I was out there to run.  Not to spend my morning fiddling with my phone and getting frustrated.  Do not misunderstand me.  I still feel preparation and measuring success is important for the long run, but in situations like this morning it shouldn’t take away from that core purpose of what you are doing. 

With this in mind I put my iTunes on shuffle and just ran.  Running without a pace in my head, or a focus on how much longer I had to run, I just ran; it was a liberating feeling.  A feeling that I invite you all to allow in your life from time to time during the course of your schedules, appointments and must dos.  Let your feet hit the ground and feel that freedom in each step and just run.  The longer you run you are reminded of the powerful thoughts within you.  The thoughts of ones far away that you care for, thoughts of past, present and future and thoughts of ones who inspire you to run. 

You have probably realized by now that running is just a vehicle or metaphor that represents different situations in our lives.  This post is no different.  When you find yourself this week overthinking something, or having anxiety over preparing for something remember what you read here.  Don’t let overthinking stop you in your tracks, just run.  

Miles

*http://theforgetfulwife.com/13-1/

Excellence In All We Do...Little Things Make Big Things Happen

The third and final core value of the Air Force is “Excellence In All We Do”.  When I think of excellence I am reminded of one of my favorite role models 10 time NCAA Basketball Champion Coach John Wooden.  My admiration for him goes beyond his success on the basketball court to include his entire approach to life on and off the court.  He coached and practiced excellence in all he did.  Practices began and ended at specific times because he believed in maintaining discipline and a balanced schedule to ensure time for things such as family.  So focused on detail that he taught how to properly wear your basketball socks to prevent the possibility of blisters.  With a keen eye on such meticulous detail Coach Wooden believed in making “each day a masterpiece” and exemplified the core value excellence in all we do.

When basic military training was beginning and our group of 48 young men in Flight 475 were being introduced to the core values I thought of leaders like Coach Wooden and how high of a standard excellence is to live up to.  The first couple of weeks it would be safe to say our flight struggled to obtain excellence as we went through what many call the “forming, storming, norming and performing” cycle that describes how new groups behave when coming together.  However, just like a runner pushes past that mental wall to get that extra mile, or refuse to hit the snooze button on a Saturday morning to go train we kept pushing forward.  We were not without our struggles, or day to day failures, but who isn’t?  Coach Wooden believed “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be” and so what did we do?  We learned from our mistakes, we developed, we changed and each found our roles on the team and strove for excellence in those roles daily.  The result?  Flight 475 walked away with the following honors.

·        

• Beast Excellence:  Awarded to the winning zone of a 5 day outdoor simulated deployment exercise between all squadrons.
• Warrior Flight:  Awarded to flights achieving a point threshold recognizing achievements in military training over the span of 8 weeks (the only Warrior flight out of all squadrons)
•  7 Honor Graduates:  Awarded to individual Airman who graduate in the top 10% of all graduates
•  Honor Flight:  Awarded to the best flight in their graduating class

It was very exciting to be a part of this and even more excited in how we did it.  We paid attention to the little details like reading directions, keeping our arms straight while marching and keeping our bearing when asked questions.  This is exciting because it gives us all the potential to be excellent in all we do by doing the little things with excellence.  Coach Wooden says it best, “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen“.  What is your big thing and what little things are keeping you from it?

Do not be afraid of failing when striving for excellence, but also do not be afraid to strive. 

I triple dog dare you J.

Miles

P.S.  Thank you everybody for your support.  I am still collecting donations for the cause in Haiti with Ncompass.  If you have been following this for a while and feel moved to support more read over how to donate here: http://miles-dodge.blogspot.com/2012/05/one-thought-away.html.



Sources
*http://www.littlethingsmatter.com/blog/2010/06/08/committed-to-excellence-a-tribute-to-john-wooden/

Service Before Self...a snowball in Mississippi

Continuing on from last week’s post today we take a look at the core value of “Service Before Self”.  With that in mind I want to focus on some of the people I have been blessed to meet during my short time with the Air Force who have put service before self.

Standing in line to pick up my dry cleaning last week I overhear an Airman in front of me.  I catch part of what he says and realize he is Haitian; what are the odds?  Over the past week I have had a chance to speak with Kender.  A man from Massachusetts proud of his family and more than happy to discuss the intricacies of communicating whether it be body language, English, or French.  Someone who has dreams; dreams that include serving those in his family, in his neighborhood back home and this country.

Switching gears slightly.  I am staring at my training plan and am distracted by the pain in my foot while I wonder how to keep up my training without causing a more serious injury.  Ask and you shall receive.  Along with a number of tips from friends from back home I also meet Airman Ehler from Ohio.  I realize he is a former Division I long distance runner.  What are the odds?  After further discussion with him I gain a friend willing to coach me on running and someone here to serve his country plain and simple.

The fact I am in the same squadron at Keesler with a Haitian and an experienced long distance runner while training for a marathon to support a Haitian orphanage may be chalked up as a cool coincidence.  The fact I run into Airmen daily who are here to serve others is not a coincidence.  I am very proud to be a part of the Air Force and have learned a lot about service from those around me.  Seeing others serve inspires oneself to serve others.  That creates a service snowball effect that has the potential to grow and grow.  Notice those serving around you and let it build you, but don’t let the snowball stop with you; keep rolling along and serve others.  Who knows, you might be the start of an avalanche.