Too fat, too dumb, too lazy and too drug addicted!

Late December 2020 sent me frantically, but I’m sure totally safely and law-abidingly, driving to Arizona for a family emergency. My heart and mind were racing with what-ifs and oh-nos. In an effort to distract myself, I turned to talk radio. Barry Markson was filling in for another host. He referenced a study that shocked me. He said something to the effect of most of our youth being too fat, too lazy, too dumb and too drug addicted to qualify for military service. Maybe it’s because my brain needed something other than my immediate reality on which to fixate, but this study has haunted me especially lately when we see how necessary good military is in a world spinning out of control!

I think the study Mr. Markson referenced may have come from Mission:Readiness. In October 2018 they released a report titled Unhealthy and Unprepared. Mission:Readiness is a group of retired admirals, generals and other military leaders who are part of a Council for a Strong America. Read more here: https://www.strongnation.org/missionreadiness.

I was thinking about the study this last weekend while watching our son compete in high school rodeo. Looking around I thought these are the kids they’re going to be coming for. The athletes. The ones with parents who are paying attention, setting high expectations, spending time with their kids, cheering them on, pushing them toward excellence! The ones whose parents have taught them to work like a house on fire, look people in the eye, shake hands, be truthful and seek forgiveness when necessary because Heaven knows we all mess up…no one knows this more than I do! Yikes!

We are born totally helpless! Yet, in our first two years of life we learn to feed ourselves, demand things we need, walk, talk, express ourselves, etc. We push ourselves long before the world or our immediate environments teach us not to. We don’t just lie in the crib waiting to die like Jersey calves. We are constantly pushing for more. We are born with a desire to achieve and succeed! It is Divinely given to each of us! It is our right and our privilege to push ourselves, to be driven, constantly becoming the best versions of ourselves!

Set goals and achieve those goals with passion and integrity! Remember what we came here to earth with: the DESIRE FOR EXCELLENCE AND GREATNESS! Be disciplined! PUT OUR PHONES DOWN AND READ BOOKS!! Pray for inspiration to know which desires and goals are for your best good and God’s glory! And, let’s all get out there and get to work TODAY, NOW!! Don’t delay!