“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” ~Jesse Owens The seventh out of eleven children, James Cleveland “Jesse” Owens was born in Alabama in 1913. Later, the family moved to Ohio. While working several jobs to help support his family, he discovered his passion for running. He went on to become a track and field athlete and won
Friday Focus – Olympic Training
Is anybody else going through Olympic withdrawals? While I appreciate going to bed at a decent hour instead of staying up to see the final group compete, I miss seeing the athletes. Athletes who skate, ski, and slide into the spotlight and show the world a few minutes of amazing athletic achievement. The pageantry and national anthems. The stories of triumph after injury and of individual’s carrying the hopes of their countries on their shoulders.
Friday Focus – Prudence Crandall
What if you ran a female boarding school in Connecticut in the early 1830s and a young black woman applied for admission? Would you admit her? Prudence Crandall took a risk and did. Controversy erupted as the town protested her decision. Other students withdrew and Prudence faced closing the doors completely. Instead, she decided to limit admission solely to young black women and vowed to work “for the remaining part of my life to benefit
Friday Focus – Lance Armstrong
This week we’ve been talking about enthusiasm and celebrating life. So, as I was looking for an example, I realized that those who appreciate the gift of life the most are those who almost lost it. Take Lance Armstrong, for example. A cyclist on the International stage, he developed a few physical symptoms that sent him to the doctor. In 1996, he was diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer that had metastasized to his brain
Friday Focus – Mother Teresa
For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been taking a closer look at a few of the attitudes that make for a successful journey. (Or at least a happier one.) Attitudes like contentment, gratitude, and humility. When you think of those qualities, who comes to mind? One person on my list was Mother Teresa. Who was she? She was an Albanian Catholic nun who, at the age of 40, founded the Missionaries of Charity in
Friday Focus – Patrick Henry Hughes
What if you were born without eyes or the ability to straighten your legs and walk? How would you describe your disabilities? Well, if you were Patrick Hughes, you’d say, “Not disabilities at all. More … ability.” He began playing the piano by ear before his first birthday and was taking requests by his 2nd. To see the rest of his journey, click here. (Caution: tissues may be necessary) Did you hear what his dad
Friday Focus – Rudy
One of my favorite football movies, Rudy, is based on the true story of a young man who dreamed since childhood of playing football for the University of Notre Dame. Hampered by his small size and an undiagnosed learning disability, he ended up working in a steel mill after high school. However, after the death of the only friend who encouraged him, he decided it was time to pursue his dream. Packing his bag, he
Friday Focus – Susanna
Today I’d like to tell you the story of an amazing woman who lived in the late 1600s. The youngest of 25 children, she was raised as a preacher’s kid. After marrying a pastor, she gave birth to 19 children of her own. Life wasn’t easy for Susanna. Nine of her children died as infants. Money was always tight and their home burned down – twice. She took on the education of her children (six
Friday Focus – Abraham Lincoln
Looking back on history, we see our nation’s 16th President as a man of conviction who waged a war over the issue of slavery and ultimately paid for it with his life. But the seeds of his character were planted years before. In the evenings as a child when he studied by the fire and learned to read the Bible. When he continued to educate himself and read whenever he had the chance. When he
Friday Focus – Jim Tressel
Jim Tressel is the head football coach at Ohio State and has an impressive win-loss record to speak of his success as a coach. Not to mention a victory in the Rose Bowl last week. However, more than on-field accomplishments, he works to instill in his players the foundations for a successful life. A well-rounded life that extends far beyond the game to include family, academics, values, and giving back to the community. The heart