Steer Nation Message- Enough 8-30-19

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY FRIDAY!

Lady Blues Volleyball- The Lady Blues have traveled to Gulf Shores, Alabama to compete in the Foley Tournament.  Wishing them the best of luck and safe travels!

Graham Steer Football- The Steers will be in action vs WF Hirschi this evening at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls. Tickets can be purchased at the GISD admin office today through noon or online at this link Steers vs Hirschi. Kickoff will be at 7:00 pm. GO STEERS!

Graham Area United Way (GAUW)- GISD’s annual United Way campaign is underway! Each employee has the opportunity to help Build a Bridge for our community by donating to the GAUW. 100% of your donation stays in our local community to assist the following agencies:

Bethel Children’s Day Care

Graham Backpack Buddies

Graham Girls Softball

Graham Youth Baseball

Meals-On-Wheels

Salvation Army-Graham Unit

Senior Citizens Center

Virginia’s House

Young County 4-H

Young County Child Welfare

The initial phase of our campaign begins this coming week when you receive your preprinted United Way pledge/donation form from your supervisor or department/campus administrative assistant. You can choose to provide a one-time donation or to donate via payroll deduction over 10 or 12 months. The deadline to contribute during the first phase will be Friday, September 6th.

To add a little friendly competition to our campaign we will run two contests during the first phase of our campaign:

●      The campus/department that has the highest percentage of people that contribute $100 or more will win a Hamburger/Hot Dog Lunch prepared by Sonny Cruse, Don Davis, and Robert Loomis.

●      The campus/department that has the highest percentage of people that contribute $20 or more will win a free drink from Sonic.

The competition is just for fun. Please keep in mind that every donation is a good donation and can help Build a Bridge for someone in our community!

Retirement Planning- We have arranged for Lee Hayes from First Financial Group to come to the district on September 9 and 10 and visit with each campus regarding retirement planning. I encourage you to consider placing a portion of the new raise into a vehicle that will benefit you years from now.  You will be receiving a form via email that will allow you to select whether or not you wish to participate in this opportunity.

Today's blog post is part one of five from a message I found several years ago. It is a long message so I thought it would be best to break it up into separate posts. The author is unknown to me, but it speaks to me… I hope it does to you as well.

Enough

A time comes in your life when you finally get it... When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!

Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes, you begin to look at the world through new eyes. This is your awakening. You realize that it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change or for happiness, safety, and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that he is not Prince Charming and you are not Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you and in the process, a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are... and that's OK. (They are entitled to their own views and opinions.) And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself and in the process, a sense of newfound confidence is born of self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself and in the process, a sense of safety & security is born of self-reliance...to be continued

"two of five next week"...Have a nice day!

CORNY JOKE OF THE DAY:

How many apples grow on a tree?

All of them

Steer Nation Message- Uncertainty 8-23-19

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY FRIDAY! Graham Steer Football Season Tickets- We still have a few really good season tickets. Please come by the Graham ISD admin office at 400 Third Street if you are interested. Lady Blues Volleyball- The games vs Lake Worth scheduled for this afternoon/evening have been canceled. The Lady Blues will return to action in Graham next Tuesday. GPEF Hall of Honor- Two years ago Graham ISD and the Graham Public Education Foundation partnered to create the GPEF Hall of Honor. The 2019 honorees include John E. (Johnny) Allcorn, Miss Willie Allen, Mary McFarlane Pitcock, Dean Smith, Alwana Vaughan, and Georgia Adaline Johnson Wood. The GPEF Hall of Honor banquet will be held at Graham High School on Friday, September 27, 2019, in conjunction with the GHS Homecoming activities. Ticket information will be forthcoming. Uncertainty There is a famous Zen story that helps to explain the uncertainty of life. It goes like this: There was a farmer whose horse ran away. In the evening his neighbors gathered to console him since this was such bad luck. “Your farm will suffer since you cannot plow,” they said. “This is a horrible thing that has happened to you.” The farmer replied, “Maybe yes, maybe no.” The next day the horse returned but brought with him six wild mustangs. His neighbors celebrated with, “You are richer than before. This turned out to be a good thing after all!” The farmer replied, “Maybe yes, maybe no.” The next day the farmer’s son tried to saddle and ride one of the mustangs. He was thrown and broke his leg. The neighbors rushed to the farmer to express their sympathy. “There is too much work for you to do alone, and you will be left poor. This is a terrible misfortune.” The farmer replied, “Maybe yes, maybe no.” Soon, the conscription officers came to the village to seize the young men for the army. Because of his broken leg, the farmer’s son was rejected. The neighbors came again and said, “How fortunate! Most young men never return from war. Surely this is the best of fortunes for you!” And the farmer said again, “Maybe yes, maybe no.” Alissa Finerman, a life coach, and author, explains that many people view change as bad or good when in reality change is neutral. Any event only takes on a positive or negative spin when we (like the farmer’s neighbors) classify it. It is the uncertainty that leads to anxiety and stress because people find themselves outside of their comfort zones. Ms. Finerman offers three reasons uncertainty may be good:

1.      Uncertainty leads to major breakthroughs. People have a tendency to only stretch themselves when they find themselves outside of their comfort zone.

2.      Uncertainty leads to a confidence boost. Successfully moving through challenges in life helps people prove to themselves that they can do it. These “wins” need to be acknowledged so that they are more prepared for the next challenge.

3.      Uncertainty leads to growth.

CORNY JOKE OF THE DAY How does the staff at NASA organize a party? They planet!