{greatest}

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wardrobe & words When I decided to invite people to contribute their words to this 31 day celebration, I wanted to choose humans real like you & me.  Asking an individual to share their thoughts publicly is hard.  Your thoughts, moreover your feelings, are some of the most intimate parts of who you are.

And exposing those thoughts, be them happy or sad, is like giving vulnerability a key to your front door with a half-hearted bluster of "Hey, you're welcome anytime.  Make yourself at home. Might wanna check the milk before you drink it.  It was smelling kinda suspect when I poured my cereal this morning, but, you know, I went with it."

My criteria for whom I chose to ask centered around feelings.  Around feelings that these humans gave me.  These contributing authors aren't all people I speak to or even see day to day.  Some are from my past.  Some are distantly in my present.  And some are my daily rock steadies.

Not everyone I asked said yes.  It's important for me to state this.  It's more important for me to respect this too.  I have so many people that I glean good & grit from.  And I appreciate the individuals who declined just as much as I do the ones who accepted.

Almost every person that participated in this October 31 day celebration said the same 3 things to me regarding their contribution:

  1. This was hard to do.
  2. I am not sure it's very good or anyone will like it.
  3. I'm really glad I took the time to do this.

And I think that these 3 statements speak volumes about life.  These 1-2-3 are like a gigantic metaphor for our time here on Earth.  They beautifully represent the humanness of us all.  The honesty.  The courage & commitment to living your best life along your way.  And sandwiched between is the vulnerability of heart: the reminders of the tender, the tiny of us, the broken too.

Honored.  Stoked.  So very humbled by the humans I will share with you this month, I am.  I met this first contributing author through my husband, Kenny.  He is a wonderful example of loyalty & light.  I am inspired by so many facets about the person he is.

One of the things I love most about him is his commitment to family as well as the positiveness he promotes in social media.  Simply put, he uses it for good.  And I cannot thank him enough for his great character in this fast-paced, SHARE NOW world.  Without further ado, I welcome to the blog David McIver!

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When I was a young boy, I often wondered what I would be doing with my life as an adult. Even at the age of 12, I began to worry that I wouldn't find a job when I entered adulthood. Oddly enough, as I graduated college with a degree in education, I knew I wasn't ready to teach and found myself once again worrying about what I would do with my life now that I was an adult. If you have ever had that feeling you know it isn't the best feeling in the world.

After graduation, I was extremely fortunate to find a job working in soccer as a full time profession. I began working with Kentucky Youth Soccer in December of 1999 and I knew right away I had found the greatest job in the world. I worked for KY Youth Soccer for 14 years and can honestly say I never felt like it was work. I mean I was working in youth soccer and doing something I loved everyday! Who could complain about that?

lisa & camryn

In April of 2007, I married the most wonderful woman I could have ever imagined. Lisa has been by my side through nights and weekends on the soccer field, trips out of town, and a career move a year ago which took us away from our best friends. She has blessed me with so much I can't even begin to thank her enough.

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In August of 2011, Lisa gave birth to the best gift we have ever been given when our daughter Camryn was born. At that moment, I realized I was about to experience the "Greatest Job in the World". 

It took a few months for things to really sink in and for me to realize being a great father and husband, was going to take some hard work on my part. How hard could it be? Anyone could be a father and husband if they really wanted to, right?

I am not a perfect father or husband by any means. I don't always say the right words, set the best examples, or do the right things. However, what I have learned through marriage and parenthood is that to be the best father and husband you have to make sacrifices for your family. You have to throw away your selfish desires and be present for your loved ones. You have to make them your number 1 priority always (trust me I am still learning this as a young father and husband).

You have to put their needs above your own even when it is not convenient for you. The love and affection you will receive in return is greater than anything you can imagine. It can be the most difficult job at times, but it really is the Greatest Job in the World!

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I am a devoted husband to my wife (and fearless leader of our family) Lisa and father to Camryn (age 3) who loves family and friends more than anything. I am a full time soccer enthusiast who has been lucky to find employment in my passion. I give all glory to God who helps me live each day.

*To keep up with all posts from this 31 day celebration, please feel free to bookmark this link.*