Dustin Ahkuoi

One of my best friends in the world Matt posted a blog recently that really resonated inside of my heart. Hopefully this will encourage you as well. Here it is word for word…

Since I started substitute teaching a few months ago, I’ve heard a lot of interesting things come out of students’ mouths. Most of which is followed by me saying, “Under no circumstance is it ever appropriate to use that word to describe anyone or anything.”

And there it is.

Pretty funny…he even doe’s a little Michael McDonald at the end. Enjoy! Have a great weekend!

Just hit 33 last month and I am finding that I am coming to a better understanding of who I am and what I am and am not good at. Read my friend Ben’s blog the other day and he had a great post about “Knowing Thy Weaknesses.” In this post he says “It’s taken me a long time to know myself based on results… rather than passions.” So here is what I know about myself to be true….

I am a listener and a safe person to share thoughts with…but not a life coach or a guy who can give you your “next steps”

I am a shepherd who is empathetic…I am not the guy you would send to confront someone

I am a creative idea guy and a dreamer…but I am not the best guy to check off details and carry out tasks

I am a people person…but I am not a salesman

I can execute stuff on stage…but don’t ask me to put together your event

I am a grace and mercy guy…not the “tell it like it is” black and white dude

So these are just a few things I know about myself. How did I come to find these out…buy trying stuff. I took the wrong  jobs…tried on the wrong skin and I either was semi bad at these things or else I failed miserably. I also tried the right things and did things that gave me goosebumps when they were carried out. I gave a few things a shot that met me so deep in the core of my heart…that it was undeniable that those things were totally part of who I was meant to be. Does this mean that I just ditch everything I am bad at? If I need to confront someone or give them guidance do I run and hide under a rock? Of course not. I will make an effort in whatever situations come my way…but if there is someone around me that can do it better than I can…then I will gladly pass it on!

For those of you that live in the southern region of these grand old United States…I am sure you are familiar with the glorious restaurant called Chick-fil-A. Here at my work office I don’t think a day goes by where I don’t see someone carrying a bag from them or hear of them heading there for lunch.

My friend Kyle sent this video to me today and I just had to post it. This is a parody of “Yesterday” entitled “Chick-fil-A” done by comedian Tim Hawkins. Tim has been to 12Stone a couple of times and he is truly hilarious! I had the privilege of watching him 3 services in a row and he never ceased to amuse! Enjoy…

Not to long ago several creative minds from Play Chase Music came up with an idea…take people’s life stories and put them to song. The purpose for these songs would be to give them to the people behind the stories as a gift…and also share them with our church community to inspire and uplift.

This past Christmas we did a series at our church called “Intentional Acts of Christmas.” As a accompaniment to this series we created a website called inspiresharegive.com where people could submit their stories of struggle, hurt, redemption and hope. These stories consisted of many common elements…financial meltdowns, broken relationships, new found community and so much more. As the project unfolded we found our stories from this website as well as catching wind of other stories people had shared within our community. The video below (created by my friend Mike Martin and his team) is the first go around of what we are calling “Project Lifesong.” My good friend Nick Kirk wrote a song for a couple who’s relationship fell apart only to be restored years later. Enjoy “Come Back Home” written by Nick Kirk and performed by Billy Wilkerson:

Returned home last night from a great weekend in NC visiting family and friends…and watching the Carolina vs Duke game in downtown Chapel Hill! Good times!

As I arrived home late last night I came in to find my beautiful wife asleep in bed. I was instantly filled with gratitude and joy. Miriam and I have lived in 5 different abodes over our 6 + years of marriage…different decorations…different layouts…different square footage…different views from our windows. One thing however has not changed…and that is the person who I get the privilege to share my living space with.

One day we might end up in our dream vintage bungalow or loft with cool fixtures and interesting architecture. We might go out and purchase new furniture and arrange it just the way we like it. We might spend a sunny afternoon planting flowers or working on projects in the back yard. We might install hardwood floors and pick out shades of paint that reflect our personalities. We may hang pictures and artwork in places that help us feel balanced and cozy. We might watch HGTV and steal a few ideas from a show or two. We may do all of those things…but at the end of the day if we build our dream home with all of it’s amenities and forget to love one another with patience and kindness…to respect and honor and fight for one another…

The house is not a home.

I would say one of the curses I have experienced in my 20/30 somethings has been my obsessive hunger for “what’s to come.” Always thinking and dreaming of what great thing I will someday be a part of. Now don’t get me wrong…dreaming and planning ahead are wonderful things. Having an internal drive that doesn’t allow you to just “settle” for the way things are…but pushes you to improve and become better…I think that is a good thing.

What I am referring to is an unhealthy desire for more that causes me to remove myself from the present. Having a restlessness inside that churns and bubbles up inside…to the point that it causes me to take a sick day off from life. Moving through my everyday comings and goings in a robotic fashion…seeing the same old buildings and the same old trees…coming home and sitting in the same chair. Spending evenings living vicariously through reality TV stars only to hit the pillow feeling a sense of internal unrest. Waking up and then doing it all over again.

Sound depressing? I agree. It is tragic to live your life like that. The saddest part of it to me is how skewed my perspective can get. When I choose (and it is a choice) to look at life this way I either miss the colossal happenings that are actually taking place or I rob myself from fully investing in them. When I love another person just the way they are…that is historical. When I give myself to help another…that is epic. When I choose to face life instead of escaping into self pity and disdain…that is earth shattering. The things that are set in motion by my being present and accounted for are worth watching…they are just missing the movie soundtrack. Loving God while loving others as myself…magnanimous. It is so easy to miss the profound impact of the simple…as I said in a previous post…there are vehicles to use my greatness on a worldwide scale…but the greatness is there in me already.

According to this singing duo…all your favorite breakfast foods will be gone one day…no mo biscuits, sausage, jelly…nothing!!!!

Haven’t posted in a while because I haven’t felt like I had anything to say that is worth listening to. Part of the reason I haven’t felt inspired to write anything is because sometimes I feel the need to sound important…to sound like I have some colossal thought that has been stirring around in my head. If I am truly honest I would probably say that I have been in a bit of a funk for the past couple of weeks. What’s the reason for this funk…lack of position.

I don’t know if anyone else ever struggles with that…but I do. I hear of someone somewhere who has a great “Position” – I read of people who are “on staff” somewhere making a big difference and fall in to the trap of thinking…”Man…if had that guys gig…I could really make a difference.” The truth about impact is that it is always at my fingertips. It does not always need to be planned and organized. It does not always need a committee or a program attached to it. Often times it (Impact) just needs the person to stop waiting for a bigger mechanism to use it and look around for the opportunities that are right in front of them. The gas station worker, the single mom, the business guy sitting at the table next to you in the coffee shop, the homeless guy you walk past on the way to eat dinner, your best friend etc.

Impact is like a fire extinguisher sitting on a wall…you don’t have to wait for a big fire to use it…you can spray it on anyone whenever you like! (OK…I know that analogy breaks down…because if you spray it on someone without a fire…you will probably either get beat up or placed under citizens arrest…but you get my point!)

So I encourage you…whether you are flipping burgers or cutting hair or filling out reports all day…your life matters. Your kindness, resourcefulness, skills, mind etc is needed in this world. Add to the beauty my friends! Don’t wait for someone to hire you to paint a beautiful picture…pick up the paint brush and do it because it is part of who you are.