Photo courtesy dh_creative on Pixabay
This is the second of five posts that will be featured each Monday from Heather on thankfulness. Read her first post here.
by Heather Lang
In this busy world where people are going a mile a minute, trying to keep up with everything, how do you choose what organizations to be a part of? For our family, we look to put our time into organizations that stand for the same beliefs we have, groups that empower us and encourage us to tell our story, and extra circular activities that help reinforce the same life lesson skills into our kids that we try to teach them at home.
My husband and I got involved with Farm Bureau over ten years ago and since attending our first conference we have been a part of many committees. We didn’t do it to simply be a body to fill a position but because we could tell NDFB stood up for us and our beliefs. We have continued to be involved with Farm Bureau today because they have taught us to get out and tell our story, empowering and encouraging us every step of the way. I am thankful they are in the public eye and defending topics we don’t always have time to stand up for ourselves. They are out fighting battles, big or small, for all North Dakota farmers. As farmers and ranchers, it is comforting to be a part of an organization such as NDFB.
When a group’s motto is “To make the best better” you might think, “Okay, but really?” Do they really make the best better? My answer to that is absolutely! It’s not about the ribbons you win or the money you might receive after a year of hard work. It’s not even about the livestock, small animals, or any of the projects. It is so much more than what’s on the outside. When you join 4H you take a pledge, a pledge that you are required to uphold as part of a local, state and national level.
“I pledge my HEAD to clearer thinking,
My HEART to greater loyalty,
My HANDS to larger service, and
My HEALTH to better living.
For my club, my community, my country and my world”
Maybe you have a child who is shy? Do you want to instill into your child that they are capable of anything they set their mind to? Is respect an issue in your household? Is your child high energy and needs help focusing at times? If you answered yes to any of these questions (even if you didn’t) I would strongly encourage you to sign them up for Martial Arts. Some may think martial arts is to teach you how to defend yourself against others, or to learn how to spar (fight) which just isn’t the case. Sure, that is one side of it but there is a much bigger, deeper picture at hand.
Integrity. Self-control. Self-esteem. Building confidence. Self-discipline. Respect. These are some of the very life pillars they learn in class.
I am grateful we have organizations teaching us to think for ourselves, to know we can create with our hands, how to be resourceful all while bettering ourselves, our community, our country and the world by being upstanding citizens with potential to be leaders if we choose.
We invest our time, money and energy into organizations that:
- Create life-long meaningful relationships
- Create leaders
- Empower and encourage
- Help to better ourselves while bettering our community
All three of these organizations start by saluting the flag, followed by saying the organization’s pledge and end with inspiration. “Successful people build each other up. They motivate, they inspire, they push each other.”