It was a Sunday morning 36 years ago and my mom was getting ready to go to church, but I had other plans for her. Instead I wanted to come out and see what all of this hub bub was about. I could hear all these strange sounds and plus I was getting pretty tired of being in the same dark place, so I started making my way out.

It is really hard to believe that 36 years of my life has come and gone. There has been many crazy things that have happened, but I would not change a single one of them for a second. Each moment of my life has been God ordained and has been used to shape me into the man that I am today. I am truly grateful for each moment.

For 13 years of my life I have had the privilege and honor of being married to my beautiful wife, Kimmy, whom I have had 2 wonderful children with. I can honestly say that those 13 years have been the best portion of my life thus far and I know that it will only get better. I look forward to when I have spent a majority of my life with her then I would have had as a single man.

I have gone through many changes physically in my appearance. I was a skinny awkward kid growing up that had way too much energy. I grew into a skinny teenager that did his best to be cool, but failed in many ways. I played football in junior high and then chose to pursue drama in my senior high years. I went from flattop haircuts to growing my hair out long to having the words “WHS Class of 1991″ carved in my head for my graduation.

When I was 17 years old I got my ear pierced and have worn it continuously except for the years when I was in Bible college and couldn’t wear it. (Although I would wear it when I was sleeping or at work. Just don’t tell anyone. )

When I graduated from college I decided that I wanted to grow my hair out again, so I began to let it grow until 2000 (6 years). It eventually got down to the middle of my back and then one day I woke up and asked my wife if she wanted to cut my hair. She totally freaked out but did it anyway.

I got my first tattoo when I graduated from Bible college as a gift from my brother. I eventually got another one about 7 or 8 years later and then added to the original one a few years after that. And I prefer to look at them as the stained glass windows on my temple.

I have served as a youth pastor for 6 years and can’t think of another career that I would ever want to have again. It was a great 6 years and I hope to find another church where I can be a youth pastor and invest my life in the lives of teenagers. To me there is nothing cooler than being able to see a teenager make a choice to do something very profound with their lives and to no longer live for themselves, but instead chose to love God and love others.

I have also gone through many body changes. I at one point ballooned out to about 265 pounds only to decide a few years ago that I had enough and after getting a gym membership, I started eating better and exercising. I went on to drop down to 195 pounds and fit into the same size clothes that I wore when I graduated from high school. I was indeed a big loser. The best part about it all though is that I feel like I am in the best condition of my life. I have run several 5K’s and am looking to possibly running a 10K this year and maybe even participating in a mini-triathlon. So I may be 36, but I certainly don’t feel it.

Here’s to my first 36 years and hopefully another 36+ more years of good living.