Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...March 1, 2009

Today is my daughter's birthday. When you turn 18 you should be thinking of boys, of driving, the senior prom, etc. I planted the seed yesterday and today telling her you will do those things but maybe just a little later, keep the faith. Teenagers just roll their eyes when you talk about faith.

Tonight I taught my 9th grade CCD class at Assumption Parish. I told them the story of what was happening with my daughter, and how I passed the Firefighter's exam. It was the time we catch up on what's happening since we last saw each other. I can see the rapt attention when I tell them real life stories, and I can only hope that I am planting a seed in their heads to go down the right road. Again I talk of faith and get the rolling eyes, but this time ten sets of rolling eyes.

My class wants to be involved in the fire department. I asked them during the week to bring in food for the poor for their service hours. Do you know the modern way to communicate with a CCD class? You text them. Amazing how they remember things. They asked if we could distribute the food through the fire department. We don't collect food for the poor, but I told them I would ask someone to bring it where it's needed. I spread the word, and lo and behold, tonight my trunk and my entire back seat was packed with food for the poor from the entire 9th grade.

For the last six months I have been searching for a career while I still keep up with my RE/MAX business. On the way home I thought, "That's it. I want to be a professional fundraiser when I grow up." I ask, people give.

I hope I am planting a seed in the universe to find me that job, so I can, through others, be a philanthropist.

It only takes one seed and there you go.