Let’s call 📞 this one : The glass half full and Patti’s little Girl 👧 has grown up into quite the Impressive Pillar of our Community !

While I have turned down anyone who has asked for my assistance, I will admit that certain people that I perk up when I hear from them. Mrs Kayla Nester of Laurel Fork is on that list !

Start to finish Kayla, and I might have 5 minutes each invested in our conversation with regard to what we teamed up on last night on The Hill.

Being that I dreamed about teaching others how to use their words for good, this story will be a teaching opportunity.

To write ✍️ a story like this one, know who you are writing it for and what you hope to accomplish with it.

Here’s a short list of reasons not to write a story – to gather social media followers or to promote your own brand.

This story is being written for the benefit of Mrs Patti Goins, and the hope is to show gratitude 🙏 in her direction.

The story will only be sent to two people by me, Patti Goins and Kayla Nester. The story is theirs, and what they choose to do with it is entirely up to them. To share or not to share, is entirely up to them.

The next note 📝 in my case, anyway, one should note that I do not put my name on my stories because I am not looking for people to applaud me but instead focus on the subject.

The age-old line of “Are you a glass half empty or a half full ” fits perfectly here.

Thursday night was the sixth of 10 dates that I blocked 🚫 off for the betterment of Cindy Edwards and her volleyball program. I normally show up 60 minutes before it is time to start so I can be totally prepared. The normal window 🪟 is 4:30 – 9:00.

Kayla Nester wears enough different Hats 👒 that I’m not sure if there is a closet in her home big enough to store them all. One of said Hats is the responsibility of being the Middle School 🏫 Athletic Director.

It turns out that three of the ten nights 🌙 were going to be expanded versions because our Middle School team would play in front of our Junior Varsity team. This adds another 60 minutes of work and 15 minutes of preparation.

Glass half empty person says, really, do we have to stay that much longer ?

Glass half full person has a very silly grin 😁 on his face because now he can reach out and distribute kindness and grace to yet another group of young people and their families !!!!

The list above shows 17 players and two coaches for a total of 19. Then you ask if there are any others who should be listed because it is free to do so.

You see 👀 the list above, and you see the tools I use for the more difficult names.  Now, look at the photo that Cindy Edwards hopped up and took for me. See how many family members came down to join in our baseline introduction with just five minutes’ notice !!!

The night of the match, Kayla and I talked for roughly 60 seconds, and then she moved on to her next task. I moved over to the Floyd County bench to meet their coaches.

One has to note just how well our CCMS draws fans, at least the ones that I’m at or helping with. Not only do they show up for a 4:30 match or game, but they remain engaged, which makes my job sooooo much more enjoyable.

I have to believe that everyone on our side found the experience enjoyable, even though we fell 2-1 to Floyd County.

My connection to Kayla Nester is now in year six, and I’m proud to say if there’s anything that I can do to move a needle for her, count me in.

Now, circle 🔵 back to connect the dots to Patti Goins. Before Kayla Nester existed, she was Kayla Goins, the older daughter of Patti and Scotty.

Now, a number of people could have helped Kayla Nester become the force to be reckoned with that she is, but what happened next has the way she was raised written all over it.

At 5:26 a.m., this message popped up :

” Thanks for doing the Middle school game last night. They loved it!”

The two of us make a good team because we share the same focus and drive when it comes to things that matter in regards to other people’s children.

I joke about getting let into the building during the fall and how much it means to me. My line is this, I’m a preacher without a pulpit and a teacher without a classroom. Helping Cindy Edwards gets me as close as I can, and adding Kayla Nester is the icing on the cake 🎂!

I see you, Patti Goins, and all I can say is THANK YOU.

I just looked up and realized that it is now Saturday morning 🌄 and no longer Friday night.

That means that Kris Richardson is going to be in my thoughts today ! Hope it is everything that it can be….