"There are no rainy days...just floods." - Amy Hendon Bohannon I'm sure that this piece of wisdom was uttered long before my grandmother told me when I was a young child, but since she said it, it had to be true. My grandmother was born near the end of World War I and was kicked out of her home by her mother in her early teens and went to live with her older sister, Margaret. She married before she turned 20 to a well-to-do fellow from Massachusetts, but after a visit to the man's home, his mother had the marriage annulled and sent her back to her home. Next came the Great Depression and sharecropping back in Alabama. When World War 2 broke out, she found herself traveling to Charleston to help the United States build warships. There, she met my grandfather and they tried to settle down and raise a family. A son died in infancy and soon afterward, my mother was born. This joy was soon tempered by my grandfather's sudden and shocking murder in New Orleans in the late 1940s. Once again, she found herself alone and with another mouth to feed. She found work in a small town in north Georgia, rented a home, and began building a life for her and my mother. That was 1951 and she was 32 years old. She would never marry again. For the next 50 years, she worked practically every day she could and saved every penny she could. She clipped coupons, participated in grocery store stamp programs, and never took vacations except to visit her remaining family. I would ask her why she didn't do more for herself and she always said that she was. "You save money so you don't need it until you need it."

A $2 meal from Taco Bell. There was a time when I couldn't afford it. A college-educated man with a full-time job and an advanced degree...and in so much debt I couldn't see the top of the hole that I had dug myself into. Worse, the hole that I dug my family into unknowingly. There were a lot of honest and painful conversations that ensued over the next 6 weeks before a plan came about. I would work and I would work a lot. My wife would work even more than I did because she had more opportunities than I did. Every spare penny went to pay off my debt. When one was paid, my wife did something totally unexpected...she took me on a date. With literally five dollars in change, she pulled into Taco Bell and we went inside and ordered a couple of $2 value meals. As we were enjoying that cheap burrito, chips, and small drink, she said, "See honey, it's not impossible." This was a far cry from our more elaborate dates that were usually saddled on a credit card for months on end, but it changed me, and it has made all the difference in the world.

"I will not give that which costs me nothing." King David Philanthropy is often a mark of success. You did well so you give back. But is that really what I want to be remembered for? I had some success in financial affairs and I donated to a cause I felt was worthy of my means? I'm sure the entity that received the donation is thankful, but it's not in line with how I think giving should truly be. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” This is the kind of giving that makes its mark on a person. This is the kind of giving that I do. Every day, I get up and give my best to my students and yes, I've given more time and money than I could ever be compensated. Every day, I give my best to my wife and I can see in her eyes that she believes in me. Does it hurt? Absolutely. But is it worth it? Absolutely.

Character over convenience. That statement is the embodiment of my dad. Fathers have a difficult job. They function as provider, breadwinner, caretaker, referee, disciplinarian, chauffeur, chef, and a myriad of other titles and responsibilities. Sometimes those responsibilities venture outside the realm of the home and into the workplace, or in my dad's case, workplaces. My dad began his adult life in 1962 with a nine-year stint in the military. Honorably discharged in 1971, he chased his dream to open his own business in the automotive repair industry. It failed and he was forced to go through bankruptcy at a time when it was the worst possible thing to do from a financial standpoint. Picking up the pieces and keeping his family together, he entered the textile industry and through hard work, began to steadily rise through the ranks to plant manager by the late 1970s. It was also during this time that I happened to come along for the ride. Life was beginning to look up for him but he felt something was missing. Dad was a church-going fellow and therefore so were the rest of us. He answered the call to the ministry in the early 1980s and quickly found that while it was hard work it filled a void in his life helping others spiritually. But this new venture would be a turning point for him and one that would significantly change our family. Dad disapproved of favoritism for any reason. One evening in the textile mill, he confronted and wrote up a couple who had been slipping out into the parking lot on the clock despite previous warnings. One of the guilty parties happened to be related to an individual who was in a higher position of authority at the mill. Dad was told to drop the write-up from their files or be terminated. Dad decided to resign so that he could negotiate a severance package for the next six months while he figured out what to do. The full-time ministry wouldn't be enough to pay the bills and the small church he had begun to pastor was facing the need to build a new sanctuary. Needless to say, the next five years would tell me more about my dad than I ever knew. For those next five years, he worked two jobs and pastored a church to pay the bills. He went back to college full-time at age 45 and graduated in four years. He cared for his ailing parents and delivered the eulogies for both as well as eulogies for two brothers and two in-laws. I saw him bend many times under the strain, but he would never break because he knew that he had three kids that were watching him closely. Dad retired ten years ago and immediately went into politics as a county commissioner serving two terms. His actions helped the county save millions of dollars, but it came at a price. He lost his latest reelection bid because he always questioned the motives of others in the commission and various elected offices, particularly in the area of funding. Dad thought that character was a direct reflection of your wallet. The others disagreed. Character over convenience is something that I am still working on. Yes, Dad is my role model and I hope to be even half the man that he is in terms of character. As I pursue my dream of receiving my Doctorate of Education, I pray I never forget that convenience is simply a shortcut to long term failure. Thanks, Dad for teaching me how to recognize the difference.

"We work the field of souls..." Since beginning my career as a public school music teacher in 1997, I have found myself leaning on Wayne Watson's lyrics more often than not. I walk into a new field every morning, Monday through Friday. Sometimes there are many blooms, multi-colored and beautiful, and sometimes the field is sparse and dry. However, my devotion to my God and my students does not wane. This playlist reflects my heart, my mission, and my passion. I hope it inspires you to keep working in the field until the Master calls.

"What is the role of education in my life?" Perhaps a better question would be, "What is the role of my life in education?" Education makes me a passionate fine arts educator who devotes his life to working with elementary school children. My vision is to bring out their full potential at an early age so that they can taste success every day of their lives. Education makes me a devoted husband that wants to have the resources to travel abroad with my wife and make memories that will last a lifetime and can serve as backdrops for future projects with my students. Education makes me studious. I want to continue my research on how distance learning can be used effectively to teach fine arts courses to students as if they were face to face with me. Education drives me. I refuse to take, "no," for an answer. Instead, I channel my inner Hannibal and say to myself, "I will find a way, or I will make one." Education makes me thankful. I do not take my blessings for granted and I do my best to pay things forward when the opportunity presents itself. Education makes me the best that I can be, but I always look for ways to be better. So what is the role of my life in education? In summary, my life is making a difference because I choose education, not for myself, but for others. Thank you for your consideration of this scholarship. If awarded, it will be an investment in the lives of many.

Can you convince children that stage fright isn't real? I can.