Things I am thankful for...

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday (the endless pumpkin pie and homemade stuffing may have something to do with that).  :) I always look forward to traveling home to the good ol' Sonnyfarm and spending time with my family.  This year has been a little different than previous ones.  Accordion music did not ring throughout the house.  Fox News did not blare from dawn to dusk.  There wasn't even food with questionable ingredients on the table.  This year, we were missing one very special person...Dad.

Our first Thanksgiving without our family patriarch proved to be a challenge.  Before dinner, we went around the table sharing with the family what we were most thankful for.  During this emotional time, our father made his presence known.  Each one of us were touched by his sweet spirit that helped reinforce the mutual love our family shares.  In a letter Dad wrote for Mom in 1981, referencing a pet sparrow who tragically died, Dad wrote, "It wasn't until Muffin's untimely death that we began to recognize the full and far-reaching effect he had on all of our lives."  How very true this statement is.  Dad's death was indeed untimely; however, his everlasting influence and effect on our lives is felt more and more everyday.  This Thanksgiving, I'm am most thankful for Dad.

I am also thankful for a wonderful, loving Mother who's perseverance in living the gospel of Jesus Christ is steadfast.  Her example brings our family closer together.  I am also thankful for my job, which I love most days.  The opportunity to share my love of music with others doesn't even seem like a job sometimes.  I am thankful for a great place to live, a car that gets good gas mileage, and hobbies that allow me to become disconnected from the hustle and bustle of life.  This year, I am especially thankful for a very new addition to my life, my girlfriend, Katie (She is so going to kill me for this).  Despite living hours away, this beautiful blonde brings much happiness into my life and many smiles to my face.

Most of all, I am thankful for the true knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  As I continue to grow through study, trials, and life experiences, the simplicity and surety of His plan makes more and more logical sense.  I know that our Savior did indeed make the ultimate sacrifice so we may have a way to overcome the natural man and return to our Father's kingdom.  I know our God is a loving God who cares for each and everyone of his children.  Through his Plan of Salvation, my favorite part, I know I will live with my Dad and my family again for eternity.

This Thanksgiving, these are the things I am thankful for...

Happy Birthday to my Best Friend

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today has been filled with tears, laughs, and endless memories.  I could write a book as my mind is flooded with thoughts; however, I'd simply like to share one simple story.

Dad loved to fish.  One afternoon, Dad and I load the canoe on top of the car and drove an hour to our favorite fishing spot, Gatewood Park.  We float around the lake while casting along the bank catching mammoth sized blue gill and red eye.  After a successful afternoon on the lake, Dad steers the canoe back to the dock.  (This was no normal canoe.  Our redneck cruise liner included a trolling motor).  I pick up the last load of supplies and began to head to the car.  I hear a loud splash, turn around and see nothing but a rocking canoe and a brown hat floating in the water.  A second later, Dad surfaces looking alarmed.  I ask him what happened.  He quickly responds, "I tried to step on the dock but missed!"  There have been many instances where I have cried due to laughter; however, this time I couldn't control myself at all.  After 5-10 minutes of solid laughing back and forth, we pack up the canoe and make the wet journey back home.  

Simple memories like this are what I cherish the most.  Despite the situation, Dad always was able to lighten the situation with a positive attitude and a good laugh.  Now, at times when I have a good laugh, I can feel Dad up in heaven laughing with me.  

Reflections of a soon-to-be 24 year old

             Wow, what a year it has been!  At first glance, most would agree that the 23^rd year of life for Colt Campbell simply sucked.  I lost my very best friend, Dad, to a hard fought battle of cancer.  I ended a long relationship of 3 years.  I buried my childhood puppy dog 2 weeks before Dad passed away.  I overloaded myself with 14+ hour days consisting of a first year band director job and a full-time masters degree.  Most scary of all, I questioned my faith and my identity as a human being. 

            Now, as I look 24 straight in the eyes, I realize that 23 really wasn’t that bad. 

My father shared with me the most important lessons he ever taught me during the last few months of his life.   As a child I was glued to my father’s hip.  I always wanted to be apart of every single thing he was doing.  His patience with me was unwavering as he watched me struggle to hammer a nail into a block of wood, swing a baseball bat, tie a necktie, change my oil, lay block foundation, wire a house, put on a roof, fix a lawn mower, and much, much more.  He shared with me his love for music, hard work, and humor.   As his health declined, Dad was always positive as he fought the terrible disease that consumed his body.   Never phased by pain or weakness, Dad pushed through setting an example for his family.  Dad, teaching his final lesson, exemplified true love.  As a result, my family is now inseparable.  The bond my brothers and my mother feel is ever stronger thanks to the never-ending faith and smiles of my dad.

Ending a long-term relationship put my head in a spin.  Starting as a joke, and then progressing into an application, website, and professional endorsement, Date Quest Campbell Edition took flight.  My big brother Dan, also fresh out of a long relationship, and I had a blast creating the idea.  Our goal, to find the best date in the Carolinas, turned into quite an adventure.  Applications arrived, dates took place, and much was learned from both Dan and I.  I learned I am a sucker for a great smile, sarcasm, and a girl who loves the outdoors.  I learned how to respect each lady, target their positive traits, and treat them like an angel for the evening.  The best date of all during the Quest was with a 60 some year old woman with grey hair, a killer smile, and a hot foot.  For her birthday, I took my mother swing dancing. 

I…love…my…job.  Despite the 60+ hour weeks, football games, loud buses, booked Saturdays, and sleepless nights, I love being a band director.  I learned to love my students at Dutch Fork Middle School helping to propel them into what turned out to be a very successful year.  Life took a new direction recently as I accepted the Band Director position at West-Oak High School.  Now, with the year underway and after hours upon hours of preparation, our little band program is well on its way.  I see myself sticking around the upstate of SC for quite some time.  Go Warriors!

I can bear testimony that adversity has strengthened me.   God has given my family and I trials so we can grow as we focus on our final destination, living with our heavenly father with the ones we love.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will see Dad again.  Thanks to my knowledge of the gospel as a Latter-Day Saint (Mormon), I know where I came from, why I am here, and where I am going.  I have found a new spark as I attend my Sunday meetings, pray often, and refer to the guidance and counsel of modern day prophets.   As I work as a young men’s leader in my church, I wish that these teenagers could feel just a glimpse of what I have felt over the last year.  Just like I did, I’m sure they would grow to become a much stronger person.

Bring it 24!