SecondIron's Blog

Sharpening Iron to Live Second

Blood, Water and a Little Jars of Clay

A chilly brisk breeze was in the air as we waited outside the Murray Hill Theater discussing with others in line about the shows that we had seen there before.  There was your normal fare of the regulars along with some new comers that stumbled across the venue one way or another. This evening was a little different from most as we were there to raise awareness and funds for a nonprofit and the band that started the charity just happened to be putting on the show.  Instead of the normal merchandise and promotions that go along with most concerts this band came in under the limelight almost unannounced and put on a great show. The focus of the evening was the ‘Blood Water Mission’, which is a grassroots organization that is working hand in hand with the African communities to combat the HIV/Water crisis in their area.  The organization was founded in 2004 and has since raised 22 million by creative donors that helps support over a million people in 11 countries. By empowering the Africans and making heroes in their own countries they have been able to provide access to clean drinking water to almost 900k people and medication for HIV treatment for over 40k people over the span of 10 years. The band Jars of Clay started this organization with a simple concept of taking what you would normally spend on a cup of java and donating that amount.  Imagine a world where every dollar that you donate provided clean drinking water […]

How Beautiful Scars Can Be

Ever look in the mirror and not like what you see? Of course you have, who hasn’t.  Even the most beautiful of people in the world have those days where they just are not happy with who is looking back at them. Do you have scars that you try to hide?  Whether physical or emotional scars, unless you have spent your life in a bubble you have them.  People spend hundreds sometimes thousands of dollars to cover up and conceal their scars and preserve their self-image. As men we usually depict scars as being character building and proof that we are still living,

Comparing Yourself to Others Limits Success

Keeping up with the Joneses will wear you out and eventually leave you empty. With the advantage of the internet and accessibility to others like never before we tend to want to ‘be like Mike’ a bit more than in years past. We read success story after success story many of which are rags to riches stories we begin comparing our success to theirs. Ever get one of those Facebook messages or LinkedIn InMail where someone tells you how great they think you are doing, but then by the end  are trying to sell you on being someone else.