No Excuses

Nothing can stop you unless you let it.

When you get knocked down do you stay down, or do you get back up? Most people like to think they get back up, but the truth is sometimes we don't.

Almost everyone likes to hear about someone taking a bad situation and turning it upside down. Especially if that someone is a hero like a Veteran, media figure, or a person in the public eye. I mean was there ever a greater contestant on "Dancing With the Stars" than Noah Galloway? Sheesh, I don't even watch Reality TV, but I was glued to the tube like millions of other Americans because of his story, determination and passion to give back to people. His strength is unbelievably motivating.

The sad thing though is that some of us enjoy seeing that happen for "other people" but at times in our own lives we think it can't happen for us. That the "thing," challenge, injury, hurdle, whatever seems too big, too hard or just too insurmountable to overcome.

Recently I saw a video that was truly inspiring. Every person in the world struggles with something, no one is perfect. Every human being has an imperfect body. As great as it would be to have everything work perfectly all the time like a well-oiled machine, that's not real life, nor is that how we are designed. Whether it's a goal, a dream, a passion, a physical challenge, everyone has something they want to achieve. Life happens though, things happen, and at times we get knocked down. It can be easy to fall into the excuses game. What we want to accomplish can seem so far off, so daunting that we can find it easier to just think "well so-and-so happened and so I will never be able to reach my goal." 

This video shows that no matter what is thrown at you, there are never any acceptable excuses to not achieve anything. If something happens to you, you have two choices: stay down or get back up. Pain (whether it's emotional, mental, or physical) is temporary, but quitting lasts forever. The only thing that counts is trying to be better than yesterday. Do a little every day, and one day you'll look back and be doing something you once thought was impossible. Doing the thing you thought you couldn't.

Sometimes it may seem like things can happen "to" us. Really though we can look back and realize they actually happened "through" us. Our stories can touch the people around us in ways we may never even know or imagine. So the next time you're down, remember you never know who is watching, or who you may be inspiring. In the words of one of history's smartest men...

"You never fail until you stop trying." ~ Albert Einstein 

Blessings, Love & Music ~
Ava xo
www.avaaston.com

The Americans Are Coming

Time is running out...

Recently I had the opportunity to attend the premiere of Hudson Valley Honor Flight: "Generation Bridge", A Documentary by Joe Allen. Being the wife of a Veteran, and the daughter of a NSO for the Purple Heart I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I absolutely loved the film. I had an idea that I was going to like it... I just didn't know by the end of it I would be crying like a baby. 

Hudson Valley Honor Flight (HVHF) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization which “Honors American Veterans” for all their sacrifices. They transport these heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit their memorials at no cost to them. Hudson Valley Honor Flight is a local hub of the National Honor Flight Network (which consists of over 100 independent non-profit “hubs” across America). Sadly, over 550 World War II veterans die everyday, our time to express our thanks to these brave men and women is running out.

There were moments in the film that just hit me like a brick. One in particular was an interview with a student who had attended a Q&A session with the Veterans. He made the observation that the veterans gave up so much. The student couldn't imagine anyone today going three days without their smart phones... Yet the Greatest Generation went years without seeing friends, family, or anything familiar. They spent years fighting in foreign lands, with little resources and in conditions hard to comprehend. At home and abroad Americans from the Greatest Generation made do with little, mandatory rationing and most didn't complain.

Just think about that for a minute... what do you think would happen today if we were put onto mandatory rationing. Even for the sake of national security, safety or long term survival of our nation from an enemy attack. The word chaos is one of many that come to my mind... can anyone say hurricane Katrina? See many people in today's day and age are far too wrapped up in "me, myself and I" to think about giving up something for someone else, especially for a someone else you have never met before. The men and women of the Greatest Generation did, and they did it without complaining.

Most have no idea what price was paid for the lives we have. The world might look a lot different today had it not been for their courage, strength and determination. The resolve of those men and women to stand and do whatever was not only asked of them, but necessary to stop evil. Again another moment that hit me like a brick... Every one of them even seven decades later knew what they were fighting for. Though most of them don't consider themselves heroes, and are very humble about their achievements. When telling their individual stories they all knew why they did it, and what they were fighting against.

Today we are losing these national treasures at an alarming rate, while at the same time facing an enemy potentially worse than what they faced in their day. Most frightening about our situation is that no one will give it a name. No one will call it for what it is and for the sake of political correctness or not offending anyone, the United States of America won't fight. Of course there are those who will call it what it is, but they are vilified and labeled as far right loons, racist, bigoted or all kinds of other terms intended to discourage anyone from speaking out. All the while... evil is on the march again in the world, and the only ones who really know what that means, who really know what is at stake are dying.

"The American's Are Coming"... that statement meant something to the people of the world in those days. I wonder what that means to people in the world today? In the days of the Greatest Generation you had men like Winston Churchill who were not afraid to call evil for what was, and were willing to stand up to fight it. One of Churchill's most famous quotes: 

"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival." - Sir Winston Churchill

Jump to our day and age... a person was arrested in the UK for quoting Winston Churchill in public for "hate speech". Ironically Churchill is one of their own, and one of the heroes responsible for preventing the UK (and the rest of the world for that matter) from all speaking German today. I can't understand how political correctness has become more important then right and wrong.

So sadly when evil is on the march all over the world, and the world is on the brink of WWIII the Americans aren't coming. Never before has our nations history been more important to our survival. The time is now to honor the men and women of The Greatest Generation. To seek them out to honor and learn from them, their information and experiences are priceless.

Find them and connect them with an Honor Flight network in their area. It's my opinion that someone in the Veterans Administration should be tasked with contacting every living WWII Veteran first, then down the line to provide the Honor Flight Network contact information, and ensure every one of them are able to participate in an event. We can all be  a part of helping that happen. If you know a WWII Veteran, or veteran of any foreign war contact them and make sure they have the information. Some are living alone without family or help. Taking a little time and effort could mean a life changing event for someone who gave so much so that we may have the life we have today... time is running out.

Here is the video to my song "I Carry You With Me" written about grief and loss. The video was dedicated to our nations veterans because more than anyone they and their families face grief and loss far too often. The ones we love are never really far from us, we carry them with us until we see them again. Americans should always carry with them the men and women of The Greatest Generation.

Blessings, Love & Music ~

Ava xo

www.avaaston.com 

The Prize

Through the darkest of times we still have a hope...

It's that time again, the time of year when I find myself day dreaming about flip-flops and wishing the white stuff would disappear for good. It's also awards season... the time of year when eyeballs around the world tune into see who takes home the golden statue.

Personally I was surprised at the Golden Globes snubs this year. There were some pretty fantastic films that didn't even get a mention. Funny to see what was celebrated while the one film that has the possibility to perhaps make the biggest impact on people was sadly missing... Unbroken. Not just because I was first in line to see it on Christmas Eve with my family and a bucket of popcorn in my little hands and a cup of Dunkin's hidden in my bag either.

Not to knock any of the other films but Unbroken was not only superbly produced, but it has the potential to change lives. If you're thinking; yeah, yeah a big budget Hollywood film made by a big Hollywood star how could it be anything beyond all the narcissistic tabloid hullabaloo?... hear me out. Unbroken is a true story unlike anything anyone in my lifetime can even comprehend living through, but it's also just the beginning of the story. The film leaves off when the hero returns home. That is where his journey really begins.

Unbroken tells the story of Louis Zamperini, a World War II prisoner of war survivor. It details his gripping experience including 47 days floating on a raft in shark-infested waters in the Pacific Ocean. While the film details much of Zamperini’s life, including his Olympic career as a distance runner, it only shines a light on part of his story. Perhaps the best part is told not by a big Hollywood studio or star, but by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Filmed before Hollywood came calling "Louis Zamperini: Captured By Grace" tells the story of his life after returning home a hero. Through the power of the Gospel and his experience at the 1949 Billy Graham Crusade in Los Angeles, Louis overcame alcoholism, night terrors and a failing marriage to live a joyous and full Christ-centered life until his passing at age 97. Along the way he inspired millions. (To learn more about seeing it - click here)

We can get upset or complain about the things we see as problems. The economy, the weather (guilty as charged), global unrest, pop culture run amuck, and on and on. I however don't think anything we face today compares to what he lived through. Not only Louis Zamperini, but also all of the other men and women of The Greatest Generation. Many have no idea what price was paid for the lives we have. The world might look a lot different today had it not been for their courage, strength and determination.

What I love most about his story is that as dark as it got he was never really alone. A man who didn't really know a lot about faith, or grace: while he was out there floating on a raft in shark infested waters he made a promise to God that if he survived he would serve him the rest of his life. A promise that was long forgotten after being rescued from that raft, captured, thrown into one of the worst Japanese prison camps ever, living through years of brutal torture and starvation, and then actual rescue when the war was over. It wasn’t until he was home and his life was falling apart due in part from suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder while attending that Billy Graham rally that he remembered that promise. While telling his story he says when he remembered he stood up without hesitation and gave his life to Christ. Once he did for the first time the nightmares were gone. The anger and desire for revenge were also gone.

He spent the rest of his life as a Christian Inspirational speaker focusing on forgiveness. His story was hard, it was brutal, and none of it made any sense at the time he was going through it. As a boy he overcame going from a troubled youth to an Olympic Athlete. It was his strength and determination that got him through that part of his life and it were those same qualities that helped him to survive his ordeal and go onto become a hero. He also had help from above. When looking back on his life it's hard not to see the fingerprints of God all around.

So am I surprised that a film that has the power to impact people in such a way was snubbed by a liberal leaning secular organization? Not really. I hope it won't be the same case with the Oscars. Because I suspect that after watching the film viewers will get curious to what happened after the movie ends and discover for themselves the rest of the story. Where he not only lived out the miracle of grace but went onto to share it with countless others along the way. That in my opinion is the best prize. So I do hope it will be included in order to be exposed to people across the globe.

Something I also hope to do with my music. Though I've spent a large part of my life chasing after a "prize" success in the music industry... I've come to understand the real prizes of life are not what we necessarily think they are. That's why I'm working on my first faith based Contemporary Christian Music Album. My hope is to inspire people to be strong, courageous, to never quit, but most importantly to share the love of Jesus. To let people know they really are something beautiful, and to believe that no matter how far they've gone, there is someone who cares, who loves them and thinks they really are something worth dying for.

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippines 4:13 (NIV) 

Blessings, Love & Music ~
Ava xo
www.avaaston.com