Newbie

Last week, I was challenged by my friend Liz to start a twitter account. Actually, the conversation went more like this:

Me: “I just don’t think I want to. I don’t even have a smartphone!”

Liz: “DO IT!”

I took that as a personal challenge to get twitter and become an efficient tweeter. As I started in on all of the new bird talk, I began to think about what I had just done. “What if I tweet something that is dumb? What if I don’t do the #hashtag or @ thing right? Why am I even starting this?” I began to doubt my somewhat perfectionistic self. Why? I did not want to make a mistake. If I messed up, someone would see it and know that I am not right all the time. That fear of being wrong ran through my head all day. Even with it, I decided that I would try tweeting, and let the social media world know that I had begun the world of twitter.

Twitter is just a small thing, but so many times, I find myself thinking those questioning thoughts. I wonder if people will see me for who I am- someone who is NOT perfect all the time. That scares me! Instead, I should think thoughts that say, “This is new to me. I might not do it exactly right, but I can learn from my mistakes.” When I think back on the greatest things I have learned, they largely are the product of being imperfect.

I am working on taking on a new guiding principle.

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.”

-2 Timothy 1:7

Instead of being timid, I am working to show the power, love and self-discipline I have been given.

Here goes nothing… Erin Daninger is not perfect.

She is, however, proud to be a dairy farmer’s daughter, follower of Christ, and doing her best to be herself. She is created by God and made in His image. She will no longer be an example of timidity.

What are you scared to try?

Are you portraying timidity, or are you showing the world power, love, and self-discipline?

Just a few thoughts from a farmer's daughter.

Erin

The Power of One

While I was at work today, I had a conversation with my boss. Now my boss, John, is the Vice President of Retail Sales for the ENTIRE company. He has a huge responsibility just within that business. To say the least, he's kind of a big deal. Last summer, he also took on a position with the sponsors' board for the National FFA Foundation. It is a position which he says he considers to be another job. John essentially has two jobs, but it's what he does with them together that makes a difference.

As we were speaking today, John's eyes got big, his voice started getting louder, and his hands began to fly. He was getting so fired up about one particular subject- not his kids, not meeting the sales objectives for the spring, and not the creation of a new product. Instead, he got fired up about FFA!

FFA. 

Agricultural Education. 

Youth in agriculture. 

THAT is what fueled the passion John couldn't keep to himself. John's excitement centered around finding a way that he could make every single employee in the company aware about FFA and the potential it brings with it. John is busy doing his part to make a difference in those people he interacts with on a daily basis.

This past weekend, I attended an educational and promotional weekend for dairy princesses through Midwest Dairy. Each of the 84 young women in attendance left the event equipped to share their agriculture story and love for dairy with every person they interact with, whether it is a three year-old consumer, a mom trying to feed her kids a healthy diet, or a peer in college. We left with the ability to tell our story effectively.

We all can share our story - growing up on a dairy farm, finding that we love the FFA Public Speaking Career Development Event, or helping our local food shelf - with someone near us. It doesn't have to be to an entire company. Start by telling one person. There are many of us, all with experiences from FFA, 4-H, and agriculture life that can be shared. Begin with one story.

Tell one person.
Share one story.
It all makes a difference.

Just a few thoughts from a farmer's daughter.
Erin

The Best Christmas Traditions

In the Daninger household you will find six extreme traditionalists. We like to do things exactly as they have always been done, ESPECIALLY when it comes to Christmas. Sidenote: WE LOVE CHRISTMAS.

On Christmas Eve, we head to the candlelight service at our church where we enjoy singing Christmas hymns, always ending with "Joy To The World." Then it is a mad rush to drag our parents out of church so we can get home. As my dad always says, Jesus was born in a manger, so on Christmas Eve, we celebrate by heading to the barn for chores. The cows get a little extra silage for a Christmas treat and efficient, lighthearted work gets done quicker than any other time of the year with the four kids and my dad all cruising on the farm. When the chores are done, we sit down to a grand meal prepared by my mom and enjoy each other's company.

Every year we then read the Christmas story as a family. It started with Dad reading it to us, but now the kids pass around the Bible and read it to the folks with the old eyes (Mom and Dad :) ). Opening gifts ends our evening with "It's A Wonderful Life" playing in the background.

Throughout the Christmas season each year, it is easy to get caught up in traditions, shopping, cooking, and traveling. Regardless of our family traditions, there is one tradition that should be kept at the center of Christmas rituals.



CHRIST.

He is the original Reason for the Season.

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

-Luke 2:11

As we mingle with others this Christmas, let us remember to keep the tradition that started over 2,000 years ago alive: celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Just a few thoughts from a farmer's daughter.

Erin