Contacting Craig

To contact Craig for speaking or interview opportunities, email at craigd2599@gmail.com
Visit his website (Big Fat Grace) at www.craigdaliessio.com


Monday, April 16, 2012

The Homeless Graduate...How I got to Liberty U Class of 2012: 26 days to go

'Mornin everybody...
I just got a lump in my throat and my eyes welled up as I wrote the title to this post. Every single time I mention the number of days until graduation, or speak of it with someone, or stop for 30 seconds and remind myself that I am graduating, I instantly see the picture in my mind of me in my cap and gown, (cap very likely not fitting) sitting amongst my classmates, getting my degree. The image is so strong in my mind now that I believe it completely. In my mind, it is already graduation day.  Zig Ziglar talks about this in his "How to Stay Motivated" series. Once you see an image in your mind of an accomplishment you are striving for, and once your mind begins to accept that image...it's as good as done. We move towards our strongest impulses.
I am starting a new week and it feels like an extension of last week...and the week before. I worked until 7:30 last night. I hadn't planned on spending almost 9 hours on this job but there were some difficulties and it took a lot longer to finish than I expected. I worked 10 hours the day before on a different job. Today I am working until 5 or 6. I am busy right through the end of the week, but hopefully I'm taking the weekend off to spend with my daughter. The crush of finishing my degree is imposing itself on the time I spend with almost everyone, but I keep every other weekend free for Morgan. When I lost everything, so did she. We went three and a half year without being able to spend our weekends together like we'd always had until then. Now that I have a place to live again, I guard that privilege like gold.
I have two tests, a paper on Daniel 9:24-27, and some comments on classmates blogs for my Life Coaching class all due tonight. Child's play.
Honestly I am sad to see this ending. I love to learn. I love learning anything at all, but learning more about my faith has been amazing. The life Coaching minor is essential to the career plans I have so I enjoy those classes as well.
I plan on going straight into a Masters program this fall if I have time. My Christmas book is coming out in Sept. and I will be traveling a bit and doing some speaking for that. I am starting a new book this summer with my friend Tony Luke Jr. and I am starting a new job in May, once I graduate.
After the first of the year I have a new book of my own I want to get started on. It's a modern retelling of the story of the Prodigal Son.
Life is busy for me but I have always been one to bite off large chunks. I like new things and I thrive on challenges. So doing all these things at once is just the way I like it.
Well this entry is a bit tame, but I didn't promise every day would be scintillating. Tomorrow I plan on sharing my thoughts on why a college degree...in anything...matters so much. But for the moment I have algebra to do and then I have to go to work.
Until Tomorrow...
Craig

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