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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: BACK TO BASICS (02/16/17)
"Gentlemen, this is a football." Vince Lombardi would say this on the fist day of pre-season training. He would then go over the basics of what a football is and its role in the game. Even though his players had played for years. He would then take his team out and show them the field, explaining where the out-of-bounds lines and the end zones were. He would go over the basics of the game, explaining the rules. The question is, why spend time on the basics of the game when everyone knew them? Repetition of the basics is important. When I think about basics I remember hearing Coach Lombardi’s quote. I am not a football fan, but it makes sense to me to know what makes the game work. I believe in any area of life, not just sports, we need to know what the foundation is.

This reminds me of when I was working for Redken as a technical sales rep. I had recently graduated from cosmology and barber schools, with only a years experience in a salon. I was a bit intimidated by those who had many years in the business. Like other industries, we had conventions and training for the beauty trade. We would put on demonstrations on the latest hair cuts, styles, along with perms and color. We would hire ‘platform artist’ stylists that had talent and performed well.

My job was working with salesmen helping to improve his Redkin sales. I also gave classes in salons on all our different products, color, perms, skin and hair care items. I really enjoyed the teaching part of my job.
One of my first classes was on color theory, at a salon owned by one of our platform artists. It had recently been remodeled and one of the most beautiful salons I had ever seen. Right away I saw there was a problem with their new lighting system. They had installed fluorescent spot lights casting a cool light, and incandescent lights giving a warm glow. There was no way to see what the color would actually look like. They would need to take the client outside to see the real color.

They wanted to know how to do the fancy frostings and foiling technics. But I found out they did not know how to get rid of unwanted red or to cover gray. I realized they did not know the basics even with all their years of experience. That is when I realized that the company had given me a great education. Bottom line I knew more than they did, and from then on I taught with confidence.

I was told I could not draw when I was about twenty and spent twenty-five years not doing art. I did lots of crafts and other creative things. After I became Hugs the Clown and started doing face and hand painting, I was encouraged to pursue my art talent. I went to a local community college and started with the basic drawing classes. I learned and practiced the basics shapes and principles of design. After many different classes, I became an accomplished artist. When I, as Hugs, paint the cartoons on the children I say, “To make Micky I make two circles for ears and ovals for eyes and nose and a half a circle for a smile.” I share what will help them.

From the outside, Christianity may seem confusing, so many denominations, people claiming contradictions in the Bible. Also horrible things were done in the name of Christianity. I was one of those that believed those lies. So how do we find the bottom line of this faith? After reading the Bible and having good honest teachers answer my doubts and questions, I began to see the truth. It took a long time but God was patient.

The Gospel, is the good news, the foundation, the cornerstone, the bottom line of Christianity.
“God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have ever lasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

We need to keep reading, and ask God’s Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and understanding, for there are no contradictions. The Lord Jesus would never condone the evil that is done in ‘HisName.’ He is the way the truth and the life.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Dennis Gallemore
02/25/17
Well said!
Sherry Brock
02/26/17
Your article is well thought out giving several examples to bolster your overall message. I thought you used the word basic too many times though. Next time you may want to look for other words or phrases that would have the same meaning, but not feel so repetitive for the reader. Overall- good job!!
Phillip Cimei
03/01/17
Overall I think you covered the topic. Lots of good ideas. You limited your audience--I speak for myself--not too interested in hair color or women products. It needed a little creativity and a hook at the beginning. You have a rich history. Grab our attention with it. Keep writing you are an interesting person. Share that in spreading the word.