Roddy's World

Everybody has challenges in life. We all have burdens of our own kind to bare. Some can be more than others, and all of us have our own way with dealing with them. We can’t be weary of failing when we face our challenges. “Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly.” Robert F. Kennedy. Challenges can be so rewarding in the end. When all is said and done, getting through them is what truly matters.  I like to share challenges that I’ve faced. I don’t shy away from them. They have long been a part of my life. Have I always handled them the right way? No, I certainly haven’t, but I am not hesitant to talk about them. It’s my greatest testimony. What God has done in my life is extraordinary, and I wanna write about it.       As so many out there know, I have a disability. I suffered brain damage at birth. I almost didn’t survive my birth. My medical records say I was “almost a stillborn.” I suffered brain damage due to a lack of oxygen. I had the umbili...

For 9 years I’ve been a father. Its the greatest gift I’ve ever received. Paisley just turned 9 in June, and Bella turned 6 this month. They both bring such     joy into my life. I’m still working on being a father. It’s the greatest challenge I’ve ever had, and it’s the most rewarding challenge I’ve ever had. My wife is an incredible mother, and our girls adore her. I know they feel the same about me, just maybe in a different way. I’m reminded of so many things my father and mother taught me, and I try to pass that wisdom along to my girls. I’m blessed to be here for my girls. We spend most of our days together as a family. It’s not always easy. I work at home as a full time dad, and I’m ok with that. Is it what I visioned for my adult life? Well no, but in the end I wouldn’t change it for the world.                    Everyday I wonder if I’m making a difference in my girls lives. Am I the best influence for them everyday? I...

Are you living or merely existing? My father posed this question in a column he wrote years ago. I think he was on to something. It’s a question I have to ask myself at times. We all choose our own destiny in life. So many people just go through the motions in life. If I had to look in the mirror and think about that, I sometimes wonder what my answer would be. I’m not sure, if I’m honest with myself, that I would like the answer. It’s a choice though, and it’s a rather simple choice to make. You can chose happiness in this life, but it can take work for some people. I fall into that category. I need to work harder in my own life than most to achieve the same results. If I open my eyes, happiness is right in front of me. I have a lovely wife and two precious daughters. They love me and want to see me happy. Sometimes I just have to dig deeper. They encourage me everyday. They want me to thrive in life. The question is, how bad do I want it?            ...

Ask not what your country can do for you.” “Ask what you can do for your country.” -John F. Kennedy Mr. President that’s what we need to ask ourselves at this time. Where are we headed as a nation? Are we headed in the right direction? There isn’t a lot of encouraging news these days. There is forty year high in inflation. Gas is absolutely outrageous, and every single item you buy is through the roof. There is still war raging overseas, and we still haven’t haven’t completely gotten a worldwide pandemic under control. Just over a year ago things weren’t anywhere near this bad. There is a reason for this. Shouldn’t there be some type of accountability taking place? Are we holding the right people, in the right places responsible? I don’t think we are. The leadership in this country has failed us in every way. There are elections right around the corner. Yes, midterms are quickly approaching. We can make a difference at the ballot box. There must be change in our current leadership, and...

Where are you from? Where do you call home? What are you doing today? What are you gonna be doing tomorrow? These are not always easy questions to answer. I spent the majority of my years in Mississippi with a     four year stop in central Florida. Now Tennessee is where I lay my head. I am proud of where I come from. I’m also happy where I am today. My wife and girls and I will have been in Nashville for six years in July. It will be the longest my wife and I have been in one place in almost 17 years of marriage. We will remain here for the un foreseeable future. How long that is into the future remains to be seen. Nobody knows where any of us will be tomorrow.     Abraham Lincoln said “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” That’s great advice, Mr. President, but the future can still seem uncertain. Are you certain about your future? It’s tough for me to say that I am. “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you gain wisdom in the future.” Prov...

My Atlanta Braves have won the 2021 World Series! For the first time in 26 years, they are world champs. I have been a long-time fan of the Braves. I was a freshman in high school in 1995.     From the moment Chipper Jones stepped on the diamond, with Bobby Cox at the helm, I mastered the art of the tomahawk chop. Together they were a dynamic duo along with so many other stars, leading their team to multiple World Series appearances. Until this year, the  Braves had won their one and     only World Series title in ‘95. It was frustrating having just the one title, despite all of the playoff appearances. That has now come full circle.                  The Braves overcame so much this season. Starting with the loss of their superstar outfielder, Ronald Acuna Jr. He injured his knee, and he was lost for the season. That led to the total midseason makeover of their outfield. With a flurry of trades, they acquired so much ...