Author: Brandon Baumgarten

Here’s something you can do in your free time at convention. Make sure to complete everything by Wednesday night. Have fun and meet new people!

Convention Scavenger Hunt

1. Get a signature from a member of the Southeast District

2. Tell an Ag Teacher “Thank You” for all their hard work.

3. Watch at least two performances from someone from another chapter at the Career Show Talent Stage. Cheer Them On!

4. Shake the hand of a Courtesy Corps Member.

5. Get a signature from a member of the Northwest District

6. Get a piece of candy from the Career Show.

7. Do your favorite Alumni Camp Power: Power Lawn Mower, Power OSU, etc.

8. Meet someone from another chapter and tell them your FFA Story.

9. Look across the street to the Chesapeake Arena and yell “Thunder Up!”

10. Get a signature from a member of the Central District.

11. Play a round of patty cake with a group of members

12. Find a new member and tell them your favorite corny joke.

13. Tell a Chaperone thank you for taking time out of their schedule to help out at Convention.

14. Find a member by the escalators and introduce yourself, where you are from, and your favorite thing about FFA.

15. Get a signature from a member of the Northeast District.

16. Check out one of the college booths and inquire about what programs they have to offer.

17. Snap a photo of your favorite item in the Alumni Silent Auction.

18. Read through a State Winning Speech Manuscript.

19. Get a business card from a booth in the Career Show from a company you’d like to one day work for.

20. Get a signature from a member of the Southwest District.

21. Get a signature from a member of the State FFA Chorus. Tell them how much you appreciate their singing.

22. Take a Group Selfie with as many FFA members as possible.

23. Go to a Convention Workshop and write down one takeaway lesson.

24. Find a free pen in the Career Show.

25. Get a State Officer’s autograph.

Enjoy your convention experience and congrats on another year of success!

-Brandon

After an awesome week of speaking in North Dakota, I saddle up my belongings and head to the airport early this morning……

We all board the flight in Minot, ND and as soon as we get seated we are all asked to deplane as a huge winter storm was crossing the region. We quickly go back into the airport and await our delayed flight. Once again we board, fly away to Minneapolis and are soon redirected all the way back to Minot, as all the rest of the flights in the region were cancelled including ours due to drastic inclement weather. As we checked all the other flights in Minot, all were grounded. Needless to say, all of us for the time being were stranded in North Dakota.

Frustrated is one word which could describe the emotions we passengers were facing during this time. We all get hotel and meal vouchers for the night and rebook all our flights, hoping for the best in the morning. However, although we were stranded in North Dakota, I believe God still had a purpose for this.

Heading to claim my meal voucher for dinner, I meet a couple from Florida who were in the same situation as I was. He was a doctor and his wife was his assistant. We visited for awhile about our similar situation and how we hope things will turn out. He invites me to join he and his wife for dinner. We sit and begin to talk about current events, hobbies, and more. It was great to visit with these two precious people. Then all of a sudden God did something great!

As many of you all know I have been writing a book about holiness to hopefully be released this coming summer. Suddenly, the man brings up His faith in Christ. How God had brought he and his wife together all these years. He then looked at me and said, “You know, God has really been working on my heart about something lately. He’s been dealing with me about the topic of Holiness and how we need to honor Him more.”

Immediately, I felt my heart skip a beat and joy began to rise within me. I said, “Sir, you have no idea, but God has been burning a message on my heart about holiness, in fact, He is leading me to write a book about it.” The man was so overjoyed as he and his wife shared their hearts with me about how we Christians need to do everything we can to bring glory to God’s name.

If you have followed me on Facebook this week, you have probably seen my multiple posts. I do not mean to bombard you, but instead, share with the intent of encouraging you. I do not write this post for likes, shares, or for publicity, but to simply say God knows exactly what He is doing, even in the midst of our messed up plans. I’ll admit I was frustrated when my plane came back and we were stranded, but little did I know, God would connect me to a kindred heart as well as a divine connection. Always remember just when you think you are stranded in life, God still has a purpose for you to fulfill! Our plans might be wrecked, but I pray God’s plan will always be paramount. Even though I was bummed out about my canceled flight, I will leave Minot with a renewed Hope in our Ever-Purposeful God! #DivineConnections #StrandedOnPurpose #ForHisGlory #Flying

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” -Proverbs 19:21

“Why do you all wear those blue corduroy jackets?”

As a speaker and being on the road as often as I am, I come in contact with many different people. Every event, I meet new people and en route to those events, I meet people at gas stations, cafes, and more. Recently, I was on my way to speak and had to get fuel when a man stopped me by the convenience store and said, “Hey man! Weren’t you in the FFA? I think I’ve seen you wearing one of those jackets before. I replied, “Yes sir. I’m no longer a member in it, but I can honestly say I wouldn’t be who I am today without it.”

He looked at me and said, “Well I have a question for you, why do all wear those blue corduroy jackets? They’ve gotta be itchy and make you sweat, not to mention, corduroy isn’t really that comfortable to wear.”

Upon hearing the question, I smiled and said, “Well sir, the corduroy jacket is part of the Official FFA Dress, it’s a code of professionalism, uniformity, and tradition. For many folks, Corduroy might not be the preferred fashion of choice, but in FFA it is upheld to a standard of excellence. The corduroy jacket is important because of what it represents: an organization of leaders who believe in the future of agriculture.

He nodded his head, thinking and processing the information I was sharing with him. Then soon said, “I get that. But why would you wear something that isn’t comfortable?”

The answer to this question could be answered in many ways. So I said to the man, “When I was in FFA and wore that blue corduroy jacket, I had an ag teacher who pushed and challenged me to be my best. My classmates and I were taught to work hard, to overcome adversity, and to go after our goals. Over the years, I’ve learned a valuable lesson that you’ll never be great sitting in your comfort zone. You’ve gotta break out and try new things. Although you might think the Corduroy Jacket is uncomfortable, you won’t find a better place to be when striving for success.”

The man smiled and said, “That’s really cool man. You have a blessed day!”

The point is whether you’ve worn the Blue Jacket or not, when we break out of our comfort zone, we position ourselves to grow. Greatness is not born from the confides of our comfort zone, but on the edge, where we are willing to step out. And, for those of you who are in FFA today, stand tall and zip up that corduroy jacket with pride. It might seem uncomfortable at first, but very soon you’ll see just why we wear those jackets in the first place. Because in a very cozy and very comfortable world, we need leaders who are willing to be different, willing to be game changers, and most of all, willing to be uncomfortable, for this is where your greatness truly resides. #WhyCorduroy #FFA #BreakOut #TrySomethingNew

This morning I had something interesting happen….

When you are in a barber shop getting a haircut early on a Saturday morning any topic is is up for discussion. As I enter the shop, there are a few guys sitting, chatting and drinking their morning coffee. As I sit there getting my hair cut, they chat about sports, politics, TV shows, and more. Soon the conversation went negative, they begin talking about their problems like their bad habits and using intense profanity to describe it. I didn’t know what to do except close my eyes and just allow the barber to do his job. Then all of a sudden, the men asked me, “Hey Guy, do you have any bad habits?” I replied with, “The only bad habit I ever had was falling in love with the prettiest girl in Creek County.” 😉 They thought it was funny and continued on. Soon, their conversation then transitioned to things they hated. Some hated long lines at Walmart, parking, some hated the high cigarette costs, but then one caught me way off guard, when one of the men said, “Well, the thing I hate the most are those crazy church going Christians.” My heart felt like a glass bulb shattering inside. The comment was followed with more profanities, when the barber then cleared his throat and says, “Well I think Brandon here is a Christian, in fact, I’m pretty sure he goes to church all the time.”

Immediately, you could hear crickets in the shop. I quickly replied, “Yes gentlemen, I am a Christian and I do try to attend church regularly. I’ve made so many mistakes, but thank God I’m been forgiven.”

The man who made the comment replied, “Well son, I stopped going to church when my father passed away. Over the years, I’ve just had a bad taste of Christianity.”

I replied, “I’m nowhere near perfect, no church is perfect either, but I will tell you, that we do serve a perfect God.”

I invited the man to church and told him, that if he came with an open heart, God would give him a new taste of Christianity, not as a religion, but as a relationship.

After my haircut was finished and I went on my way, I left hoping he would see this faith in a new view. Many people view Christianity in different ways, but tonight, I’m praying the world would receive a new taste, not of Christianity, but a new taste of what it means to be Christ-Like. #NewTasteOfChristianity #WeServeAnAwesomeGod

“The world is not waiting for a new definition of Christianity. The world is waiting for a new demonstration of Christianity.” -Rev. Leonard Ravenhill

Like many of you, my eyes have been glued to the State Capitol as the current situation for educational funding continues. It’s awesome to see so many folks engaged in the political process and exercising their civic rights. We all need to do more of this. The majority of folks attending OKC are fighting for the future of student success. Hoping additional funding would allow more opportunities, resources, and an overall improved school experience to create a better pathway for students to succeed. I’m all for student success and definitely wouldn’t be where I am at today if it wasn’t for the help and guidance of so many teachers in my life. However, as I was sitting down to eat lunch today, an underlying subject emerged even bigger than the one currently seen on Lincoln Boulevard. It is seldom noticed, but desperately needs our society’s attention.

(Photo credits: Christian Favalora)

As I was eating my lunch at a restaurant today, I overheard two small lower elementary students eating lunch with their grandma. I overheard them talking about the walkout and the current situation. Soon their food would arrive from the kitchen. The one little boy quickly grabbed his chicken strip dinner and took one big bite. Within seconds, he blurted out the Lord’s Name as a cuss word at the top of lungs. You could feel the entire restaurant come to a pause. When hearing this, the grandma and sister looked at the child, smiled and simply continued eating without even addressing the issue. My heart broke. I hated hearing this even from a small child who just didn’t know better.

I’ll be the first to tell you I’m not a perfect Christian by no means, but as a society we have become numbed to a cultural moral decay. This little boy had to have picked it up from someone older. Who knows? But as the fight for student success continues, we must realize we can have all the money, all the funding, and all the resources for a student to succeed, but without a moral compass or a call to correction, we are all hopelessly bankrupt. What we do will be modeled by those who look up to us and are watching intently. One of the best ways to rear someone is by painting a picture that is clearly contrary to their wrongdoing.

As these coming days unfold, let’s continue to be in support of student success, both educationally and morally. Setting the example for them to follow and impacting a generation to be more, have more, behave more, and most importantly, live for more. Thanks for reading!

#OklahomaWalkout #StudentSuccess #LiveForMore

Whether you know it or not, Agriculture affects everyone.

At one particular urban coffee shop, the managing barista who had a Ag background decided to educate his urban customers on how Agriculture actually affected them. One morning while all the guys were sitting around drinking their coffee, the barista leaned over and said, “I bet you can’t tell me where your coffee comes from.” All the men looked at each other and one spoke up saying, “Well it’s from here at your shop and it’s the best cup I’ve ever had!”

The barista responded, “Well I appreciate that, but those coffee drinks don’t just come from my shop. I actually get all my products from a farmer. If you really want to see where your coffee comes from, stop by tomorrow morning.

The next day, the men were all intrigued as they hurried into the coffee shop and wondered what would happen. The barista took all their orders and made them their coffee drinks again. When every order was filled, the doors to the coffee shop slammed open and in walked a farmer carrying a 50 pound sack of coffee beans. The barista said, “Who ordered coffee today?” Many of the men raised their hands. The barista continued, “In order for me to make your coffee, I have to have coffee beans which come from my good friend’s farm.” The farmer dropped off the sack and left the shop.

5 minutes later the door swings open again and in walks the same farmer. However, this time he is carrying a 50 pound sack of sugar. The barista said, “Now, who ordered a cappuccino today?” Few other men raised their hands. The barista continued, “In order for me to make those cappuccinos extra sweet, I have to have sugar grown from my good friend’s farm.” The farmer dropped off the sack and left the shop.

At this point, the men’s eyes were wide open not knowing what they would see next. 5 more minutes later the door swings open again and in walks the same farmer, this time holding a young calf. Immediately, the men started laughing and one even said to the Barista, “Now I know that you use coffee beans for our coffee and sugar for our cappuccinos, but what on earth do you use a baby cow for?”

The barista paused, looked at the men sternly, and said, “Anybody order DeCALF?” #AgInTheCoffeeRoom #Funny #HeresaLaugh #Agriculture

(Copyright 2018 Brandon Baumgarten)

While attending your local church service this morning, you might have seen something interesting. Students wearing their FFA Official Dress to Church. This morning many FFA Chapters celebrated National FFA Sunday as the kickoff to the rest of National FFA Week. This organization has always been and will always be dear to my heart. The friends I’ve made, the skills I’ve gained, and the lessons I’ve learned have had a tremendous impact on my life and maybe many of your lives, too. However, there are some folks who see the FFA jacket, but don’t always grasp what it means.

Early one Sunday morning in February, a local Pastor arrives at his church to get things ready for service. Everything was set in motion for the service and the congregation started to pour in to the church just like they normally did every Sunday. However, something was different this Sunday, because as the Pastor glanced over the people, he saw something he’d never seen before: 3 high school students wearing their Official FFA Dress. The Pastor was intrigued, met the students and said, “You kids look real sharp, but what’s this FFA?” The kids responded telling him what the organization was about. The Pastor was real interested, but yet unsure why the kids were wearing their jackets. The kids said it was for National FFA Week and they wanted to start the week off right by going to church together.

The Pastor was still puzzled by it and said, “Well kids, that sounds real nice, but I’m sure I’m not the only in the church who isn’t familiar with FFA. Why don’t you three share at the end of service just exactly what this “FFA” thing is and how it has impacted your life.” The kids agreed and at the very end of service, the 3 students walked upon the platform. The Pastor said, “Now, you all might have noticed these three kids wearing jackets today for this thing called FFA. I’ve asked each of the kids to tell us a little bit about this organization and how it has impacted them.”

The first student stood up to the pulpit and said, “The FFA is a student organization which has taught me hard work, dedication, and respect. I’ve learned how to speak in front of others and how to communicate clearly.”

The next student stood up to the pulpit and said, “The FFA is an organization which has taught me about farming and allowed me to learn more about God’s creatures, specifically His livestock.”

The Pastor jumped in after this and said, “Now kids, I’m glad this organization has taught you good traits and valuable knowledge, but please tell us, how has it impacted your life?”

The last student stood up to the pulpit and said, “This great organization called FFA has impacted my life in countless ways: it impacted me by helping me believe in myself, it impacted me by making me realize I am part of something bigger than me, and finally Pastor, it impacted me with the greatest message this world has ever known.”

The Pastor replied, “Really? And son, what message would that be?”

The student said, “Well sir, it’s the same message we hear you preach at church, read in our Bibles, and is even the message Jesus himself lived out. That message is “Living to Serve.””

With that, the Pastor’s questions were answered. He would close the service by saying, “Many of you, like me, may not have known what FFA was before you came here today, and many of you may not have known Jesus before you came here either. But today, I’m thankful for the chance Jesus gives us to change and the chance Jesus gives us to serve. Whether you wear an FFA Jacket or not, always remember to live like The Servant: one who is Living to Serve.” #NationalFFAWeek #FFASunday #LivingToServe #LiveLikeTheServant

#Leadership

Upon leaving my house early this morning to go to a speaking event , I thought I had everything until 8:45 a.m.…

My morning ritual has been the same for years and this morning felt no different. At 8:45 a.m. my wife calls me stating that I had left my wallet at the house. This is very uncharacteristic of me and this morning it just slipped my mind. All my cash, cards, IDs were in it. Luckily, I had plenty of fuel to get to my speaking event and back. After a great day of speaking to the incredible students at the Stuart High School Leadership Conference, I headed back home thankful for the mileage available in my vehicle.

As I drove away, I began to notice how thirsty I was from speaking all day. I had no water, nor the capability to purchase anything to drink since my wallet was doing a re-enactment of Kirk Cameron’s movie, Left Behind. Looking for a store to see if there was a free drinking fountain, my efforts found nothing. Finally, after thirsting for miles I arrived to a big town. As soon as I came into the city miles, I immediately felt the nudge of the Lord to go to A&W(home of my favorite root beer). It was like my heart was being led to go there. I resisted the nudge immediately, throwing it off as nonsense at first, fully knowing I didn’t have any money or purchasing power for a drink. I quickly bypassed the exit and went on my thirsty way.

Within seconds, I could feel the leading of the Lord even stronger to go to A&W. Pulling my car over, I battled in my head, and finally turned around and headed to the A&W. Arriving in the parking lot, I questioned everything, “Why am I being led here?” “I’m not getting anything out of this, why am I wasting my time?” “I’m going to be so embarrassed when they ask for payment?” “This is not a good idea.” My thirst ensued this entire time and after 10 minutes of wrestling of whether to go in or not, I chose to trust the leading the Lord had put in my heart. I swallowed my pride and went inside, trusting God for whatever He had.

Coming up to the cash register, the cashier asked me what I wanted to order. I blurted out: “One Root Beer please.” As she grabbed my cup, she gave it to me and said, “No worries about paying for this. It’s on the house.” I replied, “No way? Really?” She said, “Yes sir, just wanted to bless you today!” This kind cashier had no idea the struggle I was facing nor the internal battle it took to walk into the store.

This story maybe simple and minute, but I totally believe this was God at work. He knew my most minimal need at the time and blessed me with something that was literally sweeter than I could’ve imagined. Regardless the size of your need, God is faithful to answer it. He is in the details as well as the big picture. He desires what is best for us and always has a plan in motion.

It reminds me that this is a perfect display of God’s characteristics. Time and time again, we come to God in our nothingness, knowing we have nothing that could repay what He has done for us, and yet He proves His love and faithfulness everyday. He sees us as His beloved children and goes the extra mile for us. Ask yourself these questions, “Are you listening to God’s directions?” “Are you trusting His leading?” “Are you paying attention to Him?” I was so close to missing it today, and in the end, he boosted my faith and quenched my thirst.

Give God your need. Trust Him to take care of it. Be sensitive to His voice and know He is ever present. He knows where you are at and what you are going through. Today the cashier told me my blessing was on the house, but truth be told, my faith in God is now through the roof! #OnTheHouse #DependOnJesus #TrustHim #HeKnowsYourNeed

After years of driving up and down Oklahoma turnpikes, one thing I frequently look forward to doing is meeting the folks at the tollbooths. After entering and exiting in so many turnpikes, you’ll end up meeting lots of the same faces you once met before. Connecting with people and building relationships is something I’ve always enjoyed. Recently, I had the chance to do that very thing.

With Christmas season in full swing, we end up planning our schedules and getting all of our holiday festivities in order. You’ve gotta love this time of year when folks get into the Christmas Spirit by decorating their homes, offices, and even tollbooths with lights. In fact, I saw a tollbooth that had been decorated with lights and tinsel. It looked great. When I pulled up to pay for the rest of my toll, I complemented the toll taker with how great their booth looked for Christmas. I asked the lady, “Are you excited for Christmas?” She replied enthusiastically, “Oh I cannot wait!” “Me neither!” I said. “Do you have any plans for Christmas Day?” She said, “I sure do. I’ll be manning this booth with a smile on my face, spreading as much joy as I can to every driver who comes my way.” I loved her response and wished her a Merry Christmas.

I drove on thinking, “If I were in her shoes and had to work in a toll booth on Christmas Day, would I be happy about it?” Probably not. In fact, that would honestly not be anywhere close to where I would want to spend my Christmas at. However, I learned a long time ago that attitude is everything. Our attitude shapes our outlook; our outlook impacts our vision, mindset, and behavior. We can have all the holiday decorations, all the Christmas songs on our playlists, every holiday dish imaginable on the table, but if our attitude stinks, so will our whole experience. Although I may not envy the toll-taker’s work schedule this Christmas, I did appreciate her attitude, and the desire she had to spread joy to others.

Here’s a couple questions for you to ponder: “What makes you joyful this holiday season?” Is it the presents under the tree? The delicious food? Having a day off? Or is it the fact that we have already been given the greatest gift ever?

Once you know where your joy comes from, ask yourself one final question: “How can I spread this joy with others?” Maybe it’s volunteering to be a bell ringer for the Salvation Army? Perhaps you take a youth group Christmas Caroling? Connecting with someone you wouldn’t normally talk to?

Or maybe you are simply in a tollbooth with a sincere smile on your face spreading as much joy as you can with those who come your way. Either way, we all have an opportunity to be joyful this Christmas. Attitude is everything. And, in a world of negativity, it would definitely do some good to take some tips from the toll taker this holiday season and spread some Christmas joy. Joy to the World.

#JoyToTheWorld #Attitude #Outlook #Christmas #TOLLtallyAwesomeChristmas