.jpg)
HONOR
"As a Marine the character trait of honor was considered more important than life itself. From the first day of boot camp until the day he leaves this earth, a Marine will infuse his life with honor as the key ingredient in how he conducts himself. In whatever he does, honor never strays far from his thinking. It drives him; it motivates him. His constant fear is not whether he can contribute successfully to the team in its mission; his training will have made sure he was equipped to do the task at hand. His greatest fear is whether he will pull his load and distinguish himself with honor. To him, dishonor is a fate far worse than death. I am honored to have served my community these past three years. I do not take for granted the trust and confidence that the voters place in me to serve, and I will never dishonor that trust and confidence."
COMMITTMENT
"Commitment is a statement of the heart that is outwardly expressed to others in the fulfillment of the promises we make and keep (the keyword here is “keep”). Commitment entails a dedication or devotion to a cause, an activity, and especially a person. There are many levels of commitments. Some are life-altering, forever arrangements such as putting our faith in Christ, devoting ourselves in marriage or seeking to serve our country through military service. Some commitments are smaller, such as a promise to meet a friend at a specific time and place.
Commitment is not seasonal. We can’t pick it up or put it down based on how we feel or how others feel about us. We stay focused on our commitments whether we’re experiencing good times or tough times. True, lasting commitment transcends all circumstances. Whatever commitments we make, whether we perceive them to be important or not, we must always keep them because it conveys the essence of who we are. My commitment to Jesus Christ is more important than anything else. That drove me to stay committed to my wife, my children, and my grandchildren, as well as to my country as a Marine. I carry over this stalwart devotion to commitment to the citizens of Rowlett as their Councilman."
COURAGE
"Few of us will ever be in a situation where we must show physical courage. All of us will face, from time to time, situations that require us to muster up the necessary moral courage to do the right thing. While all three character traits are important, courage might be the most important because it undergirds the other two. If I chose to be a man of honor but lack the moral courage to be a man of integrity, then honor goes out the window. Even worse, I will be seen as a dishonorable man.
Serving on Council sometimes requires one to make decisions or cast a vote that might not be popular. However, going along with something based on whether it is popular or not is not being courageous – it is simply disingenuous. If I chose to be a man who says he honors his commitments but fail to follow through, then I lacked the courage to do what I said I would do."