keep talking...

Some days I get in a mood to write regardless of readers. Other days I get in the mood to write because I know you're reading even if you don't say so. Life is full of moments that allow us to speak out or just to listen. I love checking in on some of my friends' blogs just to know what they're thinking. Sometimes it's a story they told me on the phone or summarized in a facebook post... other times it's the story behind the fluff and gives me a look behind the scenes. Knowing people, knowing what makes them tick intrigues me... especially when they're people that I don't get to see every day.

I have been known to talk to myself so I think it's been proven I don't need listeners to talk or readers to write... but it does make it seem more worthwhile knowing you're reading.

Today was a particularly sweet day of worship at Snyder followed by intelligent and hilarious conversation with a group of peers who thankfully know me outside of my job. I had the pleasure of talking to my parents for awhile and I'm fortunate enough to not have any home games today allowing me to watch my favorite team compete in the craziness that is March Madness. My Sunday schedule could be of no interest or all the interest but in the end, it's my opportunity to share... with no one or everyone! Oh the freedom of the world wide web! :)

“She taught me that it's okay to let down your guard and allow your players to get to know you. They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.”-- Pat Summitt

The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

so much... so soon

It's just been 10 days since I last wrote but I feel like so much has been going on. Last Wednesday was crazy with baseball, softball and lacrosse all at home. On Thursday my sister came to visit for the first time since she graduated last May. There was a lot of excitement surrounding the weekend to bring back the lacrosse alumni. On Friday Lauren and Lindsey arrived and we had a low-key night out Friday. Saturday meant lacrosse and baseball games with too much writing but all of the alumni and friends spent Saturday night in downtown Fayetteville. I love seeing people get together who haven't hung out in months or years and pick up where they left off. It was a great weekend of grabbing onto the bond that holds us together and living in this moment of where we are now.

On Sunday morning we dragged ourselves out of bed to actually compete in the alumni game against the current team. While I'm not an official lax alum (I only played for a year) I was invited to play goalkeeper to help fill out the team. I really don't think someone had shot on me since 2002 when I was trying to decide whether or not to play my second year of college... and really I didn't even learn the sport until I was a junior in high school so I was always a bit insecure about my lax abilities. Thankfully, Sunday's game did not scar me for life! I made some saves and I was fortunate to have a stacked team full of USA South All-Conference players that scored tons of goals.

Things are settling down... or at least that's what I keep telling myself. All of our spring sports' teams are prepping for the conference tournament in Burlington in a few weeks. It's a crazy four days but I can't wait! It's one of the few times during the year when I can hang out with my "nerd herd" of SIDs who understand the stress of our job. We support each other and have a chance to destress together. I also have a chance to watch Lindsey and her team compete... I love watching friends succeed.

Random thoughts of the moment...

1. Jackson Potts II - Have you heard of this kid? A budding photographer, he was asked to take a photo for an exhibit on the Stations of the Cross. He took one but they won't display it because it's too graphic. Check out his blog and all of the reactions... I love his thought process and can appreciate the photo. By the way did I mention he's 10 years old??

2. Weddings - Ever since I became a SID I have tried to convince my friends to get married in June or July... sometimes May. Thankfully my sister listened, but it doesn't always work out with everyone else's schedule. On Saturday I will miss Christina Cupani's wedding... a good friend from back home. I know my QA crew will be there in full force and my heart will definitely be with them. Congrats Chrissi!

3. We sang Justin Rizzo's "Like a Tree" at FCA last night... It's my prayer for the week. Soaking in the song along with Jeremiah 1 and resting in His promises of rescue.

"Like a Tree"

I want to be unmovable and unshakable So let my roots go down deep Unmovable and unshakable in You. I, I want to be like a tree Planted by the streams of living water. This'll be my song, God; this'll be my prayer Till the end, till the end.

second fiddle...

I love going to church... It's weird because I wasn't such a big fan growing up. It was boring and I felt like it was more ritualistic without a whole lot of meaning behind it. Now that I'm engrossed in the stress of the real world, church has become a safe haven to let go of the burdens from the previous week and recharge for the upcoming one. It's crucial this time of year when I tend to feel overwhelmed by work. Today's message was about God's definition of "greatest" is different from the world's... that we should live lives of service. It wasn't even the main passage of scripture, but Giles shared a portion of Romans 12 from the message version and it was just in time!

^6-8... If you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

 ^9-10Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

 ^11-13Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

 ^14-16Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody. 

Resting in romans 12 this week! Can't wait to see my sister on Thursday!

reminder...

I was getting ready to log on and vent a bit and then I read my last blog and felt like it was an appropriate reminder. In the big scheme of things... life is good and I have nothing to complain about. I want to take the things and/or people that bother me and either let them go or fix them rather than just sit and whine. (Ironically enough I'm not sure a blog would be considered letting go or fixing... probably leaning towards the hypocritical sit and whine. :)

My problem tends to be as soon as I let people/things go, something creeps up to get them back in control of my thoughts. Evidently I suck at reading a situation well enough to know when to let go or how to stay let go.

My thought for the day...earlier this week I retweeted @marcandangel who said... "Life is too short to avoid the things that make you smile." If you miss something or someone... most of the time you have the power to do something about it. There are some people I miss that I've tried to reach and just won't reach back. There are some places I miss... like the shore... that I'm just saving up the money or waiting for the time off so I can get there. There are other circumstances where death or other extenuating circumstances really make it impossible. Fight for the possible before it becomes impossible.

11 weeks until freedom... not that I'm counting :)

perspective...

I was fortunate enough to take a break at FCA last night. One of the students shared her story... a story of more bad things happening during a 15-month period of her life than most people could claim in 20 years. The best part about her story is that most people would never be able to tell she's struggled. Sometimes we wear our hard times on our sleeve to justify our bad attitude or to get credit for what we've gone through. Instead, Jenn has focused on moving forward... trusting God's plan is at work in her life.

Jenn shared the MercyMe song "Bring the Rain" that has been a major influence. I don't think I had heard it before... but I'm resting in it this week...

"Bring me joy, bring me peace... Bring the chance to be free... Bring me anything that brings You glory... And I know there'll be days when this life brings me pain... But if that's what it takes to praise You Jesus, bring the rain."

One more thought for the day... "These days come and go, but they say nothing, and if we do not use the gifts they bring, they carry them as silently away." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson