It's that time of year again. The dread of winter is gone, the birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, everything is becoming green again, and Tom Hamilton is famously calling the home run ball. Now I have a sneaking suspicion that a number of you will stop reading here due to the fact that this is a post about baseball. But I implore you, stick with it because it isn't a typical baseball piece.
Baseball and I throughout my young life have had sort of a bipolar relationship. When I was a kid, it was a thrill to be able to go into my backyard or a local park and mash balls in every direction. There's just something about a kid and his dad chucking a few or a group of neighborhood kids getting together to play the game. As I grew a little older, I cared less about playing and took an interest in the Baltimore Orioles and Cal Ripken Jr. I didn't watch many games and I didn't always care whether they won or lost, as long as Ripken did well.
When 2001 rolled around, I took a great interest in professional sports. It started with Nascar and Jeff Gordon. My first race was the Daytona 500, which was Dale Earnhardt's last. My first Super Bowl was XXXVI. Kurt Warner and The Greatest Show on Turf vs. back up and unknown at the time Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. I didn't realize it then but I was witnessing history. I jumped aboard the L.A. Lakers bandwagon with Kobe and Shaq in tow. I was given an Yzerman jersey and the red wings became my hockey team. As my love of professional sports was blooming, I set baseball on a back burner. Sure I still sort of cared about the Orioles, but not enough to follow them or the game of baseball. I was all about the fast cars, the crashes, the hard hits, the touchdowns, the rainbow threes, the slam dunks, the hockey brawls, and the once in a lifetime goals. Baseball was just too slow for me and I was more prone to throwing a pigskin then cowhide. Slowly, but surely, things would happen that changed my mind.
Summer of 2004. I had moved from Southern Pennsylvania a year ago to Cleveland, Ohio and was attending a giant youth conference put on by the churches in the great lakes area. There were around 1000 people in attendance and for one of the activities, they took us all to an Indians game. Maybe it was the warm weather, the roar of the crowd, the ballpark hot dogs, the anticipation of what was to come next that enthralled me. Even though the game wasn't fast enough, there was still something overwhelmingly wonderful about being at Jacob's Field. However, I still did not follow baseball.
Three years later, a little bit of magic happened. The lowly Cleveland Indians began winning. Not only were they winning, but they were winning with authority. I went to three games that year and each one was more exciting then the last. The third one I attended that year was a memorable one. The Indians were playing their dreaded rival Detroit. The stadium was packed with Indians and Tigers fans alike and the atmosphere was alive. The Indians were down most of the game, but then they scored three runs to tie it in the 8th. The heated battle went into 11 innings. Then, with one out in the 11th, Casey Blake took the plate. At this moment, the story of Mighty Casey came to mind. But this story had a different ending. Blake crushed a mammoth homer for a walk off win. The stadium exploded. The Indians made the playoffs and defeated the hated Yankees in spectacular fashion. They almost put away the Red Sox with a 3-1 series lead, but ultimately fell short and just missed the World Series. That season I became an Indians fan.
If you talk to me about baseball today, you'd be surprised at how much I could tell you. If you are a baseball fan, you get it. If you're not and are confused as to why one would be so adamant about this sport, it's simple. For the love of the game. Take the Chicago Cubs for example. They are baseball's first team. They have one of the oldest ball parks loaded with rich history and untarnished by a corporate sponsorship taking naming rights. They last won a world series in 1908, the longest drought in any sport. Unlike most other cities, Chicago isn't championship starved. The Bears won in 1985, the bulls won six championships in the 90s, the White Sox won in 2005, and the Black Hawks have won the Stanley Cup three times since 2009. Until last year, the Cubs were bad for a long time. But Cubs fans, win or lose, showed up in droves, even before they became good again. And I will say this. If the Cubs win the World Series, the city of Chicago (including White Sox fans) will go insane like you've never seen before. They will be the team Chicagoans talk about for years to come. The three stanley cups? A mere afterthought. The 90s Bulls (with the exception of Jordan) a brief dinner tale. The 85 Bears? Replayed ESPN documentaries. The Cubs will be the team talked about for years to come.
Okay, so I just gave the Cubs a lot of love. But what about my beloved Indians? I believe they have a shot. But that all rides on their offense. Even if they lose, there's a saying in baseball that any given day at the ballpark, you may see something you've never seen before. What is it to me? It's listening to Tom Hamilton announce a game as if it was the greatest game on earth. It's watching Cliff Lee, C.C. Sabathia, and Corey Kluber win the Cy Young. It's the history of the 90s Indians. It's watching a 40 year old former juicer turned beloved player who any other sport would've written off long ago smash a 2 run, walk-off, game winning blast to keep a streak alive to enter the playoffs. It's calling off work to go to a potential rained out game where hits were hard to find and in extra innings the Indians go down by two and are down to their last strike on their last out with a washed up pro 0-4 on the day crush a walk-off grand slam right to your section. It's the bench clearing brawls that say if you mess with our man, the whole team is coming after you. It's the unwritten rules, the statistics, the jargon. It's welcoming back an Indians legend and roaring with the crowd every time he gets a hit. It's a slugfest where the Indians trail by one, your section tries to get the wave going but fails miserably until the man leading the charge tells us to believe and try one more time and as we do it succeeds and as it's going around, the Indians clobber a two run double to take the lead and put the game away for good. It's going to eight games and not witnessing a single loss and seeing four walk-off wins. It's spending three hours with people you care about laughing, joking, and sharing something in common for that short period of time. It's for the love of the Indians and the love of the game.
Happy Opening Day and as always GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TRIBE!
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Thursday, March 17, 2016
The Immortal Wasp
This
is the con about writing here once a month. I have so many different blog
thoughts and I’ve started a few of them only to never finish them and leave
them as unsaved drafts to forever sit in a ghost-like abyss. Stuck between
worlds never moving in either direction. Maybe I’ll release them one day as a
whole, but for now they are quite irrelevant. I also cheated those of you
consistent readers last month with a blog post that took all of two seconds to
write. I have tons of ideas, but as I thought about writing each one, something
more important came up and I began to write, but I had to stop. Time passed and
each burning idea became an afterthought.
Currently
I’m writing this in a long car ride so I’m doing this in a word doc to paste
later. Hey don’t judge, I’ve got time to kill and I’m partially writing for you
the reader…so yeah.
Anyways,
a lot has happened to me recently and I need to release my mind. I’m on my last
spring break ever and I’ve never left town for it. This time, I decided after a
weekend church conference that I was going to hop in a car and visit three
cities in three days preaching the gospel. Normally, one wouldn’t do this, but
I had no other plans so why not? I love travel, challenges, adventure so I
went. The trip contained a lot of firsts. It was the first time I was in
Chicago, the first time I had deep dish pizza, the first time I was in
Kalamazoo, Michigan and the Bowman’s house, the first time I was on five
college campuses in three days, and the first time I rode with different people
and cars for each stage of the trip.
We
talked to a lot of people and handed out thousands of invites, yet the results
were few. However, people got saved. Even if the 20+ of us did all that work in
all three cities and only one person got saved, it was worth it. One soul being
saved from hell and turning to God makes the heavens rejoice. I personally
prayed with four people to receive Christ. That’s four more people to fight for
His kingdom. Four more saved from the clutches of sin, the devil, and hell.
Four more to be called a child of the Living God. Praise Him!
Yet,
things happened that affected me. And things that have already happened came
back to haunt me again. I’m about to be raw and lay it all out there so prepare
yourself emotionally…you have been warned.
On
the way to Chicago, I found out one of my best friends had gone missing. I’ve
been worried about him for a long time. What he’s gone through, how his life
has been, everything. It finally got bad enough that he left and told no one.
It’s been a month since anyone has heard from him. I don’t think he’s in
serious danger, but I’m terrified for where his thoughts could lead him. I feel
like I didn’t do enough to be there for him. And now I don’t know how long
it’ll be before I see him again.
Secondly,
I talked with a brother who was married to someone who I knew from back in PA. She
had gotten a call from another sister I knew back in PA who had hightailed it
to Nashville to join this strange group of “believers” and asked her to come
check it out. She did and never came back. She still keeps in contact, but only
once in awhile. This group has taken money from the former sister and when I
talked to the brother about the situation, he informed me that the group has
convinced other women (widows, ones with money) from all over the US to join
and recently the leader’s child got sick and wasn’t taken to a doctor because
they believed the group’s faith alone would heal the child…the child died. My
fears were confirmed. It’s a cult. A blasted cult. They prey on vulnerable
people. People I’ve known for so long and care about and it sickens me.
Recently,
a person I knew when I was younger and served me in jr high passed. He wasn’t’
doing so well and just like that he was gone. He’s the third person in four
years that meant something to me who has passed before the age of thirty. It’s
an emotional toll that is for sure worse for their loved ones than for me, but
I’m living with this constant fear of “who’s next?” and “how soon.”
Lastly,
there’s the hope that I graduate this spring. I’ve been mentally done with
school for so long that it’s not even funny. Sure, one doesn’t have to finish
in four years, but when it becomes seven and you see your friends graduate, get
jobs, and you’re stuck studying and doing meaningless projects…it takes a toll.
And the added tuition bills aren’t fun either.
Now
take me rightly. I know the Lord is here and He will carry me through all of
this, but when everything piles up and takes time to remedy, and your heart
aches for all these people and their situations that affect me directly…it
hurts. It drains me emotionally. I also don’t want to put that burden on every
single person that asks me how I’m doing. Because day to day, I wake up fresh
and feeling better, but my thoughts and concerns still prick me. They’re like a
wasp that keeps stinging me and I can’t kill it no matter how hard I try. This
is where my trust in the Lord needs to be at its strongest. And I do trust Him.
I just need Him to take care of some of these things a little faster.
Monday, February 8, 2016
The "I Challenge You" Secrets Revealed
A little over a year ago, I got really bored and wanted to put out a challenge for people to figure out/get to know me a little better. I also offered a prize of $20 to the first person who successfully completed the challenge. Well no one was successful and before anyone gripes that it was too hard, it was supposed to be! I'm not going to give away $20 just like that. Now that the contest is officially closed, and in case anyone was curious, here are the questions with their answers.
1. What is my favorite flavor of ice cream? Mint Chocolate Chip
2. What is my dream car (year, make, and model)? 1970 Chevelle 540 SS
3. Who was my middle school celebrity crush? Mary-Kate or Ashley Olsen
4. What year did I officially become a Cleveland Indians fan? 2007
5. What is the first movie I saw in theaters? Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith
6. What is my favorite food? French Fries
7. What is the fastest time I've ever run a mile (min and seconds)? 6 min 30 sec
8. What was my favorite childhood movie? D2 the Mighty Ducks
9. What was the first thing I wanted to be when I grew up? Marine Biologist
10. How many M. Word Document pages long is the story I wrote titled "A Young Love"? 154
11. How many Mountain Top Conferences have I been to? 12 (at the time it was 11)
12. How many American States have I visited? 12
13. What public arcade game did I achieve a high score on? Arctic Thunder
14. What is the biggest fish I ever caught lengthwise (in inches)? 28" (at the time it was 24")
15. How many days of school did I miss from 7th-12th grade? 6 days
16. What color and brand was my first bicycle? Color: Black, Brand: Huffy
17. What band instrument did I play freshman year of high school? Baritone
18. What famous criminal's autograph do I have? Jerry Sandusky (I have two)
19. Who is my favorite Pokemon? Nidoking
20. How many times has my name or picture appeared in a newspaper? 3 times (that I can recall)
In all honesty, even though I didn't get much interaction as I wanted, my boredom was cured and anyone reading this just learned 20 new things about me. Any questions on why my answers are such or reactions to them, I'd love to hear them.
1. What is my favorite flavor of ice cream? Mint Chocolate Chip
2. What is my dream car (year, make, and model)? 1970 Chevelle 540 SS
3. Who was my middle school celebrity crush? Mary-Kate or Ashley Olsen
4. What year did I officially become a Cleveland Indians fan? 2007
5. What is the first movie I saw in theaters? Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith
6. What is my favorite food? French Fries
7. What is the fastest time I've ever run a mile (min and seconds)? 6 min 30 sec
8. What was my favorite childhood movie? D2 the Mighty Ducks
9. What was the first thing I wanted to be when I grew up? Marine Biologist
10. How many M. Word Document pages long is the story I wrote titled "A Young Love"? 154
11. How many Mountain Top Conferences have I been to? 12 (at the time it was 11)
12. How many American States have I visited? 12
13. What public arcade game did I achieve a high score on? Arctic Thunder
14. What is the biggest fish I ever caught lengthwise (in inches)? 28" (at the time it was 24")
15. How many days of school did I miss from 7th-12th grade? 6 days
16. What color and brand was my first bicycle? Color: Black, Brand: Huffy
17. What band instrument did I play freshman year of high school? Baritone
18. What famous criminal's autograph do I have? Jerry Sandusky (I have two)
19. Who is my favorite Pokemon? Nidoking
20. How many times has my name or picture appeared in a newspaper? 3 times (that I can recall)
In all honesty, even though I didn't get much interaction as I wanted, my boredom was cured and anyone reading this just learned 20 new things about me. Any questions on why my answers are such or reactions to them, I'd love to hear them.
Friday, January 15, 2016
What a Year. Here Comes Another
We are fifteen (nearly sixteen) days into the new year and it still doesn't feel like it. Even as I come to blows with the fact the 2015 is indeed a thing of the past, it will not cause me to never reflect on what a great year it truly was. I did a lot of things different and some remained the same, but the truth of the matter is that none would've come to fruition without my Lord Jesus Christ. So join me as I take a look back on 2015.
I began 2015 with an internship at Oatey (a plumbing products company) as part of my program for my Mechanical Engineering degree at CSU. I didn't take any classes, but rather worked from January to May, gaining experience as well as cash for the summer. What I did there was a lot of solidworks drawings, used a CMM machine to measure drains, and tested valves where sometimes the pressure blew and I ended up with a face full of water. My friend from CSU, Rutwick, also got a job there so it was an enjoyable experience working with him.
It was the first year that college football introduced playoffs and they didn't disappoint. The OHIO STATE BUCKEYES, a team that used 3 QBs, that entered as the 4th seed, that everyone had written off, took down the Crimson Tide and steamrolled the Oregon Duckies to be the champions they truly were and thus establishing that playoffs in college football were needed and are here to stay.
In February, the saints here in Cleveland were graced by the presence of the saints from London, Canada as we swapped stories, ate delicious cheesecake, and enjoyed each other's presence.
The winter blues are real in Cleveland and one way to beat them was to disappear to Hocking Hills for the weekend with good friends. A hot tub outdoors in the winter is fantabulous might I add.
Ever wonder what it's like to spend a weekend with 150+ college students all loving the Lord, being silly, and enjoying life? If you do, I'll say it's awesomely wonderful and rewarding. The first of the two covered The Meaning of Life: Through the Eyes of God. The second covered Real Life. Both very eye opening, awesome, and so meaningful.
May rolled around and my time at Oatey ended. I was free for the summer and decided to kick it off with a bang. My buddy Ryan and I took a trip east to see one of the greatest races run throughout the year. The Indy 500. What a weekend that was. We stayed with the Merriweathers during the weekend and their hospitality is always a wonderful treat. We toured the track, saw the Hall of Fame, experienced the culture, and even saw Florida/Georgia Line concert. The race was even more exciting, being with thousands of fans, watching Jeff Gordon drive the pace car, the crashes, and the race to the finish, it was awesome. I also had the pleasure of running into an old childhood friend, Cameron Salyers. It was really good to see him again.
May didn't leave without leaving me one last gift. I hauled in an 8lb 28in Walleye off the shore of Lake Erie. That was A) my biggest fish ever, B) Fish Ohio worthy, and C) I caught a Walleye before Nathaniel. A couple weeks after, I hauled in a 26in Channel Cat out of the Rocky River. Also Fish Ohio worthy. A nice start to my fishing season.
June brought my first Indians game of the season, my first trip to the NFL Hall of Fame, and witnessing the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat as the banged up Cavs took the Warriors to six games in the Championship. That was disappointing, but I still believe in Cleveland. Go Cavs!
Every summer, the churches host a multitude of young people's events. I attended three and each could have a blog post of their own, but this'll have to do for now. The first was Jr. High Camp. I have been every year since 2004 (except 2014) for 11 times total. One of my first real experiences with the Lord was during my first and only year as a junior higher at JHC. It's had me coming back ever since. Even though it's an exhausting week that is never drama-less, to see these kids taste eternity and know that you helped them with that is worth more then any petty thing one goes through. The second was Mountain Top and I haven't missed one since I've lived in Ohio. To gather young people all across the Great Lakes area and other parts of the world into one place to be with other believers and experience who Christ is together is beyond words. It's that wonderful Christian high being so filled with the Holy Spirit that overwhelms you so that everything else becomes a temporary blur. The third, Vision Week, is a week long training where we dive into a part of the bible and get enriched by what is heard. Sometimes, even though I've read those passages many times, new revelations are procured and they enrich and nourish.
This past year also marked the 10th anniversary of my class being the first 8th grade graduating class from Riverside. To do something special, a classmate, Matt, organized a reunion. It was incredible to see a group of people I hadn't seen in 10 years. It wasn't just students either. Former teachers and our principal were there as well. If another one occurs, I'll make it a point to be there.
July, one of my favorite months of the year, didn't disappoint. A group of thirty of us took a week to renovate the Magnolia House. I've used this house for many things throughout the years and it was pretty cool to give it a little face lift. Sawing through ceilings, knocking out old cabinets, jack-hammering through walls, painting, making everything look pretty, was tiring, but fun.
I'm from Southern PA. I grew up on country music. I love country music. My favorite artist of every genre is Kenny Chesney. He came to Cleveland this summer and I bought tickets. You wouldn't think he's a 40+ year old by the way he does his shows. It was fantastic! One of the best concerts I've been to...ever. Especially the moment he sings "Anything But Mine" and gets to the first two lines of the chorus "In the mornin' I'm leavin', making my way back to Cleveland," he stops and lets the crowd sing that line back to him and it's an awesome moment. I hope he returns this year.
I took a weekend to visit two very good friends of mine in Columbus, Paul and Sarah Mann. Both of them did the year long Christian internship with me from 2011-2012. As we grow older and more of life's responsibilities kick in, it gets harder and harder to see friends. So I texted Paul (while at an Indians game) and by mid July, I was in Columbus. The weekend was fantastic as we went to a Jazz and Rib fest (the ribs were delicious!), the Columbus Zoo, Hot Chicken Takeover, and even got to hang with Steve Mann at his house for an evening. I thank the Lord for putting them in my life.
August couldn't wait to push July out the door. Two good friends of mine, Josh Malek and Audra Wayco said "I do" on the 2nd. The weather was fantastic, the ceremony beautiful, and two people became one in the One who created marriage Himself. God. As soon as the wedding/reception ended, I drove straight to the above mentioned vision week.
The week following VW, with barely 24 hours to catch my breath, I hopped in a rental van with my family and headed for southern central PA. This is always a grand week which included putt-putt, malls, good food, a small tour of Gettysburg, my return to Hershey Park for the first time in over 12 years, Tropical Treat, seeing many friends, and good relaxing fun.
Speaking of Hershey park, this was my first time in a long time that I've been to more than one amusement park in a year. My friend Ryan and I made the trip to Cedar Point and what started as a gray, windy day, ended up being a sunny, fun experience for the ages. I finally got to ride the Gatekeeper and crossed an item off one of my multiple bucket lists which was to ride all the coasters at Cedar point. Looks like I'll have to go again this year to ride their new one, the Valravn.
A few other things I'd like to note is that I turned 25 (a quarter of a century!) this year and also this marked the 12th year I've lived in Ohio, which surpasses the length of time I lived in PA. I also got really big into this hobby known as geocaching and am currently 7 caches short of having found 400 total. It's a great hobby, filled with adventure, treasure, cool people, and the places it takes you are amazing. If you want to learn all about it, go to geocaching.com.
Lastly, this past 5ish weeks of winter vacation has been anything but dull. I went to two Cavs games, a Monsters game, a white elephant christmas party, spent two days cutting down and burning trees at Ashland Woods, spent some quality time with people who live far away, but I love dearly, and lastly, the end of 2015 was welcomed with the new friends I met from the land down under.
If you didn't know, a group of six, wacky, funny, crazy, lovable, caring, kind, absolutely fantastic Aussies traveled halfway across the world to not only experience America from sea to shining sea (literally they did, LA to NYC) but to experience the church life with many other believers. At first I didn't know what to expect because in the past, we've had visitors from foreign lands, but never any this young. I kid you not, it was one of the most enjoyable experiences I had over break, Getting to know them, showing them the things (and food) we enjoy and getting to share our Christ with one another was pure bliss. Italy has been at the top of my travel list for years, but Australia may just be my new number one. From your kind words and expressions of gratitude for our hospitality and love, I humbly return the thanks. Who knows, maybe the Lord will have it in His plans for me to come this year.
There are many more things I could expound upon for this year, but I think this'll do just fine. Plus even though a year seems like a moment, a lot can happen in that time. So with that, I close the book on 2015, look forward and say "here comes another." May the Lord be with you all, always.
I began 2015 with an internship at Oatey (a plumbing products company) as part of my program for my Mechanical Engineering degree at CSU. I didn't take any classes, but rather worked from January to May, gaining experience as well as cash for the summer. What I did there was a lot of solidworks drawings, used a CMM machine to measure drains, and tested valves where sometimes the pressure blew and I ended up with a face full of water. My friend from CSU, Rutwick, also got a job there so it was an enjoyable experience working with him.
It was the first year that college football introduced playoffs and they didn't disappoint. The OHIO STATE BUCKEYES, a team that used 3 QBs, that entered as the 4th seed, that everyone had written off, took down the Crimson Tide and steamrolled the Oregon Duckies to be the champions they truly were and thus establishing that playoffs in college football were needed and are here to stay.
In February, the saints here in Cleveland were graced by the presence of the saints from London, Canada as we swapped stories, ate delicious cheesecake, and enjoyed each other's presence.
The winter blues are real in Cleveland and one way to beat them was to disappear to Hocking Hills for the weekend with good friends. A hot tub outdoors in the winter is fantabulous might I add.
Ever wonder what it's like to spend a weekend with 150+ college students all loving the Lord, being silly, and enjoying life? If you do, I'll say it's awesomely wonderful and rewarding. The first of the two covered The Meaning of Life: Through the Eyes of God. The second covered Real Life. Both very eye opening, awesome, and so meaningful.
May rolled around and my time at Oatey ended. I was free for the summer and decided to kick it off with a bang. My buddy Ryan and I took a trip east to see one of the greatest races run throughout the year. The Indy 500. What a weekend that was. We stayed with the Merriweathers during the weekend and their hospitality is always a wonderful treat. We toured the track, saw the Hall of Fame, experienced the culture, and even saw Florida/Georgia Line concert. The race was even more exciting, being with thousands of fans, watching Jeff Gordon drive the pace car, the crashes, and the race to the finish, it was awesome. I also had the pleasure of running into an old childhood friend, Cameron Salyers. It was really good to see him again.
May didn't leave without leaving me one last gift. I hauled in an 8lb 28in Walleye off the shore of Lake Erie. That was A) my biggest fish ever, B) Fish Ohio worthy, and C) I caught a Walleye before Nathaniel. A couple weeks after, I hauled in a 26in Channel Cat out of the Rocky River. Also Fish Ohio worthy. A nice start to my fishing season.
June brought my first Indians game of the season, my first trip to the NFL Hall of Fame, and witnessing the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat as the banged up Cavs took the Warriors to six games in the Championship. That was disappointing, but I still believe in Cleveland. Go Cavs!
Every summer, the churches host a multitude of young people's events. I attended three and each could have a blog post of their own, but this'll have to do for now. The first was Jr. High Camp. I have been every year since 2004 (except 2014) for 11 times total. One of my first real experiences with the Lord was during my first and only year as a junior higher at JHC. It's had me coming back ever since. Even though it's an exhausting week that is never drama-less, to see these kids taste eternity and know that you helped them with that is worth more then any petty thing one goes through. The second was Mountain Top and I haven't missed one since I've lived in Ohio. To gather young people all across the Great Lakes area and other parts of the world into one place to be with other believers and experience who Christ is together is beyond words. It's that wonderful Christian high being so filled with the Holy Spirit that overwhelms you so that everything else becomes a temporary blur. The third, Vision Week, is a week long training where we dive into a part of the bible and get enriched by what is heard. Sometimes, even though I've read those passages many times, new revelations are procured and they enrich and nourish.
This past year also marked the 10th anniversary of my class being the first 8th grade graduating class from Riverside. To do something special, a classmate, Matt, organized a reunion. It was incredible to see a group of people I hadn't seen in 10 years. It wasn't just students either. Former teachers and our principal were there as well. If another one occurs, I'll make it a point to be there.
July, one of my favorite months of the year, didn't disappoint. A group of thirty of us took a week to renovate the Magnolia House. I've used this house for many things throughout the years and it was pretty cool to give it a little face lift. Sawing through ceilings, knocking out old cabinets, jack-hammering through walls, painting, making everything look pretty, was tiring, but fun.
I'm from Southern PA. I grew up on country music. I love country music. My favorite artist of every genre is Kenny Chesney. He came to Cleveland this summer and I bought tickets. You wouldn't think he's a 40+ year old by the way he does his shows. It was fantastic! One of the best concerts I've been to...ever. Especially the moment he sings "Anything But Mine" and gets to the first two lines of the chorus "In the mornin' I'm leavin', making my way back to Cleveland," he stops and lets the crowd sing that line back to him and it's an awesome moment. I hope he returns this year.
I took a weekend to visit two very good friends of mine in Columbus, Paul and Sarah Mann. Both of them did the year long Christian internship with me from 2011-2012. As we grow older and more of life's responsibilities kick in, it gets harder and harder to see friends. So I texted Paul (while at an Indians game) and by mid July, I was in Columbus. The weekend was fantastic as we went to a Jazz and Rib fest (the ribs were delicious!), the Columbus Zoo, Hot Chicken Takeover, and even got to hang with Steve Mann at his house for an evening. I thank the Lord for putting them in my life.
August couldn't wait to push July out the door. Two good friends of mine, Josh Malek and Audra Wayco said "I do" on the 2nd. The weather was fantastic, the ceremony beautiful, and two people became one in the One who created marriage Himself. God. As soon as the wedding/reception ended, I drove straight to the above mentioned vision week.
The week following VW, with barely 24 hours to catch my breath, I hopped in a rental van with my family and headed for southern central PA. This is always a grand week which included putt-putt, malls, good food, a small tour of Gettysburg, my return to Hershey Park for the first time in over 12 years, Tropical Treat, seeing many friends, and good relaxing fun.
Speaking of Hershey park, this was my first time in a long time that I've been to more than one amusement park in a year. My friend Ryan and I made the trip to Cedar Point and what started as a gray, windy day, ended up being a sunny, fun experience for the ages. I finally got to ride the Gatekeeper and crossed an item off one of my multiple bucket lists which was to ride all the coasters at Cedar point. Looks like I'll have to go again this year to ride their new one, the Valravn.
A few other things I'd like to note is that I turned 25 (a quarter of a century!) this year and also this marked the 12th year I've lived in Ohio, which surpasses the length of time I lived in PA. I also got really big into this hobby known as geocaching and am currently 7 caches short of having found 400 total. It's a great hobby, filled with adventure, treasure, cool people, and the places it takes you are amazing. If you want to learn all about it, go to geocaching.com.
Lastly, this past 5ish weeks of winter vacation has been anything but dull. I went to two Cavs games, a Monsters game, a white elephant christmas party, spent two days cutting down and burning trees at Ashland Woods, spent some quality time with people who live far away, but I love dearly, and lastly, the end of 2015 was welcomed with the new friends I met from the land down under.
If you didn't know, a group of six, wacky, funny, crazy, lovable, caring, kind, absolutely fantastic Aussies traveled halfway across the world to not only experience America from sea to shining sea (literally they did, LA to NYC) but to experience the church life with many other believers. At first I didn't know what to expect because in the past, we've had visitors from foreign lands, but never any this young. I kid you not, it was one of the most enjoyable experiences I had over break, Getting to know them, showing them the things (and food) we enjoy and getting to share our Christ with one another was pure bliss. Italy has been at the top of my travel list for years, but Australia may just be my new number one. From your kind words and expressions of gratitude for our hospitality and love, I humbly return the thanks. Who knows, maybe the Lord will have it in His plans for me to come this year.
There are many more things I could expound upon for this year, but I think this'll do just fine. Plus even though a year seems like a moment, a lot can happen in that time. So with that, I close the book on 2015, look forward and say "here comes another." May the Lord be with you all, always.
Monday, December 21, 2015
12 Years and Counting
August 22, 2015 marked the twelfth year I have resided in the O-H-I-O state. Why is that of any significance? Because it surpasses the number of years (11.25) that I lived in southern-central Pennsylvania. That's an exceptional milestone. If you recall my past blog posts, they mention how it took me nearly three of those 12 years to accept that my move to Ohio wasn't temporary. As each of those first three years ended, I would announce in the young people's meetings that we would be staying another year. Each of those was met with cheers and it made me feel good, but I never had complete comfort, because I was still hoping to go back to what I knew as home.
I haven't made any such announcement since 2006, but this year I wanted to and in a special way, but the opportunity never really presented itself. So, during a young adult bible study that I attend, there was a new guy who came. We were making casual conversation and he asked how we all knew each other. Mark mentioned that we all meet at the same church, but he made distinction that some grew up together and some came in from other places. I then took that opportunity to announce that this year marked the twelfth year we've lived in Ohio, but right before I could make the note of why twelve years was important, a "we win?" came from Hannah, knowing what I was about to say. I then explained that twelve years meant we lived longer in Ohio then Pennsylvania and another "We win!" was to be heard. Even though this wasn't the way I wanted to make this announcement, it felt really good because I was surrounded by people very near and dear to my heart and I have long been at peace to call Ohio home.
Since I never got the chance to say this how I really wanted to, I'll do it here in the next couple of paragraphs or so and who knows, 2015 hasn't been extinguished yet so maybe there'll be a live version.
Twelve years is a long time. But when you reach the age that I have, 12 years doesn't seem that long ago. Besides that milestone, I hit another. I turned 25 this year. A quarter of a century. Some people see that as just another year, but for me it hits closer because I've lost some friends who didn't reach this age. These milestones weren't easy to reach, but they weren't done alone. The Lord put a fantastic group of people in my life. These people shared in the highs and the lows, the nights we'll remember forever and a few we'd want to forget. But one thing is for sure. It doesn't matter if we're from different blood or united in Christ. Dominic Toretto emphasized this the best about those around him. "You're family." This is not limited to those in Cleveland, but those I've come to know well all over the USA since I came out here. In all honesty, that's the truth and I wouldn't trade it for the world. As we say goodbye to 2015 and I enter year 13 in 2016, here's to the past twelve and looking forward to the next twelve with you all. Family.
I haven't made any such announcement since 2006, but this year I wanted to and in a special way, but the opportunity never really presented itself. So, during a young adult bible study that I attend, there was a new guy who came. We were making casual conversation and he asked how we all knew each other. Mark mentioned that we all meet at the same church, but he made distinction that some grew up together and some came in from other places. I then took that opportunity to announce that this year marked the twelfth year we've lived in Ohio, but right before I could make the note of why twelve years was important, a "we win?" came from Hannah, knowing what I was about to say. I then explained that twelve years meant we lived longer in Ohio then Pennsylvania and another "We win!" was to be heard. Even though this wasn't the way I wanted to make this announcement, it felt really good because I was surrounded by people very near and dear to my heart and I have long been at peace to call Ohio home.
Since I never got the chance to say this how I really wanted to, I'll do it here in the next couple of paragraphs or so and who knows, 2015 hasn't been extinguished yet so maybe there'll be a live version.
Twelve years is a long time. But when you reach the age that I have, 12 years doesn't seem that long ago. Besides that milestone, I hit another. I turned 25 this year. A quarter of a century. Some people see that as just another year, but for me it hits closer because I've lost some friends who didn't reach this age. These milestones weren't easy to reach, but they weren't done alone. The Lord put a fantastic group of people in my life. These people shared in the highs and the lows, the nights we'll remember forever and a few we'd want to forget. But one thing is for sure. It doesn't matter if we're from different blood or united in Christ. Dominic Toretto emphasized this the best about those around him. "You're family." This is not limited to those in Cleveland, but those I've come to know well all over the USA since I came out here. In all honesty, that's the truth and I wouldn't trade it for the world. As we say goodbye to 2015 and I enter year 13 in 2016, here's to the past twelve and looking forward to the next twelve with you all. Family.
Monday, November 2, 2015
Life Wisdom and Hacks
Twenty-five years is a long time to have lived, but still so young. With this new age came a thought and when one of those creeps into my head, words fall onto a page. And when words fall onto a page, they are no longer prisoners of my mind, but on a one-way ticket to the eyes of the world.
In case you didn't know this about me (and I'll bring it up again down the road when my ancient mind ceases to recall what it put forth before), I love lists. I love reading them and making them, unless it's a to-do list. They can burn...now where's my lighter? Just kidding. In my list journey, I came across two spectacular lists on life wisdom. Upon reading these, I couldn't believe how much they resonated in me. Granted there were some I disagreed with or brushed off, but the amount that hit home was staggering. You can read them here:
http://kangalex.com/post/31729006624/45-life-lessons-written-by-a-90-year-old?sthash.1J93Madi.tupo
http://media-cache-ak3.pinimg.com/736x/51/92/7a/51927adf0874a6047200d650f2aacb3e.jpg (make sure you zoom in on this one)
Back to the thought that crept into my head. I'm 25. A quarter-of-a-century. In the eyes of a child...old. But in the eyes of those much more experienced in years, brutally young. So in theory I should have a lot of life left, but in reality, life isn't like that. Life has no perspective on age. It can end after decades or even a century, or can be gone in an instant, as portrayed by the amount of mass shootings in this country or the every day bombings and terrorist activity that ends thousands yearly. Truth is, I don't know when this life will end for me, but I figure that I should begin making a list of life tips and wisdom that I've learned in my many, or few depending on your side of the coin, years on this earth. You obviously don't have to agree with all or even any for that matter, but these things have made my life on this earth better and it is my joy to share them with you all.
There are two types of items that will appear on this list:
Life Hacks: Things you can do to make life easier, more comfortable, or fun!
Wisdom: <----This says it all
I'll let you be the judge of which is which.
1) If you cancel Netflix or Huluplus, don't unsubscribe from their emails because they don't send you many and once a year (on average) they'll give you free trials to try to sway you to come back. I see it as a free month of entertainment.
2) Thank those who serve you. A waiter, bus driver, librarian, etc. A thank you goes a long way. Always thank your librarian.
3) Whether you support them not, always respect a man or woman in a military uniform. Always.
4) Donate lightly used or brand new unwanted clothing (unless you are tight on money). There are many people less fortunate and clothes are always needed. Even if it is a designer brand. Imagine the person who get's to feel special for once in their life because you made that choice.
5) Good things come to he who waits, but laziness leads to ruin. Be patient for the finer things in life, but don't slack off and hope they'll plop into your lap. Earn them.
6) A pocket knife has many uses, one of them being a fingernail cleaner.
7) What the USA stands for and the government that runs her are two entirely different things. Never compare the two.
8) Be proud of your freedom, but never ever abuse it.
9) On a clear night, go out and gaze at the stars for awhile. Take in the awe of the vastness of the universe. You'll be glad you did.
10) If a little kid wants to play, give them a few minutes. If they acknowledge you, do so back in an excited manner. Give them attention. It'll effect their lives now and in the future more ways then you know.
11) Do you A) Like texting? B) Like driving? C) Like being a law abiding citizen and/or living? Don't mix A and B ever and you should have no problem with C.
12) If you are someone who constantly checks the time, buy a watch. It's less cumbersome than digging a phone out of your pocket and it adds style.
13) Ever wonder how much you truly care about someone? Write a eulogy for them as if you had to present it at their funeral, but replace the "was" with "is".
14) Take risks. You won't succeed in all, but the ones you do mean so much more than the ones you don't. Life is too short to always play it safe.
15) The imagination is a terrible thing to waste. Unchain it. Let it run free. You never know where it might take you.
16) Extremely ticklish? Hate being tickled? Every time someone tries, try to hold it in and not react. After a long time, you'll be hard to tickle. I haven't been ticklish since the age of ten.
17) Thank you notes and phone calls carry more meaning than a text or FB message.
18) Smiles are free, don't save them.
19) A grudge is a deadly poison. Step aside, cool off, make amends, and let it go. It could destroy a relationship or you.
20) Always look both ways. Whether in a car, on a bike, or on foot. Sometimes check twice.
21) Always expect the worst from other drivers. The best driving is defensive driving. It'll save you $$.
22) Keyboard shortcuts are time and life savers. Build and arsenal of them and use them liberally.
23) Build a fire on a beach at sunset and keep it going until after 12:00am. The experience will do wonders.
24) Spend a little more on things that keep you healthy, happy, and honest. You want them to last.
25) Try God. Take a leap of faith and try Jesus. You may be surprised at what you find.
In case you didn't know this about me (and I'll bring it up again down the road when my ancient mind ceases to recall what it put forth before), I love lists. I love reading them and making them, unless it's a to-do list. They can burn...now where's my lighter? Just kidding. In my list journey, I came across two spectacular lists on life wisdom. Upon reading these, I couldn't believe how much they resonated in me. Granted there were some I disagreed with or brushed off, but the amount that hit home was staggering. You can read them here:
http://kangalex.com/post/31729006624/45-life-lessons-written-by-a-90-year-old?sthash.1J93Madi.tupo
http://media-cache-ak3.pinimg.com/736x/51/92/7a/51927adf0874a6047200d650f2aacb3e.jpg (make sure you zoom in on this one)
Back to the thought that crept into my head. I'm 25. A quarter-of-a-century. In the eyes of a child...old. But in the eyes of those much more experienced in years, brutally young. So in theory I should have a lot of life left, but in reality, life isn't like that. Life has no perspective on age. It can end after decades or even a century, or can be gone in an instant, as portrayed by the amount of mass shootings in this country or the every day bombings and terrorist activity that ends thousands yearly. Truth is, I don't know when this life will end for me, but I figure that I should begin making a list of life tips and wisdom that I've learned in my many, or few depending on your side of the coin, years on this earth. You obviously don't have to agree with all or even any for that matter, but these things have made my life on this earth better and it is my joy to share them with you all.
There are two types of items that will appear on this list:
Life Hacks: Things you can do to make life easier, more comfortable, or fun!
Wisdom: <----This says it all
I'll let you be the judge of which is which.
1) If you cancel Netflix or Huluplus, don't unsubscribe from their emails because they don't send you many and once a year (on average) they'll give you free trials to try to sway you to come back. I see it as a free month of entertainment.
2) Thank those who serve you. A waiter, bus driver, librarian, etc. A thank you goes a long way. Always thank your librarian.
3) Whether you support them not, always respect a man or woman in a military uniform. Always.
4) Donate lightly used or brand new unwanted clothing (unless you are tight on money). There are many people less fortunate and clothes are always needed. Even if it is a designer brand. Imagine the person who get's to feel special for once in their life because you made that choice.
5) Good things come to he who waits, but laziness leads to ruin. Be patient for the finer things in life, but don't slack off and hope they'll plop into your lap. Earn them.
6) A pocket knife has many uses, one of them being a fingernail cleaner.
7) What the USA stands for and the government that runs her are two entirely different things. Never compare the two.
8) Be proud of your freedom, but never ever abuse it.
9) On a clear night, go out and gaze at the stars for awhile. Take in the awe of the vastness of the universe. You'll be glad you did.
10) If a little kid wants to play, give them a few minutes. If they acknowledge you, do so back in an excited manner. Give them attention. It'll effect their lives now and in the future more ways then you know.
11) Do you A) Like texting? B) Like driving? C) Like being a law abiding citizen and/or living? Don't mix A and B ever and you should have no problem with C.
12) If you are someone who constantly checks the time, buy a watch. It's less cumbersome than digging a phone out of your pocket and it adds style.
13) Ever wonder how much you truly care about someone? Write a eulogy for them as if you had to present it at their funeral, but replace the "was" with "is".
14) Take risks. You won't succeed in all, but the ones you do mean so much more than the ones you don't. Life is too short to always play it safe.
15) The imagination is a terrible thing to waste. Unchain it. Let it run free. You never know where it might take you.
16) Extremely ticklish? Hate being tickled? Every time someone tries, try to hold it in and not react. After a long time, you'll be hard to tickle. I haven't been ticklish since the age of ten.
17) Thank you notes and phone calls carry more meaning than a text or FB message.
18) Smiles are free, don't save them.
19) A grudge is a deadly poison. Step aside, cool off, make amends, and let it go. It could destroy a relationship or you.
20) Always look both ways. Whether in a car, on a bike, or on foot. Sometimes check twice.
21) Always expect the worst from other drivers. The best driving is defensive driving. It'll save you $$.
22) Keyboard shortcuts are time and life savers. Build and arsenal of them and use them liberally.
23) Build a fire on a beach at sunset and keep it going until after 12:00am. The experience will do wonders.
24) Spend a little more on things that keep you healthy, happy, and honest. You want them to last.
25) Try God. Take a leap of faith and try Jesus. You may be surprised at what you find.
Monday, October 12, 2015
People
I rarely ever title things with one word. Out of the 60+ poems I have written, I do not recall many of them having a one-word title. Why? Because I feel at times that a title like that makes the piece more common and if something more profound, more popular is written, that will be the piece that gets remembered when someone mentions that heading. But after the things I've gone through in the last few years, after I've written time after time on how much people matter, I believe the above inscription says enough for what I'm about to place here.
I have written over and over how much people matter not only in my life, but everyone else's too. The one thing I never really brought forth is that even when you invest yourself into the pride and joy of God's creation, they don't come without a price. And when your love for people comes from the very Love that gave you life, your burden grows greater.
Let me explain. I used to be selfish. As a kid it would be apparent at times, but as a teenager my calamity would be a silent killer. You wouldn't see this filth unless I was truly having a bad day. What you couldn't see was that if certain things needed done, but no specific person was asked to do them, you wouldn't see my hand go up or my mouth open. I would avoid homeless people because quite honestly they scared me, but I also didn't want to give them any money for fear it would go to waste. If someone I knew was going through something because of someone else I did not know, only if I was reached out to would I respond and then forget about it because it didn't necessarily concern me. Granted, this was not always the case, but happened far too often.
Why did I just expose a part of my past for the world to see that isn't so great? Because I needed to create a foundation to build what I'm about to say next. Ever since the Lord burned that selfishness from me and taught me how to care, I didn't realize the weight it would put on me. Growing up in the church life, I've had many different people who served me throughout the years. However, not many remain. There are a number of reasons they walked away from the church and the Lord, but the fact of the matter is that they were crucial to my growth, set a pattern for me to follow, and now, to them, all that was waste. I haven't seen some of them since high school, but I still recall the times they served me and still know their whole name even though I was a kid and haven't seen them in 10-12 years. Yet they still seem to remain on my heart and in my prayers in hopes they would one day return.
Another thing that comes with the church life is you meet many different types of people who are now your spiritual family through our one Father God who made us all. Because Christ cares for His church, so should I. And with the way technology and social media has allowed us to be uber connected (maybe more than we'd like sometimes), we see everything in an instant. I see people in the church who I'm not super close with lose loved ones, get divorced, have break-ups, get life threatening illnesses and all I can say is that when I see that it hurts me because you are hurting. It hurts even more when I know there's almost nothing I can do to help other than pray. Because I at least call you a friend means that if you are hurt, I care. I really do.
When you care, people notice. This makes you more prone to being asked for help or other matters brought to your attention that wouldn't have been otherwise. In these past few years, I've had some worst fears come true. I've also had things asked of me that wouldn't have been if I did not have a friendship with the people I do. Recently I had one of those experiences and even though outwardly I didn't show it, on the inside I was rattled. I had way too much on my mind and this event that occurred left me in a state of assuming the worst. Thankfully it turned out okay (the power of prayer!) but if it didn't...I don't know.
I never signed up for this. But then again I've caused things in my life that others never signed up for. This is what caring truly is. You cannot make it through life without people. Every person who enters your life adds/shapes your journey. The sad or fortunate (depending on who) thing is that not all were meant to stay in your life forever. That's why one must make the most of the time they have with those they love, show kindness and hope to the unkind and hopeless, and when that new-found burden is about to crush you, look to Christ to be the strength.
I know not all of you will see this, but in the hopes that some of you do, know this. If you have served me, been a peer, or I have served you and the church/Lord are no longer part of your life. I still think about you. I still pray for you. I still hope that you will come back. I can wait. Years in our time is peanuts to the time Christ has had to wait for His bride to be ready. I care about you.
I have written over and over how much people matter not only in my life, but everyone else's too. The one thing I never really brought forth is that even when you invest yourself into the pride and joy of God's creation, they don't come without a price. And when your love for people comes from the very Love that gave you life, your burden grows greater.
Let me explain. I used to be selfish. As a kid it would be apparent at times, but as a teenager my calamity would be a silent killer. You wouldn't see this filth unless I was truly having a bad day. What you couldn't see was that if certain things needed done, but no specific person was asked to do them, you wouldn't see my hand go up or my mouth open. I would avoid homeless people because quite honestly they scared me, but I also didn't want to give them any money for fear it would go to waste. If someone I knew was going through something because of someone else I did not know, only if I was reached out to would I respond and then forget about it because it didn't necessarily concern me. Granted, this was not always the case, but happened far too often.
Why did I just expose a part of my past for the world to see that isn't so great? Because I needed to create a foundation to build what I'm about to say next. Ever since the Lord burned that selfishness from me and taught me how to care, I didn't realize the weight it would put on me. Growing up in the church life, I've had many different people who served me throughout the years. However, not many remain. There are a number of reasons they walked away from the church and the Lord, but the fact of the matter is that they were crucial to my growth, set a pattern for me to follow, and now, to them, all that was waste. I haven't seen some of them since high school, but I still recall the times they served me and still know their whole name even though I was a kid and haven't seen them in 10-12 years. Yet they still seem to remain on my heart and in my prayers in hopes they would one day return.
Another thing that comes with the church life is you meet many different types of people who are now your spiritual family through our one Father God who made us all. Because Christ cares for His church, so should I. And with the way technology and social media has allowed us to be uber connected (maybe more than we'd like sometimes), we see everything in an instant. I see people in the church who I'm not super close with lose loved ones, get divorced, have break-ups, get life threatening illnesses and all I can say is that when I see that it hurts me because you are hurting. It hurts even more when I know there's almost nothing I can do to help other than pray. Because I at least call you a friend means that if you are hurt, I care. I really do.
When you care, people notice. This makes you more prone to being asked for help or other matters brought to your attention that wouldn't have been otherwise. In these past few years, I've had some worst fears come true. I've also had things asked of me that wouldn't have been if I did not have a friendship with the people I do. Recently I had one of those experiences and even though outwardly I didn't show it, on the inside I was rattled. I had way too much on my mind and this event that occurred left me in a state of assuming the worst. Thankfully it turned out okay (the power of prayer!) but if it didn't...I don't know.
I never signed up for this. But then again I've caused things in my life that others never signed up for. This is what caring truly is. You cannot make it through life without people. Every person who enters your life adds/shapes your journey. The sad or fortunate (depending on who) thing is that not all were meant to stay in your life forever. That's why one must make the most of the time they have with those they love, show kindness and hope to the unkind and hopeless, and when that new-found burden is about to crush you, look to Christ to be the strength.
I know not all of you will see this, but in the hopes that some of you do, know this. If you have served me, been a peer, or I have served you and the church/Lord are no longer part of your life. I still think about you. I still pray for you. I still hope that you will come back. I can wait. Years in our time is peanuts to the time Christ has had to wait for His bride to be ready. I care about you.
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