Post # 112

Officially more posts than last year, I went through a rough time and was lax in my writing but this year I came back strong and will continue to do so until the end of 2011. Then it will be on to 2012!

Found Some Wisdom Today

So this is more of a personal post, and it is also about faith. Lately I’ve been attending a prayer group that I was invited to by a good friend. I invited this friend to a weekly Bible Study I attend and she in turn invites me to pray with some of her friends. I was eager to go, gathering in fellowship with other Christians (especially in a college environment) is always a good thing. I have to admit though, after going I was a little intimidated. Everyone seemed so in tune with God, and strong in his or her faith. Me on the other hand, sometimes I feel like I’m struggling just to get through the next day. I felt intimidated, I’ll admit it, it’s like playing baseball with someone who is truly better than you, you want to duck out quietly. That’s what the devil wants me to do though! I realized that this morning, that the devil will do anything he can to get me to stay away from God. He’ll throw personal issues in my face, he’ll cause me to procrastinate and miss church, and if that doesn’t work he’ll make me feel afraid. Faith can feel like an uphill battle sometimes, but that’s why God gives us a helping hand right? Yeah God can be silent sometimes, but He’s there, always watching. I’m glad I went, I’m glad I have newfound friends in Christ, and I’m glad God spoke some wisdom to me and showed me the light. It’s easy to be intimidated, but is there ever a good reason to be?

Did He Really Say That?

Recently I watched a very interesting video on my FCA (fellowship of Christian athletes) meeting. We were talking about proofs for God, and then we watched a Discovery Channel special on Stephen Hawkins and his conclusions about the origin of the universe. Hawkins claimed that there is no need for God and also no afterlife. He said that we finally found the meaning of our universe and should be proud; he said that this life is all there is and he is grateful for it. I am not so well trained in physics; I’m more of an English and philosophy man, but I do have one question for Hawking. Should we be proud? Should we be grateful? If this world is all there is, then I have very little to be truly happy about. Think about it, if life is nothing more than an “every man for himself” battle for achieving our desires and dreams then what is the point? What does it matter if I continue to live out the rest of my life or end it tomorrow? The answer: it doesn’t. If there is not God, no true sense of justice beyond our relative understanding, who’s to say that that theft, murder, or rape are crimes? The answer: no one. We cannot prove or disprove the existence of God, it stinks but it’s true, but I believe that the world points right to God. That life has value points to God. That our world is defined by the principle of a “good world gone bad” it points to God. That I can have the hope to carry through the trials that weigh me down points to God. Can I prove anything? No, but neither can anyone else. Sometimes you just have to reach out and trust that there is something there, but then again, isn’t it worth it? I feel bad for Hawking, I sincerely do. He lived a hard life and is paralyzed, if this is all there is to life then he led a sad existence. In God’s eyes though he matters just as much as anyone, a life lived for God is a life to be grateful for, a life that is never wasted.

Red Sox Update

So here are a few thoughts on the current state of the Sox (yes they still exist).

1) They need pitching, pitching, and more pitching. Not only do they need starting depth (the rotation is currently 2 pitchers and a town drunk) but they need a lot of help in the bullpen. It seems like last years acquisitions (don't worry Jenks will come through!) did very little to solidify a much deprived pitching staff. Without Pap as the closer a lot of work needs to be done.

2) Outfield, yeah Drew wasn't much help, but without him there is no starting RF. Beltran's name is floating around, yeah he's good but is it work the risk? Also there is this Cuban guy, Cespedes (or something like that) from what I see he is strong and athletic, but the question remains as to whether that is enough. They need someone other than Reddick, and RH would be preferable.

3) 3B, is it time to shop Youk and save a little $? Lowrie and Aviles seem pretty good right now.

4) And the manager is.........

5) Catching, yeah we still have Salty, but was last year Tek's final goodbye? And if so, who is the backup catcher?

6) Usually I can't wait for game 1, now I'm trying to find a reason why I should care. We'll see who we can get, and the fiftieth snow of the year always makes you wish it were July in the middle of a pennant race (or barbecue).

77 Times and counting

I was reading Matthew 18 and came across a passage about forgiveness. Peter, innocently enough, asked Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother, offering his own answer of 7 times. Jesus came back saying “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matt 18:22. 77 times, so does that mean I can make a list of every fault someone does against me and then say to him “sorry bud, you got your chance.” While we may wish it were that way, it isn’t. Forgiveness is hard, I’ll admit it; as with many Italians (especially Sicilians) I can hold a grudge. I’ve tried to reform my ways, but still when my pride is damaged I can revert back to being angry instead of understanding. I think the biggest issue people have with forgiveness is that we all want justice. We don’t really like to let go of things, if Jimmy was mean to me I don’t want to just roll over and let him walk all over me. Here’s the thing though (well, two things), that isn’t what forgiveness is. Forgiveness doesn’t mean I say, “Oh it’s ok how you treated me, I don’t mind.” Forgiveness is us letting go of our damaged pride and seeing that person for how God sees them. Forgiveness means lowering down our walls and being more understanding. Is it right for people to hurt us? No, but if we hold it against them forever then we do more wrong than they did. Another note, forgiveness is necessary. An unforgiving person is not fun to be around. When you hold a grudge you end up bitter, cold, and angry with those around you. You put up walls that keep others out, even God. While it may be hard to forgive, it is necessary to do and as with all things God asks of us He will help us every step of the way.

We Just Have to Keep on Going Forward

Ever feel tired? Not long day tired, not “five hour energy tired,” I mean days, weeks, or even months of stress building up tired. Well I’ve hit that wall. While I haven’t given up on hope (I tell everyone I never will) I have lost strength, or at least a sense of direction. ‘Where do you want me to go with this God?’ I’ve asked this many times in the past two weeks. Well, I’ve come to a conclusion, it doesn’t matter whether we know where we are going, if we listen to God we will surely get there. It may take our energy away, we may have to crawl, but if we listen to what God commands we will reach the goal He has set for us. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians about running a race and in verse 26 he says “I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.” Later on in 2 Corinthians 4 he writes “we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” Yeah life gets hard; yeah things can go terribly wrong. But the thing we can never forget is that God is in charge and that everything happens for a reason. The people that come into the world and the people that die, the friends we make and the friends we lose, all of this happens for a reason. What is that reason? Well, does it really matter? Sure I would love an answer, I would love it if God came down and said “Tay Tay, let me tell you WHY…” but it isn’t going to happen, and I’ll find out eventually. All that matters is that we keep running the race marked out for us, we can’t stop or back down, we just need to keep on going. Sometimes I remark that I need a break, but you don’t get those in life, you just need to pray for strength and keep on going forward.

We Need to Carry our Cross

Ever do what you know is the right thing, but then question whether it was right to do it? Sure, we all have, and recently I went through a very taxing ordeal. Recently I lost a friend, maybe for a short while, maybe forever, and all I did to lose her was do what I know in my heart is what God wants me to do. I ended up losing something close to me, I ended up sacrificing a friendship for God, and it left me questioning myself, I asked ‘was it right what I did, or is it possible that I was in the wrong?’ I’ll spare you the details as they are unimportant to my post, but as always I will share some scripture. I was reading Matthew 16 (I’ve been a little lax in my readings) and came across verse 25-26 “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” Yesterday I lost my life for the sake of God’s good work here on earth. I gave up a little piece of my plans, my desires, my wishes, and put them aside for what God told me to do. It cost me a lot, I won’t sugarcoat it and say that I feel good right now, actually I feel pretty bad. I don’t feel like I did something wrong though, I know that I carried my cross. For once I put God first in my life, for once I did something that was truly selfless. I lost a friend for God, it sounds odd to say but really, that is exactly what happened. Now, it may be hard, it may sting a little, but the reward is always great. God’s good is infinitely sweeter than the goodness here on earth. It’s tough to fully trust in Him, but once you get over that hump the burden is lifted.