Humbled But Happy

Going from being the boss to the low man on the totem pole is a bit strange, and definitely not something I've ever experienced before. Until THIS WEEK.

With the new fall semester came the first wave of my journalism classes, something I've been looking forward to and dreading at the same time. Excited at the chance to write on a daily basis, but a little withdrawn about going from being my own boss when it came to writing as a sports editor, to a lowly worker bee in my reporting class, scouring the campus for any story that is deemed worthy.

I've been trying to keep my experience a secret from the rest of my classmates, many who seem to have none whatsoever, but it was something I made sure to point out to the staff of the campus newspaper, The East Texan. Not to boast, but to make sure they were aware that some extra help was available, because I want to get involved with that as early and as often as possible.

It's been humbling to have to take direction from college students, most of whom are about 10 years younger than me and just a few years out of high school. But it really doesn't matter. I'm back to writing regularly, I still have my Friday night job covering football games, and I'm happier than I've been in quite some time.

I'm a journalist. This is what I do, this is who I am. Besides, there's no time to feel sorry for myself or get upset, because there's a deadline coming. :)

Hand Over Your Burden

I can remember seeing that phrase a number of times in a number of different places. It sounds so simple, but if you really dig down and look into what God wants in a relationship with us, the phrase is entirely accurate.

Of course, it's easy to lose sight of that at times, especially if you're like me. I'm getting better at bringing my problems to God through prayer, and trusting that he will relieve me of my burdens and give me direction through difficult times, but I still have times when I forget to do that, and I hold it all in.

I've never been one to take my problems to other people, I don't complain about my problems and I certainly don't dump them on anybody else. I don't tolerate whining in my house and a big reason why I don't communicate problems I'm having to others is because it's always sounded like whining to me. I also don't like attention, and I don't like for others to know my problems. I'd just assume to keep them personal.

It's worked for me, because I have been good at remembering to bring these issues to God during the many times I find myself openly praying for whatever reason. But recently, I lost track of that again, and resorted back to old ways. It wasn't pretty. I let the pot boil over with all of the things I was holding back, and when it finally started spilling out, I was a wreck, emotionally, physically - and worst of all - spiritually. I was unpleasant to everybody, even those closest to me, I felt like crud, and I finally just had to let my wife know, in the middle of a crowded grocery store, that I'd let it get out of control.

For those of you who are like me, and don't like to burden your friends and  family with your problems, or maybe you have trouble communicating your feeling to others (another of my annoying traits), there is ALWAYS somebody you can talk to without feeling embarassed. God is always there to listen and take your troubles from you.

The words of Jesus found in John 14 say this: "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home."

GOD WANTS YOUR BURDENS. He already knows what is troubling your heart, but also wants to see that you are willing  to trust Him in times of hardship. If you're carrying around your troubles and burdens, and feel like you have nobody to talk to, TALK TO GOD. He is the only one who can take your troubles away. 

Cherish The Moments

It's always fun for us to hit the road and spend some time with loved ones we rarely get to see for an extended period of time. That's what our little clan did this past weekend, loading up early Saturday for the drive to Longview to see my wife's aunt and uncle. To be honest, we didn't do much. The women took the kids into town for some school shopping (7 hours worth), while the men talked sports and weather, made a snack, then crashed for a LONG nap.

On Sunday, we all sat around the table and played some dominoes (Chicken Foot was the game of choice) for about 4 hours. The point is, these trips don't have to be action-packed in order to be fun. We managed to keep it pretty minimal but still had the kind of weekend getaway we had been needing for some time.

The older I get, the more I cherish these little visits with family. A few years back, they didn't really tug at my heartstrings too much, but now they seem to make an impression on me, emotionally. Not to say that I'm weeping on the drive home or anything like that, but I simply appreciate them for their worth a bit more, and now realize that the opportunities for repeat visits are becoming fewer, which is saddening in its own right.

It's important that we cherish what time we have with our loved ones. You never know how many you're gonna have. Spend time with your family, be there for them as you would want them there for you. Take advantage while you still can.

***With that said, I'd like to wish a Happy Birthday to a couple of people, my friend Danny Gladden turns 44 today, and my beautiful niece, Lilly, is celebrating birthday #9 today.

It's Coming To An End

It's still around 110 degrees outside, so summer isn't technically coming to an end any time soon, but for those of us who have kids, especially those who stay at home with them, our summer is abbout to be over. It's been an interesting one here at The Gibson Acre, where I made the decision to take online classes instead of paying for childcare so I could take classes on campus this summer. One thing's for sure -- last summer was a lot less crazy than this time around.

Staying home with the kids, while trying to juggle a handful of other tasks on a daily basis, was something I thought I was ready to handle, but clearly, I was not. In addition to making sure the kids were fed and clothed each day, I had to balance my time so that I could get homework, housework, and miscellaneous tasks completed while trying to avoid my boys from feeling abandoned. It's far from easy.

But despite the craziness, this summer was very rewarding in many ways. I was able to spend a lot of time with my boys, we had an awesome vacation, and we created/shared a ton of memories. The end of our summer is certainly bittersweet. While I've enjoyed the time together, i'm excited to get back to school in the fall with a full load of courses (on campus). I'm also looking forward to covering another season of high school football for my alma mater.

But there are still two weeks left before the boys head back to school, so we are going to make them count. No sense in letting it go to waste.

A few other things on my mind:

1. Some of the members of my church, including our pastor and youth pastor (the latter is one of my closest friends) just left for Colombia on Tuesday to do mission work in the Amazon for almost two weeks. Any prayers you can send their way would be appreciated. They are doing some amazing work down there and we are definitely keeping them close to our hearts.

2. Speaking of my alma mater, Lone Oak HS will have its Red/White scrimmage next Tuesday at Buffalo Stadium. That means it's time I get geared up and ready for another season. It also means I need to help get the "Best Little Pressbox in Texas" cleaned up.

3. Two of my favorite kids will celebrate their 9th birthday in the next week. My oldest son, Nathan, turns nine a week from today, while my niece Lillian has a birthday in just a few days.

4. I'll be heading out of town with the family this weekend to visit some relatives, so my next post will likely come Monday. Have a great weekend!

I'm Gonna Make It Right

So, as I've previously stated, I've been trying to make an effort to repair some of the broken relationships in my life. I find that I've been spending more and more time with my dad recently, something that is definitely rare for us, but it's already working wonders in our relationship. As far as my mother is concerned, I haven't spoken to her in over a year and  haven't seen her in person for almost four years. My mother and I are total opposites, and the fact that we are so different is what really drove a wedge in between us. But something happened to my wife last night that made me reevaluate what had happened between my mother and I, and why I now see that I was wrong for shutting her out of my life.

Without going into too much detail on what happened, I'll simply say that my wife is the most caring, loving and nourturing person I have EVER known, and that's not just something I say because she's  my wife. She is always willing to help people, in particular, her younger siblings (she's the oldest) who have made quite the mess of their own lives. Even when they take her for granted, use her, and walk all over her, she is willing to help them in any way they need, sometimes when we can't even afford to. That's just who she is.

When I stopped and reminded last night of just how big her heart is, I started to think about how things went down between my mother and I. Once I did, I felt like crap. A real low-life. Then I thought about what the Bible says about honoring your mother and father, and I felt like crawling inside of my own skin and hiding. Here I am, trying my best to glorify God with my actions and the way I live my life, but all along I've been disobeying one of the most basic principles. It's one of the Ten Commandments, for crying out loud!! I'm supposed to be honoring my mother, no matter what, and instead, I've been ignoring her, shutting her out of my life completely for nothing other than convenience (another truth I came to terms with last night). It wasn't the way to make my life better, it was, however, a great way to wither my heart against this woman, who brought me into the world.

The thought of it made me ill. I vowed right then and there to do what I could to repair my relationship with my mother, and to make an honest attempt to embrace her, instead of ignoring her. Hopefully, my mother and I can soon begin to build a bond again. It's the right thing to do. It's what I WANT to do.

Still Going

Week 1, Day 3 of Couch to 5K completed this morning. Things will get a little harder when Week 2 begins next Monday.

Location:Farm-to-Market 2947,Greenville,United States

Mr. Motivated

Exercise. That's something I've never really put any serious commitment into over the last year or so. But as time goes on and I notice my waistline getting larger and larger, I knew something needed to be done. I started noticing friends of mine posting on Twitter about a new program they were involved with called Couch to 5K (Here's the link). So, I snooped around, asked some questions, and realized it was probably something I could handle, so now I've officially joined the program.

I'll be finishing the first week in the 9-week program tomorrow. It's been a good test, that's for sure, because I haven't run any sort of long distance in quite some time, probably since my military days (almost a decade ago). But, it definitely puts my body to the test, and demands a lot from my bad wheel (knee), but not so much that I can't handle it. The only drawback for me is waking up early enough to run before the sun gets so hot that my shoes melt to the pavement. Other than the early wakeup to avoid heatstroke, the running itself has been more than tolerable, and it feels rewarding when it's over.

It's strange how quickly something like that can motivate you if you let it. Throughout the entire week I've been looking for more ways to keep moving, to stay active, that I usually don't do. Whether it be swimming, or basketball, or even a night of dancing with my wife (like I did the night before for the 1st time ever), it's good to find a program that can motivate you to do other  things. That's something I'm already getting out of this program, the willingness to push it even further once the workout is completed.

I'm not only looking forward to completing the program, but have agreed to run in the first local 5K race available once I do finish. That's the kind of goal that can keep me hungry and focused. Who knows? Maybe it will lead to  bigger and better things. But the best thing about the motivation is that it's contagious. Being determined to excel in one area, like fitness for example, can spread to other facets of life like school, work, parenting, and even spiritual matters. Motivation is a huge key to a healthy lifestyle, and as long as I stay focused, that's what I'm setting my bar for.

From the ground up

My dad picked me up late yesterday evening for some night fishing, something he and I have never done together. To be honest, my dad and I never do anything together. Our relationship up to this point has been, to summarize, non-existent. Sure, we've seen each other at family holidays and other gatherings, but  as far as what I want our relationship to be, it has never even scratched the surface.

My dad is a hard man, but he's kinda softened a little over the past couple years. The very fact that he invited me to go out fishing with him is a true indication of that. For me, this evening wsn't about reeling in a truckload of catfish, it was all about taking the first step in erecting a relationship that for 30 years, had never gotten off the ground.

I think it went well. We talked, laughed, knocked down a couple of cold beers, and even got excited about a snake in the water just off the dock we casted from. Like I said, it wasn't about the catch, because if it had been, it would've been a very unsuccessful night. Together, the two of us pulled in just a pair of catfish during five hours of fishing. (Note: My channel cat was almost 3 pounds, twice the size of his.)

But even though the livewell was virtually empty, I left with a full heart, for I knew that my dad and I had taken a huge step in building our relationship - from the ground up. We're already planning another trip just  like that one for the very near future. Before you know it, I might actually know my father, and he might finally get to know me. It may have taken 30 years, but I'm okay with that.

Small price to pay

The photo above was taken at a little place I like to call Retail Hell.

It's actually how I refer to all of the miserable places my wife loves to dump money in. The misery, of course, is all mine.

But it's just one of those cases where I have to give a little to get a little. The reward for tagging along was pretty sweet today.

Ill give the wife credit, today's shopping venture lasted less than a half hour. And my reward for suffering? MEXICAN FOOD!!

It was a small price to pay, for a large plate of happiness. Score.