I Gave in...

I've been to a Jaguars training camp and a scrimmage since my last post. These events coupled with the season drawing closer led me into purchasing my 2009 Jaguars season tickets. I couldn't bear to miss almost every home game, as they don't look like they will be on television this year. Well, now I get to see the games up close and personal. This experience came at a price, however. I will definitely have to tighten the purse strings for a while after this purchase. It will all be worth it though. It's something I truly wanted... to watch my favorite team play. A lot of the best things in life are like that. They come at a cost, but in the end it's truly satisfying.

Changed my Mind

I logged onto ticketmaster today to buy a couple Jags tickets. 216 dollars! Too much. The game I wanted to go to will be on television, anyway. Maybe one day when I have a really good job and if I have a wife that just is dying to go to the games I'll give in and pay that exorbitant cost. Until then, I'm a college student and I honestly believe God would want me to use my money for better purposes than a football game. If it were cheaper I would definitely get tickets, but I just can't justify paying that much. So, that's my spew.

Just too expensive

So, I finally decided on my plans for the 2009 Jaguars season. If you've been around me at all you probably would know that I'm a HUGE Jaguars fan. I've followed the team ever since I moved to the Jacksonville area, which coincidentally was also the inaugural season (1995). I've lived through many ups and downs through the years. This season will probably be more of the same. I'm nervous about the predicament the Jaguars are currently in. They had better sell some tickets or Wayne Weaver might very well decide to pack up and leave J-ville. It's a shame that the Jags are in such a small market where they don't have the luxury of the corporate contracts and the millions of casual fans week in and week out. The current economy makes it hard for most of us to get season tickets. It's around 1,000 dollars just to get decent seats. I've decided to get a friend, who's a season ticket holder to order me tickets to two of the highlight games of the season. While not a season ticket holder, I'm still trying to do my part to support a franchise that's is in jeopardy of having to change locations. Who knows? Maybe the two tickets I buy will be the thing that makes Wayne Weaver decide.... "Hey, maybe there's a future in Jacksonville after all." I doubt this will be the thing that makes or breaks it, but I certainly hope my beloved Jags have stupendous season so that the Jacksonvillians will buy more tickets.

Go Jags!!!

:)

I'm really amped up about Fall 2009. After what has been one of the most difficult years of my life I can now look forward to reuniting with friends up at college. I hopefully got this thing set so it will send emails now. If you're new to reading these Welcome :)

I should have another real post up soon. This was just kind of a way to get people introduced to the site and maybe you can read some of the old blogs if you have time.

God bless.

a living sacrifice

I just got done teaching a four day tennis clinic today. I was really glad that I did it. I had to get up at 8 am every morning, which definitely isn't something I'm used to doing. The thing that kept me going though was that I knew that those kids needed me there and I also had a really good time doing it.

A lot of things in life are like that. We have to make sacrifices; sacrifices that we don't always think will help us. In the long run, however those sacrifices lead to great things for ourselves and others. God desires that we live our lives as a sacrifice to Him and he promises to bless us with things we couldn't ever hope to have if we were trying to just please ourselves. I'm trying to learn more and more what it means to offer my life as a burnt offering to the Lord, to be molded by His "refiners fire", and to be used as a vessel to build his kingdom. I hope this is something we all try to reflect on in our day to day and allow the spirit to work in and through our lives to bless the people around us.

Voldemort cursed my car!!!

Last night I went to Jacksonville to reunite with a few close friends. I had just gone to see the Harry Potter movie with two of my friends and was on my way to visit another one when poof! Something had caused the speedometer on my 2004 Chevy Monte Carlo to get stuck on 90 mph
( and no I wasn't driving that fast). I decided to slow things down a bit, but when I stopped at a red light and accelerated again the needle moved up to 120. Then the needle proceeded to point off the measuring dial altogether onto where the gear display on my car is. My dad took the car out this morning and noticed that if he kept starting it and turning it off again the needle continued to move down. It eventually reset at zero and appears to be fine now. So, it appears to be fixed, but what caused my car to go bonkers in the first place I wonder? It seems to me that Voldemort and his death eaters may be the culprit of some dark magic here. I mean I don't believe in witch craft, but I was a little weirded out by what happened last night. It's like he who must not be named (oops too late) put some kind of stupefying curse on my speedometer. My poor Monte was like Albus Dumbledore. It didn't know what hit it. Oh well, looks like the problem's solved now. I'll be sure that next time I see a Harry Potter movie to put a special magical defense on my car beforehand :)

I went to a Tai restaurant last night with a couple of friends. This restaurant had a variety of options from which to choose from including duck. Now, I must say that my adventurous spirit was tempted to experience this new cuisine, but I couldn't help thinking of all the pet ducks I once had as a kid. It'd be like I was eating one of their babies. I couldn't bring myself to do it. So, I elected to order the chicken fried rice instead. I've never had a pet chicken and I'm pretty sure if I did have one I'd probably end up eating it. Chickens aren't as cute as ducks and they sure taste good on a platter of rice.

I'm looking forward to returning to school in the fall. It will be like starting a new life. There will be new experiences, new adventures, but I can still count on some of the same friends who have been there for me through thick and thin. To all of you who have kept me in your thoughts and prayers I am deeply grateful. I also request that you continue to do so. I'm still not feeling completely whole physically, but I pray that God will carry me through life anyway knowing that He works things together for the good of those who love Him.

If you're struggling with burdens that seem too hard to bear ask Jesus to bear them for you and He will surely help you for He promises that "my yolk is easy and my burden is light." For anyone that is struggling with physical, spiritual, or emotional ailments God is the only true answer. He can bring lasting hope, joy, and peace that nothing in this life can. He will be your refuge in times of trouble and light upon your path.

I love you all. Please subscribe if this blog is meaningful to you.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

Hardy

My first blog... not my first rant

Well, I've finally decided to start blogging. I've given thought to it in the past, but never thought I'd be able to keep a blog up to date. Hey though, what the heck? I'll give it a shot...

This new experiment gets me thinking about how many times we may say to ourselves, "I'll never do that" or "That's not me" and then one day we end up doing it. I know when people were first falling into the facebook extravaganza I laughed with mockery and thought I'll never do a foolish thing like that. Well, I finally bit the bullet too and just accepted the fact that without facebook I could never see that this person in my graduating class just got their tongue pierced. I mean come on! Do I really need to be informed of this? Then, what's worse there's pictures of it: An inflamed abominable mast of newly formed scar tissue protruding beneath an earring that has now redefined itself as a disgusting, freakish, out of place tongue ring.

One of these days I'll probably sit down and toggle the settings, so I can be saved from a horrid predicament of knowing when the wanton lesbian from my high school graduating class just scored big on a great night with her uhum.... Don't take this the wrong way I'm a very caring,friendly, and accepting person, but when I'm online to chat with a few close friends that I don't see often it would be ideal if I didn't have to know that my classmate from eighth grade just got outrageously drunk at a keg party and then got layed afterwards. Needless to say, the site hasn't addicted me. I mean there are some (I won't name any names) who worry me a bit. From time to time I see that he who must not be named just killed a zombie and has 3 lives left in the bloody underworld. Like I care!!!!

Well, I hope you enjoy my ranting about some of the absurdities of this insane and funny world called facebook. Just to pay my respects I will say that I appreciate that facebook has allowed me to keep in touch periodically with some close friends whom I don't see often. I can even use it a means of appeasement for people who I try to avoid. I can update my status and say I'm at the zoo or I'm lost in a theme park. All this just to throw off my stalkers. Just kidding. The avoidee in this scenario definitely isn't you. The avoider isn't me either, but the scenario was a filler to help me end this post. I hope everyone enjoyed this. I probably won't always be this funny or insulting, but I'll always try to blog about things I feel would interest or at least entertain your minds for a few minutes. Feel free to subscribe, comment, and please do visit again as I will try to update at least once weekly.

God bless.