Tuesday, November 24, 2009

just in time

timing is everything. We may not understand the timing of everything, but we have to make decisions regardless. We can't just think time will make the decision for us, it may not turn out as we planned, but at least we can say the decision was ours. Take control of your own life, take the reins and live the life you want to live. Who knows the opportunities you could miss if you wait too long. Make your decisions and own them, don't hesitate because things might not work out. Whatever happens, happens.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

testing the strong ones

The hardest part was letting go
It's hard to think about the things you've put so much time into and realize it's the end. It's time to let go. Letting go means that you're done, you've begun to understand the futility of trying to catch whatever it is you're chasing. No one likes giving up, no one likes to admit they've been in the wrong, it's human nature to want to be right. Letting go undercuts all of that because you're acknowledging your mistakes and admitting defeat. That's why letting go takes courage, strength, and determination. It's easy to say you just won't think about something, but it doesn't become reality until you consciously decide to set yourself free. You don't need to think this means life is ending. When you've lived with something for so long it's hard to think that it may not be there any more, that there's a part of your life you won't have anymore. It's at times like this when you learn who you are, what you're made of. We're all capable of doing amazing things, you just have to believe in yourself. It's the good ones who come under fire, the strong ones who get tested. We didn't come here to waltz through life with no challenges. It may be hard, but take life as it comes, show the world that you know who you are.
Its testing the strong ones
Scarring the beautiful ones
It's holding the loved ones
One last time

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

what do i know of holy

it's easy to get into autopilot when our lives are going well, but it's at those times when we need to remember the most why it's going well. It's not out of our own good luck or skill, it's because we're not alone. Because we've been blessed with a network of friends and family ultimately backed up by the Lord Jesus Christ. We don't always know or understand how He affects our lives, but He is always there.
What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of wounds that will heal my shame,
And a God who gave life its name?
What do I know of Holy,
Of the One who the angels praise?
All creation knows your name
On earth and heaven above.
What do I know of this love?
It's amazing how much our lives depend on those around us, and it's ok if we don't always understand it. The only thing we need to understand is that there is a God above who loves us and is always there when we need help.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

all i wanted

When you look at it, we really only want simple things. We want someone to hold, someone to turn to, someone who understands us. Too often we complicate life and make mountains out of molehills. We could learn a lot of we just sat and watched a child for a few hours. They know what they want and they don't complicate it with over-analysis or second guesses.
I could follow you to the beginning
Just to relive the start
Maybe then we'd remember to slow down
At all of our favorite parts.
If we look back at all that we've experienced in life, there are always good things. We learn from everything and in the end, we get what we want. It might not be exactly how we envisioned, but we get what we put in. Take some time to sit back, remember those times, and simplify. Remember the simple things. Remember how it feels to just smile for no apparent reason, or to go frolic in the rain. Remember what it feels like to let your heart be open and not guarded. Remember your favorite parts.

Friday, September 4, 2009

do you feel

a lot of the time we live our lives only for ourselves. We get so caught up in our own things that we don't see all that is going on in the world around us. Life isn't easy for anyone, everyone has problems and trials. Every time we feel alone and hopeless, there is someone feeling that exact same way somewhere else in this world. It's easy to get caught up in our problems and not see how very minuscule they are in comparison to all that happens around us. We can do so much to change that though, it's not that hard to go past ourselves and make a difference. Smile at people on the street, do something for your roommates or family, volunteer wherever you can. Forget about yourself for one minute and look around to see how much needs to change in our world. We can make a difference, no matter how small we think it may be.
Do you feel
the weight of the world singin' sorrow
or to you is it just not real
cause you got your own things
and we all have our things, I guess

Monday, August 24, 2009

all again for you

sometimes we do dumb things, we say things we don't mean, we act very human. Even though we make those stupid decisions, we shouldn't look back and regret them. At the time we made those decisions, we probably didn't think they were dumb. We saw them as necessary or beneficial. We didn't think them through all the way and ended up doing something a little unintelligent. The one thing we can't do is look back on our life and wish we hadn't had those experiences. Everything we experience is for our good, we have to keep that in mind when we remember every little thing we've gone through. It's easy to look back and see those decisions as totally irrational, but hindsight is 20/20. We have to look at the past and remember that we learned from that time, that's how we grow.

Monday, July 6, 2009

use somebody

We all need somebody. Somebody we can always turn to. Somebody who can always help us fix our problems. It could be a best friend, a family member, a pet. The thing is that we are never alone. We may feel alone, but it's up to us to use those resources around us; to realize when we're in too deep and we can't stand on our own. The same concept is found in team sports. In order to succeed in a team game you can't play as individuals, you have to use each other. Find how one player accents another, utilize everyone's talents. We can't be good at everything and trying to do everything alone will only leave us stranded. We prove ourselves by asking for help, by learning how to accept our shortcomings. Find strength in numbers, find peace in others, find joy in somebody.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

find a way

the beautiful thing about life is that there is always a way. It may not be easy, it may not be what we want, but we can always find a way. We may face situations that seem to have no resolution, that seem impossible to deal with, but it's not true. There is a solution for all the problems we face and our challenge is to take those problems and find a way to work through them. To find the best answer, even if it isn't what we were hoping for.
There's no fear inside.
This is our time, no giving up.
When we connect our hearts, to our minds,
There's no stopping us.
We need to approach everything before us with the an attitude of success. Take on every challenge knowing we can make it through, no matter how hard. It isn't easy, but it's not supposed to be. We're here to learn and be tested. We're here to grow. We're here to find our way.

Monday, June 15, 2009

human

nobody said this was easy, right?
after all we're only human.
Life is meant to be lived, but it isn't always that easy. Too often we get in our own way; we make mistakes, we stumble, we get distracted. We see everything that we should be, everything we are working for, but it's always just a little too far out of reach. I've come to realize that's ok. If we set goals that were easy to reach we would never grow, never improve. We aren't supposed to be perfect, we aren't supposed to get everything we want. We have to learn to appreciate the little things. Baby steps and small victories. Success isn't instant nor is it guaranteed, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. Our imperfections and attempts to be better are where true character is revealed. No, we won't always succeed, things won't go according to plan, but we learn to run with it. To make the best of anything that comes our way. Baby steps, small victories, the little things that keep us going.
Things won are done; joys soul
lies in the doing...

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

legends

Everyone has a secret desire to make history. Everyone has woken up one morning thinking, "maybe someday I'll be more than just another person." It's inherent in human nature to want to be more, to want to be known. Some people want to make history for the fame, some because they want to create change, and others do it merely because they want to make a statement. They want to prove something. This year my team did that.

We made a statement.
We made history.

The rugby club I play for has never made it to the national collegiate stage. Last year we made it to the Pacific Coast playoffs, the farthest we had been able to go in 8 years. Since this club started 9 years ago we've faced struggles. We get no school support of any kind, all our funding is out of pocket or through generous donations. And, until last year, the national tournament was held on Saturday/Sunday so we were not able to compete because we don't play on Sundays. Last year it all changed. The tournament changed to Friday/Saturday and we were all of sudden in a position to make a name for ourselves. We unfortunately had to play the eventual national champions in the first round of the PacCoast so we weren't able to advance any farther. This year we had a vision and the skills to make that vision happen. PacCoast playoffs come and we come out with a bid to the national stage. 16 of the top teams in the nation, the stage was set. The first round was difficult, but we prevailed. Top 8. The sacrifices, the hard work, it was all for this. The next day we faced Penn State. A team better than any we had played, but we felt prepared. We played our hearts out. Left everything on that field, but Penn State was the better team. They went on to run over Brown and Stanford to win the national title. Despite the loss we still made history. All the hard work paid off, we made a name for ourselves. We proved that heart and desire can overpower brute strength any day. Next year we hope to grow more and make it to the final four, but it won't be easy. We start the season ranked #4 in the nation, there's a target on our backs. Now is the time legends are created and history is made. Again.

We'll part the seas, make history
While chasing dreams like every legend before us

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

(*fin)

end.

school is half way finished. I can't believe I've almost finished two years of college. It is so crazy how fast time can move when you're not paying attention. Have I made the most of these years? Have I made a difference? Can I look back and say I have enjoyed college the way I should be enjoying it? I think too often we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and we forget to look around and enjoy the sights. People are so busy. We go to school, we work, we play sports, a thousand other things monopolize our lives and make even breathing feel like it takes too much time. And then when we try and take breaks, we stress about all the things we could be doing and therefore completely nullify all relaxing moments. We need those moments. We need that time to recuperate. We need that time to live.
Follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be.
Follow your bliss. This quote was above my senior year English teachers door and every time I walked out I would look at it and think "I'll have time for that when I get to college." Well here is college and it's still difficult to find time. In fact it's probably more difficult. I don't want to look back on college and just remember a blur of school/work/rugby/and any other thing I've tried to do. I want to remember the nights that turned into mornings with friends I'll always have a special place in my heart for. I want to follow my bliss wherever it may lead me.

Friday, February 13, 2009

a little's enough

It's very apparent in the world today that things are not easy. Everyday we face something that threatens to pull us down and destroy all that we've worked for, but there is hope. There is always hope.
Cause we are broken
What must we do to restore our innocence
And all the promise we adored?
Give us life again, cause we just wanna be whole.
Poets, musicians, artists, regular people. All of them share the same message of love. Love never fails; love heals all wounds; hate is easy, love takes courage; where there is love there is life; love is the movement. The message is always the same and carries the same strength. Everyone wants to feel loved, everyone wants to say they have a reason to go on and live the life they have always wanted. You would think a concept as universal as love would be easy to remember and use, but, sadly, there is far too much hate in this world. Nation against nation, people against people, brother against brother. Many battles hit even closer to home as people battle their inner demons, too often this is the case. People forget they are loved, forget that they have made a difference for someone, sometime. An enduring message of love can do so much.
The cure is if you let in just a little more love.
I promise you this, a little's enough.
Something as simple as a smile can change the course of a persons day, we can be that love. We can share that message. One person at a time, we can spread that hope, spread that love. The chain reaction will spread like fire, bringing peace of mind to those who desperately need it. All it takes is just a little love, I promise you this, a little's enough.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

start again

It often feels like coming in to life we've been set up for failure. There is no way to come out without facing some kind of pain, some kind of heartache. The beautiful thing, though, is that we have the chance to start again. There is the opportunity to change. We can learn, grow, become better. We aren't forced to stay the same person we've always been, there are so many ways we can become the change we want to see in the world. We have to stand up and be that person we want to be though, we can't sit back and expect change to just happen.
Be the change you want to see in the world. - Ghandi
It's up to us to start over and be all that we can be. To take action and make our lives and the lives of those around us better.
We will hold together
to become the change

Monday, February 2, 2009

my heart

I am finding out that maybe I was wrong
That I've fallen down
And I can't do this alone
Stay with me
This is what I need, please

Too often people get caught up in trying to be so independent, myself included. Accepting help is one of the hardest things to do because that's like admitting you can't do it. Admitting that defeat pulls at self esteem and makes our shortcomings blatantly obvious. As hard as it is though, it's often necessary. There is so much we don't understand, so much we can't even comprehend. We could make it through life on our own, but not only would it be much more difficult, it would also be very sad and stressful. The joy of connections is that we can turn to those people closest to us and ask for help. They are there to buoy us up and help us when all else seems lost. It's amazing how much support one person can provide. We all face those times when all seems lost, when it seems like going on isn't even worth it. But then there's that one person. The one person who comes in and takes what is left of our heart and holds it together until we can do it ourselves. Whether it is a family member, a friend, a significant other, or God, without fail there is a network of support all around us that we take for granted. Trials are a part of life, a part of learning and growing. Through them we can learn how far we can go and when we need to seek help. Seeking that help is far from admitting defeat though. There are people in our lives who are there, just waiting for us to reach out a hand. Waiting for the moment when they can come in and be the shoulder to cry on.
Sing us a song and we'll sing back to you
We could sing our own
But what would it be without you?

Friday, January 30, 2009

brave

many people talk about how it's hard to be brave in the midst of trial, but sometimes it's even harder when those you love are facing trials that threaten to pull them under. You want so bad to help them, to keep them afloat, but inside you're hurting as well. Some people live their life seeking to help those around them, they live to be the shoulder to cry on. While this noble sacrifice keeps their friends going, it often pulls them away from their own problems. Empathizing with others is emotionally draining enough, then add on top of that your own trials and pains and the result is a person who has no release. Rather than dealing with those problems, they seek to lift up everyone else and store their own problems on a high shelf away from reality. This often leads to more problems because everything begins to build up and soon the entire shelf crumbles and you're left in a mass of pain and heartache as everything you've worked to hide from the world becomes a blatant flag flying above you. You're forced to face everything at once, an insurmountable task that can bring even the strongest to their knees. At times like this we can't stand alone, we need those around us. It's a continuous circle of support. We lift up those around us and, in turn, they will be there when all of reality comes crashing down.

I'll follow through I promise to hold on
I'll never let go won't let you down
If you can stay proud I'll be brave somehow...

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

this circle

Take this time to realize
That you always shut your eyes
In the midst of trial
Sometimes it's hard to face those things that we fear the most. It's difficult to come to terms with the fact that life is gonna hit us hard, we're going to fall, we're going to fail. If we're not careful, we get stuck in a vicious circle, one in which we fail, then get frustrated, then continue to fail because of out frustrations. We continually talk ourselves down and undercut any hope we have of overcoming those things because it seems to be fruitless. Trials, though hard, are refining. They purify us, help us eliminate the flaws of our character that would seek to always pull us down.
This circle never ends
And it's time you
Just face it, don't pretend.
Hiding from our inadequacies and pains will only make them worse. Face what is before you, stand up and tell the world that it can't bring you down. We are all the captains of our souls, the masters of our lives, nothing can stand in the way of what we truly want to accomplish. With dedication and desire we don't have to settle, we don't have to end up in that circle that takes over the lives of so many.