some thoughts on Tiger.

We live in a tinted window world. They have given us the ability to easily see from the inside-out, while at the same time ensuring that other people cannot easily see in (they might see me in my undies!)…and they’re awesome (tinted windows; not undies). We all want to be in the world and around other people, and we want to be seen by others and to see others. We want to know what is going on in everyone else’s life and world; to know every detail of their lives. We love being able to easily see and know what everyone else is going through, while at the same time feeling safe inside our tinted bubble (or square, or rhombus, whatever suites you).

This morning when my alarm went off, the radio DJ was talking about Tiger Woods and filling me in on every detail of his life…even some embarrassing stuff. The point is that, it was 6:30 in the morning and I was clearly hearing every detail of someone else’s life…and I loved it. I like knowing everything that is happening in someone else’s life…especially if it is really personal. It makes great entertainment and even better gossip (yes, guys do it too)…as long as it’s not me.

I am thinking about how much I would hate being in the same situation as Tiger (with the gossip thing, not golf), even if it were only with people who are very close to me. While we do want to be seen by others, we don’t want to be known by others. It’s great for people to see us from the outside, but letting them get to know us is very scary stuff. (We love to show off the outside of our cars, while the inside is usually a dump)

I have found how refreshing it is to let a few people in your life really know you; even the bad stuff. It’s at that point when I realize that we are all pretty much the same (we all have the same crap pilled in our closets at home…it’s ok). From there I learn how to stop trying to be someone else, and instead learn how to be exactly the Russell (me) that God wants me to be; and that’s a great place to be.

P.S. Tiger, call me to hang out sometime…I have a wii!

The ying AND the yang

Wow, it is crazy how completely different two ends of an 18 hour period can be. Earlier today I was driving away from school just so excited about the day and what was gonna happen. I get to go to class and listen to my professors who are completely brilliant. I really completely love school, I don't care what anyone says...I love DTS (if you don't like it, then stop going...problem solved). Then at chapel Dr. Charles Swindoll spoke: awesome. Then I drive home and finish building something for the church. And the day is just moving so well...so well. I'm happy and productive and looking forward to the rest of the day.

Then fast forward 8 hours and I am completely deflated...completely. I am at that point when you can physically feel your chest being heavy. It actually sucks pretty bad right now really. I mean I've got nothing left for the moment...good thing it's bedtime! But it's in these times that I have to sometimes live in the memory of what I've been through. Sometimes that is enough to get you through...

It is so easy to forget all the good in your life when you feel like you are surrounded by nothing but darkness. We've got to be people that never forgets the blessings that we have and have had. "Do not doubt in the dark what I have told you in the light" -someone.

Deuteronomy 4:9 "Only BE CAREFUL and watch yourselves closely that you DO NOT FORGET the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your hearts as long as you live." ...This is one of my favorites....commit this one to memory!

...Pieces.

Happy Oh'Ten!

I'm been trying to figure out why New Years is such a big deal. I find that I too get excited about it, but why? Surely the entire world doesn't get this excited over the opportunity to go to a party (or a "social gathering" if you are over 25) where they are usually surrounded by people they hardly know, have a few drinks and a few laughs with certain acquaintances, only to be left with a headache the morning after. Don't get me wrong, I love any excuse to go and spend time with good friends. I played a wicked game of Apples to Apples this last NYE...so...yeah... Or maybe it has something to do with the day off of work that people get, but then that leads me back to the original question...Why is it so important that we even get a day off of work? (except Walmart people :( ...sorry) It just feels like another normal day to me. I'm always a little underwhelmed with the whole thing. Watching people in Times Square for 2 hours before and then when the ball drops, we all celebrate like we accomplished some great thing this past year....yay us! we did it!

But then someone cleared it up for me (thank you wifey). I think that people aren't celebrating what we have accomplished this year, but are instead celebrating the year to come. People are excited at the idea of leaving what happened in '09, and instead beginning to focus on what CAN happen in '10. We are not celebrating our achievements, we are celebrating our HOPE. We are celebrating and forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. We are deciding to press on towards our goals for '10. (...I think I've heard this somewhere else...) And THAT is worth getting excited over. Our hope is what keeps us all going. EVERYONE puts their hope in something... it's just that different people put their hope in different things (but that is an entirely different conversation). Bottom line: 48 hours ago, we were not celebrating the accolades of 2009, we were celebrating the hope of 2010.

It is just proof that the entire world is CONSTANTLY wanting more out of life. That NO ONE is satisfied with the now, but that everyone wants to leave what we have experienced and to gain something more out of life. It doesn't matter who you are, where you are from, your skin color, or anything else; we ALL want more out of life...everyone... Even those that look like they have found it all, haven't...

Oh yeah...Be nice to other people...they outnumber us 6.6 billion to 1.