Saturday, November 21, 2009

Wear Sunscreen.

Someone asked me the other day what to expect during their years at UA. So, here's my list. Here's what I've learned.

Expect to learn things..the hard way.
Expect to make mistakes.
Expect to learn more about football than anyone outside of the SEC.
Expect to fall in love.
Expect to have a broken heart.
Expect to break a few hearts, too.
Expect to look back and praise Him for the "dodged bullets."
Expect to grow up, then grow down, then grow back up again.
Expect to look back at the end of four years and still not feel really grown up.
Expect to conquer your biggest fear. Whether it's public speaking, trains or failure, you'll look it in the eyes here.
Expect to meet G-d on the quad on a spring day when you realize just how little you are.
Expect to scream louder, cry harder, and cheer longer at football than you will at your own child's birth.
Expect to watch your friends make mistakes.
Expect to keep your mouth shut during these mistakes for your first two years, then you start telling them.
Expect to send a text message you'll regret at least once. OK, twice.
Expect to find a cause you love.
Expect to wake up one day and realize you've been living off Starbucks for the past week.
Expect to realize that your "dedication" isn't on your own volition, it's just the hand of G-d calling you into your place in His work.
Expect to study too hard, and sometimes to little.
Expect to love your family more.
Around your senior year, expect to realize you're turning into your mother.
Be happy about that, she's pretty amazing.

So, here's my advice:
Learn from your teachers. Not just the facts, but about life. Sit down in their office. I don't know how many times I've sat with Don Brown and just listened to his stories about the glory days of journalism.
Take a trip you'll never have the chance to do again. I went to Panama twice. I'll never hold a dying baby again (I pray). I'll never have the chance to stand at the edge of a river in Central America and watch 11 people be baptized. It's ok, though, because I'll never, NEVER, forget the way their faces looked when the came out of the water.
Be nice to the weird kid, but be nice to the kid that's cooler than you too. You're here as one of the ones called by Jesus Christ himself. He didn't say to only minister to the outcasts, because the popular kids need Him just as much.
Be the light of the world. Be the light of the campus. Practice reflecting His glory in all that you do.
Somedays, you'll lose. You won't win. Pray harder. Call your best friend, and praise Him that you have the freedom to fall apart and be put back together.
When you find that one person that doesn't like you, smile at them. Proverbs 25:22
Don't think you have to drink to have "the college experience." Adopt a down syndrome puppy, make your own way, do something, but don't blame bad behavior on college.
Keep it classy. Really. Have good manners. Send thank you's to your bosses and I love you's to your grandmothers.

I feel like I should end this with a "wear sunscreen" or something. It's not eloquent, it's not even wise. This is just what I've learned. Be tough. You're tougher than you think. Don't run away from problems, but run as fast as you can from bad situations.

You'll come out better. You'll come out stronger. Don't lose faith, you'll be ok.

Grace and Peace,
jg

Monday, November 16, 2009

Rammer Jammer, Yellow Hammer

My last football game is coming up this Saturday. I'm so sad.

These past 4 years have turned me into a die hard Bama fan, and I'll take that to my deathbed. I won't ever miss another game. I'll still sing Rammer Jammer at the end of every victory. I'll know our players, our coaches and our plays. No matter where I end up, I'll always talk about "the bear," wear houndstooth and yell "roll tide." Alabama football is part of who I am now.

But as I was sitting here, getting sad, I started to think...the best has yet to come.

Right now Alabama Football is all that matters. I love it. But in a few years I'll have a family. How much greater than football will that be? I can't wait. I can't wait.

I've been promised so much, and G-d has been faithful. Just looking at everything in the next few months takes my breath away. Finishing this semester strong, working at the Huntsville Times over the break, trip to DC to intern, research project, journal article, conference paper when I come home, working as a TA in the spring, taking Rick Bragg's class.

My G-d is faithful. His promises can be seen each and every day in my life.

So, the best has yet to come. Praise Him.

Grace and Peace,
jg