NEW YEARS!

Benjamin Franklin - "Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man."

New year.... brand new start.

2011-
There were so many great things that happened in my life... Was blessed enough to follow my dreams of playing college football and college golf; developed some great friendships; found out who I really was during hard times; met someone amazing; volunteered service hours; helped lead YMCA campers closer to God; brought myself closer to God; became mentally and physically stronger; increased my GPA significantly; and remained the same person I wanted to be.

2012- New Year's Resolutions:
1.) Trust my friends and family more.......... I have a horrible habbit of not trusting the people dearest to me; I need to let go of all the fear and uncertainty, give it all to God, and live life worry-free.
2.) I need to always get stronger in my faith.......... There is always room for improvement.
3.) Get in GOOD shape......... I have never really been embarrassed by the way I look, but I have never been fully satisfied either. Already started my workout routine, diet, and supplement routine so this is the year to turn it up.
4.) Develope better study habbits............ If I'm going to transfer to a 4-year university, I can't afford to stay static with my habbits.
5.) Start playing the guitar and piano again.......... I use this blog as something to channel my feelings into because it helps calm me down. Music is something that calms me down as well, and I miss being good at the guitar and piano.
6.) Be slow to anger............. I need help to remain calm in tough situations. Most of the things that anger me just aren't worth getting angry over.
7.) Branch out and meet new people............... self explanitory
8.) Develope a morning running routine............. If I'm going to stay in shape for the rest of my life, I need to start running daily.
9.) HAVE FUN WITH LIFE



-GP

Feliz Navidad!

Eric Sevareid - "Christmas is a necessity.  There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something besides ourselves."

CHRISTMAS WAS AWESOME......and I'm not even talking about the gifts.

The whole family came home for Christmas as usual and the good times started....
BELL RINGER:
I had to have 12 hours of volunteer service to pass my business class this semester, and it was down to the last weekend.  We called the Salvation Army haha and they said I could be a bell ringer.  At first I was so pumped, but when I got to the mall (Galleria in front of Belk), I'll admit I was embarrassed out of my mind.  Something about ringing a little bell, asking for money doesn't really excite me in a great way, but I'm happy I did it (even though I've never seen so many people trying to ignore me before haha)!
DECEMBER 22ND:
Found out suddenly that I needed a gift for the girl I'm talking to (girlfriend? yeah, haha whatever), so I search Francesca's and find something, but did not see anything good... so then headed to Private Gallery and after an hour of indecisiveness (real word?) and one of the girls there helping me, I found something legit! So now it's off to the Hoover chick's house to exchange gifts! The gifts were cool, but I was just happy to chill with her....we haven't since (not sure why) but hopefully we will soon; no reason to stress about it.
DECEMBER 24TH:
Christmas eve service with family and friends....WAS AWESOME.
CHRISTMAS DAY:
WAS AWESOME.  It was one of the first Christmas's in years that my family had been financially stable, so we all were able to go hard on the gifts we got for each other this year... I hate to be cheesy, but it really felt great.
DECEMBER 26TH - 28TH:
The fam dipped over to my mom's hometown of Tunica, Mississippi to visit the fam and so the guys could go hunting!  We were full of anticipation about hunting, but WE. SAW. NOTHING.  Ever since the tornados last April, the deer population on our land have been extremely low because the Mississippi River flooded, but give it 3 or so years and things will be back to normal!



-GP

Struggles

Anonymous - "Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life.  If we were to go through life without any obstacles, we would be crippled.  We would not be as strong as we could have been.  Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets."

This is going to be a short and sweet post so get ready..

I have been focusing WAY too much on strengthening my body instead of my mind and my faith.  My body has gotten stronger, but with that has come a lot of anger and a lot of stress.  I have been getting SO upset at the smallest things...... golf, family, friends......  It's horrible and it's not who I want to be.

Aside from my recent anger problems my faith is in trouble.  I have not prayed outside of church in what feels like forever, I do not touch my Bible anymore, and at times I feel so lazy with my faith.

The solution I see is to involve myself in a better group of friends, become more involved in church and prayer (I have been slacking a ton on the latter), get a good night's sleep every night, try to stay calm, and just have fun again.



-GP

NovOctEmber

George Eliot - "Delicious autumn!  My soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird, I would fly about the earth seeking successive autumns."

I love this time of the year..

Tonight was Halloween.  YESSSSSSSS!  I had so many ideas on what to dress up as, but I ended up going with the retro basketball player look (high tops, high tube socks, SHORT shorts, jersey, afro, head and wrist bands)........ I do not regret it.

Now that October is over with, I turn my focus to what November brings. 

1)  I am one of the biggest nerds anyone will ever meet..... so this explains why I'm PUMPED about the new Call of Duty coming out on the 8th!  This is a big deal because I went to the midnight releasing of the game last year at South, and there were almost 400 people in line.... like half of them were dressed in Army uniforms haha it was amazing.  So guess what?  Homeboy's going again this year!

2)  Again I'll admit I am one of the biggest nerds anyone will ever meet..... aka why I'm dressing up as Edward Cullen when I go see the Breaking Dawn premier on the 18th! 

One last note.... autumn is my. favorite. season.  I LOVE it.  There is nothing more peaceful or beautiful than driving on a overcast, cold, and windy autumn day with the orange, yellow, and red trees off in the distance.  Nature is God's canvas, and there is nothing that complements God's creation like autumn.  I hope I have many years left to experience its beauty.

 

 

-GP

Acts of Indecision

Simone de Beauvoir - "Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future, act now, without delay."

The past few months have been pprrrreeettttyyyyy confusing for me..

Soooo the thing with me and the Hoover girl (last post) had been going off and on for a while.  I found that some weekends she'd appear tired of me, and other weekends I'd seem tired of her....so I just haven't been sure on what to do.  It's apparent we've both thought about dating, but that might not be in the best view for us.  I start talking to her for a little bit and my feelings start swaying in a different direction..

I obviously still have feelings for the Hoover girl, but I can see myself in a better situation talking with the other girl... and of course there's always been something deep down that's liked this girl as well.  So we started talking for a little while, and it was great for a couple of days... but I still don't know.  I'm not a believer that God will point out who he wants you to date or talk to, but that He will provide you the opportunity or situation.  So right now, it's on me and I need to decide who I want to pursue....

_________________

The other indecision in my life is this golf thing.  Yeah, I was thinking about the possibility of enrolling at Mississippi State University to basically major in golf, it would be coool, but I don't think that's what I want to do...

I love golf obviously... but some days I just get so tired of it.  I want it to always be something I can escape to in a rough tim in my life.  I just don't want to invest in a career in something I love, only to get sick of doing it down the road.

And then there's Auburn...

Ever since I was little I've ALWAYS wanted to go to Auburn.  I love the campus, how classy the students are (in comparison to Bama especially), all of my friends go there, AU athletics.... I just love Auburn.  I've prayed about it before, and I'm still not sure what to do.  My career choice might be at Mississippi State, but my happiness points towards going to Auburn.

I of course don't have to make any decision soon, but time is running out...





-GP

UPDATEEEE (Part 2)

Leo Rosten - "Happiness comes only when we push our brains and hearts to the farthest reaches of which we are capable."

There is someone new in my life at this moment :)

This past spring break I met (kind of) this girl... We were eating at Applebees at the beach with some of my friends when like twelve high school girls walked in and sat down at my brother's table (apparently he invited them).  Well, there was this blonde girl that was in the group.  She was BY FAR the cutest one there, so I automatically assumed that was the girl Austin was talking to.  That night, she and two of her friends came over to the house we were staying at, and while she hung out down stairs, me and another one of my buddies were upstairs playing some NCAA on Xbox (I know, real ladies' man).  I wanted to go down and meet her, but no matter how cute she was, the fact was that she was in high school.  So I never gave it a chance. 

Fast-forward to Julyish that summer.  I hear that Austin has invited three girls over to my friend's house to hang out.... and the blonde-headed girl was one of them.  I get excited cause, I mean, she was really attractive; no matter if I wanted to date her or not, it would be fun getting to know her.

Fast-forward a couple of weeks.  The girls (blondie included) are coming over to my friend's house while my brother and I am there becomes a regular thing now.  I am constantly talking to her, laughing at her amazing sense of humor, and admiring her unexpected maturity.  So I get her number and we slowly start talking up a storm. 

Fast-forward to present day.  Me and Sarah have been talking for just over two months now, and things couldn't be better.  I have met her amazing family, and I love spending time with them whenever I go over to visit.  Her beauty, maturity, witty personality, great family, confidence, and selfless attitude make me realize how lucky I am to have her at this point in my life....

......and I almost missed-out on it.



-GP

UPDATEEEE (Part 1)

A LOT has happened since my last post (I do apologize for the long wait)....so I'm going to make this into two posts.
Jeremiah 21:11 - "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"
SO much good has happened to me in the past couple of months...

First off, as you all may know I was NOT happy at the University of South Alabama.  I felt bored with the daily routine, hated football, and didn't have a good college experience there.  But what hardly any of you know, was that my grades were so bad (2.55 GPA), that I had lost all financial aid priveledges.  Being caught up in what seems like an endless recession, this was not good news for me and my family.  Meaning whether I wanted to or not it was time to transfer.

The next idea was to apply to some cheap school for a semester (we were thinking Jeff State), so I could boost my grades and earn back my financial aid before heading to Mississippi State or Auburn...... Somewhere along the way though, I got the crazy idea that I wanted to play college golf...... As fate would have it, this was a blessing in disguise.

For a month I called a myriad of schools hoping they could magically have just ONE spot available on their team, so I could walk-on.  One by one they all turned me down. I was beginning to lose faith when I had two schools left: Central Alabama Community College and Wallace State Community College.  Called CACC and met Coach Jennings, who was a nice man, but unfortunately had no spots left.  Before I hung the phone up he had told me that he didn't think Wallace State had any spots left open either.. Honestly, I didn't  care what he said.  I figured, "What the hell, I'll give them a call anyway."  I call and there is no response, so I left a message..

Two weeks later, a Coach Dan York calls me back saying he DOES have one spot available.  We get to talking, and he somehow gives me a chance to come try out.  That Monday, I drove the 45 minute journey to Cullman Municipal Golf Course for my try out.  I WAS SO NERVOUS.  On the first tee he tells me he's not interested in my score but just wants to see if my swing's workable, and if I have a good personality.  Of course the whole day i try my best to not get angry and to almost advertise myself the best I can.  It paid off.  I shot a 36 (1 under par), and earned a walk-on spot!

Three days later I get arguably one of the best calls in my life.  That Thursday night, I hear my Creed ringtone singing in the other room, I pick it up, and it reads, "Calling: Coach York."  I am both nervous and confused because I have no clue why he is calling..... I gather up my voice and answer.

"Garrett."
"Hey Coach, how ya doing?"
"Just fine Garrett, how 'bout yourself?"
"Good."
"Good.  Well I got some news for you..." (this is when my heart dropped expecting some bad news)
"Yessir?"
"I believe I have found you a scholarship.  So when you can, we need to get you up here to sign, and we need to give you a campus tour." (this is when I threw the biggest fist pump of my life)
"............"
"Garrett, you there?"
"Ha, sorry....yes, I'm.....yeah, I'm here!  Thank you so much Coach York!"
"No problem Garrett, you deserve it.  I will call you tomorrow with all the details.  Talk to you then."
"See you later, Coach!"
(hang up)

That was the call that has changed my life.  I proceeded to call Pam and Ray and the fam and we all flipped out haha.  I love being at this school, and I love having the opportunity to wake up and do something I love every day.  After my broken leg in high school (the low incident that I believe led me to where I am today), I can honestly say with complete confidence that EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. 

Never let something get you down because the next day everything could change.



-GP

Long Time No See (Part 2)

I am going to try my best to base my life off of these verses:

MATTHEW 6:1-7:6

Matthew 6

Giving to the Needy

 ¹ “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
   ² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

    ⁵ “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
   ⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:
   “‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
   on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
   as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,^[a]
   but deliver us from the evil one.^[b]’
   ¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Fasting

    ¹⁶ “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Treasures in Heaven

    ¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
   ²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,^[c] your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy,^[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
   ²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Do Not Worry

    ²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?
   ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 7

Judging Others

 ¹ “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
   ³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
   ⁶ “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.




-GP

Long Time No See (Part 1)

A LOT has happened since my last post (I do apologize for the long wait)....so I'm going to make this into two posts.

Jeremiah 21:11 - "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

I have realized a lot about myself within the past couple of weeks...

First off, school has always been hard for me. Not necessairily the tests, quizzes, or homework assignments either.

I have always been in a pickle when deciding on what I want to do for the rest of my life. I have spent hours searching the web on looking for an occupation I'd be interested in, but my efforts have always resulted in nothing. That has always been my worst fear. Growing old, letting life passing me by while I do something that I hate. At first, I thought it was physical therapy.....nope. Then I thought it was communications.....nope. However, third time's a charm.

Just recently, my uncle told me about this program at Mississippi State University that was right up my alley. The program is in PGA Management with a BS in Administration/Marketing. With my love for the game of golf, I feel everything that has happened to me over the past few years of my life has set me on the right path for the rest of my life.

Everything happens for a reason.


-GP

Another Bump in the Road

Psalm 9: 9-10 - "The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble."

This past week has been on of the worst, physically, in my entire life..

As I mentioned in my last post, I went to the YMCA Camp Hargis for my job training as a councellor. Well, as fate would have it, while we spent the night, bed bugs (yes, they are real) came out and bit me...BAD.

Last Saturday, I was on my way back from Doodles when I noticed a couple of little, red bumps starting to form on the inside of my bicep...and they started to itch. Later that night, I was spending the night at a friend's house when my lower back, arms, legs, feet, hands, and neck started itching. I tried to sit in his hot tub....didn't help. I tried to swim in his pool....didn't help. I tried to sleep it off and deal with it the next morning....couldn't do it. I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING INSANE. Since we had no car at his house, I called my parents to get one of them to pick me up...I could not bear the itching and bites that continued to mess with my mind. I grabbed my shoes and went running to get some wind on the bites so I would stop scratching, but even that wasn't enough. As soon as my mom arrived at my friend's place, I hopped in the car and headed home. It was six in the morning.

I got home and immediately hopped in a bath tub filled with hot water and oat meal oil (to help the itching). I stayed in the bath for probably another two hours. At the time, not me, nor Mom, nor Dad knew what was going on with me....they assumed poison ivy, but were both confused at the formation of the red marks and hives that appeared on my skin. The options of poison ivy, misquitos, bed bugs, rocky mountain fever (from ticks), were all possibilities, but we could not start treatment until we knew for sure what it was. I spend the rest of the day lying STILL in bed or in an oatmeal bath.

The next day, we find out that I am having a severe allergic reaction to bed bug bites. My parents contact our doctor, and he prescribes me a steroid to help get rid of the itch and the bites altogether. That night though, I layed in bed and thought about everything......I even later started tearing up. None of this was from the painful allergic reactions or the meds, but simply because I realized that I have done a crappy job of living my life for God...and it was obvious the things I needed to change. I am now working on them all.

Everything has gotten better. the itching is now almost completely gone, and the bite marks are on their way out as well.

Lord, thank You for helping me through yet another one of life's speed bumps. I believe it will help me to be more cautious and aware of  my situations in the future. Also, I thank You for my deep thoughts that I had that second night. I have realized that I have not been living my life according to Your way, and as a result, I have not felt happy or satisfied knowing I have not been glorifying You. I will do my very best to improve, but I will need Your guidance along the way.

"And I'll praise You in this storm,
And I will lift my hands.
For You are who You are
No matter where I am,
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand.
You never left my side,
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm." ~Casting Crowns
-GP

YMCA!

Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

I have the BEST SUMMER JOB

So a couple of weeks ago, I got a call in form the Shades Valley YMCA telling me the got my job application form to be a camp councellor this summer. Turns out ole Pam and Ray turned in my application (GREAT move).

The interview went really well, and it turns out both my brother and I got the job! On the 14th and 15th we had job training at Camp Harliss (?)......we were NOT excited about this at all. We got at the YMCA at 7:30am like we were asked, and from judging some people walking in the door (a problem we all tend to have) it did not appear as if this job was going to be any fun....I was DEAD WRONG. We got on the bus and immediately greeted by now one of my good friends, Shannon. She was obviously an athlete somewhere, and because of her greeting, it immediately lifted some of the bad anticipation about work off my shoulders. The weekend camp ended up being a great experience; we met a ton of new people and found out slowly that this job was going to be one to remember. Oh and by the way......we also got paid $200 for being there....not bad haha.

We had Sunday night off, then it would be back to job training on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 8:45am to 1pm. Sounds awful right? Wrong. My first day I realize how special this The rest of "job training" was a breeze, and work starts on the 31st......frankly, I CAN'T wait.

Lord, thank you for blessing me with this opportunity. I believed you have provided me this job for a reason, so I can do my best to have fun and spread Your word.

Home Sweet Homewood

John Ed Pearce - "Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to."

There's no place like home.

Last weekend I went back home for Easter.....and I desperately want to get back there ASAP!

Friday:
On our way back, we had to ref 2 jv boys' soccer games in Montevallo. It was our first high school reffing experience, and we were nervous...but we beasted it. the bad thing about it, though, was a kid from Prattville during my last game broke his arm; he was okay, but it caused a 27 minute delay for us to get home. We finally pull-in at about 11ish and you can just see the bright smiles on Pam and Ray's faces that all of their kids are home. Haha immediately, Austin and I direct our attention to messing with Lindsay (an epic tradition on school breaks), and it's obvious she's glad the family's all back together again.

Saturday:
After staying up til 4am doing whatever the night before (BAD MOVE), we had to wake up at 10 that morning because we had 3 girls' jv soccer games to ref at Hoover. Ha all of the complaining and resisting on my part to wake up brought me back to my high school mornings over the past 4 years- a lot of which I miss. the soccer games go well and as expected, all the freshman and sophomore girls on the teams hit on me and Austin haha. Pulling into the driveway once we get back was simply amazing...at about 5-6 o'clock the sun sets perfectly over the trees and plants in the back of our driveway creating an almost majestic scene. It was that moment that I knew I was home and wished I could stay there for weeks and weeks. We spent the rest of the night in absolute peace - me chipping golf balls in the backyard, Ap watching a movie with one of his girls, and Lindsay celebrating her best friend's birthday with people.

Sunday:
EASTER. We all woke up at 9ish to get ready for Sunday school at 10......the Powell family was looking fresh in their spring attire to say the least! The Easter Bunny came and left us all candy and gifts- Lindsay some white heels, Ap a new phone, and myself some khaki golf shorts! After Sunday school, we all attended the traditional 11 o'clock service and embrased Reverend Wolf's sermon about Easter. When we got home, we all hung out while the Easter Bunny (Big Ray) hid the easter eggs, and we prepared for our anual egg hunt! Lindsay is the reigning 6-time champ of this event, so me and Ap plotted to bring her down this year............yeah- didn't happen. She beat me by ONE freaking egg. Wow. Guess I gotta set bear traps next year or something to stop her pace. Later on the family said their goodbyes and Lindsay headed to AU and we headed back to Mobile (which was a huge buzz kill to our awesome weekend). Nothing was as bright and as green as Homewood, and I can't wait go back.

I love Homewood.

Lord, I have been EXTREMELY blessed to have grown up in such a great and wonderful town like Homewood, AL. I am confident in the idea that You planned that for me, so I would grow up being the person I am today. It is an amazing place, and I hope that life  takes me back someday soon.

"Well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home." ~Daughtry
-GP

My Passion

Robert Lynd - "It is almost impossible to remember how tragic a place this world is when one is playing golf." 

People search their whole lives for the things that truly make them happy. I have been blessed enough to have found one of mine. 


One of my passions in life is the game of golf. A LOT of people find that both very weird and hilarious....but I don't care. The game of golf brings me a peace of mind; although, no one seems to ever understand why. GOLF is a way for me to escape all of the troubles in life. What some people find in reading or listening to music, I find in getting a little white ball into a gopher hole. When I am out on the course, I feel like it is just me, God, and His creation. 

1) If there are issues going on in my life- a round of golf gives me plenty of time to reflect on them. I have good, quality alone-time to regain focus on my priorities in life, and to figure out the best solutions for life's problems.

 2) I remember something my dad always told me as a kid, "Son, sometimes you just need some time with God." In a world of materialism and temptation, golf is one of the ways I find alone time with the Lord. If there are big problems going on in my life, I spend 18 holes praying and just talking with God.

3) Golf courses, in my non-expert opinion, bring out the best in God's creation. Just the way nature seems to perfectly mesh together to form something amazing astonishes me. There's nothing that can compare to a warm, sunny day out on the golf course. The only thing you hear is the wind rustling through the trees, birds chirping, and the occasional "Get in the HOLE!" from across the golf course haha.


I love the game of golf.

Lord thank you for all of the wonderful things you have planted in my life. I realize that everything happens for a reason, and there is a reason why I have been exposed to such a wonderful game.I just feel blessed, and I thank you.  


"We give You glory 
Lifting up our hands and singing holy, 
You alone are worthy 
We just want to touch Your heart, Lord, touch Your heart 
Glory, lifting up our voice and singing holy,
You alone are worthy 
We just want to touch Your heart, Lord, touch Your heart" -Jeremy Camp
-GP

"Let go of the fear"

Jeremiah 30:17 - “For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord.


Life can pull you down at times, but trust in the Lord, and the fear will disappear.


So this past week was most-definitely a rough one for me: school decided to go on beast mode; I couldn't talk to one of my best friends- the girl I liked and had previously texted/talked to daily; the family's financial problems continued to escalate......just a tough week. I tried covering up my emotions the best I could, but nights just seemed to be hard to get through. Just felt out of place all week...


As the week progressed, however, I started praying and getting better. I was so caught up in what I wanted and how I was trying to plan out my own future instead of leaving it in God's hands.


Before, I thought the only way to happiness was to be with the girl I liked....now I realize I was 100% wrong. Granted, I still really like this girl, but I can't sit here and try to force something, that may not be in God's will for me, to happen. I just need to put ALL of my trust in the Lord, and He will lead me down the right path.


Lord, please continue to help point me down the right path and show me Your will for me. I put my faith in You and know that everything will be great in the end.


"It's clear enough to me
The ugliness I see
Is evidence of who I need
Give me an answer
Give me a way out
Give me the faith
To believe in these hard times" ~NEEDTOBREATHE
-GP

Dazed and Confused

Jeremiah 29:11 - “I have a plan for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”


Life can be very confusing and stressful at times. 


November 2010:
My girlfriend of 7 months and I broke up....the fire was gone and we both were not that interested in continuing in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. The night we broke up, I was actually going to Auburn to visit some friends and my sister, so it wasnt too hard to get over it. At a frat party, however, the girl of I've ALWAYS had feelings for walks in...after that, I had no feelings for my ex anymore. That's how everything started...


December 2010:
Slowly, but surely, a fire ignites between me and the girl I've always liked. We start talking/texting daily, and my days go from bleak and old to bright and new...which was something I had been longing for. Of course, talking leads to seeing each other and hanging out, so over Chirstmas break, she came over to watch Toy Story 3. I feel like I have never been on a date before in my life- my hands are shaking, I'm sweating from being nervous, I studder because I don't want to say anything wrong, I'm even nervous about putting my arm around her....it's like I'm 12! I had a fantastic time watching the movie, but more importantly talking to her and enjoying her prescence. She makes me happy in every way possible, and her face and smile calm me more than any song ever could. Almost immediately, after she gets home, we discuss the next time we want to hang out, and we make plans for my next visit to Auburn.


January - February 2011: 
We hang out a couple of more times and become closer and closer...but she breaks the news that after her previous relationship of three years (that just ended), she says she isn't ready for a relationship. That brought me down, but I like her and respect her feelings....so just friends wouldn't hurt. Maybe persistance will pay off in the future.


March 2011:
After more times of seeing each other, we discuss our feelings for each other, and I am EXSTATIC (spelling?) to hear that she has some of the same feelings for me that I do for her. I am committed 100% to her now. But with the situation comes a lot of insecurity :(.........I am afraid of getting played, and she is afraid of getting hurt again. To me, since I have been chasing her for a majority of my teenage life, all of this seems too good to be true. I am fully committed, but if something questionale pops-up, I pounce on it to try to figure out what's going on. And in return, the mild fighting that breaks out leads her to believe that I am just going to hurt her like her ex did. By the end of March, I can feel her backing away.




We are now on a break from talking.


Although I KNOW it's not all my fault...I feel like shooting myself 53 times in the leg for letting something so amazing slip away. My heart is filled with anger sometimes because I feel like I am her puppet (but I often over think EVERY situation), but my heart is also filled with regret because I know what an amazing girl she is (but maybe I dont know whats best for me). I come to the realization that I will always have feelings for her.


Lord please show me Your plan for me in this situation. I am doing my best to make things work, but with all the uncertainty, I need Your help. I know I love her and care for her, but if all of this is not in Your will for me, then I will do my absolute best to move on from it....as hard as that may be. I know it is ambitious for me to ask for an answer on what I should do. Just please help show me the right path I need to follow. I trust in Your word and will follow.


"I still wish you the best of luck baby
And don't go thinking this was a waste of time
I couldn't forget you if I tried
You killed what was left of the good in me
I'm tired so let me be broken
Look down at the mess that's in front of me
No other words may be spoken
And I've got nobody else to blame though I tried
Kept all of my past mistakes down inside
I'll live with regret for my whole life" ~A Day to Remember
-GP