Welcome one and all!
This is definitely something new for me; writing is not something that I particularly enjoy doing (especially on a regular basis), but I get the feeling that taking time to sit down (on Fridays) and reflect on the good things that have happened each week will be a blessing to me, and I hope it can be some sort of blessing or source of inspiration for others as well. Here are some things you can expect to see (or not to see) on this particular blog:
This blog is intended to be a reflection on the things I experience each week that bring a smile to my face. You can expect to read positive, cheesy, or even comical stories. You can also expect to read some stories that are a little more serious, and instead of offering a humorous, giddy, "happy" feeling, those stories will most likely recount instances in which I felt or experienced genuine joy. You won't read anything that is directly negative or depressing. If anything starts out sounding like a sad sob-story, just know that a turnaround is coming and the boo-hoo part is only background information to something good. Expect scripture references, inspiration quotes, and even a cool picture or two every once in a while.
Don't expect perfect punctuation, grammar, or spelling for that matter. I'll do my best, but I mean, c'mon; I'm a west-Texas country boy and engineering major, not an English expert, even though that is my first and pretty much only language. Expect to read things from the first, second, and third-person perspectives, and you better be on your toes when dealing with verb tenses because I'll jump around a lot. Most of the time I do that on purpose, but you just never know. Expect lots of wells, contractions, "...'s," and apparently made-up words. Roll your eyes, crack a grin, sigh in exasperation, or react however you want to when you see them, but get ready because they'll be there!.. It's just a personal writing flavor thing.
Also expect random tangents or side thoughts. I'll really try not to get long-winded, but sometimes random inspiration strikes and I just have to go with it for a bit. Don't worry, though; it all ties back together in the end...most of the time. Anyway, I think you are now prepared to get a first taste of what's to come on this HappyFridayFlections page, so HERE. WE. GO...
The title of this entry is "A Fresh Start." I've just finished the first full week of classes for the spring semester of 2012 here at Texas Tech University. Last semester was pretty rough, but this one looks like it could be a really good one (hence the "fresh start")! As I have been trying to get back into the school routine after being gone for Christmas break, I have run into lots of my engineering buddies in classes that I didn't really expect to see any of them in, and it's always nice to see familiar faces in new classes.
In one of my classes, my friend Marshal grabbed the last open seat on my row, which happened to be right next to me. We exchanged the normal, "Hey, how was your break?" chit-chat while we waited for class to begin, but the teacher was taking his sweet time getting his stuff together so Marshal and I got to move on to other, "deeper" levels of discussion. He then asked, "Well man, what was the best part of your Christmas break, besides the presents, and the chance to sleep, aaaand fact that we had over a month off from school?" That, my friends, was a tough question indeed...very specifically restricted it was.
I started to say that the ski trip I got to go on was the best part of my holiday. That was definitely fun, but as the wheels of memory started turning, another (way more encouraging) turn of events from the Christmas break came to mind and I began my answer with, "Hhhmm, well there was this girl.." Go figure, right? Yeah, there sure was! It's not what you think, though...
I'll just recall the story for you as I did for Mr. Marshal:
You see, there was this girl I didn't ever think I would get to talk to again. Things had happened quite a while back that I really didn't understand. All I knew was that I was not supposed to talk to her. "Just leave her be," I told myself, "you'll only make things worse," and letting her be was exactly what I did.
It was one of those things where you feel like the little puppy who hasn't been house-trained yet... In the wrong place at the wrooong time. Somehow a mess appears in the floor that you didn't really think was your fault, but about the time you think it's not a big deal, the mother of three kids who has cleaned up 4,000 messes already that day walks in and sees it, decides that's the last straw, grabs you by the scruff of the neck and proceeds to rub your nose in it and then bodily fling you out the door. Yeah it was kinda like that feeling, except nobody grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and rubbed my nose in anything. I did, however, have that helpless, hopeless, and worried feeling that I had just been permanently hurled into the dog house of this young lady and that I might as well get comfortable because I wasn't getting out any time soon, even though I wasn't really sure what had just happened.
Time passed, though, and while I was home for the Christmas break one of my friends asked if I had anything going on on that particular night. I said no, that I was just hanging out with my folks at home, and then she said she was at Sonic and asked if any of us wanted anything. My mom and brothers and I were fine, but my dad said he wanted a cherry Dr. Pepper or something, so I relayed the message. Shortly after that, the doorbell rang and I went to answer it. When I opened the door, it wasn't just my friend who was there, but her younger sister as well... the owner of the proverbial doghouse into which I had been hurled earlier in this story.
I'm not going to lie...my heart skipped a beat or two and jumped up in my throat. A million and one things went through my brain at the same time that it was stricken with a dumb, numb nothingness. There she was, dancing on my front porch to stay warm because of the cold while holding out a full Sonic drink for me to take (my dad's, mind you...). I stood there with the door handle in my hand, trying to un-stick my tongue from the top of my mouth and make my face force out some word or something, or aaanything, while my brain was screeching, "Don't you do it! Say anything else and you might as well consider yourself one shovel-full deeper in that hole you're digging!"
So I channelled my inner Sherlock Holmes and went back to the step-by-step basics: 1) Let go of door handle. 2) Take the drink and say, "Oh hey, thanks! Y'all get in here out of the cold!" 3) Give drink to dad. 4) Shut door behind them. 5) Ask what they've been up to lately. 6) Let it go from there.
I finally managed to gather myself, and as it turns out, it was a fun evening of movie-watching, catching up on the latest drama, and a few sketchy games of pool... It felt like I got to stick my head out of the doghouse and sniff the fresh air. Text conversations followed after they went home that night and continued for the next week or so until I got to go on the ski trip I mentioned earlier. At that time I felt like things had blown over enough that it was safe to express thankfulness for this young lady taking me off of her "bad list," to which she replied that things had been rough, but that I never was on her "bad list."
There it was: the statement I had been praying to hear, or at least pretty close to it anyway. It wasn't a dramatic, tear-filled moment with a stressful build-up and outpouring of emotion... Nope, it was a Sonic drink, a movie, a few teasing jabs about my pool-playing skills, a handshake turned into a hug, and a text a week or two later that all equalled, "It's ok. I forgive you." That sense of relief was unlike anything I have felt in a long, long time.
Now, you want to talk about a fresh start?!? That was right at the start of 2012, and what a way to kick it off... I had gotten to experience "for-real" forgiveness, and was shown what it looks like and how to do it. Sure, it was almost a month ago already, but when Marshal asked what the best part of my Christmas break was, that was it...hands down. As I was telling him that story, a smirk on his face turned into a grin, a grin turned into a smile, and the smile just kept getting bigger until I finished the story and he said, "Wow, yeah man...that's a good feeling." I'm pretty sure what we shared right then qualified as a "bro-moment," and getting to tell him that story over again gave me almost as much joy as experiencing it first-hand about a month ago.
There are a couple of things I took away from this chain of events, so here's the challenge as I see it: 1) Count your blessings. Once a day, or once a week, or whenever, sit down and reflect on the good things life has to offer. Those reflections will help you see through the tough times. 2) Take an active role in forgiveness. Seek it, offer it, give it when you have the opportunity... You never know how much it might mean to somebody, and it is an absolute relief off your own shoulders when it's granted.
That's all I have for today. I got a little long-winded with what to expect in the weeks to come, so I'll leave the inspirational scriptures and quotes and what-not for later weeks. I encourage comments and feedback; just keep them positive! I was too late to post this on Friday, so happy weekend and, Lord willing, I will see you all again next Friday!
In Him,
-)TY(-
