I Am .... The 12th Man

Well, I wasn't...exactly the 12th man. Maybe, I was more like a part of a very large 12th man, but nonetheless I was still a part. I have been promising an update of my trip to College Station for the Texas A&M/Missouri, so here it is.

We caught a slight break that this game was at 2:30pm instead of the 11:00am start it could have been. So, Raegan, her mom, sister, and I set off from The Woodlands Saturday morning around 10:45 for the trip to College Station (picture of Raegan and I at the game on the side, check out the huge video board behind us). When we arrived, we stopped for a little Texas style barbecue on the edge of town and then headed to park. It is now the experience starts. It is all me and my thoughts from here on out.

I will have to admit that this was the most unique gameday experience I have ever been a part of in my life. I have watched sporting events at numerous places and seen numerous things, but this was the most unique. We will break the experience down one thing at a time (I will leave some things out probably, but it is due to length concerns).

1.) At A&M, they don't have cheerleaders. They have yell leaders. These several people lead the student section and entire stadium in cheers for the Aggies. Oh and trust me, it is slightly more complicated than the D-Fense cheers in a normal stadium. They are specific and well known among all Aggies.

2.) You have the story of the 12th Man. E. King Gill was called from the stands to suit up for an undermanned Aggie team in 1922 against top-ranked Centre College. A&M won the game 22-14, and Gill was the only man still standing on the sideline when the game ended. Inspired by Gill's readiness, students stand the entire game and "yell" and support their team. You really have to see the wall of standing maroon on the student side to understand the support they give.

3.)The coolest team entry I have ever seen probably occurred at this game. You almost have to see it to believe it. The team comes through a courtyard led by a group of drummers in their military uniforms. Talk about the hair standing up on your arms (if you are like me and have any hair there), that did it for me. It was super cool.

4.) The game itself was a pretty standard game. The stadium would get super quiet when the offense had the ball and so loud you couldn't hear yourself think when the defense was on the field (you think I am kidding? I was trying to figure out what down it was at one point and couldn't it was so loud).

5.)There are many traditions woven in throughout the game. My favorite of these was probably what they call "sawing" at A&M. You figure out what we are sawing. It isn't too difficult. This maneuver involves crossing arms behind the back of the person next to you as well as crossing feet with the person next to you and swaying side to side. It really gives you the illusion that the stadium is moving. Pretty cool if you ask me.

So, that is a cliff notes version of my trip to Aggieland and Kyle Field on the campus of Texas A&M. It was a great day and fantastic experience. I loved the atmosphere. I am hoping to catch another game there in the future. It was definitely worth the trip.

Oh and by the way, the Aggies defeated #19 Missouri 24-19 and are currently ranked #23 in the nation. Gig'em Aggies!

The Longest Day Ever

If you ever thought you had a long day, I have one for you today. On Monday, Raegan and I were awake at her house in The Woodlands ready to get back to Kentucky. We had a flight out of Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston at 1:10pm. It was scheduled to arrive in Lexington at 4:26pm. An informed reader should not both times for later refence. Now, we were perfectly aware that the weather for the day was not supposed to be all that good and several areas of Houston had flooded overnight due to heavy rain.

Still, our flight was listed as "On Time", which we later found out to be a very relative term. We arrived at the airport at 12:15. It was all downhill from there.

We arrived at the gate for our flight only to not see the flight listed at the gate. We promptly asked the woman behind the counter what the deal was. She said the flight was running late (this will be a running theme of this post). She said it would be in around 2:00pm probably. Well, not so much.

In the course of the rest of our day, our flight would be scheduled to depart at the following times (all times Central):

1:10pm
2:00pm
3:38pm
3:53pm
6:04pm
6:15pm
6:45pm
7:15pm
7:45pm
8:15pm (we boarded)
9:30pm (we take off)

Those of you who can count can see that our flight finally took off 8 hours and 20 minutes late. We finally got into Lexington at 12:15am local time just under eight hours late. So, what came from this?

Raegan missed her class at 6:15. I had my laptop packed in my suitcase, so i could not get to it to use it in the airport. Raegan had her laptop, but she packed her power cord. We are lunch and dinner at the airport. We sat on floors, in hallways, at tables, and even skipped over 2 terminals to shop. We couldn't write the whole book on what to do when you are stranded in an airport, but I think Raegan and I could definitely contribute a chapter after Monday.

Needless to say, Monday was a long day. Plus, it has taken its toll on me here at the start of the week. I can only hope its effects will wear off soon. All in all, Raegan and I enjoyed a little bonding experience. I think, of everything, we will remember that the most.

As promised earlier, I will be giving an update on our trip to the Texas A&M/Missouri game in College Station this past weekend soon.

On the Go Again

I have commented to some people that it feels like this semester has been really hectic. I realize more and more everyday that it has been. It is not simply in my imagination.

As I write to you, I am sitting in The Woodlands, Texas just outside of Houston at the house of my wonderful girlfriend Raegan. We are in town for several reasons, but one of my favorite has to be the planned trip to College Station Saturday for a Texas A&M football game. Everybody who knows me knows that this is the type of thing I get excited about. I love seeing new places, especially when it deals with sports. It will no doubt be very fun and exciting experience. I will conclude this segment by simply saying, "Gig'em Aggies."

I will try to update on how it went sometime after Sunday. We will undoubtedly be busy until we leave on Monday afternoon. Whenever Raegan and I are visiting home, there is always something to do 24/7. Oh and don't forget, class starts back Tuesday morning for me. Life may be hectic right now, but it is all worth it. I'm having fun.

Now, here is one last little commentary before I go. I like Mexican food, but I LOVE Mexican food in Texas. I have not found a bad mexican place in The Woodlands/Houston area. I am really thinking about giving up mexican food unless I am Texas. It probably won't happen, but I am thinking about it.

That is all for now. Also anybody who can root for my beloved Georgia Southern Eagles this Saturday, please do. We need a win in the worst way. Peace out!

Falling Down....Get Up or Not?

This is a situation we all are going to face sooner or later. Some people may even be facing this situation right now.

I find it so difficult to get up when I am knocked down. I feel so unworthy of the grace God offers. I find it so hard to accept. I cannot even bring myself to most of the times. It is just tough. Anybody who has ever experienced this feeling knows exactly what it is like. A feeling of such unworthiness. Why would God want to help me when I do so much against Him and others. Just like Paul, I wish I would not do the things I do, but I do them anyway.

There is hope though. I have a tough time grasping it. I know it is there. I just wish I wouldn't go against God and sin. I hate sin. I know it is wrong, but it is difficult to avoid. I am sure some feel the same as I do. I hope you grasp the hope of forgiveness though no matter how bad you think the sin is or how frequently it happens. Every sin can be forgiven no matter how serious or frequent it occurs or for how long it has been happening.

God loves and forgives His people. I am trying to accept it every day, and I hope everybody is joining me.

John

The Return of the Blog...No Seriously....I Mean It

Man, this thing is seriously neglected. I seem to always leave it and forget about it. Now, I am going to try to keep it updated. I promise.

John