Midnight Snack

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night with the munchies? I do. Actually I don't even wake up... it's more like before I go to bed (which is sometimes in the wee hours of the night! Shame on college screwing with my sleep schedule!) Anyway, my favorite midnight snack is milk and cookies. For those who know me will attest that I am an avid milk drinker. I like 2%, and whole milk. Cold or warmed up. Yes that's right you heard me correctly. I thought that drinking warm milk would be the cure to get my sleep schedule back on track. Instead it's just another strange quirk I picked up and a great conversation starter.

I find it so eerie though when I walk down the stairs at night. Not another soul is awake. The refrigerator reveals a bright light that you never really notice any other time. I stand around in that kitchen, staring at the window. The crazy part is, I keep thinking I will see some sort of ghost boy or something. I was talking with my friends at college a year or so ago, and they had these intense ghostly encounters. And ever since then, I keep waiting until it happens to me. 

I also find it eerie, that I feel like I'm the only one up on the entire street, maybe even the entire block. I use this time often to pray to God, and just reflect on some things. That's a good time to do that too because nothing else is going on at the moment. Psalm 46:10 says "Be still, and know that I am God". I think it's important to just take some time to literally be still and reflect on how God has control of everything, and the fast, panicky thoughts of life are wasting your energy!

I hope this food-for-thought was helpful! Enjoy this awesome month of October!

The Best Compliment I've Ever Received

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing
1 Thessalonians 5:11


I was talking to one of my favorite customers the other night. I haven't seen him all summer, so I sat down with him for 10 minutes before I clocked in. He's a retired cop, who's stuck in his ways. He doesn't have a wife to keep him company, so he always sits in a booth by himself. He told me something that night that I will never forget. He said, "Eric, I've only met about 10 people in my life who I liked right off the bat. And you're one of them." He also added, "and I'm an old man too!" I was truly honored and was almost brought to tears!

What does a compliment like that say about me? I kept on thinking about it that night and the next day. What if it means that If I'm this likeable, and I made an impact in this guys life, what if I can impact others lives? I've always wanted to just impact lives, whatever my profession may be. But now with this guys encouragement I feel like I can really meet that goal.

Encouragement is so important. Something so small as a smile I think can really impact someones day, and encouraging words can impact someones life!

This may have been a shorter post, but I just had to share this bit of information!

Have a blessed day!

Competition

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do"

John Wooden

I was never a competitive kid growing up. I played soccer for 10 years, and was only able to score 1 goal! Not that I was on defensive most of the time either. Actually my favorite part about the soccer games was the post game snack. I also tried baseball, basketball, and received my black belt in Taekwondo. While the latter was a great accomplishment, the only trophies I recieved was "competitor trophies" a nice way of saying that I participated in the tournament, but didn't win anything!

I dont know when it hit me, but sometime around college I became competitive. A couple of my favorite sports is Table Tennis, and Racquetball. Table Tennis takes a great deal of hand-eye coordination, quickness, and skill. My trainer/good friend, taught me the art of how to spin the ball, in which I used to my advantage. In my four years at college, I became one of the greatest at the Baptist Student Center. Sure, there were guys who were better than me, but I started, at least, making a name for myself.

There is nothing like Racquetball either. Not only does it have "Willy Wonka" style doors, and echoing sounds, but it's the perfect stress reliever, as you can just hit that ball as hard as you can in the enclosed room. I started playing racquetball in middle school, but actually learned how to play for real later in high school. It doesn't take much equipment, it's very easy to learn, and it's very addicting!

The larger point I wanted to make on this blog was that having a competitive spirit can be a great thing. Early on in life, my main thought was I just don't really care. Why does playing this game matter? And it is just recreational. But what if these games are one giant metaphor for overcoming obstacles, and battling your inner-demons? It's about developing effort, and a will, that if even if you loose you can say that you gave it your best and move on. It's about gaining confidence, and even gaining a passion.

Now with all that in mind, I think there are alot of people who take it too far. When sports and competition takes priority over God, then it's an unhealthy competitive spirit. When you tear others down, become very angry and out of control, then it's an unhealthy competitive spirit. When you become a sore loser, or a sore winner, then you're missing the whole point about competition. It's all about good sportsmanship, encouraging others to do their best, and doing your best.

Exercise, Meditation, and Praise

It's 11:00pm on a humid july night. I get my bike out because this was the only time I found that was actually cool enough to enjoy a ride. I test out my brand new night light, an awesome upgrade from a little reflector that cars can barely see. I ride out to my favorite spot, which has a spectacular view overlooking the river, and airport runaways. If I'm lucky, I can spot planes landing or taking off to the great beyond.

It's in this moment where I have a moment in prayer to God. Not using big fancy words, or going into a ritual or a routine, but really just talking about my problems, and barriers, and most of all just asking for guidance. After I stare at the clouds, and lay down for a moment in the grass (shortly getting up after bothersome bugs and an uncomfortable bed of grass needles!) I get up and ride back home, continuing to talk to my creator, and just trying my best to listen.

Exercise, Meditation, and Praise is the PERFECT combination. Not only is it physically healthy, but it's also emotionally and spiritually healthy. While going to the gym has it's perks, I always feel like it's a chore. Plus I never know what to do. There are so many free weights, and machines. It's an indecisive persons worst nightmare! As I alluded to before, biking is one of the activities I enjoy in which I can not only get my workout in, but I can also spend time reflecting, and praying.

Since the start of the year though, I also picked up a new obsession, which is starting to really be ingrained in my identity: Praise Moves. Praise Moves is yoga incorporated with scripture, and prayer. I met a group of girls that do this in a small dance studio in Independence. The best part about it is, I feel like it's a small life group rather than a large yoga class you would find at a gym. Its an hour where you can just not think about all the problems in life, and get that spiritual encouragement from a community of believers. The bonus of this life group is getting a good workout, and increasing your balance and flexibility!

I conclude this blog by encouraging everyone to just get out there and stay active! Find a new activity, and a new small group that will encourage you, and help you get through the week.

"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20

God Bless!

Eric

A Sense of Adventure

If I can sum up the month of july into one word it would probably have to be adventure. This month, I went on two trips: the first to Natural Bridge, which included uphill hikes in the wilderness (keeping in mind of possible bear encounters), and the second to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, which included tubing down a "lazy river" with some rapids and rocks, and doing an intense indoor ropes course!

I never really thought of myself as an adventurous guy. I always kid around saying stuff like, "my idea of adventure is trying lobster at Red Lobster." It wasn't until my mom said after my gburg trip, "You are the most adventurous in our family!" that I started to realize, you know what? Maybe I have gained a sense of adventure!

The craziest thing I did this month however was ironically not on any of these trips, but right here at home at a college worship night with some friends. It started out mild enough, and very awesome as we sang some songs, and just had a real deep, moving discussion. But then one of the guys, who is notorious for organizing these late night events called "adventure nights", decided that the group should go on one that night! With work in the morning, at first I declined, but then as he said we should be back at the house at 12:30am, I said "why not!"

The first rule of adventure night is that the destination was a secret. So we drove to this park over in Mt. Lookout in Cincinnati. We walked up this observatory, which was nice. I kept thinking about the park hours.. 10:00pm. It was now around midnight. While everyone else was looking at the views, or taking pictures, I was just hoping that the cops weren't going to swarm us and throw us in jail!

After a few moments up on the observatory, we descended back down, stopping at this trail in the woods. "You gotta be kidding me" I thought. Are we really going in there?

So we went on this trail. I think I said "I dunno about this" like twenty times throughout the course of our walk. If it wasn't for my keychain light (which I got at Natural Bridge), dimly lit cell phones, and a really bright camera flash, we would have only been guided by moonlight.

Then we went off course! I was so scared. Why did I agree to do this? I had to be up for work, and now I'm following these crazy guys in the woods. What if we get lost? What if, what if, what if. But I kept going along with them. We ended up at this old railroad. Okay, this is pretty cool. Now we can go back! I thought. But we kept going.

We walked until this railroad turned into a rail-bridge! Here we were walking on these wooden planks over this 50 ft drop. "Why did I do this!" I kept saying.

But in the end I did it. We walked back across the bridge, found the trail, and went safely home. Sure I went to bed at 3:00am. Sure I was tired the next day. But you know what? I learned something that night. I'm not even sure what I learned either. Maybe that there's no reason to be fearful when God is watching over us. Maybe that breaking out of routine and out of my shell results in a fun, and rewarding experience.

Will I do it again? For sure. I'm definitely not going to become an adrenaline junky, but I'm also not going to become the person who's most adventurous moment is trying lobster.

Feeling like an Idiot

Boss- "Eric do these reports!"

Me- "What reports?!"
A vision I have from time to time as I think about working in an office.

It was my senior year of high school, and it was my last year of marching band. Now those of you who haven't experienced marching band before, lemme tell you it's not for the faint of heart. Band Camp is especially grueling in the summer with 2 or 3 weeks of long days rehearsing, and marching. When we did drill, or get in fundamental blocks, we had to stay at attention for 10-30 minutes it seemed like before they would dismiss us, or give us our next order. That was my least favorite part. Not that my trumpet was heavy or anything, but just staying there at a pose with it for a long period of time, I just squirmed about. Well anyways, there was one day my senior year when we were rehearsing our show later in the season. I was on the 50 yard line. They made us stay at attention for awhile.. right after we just marched for 7 minutes or so. It was one of those times where we just needed a water break. Well I was squirming about, getting tired. Our marching band instructor yelled at me over the microphone infront of everyone. "ERIC QUIT MOVING WHEN YOU ARE AT ATTENTION! YOU ARE ON THE 50 YARD LINE! YOU ARE A SENIOR FOR GOD SAKES!!!" 

To this day that moment still haunts me. After all the good things I've done in marching band, and after all the hard work I've put into it for four years, that is one of the moments I think about when I think about marching band.

I hate feeling like an idiot. Or feeling dumb, or stupid, or however you want to say it. It might just be the worst feeling in the world. Ever since elementary school, I've always felt dumb. Some of my teachers back then wanted to hold me back. They kept on putting me in special classes, where all the kids that were behind went. There was this one in particular "special gym", which this old woman taught us how to skip and do jumping jacks. It helped us with our hand-eye coordination. There was this other program called STAR, which I went to get extra help after school, whereas all my other friends went to QUEST which was the program for the gifted and talented.

Now as an adult those feelings are still there. They grow and grow whenever I try something new, and I'm not catching on. They were there full force when I worked at a finance company for a little while after college. I hate being the new guy, especially when I'm struggling with concepts or tasks. And since there were only two of us in the office, it was extremely hard for me to keep up, with more and more responsibility added on in a short time. I felt like an idiot infront of my boss who was extremely sharp, and ran things like a machine. I felt like I was messing things up all the time.

The thing is, every job I look at I always envision the worst case scenario. I always picture someone yelling at me. Whether it be my boss, co-worker, or an irate customer. This vision never dissapears. The quote at the top, or the picture with the mountain of papers, is all I see. I feel like my 16 years of schooling did not equipt me for the workforce. I'm not saying I didnt get a good education, I'm just saying that they don't translate well to each other. I'm used to having a book to study, being in a classroom setting listening to lectures and taking notes, and having quizes and tests AFTER preperation and studying. Thats what I excelled at after a while. In college I finished with a 3.7 GPA. But then I go to my first job, and it's not like that at all. I feel like I'm thrown into the fire. And since people are doing their own jobs, how is anyone going to have time to train me? They don't. You're on your own.

I had a friend tell me the other night something really cool. He told me that God sees us as royalty. He told me that we don't have to worry about being a failure, or being rejected, because Christ already accepted  us. God sees us as royalty. That's a really good thought! So everytime I feel like an idiot, or feel inferior, I just have to try to keep that in mind. For me, "try" is the keyword there!

Oh yeah, and one more thing. Since posting this blog, I've thought of some other marching band memories. During one rehearsal, on my senior year, our band director called over the microphone and said to everyone something like, "If everyone marched like Eric Owsley, then we'd be in pretty good shape."

See ya later!

Growing Old

"But time makes you bolder, children get older, and I'm getting older too."
-Stevie Nicks


At first glance, people would look at this title and tell me that at 23 I'm not old yet. And I would agree with that. Maybe I should make a subtitle that states, "trying to cope with change". I've always resisted change. But that's just something that comes with growing old. As I'm at this weird point in my life that I'm not a kid, and I'm not (or at least I dont feel like) an adult, I can't help but to comtemplate on age, mortality, and annoying yet inevitable change.

One thing about change that I've been noticing is that it always messes with relationships. Close circles of friends for instance, can over time just dissapear. Now maybe you'll always remain "Best friends forever", but for some reason somebody has to move away, or the responsibilites of growing old just is too much for regular contact. Or there could be a complete change of hobby, and new peer groups could be entered in the mix. Whatever it is, change just shakes things up when it comes to relationships.

And things just have to happen so fast too. One second we're in college, hanging out at applebees, and then the next second friends are getting married, having children, moving away for a job. I almost feel like things are just unraveling at the seams. But really I have to learn to embrace it.

I would really love to grow old with someone. You know, the whole settling down thing with a family and all that. Then I wouldnt have to worry about all my friends moving away, or getting to busy with life. Maybe I would catch up to them every once and a while. We would poke fun at our gray hair, or receding hair lines, and then look back on all the good times. Then we would go our own seperate ways again, but it would be okay because I would have a beautiful family to go back to. I guess what I'm trying to say is, when I find my soul mate, coping with change would be easier.

I've been absent for a little while on this blog, but I hope to update a little more periodically. Right now I'm really trying to make drastic self improvements this summer. From gaining confidence to overcoming my fears and anxiety. I am still looking for the right job, and I pray that God can just give me the wisdom to not worry about it, but instead focus on good things like loving others, loving jesus, and learning to love myself!