Tis The Season

Nothing says winter in Georgia like the 70 degrees highs predicted for tomorrow around the metro area.  Lovely eh? Well it has been a while since I have last blogged and the semester is finally over and exams are a thing of the past.  Enough about school though.  Today I have been on the couch most of the day with a stomach bug, so i have had plenty of time to ponder some things.  Tomorrow if i feel well enough, I am going to go out and attempt to do a little Christmas shopping, since its all of a sudden right around the corner.

I sat down and watched Extreme Makeover Home Edition for the first time in a long time.  I rarely watch that show, however today I decided to check it out.  The story was a bout a family living in a run down, soon to be condemned house in Raleigh, NC.  The mother devotes much of her life to a local community center/private school for mostly underprivileged children.  She has 3 kids, ages 6, 4, and 3, and a husband who is legally blind.  The lady also has severe arthritits.  Because of her devotion to bettering her community and young people throughout the area, her house had begun to literally decay.  It became unsafe to raise a family in.  They tried to make it livable but because they had little funding the could not do much.

So the Extreme Makeover team came in and did work.  Obviously it was a dream come true for the woman.  Her and her family were thrilled and suddenly filled with Hope.  As Ty Pennington toured the dilapidated home, something the mother did absolutely shocked me.  She told Ty that anything in the house that was still usable, she wanted to give away to people throughout the community who really needed it.  I just thought it was so amazing.  Here is this makeover team, ready to give this woman her dream home, and all she is thinking about is how to give to others.  I find that absolutely amazing.  Not once did she ever think of herself.  It is truly a characteristic I wish i could constantly possess.  Sometimes, yeah i do put others before me, but what if I was like this woman?  What if we always put others before ourselves?  I really believe the world may be a happier place.  It reminds me of that commercial ( I forget what company it is) where one good deed is witnessed, which leads to another, and so on and so forth.  That was this lady's attitude.  She said she believed her showing love to others would inspire others to do the same, thusly making her community a better place. 

It is so simple once you really think about it.  That really works.  Love and kindness is contagious.  Nothing else to it.  Towards the end of the episode, she said I do this for these kids.  They are the future of our nation and doing this may help them change the world.  I just thought that was so cool.  Probably the best episode of that show I have ever seen.  And by far, it was the best hour of my day today.  I really thought it was cool they aired it during this season of Christmas.  It is the season of giving, and this woman gave almost all she had to make other people around her happy.  

Finals Week: Update #3

Here is the situation:  I sit here at my computer.  Have been studying precal, and race, religion and conflict for roughly 8 hours thus far.  I sit here in a tee shirt, boxers, finishing up a PB and J sandwich to keep me going, while drinking out of a milk jug.  Never throught id see myself this way.  It is the eve (almost morning at this point) of probably the biggest academic day in my life.  Its my last two finals of my first semester in college.  i am pretty nervous but really excited/relieved that 12 hours from now, i will have no worries about school until January.  but i must get back to studying.  And then hopefully get a little sleep.  I need to wake up in 6 hours.

Finals Week: Update #2

Well here i sit on Thursday night.  2 Finals down, 2 to go.  Today I took my sociology final, after studying for close to 6 hours total in the last few days.  Overall, Id say it went pretty well.  One thing I noticed about both of my finals i that most questions were either really easy or really hard.  Few were in between.

I am very excited about this weekend.  Tomorrow I'll be working, and will get to see Peachtree Ridge in the state semifinals against Grayson.  That will be fun, and then Saturday I'll get to watch the SEC Championship with some friends.  And then I'll get a little quality family time that night.  I am pretty excited.  Then Sunday, I'll head back down here to GSU and get ready to spend that day and Monday studying.  My last two finals are Tuesday morning.  So I will be spending Monday studying ALL DAY.  It may be boring but its okay.  The Math Final I need a decent grade to keep my B.  And i think an A is out of reach.  But that is okay.  I am predicting 3 A's and 2 B's after the first semester.  There is a chance it could be 4 A's and 1 B.  Thats what im hoping for!

Finals Week: Update #1

So I guess I will keep everyone informed on finals week this way. I am at a very critical juncture in my life in that I am finishing up my first semester of college.  I really need good grades to get started on the right foot.  For the most part my grades are good. 

In GSU 1010, and Global Issues  I know I have solid A's.  In Sociology and Race, Religion, and Conflict, I am pretty sure I have two High B's, with the potential of finishing with an A.  And in Precalculus I have a mid range B, with no chance up pulling it up to an A, but little chance of dropping to a C.

Earlier this morning, I took my final in Global Issues and I believe I did okay.  It would worry me if I had a low A but because I feel my A is very solid, I am not worried about it.  I believe i did enough to keep my A in there.  Right now, I am preparing for my sociology exam which is tomorrow.  

I am sitting on the fifth floor breezeway in the library.  The breezeway runs over top of Forsyth Street and gives you a pretty cool view of the city.  It is nice and quiet here and its a great place to study.  Here is the picture right now of my view:

Its not bad....

Anyways, I am getting ready to bog myself down here for a couple of hours and then Im gunna head back up campus to the commons to probably do more studying.  I have two classes tomorrow, one with a final and I have a TON of Math Work to do in the Math Lab.  So tomorrow is going to be a very busy day.  

This is the Story Of A Girl...

Not the one who cried  river a drowned the whole world.  A different one.  Really it isn't just one in particular.  It is my thoughts on the entire female gender as a whole. And maybe a specific girl or two here or there ;).  

So right now, I am currently single and have been that way for nearly a year.  I enjoy long walks on the beach.... oh wait.  Sorry! Anyways, I am single and have been very happy and content with that for the past year now.  But now, i believe that is beginning to change.  Most of the rest of my freshman year here at GSU, I will probably stay away from dating, but I feel that soon after this next semester, I will find myself in a relationship.  Except this time, things are different.  It is completely different from the way it was in High School.  Those little relationships for fun in high school are not what i want anymore.  Now it is serious.  In dating someone now, i will be looking for a future wife.  So i will not date someone who i could not envision myself with for the rest of my life, not to sound weird or anything, that is just how it is.

There is one girl in my life right now, and most people close to me know this girl and how close we are.  We have a very different and unique relationship.  It really is like no other.  I am so comfortable around her, and she is the same with me, extremely comfortable. We see each other quite often, despite how far away we live from each other.  I actually love her.  Not like the "in love" like you usually hear.  But this is actually an authentic love, like i would die for her, but not like an "in love" thing.  My mom and my sister want me to marry her, and I guess i could see how we would be compatible, plus she loves the Lord too, but its just like I really don't see it happening between us.  That seems so far off, but really its not.  Who is to say whether i'll be married in 3 years or 10?  Ya know?  Now i made the comment about my mother having her say in my wife, but she does that with any girl i hang out with.  My senior prom date, obviously just a friend, Mom asked if we were dating.  No Mom!  I will tell you if we are! Thanks! Haha.  It is rather funny.

Now there is one person i may actually be interested in.  I have known her for a while, and have recently begun talking to her a pretty good amount.  I have begun to really see some great things in her.  She is a strong strong follower of God.  She is nothing less than a warrior for the kingdom.  A Warrior?  Doesn't sound very feminine or attractive, but i assure you, it is.  I am striving to be a man of God and could easily walk and challenge my relationship with Christ with this girl.  That is what i aspire to have in a wife.  Someone who will challenge me on a spiritual level, and can help me in my walk.  So this girl is pretty cool.  And i feel a unique connection with her.  I also feel that God has a plan for her in my life somehow.  Whether it is marriage, or just friendship, something there is meant to be.  

Who knows though?  With both of these girls, they mean a lot to me, each in a different way.  Maybe it will be one of them i marry or maybe not.  The crazy part is that i REALLY could be getting married within the next five years to some girl.  So i don't believe this is too unrealistic to talk about.  But i will tell you this, as sappy/stupid/girly as it may sound, I am very excited about finding that ONE and falling IN LOVE with her.

Not sure what all inspired this blog, just recent thoughts, and I did say i would write about girls eventually, so now you know where I am at, and my current situation.

PS- I am in love with Taylor Swift already, but due to the distance i do not think our relationship will work out.  However, if i become famous or whatever, i will marry her.  I'll be the prince and you'll be the princess, its a love story, baby just say yes.

What a Week... and What the Future Holds

It has been an absolutely crazy last week or so for me.  This week alone I had 4 papers due and a math test.  It was a rough week.  No doubt about it.  I must say though... I did pretty well with it.  I finished all of my paper on time and got a 89 on my math test.  I feel so much less pressure on me now that i have a week off from school and no major assignment due this coming week.  Wednesday night was the last night of FUEL.  FUEL is a middle school program that I lead at Cross Pointe Church in Duluth.  Anyways, Wednesday was the last night of it for 2008.  I am looking forward to it starting back up in January.  I also got to experience two thanksgiving dinners this week and it isn't even thanksgiving week yet.  That was nice!  

Last night, I worked at the Peachtree Ridge playoff football game.  They won!  They beat Harrison in a rematch from earlier this year.  Next week the will play the Coffee County Trojans at home again.  So again I will work.  While at the game, I got to see many old friends from High School.  It was really nice to se all of them.  It really made me think about the relationships I made there and how much I actually enjoyed High School, despite what i may say most times about High School.

I have been thinking a lot recently about my future.  I think I have finally really got my heart set.  it sure took a while.  I can think of at least 4 or 5 things I have considered pursuing professionally.  It was Baseball when i was young, acting after that, and then video production after that, then it branched to being and announcer or play by play guy, and now I think it has finally come to rest as a front office man in a pro sports franchise.  I want to make the big decisions.  Whether it is in marketing and deciding on some promotional plan or whether it is in management and deciding how much to negotioate for some player, that is what i want to do.  Last week I officially declared a double major in Marketing and Management here at GSU.  My dad wants me to keep my options open as far as the future and where i will pursue my education within the next four years.  He really thinks I would like Athens, and he knows I loved the Dawgs growing up.  But to be honest, I have seen, and am continuing to see that fade in me.  I really have begun to fall in love with Georgia State.  And it is a new feeling.  I have always bleed red and black (my truck even says it), but now the colors are changing.  My blood is starting to look blue and white.  And it may stay that way for a while, and i am very happy with that.

-Logan

Welcome to my thoughts....

Hello everybody! I hope all is well with everyone.  This is my first blog, and my introduction.  Most times, my blogs will not be too long.  Some days, they may be a couple sentences, other days they may be much longer essay like creatures.  It will all depend on what is going on in my head at the time.  That being said, most of my blogs will be about what is going on up there in that skull of mine.  Sometimes it may have to do with sports.  It may have to do with Spirituality, it may have to do with school.  It may even have to do with a love interest. ;)  And maybe i will just summarize how my day or week is going. But who knows?  Really, i just have this blog so people can keep up with what is going on in my life and can listen to my thoughts and get a better idea for who i really am.  I will try to update and write rather frequently, but i make no promises.  So here we go... time for Logan's Thoughts.

Last night, i met a very cool person.  Jake (my roomate) talks about him all the time.  His name is Zach Presten.  Well today (November 17, 2008), Zach will leave the United States on a journey to the country of Jordan until early December.  That is pretty cool.  I mean, Jordan! Wow.  That is amazing.  Zach is going to be talking with college students there about Jesus and the Koran.  I think it is really awesome.  God has really put Zach on my heart since i met him last night.  I prayed for him and will continue to do so throughout his journey.  While talking to Zach last night, he told me about an opportunity that many college students at Midtown Community Church will have.  That is a spring break mission trip to Jordan.  That immediately caught my attention.  That would be cool.  However, the catch is the price, of course, isnt it always?  But still.... Jordan for Spring Break 09; what a story to tell your kids huh?  Anyways, just thought i would share that quick story about Zach. 

Last night was also a big night for me, because I prayed a dangerous prayer.  By this I mean i prayed for God to radically grab a hold of me and make sure that i was focused on him.  I begged for him to do something that would definitely grab my attention and would make me focus in on Him.   Right now, I feel at times my eyes are not always on God as they should be. I just feel like my relationship with God is lacking.  And I blame myself.  And it seems like I have felt this way before, and now I have fallen back into this feeling again.  And I am tired of it.  So I have called out to God begging for me to be able to get closer to him.  Begging for this love of his to pour out of my life and into other people.  That is what i want.  There is no greater satisfaction than the love of God.  So that is why i prayed this "dangerous prayer."  I do not know what will happen.  I know God will work and will truly show me his glory, but I may have to go through trials to get there.  But that is okay.  I want to.  Because I want to know Him more!  I leave you with this:

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  Romans 5:3-5 (NASB).

Sincerely,

Logan McElroy