I never cease to be amazed at how much of life is determined by how close you come to something happening (or not happening). Let me provide an examples.
I love the Packers. I’m not the hugest fan, but I do know a lot of little details that a completely casual fan might miss. Last week my friend Aran called to see if I wanted a ticket to the December 9th game against Oakland. I jumped at the chance, especially since these are 6th row, 50 yard line home side.
WTMJ Radio (‘the biggest stick in the state’) gives away two tickets and a paid overnight trip for each Packer game, home and away. Because this week is a short week with the Packers playing Dallas on Thursday in Dallas, instead of needing to have four Packers’ names they provide at 7:15 a.m. Mon-Thu, you only needed one name given on Monday. I had the name. WR Shaun Bodiford. #19. 2nd year play, acquired from Detroit on Waivers. Played college ball at Portland State. On Tuesday morning, I had the phone ready to speed dial. The announcement for the 16th caller came on and I dialed. Busy. Dialed again. Busy. Dialed again. Ringing! Picked Up! “You’re caller 14.” Click.
I missed an all expenses paid trip to see the biggest game of the year so far by seconds. Why couldn’t I have started dialing a split second later? It seems so random, but it would have changed my life, well for at least a few days. I’m sure you may have your own story when this happens.
When bad things happen, we tend to tell ourselves (or blame ourselves) for our poor timing. When good things happen, we tend to take credit for somthing we may have absolutely no control over. When we miss having somethin bad happen, we tend to say we’re lucky. When something good doesn’t happen, we tend to tell ourselves (or blame ourselves) for our poor timing.
I believe in free will. I don’t buy into a Calvinistic doctrine of predestination. But when things like this happen, I do have to wonder why it always seems to happen to me. Of course, that’s what most of us think too, isn’t it?
This is the day on which I enter the universe of blogging. I do not know what direction this will take. I may get philosophical, dealing with the great questions of the universe. Maybe I’ll be practical, looking at the simple things of life and ways we can easily work with them. I might be theological, wondering where God is in all this stuff. Maybe I’ll just journal about my daily life. Not very exciting, but easy to do from my end. Whatever I do in these pages, it will be me. So let’s get started.