Easter, Lacrosse, and why I give a tweet.

Today, I'm writing like Costco sells. In bulk.
Imagine three completely different topics, written as if they're their own posts, but then strung together using one word that not only defines the blog entries, but also projects what's in the author's heart.
Now, read on.

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Twitter.
To many people, that one word brings forth an instant cringe; an automatic mental shut down. Often, when I bring up twitter around friends or other people I know, I get one of two things: the "geek stare" or the "god stare." Notice how either way I'm getting stared at. Unnerving to say the least.
In any case, I have a confession to make: I am a twitter-aholic. Or, to be less pessimistic, I enjoy twitter a whole lot. No, it's not because I want to grow up to be one of those snazzy "hip" dads. You know the stereotype: sun-glass wearing, iPhone holding, white-earphones-wearing, constant grin, and a computer at home that took a house mortgage to pay for. Ugh.
Rather, I enjoy twitter because I really do like seeing what people are up to. No, I'm not some nosy stalker type, I just enjoy communicating, conversing, and being in contact with people. And twitter provides me a fast, simple, fun, and easy way to do that- all while stuff is actually happening, and even from the comfort of my very own cell phone. :) O, wat joy!

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I play lacrosse for Capital High School. Don't know what lacrosse is? Try this: think of soccer. Now, give each of the players big metal sticks, make the soccer ball a rubber baseball, and give each team member hockey pads. Finally, make the game full contact. That's lacrosse.
This is my 3rd year playing for Capital (makes sense as I'm a Junior) and I really, really enjoy the sport.
The problem with Capital lax (yep, that's the shortened version) is that it's always been semi-mediocre. Not to say we've ever been HORRIBLE, or AWFUL, just to say we've never been the best. Some years have been better than others, but as a whole we tend to fall above Borah, but below Boise.
Lacrosse seasons starts in about Feb. and goes all through the rest of the school year. Yep, that's right kids, it's in full swing now! We've had about five games, three of which I've been able to make. (The first two happened in the week of darkness.)

Today, my team played Eagle High. Ugh. Allow me to elaborate; though it will take digression:
Eagle High is made up of primarily rich kids. Generalized, but true for the most part. On the lacrosse field this snobbish mentality transfers into blatant and unnecessary sarcasm, direct insults, and many yellow foul-flags thrown on the field (most of them because of my team retaliating to the verbal dickishness.) On top of that, they play lacrosse well. Not as good as Timberline or Centennial, mind you, but good enough to beat most other teams. In a scrimmage earlier this year, they stomped us so hard I can't remember the score (purged from my brain.) Suffice it to say that my team wanted to win this. Bad.
We wanted to knock those silly rich kid grins off of their sarcastic and sneering faces. We wanted to take their $100 Benjamins and stuff them down their esophogus so as to suffocate every last one of them to death. We wanted to take metal poles and beat them until they bruised black and started to cry.
But, just as in Shakespear's tragedies, it wasn't to be. That's right, we lost.
Interestingly enough, though, my team was able to tie Eagle, and hold that tie all through the first half. The second half started less promising, and didn't get any better. We lost with by a 4 point spread, but were glad for our labor.

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Easter:
Jesus, eggs, bunnies, chocolate, candy, pastels, blue, yellow, peeps, church.
Those are the first words that jump in my head.
Most Easters with the Mansfield family are spent doing hunts around the yard, dying eggs, and eating amazing meals (deviled eggs!) This weekend should prove to be no different, except that our good family friends from Arizona, the Bushes, are in town! They are hear not only to laugh and have fun with my family, but also to support us through this darkness.

Matthew 28 (Message)

^1-4 After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God's angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn't move.

^5-6The angel spoke to the women: "There is nothing to fear here. I know you're looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.

⁷"Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, 'He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.' That's the message."

^8-10The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. "Good morning!" he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said, "You're holding on to me for dear life! Don't be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I'll meet them there."

But isn't this what Easter's all about? Without delving too much into the cliche and predictable questions and answers, I really do believe that this time is all about Jesus. Pray for me as I seek to grow closer to him.

So where am I going with all this seemingly useless babble?

RELATIONSHIP

When I twitter, I am seeking to build relationship with others, whether I've met them or not. In lacrosse, not only am I building relationship with team members on the field, I've gotten chances to talk with them off of the field (today, riding home with one, I was able to talk about life, faith, and his and my journey through life up to this point). Finally, Jesus dying on the cross and raising on the third day allows me to fully have relationship with him in a very real way: without the bonds of sin and pain.

That's all :) Happy Easter!
Colin