What a difference a year makes....

Last year, I was working very hard on trying to start the next chapter in my life, an actual career.  The career I went to school for, teaching and coaching.

If you follow this link, you'll find the post I wrote after I had decided to "let go and let God".

http://intensesimplicity.blogspot.com/2011/07/it-is-well.html?m=1

That was posted on July 15, 2011. 

The last year of my life has literally been a whirlwind.  I started dating Jennifer, got engaged to Jennifer, and before the year is over, I will marry Jennifer. 

It is definitely obvious that the Lord's plan was better than mine.  I was DYING for a new job last year. 

Let's look at how it might have been.

Had I gotten a job then I would not have been creeping Jennifer on Facebook and would not have commented on that picture of her.  i also wouldn't have been able to accept her invitation to go to a random Rangers weekday game.

Basically, everything that has happened with Jennifer would never have happened if I would have had a coaching/teaching job this last year.

All of that to say, a year and a day after I made the "It is Well" post, I got a call from Henderson ISD.

So here I am in my final week of my time at ETBU.  I walked onto this campus in August of 2005, walked off in December 2009, came back two months later in March 2010, and now I'm walking away.

My time at ETBU has been extremely special to me.  I met the woman I'm going to marry here (and then she left me here).  Some of my closest friends were made while I was here.  I spent two awesome summers on Rec Team, which got me connected to those crazy people in Louisiana known as my Fuego Family!  I got my first real world job here in 2008 while still a student.

But my life at ETBU is over now.  Although I have been in Henderson before it is a whole new chapter and new things especially after December 29, it'll be a whole new adventure!

I'm just saying, stay tuned. Its just getting good.

Hot Button: Guns

With the recent tragedy in Aurora, Colorado; the hot button issue in the US is guns.

I thought I might give my two cents on guns. 

I am a Texan.  More than that I'm from a small town and spent a lot of time in the country and yes, around guns. I hunt.  Above my grandparents fireplace, there are two guns.  One of my grandfathers has a gun safe stocked with guns, that will soon one day be mine.  I received a shotgun at a very young age, and a rifle soon after that.  I have also taken the Texas Hunter's Safety Course.  I know my way around guns and have a respect for them. That's my gun history.

Now, you'll never see me trying to pose like some street thug in a picture with all my guns.  I believe the first issue with our society are the people who shove guns down the back of their pants to go down the street.  I don't use guns as a threat.  The day I have my own property, I will keep a gun handy to protect my family, and that is my right. 

On to the issue.  A young man busted into a movie theater during a midnight showing of one of the most anticipated movies in recent history. 
He killed a number of people and injured many others.  He was probably unstable, probably cuckoo for Coco Puffs, but it still gives him no right to shoot up other people.

Many have called for more strict gun control, many encourage others to acquire their licenses to carry handguns, and others claim this wouldn't happen if universal healthcare was available.  I've seen all these figures about how 9000+ people are "murdered" in the US by gun violence in a year.

To all those who call for everyone to have to turn in their guns and for no one but law enforcement and armed forces to have access to guns, let me give you a little history lesson.  Prohibition.  The US Government decided that it would be a great idea to take alcohol away from American citizens.  What happened? Smuggling, bootlegging, and everything in between.  Many people died throughout the period because of incidents related to prohibition.  People did whatever they could to get alcohol.  Would this not be the same if we make guns illegal?  I mean, take a look on the street of any city in America and you'll see someone there who is willing to do whatever it takes to get his/her hands on a bag of weed or a shot if heroine.  Imagine what would happen if you took guns away! 

I am about to say something that might get a few of my friends in an uproar.  I believe the regulations we.need are on assault weapons.  There is no possible reason a person should be able to purchase an AR-15 from his local Gander Mountain.  These guns are way too powerful and are pointless in terms of hunting.  Rifles, shotguns, and handguns work well for these occasions.  And will also work well for protection's sake.  You don't need an AR-15 to stop a burglar or tresspasser.

Take away guns and people will begin to use knives.  Or when they want a large loss of life, they'll build a bomb.  Then we've got a bigger problem it is difficult to take cover in a room with a bomb in it. 

As far as those standing on universal healthcare, explain to me how all these threats will get tested and how.this will curb the violence.  The world isn't like the Sims or something with info hanging over your head. 

James Holmes is a bad person.  He meticulously planned this out.  His apartment was rigged with explosives, he started buying guns in May, and he started in the position or the theater where the most damage could be dealt.

All that (and it might be too choppy and unorganized) to say, guns are instruments used to kill people.  Just like a guitar is used to make music.  They are tools.  Humans were given a special gift, CHOICE, that young man chose to walk into that theater and shoot those people.  Those guns didn't talk him into it. 

It's late and that's all I have for the.moment.  May add to this later.