First Tennis tourney and etc

Road trip w/ tennis club + 3 days of Tennis on Campus state sectional tournament @ austin last weekend had been really eye-opening... slept average of 5 hrs/night the last 3 days, played 14 matches, ate mostly free fast food, sunburned on nose (didn't put enough sunscreen there..),   sore all over body = muscles hurt whenever i move legs and arms, got hit on the face by a ball during match -___- ( iced the area soon after so it didn't swell as much..thank the Lord), a recent cut on my hand started bleeding so now my racket handle has blood stain...lost all my singles matches and mixed doubles matches, although we did win a few games and didn't bagel every match.... thought we were getting back the latest by 8pm sunday, but didn't get back until almost midnight... jumbled thoughts and tiredness. 

On a more serious note, playing sports is really hard work, and as a team, you really learn a lot about your teammates. Before going on the trip, i didn't really know anyone on the team except one girl who I talked to before. I have seen most of them at practice but never played with them because...guys don't usually play with girls haha.  But anyway, they seemed like decent normal people, and they are funny and straightforward. During the trip though, i learned that one of them is alcoholic, another a druggie, and another a smoker. Listening to their conversations in the car has been...interesting.  Even though they may look like normal Asian guys, they do all these things in college, makes me wonder what is really normal... or maybe I just been sheltered for too long in the Christian bubble. 

Blasting electronic/ dubstep  music in the car for hours can really disturb your thoughts and rest... apparently the music is for druggies when they are high, they can hear every layer of music and appreciate the "drops" in the music. The music also has sounds that create a sense of altered reality, no wonder some people like it, they can escape reality.. but is really drugs/alcohol/ music the way to escape a lonely and depressing life?  They may help create a false sense of escape for a while, but afterwards you still have to face reality and life.  The short escape is not the answer. 

This weekend helped me to realize and appreciate a few things: 

- appreciate the Christian community around me and the brothers & sisters who set good examples of how to face temptations and struggles. They might not be perfect but at least they are willing to admit their sin and  actively seek God's help in a new life. 

- appreciate atheletes's perseverance and diligence. (aka Jeremy Lin)  It's so hard to continue playing sports when your skill does not improve very quickly, and you keep losing, and your teammates are mad at you for losing. I imagine it would be even more difficult in a team sport like Basketball... so much pressure! And it's even more difficult to play for God's glory, to trust that all of your accomplishments are from God and not from you, to give glory to God on the court, and to set an example for other teammates and opponents. Difficult indeed. 

- I can be really judgmental at times. As I hang out with the other UH-ers this weekend, many times I judged their actions, and had to control my tongue before i offended them.. who am I to judge other sinners? They deserve grace just as much as I do. I admire how Jesus can hang out with sinners and still be as pure and perfect as he is.  I pray to be like him, so even when I do hang out with other nonbelievers, I won't be influenced by their thinking but rather care for them as a friend, rebuke gently and show by example. 

- Need to build stronger spiritual foundation so I won't be easily swayed by others and the devil.  Satan's work is everywhere around us, his grip on this world is stronger than he wants you to believe. Whether it is pop culture, music, drugs, the devil has many ways to tempt you and destroy you.  As I was sitting in the car that blasted the dark music on our way back, I was afraid for a second that this darkness is so overwhelming... but I took consolation that the Lord is our shepherd and protector, He is victorious! Do not fear, do not worry, for God is with us. 

Emmanuel