Four More Years? (by the Disciple)

After this.

Can we please get 4 more years?

It's a different Nation, loved with the same heart.

LOST (by the Disciple)

Lost.

Easy enough word to launch off of this week. It is a word that describes what happened on Sunday. It is also a word that could describe how many of us are feeling this week. It is a word that could describe a sporting event or a personal experience.

Everything in life is either won or lost. Every situation is either a challenge you win or lose. You could lose in everything that you do in any given day or moment and be completely devastated, but you need to get up.

As humans we learn the most from failure. We learn the most when we are pushed and challenged. When we get comfortable, we stop growing. When we stop getting pushed we lose the desire to challenge.

It is a cycle that we fall into. If you work at a job that doesn’t challenge you; you stop caring or performing. If you are in a relationship that is easy and you lose the edge of discovery, it stops moving forward and dies. When you get comfortable spiritually you stop learning and assume you know everything you need, then one day everything comes crashing down and you need to rebuild with materials that are outdated.

This is what happened to the Nation this weekend. We didn’t lose, self destruct and illustrate the point that there is a large gap between the talent of the Giants and that of the Red Birds.

Rather, we hit that wall. We hit the wall where we needed to challenge ourselves. We played the same way we had all year, but rather than win a close game, we lost. It is difficult to play the same way and compete on the same level, but rather than come away joyous, be defeated.

It is a moment where you need to learn from the loss. You need to learn that all is not lost after this one game. The amount of information and the amount of character that could be built if the Nation unite and pick each other up is exponential for the remainder of the season.

Everything is a learning experience. No matter how terribly you may fail, no matter how horribly you may feel, you will be stronger when you face that tougher situation in the future.

Look, life is not easy. Nothing in life is easy besides meditating and that only works if you practice enough at it. You need to be strong. Not strong in the sense of physical strength, but mental and emotional strength.

This is an issue that I have and one that I am trying to conquer, that is why I feel that the way the Nation feels today is the same as my heart does.

It is always tough to move on past the good times and understand that you can not live in the past, but try to remember the joy that certain moments brought to your heart.

It is an interesting week this week as the Nation will be playing a game on a Thursday. It is not any Thursday, but one of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it is underrated. No one truly understands how amazing this day is. You get to be with family, friends and those you love the most. You get to talk and be merry and reconnect on levels that would normally never be open on a Thursday afternoon.

People travel from the furthest destinations for this one day to spend it with those they care about. The day has one of the greatest comedies ever made, made about it:

“Planes, Trains and Automobiles.”

And lastly, this is a selfish moment for myself and those closest will understand the depth of this statement, but it was the last holiday I spent with the person that was the first to steal my heart.

So, without getting sappy and emotional I just want everyone to be aware of the moment. Be aware of the loss that happened Sunday and understand what could be learned from it. Be aware of the loss in your life and the growth that will happen after that loss.

And finally, just understand the word Thanksgiving. Break it down into the two parts. Thank the people closest in your life. Love is an emotion that is not used enough in this society and one that is utilized more as a weapon to be spiteful to those you want to hurt, rather than to Love those who truly are in your spirit.

And, giving. Give yourself or something to someone else. Enjoy the spirit of giving. Even if it is only an ear to a friend when they need it or a hug to a stranger who has a hollowed, defeated look in their eye.

This is the holiday for giving thanks for everything we have in this great, big ol’ planet. Do so, and try not to be negative. Try to honestly and selflessly Love yourself, then you will truly be the light that is inside of your soul.

Happy Thanksgiving and just be Happy!

Maturity and Intimidation (by THE DISCIPLE)

Maturity and Intimidation.

Sorry friends, no old Greek or Latin for our heading today.

I will rather look at two words that are used by everyday people in everyday situation. I am an everyday person and live in everyday situations, so I most certainly am aware of these two emotions.

They are emotions that we know the meaning of, but we don’t know the feelings that are attached to those emotions.

As humans, we are unique. We are unique in look and appearance as well as mannerisms and tendencies. We are different from anyone else in the entire world. No matter what similar clothes we may wear or what music we may listen to, there is no one exactly like us.

Therefore, to try and measure the reasoning for another person is nearly impossible. Not nearly; but certainly impossible.

There are ups and downs with people. People could be having good days or bad days. No one is ever a blank slate. You do not encounter a perfectly rational person in your existence.

Someone may be very happy and therefore anything that happens will be ok. Someone could be pessimistic and no matter how much good you try to will into them, it will be for a lost cause.

This is perspective.

This is life.

People do not like to lose control on their lives. They do not want to feel helpless and to the point that they can not do an action even when they try. Once you lose confidence in yourself to that extent, you begin to go down the slippery slope of depression.

You can not forcefully make someone mature. You can not tell them how to do it or what to do about it. You can not adjust the actions of any other being on this planet other than yourself. You may try and think it is working, but it never does.

You will be fooling yourself.

People need to lose the intimidation of the unknown and go forward. They need to stop dwelling in the past and look forward to the future. They can not grow into what they see themselves without struggling and facing incredibly difficult challenges.

This is the battle we will see on Sunday.

This is the battle that will happen between the lines in Glendale.

We will see the mighty Super Bowl Champion Giants (fittingly ironic for this discussion), against our Red Birds of Nation.

The Giants have the superior team.

The Giants have the athletes. They have the record. They have the title. They have the experience. They are better on both sides of the ball.

If you were to look at the game objectively, which I can not do, it would appear that the Giants should continue their roll and make the Cardinals just another bullet on their resume for this year.

Enter the Nation. Enter the other side of the coin. Enter the fact that the Cardinals have not lost at home this year and are marching to a 7 game home winning streak.

Enter emotion.

As stated earlier, when you think of the words that are linked with emotion you understand what they mean. But, until it happens you can never truly tell how it will respond in a person.

The Cardinals are a very young team lead by a very weathered leader. They have players that have never experienced the success the team is this year, in their entire career. They have a newer coach who is learning how to win games for his team as the season moves along. They are now being mentioned as one of the best teams in the league, yet have not been truly challenged.

Until this week.

This week will prove to be that test that the team has been looking for. It is that test that we face when we hit that crossroads. That test that seems insurmountable and causes you to mature much quicker then you ever thought possible.

You never know your true strength or patience until you are faced with a situation that you can not defeat with logic. When you hit that test that causes your mind to shut down and the logic to be removed and you act solely on adrenaline, that’s when maturity happens.

It doesn’t happen with what degrees you have or how much money you have. It happens with your inner character and what happens when you are challenged by the outside and challenge yourself.

A person’s character is best understood by the company that person keeps. Think of that the next time you wonder about your stance and direction.

This is the question the Cardinals need to ask themselves. How can they react to the emotions involved with success and challenge?

How do they respond to their friends around the top of the food chain of the NFL?

Will they lose their immaturity and grow up to the task at hand?

Or, will they be intimidated by the moment and repeal themselves back to the mediocre center because it is comfortable?

When placed in a desperate time, any outcome is possible.

Now, ask yourself, are you acting as mature as you know you are in your heart and mind, or are you just playing the fool, hoping that everything will work out without the needed action?

Life’s about perception and perspective my friends, make sure your current one is the accurate one.

Synecdoche (by THE DISCIPLE)

Synecdoche.
- a term denoting a part of something is used to refer to the whole thing, or
- a term denoting a thing (a "whole") is used to refer to part of it, or
- a term denoting a specific class of thing is used to refer to a larger, more general class, or
- a term denoting a general class of thing is used to refer to a smaller, more specific class.

That is the theme of the week. That is a term that will be used to isolate what happened on Sunday against the Seahawks and what the season has shown us thus far.

The game on Sunday was successful as the Cardinals won and did so in an environment that had not been productive for the Cardinals in recent memory.

The Cardinals opened with a 13 to nothing lead. They were in cruise control and had Seattle exactly where they wanted them.

Then, the Seahawks began their comeback. They scored the last 13 points of the game in the fourth quarter and it came down to an interception by the Cardinal rookie, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to seal the victory.

A win is a win and that adage has been put to the test these last two weeks as the Cardinals have survived against lesser opponents to gain a strangle hold on the NFC West.

The reason I began the way I did, was to shed to light how this game was more than a simple win. It was a synecdoche of the way the Cardinals season has gone.

It is a season of optimism with a pessimistic outline.

Yes the Cardinals have 7 wins.

Yes Kurt Warner may indeed be the leader for the MVP.

Yes the Cardinals have a 4 game lead with 6 to play.

Yes the Cardinals are going to make the play-offs.

But why then, why, do we as Nation have this strange feeling crowding us. This feeling of uncertainty. This feeling that there is more in work here than meets the eye.

Have we been conditioned to not trust this team from its actions in the past?

Analyze your life. I know, it’s not fun and not done nearly as often as it needs to be. But, try it. It may show you something you never knew existed.

If you look at your moment right now. Right this moment, as you sit there at work or home or school or in the bathroom or where ever.

As you read this, what does this moment tell you about yourself?

How is this moment an accurate or false symbol of a synecdoche.

Are you happy with where you are?

Are you happy with everything you are doing?

Are you where right now where you thought you would be when you answered that question in second grade concerning what you wanted to be when you grew up?

Take a moment and ponder. Listen to your favorite song. Check your favorite website. Pick your nose, I don’t know just clear your mind.
……

And we’re back. So, what did you find out?
Did you find out that your life is perfect right now?
Did you find out that you are afraid to grow and challenge yourself?
Did you find out that you were a childish youth and nothing that you said decades ago matters now?
Did you find out that you are unhappy but too afraid to change it because it is comfortable?

Look, I am not trying to force anyone to do what they don’t want to do. A majority of people that read this will skip it over and not take the moment to reflect.

All I have to say is reflection is needed to truly understand the capacity of every moment. You never know what you have until it is gone. You never know what someone is feeling or the outcome of a situation if you never did the action.

Don’t be afraid. Don’t be scared of who you may hurt or what may happen to you. The people that are closest and meant to be in your life will understand and grow with you.

Just don’t live with regret. Don’t settle for an existence that is not fully exciting to you. Don’t allow other people to impose their thoughts on what is best for you.

You need to decide on your own what is best for your soul. You need to open your heart to failure to understand the sweet aroma of success.

This is to you Red Nation, allow yourselves to fail and your character will grow beyond your wildest dreams.

Become that astronaut you wanted to be in second grade, the only person that can stop you is the doubt in yourself.

Take care and be happy!

MYSTERY SOLVED (by the DISCIPLE)

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=clemmons/081112&sportCat=nfl&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab7pos1

Our Savior!

LONG, STRANGE JOURNEY (by THE DISCIPLE)

Long, Strange Journey

I am in the driver’s seat. I am idling behind a truck and not moving much. Excitement could be heard around the vessel of my vehicle from the locals. The faces who are the sources of the volume are not seen, but understood as that of Nation. As the radio plays with the raspy voices of the announcers in which have described the actions of football for the last 4 hours. I look through the driver’s side window to my left and witness Deuce Latui urinating.

I don’t believe it was the actual Latui, but I didn’t I.D. him so it may very well have been.

Rather, he was a very overweight Hispanic gentleman who was wobbling as he was trying to remain balanced for this very important action. I don’t believe Mr. Latui was urinating on his car, but that of another one of his nation brothers.

This urinating lasted for a good few minutes before he concluded. After in which, he gave a few fellow fans high fives and gave a bear hug to a female. I am assuming it was his significant other and he whipped those urine soaked claws all over her back.

The pond that was left on the tire of that Ford Truck glistened in the light cast down by University of Phoenix Stadium like a diamond lost on the Sea of life.

I looked over to the Godfather. He knew what I was thinking but we were too exhausted to give any logical reason for what we witnessed. In unison all we could must was:

“Nation!”

How did I get here you might ask? How did I get the once in a lifetime opportunity to see a gentleman christen a tire like that? Sit back my friends, and enjoy this Long, Strange Journey!

Entering the game on the evening of November 10, the Red Nation had not faired well on Monday Night Football. The last time three games on Monday Night had been losses. The Nation had never won a home Monday Night game in their history in Arizona.

We call that karma and after experiencing the game on Monday, we could official say there is a karmic switch going on before our eyes this season.

The theme of the evening was based on Aeneus Williams. Williams was one of the greatest Cardinals ever and probably the greatest Cardinal I have ever seen play.

He will be minted in the mind of the Nation for many key plays and none bigger than the last time the Cardinals hosted the Niners on Monday Night Football.

Williams came in off of the corner on a blitz and sacked Steve Young. That would be the last play in Young’s Hall of Fame career.

Williams went to a knee next to Young and dropped his head in prayer. He didn’t dance and gloat because he had sacked him. But, rather he prayed that he would be ok. That is the kind of player and man he is. He was a class act and Nation!

Therefore, it seems fitting that on a night when the Nation entered Williams into the rafters they flip karma on its head. Williams is named after the mythological character Aeneas.

Without getting into too much mythology, Aeneas is understood as the life-death-rebirth deity.

Life-Death-Rebirth

This is the known balance of action in our life. Every moment we live in, the moment dies, but then is reborn through the next moment.

The Cardinals had life before the game. They were heavily favored with a comfortable lead in the division. They were about to get all of the exposure they had been dreaming. They had created a high expectation for self in which the product was impossible to reach.

They set themselves up for failure. The opening kick off was returned for a touchdown. They didn’t take their first lead of the game onto there were only 4 minutes remaining in the game. They caused 5 turnovers in the final quarter. Two were given right back by penalties. And, they still needed a goal line stop with 2 seconds left to win the game.

Within one game, Nation had life, death and a rebirth.

No journey is ever worth while if there is no struggle. The spoiled person is the one that never appreciates anything because they never truly earned anything. If the Cardinals came out and won the game the way they were expected to, there would be no trial. There would be no test of will.

This win builds character.

As in life, the road that is the most winding is the one in which will have the most complete traveler. We grow as individuals by the actions we take and how we carry ourselves in the worst of situations.

Ask Latui about the journey. He would not be wobbling and hugging his closest friends and loved ones if the Nation had won by 4 touchdowns. There would have been no drama if they played up to the level they were supposed to and did the expected.

Love the unexpected in life and you will be happy. If you begin to get stressed out and become overwhelmed when things get difficult, you need to relax. The mantra of “No drama” is the best way to deal with drama.

Just continue to breath in every moment. Take everything as it is supposed to happen in your life. Continue to back the Cardinals as they take their Nation onto the play-offs.

As with the Cardinals, your own life should be a winding road and a long, strange journey. Once it begins to get boring, something will change everything and challenge you again.

Be aware and ready for everything!

Veteran's Day (by THE DISCIPLE)

Check this website.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSWh6fvsPYE

Happy Veterans day to everyone. If you know a Veteran just say “thank you.” If you are a Veteran; thank you! If you have never known or met a Veteran you know the stories. As members of Red Nation we all knew a Veteran.

Pat Tillman

We may not have known him personally, but we are aware of his actions. On this day of memorial I want to call to light Veterans. It is easy, as this is the day dedicated to them and their service.

A majority of everyone reading this has no idea about the actions rendered by the men and women in the service. I am in that majority as all of my knowledge and information is based on what I have read or watched; but never truly experienced.

I have never been in my life as selfless as the men and women that sacrifice themselves for the good of the country. I do not have the courage or heart to place myself into that danger. Millions of Americans have that calling and to them I have the most utmost respect.

Pat Tillman was one of those people.

Tillman was a man born in California and a fun loving guy. We are aware enough of the icon that he has become. He was a Cardinal and will always be a Cardinal.

Many people questioned him for his actions. Why would you walk away from the life of a millionaire to fight for your country?

I would have asked this question as it defies the logic I based my actions upon at the time. I am not selfless enough to sacrifice any part of my existence. I am not strong enough to endure the trials and tribulations that are encountered everyday in battle.

I am not a soldier. I am never going to be a soldier. I don’t have the mindset of a soldier, but I am learning.

I was the guy that sat on the sideline and questioned the reasoning of those who do sacrifice themselves for the service. I could never understand how someone would enter the complete unknown and place themselves in danger for a country or a cause. I was cynical of these people and since they were different;

They were wrong.

Why are we so afraid of being different?

Why are we so afraid of listening to and following the desires in our heart?

Pat Tillman did this and so do millions of other Americans.

At the funeral for Tillman, which I only watched because it was on TV, everyone that spoke said Pat would be pissed off with what happened after he died. He would be upset with the exposure that was created.

I never understood this. How could someone be upset with attention they received for their actions?

We are Americans. We are built to be famous. We read about famous people and what they eat. We watch famous people and talk to other people about famous people we have never met, but know so much about.

We love celebrity. I love celebrity. I do all of this for the attention. I love the attention that I get when someone tells me they liked what I had to say. I like the thought of celebrity of fame.

I am selfish.

I am not a soldier.

I don’t have the make-up to last five minutes doing anything that would challenge me.

I am a majority of Americans.

I am not proud of this.

We need a day in the middle of the week for us to recognize the works of people who are otherwise never remembered. We need a day on a calendar to stop for a second and say:

“Oh, yeah, everything that we live for is only possible because there are other people not as selfish as I.”

This may come off as harsh but I am frustrated. Not with anyone else, but with myself.

We, as a society, get caught up with all of these petty distractions that work our emotions up until we are ready to burst. But, we never take a moment to look at how easy we have it. We worry about the silliest things and lose sight of what is truly important.

Ask anyone who knows me; I am not one of those Patriotic, heart thumping Americans with the flag in my yard. I am not anti-America either. I just never thought about it, because I never understood it.

Just because we, as a society, don’t understand the logic and selflessness you carry as soldiers. We do thank you. We are uncomfortable with the unknown; you as soldiers are the unknown.

Never be ashamed of the service you have done for this country and for me.

As an American you have fought for me and allowed me the freedom to do this, so thank you.

Please thank a Veteran today. Give one a hug and look into their eyes and say thank you. Just because they are soldiers does not mean they are not human and have the same heart and soul as we do.

Happy Veteran’s Day and keep Hope alive, it’s a new day in America!

CONTENDERS? COMMUNITY?

HERE IS A LINK TO A QUESTION

CROSSROADS (by THE DISCIPLE)

Hello again. This is a midweek post that should have been done earlier but there was somewhat of a big event that happened yesterday that consumed the time. First of all, congratulations to the new President, Mr. Barry Obama.

Moving past that, there is some business that needs to be taken care of. The Arizona Cardinals have again won this year. The game on Sunday puts them in a very comfortable lead and it appears as though they will make the play-offs. Everyone is talking about how the team is one of the team’s to beat and that there is no way for a derailment.

Not so fast my friends.

The beauty of life and sports is that both are as unpredictable as the acting career of Eddie Murphy. Just when you think that you have everything figured out a curveball comes and changes the plan. If everything is perfect, it probably isn’t.

The Cardinals right now are perfect. They are playing well and winning the games they are supposed to win. They are moving the ball on offense and causing enough turnovers on defense to pressure opponents. The only worry is what happens when the music stops.

What happens when the positive feelings of winning and success become not enough to satisfy the spirit?

What happens when the soul becomes bored with the current?

When the soul forgets about where it has been, how happy it has become, and where it may go.

The question is one that needs to be asked to each person individually.

This is what could be understood as a crossroads. It is the metaphor that ended the film “Castaway.” When you regain all of the freedom you so desperately wanted and fought for; how will you utilize the change of spirit? Where the Cardinals stand now, they are at the crossroads of not being the team that has always been the laughing stock, but they can go forward and be a team that causes change and inspires people. The Cardinals can become Barry Obama. They can be the team that had no chance and had no options for success, but had the hope to succeed.

This is a hope that is in each of us. We have the chance to hit that crossroads and rather than cower with what to do, embrace the challenge. Nothing in this life that was ever worth anything was earned without action. The most gratifying prizes are those that are not seen when the road was initially chosen. You need to expose yourself to everything. You cannot simply stay stationary and expect the world to be polite and ask if you would like to contribute anything.

This is a journey that needs to be internal. The crossroads are in every decision you make. The crossroads are the conscious that guides you through the terrain of this emotional and savage world. You can have others around to help and establish support, but the overall decision of action is a personal experience.

Barry Obama is a man that was always different. He was never “normal.” But rather than utilize that as a crutch, it became one of his strengths. It motivated him when others said:

“It could never be done” or “Why waste your time?”

The ones who try to limit the spirit are the ones who are afraid of their crossroads. They are afraid of the decisions they have to make everyday.

These people need to lose the cynicism and allow themselves to fail. Failure is not a finished product, but a tick along the way of progress.

The Arizona Cardinals are at this crossroads and as fans we have to understand the future. We have to understand that there is a chance the team could continue in their journey and we have to support them. We cannot do it for them, but we need to embrace them. And like a good parent, when your child falls you need to pick them up. This journey will not be easy and there will be bumps along the way, but we need to be supportive.

An equilibrium of emotions need to be found in everything that is done in our lives. We can never get too high when things are at their best and feel defeated when the tasks appear to be insurmountable. Nothing is ever as it appears; as the entire world is a house of cards just waiting to be blown down.

Everything around us is a form of the energy we give it; allow yourself to be positive and embrace your crossroads of time. Make the decision that is agreed upon in your heart and mind and the truth will be found.

The Arizona Cardinals are going to probably make the play-offs and we need to support the movement they are creating. We need to be honest with them and ourselves in every moment.

One of our contributors, the Prodigal, has always said: “When the times get the toughest, remember the truth will always set you free!”

Red Nation: The Truth will set you Free!