New Year, New Blog (Do Not Waver)

1/3/16

Hello all 25 people I assume are actually going to read this.  It is January, 3’rd 2016 and this is my first blog.  I am now being that stereotypical twenty-something college student who is starting his or her own blog.  This is something I have wanted to do for a very long time and a response to my failed attempt at starting a Vlog my freshman year of college (Cringe worthy, I know).  I want to do this to work on my writing ability and use it as an outlet to process thoughts and feelings I have about things in my life and the world around us.  I really do not know what direction this is going to take, but what the heck!

I guess as any first, I should introduce myself.  My name is Josh Coldagelli and I think the best way to describe myself is as a Christian, sports nut, Hipster.  These are the three things that really help define who I am. 

First: Christian. I am a Christian and all of my life revolves around Jesus and what he has done in my life.  I will bet that all of my posts involve spiritual elements some way some how.  My faith is the most important thing in my life.  Spiritual metaphors are my favorite, so be ready for that at some point during this journey.

Second: Sports.  I am a huge sports fan and have been ever since I was very young.  When you are the third of four boys, sports and competition are usually involved in your life some way some how.  I am a diehard Packers, Brewers, Bucks, Thunder, Oklahoma Sooners, Marquette Golden Eagles and Dallas Stars fan.  I have the goal of coaching basketball at the college level as my career and currently work as a Student Assistant for my College’s basketball team. 

Third: Hipster.  I love indie music, culture, a good mug full of roasted coffee and a flannel on my back.  This has been a part of my identity and it is probably lame to call myself a hipster (and usually hate doing so), but I think it is time to finally just embrace it. 

Ok, enough about me, here are my first thoughts of 2016…

As the New Year roles around, resolutions pop up everywhere.  Even this blog is one of my New Year's resolutions.  The typical resolutions of weight loss, healthy living, reading more and all those other good habits we want to put into our lives seem to stay around for a few days or weeks in January, but they almost always seem to go away sooner rather than later.  It is really easy for us to waver from our goals we have set for ourselves. 

I am currently reading one of Phil Jackson’s books titled Sacred Hoops. Phil Jackson, arguably the greatest NBA coach of all time, writes in his book about how in one of his first coaching jobs for the semi-pro Albany Patroons he wanted to suspend one of his players for leaving the bench before the game was over.  He gave his best player a two game suspension.  The owner of the team said that Phil needed to remove the suspension so that the team did not lose their next two games.  Phil, who was a very young coach at the time, gave in.  He said that this ruined the season and the team fell apart afterwards.  He wavered and had to live with the consequences. 

Whether it is because of internal or external pressure, it is really easy to change our minds on decisions, especially our New Year's resolutions.  One of the definitions I found of waver/wavering was to, “be irresolute.”  It will be very easy for me to give up on this blog.  It is easy for us to put our Bible down.  It is easy for us the leave a bad job, but not a lot of good comes from the easy options in life.  It would have been hard for Phil Jackson to tell the owner he wasn’t going to lift the suspension, but the outcome for the rest of the season would have been much better.  He learned from this lesson and that is why he won eleven NBA Championships.  When we persevere and do not waver, good things happen.  As tempting and easy as it will be to give up on New Year's resolutions, so much good comes from sticking with them.  Stand strong in your goals you have set for yourself.  Let 2016 be your best year yet and keep working hard, even though it is hard.

Luke 21:19 (NIV) ~ “Stand firm, and you will win life”