Weekend in New Jersey!

Last wednesday night we played the same team that we played the week before  (The South Shore Kings).  We lost to them the previous week and going into this game we really really wanted to beat them.  I played in this game as well.   What i have asked the Lord is that i would play from here on out.  I believe that that time of being in and out of the line up is done with.  So i played in that and i played great again.  I dont really remember details from the game now, but we did end up loosing that game.  

So we had 2 games in Wayne New Jersey this past weekend.  Wayne is where Angelo and Ben went to school last year at William Paterson University.  It would of been cool if they were still there this year.  But anyhow my Mom, Dad, Whitney, Carol and Kelly were able to come to the game which was great!  These games this weekend were pretty important because this team was in 1st place so if we would beat them then we would be back in 1st place.  We left saturday morning for NJ and got there around 2 in the afternoon.  We had 2 hours to kill before we had to be at the game.  I was sure i was playing, even though i had not heard anything from the coach.  Later i was walking down the hall of the hotel and the coach mentioned to me that i was playing.  Since i had 2 hours before i had to go the crew that came to watch my games stopped by the hotel to say hi real quick.  They stopped by and we talked for 10 min and then they left so i could get ready.  

I played the game,  i didn't think that i played very well.  But overall as a team we didn't play well either.  We ended up loosing that game again and we sat in the locker room afterwards and talked for a while to figure out why we have not been playing well.  It was a good talk, everyone on the team got to say something of how we could improve.  During this game the devil was saying dumb things to me like "You didn't read the bible before the game, so thats why your not playing well"  And that dumb thought lingered while i was playing, that the reason i was not playing very well was because i hadn't ready my bible beforehand.  But im thankful for truth and my parents.  I was talking with my mom and she so quickly said that thought was from the devil and not true.  So i was thankful for that.  I was able to quickly let that game go and move on.  My family (Carol and Kelly included in family)  and I went out to dinner after the game and we had a very good time.  After dinner we had about a half hour till i had to be in my room.  So we hung out in my hotel lobby till then and they left and went to their hotel.  

Sunday morning we had another game and i was playing again of course!  After the team had our talk the night before everyone was ready to go.  We started the game off well and we were all playing well.  Then in the 2nd period the refs started calling a TON of penalties on us.  Basically we ended up being on the penalty kill for most of the 2nd period and the WHOLE 3rd period.  By the 3rd period the game just got out of control.  There were fights and the game turned into a Gong-show (hockey term for a "messy", uncontrolled game).  So i got to play a lot on the penalty kill that game, since the whole 3rd period we were on the penalty kill.  But we ended up loosing that game and they scored 11 Power Play goals.  So we lost bad.  I normally would never say this but i would put most of the blame on the Referees this weekend for our looses.  We played very well at times, but the refs just made A LOT of bad calls. 

But even though we lost both games this weekend i was glad that i got to see my family.  So it was good!

Also just some other news.  I went into talk with the coach today about schools.  Basically i want to play hockey at a good school next year and i want to get a scholarship too.  So with college hockey you can play Division 1 (the best) or Division 3 which is still good.  Going into the conversation with him i had a feeling that he would tell me that he thinks i would be a good Division 3 player and not a Division 1 player.  So i had to prepare my mind beforehand.  The Lord gave me this to speak to myself,  i said  "I cast aside all human reasoning right now".  Because human reasoning says that i cant play Division 1.  But God!  So i had my talk with him and he did say that he thinks i would be a good division 3 player.  I asked him to tell me what would separate me from being a division 1 player.  He gave me some things to work on.  Making quicker harder passes,  quicker shots and being better defensively (things you guys can be praying about).  So i was very thankful that he was honest with me, told me what he really thought.  And i was thankful that i was prepared beforehand.  He was telling me to look at some Division 3 schools and get back to him.  I told him i would, but i said that i want to play Division 1 and thats my plan.  So i am going to work hard and work on these things.  He said he liked my attitude.  But im thankful that NOTHING is impossible for the Lord.  And this is my hearts desire to play Division 1 hockey next year and i know the Lord will do it!  It will be His doing not my own.  So that was just some recent news of what happened today after practice.  

Thank you all for reading and checking up on me diligently.  I have 2 games this weekend and then 2 next weekend before i come home.  So i will let you know how this weekends games go next week.  Bye for now!!!