The Worst Morning Ever

Today has been great but it didn't start out so hot. I woke up this morning with 15 minutes to get ready for my orientation down at UMBC. As I climbed into the shower at 6:45 I was exhausted -I never even got up that early at city reach- even the water couldn't wake me up. I came out of the shower to see my mom heading down the stairs. I asked her why she woke me up so late. She said that she was a little frazzled because "Xavier (my goat) had died overnight" his collar had gotten stuck on a loose bungee cord. This stopped me in my tracks as my hear dropped to my stomach. I never realized that I had developed such a deep connection to my goat. Goats are funny animals, they are similar to sheep but at the same time nothing like them. Sheep are stupid (excuse my harsh words) no other word better describes a sheep. Goats have distinct personality similar to pigs. I haven't been down to the goat pen since I heard that one of mine had died. I am scared to face it. 

The rest of my day went 100 times better.

I went down to orientation where I met up with Tim and Roy Jones, and Colorado who I am still hoping will be my roommate. It was cool getting to meet fellow UMBC freshman. I also got to pick out my classes for the fall. I don't really know what to think about my schedule. I did what they academic advisers told me not to do by having a math and a science at the same time. I have 14 credits for my first semester of college. I have a healthy behaviors class that is required for all athletes, I am going to retake calculus 2 to make sure I have a firm understanding on everything, Chemistry, and sociology round out my classes.

I got a pleasant surprise before I left. I went to the bookstore to buy some UMBC gear and check out the deals they had on Macs. When I got there I see my Mom and Dad in line with a 15" MacBook Pro, Epsom printer, an 8G ipod touch, an extra two year apple care protection plan, and a blue tooth mighty mouse. They were having a deal where all of that stuff came for like $1932. I was pleasantly surprised, I knew I was going to get a computer but I thought it was going to take forever. It is sweet. I am still trying to get the hang of everything. I am really digging the sweet track pad it is awesome. 

Right now it is 12 and I am blogging while I play around on my new mac. The day started off horrible but the rest of the day has been awesome. I have left some other exciting parts out because I am getting tired. I will never forget my goat Xavier.

City Reach 08'

I sincerely doubt that anyone checks my blog anymore, but never the less I am going to try to start up again. I truly do love blogging, but for some reason I don't take the time to do it. Hopefully this is the last time I will have to say anything like this.

As you can see from the title this blog is all about City Reach 08'. For those who don't know what City Reach is: City reach is a mission trip that is done to help out reach a city and establish a newly planted church. There are various kinds of ministry tracts: Car wash, Sports Camp, Construction, Christian Opinion Polls, Video Camp, and Special Ops. The goal is to show the love of Christ to the city.

This year I participated in Special Ops. This was the first time that I had done something besides sports camp-which I've done for three yeas-so I was excited but at the same time a little nervous about what to expect. I Have to say that I was a little disappointed in what I did in special ops. I spent more time than I thought I would in a car driving around. Part of the reason was because the weather was a little gloomy and cloudy so there were not as many people out and about. There were times where I really felt like I was doing something good for the city. I have to remember that all I did was good because I was doing it in the name of JESUS!

On Wednesday I did get the chance to hand out balloons to people around one of the shopping centers. It was cool because some of the people we handed the balloons out to really did appreciate them. I especially liked giving them to older people who said they were going to give the balloon to one of their grandchildren. Thursday was also sweet especially in the afternoon because I got to talk to and pray for a local homeless man. We gave him a couple of water bottles, a smiley face balloon and one girls bought him a sandwich. It was really cool, he was really touched by the kindness we were showing him. Any who read this please pray for him, his name was Byron. He told me he might be getting a place to stay soon. After that we went over to one of the car washes. I decided I wanted to go hand out water bottles to people around home depot and in this one old run down mall. It was pretty cool. We handed out about 25 water bottles. It was cool to see the expression on some of the peoples faces. One lady in particular commented by saying that she hadn't received anything that was free for a very long time.

As part of the special ops. group it was our job to set up and feed the sports camp kids. I really enjoyed doing this because I got to see my buddy Garret Lyburn who I coached last year. It is always tons of fun to see the smiling faces of the sports camp kids. They are so fun loving and are not worried about anything. Seeing them reminds them of how I should act.

City Reach is a great way to start the summer. There is still a lot more to come and I plan on keeping you posted the entire time.

Blogging From a Different World

This week I am luck enough to be in Florida for a family vacation. On Tuesday morning we arrived in the Florida Keys. So far it has been a blast. I literally feel like I am in a new world. It is hard to believe that I am still in America. When I arrived the first thing that I noticed were the palm trees. When I think of palm trees I think of desert or tropical islands in the ocean. It was amazing to see. The types of plants growing here are so different from the ones that I am used to seeing that even my two certified horticulturalist parents didn't know what half the plant life was. I was amazed by all I saw. Besides the plant life I have seen so many exotic animals. I have seen lizards, iguanas, chameleons, sea horses, sting rays, Portuguese manowar jellyfish (even I am afraid of those), dolphins, and a variety of fish. I have heard rumors of scorpions in the grass but luckily I haven't seen any. Being able to see the variety of plant and animal life has made the trip worthwhile. So far I have been to the beach a few times. The beach is a lot different than the ones I am used to. For one the water is pristine crystal clear blue. There are almost no waves in the ocean. The bottom of the ocean is covered in grass, it was a little weird at first but I kinda like it now. The water is also shallow so it is easy to go out far and still be able to stand. The beach is definitely different but it is still a lot of fun. Oh yeah the water is WARM!! I also got the chance to travel to the dolphin research center and see dolphins up close and personal. They did tricks and showed off. I got to see them imitate humans and I learned a lot of cool information. I have spent some time fishing which is awesome. I have only managed to catch two fish. We decided against going out to sea to fish. It is windy and none of us wanted to get sea sick. I got the chance to throw some discus here. It was very encouraging I was throwing 150 feet standing. My previous best was 141 with a spin. John and Jesse this isn't looking good for you. Well it is time for dinner. I have one more day of vacation and who knows what I will do. I have to catch my plane back home at 6 A.M. on Saturday and we are 3 hours away from the airport.

Signing out from a world of its own

Wednesday Afternoon

It is a Wednesday after noon and I have a few minutes before I have to leave to go to FLOOD. I am taking this time to blog, on what I am not sure. Let me start by saying that Day Light savings has really made me tired. I have been lagging all week and taken small naps in every class. It is also really throwing me off because I think that it is earlier than it actually is so I procrastinate doing my homework and stuff like that. Tomorrow I have the County FFA speech contest. I have modified my speech from last year and I think I have a better speech. It feels really nice to know where I will be going to college. I feel like I will be able to do better in track because I won't have to worry about my performance affecting my scholarships. This will allow me to relax and have fun doing what I do best. Well that is all for now the FLOOD is coming.

Track is Back etc.

Outdoor track has started up once again. I just got back from the fourth official practice. Things are looking up for this season. The indoor season ended on a very high note and I am hoping to carry the momentum over to the indoor season. I am pretty sure everyone who reads my blog (or john) knows that I placed fourth in the state meet with a throw of 48' 11". Which was my best throw of the season by 2 feet. I spent the few weeks I had off really working on my strength. I can already feel the results. I have never been able to consistently keep up with the lifting. There has always been a week or two week period that holds me back. I have remained at about the same strength level since 10th grade. I now have strength training first period and Coach Conner's as a teacher. I am also working with Warren, we both have the same goal in mind so we can help push each other. I feel this combination will go a long way towards increasing my strength for the outdoor states.

Speaking of outdoor states I am currently involved in a bet revolving around my performance at the state meet. The stakes are high and the challenge isn't a slam dunk. I made a bet with John and Jesse that if I throw a combined (Shot Put and Discus) 200 feet at the state meet then they would have to shave their heads. If I am unable to do so then I would have to shave my head. I have grown to love my hair. I have only had it for about a year but we already have enough memories to last a lifetime.

I am excited to be posting again, it enjoyable, and gives you a chance to reflect on your life as you write about them. School is moving along. It dawned on me when March hit that I only have 3 more months of high school left. That is hard to believe. I don't feel like I am old enough to be out of high school. I still feel like I have a lot to learn before I head off to college, but more about that latter. I have managed to still maintain my 4.0 with only one semester left. I currently have a 90% in AP calculus 2 and an 89% in AP Comp. I am hoping that both of those grades will be A's for the term so I will only have to get a B for the final term. It may sound strange but in the new system they have A + B = A no matter what the percentages are. I never thought it would happen but senioritis has hit me and I don't want to do any more work. I still am motivated enough to try and keep my 4.0, but having already gotten accepted into a few colleges it is hard to keep going.

Just moments ago I told my Mom that the decision is final I am going to UMBC. I plan on signing the letter sometime soon. I got offered $6,000 a year from the track coach there and on top of that $5,000 academically. That adds up to $11,000 and when the cost is only $17,000 a year that is a pretty good deal. I have applied for a bunch of other community scholarships and stuff so I am hoping that the rest of the cost can be covered by those other scholarships. I choose UMBC because it has an engineer program that is top notch, they are a very prestigious academic university and I would have a great opportunity to compete as a Division I track scholarship athlete.

That about catches you'all up on what has been going on with me lately. I will get back to you latter.

Fear; It's Always There

I am not sure if anyone has had a chance to read my most current blog but what can I expect when I have been on such a long hiatus. Inspiration has struck and I want to write while it is still fresh in my mind. So don't forget about my blog from yesterday.

I was driving home from Michael's after playing some LIVE. The thought hit me....., fear is big part of our lives. I am not talking about phobias because not all of us are affected by a phobia that really hinders us day to day. For those who are I hope you will find peace with your fear. What I mean is the fear of doing stepping out of your "Comfort Zone". Think of how many things you would of done if fear didn't exist. If this were true you would be able to do anything you set your mind to without the fear of failure or what people may think. Many times the fear is enough to stop us from succeeding. Often we fail because we never tried. You may have heard this from me before but I want to reiterate it,"You Miss 100% of the shots you don't take". A good question to ask yourself is "What do you fear?". In order to conqueror you fear you have to know what they are. This is where a little bit of truth comes into play. Be truthful to yourself, it is easy to decieve yourself about what you are really afraid of. You know deep down the reason for you fear. Youhave to be honest with yourself so you can realize your fear. Looking back at my life I can see countless times where I know fear got in the way. There are things I would of enjoyed doing but I didn't do because I was scared. To sum things up I will say this: To live without fear is reckless; to live with fear is sensible, and to constantly conqueror that fear is your goal.

It is getting late. I wish I had time to share some things going on for me but sleep is wonderfully beautiful and radiant. I hope to see Semi-Pro tomorrow it looks great.

Restoration; Found in Truth

First of all let me say I am sorry I have been away for so long. I have been on a journey. When I began this journey I wasn't really sure what I was looking for. Having finally reached my destination, I would like to share with everyone my discoveries. This blog is fairly long (but not as long as my journey) please take the time to read the entire thing, I think you will enjoy it!!!


My journey should of started a year ago; however, it only began in December and just ended two days ago. The path was not an easy one but I found a way to make it through. What I found at the end of my journey was truth. Any readers who have been with me from the beginning may remember some of my first blogs which touched on what I viewed truth to be. Its kinda funny that my journey ended where my blogs began. I had the answers in front of me the entire time, but my perspective wasn't broad enough for me to see it. That is the danger of a limited perspective.


The title of this blog has multiple meanings, for one it was through discovery of "truth" that has led me to again start up on the blogging trial once again. So in essence it restored my desire to blog so all the world can get a glimpse into the eccentric mind that is Josh Mayne.


The other more personal meaning to this title is that recently a truth has been revealed to me. When truth is finally obtained the sense of confusion and uncertainty vanishes. It is as if the clouds have been rolled back to expose the radiant rays of sunshine that is "truth". There is a popular phrase "The Truth will set you free", and it has set me free.



This blog is about truth and it is truth that holds everything together. Without truth we are living a lie. The truth for us is everything we know to be true. The truth can be painful. The truth can be beautiful. The truth can be brutal. The truth can be healing. The truth is powerful. There is only one real truth in this world. Ultimately it is only truth that matters, everything else is non-essential. Without truth there are only lies.

You may remember me talking about "The Keys of Life" in an earlier blog. Perspective, Communication, Patience, Experience, Rebounding, Determination, and Passion are the tentative seven "Keys Of Life". This is a change from my initial belief that Perspective is the Key to Life. Over the year or so that I have been blogging I have grown away from that idea, perspective is important but it isn't the only thing. It is ultimately "Truth" that allows "The Key" to work.

As we go about are daily lives there are choices we make as we interact with others. We choose to either be real or false. We choose how much truth about ourselves we are willing to share. How truthful someone is determines how much we know and it influences the world we live in. People have there own reasons for being truthful or not. Some reasons are with good intentions at heart others with ill intentions. Even if you have good intentions in your heart when you decide not to be truth the results can be bad.

What we believe to be the truth is due to either what we have learned at school, from parents, or from what friends have told us. This truth that we believe influences every action that we take. Therefore it is central to everything we do in life. Look back at a decision or a series of decisions you've made. Now ask yourself what was the reasoning behind the decision. I can bet my "bottom dollar" that it was due to something that you knew or at least thought was true. What I am trying to get at is that we make decisions based on what we think to be the truth. One of the hardest things to hear and accept is that something you thought to be true is a lie.

For this reason we should do our best to be truthful even when you think it may be painful for someone to hear or may not be what they want to hear. It is far more painful to live out a false truth than to hear a harsh truth from the beginning.

At times it is true that dancing around the truth is an ok course to take; this is usually when it can have no long term effect.

One important thing that goes along with this topic is the communication aspect. People are not perfect and there are often misunderstandings due to this fact. There is not much you can do about somebody misunderstanding what you are trying to say. But if you realize it is a possibility you can take precautions to avoid it.

Saying whats on your mind isn't always best, sometimes it is best to hold your tongue.

Most people think they are pretty good at distinguishing truth from lies. We are constantly barraged with lies of this world. Untruths that make it hard for us to focus on the one truth we have in this world. Which is the truth found in God. Being able to latch onto this truth allows you to see the world through new eyes. Once this truth is attained things of the world look different feel different and are different for you. If you are not able to find the only real Truth, you will never be able to go through life living in Truth. I believe there are different levels of this truth and as we grow and mature we are able to learn and accept more and more intricate levels of this truth. Which allow us to live a "successful" life.

The search is over. The metaphor is complete. The final component to the "Key to Life" has been found.

This has been a long blog but I am glad that some of you took the time to read it all of the way through. There are a few changes on the way for my blog. One of them will be more consistency. I really didn't shed any light on what I have been up to but I may have some exciting news to share pretty soon.