Today was what seemed like a good day. We had dinner at my Aunt Ann's house and boy did she have a house full of dogs. She has a dog and two cats of her own. Plus my mom's friend, Sue, brought her dogs, and one of them is a small puppy. Then my cousin Ben brought his new puppy. It was a houseful.
My mom left before my brother, dad, and I left since we drove separately. When we got home, she was on the phone with someone. She gave us a hand motion to stay where we were. After she got off the phone, she informed us that my brother's dog, Leo, was upstairs dead. She was going to take him for a walk but she found him on the ground.
Now I was never particularly fond of that dog, but this truly upsets me. My brother went up to see it and I followed shortly. My brother has never gone through this kind of pet death before. Leo was his little buddy. I wish I could give my brother a hug, but I know he doesn't want that. I've been through the cycle of losing an animal friend before, so I know how hard it is. All I can see in my mind right now is Leo's body lying there with his eyes open and a pool of liquid around his mouth. He didn't even look dead to me. He looked kinda like a statue.
He had been having heart problems for some time. And this cold weather we're having in Michigan right now just wasn't helping him. He would come in coughing and not able to catch his breath. He actually collapsed on Christmas Eve. My brother was there for him that time, but he was nowhere to be found this time.
Leo, in a way, was my fault. Well it's a little family joke we have. There were three old ladies my mom was taking care of earlier this year and she always complains about them. So I told my piano teacher, who is also my pastor, that I kinda hoped some of them would pass on. I was joking though. Well the first one passed away a few days after I had said that, but that was the nice one that my mom never complained about. Then a few weeks later, I was telling this story to some of the girls in my youth group at a party and about 5 minutes later, my mom called me to tell me that I better get my butt to confessional because this other lady passed away, and now we have a dog. We used to take care of the dog whenever this lady was in the hospital and my mom promised she would take him when she passed away.
My dad has been saying for quite some time that the goal for the year was to get rid of our two Leo's; we have a cat with the same name. Guess he got that wish in time for the new year. But even so, I think he was just kidding.
My parents were also trying to figure out what to do with the dog when they go away in a few weeks. They seemed to have it all planned out tonight, but now they don't have to worry about the dog. They just need to worry about the cats and rabbit.
I'm kinda gonna miss Leo's barking at me whenever I go downstairs or come back upstairs. Goodbye little pal. Rest in peace Leo the Little. You will be missed (even if some of us don't admit it).
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Highlights of my Year
I have about 5 journals filled with what I did this year every day. I've been writing in journals since I was about 7 or 8. And I love to write about my adventures (if you can call them that). So I thought today that I might share some of the adventures I've had this year since it is the last day of the year.
By the way, if you haven't noticed, I'm a very memory oriented person. I love the memories I have. I remember a lot of stuff that I do, but it has to be the important stuff in order for me to remember it. For instance, what I wore to church last week, I don't remember. I sometimes feel as if sharing memories of the old days, will make my friends sad, but I like to remember the old days. I get so nostalgic sometimes.
I started the year with some fun. I went sledding at a friend's house who has a gigantic hill. We made a huge ramp and fit 6 people on one sled. One of my friends wanted a good sledding story, which she got when she collided with her brother. Her cheek hit his head.
At the end of May, we had our 30 Hour Famine at church. According to my journal, the famine basically sucked. But you know, thinking about it now, I think I had a great time. We played toilet paper dodgeball, which was a ton of fun. We also had a frozen t-shirt race, which my friend helped me cheat on. We had to watch this really boring movie called The Truth Project (adults might think it's interesting, but most of us were bored out of our minds) and my favorite part was when the power flickered and almost went out due to the storm we were having at that time. One of my friends, David, actually saw the lightning hit the ground a few times. We played Underground Church a few different ways, which was fun. Then a few of us got on my computer and played the Sims 2 until my aunt came in around 2:30 to tell us to go to bed. The downside of this famine was that we didn't get to stay up all night like last time. We had to go sell stuff at a garage sale on the Saturday, but we didn't do much for that. We basically slept, did homework, and watched the Aristocats (I hadn't seen that movie in a long time and it was a lot of fun to watch with my youth group).
At the beginning of June, I got a new kitten...on accident. Someone dropped her off at my Aunt Linda's house and my Aunt Linda has two dogs plus she was going to Germany, so we got stuck with this kitten. She lived in my room for a while, but then we just decided that she would live here. She's cute but annoying. Her name is Abby or Flabby Gabby Annoying Abby. That's what I like to call her.
At the end of June, my mom, her best friend, and I traveled down to Washington D.C. to visit my aunt and some of my friends. Wanna know how much fun I had? I have 12 pages of one of my journals dedicated to it. I didn't really have a ton of fun with my Aunt Theresa, but I had a great time with my friends, old youth pastors, Matt and Lindsay, or whatever else you want to call them. My Aunt Theresa made us walk around D.C. in 90 degree weather and we took about 15,000 steps (we only know that because my mom's friend had a pedometer with her). I had a great time with Matt and Lindsay though. I got to go to their church and just hang out. I miss doing that.
We had a great band show this year. In case you didn't know, I play flute and piccolo. For our marching band show this year, we did Queen. It was a pretty cool show especially with our colorguard riding bicycles on the field. Although our football team is amazing, we didn't make it to Ford Field, which I was wanting to go to.
I had a great 18th birthday. I missed the election by about a week. I don't know who I would have voted for anyways. We had a few parties with my family. Plus I got cookies a week later at youth group. That was cool.
After Thanksgiving, we had a movie night on Black Friday. I wasn't really looking forward to the movie night, but I think someone had wanted me to go, so I did and I was glad that I didn't skip. We watched the Pink Panther (the Steve Martin version), which was pretty stupid (which might be why it was kinda funny too). After the movie, we plaed a game called Imaginiff. It was so entertaining. We were laughing so hard, we could hardly breathe. At one point during the movie, the projector overheated, so we got into our friend groups and talked about random stuff. I mentioned the awkward turtle mating to a friend, and our other friend had to show us what it was. That made the rest of the movie quite entertaining.
On the last day of school before winter break, we had a snow day. I was not a happy camper. I got the wake-up call around 5:30 in the morning. Then I couldn't fall back asleep, but finally did.
Christmas went by almost too fast. I forced myself to get up early, so I was running on about 5 hours of sleep. Slap happy? Yes, that's what it's called. The reason Christmas Eve probably went by so fast is that I went to church, where I spilled wax on myself. I got to see a lot of my cousins and had a great time with everyone. Christmas Day went by even faster. My parents let us sleep in later than usual and even after we had opened our gifts, my brother went back to bed. I got some neat stuff that I've probably already talked about. The cats got a laser pointer, which is hilarious to watch. I had Abby run up and down the stairs.
The highlight of my winter break was probably last Friday, getting to hang out with Matt and Lindsay. That was so much fun. I feel like that day went by pretty quickly too. I have so many good videos from that. My friend David saw one of the videos and he commented on how inappropriate it is. Welcome to youth group. I wrote 3 pages about Friday in my journal. But then again, the next two days after that, I was still remembering things to write about from Friday, so I guess you could say there were actually 5 pages used talking about that day.
I guess that was my year in a nutshell. Notice how I waited for the last day of the year to write it. I've actually been planning on writing this for a while, but I've also been procrastinating. I've gotta stop doing that. At least I got it done before the new year, so that's a plus.
Anyways, I hope you all have a safe New Year's Eve and a Happy New Year.
Ok I've got one more thing to say. I graduate in 2009. And almost all my screen names have 09 in them, what am I gonna do when I graduate? I'm not starting a new blog for a while, so that's out of the question. I think I'll stick with 09 for a while.
By the way, if you haven't noticed, I'm a very memory oriented person. I love the memories I have. I remember a lot of stuff that I do, but it has to be the important stuff in order for me to remember it. For instance, what I wore to church last week, I don't remember. I sometimes feel as if sharing memories of the old days, will make my friends sad, but I like to remember the old days. I get so nostalgic sometimes.
I started the year with some fun. I went sledding at a friend's house who has a gigantic hill. We made a huge ramp and fit 6 people on one sled. One of my friends wanted a good sledding story, which she got when she collided with her brother. Her cheek hit his head.
At the end of May, we had our 30 Hour Famine at church. According to my journal, the famine basically sucked. But you know, thinking about it now, I think I had a great time. We played toilet paper dodgeball, which was a ton of fun. We also had a frozen t-shirt race, which my friend helped me cheat on. We had to watch this really boring movie called The Truth Project (adults might think it's interesting, but most of us were bored out of our minds) and my favorite part was when the power flickered and almost went out due to the storm we were having at that time. One of my friends, David, actually saw the lightning hit the ground a few times. We played Underground Church a few different ways, which was fun. Then a few of us got on my computer and played the Sims 2 until my aunt came in around 2:30 to tell us to go to bed. The downside of this famine was that we didn't get to stay up all night like last time. We had to go sell stuff at a garage sale on the Saturday, but we didn't do much for that. We basically slept, did homework, and watched the Aristocats (I hadn't seen that movie in a long time and it was a lot of fun to watch with my youth group).
At the beginning of June, I got a new kitten...on accident. Someone dropped her off at my Aunt Linda's house and my Aunt Linda has two dogs plus she was going to Germany, so we got stuck with this kitten. She lived in my room for a while, but then we just decided that she would live here. She's cute but annoying. Her name is Abby or Flabby Gabby Annoying Abby. That's what I like to call her.
At the end of June, my mom, her best friend, and I traveled down to Washington D.C. to visit my aunt and some of my friends. Wanna know how much fun I had? I have 12 pages of one of my journals dedicated to it. I didn't really have a ton of fun with my Aunt Theresa, but I had a great time with my friends, old youth pastors, Matt and Lindsay, or whatever else you want to call them. My Aunt Theresa made us walk around D.C. in 90 degree weather and we took about 15,000 steps (we only know that because my mom's friend had a pedometer with her). I had a great time with Matt and Lindsay though. I got to go to their church and just hang out. I miss doing that.
We had a great band show this year. In case you didn't know, I play flute and piccolo. For our marching band show this year, we did Queen. It was a pretty cool show especially with our colorguard riding bicycles on the field. Although our football team is amazing, we didn't make it to Ford Field, which I was wanting to go to.
I had a great 18th birthday. I missed the election by about a week. I don't know who I would have voted for anyways. We had a few parties with my family. Plus I got cookies a week later at youth group. That was cool.
After Thanksgiving, we had a movie night on Black Friday. I wasn't really looking forward to the movie night, but I think someone had wanted me to go, so I did and I was glad that I didn't skip. We watched the Pink Panther (the Steve Martin version), which was pretty stupid (which might be why it was kinda funny too). After the movie, we plaed a game called Imaginiff. It was so entertaining. We were laughing so hard, we could hardly breathe. At one point during the movie, the projector overheated, so we got into our friend groups and talked about random stuff. I mentioned the awkward turtle mating to a friend, and our other friend had to show us what it was. That made the rest of the movie quite entertaining.
On the last day of school before winter break, we had a snow day. I was not a happy camper. I got the wake-up call around 5:30 in the morning. Then I couldn't fall back asleep, but finally did.
Christmas went by almost too fast. I forced myself to get up early, so I was running on about 5 hours of sleep. Slap happy? Yes, that's what it's called. The reason Christmas Eve probably went by so fast is that I went to church, where I spilled wax on myself. I got to see a lot of my cousins and had a great time with everyone. Christmas Day went by even faster. My parents let us sleep in later than usual and even after we had opened our gifts, my brother went back to bed. I got some neat stuff that I've probably already talked about. The cats got a laser pointer, which is hilarious to watch. I had Abby run up and down the stairs.
The highlight of my winter break was probably last Friday, getting to hang out with Matt and Lindsay. That was so much fun. I feel like that day went by pretty quickly too. I have so many good videos from that. My friend David saw one of the videos and he commented on how inappropriate it is. Welcome to youth group. I wrote 3 pages about Friday in my journal. But then again, the next two days after that, I was still remembering things to write about from Friday, so I guess you could say there were actually 5 pages used talking about that day.
I guess that was my year in a nutshell. Notice how I waited for the last day of the year to write it. I've actually been planning on writing this for a while, but I've also been procrastinating. I've gotta stop doing that. At least I got it done before the new year, so that's a plus.
Anyways, I hope you all have a safe New Year's Eve and a Happy New Year.
Ok I've got one more thing to say. I graduate in 2009. And almost all my screen names have 09 in them, what am I gonna do when I graduate? I'm not starting a new blog for a while, so that's out of the question. I think I'll stick with 09 for a while.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
A year in review
With tomorrow being the last day of the year 2008, I figured I should probably get this blog written.
This year has flown by. And it also reminded me of my 9th grade year.
In 9th grade, I was spiritually lagging. Last year, as a junior I was also lagging spiritually. I just wasn't a happy camper.
I've always been fearing the day that I drift back into what I was as a freshmen, an unhappy not so spiritual person. I have always wondered if I was so spiritually strong as a sophomore because we had youth pastors at the time, which were really cool, so when they moved away I was so afraid I was going to lose this great feeling I had.
Something worked in me over the summer though that made me realize that I wasn't just feeling the strong spiritual sense because we had youth pastors. I don't know what it is exactly, but I know that it wasn't just because I had youth pastors in my life at the time. I think it was another recommitment, which is what we all need sometimes.
This year has been a year where I just got so annoyed with my youth group to the point of almost leaving. In January, we started a mission statement thing. We may have talked about it a few times this year, and even though it's taped to my wall behind my bed, I just recently remembered we had it.
I've missed more church this year, than prior years. I so unhappy that I just didn't want to go to church. There was a time during the summer that I really didn't want to go to church, so I stopped going for a while.
It was a season for me. A season of not going to church. A season of not wanting to go to church.
Something has definitely changed in me since summer because I have that craving to actually go to church since we didn't have it on Sunday. I guess this year has been a church year. It was all about church.
It seems to be the odd years that I get all messed up in my spirituality. I mean my odd schooling years like 9th and 11th grade. I hope next year won't be that way when I become a freshman again. But we'll just have to wait and see what next year holds for me.
This year has flown by. And it also reminded me of my 9th grade year.
In 9th grade, I was spiritually lagging. Last year, as a junior I was also lagging spiritually. I just wasn't a happy camper.
I've always been fearing the day that I drift back into what I was as a freshmen, an unhappy not so spiritual person. I have always wondered if I was so spiritually strong as a sophomore because we had youth pastors at the time, which were really cool, so when they moved away I was so afraid I was going to lose this great feeling I had.
Something worked in me over the summer though that made me realize that I wasn't just feeling the strong spiritual sense because we had youth pastors. I don't know what it is exactly, but I know that it wasn't just because I had youth pastors in my life at the time. I think it was another recommitment, which is what we all need sometimes.
This year has been a year where I just got so annoyed with my youth group to the point of almost leaving. In January, we started a mission statement thing. We may have talked about it a few times this year, and even though it's taped to my wall behind my bed, I just recently remembered we had it.
I've missed more church this year, than prior years. I so unhappy that I just didn't want to go to church. There was a time during the summer that I really didn't want to go to church, so I stopped going for a while.
It was a season for me. A season of not going to church. A season of not wanting to go to church.
Something has definitely changed in me since summer because I have that craving to actually go to church since we didn't have it on Sunday. I guess this year has been a church year. It was all about church.
It seems to be the odd years that I get all messed up in my spirituality. I mean my odd schooling years like 9th and 11th grade. I hope next year won't be that way when I become a freshman again. But we'll just have to wait and see what next year holds for me.
Old friends, new me
Recently, a friend found me on Facebook and became my friend. I haven't seen this person in about 4 years, so I was surprised even though once in a while I still get emails from them. I remember the first time I met my friend, Sarah.
I was on my first mission trip to Sun Valley Indian School in Arizona and we were driving. After lunch one day, everyone switched around seating arrangements and my best friend Becky and I went to a different van. When we got in, the driver who is Sarah's husband, Roy, introduced us to everyone in the car. "You must be Becky and Chelsea. Hi, I'm Roy. This is Sarah. And that's Zach, Austin, and Noah."
I have some really good memories of this family. One time there was a wooden spoon fight between a kid on our trip and Sarah. That was pretty funny. But there are more serious memories that I can think back on. One time when Sarah's family came to visit, my cousin, Becky, our friend Amber, and I stayed in the basement. We were all talking in the kitchen until it got very late and then when we went to bed, us girls in the basement were talking about what we had just discussed. Two of decided that we wanted to accept Christ into our hearts. So my cousin Stephanie went to get Sarah. I remember Sarah being so excited about this. I was excited too, but I didn't want anyone at church knowing I had accepted Christ into my heart. I thought it would be embarrassing.
Now I'm sitting here thinking about that memory. I've changed a lot since then. Now I'll gladly shout it out to the world. I love Jesus Christ!!!!! I'm not embarrassed anymore.
I'm sitting here thinking about how much I've changed in 4 or 5 years. I'm not who I was. Ok, I'm still pretty obnoxious at times, but spiritually I'm at a different level. I have to wonder if my friends realize that. I wonder if they realize how much of a Jesus freak I am now compared to when I last saw them.
I saw a picture of the family and their kids are getting so big. Last time I saw them, they were so young and now they're growing up. But so I am I guess. I bet I look pretty different too.
You know thinking about these memories makes me smile. A few minutes ago, I was playing Solitaire on my computer and I just started smiling for no reason. I think I was thinking about my mission trip memories.
I was on my first mission trip to Sun Valley Indian School in Arizona and we were driving. After lunch one day, everyone switched around seating arrangements and my best friend Becky and I went to a different van. When we got in, the driver who is Sarah's husband, Roy, introduced us to everyone in the car. "You must be Becky and Chelsea. Hi, I'm Roy. This is Sarah. And that's Zach, Austin, and Noah."
I have some really good memories of this family. One time there was a wooden spoon fight between a kid on our trip and Sarah. That was pretty funny. But there are more serious memories that I can think back on. One time when Sarah's family came to visit, my cousin, Becky, our friend Amber, and I stayed in the basement. We were all talking in the kitchen until it got very late and then when we went to bed, us girls in the basement were talking about what we had just discussed. Two of decided that we wanted to accept Christ into our hearts. So my cousin Stephanie went to get Sarah. I remember Sarah being so excited about this. I was excited too, but I didn't want anyone at church knowing I had accepted Christ into my heart. I thought it would be embarrassing.
Now I'm sitting here thinking about that memory. I've changed a lot since then. Now I'll gladly shout it out to the world. I love Jesus Christ!!!!! I'm not embarrassed anymore.
I'm sitting here thinking about how much I've changed in 4 or 5 years. I'm not who I was. Ok, I'm still pretty obnoxious at times, but spiritually I'm at a different level. I have to wonder if my friends realize that. I wonder if they realize how much of a Jesus freak I am now compared to when I last saw them.
I saw a picture of the family and their kids are getting so big. Last time I saw them, they were so young and now they're growing up. But so I am I guess. I bet I look pretty different too.
You know thinking about these memories makes me smile. A few minutes ago, I was playing Solitaire on my computer and I just started smiling for no reason. I think I was thinking about my mission trip memories.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Craving
Do you ever get cravings for things other than food? I mean chocolate is a big craving I get a lot, but I also crave other things that aren't food.
The craving I have right now is one I've had before, but the last time I got it was in the summer. I seriously crave church right now. Because the power went out yesterday due to some very strong winds, we didn't have church. I felt so incomplete yesterday without church. It didn't feel like Sunday yesterday and now I crave church. That's not fun.
I look forward to Sundays because of church.
Today I don't know what got to me, but I just started singing. I have music on, probably DC Talk or Relient K or whoever I listen to (I do listen to 98% Christian music). I just felt like worshiping, so that's what I did. I was playing Solitaire or something, but I was in a full worship moment.
The craving I have right now is one I've had before, but the last time I got it was in the summer. I seriously crave church right now. Because the power went out yesterday due to some very strong winds, we didn't have church. I felt so incomplete yesterday without church. It didn't feel like Sunday yesterday and now I crave church. That's not fun.
I look forward to Sundays because of church.
Today I don't know what got to me, but I just started singing. I have music on, probably DC Talk or Relient K or whoever I listen to (I do listen to 98% Christian music). I just felt like worshiping, so that's what I did. I was playing Solitaire or something, but I was in a full worship moment.
Famine Headache
If you follow me on Twitter or are friends with me on Facebook, you have probably noticed that today I've mentioned a famine headache. You probably don't know what that is.
It's not because I haven't eaten anything. It's actually a kind of headache I get when I don't get a lot of sleep.
This all started a few years ago at the 30 Hour Famine my youth group had. Some crazy youth pastor we had at the time had the notion to saran wrap us all together as a teamwork thing. That was a stupid idea. We walked a few feet and then I told them all that I was going to fall over, which I did. And guess what? They all came with me. I knocked my head pretty hard especially because our carpet isn't that soft.
After that happened, I got a headache. Because of the fact that we also had no food in our stomachs and we were exhausted from staying up until 5 in the morning, I'm not sure what the headache from. I've gotten this headache at other times when I'm really tired. I guess it's the exhaustion that causes it.
Why am I tired and complaining about this headache? Well I was going to go to bed at my usual time during break (around 1 or 2), but I just couldn't fall asleep. I ended up staying awake until 4 this morning. So right now I'm running on about 6 hours of sleep since I got up around 10. Hopefully I'll get more sleep tonight though.
It's not because I haven't eaten anything. It's actually a kind of headache I get when I don't get a lot of sleep.
This all started a few years ago at the 30 Hour Famine my youth group had. Some crazy youth pastor we had at the time had the notion to saran wrap us all together as a teamwork thing. That was a stupid idea. We walked a few feet and then I told them all that I was going to fall over, which I did. And guess what? They all came with me. I knocked my head pretty hard especially because our carpet isn't that soft.
After that happened, I got a headache. Because of the fact that we also had no food in our stomachs and we were exhausted from staying up until 5 in the morning, I'm not sure what the headache from. I've gotten this headache at other times when I'm really tired. I guess it's the exhaustion that causes it.
Why am I tired and complaining about this headache? Well I was going to go to bed at my usual time during break (around 1 or 2), but I just couldn't fall asleep. I ended up staying awake until 4 this morning. So right now I'm running on about 6 hours of sleep since I got up around 10. Hopefully I'll get more sleep tonight though.
Bored of break
Next week, I'll be kicking myself for saying this, but I'm bored. I'm bored of winter break and I have another week; this week. When I'm bored I need some entertainment, so I'm going to do some what ifs and have you evers.
#405 What if you had a book report due in three days on a book that has been made into a movie?
#405 What if you had a book report due in three days on a book that has been made into a movie?
- Chances are, I would choose to read the book. I may have procrastinated that long on the report, but one would think that I would have read the book by then. I wouldn't do the report on the movie because movies are always completely different from the book. In the Harry Potter movies, they skip a lot of detail from the book.
- Oh you know me. I would totally dress incredibly inappropriate. Not! There are rules at my school, but we don't wear uniforms, so we are allowed to wear anything we want as long as it's appropriate with the dress code. I wear whatever I want every day and I'm a modest dresser, so I don't wear a lot of inappropriate clothes.
- My parents aren't divorced. But if they were and they did blame me, I would feel really bad. The feeling of guilt would be overwhelming. I think I would probably need counseling. But I also don't think my parents would blame me and I can't see them as the type to blame me for something like that.
- My mom is a farmer. Of course I've driven a tractor. It was at a tractor show I go to every year for the 4th of July. I had a friend with me showing me the controls. What kind of question is what was it like? It was like driving a tractor. I don't know how to answer that question.
- Who hasn't wondered that? I once saw a magician when I was in elementary school. He cut one of my teachers in half. I have yet to figure out how they do that. I don't really want to know. It ruins the trick if you know what it is. I don't know what the greatest trick I've seen is.
- Yes. I may have similar DNA, but I'm pretty different from my parents. I have different morals. Sometimes I wish my family was the kind of family that goes to church every Sunday. But I don't think I can do anything about that.
Welcome to my generation
Me, me, me. Let's talk about me. Let's do what I want to do. What about me? Does this sound like you?
My school's newspaper had an article in it today about this generation being more narcissistic, self-centered, and egotistical than past generations. Not to criticize the paper or anything, but I don't believe much of what is written here. Yes, we can all be a little self-centered at times, but not all of us our completely self-centered. There was a quiz that I took in the paper as well and I scored as the least bit self-centered.
I guess it could be the fact that I'm not living for my own purposes anymore, I'm living for what God wants. Afterall, it's His way or the highway. I'll choose his way. Has our generation really come down to this? Another reason I'm probably not so self-centered is because I don't have much self-confidence or self-esteem. I don't like the idea of generation me. It should be generation God. Or something on that track. I don't want it to be all about me. How do you feel about this?
Not to be totally criticizing the CHS newspaper or anything because I really enjoy reading it, but some things just really bother me. For instance, there is an article on hookah smoking. It made me so angry. Now I understand why my mom thinks that our paper shouldn't be talking about these issues. The paper talks about drugs, sex, and whatever else is going wrong with our generation. I'm kinda glad that they've censored the paper now. They shouldn't be putting these things in here even if it's just information for us. Who knows what these articles could be encouraging? For crying out loud they have these so called "hookah bars" in the next town over for high school and college students. There is something wrong here. We need to do something! Where to start? Prayer is the best place to start.
This is from a blog I wrote on Battlecry from March of 2007. More than ever, I hate the school newspaper. It has gone down the toilet over the past couple of years. This year has been the worst. I'm not really here to talk about the paper though.
Me. It's all about me. Let's talk about me. Let's do what I want to do. What about me?
I believe this more than ever now. This generation can be pretty self-centered. I'm more God-centered. Is that a bad thing? I prefer to go God's way and not my own way.
This generation is pretty messed up. I don't think our parents know how to deal with it. It's nothing they ever had to deal with. We live in a generation full of technology. Do our parents understand most of that technology? Ask my mom about computers or how to use her phone. Not all parents know.
I wish more people were more into God and His plan for us. In my youth group, I think mostly everyone pays attention to the lessons. Either that or they appear to be paying attention. There are one or two that are doing homework or texting friends.
Ok. I have a question. Why are you at youth group if you are more interested in texting your friends or doing your homework. Oh we have to be there. No, you don't. Or at least you shouldn't have to be there. If you've got other things to do, then go do those things. You're probably just wasting your own time and the youth pastor's time by being there.
My band director expects all of us to make time to practice. How do you make time? I've always wondered that. I don't make time for band. It's not a top priority like my teacher expects it to be. Like I tell everyone, it's just a hobbie for me; something to keep me out of trouble (not that I'm a troublemaker). On the other hand, I make sure I get my homework done on Wednesday nights before youth group. It's a top priority. I have to go. No one forces it on me. I just have that desire in my heart to go to youth group.
The idea of a bunch of kids coming into youth group, sitting down, and then start texting all their friends, really bothers me. Why are you in youth group if you're not going to pay attention? That's a waste of time. I don't have that problem with a bunch of kids doing it, but like I said, I know kids in my youth group that do it. One or two kids not paying attention isn't bad I guess, but I would think if you're in youth group, you should probably be more focused on that than your homework or texting your friends.
Now don't think I'm the perfect Christian. I'm not. No one's perfect. Hey if practicing makes perfect and no one's perfect, then why practice? I tried to tell that one to my band director once. In youth group sometimes, I don't always pay attention. Sometimes I'm really obnoxious and I like to joke around. But for the most part I'm there and paying attention because I want to get something out of the lesson. I want to grow spiritually.
I don't even know how to text. Maybe I was born into the wrong generation. I don't text on my phone at all. I have before, but I stink at it. I know of youth pastors who are really fast texters. And this is coming from a youth, but I guess I have better things to worry about. I can't text. Is there something wrong with me?
Welcome to my generation I guess. It's full of texting and other technology that the older adults don't know how to use.
Thank you for smoking
Have you seen this movie? I have only seen parts of it. I'm not really that interested in seeing it either. Of the parts I've watched, it didn't really make sense to me.
Thank you for smoking. Thank you for killing me. Secondhand smoke is pretty bad in it's own right. Every day we make choices and sometimes those choices have negative externalities for everyone. Smoking is one of those choices.
I don't smoke, but a lot of people in my family do. I have aunts and uncles and cousins who all smoke. I don't plan on ever smoking. It's a dirty habit.
I hate being around smokers. I don't have asthma, but I have a psychological thing where I feel like I'm choking if I'm around them. When I was a little kid, the smoke didn't bother me and I kinda liked the smell, but now I can't stand it.
My dad has always been worried about my brother and I. Why? Well he started smoking when he was a teenager. He didn't quit until after my brother was born. He worries that I have an increased chance of starting that habit.
A few weeks ago, my cousin said something to a friend of the family about smoking that just kinda made me mad. She said that maybe smoking was bad for him, but it wasn't bad for her. Uh, are you stupid or something? I shouldn't call my cousin that and I'm not. Smoking is bad for everyone.
It's a dirty habit. I don't understand why people start it. It's addictive and just bad.
I can't stand the thought of starting such a habit. I have better values than that. I tell my dad that, but I still worry about my brother and I'm sure he does too.
Smoking is one of those things like drinking that I plan to stay away from. There are a ton of teens and adults who do it and they're destroying their bodies. They shouldn't because our bodies are special. They were bought with a price.
You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:20
I plan on keeping my lungs and liver pure as well as everything else. It's kinda hard though when you live in a world full of air pollution and garbage.
Thank you for smoking. Thank you for killing me. Secondhand smoke is pretty bad in it's own right. Every day we make choices and sometimes those choices have negative externalities for everyone. Smoking is one of those choices.
I don't smoke, but a lot of people in my family do. I have aunts and uncles and cousins who all smoke. I don't plan on ever smoking. It's a dirty habit.
I hate being around smokers. I don't have asthma, but I have a psychological thing where I feel like I'm choking if I'm around them. When I was a little kid, the smoke didn't bother me and I kinda liked the smell, but now I can't stand it.
My dad has always been worried about my brother and I. Why? Well he started smoking when he was a teenager. He didn't quit until after my brother was born. He worries that I have an increased chance of starting that habit.
A few weeks ago, my cousin said something to a friend of the family about smoking that just kinda made me mad. She said that maybe smoking was bad for him, but it wasn't bad for her. Uh, are you stupid or something? I shouldn't call my cousin that and I'm not. Smoking is bad for everyone.
It's a dirty habit. I don't understand why people start it. It's addictive and just bad.
I can't stand the thought of starting such a habit. I have better values than that. I tell my dad that, but I still worry about my brother and I'm sure he does too.
Smoking is one of those things like drinking that I plan to stay away from. There are a ton of teens and adults who do it and they're destroying their bodies. They shouldn't because our bodies are special. They were bought with a price.
You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:20
I plan on keeping my lungs and liver pure as well as everything else. It's kinda hard though when you live in a world full of air pollution and garbage.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
You wanna go?
Ok, so I totally just remembered a funny story from Friday. Actually it is probably more funny to me than most. Lindsay and I have this joke. We'll get into a funny argument about nothing basically and then I'll say, "You wanna go? I'll take you down."
Basically I act more tough than I am. But then I always shrink away. I always lose the battle. Gotta respect the elders you know. I'm just kidding. They're not elders...yet. Haha.
Oh such good times. As I said in one of my Twister videos, welcome to youth group.
Basically I act more tough than I am. But then I always shrink away. I always lose the battle. Gotta respect the elders you know. I'm just kidding. They're not elders...yet. Haha.
Oh such good times. As I said in one of my Twister videos, welcome to youth group.
Youth Group Reunion
On Friday, we had a game day/reunion thing for youth group. It was a lot of fun. Our old youth pastors, Matt and Lindsay, came to visit, which is why it was a reunion and a game day. We played a lot of fun games. I only made a video of the pictures I have on animoto, which is a cool site to check out. On the other hand, I do have a lot of videos of the youth group playing Twister. I think it's our new favorite game. Lindsay told me I have to send her the videos and stuff, which I'll get to eventually. Yes, those are some pretty interesting videos. I was thinking and I've decided to share what I wrote in my journal for that day. But I'm not sure if I'll share everything because I just reread something in it that was funny. I'm saying that I'm leaving the funny stuff out, but this one was just something that might need to be left out. I'm sitting here laughing just thinking about it. But you never know, maybe I'll say it. But here we go.
Today was amazing! I got up early this morning; I forced myself. The roads were really icy and my mom didn't want me driving, so Becky was going to pick me up, but then we both decided it would be better for my mom and her friend Sue to take us. Lindsay called me to let me know they hadn't forgotten about us, but I wasn't at David's house at that time, so I wasn't really worried. I was talking to David online at the time though and he was bragging about getting to see them first. Well I talked to them first. Sue dropped us off at the end of the driveway and we walked up to David's house. Matt, Lindsay, and JJ were already there. A few minutes later, Amanda and the Crowders showed up. We had pizza for lunch and caught up with each other. After lunch, we started by playing Apples to Apples. Then Matt came up with a different version where we have all these cards and we give each to a person who we think deserves the card. It was interesting. I got psychic in my pile from Becky. I'm so totally psychic, but not really. And JJ got the redneck card. We played Imaginiff, but that got boring fast, so we played Twister instead. There were some interesting conversation that I got on video during all those rounds of Twister. I was so obnoxious today. That's what you get when you mix me with youth group with Matt and Lindsay. It reminds me of the old days. I was so excited to see them finally. I showed everyone the Sims 2 as well. My printer was being a pain in the butt and wouldn't let me pring today, so I had to bring my laptop with me. I'm kinda sad the day is over, but I haven't starting crying yet. I wasn't looking forward to saying goodbye because it's always so hard to do.
And then it goes on from there into my depression state. It was a fun day though. I hate saying goodbye to fun days. Yesterday was terrible though. I was so pathetic. It reminded me of the day that I was on my way home from Washington D.C. That was a depressing day. Yesterday I slept in until noon. Then I didn't really eat anything. I wasn't really hungry and I didn't feel like talking to anyone. Plus I had to find something to do to keep my mind occupied. I tried looking at some journals. That just made it worse. I knew the feeling would pass eventually.
Today I feel good. I'm not really depressed about missing people. I'm upset though about something completely different. I slept in until noon again. It's Sunday. That's not supposed to happen. But my mom got me up around 9ish I think to tell me that church was canceled. Canceled? How can that be? The power went out.
I feel incomplete because I didn't go to church today. It doesn't feel like Sunday without church. That's how important church is to me. I seriously feel incomplete without it. I love going to worship. I love going to fellowship. Sure I can worship at home, but we all need fellowship. We need to be around other Christians.
Today was amazing! I got up early this morning; I forced myself. The roads were really icy and my mom didn't want me driving, so Becky was going to pick me up, but then we both decided it would be better for my mom and her friend Sue to take us. Lindsay called me to let me know they hadn't forgotten about us, but I wasn't at David's house at that time, so I wasn't really worried. I was talking to David online at the time though and he was bragging about getting to see them first. Well I talked to them first. Sue dropped us off at the end of the driveway and we walked up to David's house. Matt, Lindsay, and JJ were already there. A few minutes later, Amanda and the Crowders showed up. We had pizza for lunch and caught up with each other. After lunch, we started by playing Apples to Apples. Then Matt came up with a different version where we have all these cards and we give each to a person who we think deserves the card. It was interesting. I got psychic in my pile from Becky. I'm so totally psychic, but not really. And JJ got the redneck card. We played Imaginiff, but that got boring fast, so we played Twister instead. There were some interesting conversation that I got on video during all those rounds of Twister. I was so obnoxious today. That's what you get when you mix me with youth group with Matt and Lindsay. It reminds me of the old days. I was so excited to see them finally. I showed everyone the Sims 2 as well. My printer was being a pain in the butt and wouldn't let me pring today, so I had to bring my laptop with me. I'm kinda sad the day is over, but I haven't starting crying yet. I wasn't looking forward to saying goodbye because it's always so hard to do.
And then it goes on from there into my depression state. It was a fun day though. I hate saying goodbye to fun days. Yesterday was terrible though. I was so pathetic. It reminded me of the day that I was on my way home from Washington D.C. That was a depressing day. Yesterday I slept in until noon. Then I didn't really eat anything. I wasn't really hungry and I didn't feel like talking to anyone. Plus I had to find something to do to keep my mind occupied. I tried looking at some journals. That just made it worse. I knew the feeling would pass eventually.
Today I feel good. I'm not really depressed about missing people. I'm upset though about something completely different. I slept in until noon again. It's Sunday. That's not supposed to happen. But my mom got me up around 9ish I think to tell me that church was canceled. Canceled? How can that be? The power went out.
I feel incomplete because I didn't go to church today. It doesn't feel like Sunday without church. That's how important church is to me. I seriously feel incomplete without it. I love going to worship. I love going to fellowship. Sure I can worship at home, but we all need fellowship. We need to be around other Christians.
Sex-saturated world
If you follow me on Twitter, then you probably saw that I was researching for this blog. It's also gonna probably be a little more difficult to write about. Why? One word answer. Sex.
I really don't like talking about it especially in places like school and Sunday school. I don't think my parents have ever given me "the talk" either. But how can we not talk about it? It's everywhere in this world.
I was recently having a conversation with 3 friends and the idea for this blog sparked from what we were talking about.
We were talking about a star football player who goes to my school and how he constantly calls one of the people I was talking to. She was complaining a lot about him and how he looks at porn. At that point, I mentioned that he's a teenage guy, and a lot of guys at that age have looked at porn. Then I kinda got in a little trouble for that statement because one of my friends said her guy friends don't look at porn.
We live in a sex-saturated world. How can you say that none of your guy friends have ever looked at porn? Maybe they have, maybe they haven't. Sex is all around us.
Have we ever thought that maybe our friends aren't telling us what they have or have not seen? I'm not saying they have to. Maybe my friend's guy friends aren't telling her stuff. But it's not like they have to. It's one of those things that no one is really comfortable talking about, which brings me to the point of asking myself why I'm rambling on and on about this. I think it's important.
Did I mention that of the 3 friends I was talking to, one of them was a guy? Gee, way to make the conversation more awkward. But I seriously had to get my thoughts out there. My friend was arguing with me about how her friends have not seen it especially the guy we were also talking to. Another friend I was talking to in a different window online, said she could name off several people who she knows have seen porn.
At some point in your life, because of the fact that we live in a sex-saturated world, I'm sure you've come in contact with it. And I'm not just talking to guys here. In a book I read last month, Dateable, it referred to female porn being "chick flicks" and romantic novels. Guys aren't the only ones who've seen it. I wonder if my friends realize that even the girls focused on emotions and not physically deal with porn.
Here's something that happened to me maybe a month ago. I was tinkering around in the kitchen one day after school looking for something to snack on. My brother had two friends over plus he was on the phone with his girlfriend. I guess his girlfriend thought she heard the guys talking about porn, so my brother asked them if they were. Hearing this, I even asked. They all said no, which is a good thing. I worry about my brother getting into that kind of stuff. It's addictive and ruins people's minds.
I think I'm off that soap box rant for now. There's another reason I wanted to write this blog that I just remembered.
Ho. Ho. Ho. What do you think of when you hear this? Is your mind "in the gutter" as say? I'll tell you what I think of. I think of Santa Claus. I think of Christmas and presents. Have you noticed lately that Santa is not allowed to say that anymore? I asked a friend about this. The answer I got from her was something I didn't understand and it still doesn't make sense.
Why can't Santa say that anymore? Someone apparently thought it sounded offensive to women. I'm sorry, but I have to ask this. Do you ever think of that when Santa says it?
I don't. I don't even think little kids think that way. I don't think little kids should know about it either. Stupid sex-saturated sinful world. Our minds are being corrupted. Kids are being exposed to things they shouldn't be exposed to. Kids are seeing things they shouldn't see like porn at younger and younger ages. The average age for a kid to see it is like 11 years old. That's not right at all.
So who came up with this? Who honestly thinks that way to say that Santa can't say his trademark words? I really don't understand this. When I hear those words, I can't picture anything but jolly old Santa gliding over the sky in his sleigh delivering presents to everyone.
Has my mind been really sheltered or something? Welcome to our sex-saturated world. I guess. It's sad to see the world coming to this. Young kids are being corrupted. Teens are being corrupted. Even adults are being corrupted.
Welcome to the 21st century. The technology media era as I'm going to call it. We're so influenced by what we see and hear. It's on tv, in the movies, and in the music we listen to. It's sex. Let's see what is the media telling us about sex these days?
Oh, here we go. There's nothing wrong with premarital sex. There's nothing wrong with having an affair. There's no such thing as consequences. There are no STD's. You won't get pregnant.
Really? Seriously? There are so many consequences that come with having premarital sex. Having an affair is just wrong. STD's do exist. You might not get pregnant, but it's possible.
Media, be real. Celebrities are such hypocrites. They go on screen telling us to live a certain way. Oh smoking pot isn't bad. But at home, they are very careful of what their own kids see. You guys are so nice to us. What did we do to you to deserve to be treated this way.
Celebrities, I'm talking to you even though I know no celebrity will probably ever read this. You are trying to save the minds of one or two kids at the most that belong to you. Then you go on air and destroy the minds of one or two million kids. That's not right. You should feel guilty, but you probably don't because you're getting paid to put this stuff into our minds. That's not cool.
We need to stand up for ourselves. We need to tell the celebrities what we really think. We need to let the media know that what they're doing is not helping us. It's destroying us. I don't like living in a sex-saturated world where minds are easily corrupted.
Sex was meant for marriage. It's not meant for anything but marriage. I wish the media would quit corrupting our minds and twisting what God's design of sex is.
I really don't like talking about it especially in places like school and Sunday school. I don't think my parents have ever given me "the talk" either. But how can we not talk about it? It's everywhere in this world.
I was recently having a conversation with 3 friends and the idea for this blog sparked from what we were talking about.
We were talking about a star football player who goes to my school and how he constantly calls one of the people I was talking to. She was complaining a lot about him and how he looks at porn. At that point, I mentioned that he's a teenage guy, and a lot of guys at that age have looked at porn. Then I kinda got in a little trouble for that statement because one of my friends said her guy friends don't look at porn.
We live in a sex-saturated world. How can you say that none of your guy friends have ever looked at porn? Maybe they have, maybe they haven't. Sex is all around us.
Have we ever thought that maybe our friends aren't telling us what they have or have not seen? I'm not saying they have to. Maybe my friend's guy friends aren't telling her stuff. But it's not like they have to. It's one of those things that no one is really comfortable talking about, which brings me to the point of asking myself why I'm rambling on and on about this. I think it's important.
Did I mention that of the 3 friends I was talking to, one of them was a guy? Gee, way to make the conversation more awkward. But I seriously had to get my thoughts out there. My friend was arguing with me about how her friends have not seen it especially the guy we were also talking to. Another friend I was talking to in a different window online, said she could name off several people who she knows have seen porn.
At some point in your life, because of the fact that we live in a sex-saturated world, I'm sure you've come in contact with it. And I'm not just talking to guys here. In a book I read last month, Dateable, it referred to female porn being "chick flicks" and romantic novels. Guys aren't the only ones who've seen it. I wonder if my friends realize that even the girls focused on emotions and not physically deal with porn.
Here's something that happened to me maybe a month ago. I was tinkering around in the kitchen one day after school looking for something to snack on. My brother had two friends over plus he was on the phone with his girlfriend. I guess his girlfriend thought she heard the guys talking about porn, so my brother asked them if they were. Hearing this, I even asked. They all said no, which is a good thing. I worry about my brother getting into that kind of stuff. It's addictive and ruins people's minds.
I think I'm off that soap box rant for now. There's another reason I wanted to write this blog that I just remembered.
Ho. Ho. Ho. What do you think of when you hear this? Is your mind "in the gutter" as say? I'll tell you what I think of. I think of Santa Claus. I think of Christmas and presents. Have you noticed lately that Santa is not allowed to say that anymore? I asked a friend about this. The answer I got from her was something I didn't understand and it still doesn't make sense.
Why can't Santa say that anymore? Someone apparently thought it sounded offensive to women. I'm sorry, but I have to ask this. Do you ever think of that when Santa says it?
I don't. I don't even think little kids think that way. I don't think little kids should know about it either. Stupid sex-saturated sinful world. Our minds are being corrupted. Kids are being exposed to things they shouldn't be exposed to. Kids are seeing things they shouldn't see like porn at younger and younger ages. The average age for a kid to see it is like 11 years old. That's not right at all.
So who came up with this? Who honestly thinks that way to say that Santa can't say his trademark words? I really don't understand this. When I hear those words, I can't picture anything but jolly old Santa gliding over the sky in his sleigh delivering presents to everyone.
Has my mind been really sheltered or something? Welcome to our sex-saturated world. I guess. It's sad to see the world coming to this. Young kids are being corrupted. Teens are being corrupted. Even adults are being corrupted.
Welcome to the 21st century. The technology media era as I'm going to call it. We're so influenced by what we see and hear. It's on tv, in the movies, and in the music we listen to. It's sex. Let's see what is the media telling us about sex these days?
Oh, here we go. There's nothing wrong with premarital sex. There's nothing wrong with having an affair. There's no such thing as consequences. There are no STD's. You won't get pregnant.
Really? Seriously? There are so many consequences that come with having premarital sex. Having an affair is just wrong. STD's do exist. You might not get pregnant, but it's possible.
Media, be real. Celebrities are such hypocrites. They go on screen telling us to live a certain way. Oh smoking pot isn't bad. But at home, they are very careful of what their own kids see. You guys are so nice to us. What did we do to you to deserve to be treated this way.
Celebrities, I'm talking to you even though I know no celebrity will probably ever read this. You are trying to save the minds of one or two kids at the most that belong to you. Then you go on air and destroy the minds of one or two million kids. That's not right. You should feel guilty, but you probably don't because you're getting paid to put this stuff into our minds. That's not cool.
We need to stand up for ourselves. We need to tell the celebrities what we really think. We need to let the media know that what they're doing is not helping us. It's destroying us. I don't like living in a sex-saturated world where minds are easily corrupted.
Sex was meant for marriage. It's not meant for anything but marriage. I wish the media would quit corrupting our minds and twisting what God's design of sex is.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Made
Have you seen this show? Perhaps you haven't because it's on Mtv. My economics teacher complains about how stupid most of the stuff on Mtv is all the time. He talks about how his wife watches The Hills and likes it. She could be the exception to what I'm going to say.
I don't know where I get it from, but my generation seems to be the Mtv generation. Actually, we're more like the technology media generation and Mtv is included in there. Mtv has a ton of stupid reality shows on it. It's not really reality though. I don't see it as much anymore, but I used to see a lot of my friends watching Mtv. They may still watch it, but I just don't hear about it much anymore.
Once in a while, I flip through the channels and find something interesting to watch on Mtv. Tonight, I found Made. I've watched this show before. I am a teenager and I know what this show is unlike some adults (no offense). The name of the name is basically the definition of the show. Some kid gets picked to be made into whatever they want to be made into. Tonight I watched a softball playing, shy girl become a rock band bassist. That was interesting.
As I was watching, I was thinking about how stupid the concept of this show is. I will admit that at one point in my life, I think it was last year in fact, I wanted to be made into something different than what I am. I even went on the website and tried to sign up for the show (that was a stupid idea in the making).
I have to ask this question. Who wants to be made into something different? Last year, perhaps I did, but now I don't.
In a way, I kinda feel bad for kids that want to be changed so bad. It's like they're doing it just to prove they can. For instance, there was this one episode involving a girly girl who wanted to become a dirtbike racer or something.
I just don't like the idea of changing yourself to become something different. It's probably one reason I don't wear make-up. It's probably a reason why I am who I am. I can only be myself. I am who God created me to be and I'm happy with that.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14
I've got DNA. I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. What? It was a song from VBS this past summer.
You know, I'll bet if you go on the website for the show Made, you'll see a lot of kids who want to be made not into something particular like a rock star, but rather they want to be made pretty or beautiful or confident or outgoing. It's kinda sad, but I also realize that not everyone knows God and has a personal relationship with him and goes to church. If only they knew.
I've had issues with self-image before. I'm so ugly. Oh, it makes me so sad. I'm not popular. I have horrible teeth. My face is full of zits. I hate my life. And don't get me started on guys. I used to be so pessimistic.
Yeah, that's how I used to feel. I'm not ugly. I'm beautiful. I'm so very happy with my life. I love my life. I still have horrible teeth, but at least they're straight from head gear and braces. My face is still full of zits, but who cares. I don't really care what anyone, but God thinks about me. I'm so optimistic. I've got a sunny disposition some people say.
Gee, I really hope I don't get in trouble this time for saying what I just did about myself. I got in trouble in February for saying some things about myself. I wasn't depressed. I was simply making a point, but somehow my parents found out about this particular blog I wrote for Valentine's Day and so I kinda sorta got a lecture about it.
Oh wait, you know? I realize now why I got that lecture. By the way, in case you were wondering, I'm reading the other blog at the moment, so that's where this realization comes from. I was having some issues my junior year particularly in the beauty department. I was convinced that I didn't have outer beauty but rather inner beauty. I think I have a little of both. I was also complaining about how high school guys only look at outer beauty. They all tell me that they look at both, but I'm not convinced. As guys mature, I'm sure they also look at the girl's heart. But that's a slow process. As I've stated so many times, I've given up on high school guys, so whatever.
I like to look at myself in the mirror. I laugh at myself in the mirror because I love to see my smile. I'm so pretty. I can't get over that fact. I wish more people felt the way I feel. This nation seems to have problems with self-image. We look at celebrities and want to be just like them. Even young kids want to be like the celebrities.
I'm so tired of people worshiping celebrities. Were we made in the celebrities image, in their likeness? Were they the ones who made us? NO! Who made us in His image, in His likeness. God! God did.
We should all be trying to be like God, not celebrities like Brad Pitt and Britney Spears.
I don't want to be Made into something by someone who thinks they know what they're doing like the coaches on the show. I was made by God and I believe He made me this way for a reason. I also know that He knows absolutely everything about me and He loves me exactly the way I am.
Don't be made by celebrities; be made by God.
I don't know where I get it from, but my generation seems to be the Mtv generation. Actually, we're more like the technology media generation and Mtv is included in there. Mtv has a ton of stupid reality shows on it. It's not really reality though. I don't see it as much anymore, but I used to see a lot of my friends watching Mtv. They may still watch it, but I just don't hear about it much anymore.
Once in a while, I flip through the channels and find something interesting to watch on Mtv. Tonight, I found Made. I've watched this show before. I am a teenager and I know what this show is unlike some adults (no offense). The name of the name is basically the definition of the show. Some kid gets picked to be made into whatever they want to be made into. Tonight I watched a softball playing, shy girl become a rock band bassist. That was interesting.
As I was watching, I was thinking about how stupid the concept of this show is. I will admit that at one point in my life, I think it was last year in fact, I wanted to be made into something different than what I am. I even went on the website and tried to sign up for the show (that was a stupid idea in the making).
I have to ask this question. Who wants to be made into something different? Last year, perhaps I did, but now I don't.
In a way, I kinda feel bad for kids that want to be changed so bad. It's like they're doing it just to prove they can. For instance, there was this one episode involving a girly girl who wanted to become a dirtbike racer or something.
I just don't like the idea of changing yourself to become something different. It's probably one reason I don't wear make-up. It's probably a reason why I am who I am. I can only be myself. I am who God created me to be and I'm happy with that.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14
I've got DNA. I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. What? It was a song from VBS this past summer.
You know, I'll bet if you go on the website for the show Made, you'll see a lot of kids who want to be made not into something particular like a rock star, but rather they want to be made pretty or beautiful or confident or outgoing. It's kinda sad, but I also realize that not everyone knows God and has a personal relationship with him and goes to church. If only they knew.
I've had issues with self-image before. I'm so ugly. Oh, it makes me so sad. I'm not popular. I have horrible teeth. My face is full of zits. I hate my life. And don't get me started on guys. I used to be so pessimistic.
Yeah, that's how I used to feel. I'm not ugly. I'm beautiful. I'm so very happy with my life. I love my life. I still have horrible teeth, but at least they're straight from head gear and braces. My face is still full of zits, but who cares. I don't really care what anyone, but God thinks about me. I'm so optimistic. I've got a sunny disposition some people say.
Gee, I really hope I don't get in trouble this time for saying what I just did about myself. I got in trouble in February for saying some things about myself. I wasn't depressed. I was simply making a point, but somehow my parents found out about this particular blog I wrote for Valentine's Day and so I kinda sorta got a lecture about it.
Oh wait, you know? I realize now why I got that lecture. By the way, in case you were wondering, I'm reading the other blog at the moment, so that's where this realization comes from. I was having some issues my junior year particularly in the beauty department. I was convinced that I didn't have outer beauty but rather inner beauty. I think I have a little of both. I was also complaining about how high school guys only look at outer beauty. They all tell me that they look at both, but I'm not convinced. As guys mature, I'm sure they also look at the girl's heart. But that's a slow process. As I've stated so many times, I've given up on high school guys, so whatever.
I like to look at myself in the mirror. I laugh at myself in the mirror because I love to see my smile. I'm so pretty. I can't get over that fact. I wish more people felt the way I feel. This nation seems to have problems with self-image. We look at celebrities and want to be just like them. Even young kids want to be like the celebrities.
I'm so tired of people worshiping celebrities. Were we made in the celebrities image, in their likeness? Were they the ones who made us? NO! Who made us in His image, in His likeness. God! God did.
We should all be trying to be like God, not celebrities like Brad Pitt and Britney Spears.
I don't want to be Made into something by someone who thinks they know what they're doing like the coaches on the show. I was made by God and I believe He made me this way for a reason. I also know that He knows absolutely everything about me and He loves me exactly the way I am.
Don't be made by celebrities; be made by God.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
Last night went by really fast. I was planning on making a movie, but I didn't really get around to it. The tradition died apparently. But then again I really wasn't feeling like making a movie. I had too much stuff to do.
I went to my church's candlelight service where I spilled wax on myself, which kinda hurt for a minute. But it was a good service talking about whens. For instance, we know God is going to come again, but sometimes we get curious and if you ask me even a little impatient, so we ask when. When is God coming? Our sermon scripture was out of Revelations, which is a little different from what we normally hear about on Christmas Eve.
Last night went really fast. We stopped our tradition of picking names this year, so the only presents that there really were, were for the younger kids and those not out of high school yet like me. My littlest cousins got the most presents, but that's ok. As I've gotten older, I've realized that presents aren't the best thing about Christmas and they're not the real reason we celebrate. The best gift we were given on Christmas came in a manger all those years ago. The best gift is Jesus.
Right now I'm watching the traditional movie of Christmas day. Got any guesses? It's a marathon event. All day long. FRAGILE. It must be Italian. That's right. I'm watching A Christmas Story. You know, you'll shoot your eye out. That movie.
I got a lot of cool stuff. And I really like all the stuff I got, but I think my all time favorite gift is Jesus coming as a baby.
Today has gone by really fast too. As I'm writing this, it's about 3:15 and I think my brother is still sleeping. He got up earlier to open presents, but then went back to bed. My parents got him to mouth spray and some chapstick for when he's kissing. I'm glad I don't have a boyfriend. Who knows what they might get me then.
Oh yeah and I got Uno in my stocking. I've been craving to play that game a lot lately, so I'm glad I got it.
I hope you all have a great Christmas. Remember Jesus is the real reason for the season. And never forget that.
I went to my church's candlelight service where I spilled wax on myself, which kinda hurt for a minute. But it was a good service talking about whens. For instance, we know God is going to come again, but sometimes we get curious and if you ask me even a little impatient, so we ask when. When is God coming? Our sermon scripture was out of Revelations, which is a little different from what we normally hear about on Christmas Eve.
Last night went really fast. We stopped our tradition of picking names this year, so the only presents that there really were, were for the younger kids and those not out of high school yet like me. My littlest cousins got the most presents, but that's ok. As I've gotten older, I've realized that presents aren't the best thing about Christmas and they're not the real reason we celebrate. The best gift we were given on Christmas came in a manger all those years ago. The best gift is Jesus.
Right now I'm watching the traditional movie of Christmas day. Got any guesses? It's a marathon event. All day long. FRAGILE. It must be Italian. That's right. I'm watching A Christmas Story. You know, you'll shoot your eye out. That movie.
I got a lot of cool stuff. And I really like all the stuff I got, but I think my all time favorite gift is Jesus coming as a baby.
Today has gone by really fast too. As I'm writing this, it's about 3:15 and I think my brother is still sleeping. He got up earlier to open presents, but then went back to bed. My parents got him to mouth spray and some chapstick for when he's kissing. I'm glad I don't have a boyfriend. Who knows what they might get me then.
Oh yeah and I got Uno in my stocking. I've been craving to play that game a lot lately, so I'm glad I got it.
I hope you all have a great Christmas. Remember Jesus is the real reason for the season. And never forget that.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Remembering the sad things of Christmas
You know I don't have all good memories of Christmases past. I have some pretty sad ones too.
One year I didn't get a lot of stuff from my family, which kinda upset me. I guess I had expected more.
Ok, so I'm not really talking present wise here, but I do have some sad memories that I feel like sharing.
One year around Christmas, my mom's cat, Oliver, got really sick. It was a Saturday night and he didn't want to do anything. He was just lying there. We called the vet and they told my parents to bring him in, in the morning. While I went to church the next morning, my parents took Oliver to the vet. I distinctly remember this because that was the weekend of our Christmas program that my parents were coming to. I remember helping with offertory and seeing my mom crying. We had to put Oliver to sleep because he was so sick.
Tonight, I got to see all of my cousins on my mom's side. One of my cousin's, Courtney, is pregnant with her first child. I saw her talking to my Aunt Beth before she left and I think I saw a few tears. You see, Courtney's mom passed away from cancer when she was younger. I don't really remember my Aunt Ellen because I was about 5 when she passed away.
They were talking about how Aunt Ellen was there for Aunt Beth when she gave birth. I think it's sad that Courtney won't have the experience of having her mother nearby to help out.
I remember a few years back, I took out some old family Christmas videos to watch of my family. That particular year was one of the hardest I think, at least by the voice of my Aunt Beth, it seemed a little emotional. They were handing out little angels that someone made for each person in the family as a remembrance of Aunt Ellen. At least that's what I saw them doing. I think some people were crying too.
See? I don't have all cheery memories. I do have a lot of cheery memories, but some have been quite sad. I'm sure we all have memories like these.
Who knows, I might have made you shed a tear by having you read this. But it's Christmas Eve and I was remembering these things, so I figured I would share before I forgot. As sad as some of this seems, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.
And I pray that all who may be traveling either tonight or tomorrow or whenever will have a safe drive or however you're traveling.
One year I didn't get a lot of stuff from my family, which kinda upset me. I guess I had expected more.
Ok, so I'm not really talking present wise here, but I do have some sad memories that I feel like sharing.
One year around Christmas, my mom's cat, Oliver, got really sick. It was a Saturday night and he didn't want to do anything. He was just lying there. We called the vet and they told my parents to bring him in, in the morning. While I went to church the next morning, my parents took Oliver to the vet. I distinctly remember this because that was the weekend of our Christmas program that my parents were coming to. I remember helping with offertory and seeing my mom crying. We had to put Oliver to sleep because he was so sick.
Tonight, I got to see all of my cousins on my mom's side. One of my cousin's, Courtney, is pregnant with her first child. I saw her talking to my Aunt Beth before she left and I think I saw a few tears. You see, Courtney's mom passed away from cancer when she was younger. I don't really remember my Aunt Ellen because I was about 5 when she passed away.
They were talking about how Aunt Ellen was there for Aunt Beth when she gave birth. I think it's sad that Courtney won't have the experience of having her mother nearby to help out.
I remember a few years back, I took out some old family Christmas videos to watch of my family. That particular year was one of the hardest I think, at least by the voice of my Aunt Beth, it seemed a little emotional. They were handing out little angels that someone made for each person in the family as a remembrance of Aunt Ellen. At least that's what I saw them doing. I think some people were crying too.
See? I don't have all cheery memories. I do have a lot of cheery memories, but some have been quite sad. I'm sure we all have memories like these.
Who knows, I might have made you shed a tear by having you read this. But it's Christmas Eve and I was remembering these things, so I figured I would share before I forgot. As sad as some of this seems, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.
And I pray that all who may be traveling either tonight or tomorrow or whenever will have a safe drive or however you're traveling.
It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas
Isn't that how the song goes? Haha.
Well tonight is a busy night in my house. We're having family over tomorrow, so we're pretty busy. Or at least my mom is. She is downstairs cooking up a bunch of stuff. She started the lasagna around the time I ate dinner around 7:30ish. She currently has these little sausage things in a sauce (it's tradition in the family) and she's thawing the turkey. She was making broccoli stuff earlier. She also just finished her pretzel jello salad. Basically she's busy.
I was down there a little while ago helping out to the best of my ability. My job was to make the sugar cookies. I used all her sugar cookies last week at youth group, so I promised that the next time she made them, I would help. I like to cut out the cookies. It's like a puzzle.
Anyways, you can probably imagine what my house smells like with all this good stuff in it. It smells so good. Tomorrow will be even better.
Normally we would have Christmas at my Aunt Ann's house, but last year, she was living up north, so we started the tradition of having it at my house. She has moved back, but since she lives a little ways out of town, we're having Christmas at my house again.
I have so many good memories of Christmas. Both with my family and youth group. Parties with my family are always memorable. It's fun to see all of my mom's side of the family that I don't get to see on an almost regular basis. It's usually a lot of my older older cousins. The ones in their 20s and older.
Youth group. So many memorable things. One time, we had a party at our Sunday school teachers' house and we watched A Christmas Story and our one Sunday school teacher fast forwarded through the part where the kid yells Fudge. The kid didn't really say fudge, but it's not like he was going to say that on the movie, but still our Sunday school teacher fast forwarded through it. There have also been the ladies Christmas tea that usually the youth group girls go to because guys aren't invited.
Then there was the time when we were all at my Aunt Ann's house decorating cookies. Yeah, don't let the guys mess with the frosting. Guys+frosting=a huge mess of brown gunk. They turned the frosting brown. It was ridiculous. Well at least we could color the horses the right way then.
A few years ago, we had a Christmas party for our youth pastors, which involved a scavenger hunt, which one of our girls absolutely loved. It led our youth pastors to the presents we got them. It was remote-control cars. I'm never going shopping with those boys again. They were crazy and I was the only girl that went shopping to get the cars. We got them these cars because we had heard from our youth pastor a time in his life when he wanted a remote-control car for Christmas and he got it, but then his dad and brother returned it to get a video game system or something. We felt bad, so we decided to get them both cars. It was really cool because while one car was in one room and the other was in a different room, they could both be moved by one remote because they were both on the same channel.
Last year I made a video for Christmas. I'm not sure if I will this year though. I haven't made my Thanksgiving video yet and I'm still not sure if I'll make that one. It makes remembering things easier. That is if you don't have a photographic memory like I seem to.
The thing with my memory is that I only remember youth group things really well. I guess it's just really important to me. I love memories. And I'm thankful God gave me many places to store my memories.
Well tonight is a busy night in my house. We're having family over tomorrow, so we're pretty busy. Or at least my mom is. She is downstairs cooking up a bunch of stuff. She started the lasagna around the time I ate dinner around 7:30ish. She currently has these little sausage things in a sauce (it's tradition in the family) and she's thawing the turkey. She was making broccoli stuff earlier. She also just finished her pretzel jello salad. Basically she's busy.
I was down there a little while ago helping out to the best of my ability. My job was to make the sugar cookies. I used all her sugar cookies last week at youth group, so I promised that the next time she made them, I would help. I like to cut out the cookies. It's like a puzzle.
Anyways, you can probably imagine what my house smells like with all this good stuff in it. It smells so good. Tomorrow will be even better.
Normally we would have Christmas at my Aunt Ann's house, but last year, she was living up north, so we started the tradition of having it at my house. She has moved back, but since she lives a little ways out of town, we're having Christmas at my house again.
I have so many good memories of Christmas. Both with my family and youth group. Parties with my family are always memorable. It's fun to see all of my mom's side of the family that I don't get to see on an almost regular basis. It's usually a lot of my older older cousins. The ones in their 20s and older.
Youth group. So many memorable things. One time, we had a party at our Sunday school teachers' house and we watched A Christmas Story and our one Sunday school teacher fast forwarded through the part where the kid yells Fudge. The kid didn't really say fudge, but it's not like he was going to say that on the movie, but still our Sunday school teacher fast forwarded through it. There have also been the ladies Christmas tea that usually the youth group girls go to because guys aren't invited.
Then there was the time when we were all at my Aunt Ann's house decorating cookies. Yeah, don't let the guys mess with the frosting. Guys+frosting=a huge mess of brown gunk. They turned the frosting brown. It was ridiculous. Well at least we could color the horses the right way then.
A few years ago, we had a Christmas party for our youth pastors, which involved a scavenger hunt, which one of our girls absolutely loved. It led our youth pastors to the presents we got them. It was remote-control cars. I'm never going shopping with those boys again. They were crazy and I was the only girl that went shopping to get the cars. We got them these cars because we had heard from our youth pastor a time in his life when he wanted a remote-control car for Christmas and he got it, but then his dad and brother returned it to get a video game system or something. We felt bad, so we decided to get them both cars. It was really cool because while one car was in one room and the other was in a different room, they could both be moved by one remote because they were both on the same channel.
Last year I made a video for Christmas. I'm not sure if I will this year though. I haven't made my Thanksgiving video yet and I'm still not sure if I'll make that one. It makes remembering things easier. That is if you don't have a photographic memory like I seem to.
The thing with my memory is that I only remember youth group things really well. I guess it's just really important to me. I love memories. And I'm thankful God gave me many places to store my memories.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
I don't joke about Jesus
On Saturday, I became aware of something. My friend got me kicked off of my Sims 2 game to tell me this and I'm glad she did. She asked if I was aware that I had a fan club on Facebook. No, I wasn't aware of that. And honestly I didn't think she was serious until she gave me the link to it.
I have a fan club group thing on Facebook. That surprised me.
Let me tell you a little about that group. It's because of my videos. One of my Facebook friends created this group because he loves my videos. It really surprises me. I just put my videos on Facebook to brighten anyone's day really. The same goes for Youtube. I just want to make people to laugh.
Today after reading this: A video depicting one of the many characters that attend our school. I hope you find this as enjoyable and insane as we did. I realized something. And I'm not mad over it at all. They looked me on Youtube. That's not the realization I came to though. The thought I had was that I bet most of the people at school had no idea of who I actually am.
Well I guess now they're finding out. I can be pretty unpredictable. I don't act like how I do in my videos at school that often. I have to be really comfortable with my environment if I'm going to act really silly. I guess I also have to be really comfortable with who I'm around. I know some people wouldn't appreciate my goofiness all the time, so I kinda cut it down at school.
One thing I try to add into my videos of me doing silly, humilating things, is Jesus. I usually add a Jesus loves you in there somewhere. Or I read out of the Bible acting like a grandmother reading to her grandson.
Whatever I decide to do with adding Jesus in, I'm completely serious. I don't joke about Jesus. I don't think it's very funny when people make fun of Jesus by saying they forgot to buy him a Christmas gift or that his party is going to be lame. What's so funny?
I have to wonder about this fanclub. It says in the description a bunch of things I've said in my videos and I wonder if it's for real. I wonder if they know I'm being sincere. I'm adding in Jesus because I know only God could have given me this talent for making silly videos. It's just a little way for me to say thank you.
I don't know if my Facebook friends take that seriously. I don't know if they know how serious of a Christian I am. I don't know if they realize Jesus is in there for a reason.
I may like to joke around in my videos and come up with silly ways to bring Jesus in, but I don't joke. I'm serious about Jesus. I'm serious when I say that Jesus loves you. Jesus loves all of us.
Jesus loves you! That's one of my mottos actually as you can tell with the title of this blog site. I love Jesus and I don't make fun of him. That would be like making fun of my fellow Christians, which is not cool to me.
I have a fan club group thing on Facebook. That surprised me.
Let me tell you a little about that group. It's because of my videos. One of my Facebook friends created this group because he loves my videos. It really surprises me. I just put my videos on Facebook to brighten anyone's day really. The same goes for Youtube. I just want to make people to laugh.
Today after reading this: A video depicting one of the many characters that attend our school. I hope you find this as enjoyable and insane as we did. I realized something. And I'm not mad over it at all. They looked me on Youtube. That's not the realization I came to though. The thought I had was that I bet most of the people at school had no idea of who I actually am.
Well I guess now they're finding out. I can be pretty unpredictable. I don't act like how I do in my videos at school that often. I have to be really comfortable with my environment if I'm going to act really silly. I guess I also have to be really comfortable with who I'm around. I know some people wouldn't appreciate my goofiness all the time, so I kinda cut it down at school.
One thing I try to add into my videos of me doing silly, humilating things, is Jesus. I usually add a Jesus loves you in there somewhere. Or I read out of the Bible acting like a grandmother reading to her grandson.
Whatever I decide to do with adding Jesus in, I'm completely serious. I don't joke about Jesus. I don't think it's very funny when people make fun of Jesus by saying they forgot to buy him a Christmas gift or that his party is going to be lame. What's so funny?
I have to wonder about this fanclub. It says in the description a bunch of things I've said in my videos and I wonder if it's for real. I wonder if they know I'm being sincere. I'm adding in Jesus because I know only God could have given me this talent for making silly videos. It's just a little way for me to say thank you.
I don't know if my Facebook friends take that seriously. I don't know if they know how serious of a Christian I am. I don't know if they realize Jesus is in there for a reason.
I may like to joke around in my videos and come up with silly ways to bring Jesus in, but I don't joke. I'm serious about Jesus. I'm serious when I say that Jesus loves you. Jesus loves all of us.
Jesus loves you! That's one of my mottos actually as you can tell with the title of this blog site. I love Jesus and I don't make fun of him. That would be like making fun of my fellow Christians, which is not cool to me.
Monday, December 22, 2008
'Tis the Season
'Tis the season for crazy amounts of snow, falalalala la la la la.
What? Isn't that how the song goes?
The above two pictures were taken last winter. The picture with the icicles is a view out my window of a normal winter in Michigan. I hate snow. It's a good thing I don't live up north in the upper peninsula. We had a snow day on Friday, which actually kinda made me mad. We had a horrible storm the night before though, so no surprise there. I actually like going to school though and wasn't too happy about having to stay home. Actually I just wanted to get my precalc quiz out of the way. Unfortunately that didn't happen. We have a lot of snow on the ground. It will definitely be a white Christmas for us. It's more white now than it was last year. The roads haven't really recovered from the snow yet either. Of course we did have gusts of wind yesterday throughout the day. That made it even more cold outside. As I'm writing this right now, my computer says that it's 5 degrees outside. That's really cold. Last night my computer told me it was 0 degrees. I'm really glad that I'm not out there.
The second picture, the snow angel, was from New Years Eve. Last year, we didn't get much snow around Christmas at all. But we did get a significant amount on New Years Eve. This picture was taken in my church's parking lot. Two of the guys in my youth group were out there drawing and writing on cars in the snow, so I thought I would go out and make a snow angel. I thought it was the perfect place for a snow angel to be. We had a very fun New Years party at my church last year. I don't think I was really looking forward to it, or maybe I was. However I was feeling, it didn't matter after the night ended, because I had a great time. On New Years Day, we went sledding at one of the guys' houses because he has a huge hill in his backyard. We even made a ramp. It was a great time.
So yeah, I just thought I would share those memories with you all whoever you may be. That way you get a little taste of what Michigan winters are like if you don't live in one of those wintry states. Or if you do live in one of these lovely wintry states, maybe you remember doing some of this stuff as a kid or teenager, like me. It was just something that was on my mind today.
Haven't done this in a while
I'm so bored today. Winter break just leaves me with plenty of boredom. So I got this idea. I haven't done any what ifs and have you evers in a while, so that's what I'm gonna do.
#335 What if you told your family about some struggles you are going through?
#335 What if you told your family about some struggles you are going through?
- That would go very interestingly. I don't know. I think they would be supportive of me. They would listen and give advice.
- I'd still be shorter than my little brother. I would even be shorter than my mom. I would probably be made fun of in jokingly by my friends. My brother would make fun of me in a not so nice way like he does today.
- Are you seriously going to ask this question? I have no idea what I would do. I'd probably take a nice vacation if it were in the summer to go visit some friends. But if it were during the school year, I would just go to school. Yes, I'm a school loving freak like that.
- Not that I can think of at the current moment. I probably have, but I just can't think of anything at the moment.
- Yes. I felt really jealous of them. But I've gotten over it now. It's not something worth being jealous over. Plus, I'm successful in my own way, so should I care what others are doing to be successful?
- I probably have, but once again I can't think of anything. My grandma used to love going to garage sales. She always bought me stuff. I have a few sculptures of animals that she gave me. She gave the stuff to me, which is what made it so special. I bet they were just little items that cost a couple cents. I still have some of the stuff she has bought me. I loved getting stuff from her from garage sales. That was a good childhood memory of mine.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
I Want to Be an Angel
You know, the ones with the halos, the wings, the ones that glow and wear white gowns, the ones that you'll probably see when you die.
No, get that image out of your head. No Precious Moments images.
Today was all about angels. We sang Angels We Have Heard on High (a personal favorite of mine, not because of the name thing again); Hark, the Herald Angels Sing (hark means listen, have your parents ever said that to you?); and Angels, from the Realms of Glory (this is pretty song). See? I told you we were talking about angels.
The sermon scripture I'm not going to type on here because it just encourages you I hope to go look it up in your Bible, but it's Luke 1:26-38.
I will tell you that it's about Gabriel's visit to Mary. Have you ever noticed that whenever an angel visits someone in the Bible, that they tell the person to not be afraid? Who wouldn't be afraid? If I had an experience like Mary's, I would probably freak out, maybe even wet my pants.
Did you know that "aggelos" means messenger, (one who) brings tidings? I just learned that today. It's an angel. Did you know we can all be angels? No, not the ones with halos and white gowns again. Hebrews 13:2 says this:
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
This reminds me of a song. Everything if you haven't noticed yet reminds me of music. This reminds me of the song Entertaining Angels by Newsboys. Here's their music video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4VFEwYHZiU
You never know when you might be entertaining an angel. And you also never know when you might be taking care of Jesus.
I think I want to be an angel. I think I want to be a messenger. I want to bring people messages by the sometimes small things I do. Whether it's by the movies I make, making fun of myself (I now have a fanpage group on Facebook that I just found out about yesterday, which really weirded me out) or helping people when they need it, I want to be an angel. One major difference between us and angels is something Steven Curtis Chapman has said:
"They'll tell me about Creation and I'll tell them the story of grace...I know things the angels only wish they knew."
We can be angels or messengers, but we know more than the angels up above will ever know. My advice to you today, is to go out into this world to spread the message any way you can.
No, get that image out of your head. No Precious Moments images.
Today was all about angels. We sang Angels We Have Heard on High (a personal favorite of mine, not because of the name thing again); Hark, the Herald Angels Sing (hark means listen, have your parents ever said that to you?); and Angels, from the Realms of Glory (this is pretty song). See? I told you we were talking about angels.
The sermon scripture I'm not going to type on here because it just encourages you I hope to go look it up in your Bible, but it's Luke 1:26-38.
I will tell you that it's about Gabriel's visit to Mary. Have you ever noticed that whenever an angel visits someone in the Bible, that they tell the person to not be afraid? Who wouldn't be afraid? If I had an experience like Mary's, I would probably freak out, maybe even wet my pants.
Did you know that "aggelos" means messenger, (one who) brings tidings? I just learned that today. It's an angel. Did you know we can all be angels? No, not the ones with halos and white gowns again. Hebrews 13:2 says this:
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
This reminds me of a song. Everything if you haven't noticed yet reminds me of music. This reminds me of the song Entertaining Angels by Newsboys. Here's their music video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4VFEwYHZiU
You never know when you might be entertaining an angel. And you also never know when you might be taking care of Jesus.
I think I want to be an angel. I think I want to be a messenger. I want to bring people messages by the sometimes small things I do. Whether it's by the movies I make, making fun of myself (I now have a fanpage group on Facebook that I just found out about yesterday, which really weirded me out) or helping people when they need it, I want to be an angel. One major difference between us and angels is something Steven Curtis Chapman has said:
"They'll tell me about Creation and I'll tell them the story of grace...I know things the angels only wish they knew."
We can be angels or messengers, but we know more than the angels up above will ever know. My advice to you today, is to go out into this world to spread the message any way you can.
The Christmas Story
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
No.
I want an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle! No, you'll shoot your eye out.
No, no, no.
When someone mentions the Christmas story, what do you think about? Do you think about the book or the movie of the two above? I'm familiar with them, but I don't call them The Christmas Story. This is the story of the reason for the season:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. "This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Yes, Jesus is definitely the reason for this season. By the way, this came out the gospel of Luke.
This is the story we read around one of the Christmas trees in the sanctuary during youth group on Wednesday. It really set the mood with the dimmed lights and only the glow of the Christmas tree. We read one verse per person a couple of times to read through the whole story.
You know how I was talking about O Holy Night? Well, I've now got one reason why it's one of my favorite songs and the favorite for this year. I'm changing. I've been changing since the Christmas of 2006. I'm just not the same anymore. And every year, I keep getting more and more sentimental. Presents are great, but I know they're just an added part of Christmas. Jesus is the reason we celebrate. It's his birthday. It is Christmas. Jesus has his name in the holiday.
When we read the Christmas story in youth group, I could feel the tears welling up. I think about Jesus being born in a manger and two songs with that. I think about Welcome To Our World by Michael W. Smith and While You Were Sleeping by Casting Crowns. Both are great songs, and I would encourage you to listen to them.
Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long awaited holy stranger
Make yourself at home
Please make yourself at home
This is from Welcome To Our World. We sang this at church today. I'm kinda sad that we didn't know then that it was Jesus and we made him sleep in a manger. It's as if we didn't have room for him.
Oh little town of Bethlehem
Looks like another silent night
Above your deep and dreamless sleep
A giant star lights up the sky
And while you're lying in the dark
There shines an everlasting light
For the King has left His throne
And is sleeping in a manger tonight
Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
For God became a man
And stepped into your world today
Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for it's King
While you were sleeping
While you were sleeping
This is While You Were Sleeping. This song almost has me crying right now. It's so pretty yet so sad. At the end of this song, they also talk about the United States. Are we gonna go down as a nation with no room for it's King as Bethlehem and Jerusalem have? I don't want to go down like that. I can't find the lyrics to the newer version of this song in Casting Crowns' newest Christmas album, but at one point it gives me shivers up my spine. And it kinda makes me sad.
Mary shivers in the cold trying to keep the Savior warm.
That's what I just got from the song. I can just imagine that. I can see a picture of Mary holding baby Jesus trying desperately to keep him warm in my mind. It's not the usual pictures you see of the Nativity of Jesus in the manger.
This year means a lot more to me than most other years have. Two years ago in 2006, I was just wondering where Christmas was because it didn't feel like Christmas to me. I still can't believe how fast this year has gone for me. I can't believe Christmas Eve is on Wednesday. I have so much to do before then. This year is just definitely different to me. I feel like Jesus means a lot more to me than he ever has.
And I'm so very thankful for Jesus giving up his place in Heaven for even just a short time to come save us from sin and to come as a baby. To even come as a human. To live among us. It just really amazes me. Thank You God for sending Jesus for everyone.
No.
I want an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle! No, you'll shoot your eye out.
No, no, no.
When someone mentions the Christmas story, what do you think about? Do you think about the book or the movie of the two above? I'm familiar with them, but I don't call them The Christmas Story. This is the story of the reason for the season:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. "This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Yes, Jesus is definitely the reason for this season. By the way, this came out the gospel of Luke.
This is the story we read around one of the Christmas trees in the sanctuary during youth group on Wednesday. It really set the mood with the dimmed lights and only the glow of the Christmas tree. We read one verse per person a couple of times to read through the whole story.
You know how I was talking about O Holy Night? Well, I've now got one reason why it's one of my favorite songs and the favorite for this year. I'm changing. I've been changing since the Christmas of 2006. I'm just not the same anymore. And every year, I keep getting more and more sentimental. Presents are great, but I know they're just an added part of Christmas. Jesus is the reason we celebrate. It's his birthday. It is Christmas. Jesus has his name in the holiday.
When we read the Christmas story in youth group, I could feel the tears welling up. I think about Jesus being born in a manger and two songs with that. I think about Welcome To Our World by Michael W. Smith and While You Were Sleeping by Casting Crowns. Both are great songs, and I would encourage you to listen to them.
Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long awaited holy stranger
Make yourself at home
Please make yourself at home
This is from Welcome To Our World. We sang this at church today. I'm kinda sad that we didn't know then that it was Jesus and we made him sleep in a manger. It's as if we didn't have room for him.
Oh little town of Bethlehem
Looks like another silent night
Above your deep and dreamless sleep
A giant star lights up the sky
And while you're lying in the dark
There shines an everlasting light
For the King has left His throne
And is sleeping in a manger tonight
Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
For God became a man
And stepped into your world today
Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for it's King
While you were sleeping
While you were sleeping
This is While You Were Sleeping. This song almost has me crying right now. It's so pretty yet so sad. At the end of this song, they also talk about the United States. Are we gonna go down as a nation with no room for it's King as Bethlehem and Jerusalem have? I don't want to go down like that. I can't find the lyrics to the newer version of this song in Casting Crowns' newest Christmas album, but at one point it gives me shivers up my spine. And it kinda makes me sad.
Mary shivers in the cold trying to keep the Savior warm.
That's what I just got from the song. I can just imagine that. I can see a picture of Mary holding baby Jesus trying desperately to keep him warm in my mind. It's not the usual pictures you see of the Nativity of Jesus in the manger.
This year means a lot more to me than most other years have. Two years ago in 2006, I was just wondering where Christmas was because it didn't feel like Christmas to me. I still can't believe how fast this year has gone for me. I can't believe Christmas Eve is on Wednesday. I have so much to do before then. This year is just definitely different to me. I feel like Jesus means a lot more to me than he ever has.
And I'm so very thankful for Jesus giving up his place in Heaven for even just a short time to come save us from sin and to come as a baby. To even come as a human. To live among us. It just really amazes me. Thank You God for sending Jesus for everyone.
This year's favorite Christmas song
If you didn't know this, I absolutely love music. I don't think I could live without it. I play flute, piccolo, and piano and I also sing in my church's choir. I have been playing flute for about 7 years, piccolo for 2 years, and piano for about 9 years. Piano is my all time favorite instrument.
This year, I quit taking flute lessons. It was just a pain to me and I'm not sticking with it in college, so why bother? However, I know piano will stick with me for as long as I live, so I've been taking piano lessons for 9 years from the same teacher, the pastor of my church.
Every year it seems that I come up with a Christmas song of the year. A few years ago, it was The First Noel. I don't remember what it was last year. But this year, it's O Holy Night.
I'm not really sure why I like this one so much now, but I do. I love playing it on piano and especially singing it. In fact, a few weeks ago, I was asked to play offertory for church and that's the song I chose.
I messed up on it, but messing up doesn't matter to me. I'm playing to God. So what if I mess up? It happens.
This year, I quit taking flute lessons. It was just a pain to me and I'm not sticking with it in college, so why bother? However, I know piano will stick with me for as long as I live, so I've been taking piano lessons for 9 years from the same teacher, the pastor of my church.
Every year it seems that I come up with a Christmas song of the year. A few years ago, it was The First Noel. I don't remember what it was last year. But this year, it's O Holy Night.
I'm not really sure why I like this one so much now, but I do. I love playing it on piano and especially singing it. In fact, a few weeks ago, I was asked to play offertory for church and that's the song I chose.
I messed up on it, but messing up doesn't matter to me. I'm playing to God. So what if I mess up? It happens.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Sweet Revenge
If you're reading this because you want to hear a good story about getting revenge on someone, then you're not at the right place. If you're reading this because you want to learn how to get revenge on someone, then you're also not in the right place and you should quit reading this. I don't do the whole revenge thing. It's better to forgive than get revenge. And I don't want to see anyone read this and then go get revenge on someone who wronged you. What would Jesus do? I can tell you this much, he probably wouldn't get revenge on someone who wronged him. I say this because Jesus was wronged a lot, but he didn't go get revenge on the people.
However I do have a question. What do you think is the fastest way to ruin a reputation?
I was thinking about this today. Do you have an answer? After consulting another person, Lindsay, I came to an answer (and you may not think that's many people). In our opinion the fastest way to ruin a reputation is by spreading a rumor.
Now consulting my other old youth pastor, Matt, a rumor can be true or false. But how can we know unless we're the ones spreading it?
Do we really want to be the ones spreading it? Do we want to be the ones believing what could be not true? Or do we want to hear rumors at all?
We're humans, of course, we're not perfect, so what's gonna happen? Rumors will be spread.
Rumors. I've had so many experiences with them. They're not fun.
Now looking through my Bible, I couldn't really find anything on rumors except two verses, so I went to the next best thing. Gossip.
What is the difference between gossip and spreading rumors? My mom said there was a difference, the dictionary said that there is basically no difference, and Matt said really there is no difference, yet there kinda is.
Gossip can be true or false. Rumors can be true or false. In my opinion, if you're gossiping about someone and you're not sure if it's true or not, then you might as well say you're spreading a rumor.
Now you probably wonder why I'm writing this. The whole rumor idea infested my mind today after lunch. You may recall my blog yesterday about my family situation. Yeah this rumor idea, comes from that situation. I'm hearing things about my family, which may or may not be true. Like I said yesterday, I believe my family.
I asked a friend today how my family was being rude at that dinner. You know what the answer I got was? She didn't know. She said only the server knew, but she wasn't willing to tell me who that was. Do I look like the kind of person who will go up and beat someone up for not answering me straight out? It's not like I would have known who this girl was. I just asked a question. That's all.
I'm starting to think that all of this is just a stupid rumor. I'm starting to think my family is just being gossiped about. And that's not cool. My mom asked me the other day if the whole school hates the family now. Guys, this isn't cool. I don't appreciate this feeling I get from all this.
Rumors are stupid, so do me a favor and stop them in their tracks before they go to far and really hurt someone.
And with that, I have a poem that I wrote in the 9th grade that I think kinda applies to this.
Secrets
Hidden words
Within the mind
Painful at times
Like playing keep away from everyone
Or maybe just someone
Trying hard not to hurt them
But it truly does hurt them
When will they ever end?
However I do have a question. What do you think is the fastest way to ruin a reputation?
I was thinking about this today. Do you have an answer? After consulting another person, Lindsay, I came to an answer (and you may not think that's many people). In our opinion the fastest way to ruin a reputation is by spreading a rumor.
Now consulting my other old youth pastor, Matt, a rumor can be true or false. But how can we know unless we're the ones spreading it?
Do we really want to be the ones spreading it? Do we want to be the ones believing what could be not true? Or do we want to hear rumors at all?
We're humans, of course, we're not perfect, so what's gonna happen? Rumors will be spread.
Rumors. I've had so many experiences with them. They're not fun.
Now looking through my Bible, I couldn't really find anything on rumors except two verses, so I went to the next best thing. Gossip.
What is the difference between gossip and spreading rumors? My mom said there was a difference, the dictionary said that there is basically no difference, and Matt said really there is no difference, yet there kinda is.
Gossip can be true or false. Rumors can be true or false. In my opinion, if you're gossiping about someone and you're not sure if it's true or not, then you might as well say you're spreading a rumor.
Now you probably wonder why I'm writing this. The whole rumor idea infested my mind today after lunch. You may recall my blog yesterday about my family situation. Yeah this rumor idea, comes from that situation. I'm hearing things about my family, which may or may not be true. Like I said yesterday, I believe my family.
I asked a friend today how my family was being rude at that dinner. You know what the answer I got was? She didn't know. She said only the server knew, but she wasn't willing to tell me who that was. Do I look like the kind of person who will go up and beat someone up for not answering me straight out? It's not like I would have known who this girl was. I just asked a question. That's all.
I'm starting to think that all of this is just a stupid rumor. I'm starting to think my family is just being gossiped about. And that's not cool. My mom asked me the other day if the whole school hates the family now. Guys, this isn't cool. I don't appreciate this feeling I get from all this.
Rumors are stupid, so do me a favor and stop them in their tracks before they go to far and really hurt someone.
And with that, I have a poem that I wrote in the 9th grade that I think kinda applies to this.
Secrets
Hidden words
Within the mind
Painful at times
Like playing keep away from everyone
Or maybe just someone
Trying hard not to hurt them
But it truly does hurt them
When will they ever end?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Friends or Family
Who would you choose to believe? Let me give you a situation for this.
Say your family went to a dinner of some sort that the high school was putting on that your sibling was in, but you didn't go because you had other things to do. Then you come to school on Monday and at least two of your friends tell you that your family was incredibly rude at the dinner. You go home and ask your family, and they don't believe it. And you don't even believe that your family would be rude. You go to school the next day and you ask your friends who told you this, how they knew it and they say that the girl waiting the table asked the director who was sitting at that table number. Who would you believe?
I'm at a fork in the road for this. This is a true situation that my family is having to deal with right now. We're not really sure why this is happening. By the way, I choose to believe my family.
I don't believe my family would be rude at such an event. They might criticize something later at home, but they won't say it to the faces of those at the dinner. I know that for a fact because I've experienced my parents doing that before. One thing you have to understand is that only two people at that table had been to that dinner. The rest of my family that went were new to the whole thing.
You might wonder why I choose to believe my family over my friends. I asked one of my old youth pastors Lindsay who she would choose and she said her family because in the end they're the only ones who won't turn their back on you. And if we don't have any friends, we have family and that's it.
Friends are gonna leave. That's such a true statement especially as we move away to college and stuff. Friends back stab each other all the time. Oh the memories I have of that.
Family will never leave you. No matter what you do or how bad you screw up, they won't leave you.
Does the Prodigal Son ring a bell to anyone? Do you know the story? If you don't, it's ok, I'll summarize it, but I think you should go to the Bible if you want all the details.
There was a man with two sons. The younger wanted his inheritance right away and soon after his father gave it to him, the younger son left the house. After he spent all his money, the country he was in had a famine, and he got to the point of being very needy. He got a job feeding pigs in a field and he was so hungry that he wanted to eat the slop that he fed the pigs. He decided to go back to his father. His father saw him coming from a long distance and was so happy, he ran to his son and hugged and kissed him. The father treated him like royalty.
It goes on from there, but like I said you'll have to go read it to get the full details.
So the younger son really messed up right? But when he came home, his family was still there for him.
Friends? Yeah, they're temporary (no offense to anyone at all). Family? Yeah they're permanent and will never leave you.
Friends or family? You choose. I know some will choose friends while others will choose their family. It's your choice and I can't change your choice, but I can give you my opinion and my outlook on life.
Who would you choose?
Say your family went to a dinner of some sort that the high school was putting on that your sibling was in, but you didn't go because you had other things to do. Then you come to school on Monday and at least two of your friends tell you that your family was incredibly rude at the dinner. You go home and ask your family, and they don't believe it. And you don't even believe that your family would be rude. You go to school the next day and you ask your friends who told you this, how they knew it and they say that the girl waiting the table asked the director who was sitting at that table number. Who would you believe?
I'm at a fork in the road for this. This is a true situation that my family is having to deal with right now. We're not really sure why this is happening. By the way, I choose to believe my family.
I don't believe my family would be rude at such an event. They might criticize something later at home, but they won't say it to the faces of those at the dinner. I know that for a fact because I've experienced my parents doing that before. One thing you have to understand is that only two people at that table had been to that dinner. The rest of my family that went were new to the whole thing.
You might wonder why I choose to believe my family over my friends. I asked one of my old youth pastors Lindsay who she would choose and she said her family because in the end they're the only ones who won't turn their back on you. And if we don't have any friends, we have family and that's it.
Friends are gonna leave. That's such a true statement especially as we move away to college and stuff. Friends back stab each other all the time. Oh the memories I have of that.
Family will never leave you. No matter what you do or how bad you screw up, they won't leave you.
Does the Prodigal Son ring a bell to anyone? Do you know the story? If you don't, it's ok, I'll summarize it, but I think you should go to the Bible if you want all the details.
There was a man with two sons. The younger wanted his inheritance right away and soon after his father gave it to him, the younger son left the house. After he spent all his money, the country he was in had a famine, and he got to the point of being very needy. He got a job feeding pigs in a field and he was so hungry that he wanted to eat the slop that he fed the pigs. He decided to go back to his father. His father saw him coming from a long distance and was so happy, he ran to his son and hugged and kissed him. The father treated him like royalty.
It goes on from there, but like I said you'll have to go read it to get the full details.
So the younger son really messed up right? But when he came home, his family was still there for him.
Friends? Yeah, they're temporary (no offense to anyone at all). Family? Yeah they're permanent and will never leave you.
Friends or family? You choose. I know some will choose friends while others will choose their family. It's your choice and I can't change your choice, but I can give you my opinion and my outlook on life.
Who would you choose?
Monday, December 15, 2008
Xmas
Come and get me Christmas linebacker. I'm so scared. I said Xmas. Ooh that's such a bad thing. You're probably wondering what I'm talking about. Let me explain.
I was watching a video today called Christmas Linebacker on a youth group video. I agreed with most of the stuff the guy talked about with Christmas being about Christ and not presents, but I didn't really agree with why he was tackling the people.
Sure, they had presents in hand and were shopping, but they weren't doing anything wrong by wearing shirts that said "Merry Xmas."
Last week my youth group took a Christmas quiz before we got into our lesson. You may have read about that already with the mistletoe question. But this time, I've got a different question that was asked on the quiz.
11. The spelling of Christmas as "Xmas" resulted from what?
a. Literacy rates in the U.S. dropping so low that people have difficulty spelling words over 6 letters long
b. Attempts to take Christ out of Christmas
c. The Greek word for Christ
d. X represents the cross on which Christ was crucified
e. The TV show Futurama
What do you think the answer is. Last week, I didn't know any better and so I chose b. Attempts to take Christ out of Christmas. Is that what you were thinking? It seems logical enough, but no, that's not the right answer.
The correct answer is actually c. The Greek word for Christ.
Xmas is just an abbreviation people use. Sometimes we're too lazy to write out the whole word. Admit you, you use abbreviations all the time especially when taking notes. If you won't admit to it, then I will. I like to abbreviate, but sometimes going back to what I abbreviated can be confusing.
I'm glad we all know what Xmas is; it's Christmas. If we didn't all know, this time of year might be very confusing. Oh hey, what is this holiday people are talking about, something about Xmas? Yep, same thing as Christmas. Remember Jesus is the reason for the season.
Oh yeah and feel free to check out the Christmas Linebacker right here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6dSMq3M1oQ
I was watching a video today called Christmas Linebacker on a youth group video. I agreed with most of the stuff the guy talked about with Christmas being about Christ and not presents, but I didn't really agree with why he was tackling the people.
Sure, they had presents in hand and were shopping, but they weren't doing anything wrong by wearing shirts that said "Merry Xmas."
Last week my youth group took a Christmas quiz before we got into our lesson. You may have read about that already with the mistletoe question. But this time, I've got a different question that was asked on the quiz.
11. The spelling of Christmas as "Xmas" resulted from what?
a. Literacy rates in the U.S. dropping so low that people have difficulty spelling words over 6 letters long
b. Attempts to take Christ out of Christmas
c. The Greek word for Christ
d. X represents the cross on which Christ was crucified
e. The TV show Futurama
What do you think the answer is. Last week, I didn't know any better and so I chose b. Attempts to take Christ out of Christmas. Is that what you were thinking? It seems logical enough, but no, that's not the right answer.
The correct answer is actually c. The Greek word for Christ.
Xmas is just an abbreviation people use. Sometimes we're too lazy to write out the whole word. Admit you, you use abbreviations all the time especially when taking notes. If you won't admit to it, then I will. I like to abbreviate, but sometimes going back to what I abbreviated can be confusing.
I'm glad we all know what Xmas is; it's Christmas. If we didn't all know, this time of year might be very confusing. Oh hey, what is this holiday people are talking about, something about Xmas? Yep, same thing as Christmas. Remember Jesus is the reason for the season.
Oh yeah and feel free to check out the Christmas Linebacker right here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6dSMq3M1oQ
Friday, December 12, 2008
Teens, scissors, and snowflakes
If you ask me, that can be a dangerous combination. Can you imagine a bunch of teens with scissors trying to make snowflakes?
I can. I was there. The snowflakes aren't dangerous, but giving us teens a bunch of scissors, now that's kinda dangerous. You know how teens can be especially the boys with rough housing. Thank goodness none of that happened on Wednesday.
The first thing we did in youth group on Wednesday was take a quiz, a Christmas quiz. This question had two of my friends and I cracking up:
4. How did the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe develop?
a. It is associated with a Scandinavian love goddess
b. Mistletoe makes your mouth pucker
c. It was used in druid wedding rituals
d. It was an old Jewish practice
e. None of the above
Can you guess which one we were laughing at and actually put as our answers. We are so mature sometimes. The 3 of us put b, but the answer was actually a. Of course, who knows, you all might have thought it was b too just like the rest of us.
After our quiz, we learned about snowflakes. Did you know that no 2 snowflakes are the same? In the same way, did you know that none of our fingers have the same exact finger print? Each one is different. Who creates humans? Who creates snowflakes?
There is one answer to that. The Creator of course. God! It's really cool and super amazing to think that God has so creativity.
No 2 snowflakes are the same. No 2 humans are the same (unless you're twins, but even twins are different). That wasn't really the point of the lesson though.
As we were making our snowflakes from specially printed out copies of snowflake making design thingys, we got the point of the lesson. Last week and actually for the last few weeks, we've been talking about jobs and what God wants for our lives.
We have free will, so we can do whatever we want pretty much. That's just about equal to cutting out a snowflake anyway you want to. Sometimes you make a mistake and your snowflake gets messed up. Sometimes that happens in real life. We make bad choices, which can mess up our life.
Have you ever made or tried to make a snowflake? Did you mess up? Did you find out later that the mess up was a good thing?
I think it's the same way with us humans. God has our lives planned out. When we mess up and take a slight detour, God can fix it. Sometimes making a mistake or messing up and taking a detour can be a good thing. God can fix it and the plan just goes on from there.
I think that's really cool. What about you?
I can. I was there. The snowflakes aren't dangerous, but giving us teens a bunch of scissors, now that's kinda dangerous. You know how teens can be especially the boys with rough housing. Thank goodness none of that happened on Wednesday.
The first thing we did in youth group on Wednesday was take a quiz, a Christmas quiz. This question had two of my friends and I cracking up:
4. How did the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe develop?
a. It is associated with a Scandinavian love goddess
b. Mistletoe makes your mouth pucker
c. It was used in druid wedding rituals
d. It was an old Jewish practice
e. None of the above
Can you guess which one we were laughing at and actually put as our answers. We are so mature sometimes. The 3 of us put b, but the answer was actually a. Of course, who knows, you all might have thought it was b too just like the rest of us.
After our quiz, we learned about snowflakes. Did you know that no 2 snowflakes are the same? In the same way, did you know that none of our fingers have the same exact finger print? Each one is different. Who creates humans? Who creates snowflakes?
There is one answer to that. The Creator of course. God! It's really cool and super amazing to think that God has so creativity.
No 2 snowflakes are the same. No 2 humans are the same (unless you're twins, but even twins are different). That wasn't really the point of the lesson though.
As we were making our snowflakes from specially printed out copies of snowflake making design thingys, we got the point of the lesson. Last week and actually for the last few weeks, we've been talking about jobs and what God wants for our lives.
We have free will, so we can do whatever we want pretty much. That's just about equal to cutting out a snowflake anyway you want to. Sometimes you make a mistake and your snowflake gets messed up. Sometimes that happens in real life. We make bad choices, which can mess up our life.
Have you ever made or tried to make a snowflake? Did you mess up? Did you find out later that the mess up was a good thing?
I think it's the same way with us humans. God has our lives planned out. When we mess up and take a slight detour, God can fix it. Sometimes making a mistake or messing up and taking a detour can be a good thing. God can fix it and the plan just goes on from there.
I think that's really cool. What about you?
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
So Misunderstood
Well, I got a couple of responses to the blog I wrote on Sunday. I didn't honestly think it would spark so much, but it seems to have lit a fire. I shouldn't assume such things though.
I guess I didn't think many people were reading my blog. Apparently I was wrong.
Of the two responses I've gotten, one of them was an apology and the other seemed to yell at me, but not in a bad way.
You don't need to apologize. I was simply getting out my frustrations of something that I've seen many times before. And I hate when it happens, but it does happen. I'm not really mad anymore. I got my frustrations out and I'm moving on and there's really no need to apologize.
Now the yelling I got kinda confused me. No offense, I guess I just wasn't expecting it. It really surprised me. It wasn't really yelling either, but it just wasn't something I was expecting. I don't doubt it. I know God is using me and no one can change that fact.
That's a problem with writing online sometimes. Sometimes people take what I write wrong and it just messes things up. The first one, the apology, is an example of that. It's much like a blog I wrote in February:
I guess I didn't think many people were reading my blog. Apparently I was wrong.
Of the two responses I've gotten, one of them was an apology and the other seemed to yell at me, but not in a bad way.
You don't need to apologize. I was simply getting out my frustrations of something that I've seen many times before. And I hate when it happens, but it does happen. I'm not really mad anymore. I got my frustrations out and I'm moving on and there's really no need to apologize.
Now the yelling I got kinda confused me. No offense, I guess I just wasn't expecting it. It really surprised me. It wasn't really yelling either, but it just wasn't something I was expecting. I don't doubt it. I know God is using me and no one can change that fact.
That's a problem with writing online sometimes. Sometimes people take what I write wrong and it just messes things up. The first one, the apology, is an example of that. It's much like a blog I wrote in February:
Happy Early Valentine's Day! | Feb 10 2008 9:38 PM
Due to the fact that I won't be on here on Thursday, I want to wish all a Happy Valentine's Day. I also don't have a sweetie that I'm going out with or anything. I don't understand guys really. Yet sometimes I think I'm too much like them, but anyways I don't have a boyfriend. And my friends kinda don't get it. They don't get the idea of me not dating in high school. I say, what's the point anyways? Do you see any guys asking me out? No, so why bother with boyfriends in high school?
I do have one true Valentine though. He would never let me down no matter what. And that Valentine is Jesus. So take that all you boys. I don't need you boys, I have Jesus!
Guys have lately been getting on my nerves. No offense, but most of them are pigs, dogs, and frogs in high school. All they care about is outer beauty. Well what about the rest of us, who don't have that special outer beauty (that all the guys look for), but instead that inner beauty?
I believe as much as everyone tells me this isn't true that I am actually really pretty, I feel I have that inner beauty. What is that inner beauty? I have no idea, but I know I don't have outer beauty. At least the outer beauty guys like to see. All my relatives say I look like my grandma (oh thanks guys, make me feel old) or my mom.
I've heard guys like curves. What girl doesn't have curves? But no I guess it has to be a certain curve. Guys are just annoying. They want too much of the beauty.
But hey, I'm who God made me and if no guy likes that, then tough because Jesus is my Valentine and he's the coolest of all the guys I know.
Next subject of my soapbox opera. Lol. No. Anyways. Raise your hand if you feel like you have no one to talk to in school. Do you have so called friends that don't talk to you? I am one of the ignored. I don't know what it is, but I get ignored at school. My locker buddies talk to me and stuff, but friends I thought I had don't really want to talk to me about anything during school. I have no clue what I did. They just don't talk and I even strike up a conversation with them all too.
It seems also that my youth group ignores me at school. Well scratch that, I have one or two that talk to me, but the feeling I get at school is a dreading type. I come from a kinda hard past. I was bullied a lot when I was 11. I didn't really go to friends houses much because I didn't want to. I've always no matter what it is, what class especially gym, I'm always the one who has had to go with a different group because they didn't have enough room for me. Yeah, that part is harsh. I'm not trying to be selfish with my youth group, but is it gonna kill anyone to go talk to the kid sitting alone? I'm not saying I sit alone because I don't, but what about the kids that do sit alone?
Is that how you wanna be remembered? As the person who always sat with your own group or worked with your close bunch of friends and didn't let your one "friend" join in. Is that what you want? Because we, the ignored, carry this pain and we hate it. But we're forgiving people, so we'll just forget it ever happened and go on with life hoping the friends we make tomorrow won't be so cruel.
I got a good talking to about this one. A lot of people had a field day with this. You know who you are, but I'm not getting you in trouble. It's no big deal. I'm over it and don't think you're in trouble this time because you're not. This is my reply to the people who had the field day with this blog:Gabbing | Feb 17 2008 10:37 PM
I got some good comments and some bad comments about last Sunday's post about Valentine's Day. No, I will not delete the blog because I was talking about Jesus anyways. I was not down, so don't even assume that I was upset. What upsets me right now, is the fact that people gab, gab, gab.
What is gabbing? It's gossip. And we know what gossip can do right? You may have read in some of older blogs that I don't trust easily. Hm, perhaps it has something to do with gossip. I don't know why I don't trust easily, but I'm starting to lose even more trust in people. You know something's wrong when I can only trust people who don't live in really close contact with me much.
Did I really sound down last week? Oh no, I'm not beautiful at all. I hate my life. It totally sucks. I'm gonna go get high to make myself feel better. Or maybe I'll go cut. Or maybe I'll drink or do some other drugs. Or maybe I'll starve myself. I'm so depressed. (By the way, don't think in any way that I am making fun of anyone because I'm not. I know real people do struggle with these problems. I'm just trying to get a point across.)
Okay, anyone who knows me, knows I'm not like that or should know it. I didn't say I wasn't beautiful. What I meant by what I had said was that guys can't see my beauty because they must be blind or something. I have this special inner beauty, which last night I was reading and I found a verse that goes perfectly well with my idea of inner beauty. I don't even need the outer beauty.
Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 1 Peter 3:4
No, I'm not depressed. I'm a little upset that my mom had a talk with me about being beautiful though. I'm not depressed. I'm not gonna get high except on life. I'm not gonna go cut. I'm not gonna drink or do drugs. I'm not gonna even starve myself. Why? Because I'm not the kind of person to get myself into that stuff.
Some of my family seem to fear that I'm gonna do a lot of stupid things, so they try to protect me like writing about beauty on my personal blog and how I don't really have the outer beauty. Tough luck, I ain't deleting the blog. I don't know any guys personally who read my blog anymore, so what if they think I have low confidence or low self-esteem? I don't care.
I don't want the protection of doing stupid things. Sure I want protection from nerve-racking things that I don't enjoy doing, but guys let's be serious, do you really think I'm gonna get into all the stuff I mentioned above? Adults I sometimes wonder if they really know what's best for us. I just wonder why they won't let us make our own mistakes because sometimes we need to make our own mistakes. We're teenagers, our lives are built on the mistakes we make.
Guess what? I'm not like my mom or any of my aunts when they were teenagers. Do you see me getting thinner? Do you see me drinking? Do you see me smoking? Am I taking drugs?
The answer is no. Why? Once again, I'm not the kind of person they all were or were not. I think I'm rising above and beyond. I'm not gonna give in and this might be misunderstood in so many ways, but someone told me recently that because I was and am being exposed to Jesus at such an age and especially when I was younger, I don't have the same values as the generation before me had. I'm in a new generation.
I'm a girl. Everyone should know that by now. I have certain emotions on certain days and those emotions can be good or bad. Last week, I was having a tough time dealing with some boys from my youth group. I'm glad to know I have friends though that care enough to get my emotions under control or morely to tell me it's not worth getting upset about. You know who you are.
Yo generations before me! I'll say this as nicely as I can. Stop your gabbing crazy gossip!!! Us of the new generation struggle as much as you do, but it's not helping us any to get over our problems with it. Be the change you want to see in the world.
Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Don't worry about where I go and what I do. Don't worry about the blogs I write on or the sites I visit. You shouldn't be worrying about me or anyone period. It takes up too much time. Why not let God take care of me? He is the one who is in control of my life, so don't push or pull me because I'm following a path that God has chosen for me.
So I reread this today and I was in awe. I couldn't believe that I wrote that. It was sweet! I especially love the comment I made about how teenagers lives are built on the mistakes we make. I don't know if I got that from a book or what, but I was so amazed by all this. It's cool.
So remember 1 Timothy 4:12. I'm not gonna forget that verse. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I don't have good insights. God is using all of us no matter who we are or how old we are.
2 years ago vs. Today
As I was sitting in first hour band class yesterday, I was thinking about the differences between the person I was two years ago and the person who sits here writing this blog today. I don't think it was really a spiritual thing I was thinking about. I was thinking about band.
I am currently in Wind Symphony, which is the better band at my school. Currently, I sit as second chair flute. Two years ago, I got 2nd chair in Concert band and I was so excited. Today I hate it. I have the same stand partner that I had then and she does not like to share.
I don't know if it's the girl or what that I just hate that chair. It could also be that I don't like playing the first flute part. I like the harmony part and that's not only because it's kinda easier. I like to play something different from everyone else. It's because I'm different.
You know I was also thinking about all this with some anxiety. I haven't taken this year's chair test and I'm not sure I will. I guess you could say that I have really bad senioritis and I don't feel like doing anything especially for band. This playing test is for a grade though. But I haven't really practiced is one problem and I haven't signed up for a time either. And I know my parents are gonna be even more upset with me than they currently are if I don't take that test. They're still a little upset about NHS.
Two years ago, I was so excited to take this chair test and last year I was ok with it, but this year I just don't care. It's kinda sad, but I think I'm just ready to get out of this class. I guess I'm ready to get out of high school too. Of course, 2 years ago I was a sophomore. In case you don't know what sophomore means, it's wise fool.
Now thinking about it on the spiritual track of things, 2 years ago and today were similar. Last year, I don't know what my problem was, but I was having such a bad year with my spirituality. It was just a season of no learning I guess, a season of no spiritual growth.
2 years ago, I really changed. You've probably heard me talk about all this before. But I seriously changed for the better. I don't like change a lot, but this change or transformation was amazing. My spiritual life was thriving and I was loving life (not saying I haven't enjoyed it since then). I loved hanging out with my youth group and our awesome youth pastors especially.
Then last year, I felt like I had lost all of it.
This year though is much similar to 2 years ago. 2 years ago, I wondered if all that I was feeling was real or if it was just because of my youth pastors. This year, I know it's for real. It's not fake, it's for real. It was real 2 years ago and it's real today.
Ok I think it's time for some fun.
#3 What if you could be invisible?
I am currently in Wind Symphony, which is the better band at my school. Currently, I sit as second chair flute. Two years ago, I got 2nd chair in Concert band and I was so excited. Today I hate it. I have the same stand partner that I had then and she does not like to share.
I don't know if it's the girl or what that I just hate that chair. It could also be that I don't like playing the first flute part. I like the harmony part and that's not only because it's kinda easier. I like to play something different from everyone else. It's because I'm different.
You know I was also thinking about all this with some anxiety. I haven't taken this year's chair test and I'm not sure I will. I guess you could say that I have really bad senioritis and I don't feel like doing anything especially for band. This playing test is for a grade though. But I haven't really practiced is one problem and I haven't signed up for a time either. And I know my parents are gonna be even more upset with me than they currently are if I don't take that test. They're still a little upset about NHS.
Two years ago, I was so excited to take this chair test and last year I was ok with it, but this year I just don't care. It's kinda sad, but I think I'm just ready to get out of this class. I guess I'm ready to get out of high school too. Of course, 2 years ago I was a sophomore. In case you don't know what sophomore means, it's wise fool.
Now thinking about it on the spiritual track of things, 2 years ago and today were similar. Last year, I don't know what my problem was, but I was having such a bad year with my spirituality. It was just a season of no learning I guess, a season of no spiritual growth.
2 years ago, I really changed. You've probably heard me talk about all this before. But I seriously changed for the better. I don't like change a lot, but this change or transformation was amazing. My spiritual life was thriving and I was loving life (not saying I haven't enjoyed it since then). I loved hanging out with my youth group and our awesome youth pastors especially.
Then last year, I felt like I had lost all of it.
This year though is much similar to 2 years ago. 2 years ago, I wondered if all that I was feeling was real or if it was just because of my youth pastors. This year, I know it's for real. It's not fake, it's for real. It was real 2 years ago and it's real today.
Ok I think it's time for some fun.
#3 What if you could be invisible?
- Sometimes I honestly wish I could be invisible. Sometimes I wonder if I'm invisible to those around me. My friend and I talked about doing a psychological test last year with me walking around with a piece of paper taped on my shirt saying that you can't see me and I'm invisible. That's probably not very ethical, but we thought it would be an interesting idea to try. I think I could hide very well if I had the ability to be invisible. It would probably be really cool sometimes.
- This is the perfect question for the month that it is. I was reading someone else's blog tonight and they were talking about guys dressed up as Santa Claus in the malls and I just thought to myself, "Santa's not real?!" I was joking of course. I've known that for a long time. My parents broke my heart with that one. Well if I were Santa, I would love to deliver the toys. I think it's better to give than to receive. Santa's workshop would probably be amazing, but I wouldn't want to keep all the toys for myself. There are kids out there who are way more deserving.
- If I could live anywhere in the world, I would probably stay right where I am even though Michigan's economy is in a rut right now. My economics teacher has hopes that we'll all stay in Michigan, but because of the rut this state is in, most are trying to get out of this place. It's kinda sad. I would kinda like to live somewhere a little warmer though. I hate winter!
- I probably have. I can't think of a particular time right now though. Are we talking about extended family or just house family? I think I tend to feel closest to family when I know I won't see them for a while like for example if my parents go on vacation. I worry about them. I do tell them that I worry and I'll miss them.
- It's probable. But does dead animal count? Because dead animal is pretty rank. One time, my hamster died under the couch and we didn't realize it and it smelled so bad for the longest time. It was disgusting.
- I have never surfed. Does a boogie board count though? I did boogie board when I was in South Carolina. It was cool. I didn't very much like the extreme ways in some parts and I really didn't like the idea that we were swimming with sharks. I got to hold a baby shark and a crab on that vacation. Boogie boarding was a lot of fun though.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Teenagers are a...
Nuisance.
Of all the words that could go there, I chose this one. If you've thought this before, then I would say you're probably not alone in thinking this. I'm sure there are plenty of adults who've thought this before.
Let me talk to the teens here. I may be 18, but have you noticed what is at the end of that number? Yeah, it's teen. So yeah, I'm still a teen. Besides what adult would think that I'm an adult? Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt like adults think you're too smart? Or maybe you've felt as if adults don't care what you're saying. I hate when I feel as if adults aren't listening to what I have to say. I hate when they think I'm too smart. I can't help it that when I get bored I Google things to find out about things.
Now adults. Can you cut us a break? It's hard being a teen if you don't remember, which some of you might not. We're dealing with many pressures here and we don't need you to add on to the pressure. We can't help it if we're being a smart alec. Some of us really do like to look up things on the internet. Most of us act this way, like we're smarter than you because our brains aren't developed yet and probably won't be until we're in our 20s. Could you just listen to us?
You know how everyone has a different perspective of how they see things? Infants don't think the same as toddlers. Toddlers don't think the same as children. Children don't think the same as teens. And teens definitely have a different perspective than adults.
This I learned in psychology. Sometimes my teacher would make a certain face and someone in class would ask if she were mad or something. But she was only thinking and she was perfectly fine. Teens, we see things different from adults and we probably explain things in an even more different way.
Today I went to a different Sunday school class for all sorts of ages. I was in the middle of explaining how I felt about a certain quote by C.S. Lewis. The quote was: "always December but never Christmas." I referenced a song by Relient K because they sing that it's always winter but never Christmas. I was probably wrong to assume the others would get what I was talking about though because someone raised their hand and explained it exactly the way I meant it.
I just felt so annoyed by that older adult saying that. It makes me think of 1 Timothy 4:12.
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.
It drives me crazy when adults look down on us. What's worse is when people who work with us teens look down on us. If those who work with us feel we're such nuisances, then why do you work with us? Why do you help us with stuff if we're so annoying? Are you just trying to be a good Christian by helping us?
I know adults are supposed to be the smart ones and this could be my still developing brain, but sometimes it feels like the adults are the ones being smart alecs. Don't tell us how to do something in a snooty, bragging sort of way because we're either not going to learn it or we're not going to want to learn it.
You all realize that Jesus likes children right? Teens are considered children because we're obviously not adults yet. Adults, what would Jesus do? I think that's the question we all should be asking. I don't think Jesus would call teenagers nuisances. The Bible says children are a gift from God.
As for those of you adults who actually like to hang out with us and get to know us, I want to say thank you. I know you are the ones who probably never grew up and that's ok because you totally fit in with us teens. Thank you for making a difference in our lives. Thank you for challenging us to build stronger relationships with God every day?
I'm not going to say that all adults are wimps or that adults are wimps at all. But I think it takes a courageous person with a patient heart to want to teach a bunch of crazy teenagers.
Of all the words that could go there, I chose this one. If you've thought this before, then I would say you're probably not alone in thinking this. I'm sure there are plenty of adults who've thought this before.
Let me talk to the teens here. I may be 18, but have you noticed what is at the end of that number? Yeah, it's teen. So yeah, I'm still a teen. Besides what adult would think that I'm an adult? Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt like adults think you're too smart? Or maybe you've felt as if adults don't care what you're saying. I hate when I feel as if adults aren't listening to what I have to say. I hate when they think I'm too smart. I can't help it that when I get bored I Google things to find out about things.
Now adults. Can you cut us a break? It's hard being a teen if you don't remember, which some of you might not. We're dealing with many pressures here and we don't need you to add on to the pressure. We can't help it if we're being a smart alec. Some of us really do like to look up things on the internet. Most of us act this way, like we're smarter than you because our brains aren't developed yet and probably won't be until we're in our 20s. Could you just listen to us?
You know how everyone has a different perspective of how they see things? Infants don't think the same as toddlers. Toddlers don't think the same as children. Children don't think the same as teens. And teens definitely have a different perspective than adults.
This I learned in psychology. Sometimes my teacher would make a certain face and someone in class would ask if she were mad or something. But she was only thinking and she was perfectly fine. Teens, we see things different from adults and we probably explain things in an even more different way.
Today I went to a different Sunday school class for all sorts of ages. I was in the middle of explaining how I felt about a certain quote by C.S. Lewis. The quote was: "always December but never Christmas." I referenced a song by Relient K because they sing that it's always winter but never Christmas. I was probably wrong to assume the others would get what I was talking about though because someone raised their hand and explained it exactly the way I meant it.
I just felt so annoyed by that older adult saying that. It makes me think of 1 Timothy 4:12.
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.
It drives me crazy when adults look down on us. What's worse is when people who work with us teens look down on us. If those who work with us feel we're such nuisances, then why do you work with us? Why do you help us with stuff if we're so annoying? Are you just trying to be a good Christian by helping us?
I know adults are supposed to be the smart ones and this could be my still developing brain, but sometimes it feels like the adults are the ones being smart alecs. Don't tell us how to do something in a snooty, bragging sort of way because we're either not going to learn it or we're not going to want to learn it.
You all realize that Jesus likes children right? Teens are considered children because we're obviously not adults yet. Adults, what would Jesus do? I think that's the question we all should be asking. I don't think Jesus would call teenagers nuisances. The Bible says children are a gift from God.
As for those of you adults who actually like to hang out with us and get to know us, I want to say thank you. I know you are the ones who probably never grew up and that's ok because you totally fit in with us teens. Thank you for making a difference in our lives. Thank you for challenging us to build stronger relationships with God every day?
I'm not going to say that all adults are wimps or that adults are wimps at all. But I think it takes a courageous person with a patient heart to want to teach a bunch of crazy teenagers.
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