BOLD

This past year, I have not only finished another semester at college, I have learned so much more than what type of rock the ocean floor is made of, or that it is possible, without practice to present a thirty minute presentation by myself which was meant for a group of three. I will have more posts about school later on and I can't wait to share them. I have learned a lot this pass year and not just in academics. I am trying to be open and honest with you here and it's kinda scary but here it goes. I hope this post provides a bit of challenge yet at the same time encourages. It has done both for me and I hope does the same for you. 

enjoy

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What does it mean to be and act bold. 

I mean realistically. Now. At Work. Home. School

I don't  mean dying your hair a bright colors or wearing a unique outfit. 

I think God meant something entirely different in the word when he told Joshua, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

It took courage and boldness for Joshua to lead the Israelites to the land God had promised them and to stay faithful to God.

In the previous verse, God tells Joshua to obey the instructions (Ten Commandments) He gave to Moses.  He tells Joshua to "turn neither left or right" and not to deviate from them in any way. Three times in Joshua 1, God reminds Joshua to be strong and courageous. The last time, he adds, "do not be afraid or discouraged.

Like Joshua, God has given us, His children, lots of commands. For example, Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse - Romans 12:14,  "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31

The commands that God gives are noteasy to carry out and are impossible when we try to achieve them on our own.

He know this.

Like Joshua and the Isrealites, it is easy to loose site of the fact that God does not leave us alone to attempt the impossible. 

He is with us.

Multiple times, God tells Joshua not to be afraid and to follow him.

Those promises hold true for us, his children, as well.

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father" (Matthew 5:13-16).

We are called to be light and salt to the world. We do that by reaching out to those around us, sharing with them the love that God gave us. We are not called to blend in, to be like salt that lacks flavor.

In Philippians 1:20, Paul states, "For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die."

"Bold for Christ."

Many times, God's command for us to live in a way that honors him calls us to be bold. To, often times step out of our comfort zone and trust him.

It takes God to truly be bold.

What keeps people back from really stepping out in faith and loving a complete stranger?

Fear? Fear of being rejected by peers because of your beliefs? Fear of making a mistake or somehow not speaking clear enough? 

There are so many excuses I can find in my own life but I thing it boils down to simply not trusting God will keep His word that He will not only be with us but will give us the grace and strength to do His will.

Stepping out of the norm and doing what God calls me to do takes strength only He can provide.

However, God does not leave us imperfect people alone—so easily overcome by fear.

He commands us to "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

Again, God tells Joshua to not be afraid. To have assurance, calmness, cheer, confidence, contentment, encouragement, faith, happiness, joy, trust, comfort, love, to be brave, and take courage. All of these words antonyms for fear.

Why? Because God is with him.

God is with us as well.

"...With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).

Easy? No.

But with God on our side, who should be satisfied with doing the bare minimum when one can do the impossible?

This is a pep talk to myself. 

I hope by sharing this some of you can not only relate but also be encouraged.

My second year at college has brought changes to my life relatively early: big changes including a new semester with new classes and new situations, something all students face. It has also brought the passing of my dear Grandpa. I realized being too consumed and filling myself with just stuff, such as being extremely focused on school and not setting aside time to study the Bible but instead set aside time to check Facebook or catch on other projects, just to name a few, were distancing me from God. My mind was more focused on dealing with the difficulties or pleasures that presented themselves at the moment, and had lost sight of the big picture, that all of this, the good and the bad, had been given to me by God for a reason. A good one, unknown to me at the time. 

I am reminded of a quote by C.S. Lewis that states, “God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons we could not learn in any other way.” 

I was experiencing a low point in my life as I had allow other things, besides God, take up my time. It was really hurting me but through this process, I learned the importance of setting aside time for God. That I need him, even when things are going well, and especially when things are difficult. Even when I don’t feel like I have enough time in a school day to set aside time for him. It is ultimately about priorities, not how much time I have.

   

I became aware I had poured too much time and energy into school and family affairs, both of which where good but should not consume my life. I had not put aside time to seek God.

Furthermore, I realized I was trying too hard to be and stay comfortable. In trying to keep myself safe, I missed opportunities to reach out to others. To see my classmates and offer a word of encouragement or simply ask how their day was going.

I wanted to change, and yet at the same time, fear was trying to hold me back, so I prayed God would change my heart and make me bold.

Answering that prayer, He gave me the desire and courage to step out and take the initiative, even though it was extremely hard at times.

It still is. In fact, it is an on going process with ups and downs.

Ultimately, as I have started to focus more on God and less on myself, I can reach out to others and try to encourage them. This makes my day.

God has slowly been helping me get over the fear of what peers think of me, especially when I state my beliefs, which I had to opportunity to do in one of my classes.

I am slowly getting over the fear of being the "odd one out,” to not hide behind my phone, but instead go up and appreciate the artwork of another student.

It is so simple. It seems easy. But it can be so difficult to do.

It is totally worth it.

I ask again: what does it mean to be and act bold?

Wherever you are, you have the opportunity to be the first one to introduce yourself to a person in line or a fellow student and to break the ice. That is a huge step.

Get to know the people around you.

Reach out to them, take an interest in them, and "...Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15). This, too, is a work in progress.

Don't just hope "being a good Christian and living like it" will be enough. Don't make the same mistake I have. Don't choose the easy way. Pray for God’s grace and strength for every situation.

God is with you.

Go be Bold.

Gifts- To One Thousand and Beyond

When you are younger, it seems like you wait "forever" for your birthday to come around. You expectantly wait for the gift you specifically asked for or the special outing you will be going on marking your special day. 

God is good. 

He doesn't wait till it's our birthday to give us gifts, big ones or little ones. Another word for gifts could be blessings and God showers us with them daily. But do we remember that on those days that we get nothing done, or when a catastrophe happens? It can be hard to find reasons to thank God when we don't see the innumerable ways He has blessed us. It can be difficult when we are surrounded by things weighing us down or when things look hopeless.

Recently, I read a book called "One Thousand Gifts" which I have mentioned in a previous post. This book is all about finding joy in the midst of difficulty or even the mundane. But the key word is Joy. One very practical exercise Ann Voskamp suggests is to write down blessings in your life.

Ex. 

88. leftovers for lunch
333.laughter over silly things
261. breeze and shade on a warm day

634. warm sunshine on the carpet
1078. generous gifts from friends
1082. talks with Daddy
these are some things that I have written down in my blessings journal.

Often, in the business of life I sometimes forget to thank friends who went out of their way to simply check on me or thanking a teacher for taking the time to explain what they meant further. More often, I forget to simply thank God who has not only blessed me with these gifts but who has also saved me and loves me.

The least I can do is thank Him.

So I try to actively look for things to be thankful for and write them down in my journal or a piece of paper. The more I do it and look for things to be thankful for the easier it gets but the pressure should not be on being consistent. It is so rewarding to look back and see all the ways God has graciously been so good to me.

The nice thing is, it's quick and simple.

I would like to occasionally share a couple things from my expanding list on this blog and I would challenge you to do the same in your own way, private or public.

This brilliang idea came from this book: 1000Gifts-Ann Voskamp

Summary and Responce On a Big Issue

So I haven't talked much about college life recently.

I thought I would give you my paper which I recently wrote to chew on. 

        

Recently, in my college English class, I had to read this article,  "We Do Abortions Here" by Sallie Tisdale. We were given a couple different options from the articles we read to summarize and respond to.

        At first, I decided I would write on this and disagree with her standpoint. Later on, I thought I would choose a "easier" topic but after starting to write it felt that God wanted to challenge me to do something that was not only hard from a writing standpoint but also to challenge what my beliefs were regarding this issue. It is not every day that you to publicly state your opinion on such a topic. So I took a leap of faith, got out of my comfort zone, and wrote. I know there are things I didn't cover and a lot of things I could have said differently or worded better, but hopefully what I wrote does not detract from the thesis I was supposed to answer and the main point I am trying to make.

 

      So here is what I wrote. The main purpose of a summary and res ponce essay is pretty much what it sounds like. You summarize what the author writes about, leaving out your own personal opinion, and then in the response the writer is able to agree/disagree, talk about a point the author may not have covered ect.

       

        enjoy

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Dirty Work

            Abortion. This word, causing a variety of emotions, carries many different meanings. To some, it is murder and to others, the ability to exercise freedom of choice. An extremely touchy and controversial topic, it is one of the most fought for and fought against rights in today’s society. In her essay, “We do Abortions Here,” Tisdale shares her experience as a nurse working in an abortion clinic, addressing her thoughts and ideas on the subject and though I respect her opinions and choice, I have to disagree with her arguments for supporting abortion and pro-choice.

Tisdale begins her story by stating her clinic does abortions. In the clinic where she works, Tisdale goes through the motions of checking in a girl of eighteen, taking her blood pressure, and noticing the numerous prick marks of drug needles on her arm. She then prepares her patient for the abortion. Noting that many people often ask her how she stands the work, Tisdale says that it is the bond she is able to create and the support she can give to the woman who come that makes her work enjoyable most of the time. Enjoying the female company, she embraces the opportunity to offer support to these woman when they most need it. Tisdale stating that, “I look at abortion as if I am standing on a cliff with a telescope, gazing at some great vista,” (378) is enabled to put the horrors and her own feelings aside to help women as “in abortion the absolute must always be tempered by the contextual” (378).This means the abortions must be qualified for each individual situation and the context of it must be looked at in order to make a proper analysis of the situation. She practices this idea by stating that abortion is a broken promise to protect and nourish, but a broken promise a long time ago and she is just a part of helping to relive the weight of that already broken promise.

Tisdale remembers her younger days and how she grew up with the “protection” of birth control and the freedom it gave her to live as she wanted. Looking back she realized it was stupid to put herself in such danger when pregnancy was so easy to avoid. The problem with these pills, Tisdale points out, is that they fail more often than people now. Even after all precautions are taken, “fine print comes to life” (378) states Tisdale and the warnings that this drug may not completely protect one from becoming pregnant come true. This is the same conclusion that woman, of all different ages, backgrounds, and walks of life, come to when they realized they unintentionally become pregnant.

As her narrative progresses, Tisdale explains the various procedures that women undergo. Early on in the pregnancy, “a couple minutes of vacuuming” (378) is all it takes and the woman is free to go. Later in the trimester, the doctor reaches in and crushes the fetus in several places with forceps. The woman respond in various ways during the procedure. Some tear from the pain and others give a sigh of relief. After the procedure is complete, Tisdale neatly disposes of the “tissue” and cleans up. In her narrative, she explains that each person working in an abortion clinic draw their own boundaries, some at after a certain week and others if a woman has repeated abortions. Her boundary is not to allow the women to carry the burden themselves and not judge them by their decision.

Coming to the end of her story, Tisdale states that she knows the feeling of a baby in her arms, and yet when she sees the little one in the ultra sound, she cannot let it alone. She points out that a “fetus is created by accident” and “are at least inconvenient, sometimes quite literally dangerous in the womb, but most often they fall somewhere in between – consequence never quite believed in come to roost” (382). After seeing many abortions, Tisdale sees the fruit of broken promises yet also the promise of freedom. She believes that although it is dirty work, abortion, if done right is merciful and necessary.

After reading Tisdale’s essay and becoming more educated in what happens at abortion clinics, I have come to realize there is more to the abortion than the just the procedure. Ever since I was young I have had a love for children. Though I have grown older and realize the various reasons why people would consider abortion to be acceptable, I feel there is ultimately no way to justify it as it eliminates the babies rights to live, and goes against what I believe is right.

One of the first points that Tisdale makes that I would argue with is that “abortion is a matter of choice, privacy, control” (380). This statement, particularly the word choice, does not seem to fit today’s ideas of freedom. Our society is leaning more towards woman’s rights and equality for all women to choose to vote and obtain higher positions. This is great, but that also allows them the freedom to choose whether or not to have an abortion. What those who are for woman’s right’s do not now is that they are not speaking for all women. They are not speak out specifically for the “fetus” or baby girl that, if given the chance, would grow into a woman herself one day and possibly further the woman’s cause, making a difference in the world. It seems that there is still prejudice against those who lack a voice but who are no less important. There is something that keeps people from killing adults who are malformed or handicapped and yet why are defenseless babies not also protected. The safest place for anyone should be in the womb, yet is the number one cause of death in America today (Suzanne Eovaldi). According to Tisdale, even those who participate in these medical procedures admit that doing abortions are not just another task but creates in them emotions and those doctors will create their own boundaries which they choose not cross. There is then a sense of moral wrong, which is put in every person, that causes them to not take life away from a more formed baby and yet that does not stop people from taking life away from a less formed baby or a baby born with “defects.” People today are being allowed to pick and choose who is worthy to live, simply due to their whims and justify doing so depending on the situation. There is too much freedom and choice given to people in this area which often times leads to the death of one who did not have any choice or control over the situation.

As far as  “the promise of freedom” (382) in abortion goes, not supporting abortion does not hijack the woman’s right to choice but rather supports the babies right to live, which every human being has. When a woman realizes she is pregnant, she is not faced with just one option. She can decide to carry the baby and raise it or give the baby to an adoption agency and therefore still has choices. For those who have been wrongly mistreated and raped, who only make up one percent (U.S. Abortion Statistics), these options still stand.  As extremely difficult as is to continue to carry the baby under these circumstances, women and those who fight for pro-choice need to remember that it was not the babies fault for being concepted and therefore  the baby should not bear the weight of  other’s actions and face murder. In aborting the baby, the woman is in a sense letting the man win by getting rid of the evidence of his mistreatment of her in the end, killing an innocent baby is not going to take away the hurt caused and will not reverse what happen. However, by carrying the baby to full term and putting them up for adoption, a pregnant mother is giving the priceless gift of a new life to a family who has no hope of having their own child and also providing the child with a loving, supportive family. She also gives the baby a chance to live and in doing so is able to bring a happy ending to a terrible circumstance.

To end, abortion is a weighty topic as Tisdale excellently pointed out in her essay, “We do Abortions Here.” Because she brought up some points I disagreed with, I was positively challenged to consider why I had a problem with abortion. This topic is relevant to everyone who reads it whether or not they are pro-life or pro-choice. People need to be informed of the facts of abortion and the reasons for why it still exists because it does still exists today and deals with the critical issue of death. Although there seem to be three different types of people, pro-choice, pro-life, and those who do not pick a side, there are really there are two groups: pro-choice and pro-life. Those who are neutral need to be careful as, in their not speaking out against this issue, they are allowing abortion to continue and inadvertently supporting pro-choice. For those who support pro-choice, they should remember abortion is not just a simple choice or a freedom issue but rather the difference between life and death for another human being.

Works Cited

      Suzanne Eovaldi. "Stunning Report: Abortion Leading Cause Of Death In America." Western Journalism. N.p., 30 Dec. 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2014.

Tisdale, Sallie. "We Do Abortions Here: A Nurse's Story." The Norton Reader. 13 edition. Marilyn Moller, et al. New York: W.W. Norton  & Company, 2012. 377-284. Print.

"U.S. Abortion Statistics." Facts About Abortion:. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2014.

Key To Driving

Recently, having to write a research paper, the topic being on driving, I came up with quite a few thoughts. However, they would not all work in my paper, so I wrote a satire. Unlike the first time I wrote one, this is a big longer but the theme remains the same. Driving. It was a nice break from in-text citing and be verb eliminating and gave me a nice two hour break. 

It is of course, not to be taken seriously and I cannot be held responsible if any teen attempts to follow these points and fails due to reading this(:

Enjoy,

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The Key To Driving

                                            The teen manual on how to obtain a driver’s license and keep it

Driving is a universal fad among teens. Status is measured not only by what grade you’re in but if you can drive and thus be independent. So how does one become a successful driving teen? Well, it starts with a successful argument.

At a young age many people learn how to make an argument with their parents so effective that they will inevitable get what they want. This type of method is one of the best ways of accomplishing anything a teen could ever want. So here are the steps for convincing the parent. First, a teen should start to sympathize with the amount of work his or her parents have and so make it a point to not only show how much they need her help but how willing she is to give it. Pointing things out like, “I can grocery shop for you” or “take my siblings to their soccer practices” the teen will now be getting more attention on the subject. After thoroughly convincing both parents of the necessity to drive, she can then very casually hint of her needing a car, as there would be absolutely no other way of accomplishing these tasks. By this time, parents will certainly agree to all of the valid points the teen has brought up and will state that it is time for the teen to start driver’s Ed.

Fast forward a couple months and the teen not only has finished the driver’s Ed class but is ready to take the written test. The teen must make sure to fail the test completely the first and second time so that they can understand the answers to the rules on the test, as the correct ones are circled. However, passing the third test is crucial. Once the teen has obtained her permit, she must make sure to practice only a couples times before the test if at all to allow her to savor the joy of passing the written test. Putting into practice what one has learned only makes young drivers more uptight about the driving test as they feel they must remember everything they have learned. Nothing could be worse than a nervous driver.

When the big day comes, don’t worry about coming in early (like many recommend) since you will be waiting in line for three hours anyway. When you are in the car with your instructor, make sure to only do what they say at the last minute. For example, when the instructor says to turn right at the light, you wait until you are in the middle of the intersection to turn right, surprising your instructor and making his or her day. They will love you for this as many of them have had this job for years and are in need of some excitement. You don’t need to worry about getting too many things wrong because as long as you do not do the obvious such as, run a red light or hit a person, you will pass.

The ticket to success is to get a speeding ticket within the first week of obtaining one’s driver’s license. This will insure that you will not only be popular with your friends and parents but also with the police. Since, at this point the teen is a licensed driver, they must practice all the necessary things excellent drivers flawlessly execute. Texting is vital and one must be able to do it quickly and discreetly wherever they are from the class room to the restaurant. Cars are no exception. If a teen has been overly popular with the police they may need to be cautious about showing their iPhone texting skills but not to worry. As long as their car has illegally tinted windows all will be well.

Driving should be an enjoyable experience from the beginning. Teens need all the help they can get when beginning to drive. Just remembering that a good strong argument is the beginning of a great driving experience, will help any teen along the road to freedom and popularity.

A Satirical Piece

One of my favorite things I have been assigned to write in my English class is a satirical piece. A satire basically pokes fun at something that the writer believes is a problem.The purpose of this piece is to be funny while point out the flaws, off course without being mean. I chose to write about bad drivers. I came at it from a perspective that seems to take the side of the driver while showing why they are kinda dangerous.

Enjoy

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Car crash…two cars totaled

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Police say she ran a red light and was putting on makeup while changing the radio and talking on the phone. Thirty-four year old Dara Masson didn’t have time to stop when she glanced up and saw the light turn red. “It happened all so suddenly, I had absolutely no time to react,” she says. Luckily, no one was killed but a red pick-up and a Chevy were totaled in this catastrophic accident. “This is an example of why we need to crack down on phone laws and maybe even add a few more cameras,” deputy sheriff Robert Tims says.  

What people do not realize is that distracted drivers are not a problem at all. Sure there are minor problems caused by pre-occupied drivers, such as car wrecks and an occasionally death, but why can’t they get some credit for all the positive effects their driving has on society?

Take for example revenue. Everyone knows how much debt America has found itself in. It needs money. That is where distracted drivers come in. The more people on cellphones the more tickets police can issue, helping the police hit their ticket quotas at the end of each month, not to mention the big bucks hospitals rake in from all those injured drivers. What about the mortuaries? Suddenly these not so popular businesses bustle with activity and their services “wanted.” Money circulates and everyone benefits.

            For those bored drivers who think they have seen everything after driving for twenty years, it’s time to wake up. The more distractions a driver has, the more challenging it is for other drivers to stay on the road in one piece. When coffee just does not do it anymore, and quick thinking has fallen asleep, it is time to ask talented drivers to do the impossible; multi task. Suddenly, reflexes are being tested, horns to be touched a little bit more often, and what seems to have been monotony of every day driving, has suddenly become entertainment for others.

            One who sees a woman putting on eye liner at a stop sign might believe she has a case of procrastination since she could have done that at home. However, she really saves time by doing this essential task in the car, since she probably stayed up late to help her son with homework and more importantly spent time with him. So why not do two things at the same time if it frees one up to do what really matters. What could be better -  showing up to work looking amazing and being able to put on one’s resume, one’s ability to multi task not only in the office but on a commute.  

            Distracted drivers should not be reprimanded for displaying their talents in such a glorious way, but rather should be encouraged to continue doing the things they do best. Devices to help paint nails and tie shoes are in order. For these special people, driving becomes a way to express themselves and not only enables them to show their creativity at work or at home, but also on the move, taking it to a new level. Think about it, when added up, the benefits that come from distracted drivers far out ways the negative consequences they bring to society.