The Ultimate Gift

Once upon a time 2011 years ago, a baby was born. He was born in a manger because the inn was full. He was surrounded by animals and his crib was a manger....
This isn't a normal fairytale beginning, nor is it a fairytale. It is much better than that. It is the story of Jesus' birth. With 20 days till Christmas, the bustle of the holiday has begun and it is far too easy to forget this precious baby in the commotion of shopping and singing. Instead we remember "old St. Nick" and have "visions of sugar plums" dance in our heads. We get caught up in confusion, greed, and worry; while the poor child is forgotten. We are all hunting for the perfect gift to give and writing lists of all the goodies we wish to receive. We forget that the perfect gift was given to us already.
That baby was not like any other child. He came to live the perfect life and die a cruel death, just for us. We get hung up in toys and jewels; but in the end, are those things worth any more then the precious life that was sacrificed for your sake? We are so lucky for the love and grace that child brought us that cold winter night yet that is the first thing forgotten every Christmas morning while we unwrap gifts that we will forget before the year ends.
I encourage everyone this Christmas to not forget the infant whose birthday is the reason for all the lights and presents. Instead, keep remembering the ultimate gift that was given 2011 years ago. Don't keep this gift to yourself either. Spread the joy and love this year with everyone.

Think Twice

Yesterday my parents were watching Glenn Beck. I happened to look over to see what he was talking about that day and saw the guest couple on the show. At this time, I had no idea that this couple were burn survivors; they had been in an airplane crash that ended in flames, they barely made it out alive. My first thoughts upon seeing the woman's marred face was how displeasing she was to the eye. I thought of all the other, prettier, females that could have been on the Glenn Beck program. My next reaction was to compare myself to her. The gratification of being pretty in comparison, however, was short lived. The woman displayed such soundness of character and faith in God, that I was utterly ashamed of the darkness in my heart that had caused me to even think of comparing myself to such a wonderful creation of God.
 As humans, we often find ourselves being compared to or comparing ourselves to others. At home, at school, even at church, we find ourselves being bombarded by the standards formed by the world around us. This is especially true amongst teenage girls. In magazines and TV we are taught to try to be better than everyone else: to be smarter, prettier, more intelligent, more successful. It is only natural then for us to compare and even bully others. The source of bullying is not because a person is mean-hearted, like common belief says, but rather because the insecurity caused by modern media. The problem is not that all girls are mean and viciously rude, instead it is that all girls are taught to be insecure of themselves.
What, then, is the solution to bullying? Is it finding the bullies and giving them a "taste of their own medicine"? Do we punish people for their insecurity? I believe this problem can only be reversed one person at a time, starting with you. I encourage you to think twice before you speak. Words are very powerful. I also encourage you to join me in an effort to think better of our fellow men and women. When you think a degrading thought of someone, think of two uplifting things about that person. Not only will this decrease the amount of bullying, but also increase the security of others and ourselves. Please leave comments if this has helped you in any way or if you want to join the effort to end bullying.

Make Lemonade

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." It's easier said than done. For every teenager, life is a mix of drama, good times, and not-so-good times. The "lemons" vary from person to person. No matter what it is, it's still pretty sour. How do you take that "lemon", dilute it, and add a spoon full of sugar to the situation?
 First, pray about the situation. It may not be as bad as it seems. Even if it still seems like your walls are crashing down, God is there watching out for you. O.K. Since we've diluted it, now it's time to add the sugar. Everyone knows the best thing in the world is love. This step will tie into the diluting process, because God has the only true love. You can look to guys or things to bring joy in your life, but those things are only going to be temporary happiness. You and your boyfriend will argue, and your stuff will break. God is the best thing to fill the hole in your life.
So there you have it: the solution to making the best of your situation. I know life may suck sometimes, but hang in there. There is always hope. Now lets do a quick recap:

* Pray and see how bad your situation really is. If it still seems too hard to handle, God is there helping you along the way
* Get joy in your life (the real kind)
* Stir and you've got yourself some lemonade.

Pursuing Passion

     I find it absolutely amazing, and quite frankly i find it vexing, how few of my generation seek a passion and how many fewer follow it. The most dominate passion of the teens and young adults is having fun and living life to, what they call, the fullest. Whether "fullest" to them means drugs, alcohol, or thrills differs between person to person, but very rarely do they mean a worthwhile thing that will bring true satisfaction to their life. "Live for the moment" is a phrase I hear frequently, but what if the moment's pleasures bring me pain tomorrow?
      My personal passion is music. Particularly the playing and/or writing of it. I find boundless satisfaction at perfecting a trying piece or finishing a meaningful song. Others may find their passion in acting, writing, painting, or simply helping others. No passion is of less importance or less affecting than another. Artists, doctors, and engineers all make a great contribute to society and can use their work to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many people do find their passion and abandon it for a more profitable career. Most of these people later regret leaving what they love. If what you do actually interests or excites you, then how much more would you enjoy life?
        Maybe I am wrong. I would like to be proven to that the majority of the youth in this fine country have passion and pursue it. It would very much interest me to see what your passion is and how you intend to pursue it. Comment below =)

Reaching Perfection

It's so easy to get caught up in the world's system. It's easy to be self-centered, uncaring, and vain. The important thing is to remember who you are; not what everyone tells you to be. You are perfect just the way you are. You don't need to change a thing. You will never reach the world's standard of "perfect". As soon as you get close, the bar gets raised. Why spend your time trying to be something you're not? Don't let any one stand in your way. When I was younger, I was tall and awkward. My nicknames (within my family) were: toothpick, giraffe, freak-of-nature, nerd, and four-eyes. Each one of those names stung. Who wants to hear that your a freak from your own family? (you must realize that my family had no intention of being rude or mean. They did not mean to injure my pride, it was just who they were)  I was very scarred from this and spent the next years of my life trying to become "cool". I succeded in that, but I would have been much happier staying who I was. It's hard to be made fun of, but I've come to realize that it doesn't matter what others think or say. I am perfect just the way I am. If you don't like it, then that's your problem.

Follow Your Dreams

Everyone has a dream. Wheter it is to be teacher, moviestar, scientist, or just a mom, you have a dream. Sometimes dreams seem distant and out of reach, but don't give up. When the world says "you can't", tell the world that it's dead wrong. Everything is possible. You just can't sit down and give up. If Thomas Edison just gave up, we wouldn't have lights. If Benjamin Franklin had given up, then we wouldn't have electricity. If our founding fathers had given up, we wouldn't have America. All these people had hard times and I'm sure all of them wanted to give up at one point. The important thing is that they didn't. They stuck with it through good times and bad. Sometimes it seems pointless to follow your dream. It seems like if you just give up, it wouldn't mean anything and it would save a lot of time and effort,  but it could affect the whole future of our nation. If you are in a hard time, leave a comment. I have dreams too, just like everyone. My dream seems so far away right now, but I know that if I give up, I will never forgive myself. Follow your dreams. Don't give up. Defy all expectations and excell beyond your wildest dreams. Nothing is impossible.

It's Tough

Listening to my parents talk about the "good old days" makes me pretty jealous. I wish I could say life was easy, that living day to day was like a walk on the beach. Unfortunately I can't, and I doubt there are many people who can. As an example, emotions seem to cause a lot of trouble amongst us teenagers. One day he loves you, the next he's on to that other pretty girl. One second you're sure you want to be with him for the rest of your life, the next, you aren't quite so sure. We laugh, we cry, we hope, we despair. It's a never ending cycle of feelings. Don't worry. There is hope.
Once apon a time, 2011 years ago, a baby was born who would save the world. You all know about the story of Jesus, but did you know that when He died, he took all our sins away? That same loving man wishes to help you bear the burdens that you carry. Whether it is heartbreak, loneliness, depression; He is wanting to ease your load if you let Him. Dont push Him aside. Embrace Him and let Him help you. It doesn't matter where you've been, where you will go. He is always there for you.