Day 10

Today I feel compelled to write about talents. Everyone has at least one talent, but not everyone uses them. You don't have to be the best at something for it to be considered a talent.

The forest would be a lot quieter if only the best birds sang

     Why don't people use their talents? Not using a talent is like being given the world's biggest and best T.V. for free, but never using it. It's just collecting dust. Use your talents for good! For example, if you have the gift of singing, sing for a charity or a worthy cause. Be bold! Don't be selfish and keep everything to yourself. Using your talent can brighten someones day or even save someone's life. If you have a big mouth, be an inspirational speaker. If you're a people person, invite people over and make them feel welcome. Whatever your talent is, use it not only for yourself, but for others.

Day 9: Spring

     Spring is finally here! I love Spring. It's a time when the harsh, cold Winter is stopped in it's tracks and it is defeated by the warmth and joy of Spring. Spring is a chance for new growth and bird tweets and blossoming flowers. If you don't believe me, just open the door and take a whiff of the fresh air. For most of us, it's hard not to be cheered up by Spring.
     So, this Spring, i have decided to be more like Spring. I want to be that person that everyone wants to be around because they're a "whiff of fresh air". I want to be that person that cheers someone up, that can change their mood entirely. I've been working on being more positive, an I admit, it has been hard at times. You see, I'm a really sarcastic person, so I'm not really the type of person who will smile and laugh with you; not naturally at least. But sometime you have to do things that you aren't naturally good at.
     If everyone made the effort to be kind to one another, even when it was difficult and they aren't naturally good at it, think of what a more unified world we would live in. So, right now, commit to doing something encouraging all through spring. With the flowers, let yourself fully bloom.

Day 8

This post is going to be about a tough subject that most people don't like to think about: Death. A friend of mine recently lost her mother to death, from the incurable disease of cancer. She hasn't been to school for the past week and she doesn't know what to do. She has to be strong for her little sister, but she needs someone to be strong for her, too. She needs "a shoulder to cry on."

     Most people fear death because they fear the unknown. Others don't fear death, they fear how death takes them. So what do you do when death takes a loved one? You mourn, and you cry until there are no more tears left inside of you. You get angy, go into depression, go through a phase of denial or shock, wonder why death couldn't have taken you instead, there are hundreds of different ways to handle a loss.But, eventually, you have to move on. Wasting your life because someone else lost theirs is not going to help you, the person who passed away, or anyone around you.

     Though it is difficult to understand, I believe that without struggles, the good times wouldn't be as good. I believe that every tragedy can be used for good. In the case of death, you can sympathize with someone who is facing the same situation you are. You can understand what they're going through, and you know how to handle it. I'm not saying that bad things are good. I'm saying that bad things can be used for good.


This blog has recieved 200+ views!
     I would just like to take a moment to share my amazement of how this blog has grown. I get excited just to see that one person has viewed the blog, let alone 200 people! I am excited to see how this blog will impact people, and if it has already impacted you, I would love to hear how. You can post it in comments. I really don't know how I have gotten this many views, because I have only told a few friends about this blog, yet somehow, word has spread all over the place. I have recieved, at this time, 205 views. 174 of those views are from the USA, 14 from Canada, 12 from Russia, 3 from the Ukraine, and 2 from Germany. This blog is read internatinally! It just blows my mind that my humble little blog in the USA could impact someone in Germany or the Ukraine! Thank you to everyone who reads this blog, it means a lot to me.

Day 7

     Today, I went running with my brother. While we were running, I had a lot of time to think, and I came to the conclusion that running tested you physically,(of course) but it mostly tested your will power. Many times during our run, I wanted to stop and just take a break, but because I'm stubborn (a blessing and a curse) I kept running through the pain, because I believed that I could make it all the way to my goal, and I did. Sometimes we all go through those dark, painful parts of life, but if we keep running through the pain, we will make it to our goal. If you really believe that you can do something, you can. Henry Ford said it like this:

"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." -Henry Ford

I love this quote because it really motivates you to believe in yourself, which sounds cheesy, but it's true. If you believe you can change the world, and you work hard for it, you can. If you believe that you can run and win a marathon, you can. If you don't believe you can change the world, you won't. It's the sad truth that most people just give up when it's "too hard". Where as, if they kept going, they could have done something important with their life that might go down in history. Have you been doubting yourself about anything? Doubting yourself doesn't help you gain anything what-so-ever, but believing in yourself does help you gain something, even if it's only a little confidence. And a little confidence can go a long way.

Day 6

     I spent this weekend at my Grandparent's house this weekend so that my family could go to my Uncle's surprise birthday party. While I was there, I got to see my two cousins. The birthday party was more like a family reunion, and it was nice to see everyone. We all played football (tackle of course) in the backyard, and my hot pink pants ended up covered with mud, right before we took pictures.
     It was just very nice to get away from reality for a while and just relax. It was fun to just bond with family, laugh, and have a good time. Family is VERY important. If everything goes wrong, you always have family. I'm not saying that being a big, happy family is easy, it's definately not, but it's worth the extra work. If you're having family problems, try to fix them. Don't make excuses.

"It won't make a difference"
 "Sally May won't make an effort"
"It will just be awkward"

It doesn't matter. If you try, at least you will go home satisfied. Your effort might even inspire whoever you're having problems with to make an effort, and fix your relationship.

Day 5: Kony 2012

     I watched this video yesterday (and cried a lot about it) and today at school, almost everyone was talking about it. Basically, Joseph Kony is a man who live is Uganda. Kony kidnaps children, and forces them to kill their parents, and then they have no choice but to fight for him. Kony then turns the girls into sex slaves, and the boys into troops in his army. Kony has hundreds of thousands of children in his army. Many of them say that they would rather die than be kept on Earth, because in Heaven, they would be with their parents. When Kony hears a child talking like this, or possible trying to escape, he forces the other children to mutilate their face and torture them. The worst part is that he has no motive. He isn't fighting against anything, he isn't fighting for anything. he's just fighting to fight. I have written this to make Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest (quoted from the Kony 2012 campaign).
     This is the world we live in, one of pain and suffering. I want to do all that I can to change that. I do not want to live in a world where people fight with no motive. I don't want to live in a world where a child is Uganda goes to sleep every night, wondering if Kony will get them. I don't want to live in a world where children are forced to kill those closest to them. There is only one option to live in a better world. We have to change it.

Day 4

     Since I am currently rebelling against society, I would like to write about a big issue with teens: Drugs. Teens are expected to be interested in drugs and, of course, get addicted to them. All the while, the same adults that expect teens to be addicted are also telling them not to try them. See a problem? I do. Let's start today's topic off with a story.

    Aaron was a very intelligent fourth grader. Aarion made good grades, but still managed to make lots of friends. He was the class clown and the most popular boy in fourth grade. In eighth grade, Aaron decided to start doing drugs. He became addicted and in ninth grade, he was sent to a special school for kids with drg addictions. Today, Aaron's wife hires people to take care of him because his brain and body can no longer function correctly due to the drugs he took in eighth grade.

     Why would someone do this to themselves? I can only think of one reason, and that is to rebel. Rebelling against adults. But think about it. Aaron's rebelling cost him his life. Aaron went from the intelligent class clown to someone who can't even think straight. Aaron has no job and no independence. What happened to his "friends" who were doing drugs with him? They left him when he got messed up. His friends no longer know or care about him because they're trying to scrape up money. These friends have ruined their lives and Aaron's life. So why do drugs? There's a simple answer: Don't.





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Day 3

     On the ride home I saw a woman walking a large dog that was wearing a jacket. When I thought about it, it was actually really sad. Why? Well, my thoughts always somehow connect back to poverty. I don't know why, I'm just wired that way. Anyway, I thought about the people who didn't have jackets, out there freezing somehwhere. It feels like there's something jabbing into my heart when I think about this one fact:

We treat our dogs better than our people.

     Think about it. It's true isn't it? We give our dogs food, shelter, warmth, and most importantly, love.
But when I look out the car window, I see homeless people shivering beneath their thin jackets, with painfully thin bodies. I see them walk from car to car, asking for money just so they can eat. I watch with tear-filled eyes as people shake their heads. If someone saw a dog in that condition, I know for a fact that by the end of the day, that dog would be in a shelter or have a new home. Why not treat these people at least equal of a dog? Could these wealthy people, drving to a mall, planning on spending money, really not spend five dollars on this homeless person begging for money? Would they rather buy some cute shoes than save a life? Sadly, I find that this fact is true for many people, particularly Americans.
     I know that there are some very giving and selfless Americans, but that percentage is very little compared to the selfish people that contaminate this country.
     It's very easy to get caught up in American culture. Isn't it sad to think that the good people are the ones who "aren't doing anything bad"? We have come to accept that not doing anything bad is equal to being good. It's not. Being good is doing good things, not just avoiding bad things. Wouldn't it be a better world if people were appreciated for what they do instead of what they don't do?

"She doesn't smoke."
"She doesn't watch R-rated movies.."
"She doesn't drink."

I hate these phrases. They only say what you don't do, not what you do. Who actually wants to be known for what they don't do? I would much rather be known for what I do.

"She is very respectful."
"She is always helping others."
"She earns money for orphans."

These are much more important than what you don't do. I want to earn "do's" not "don'ts". I have decided to rebel against the world's low expectations. Will you?

Day 2

     Yesterday, I went to the mall with my mom to shop for some clothes. Everything was going fine until I was hit by a wave of guilt. There I was, spending $100+ on clothes and shoes, while somewhere in the world, a child is on the streets begging for money, so that he or she can afford their next meal. I want to do something to help. I will do something to help. I have been thinking about starting a charity for children in Africa. Why Africa? Well, God has been pressing my mind and my heart about Africa, and I am planning to follow his word.

     Yesterday, I also learned about a horrible situation a girl I know from school is in. Her mother has colon cancer and the ambulance came to get her yesterday. Her father told her that he didn't think Mommy was coming home. To make matters worse, this girl's sister is only eight years old. Her world is going to be shattered. This family does not know God.
     As I was thinking about this situation yesterday, it broke my heart. With tears running down my face, I thought about my life without my mom. My mom is my guidance, my mentor, my hope, my encouragement. I could go on and on forever. I can't imagine not recieving her hugs, her giggles, and that mischeivious sparkle in her eyes. Please pray for this family. Every prayer counts.

Day 1: World Changer

     I am your every day girl. I go to school, I play sports, I have sleepovers, and I'm just a little bit crazy. But, there is something different about me that sets me apart from your usual girl: I want to change the world. It's an insane thought, and I've earned countless blank stares and snickers when I shared this with my friends. I don't care. I refuse to accept that every three seconds, a child dies simply because of the fact that they don't have to medicines I do (quoted from Brad Pitt). I will not accept that every day 24,000 children die. I will not accept that where you are born has the power to decide how long you live. I know the journey ahead of me is a long, windy, and somewhat painful trail, but I am prepared to make it to the end of that road, even if that means taking baby steps.