I graduated eight grade from a small private school. When I say small I mean two hundred students, pre-school through eight grade. Small. I never would have thought that three years later I would be back, mentoring seventh and eight grade girls.
How can I be a mentor? I have no idea what I should be doing (or not doing). I'm only sixteen! How am I supposed to help middle schoolers when I don't even know how to help myself?
By setting a Christlike example.
As I was watching these girls, trying to remember names and faces and getting to know them, I realized how amazing they are. We were standing around the fire in a circle doing a popcorn prayer. One after the other, they began to pour out their hearts to God, sometimes interrupting each other because they all wanted a chance to pray. I know I didn't have the courage in eight grade to pray out loud, I'm not even sure I'm always brave enough now.
I want to do right by these girls. I want to be able to set a good example. I want them to be able to ask the questions that I was too afraid to ask going into high school, about what it would be like. I want to be able to tell them the truth.
So I'm going to be watching myself more carefully, judging my actions with more scrutiny, all while remembering that no one is perfect except God. So I'll turn to him, he who is always ready to forgive and always perfect, I'll turn to him for the answers, and hope that I have the patience to await his response.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
With(out) Feeling
I listen to the radio all the time. My favorite station is 89.1 or Air1; they always seem to play the right song at the right time.
The afternoon host, Brant, has his own blog, Brant's Blog (creative, I know). As I was reading a few of his posts I stumbled across Blessed are the Spiritually Bankrupt. I was instantly curious, of course.
He begins by talking about how great the feeling is when you can feel God right there, when you know he is with you and he never left you and he never will leave you. You think, "Wow, Brant, I wish I could feel that way," as he goes on to explain is thinking the exact same thing.
Now wait, this is a Christian radio host. He should be having God moments all the time! Apparently this isn't so. He calls himself spiritually bankrupt. Spiritually bankrupt, not because he doesn't believe, not because he doesn't love God, but because he just hasn't felt him. And he knows he isn't the only one out there.
And so do I, because I'm out there too.
I've had a few God moments. It truly is amazing to know that the Creator of the universe is speaking to you! However, I don't feel spiritual, like I supposedly should.
The definition of spiritual is relating to the spirit or soul and not to physical nature or matter; intangible, untouchable. But God isn't untouchable.
You don't have to be spiritual to be a Child of God. You don't have to get swept up in the moment of "powerful worship." If you aren't comfortable with worshipping, still participate, but also worship God in your own way. Worship doesn't mean just singing; you could play an instrument, dance, write a novel even, as long as it is worshipful to God.
Maybe even my friends, the ones who I look up to spiritually (and physically), my friends who I trust to always be in the "right" with God, maybe they aren't really spiritual either.
But they know he's there. And that's all that matters.
The afternoon host, Brant, has his own blog, Brant's Blog (creative, I know). As I was reading a few of his posts I stumbled across Blessed are the Spiritually Bankrupt. I was instantly curious, of course.
He begins by talking about how great the feeling is when you can feel God right there, when you know he is with you and he never left you and he never will leave you. You think, "Wow, Brant, I wish I could feel that way," as he goes on to explain is thinking the exact same thing.
Now wait, this is a Christian radio host. He should be having God moments all the time! Apparently this isn't so. He calls himself spiritually bankrupt. Spiritually bankrupt, not because he doesn't believe, not because he doesn't love God, but because he just hasn't felt him. And he knows he isn't the only one out there.
And so do I, because I'm out there too.
I've had a few God moments. It truly is amazing to know that the Creator of the universe is speaking to you! However, I don't feel spiritual, like I supposedly should.
The definition of spiritual is relating to the spirit or soul and not to physical nature or matter; intangible, untouchable. But God isn't untouchable.
You don't have to be spiritual to be a Child of God. You don't have to get swept up in the moment of "powerful worship." If you aren't comfortable with worshipping, still participate, but also worship God in your own way. Worship doesn't mean just singing; you could play an instrument, dance, write a novel even, as long as it is worshipful to God.
Maybe even my friends, the ones who I look up to spiritually (and physically), my friends who I trust to always be in the "right" with God, maybe they aren't really spiritual either.
But they know he's there. And that's all that matters.
Re-Defining Heathy
In 1861 Lillian Russel was born. During her lifetime she not only became an actress and singer, but also became known as "one of the most beautiful women on the American stage" (obituary from the New York Times, 1922). During the time of her life when she was most famous she weighed two-hundred pounds and was beautiful because of her "curvaceous figure."
Yeah, two hundred pounds! And people loved her for it! How is it that a hundred years ago that was seen to be a healthy weight when now a healthy weight is half that at six foot two. Russel's weight was a sign of her health and she was not seen as obese.
Are we not tired of wanting to look skinnier? Are we not tired comparing ourselves to others? Are we not tired of looking in the mirror and wanting to crawl back into bed?
Lie: If you are thin than you are healthy and "fit."
Truth: Being skinny does not mean you're healthy. People who are active and "overweight" may be healthier than those who are thin and sedentary.
Everything in the media - television shows, magazines, movies - they tell us it isn't okay to be a healthy weight, that we can never be happy with the way we look. It's like our society is pro-eating disorder.
You know, because it doesn't matter if you die young, as long as you die skinny!
Kate Moss, British "anti-supermodel," was quoted in a fashion magazine, Women's Wear Daily. She said, "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." I'm pretty sure my chocolate bar tastes better than looking like a stick.
I came across this blog, Thinspiration. I scrolled through hundreds of pictures of anorexic girls, all ribs and hip bones and skeleton legs. Why is it that I couldn't help wanting to be as skinny as them? Dangerously skinny.
I have drawn the conclusion that the way "skinny" is viewed in society today began in the nineteenth century. Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quatelet was a Belgian mathematician in the early eighteen hundreds. He graduated from the University of Ghent with a doctorate in mathematics and afterwards began to study "social sciences." A firm believer of statistics, Quatelet discovered the "Quatelet Index," better known as your body mass index (BMI).
To measure BMI you measure your height and weight. You divide your weight (in kilograms) by your height (in meters squared) and voila!, you now know your BMI.
BMI is the statistic of how healthy you are. On the scale, if an adult has a BMI of over twenty five they are overweight, if your BMI is over thirty, you're obese, and if it's over forty, you are classified as extremely obese. (Notice the word "classified," like an animal.)
However, the BMI system is flawed. By standardizing weight and height you overlook bone structure, the thickness of skin, and the obvious, whether the person you are categorizing as fat is male or female. Insurance companies began to use this in the nineteen hundreds as a way of deciding how healthy you are for their own selfish reasons and were able to collect more money from those who were "overweight."
As of March 2011, scientists have begun to replace BMI with a system called body adiposity index (BAI). This new way of measuring relies on waist and hip measurements and takes into account whether the person is male or female and if they are of a different ethnicity.
Instead of focusing so much on our appearances, let's put our time and effort into staying healthy. Don't put it off until tomorrow, start today! Put down that bag of potato chips, turn off the computer, and go outside. It's a beautiful day! Your time is now to feel beautiful.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
The Name Game
I love names. I believe that your name takes a big role in defining who you are or who you will become; maybe it describes who you want to strive to be.
I love looking up definitions of people's names and looking for comparisons in their name and in who they are. How is it that parents are so accurate when they name their children?
In the book God Girl, by Hayley DiMarco, it has the definition of grace from the Tyndale Bible Dictionary.
Grace: the dimension of divine activity that enables God to confront human indifference and rebellion with an inexhaustible capacity to forgive and to bless. God is gracious in action.
Wow. That's a lot of power in one word. I pray to God that I can live up to my name.
How do you think the definition of your name describes who you are as a Child of God?
I love looking up definitions of people's names and looking for comparisons in their name and in who they are. How is it that parents are so accurate when they name their children?
In the book God Girl, by Hayley DiMarco, it has the definition of grace from the Tyndale Bible Dictionary.
Grace: the dimension of divine activity that enables God to confront human indifference and rebellion with an inexhaustible capacity to forgive and to bless. God is gracious in action.
Wow. That's a lot of power in one word. I pray to God that I can live up to my name.
How do you think the definition of your name describes who you are as a Child of God?
Friday, October 7, 2011
College Student for the Weekend!
It is never too early to start looking at colleges. There are so many colleges out there and so many factors influencing your decision that I decided to begin visiting college campus' . . . last weekend.
Red Carpet Days is a college visit for sophomores and juniors at Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois. It was nothing like I expected. And now you're going to ask me "What did you expect it to be like?"
My answer to that, "Don't ask!" I honestly don't know what I expected; I just know I didn't expect that.
And that is what I am going to tell you about.
Let me tell you that riding in a fifteen-passenger van, all females, for four hours, it gets pretty crazy. On the way there we stopped three times, mostly for food. Miraculously, we arrived at ONU. I expected to feel an immediate sense of belonging when we drove through the campus gate. I didn't really feel anything, so that was a little disappointing.
We were warmly welcomed by at the front desk as we found our activities packet and map. The really cool thing about being there was that we were able to stay in the freshman dorms, and I know that it really helped me picture myself living there someday.
After we were assigned our rooms we gathered up our many belongings we plodded to our rooms. As we walked through the corridor, one by one, we each found where we would stay the night. I was staying with a friend and we were both eager to meet the freshmen we would be rooming with for the night. When we arrived there was a note on the door, welcoming us and inviting us to make ourselves comfortable.
So we did. Our luggage was everywhere, and once we couldn't hardly walk across the floor of the tiny dormitory we headed back out to eat lunch in the cafeteria.
Not going to lie, it was a little intimidating walking through the cafeteria doors and eating with the college students. And there was so much food! At my high school we have about five choices for lunch; here there were twice that many, and it was all you can eat. My mom said that's why they call it freshman fifteen.
When our stomachs were sufficiently filled, we all left the cafeteria and split up to attend different college classes. I attended a language class and a speaking class.
The language class was pretty interesting. The way they "discussed" wasn't much different from the conversations that we have in AP Lang, except they were God-based. I was surprised to find that I understood everything they were talking about, and was even able to answer a few questions.
I didn't actually mean to walk into a speech class. I have no interest in public speaking what-so-ever, but it proved beneficial. The teacher grouped us in with the college students and we were able to complete an outline for a paper about "How to Successfully be a Freshman." I was proud of myself for being able to contribute to the thesis statement.
During the third class period we went on a tour of the campus instead. It was so much fun to be able to just hang out with my girls and dream about attending Olivet someday. It really is a beautiful campus and all of the buildings are up-to-date, which is fantastic.
All the visiting high school students ate dinner together and were able to meet advisors of the college. When we had finished eating we loaded onto buses and hung out at this PlanetX/YMCA place. It was boring until we decided to play volleyball, then it got intense. We had a lot of fun getting to know the other students visiting Olivet and just getting to know each other better.
Saturday morning we woke up way too early and ate a way too big breakfast in the cafeteria with our way cool freshman dorm-mates. Afterwards, we wandered around campus until it was time for service.
An Olivet football game brought an end to our adventure, if only for the weekend. Maybe in a few years we will all find each other there again, living in the freshman dorms, and finding our place in life. Maybe not.
All weekend I was waiting to hear God's voice, telling me that this was where I belong. While I'm still searching, I know that when I find the right place, the decision won't be hard and God will always provide.
Red Carpet Days is a college visit for sophomores and juniors at Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois. It was nothing like I expected. And now you're going to ask me "What did you expect it to be like?"
My answer to that, "Don't ask!" I honestly don't know what I expected; I just know I didn't expect that.
And that is what I am going to tell you about.
Let me tell you that riding in a fifteen-passenger van, all females, for four hours, it gets pretty crazy. On the way there we stopped three times, mostly for food. Miraculously, we arrived at ONU. I expected to feel an immediate sense of belonging when we drove through the campus gate. I didn't really feel anything, so that was a little disappointing.
We were warmly welcomed by at the front desk as we found our activities packet and map. The really cool thing about being there was that we were able to stay in the freshman dorms, and I know that it really helped me picture myself living there someday.
After we were assigned our rooms we gathered up our many belongings we plodded to our rooms. As we walked through the corridor, one by one, we each found where we would stay the night. I was staying with a friend and we were both eager to meet the freshmen we would be rooming with for the night. When we arrived there was a note on the door, welcoming us and inviting us to make ourselves comfortable.
So we did. Our luggage was everywhere, and once we couldn't hardly walk across the floor of the tiny dormitory we headed back out to eat lunch in the cafeteria.
Not going to lie, it was a little intimidating walking through the cafeteria doors and eating with the college students. And there was so much food! At my high school we have about five choices for lunch; here there were twice that many, and it was all you can eat. My mom said that's why they call it freshman fifteen.
When our stomachs were sufficiently filled, we all left the cafeteria and split up to attend different college classes. I attended a language class and a speaking class.
The language class was pretty interesting. The way they "discussed" wasn't much different from the conversations that we have in AP Lang, except they were God-based. I was surprised to find that I understood everything they were talking about, and was even able to answer a few questions.
I didn't actually mean to walk into a speech class. I have no interest in public speaking what-so-ever, but it proved beneficial. The teacher grouped us in with the college students and we were able to complete an outline for a paper about "How to Successfully be a Freshman." I was proud of myself for being able to contribute to the thesis statement.
During the third class period we went on a tour of the campus instead. It was so much fun to be able to just hang out with my girls and dream about attending Olivet someday. It really is a beautiful campus and all of the buildings are up-to-date, which is fantastic.
All the visiting high school students ate dinner together and were able to meet advisors of the college. When we had finished eating we loaded onto buses and hung out at this PlanetX/YMCA place. It was boring until we decided to play volleyball, then it got intense. We had a lot of fun getting to know the other students visiting Olivet and just getting to know each other better.
Saturday morning we woke up way too early and ate a way too big breakfast in the cafeteria with our way cool freshman dorm-mates. Afterwards, we wandered around campus until it was time for service.
An Olivet football game brought an end to our adventure, if only for the weekend. Maybe in a few years we will all find each other there again, living in the freshman dorms, and finding our place in life. Maybe not.
All weekend I was waiting to hear God's voice, telling me that this was where I belong. While I'm still searching, I know that when I find the right place, the decision won't be hard and God will always provide.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
American Pride
Don't you love meeting foreign exchange students? They have such great stories to share and are always willing to make new friends. It would take so much courage to leave your family for a year, your friends, your school; it would take so much courage to make a "home" in a different country with a different culture.
Props to you guys!
I saw a recent facebook post from a foreign exchange student. She talked about how coming to America has always been her dream. She said it was still her dream to live here.
Hold up . . . How many of us take for granted living in the United States? I know I do! (Of course, that comes from the girl who wants to live in France someday. But that's another story.) We are so blessed to live in a country where we have the freedom of worship (I don't like the word religion), freedom of speech, freedom of the press. We are so blessed to have FREEDOM!
This foreign exchange student that I was talking about, she wrote that she loves the "sweet taste of freedom."
I was at a volleyball game last night and they started the game with the National Anthem. We all stood, which was fabulous, except the guy in front of me stood and continued to eat his hot dog and lick his fingers free of mustard. How disrespectful. Millions of men have fought and died for our freedom and he can't even take a minute to stop what he is doing, put down his food, and place his hand over his heart. Umm, hello? I think we're missing something here!
This foreign exchange student that I was talking about, she knows all the words to The Star-Spangled Banner and she sings them with pride and with her hand over her heart.
I attended a Christian school from the start up until freshman year. We always started the day with the pledge of allegiance to the United States Flag, the Christian Flag, and the Bible. I miss that. Every school should start the day with the pledge of allegiance. Just because it states "one nation, under God" doesn't mean we can't recite it in a public school. Honestly!
This would probably be a good time to tell you this blog post is directed at me personally, just as much as it is you. We all need to take a stand and "re-invent" pride in our country.
1 Peter 2:13-17 says, “Makes Jesus your Lord proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God's emissaries for keeping order. It is God's will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of fools. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.”
Props to you guys!
I saw a recent facebook post from a foreign exchange student. She talked about how coming to America has always been her dream. She said it was still her dream to live here.
Hold up . . . How many of us take for granted living in the United States? I know I do! (Of course, that comes from the girl who wants to live in France someday. But that's another story.) We are so blessed to live in a country where we have the freedom of worship (I don't like the word religion), freedom of speech, freedom of the press. We are so blessed to have FREEDOM!
This foreign exchange student that I was talking about, she wrote that she loves the "sweet taste of freedom."
This foreign exchange student that I was talking about, she knows all the words to The Star-Spangled Banner and she sings them with pride and with her hand over her heart.
I attended a Christian school from the start up until freshman year. We always started the day with the pledge of allegiance to the United States Flag, the Christian Flag, and the Bible. I miss that. Every school should start the day with the pledge of allegiance. Just because it states "one nation, under God" doesn't mean we can't recite it in a public school. Honestly!
This would probably be a good time to tell you this blog post is directed at me personally, just as much as it is you. We all need to take a stand and "re-invent" pride in our country.
1 Peter 2:13-17 says, “Makes Jesus your Lord proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God's emissaries for keeping order. It is God's will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of fools. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.”
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Faith is Fact
In one of my more recent blog posts, Coasting Through, I made the statement faith is not based on feeling or emotion but on fact. I thought I would take some time to explain what I mean by that.
When I was at camp over the summer we talked about knowing your faith. The camp slogan is "Do you really know what you say you believe? Is this your faith or your momma's faith?"
Unlike believing in evolution or atheism or something, the Christian faith is the most intelligent faith in the world. When you put your faith in God and the Bible you aren't believing without evidence. Contrary to popular belief, the Bible is very consistent. Even though it was written over a period of 1500 years, every copy says the same thing. The Bible was written over forty generations and by over forty different authors ranging from a variety of social positions and occupations such as peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, kings, etc. Something that I find really interesting is that it was written on three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe. It was also written in three different languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
How can something written such a long time a go, in several different languages, and on several different continents be consistent with itself?
Because the Bible is the Holy Inspired Word of God.
The Bible has been translated into 2,400 languages and dialects. How amazing is that? While at camp they told us that all great works of (ancient) literature have several surviving handwritten manuscripts. They gave us examples like Plato's Tetralogies, which has seven surviving manuscripts. Aristotle has forty-nine manuscripts and Homer's Iliad has 643 surviving manuscripts.
The New Testament has 24,633 surviving, handwritten manuscripts.
2 Samuel 22:31 says, "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless."
That is why I believe that faith is based on fact and not emotions. How else can you explain it? The Bible is the truth, it has survived for thousands of years and remained consistent throughout. The Word of God is alive and will speak to His people yesterday, today, and forever.
When I was at camp over the summer we talked about knowing your faith. The camp slogan is "Do you really know what you say you believe? Is this your faith or your momma's faith?"
Unlike believing in evolution or atheism or something, the Christian faith is the most intelligent faith in the world. When you put your faith in God and the Bible you aren't believing without evidence. Contrary to popular belief, the Bible is very consistent. Even though it was written over a period of 1500 years, every copy says the same thing. The Bible was written over forty generations and by over forty different authors ranging from a variety of social positions and occupations such as peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, kings, etc. Something that I find really interesting is that it was written on three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe. It was also written in three different languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
How can something written such a long time a go, in several different languages, and on several different continents be consistent with itself?
Because the Bible is the Holy Inspired Word of God.
The Bible has been translated into 2,400 languages and dialects. How amazing is that? While at camp they told us that all great works of (ancient) literature have several surviving handwritten manuscripts. They gave us examples like Plato's Tetralogies, which has seven surviving manuscripts. Aristotle has forty-nine manuscripts and Homer's Iliad has 643 surviving manuscripts.
The New Testament has 24,633 surviving, handwritten manuscripts.
2 Samuel 22:31 says, "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless."
That is why I believe that faith is based on fact and not emotions. How else can you explain it? The Bible is the truth, it has survived for thousands of years and remained consistent throughout. The Word of God is alive and will speak to His people yesterday, today, and forever.
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