tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9909979565969737182024-03-19T05:55:13.760-05:00life, as told by SarahEveryone has a story. Sometimes their story is sad, sometimes their story is happy, sometimes their story is complicated. Each and every story is unique, with it's own beginning, middle and end. This is my story.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-67338850346386066462010-12-10T11:43:00.000-06:002010-12-10T11:43:07.374-06:00GameStopI love my job. And when I say love, I mean absolutely adore with all that is in me.<br />
I know, I know. It's strange. Most people appreciate their job at the very best, while the rest of them just do it because it's work. But I do my job because I want too and I enjoy it.<br />
Part of it is the work its self. Video games are something I care about, and have a pretty good knowledge of, so GameStop is a good match for me. I love helping people find a new game, and discussing previous games with them. I love helping them decide on a new system, finding the one that will fit their needs. I love helping lost family members who don't know what to buy, but know they need to buy something. It makes me happy to know that they're happy with the purchase they make.<br />
I love sharing the PowerUp program with people. Regular customers really benefit from it, and it allows us to know what games they have bought previously, so we can help them choose ones they liked. It also gives me something to talk about with them, from the GameInformer magazine. We can discuss the latest article and how much we agree or disagree, and we can just generally have a good time.<br />
The other part that I love is the people who I work with. My managers are wonderful people, who really want us all to have a good time while we're working. We joke around and poke fun at one another, while being productive at the same time. Over the past few months we've all gotten to know each other and know that we all really enjoy being with one another, and working together. Every place of employment has a few duds, but we look past those and just generally have fun.<br />
I look forward to working, and am legitimately sad when I have to ask off or call in. I really don't know anyone else who can say that.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-58683072164488411092010-12-03T17:23:00.000-06:002010-12-03T17:23:58.468-06:00The sun has set.Sometimes, life is tough. Like, not just "oh, this piece of meat is tough to chew, tough," but gut wrenchingly, heart breakingly tough. Sometimes, it's all we cal do to get through the day.<br />
Yesterday was one of those days.<br />
For the past six weeks or so, I have been taking my Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) classes. They are long, boring classes and we have been learning how to take care of people in assisted living facilites. Last night, we went to our first night of clinicals.<br />
In the time I was there, my partner and I were assigned to 3 people. The first thing we did for all three of them was shower them. Next we took them to the dining room to eat, and then got ready for bed, taking their vital signs as we went. Along the course of the evening, we were caring for various other people as well, anyone who needed us basically. In all essence we had become the assistants for the assistants, if that makes any sense.<br />
When we first arrived, it was around 3. In our area, the sun is beginning to set around 4 at this time of the year. For anyone not familiar with nursing homes, let me give you a little rundown of sundowning. People don't like being in nursing homes. They are stripped of all dignity and freedom, left to rot by their families. Many of them become confused after they have been there for a while, and are not 100% sure where they are. Around sundown, those who are confused or just plain ornery will sundown. They become the most aggressive, the most active, the most difficult that they are all day. Many start screaming for help, and the others just become completely unresponsive.<br />
While we were there, before we had really gotten the chance to do much of anything, a woman wheeled her way down the hallway at us, screaming for help. She had to go home and make dinner, for her husband. Me and the girl I am partnered with just stood there. We didn't know what to do, how to respond. Thankfully one of the employees came to our rescue, and quietly explained that her family knew she was there and she would be staying in the room they had prepared for her tonight. After much fighting, the woman settled down some and headed back to the lobby. The worker gave us a sad look and explained that her husband used to take care of her, but he passed away. At this point, I was already ready to burst into tears.<br />
<br />
I can't even continue about the rest of it. All I can think at this point is that I have 10 more hours to go, and I'm not sure if I will make it.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-11579050912178337452010-12-02T09:03:00.002-06:002010-12-02T09:03:26.920-06:00Literature<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Currently in one of my English classes, we are studying Romantic poetry. I enjoy poerty greatly, it is one of the few things I can analyze very well. In our study, though, we spent a little time on discussing the connotation of "Romantic" today.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">In our modern society, we see Romantic to man a few, very wrong, things. The most popular is something relation to love or lust. You go on a date, the boy brings you flowers, there's your romance. You woo someone with candy, how romantic. Wrong. Second, we associate it with someone who is foolishly hopeful. "She's got this romantic notion that they will win this ball game." Or, maybe, just someone who aspires for a greatness they will likely never achieve. I have a friend who desires to be president one day (that's Mr. President to you) and many think him "foolishly romantic" for it. The other way we percieve romance is through $.99 paper backs you can buy at the gas station. These raunchy novels, full of sex and lust, are the closest thing we have to understanding "Romantic Literature".</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">But really, Romantic literature is so much more than that. It does more than these cheap paperbacks do. It aspired to change something. They desired to change the world they lived in, from the poor inner city living conditions to the overthrowing of the monarchies of the time. They imagined a new world, one with a free spirit and a happy population, and wrote about it. They didn't use their logic to make people see the errors of their way. They used their imagination to smile and see the world as it should be, not as it was. They weren't foolish, they weren't naive, they were just optimistic. They used what they had to change the world.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">In the end, that is what literature is. It is someone, with a pen and paper, trying to change their society. From what they feel and what the imagine, they want to make a difference in the world around them.This is what literature, true literature, does. It changes things.</span>Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-27998178394410421842010-12-01T11:21:00.000-06:002010-12-01T11:21:12.102-06:00Nicaragua<div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am often found at a loss for words when I have to speak of Nicaragua. I do not know where to begin, there is just too much. In September I spent a week in the village of El Carmen, Nicaragua, helping a team of missionaries conduct a medical clinic. This village had nothing but the school compound and a small church in it, though I heard rumors there was a small family restaurant somewhere close by. I did not realize how much one week could change someone’s life, until I spent a week with these people.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span> </span>The first thing that people always ask is about the conditions that we stayed in, and I’m going to be frank about this: They were awful. Plain and simple. We crammed about 25 women into this little church, mattresses, suitcases and all, and attempted to live for a week. I was told by some of the veteran missionaries that this was the worst they had ever had it. The whole bathing thing was also a little difficult. They don’t have running water out in the jungle (I don’t know why people are surprised when I say that), so they always have to improvise. What they do is get some barrels, attach a few water hoses and drape them over a metal box. Presto, you have a shower. For whatever reason, though, they decided the morning that everyone wanted a shower, to stop working. I had already been two days without a shower, and I had another one to go before I would get one. Let me tell you something, though. That was the best shower I have ever taken. Hands down. After 3 days of sweating a dirt and people who have nothing but dirt floors and leaves for roofs, that shower was the best thing I had ever done.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another thing people are often curious about is the food. What did I eat while I was there? Well, I want to first inform you that I did NOT eat any of the food from Nicaragua, unless it was factory made. It is a third-world country, nothing is safe to eat. We brought our own cooking team and water and prepared all of our own meals. Actually, I ate so much that week that I gained weight. Which, looking back on it, is astounding. There is no way I was able to eat that much all in one week. The food was delicious, and I was burning so many calories from the heat and the mud that I needed the extra ones. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">Speaking of which, I have never experienced such mud in my entire life. It started raining when we got there and did not stop until sometime much after we left. In fact, I'm pretty sure it will never stop raining there for any reason what-so-ever. It will continue to rain for the rest of eternity. Judging the amount of mud that was there when we arrived, it had already been raining that long. At one point, I stepped on a spot that looked solid and sank through up to the very top of my rain boot. I was very lucky water did not start rushing into my boot at that point, I probably would have grown some sort of foot fungus.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">I think, at this point, I will end this post as well. It has given you some idea of the conditions of that week, and I will continue to speak of it in the months to come, I am sure.</span></div></div>Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-54946336361339739322010-11-30T09:45:00.000-06:002010-12-01T09:00:42.057-06:00Friends<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">There comes a time in every person’s life when they have to realize that just people someone was your friend once, doesn’t mean they will always be there. Just because you spent hours on end laughing and talking and enjoying one another, they will one day probably move on. As a high schooler, I am faced with that reality on an all-too-frequent basis. The people my age have no concept of the future; they have no idea that the choices they make today will affect them for the rest of their life. They just see the here and now, not what is to come.</span></p><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"></span>It’s kind of funny, though, the people you meet at certain points in your life, and the people who you grow closest too. This semester I have been taking my prerequisites for the nursing program at our local community college, while also taking my high school classes, and have grown very close to two of the girls that have all the same classes as me. I love these girls dearly, and we have been through a lot together this semester. Neither one of these girls are people who would have been part of my group of friends. Not because I had something against them or anything, they just weren’t the type of people that would fit with my friends. Because of the circumstances, though, we have all created friendships that I hope will last us for years to come.</span></p><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"></span>Because of these classes, though, I have not been able to hang out with some of the friends that I love the most. I have been swept away by the current, while they remain there in the past, and it is very hard to swim upstream. I try hard to retrieve the things that I have lost, try to maintain those stretched friendships, but it is just so hard. If I’m not in class, I’m working. If I’m not working, I’m at church. If I’m not at church, I’m at home, studying. If I’m not studying, I’m sleeping. There is just very little time for anything else in my daily life. So, the people that I don’t see on a daily basis end up being abandoned, and I end up with very few friends. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">As my first semester of my last year in high school draws to a close, I know that I will very soon be losing a lot of what I hold dear. I will no longer be seeing these people on a regular basis, I will not be walking from class to class anymore. I will not have 'school friends' anymore. The people I see at work will become basically the only nonfmaily members I will see on regular basis. And, this saddens me.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Ryan Clark, who I am currently looking at, wishes it to be known that he is awesome and a wonderful potato farmer. He is one of the people that I will miss dearly, with his randomness and always-drumming-on-my-deskness.</span></p>Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-35066191292892960692010-11-29T15:07:00.000-06:002010-11-30T09:45:26.306-06:00Daddy<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">This past January, my dad was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer. I tried to start this post many different ways, but there’s really no good way to tell someone that your father has cancer. Like, think about it. You walk up to someone you haven’t seen in a while, and you start talking with them. You talk for a while, asking how things are going and how their family is. Then, they ask the same things of you. What do you say? “Oh, pretty good. Except for the whole cancer thing. That kind of sucks.” Yeah… no. There’s really no good way. Dropping the cancer hammer is hard, and sometimes almost impossible.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"></span>After a surgery to remove 6 or 7 inches of his colon, Dad started chemo therapy to rid him of the many tumors on his liver and lungs. The kind of chemo he was on is a rough one, causing a lot of pain and nausea. He actually only lost very little of his hair, mostly on his arms and legs and chest, while retaining most of the hair on his head and face. He then went through 12 rounds of that chemo, with very little results. The doctors we were seeing gave us very little hope, and we had gotten to the “focused-on-time-and-quality-of-it” phase, away from the treatment one. God intervened at this time and sent us to Louisville, to a wonderful surgeon there, who was able to completely irradiate the cancer in his liver. At this point we did not believe the spot on his lung was actually cancer, just a spot on his lung, since he smoked for 20+ years. In the recent weeks, though, we have discovered that he does have cancerous activity in his lungs, and he will soon be starting chemo again for that.</span></p><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-: minor-bidifont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"></span>It is impossible to know what it is like to have a family member with cancer, until you actually have one. Daily life is strange, and very rarely constant. At one point, while Dad was on chemo, we were to a point where we did have a sort of schedule. One weekend, Dad would feel good and be doing great, and then the next weekend, after his chemo, he would not be doing as well. It was to the point where we would ask, “If Dad feels okay…” before we would speak to Mom. It was a hard time, a time that I don’t like to speak about much, because I really don’t know what to say. We were still a family. We still laughed together, we still cried together, we still watched TV together. Our lives went on, they were just riddled with cancer.</span>Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-78688324529749987622010-11-29T14:24:00.001-06:002010-11-29T15:09:06.151-06:00I have returned, with open arms.<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"></span>It has been a long time since I have written a blog post. It has been a long time since I’ve been able to put all of my thoughts into one coherent place. The past year has been a hectic one, to say the very least. I have experienced things I never thought I would experience. I have lost people I thought I would never lose. I have made friendships that I never thought possible. Everything that could have possible gone wrong went wrong. And yet, I am happier right now than I have been in a long time. It has been a long, hard road. But, somehow, I have made it.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"></span>It’s hard to know even where to begin. I last posted here over a year ago. At that time, there was very little going on in my life. I had an awesome home life, filled with much fun and laughter. I had an awesome boyfriend, who I loved more than should be allowed. I had an awesome group of friends, who I loved hanging out with. I had an awesome youth group, who I thought would be together through everything. There is no way for me to post about everything all at once. So, I have prepared a few posts for the next few days, to update you on my life. I know I will begin with a very small reader base, but I hope to increase it as time goes on. Share it with your friends: Sarah is back. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"></span>I have been broken. That is the only way I could ever describe what has gone on in my life for the past year. I have been shattered completely; broken in a way I wasn’t aware that I could be broken. So many things have gone on, I could never even being to accurately describe what is has been. If it was possible, I would recap every day for the past year for you, but I just cannot. It is not even a feasible thought, too much has happened. I will attempt to give you a taste, though.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"></span>There is one subject, though, I will not touch. That is my relationship with The Boy. We dated for a year. It ended. I was crushed, to the point that it was harmful to my health. That, in essence, is all you need to know. Do not hate him, as I know my long time readers will, because I do not. That is all I will say on the subject, because it is old news, and I don’t really feel like upsetting myself over it again. I have recovered, and have let other guys into my life. I am okay.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"></span>I will end this post for now, but you will have another tomorrow, and another a day or two after that. I do hope you will add me to your favorites list once again, and will come back to visit with me soon. I have dearly missed my readers, almost as much as I have missed writing. I beg of you right now, let me back into your routine, as I hope you have missed me as well.</span></p>Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-51402686710550725972009-07-18T13:46:00.000-05:002009-07-18T13:56:24.676-05:00WritingI'm not particularly witty, but I can be if I try. My sense of humor is very dry, leaving most people to shake their head in disgust. Smart humor, British humor, whatever you want to call it, that's what I enjoy. I'm not good at recreating it for laughs, but I enjoy it just the same. I don't write to be funny.<br />My life has been hard. I've learned many things, and have often been told I'm wise beyond my years. My life has not been about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain. This leaves many people feeling inspired. I don't write to be inspirational.<br />Jonah was born with Down Syndrome, and since his birth 12 years ago has had over 40 sedated procedures. This includes 3 open heart surgeries, 2 tonsillectomies, multiple sets of tubes in each ear, heart caths, chest cts, some funky procedure where they scraped excess tissue off his tongue... the list goes on and on. This often makes people sad. I don't write to be sad.<br />Expression is key in life, doubly so when your life is particularly hard. There are many ways to express ones self, most of them being ways people wouldn't normally consider. Sure, there are the basics, like drawing and painting and singing, but then there are others. Some people play video games all the time, some people read, some people work on their car, some in their lawns. They do what they can dig into to forget about the world, to escape for a while. They can do their thing, get into their groove and free themselves. I write to be free. <br /><br />Totally raw, I just wrote it.<br />I hope you all are enjoying your summers.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-77798775992746762772009-05-20T09:13:00.000-05:002009-05-20T09:40:58.613-05:00Summer.Summer is coming.<br />I can taste it, I can smell it,<br />I can hear it, I can feel it,<br />I can see it coming down the way.<br />It's coming to bring us great joy,<br />Coming to brighten our days,<br />Coming to relieve us of our pain.<br />Hot summer afternoons,<br />Popsicles melting in the sun,<br />The smell of chlorine overwhelming.<br />Cool summer evenings,<br />Sitting under the stars,<br />Life just perfectly right.<br />Days spent at the beach,<br />Outside in the swing,<br />Laying out in the sun.<br />New summer movies to see,<br />Sleep overs to enjoy,<br />Camp outs to anticipate.<br />A time to see the world,<br />See your own back yard.<br />Imagine what your future holds.<br />Through all of the laughs and the fun and the sun,<br />The baseball games and afternoons at the park,<br />We don't have one complaint, not one<br />Our summer has finally come.<br /><br />I wrote this earlier and kind of liked it. Not my best work, but I think it effectively represents my feelings for this upcoming summer. I am so excited for this summer, you all have no idea. It's going to be an amazing one.<br />I'm spending a week on the beach with my youth group. We have an exciting week of Vacation Bible School to look forward to. I have an amazing boyfriend, who I plan to spend quite a bit of time with. I just lost a significant amount of weight and feel pretty good about myself. Mom, Kaitlyn and I are to take a mini-road trip to Cincinnati for the weekend; while mom attends a conference Kaitlyn and I get to play in the indoor water park all day. At some point in time I'm going to have a "I haven't seen Sarah since Christmas" party and have some friends I don't ever get to see anymore over. At some point Kaitlyn is supposed to take me camping with her.<br />My summer is packed, and I couldn't be more excited. If you throw in a couple days here or there with my family that lives the next county over and all of the summery things we like to do (spending afternoons in the park, barbecues, some sort of Fourth of July celebration) this summer can barely contain it. I couldn't be more ecstatic.<br />I walked around our yard yesterday with my camera and took some pictures of different things. (all of the good pictures can be seen on my Flickr page, and there is a link in my sidebar.) It was so nice just to get outside and it not be cold or raining. To stretch my legs and my photographing skills a little bit... you all can't even imagine. It was so wonderful. And yesterday evening as I was swinging out back I could smell honey suckle in the evening air. Nothing lifts the spirit more than the smell of honey suckle, I think. It's the sweetest, most pure, most summer-like smell there is. (And sucking on it, oh boy. Who doesn't love to suck on honey suckle? :D) It was wonderful.<br />Have I mentioned that I'm excited for summer?Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-67501082392109300432009-04-21T11:55:00.000-05:002009-04-21T12:10:39.291-05:00LifeLife happens. Things go good, things go bad, things just go. This past week, though, a lot of the going has been pretty sad. This past Friday my parent's Sunday school teacher's son committed suicide. Obviously, this has been hard for the family and has effected the church family greatly. We have many people grieving in our church for this young life too soon gone, and we all are saddened by the pain this boy must have been going through. I am praying for this family, and all those who have been hurt by this happening.<br />One of my followers is hurting as well. Apparently someone had anonymously leaving very mean comments on her blog for a while, and it's finally gotten to her. She's around my age (I'm assuming, I really don't know her exact age, I just know she's a teenager.) and has been greatly hurt by this. The whole purpose for her to create her blog was to just talk about life, and let people see a little into her mind. But someone had to ruin that, bring her down, take away something she really enjoyed. What a jerk. I'm praying for her too, that she may heal.<br />Most of all though, is Jonah. This week he went back to his doctor in Cincinnati for a sleep study and a scope of his throat. In this, his doctor suggested we make an appointment to see a gastro doctor, who will probably suggest a surgery. And this isn't just any surgery, this is a pretty major surgery, that will most likely end with them inserting a feeding tube. That's hard for me to type, let alone take in. Jonah, on a feeding tube, not able to eat for himself.... I just can't fathom it. I'm not only praying for him and this possible procedure, but for my parents in making this decision, and for us siblings to be able to handle yet another time away from home.<br />It's going to be a long week, I think.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-4595744365682368992009-04-09T14:01:00.001-05:002009-04-09T14:14:51.578-05:00My GrandmotherThis post is about my grandmother.<br /><br />This post is about how anyone who knows me, and knows me well, knows that I love my grandmother. That she is a very important woman in my life, and always has been. Beginning when we were little and she taught me how to play cards and extending to now when she is my House watching partner. This is about how my grandmother has taught me many things about life, most of which is that you have to love your age and the place you are at, because there is nothing you can do about it.<br />This post is about how much my grandmother loves her family and everyone around her. How my grandmother and her mom ... well it's a long story. But she was raised by her grandmother, whom we lovingly call Mami Jack (not really sure why, though...). About how Mami instilled many qualities into my grandmother, and many of those qualities I am proud to say I now have. This is about how the love of family is the most prominent thing that Mami possessed, right until she passed away and how my grandmother was blessed to receive this quality of love. And about how my grandmother is one of the most marvelous women I know, and I hardly have words to describe it. This post is about that.<br />This post is to show how she loves us so much, and never fails to let us know. From running us grandkids wherever we need to go, to sleep overs and card games, my grandmother loves to spend time with us. This post is to tell her that we know that she doesn't have a favorite grandkid, but we always like to delude ourselves into thinking we are them, and how we know that she loves all of us equally and with all of her heart.<br />This post is about how my grandmother is one of my heros, and I love her more than anything.<br /><br />This post is about my grandmother.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-37718094636750253712009-02-06T21:02:00.000-06:002009-02-06T21:14:40.672-06:00Life Goals.I have a list of life goals. Just needed to throw that out there.<br />It's kind of extensive (at least, for someone my age) and is always growing. I've been working on it for a couple of months, adding new things and taking off old things that sound stupid now, and I'm pretty happy with it. They're all things that I might not do, but could be able to if I really tried. Some of them I could do soon, others I will have to wait until I am older, but all of them are obtainable. Really, I think it says something about me, and the kind of person I am. So I thought I would post it, just because I need something to post.<br />No, really, I have some stuff to post. Like, lots and lots. We just got like 2 inches of ice and 3 inches of snow all in the same two days, and our power was out for over a week, so I had plenty of time to write. I just have to get it typed up and posted. So expect plenty of new things coming up. ;)<br />ANYWAY, after recovering from that ADD moment, here is my list of life goals in no particular order.<br /><br />-Visit 3 countries.<br />-Give blood on a frequent basis (I am actually getting ready to start. I am signed up to give at a church drive on the 18th.)<br />-Fluently learn another language.<br />-Read the entire bible.<br />-Attend an Olympic game.<br />-Pull a really good practical joke.<br />-Meet someone famous.<br />-Visit Africa, as a missionary.<br />-Design (and have built) a house.<br />-Ice skate on a naturally frozen lake.<br />-Adopt a child from another country (preferably one with some sort of medical condition, like Down syndrome, Autism, etc.)<br />-Get married.<br />-Become an organ donor (or at least have the organ donor sticker on my drivers license.)<br />-Get 2 masters degrees (One in Education, the other in Sign Language or Speech Language Pathology.)<br />-Learn to knit. (Hopefully as a class for homeschooling.)<br />-Change someone's life.<br />-Sell makeup (Mary-Kay, Avon, etc.)<br />-Take a homeless person to lunch.<br />-Foil someones cubicle/desk.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-42916945395527181862008-12-22T09:30:00.000-06:002008-12-22T09:35:43.316-06:00Journal Entry numero DosThis is another journal entry. We were suppoused to write it about a place. Any place at all. Somewhere we were happy, somewhere we were sad. Somewhere that mad us angry, somewhere that made us joyful. Somewhere we went on vacation, somewhere we went everyday. Just somewhere.<br />This is what I wrote.<br /><br /><br />One place I will always remember is the ENT, outpatient surgery, and library wings of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. They hold good memories, and bad. A good one, the best, is from one day, about a week before the start of my ninth grade year. I traveled with mom, dad and Jonah to Cincinnati Children’s to see Dr. Shot, Jonah’s ENT. Once Dr. Shot saw Jonah and did a mini evaluation she was done with him, ready to talk to my mom about the upcoming surgery.<br />I had to take Jonah and do something with him. Dad was sitting in the waiting room, playing games on his HandHeld, so that wouldn’t keep Bug (Jonah’s pet name) busy. And he kept pointing out the door. He wanted to go. To leave. To be out of this place.<br />So for the next hour or so, we ran. Jonah was in his stroller and we ran up and down the wings, me pushing, him enjoying the ride. Back and forth, up and down, left to right, wherever. We stopped at the end, or when a doctor gave us a “you-ought-not-do-that” look. The whole time, the only sounds I remember were Jonah’s giggles.<br />Jonah doesn’t laugh like most people. His laugh is different, sticks out to everyone. He doesn’t laugh from his stomach, but it’s not from his nose either. The only way I can describe it is from the back of his throat. It’s almost like a bowl of rice crispies on steroids. It cracks and pops, very quick, and is always a giggle. There is no way for anyone who has never heard Jonah laugh to comprehend how it sounds. But I remember that day, the only day in the past year he has laughed so hard. The only day in the past year I have laughed so hard. I was breathless and sweaty. But I was content. Really and truly content. And there is no way I could ever forget that feeling.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-70445850259322246672008-12-18T12:36:00.000-06:002008-12-18T12:37:00.629-06:00Epiphany.I have had an epiphany.<br /><br />Now, this doesn’t happen often, and when it does I usually get a good bit of writing out of it, but we’ll see. I don’t like to promise those sorts of things, because you all come to expect them of me. What kind of writer can write on expectations? None I say! No one can write with readers bearing over their shoulder, breathing down their neck, bursting the imaginary bubble. It’s impossible.<br /><br />So I’m not promising anything good to come from this epiphany. Nothing at all. In fact, this post may be so horrible that you want to stop reading right here and now, never to pick it up again. I wouldn’t blame you if you did, really. You never know what sort of turn it may take.<br /><br />Then again, it could be a marvelously wonderful post, the most amazing one you have ever read. And in that case I would not advise you to stop, as you may never run into anything as breath taking. Who knows the next time you will see something written so amazingly? Who’s to say the next time you’ll run across something so superb? I surely can’t.<br />My guess, though, is that this post will run down the middle. It will just be okay. Then again, I am a little biased as I have written it. So my opinion may not mean much. Take it with a grain of salt, eh? Which is something I’ve never understood. Why would you only take it with one grain of salt? That won’t make it any better; it will just make it the tiniest bit gritty. It won’t add flavor, it will just be a pain to shake the salt shaker and only get out one piece of salt, but I digress.<br /><br />Actually, I am way off topic. What was the post supposed to be about again? Oh, right.<br /><br />I have had an epiphany*.<br /><br />Today is my grandmother’s birthday (happy birthday, Nana.). And on my way home from school earlier, after being thrilled because I got to leave early (as I didn’t have to take my afternoon final) I was wondering “Why is it that we wish other people Happy Birthday?” Is a birthday really any different then any other day? You wake up, roll over, turn off the alarm, go back to sleep, wake up again, turn off the alarm, force yourself out of bed, fall face first onto the ground just like any other day. There’s nothing special about a birthday, really. There’s no bubble around you yelling “THIS IS A PRINCESS, IT’S HER BIRTHDAY.” That just doesn’t happen.<br /><br />So why is it that people feel the compulsion to wish others a Happy Birthday. And then I got to thinking some more, and I was contemplating the whole birthday idea. We’re another year closer, another year closer to being 6 feet under. We’ve lost yet another 365 days, never to be able to get them back. Another summer, another winter, another fall and another spring are all gone, now only a memory. Really, this is an occasion for mourning, not celebrating! We should be sad to lose all this time, for it to slip by so quickly.<br /><br />About this time, I had the epiphany. I realized, that when people wish us happy birthday, they don’t really care about the birthday. They just don’t want us to be sad, because we’ve lost the time. They want us to be happy that we’ve had it, and that we can reflect upon it. They want us to rejoice in the things we have been given in that time, the relationships we have made, the good times we have shared. Yes, it is truly sad that those things are gone, but more will come. We must remember those good times, and look forward to the ones ahead.<br /><br />You know, people are really thoughtful.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />*That is a BUGGER of a word to type.</span>Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-37856084576931116962008-12-12T08:36:00.001-06:002008-12-12T08:36:48.342-06:00Journal EntryI wrote this last year, as a journal entry for english class.<br />We had to recall a childhood memory.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> I scarcely recall my childhood. There are few things that I can recall in full detail. I do remember very thoroughly when Jonah had his second heart surgery. As it was seven years ago, I don’t remember much of the conversation, but the events come back like they happened yesterday.<br /> What first comes back is being picked up from my aunt and uncle’s house. Excitement flooded through me. We were getting to see Mom and Dad and Jonah! Finally! Nana warned us we may not get to see Bug (Jonah’s pet name, the whole family uses) as he was still very sick, and if he got a cold or some sort of infection, he could die. Adults could see him, because their healthier then kids. But with our age, we don’t fight of sickness as well. Thinking back, this is kind of scary. Not about our immune systems, but because we understood what she meant. At the tender age of six, we knew how little our immune systems worked, and how much less Jonahs did. Of course, being the children we were, my brother, Jacob, and I assured her we were in no way sick. We didn’t get sick when Jonah was. It didn’t happen. Or at least, that’s what the adults wanted to think.<br /> After we left my aunt and uncles, we scurried home to pack, and were off to Indianapolis. This is one of the first memories I have of calling hospitals by the cities they are in. Riley’s Children’s Hospital is Indianapolis. Kosair’s Children’s is Louisville, Cincinnati Children’s is Cincinnati. Now days, when I’m musing to myself, something commonly heard is “wonder if mom talked to Cincinnati today…” and people are often rightly confused. ‘She talks to cities?’ is the most common inquiries, with a ‘Not exactly…’ to follow.<br /> So we were on the way to Indy, ready to see mom and dad and Bug. I have fleeting memories of the drive up there. High spirits, morning sun, longing for the day to go by quicker, the joy of seeing a soon to birth mother. I remember mom being VERY pregnant when they left for the surgery, due in about a month. That was one of the most exciting things about them coming home. The new baby. The most exciting part for me was the fact that I would be able to remember this baby. But not just remember him. I remember when Jonah was born. He was sick, and kind of scary looking. I didn’t get to see him until he was about two weeks old. And then, we couldn’t touch the baby. Couldn’t play to loud, the baby was sleeping, or mommy was sleeping. Couldn’t look straight at the baby, the incision on his chest was icky (after he was 3 months and had his first surgery). This baby I would remember. This baby we would have happy memories of.<br /> The next scene I recollect was walking into the hospital. A big open area, decorated as a children’s hospital should be. I remember feeling satisfied, like this was the right hospital for Jonah. We’d done good this time. Upstairs was the waiting room daddy usually slept in. Mom couldn’t sleep on a leather couch in her condition, so dad drew the infinite short straw, so to speak.<br /> Jonah looked so sick. Laying in his hospital bed, he just looked so helpless. One of the biggest things this heart surgery did for Jonah was take away some of his speech. His vocabulary of 30 words went back down to 11 or 12 words. One of the words lost was my name. I went from ‘Arah to yeah. Which I was up until about a year ago, when I went back to ‘Arah, or ‘Issy. It broke my heart, when Jonah couldn’t say my name. That kid is my light, my joy. And when he couldn’t tell the world who I was… it was awful. I recall that more and more today then I did then, and it bothered me bits and pieces at first. But now it pains me terribly. He just recently had another heart surgery. I didn’t tell anyone about it, but I was so scared he would lose it again. That he wouldn’t be able to say my name. That I would never be ‘Arah again. Always Yeah. Always. It scared me to no end. And there for about a week, two weeks or so after his surgery, he did. He called me Yeah. And every time he did I almost cried. But only for about a week, and then it was ‘Arah again.<br /> When we were younger, and to this day, anytime Jonah is in the hospital, we go to some sort of museum, or zoo, or aquarium. Usually it’s a Children’s Museum. The one in Louisville is the most prevalent. I recall going to the one in Indianapolis a time or two, and I’m pretty sure we went now. I don’t have many of those memories logged in my data bank. Though, I do remember feeling guilty. Poor little Bug had to lay in the hospital sick, while the rest of us went out, and had a good time. It made me sad to think my little brother had to go through the pain of surgery to begin with, and then to be deprived that chance too.<br /> Staying in hospitals did the same thing. We always had a pool of some sort growing up, and staying in a hotel did the same thing. Jonahs favorite thing in the WORLD was swimming. Still is. And being in a hotel meant we got to swim. Which made me feel awful. Jonah couldn’t swim with us. My poor little buddy, couldn’t come with us.<br /> The only other thing I remember about that trip was the way home. We were driving with my grandpa. Dad and Nana stayed with Jonah, who came home two or three days later. But on the way home, either just before or just after we stopped to eat, mom went into labor. It was very light, contractions pretty far apart, but they came quicker as the evening progressed. She went in the next day and had doctors slow it down with medications. A baby was a family thing, and the whole family should be there for it. So there would be no baby until dad and Jonah got home. End of story.<br /> My memories of childhood happened mostly at other people houses, or in different cities. Though this is sad, I was a happy little kid, making the best of the time I had with my family and with my friends. Jonah will always be a big part of my life, sometimes the only one keeping me in high spirits, and his hospital days will always stay stored in the filing cabinet known as my memory.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-45740763880068084662008-09-17T19:26:00.000-05:002008-09-17T19:28:27.077-05:00Hurricane IkeI wrote this on Sunday, while Hurricane Ike blew through Kentucky. We didn't get power back for three days, some people in the county still not having it. It's a sad state of affairs in this country right now, and I hope this can be a little bit of inspiration.<br /><br /><br /><br />Hell hath no fury like hurricane Ike. Now a tropical depression and blowing through Kentucky, it’s hard to describe the feeling. Standing in the middle of our back yard, I spread my arms and feel like I’m flying. Looking out from our play set maybe 10 feet off the ground, a mix of emotions come over me. I want to laugh and to cry and to scream.<br />I want to laugh because of the sheer adrenaline and joy I feel with the wind whipping through my hair, the sound of it, the smell of it. The amazing-ness that is the wind of a tropical depression.<br />I want to cry thinking about all of the people that lost their homes and lives in this storm, and all of us all over the country that may not be able to leave our homes either, from damage or the price of gas.<br />I want to scream because it’s all just so unfair. No one should have to experience the things they do. Right now is perfect, the wind has died down enough you can stand to be outside, and it’s wonderful. But simply doubling this… the terror and betrayal these people must feel is unimaginable. <br />The feeling to smile, though, is overpowering. The adrenaline rushing through my body, mixed with the calming sensation I have is so powerful. I know you all want to have me submitted because of this “calming sensation” but let me explain. The wind is so crazy, taking up everything it can, whisking it away. It’s everywhere but it’s no where. It’s all around me, the chaos and destruction it has caused. And somewhere in it, I realized that this is something like my life. It’s crazy and hectic and never perfect. But it’s what I’ve grown to love, and that is reassuring. I know that I’m not the only person that will ever feel this serious wind, and it’s good to know. Maybe others out there relate, and it makes them feel the same way. Maybe something like this is the only rough time some people out there will ever have. I don’t know. All I know is that right now, sitting in the middle of my wind and my life, I’ve accepted it, and hope others can as well.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-73938500154281248912008-09-12T23:04:00.001-05:002008-09-12T23:04:56.884-05:00Friday Night FootballWe sat in the stadium, excitement high. People were shouting, the band was playing, and soon everyone was on their feet. Clapping, singing our fight song and cheering for the team, we were pumped. Red and white flashed everywhere, on everyone from the infantile to the elderly. Spirit filled the stadium, pride in our school flowed through us all.<br />The football team scored a touchdown, bringing the score ever closer, and then another tying the game. With the entire crowd on their feet, the clock ran down, and overtime began. We waited anxiously to see who would win the toss for offense, and the energy dipped momentarily as the other team did. Not for long though, as it was soon 4th and ten. Time for a field goal. This would be the fourth of the night, and we thought they had it in the bag. We got quiet as they kicked, knowing the game was done.<br />With a roar the crowd realized the official denied it, and we were back to the energy of before. Jumping and clapping, we cheered anxiously for the next three plays. Come 4th down, still nothing. As we lined up to kick our own field goal, no one knew what to expect. As the ball flew perfectly through the goal, the crowd went wild. People were hugging and jumping and clapping and celebrating.<br />But this was nothing compared to what happened on the field. The entire team rushed out to meet our offensive line and our kicker, one pile of teenage boys. Ranging from freshman to seniors, age didn’t matter in that moment. They were all Panthers, and they had all won the game.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-57995098286647624812008-08-25T20:41:00.000-05:002008-08-25T20:55:45.707-05:00I have a theory.Just recently me and my grandmother were talking about what the job of the Vice President actually is. And all we could come up with is that he steps up if the President dies. So I have a theory.<br />You know that expression "Where does the time go?"? I think the VP sits around and steals it. Yeah, that's right. Steals it. He sucks it up in his speical time sucking vacuum, and keeps it all for himself. What else could he do all day? Something to improve the country? As if. No one in the government actually does that. So, he steals time.<br />I mean, look at it. I was a sixth grader just yesterday, I swear it! Me and Caitlin, just yesterday, had our first conversation (which was about Harry Potter, by the way) and we laughed the entire class, making out the Harry Potter fan club. And it was also just yesterday when she and Nolan first found interest in each other! Like, I swear. They met yesterday. Possibly the day before, but very unlikley.<br />Or was that not just yesterday? Maybe it was 4 years ago...... See! It's that sneaky Vice President, I tell you! That's why Dick Cheney shot that guy! He was getting onto Cheney's game, and Cheney thought he needed to know what was good for him. So BLAM he shot him. Tsktsk.<br />I really wish he would stop. I want that time back, I didn't get to do with it what I wanted.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-81026609181782894192008-08-24T13:57:00.000-05:002008-08-24T14:01:52.211-05:00Amazing Grace<span style="font-size:78%;">(This isn't the best thing I've ever written. But I like it.)</span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><br />Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,<br />That saved a wretch like me.<br />I once was lost, but now I’m found.<br />Was blind, but now I see.<br /><br />What a sweet song! How amazing is our Fathers love for us! Every time I hear them I am humbled by the truth and power in these words. The amazing grace supplied by our Father has saved us, the wretches of this world. We were lost and blind, as we did not know God. But now, those of us who are saved, are found, and can see the amazing gift God gave us through his Son, Jesus.<br /> Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.” Amazing Grace brings this truth into sharp retrospect. We all have sinned, and God cannot handle that. Thusly, we are condemned. Later on in Romans, though, verse 6:24 says “For the wages of sin is death, but we are given the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”<br /> So, we know that we are condemned. There is no doubt to that. BUT we were given the gift of Jesus, when He died on the cross, that we may spend forever in heaven. When we accept Him as our savior, His blood washes us clean. Then, and only then, may we enter Gods heaven. And this is what Amazing Grace is all about.<br /><br />When we’ve been there ten thousand years,<br />Bright shining as the sun,<br />We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise,<br />Then when we first begun.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-76498593156640585202008-08-05T11:26:00.000-05:002008-08-06T17:16:47.765-05:00BubbleEveryone is born with a bubble. They have this bubble around them, and nothing can get through. To them, the world is a perfect place, with no bad in it. People don’t die, they don’t get sick. Wars, starvation, illness, sadness, all of these things are unhappy thoughts, but none of them really matter, they don't really exsist.<br />No where but the place where they are is actually real. There aren't other countries. There aren't other lives going on around them. It's not that children are self centered, they just can't understand the concept. Their little minds wont wrap around the thought of other places going on at the same time theirs are. It's as if other people's lives come to a standstill, until they're around.<br />Usually sometime in High School, maybe late Middle School, this bubble is burst. The world comes at them suddenly, and they see it in a new light. This is what changes people the most in their lifetime. The biggest 360 they’ll ever do. Their lives are formed around this one moment where their innocence has been stripped away, leaving them with nothing but the truth. From that moment on, nothing is ever the same.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-13816552029895340852008-07-31T10:39:00.001-05:002008-08-06T17:16:14.421-05:00ThinkingI have a friend who makes me think, Sean. We could just be simply texting each other (which we do way more then any sane person should, and sometimes it shows, but I digress.) or we could be sitting in class talking quietly---I mean playing rapt attention. The point is that when Sean is around I'm always thinking, and thinking hard.<br />Last night we (okay, mostly me) were talking about all the 'selfless' people of history. Those people that we idolize because they were so great, and always thought of others, and never cared an ounce for themselves. But, you know, there is a flaw with that.<br />NO ONE is completely selfless. I don't care who you are. You want what is best for yourself, no matter what that is. You will always be your biggest priority. Deny it up and down if you want, deep down you know it's true. True happiness must be achieved before you can make others happy. Because of this, you have to worry about yourself some. Follow me?<br />Now, don't think I have distaste for these people. These folks who everyone says are just so perfect, always worrying about the sad starving people of earth, or whatever. See, they are happy. Because they are making other people happy. Therefore, they appear selfless. But that's not the case. They simply care less about themselves then the rest of the world does.<br />When it comes right down to it, everyone is going to weigh the pros and cons before they jump in front of the bullet, even if it's a split second battle. They're going to do it. Some people just decide the pros are better then the cons.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-47029071695817534712008-07-30T13:41:00.000-05:002008-07-30T14:18:40.351-05:00I Want To Color The World<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8SlQvnxPwT2pSfwG-VGpof6dji86If_F5Kq8ez62S9a0dPtxA4N9QVLv6dBzbIKmTL-2pxHdcqCWz1LOdBf02SiSxmZ2F2OCA4oQ9hhpYH5oyeKuik2tp-CN9Leu9cx8Wo-zWVDykSnK/s1600-h/pblogo_144ea2.gif"></a><br /><div>What do you guys think?</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I want to color the world,<br />Share beauty with all creatures.<br />A box of crayons in my hand,<br />I want to add color to all of its features.<br />Blue for calming,<br />Where there is constant war.<br />Green for rebirth,<br />Where there is barren land galore.<br />Yellow for light,<br />Where there is nothing but darkness.<br />And red for warmth,<br />Where the cold of winter never ends.<br />The skies would always be pink,<br />An ever constant sunset.<br />With the sun sitting on the horizon,<br />It would be something we wouldn’t have to forget,<br />The trees would always bare the color of autumn,<br />Though their leaves would never fall.<br />The brilliance that is the season,<br />Would be ours, it would belong to us all.<br />Cities wouldn’t be gray any longer,<br />They would contain a million different shades,<br />Made from a million different colors.<br />If I could just color the world,<br />Think how happy it would be.<br />People would sing and dance,<br />Sing and dance through the streets.<br />And when it all ended,<br />The final bell sounded,<br />I could look back and know,<br />Our perfect earth, we had found it.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-22793809174635205512008-07-19T13:03:00.000-05:002008-07-19T13:11:23.860-05:00Evil: Not the Opposite of Good.So, I have just recently become involved in an online christian forum. Like, the day before yesterday. And I'm enjoying it so far. The people are nice, and they really seem to be centered in Christ.<br />I was reading through some of the posts and I ran across this story, which gave me goose bumps.<br />(I know, it's really long, but well worth the read.)<br /><br />"Let me explain the problem science has with Jesus Christ." The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink2" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">class</a> and then asks one of his new <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink3" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">students</a> to stand.<br />"You're a Christian, aren't you, son?"<br />"Yes sir," the student says.<br />"So you believe in God?"<br />"Absolutely."<br />"Is God good?"<br />"Sure! God's good."<br />"Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?"<br />"Yes."<br />"Are you good or evil?"<br />"The <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink4" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">Bible</a> says I'm evil."<br />The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink5" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">Bible</a>!" He considers for a moment.<br />"Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?"<br />"Yes sir, I would."<br />"So you're good...!"<br />"I wouldn't say that."<br />"But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't."<br />The student does not answer, so the professor continues. "He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink6" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">cancer</a>, even though he prayed to <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink7" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">Jesus</a> to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?"<br />The student remains silent.<br />"No, you can't, can you?" the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.<br />"Let's start again, young fella, Is God good?"<br />"Er...yes," the student says.<br />"Is <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink8" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">Satan</a> good?"<br />The student doesn't hesitate on this one. "No."<br />"Then where does Satan come from?"<br />The student: "From...God..."<br />"That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?"<br />"Yes, sir."<br />"Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?"<br />"Yes."<br />"So who created evil?" The professor continued, "If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil."<br />Without allowing the student to answer, the professor continues: "Is there <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink9" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">sickness</a>? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?"<br />The student: "Yes."<br />"So who created them?"<br />The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. "Who created them? There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized.<br />"Tell me," he continues onto another student. "Do you believe in Jesus <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink10" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">Christ</a>, son?"<br />The student's voice is confident: "Yes, professor, I do."<br />The old man stops pacing. "Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?"<br />"No sir. I've never seen Him"<br />"Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?"<br />"No, sir, I have not."<br />"Have you ever actually felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?"<br />"No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't."<br />"Yet you still believe in him?"<br />"Yes."<br />"According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?"<br />"Nothing," the student replies. "I only have my faith."<br />"Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith."<br />The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of his own. "Professor, is there such thing as heat?"<br />"Yes," the professor replies. "There's heat."<br />"And is there such a thing as cold?"<br />"Yes, son, there's cold too."<br />"No sir, there isn't."<br />The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain.<br />"You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink11" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">white heat</a>, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink12" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">study</a> when it has or transmits <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink13" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">energy</a>, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it."<br />Silence across the room. A <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink14" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">pen</a> drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink15" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">a hammer</a>.<br />"What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?"<br />"Yes," the professor replies without hesitation. "What is night if it isn't darkness?"<br />"You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?"<br />The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. "So what point are you making, young man?"<br />"Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed."<br />The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. "Flawed? Can you explain how?"<br />"You are <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink16" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">working</a> on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it."<br />"Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink17" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">monkey</a>?"<br />"If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink18" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">course</a> I do."<br />"Have you ever observed <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink19" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">evolution</a> with your own eyes, sir?"<br />The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.<br />"Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink20" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">teaching</a> your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?"<br />The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.<br />"To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean."<br />The student looks around the room. "Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's <a oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink21" style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://revolution713.freeforums.org/one-of-the-best-arguments-for-god-i-have-ever-read-t511.html" target="_top">brain</a>?" The class breaks out into laughter.<br />"Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelled the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir. So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?"<br />Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.<br />Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. "I guess you'll have to take them on faith."<br />"Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life," the student continues. "Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?"<br />Now uncertain, the professor responds, "Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil."<br />To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God.<br />God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."<br />The professor sat down.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-22225764984880521322008-07-09T15:04:00.000-05:002008-07-09T15:14:25.056-05:00BloggingQuite a few people recently have posed the question to me, why did you start blogging?<br />To be entirely truthful, I'm not sure. The concept of blogging has always interested me, ever since I heard of it. And one day I sat down, did a little research, and found a simple blog layout that I enjoy. Since then, it has become part of my routine, what I do.<br />I know that I'm not the best writer. I also know that I am a step above a lot of people. Somtimes what I write is very good. Other times, it's a load of junk. Whatever it is, it helps me, and that's all that matters. If I write to please other people, I'm not writing. If I tell only the things that make other people happy, I have no place speaking. If the stories I write aren't my stories, if they mean nothing to me, they <strong>are</strong> nothing.<br />I am not the most social person in the world. I would much rather sit at home with a book, then go out and be part of a lavish party. I would rather sit and watch TV with Jonah, babysit, or generally be around kids, then go to a dance full of drama. But when I'm writing, I know I'm safe. No one expects anything more of me then what they get. No one expects me to be all pretty, to say the right thing. They don't read it hoping for a happy ending. They read it to know how I'm doing, and what I'm thinking.<br />Now, I don't know why they care, but that's their problem, not mine.<br /><br /><br />I would not be able to function if I couldn't write.Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990997956596973718.post-68969382809954515322008-06-16T21:36:00.001-05:002009-06-01T19:47:04.065-05:00Do's and Dont's for Being With SarahSo, not to long ago, I made a list. The things my guy must and cannot be. I thought some of my faithful readers (because they're the only ones still here, sorry for the lack of posts guys) would like to see it.<br />Here it is, in no particular order.<br /><br />MUST BE:<br />A christian (This one is in order. it's the first thing i look for. he doesn't have to be a bible thumper, but he has to have some concept of God, and accept it ,as truth),<br />sweet,<br />accepting of children with disabilities,<br />romantic (i am a HOPELESS romantic),<br />intelligent,<br />funny,<br />accepting of my off key singing (inside joke),<br />nice looking (he can't be ugly, but he doesn't have to be brad pitt),<br />someone who enjoys books (because i heart reading, like the dork i am),<br />able to joke around, but know when to be serious,<br />willing to sit through a chick flick (or a conversation about periods),<br />faithful to me, and all he does,<br />And last but no least (actually this should go second) he must need me. he can't be whole, in any manner. then there is no place for me to fit in.<br /><br /><br />HE CAN'T:<br />be totally and completely perverted,<br />argue with me all the time, about everything,<br />smoke/drink/do drugs,<br />be a lazy bum,<br />have any problems with kids with disabilities,<br />want anything more then i'm willing to give him before marriage,<br />be over 1 year younger then me,<br />be gone all the time, either with a job(which doesn't apply much yet) or with his friends or whatever. i need time too,<br />ever even THINK about another girl (as anything other then a friend)<br /><br /><br />Thoughts? Questions? Concerns?Sarah :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14551279015523499763noreply@blogger.com1