August Rewind

What? August is over? This is terrible!  Where did my summer go?

Actually, I am pretty ready for cozy nights, s'mores, fairs, and hot chocolate.  Oh and let's not forget BIG SWEATERS. Yeah, I'm pretty excited.  I mean I already bought two knit sweaters.  And it's still like 80 degrees most days.

Right now it is storming, so I thought that I should do a blog post.  I think that blogging has become my favorite thing to do.  It's just so relaxing and happy :)

Anyways, I thought it would be fun to do a little August wrap up.  For those of you who don't know what that is, it's just a few things that I've personally been loving this month.

1. Verse
Jeremiah 29:11

2. Snack

Special K Popcorn Chips

Okay, so these are like the most wonderful snack in the world.  It's like popcorn, in chip form.  This particular kind tastes like kettle corn.  I love how light it is!  Plus, you can eat 28 of them and it's only 120 calories!

3. Song
Not Over You - Gavin DeGraw

4. Trend

Pastels!  During the summer months, I loved any light pastel color.

5. Quote
 Just keep swimmin'
Has anyone seen Finding Nemo in 3D yet??? I really want to!

6. Prank

Invisible Rope Prank - I need to try this one!

7.  Pictures
Favorties of mine...

Now some that I didn't take...

So that's what I've been obsessed with this month.  What about you?  I love making these posts, so I hope you enjoyed!

Much Love, 

Back to School

As much as it hurts me to even think about going back to school, it's going to happen.  Like, tomorrow.  Darn.

Every year I get so excited for the new school year.  There are new friends, classes, teachers, pencils, and opprotunities.  But for some reason this year, I haven't been excited.  At all.

It got me thinking why I really don't want to go back.  It could be that I can't sleep in, or that I just don't want to work.  Maybe even that I can't blog as much.  Or that I have to think.  Well, it's all of that.

I've gotten so lazy lately and I'm so tired of it.  Even right now, I'm sitting in my recliner.  I know that I'm capable of so much, but for so long I've trained myself to be just plain lazy.

Even God tells us in Luke 12:48.  "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

I'm pretty sure all of you reading this have been given all you need to succeed.  That is His plan.  You are His child and He will not abandon you.

I know that if I've got to start sometime, why not now?  Care to join me?

Here's a little song to get you excited...

Yes, it's The Script.  They're possibly the most wonderful band in the world!  They came out with a new single that inspired this post.  Get excited!!!

I love this song not only because it's catchy, but because it carries a different kind of message.  It gives me a little hope for the future.

"You can be the greatest, you can be the best..."

It got me thinking about the opportunities I have to be a success!  Most of the time, I choose to do the bare minimum, but when I really dedicate time and effort, I can make a true masterpiece.  This is all thanks to those wonderful gifts God has given me!

"Cause there's gonna be a day when you're standing in the hall of fame..."

It's hard to see past those 12 stressful years of work, then college, then a JOB.  But I promise you that God has a real plan for you.  You'll be on the walls of His Hall of Fame.  

"Dedicate yourself and you can find yourself standing in the hall of fame..."

I know that there are so many things I can do with my life!  So many times I've been told I can be anything that I want, and I still believe it.  As my good friend Tim Tebow says... "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

"Breaking all the records they thought never could be broke..."

Don't let anyone tell you that you can't.  Surprise everyone and give them something to cheer about!  Do the impossible.

"Do it for your people, do it for your pride..."
"Do it for your country, do it for your name..."

Be the best you can be because you represent something bigger than yourself.  You represent the country and God himself.  Make Him proud.

"You're never gonna know if you never even try..."

Can't do it? Who told you that?

"And the world's gonna know your name..."

So let's sharpen our pencils, have a seat, and make it a great year!

Much Love,

Proof of Your Love

Some of you may have already read this post when it was on my other blog, so you don't have to read it again.  I promise, there will be new stuff soon!  I'm already working on it!

When I decided to create a new blog, I needed a name.  After playing with all kinds of different combinations of strange names, I decided to hunt down some inspiration.  I knew that I needed a little refreshing spritz of creativity.  Even when I have a block of some sorts, I can always count on music to produce new ideas.  The web address from this blog actually came from the song "Already There" by Casting Crowns.

That's when I started humming,"Let my life be the proof, the proof of your love!"

That song had been stuck in my head for ages.  What better way to let it overtake me than to let it inspire me?  It was absolute perfect timing.  The only problem was that I had not yet come up with a good  name.

I pulled up the lyrics, the video and even an interview to get a real good look at the song.  However, I eventually came back to the first verse.  Personally, I think this is one of the most brilliant songs I've heard in a long while.  Even at the beginning, you get a powerful message.  Here's how the verse goes.

"If I sing but don't have love

 I waste my breath with every song

 I bring an empty voice, a hollow noise

 If I speak with a silver tongue

 Convince a crowd but don't have love

 I leave a bitter taste with every word I say"

That was it.  No Wasted Breath.  It was everything I had hoped for, but more.  I loved how it played in well with this particular song, but also as a blog.  I thought it was kind of clever, since I don't talk or "waste breath" to write and create these posts.  Since people won't automatically think of For King and Country or this song, it's good to have a meaning that still makes sense.

As I said previously, I'm in love with this song and the band, For King and Country.  Luke and Joel, these talented musicians, are just plain amazing.  For starters, they're from Sydney, Australia.  See, my name is Sydney, so that's pretty cool :).  I love how they are so unique and original.  Aside from their beautiful voices, they use and play all of these different instruments like the "Magic Box" and the glockenspiel.  The different elements make their music so much more fun and add really cool layers.

One last thing is about the monologue in the song.  It is the verse that, I suppose, inspired this piece.  That would be 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.  It goes like this.

"If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.  If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing.  If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."

Isn't that so overwhelmingly powerful?  Even better, it's straight from the King, my King.

I would definitely recommend checking them out if you haven't already.  I'll link a lyric video below, so go listen to it!  I hope you enjoy it as much and thoroughly as I did.

Much Love!

Don't Ever Grow Up

Okay, so first of all I'd like to point out that I am in love with this picture!  Plus, it ties in well with today's post! That's a win - win!

~~~~~~~~~~~

I wouldn't call it a fear.  I would call it an obstacle.  As adulthood approaches, time changes into a list of priorities.  We become more responsible for ourselves and conform to society.

  We see people in the streets, eyes glued to a phone, head down, swiftly walking to a destination.  In response, we put our heads down.  Eye contact can be a fatal mistake.  It could lead to a conversation.  How can we get to this so called 'destination' if we take time out of our day to talk to others?  We need to stay focused, keep track of time and think ahead.  We don't know and don't ask.  

We've trained ourselves not to care about the world around us.  Life speeds up and our original instincts are left behind.  

Well what, may I ask, is the fun of that?  No new friends, no smiles, no curiosity or conversation!  

I don't understand how people can change so drastically.  We can start out so innocent and full of life.  After a few years we become serious, 'mature', and sensible people.  Too bad that makes no sense.  

I know I'm guilty of it too.  I hate what I'm becoming and stopping cold in my tracks.  I want to stay that little girl who people want to be.  I want to be a fresh life and live with no worries.  

I think our society today is going in circles.  We don't really know what we want (or need!).  We try new things but end up where we started.  

By the time our life is over, there are still regrets.  We really did want to eat that chocolate cake and ditch the meeting for a family vacation.  We did really want to look up from our phones and smile at the man sitting next to us.  

Do you know that little part of you that hinted at the idea in the first place?  That would be the old you.  The fun-loving, gentle, caring, compassionate soul you were born with.  How can we share love by always avoiding 'akward' situations?  

So, by all means, get up and sing, dance and have a great big laugh.  Hug someone special (who doesn't love a hug?)!  Unleash that little kid inside of you! 

Let every little thing amaze you.  Slow down and just relax a little.  Loosen up, take a joke and live your life!

You may think you're old but you are God's child.  You'll never be too cool for Him.  Lift up you're hands and let Him sweep you off your feet.  He is strong!  Do your part and show some love.  We're all here on Earth, so why not make it great?!  

Never ever grow up.  Ever.  

Here's a little something to entertain you for the next few minutes.  It's a song (of course) that ties into this post.  It's a little song called Forever Young.  I chose to include the One Direction version, because I personally like it better (don't judge!).  I hope you enjoy it!

I'll leave you with a bible verse that I personally adore.  Flipping through my big fat bible last night I came across this verse in particular that really struck my fancy :)

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me." ~ 1st Corinthians 13:11

Much Love!

A Dare.

Yep, a dare.  And don't worry, this dare is far from impossible.  It isn't unapproachable or even unattainable.  It isn't a dare your friends give you to ask out a crush, or prank call Dominoes.  You shouldn't be afraid of this dare.  It could be one of the best things that ever happened to you.

What is it?  I dare you to move.  If no one else in this world will dare you to take that extra mile, it'll be me.  If I dared you to be the best you can be, would you consider it?  Are you up for the challenge?

Just between you and me, has anyone every dared you to move?  Maybe not to run the last lap or get up out of bed.  Perhaps to move away from a bad influence towards something better.  Something that could make you happier.

I know that a friend is really there for me if they are always on my side.  They will always be on the sidelines cheering for me.  They care about me and my future.  They love me.

As a friend, I am daring you right here and right now.  I dare you to move.

How you interpret this dare is entirely up to you.  Whether you decide to go win an Olympic gold or just get out of bed and start your day, I will support you behind this curtain.

Right now I dare you to listen to this song by Switchfoot.  It is called 'Dare You to Move.'  Convenient, huh?

I did find out that this song was actually intended to be taken literally.  It is about someone in a car accident, and his friend dares him to move.  But that's okay, because I'm bending the rules and changing the meaning :)

So just remember, everyone is waiting for you to make the first move.  Don't be afraid of what other's will think.  Live without fears.  Take risks.  Be fearless.

Be. A. Daredevil.

Much Love,

Road Map

Everyone says that your life is just one narrow path.  Whether you choose to take it is up to you.  What's been prepared for you is completely different than the final outcome.  Well, instead of thinking of some plain old pathway that looks meant for hiking, I tend to think of a more intricate road map.  A number of small exits leading to trashed towns or broken, unpaved roads.  The only problem is that we can't see this map.  Only God knows what we will become and where we will go.  He knows exactly what road will take you back home.  If you put your faith in him, then life will move smoothly.  If not, it'll be pretty bumpy along the way.

We have billboards lined on the sides of these roads.  Propaganda like, "You'll be the prettiest one if you take this road!" painted in black letters.  Of course, people will get off and fall for one of these crazy tricks.  One thing is more than obvious about these kinds of people.  They're lacking a certain navigation system.  They need someone to keep them aligned and moving straight towards the finish line.  Things in life have cluttered their road.  It could even be other cars.  Sometimes, we feel like we get nowhere with our lives.  As if were stuck in a massive traffic jam.

One of the most amazing inventions in modern technology is the backspace, reverse, do-over or whatever you prefer to call it.  But pretty much, at any point in life, you can be forgiven.  Sure, the memory will still be there, but it's much smaller now.  It is all less significant than before.  That's the great thing about life.  No matter how many times we slip up, there's always someone to pick you up.  He will stay by your side wherever you may go.  He is sitting in the passenger seat holding your map.  He reads out where to go if you listen closely and pray often.  Of course, it is up to you which path to take, but with His guidance, you know you're in good hands.  He's your insurance.  If you crash, then you're guaranteed a full replacement.  As long as you keep paying those monthly fees, everything will be okay.

So don't be afraid what people will think if you turn around.  No popularity or pressure should influence your love for God.  He loves you faithfully and unconditionally.  Don't be afraid to do the right thing.  In heaven, are you going to want to say that you made the wrong choice?  Will social rank have any significance anymore?  If it is like God promised, the answer is no.  So don't feel bad or scold  yourself.  Just grow and turn around.  Go ahead and get a head start in the right direction.  You'll go big places!

Here's a song called "Turn Around" by Matt Maher that inspired this whole blog post.  I hope you like it as much as I do.

Love,

Magnet

As humans, we are drawn to Your every word and movement.  You serve as a magnet.  We will follow You.  I've been thinking about the way humans always want to be part of something.  They want to follow the crowd and belong somewhere.  Since our cliques at school and other more "visual" aspects of belonging get in the way of God, we become distracted.  We are convinced that the right way to go is in our friends.  I have to ask myself sometimes why I want to please everyone.  Why should I try being something different?  Something I've recently learned about God is that with Him, you don't have to change.  Just the way you are, you fit in.  He doesn't try to change and manipulate You like a peer, but merely helps guide you.  He supports decisions and serves as aid.  Why are we scared of God, but not our peers?  He is a perfect being.  God makes no mistakes and knows what's best for us!  After all, He did create us.  Who would know us better?  The great thing about God is that not only are we intrigued by Him, but He wants our presence.  With God, there is no sometimes, maybe or after lunch.  He lives off of our love and compassion.  The magnet He has become is stronger than any other force.  You may think you know everything about physics, but you haven't even begun to comprehend this bond.  The crave we have for Him.  We feed off of Him.  We wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for Him!  And what do we give Him?  Sometimes?  Maybe? After lunch???  This is absurd!  Humans have become more powerful than we can imagine.  All we use our power to do is sit around and watch TV.  We eat, work, sleep, and entertain ourselves.  We miss out on some of the most important things.  We think that the magnet is pulling us to be more like our friends, but really it is to show them our individuality.  Some people can't accept you.  You think your alone?  What about Jesus?  He was called names, made fun of and put through more things than me and you combined, but what did He continue to do?  Praise the Lord.  Not because it was right, but because He wanted to.  He didn't fall for the clever tricks and lies they tried to pull on him.  He stayed firm to the ground and did not anger.  Of course we all slip up now and then, but to be able to pull yourself back together is the best part.  Only the Holy Magnet can heal your wounds and leave scars.  Scars that let you know you were the better person.  You relied on God to fix the mess you made.  Keep spreading the word, little magnets.  Not for me, but for Him.  Let the world know His love!  Recruit!  

"But you know all about my teachings, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance." - 2 Timothy 3:10

See the little birdies in a line?  They follow each other...

Impossible?

"Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway." ~ Mary Kay Ash

I was looking on my calender for this month earlier and this is the quote I saw.  It got me thinking about how many things in the world defy all odds.  Scientists have tried to conjure up all different explanations for this impossible occurrence, but they won't admit that maybe some things in this world can't be explained.  It's human nature to try and make sense of everything.  If something doesn't fit just perfectly with or standardizations we have to find an explanation.  Squeeze it into something uncomfortable.  So, what if the bumble bee really can fly? Oh wait, it can!

What would the bumble bee think if it saw us bickering over it flying.  What if it knew that it's body weight shouldn't be able to fly with it's tiny wings?  Would it scoff at our nonsense?  Well sometimes I think God does.  He sees all that we do to try and understand the world.  We have made the principals of flight, equation of a line and even the alphabet.  Everything falls under a certain category.  Everything must have an answer, right? Wrong.  

Look at the love God has for us, as an example.  We think that we know what it's like to love someone with everything we have.  We think we know what it may be like to be God.  Loving everyone equally, even though some of us don't even love You in return.  We try to look at it with our own perspective.  Our mortal perspective.  We give up on God, because we think that He could never love us like He claims.  Truth is, He does with all his heart.  Sure, we don't, but we're not Him.  He loves you not for your looks, not for what you have done or what you'll become.  He loves you because you are His.  He is constantly giving you gifts, like the ones from your grandparents on your birthday.  The great part about his love is that we don't need to understand exactly where it comes from or why it happens.  We should just embrace it in our hearts.  Sort of like passing a math class without learning anything about it.  As impossible as it seems, it can still happen.  Our Lord wants us to know exactly that.  He wants us to trust in Him, for He is the branch that will never break and the flower that will not fade.  If we pay attention to the things that really matter, we could all get somewhere.

So be like the bumble bee.  Defy all odds and prove everyone wrong.  Jesus was everything we can't be, perfect.  Don't think too hard about the impossible.  Don't tell yourself that anything is impossible.  Just keep reaching to the sky.  See if you can make it a little higher than last time.  Could you prove the world wrong again?  The bumble bee did!

If Today Was Your Last Day

I got to thinking about what I would do if I knew I only had one day left to live.  All the people I'd see and the places I'd go.  The food I would eat or the books I would read.  My inspiration was from Nickelback's "If Today Was Your Last Day," hence the title of this post.  I encourage you to play this video.  It's a great song with a great message.  Basically, it says to do what you want with your life right now.  Don't just cruise along and hope it turns out right.  There's no second chances, so live like there's no tomorrow.  But we don't ever to die.  We live to please and have fun.  We prepare for the future and sometimes fail to live in the moment.  I'm not telling you to quit school and never think about things, but just live a little.  Do some things that make you smile and don't regret them.  It'll always be worth the price.  So what would I do if there was only one more day?

Honestly, I would start off the day thinking about how I only have one day left of my life.  Then, I would dig out all the money I had and give it to a local charity.  I would call up all my friends, or go talk to them myself and tell them what they mean to me.  I wouldn't want to go anywhere big on my last day.  I would just end up spending a bunch of time in the car/plane.  I would go and tell everyone about how Jesus loves everyone and hope that they'd spread the news when I left.  I would go through all of my old pictures and take in every moment of my life just once more.  Then, run around outside barefoot.  Run around on the pine needles and hot cement.  Take a short dip in the pool and run around a while.  I would eat some of my favorite foods and spend some time with my family.  Of course, I would thank God for that last day and prepare to come into his kingdom.  Read some of my favorite versus in the Bible and enjoy his creations.  Listen to my favorite music.  Pretty much, do everything  that makes me happy I'm alive.  I would also call up all of my enemies and forgive them.  Tell them I am sorry for what I may have say to them and hope for forgiveness in return.  All that in one day.  What would you do?

Love Your Enemy

Have you ever thought about love?  If there is so many kinds of love, then which one does God use?  How much does He love?  Well, no man can comprehend the compassion and love God has for everything.  It is so far beyond our foolish meaning of "love" that sometimes, we don't know love at all.  How can God love you so much if you don't love him back?  Don't ask me!  I am a mere mortal!  The good part is, we don't have to know how He loves us.  All He asks is that we accept His love and love Him in return.  He also wants us to love everyone with no exceptions.  That means absolutely no "buts" or excuses.  Acceptance of others is key.  Just like Jesus said in Matthew 5:44, "'But I say, love your enemies!  Pray for those who persecute you!'"  Now how far does that mean we should go?  What kind of love should we give them?  The bare minimum or all that we have to offer?  Have you ever wanted to love someone who does all bad?  I can show you how.

"The Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others."  Colossians 3:13.  Show God that you love Him by loving the things He made.  Having respect for his creations and forgiving them.  Even the worst.  Take Hitler, for example.  He was responsible for the persecution of thousands of Jews during World War 2.  He treated them as slaves and tortured their souls for believing in something.  Without a question, we know that he is a bad man.  But let me ask you, what made him bad?  With my minimal psychological knowledge, I do know lots about motivation.  He needed to have been taught, he needed to have accepted and followed through.  To begin with, Hitler was raised in a family that hated Jews.  That was all he had ever known.  He accepted that the Jewish faith was destructive and needed to be destroyed.  To follow through, he needed an ingenious plan.  One that would arouse chaos and annihilate the entire Jewish population.  God had given him a true gift.  The face of a leader and speaker.  Basically, he had the motive and ability to kill.  Hitler attained an army and followed through.  He started World War 2.  Why should we forgive someone who did this much damage?  God forgave him.

God says that thinking about killing someone in your mind is just as bad as really murdering them.  Anyway, all sins are equal.  Murder, jealousy, and lies are all the same.  Don't tell me that you have never sinned.  Well guess what, your just as bad as Hitler, but you can be forgiven.  Hitler didn't show any guilt or regrets, but he made many enemies.  The earthly consequences don't have anything to do with how bad something is in God's eyes.

Someone Worth Dying For...you

“Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.” 
― Martin Luther King Jr.

After hearing the song Someone Worth Dying For by MIKESCHAIR on the radio, I was instantly reminded of MLK.  It may seem bad to compare someone like him to Jesus, but he was a very godly man.  Martin was a great teacher, leader, speaker and preacher.  He was a man of God.  He was also an African American fighting for his beliefs.  Martin was willing to die to see a difference in the world.  Now, let me ask you just one question.  This is not a question to be answered right now or even soon.  Events and future experiences will make up the answer.  But is there anything in this world that you would die for?  Notice the 'this world' part.  Aside from God, could you die for a belief, a friendship or even a great memory? If not, how much would you give for the dream to become a reality?  Well, just know that he gave it all, his life, the ultimate sacrifice.  This is similar to what Jesus did, but he wasn't well aware of his death.  Just think, this was all for the world.

First off in the song, they talk about certain scenarios of self-hatred or insignificance.  All the negative things that could happen to you in life.  Sometimes we want to ask, "'God can you hear me?'"  If you've chosen a broken road that turned your life into regret, there is hope.  We all want to be loved by something.  We want to be their focus, their priority.  We want them to love us unconditionally, no matter what has gone wrong.  Knowing we can't achieve perfection, why do we try?  Every day we get up, go to school or work, but what do we get?  We get the necessities of life.  Food, water, shelter and a hope for a better future.  If you think about it, we're pretty selfish people.  Our desires, cares and concerns revolve around our world.  Now don't get me wrong, food is important, but why can't we save some time to think about our surroundings?   Back to my point, we try to say we did try.  We try to get things in return.  Like the Golden Rule of the Bible says, "One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself." You get out what you put into the situation.  We try to make the world a better place for love.  If you try to love someone with everything you have, chances are, they'll love you back.  God wants us to know we are worth something.  We add a little something to life, make it more enjoyable and lively.  Start living for God, knowing you are something worth dying for and you do matter.  But you may ask, "'Am I really beautiful?'" or "Why me?" or "'Am I more than flesh and bones?'"  I don't know why not.  You're obviously here for a reason and you're going to make a difference.  Now your life is what you make of it.  There won't be someone telling you what to do, but I do know we'll all be standing at the finish line cheering you on.  

                                                      Check out their music video!!!

The Equation of Life

Is life an equation?  Life is many things.  It has a beginning and an end, an input and an output and even a solution.  God is the world's solution, but we can't find the solution without work. The equation is always changing.  

First, think of yourself as a continuous equation.  With new experiences and memories you keep putting in variables.  Each of these changes the outcome of the situation.  Your perspective determines the way you act.  If you think violence is the answer to our problems, chances are you'll be violent.  The same is true for your own thoughts.  If you have a new experience that makes you feel guilty about the way you acted in the past, the outcome would again change.  This continuous cycle of life happens every day.  Some terms in the equation have a greater impact on the solution or way you live.  If you think about your life this way you'll notice that life is easy to change.  Do you have regrets?  Do you have fears?  All of this can be hidden if you trust God and he makes a large impact on your equation.  For example, if you take -7 and add 8 to it, what do you get? A positive number, 1.  Something of a greater strength can overtake the negative and leave you with positivity and relief.  Things can bring you down, but God can always pick you up.  

Next, think of all life as an equation.  The whole entire world formed with each person as a variable.  No one is alike and everyone has an impact on the solution, big or small, good or bad.  If we continuously move in the right direction, the equation can get better and better.  Why do it?  Because we can.  Sure, we don't have to, we have an option, but when you stand at the gates of heaven and God asks you, "What have you done to change the world?" you'll have an answer.  The answer to this equation is pure love.  Love for everything equally, and that includes your enemies.  Love the ones who hate you.  Your positivity can cancel their actions.  You can never have too much compassion for someone else.

So keep your head up and do the things you love.  Do them with love and honor.  Dream big and never look back.  No regrets, just improvement.  Look up and find your way through the Lord.

Gifts 2/2

     Well, I guess you could say I lied about this post.  I haven't really had the time to give you 50 more great things.  I don't know why you would want to see what I am thankful for anyways.  Instead I am going to talk about spiritual gifts.  Personal gifts.  The gifts you receive are different from everyone else.  Often I criticize myself for not being as smart as others or having an obvious calling.  Sure, I'm in a program for "academically gifted" kids, but that doesn't mean your're the most intelligent one.  There will always be someone better than you at something.  This makes me wonder why I even hope.  Well, let me tell you a story.  I hope it can inspire you as much as it did me.

     There is a girl in my class named Sarah* who is good at everything.  She has won the school science fair twice and is in the process of going to districts for this year's competition.  She even won a prize at states last year.  Sarah truly is gifted.  Every time I do something, she does it better.  She will make her paper longer or the teacher likes it better.  There will always be something.  It's hard to compare yourself to someone who is good at everything.  The craziest part is that she's unbelievably nice.  You would think that someone like her would be selfish or stuck up.  Honestly, that's how all "academically gifted" kids are thought to be.  To us, middle school is just middle school.  Relationships are thought highly of and social rankings fill our minds, but there is no interest in school.  We just understand concepts easier than other kids.  Life is just the opposite for Sarah.  There is no way she would get caught up in screwed relationships or popularity.  She spends her time studying genetics and pondering philosophy, enjoys anything scientific and lives for mature debates.  Sadly, the only people that understand what she's talking about are the teachers.  More people would like her if she didn't whisper everything.  You can't understand a word when being surrounded by rambunctious kids in a cafeteria who entertain themselves by throwing food at each other.  The only thing you can manage to do is nod, smile and pretend you heard every word.

     One day, I felt a little braver.  Or maybe I was just too curious.  I came up to her and asked, "How do you do it?"  "What do you mean by that?", she replied.  I guess I just thought she would know what I was talking about.  "I mean how are you so good at everything?" I asked.  "Well," she told me, "I don't know what you mean.  I am definitely not good at everything.  I just try to be." "Oh," I said, "so there's not a trick? You just know everything already?  That seems unfair."  I could tell she was confused by then even though she managed to keep a sincere smile on her face.  "Actually," she said, "I do have a trick."  I don't know what I was anticipating at this point, because it's not like she is a witch.  "I have an inspiration." she told me, "It's my brother Timmy*.  He has a genetic disability and inspires me to work hard every day.  I strive to help others with disabilities after becoming a geneticist."  I stood there in awe, trying to let that sink in.  "I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't know!"  "Oh," she replied, "It's nothing to be sorry about.  I love him so much just the way he is."  That had made my day.  A girl who does everything to the glory of someone bigger than herself.  Someone who cares to do the right thing and doesn't let anything get in her way.  "I'm so glad he has a sister like you.   He should be so proud!"  I said, smiling at the gracious being set before me by God.  Every since that day, we have become great friends.  I have even gotten to meet Timmy since then.  I can tell why she loves him so much.  A boy like him is very lucky to end up with a family like theirs.

     So, I realized that there was passion inside of her.  That's what I was missing.  Dwelling on how bad I was compared to her got me stuck in a ditch.  There was no way out until I got my priorities straight and ducks in a line.  That way I could really focus on getting out.  Every now and then I look back and ask why I was so concerned, but have to tell myself that I've grown since then.  Like Sarah says, "You can't go higher, if you don't start lower."

* name changed for privacy reasons