Friday, January 27, 2012

A Premiere of Sorts

I’ve wanted to do a video series for a while now, but until now, I haven’t had a subject, a camera, or the proper editing tools at my disposal. With the purchase of my 3DS (with a handy dandy inward camera) and a brand new computer from my father, I finally have the means to create a video series! I’ve decided to name it “Questions I Would Like To Be Answered”, in which I more or less discuss and answer a question I have. I’ve decided to post one every month on the last Sunday. This video counts for this Sunday, by the way.

Before you watch it, please keep in mind that although I’m not new to video editing, I am new to this particular editing program, and not everything worked out exactly the way I wanted. I’ll be working to figure out this program as we go along, so I’m hoping the episodes will gradually get better. The camera on my 3DS isn’t super great, but you won’t be able to tell in this video. ;) Lastly, I love the song I picked to open this video, but I don’t think it’s a fitting theme song for me. If you know of a good song for the opening of this series, please let me know. Thanks! You guys rock!!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Problems and Answers

Empty.

I just feel empty. The things that filled me up are gone, and I can’t find anything to replace them with. The things I do have all seem so far away, too far to find the comfort I need. For three years now, I’ve tried to let people in. I’ve tried to love like I need to be loved in return, but I’ve been hurt too bad to truly let anyone into my heart.

I can count the people I trust and know really care about me on one hand. Most of them are more than an hour away from me. I’m just tired of trying to be alright. I’m tired of trying to act like everything’s fine. But mostly, I’m tired of being told it’s my fault. It wasn’t my choice to be where I am now! If I’d had any say in things, I’m sure I’d be in a very different place right now. The walls I’ve built around my heart are my fault, yes. I’ll admit to that. But I built them because of circumstances that had nothing to do with my decisions. I’m the one left cleaning up the mess made from other people’s actions, and I hate it. I’m told not to do this or that, because I’ll just make mistakes of my own. But I’d much rather be cleaning up my own mess than taking the heat for everybody else’s.

I just want to know what God’s doing. I know that in His perfect timing He’ll let me know what’s going on, but I feel so useless right now. I wonder if the world would really care if I disappeared. I wonder if I’ll ever make the impact I’ve always dreamed of making. My hopes and plans for the future all seem so out of reach right now.

I don’t have the answers. I wish I did. But there’s this verse that keeps coming up in Ephesians that says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” I don’t know about you, but I tend to imagine some pretty big things. And therefore, I tend to ask God for some pretty big things. My dreams are far from being small. I think that’s the reason why I end up being so down most of the time. I have so many things that I want to accomplish in my lifetime, and sometimes those things seem so big or so far out of reach that I get discouraged. But It says right here in this verse, that God is able to do all that and more! He knows that I want to do all this crazy stuff for Him, but He also knows exactly what He wants me to do for Him. I have been praying about making a big step in my life that I know will help me better serve God in the areas He’s gifted me in, and I know God’s been telling me to do it. I know He’s got something ginormous for me to get done, and I think it’s going to be soon.

I’m probably sounding silly, having such a small problem with such a big answer. An answer I already know at that. But you know what? Life is hard. I know it, I’m sure you know it, and I just wanted to say that I’ve been there too. God never said in that verse that it was going to be easy. All He said is that it’s by His power that we will bring Him glory. I hope that someday, I can look back on this time and say, “Wow, if only I’d known what God was about to do through me.”

Friday, January 13, 2012

Old Stuff

I have a bazillion Word files on my computer. Some of them have made the transition from one computer to another more than once. Some of them are kinda stupid, and some of them are important, like my English papers and my autobiography I had to write when I got my black belt. I was going through these, trying to find an unfinished document to work with and change into a nice blog post, but instead, I found a collection of my old poems. It was incredible to go through these, reliving the hurt and the thoughts going through me almost three years ago. One of the many benefits to being a writer is that…well…I write. I write out everything on my mind, especially when I’m sad. I was very sad when I wrote most of these poems, and although I don’t feel this way often anymore, they still accurately describe my inner most parts. Some of them I scribbled in a notebook or on some other scrap of paper before I eventually copied all of them on my computer.

Below are some of the best ones, with a few modifications (they are highly personal after all). Some of them are 100% true, while some of them are inspired by real events. All of them were written by me, so please don’t copy them without permission! With that said, enjoy this glance into my heart.

Prayer for a Friend
I’m so lonely God
It feels like there’s no one who wants to be my friend
There’s no one who’s even close to being like me
Someone I can talk to
Someone I can hang out with
Someone I can share things with
Lord, I’ve drawn closer to you since I’ve moved here
I thank you for that, for saving me from things much worse
For indeed I was headed down that path
But it’s tempting me again
I have no one to come along side me
To lift me up
To understand
I don’t care what they look like God
I don’t care what they’ve been through
If we can get along Lord, send me that person
So we can be there for each other
So we can help each other grow closer to you
Someone who doesn’t care about my faults
Or cares what I’m into
Who has the same passions I do
Lord, please
It’s so hard being here on my own
Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it
I’m not asking for much Lord
Not a whole youth group of friends
Just one person
Please Lord
Just one

Deathly Heartbroken
Sleeping alone has gotten so hard
Since the day you left me with no regard
For my soul or life we had
Together we were not so bad
If there could be one reason why
You left me hanging with a lowly sigh
You showed no remorse, regret or loss
Dripping wet with pain, my eyes are like smooth gloss
I cried so many nights for you
Lost so many tears, and what did you do?
You left me, forever and always
Not looking back, while your lover cries
What was the point of all this?
Was it to leave in the middle of wonderful bliss?
I thought you were the one
But now I’m entirely numb
With grief over the way you used me
I should have been the first to flee
From your deceptive grip
Your gentle lips
And most of all
Your overflowing gall
To do what you did to me
Sleeping alone has gotten so hard
Since the day you left me with no regard

6-24-09
I feel all alone
I wish I had someone to talk to
Someone who really cared and listened like they did
I wish I had someone to talk to
Without all the criticism and anger
I wish someone understood
And would always be there no matter what
I wish there was someone I couldn’t get grounded from
Who could know when I felt pain
Who could tell me they loved me
And help me to get back on the right path again
I wish such a person like this existed in the world
Because so far they’ve all let me down
They’ve proven themselves to be unfaithful
There are bigger problems than me in their eyes
There’s never enough time
I wish I had someone who had enough time
Who saw past all my imperfections and hurts
They’d say it’s O.K. and it made no difference
Because they loved me anyway I was
I wish that my foolish dreams could be let out
Without shame or regret
And someone could listen and understand it all
And then they’d get excited with me
We’d laugh about nothing at all
I hope I remember what laughter is
When this person comes into my life
I think I will because that’s what I live for
I live to give others the gift of laughter
And I want someone to understand this
The fact that I live for the joy laughter brings
They won’t think it’s stupid
Because all they want is to make me laugh too

Silent One
Silent one
How I wish I could hold you
Let you know it’s OK
Rejected too many times
By the ones you thought would care
It’s not true what they say
About life being easy for us
It’s the biggest lie they’ve ever told us
It causes us to look forward to this time
But when we arrive we discover the truth
Silent one
Don’t cry any longer
Your face may be dry
But inside your heart is drowning
Forgotten and lost
Abandoned and hurt
There’s still hope for you yet
If I had the bravery to come to you
I would, I promise
But I’m just as broken as you
Silent one
Hold on for just another day
Don’t give in to the pressure
Find that last bit of strength
And push through that day
That day you swore you’d end it all
An end to this pain in a bottle
It’s not what it seems
There’s so much more for you here
Lord, give me the strength
To reach that person
Silent one they may be

Stay Strong, Beloved
A beautiful moment of peace
Relieving you of all the hurt and trouble of this world
You know you must return to that dark place of suffering soon
My love, the time is now nearer than ever
But take heart, and don’t be afraid
Fight for what you believe in
Stay true to the faith
Watch, the darkness is even now filling this place
Illuminate that world
That world of distrust in everyone
Trust in nothing
Only in the One who created trust
When your closest companions turn to the ways of the evil one
Never give up
Never follow them to that place
They know not what they do
Indulging in intoxicating liquids to relax their mind
And forget about the world
Slowly falling apart all around them
Taking part in sweet love
Never knowing its real meaning
Don’t go there with them
The time has come for us to part
But hold back those tears of longing
It will never be the way we wish
But it will always be worth it
Goodbye beloved, and stay strong

7-11-09
I don’t understand those people
Those people that have it all together
Who are never in trouble
Who never feel the need to cry
I want to know why I can’t seem to get it right
Why everyone is always mad at me
Why am I so stupid?
It’s like it’s in my blood
No matter how hard I try
No matter what I do
Nothing ever changes
The world is a big place
But I feel I’m missing it
I’m afraid I’ll be stuck here forever
And I’ll never know what life is like
I’ll never know how it feels
To have someone cheer you on when you need help
I’ll never know how it feels
To really be loved with a love that takes action
I find comfort in listening to other people
To hear out their problems and hurts
Because I know what it’s like and much worse
To go through things you can’t pull through
But yet I’m still here
I’m still fighting this fight
When it’ll be over I don’t know
But I hope it ends soon
I’m not sure I can take much more
But there are people who need me
I can’t let them down
The greatest pain you can feel is being let down
I can’t let them down
Lord, help me


This last poem is perhaps the most special. I wrote it right after I re-dedicated my life to the Lord. I don’t remember the exact date, but I believe I was sixteen, so I’m guessing it was around the spring of 2010. The funny thing is, this poem was one of the last I wrote in my poem book, and I have a feeling it’s because I write poems when I’m sad. Maybe I’ll write in it again with my new feelings of joy.

Space to breath freely again
Space to breath freely again
No more trying, only doing
No more wanting, only having
For the first time I feel truly free
I can breathe on my own
I can see the reason
This is my new start
I’m doing it again
Rededicate myself to you
All of it this time
Everything I hid before
All the things I thought I could never overcome
Yet here I am
They are no longer a part of me
They don’t control me!
I don’t need them
I’m joyful, changed, forgiven

Friday, January 6, 2012

That's Offensive

I listen to a very interesting DJ on Air 1 every afternoon. By interesting I mean having unusual and bold beliefs. Hardly a day goes by where he doesn’t leave me pondering my faith in a way I never thought of before. I wouldn’t say I totally agree with everything he says, but none if it is wrong, I just wouldn’t stand behind it as strongly as he does. The other day, however, he sad something that I not only agreed with whole-heartedly, but that can apply to something in my life that’s been bothering me.

I don’t remember the story exactly, but basically he said that Christians shouldn’t be easily offended. People are always fighting over religious matters because they’re “offended”, have you noticed this? Especially around Christmas time. People are offended if you do or do not have a Christmas tree. They argue about Christmas lights. They even get into heated debates on celebrating Christmas at all. I love Christmas, and the right and wrong things about the holiday could fill a book, so I’ll not talk about it now. But the main point is, we are offended by the things other people do that we don’t necessarily agree with.

I’m one of those people that don’t really care about the things people do. If you want to have a Christmas tree, fine. If you like turkey over ham, fine. If you despise bacon, not fine. But it’s your life, not mine. When it comes to my faith, I’ll definitely stand for what I believe in, but I won’t force you to follow in my path. I’m not going to make you read the bible or go to church or pray. I’ll simply make sure I’m faithfully doing these things in my own life, and letting them positively effect the way I live my life and the way I treat you. It’s living by example rather than by force.

But back to the whole offended thing…Christmas is an awesome holiday for sure, but I always despise when it comes time to get together with the family, and I know I’m not the only one. I’m looked down on because I’m home schooled, because I’m not in college and don’t intend on going anytime soon, because I’m not super fit, and even because of my faith. I can feel my inferiority the second I walk into the door. I know none of these things are worth being bothered about, but still, it hurt to be treated like I’m not good enough, that my relatives are better than me because they do this and I don’t, and my years and years of spiritual upbringing aren’t as important as my education. I hate it.

Read my words again: aren’t I being easily offended? All of these things have benefits that far outweigh the things I don’t have. My schooling, for example. My awesome mother not only stayed home with me and my siblings for many years to school us, but now she works and takes the time to home school us because she wants us to be brought up without the pollution of the world. Nothing is wrong with public school kids, I know quite a few incredible people that were or are public schooled. But I personally would not have survived it there. I give in easily to pressure, I have an obsessive personality, and I’m curious. Just these things alone would have gotten me into so much trouble before I reached eighth grade. Instead, because of my mom’s choice to love her children more than her career or money, I’m being taught to use my flaws for God’s glory, to be easily pressured to love Him more, to obsess over Him, and to be so curious about Him that I learn more about His love everyday.

Never, never should I feel hurt because someone doesn’t approve of my faith. It doesn’t matter if it’s someone I love or someone I hate, I should never be ashamed of the Lord. I should never be offended because someone says something not so nice about my faith. Was Jesus offended when the people spat on him as he carried his cross up the mountain? When the people he was about to save called him names and kicked mud in his face, did he say to them, “I don’t like that, would you please take your anti-religious beliefs elsewhere?” No, he kept going, and as he was dying, he cried out to his Father to forgive them. That is the ultimate example that we should follow. When people don’t accept me because I pray before my meal, or because I refuse to engage in pre-marital sex, or because I care about the well being of others more than myself, I shouldn’t let it get to me. I shouldn’t hold it against them, and I should definitely not let it bother me. I’m not ashamed of Jesus Christ, and I hope you make this choice with me. It’s not the popular thing to do, but it’s definitely how we as Christians should be conducting ourselves.

I don’t give a dookey about what anyone else thinks.