Spring Break is upon us once more, though technically mine doesn't begin until tomorrow, due to the fact that I still have school to do today. But instead of writing today, I'm going to make a list of sorts of things that I want to do and become this summer, and I plan to start a few of these with this break I have this upcoming week. It's not that I don't like who I am, (though sometimes that is the case) I just want to become a better person; a better Christian.
-taye
Life to-do's:
1. Become a reader. I love reading, it is like a movie. For a while, you can just get whisked off into another world, another life, another person. My problem: procrastination, and the fact that I have so many books I want to read that I start reading about four at a time and then end up not finishing any of them. But I want to become one of those people who nose is always in a book, I do not really know why, but people like that always seem so peaceful; so content, and not bothered by the world around them.
2. STOP procrastinating. I think this one is going to be the most difficult because I have the feeling that I will want to procrastinate starting it. My procrastination has gotten so bad lately though, that I even want to procrastinate procrastination! It sounds ridiculous, I know. So I am going to stop, and I have the feeling that by stopping, I will get a lot more done with my life.
3. Study the Word. A girl at church talked about this two weeks ago. The Bible is literally the Word of God, He breathed it (2 Timothy 3:16) and it is here to teach us. Over the past, I have been a "skimmer", someone who skims, so to speak, while they read the Bible. But, the Bible is not here for us to simply skim, we should be in it daily, studying it. There is so much about God's Word that I don't know, so much that I have not yet read. I want to dive into it and absorb it like a sponge.
4. Live. At first glance, living sounds easy...oh no, it is not, not for me at least, in fact, lately it has been kind of a struggle. It is not like I am depressed or anything, I am content, but I want to be more than just content, I want to be happy. Joy is something I have a hard time with sometimes, but when I think about all that Christ has done for me, the idea of NOT being joyful seems absurd, though I still continue to struggle with it. I was watching a Hallmark movie the other night (I love those, by the way) and this guy said "I'm excited about waking up every morning now..." and that sort of hit me. I do not get excited about waking up every morning, most mornings I hit the snooze button about three or four times. I want to be excited about living everyday.
5. Lighten up on Facebook. Oh facebook, how you encourage my procrastination! Facebook has been a real contributor to my procrastination, it just seems to call my name every time I get on the computer to write a paper or study for the ACT/SAT. But it has got to stop. I am not going to quit it completely, but I am going to have to seriously lighten up on how much I get on.
So there we are...a short list of to do's that I want to accomplish from now (SPRING BREAK!) through the end of the summer.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
April Fools!
April 1st has come around once again, and as usual, I can think of nothing to prank my family or friends. Oh well. I haven't written in a while so while I should be studying for my history test, I'll write instead. haha.
-taye
April Fools
Year after year on the date of the first of April, we are fooled by our friends--after all it is called April Fools Day for a reason, however, we are not just fools on this one day out of the year, we are fools everyday. Before I continue, let me inform you that there are two types of fools: Fools for the world and fools for Christ.
To be a fool for the world means to fall into its deceptive traps and lies. Recently, I have been there myself. You get caught up in something that the world is telling you and you forget to listen for what God is trying to say. But our purpose on the earth needs to be consistently remembered, because we were not created to live as fools of the world!
"Is this the way you repay the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?" -Deuteronomy 32:6
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." -Romans 12:2
The type of fool we should always be striving to become is a fool for Christ. This may sound odd to you, but it is one of the best compliments you can receive. When I say this, I am not meaning that we are fools for following Christ, but in fact the world views us as fools, because they do not understand. Therefore, it is better to be viewed as a fool for following after Christ than become a true fool by following the world.
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." -1 John 2:15-17
"Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you." -1 John 3:13
"The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him." -1 John 3:1
So today, I urge you to be a fool for Christ!
-taye
April Fools
Year after year on the date of the first of April, we are fooled by our friends--after all it is called April Fools Day for a reason, however, we are not just fools on this one day out of the year, we are fools everyday. Before I continue, let me inform you that there are two types of fools: Fools for the world and fools for Christ.
To be a fool for the world means to fall into its deceptive traps and lies. Recently, I have been there myself. You get caught up in something that the world is telling you and you forget to listen for what God is trying to say. But our purpose on the earth needs to be consistently remembered, because we were not created to live as fools of the world!
"Is this the way you repay the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?" -Deuteronomy 32:6
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." -Romans 12:2
The type of fool we should always be striving to become is a fool for Christ. This may sound odd to you, but it is one of the best compliments you can receive. When I say this, I am not meaning that we are fools for following Christ, but in fact the world views us as fools, because they do not understand. Therefore, it is better to be viewed as a fool for following after Christ than become a true fool by following the world.
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." -1 John 2:15-17
"Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you." -1 John 3:13
"The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him." -1 John 3:1
So today, I urge you to be a fool for Christ!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
I'll let you go, I'll set you free
So this is hard to write but I've got to release some stuff from my head.
-taye
Letting Go
As a human, as a female, as a teenage girl, the act of letting go is extremely difficult. I am approaching my senior year in high school and this upcoming year is going to be one of letting go, I do not know how I am going to do it.
I will have to let go of home. Though I live in this tiny little town, I adore it; it is so cute and small-town but I like that about it, I am going to miss it. Along with the town I will have to let go of some people. A few of these people I will absolutely not mind letting go of, in fact, I have been trying to let go of them for years, others, however the process of letting go will be a hard one. Even so, there are some that I will not be able to let go of and these are the ones who will remain in my life forever.
There are some people that I have yet been able to release from my life, some of which I need to desperately, but cannot. I cannot find it in me to let go of them and it hurts. But I will leave with this prayer:
"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next."
-Reinhold Niebuhr
-taye
Letting Go
As a human, as a female, as a teenage girl, the act of letting go is extremely difficult. I am approaching my senior year in high school and this upcoming year is going to be one of letting go, I do not know how I am going to do it.
I will have to let go of home. Though I live in this tiny little town, I adore it; it is so cute and small-town but I like that about it, I am going to miss it. Along with the town I will have to let go of some people. A few of these people I will absolutely not mind letting go of, in fact, I have been trying to let go of them for years, others, however the process of letting go will be a hard one. Even so, there are some that I will not be able to let go of and these are the ones who will remain in my life forever.
There are some people that I have yet been able to release from my life, some of which I need to desperately, but cannot. I cannot find it in me to let go of them and it hurts. But I will leave with this prayer:
"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next."
-Reinhold Niebuhr
Friday, March 12, 2010
A friend is...
It's currently pouring down rain outside (my favorite weather) and I have a lot to do, which, of course, is the reason I'm writing, it's always a good way to procrastinate, and lately I seem to be all about procrastinating. Recently, I've been tossing some ideas around in this completely disorganized brain of mine about friendship. Unfortunately I have a speech to write, so we'll see how long/short this becomes.
-taye
What is a friend?
Looking at quotes about friendship, one word in particular seems to continue to pop up: understand. To a certain degree I side with that opinion, but a friend is so much more than someone who simply understands you. A friend, I believe, should be someone who remains by your side even when they do not understand. This is something I have had to learn recently, and trust me, it is not by any means an easy task.
Friends are human, they will make plenty of mistakes, and they will hurt you...even the ones that you have known since you were in diapers. But something we must realize is that we are human too, and we are going to make the same number, if not more mistakes and hurt our friends as well. One key to a lasting friendship is this: forgiveness. We must forgive our friends for the times that they hurt us as well as the mistakes that they make.
A fault of mine is that I am very judgemental. I like to critique the lives of those around me without looking at my own (see Matthew 7:1-5 by the way), and I tend to do this with my friends as well. A friend is someone who will look out for you; someone who will let you know when you are doing wrong, however after you have let them know about their wrongdoings, there is a point where you have got to step back and let them make their own mistakes. This is where being supportive comes in to play. After the stepping back, you have to be supportive. You must give support, encouragment, and love even when you do not understand. I believe this is what makes a good friend.
-taye
What is a friend?
Looking at quotes about friendship, one word in particular seems to continue to pop up: understand. To a certain degree I side with that opinion, but a friend is so much more than someone who simply understands you. A friend, I believe, should be someone who remains by your side even when they do not understand. This is something I have had to learn recently, and trust me, it is not by any means an easy task.
Friends are human, they will make plenty of mistakes, and they will hurt you...even the ones that you have known since you were in diapers. But something we must realize is that we are human too, and we are going to make the same number, if not more mistakes and hurt our friends as well. One key to a lasting friendship is this: forgiveness. We must forgive our friends for the times that they hurt us as well as the mistakes that they make.
A fault of mine is that I am very judgemental. I like to critique the lives of those around me without looking at my own (see Matthew 7:1-5 by the way), and I tend to do this with my friends as well. A friend is someone who will look out for you; someone who will let you know when you are doing wrong, however after you have let them know about their wrongdoings, there is a point where you have got to step back and let them make their own mistakes. This is where being supportive comes in to play. After the stepping back, you have to be supportive. You must give support, encouragment, and love even when you do not understand. I believe this is what makes a good friend.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
I will praise You in this storm
So, reading over the post from the other day, I realize that I need to proof before posting, there were a ton of grammatical errors. Sorry for that. Anyway, last night for my quiet time I read a story very familiar to most Christians: Jesus calming the storm. However, as I read it brought comfort to me, I really needed that last night. God has a way of bringing encouragement at just the right time. Have a happy Tuesday!
-taye
I will praise You in this storm
"One day Jesus said to His disciples, 'Let's go over to the other side of the lake.' So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, He fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, 'Master, Master, we're going to drown!'
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 'Where is your faith?' He asked His disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, 'Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.' "
{Luke 8:22-25 NIV}
Though this was the telling of a true story, I believe that it also is in the Bible to serve as a parable just as so many other biblical stories are. At some point in life, every single person goes through a "storm" of some kind; in fact, there will be many of life's storms along the journey. We may question why we, as God's children must endure these storms; we may grumble, panic, or fear just as the disciples did, or we can choose to have faith...there is not room enough for both fear and faith, we must choose one.
If we choose fear, how much more difficult the storm will become! It will go from a summer thunderstorm to a horrible hurricane, and chances are that we will not stand firm when it is over. On the contrary, if we choose faith, along with it will come hope, and eventually joy. Where there is faith, there is no need for fear.
If faith is the road we take, there is one more umbrella we need to hold: praise. We must learn to not only endure the storm, but praise the One who will rescue us from it; the only One who is able to calm it.
-taye
I will praise You in this storm
"One day Jesus said to His disciples, 'Let's go over to the other side of the lake.' So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, He fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, 'Master, Master, we're going to drown!'
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 'Where is your faith?' He asked His disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, 'Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.' "
{Luke 8:22-25 NIV}
Though this was the telling of a true story, I believe that it also is in the Bible to serve as a parable just as so many other biblical stories are. At some point in life, every single person goes through a "storm" of some kind; in fact, there will be many of life's storms along the journey. We may question why we, as God's children must endure these storms; we may grumble, panic, or fear just as the disciples did, or we can choose to have faith...there is not room enough for both fear and faith, we must choose one.
If we choose fear, how much more difficult the storm will become! It will go from a summer thunderstorm to a horrible hurricane, and chances are that we will not stand firm when it is over. On the contrary, if we choose faith, along with it will come hope, and eventually joy. Where there is faith, there is no need for fear.
If faith is the road we take, there is one more umbrella we need to hold: praise. We must learn to not only endure the storm, but praise the One who will rescue us from it; the only One who is able to calm it.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Happily Ever After...
One item on my bucket list is to write a book...preferably fiction, perhaps a good love story (after all I do love Jane Austen and Nicholas Sparks). On the drive home from my Grandparents' house tonight I though of some good stuff for it and was going to make yet another attmept to write it, however, now that I sit down to actually begin, my mind goes blank...of course that's how it works! So instead, I'll write on here...get a little bit off my mind.
-taye
Happily Ever After?
Prince charmings, knights in shining armor, or not-so-shining armor, happily ever afters...these are the things that have constantly been on my mind lately. Like most girls, I love a good love story. I've seen Dear John in theaters twice now, lost count of how many times I've read all the Twilight books, and fall in love everytime I watch a Disney Princess movie (Beauty & the Beast is my favorite, by the way). But sometimes, especially lately, I have been wondering whether or not we'll all have our own happily ever after. Though tragic tales of unending love capture our hearts- after all could hate Romeo & Juliet?- who truly wants a love story that ends? If we are all honest with ourselves, however, we all know that we have had doubts at some point in life whether or not Prince Charming even exists.
I imagine that if I were to ask Belle whether or not she thought she had a Prince Charming in the beginning, that her reply would be some grumbling about Gaston annoying persistance, and once she replaced her father captured position. Elizabeth Bennet must’ve had her fair share of doubts as well—after refusing Mr. Collins’ proposal and especially once the realization of her feelings toward Mr. Darcy came, after refusing his proposal as well! So, I believe it’s safe to say that, as girls, we have doubts about Prince Charming and simply about love in general. This is how I’ve felt lately.
However, the more doubts I continue to have, the more I realize that faith is the only thing possible to quench these doubts; to hide them and to override them. This faith is all that I can hold on to throughout my doubts, confusion, and life.
-taye
Happily Ever After?
Prince charmings, knights in shining armor, or not-so-shining armor, happily ever afters...these are the things that have constantly been on my mind lately. Like most girls, I love a good love story. I've seen Dear John in theaters twice now, lost count of how many times I've read all the Twilight books, and fall in love everytime I watch a Disney Princess movie (Beauty & the Beast is my favorite, by the way). But sometimes, especially lately, I have been wondering whether or not we'll all have our own happily ever after. Though tragic tales of unending love capture our hearts- after all could hate Romeo & Juliet?- who truly wants a love story that ends? If we are all honest with ourselves, however, we all know that we have had doubts at some point in life whether or not Prince Charming even exists.
I imagine that if I were to ask Belle whether or not she thought she had a Prince Charming in the beginning, that her reply would be some grumbling about Gaston annoying persistance, and once she replaced her father captured position. Elizabeth Bennet must’ve had her fair share of doubts as well—after refusing Mr. Collins’ proposal and especially once the realization of her feelings toward Mr. Darcy came, after refusing his proposal as well! So, I believe it’s safe to say that, as girls, we have doubts about Prince Charming and simply about love in general. This is how I’ve felt lately.
However, the more doubts I continue to have, the more I realize that faith is the only thing possible to quench these doubts; to hide them and to override them. This faith is all that I can hold on to throughout my doubts, confusion, and life.
Friday, March 5, 2010
2010 so far
Hello again! So, at the start of this year, I was going to write everyday...haha. It appears that my giving up being a procrastinator for Lent hasn't really worked out as well as expected. But here we are, I cannot begin to believe that it's already March, but it appears that the third month has crept upon me once again. There is so much going on in my head right now that it would take hours to begin sorting through it all to find a topic to write on today, so I thought I'd just give a quick update on my life in 2010 so far.
-taye
Two.Thousand.Ten
My New Year's Resolutions: I made a pretty hefty list of things I wanted to accomplish this year, but it's safe to say that they're all still merely works in progress. One resolution was to love others. I have my days on this one; some days it goes great and I can be positive about everyone (or nearly everyone) I seem to encounter, on the other hand, some days I probably resemble Godzilla, which I'm not extremely proud of. This just goes to show that I am nowhere near perfection and that I must rely upon the Lord for my joy and strength...every single day.
The future: I have recently begun the stressful process of looking at colleges and taking those terrible tests known as the SAT and ACT. I've taken each test once so far, and though my scores are good, I still need to bring them each up a bit so I've got to take each at least one more time. I'm looking seriously at two colleges, and have already scheduled a visit to the University of South Carolina in a few weeks. I plan on majoring in dance, wherever I go, and perhaps a minor in either journalism or business. I have my entire life planned out, which is probably a bad thing, and have found that no matter what I have planned, chances are the God will overrule those plans so that His will may be done.
So much more is going on in my life, but as of right now it's 2:30pm and I have to finish school and get ready for the rest of the day. Hopefully, I stop procrastinating and start writing a little more...soon perhaps.
-taye
Two.Thousand.Ten
My New Year's Resolutions: I made a pretty hefty list of things I wanted to accomplish this year, but it's safe to say that they're all still merely works in progress. One resolution was to love others. I have my days on this one; some days it goes great and I can be positive about everyone (or nearly everyone) I seem to encounter, on the other hand, some days I probably resemble Godzilla, which I'm not extremely proud of. This just goes to show that I am nowhere near perfection and that I must rely upon the Lord for my joy and strength...every single day.
The future: I have recently begun the stressful process of looking at colleges and taking those terrible tests known as the SAT and ACT. I've taken each test once so far, and though my scores are good, I still need to bring them each up a bit so I've got to take each at least one more time. I'm looking seriously at two colleges, and have already scheduled a visit to the University of South Carolina in a few weeks. I plan on majoring in dance, wherever I go, and perhaps a minor in either journalism or business. I have my entire life planned out, which is probably a bad thing, and have found that no matter what I have planned, chances are the God will overrule those plans so that His will may be done.
So much more is going on in my life, but as of right now it's 2:30pm and I have to finish school and get ready for the rest of the day. Hopefully, I stop procrastinating and start writing a little more...soon perhaps.
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