The Hippie Chick

I am a hippie. Not like a tree hugging hippie but a girl who loves to go outside and hang in nature. Who loves crazy, weird, hair and even dresses like a hippie! I love that style!  This is why I'm called Hippie Chick.

Hippie Chick is who I am and I am so proud of it.

I wouldn't change for anyone or anything. God made me who I am and I couldn't be more thankful. I pray daily that God will give me the strength to make it through each day, be who I am and to decide temptation will not take over my life.

I see people, friends, family change for those around them. Change for the world. Reduce who they truly are to impress those who most likely don't care. In the end, does it really matter? God wants you to be who you are, how he made you. Each of us has a purpose to fulfill but how can we fulfill it if we're focused on the way people view us?

Someone's always going to be there to tear you down but you have to learn to ignore it. Besides, for every thumbs downer, there are two thumb uppers. Listen to those who force you to be you. Who are willing to show you new things and encourage you. Those who do the opposite aren't worth being around. Who wants a fake friend?

His Call To Me

I was told in youth group that judgment day is based on whether I accomplished my calling that the Lord set in place for me to do.

I question daily what my calling is. I pray to God that he will open my eyes and let me see it. But, I still don't know.

Lately, I've felt as though I don't here God, that I need to grow in him, and focus on him every day. It's nagging at my mind constantly to focus on him, to do whatever I can to learn more. It made me sad to think about it because I thought I was growing apart from God. And I don't want to do that! It scares me to even think that I would. Then, I thought today about my calling. It occurred to me that maybe this is what he's wanting me to do? Is this what you're trying to tell me, Lord?

So, in turn, I tried finding things that I could do to grow. But, it wasn't working. Nothing kept my attention. I don't know what to do when the nagging feeling continues. What do I do? What is God trying to tell me? Does anyone know?

Recently I started reading the book Driven by Eternity by John Bevere. I'm not that far into it but everything he's written is deep and true. It's keeping my attention. I love the book so far. It means a lot to me and I still require more of myself to find more ways to grow in Christ. If anyone has any suggestions please, feel free to tell me. I want my relationship with him to grow.

Thanks!

I'm sorry my followers.

None of my pictures are showing up but do not fret. I will fix it!

No Fear of Death

Who knew walking across a lake could be so fun?!

The whole lake is iced over

Just some feet

A little eerie, aye?  

Go outside! You'll see the world!

The Threat to Survive

Read this story and this blog will make sense....CLICK ME!

What did you think? A little demented? Inspiring? If you found inspiration in that there might be something wrong with you. But hey? You can find inspiration in the oddest places, right?

Anyways, to admit, I really liked the story even though it was really, really....horrible? No, that's not the word. Let's say psychotic. Does that work? I think so... At least for General Zaroff.

So, my question to you all is, do you think what Rainsford did, in the end, was necessary? Should he have killed the general? Yes or no?

There are multiple ways one could answer this question. Yes, he should have killed the General because if he hadn't the General would continue hunting people. No, because Rainsford became exactly what he was against. It's a hard answer. Can you imagine being in Rainsford shoes?

So maybe, we should restate the question. If you were Rainsford, what would you have done?

Hi, I'm Rainsford. I'm being hunted, literally, through the jungle by a lunatic, named General Zaroff, who's trying to kill me, and, not to mention, he's finding pleasure in doing so! Is that not nutty or what?! 

Now, what should I do if and when he finds me? Kill him, give mercy, plead and beg? 

Ok, back to me. People have the tendency to choose their life over others. So picture it this way. Rainsford did it in self-defense. Does that count? Rainsford had the chance to eliminate the evil that infected the island and was trying to kill him. He took that chance. But in doing so could you say he also became exactly what General Zaroff was?

General Zaroff was a lunatic, as you all know, who was bored of hunting animals so of course, I mean who wouldn't do this, he switched to hunting humans. As he said, "Humans are nothing more than animals." But through his reasoning, there is a large flaw. There is a wide expanse of differences between humans and animals. Humans have the capability of reasoning. The chance to critically think through situations whereas animals are the opposite. Animals have their animal instincts. Yes, people have instincts too but these are not the instincts I am talking about. Animals only instinct is to kill, protect, and survive. Every choice an animal makes is based on how can I survive? And through this thinking, they either decide to kill or take flight. 

Humans, yes, their instinct is how to survive but do they always kill or flee in the chance of survival? I don't believe so. We have the capability to reason out these dilemmas. The chance to trap a person and hold them until someone comes to take them away. Will we kill if it comes to that? Yes, I believe so. But only and only if it comes to that. It's called self-defense. The threat to survive.So back to the question, did Rainsford become what he was against? I don't believe so. He critically thought through the situation and decided what had to be done. This is probably bad to admit, but I believe he had to do it. If he wouldn't have Rainsford would have been killed and General Zaroff would have continued his displeasures.

But, in the end, did they both become animals? Face to face they stood and the only thought that flashed across their mind was the threat to survive. They both would have killed to survive. They believed it was the only way. Is this an instinct of an animal? You alone surviving?

There's so much that could be taken from this story. More than could be imagined. So much that I could continue this post for an unlimited time. 

What did you take away from the story? 

Eternal Perspective

Thinking eternally....

What is eternal thinking? Eternal thinking is the way you live daily. Do you live your life everyday thinking about where you're going to go after you die? Heaven or Hell? I know that sounds so odd and completley depressing but it has such an impression on your actions and thought processes. God gives us the chance to except him as our Lord and savior, live his commandments and through this we grow in Christ. Through this we have the chance to live with God in eternity! How does living in heaven, forever in peace, no pain, no suffering sound? That sounds so appeling, right?

But yet, humans have such a hard time living in God's commands, eternally. Why would the thought of forever living in hell, forever in pain, constant torture, suffering, FOREVER if I might remind you, sound appealing?

Without God we are nothing. God specifically placed a desire to worship something larger than ourselves in our hearts so we, as humans, always have something we worship. Whether it's our car, video games, hiking, archery, anything. God gives you the choice to worship him or other people or things. You always have a choice but by choosing God we have an eternal, never ending God who never changes and willl forever love us. With God we have the chance to live with him in eternity forever in peace.

By following his commandments, you will grow in your faith. Your relationship with God will multply ten fold, so much greater will come!

God loves you, fights for you, forgives you. Except him and you will have so much more purpose. So much more dignity.

You would be so amazed how God can change you and your life for the better!

God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. He will set you free.

Do you live your life with eternal purpose?

To Live is an Awfully Big Adventure - Peter Pan

Do you ever have that fleeting desire to go on an adventure to explore the world around you?

I do, randomly.

It's 10 o'clock at night, dark out, and I'm ready to go scramble up a mountain. As Peter Pan says
"To live is an awfully big adventure." So? Why not?

Sitting at home makes me antsy. I need to move. The feeling of doing nothing, being lazy makes me restless. Think of it this way. You're laying in bed and tomorrow's Christmas. The thought of what you may be getting, the excitement of the impending surprise keeps your eyes wide open all night. The thought of even closing your eyes brings the idea that all the joy, every gift, every fulfillment will be taken away in a heartbeat! 

So, what's the point of closing your eyes? What's the point of taking away the excitement? Keep them wide open! Ready for every wild adventure!

Today, after school, I had the opportunity to hike Abercrombie. A beautiful hike, which I soon hope to start running. 

  

See? What's the point of sitting at home when such beauty waits for you outside? It calls to me, come and join me. The world awaits! 

The Bet

The Bet is a short story about a lawyer and a banker who made a bet to prove their points of view. They're debating whether the death penalty is better or worse than life in prison. In doing so the bet is made. The link to the story is here.

The banker has his thoughts about the death penalty and imprisonment for life. He believes that the death penalty is more humane and moral, therefore he chose this aspect. Both the death penalty and imprisonment for life kill a person, death penalty in an instant, imprisonment for life over a period of years, slowly.  He asks "Which executioner is the more humane, he who kills you in a few minutes or he who drags the life out of you in the course of many years?" 

The lawyer 's point of view is much different. He believes that both are equally immoral but if he had to choose between the two, he would choose impsionment for life. He says "To live anyhow is better than not living at all."

And this is where the discussion arose. The banker disagreed with the lawyer's thought. The banker then bet the lawyer to stay in solitary confinment for five years and if completed he would pay him two million dollars. The lawyer excepted his wager but said he would do it for fifteen years instead. 

The lawyer completed his fifteen years but escaped early, not wanting the money. After being in solitary confinment for so long he learned things he never thought of before. He learned that everything human beings valued was worthless. He was empty, he had nothing. Everything was meaningless to him.  He didn't want the money for he knew it would bring him no joy.

While the banker had a very different experience. During the fifteen years he slowly went bankrupt. He had no way of paying the lawyer and so, the only thought that came to mind was to kill the lawyer. But, he did not do it because he read the letter the lawyer wrote about not wanting the money.

**********

Is it worth going to such measures to prove a point that may not even be taken when the bet is finished? In an effort to prove a point to the banker the lawyer lost fifteen years of his life. In an effort to change the lawyers thinking the banker became what he was against. He was against putting someone in jail for life but yet took away fifteen years of a mans life. He was then going to kill someone because of greed and fear. 

And, not going through either the death penalty or imprisonment for life they felt they had the position to argue a topic neither one had gone through themselves. Through this we destroy relationships. We are more prone to argue a point that is meaningless and never experienced rather than to find common ground or accept the others opinion as they're thinking. Through this ignorance is built. 

What is the point of arguing when so much more can be completed? Something so much better and worth while. We argue to the point that we go so far as to give up fifteen years of our life, maybe? Is this really important?

So, I leave you at this one question. When we argue, about meaningless or meaningful things, will it change anything? Will everyone switch to one side? Will this help grow us or seperate us? Will we join together or fall apart, against each other?