Insert 'attention getter' title here.

  Now that I have your attention.
  "Pride and Prejudice."
  This title belongs to a book (by Jane Austen) and a movie (which was based of the book by Jane Austen). 

  It was a summer day, sometime last year.  I was over at a friend's lake house for a volleyball party.  Of course, since it was a volleyball party, my ten+ other teammates were also there.  We spent the day out on the lake, getting knocked out of tubes, and learning how to wake board.

  After dinner and a few rounds of sardines (a type of hide-and-go-seek), our Coach asks us if we would like to watch a movie; knowing girls, a sleepover is NOT complete until a chick-flick has been watched.  So, Coach names a few movies she brought while suggesting the movie Pride and Prejudice.  One of my teammates shakes her head and states that she dislikes the movie; but as for the majority of us, we have never seen the movie. We decided to watch it.

  We all scurry into the movie room to get a good seat (on the contrary, they are all good seats, for there are eight recliners facing one wall-length screen). Soon enough we are watching the movie Coach suggested.  Throughout the movie, I look back and find many of the girls sleeping, but five of us, including Coach, are awake until one in the morning watching this movie.

  Whoever stated this movie was not good was wrong.  Naturally, males would not like a movie like this because there "was not action" in it, but for us girls, it satisfied our romantic emotions. 

  Every time I watch this movie, I pray to God some day I will find a man as honest and as loving as the man in the movie. The love portrayed in this movie was pure, and not of the view many have of love now-a-days. When I read this verse, this movie came to my mind as a perfect example of what love should look like.

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

  I do recommend this movie for every one, even for the male sex.  It is a perfect example of why God created Eros.  
  
  In Greek, there are more than one word for the English word "love."  The first, as stated above, is Eros.  Eros is a passionate love between a man and a woman, and should end in marriage and a building family.  The second is Philia (yes, as in Philadelphia).  Philadelphia is the city of brotherly love, it is not? Well, Philia is a brotherly/friendly type of love (a love "without physical attraction").  The third type is Agape.  Agape is the best type of love; an unconditional love; the love of a mother and daughter, or father and son.  But, most of all, it is the love of the Lord.

  After reading Mark 12:25, I wondered why there are "nuns" in the world. I know it can be because that is God's calling for them; but when I look to myself, I can never see me a nun.

Mark 12:25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

 Being a nun is like being a catholic priest: they vow to be "single," and instead of marrying a human, they marry the church.  I am not belittling nuns, for their jobs are very important; I am saying I could never be one.  I know, once I die, I will be overwhelmed by the agape love of my creator, there will be no room for any other.  As a human, I do wish to experience the Eros love God has given me to exercise, BUT only in the way he has created: meaning a pure and Godly love as described in the bible, and portrayed in Pride and Prejudice.  

   

  As with everything else, God gave us love in order to show others Christ through ourselves.  Every thing God has created CAN BE used in a Godly way, and for God's overall purpose.  It is a shame to see all the ways love, and not just love, have been contorted and perverted into something of the "modern" world. Satan's world.

Slave to Money then you Die.

   The modern world has upgraded from trading items to trading money for items.  Money is something you cannot live without; it is everywhere.  
  But just like anything else, money can become an idol; a sin. (I'm not only talking about money, but every materialistic thing.)
  People can be so obsessed with their material possessions, and begin to forget their virtues. Material objects, if worshiped, can also bring someone to be very selfish. 

"What do you want?" She jokingly asks her uncle.
"A million dollars," is his reply.

  Of course, "a million dollars" is just a joke; but after it is constantly repeated, it gets quite annoying, and can also show one a few characteristics of the one who is saying it.

  What God has given us is his; he has given it to us for a specific purpose: to help spread his good news.  When we turn on the television, we can see how God's word is NOT being spread; there are many commercials promoting the exact opposite of God: sin.  Influences like these train minds to be selfish, and rely on money as a source of life. 
   God is the only source of life.  And when you worry about money, you are essentially telling Christ you don't have faith in his promises.  He promised me hope and a future; he promised me all hardships will never be to hard for me to conquer. 
Live life to the fullest, and follow Christ in his footsteps; after all you only live once, do it the right way.


  

“The things you own end up owning you. It's only after you lose everything that you're free to do anything.”
― Chuck Palahniuk

Chill Out, Mrs. Up-Tight.

   All these situations are only theoretical.

  A grandmother talking "baby talk" to a class full of six year old kindergarteners.
  A adult woman yelling and screaming at the same class of kindergarteners when they "act up."
  Now I don't mean to sound liberal, but this is not what should be going on in a Christian atmosphere. 


  Children are children: they are not mature, they think minor things silly are scary, they love attention, and most of all, they will be rambunctious. Although these six year olds are no where near as mature as a sixteen year old, they are mature enough to not be talked to like a bunch of babies. In fact, a particular two year old child's mother speaks to this two year old normally, with NO "baby talk."  This is practical and, even in the smallest bit, helps in child development.
  Every adult knows that a six year old will have a rambunctious spell during the day, so why yell at them?  This is another thing that "gets under my skin."  What does yelling accomplish? Well, I am not even the child getting in trouble, and it accomplished me no longer liking you.  There is a way to exercise an adults authority over children without yelling at them. Again, speaking in a "inside voice" and not in "baby talk" can help a child develop faster and properly.


  When has anger ever accomplished something? Showing anger is not Christian-like; I know calling someone out on it may make me seem to be a "hypocrite," but I am a teenager, and adults have no excuse. I know adults are not perfect (teenagers are FAR from it), but God created adults to be an example to the younger children. And screaming adults will only lead to these children maturing into a screaming adult; only supplying the devil with happiness.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil. Psalm 37:8

Besides, all your anger (I can tell you had it from your screaming, and your VIBE) has only caused me to stress out.  It is starting to effect me, which is kinda annoying. Actually a lot annoying. But I'll pray for you.

SonRise Mission.

  As a Christian, I do want to continue to spread the word.  Missions do not have to take place in faraway lands; they can take place in "your own backyard." Participating in a vacation bible school has been added to my most recent list of volunteer work.
   My cousin, Mackenzie, works every Sunday at her church, watching children while trying to be a positive influence of them.  My aunt (her mom), calls it "birth control." Mackenzie has said, many-a-time, that she knows she does not want children; watching over children each Sunday makes this "birth control" strong and effective.
  For me, I decided to assist a kindergarten class; and my decision ruled successful.  These kids could be playful and funny, but they also would sit down, listen and absorb the information from the bible story. 
   Watching and helping these children may seem easy, but it does suck the energy from you. Above this, I have thoroughly enjoyed it.  During vacation bible school, I do not necessarily learn from the bible stories (for, I already know them), but I did learn from the children. Their enthusiasm for Jesus was overwhelming to watch; what love they have for Jesus! They just believe!  While watching these children, a bible verse came to my mind.

Luke 18:17; Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

This verse makes much sense.  The children whom I spent my days with believed almost anything that come from my mouth, even if I was just joking. This is why children accept Jesus a lot easier than adults do.  There is something different about a child's faith and an adult's faith; but there is a way to believe in Jesus the way a child does. And that is: JUST BELIEVE.  Don't add all this complicated stuff to it.  A child's mind does not analyze as easily as a more matured mind does.  Jesus loves children.  And children just believe.

Matthew 18:3; And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Skinny, Healthy, and Happy, OH MY!

     Fat: almost everyone hates it; many would like to get rid of it; and few people do not have it. 
   Fact is, too much body fat may make a person feel trapped inside their own body.
    
   In the spring of 2012 (April), I realized my friend was slimming down, and I envied this. I ask her for a copy of her diet plan; I looked at it and tried it for a week. Then, I made my own.
   I started eating healthier, cutting down on my carbohydrate intake, and stepping up my work outs.  I started off my running almost everyday; and, once I read that running can burn muscle, I decided to try a new workout.  I went on Youtube and started the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred: level one, level two, and level three.  I soon found out that this 20-minute-a-day workout may seem to be easy, because of the amount of time spent on it, but this challenging workout comes with results.
   Within the first month of my "diet" plan, I had lost ten pounds and two bra sizes; even during school, I could tell my body was shrinking by the increasing amount of pant fabric I could pull from my abdomen.  I enjoyed these small results; but, my goal is to loose all belly fat and highlight my six pack.


  Loosing weight can be hard at times, but with the help of this "diet," my self-discipline has increased.  It has become easier for me to push away from foods which tempt me so much, some foods which used to tempt me, no longer hold that place.
   I have found that exercise and eating healthy can be a good obsession.  God gave us food in order to live and survive.  People who constantly overdo food are making God an idol, whether the realize it or not.  Sure, people can idolize "loosing weight," but the act of loosing weight can bring you closer to God.  Through loosing weight, God has shown me some strengths I never though I had.

Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork. 

Your stomach shouldn't be a waist basket.

 More die in the United States of too much food than of too little.  ~John Kenneth Galbraith, The Affluent Society

One should eat to live, not live to eat.  ~Cicero, Rhetoricorum LV

 When friends tell you how awesome you look, drop the "I still have more to go" crap.  You worked hard and you deserve the compliment!  ~Jillian Michaels

The one way to get thin is to re-establish a purpose in life.  ~Cyril Connolly, The Unquiet Grave

 

Guns kill People.

   "Guns kill people."
   There are TONS of logical mistakes in this sentence. 
   First of all, if a gun does not have a firing pin, a bullet, or any of the necessities for a gun to fire, it will not kill someone, unless, of course, you whack someone with it.
   Second, a gun CANNOT fire without the safety being manually turned off, and the trigger being pulled back.
   Now that this common misconception is well explained, you may see why so many Pro-gun people are vexed at the mention of the quotation above. 
   
   I am not much of a "political" person, but I do believe that unalienable rights should remain unalienable. Laws keep honest people honest (those who are not honest to the laws are currently in jail or on probation).  If guns were outlawed, per say, these gun laws would not just take away the rights of those who are honest, but also put them in even more danger; for, criminals break laws, and this law would not be an exception.  If this is not scary to you, reader, then you must begin to read and understand the obvious truths and warning signs which are amongst us today.  The end of the world is coming, and it will not wait for a slow runner.

 "A top official with the National Rifle Association said Friday that President Obama will move to "destroy" gun rights and "erase" the Second Amendment if he is re-elected in November."

   "Food causes people to become obese."

   "Water drowns people."

    Right about now your mouth is probably emitting that "Huh?" noise. Yes, indeed, if guns do kill people, then food is the reason why so many people are fat, and water is the reason why many children and adult die every year from drowning.

   HA! My sarcasm is showing again.  

   Of course food does not cause someone to become obese.  The obese person makes a choice to either eat the food or not.  I would always ask my father how to loose weight.  "The best way to loose weight is to push away from the table," my father would say as making a pushing motion in front of the table. And water does not drown people, humans who are not good swimmers drown.  Don't you know not to put hamsters in water? Why? Oh, because they SUCK at swimming.

   Choices are what lead people. A gun is just a tool to kill, just as food is the tool to either become healthy or become obese.

   Besides, there are many great ways people can use guns, such as hunting.  But that conversation can be saved for another time.