Jesus's Resurrection Changes Everything....!
Why? Because if he truly did come back from the dead, then honestly, He's alive!
He's all around us, and will constantly be with us, for death cannot stop Him from reaching to us.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
God Is Love
I stayed outside late last night and sort of followed a limping cat. Maybe that was not the greatest idea but I sort of wanted to pick it up to nurture it. So anyway, that's not the point. Point is, I ended up encountering a friend from a classmate, who I've always said "Hi" to but did not know him very well or really at all because I followed the cat. Strange story, I know. I never found the cat anyway.
Basically, he and I traded knowledge. Whatever I learned, I told him. I really did. He also told me some things about himself and his perspectives, too, which I really liked and enjoyed a lot. From me, a great deal of information was thrown at him. I found myself just wanting to let him know about stuff that I think he should know so that he could view things in a different light. He ended up listening to me. You know, it's always great to have people listen to you. Problem is that I used to talk about myself in a way that whenever the conversation ended between me and that person, I would feel guilty afterwards. I think I felt that way because I tended to say things that doesn't seem true or mean very much. I truly felt that I spoke only of the irritations that I was undergoing--problems that no one could solve. I was taking up people's time, and neither me nor that person gained very much afterwards. There was nothing special about what I had to say. Yet, I realize now that I've always had problems with my mind and have tried so especially hard to fix it. I don't have any problems medically besides being allergic to dust or that I might have a heart murmur. Who knows. I don't exercise that frequently--though I know that I should.
Anyway, I started to ask him about his background, because I guess I wanted to see where he was coming from with God and his beliefs on the religion. I find myself doing that because there is no better way to get to know someone or understand God better than talking to his very creation--us and ourselves--the human beings!
He actually gave me hope because when I talked to him, his reactions interested me. I thought that they were interesting because he was so opened to listening. It was great. I've encountered very few people who share the same perspectives as me, and I think he was one of those kinds. We ended up talking for more than an hour and all that we talked of was on God. There apparently is so much to talk about when it comes down to God, and I don't need to feel awkward when I know that that person is listening; many times, we each have some understanding of life versus God which we are so compelled to share with the people around us if only they could save us some time. Lately, I haven't been able to talk to people very much--not in that way--so I was happy I could do so with him.
He tells me that he now know that he loves to talk to people, because he tends to learn a lot from them. I agree. I learned a lot from asking people, and from spending time with them discussing some topics on life. The time that I spend with these people helped me to really get a grip on reality. And even though many times we hear that God is ultimately about love, I know that he is also about knowledge. Without him, I don't think science or nature or life in general would make very much sense. Through him, I can piece things together.
I remember my roommate telling me that "you're trying so hard to figure out yourself and your identity, but I don't think I need to do that. I'm just going with the flow and living life". I didn't really say anything back to her, not in a way that would offend her, because I understand by now that I must respect the choices that she makes. The reason is that each of us are capable of understanding it in our own way--but listening is good, too. Listening helps us to see and test our way of thinking. I find that this is good, because we need to question how we think and inquire where it is that these thoughts all come from. If not, I don't know if we can spiritually or mentally move anywhere or get to greater heights in terms of appreciating life (in generally and the life in which we live) for what it really is.
My choice, however, is to figure out who I am because my all my life, I never knew. I actually don't know very much about myself, because I never gave myself the chance. This is why I must start now. I can't let these things slide past me any further. My motive to finding out who I am through God is so that I can help more people. I'm pretty sure I won't have the time to sit down and talk about God one on one with some random person or friends, but what I mean is that when you help yourself (even if you don't know of God yet), you're really doing your neighbor a favor by taking responsibility. For example, if you had a really noisy neighbor who just parties all the time or simply have a bad attitude towards people, you tend to dislike that person and would not want to trust him or her with anything that you have. Furthermore, you'd probably prefer move (out of town, city, or state!) especially if communication becomes problematic. But it doesn't need to be that way. Each of us need to begin with ourselves. I learned from talking to a professor that we are ones who can control our reactions. Before, of course, I knew that we could. But in the end, I didn't practice it at all, so when he told me that, I looked at him as if he said something so new and original. Controlling your reactions really mean that when someone verbally accuses you or that maybe they don't do something that appeals to you, you don't go and bring them down. No. You just don't. Why? Because that creates more problems, and more unnecessary violence. Trust me, we have enough (or more than enough) and it needs to end. It just has to. Like CandyLand, the piece that symbolizes you must be picked up by you; and God will help you along the way as He will bring the fortune that you so desire.
So yeah, if anything, know that you are forever loved by the Creator. He wants us to renew our minds, and for us to let Him inside of our lives. All that we need to do is invite Him in as our beloved guest into our own cozy home--no matter how disturbing or messy it may be. He doesn't look at us in a way that we tend to look at each other; He doesn't judge us in a way that we judge our friends or families; and He came down to save us--something that we need to consider. He want us to live. After all, isn't that the point in saving a life, or a soul? It may sound far-fetched that each of us means something to God, but I believe that He does love us. And if we really love Him back (just like we would any parent) we need to ourselves. After all, the body in which we dwell come from our parents, and without them, there would be no us.
So keep an open heart and mind. He's right there and is waiting to be called upon. He loves us. :)
Basically, he and I traded knowledge. Whatever I learned, I told him. I really did. He also told me some things about himself and his perspectives, too, which I really liked and enjoyed a lot. From me, a great deal of information was thrown at him. I found myself just wanting to let him know about stuff that I think he should know so that he could view things in a different light. He ended up listening to me. You know, it's always great to have people listen to you. Problem is that I used to talk about myself in a way that whenever the conversation ended between me and that person, I would feel guilty afterwards. I think I felt that way because I tended to say things that doesn't seem true or mean very much. I truly felt that I spoke only of the irritations that I was undergoing--problems that no one could solve. I was taking up people's time, and neither me nor that person gained very much afterwards. There was nothing special about what I had to say. Yet, I realize now that I've always had problems with my mind and have tried so especially hard to fix it. I don't have any problems medically besides being allergic to dust or that I might have a heart murmur. Who knows. I don't exercise that frequently--though I know that I should.
Anyway, I started to ask him about his background, because I guess I wanted to see where he was coming from with God and his beliefs on the religion. I find myself doing that because there is no better way to get to know someone or understand God better than talking to his very creation--us and ourselves--the human beings!
He actually gave me hope because when I talked to him, his reactions interested me. I thought that they were interesting because he was so opened to listening. It was great. I've encountered very few people who share the same perspectives as me, and I think he was one of those kinds. We ended up talking for more than an hour and all that we talked of was on God. There apparently is so much to talk about when it comes down to God, and I don't need to feel awkward when I know that that person is listening; many times, we each have some understanding of life versus God which we are so compelled to share with the people around us if only they could save us some time. Lately, I haven't been able to talk to people very much--not in that way--so I was happy I could do so with him.
He tells me that he now know that he loves to talk to people, because he tends to learn a lot from them. I agree. I learned a lot from asking people, and from spending time with them discussing some topics on life. The time that I spend with these people helped me to really get a grip on reality. And even though many times we hear that God is ultimately about love, I know that he is also about knowledge. Without him, I don't think science or nature or life in general would make very much sense. Through him, I can piece things together.
I remember my roommate telling me that "you're trying so hard to figure out yourself and your identity, but I don't think I need to do that. I'm just going with the flow and living life". I didn't really say anything back to her, not in a way that would offend her, because I understand by now that I must respect the choices that she makes. The reason is that each of us are capable of understanding it in our own way--but listening is good, too. Listening helps us to see and test our way of thinking. I find that this is good, because we need to question how we think and inquire where it is that these thoughts all come from. If not, I don't know if we can spiritually or mentally move anywhere or get to greater heights in terms of appreciating life (in generally and the life in which we live) for what it really is.
My choice, however, is to figure out who I am because my all my life, I never knew. I actually don't know very much about myself, because I never gave myself the chance. This is why I must start now. I can't let these things slide past me any further. My motive to finding out who I am through God is so that I can help more people. I'm pretty sure I won't have the time to sit down and talk about God one on one with some random person or friends, but what I mean is that when you help yourself (even if you don't know of God yet), you're really doing your neighbor a favor by taking responsibility. For example, if you had a really noisy neighbor who just parties all the time or simply have a bad attitude towards people, you tend to dislike that person and would not want to trust him or her with anything that you have. Furthermore, you'd probably prefer move (out of town, city, or state!) especially if communication becomes problematic. But it doesn't need to be that way. Each of us need to begin with ourselves. I learned from talking to a professor that we are ones who can control our reactions. Before, of course, I knew that we could. But in the end, I didn't practice it at all, so when he told me that, I looked at him as if he said something so new and original. Controlling your reactions really mean that when someone verbally accuses you or that maybe they don't do something that appeals to you, you don't go and bring them down. No. You just don't. Why? Because that creates more problems, and more unnecessary violence. Trust me, we have enough (or more than enough) and it needs to end. It just has to. Like CandyLand, the piece that symbolizes you must be picked up by you; and God will help you along the way as He will bring the fortune that you so desire.
So yeah, if anything, know that you are forever loved by the Creator. He wants us to renew our minds, and for us to let Him inside of our lives. All that we need to do is invite Him in as our beloved guest into our own cozy home--no matter how disturbing or messy it may be. He doesn't look at us in a way that we tend to look at each other; He doesn't judge us in a way that we judge our friends or families; and He came down to save us--something that we need to consider. He want us to live. After all, isn't that the point in saving a life, or a soul? It may sound far-fetched that each of us means something to God, but I believe that He does love us. And if we really love Him back (just like we would any parent) we need to ourselves. After all, the body in which we dwell come from our parents, and without them, there would be no us.
So keep an open heart and mind. He's right there and is waiting to be called upon. He loves us. :)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Who's Telling You Now?
All I ever want to do was to have someone tell me what to do. Does that make me lazy, and dependent? I'm going to go with a yes and no. There is a difference between real laziness and not wanting to do anything, and for the person to not be able to take any more crap (me and my french...).
Every day that I return to my apartment, I find that I wished I knew what to do next. There are so many choices (since I can think of quite a lot that I should be studying for) but there is so little time during the day. After all, I spend most of my afternoon in class. I shouldn't complain, because my schedule isn't that bad--not as bad as most other people who have to work, or have a lot of night classes or very early morning classes. It's just that some people can handle things better.
I only know that most people who have a difficult time organizing themselves or being "on top of things" often are affected by their moods of the day. In a sense, you could start off being really happy and immensely ready for the day, but as some unwanted things begin to pop up, it is less likely that you'll feel the same way from whence you started.
Lately, I've seem to have suppressed my feelings more and more. It's as though I feel like talking but I just don't know about what in particular. I told my mom how I felt (and it was sort of difficult to do so) and she tells me that it's because I'm tired--that I no longer have the energy that I used to. There's a reason for that. It's not a good thing though, but it's not that bad either--at least for me. Of course, I am pained because I feel hopeless and want to cry out, but after every little phase, I get back up again. I have never experienced it like this before, but I am sure there are those who have kept their feelings and opinions to themselves more often than they can express it. I'd like for them to know that it's okay to feel hurt, and that it's okay to sometimes not be heard. But don't overlook it as if there is nothing wrong. After all, I have to keep a steady guard on how I am feeling and what sort of actions I will end up making afterwards. I have to... for my own sake.
I guess I am getting tired. Emotionally I don't know what to do at times, but I know I have to constantly remind myself that I need to keep encouraging myself to work hard. I don't believe that anything can come to you unless you really work hard for it. I mean, God wouldn't want us to be lazy. I feel like to know love, it takes work. God wants us to know His love and to feel it every day by reminding ourselves constantly of it. Love can only be strengthened through practicing it every day. I understand that it's one of the most precious feelings in existence, because not all people know of it well enough to use it in their daily practices. I know that people who have a heavy dose of jealousy or anger issues probably express this sort of emotion every single day of their lives. I've done it before and I basically practiced it so much that I knew it better than any other feelings--and basically thought that it was the norm. It didn't go away very easily, because these harsh feelings do come back whenever they get the chance to (and the probability is pretty high!).
I know that these feelings of anger, jealousy, hatred, hurt, pain, grief....etc., have been a part of us for a long time, and have been part of us since birth. All that we can ever do is to keep practicing the life in which we would like to live. It takes work--definitely! There's no doubt that it'll be worth it in the end though. I'm sure most people who worked their butt off studying for an exam and doing well on it afterwards find that their studies really did pay off. There are rewards to all sort of things--no matter how big or small.
I don't feel good with how I'm doing presently in school, but that's because I allow my thoughts and feelings to affect me. I'll probably have to pray about it. I need some spiritual and emotional strength. I don't want to keep feeling the hopelessness that I have put myself into; I already know it way too well.
Finals are almost coming up. Semester will end soon. No matter how it'll turn out, just continue to try your best. You have to think past all of the difficulties. I can't say enough on how hard it is to overcome.... I just keep thinking that since we have been given a life full of obstacles (and we already know that it is so), we still need to keep trying.
Try and you will find out. You will gain. :) The cup which started out empty is being filled with the wonders of life. everyday. all day.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
THIS IS MY WISH: PLEASE READ POST # 1.
Please, for those of you who just started reading my blog, it would do me a great favor if you could read the first post that I have ever written. I merely started my blog by the end of Winter Break for this year (2010-2011). I didn't think I would ever do such a thing, but I started my blog because I am haunted by the souls on this earth. It began with my friend's death. I don't think I can ever forget what had happened, because it was the most unnatural thing to have occurred. Yet, I know that she will not be the last to go through this sort of ending.
Life and death is a serious matter.
Sometimes I cannot stop thinking about the people around me, and if I could save a life, I would.....I would. I wish to help support your decisions and your paths in life, and really bring in new light by giving you my perspective of things.
Don't give up. If I can write about not giving up and am really doing it, then I know that you can, too!
Believe. It starts now.
Thank you. Wishing you all the best! :D <3
Life and death is a serious matter.
Sometimes I cannot stop thinking about the people around me, and if I could save a life, I would.....I would. I wish to help support your decisions and your paths in life, and really bring in new light by giving you my perspective of things.
Don't give up. If I can write about not giving up and am really doing it, then I know that you can, too!
Believe. It starts now.
Thank you. Wishing you all the best! :D <3
What IS
Lately I feel like my heart has finally been controlled. As if, it's been protected. Some people don't quite understand the intensity of the "feelings" in which I've been through. And some people just won't understand how happy I am now that I there is peace in place of where there was chaos.
I've seriously been thinking about my family, but my mind and my soul is quite tired from thinking about what I feel like I cannot do at the moment. I texted my sister the other day, hoping that she would text me back. You see, I want no one else but her. I wish she could just come to love me again. I wish I could make things right again.
I've noticed that I don't cry so much anymore, but I smile more. I think I have finally given up what is mine and really placed it on God for Him to decide what is good for me. I spoke to my friend yesterday, and the same topic of predestination came up--this time it was through her.
Predestination and the will to choose seems to go against each other. Somehow our very mind sees it as impossible to have both at once. But what if....what if, it is possible? What if we can't see it that way is because we're not capable of understanding? Something that I've realized helped me to look past at the confusion is the knowledge that as human beings, we will (and no doubt about it) always be confused. Some people are honest enough to acknowledge it. Still, there are others who will begin to hide through their different fronts.
Confusion is placed by clarity only with time. Not everyone can grasp a full understanding of anything. I cannot understand my mom or my friends to the fullest extent, and I shouldn't try. My mom even cautioned me not too, because even she will not reveal everything about her life to me. She knows that she cannot because through her experiences with people and myself, she knows that there are just some things that I will not be able to comprehend--not unless I've been blessed with that sort of understanding. But yet, how many times have you heard people say, "I know" or "I get it" and yet their actions do not follow? Now, Understanding to me means respecting the people around you, even though they do not look like you, dress like you, talk like you, or come from the same country as you. There's no need. Don't you remember that some other people who have had the opportunity to travel abroad came to appreciate and respect the culture in which they dwell? Within that limited number of days, weeks and months, people have to shed off their differences in order to see what they should have only foreseen as similar to them. But the problem is...we don't. We tend to connect only to our own chaotic life. Where there are parts that seems missing (to us), we tend to fill it up with more work, and problems--as if we already didn't have enough.
Therefore, coming back to the idea of predestination....
::Hmm (moment of reflection):: As I'm writing this, I am beginning to see just how much we should stop relying on ourselves for complete understanding of anything in general. When your mom gave birth to you, I'm sure she didn't understanding how to take care of you (even if she had all of these plans and dreams of how she would like you to turn out or become); and your dad, did he know how to be a good father? Did he ever have a good role model to follow?
I don't think anyone knew how. Perhaps this is where predestination comes in. It is the thing that will fill up the presently empty void--the place in which will be your future. The start of my future was given to me when my mom finally gave birth to a baby girl. I did not know how my life would turn out, and I realize by now that I've questioned the life in which I've lived even when I was very young. It is human nature to seek and keep seeking (especially when you have a brain! And...we each have one for that matter) for an answer until someone or something will satisfy your desire. Because we are tempted to have multiple desires, we need to be careful in choosing. (Hah!) Out of this depressive talk of predestination, I find myself writing about choosing. How splendid! (And no, I'm serious, I did not plan this at all.)
Think about it. You probably have all that you need and it is right in front of you. Do not hide behind your clothes, your friends, your family--your valuables. Stand in front of the Light, and the Spirit will be replenished with knowledge when the time comes. Somehow, time in itself seems to be a big part of predestination--the actual thing in which we take for granted. Nevertheless, we are able to choose every day how to live. God never restrained us with all the little details in which we call life. He gave us life and He wants us to use it in a way that will be good for us. After all, what is love without some restraints and without some freedom? I feel that afterwards, we will be blessed through the choices that we make. Even non-believers do understand the concept of karma. Could that be predestination--maybe a part of it? I don't know. But we shouldn't demand an answer for everything. It's better to be more simple, because then you won't be blinded by the things that will hurt you. In time, you'll have the answer.
That is, experience life for what it IS. What is is true. What is makes you.
I've seriously been thinking about my family, but my mind and my soul is quite tired from thinking about what I feel like I cannot do at the moment. I texted my sister the other day, hoping that she would text me back. You see, I want no one else but her. I wish she could just come to love me again. I wish I could make things right again.
I've noticed that I don't cry so much anymore, but I smile more. I think I have finally given up what is mine and really placed it on God for Him to decide what is good for me. I spoke to my friend yesterday, and the same topic of predestination came up--this time it was through her.
Predestination and the will to choose seems to go against each other. Somehow our very mind sees it as impossible to have both at once. But what if....what if, it is possible? What if we can't see it that way is because we're not capable of understanding? Something that I've realized helped me to look past at the confusion is the knowledge that as human beings, we will (and no doubt about it) always be confused. Some people are honest enough to acknowledge it. Still, there are others who will begin to hide through their different fronts.
Confusion is placed by clarity only with time. Not everyone can grasp a full understanding of anything. I cannot understand my mom or my friends to the fullest extent, and I shouldn't try. My mom even cautioned me not too, because even she will not reveal everything about her life to me. She knows that she cannot because through her experiences with people and myself, she knows that there are just some things that I will not be able to comprehend--not unless I've been blessed with that sort of understanding. But yet, how many times have you heard people say, "I know" or "I get it" and yet their actions do not follow? Now, Understanding to me means respecting the people around you, even though they do not look like you, dress like you, talk like you, or come from the same country as you. There's no need. Don't you remember that some other people who have had the opportunity to travel abroad came to appreciate and respect the culture in which they dwell? Within that limited number of days, weeks and months, people have to shed off their differences in order to see what they should have only foreseen as similar to them. But the problem is...we don't. We tend to connect only to our own chaotic life. Where there are parts that seems missing (to us), we tend to fill it up with more work, and problems--as if we already didn't have enough.
Therefore, coming back to the idea of predestination....
::Hmm (moment of reflection):: As I'm writing this, I am beginning to see just how much we should stop relying on ourselves for complete understanding of anything in general. When your mom gave birth to you, I'm sure she didn't understanding how to take care of you (even if she had all of these plans and dreams of how she would like you to turn out or become); and your dad, did he know how to be a good father? Did he ever have a good role model to follow?
I don't think anyone knew how. Perhaps this is where predestination comes in. It is the thing that will fill up the presently empty void--the place in which will be your future. The start of my future was given to me when my mom finally gave birth to a baby girl. I did not know how my life would turn out, and I realize by now that I've questioned the life in which I've lived even when I was very young. It is human nature to seek and keep seeking (especially when you have a brain! And...we each have one for that matter) for an answer until someone or something will satisfy your desire. Because we are tempted to have multiple desires, we need to be careful in choosing. (Hah!) Out of this depressive talk of predestination, I find myself writing about choosing. How splendid! (And no, I'm serious, I did not plan this at all.)
Think about it. You probably have all that you need and it is right in front of you. Do not hide behind your clothes, your friends, your family--your valuables. Stand in front of the Light, and the Spirit will be replenished with knowledge when the time comes. Somehow, time in itself seems to be a big part of predestination--the actual thing in which we take for granted. Nevertheless, we are able to choose every day how to live. God never restrained us with all the little details in which we call life. He gave us life and He wants us to use it in a way that will be good for us. After all, what is love without some restraints and without some freedom? I feel that afterwards, we will be blessed through the choices that we make. Even non-believers do understand the concept of karma. Could that be predestination--maybe a part of it? I don't know. But we shouldn't demand an answer for everything. It's better to be more simple, because then you won't be blinded by the things that will hurt you. In time, you'll have the answer.
That is, experience life for what it IS. What is is true. What is makes you.
Friday, April 8, 2011
All This Time...
He's Willing To Help You Pick Up Where You Last Left Off. <3
Wow. It's amazing and incredible... This thought just came to me: I know that I make so many mistakes, and figure that in the end I'm always going to be wrong and defy Him and the love that he offers; but in the end, He's still willing to help me get back up even though I had chosen to turn away from him. The past is dead because He's giving me another chance.
Makes me think of this song Times by Tenth Avenue North.
I know it's nothing new, but it becomes a big deal to me when I feel know that I've done something shameful or disagreeable.
Wow. It's amazing and incredible... This thought just came to me: I know that I make so many mistakes, and figure that in the end I'm always going to be wrong and defy Him and the love that he offers; but in the end, He's still willing to help me get back up even though I had chosen to turn away from him. The past is dead because He's giving me another chance.
Makes me think of this song Times by Tenth Avenue North.
I know it's nothing new, but it becomes a big deal to me when I feel know that I've done something shameful or disagreeable.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
"And, Action!"
I haven't watched a movie at a movie theater in so long. When I look the people and their reactions to the romance movies, I'd see them go "oohh" and "awww". How predictable. Most of the time, I think people have the same reactions is because many of us have the same desires out of life.
We all want to live a good, fulfilling life--one that simply would make us "whole". Apparently, society has given us a model for a "good" life. This means that in order to be happy, we need to get a job, a house, a spouse, some kids, and be economically secure. I think that's just about it. I mean, that should be it..... I think.
After all, what else would we be needing more than that? Yeah it's understandable that we all need to figure out a way to make a decent living, but I feel that an ideal life is not for everyone. It shouldn't be for anyone, actually. There is no such thing as an ideal life; and there is no such thing as an ideal person.
I enjoy watching romance movies, and thinking about how pretty the couple looks or how beautiful their moments together are. There are, still, some dramas like any other movie. Thinking about it makes me smile. How nice it is to forget about your own life and daydream about becoming the person on the screen.
Sometimes, I feel like people rather would be someone else than be themselves, because they feel like they never have enough or that they're not as physically or socially appealing. Well, if all that mattered in life was to live up to something that someone else concocted from their own imagination, then how would you ever live the "ideal" life (whatever that may be).
I thought... we each had our own dreams too. And I thought, I just said that there is no such thing as an ideal life. Well, then, wouldn't it be good to expand on those dreams of yours? Wouldn't it be awesome if each person on this earth could be his/her own director and make his/her own movie, writing their own script, setting up the stage with their own props, and really bringing it to life?
Please, don't worry about everyone else anymore. Please see that you are special. Your ideas may not be wanted by someone else, but I know that you want to be heard. Your story matters to you. And one day, it will matter to someone else, when you inspire them with your creative plans as they sit there to watch what you've fulfilled.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
The Heart's Desire
Everyday is a day to decide on something, and every moment you feel like you need to figure out what to do next. I think about it all the time, such as "When should I wake up?" or "When should I begin studying.." and "Do I even have time to hang out with my friends?" I'm not incredibly materialistic and have stayed away from trying to be one. But I am still a female who would like to dress better, look nicer, and be more confident. This is all the exterior portion of what I want for myself. But I've always been a junkie on buying different types of books--mostly because I wanted to read and learn about new and different things. Yet, my desire is one thing, but taking on the accumulation of books over the years and not reading them is really a waste of money.
I've never been particularly good with handling money in general. I don't work, and I've never worked. This means that I have no idea what it is like to work for money. I only volunteered, so have at least a clue what working with people can sometimes feel like. Yet, I guess that is not entirely the same. The real world can be cruel and extremely demanding. The things that I've thought about seems to be nothing in comparison to people who are living "real life" as you may call it. They have to know when to spend and when not to so that they won't have to suffer on their own account their misuse of handling money.
Financial issues have been a great problem for many Americans and every soul on this planet. The core of the problem lies in the heart and its desires. As human beings, we often can be selfish and would want everything for ourselves. We could try to make the excuse and impression that we are really doing it for the well-being of others, but mainly it's never the case. Once the money is in your pocket, it's really yours to use it in any way that you want.
But do you know the weight of having or carrying with you a sense of power? When I say power, it is when you believe that you can do anything that you want--with what you want--because you have the resources to do so. For example, I may not think of money in that way, but I go to a college where people are given lottery numbers for living on campus. Essentially, there are too many college students who would like to live on campus and the best way to be fair to all of them is to give them a a lottery number. Surprisingly, this year, I got a wonderfully low number. A 62!! Yes! Great! Okay....what do I do with it now? I have the power to choose wherever it is that I want to live and it should be easy, right? WRONG. I spent hours laboring over whether I should live in a singles, a double, in an apartment or stay with the people that I am currently living with now. You would think that when you have such a great chance at being ahead of everyone that things would get easier from there, but I found out that it only became more difficult. I wasn't the only one who felt that way, because I recently heard (like literally on Thursday night when I went out with a group of friends) that some other person with a good number didn't have a place to live for next year even though he has an exceptionally good number. In one night, I got to hear another person describe to me about her sophomore year and how she practically had the right to choose; she thought she wanted a singles (just like I did before) but she ending up waiting until the very last minute where the number could no longer save her a spot on campus. Her next reaction to this was to freak out because she just couldn't figure out what to do next. Luckily, she had friends who told her to contact another person who found her a living space.
If you could take anything out of this is to not take on anything more than you can handle. I'm especially indecisive so knowing what I would like to do next can sometimes be a pain. It makes me go the three extra miles just to reach a place where it might take others only 20 minutes. There's so much mental conflict that I have to endure in between the distance from my starting point to the point of my destination. A lot can happen, as you might very well be aware of.
I want to go back to the part where I began to discuss the topic of financial needs. I was listening to a speaker, who is a pastor but had studied economics during his college years as a student, talk about the problems that many Americans undergo. Experiences and data have concluded that the average Americans suffer a debt of $10,000. I think....that's quite a large sum of money...wouldn't you agree, especially for a person who is unemployed? There is a heavy sense of weightof paying people back that you would have to carry when you are in debt and it only becomes worse when there are criticisms that you get that you would receive wherever you go just because people no longer see you as a worthy, respectable citizen. But should we not respect people who are worse off than us? ....Then again, why do that? It is most likely that these things could happen to anyone. Like for me, I didn't think that I could ever get such a low and awesome "lottery" number, but look how fate has turned out for me. You never know. Besides, if you haven't left the college world or the safety of your own home, then I guess you'll have to wait and see what the truth will be like out there on your own.
There are so many unemployed people out there. It saddens me, because I hate to hear that the children are suffering because their moms are out of work, or that there is job discrimination.
America, the best and richest country in the world still consists of a population whose people face the consequences of being near or under the poverty line. That's crazy and absolutely insane if you think about it. Why is there such a great gap between the rich and the poor? Because...people are selfish. People want power and they do misuse their power. Some people think that money is everything and that it is the way to happiness. I don't know for sure if it is the way but I do know that it is not everything. Money is paper; paper is neutral. It is us and our own destructive desires that place money as evil when things goes wrong for us, or (the other way around) the reason for when things become better for us. We forget that anything can happen. We forget how to give back. We think only of ourselves when we are facing either extremities--either when we're undergoing some pretty tough times or when we have a fantastic luck appearing wherever we go.
The pastor told me something else, and that is to make sure you have a clear understanding of your heart's desires because if you keep wanting and consuming unnecessary items, you will continue to feel unhappy; this is because you'll never believe that you will ever have enough. The Bible said that when you overly attribute all of your well-being and emotions and project it onto an object, which can be anything in particular, then you are idolizing it. For this part here, it makes me think about those who feel like they need to have cocaine or cigarettes in order to feel good, or "high"; but they're never satisfied once the feeling goes away...ever. These are more serious issues, but in reality the build up of anything are serious. Consider people who have credit cards, and how much they are likely to spend and gain debts because they want oh-so-very-much. Asking for too much from any one thing or person is never good. Sometimes you need to look back on your own motives and see for yourself where your heart's desire lies.
Nothing will ever be clear until you begin to question yourself and what you believe to be the truth. Don't turn away from past mistakes, but face them head on. It's incredibly difficult to admit and torture one's mind with, but if we don't ever make way to see our failures and give credibility to it then we'll never know which way to go next. I learned that I need help when I have too much to carry. I asked my friends, leaders, talked to my roommate, and also called my mom before I could figure out what I would decide to do next. Basically, if you're not sure, then it's okay for you to ask. It really is. No one knows everything. Just like we shouldn't use money as a steady form of protection for all things to come, we should start to find out what will truly protect us in the long run. I want to protect my heart, and to do that I have to seek out all of the dirt in which I've created for myself and to really spiritually clean my soul and mind.
Be loved as well as loving for every one of us have fallen on the same rocks before, and we know what it feels like.
I've never been particularly good with handling money in general. I don't work, and I've never worked. This means that I have no idea what it is like to work for money. I only volunteered, so have at least a clue what working with people can sometimes feel like. Yet, I guess that is not entirely the same. The real world can be cruel and extremely demanding. The things that I've thought about seems to be nothing in comparison to people who are living "real life" as you may call it. They have to know when to spend and when not to so that they won't have to suffer on their own account their misuse of handling money.
Financial issues have been a great problem for many Americans and every soul on this planet. The core of the problem lies in the heart and its desires. As human beings, we often can be selfish and would want everything for ourselves. We could try to make the excuse and impression that we are really doing it for the well-being of others, but mainly it's never the case. Once the money is in your pocket, it's really yours to use it in any way that you want.
But do you know the weight of having or carrying with you a sense of power? When I say power, it is when you believe that you can do anything that you want--with what you want--because you have the resources to do so. For example, I may not think of money in that way, but I go to a college where people are given lottery numbers for living on campus. Essentially, there are too many college students who would like to live on campus and the best way to be fair to all of them is to give them a a lottery number. Surprisingly, this year, I got a wonderfully low number. A 62!! Yes! Great! Okay....what do I do with it now? I have the power to choose wherever it is that I want to live and it should be easy, right? WRONG. I spent hours laboring over whether I should live in a singles, a double, in an apartment or stay with the people that I am currently living with now. You would think that when you have such a great chance at being ahead of everyone that things would get easier from there, but I found out that it only became more difficult. I wasn't the only one who felt that way, because I recently heard (like literally on Thursday night when I went out with a group of friends) that some other person with a good number didn't have a place to live for next year even though he has an exceptionally good number. In one night, I got to hear another person describe to me about her sophomore year and how she practically had the right to choose; she thought she wanted a singles (just like I did before) but she ending up waiting until the very last minute where the number could no longer save her a spot on campus. Her next reaction to this was to freak out because she just couldn't figure out what to do next. Luckily, she had friends who told her to contact another person who found her a living space.
If you could take anything out of this is to not take on anything more than you can handle. I'm especially indecisive so knowing what I would like to do next can sometimes be a pain. It makes me go the three extra miles just to reach a place where it might take others only 20 minutes. There's so much mental conflict that I have to endure in between the distance from my starting point to the point of my destination. A lot can happen, as you might very well be aware of.
I want to go back to the part where I began to discuss the topic of financial needs. I was listening to a speaker, who is a pastor but had studied economics during his college years as a student, talk about the problems that many Americans undergo. Experiences and data have concluded that the average Americans suffer a debt of $10,000. I think....that's quite a large sum of money...wouldn't you agree, especially for a person who is unemployed? There is a heavy sense of weight
There are so many unemployed people out there. It saddens me, because I hate to hear that the children are suffering because their moms are out of work, or that there is job discrimination.
America, the best and richest country in the world still consists of a population whose people face the consequences of being near or under the poverty line. That's crazy and absolutely insane if you think about it. Why is there such a great gap between the rich and the poor? Because...people are selfish. People want power and they do misuse their power. Some people think that money is everything and that it is the way to happiness. I don't know for sure if it is the way but I do know that it is not everything. Money is paper; paper is neutral. It is us and our own destructive desires that place money as evil when things goes wrong for us, or (the other way around) the reason for when things become better for us. We forget that anything can happen. We forget how to give back. We think only of ourselves when we are facing either extremities--either when we're undergoing some pretty tough times or when we have a fantastic luck appearing wherever we go.
The pastor told me something else, and that is to make sure you have a clear understanding of your heart's desires because if you keep wanting and consuming unnecessary items, you will continue to feel unhappy; this is because you'll never believe that you will ever have enough. The Bible said that when you overly attribute all of your well-being and emotions and project it onto an object, which can be anything in particular, then you are idolizing it. For this part here, it makes me think about those who feel like they need to have cocaine or cigarettes in order to feel good, or "high"; but they're never satisfied once the feeling goes away...ever. These are more serious issues, but in reality the build up of anything are serious. Consider people who have credit cards, and how much they are likely to spend and gain debts because they want oh-so-very-much. Asking for too much from any one thing or person is never good. Sometimes you need to look back on your own motives and see for yourself where your heart's desire lies.
Nothing will ever be clear until you begin to question yourself and what you believe to be the truth. Don't turn away from past mistakes, but face them head on. It's incredibly difficult to admit and torture one's mind with, but if we don't ever make way to see our failures and give credibility to it then we'll never know which way to go next. I learned that I need help when I have too much to carry. I asked my friends, leaders, talked to my roommate, and also called my mom before I could figure out what I would decide to do next. Basically, if you're not sure, then it's okay for you to ask. It really is. No one knows everything. Just like we shouldn't use money as a steady form of protection for all things to come, we should start to find out what will truly protect us in the long run. I want to protect my heart, and to do that I have to seek out all of the dirt in which I've created for myself and to really spiritually clean my soul and mind.
Be loved as well as loving for every one of us have fallen on the same rocks before, and we know what it feels like.
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