I also read Made to Crave by Lysa Tyrkhurst (sp?) this month. (It's a religious book, so...again, if you don't want to read religious content, you might as well stop right here.)
I really enjoyed the book. It was interesting to me, though to note that Lysa talks all the same things that my Thin Within Bible Study covered (I read that one during the month of May, in case I forgot to post about it). What was even more interesting is that everything Lysa talks about, including her specific examples (yes, that includes Biblical examples especially) are EXACTLY what Gwen Shamblin covers in the Weigh Down program.
In case you don't know, I quit having anything to do with the Weigh Down program several months ago when I did some research on Gwen Shamblin's church. In spite of the fact that I refuse to support Gwen Shamblin's cult anymore, I've always maintained that her weight loss concepts had a lot going for them: focus on God rather than on food. Allow HIM to fill me up instead of food. Because I am trying to fill an empty place in me, I try to fill it with food, even though the reality is that the only way to fill that empty empty hole is with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Those concepts are right and true. I never had any doubt about that. I just can't support someone who doesn't believe the same as I do. (You can read about Gwen's church Remnant Fellowship for yourself. It's just an easy Google search away. Type in the name of the church and have at it. Maybe you'll disagree with me....It'd be nice to find out her church isN't a cult....)
Anyway, with Lysa repeating almost everything Gwen talks about, it just reinforced that the principle of focusing on God rather than food is RIGHT. Both women lay it on the table that gluttony is a sin. It's difficult to hear (read) something like that, but it's true. We as a society tend to get caught up in the so-called obvious sins like drinking in excess, adultery, lying, and so on and so on, when in all reality, gluttony is a sin. We need to quit sweeping it under the rug and face it for what it is.
I'm trying very hard to remember that God is more important than food. Why is that so difficult? Sadly, because I've turned to food longer than I've turned to Him. Old habits do die hard. But I'm killing them. The Bible tells me (Paul writes about it) that I don't have to be a slave to sin or to my flesh and what my flesh wants. I can have victory through the power--the blook--of Jesus Christ. It is a CHOICE to walk in Victory rather than to allow my flesh to rule me.
But it's still a difficult choice to make consistently when my old choice was something that was so EASY for me. But I refuse to give up. I will continue to make the choice to Crave my Lord rather than Food. Food has never filled me up the way He does. I love spending time with Him. Food just makes me feel fat, full, ugly, miserable, and it gives me horrible indigestion. Being filled with my Lord makes me feel ALIVE, AT PEACE, COMFORTED, and, best of all, full of JOY!!!!!
I CHOOSE to crave Jesus!!!!!
Great Books
To read or not to read?....that is a silly question!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Finally Finished THE HOBBIT!!!
It took me about a month to do it, but I finally finished reading The Hobbit!!! Does the fact that it took me so long (a month to read a book is a long time for me) for me to read it mean that I didn't like it? Not at all. I just simply had a hard time sticking with it. I do like Adventure and/or Fantasy stories, but they're not my favorites.
I'm honestly ashamed to say this, but if there had been a little romance in the story, I think I would have enjoyed it more. There is NO romance (in the way we typically think of romance) in the whole book. It's my understanding that as I get further into the series that a little romance is on the way, but there isn't any romance whatsoever in the whole book. Why couldn't Bilbo have met someone special on his journey to help defeat Smaug??? If he met Gollum and had such amazing adventures, why couldn't there have been a cute little female Hobbit who needed rescuing by the Tookish Hobbit????
Sure. Sure. I could be the one to write The Hobbit with a little romantic adventure, but I'm just now starting to read the series. How dare I even consider something like that?!
Anyway, I can hardly wait for the movie version to come out. I'm very excited about seeing Sir Ian McKlellan as Gandalf again. I have high hopes for the movie version. I have to admit that the part of the book where Smaug come in were really exciting for me. It was disappointing that Smaug is talked about and built up so much only to be in the books for a few brief pages (it felt like a few brief pages, anyway). I also am looking forward to seeing on film Bilbo's first meeting with Gollum. That's an awesome story in the book.
If you're one of the ones who has never read The Lord of the Rings series, just because I'm not as enthusiastic as others are about the series should not keep you from enjoying what really IS a great series. I definitely wanted to read and wanted to turn the page to find out what happened next. It's just my own personal disappointment in the lack of romance that takes away from the story for me.....!!!
I've already begun the 2nd book.....I'm only in the Forward so far. It's interesting to note that I've always heard that Tolkien wrote this series as an allegory because he and C.S. Lewis had challenged each other to write modern-day allegories, but in the Forward to The Fellowship of the Ring, Tokien himself says that the story is NOT an allegory. He states very clearly that he simply wanted to write a long story to prove that a reading audience would stick with a long, purely adventure story. (Maybe next time I'll quote him to prove I'm not off track.) This is a whole new perspective on the series for me...How about for you?!
I'm honestly ashamed to say this, but if there had been a little romance in the story, I think I would have enjoyed it more. There is NO romance (in the way we typically think of romance) in the whole book. It's my understanding that as I get further into the series that a little romance is on the way, but there isn't any romance whatsoever in the whole book. Why couldn't Bilbo have met someone special on his journey to help defeat Smaug??? If he met Gollum and had such amazing adventures, why couldn't there have been a cute little female Hobbit who needed rescuing by the Tookish Hobbit????
Sure. Sure. I could be the one to write The Hobbit with a little romantic adventure, but I'm just now starting to read the series. How dare I even consider something like that?!
Anyway, I can hardly wait for the movie version to come out. I'm very excited about seeing Sir Ian McKlellan as Gandalf again. I have high hopes for the movie version. I have to admit that the part of the book where Smaug come in were really exciting for me. It was disappointing that Smaug is talked about and built up so much only to be in the books for a few brief pages (it felt like a few brief pages, anyway). I also am looking forward to seeing on film Bilbo's first meeting with Gollum. That's an awesome story in the book.
If you're one of the ones who has never read The Lord of the Rings series, just because I'm not as enthusiastic as others are about the series should not keep you from enjoying what really IS a great series. I definitely wanted to read and wanted to turn the page to find out what happened next. It's just my own personal disappointment in the lack of romance that takes away from the story for me.....!!!
I've already begun the 2nd book.....I'm only in the Forward so far. It's interesting to note that I've always heard that Tolkien wrote this series as an allegory because he and C.S. Lewis had challenged each other to write modern-day allegories, but in the Forward to The Fellowship of the Ring, Tokien himself says that the story is NOT an allegory. He states very clearly that he simply wanted to write a long story to prove that a reading audience would stick with a long, purely adventure story. (Maybe next time I'll quote him to prove I'm not off track.) This is a whole new perspective on the series for me...How about for you?!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Polly's Reasons for Choosing L-I-F-E
http://www.thirteenreasonswhy.com/index.php
Last week, a previous student sent me a link for Jay Asher's book 13 Reasons Why, telling me that she thought I'd like it. Of course, after reading through the link she sent me, I went to Barnes&Noble.com and had the book set up for me to pick it up after my classes that day. I started it immediately. I would have finished it in less than two days except for the fact that I went on a family vacation the day after buying the book, so I didn't have as much reading time as normal. But the first day I was back home in Taylorsville, I finished it.
It was worth staying up a little late to finish.
This is a very difficult book to read, but honestly, it should be required reading for everyone. While the main character is explaining her reasons why she has chosen to end her life, that's not the main focus of the novel, I don't think. I think the most important point/lesson to take away from the novel is the Snowball Effect--how we all affect one another's lives in ways we never even realize. Hannah Baker shares her story in a way that makes me cringe as I think about all the people I have come in to contact with--and as I wonder if I have ever added to someone's hurt, or even been the one to start someone's pain.
It's quite an eye-opening book to read. I have always recognized the fact that we influence people every single day. John Maxwell talks about it in on one of his books (I'm sorry I can't remember which one one right at this moment). He shares a very specific statistic about how even introverts influence/affect several thousand people. Considering the fact that I am not an introvert, it's important to note that I can, do, and have influence[d] quite a few thousand people.....Wow.
Have I influenced those few thousand people positively or negatively? I hope mostly positively. I hope and pray that even the ones who I have influenced negatively, it wasn't TOO BAD......As an English Instructor, I know I've had students who didn't really like me or care for my teaching style (I had one just last week, as a matter of fact). I realize that. I don't think that means I'm a bad teacher. I believe that every single teacher I've ever met has these experiences. I hear great things about my co-workers, and I hear things that make even my toes curl about those same co-workers. If students are talking about other instructors, I know they're talking about me the same.
I can live with that. I can live with the fact that some of my students are not going to have the greatest experience of their lives in my classroom. If every student who walked in the doors of my classroom loved me completely (as a teacher, I mean), then I don't think I'd be doing my job right. Not every one is going to click with my teaching style or my personality. That's ok. The important thing is that the students who do stick it out with me learn--that they learn that reading and writing is not the worst subject on the planet!
Considering the number of students who write me later and tell me about how they got in to medical school, or earned scholarships, or have successfully finished college a 4-year universities, in part, because of my helping them learn to write better, I can live with the handful of students who wish they'd never sat in my classroom.
On a happier note, I thought I'd take Hannah's 13 reasons why she decided to end her life and write a few reasons why I CHOOSE L-I-F-E:
1. My son, Samuel. He truly is the light of my life. I LOVE being a Mom to him. He is such a wonderful blessing. I would love to have all of my precious children (there should be 4 all together), but since I only have Samuel, I appreciate him that much more.
2. My Family: Mom (Rosanne/Posy), Dad (Ken), my sister (Katie), my brother (Kenny), my sister-in-law (Kella), my brother-in-law (Wally), my uncle (Joel/Jolly to me), my niece (Ellen), my nephews (Scott and Nate), my brother and sister-in-laws on my husband's side of the family (there are 12 siblings all together so I'm not going to try to list all their names here!), and of course my husband (James). I love my family very much. Even though I only get to see them a few times a year in short bursts, they are very important to me and I would not be here without them. Literally. I've almost died a few times in my life. My dad rescued me when I almost drowned. My brother rescued me when I choked on a piece of meat. And of course, everyone was there with me through my recent illnesses/surgeries. (See previous blogs for more information about those.)
3. My church family: Jana, Brian, Devon, Brandi, Blake, Brandon, Kristi, Jon, Adam, Jessica, Caitlin, Jack, Michelle, Mamaw Jean, Nikki, Dante, Susan, David, Lucy, Jason, Hillary, Jacob, Krista, Angela, Paul, Kendra, Anthony, James, and Ashley. I love my church family so very much. They make going to church so much fun and enjoyable. I love spending time with them inside the walls of the church and outside the walls of the church. They are just a FUN bunch and I have come to love them as much as I do my very own biological family.
4. My job. I LOVE teaching. I believe it is the gift God has given me. I feel the most complete when I am in a classroom teaching--English (writing/reading). I have had migraines--bad enough that in my office before class, I've had the lights off and I was lying on the floor trying to rest and get rid of the migraine--when I've walked into classes, but as soon as I step in to the classroom and begin teaching, I don't even feel the migraine any more. (Of course, as soon as class was over, it was back and I've had to force myself to hold it together while I've driven home, but you get my point.) Truly, teaching [English] is the greatest natural high in the world. It is a wonderful reminder that everyone should do what he/she has been gifted to do!!! It's not about the money at all. It's about doing what I was meant to do with my life....! And I honestly and truly do love it! I've been asked before what I would do if I wasn't teaching and other than writing (which I already do on the side), the only other thing I would do is....well, teaching something else! I'd rather teach English, but if I don't get to teach English, I'd still be teaching SOMETHING!!!!
5. (These reasons for choosing L-I-F-E are in no particular order, btw.) My hobbies. I honestly love scrapbooking, reading, writing (blogging, too!), watching movies, and playing my piano (even though I play it maybe only once a year, I still love playing it). I have so much fun with each of these activities! Every time I scrapbook, I can't wait to see how the next page is going to turn out! I love showing off my scrapbooks and having people ooh and aah over them! (I love looking at yours, too!!!! Just so you know!) Every time I pick up a new book, it's as amazing as the first time I picked up a book. Reading is just so awesome!!! (As I've mentioned in a previous blog, I've started having the subtitles when I watch movies, so now I get to combine two of my favorite activities in one!!! JUMOY!) Of course, in case you haven't noticed, my whole blog is focused on my reading!!!!
Writing?! Oh my. I should have a book published by now with all the writing I do. Not only do I keep this blog, but I journal--a LOT. I've filled notebook after notebook after notebook with journaling. I now have an online journal, but quite often, I just love the feel of the pen/pencil in my hand, so I still hand write a lot of my journal entries!!! It doesn't matter the topic; I just HAVE to write SOMETHING!!!
Watching movies? People sometimes ask me how I can watch the same movie over and over and over again (or read the same book multiple times). I have no real answer to that except for the fact that I just love them! Every time I watch a movie again, I see something I didn't see before! Since I love musicals, it's the same as listening to an album or song multiple times. No one questions listening to the same song over and over and over again (sometimes back to back, but you know what I mean), so why should anyone question me when it comes to watching movies (or reading books) multiple times?!
Playing the piano. I'm not that good at it, but I DO love to play. I can play for an hour and not even realize that a whole hour has gone by. (It's actually the same for all my hobbies, not just playing the piano!) Why don't I do it more often if I enjoy playing it so much? Lazy. Pure and simply laziness. Maybe while both James and Samuel are gone this summer I'll get back to playing it several times a week......
6. Life is just so much fun!!! Just this past weekend my family (minus a few family members, unfortunately) went to King's Dominion for the weekend! It was so awesome! My 10-year old son was able to all but one roller coaster for the first time!!! He looked so scared on most of the rides, but also very determined. If his Cousin Nate was going to ride something, then he was going to ride. It was so awesome watching him and his expressions as he rode several roller coasters over and over again!!!
Plus, I was with my family! And I got to be with my own Dad on Father's Day! Since I live 4 hours away, that doesn't happen every year. We've gone to Virginia Beach together and all of us stayed in a rental house together for a whole week! And we had a great time!!! We've all stayed in the same cabin together for a mountain trip over New Year's. We love getting together and spending time together for holidays.
Besides all of these wonderful family activities, each day brings something new and exciting for me to learn and explore! New books to read! New movies to watch! New people to meet! New experiences as a teacher! New pages to scrapbook! I could just JUMOY all over the place because life is so AWESOME!!!
(Don't get me wrong now. I've had bad and sad days. I've been so depressed that I've had thoughts similar to Hannah's. I've even thought about how I'd do it--put the car in a closed garage. I've imagined taking a knife to my belly after my last miscarriage. I'm not saying I don't understand where Hannah is coming from. Sadly, I do--too much. But, as Hannah says towards the end of the book about her ending her life being her decision, I choose L-I-F-E.....)
7. (This one has religious content, so if you want to stop here, I understand.) I'll go down a little so if you don't want to read it, it's far enough down that you shouldn't have to.
One of the best reasons for choosing L-I-F-E is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that when times are tough or really bad for me, or when I'm feeling my lowest and having low-self-esteem days that there is ONE who loves me so very much that He died so that I might have this life of mine. I love Him so much for what He has done for me that I don't want to disrespect Him by not enjoying this life He's given me an opportunity to live. Besides, His word says that He came, lived, and died that not only might I live (have life), but have it more abundantly!!!! I want to be able to spend eternity with my precious Savior in Heaven, so I'm going to do my best to live my life in a manner that I hope and pray He will be pleased with.
As a believer, I also believe that my "lost" children are in Heaven waiting with Jesus for me. I want to be sure that I get to spend eternity with them. I didn't have but a very short time to be with them here on this earth (James Isaac died at 9 months in utero and both Panya Ruth and Anna Rose died at 11 weeks in utero), so I want to be sure that I finally get to spend time with them!!!!
Life is definitely worth the living just because my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Lives! I truly can face tomorrow because I know He lives!!!!!
Hannah Baker in the book 13 Reasons Why chose to end her life. After reading her story, my heart breaks for her. I wish someone would have made her feel special, loved, important. It is so very sad that even one person goes through not knowing if he/she is special, loved, or important to others. If I had been in Hannah's shoes, I might have followed through, too. As she talks about after going to see Mr. Porter, he's heard her say that she plans on ending her life, but she's obviously not important enough for him to follow her out of his office and take her back so they could figure something out or for him to take her to someone who might have helped her. The important thing to note is that after she told him what she was going to do, Mr. Porter never should have let Hannah leave his office. The fact that he did makes him even more guilty than even those who hurt Hannah. He is the adult--the teacher--the school counselor. If anyone should have known not to let someone who even mentions suicide out of his/her sight, it should have been Mr. Porter.
Does that mean that blame Mr. Porter, then? No, I don't. Hannah made her choice. The truth is, each individual has to find the strength within him/herself to keep putting one foot in front of another. When we have Christ is our hearts, it helps. We always have a choice. Hannah made hers; I've made mine.....
Last week, a previous student sent me a link for Jay Asher's book 13 Reasons Why, telling me that she thought I'd like it. Of course, after reading through the link she sent me, I went to Barnes&Noble.com and had the book set up for me to pick it up after my classes that day. I started it immediately. I would have finished it in less than two days except for the fact that I went on a family vacation the day after buying the book, so I didn't have as much reading time as normal. But the first day I was back home in Taylorsville, I finished it.
It was worth staying up a little late to finish.
This is a very difficult book to read, but honestly, it should be required reading for everyone. While the main character is explaining her reasons why she has chosen to end her life, that's not the main focus of the novel, I don't think. I think the most important point/lesson to take away from the novel is the Snowball Effect--how we all affect one another's lives in ways we never even realize. Hannah Baker shares her story in a way that makes me cringe as I think about all the people I have come in to contact with--and as I wonder if I have ever added to someone's hurt, or even been the one to start someone's pain.
It's quite an eye-opening book to read. I have always recognized the fact that we influence people every single day. John Maxwell talks about it in on one of his books (I'm sorry I can't remember which one one right at this moment). He shares a very specific statistic about how even introverts influence/affect several thousand people. Considering the fact that I am not an introvert, it's important to note that I can, do, and have influence[d] quite a few thousand people.....Wow.
Have I influenced those few thousand people positively or negatively? I hope mostly positively. I hope and pray that even the ones who I have influenced negatively, it wasn't TOO BAD......As an English Instructor, I know I've had students who didn't really like me or care for my teaching style (I had one just last week, as a matter of fact). I realize that. I don't think that means I'm a bad teacher. I believe that every single teacher I've ever met has these experiences. I hear great things about my co-workers, and I hear things that make even my toes curl about those same co-workers. If students are talking about other instructors, I know they're talking about me the same.
I can live with that. I can live with the fact that some of my students are not going to have the greatest experience of their lives in my classroom. If every student who walked in the doors of my classroom loved me completely (as a teacher, I mean), then I don't think I'd be doing my job right. Not every one is going to click with my teaching style or my personality. That's ok. The important thing is that the students who do stick it out with me learn--that they learn that reading and writing is not the worst subject on the planet!
Considering the number of students who write me later and tell me about how they got in to medical school, or earned scholarships, or have successfully finished college a 4-year universities, in part, because of my helping them learn to write better, I can live with the handful of students who wish they'd never sat in my classroom.
On a happier note, I thought I'd take Hannah's 13 reasons why she decided to end her life and write a few reasons why I CHOOSE L-I-F-E:
1. My son, Samuel. He truly is the light of my life. I LOVE being a Mom to him. He is such a wonderful blessing. I would love to have all of my precious children (there should be 4 all together), but since I only have Samuel, I appreciate him that much more.
2. My Family: Mom (Rosanne/Posy), Dad (Ken), my sister (Katie), my brother (Kenny), my sister-in-law (Kella), my brother-in-law (Wally), my uncle (Joel/Jolly to me), my niece (Ellen), my nephews (Scott and Nate), my brother and sister-in-laws on my husband's side of the family (there are 12 siblings all together so I'm not going to try to list all their names here!), and of course my husband (James). I love my family very much. Even though I only get to see them a few times a year in short bursts, they are very important to me and I would not be here without them. Literally. I've almost died a few times in my life. My dad rescued me when I almost drowned. My brother rescued me when I choked on a piece of meat. And of course, everyone was there with me through my recent illnesses/surgeries. (See previous blogs for more information about those.)
3. My church family: Jana, Brian, Devon, Brandi, Blake, Brandon, Kristi, Jon, Adam, Jessica, Caitlin, Jack, Michelle, Mamaw Jean, Nikki, Dante, Susan, David, Lucy, Jason, Hillary, Jacob, Krista, Angela, Paul, Kendra, Anthony, James, and Ashley. I love my church family so very much. They make going to church so much fun and enjoyable. I love spending time with them inside the walls of the church and outside the walls of the church. They are just a FUN bunch and I have come to love them as much as I do my very own biological family.
4. My job. I LOVE teaching. I believe it is the gift God has given me. I feel the most complete when I am in a classroom teaching--English (writing/reading). I have had migraines--bad enough that in my office before class, I've had the lights off and I was lying on the floor trying to rest and get rid of the migraine--when I've walked into classes, but as soon as I step in to the classroom and begin teaching, I don't even feel the migraine any more. (Of course, as soon as class was over, it was back and I've had to force myself to hold it together while I've driven home, but you get my point.) Truly, teaching [English] is the greatest natural high in the world. It is a wonderful reminder that everyone should do what he/she has been gifted to do!!! It's not about the money at all. It's about doing what I was meant to do with my life....! And I honestly and truly do love it! I've been asked before what I would do if I wasn't teaching and other than writing (which I already do on the side), the only other thing I would do is....well, teaching something else! I'd rather teach English, but if I don't get to teach English, I'd still be teaching SOMETHING!!!!
5. (These reasons for choosing L-I-F-E are in no particular order, btw.) My hobbies. I honestly love scrapbooking, reading, writing (blogging, too!), watching movies, and playing my piano (even though I play it maybe only once a year, I still love playing it). I have so much fun with each of these activities! Every time I scrapbook, I can't wait to see how the next page is going to turn out! I love showing off my scrapbooks and having people ooh and aah over them! (I love looking at yours, too!!!! Just so you know!) Every time I pick up a new book, it's as amazing as the first time I picked up a book. Reading is just so awesome!!! (As I've mentioned in a previous blog, I've started having the subtitles when I watch movies, so now I get to combine two of my favorite activities in one!!! JUMOY!) Of course, in case you haven't noticed, my whole blog is focused on my reading!!!!
Writing?! Oh my. I should have a book published by now with all the writing I do. Not only do I keep this blog, but I journal--a LOT. I've filled notebook after notebook after notebook with journaling. I now have an online journal, but quite often, I just love the feel of the pen/pencil in my hand, so I still hand write a lot of my journal entries!!! It doesn't matter the topic; I just HAVE to write SOMETHING!!!
Watching movies? People sometimes ask me how I can watch the same movie over and over and over again (or read the same book multiple times). I have no real answer to that except for the fact that I just love them! Every time I watch a movie again, I see something I didn't see before! Since I love musicals, it's the same as listening to an album or song multiple times. No one questions listening to the same song over and over and over again (sometimes back to back, but you know what I mean), so why should anyone question me when it comes to watching movies (or reading books) multiple times?!
Playing the piano. I'm not that good at it, but I DO love to play. I can play for an hour and not even realize that a whole hour has gone by. (It's actually the same for all my hobbies, not just playing the piano!) Why don't I do it more often if I enjoy playing it so much? Lazy. Pure and simply laziness. Maybe while both James and Samuel are gone this summer I'll get back to playing it several times a week......
6. Life is just so much fun!!! Just this past weekend my family (minus a few family members, unfortunately) went to King's Dominion for the weekend! It was so awesome! My 10-year old son was able to all but one roller coaster for the first time!!! He looked so scared on most of the rides, but also very determined. If his Cousin Nate was going to ride something, then he was going to ride. It was so awesome watching him and his expressions as he rode several roller coasters over and over again!!!
Plus, I was with my family! And I got to be with my own Dad on Father's Day! Since I live 4 hours away, that doesn't happen every year. We've gone to Virginia Beach together and all of us stayed in a rental house together for a whole week! And we had a great time!!! We've all stayed in the same cabin together for a mountain trip over New Year's. We love getting together and spending time together for holidays.
Besides all of these wonderful family activities, each day brings something new and exciting for me to learn and explore! New books to read! New movies to watch! New people to meet! New experiences as a teacher! New pages to scrapbook! I could just JUMOY all over the place because life is so AWESOME!!!
(Don't get me wrong now. I've had bad and sad days. I've been so depressed that I've had thoughts similar to Hannah's. I've even thought about how I'd do it--put the car in a closed garage. I've imagined taking a knife to my belly after my last miscarriage. I'm not saying I don't understand where Hannah is coming from. Sadly, I do--too much. But, as Hannah says towards the end of the book about her ending her life being her decision, I choose L-I-F-E.....)
7. (This one has religious content, so if you want to stop here, I understand.) I'll go down a little so if you don't want to read it, it's far enough down that you shouldn't have to.
One of the best reasons for choosing L-I-F-E is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that when times are tough or really bad for me, or when I'm feeling my lowest and having low-self-esteem days that there is ONE who loves me so very much that He died so that I might have this life of mine. I love Him so much for what He has done for me that I don't want to disrespect Him by not enjoying this life He's given me an opportunity to live. Besides, His word says that He came, lived, and died that not only might I live (have life), but have it more abundantly!!!! I want to be able to spend eternity with my precious Savior in Heaven, so I'm going to do my best to live my life in a manner that I hope and pray He will be pleased with.
As a believer, I also believe that my "lost" children are in Heaven waiting with Jesus for me. I want to be sure that I get to spend eternity with them. I didn't have but a very short time to be with them here on this earth (James Isaac died at 9 months in utero and both Panya Ruth and Anna Rose died at 11 weeks in utero), so I want to be sure that I finally get to spend time with them!!!!
Life is definitely worth the living just because my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Lives! I truly can face tomorrow because I know He lives!!!!!
Hannah Baker in the book 13 Reasons Why chose to end her life. After reading her story, my heart breaks for her. I wish someone would have made her feel special, loved, important. It is so very sad that even one person goes through not knowing if he/she is special, loved, or important to others. If I had been in Hannah's shoes, I might have followed through, too. As she talks about after going to see Mr. Porter, he's heard her say that she plans on ending her life, but she's obviously not important enough for him to follow her out of his office and take her back so they could figure something out or for him to take her to someone who might have helped her. The important thing to note is that after she told him what she was going to do, Mr. Porter never should have let Hannah leave his office. The fact that he did makes him even more guilty than even those who hurt Hannah. He is the adult--the teacher--the school counselor. If anyone should have known not to let someone who even mentions suicide out of his/her sight, it should have been Mr. Porter.
Does that mean that blame Mr. Porter, then? No, I don't. Hannah made her choice. The truth is, each individual has to find the strength within him/herself to keep putting one foot in front of another. When we have Christ is our hearts, it helps. We always have a choice. Hannah made hers; I've made mine.....
Thursday, June 16, 2011
I Promise to Read
http://www.makeareadingpromise.com/
My dad sent me a link for The Reading Promise several weeks ago. At the time, when I was reading the link he sent me, I thought it was just a great interview with the father and daughter on the news show that had done the interview. Then, I learned that it was actually a BOOK! I think I was surfing the Barnes and Noble web site! Needless to say, I bought the book the day I learned it was a book and started reading it that same day!
I tore through it! It is such a great book! What a wonderful tribute to the wonder and joy of my favorite hobby: reading!!!! Finally! Someone else GETS IT as far as reading is concerned!
I have always been an avid reader; reading several books at once--reading ALL THE TIME. As Sweeney Todd says that his razors make his arm complete, I am most complete when I have a book (and pen) in my hands!!!! I have been reading since before I was 4 years old. I loved that my mom would read to me, but I couldn't wait for her to read the next chapter in a book, so I'd take the book and finish it on my own!!!
I have been trying to read to my son, Samuel, more lately than usual. I really enjoy that, too. He's going to spend 6 weeks with his grandparents this summer--they live 4 hours away. I keep trying to talk Samuel into letting me read to him over the phone (my parents don't have Skype access). He tells me that he doesn't know if he can hold the phone to his ear for that long!!! Maybe he'll let me....At least I know that if he doesn't let me read to him over the phone that my mom will read to him!!!!
My dad sent me a link for The Reading Promise several weeks ago. At the time, when I was reading the link he sent me, I thought it was just a great interview with the father and daughter on the news show that had done the interview. Then, I learned that it was actually a BOOK! I think I was surfing the Barnes and Noble web site! Needless to say, I bought the book the day I learned it was a book and started reading it that same day!
I tore through it! It is such a great book! What a wonderful tribute to the wonder and joy of my favorite hobby: reading!!!! Finally! Someone else GETS IT as far as reading is concerned!
I have always been an avid reader; reading several books at once--reading ALL THE TIME. As Sweeney Todd says that his razors make his arm complete, I am most complete when I have a book (and pen) in my hands!!!! I have been reading since before I was 4 years old. I loved that my mom would read to me, but I couldn't wait for her to read the next chapter in a book, so I'd take the book and finish it on my own!!!
I have been trying to read to my son, Samuel, more lately than usual. I really enjoy that, too. He's going to spend 6 weeks with his grandparents this summer--they live 4 hours away. I keep trying to talk Samuel into letting me read to him over the phone (my parents don't have Skype access). He tells me that he doesn't know if he can hold the phone to his ear for that long!!! Maybe he'll let me....At least I know that if he doesn't let me read to him over the phone that my mom will read to him!!!!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Love me some Bacon!!!
Kevin Bacon, that is!!!! I LOVE that Kevin Bacon shows up in the most unlikely roles in movies! He could be in EVERY movie and I'd never get tired of him! He's not drop-dead gorgeous like my number 1 Hottie Gerard Butler, but he has a smile that makes you want to just grab him and run away with him to a deserted island!!!
I got Samuel out of school early again today (3rd time in 3 weeks on Friday--so sue me) and we went to see X-Men: First Class. I had NO expectations for this movie. I've seen all the other X-Men movies; I liked them all ok (especially Wolverine--who doesn't LOVE to see Hugh Jackman on screen?!?!), but I have never been a true X-Men fan. But Samuel wanted to see it, so we did.
I knew nothing about it except that it was about how the X-Men got started, so everyone, including Charles Xavier would be younger. I had no idea who was playing the roles, what the story was about....I was totally "blind" going in.
So the movie starts. I'm enjoying my kid's sized popcorn, doing my best to behave myself for Samuel's sake. (You know how I can get during a movie.) Of course, I didn't expect to have any reactions, so I wasn't too worried about the strength of my voice. I was actually getting ready to have a nice nap.
But I got interested in the story. And there was this one actor whose face kept haunting me. I knew I knew who he was, but I couldn't place him. All of a sudden, at a tense moment in the story, it hit me, "That's Kevin Bacon!" Yes, I practically shouted it out loud during the movie in the theater. I apologized out loud and the folks around me just laughed and told me not to worry about it.
Of course, from that moment on, I was engrossed in the story! I mean, it's KEVIN BACON!!!! He's brilliant! One of these days, he's finally going to play a role that puts him on the map where he deserves to be. Of course, he already is. I mean, come on, 6-Degrees of Kevin Bacon is a real game that really works more often than not!!!! Who doesn't know who Kevin Bacon is?! But I mean as as the IT man---THE go-to man of all movie-dom.
I'm even disappointed that they're doing a re-make of Footloose because I love Kevin Bacon as the lead. I've always said that the only real reason for a remake of Footloose would be so Kevin could do his own dancing in the warehouse dancing scene!!!!!! Other than that, you can't mess with close to perfection!!!!
The man is a genius! I wish I could say that I've seen EVERYTHING Kevin Bacon has ever been in, but that's not so. But everything I have ever seen him in, he's awesome!!!! He's also pretty awesome in The River Wild. I think it's time I add some of the Kevin Bacon movies that I've never seen to my Netflix list......!!!!!!!!!!!!
What about the rest of the movie X-Men: First Class? What about it? If you like the X-Men, you'll like this movie. I just want MORE Bacon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got Samuel out of school early again today (3rd time in 3 weeks on Friday--so sue me) and we went to see X-Men: First Class. I had NO expectations for this movie. I've seen all the other X-Men movies; I liked them all ok (especially Wolverine--who doesn't LOVE to see Hugh Jackman on screen?!?!), but I have never been a true X-Men fan. But Samuel wanted to see it, so we did.
I knew nothing about it except that it was about how the X-Men got started, so everyone, including Charles Xavier would be younger. I had no idea who was playing the roles, what the story was about....I was totally "blind" going in.
So the movie starts. I'm enjoying my kid's sized popcorn, doing my best to behave myself for Samuel's sake. (You know how I can get during a movie.) Of course, I didn't expect to have any reactions, so I wasn't too worried about the strength of my voice. I was actually getting ready to have a nice nap.
But I got interested in the story. And there was this one actor whose face kept haunting me. I knew I knew who he was, but I couldn't place him. All of a sudden, at a tense moment in the story, it hit me, "That's Kevin Bacon!" Yes, I practically shouted it out loud during the movie in the theater. I apologized out loud and the folks around me just laughed and told me not to worry about it.
Of course, from that moment on, I was engrossed in the story! I mean, it's KEVIN BACON!!!! He's brilliant! One of these days, he's finally going to play a role that puts him on the map where he deserves to be. Of course, he already is. I mean, come on, 6-Degrees of Kevin Bacon is a real game that really works more often than not!!!! Who doesn't know who Kevin Bacon is?! But I mean as as the IT man---THE go-to man of all movie-dom.
I'm even disappointed that they're doing a re-make of Footloose because I love Kevin Bacon as the lead. I've always said that the only real reason for a remake of Footloose would be so Kevin could do his own dancing in the warehouse dancing scene!!!!!! Other than that, you can't mess with close to perfection!!!!
The man is a genius! I wish I could say that I've seen EVERYTHING Kevin Bacon has ever been in, but that's not so. But everything I have ever seen him in, he's awesome!!!! He's also pretty awesome in The River Wild. I think it's time I add some of the Kevin Bacon movies that I've never seen to my Netflix list......!!!!!!!!!!!!
What about the rest of the movie X-Men: First Class? What about it? If you like the X-Men, you'll like this movie. I just want MORE Bacon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Rescued?
When my parents came to visit a few ago, Mom brought me Nicholas Sparks' The Rescue. Of course, I have a love/hate relationship with good ole Nick. I love that his books are quick, easy, and interesting reads. They are definitely good and worth reading. The stories are stories about people who seem just as real as I do. My favorite part about his books are the fact that almost all of them are set in the state of North Carolina; Sparks mentions places in NC I'm familiar with--places where I have actually been myself! It certainly makes the reading of his books more fun when I read about a place where I've not just been, but where I've lived!!!! (Could I maybe know someone he's writing about?!)
But I hate Sparks' books, too. Why? Because they're predictable: an important character ALWAYS dies. I think I've read ONE Sparks book where no one died in the end. I don't remember the name of it right off right now, but I do remember that it's the one with the Cape Hatteras Light House on the cover. I really prefer a little more suprise than that. Oh, wait! No one dies in The Wedding....or does the dad die at the end of that one.....? It's been awhile; I can't remember. The Wedding is my absolute favorite Nicholas Sparks book. I think it should be REQUIRED reading for every couple--whether married already or getting married!!!!!
I mean that.
Anyway, I put off reading The Rescue until I finished re-reading the Twilight series. I hate stopping in the middle of something. But I wanted to read it before I start my "heavy" summer reading (The Lord of the Rings series).
Of course, I flew through it. I didn't read it quite as quickly as I would have liked, but it didn't take me that long. I enjoyed the read, too. I was worried the beginning would be the saddest part of the book, but the rescue at the beginning ends just fine. Personally, not that I want to see something bad happen to anyone--especially NOT to a child, I think it would have been a better story if the first rescue hadn't gone so well. I'm not a sicko. I really am not. It's just that everything is so "perfect" and ends so happily.....and predictably.
I didn't feel on the edge of my seat anxious about what was happening to Kyle (the little boy) because I just didn't believe that Sparks would write about something bad happening to a little boy. And I was right. But I want Sparks to write something NOT EXPECTED.....and it would have been completely unexpected for things to have turned out differently with Kyle......
Did I like the book? Of course I did. It's a sweet romantic story aobut a couple trying to overcome their pasts and just find a way to love one another TODAY. I liked it. It had everything a romantic story like this should have.
I even cried when one of the important characters finally dies towards the end of the story. But I cried the hardests when the main male love lead tells the story of what happened in the fire he's been tormented about since he was 9 years old---and his dad had died. That story was heart-wrenching. You'd have to an unfeeling boob to read that story and NOT cry......The build-up to the telling of that particular horror story is worth the wait. Again, I don't WANT bad things to happen to people, but the reality of life is that they DO. When Taylor tells Denise the story of how his dad died in the fire all those years ago, my heart went out to Taylor and I fell in love with him!!!!!
It is a true Nicholas Sparks book and definitely worth the read. If you've enjoyed any other Sparks' books previously, you'll enjoy this one, too!
But I hate Sparks' books, too. Why? Because they're predictable: an important character ALWAYS dies. I think I've read ONE Sparks book where no one died in the end. I don't remember the name of it right off right now, but I do remember that it's the one with the Cape Hatteras Light House on the cover. I really prefer a little more suprise than that. Oh, wait! No one dies in The Wedding....or does the dad die at the end of that one.....? It's been awhile; I can't remember. The Wedding is my absolute favorite Nicholas Sparks book. I think it should be REQUIRED reading for every couple--whether married already or getting married!!!!!
I mean that.
Anyway, I put off reading The Rescue until I finished re-reading the Twilight series. I hate stopping in the middle of something. But I wanted to read it before I start my "heavy" summer reading (The Lord of the Rings series).
Of course, I flew through it. I didn't read it quite as quickly as I would have liked, but it didn't take me that long. I enjoyed the read, too. I was worried the beginning would be the saddest part of the book, but the rescue at the beginning ends just fine. Personally, not that I want to see something bad happen to anyone--especially NOT to a child, I think it would have been a better story if the first rescue hadn't gone so well. I'm not a sicko. I really am not. It's just that everything is so "perfect" and ends so happily.....and predictably.
I didn't feel on the edge of my seat anxious about what was happening to Kyle (the little boy) because I just didn't believe that Sparks would write about something bad happening to a little boy. And I was right. But I want Sparks to write something NOT EXPECTED.....and it would have been completely unexpected for things to have turned out differently with Kyle......
Did I like the book? Of course I did. It's a sweet romantic story aobut a couple trying to overcome their pasts and just find a way to love one another TODAY. I liked it. It had everything a romantic story like this should have.
I even cried when one of the important characters finally dies towards the end of the story. But I cried the hardests when the main male love lead tells the story of what happened in the fire he's been tormented about since he was 9 years old---and his dad had died. That story was heart-wrenching. You'd have to an unfeeling boob to read that story and NOT cry......The build-up to the telling of that particular horror story is worth the wait. Again, I don't WANT bad things to happen to people, but the reality of life is that they DO. When Taylor tells Denise the story of how his dad died in the fire all those years ago, my heart went out to Taylor and I fell in love with him!!!!!
It is a true Nicholas Sparks book and definitely worth the read. If you've enjoyed any other Sparks' books previously, you'll enjoy this one, too!
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