Quote of the day 2/27/11

"The only thing better then going to heaven is being able to take someone with you."

An Unalienable Right To Life

On the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a local newspaper in Illinois refused to run this ad. The newspaper's ad department stated they were too "graphic." Since when are ultrasounds "graphic"? In fact, these ultrasound photos are beautiful. Parents proudly display them on their refrigerators, for goodness sakes. What's wrong with these pictures? Why is the mainstream media censoring the truth about preborn babies?

     
     When I think about what rights are given to me by this country, one line from our precious constitution comes to mind: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." 
     So what does the word "unalienable" mean? When I tried to find the world "unalienable" in the dictionary, nothing came back. So as I did my research, I stumbled upon this "The concept of "certain unalienable rights" is evidence that the Founding Fathers of the United States believed in God and for the most part we're strongly religious men with strong beliefs in entitlements bestowed by God upon men, and that these entitlements were so important that no earthly power can rightfully deny them. Therefore, no Government can deny these rights."
     I have never heard anyone say that we should not have the right to life, liberty or happiness. In fact, no one in America would ever even dare to challenge this. Yet, unfortunately, many individuals  are being stripped of this right and actually, some government officials are even willing to pay for this loss of rights. 
     Everyday approximately 115,000 babies are aborted worldwide and about 42 million every year. In the United States alone 3,700 innocents lives are taken everyday. Many argue that an embryo is not a human but even The Official Senate report on Senate Bill 158, the "Human Life Bill", summarized the issue this way: "Physicians, biologists, and other scientists agree that conception marks the beginning of the life of a human being - a being that is alive and a member of the human species. There is overwhelming agreement on this point in countless medical, biological, and scientific writings." I’ve heard many argue that a definition of a human being is one who can show emotion, who can laugh and cry. Yet what about those in a coma? A person in a coma displays no emotion, no laughing and no crying but we still view them as a human being with unalienable rights.
     Everything that determines the individuality and originality of a person is established at conception. The first single cell contains the entire genetic blueprint in all its complexity. We have even established that a woman with a child is considered two separate individuals. For example, when Scott Peterson was found guilty in the murder of his pregnant wife he was charged with double murder. One for her and one for the child she was carrying. 

     There are many arguments that abortion must be an option because there are many different scenarios and special circumstances that bring a woman to consider an abortion. But when you look the facts, it has been found that 95% of abortions occur because of social reasons or at the time being, the pregnancy was "inconvenient." Since when is it okay to take a life because you don’t have the time to deal with it?
     From an early age we have been taught to take responsibility for our actions. Unfortunately, our society has opted to find an easy way out. As a woman, I believe in the right to have the privacy to choose what I can and cannot do with my body. However, when it comes to a life, I or you cannot decide a persons fate for them. Obama was quoted saying "If my daughter was to make a mistake, I would not want her being punished by having a child." This statement breaks my heart. How much has our society fallen to consider a precious, innocent human being a punishment? Every child is a gift from God, not a punishment or an inconvenience. A child is a child, no matter how small she or he may be, and that child most definitely needs to have the unalienable right to liberty and happiness, but above all, life.

Quote of the day 2/24/11

"Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties."                                     [Abraham Lincoln]

Quote of the day 2/22/11

"But God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through"    [Francis Chan]

The little things

     I am currently sitting in the small but cute and cozy Santa Barbara Airport. It is only 5 in the morning but the airport is packed with travelers of all ages. Some seem calm and collected, others stressed and a bit frazzled and frankly most seem half asleep, which I do not blame them. 5 am is such an ungodly time for a flight. As I watch each passenger come and go (in a non stalkerish type of way-I promise!), I cannot help but wonder, where are they going and why are they going there?
     Each of us has a unique life story; a collection of experiences special to us. Life takes us in all these twists and turns and the only way is to go with it. There are things we can fight but many things are out of our grasp. Our lives are these never ending journeys complete with happiness and sadness, failure and success, love and heartbreak, sickness and health.
     The funny thing is that while I can observe each traveler, I also know that I will most likely never see them again. Even though each person is a stranger to me, I cannot help but wonder if these people will have some impact on my life. But even here I am conflicted, why am I thinking about how they will affect me, I need to be thinking how can I affect them? The most I can do is offer a smile or a "good morning," yet even through these small gestures, I see how people light up.
     I do not know these peoples's names, occupations or life stories but I as a sit and ponder, I realize that even the little things can make a difference.  Maybe one of these people is upset and is just in need of a smile or acknowledgement, or maybe some of these people are so irritated by the early hour that they just find me a nuisance. I cannot say and I will never know, but I at least I know that I tried. I have challenged myself to give a smile and a good morning to as many strangers as I can.
     Here is the question for all y'all today: How can you add a little light and happiness into today? Even the little things can make a world of difference...



AN UPDATE ON MY CHALLENGE:
     I think that God definitely has a sense of humor. Just as I had finished the blog post, I went to board my Santa Barbara to Los Angeles.  I went to find my seat and as I sat down, the woman in the seat next to me said "oh good, at least i'll be sitting next to someone who smells nice!" For the next 25 minutes, she proceeded to tell me her whole life story. We had a nice conversation and as I proceeded to exit the plane, she wished me the best in my studies at Point Loma and I wished her to have a great few weeks with her sister in Pennsylvania. The more I smiled and said "good morning" the more strangers I made friends with at LAX. It really hit me how a few nice words, or even a gesture as small as a smile could change the attitude of a person. I will probably never see Dawn again, or the other "friends" I made at the airport but at least I know I helped to brighten up someones day.

Quote of the day 2/21/11

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world”                 [C.S.Lewis]

Quote of the day 2/15/11

“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else."                                                     [Ralph Waldo Emerson]

When God Writes Your Love Story

I have been transformed by this book I have been reading: "When God Writes Your Love Story" by a couple named Eric and Leslie Ludy. The book gives an honest account of what the world perceives as love and what love should actually be. They remind both men and women alike that God wants more then anything, to write your love story and that everything is truly in his hands. The problem is that society doesn't want to wait, we want now and when we quickly become anxious. Society tells us its okay to just "go for it" and if it makes you happy then "try it out." But all these actions have dangerous consequences which we may only realize when it is too late. I have been praying to seek our God's will, for him to remove my anxiousness, my need to know things ahead of time and to just find peace in where I am at life. I am at an amazing school, surrounded by amazing friends who love me and want only the best. I may not have a boyfriend or a fiancee or husband to share my life with but I do know that my man is walking around, somewhere on this world and that one day God will cause our paths to meet and write one phenomenal love story.


Here is one more excerpt from the book: 
"Women can all too often become manipulative, flirtatious and self focused when relating to men. They can play games with a man's heart. They use their priceless pearl of purity for temporary pleasure. While it may be hard for godly women to believe that a Christlike knight exists, it's often equally difficult for a man of integrity to trust God for a princess of purity. To experience a God-written love story, our standards cannot be determined by our culture. Our standards should be radically higher than the rest of the world. Not that we are going to be perfect or have a perfect relationship, but we should be aiming our arrow at the right target- applying the very nature and character of Jesus Christ in our attitude toward the opposite sex. Many Christians simply don't feel this is a possibility. Their standards sink dangerously low. God's heart must break when He knows the beautiful things He had planned that we often miss because of our foolishness."

Point to Ponder

"There are two ways that each of us can approach life: spending our days meeting our needs or looking for ways to meet others' needs. The mystery is that when we spend our life focused on our own needs, we are never satisfied, and our deepest needs never seem to be met. But when we pour out our life and focus on how we can serve others, we find not only incredible fulfillment, but our deepest needs are met as well. Learning to serve leads to the "happily ever after" you've always dreamed of."                             [Taken from "When God Writes Your Love Story"]

5 Amazing Women In My Life

From left: Vera, me, Anna, Mary, Mom, Yana 

     I dont know why, but sometimes I feel like God loves me a little extra. Not to sound selfish or proud but he gave me some pretty amazing women in my life. These 5 women are my mama, her sister Vera, Anna, Mary and my mom's sister in law Yana. My mama is the oldest, yet still so young, only turned 40 in July. My mama and I only have 20 years apart and i am only 7 years apart from Yana. These women aren't just my mom or my aunts. These wonderful women are my best friends. Each is wonderful in her own way, completing the missing pieces in me or someone else. 

     My mama, Lidia- I wish I knew how to put my thoughts into words. She is incredible, a true woman of God. She is 100% selfless, never exalting herself above anyone else. I have witnessed, first hand, her give up her health, time, money, etc in order to better the life of someone else. She is the most dependable person I have met. Okay, confession: when I was little, like those moody, no one understands me years, I thought my mom did not like me very much. Whenever I did something, she would say "good, but you can do better" or whenever I would clean the house or do chores, she would make me redo them. In my childish head, I thought she was just being mean. Yet, as I look back, I see that my mom pushed me because she loved me, she punished me because she loved me and she asked me to redo things because she loved me. She knew my full potential and wanted me to be the best that I could be and still to this day pushes me daily and I love her more every day for it.

     Vera-Vera leaves me feeling speechless. This woman has been through more hardships then some people will ever know but no matter what, her trust is always in the Lord. Her and I can relate on many personal experiences. When I have a hard day I can always call her and she knows exactly how I feel. She is so humble but she exudes this warmth and this sincerity. Her deepest desire to follow God's will. She has this beautiful spirit and one of those people who will be rewarded extra in heaven.

     Anna-Confession time: When I was little, I thought Anna was the coolest person ever, which I still think she is by the way. She lived with me when I lived in Chicago and she always made me the best sandwiches. Anna is the sandwich queen, nothing tops her sandwiches. What I love about Anna is how soothing she is. She's very maternal, understanding and never quick to anger. She is level headed and doesn't just rush into decisions. She has lots of patience, which is a wonderful trait which I always admire in her.

     Mary- There are many things I am eternally thankful for to Mary. Whether she knows it or not, she helped me transition from childhood to young adult hood. Mary is also one of the most creative people I know. She can literally make anything out of nothing. She is so outgoing, confident and never afraid to speak her mind, nothing scares her away. Mary draws people in, everyone wants to be her friend, everyone wants to talk to her. She's one of those people who lights up the room when she walks in.

     Yana-When I was younger, I couldn't help but wonder who my uncle Daniel would marry.. but finally the day came, and he married wonderful Yana in one of the most beautiful weddings ever. Yana is honest, direct and a straight shooter. She knows how things are suppose to be and is not afraid to say when things are out of life. And with sarcasm being my third language, Yana shares this language with me. We can joke around and laugh and make the best of any situation. Above all, Yana strives for perfection, she strives to make the most out of her day. She works day and night yet still makes time for her family. 
     Each woman, above all, loves her family, treats her husband as a prince and seeks to follow the will of God. God is the center of their lives, guiding them and therefore also guiding me on my life journey. They may be my aunts by birth or marriage, but they are my best friends by choice. 


      

Quote of the day 2/14/11

‎"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love never fails."


As the world around us celebrates Valentines Day, reflect on what real love is and that real love is a gift from God.

Quote of the day 2/9/11

 “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”
 [Ralph Waldo Emerson]

No You Can't Hurry Love

     The Supremes left me with a little piece of wisdom:

You can't hurry love/No, you just have to wait

You got to trust, give it time/No matter how long it takes

     Our society most definitely does not like the word "wait." We do not like to wait for anyone or anything. We constantly need faster phones, faster service and faster cars (although fast cars are simply a necessity in my opinion). But what about love? Do we hurry that too? Just look at all the magazine covers around you and all thats seen is "Make him fall in love with you by tomorrow" or "5 easy steps to get a man by summer." 

     I like to get things fast. I like fast shipping, instant coffee and I like instant play on Netflix but somehow I don't think that love should just be rushed. Do I want to fall in love? Of course I do, most people want to fall in love. We were created to want relationships and to want love but finding love isn't easy and meeting the right person to fall in love with is even harder.

     What is the most precious thing you own? Your MacBook? Your car? Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue? Have you ever considered... your heart? I challenge you with this idea; your heart is the most precious thing you have. So how many times have you given out your heart? or even just a piece of your heart to someone else? Well be honest and now count how many of those people deserved it? Countless emotions and feelings poured out, which if we're still being honest here most likely result in heartbreak and heartache. 

     The problem is that once we do it once or twice, we continue to do it more and more. We keep opening up and the more we do, the more we hurt and the more we need someone else to attempt to fill in that void. Its a vicious cycle that repeats over and over and over again and thus we begin to settle, lower our standards and just hope for some temporary satisfaction.

     I present a second challenge: guard your heart. Only one person out there deserves it, just one. Frankly it will take lots of waiting for most of us, but you cant hurry love, and you just have to wait. That one person wants your whole heart, so why let unworthy others recklessly chip away at it. The more you break something, the more fragile it is so therefore theres only so much a heart can take before it breaks. Can a heart be put back together? Yes, but a broken heart with millions of pieces will take a long time to heal and it will never be the same again.  

     Each of us has been granted by the Creator "somebody to love" and that person will love us equally back. That person wants us, all of us, the good and the bad, through sickness and in health so forget about rushing and hurrying and trying to catch a man (or a woman for any men reading this) in "5 easy steps" because he or she is out there and they deserve your heart, all of it and it probably won't be easy, but it will be well worth the wait.

Quote of the day 2/3/11

“I was raised to believe that God has a plan for everyone and that seemingly random twists of fate are all a part of His plan.” 
[Ronald Reagan]

Why I would want to be a Supreme Court Justice

     Recently I've had a revelation, if I had no constraints, no financial limits and could have my dream job, I would want to be a Supreme Court Justice. Yes, a member of the Supreme Court of the United States.
     In my opinion, a Supreme Court Justice is one, if not the most powerful position in America. The president has always been regarded as the highest position but I think that his power is temporary while justices makes decisions that stay permanent. Presidential policies and laws may be overturned and changed by the next president. However, judicial judgements are very hard, nearly impossible, to overturn. The SCOTUS is the ultimate deciding factor, there is no where to appeal to once they've made a decision.
     Roe v. Wade was a huge decision with effects that have affected and will continue to forever effect thousands and thousands of lives. Innocent lives have been lost due to the decision of 7 very powerful people. In America, 4,000 babies are aborted every day. Regardless of what you think about Roe v. Wade or Abortion, the fact that a few people could decide the fate of thousands of lives clearly says that Justices have a very large amount of power. 
     I believe that the Constitution needs to be protected and defended and thus I would be beyond honored to continue to preserve this precious, symbolic document. Yes it is an old document, written in an age with no technology and modernization yet we need to hold those truths. 4543 words have given millions of US citizens the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness since the creation of the Constitution in 1787 and as long as we uphold the original intention of the Framers, we will continue to enjoy the liberties so preciously given over 200 years ago.

we live and we learn, right?

     Have you ever wondered why something happened or why something didn't happen? I'm sure you have, we all have. We as humans cannot help and wonder why our life is the way it is. Today in psychology we talked about how outside factors affect the choices we make and the people we ultimately become. Is it fair to say that outside factors are responsible for the person you are or are we ultimately responsible?

     I believe that life is a collection of our choices, with each choice affecting the next step. It is true that each of us has had circumstances that shaped us, broke us down or really just messed with us. These experiences, both positive and negative, happen for a reason. But why? Did this bad experience happen because of a prior choice or did it just happen, out of no where? Regardless of what happens, our reaction is sometimes even more critical then the actual event that occurred. 

     Somehow it is harder to deal with the events that were self afflicted. The painful part is knowing that we caused pain to ourselves They say we live and we learn, but do we? I mean somehow there are mistakes we make over and over and over again. We cry, we experience pain, we promise ourselves "never again" but at some point, the same mistakes haunt us time over time. 

     We all posses arrogance and egotism and a lack of humility at one time or another and we all lie to ourselves. Funny how we can all agree these are horrible traits but at the same time we allow ourselves to behave in ways we don't approve of. Mankind is quite interesting to say the least, we contradict ourselves all the time. 

     So how to process all this? What are your weaknesses? What is hard to say "no" to? Why is it so easy to make bad choices but so hard sometimes to make the right choices? 

     I am not trying to sound negative, because despite all our collective failures, we still all manage to get along, cooperate and get things done. Pretty amazing, huh? Well ponder on my thoughts if you'd like and see how complex, frustrating, mesmerizing we all are. 

Quote of the day 2/2/11

"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you do about it"