Happy Birthday Yana!

Today is a day worthy of great celebration.... it is the birthday of the wonderful, beautiful, inspiring, adventurous, spontaneous, loving, brilliant, virtuous Yana! 

Quote of the Day 10/7/11

got this message and it reminded me that words don't cost anything but they sure buy a lot:

"So it's been ages since we met (and last spoke) but I have a story for you... 

So this morning (here in Joburg it's 8:40) I got caught in major traffic for an hour and landed up missing an important lecture. I was sitting in my car, feeling rather irritated, when I stumbled across your blog. Needless to say after reading it I felt inspired to just make the most of the rest of my day.

So thanks for that, it's exactly what I needed."

a personal update for october

     Life has been crazy... well a super good, amazing, hilarious, maturing, exhilarating type of crazy. Time is flying, literally flying by. It is flying by so quickly that even Mondays no longer upset me anymore because before I know it, it is Friday. They say time flies when you're having fun and that statement could not be any more applicable to me right now. I usually address general subjects in my blog so I have decided to switch it up a bit. I get so many calls, texts, messages and emails and I figured it would be nice to at least address some of the questions in this blog so that I can fill in the people I love a little bit of whats going on in my life. 
     I am finishing up my 6th week at school. This year is very different  from last year. Last year had its charm in its own unique way but this year... well it's only week 6 and I couldn't be happier. The people I interact with, the professors I am taught by and the picturesque scenery that I am surrounded by have completely, entirely, inspired me. This year, my goal is to be proactive and pursue the desires which Christ has placed within me. There have been so many things I have wanted to do and see and be and now is the time. I am surrounded by limitless opportunities and possibilities and I am eager to take them. Every day here is the greatest blessing. Every day is better than the one before it. Yes, my schedule is monotone during the school week: class, work, homework, gym, but I gladly do these things with joy and I spend the majority of my day in laughter. The kind of laughter where you lose your breath and your stomach hurts. I know it sounds so cliche but no matter what I do, it is so memorable. The people that have surrounded me see the good in everything; the most annoying or upsetting of tasks become hilarious unforgettable adventures. 
     I am finishing up my last polisci lower division class and it's a tough one. I love politics but I don't love science and  that is what this class is all about: the science of politics. In the past, I have given up on science and mathematics but this is no longer the case. I want to learn it all and love it and I accept the challenge. My professor has been so understanding and helpful and I thank God for professors like her, so gracious and willing to do whatever it takes to help. Also, my major requires that I study abroad, so in 10 months I will be a student in ROME (stay tuned for those adventures). I wish I could go now but based on how fast time is flying,I know that my italian adventures are right around the corner. 
     My days consist of one thing happening after another so it is crucial to stay focused and on track. So far I have been able to do things in a timely manner so pray for me to keep that pattern up since coffee no longer helps stimulate any energy in me whatsoever, and sleep is of the essence. 
     I wish that everyone could be experiencing what I am experiencing. To be surrounded with so much love, support and understanding; to be given limitless opportunity; to be cared for and sought out by professors; to spend the majority of your day in laughter; to feel God's presence surrounding you and inspiring you; to live in place resembling paradise; to fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves and wake up to ocean sunrises; and know that you are absolutely, 100% at the right place at the right time ... I am blessed. So blessed. 

Confessions from the Heart

     Summer has always been my favorite time of the year. I always look forward to the warm weather, summer parties, family time, tanning, traveling and just taking a time out from school. This summer has been unlike any other summer. I am not good at revealing my feelings but this summer, in simple words, has been the hardest time I have ever experienced in my life. At the ripe age of 20, I have experienced enough to know the realities of life. I was always healthy, until random illnesses began to occur. Every single time the doctors would come back with a puzzled look and the words "this is something I have never seen," "you are a rare case," or "how are you still alive and functioning?" We all want to be thought of as "rare" but not in the medical world. However, rare or not rare, it all helped me develop a high pain tolerance. Unless my foot has been sliced off, or I'm missing a few fingers, I won't take a trip to the hospital. 
     Unfortunately, I think my body took a complete collapse when I returned home from school in May. I have not felt like myself at all and some days it has felt like life is simply passing me by. I want to be traveling, seeing people and enjoying what life has to offer, but that has not been possible. People ask me "well if you don't feel good then why are you going to work?" In a funny way, work has been a blessing to me. It feels so rewarding to know that if I can't help myself, I can at least be helping someone else feel better. I have met some great people, who have been so appreciative and thankful. 

     There have been so many days where I have simply shut off and shut people out because I am hurting. No matter what I do, nothing helps. Its a conflicting issue when I think about the fact that God loves us and wants the best for us. Yet here I am, exhausted, beyond frustrated and on the verge of giving up. 

     But 2nd Corinthians 12:10 says the following: "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." A few weeks ago, my pastor talked about how during his whole ministry he had never met someone who had weakened spirtually during hard times. When things are going good, we tend to forget that God is still present and still there for us. A few temporary successes boast our ego and we become convinced that we can do everything on our own. I know I have been guilty of this many times. In the book "The Purpose Driven Life," Rick Warren talks about how God gives us trials because he loves us and wants us to grow and mature. Logically, this makes complete sense. At school and work we are given harder tasks and assignments because this is how we grow and expand our skills. Parents give their kids chores and family duties because it develops discipline, maturity and a good work ethic. Those who never have to do anything or deal with anything never fully develop as individuals. 

     Mother Teresa once said that " I know that God never gives us more then we can handle, I just wish he didn't trust me so much." Based on her statement, I guess I should be flattered that God see's a strength in me and considers me a strong person. Although I have been so up and down, I have began to see that this tough period of time is a critical learning period for me. I do not know why and perhaps never will, but I do know that everything happens for a reason. I will get better eventually, maybe sooner, maybe later or even if I don't, I am learning to accept God's will. It is always easy to accept it when it lines up with our own plans. But when it contradicts, we come to a screeching halt. Confusion, frustration and irritation set it, but we have only two options. Fight it or accept it. I believe this is the true test of faith: to accept, even blindly, God's master plan and know that better things are yet to come. Rick Warren also says the following: "Regardless of circumstances and how you feel, hang on to God's unchanging character. Remind yourself what you know to be eternally true about God: He is good, he loves me, he is with me, he knows what I'm going through, he cares, and he has a good plan for my life. V. Raymond Edman said: 'Never doubt in the dark what God told you in the light.'"

     I still have 6 weeks of summer. I have absolutely no idea how they will turn out. Will things get better? Worse? Stay the same? Of course I want them to get better. I want to be doing all the things I had hoped to do and seeing all the people I had hoped to see. Either way, I am learning to take things one day at time. I have made some good decisions and also bad decisions in times of hurt. I have looked in the wrong places for comfort and attention but later seen how the things you need can be right in front of you. Despite everything, I am going to rejoice and give thanks in all circumstances, because when I am weak... I am strong. 

Idols or Idolatry?

     Based on a study done by economists at the University of Maryland, Oprah Winfrey's endorsement of then presidential candidate, Barack Obama, earned him 1,015,559 votes. The study concluded the following: "The results of this study suggest that Oprah Winfrey's endorsement of Barack Obama during the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary had statistically and politically significant effects on Obama's political outcomes. Winfrey's involvement increased the share of the vote and the campaign contributions received by Obama, as well as the overall level of voter participation." Michael Jordan makes 20 million dollars a year alone from his Nike endorsement. He is under specific contract that he must wear Nike apparel from head to toe until the year 2023 in order to continue his image and endorsement effects. The Kardashian clan makes a reported 90 million dollars a year from products they "represent." 

     Entertainment publications sell around 5 million copies a week. The paparazzi has devoted their lives to capture celebrities in the lowest points of their lives. When Heidi Klum says she wears a certain lotion, the lotion sells out overnight. When Tiger Woods was caught in a scandal, the products he endorsed suddenly dropped in popularity. When Tim Tebow wrote John 3:16 on his face paint, 90 million people googled it. Photos of celebrities wearing red strings around their wrists sparked a Kaballah movement. 

     Even while writing this, Alyssa Milano is on the tv screen asking for UNICEF donations. No matter whether we want to admit it or not, celebrities are a huge part of our life. Even those who hate the whole "Hollywood" scheme can instantly recognize names such as "Justin Bieber," "Brittney Spears," "David Beckham," or even "Rebecca Black." (who by the way has more then 150 million views on YouTube). 

     Countless studies have proven that celebrities play a significant roles in our lives, whether it is the areas of purchases, diets, or religion. Some suggest that we are fascinated by celebrities because they help us escape our every day lives. It may seem humorous and even depressing, but many people live vicariously through the lives of celebrities, even though they are strangers they will never have a personal relationship with. They escape their own unhappiness and disatisfaction of life by pouring through the pages of People or UsMagazine, exhaling deeply wishing for the "perfect lives" of these "perfect people."

     If we think about our own actions, we might find our actions a bit humorous as well. We would be completely creeped out if a stranger posted life size portraits of ourselves on their wall. Yet, how many of us have done this at some point? Or how about we cheer for our favorite sports players, telling our lifeless television "nice job boys" or yelling "run, run, faster, faster!" We buy shirts with pictures of strangers, we follow these strangers lives, and we defend their honor when insulted.

     While researching infortmation for this post, it prompted me to think that when it comes down to it, are celebrites more beneficial then harmful or vice versa? Celebrities have done some pretty amazing things. They have raised major awareness and donations over the years. Celebrities have such power in their hands. They can grab peoples attention and cause people to listen and actually care. In the 2008 elections, more young adults voted then every before, thanks to celebrites constantly talking about the importance of getting involved. When celebrites open up about their problems, we are more comfortable talking about our own problems. When Larry King revealed his smoking problem and his struggle with lung cancer, people listened and took note. When Terri Hatcher revealed her past and how she was sexually abused, women were more willing to open up about their problems. When we realize that these "perfect" people share the same struggles that we do, we are more likely to accept our own conditions.

     On the other hand, celebrites can cause major harm. Statistics have also shown that thanks to fashion magazines and pop culture in general, many teens battle with eating disorders and body image problems. Celebrities have become our new standard and our new ideal. Society has nurtured a movement and almost cult like following that makes us crave and lust to look like the athletes and supermodels on the glossy pages of vogue and sports illustrated. Thousands of dollars have been spent on plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures to get Jennifer Aniston's nose or Brad Pitt's chin. 

     I will admit to picking up UsMagazine at the checkout line at the grocery store or buying a mascara because Eva Longoria said it made her eye lashes longer and I think that's totally fine. Watching the Laker's play and celebrating their victory is totally fine. There is just a fine line between appreciation and obsession. We can't hold a celebrity on a pedestall or be super upset for a week because our favorite team lost. We cannot lose family time because we are glued to a tv and we cannot be out trying out a million different religions because Madonna said so. Yes, celebrities have experience in their professions and can offer us tips and advice and there is a lot to be learned. We just need to understand that they are not perfect, and they do not have all the answers. We are all individuals with our own characteristics and thoughts that are no less valuable to this world then that of anyone else.