All I Gotta Say is....Better Safe than Sorry!

Stephen and I have recently started a new chapter in our lives that does not include us ministering to teenagers on a weekly basis. Don't get me wrong, we miss it, but we also know that God will soon put us in a new place to start again. Stephen was a youth director for a while and we have seen our share of 'cyberbullying' as well as heard many stories of just downright 'bullying' along with numerous other things that not just teenagers go through, but adults as well.

We certainly don't know all of the answers nor do we think we ever will. Yet, we've tried to give our best advice, based on the Bible's advice, to a number of teenagers. Some have clearly listened-their lives show it. Others, eh, how do I put this-they just put up a road block and decided to keep us out. What's funny to me is that we only share this advice with them because we care about them. Not only that, but we also have been in many of their shoes before. But I'm afraid that some just never understood that. They didn't process that the time we spent with them-individually or corporately-that the effort, hours, tears, and heart we put in, or the prayers we said for them were all because we cared about them. Sometimes, I think, 'Did I try hard enough? Could I have tried harder?' With some, I think the only way we could have tried harder to get something across to them would have been to slap them. But that's against the law and I'm not sure if it would have worked anyway ;)

I myself am a very stubborn person so I can see how many teenagers (and people in general, for goodness sake) can be stubborn and set in their ways. People are people and God made them how he wanted. I can't see God's plan for them but I pray that one day some of the kids I've known will see it and follow it.

Anyway, cyberbullying makes me think about the internet in general. For all of you who do not know how to 'report' a post/picture/etc. on Facebook, you need to learn how to. Also, used the 'delete' button. You can also 'unfriend' or 'block' people too, as well as control your privacy settings so no one can message you unless you have accepted them as a friend. A lot of porn can be sent to you through messages from people you don't even know. Now, I don't have Twitter so I'm not up on how to manage it yet, but when I finally am, I will let you know!

OK, next. Parents. The internet is an open book to everything unless you take charge of it. Set parental controls and block sites. Lock safe search on search machines and save search results. Buy SafeEyes. It's worth every penny. And it's not even a lot. Go to safeeyes.com. You can monitor when your child gets on, what sites they see, what sites they don't see. You can block categories, words, videos, social sites, etc. Do you want creepers creeping on your children? Do you want them wondering across porn (let's hope they're really 'wondering')? Do you want your child telling who-knows about their phone number, school they go to, hometown? I didn't think so. Just go ahead and set that up. Unless you trust your child. Obviously, the choice is yours and not mine. I'm not a parent....yet :)

Get on your tv and block certain ratings and/or channels. Monitor who your child texts. If they have unlimited data on their phone, you may want to think about what to do with that as well, because that's the internet at their fingertips whenever they'd like.

All I'm saying is that you can't be your child's friend when they are young and/or immature or naive. You have to be their parent. Even if they get mad at you. It's our job to protect them and bring them up in the right way. It breaks my heart to hear of parents who are afraid to be a 'parent' to their child as they are afraid their child will not 'like them'...I know you guys can do it. Just get the guts and go for it! We'll support you...


We have a duty to set the example of how all relationships should be. Christ showed us. We have to show the ones we love too.

Overall, be a good example for your child and those you love.

 'Train up a child in the way he should go;
    even when he is old he will not depart from it.'-Proverbs 22:6
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The below is just something has been on my heart and does not necessarily have anything to do with what I was talking about above....

I have come across a few people this past year who have been going through tough times in their lives. And the worse part is that they did nothing to deserve the hurt they are feeling right now.

For those of you who have been hurt by a loved one.....
How do you continue to love someone who has done wrong to you? Hurtful things, things that break your trust in them, and things that can alter the course of your life. You choose how to let it alter that course. You choose. You choose to love them.
How can you? You look at the greatest example known to all of mankind. The example that has changed the course of history. The one example that can carry you through anything in life.
I think about Christ. 'He was pierced for our transgressions...' (Is. 53:5)
All that mankind has done wrong has been put on the shoulders of the only perfect human to ever live. And you know what? He took it without complaining even when he did nothing to deserve it (maybe you did nothing to deserve what happened to you...think about it).
So, when you don't know how to love that person anymore, think of Christ. He has chosen to love you. Thank goodness love isn't a feeling, because I'm pretty sure Christ wouldn't really have felt like dying on a cross for me when he didn't deserve it let alone still loving me when I did that to Him.
Christ has not only chosen to love you but also the person who did you wrong. He's given you the example of how to love. 'We love because He first loved us' (1 Jn. 4:19)
When you think you can't do it, think again. Christ is here to help when you feel like you can't do it. Paul reminds us of this in 2 Corinthians 12:9: 'But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Seek to forgive and seek to love.

Baby



Before the 1 minute mark



 On Sunday, December 11th, 2011, Stephen and I found out that our little adventure together (back in November ;) led to a tiny, little miracle. We are so excited and can't believe that there's a baby on the way! (Not to mention, growing inside of me!) Stephen is dying to have a boy so they can have fun and get into trouble together. I, of course, wouldn't mind a little girl! But whoever God gives us will be loved to the max! We are so excited and thankful that God is allowing us to take this journey. It was so difficult for us not to tell everyone right away because we were so excited. My parents live about an hour away and his parents live about 3 hours away. We finally were able to tell them in person and now, since those close to us know, we are happy to announce it to the world :)

 

Sunday, December 11th around 4:30PM-Our baby is on the way!



Each semester I begin by telling myself, 'There is no way that this semester can be worse than last semester'. Yes, I bet you can already guess where this is going. Somehow, I always find a way to make my life busier than it has ever been. Don't get me wrong, it hasn't killed me yet, as I am clearly still alive and breathing. I hate being busy when it's the kind of busy that is all over the place for a long period of time. It makes me go crazy causing me to get headaches and fevers that last for days. For the past 3 weeks (at least), I have not had a single night that was not booked. I have had group projects, an internship, work, recital practice, an event to attend, or class. And of course whenever I get some free time to sit at home, it is accompanied by a textbook and notes.

Last night I passed my hearing for the solo portion of my senior recital. I was very happy about that because I was stressed about learning a French song (I am terrible at pronouncing French words). Taking Latin for 2 years followed by another 6 years of Spanish leave me struggling when it comes to this other 'foreign' language. But, with prayers, concentration, little sleep, and God's grace, I made it out alive. All I have left to complete my Worship major is to pass our group recital tonight, my solo recital in December, and my piano class. I think I can see the silver lining...

In other news, Stephen and I are moving into a new apartment! A brand spakin' new apartment! We're excited because it is bigger, has TWO walk-in closets and a WASHER and DRYER! The only downfalls about this new apartment is that I won't be able to hear our neighbors using their bathroom and I can't jump on the floor and have the downstairs neighbors bang on the ceiling to shut me up (ha, that was a joke). However, I was reading our lease and I'm pretty sure it said that Coop has to have his front claws de-clawed (ouch). I wouldn't mind Coop being de-clawed because that would mean he'd no longer tear up our furniture; but he is by far the most fun cat I have ever had. Without his claws, there's no way he can climb up the back of our kitchen chairs or strike a spider-man pose on the side of our couch. Who knows...time will tell. Or maybe our landlord will find out and tell us (haha).

While I'm on the topic of Coop, let me tell you a little about him. He isn't like a dog who will run around and accidentally knock things off the table. Coop is an interesting creature of his own. He purposefully will knock things over: drinks, water bottles, pencils, paper, headphones, keys, etc.. He will reach his paw into the drink or grab the object and knock it over. I have no idea why he does it or how he figure out to do it. He still does it even when I throw a pillow at him or stick him in the sink under running water. I have literally soaked him in water but he presses on. So, a word of warning to you if you visit us: if you have breakables or a drink that you bring into our home, Coop will find it even if you turn around for one second. No joke. Do not leave the room without moving those things to the sink or putting them away. Coop will find it if you do not hide it. He is a pain...but he is so cute :)

This blog will probably be full of worthless information but I will try to get the hang of it, unless I get tired of it. If it bores me, I may just delete it. We'll see. Til next time :)