Day 16 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Don't you love how long it can take to do a "30 day" challenge? =P

Day 16: A picture of someone who inspires you.

As I was trying to pinpoint one person of influence in my life whom I either inspire to be like or am greatly inspired by in general, I began to think of fictional and real people. Among them were Nancy Drew, C.S. Lewis, Theodore Seuss Giesel (Dr. Seuss), Mrs. Teresa Moon, etc. However there was no one person that stood out among the crowd. No one person whom won the prize. And then I started thinking about my moments of inspiration, every one of them connected with a different person. My main inspirations come from a variety of people, sometimes people I don't even know and just see around town. The "someone" who inspires me is actually numerous someones. <3

Day 15 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Day 15: A picture of something you want to do before you die.

As cliched as it may seem, one of my greatest dreams in life is to learn to love unconditionally. Whether it be to love my friends, family, or future spouse, I always want to be able to say that I am loving them truly and not half heartedly. I've met a lot of people over my life who started their relationships loving the other person tremendously, however as time progresses their love for their once dear friend seems to cool and the brilliance of it begins to fade. It is my goal in life to never allow that to happen in any of my relationships. <3

Day 14 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Day 14: A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.

As unoriginal as it may seem, it's true. At the age of four, I accepted Christ into my heart and I've lived my life with Him having a constant presence. Even though I've hurt Him time and time again, He was always there.

A few months ago, a friend of mine and I were talking about an apologetics/ worldview/ communication Simulation and we began discussing what worldview we would be if we had never met Christ. In our discussion, I came to the conclusion that I would most likely be an Atheist, and probably wouldn't put much weight on anything. Nothing would have meaning, and my life would be pointless.

I'm so thankful to say that my future did not unfold in that way, and I pray that it continues to unfold in way that is filled with hope, joy, and love. It's an understatement to say that I couldn't imagine my life without Christ. The truth is, I would have no life without Christ. <3

Day 13 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Day 13: A picture of your favorite band or artist.

A few years ago, I was listening to the radio and a song cam eon that was completely different then any other song I had ever heard. A little later I heard the broadcasters talking about how the artist wore his socks inside out, and other weird traits about him. Eventually I discovered that the artist's name was "Owl City."

As I continued to become more interested in their music, I discovered that they were also a Christian. This picture is the cover to one of my favorite albums by Owl City. Even now, I still love the song from that day! (Fireflies) <3

Day 12 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Day 12: A picture of something you love.

As some of you already know, I have been blessed with the opportunity to compete with the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association, or NCFCA, the past three years. I remember specifically at my very first tournament a young man, whom I did not know and was competing against, asked to prayed with me before one of my speeches. I was blown away by the idea that someone I was competing against would volunteer to pray with me that my speech would go well and bless the audience. However, as I have come to know very well these past few years, this was the norm in our region.

One of the many things that I love about my regional family is that, no matter who you are, who you know, or who you are competing against, you can believe that someone is praying for you constantly. Someone is watching over you with encouraging eyes. Someone is cheering for you outside of the room. However, everyone is waiting to hear your name in the closing ceremonies. Thank you for every hallway prayer. <3

Day 11 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Day 11: A picture of something you hate.

In this slightly different picture, is one of the few things that I will honestly say that I highly despise. The title of this shirt design from shirt.woot.com is "Tofu, Food's Master of Disguise." While I have nothing against tofu, I find it very sad when people try to be something they are not. We are each created to be unique, and when we sacrifice who we are to become who we are told to be (by others, magazines, tv, movies, etc.), we begin to miss out on what our life could be.

Just like how tofu cannot truly replace chicken or lobster, we cannot truly replace who we are with who others say we should be. <3

Day 10 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Day 10: A picture of the person you do the craziest things with.

The lovely ladies in this picture are two of my team members from ICC's 2010 fall tour, as well as two of the funniest friends I have ever had. Individually these girls can come up with the craziest plans, however when the three of us are together, you can be certain that something crazy, weird, and possibly odd is going to happen. Whether it be random dance parties, getting abandoned in the middle of NJ just outside of NYC, or stealthily finding the local cookie dough stash, there is always something happening when we are together. <3

I miss you, girls!

Day 9 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Day 9: A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.

After my parents, the lovely lady in this picture has helped me through some of the hardest times in my life. Whether it be life changing decisions, trying to better understand the people around me, or even overcoming times of conflict with myself, those around me, and even between ourselves, she has never given up on me, even when it would have been the easier option. <3

Day 8 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

First of all, I apologize for the delay in "day 8," for the past weak my mother and I have been at Regional Competition, and blogging does not come before sleep in my personal opinion... Anyways, here we go!

Day 8: A picture that makes you laugh.

On occasions, I will send random pictures, such as this one, to my Duo partner. All of which have come from "shirt.woot.com" a website that sells a different shirt pattern every day. This specific shirt is title, "The Unstealthiest Ninja." It's one of my favorites. <3

Day 7 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Day 7: A picture of your most treasured item.

While I do treasure many items in my life, I have to say that my computer is probably one of the most important ones to me currently, however not simply because it's a piece of technology. Despite it being just a bunch of metal and wires put together in the shape of a box/book, the reason I treasure my computer, or really technology as a whole, is because it allows me to have constant contact with countless friends all at once. Some of my closest friends live in Texas, Minnesota, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, and without a computer or phone it would be hard to contact one another.

However, apart from allowing me to easily communicate with friends, my computer has also been a wonderful tool to help me do my best with any project, wether it be for school or simply for fun. It's definitely been a blessing to own. <3

Day 6 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Day 6: A picture of the person you'd love to trade places with for a day.

For those of you who are asking yourselves, "Is that a stuffed frog?" yes. Yes it is. While traveling with ICC, our team had a "mascot," so to speak, named "Mr. Froggers." Whenever something was wrong, he was always there to "listen" to our complaints. While he may not be a real person, it would be really interesting to become Mr. Froggers for a day. Not because I want to be a stuffed animal when I grow up, but because he was a source of comfort to the girls on our team. I remember numerous times when some one was stressed they would just spend a few minutes with Mr. Froggers and everything would be better. If possible, I would love to become that source of comfort and encouragement to my friends and family. Even if only for a day. <3

Day 5 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Day 5: A picture of your favorite memory.

About 2 years ago, my friend Kember and I decided that we were going to compete in the speech category, "Duo Interpretation" together.

Skip to our first tournament, we made a LOT of mistakes, changed a couple lines, made some new blocking, and qualified to Regionals. Stunned and excited could not describe how we felt. Now that we are on our second year of competition together, we've made some pretty interesting memories to say the least...

However, the reason our Duo journey has become one of my favorite high school memories, is simply because we were able help each other do our best as a team. We were able to overcome some of our fears as a team. We were able to achieve our goals as a team. There's nothing quite like competing with a partner, especially when your partner is just as random, weird, and "special" as you. <3

Day 4 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Day 4: A picture of your favorite night.

This particular evening was one were I was able to talk with my close friend who live in a completely different state, for the first time in quite a while. She's amazing. While this may not be a picture of my absolute favorite night ever, it is a picture of my favorite kind of night. A night where I am able to talk, or communicate in some way, with a friend. Looking back at my life, there is no one night that stands out above all others as being special and meaningful to me, however there are many nights that are important to me. All of which are ones that are spent with my friends and family (related by blood, or related by heart). <3

Day 3 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

3: A picture of the cast from your favorite show.

Being the not-so-average millennial that I am, I actually do not enjoy watching TV very often, so I don't have a favorite show... However, I do love Disney's recent movie called, "Tangled."

When I was little, I always wanted to grow my hair out as long as possible, and found the story of Rapunzel interesting and fun. Having some personal ties to the original storyline, plus getting to see it for the first time after spending the entire day with my mom, made it one of my current favorites. <3

If you have not yet had the opportunity to see "Tangled" I would absolutely recommend it as a fun movie that is appropriate for all ages.

Day 2 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Day 2: A picture of you with the person you have been closest with the longest.

It's not exactly the most recent picture, however it's certainly one of the best I have of myself and Rachel. She has been an incredible friend of mine for over 10 years now, and we have shared some the most.... interesting memories. Despite not being able to talk or see each other much, she's still an important friend of mine. ^-^

ps: beware if we're on the same team in catchphrase... it will be random, and it will be awesome. <3

Day 1 of the 30 Day Picture Challenge

Today I made a life changing decision: I have decide to conform to the ways of others and partake in the 30 Day Picture Challenge. For 30 days, or one month, I'll be, hopefully, posting some interesting pictures and stories. If you've ever done anything crazy with me, be afraid, you may just receive a special appearance ;)

Day 1: A Picture of Yourself With 10 Facts.

I love music and colors. My favorite animal is a lemur. My favorite numbers are 2 & 5 {thank you ICC <3}. Despite learning karate for 8 years in two styles, I hate fighting. I have helped with more weddings then I have been invited to. In a 4 month timespan I visited 3/5 of our United States (No, Hawaii and Alaska were not in the mix). I LOVE playing the Nancy Drew computer games. I am the daughter of a picture Nazi. My favorite "sport" is forensics (communication/speech and debate).

I am, and will always be, an unashamed follower of Christ.

Despite my geeky-nerdy-abnormal-ness, I truly love my friends and family, and can't wait to share more memories throughout the next 30 days <3

Moon Manor

For the past two months I have been traveling with 10 other teens around the nation teaching communication conferences as an intern for a nonprofit organization called The Institute For Cultural Communicators {http://www.instituteforculturalcommunicators.org}. The lessons I have learned, as well as the different experiences I have gained, have been amazing!

We have learned to love one another as true friends and even become each other's family in times that are good, bad, and ugly.

On the flight to TN I was blessed with the opportunity to fly with a good friend of mine who is also interning for ICC. Once we arrived in TN we met up with another close friend of ours who is also interning with ICC.

While there may onlybe 11 interns total, we have a LOT of luggage! At the very beginning of tour we all piled our luggage together and took a photo of the team and the team's belongings.

As we've grown to know each other we have begun to reveal who we truly are to our team members. Some of us are introverted, while others are not. We have numerous interests ranging from skydiving, chatting, juggling, playing instruments, frolicking through sprinklers, canoeing through swamplands, gaming, taking pictures and videos, and even playing ultimate frisbee. Most people may consider us a little on the crazy side, this may, or may not, be more true for some of the members on our team.

Through out the time we've spent together thus far we have encountered numerous stressful situations that, rather than causing tension within the individual members, brought us closer together.

One particular day stands out in my memory. Caroline and Emily were feeling very stressed and began listening to a song that has become very dear to the girls on tour. The song was so relevant to us at the time that we all wrote "BE OK" on our cheeks as a means of relieving stress. it was quite humorous to see the guys reaction to nearly all of the 7 girls running around and doing our jobs with "BE OK" written on our faces.

=)

Our second conference of the tour was in Oldbridge, NJ and so we were privileged with the opportunity to spend an evening in NY City. It was so amazing! We traveled to NY on a train and for some of us, myself included, it was our first train ride.

Upon our arrival we explored some of the highlights that are located around Time Square such as the largest Macy's in history. As we explored the city we found many different stores and sights that reminded us of home, and even some that reminded us of each other.

While in the city we were able to see the Phantom of the Opera live. Through out the entire first half Emily and I kept looking at each other and saying, "Wow!" We were so amazed at how incredible every aspect of the musical was. Whether it be the singing, choreography, special effects, or the acting we were very impressed. Every time someone mentions the Phantom of the Opera or NY we all begin singing, "My music! My music!"

While NY truly was amazing, after the NJ conference came to a close we also were able to visit both Ellis and Liberty island.

Walking through Ellis Island was a very special experience as my great great grandmother entered into America through Ellis Island from England. I was so surprised at how intense the process of entering into our nation truly was. While it was to be expected, I never really gave it much thought.

Upon exploring Ellis Island, we journeyed over to Liberty Island where we visited the Statue of Liberty. It was quite the experience. From a distance the statue looks so small, and as you get closer, it still looks just as small. However, once you actually reach the island the statue seems so incredible large, that you would almost say it was a completely different sight. We traveled all the way to her feet, which is the 1/2 way point.

Upon making it to the 1/2 way point, we all went outside on the balcony that wraps all the way around the statue's feet. While there a majority of the team began to sing a song called "Rock, Sword, Shield" which is a song we teach to the 6-10 year olds at our events. The last line of the songs says, "And I'm going to wait, wait right here 'til Jesus comes. Oh yeah!" It felt so great to sing a Christian song at a national monument!

While these things are all good and fun, the real reason that we are all traveling with ICC as interns has nothing to do with seeing well known cities or monuments, but rather we are seeking to shape culture through authentic communication and equip students with both the competence and character they need to impact their culture for Christ.

"Therefore, let no one look down on you because you are young, but be an example to the believers in speech, in life, line love, in faith, and in purity." ~1 Timothy 4:12

The Greatest Mystery of All

Everyone believes in something, whether it be aliens, Santa Claus, or some sort of Deity, we all struggle to find reasons to prove that our beliefs are correct. In doing so we arouse questions within our own minds and instinctively challenge what we are trying to prove. However, sometimes there are those things in our faith that we do not understand, no matter how hard we try. For many Christians, myself included, one of the greatest mysteries which we strive to understand fully, is the Trinity. How is it that God can be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all at the same time, while still remaining one being? It puzzles us to an unending extent. However, what if the Trinity isn't actually that complicated? What if there was an example of the Trinity somewhere here on Earth that could help us understand this great mystery better?

Just about a week ago I was pondering the concept of the Trinity and began asking some these questions. When all of a sudden I realized that there is an example of the Trinity here on Earth; it's US. We are a living example of the Trinity. The following image is one of the most common tools used to explain the Trinity:
While this image may seem a little complicated, if you replace the word "God" with "Man" and take out the "Holy" before "Spirit," you get a picture that look like this:


You see, we each are an example of the Trinity, as we each have three different "people" that we live as. First:


Father


In every man and woman there is a "Father" or "Mother." This is the part of us that watches over those who are dear to us, as well as the part the loves and cherishes their children more so then they do themselves. The Father part of you is the part that that lifts up your children, and wants them to grow and prosper. Overall the "Father" is the part of you that is meant to leave the lessons learned with others. Second:


Son


In every man and woman there is also a "Son" or "Daughter." This is the part of you that loves and cherishes your parents and those who have gone before. Learning from the mistakes and accomplishments of others, the Son part of you is what is reaching out to all those around you, trying to make a difference in this world. Whenever someone is in trouble, the Son is the one who is willing to to their own Father or Mother for help on behalf of their friends and loved ones. Basically, the "Son" is the part of you that wants to make an impact on this world, change the wrong to good, is willing to learn, and is constantly speaking to your Father, or Mother, on your behalf, as well as the behalf of others. Third:


Spirit


This one is a little more confusing, you see this part of you is not a part of your physical self. We've all heard the saying, "I'll be with you, even when apart," and for some reason, it's true. You see, the "Spirit" part of you is what allows you to feel near to those around you, even when you are far away. This unique part of the everyday Trinity i something that many experience on a regular basis. For example, whenever a loved one is lost, or simply far away, there are times when we feel as though they are standing right beside us, this is a part of them, it's the part that stays with you forever.

Now that all three parts of the Trinity have been examined, there is one last thing to explain. If you recall, in the diagrams above it mentions that "The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father," however, if all three of these are separate, how can they also be one? While the Father, Son, and Spirit sides of you are all different, and seem to be separate persons, they are all apart of who you are. You see, while there are times when you choose to act like the Father, and time you choose to act like the Son, both of these times are simply a part of your personality, and a part of who you are. Your "Father" side is instinctively going to be different then your "Son" side, and you "Spirit" side is going to be different then both your "Father" and "Son" sides, yet they are all a part of who you are.

While the Trinity does in fact seem hard to understand, it doesn't have to be. All it takes is some open minded thought, and a nice conversation with God. So, I hope this has helped you to understand the Trinity a little better, and if you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment. =)

Hello CFC

Last night I was singing "Hello Seattle" By Owl City as I was getting ready for bed. As I was singing I began to realize that the song could also be sung as "Hello CFC." Upon receiving this great revelation, I decided to write the following song as a dedication to the Institute for Cultural communicators, more specifically the Communicators For Christ Conference Tours. So, without further adieu, I present to you, "Hello CFC." written by myself. =)

Hello CFC:

Hello CFC, I am a new speecher
Trying to figure out
What I'm supposed to be doing right now
Inside this Impromptu round.

Hello CFC, I am an RSA
Trying to do my best
I scrub the toilets and make all the meatballs for
The students but they don't know I'm here.

Hello CFC, I am an old intern
Remembering lessons learned
I miss the BPSers of four years past
And how they made me laugh.

Hello CFC, I am a debater
Of Public Forum surprisingly
I think it's weird compared to the normal styles
Like LD and Team Policy.

Hello CFC, I am a delegate

Representing Lybia
I am more then a little confused some how
Robert's Rules aren't helping now.

Hello CFC, I am a Business-y
selling oil refineries
I try to make so much capital per turn
Having fun while I learn.

Hello CFC, I am a new speecher
trying to figure out
What I'm supposed to be doing right now..

Help me to flood the five
And speak using my mind.
Teach me apologetics
And how to use forensics.

Help me to flood the five
And speak using my mind.
Teach me apologetics
And how to use forensics.

I honestly hope you have enjoyed this song, and feel free to tell me what you think about this song.

The Wedding Crashers

This past new year, some of the senior high from my youth group went on a ski trip as a reward for keeping up in our discipleship program. During the trip, some of my friends and I decide to go and make a snowman since only one of us had actually done that before. Earlier on we saw an area where there were two snowmen already built so we knew that there would be a good area since the snow was proven to work. However, on our way down to the bottom level of the lodge we were staying at we kept seeing these signs~

We weren't really sure what they meant so we just ignored them. As we continued to make our way down to the place where the snowmen were before, we were being rather loud saying things like, "Yeah, snowmen!", "I think it's this way!", and one of the guys was yelling "Vanilla Wafers!!" as loud as he could. (they were for the eyes) After a while I noticed that the signs seemed to be following us, however we didn't care. Unfortunately when were right about to reach our destination we noticed that some double doors were open. Of course, we noticed them right as we were right in front of them. When we looked to our right, where the doors were, we heard someone giving their vows. Whoops! We ran away instantly yelling, "I THINK IT'S A WEDDING!!!" Yeah.... It didn't go to well.... but hey, we won story of the day and Paul and Jenn now have an interesting story about their wedding day. ; )