30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 30

There is nothing that I could possibly be more thankful for than a loving, gracious, forgiving, powerful God.

Nothing in the entire world can compare to Him. He has provided us with the most useful guide book we could possibly need, He sacrificed His only Son so that we may be saved by grace, and He loves us oh, so much. 

What more could we possibly ask for?

He is the Creator and Ruler of the world. He is the Alpha, the Omega, the Almighty Emmanuel. 

I honestly can't even comprehend the Greatness of our God. He is so ridiculously good, powerful, incredible... there simply aren't words to describe him well enough.

I am so thankful to have been blessed by God, to have been raised in a house that praises God, to have communities at multiple churches to worship God, and to have the knowledge that I will someday be reunited with the Almighty in Heaven. 

Truthfully, I love God with every ounce of myself that I can muster up. I love His love. I love His grace. I love His Son. I love the Holy Spirit inside of me. 

I. Love. Him.

Day 30.... complete. Definitely going to have to do this again next year. What a true wake-up call it is to write down so many things I'm thankful for and to have the ability to do it again right now and not have a single thing repeated. I am so, very blessed.

Goodnight. 

Happy Weekend!

LJM

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 29

For my second to last blog, I am going to write about my thankfulness for always having a comfortable roof over my head.

I am able to come back to my room every day, take a warm shower, sit on my couch, chairs, or bed and relax, do my homework at my desk, watch some television, and enjoy a comfortable environment that feels like home. And when I leave school and go back to Lee's Summit I have not one, but two houses I can go to. I have rooms at both my dad's house and my godparents house; both hold a great deal of memories and treasured possessions of mine. 

I am so thankful that I have not one, but many places I can call home. So many people around the world have nowhere they can call home, or if they do it's a small hut with a straw ceiling and a dirt floor. I am so truly blessed.

I am thankful that I can call my room at school home, but I can't wait to really go home in a couple of weeks! 

Happy Almost Weekend!

LJM

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 28

I was inducted into the Emerging Leaders Institute tonight.

When we got to the meeting place, they blindfolded us and guided us on a walk for about 10 minutes across campus. Because of this, I am going to express my thankfulness that I have all 5 of my innate senses. 

Sure, my vision is crap, but I have glasses and contacts to fix that (as I wrote yesterday!). Regardless, I can see, I can hear, I can smell, I can taste, I can feel. So many people around the world don't have these blessings. 

Tonight, being blindfolded was such an uncomfortable experience. I could feel every uneven floorboard, I could hear every squeak, I could smell the old carpet in St. Clair hall, I could taste the dust in the air... but I couldn't see. I had no sight whatsoever. I held on to Katherine (the person guiding me) for dear life. It was so unnerving.

I am so thankful to have all of my senses, and I pray for those who do not.

I can't even imagine life without them...

LJM

Thoughts on Christmas

This blog post is in response to a story I read this morning (you can read it HERE). I would highly suggest reading it before going on in this blog...

*Note: I do not mean to offend or upset anyone in this post, but I will be writing with very strong opinions on my faith and the faith and practices of others, so if you disagree with my Christian faith, I forewarn you to probably not read this.

So, here we go...

In the story, Ben Stein is responding to the government (i.e. the President and the White House) renaming Christmas trees to "Holiday trees." Now I'm going to respond to both...

Here are a few of my favorite parts of the article:

"I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejewelled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, “Merry Christmas” to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a crib, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to."

....

"

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace."

So here is my question... How is it that people who are atheist or agnostic think it's okay to celebrate Christmas? I know a lot of people who don't really have a solid faith in anything that celebrate Christmas.
How has it become a holiday that anyone can celebrate? Honestly, I think it'd be better if it wasn't a national holiday. Maybe the same goes for Easter. So many people celebrate, but what are they celebrating?

The entirety of Christmas and Easter revolves around Jesus Christ.
Christmas being His birth on Earth to a virgin by the power of God that we as humans may be saved knowing the sacrifices He would have to make to do so.

Easter being after His brutal crucifixion on a cross with two thieves when three days had passed and he rose from the dead and walked on Earth once more. 

If they don't have Christian faith, then what do they celebrate? They certainly aren't celebrating Jesus Christ... so then, really, they're celebrating nothing.

Maybe it would be better if they weren't national holidays because that just gives people the excuse to celebrate. They are Christian holidays- not whoever-feels-like-celebrating-whatever-they-want holidays. It's as simple as that. If you do not believe in God and that Jesus Christ walked the Earth as a sinless savior, you have no business celebrating Christmas or Easter. Sorry to be so harsh about it, but it's true.

At the same time, though, no matter what people say, I do believe that Christians are the majority in this country. So how can we remove a holiday that was created for the majority?

The problem is that, even though we are the majority, the minorities are continuing to grow and grow and grow as time goes on. This country was once an almost fully Christian country, and now according to a study, it is about 76%. In 1990 it was 86%. That's a scary reality. (Not to mention the fact that many people probably just labeled themselves as Christians even if they aren't actually living a Christian life).

So if 24% of Americans are not Christians, why do almost all Americans celebrate Christmas (obviously excluding Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, etc. who have their own holidays). 

It's sad that Christmas has turned into such a flashy holiday. 

Think about this for a second... When I write the word "Christmas," what is the first image that comes to mind?

The icons that represent Christmas are typically a Christmas tree or Santa Claus. Don't get me wrong, I love my beautiful Christmas trees and I think the idea of Santa Claus is a precious childhood right-of-passage that explores the imagination and creativity of children (also, how gullible they are!). But these icons have become just that- icons; representations; idols, even. 

The same goes for Easter. Nowadays, Easter is associated with bunnies (particularly the Easter bunny), candy, eggs, and beautiful pastel colors.

If you ask me, this is just sad. Christmas should always be represented by the nativity scene- Jesus Christ in the manger with Mary and Joseph beside him, Gabriel the Angel watching from above, the donkey that brought them there and an ox, the 3 Magi bearing gifts and their camels, and the shepherds and their sheep. The most important part of this whole scene, though, is Jesus Christ in the manger. I think that should be the icon of Christmas- Jesus in a manger.

Easter should always be represented by the resurrection of Jesus. It's that simple. That is the entire meaning of the holiday.

So people can call Christians hypocrites, but aren't non-Christians who celebrate Christmas and Easter hypocrites?? 

Christians are called hypocrites because we (wow what a surprise!) make mistakes. As if we aren't human too. But these people aren't making a mistake in celebrating these holidays, they're just being hypocritical. 

I just don't understand how it makes sense to them to celebrate Christian holidays, especially Christmas and Easter which revolve solely around Jesus Christ, if they don't even believe in God and/or don't believe in Jesus? They are literally celebrating a fictional story of an imaginary fat man that sneaks into people's houses and leaves children presents and a fictional story of an imaginary bunny that lays eggs all over filled with candy. Yeah.. okay. 

Don't get me wrong, I respect the fact that people will believe what they want to believe (even if I wish every human being was a Christian and was going to be saved and go to Heaven, that is simply not a rational reality). I respect people of other religions who celebrate their holidays, even if I don't agree with them. But what I can't respect is downright hypocrisy when I, as a Christian, am accused of hypocrisy for simply being imperfect, human.

I'm a Christian and you don't see me celebrating Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc., I celebrate Christmas because I am a Christian and I believe that God sent His only son, Jesus Christ, to come to Earth and save my soul. 

So.... here's my question... Why do you?

LJM

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 27

One of the things that I know I am very thankful for, but often gets forgotten is my thankfulness for my glasses/contacts!

I have terrible vision, honestly... it's awful. I can't see worth a darn if I don't have my glasses or contacts in. I see basically like this...

So, as you can see, glasses and contacts are a very important aspect of my life.

If I didn't have them I wouldn't really be able to function. 

However, I am thankful that I have the sight sense at all, because some people don't have that blessing.

I got glasses when I was in first grade. I honestly don't even remember when I got them because it was so long ago.

This one isn't actually me with my glasses, it's just a cute picture so I had to include it. I think they are my great grandpa's glasses

I was a huge sports player (and dancer) growing up. Soccer and dance were my two favorites and I literally spent almost every night and weekend at one of these practices. Glasses didn't really go well with these two things, and since my vision kept getting worse, we had to find a solution. In 3rd grade I got contacts.

I am so thankful that I am able to wear either glasses or contacts. They are such a huge blessing, really. 

Happy Wednesday! Halfway there....

LJM

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 26

I can't believe my 30 days are almost over....

So, for today, I'm thankful for social media. It is such a useful tool, really. 

I get to use Facebook and Twitter to keep in touch with my friends in easy ways that are convenient for both of us because we can talk whenever we are available rather than trying to work around our busy schedules and lose quality time to talk to each other!

I am so thankful for my blog, though, and the ability I have to read others' blogs as well. Kelle Hampton's BLOG is my favorite. She's a mom in Florida of 2 young girls, one with Down Syndrome (and a little boy on the way!). She is very inspiring to me. I first heard about her when her book Bloom came out a couple of months ago. I am currently reading it on my Kindle. It's a really amazing book- I would suggest it to anyone, not just people interested in SpEd. I am so thankful that I am able to read her blog, be inspired by her, and have another person to look up to (as if I don't have enough already!). 

I do believe that social media is often used in the wrong way, but I am thankful that I have the ability to use it in the right way and take advantage of the opportunities it provides me with.

Plus, it lets me see funny things like this...

LJM

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 25

Day 25 is one I've been waiting for. Since it is exactly 1 month prior to Christmas, I will talk about my thankfulness for Jesus Christ coming to Earth so that we may be saved.

I remember when I was baptized and declared Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I was baptized by Jan Keeler at Longview Chapel Christian Church on April 21st, 2001. I was 8 years old and I remember how much I knew that I loved Jesus and the understanding I had of the sacrifice He made for me. 

It was more to me than just wanting to go to Heaven, it was my ultimate thanks to Jesus for dying to save me. I remember trying to put myself in his position and I realized how scary that must've been for Him, and that made me love Him even more.

I am so thankful to know where my family and I are going after we leave Earth, and I look forward to reuniting with family members and friends someday.

I look forward to the coming festivities in celebrating Christ's birth on Earth, but even more than that, I am thankful that we have the ability to do so.

Many countries do not have that luxury, so I will definitely be praying my thanks to God for that.

LJM

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 24

For Day 24 (writing this a little late...), I am thankful for old friends!

In 7th grade I met my best friend, Crystal Lohr. She was an 8th grader at the time, and I totally idolized her. She was cool, funny, sweet, and a great athlete... plus, she was blonde like me! We were on the cross country team together, and we got along so well. When I was in 8th grade, she moved over to LSW and I really missed her. We met up today (the 24th) and got to hang out for a while. The thing I love about our relationship is that no matter how much time has passed, it seems like we just saw each other yesterday... like no time has passed at all! She is a wonderful influence on my life and such a beautiful, Christian woman. I couldn't ask for a better friend.

In my freshman year of high school, I joined the cross country team and trained during the summer with the team. I met 3 of my best friends- Allie Dean, Marlee Tegenkamp, and Ryan Courier.

I met Allie Dean one day during summer conditioning when she asked to borrow my phone. She was a year older than me, but it was her first year on the team too. We were super awkward at first, but it didn't take long for us to become best friends. She was a great influence on me in high school and became my go-to girl when I needed advice, even if it was just needing to hear a fitting piece of scripture. I can't believe we have been friends for 5 years, and no matter where we are or what we are doing, she and I will always be friends. 

I remember a few months before that summer when us middle schoolers went to visit the high school track team. I did a workout with the girls and I remember meeting Marlee and Ryan and thinking they were honestly the coolest people I had ever met. I had read about Marlee in the LS Journal, and I was totally starstruck. I still had that same feeling about them during the summer, but as the season went on, we became such great friends. Ryan was a senior when I was a freshman, but that didn't matter. We were immediately friends and I still, to this day, love my RyRy! Her beautiful boy Braelyn looks so much like her, and I am so proud of her being a mama! I know she is already a great mother and will always be! 

Marlee has always been a really special friend to me. I still look up to her so much as an athlete and as a person. She is a sweetheart and I have always loved every moment I have spent with her. She is funny and the coolest ginger I know. I'm so proud of everything she's done and I always will be!

These are the girls that I have always known I would be friends with forever. We will be the ones at each other's weddings who dance in a group and laugh and act like young girls again. We will be the ones that rush over to each other's houses when we have new babies (already got to do that once- yay!) and answer the phone at any hour to help each other with any problem.

All 4 of these girls took me under their wings when I was younger, and that is something I am so thankful for. They were the older girls that I looked up to so much, and they used that power to help me and mold me and be my best friends. I love them for that. I still look up to all of them in so many ways.

I love these girls, and I'm so thankful to have them in my life. They have helped shape who I am and I love them for that. I hope I've had as much of an impact on their lives as they've had on mine.

To my girls, I love you and miss you and can't wait to reunite this Christmas!

LJM