DARE to be different

We're all quick to judge but why aren't we, instead, quick to accept? There's people all around us who are just being themselves yet we look down on them. Why? Just because someone doesn't go along with what everyone else is doing doesn't mean it's a bad thing. It's good to be different.

Each and every person is different. So why can't we just express that without everyone ganging up on us? I try my best to stay true to myself. I do enjoy some of today's little trends such as the skinny jean, but I enjoy doing things my way too. And I'm not just talking about clothing wise either. I make a point to be different, to be myself, because I know not many can be.

I titled this "dare to be different" for a reason. I want people to come out and be who they truly are and not be afraid to do it. Who cares if people look at you weird or decide not to talk to you because they don't like different? That's their loss, not yours! You need people in your life to love you and accept you as the person you truly are. Not the person you're pretending to be.

So go out, be yourself, and do it with a huge smile on your face! Embrace who you are because you know what? God made you this way for a reason. No need to hide your true self. You're amazing to Him no matter what others think. And that's all that really matters.

Lets live in the present moment

It's August 31 of 2010. Tomorrow it'll be September 1st. Crazy right? It seems like just yesterday I was counting down the seconds; ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one! Happy new years! That's what we all yelled. We watched on TV as the ball dropped in New York. So much happened this year, yet I feel like it's only just started. It'll be 2011 in a couple months, then 2012 and so on. There's so much that'll happen between now and then. I'll be graduated from high school in 2012, then off to be my own person. To have my own family, a job, a place to stay and so on.

People always seem to worry about the future. Even as a kid I was asked; "Coral, what do you want to be when you grow up?" I always came up with something new every time. I wanted to be everything! A vet, an astronaut, a scientist, a midwife or maybe even an acrobat in the circus. Now people ask me the same question and I never have an answer for them because I honestly don't know yet.

Everyone expects you to know exactly what you want to do to make a living. They expect you to know what college you want to go to, and why you want to go there. They want us to be able to provide for ourselves and our families when we have one of our own to take care of. There's so much responsibility that is put on our shoulders from a young age.

If you think about it, I'm only 16. I'm still trying to figure out who I am and people are wanting me to decide things for when I'm older. That's great and all to be prepared, but how am I supposed to know what I want to do for the rest of my life if I don't even know myself yet as a person?

My point in all this is people worry about the future too much. It's good to think ahead, but to have your mind totally wrapped around it isn't. No one seems to take the time to think of what's happening now. Take one minute to look at today, what can make you happy?

"Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry — all forms of fear — are cause by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence" Stop thinking about the past and stop worrying about the future. Take the time to be thankful for what you have now.

"Life is now. There was never a time when your life was not now, nor will there ever be."

Acknowledge and e

mbrace what you have. "Take chances, make mistakes and get messy!" That's what Miss Frizzle always said.

You only get to live once, so why should the time when you're young be spent worrying about what you're gonna do when you get older?

Sometimes, the best things in life are the things that haven't been planned yet, the things that just happen spontaneously.

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All the quotes but one are from Eckhart Tolle's book The Power Of Now

You can click here to look at more quotes from the book.

The one quote not from him is from Miss Frizzle. We all know her as the coolest teacher ever from The Magic School Bus :]

Stop and Listen.

"Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you're alive, it isn't." ~Richard Bach

I came across this quote on a website I've grown very found of (the website is linked at the bottom). This quote really made me think.. What is my mission? We spend a lot of time in our lives trying to figure out who we are. Why are we here on this earth? What's our purpose?

We all come in different shapes, sizes and races. We come with different personalities, learning styles, fashion ideas, and opinions. Like a fingerprint, not one person is exactly like another. Each person is here for a certain thing. That's why some are stronger in areas where others are not. Why can't we embrace that?

So many people are very judging towards others who are just trying to be themselves, be who they're supposed to be. And you wonder why there are kids, and even adults, out there who are having problems in life. They say don't judge a book by it's cover. You'll never know what it's like until you give it a shot, read it, and really get to understand what's going on.

Each of our strengths shows us what we could do in life. What He put us here for. My mission is to listen to God. I don't know what I'm supposed to do but I know if I just listen to what He puts in my heart, I'll do just fine.

Stop and listen. We all think too much these days and we can't seem live without technology anymore. With cell phones, computers, ipods, iphones, work, school, jobs, family, friends, the past, the future, ourselves...we just have too much going on in our heads, too much to think about. All of those things are just distractions to keep you from God.

I sit in my room every night before I go to sleep. I just sit there and stare. I don't think about anything or listen to anything but my breathing. It was hard to do at first but I got used to it. Every night when I do that, I'm able to actually hear God. He puts things in my head, in my heart, for me to go out and do in the many years to come in my life.

The distractions I've listed above is what's keeping us from listening. Challenge yourself. Remove all the distractions and just listen. You'll find your way soon enough.

"God, he loves us. He loves us so much that He protects us from danger, from getting hurt. He loves us so much that He allows us to call him our best friend, our Father. He loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die for all of us. He loves us so so so so so much and all he wants in return is for us to love him back." - Wes

Put your trust in God, listen when He speaks, and you'll find your way. He wont let you struggle if you let Him help.

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck

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Quotes

I was inspired by two quotes to write this. But it began earlier tonight when I went to youth group with my friend. A huge thanks to Wes, the youth minister there, for what he said tonight. I have it quoted up there ^

Thanks for reading!

Lets talk presidents..

I was on facebook today and I notice a friend of mine posted something as her status about John McCain. I went to her page and it read, ‎"If John McCain was black, I would have still voted for him. But I wouldn't have let that be my only reason for doing so."

Now, I'm not one to talk about politics or get into discussions about anything that has to do with them, but I saw that and something had to be said. That's just not right.

I don't have anything against either Obama or McCain. I do prefer Obama over McCain, but that has nothing to do with what I'll be saying. I personally think everything happens for a reason. God obviously had a plan for Obama and I trust in God's decision . I also trust that Obama is going to do us a lot of good because he wouldn't be president right now if he wasn't going to. That doesn't mean he can't make mistakes though. He's only human and he'll have to mess up every once in a while.

"Submit yourselves for the Lords sake to every authority instituted among men." 1 Peter 2:13. So there ya have it. I don't honestly care who's older, younger, black or white. God put us all here on the earth for a reason and has a purpose for all of us. Obama just so happens to be the president so obviously God has a plan for him.

There's too much hate in this world. Too much negativity. There isn't enough trust, love, acceptance, positivity. Really, I think people should just stop with all this crap against Obama or anyone. When it comes down to it we're all only human. We're just as imperfect as the next person. Accept those for who they are, don't judge them, and treat them how you would treat yourself. You can never go wrong with that now can you?

I'm living life with a new rhythm

Just recently I went on a mission trip with my church youth group to Charleston, South Carolina through Catholic Heart Workcamp. Every year CHWC has a different theme and this year the theme of the week was "Cadence". When I first heard this, I thought "Cadence? What?". I didn't understand what cadence had to do with anything. We are there to work, help those who can't help themselves, learn about ourselves, and meet new people from all over the place. What's that have to do with cadence?

As the week went by I was able to see how well it played into what we were doing and just life in general. The way I think of it is everything in life has a rhythm, but the main one we have to be focused on is God's rhythm. If we aren't in cadence with his rhythm, then how do we know what words to sing?

But, if we are in cadence with God's rhythm, there's nothing to worry about. He's providing us with a beautiful song called life, and we're just here to sing along with Him.

"Lord you are the Cadence of creation. Lord you are the song I sing! Lord you are, a life with a new rhythm and I praise you Lord, I praise you for these. And I praise you Lord, I praise you for these we're singin' oh oh ohh! Na na na na na na na. Oh oh ohhhhh. Na na na na na na na!" - Life With A New Rhythm By Dante Schmitz

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If you want to know more about CHWC here's their website:

http://heartworkcamp.com/

Also, To listen to Dante Schmitz music here is some links to listen to his music or to connect with him: http://www.danteschmitz.com

Dante's Music

He's also on facebook!