i won't grow up

Don't you wish sometimes that you could freeze time or atleast make it go by slower? Well, I have what I call "Peter Pan Syndrome." It's where you refuse to grow up and live in a dream world where you can always stay a child. As kids, then teenagers we are in a constant desire to be treated like adults and do all these grown up things, but do we really know what we're asking for?


Like my mom says, " You want all the benefits of being an adult with none of the responsibility." I remember back in the day when all I had to worry about was tracing letters, coloring in the lines, and taking turns when it came to playing with toys. Life was simple. Everyday was an adventure and you never knew what to expect. As a child you can use your imagination and adults will applause you for being so creative. You see a world full of color.


Do you know what happens when you become an adult? The world becomes black and white. When using your imagination you're told to live in "the real world" and grow up. You need to study something that will help you get a stable job. "Hey, maybe you should major in business and accounting." Growing up is scary. I miss how simple life used to be. Soon enough I will have to worry about how the market is to buy a house.


If you asked me to descirbe the life of an adult in one word I would say, "Busy." What is wrong with spending time to stop and smell the roses? Smelling roses doesn't do anything to further our agendas and check that box on our To Do lists. Time flies when you're doing something constantly.


Even as Christians we can get so wound up in "doing stuff." We no longer have that child-like innocense of our youth nor the time to just sit around and talk to God. No, we're adults and have the maturity to solve our own problems. We use logic instead of imagination. How many times do we get sick and our first instinct is to schedule an appointment with the doctor? A child would ask, " If God can do miracles could He take my cold away?" Why don't we ask God to help us in the simple things like the common cold? It's because we're adults. You need to assume responsibility for everything. Grow up.


What happened to us? We grew up. We sucked the color out of the vibrant, exciting world that God created. We no longer really trust in God or let Him in our imagination. Jesus said it simply. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. However, we choose to complicate things with daily mundane tasks that we must do so that we can have a stable lifestyle.


God told me to become an artist. Do you know how many people ask me how I'm going to support myself with that "profession"? Or how many people say that drawing is "nice" but this is "the real world"? I miss being a child, when the possibilities are endless. I think adults really got the short end of the stick. Don't sell out or let life fly past you. Don't grow up.

please tolerate my intolerance

All you hear in this country is, "That's not politically correct." There is a new gospel that is being preached throughout the land and it's called tolerance. Schools are teaching that we must tolerate everyone. Does tolerance cover everything?

Isn't there a line that needs to be drawn?
We, as a nation, have come a long way. We used to have prayer in schools, STDs' weren't an epidemic, kids grew up with both parents in the house, and girls actually wore clothes that covered their bodies. Is it wrong for me to wish things would be like that now? I suppose I should tolerate this downwards spiral we seem to be going in.

LGBT clubs are springing up all over the school system yet how many students are denied the right to pray in God's name around a flagpole? We congratulate those who speak out and come out of the closet yet those who say, "I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins," are told to shut up and to leave their religion back home. People sneeze and get offended when someone says, "God bless you," as if you personally attacked their right to beleive something else. Okay, I don't say, "that's gay," or tell someone that they're acting "so gay," but is there a law restricting me from saying "God bless you" when someone sneezes?

I was sitting in my literature class one day and we were discussing the 2008 presidential candidates. The discussion lead to the qualifications of the vice presidential candidates. One young man raised his hand to speak and said, "Sarah Palin doesn't believe in evolution. I can't even take her seriously." Does that mean since I don't believe in evolution I will never be taken seriously? Isn't that prejudice against me because of my beliefs? If you said, "Oh, she's a lesbian. I can't even take her seriously," you would be facing some serious charges and be labeled a homophobe.

Everyone says to celebrate our differences and speak your mind, but who really means it? This world is full of people who want to be unique and stand out without standing up. Anyone who actually stands up for what they believe in are labeled extremists. My problem with tolerance is that it's a lie. It's a big, fat lie.

If everyone really tolerated than eHarmony wouldn't have gotten sued for not having options like "Male seeking Male." Christians with Christian businesses that are founded on Christian values should not be scared into or forced to change to follow what everyone else is doing. Just like there are plenty of fish in the sea, there are plenty of dating services online.

The documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed depicts just how "tolerant" people are to different beliefs. The film's description says, "Ben Stein (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) travels the world on his quest, and learns an awe-inspiring truth … that educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired – for the crime of merely believing that there might be evidence of design in nature, and that perhaps life is not just the result of accidental, random chance." Check out the film.

I guess this topic will be continued later on. Let's see how things play out in the future and if people are really tolerating everyone. Feel free to comment and let me know what you think, whether you agree or not. Until later, God bless.

photography scavenger hunt

(BROKEN = The shed we call a garage in the backyard is the epitome of brokenness.)

(COFFEE = Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks have nothing on Bustelo.)

(DATE = Ice cream is so good to me.)

(DREAM = My dream is to spend my life drawing for God's glory and I know it will come true.)

(FEAR = I'm afraid my hands will never get better or even get worse.)

(FIRE TRUCK = "Hold on! She's getting ready.")

(FUNNY = This is my little brother for the most part of the day.)

 

(GREEN = April showers bring May flowers, except it's June.)

 

(JOURNEY = Every journey begins with walking through the door.)

(LEAP = The only thing he's afraid of is discipline.)

(LOVE = I love to laugh and make others laugh.)

 

(MEMORY = I remember the day I moved into my house when I was four years old and an only child.)

  

(MUSIC = I love the oldies.)

  

(PASSION = God created this world with so many colors and I will use them in my art.)

(REFLECTIONS = I love how things look different depending on what they're reflected on.)

(SELF PORTRAIT = I like seeing things in a different perspective.)

(SHOE = I occasionally put these on my feet.)

(STAPLER = There's never a stapler when you need one, and for some reason staples remind me of a subway station.)

(STATEMENT = The Lord is my Rock and I need to always remember that.)

(TIME = We can't turn back time and sometimes we just miss the opportunity, but God will always give us a second chance.)

(TOOL = Visual kids can never leave home without their flashdrives)

(WEATHER = There is nothing like summer rain.)