Basically I'm everything that's white and burns under the sun....

So basically, I am everything that is white and burns when it comes to my ethnicity. I have never experienced any sort of prejudice towards my race. I have witnessed various forms of prejudice and discrimination whether it is because someone was the awkward kid or because of the clothes soneone wears, or even because of the life style one chooses to lead. Some people just will not like you for who you are and well, sucks for them because most of the time, they lose.
Racism makes me sick! When I saw the movie "Hotel Rwanda," I was in shock. First, I had never really heard about the genocide in Rwanda to the extent to which it took place. Living in America, I am often sheltered to the harsh culture that surrounds other countries. Rwanda cannot be repeated in Defer. It has already gone too far. It sickens me; the Janjaweed from Sudan will kill villages of people, take their belongings, and set the huts on fire. Not only that, but when they encounter young women alone, they rape the girls and bite them to mark them as "unclean." On return to their homes, the girls are rejected for they can no longer marry and are shoved aside. The Janjaweed claim they are "cleansing the race" just like the Hutus and the Tutsis in Rwanda and just like Hitler in World War II. Second, what are we doing to help? We need to rise up and help these people. The White House had yet to even call Darfur's killings a “genocide" until the international forces influenced and convinced them that this is an ethnic cleansing movement. And this has been going on for 4 and half years!! The war was recently resolved in the spring of this year, however there is still a need for assistance and recovery.
We cannot let history repeat itself like this over and over again. Racism is ugly, cruel, and unjust. It makes me sick and I hate that is so relevant in our world today. I hate that jokes about race have become socially acceptable or funny to so many people. These jokes sometimes justify actual prejudices that people hold.
We need to work towards an America that works to accept and care for those who come here instead of judging and discriminating against them.
This is me :)

Oh the awkward years!!

This week at beginnings we talked about some sensitive subjects. The one that related most to me was body image. As a little kid, I had my own stash of candy hidden in my room. If you think I like sweets now, you obviously never knew me when I was a kid. I never really struggled with body image until about sixth grade. Middle school= the awkward years! For me this was no exception. I had braces, was kind of chubby and wore huge baggy sweatshirts to cover it all. I hated it! I never felt like I fit in and longed so much to feel that sense of belonging. I never realized how I perceived myself until I entered my freshman year of high school. Here I switched schools and knew about two people in my grade and maybe four in the entire school. I wanted to look cute and the first day I planned my outfit out for three days and probably changed ten times! I began to learn how uncomfortable I was with my body. I wanted to wear a two piece swimsuit but never felt comfortable to break away from the tankini. Then I started to row for a local rowing club and started to kick my butt into shape. When you are working out three hours everyday with about three ten minute breaks throughout the whole thing, you get a built body. Rowing works your whole body: legs, back, arms, shoulders, abs. I was happy with myself and confident in a bikini. Then I stopped rowing due to the pressures of school and my teammates. Everything changed, my body wasn't used to not working out all the time. This is where I am at now, while I am happy with myself, I still compare myself to other people. Now more than ever I realize that God made me perfect in his eyes and there is not a single thing that he would change. I am wonderfully made and no one and nothing will change this. I just need to rest in this thought all the time. and of course,
This is me :)

Drinking with Jesus? huh...

I now, my titles are witty and dumb! but hey they can grasp your attention right? Anyways, my philosophy on drinking.....
I don't get the point of getting drunk. What fun is it to not be in control of yourself. I personally like to be fully aware, this is how my parents have raised me, to be aware of my surroundings. I do not see the problem in tasting alcohol, a few sips among social conversation around dinner. When I was in Italy two summers ago, I had sips of wine and I don't feel like a sinner for drinking a little wine. Drinking, in my opinion, is based on your motives. Some people choose to get drink because they feel it is cool, others to be accepted, and some just because they just drink in moderation because they honestly enjoy it. I realize we are called to follow the laws of the land as Christians, so yes I am not going to drink until I am 21, however I do not see the big ordeal with me trying sips of my parent's drinks. It in no way inhibits my awareness and it is just to taste it, not to gain acceptance. Some may argue that this mindset is not correct, oh well. Honestly, and this might sound weird, if I was to come face to face with Jesus when I am 21 or older, I would drink wine with Jesus, hey I would have a beer with Jesus (even though I don't think I would like beer). It's the idea that alcohol in of itself is not "evil," it is the manner in which you choose to use it that can cause you to abuse it. I do not want people who drink excessively to be cool or gain some one's approval to feel judged, but I feel it is their choice to live that lifestyle and whether they think so or not, it does affect how people view you as a person and as a Christian. That's why I never went to crazy, alcohol parties in high school because my desire to drink like that doesn't exist. I really do not want to drink, my sips in Italy were for the experience of Italy because seriously I do not if I will ever go back there. I'm not defending my sips, but I am not really justifying them either. This topic is so gray area because it is a major worry today to not offend anyone. Tolerance really. This is what I think and well, like always.....
This is me :).

Work It!

Work it baby! That's what I tell myself with these strengths. I can strut my strengths through a variety of ways at APU. Let's just say strategic definitely helped me last night at capture the flag! Hence why a girl and I definitely brought a pumpkin home for the North side! But seriously now, I will really answer this prompt in the serious sense. I know it is out of character, but I kind of have to! haha!
So my strengths...... at APU I feel like my strenthgs are going to help me to help others. Starting with adaptability, I feel like in situations that are new like getting involoved with Best Buddies, I can thrive by ability to be comfortable with the often times uncomfortable. This is a blessing to me because I enjoy being in new situations and figuring them out. This ties in with strategic because I plan it out. I also think that this strength benefits me in class or when I have a lot of homework because I can create a game plan to accomplish all tasks. Moving on to positivity, this is so crucial to who I am. I feel like this embodies who I am and that by being positive I can brighten other people's lives through laughter and awkward moment stories. These stories are told through my strength of communication. I know how to formulate my ideas and reiterate them to others well. At this school, I feel like this will aid me well in getting to know other people and in confrontations that are often inevitable when living in a dorm hall with 36 other girls! My final strength being woo conjoins the whole bundle in the idea that I am a people person by nature and it is in me to want to get to know others. This is going to help me meet people and get to know them in a deeper level!
I hope I worked this out to your satisfaction. Now I am going to catwalk my way to begginings! Love, Love!
This is me :)