So Far Away!

Words.  That's how we describe things, but I'm finding words hard today.  It's like I'm living in another world and I'm shouting but no one is listening.  So I write....to myself, unless dear reader, you are entertained....Maybe we overuse words-maybe we just don't know their true meanings?

Love...a 4 letter word that is so misinterpreted it shouldn't even exist.  I'm just beginning to partially understand the word...and its not associated with what I planned.  Love is associated with happiness AND hurt.  It is selfless.  It is REAL!  I wish I could be more specific for you, but I can't. At 24, I've had enough experience to tell you that Love is the hardest thing you can ever accomplish in your entire life because it is the basis to every other detail in your future.  Whether you choose to love or not in certain situations--it not only affects you it affect others.

I'm actually very sick of this world and I don't want to be here anymore.  Its not that I don't enjoy things in this world-it's just I know what awaits! I can't wait to be in Jesus' arms in Heaven where I truly am loved.  I just want to be there right now!  It's nice to have glimpses of Heaven now and then on earth...God gave me that privilege recently.....Some of you know that I have family in Japan and getting to see them is a huge treat, but what amazes me is how close we are to each other even though we live worlds apart and aren't able to see each other very often.  Focusing on this love thing this year has put my mind in a "love perspective" mode.  Sometimes I don't want to love, sometimes I don't get a thing out of it, but I do it anyway--kinda a forced love and what is cool is God blesses me for that attempt and pretty soon I'm not forcing it!  It's there!  I have an insurmountable love for my family and extended family!  It's really real!  And every time I get together with my cousins and family--I feel like this is what LOVE really is like!  This is what Heaven must be like!  Love just pours out in my family and I think I can honestly say I have some of the best hugging cousins in the world! ;)  I think because of ya'll..I'm becoming a hugger too!  :) It so hurts to have to say good-bye to them and I know in Heaven I will never have too say good-bye again!  I am so blessed to have a loving family and am thankful that God has taught me so much about love this year.  I wasn't always like this, but love should never be hidden or thrown away!  Maybe this is why God gave us a heart--to store love in so we can stay close to each other even when miles and miles of distance exists between us.  I LOVE YOU FAMILY!!!  All of you are so amazing and I'm so glad you are in my life!  Guess I'm dedicating this post to Rachel and Hannah Klaus since they were able to come to America this year and it was so good having them here!  My heart is happy and I know one day I'll be able to see them forever!!!

If I didn't have horses.......?????

...It's maybe a really good thing we don't have to go there!  Thankfully, I do have horses and God teaches me through them. Monday really felt like a Monday.  I felt alot of life pressures and was just disgusted with where I was at and what I was thinking and was I really doing the right thing?Sometimes I think we just feel trapped in this world.  We don't understand where our life is going or we just want to get there too fast--or give up!  All after thanksgiving when I should feel thankful for longer than just a couple days.....right?

On top of all this it's winter....that time of year where I can't get much accomplished as a horse trainer if I even qualify as one....a great horse trainer listens to the horse...yesterday I rode Kitty and she did pretty well so I decided to do some liberty work with her, but I wasn't listening to her needs....I felt frustrated because I have so many horse goals that I never seem to be able to reach for lack of space, equipment, knowledge, and time!  Most of the time I'm just happy to be able to get out there and exercise my girls or re-break them to ride after they turn into winter rodeo broncs. But yesterday I wanted more and so I pushed Kitty too hard-no I never lost it or got mad--I was forcing myself and her to a point where we just need more time to understand it.  I was just about to "get really impatient" when Kitty decided to ask me why I was being so hard to understand...her soft brown eyes seemed to be quietly waiting for me to relax and see that she was trying her best to please me.  I didn't really notice or care at that point...I just kept asking for more and Kitty just did what any good horse would do--she guessed and became "anticipaty"---and as I moved into a better position all the while getting more impatient...Kitty must have thought I was asking for a hug because all of the sudden I had a firm horse neck around me and the really neat thing was she didn't stop hugging me!!!  She melted my disgusted heart and filled it back up with love and patience.  Needless to say, I was much more patient with her the rest of the time and the training session progressed--all because her act of love reminded me to "get my act of love back together!"  Very thankful that God uses my horses to keep reminding me that He loves me!  Sometimes we just have to stop and see what's right in front of us!  I'm glad God opened my eyes to see how much "love" was missing in my heart.......Here's a really cool pic that captures how much love we have for each other! <3

The reason I can write such a nice post tonight is because Missy put me in a really great mood with her liberty work.  She is much further along than Kitty so we can actually work with no ropes attached at the walk and trot but lots of work and plans ahead!  Anyway, she really impressed me tonight so maybe I can train horses after all!  In this picture, Missy was told to stay (she was perfect btw) while Kitty worked and demonstrated a bit....I just love these girls!

Show Love. Just a bit of time can change a life!!!!!

Last year, I made a "new years resolution" to love more.  It's been going pretty good too!  But...I've been looking forward to the end of my commitment because love is hard for us humans to comprehend how far and how deep we must go sometimes to show it.

In fact, that's why I wanted to quit this resolution....it's too hard!  I was in countdown when Jesus started working on my heart about that...He said...Why do you want to quit? and I said well look here I've been doing pretty good and went through my list of love and how far I've gone and how I just can't wait to be done!  It's just too hard loving some people who just don't want your love, or loving those that disappoint you, hurt you or disagree with or you fill it it!  Then Jesus said to me..."I still love you.  You hurt me.  You don't always agree with me.  You disappoint me.  You refuse my love at times....but I LOVE YOU anyway and I suffered for you and died for you to prove that I REALLY do love you!   Ya sure..I know all that stuff, but I'm Not you!!!  I can't love like that it's too hard...No body loves like you anymore........  "That's why I want you to continue to love more, but don't just love how you think it should be... I want you to love like me and I need you to start right now!"  It took me awhile to say ok, but I have and it is amazing how Jesus keeps reassuring me that He will help me love even when I'm suffering with my humanisticness and don't want to!  Anyways, He really challenged me to Love like Him and I'm excited to do that!

It is hard to love when things seem to be falling apart around you and your heart wonders why.  Many times, we as humans want to fix things right away when all God is requiring of us it to wait and love. Not yell at the person for being stubborn and crazy and refusing to love or not doing what we think is Christian stuff...just be there to love them.  

I, personally, believe that God calls us to love a certain amount of people the way He loves us.  He makes it our duty to love them like He would so that they can see the way Jesus loves them through us.  I have a list of people that God has given to me to love. If I refuse to love them like Jesus, I'm not really doing my job and possibly that will cost them their pathway to Jesus and it will cost me my job.  Jesus will find someone else to do His work.  But I want Him to use me and give me more people to love so with His help I'm gonna make it!

Sometimes He'll test our love commitment for them by seeing if we can still love them when they hurt us, refuse us, disagree, and even hate us.  I must say I've failed in that area..in the past if it gets hard...I like to get out...but that's not what God wants of me anymore.  He encouraged me that the past is in the past and I have the opportunity to love the people that are already around me! :)  He says: "Get in there and love like me! Keep loving them as I have kept loving you.  This is your calling. This is why I made you!" 

I hope this inspires you to love like Jesus even when it hurts!  Whatever your situation you don't have to feel useless or be able to fix it..."Just" Love like Jesus!

OVERWHELMED by YOU....Brag Time!

A popular song I heard on the radio...but so true!  I'm overwhelmed with how delightful Jesus is and how much He loves me!  I'm completely overwhelmed!  He died for me and I'm trying to live for HIM and I was so overwhelmed with what He had done through little me...and I never thought I could add up to so much in anyone's eyes!

I've never been beautiful, popular, rich, or smart, but that does not stop His Love from overwhelming me!  I have so little to offer....even my strength for living day to day comes from Him.  Many thought since I was diagnosed with Rhuematoid Arthritis, I'd look for a not so hard job with some sort of health insurance and discontinue my horse training (do safer things)....this is when God's overwhelming love invaded my negative thoughts and I PRAISE HIM FOR EVERYTHING I'VE ACCOMPLISHED!!!  I AM NOTHING AND HE CHOSE ME!  LOOK WHAT HE HAS DONE WITH SO LITTLE!  I AM AN OVER COMER BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE!

If you have RA or any arthritis, you know that strength is not taken for granted!

 Wrists are the weakest, but I can get them to crack that whip!

I did not choose this life.  If I could choose...I would have beauty, strength, fame and fortune, no health problems to hold me back--in other words I'd have the perfect life...but haha that hasn't happened.  Thankfully, Jesus chose this life for me and I would not be "cool" without His healing power, strength and His LOVE assures me that He will never forget about the weak, the untalented, and unloved!  He uses all of us if we will let Him! Oh, am I bragging?  Good!  I want you to know that God will use YOU no matter where you are in life. If you belittle yourself you are belittling the One who made you to do wonderful things!  Keep Living for HIM!  We are not here for long so give a little love back to the Man who loved you so much that He died for you!

Kitty's trick skits

Missy's Liberty stuff

Say What? Beep. Vibrate.

Communication is key to any relationship, but as I see it, American's (people in general) stink at it!  Sure we've got 1000's of ways to "communicate".  Facebook, cellphones, texts, emailing--those are the more outdated ones I suppose, but no one really can communicate well unless they are fully engaged which takes much effort in today's world as I often will be in the middle of a conversation with someone and their phone starts to vibrate or sound off a new text message or call.  Most of the time, they will answer their phone before finishing up with me--if they even remember what I was saying.....Ever happen to you?  I understand emergencies.  I understand that demanding boss at work!  I understand that your kid just pooped his pants and needs attention.  I understand if it's your out of country/out of state friends who rarely ever calls.  So yes. In some ways, I realize the importance of "disengaging" in your communication.  But really is your patience and time so limited that you can't stop to listen?

I believe that our lack of communication is an element of what is taking down our society.  It's a serious problem!  But there I go, jumping ahead of myself and thinking too deep with not enough time to write it down in words for you.  haha...yes I stink at this communicating thing too!  I would like to say I'm well above average, but then again maybe I'm well below?  Just depends on what I am including/excluding?

Let's take what I understand.  I understand that to be a good horse trainer one has to be a good communicator to the horse and listen to what the horse is telling him.  When you first train a horse, you can't disengage for fear of the horse trampling you, ignoring you, or they'll do just whatever they please which of course wouldn't be good communication at all!  However, if you take time to listen to the horse and engage yourself wholly to that horse for those moments of training--your horse will in turn listen to you and be engaged and communicating in a way that brings about a close relationship.  Why does that work?  Because the trainer has taken time to get to know the horse without being distracted.  The horse knows he can trust the trainer because the horse knows the trainer is completely trustworthy and will take care of his needs.  Basically, they know that they will be there for each other.

Of course, I could give you Biblical examples as well.  If we are poor communicators with God that can draw disbelief, no trust, and a whole bunch of ?????

Doesn't it just do something for your heart, soul, and mind when someone listens?!!!!!!!!!  It makes me feel loved, happy and there's a complete bond happening!!

Yup...Communication is really messed over these days.....I find myself escaping that by horse training.   It's just me and the horse.  No interruptions.  Fully engaged with each other and fast becoming better partners.

Take what you want out of this...This just reminds me to try to be a better listener, less distracted and more focused on what that person is trying to communicate....because it might be the last time they reach out!

Here's a picture of 3 of us doing our part to listen to each other...Love the sunset color!

Re-Encouragement

Why is it that sometimes after a marvelous week do I get a yucky week to follow?  Or find out something really great only to find out something really not great?  I feel so pumped to do something and then whoosh the air comes rushing out so fast I'm blown away into discouragement.  This is when I have to remind myself of "Re-Encouragement."  I have to go back to the reason I was encouraged in the first place.......and if I focus on that I can usually find a bit of Re-Encouragement to keep pressing on.   It's not easy, but I find it necessary if you want to put a real smile on your face.  Yes.  I've needed Re-Encouragement lately...mainly because I do not know what the right thing to do is...or if God really wants that!   

It's funny though how quick we let our encouraging days go by us barely stopping to admire the moment, but when we go through a test or a trial or uncertainty we ponder days and nights until we become just down right miserable!  It can be a pain to accept the encouraging moments because sometimes they are so small and quiet that we can't hear them because of the loud discouragements we encounter.  But they are there.  Tidbits of encouragement in tiny raindrops fall down from someone's kind words or deeds........and this is sometimes where I look to for Re-Encouragement.  Because I love to be JOYFUL!!!  I want to focus on good things and most importantly I want to focus on what God's plan is for me!  Sure I'm a bit "stuck" right now in one particular area, but that shouldn't stop me from doing what I know He wants of me and that alone can sometimes be the best "Re-Encouragement!"  He's not through with me yet!

Kitty's Surprise!

Sometimes in shows you don't always get your horses best---sometimes you don't get anything out of them and occasionally you get the unexpected joy ride of your life!!!  I went to a horse show this past weekend just to get some more reining experience for my horse--this was her 4th time with everything--remember I don't have sand to practice on....I'm sorta in love with a new horse sport--reining: sliding stops, spins, fast and slow circles, rollbacks, long backing!  It's really fun and takes an athletic horse!  Anyway, 2 of the 3 other times I showing Kitty she reared in her class because she was just too confused with what I wanted.

The reining horses were all doing well and putting on a good show for the reining trainer....The cheers were loud for each horse....Then, It was my turn to go.....I was nervous and excited.  I had been working with her, but I didn't know what to expect.....I paused to say a quick prayer before I entered into that lonely arena. Our spins were first--slower than what I wanted, but no rears.....next our circles...a few mistakes, but nothing big......we move on to the rollbacks....boom huge sliding stop!!!  I'm smiling.  I'm not nervous.  I'm having a blast.  There were 3 times for the sliding stops and she did them...HUGE!  We're done...already? Silence.  No whistling cheers for me as I'm not known in the horse show world, but that didn't matter....WE DID IT!!! NO REARS!!  AND.....Kitty was sliding and it felt so cool to ride that!!!!  It was a personal best for us!  My Dad was volunteering at the gate at that time and overheard the trainer tell his group of girls, "Now, that was a good sliding stop!"  and he shows all over with his horses so that was really neat that Dad overheard that!

Very cool experience!  It won't be soon forgotten!  Amazing horse! Amazing ride!  Thanks for the great surprise Kitty!  :) <3

Keep on Smiling/Liberty work

What have I been up to?  It's the time of the year that just gets really busy so that can make it stressful.  Last week I felt like a failure....I just wasn't succeeding at anything!  And maybe in most peoples eyes, I still haven't truly succeeded this week and one of my ongoing goals (that alot of people can do!) seems to be quite unreachable....but I had a different outlook this week and I'm truly smiling inside and out!  It's funny...we go through life with alot of the same problems and one day they don't bother us and the next they really bother us!  Or it's just one problem after another!  I know we are all faced with problems every day we live.....and I just have to keep reminding myself that God still loves me and is in control.

Perhaps one reason for my smiley face, is that my girls worked really well on our liberty work.  So what's this liberty work stuff?  Basically, it's an advanced way of working with your horse so that eventually you don't need much of anything to control your horse.  Liberty horses don't need bits, halters, or lead ropes-the horse is free from all that stuff!  I think they like it that way too!  Most of you know....my horses are NOT perfect and we are in the very early stages, but I feel somewhat advanced too because they are doing so well for how few times I've done this!  It just takes more time and I like to just get out and ride!  But my girls seem to be helping me out!  Below is Missy getting ready to be warmed up!

Kitty is more than ready for her turn! 

I was trying to take a "my view" pic but I barely get anything....

Here we are trotting together side by side...Missy is on a lead rope but very loose--basically if I need to correct her it's there!  These are both mares too!  One has an attitude problem and the other is the herd leader!  So not exactly easy picks for this, but we're coming!  And we're having loads of fun too!

And whatever ya do...keep trying....keep striving.....and keep smiling!!!  :)

Memorably Fun Birthday!

I can't believe I'm 24, but I am!  I had a very enjoyable birthday week as so many fun things happened!!!! Maybe the best present of all was being able to spend a fun evening with a dear friend of mine (Kelsey) who had been out of country for a whole year!  So that was cool!  Kelsey let me perform some of my horse tricks for her and even took some neat pics so of course I have to show them off!!!!

The kneel

 All 4 feet on the pedestal

 Using Kitty as a slide

 The bow in not so usual position......But...whatever!  ;)

Above lounging and below Kitty coming to me

 Kitty smiling on the pedestal

 Riding Bridle-less

 Missy loves the pedestal!

 Below:  This is my favorite picture right here!!!!  Look at how cute these two are--one could NEVER resist them if they happened to run into you and tell you HELLO!  Well...least I can't!!!  :)  I think I could have Kelsey horsin around in no time!!   What ya'll think?

 Kitty getting ready to push me aside because she gets the spotlight--not me!

I hate college!

I was reminded that it is summer break for all of you still in jail-oops...college, and I didn't really post this video anywhere--I thought I posted it here, but I couldn't find it!   So here you go friends!  A heartfelt song about college!

Don't You Dare Ever Let Go!

I was just thinking about how everyone has their own unique personality--we are all so different!  I was saying to my parents how incredibly silly I must seem sometimes to the passing bystander.  Just last Sunday I was talking guns, competitively playing football with the cousins and logging all my stats--4 touchdowns/one touchdown pass/one interception, etc. so not girly right? and you can't even imagine all the crazy horse related stuff I've done--my poor neighbors--what entertaining sights they get!!!  Point is we are all different for a reason.  God made us that way.  Don't you remember what it says about snowflakes?  That no two are the same.  I believe this is true for people too.  We may have lots of similarities, but we each hold something very special and wonderful that no one else can ever hope to hold.  What do you hold?  I can't answer that question......I can only try to reassure you that God doesn't make mistakes and if you've never truly asked Him--how are you suppose to know what powers you can hold?

When I first bought my horse, Missy, I wasn't looking for a horse like her. It was certainly not "love at first sight!"   Her bratty attitude and built up hate for me seemed to shout out to me that this was not a good idea, but the back of my mind kept saying "Hold on!"  She tried kicking if you touched her belly and her legs were scratched up with fungus which meant lots of baths and scrapping scabs.  On top of that she was a bit head and alot ear shy.  I pretty much made up in my mind that this horse was hopeless!  How could I train something that hated me?  Every time I lounged her she would turn her bottom to me and kick out (very bad) at me and I remember my horse neighbor driving by exclaiming what a hand full I had gotten.  I struggled with what this horse had to offer, but something inside me said, "Hold on!"  Little by little she gave me glimmers of hope that maybe she did hold some sort of talent.  She still laid her ears back at me when I came to get her in the pasture....but she showed ever so slightly that she did love me...she started to enjoy her training and instead of hate she was starting to love me. I'm not even sure when the "Hold on" voice changed to "And don't you dare let go!"  But it did.  To make a long story short I don't know what I'd do without her! Our love for each other is still growing, and occasionally one of us is bound to lay our ears back, but we are more than just friends now--we are a team!  Why?  Because one of us chose to "Hold on" and Love even when there was little to no love back. One of us decided to "Hold on" and seek whatever talent it was that the other had.  And as I look back, I really wonder who "Held on" the longest..maybe it was really Missy who was hanging on the longest....waiting for someone to reach out and love her for what she is not what she could be if only she could do this or that.  

Maybe I'm not coming around to the point fast enough for ya, but there is nothing wrong in you being yourself for Jesus.  You don't have to compare yourself to what others are doing--you have that special something that your holding onto that you can use for Jesus.  You may not be loved for what you do.  You may be hated, but don't ever stop doing what it is that He designed you to do.  Someone else needs that "Love" that "talent" that you hold so don't you dare ever let go of what you were meant to Hold!  Because if you've let go--you are most likely missing a few wonderful "Missy's."

Camping Fun!

I know this is a bit late, but here it is!!!  The video of me and my awesome cuz's horse camping fun.  So thankful for Rebecca (who doesn't mind hanging out with a crazy kid and her horses) and my two girls!  Very blessed. Great times! 

Whose eyes are you looking through?

People's eyes will often tell you a story
But it takes a skilled eye to see
The hurt, the pain, the glory
The happiness, the laughter, the honesty.

Some say the eyes are windows to the heart.
Others claim eyes have nothing to say,
But I think they play an extraordinary part.
I'll share with you what I've learned along the way.

First, you need to get rid of your earthly thoughts
And take a deeper look at the eyes of a stranger
At first you may not see any dark spots,
But a closer look finds a bit of anger.

You see from the outside the eyes look cheerful
But from a supernatural power comes a more accurate detection
Of someone down on their luck and quite tearful
Someone who needs love, hope and reception.

I know the way that she is dressed
All that style, those fancy clothes and her pretty smile.
She doesn't seem lonely--no one would have guessed
That she hasn't ever been loved in quite awhile!  

All she needs is someone to care
But you can't see that--you're not God!
And loving a person like her would be rare
Since you're a good person and she's so....well, odd!

But this is what Jesus does for you and me
He can see past all our oddness and sin
He looked much deeper and what did he see?
A way for us to begin our lives again.

So remember when you look into the eyes of a friend
You may need to be Jesus to them
And if you can love them over and over to the very end
I think you'll be seeing through the eyes of HIM.

Why does God do that?

This year I made sort of a resolution to be happy in every situation and love deeper.  However, it was never signed in blood and deep down I didn't think I could do it.  After all, life isn't exactly easy.....my life in particular right now just got less happy....But I'm trying to remain happy--it's hard--really hard.  Even the weather is really stupid right now....  It seems like I'm just getting over an obstacle when another is there even bigger and badder <---just deal with that grammar issue---than the one I just struggled through.  Why?  A short, but simple question we tend to fall back on when we are hurting....I don't know the answer.  But here's a short story that God put in my head and made me feel better.

    It was a perfect day at the park....for everyone, but me.  My life was in ruins and I was suffering from one of the worst aches ever---heartache! I didn't want to be friendly to anyone and when my so called "friends" asked me to play games so that they'd have a sure loser I just headed the opposite direction looking for a vacant spot all to myself where my bitter thoughts and me could be in peace.  I found a quiet, secluded spot under an oak tree and under the tree there was a small two person park bench.  I sat there with scowled expressions while all the love and happiness I once had in my heart came bursting out with hate, pain and bitterness.  I thought, God must really Hate me--He never gives me a break--He just gives me one struggle after another and He expects me to love Him for that?  Why, I doubt He's ever cared at all for me!  Even my "friends" seemed to enjoy picking on me today!  I soon felt very alone, helpless and insignificant.
    As the bitter thoughts kept pouring out, I couldn't help but notice an old man, hobbling along the scenic trail I had taken to get away from my friends.  I hope he's not walking over here to come sit--can't he tell I wanna be left alone?  He slowly sat down beside me.  He reminded me of a hobo.  Everything he wore was dirty or ripped. This just isn't my day!  "You mind if I sit here?" asked the old man with a shaky voice.  I just glared at him and if looks could kill, he would have been dead right there.  I figured he'd move on and let me be, but he remained seated and said, "That bad, huh?"  The smell of his clothes made me gasp for air and I was just starting to get up and walk away from this despicable sight when he surprised me by saying, "You know....feeling sorry for yourself won't make that pain in your heart any better...."  I sat back down on the bench and said quite harshly that he had no business in my business and he couldn't possibly understand what I'm going through and no body cares about me and my life is in horrible ruins....I can never get out of these slums........and on top of that GOD HATES ME!!   I practically blew the old man over with that last part!  The old man sat quietly next to me as I awaited his answer.....I bet he doesn't have any answers just look at him--looks like life has been horrible for him too--haha I bet he'll just walk away and leave me alone now!  But the old man remained quiet and I remained puzzled.  We sat there for what seemed like an hour of silence and then he grunted quietly, "God doesn't hate you, (put your name in there)."  I froze.  How'd he know my name?  He must have heard my friends call me...ya..that's what it must be....I felt that anger and hate in my heart begin to break and all of the sudden I found myself pouring out the broken pieces of my heart to this old man.  And finally I asked him if God really loves me than why does He keep giving me so many challenges and heartaches?  Why does my heart feel broken and hurt all over?  Why does my life look like failure after failure?  At this point I had tears streaming down my face and I really could barely see that dirty, handkerchief he offered.  As I took the handkerchief, I noticed that the old man was looking down at the ground....maybe for inspiration?  I dried my eyes and waited. He replied this:  "Maybe God just wants to dig further down into your heart to where it hurts so much that He can finally use all of your brokenness and hurt for His glory......." I looked up to reply, but the old man had disappeared.  



I don't know why some of us seem to always struggle while others seem to have it altogether all the time.  It doesn't seem fair, but we really can't see past our noses anyways when it comes to the big picture.  I guess I just have to go back to counting my blessings when I get this way because I have quite a few to be thankful for and that makes me HAPPY!!!  :)   Feel free to share your thoughts.....

I'm glad I'm dumb!

  I realize my blogs can be controversial and surprising to some readers and maybe this post is one of them. Haha! But then again you don't have to keep reading.... 

  Recently, I've had to think about many things that I've never thought people even questioning!  I found myself in conversations that make me want to be smarter like everyone else.  Honestly, I'm exhausted. You see, I'm what they call old-fashioned, dumb, simple, loyal.  Why do I tell you this?  Because people ask me this, "Why do I believe that there is a God?  A hell and a heaven."  They say, there is no proof of this and they take me on some believable tangent that I could get lost in if I were just as "smart" as them!  But I am not.  I've never ever been smart!  In fact, my parents were worried about me in elementary because I was a super slow learner....but that's another story...why am I telling you all this?  Because you all are smart!  You know the difference between an ipod and an ipad, science and science fiction, pretty and ugly, what's in and what's out, and I lack smartness for even a good example here, but I ask them then.  I say...If you are well-educated in this world and do not believe in God and heaven or hell I think you are stupid.  Why even me--this dumb person-can say to you that that is a foolish decision! WAIT!! Don't quit reading yet! Stupid is such a strong word--let's use misinformed.      The smart thing to do would be to believe in God because if you are right you go to heaven, but if you are wrong you either live once on this earth and then you die and are in the ground forever or you are going to hell to burn to death forever! I'm just saying, maybe you want to re insure yourself this year....be less skeptical and more open...think less....believe more.....what do you have to lose to Believe anyways?     

  If we, believers, are wrong then fine. I'm just putting my money on Jesus and a life after death because it's a wise decision to me.  Better safe than sorry.  And better dumb than smart.