High School...

Well, it has been a while sinse I have posted anything.  Let's see, what shall be talked about today???  Hmmm... How about high school?  How many of the people who read this go to high school?  Do you like it?  Is it something that you get excited for every day, or do you just want to be done with it?  If you are ready to be done, then lucky you the end is coming near!!!  I think that everyone has a different experience with high school.  Some people love high school and can't wait to go see their friends and do some school work.  Others do not like it so much because of bullying or because they don't like waking up in the morning.  Some just don't see the point in high school. 

I didn't end up liking high school so much.  A lot went on around me that I just didn't feel comfortable with.  Some people liked me, but others talked about me behind my back, and that just wasn't cool with me.  There are some people that do really well in high school though.  Some people really excell greatly.  And if you are one of those people then I am so happy for you!  I think that going to school is important and learning life skills is very important, but so is making friends and developing good social skills, so I think that going to a brick and morter school is great in theory.  And sometimes it is great in real life too.

What do you guys think about highschool?! Post comments! Let me know!!

Talking to People

On Saturday, I was able to go to Illinois for a DARE2SHARE conference.  One of the things that we were supposed to do during the last break of the conference before the end was go to local public places and tell people about the grace of God.  You see, I am not very good at this kind of thing.  I don't want to make an uncomfortable situation for people.  I have always been the one who didn't want to force this kind of thing on people, and I always thought that if I was the one to start the conversation and try to get people to accept Jesus, then I was forcing it on them.  I never wanted to be that person.  This weekend, though, I tried something new.  Greg, the speaker talked about a very different way to talk to people about God and teach them about what Jesus did for them.  He explained a method where you ask, admire, and then admit.  I encourage definitely encourage everyone to go to dare2share.org and check out the videos.  And just so that everyone knows, no one is paying me to suggest them, I really do believe in what this organization is doing. 

I am quite a shy person, when it comes to people that I don't know, so I have a hard time talking to people, unless they start first.  I am usually fine if the other person starts the conversation, but if I am expected to, it becomes an issue.  This weekend, something changed in me.  God spoke to me and told me that I needed to talk to these people.  I don't know whether he was doing this to help me or to help them, or what, but if even part of it was for me, it worked.  I think that I can do this.  I can do this whole evangelism thing... I don't at all think that I will be the next Billy Graham, but maybe I can start planting some seeds.  I love God and I love people.  I want everyone to go to heaven, so I am going to help the people who don't believe and I am going to plant some seeds.

There is a problem

Hello!  There seems to be a problem with comments.  I don't know why this is, but for some reason, if anyone is trying to comment with an iphone, ipod, or an ipad, it probably won't work.  I tried to post a comment earlier with my ipod and my step dad tried to post a comment with his ipad, and neither worked!! I don't know why this is, but I will definitely be contacting google with this problem.  I am sorry for any inconveniences.  Please feel free to comment using any other device, if other mobile devices are not working, you may comment on here, using a computer or device that will work, telling me and others what it is and I will gladly contact google!

Thank you for your patience:)

A Post Just For My Viewers

I feel like there is not enough activity on my blog.  I would like to see some more commenters on here.  I decided that, in order to do this, I would post something that my blog viewers want to read.  Soooo.....
I would like all of you guys to tell me what you want me to write about.  Do you have unanswered questions, need advice, or even just need some cold, hard facts on something?  LET ME KNOW!!!! 

Comment on this with your idea, and as long as it is an ethical and appropriate topic, I will write about it... even if I need to do some research, you will find it up on my blog at some point before the end of the 2013 year... probably earlier though.  If I find it to be a topic that is ethically wrong or innappropriate, then I will let you know that I am not posting about that... Otherwise, expect to see it up on my blog!!!

Being 16

Is there anyone out there who at 16 thought it was all so surreal?  That's how I have been feeling lately.  I have my driver's license and there is a car in the driveway for me to use, and I am almost always out and about.  It seems like a normal teenage thing to do... but for some reason, it doesn't feel normal to me.  I feel like I am not 16 yet or something. 

Don't get me wrong, I love being 16 and having freedom, and being able to do what I please (within my parent's rules of course:) ), but for some reason, I just don't feel like I am 16.  Has that happened to anyone else?  I mean I am sure I will get used to it soon, but I would just like to know if there is anyone else out there who feels that way.  Maybe you felt that way when you had your first kid or when you turned 13 and became a teenager.  Maybe it was when you moved out of your house or got married or started highschool.  Is there anyone out there who has felt that everything that was happening was just so surreal? 

Comment and let me know!  Tell me I am not the only one!!! LOL... but seriously everyone should comment...

Christianity

Hello! I am Haylie.  I am 16 and I love life.  I do not do drugs or drink alcohol, or go to parties every weekend and hook up with those of the male gender.  Yes, there are girls out there that are like that.  No, I am not perfect.  I do argue with my parents sometimes and get mad at them and disrespect them every once in a while, but when/ if I realize I was wrong, I apologize.  I sometimes have a hard time making decisions or say the wrong things at the wrong time. but generally, I believe that I am on the right track.  I get good grades and I am working (for minimum wage of course).  I am happy.  I do not have a facebook or a twitter, or even a tumblr account.  I do have a pinterest and I have this wonderful blog.  I have a relationship with God and I am sure that if I were to die tomorrow, I would go to heaven because I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior.  So, I think that I am doing pretty well. 

I am not the only teenager like this, either!! I know, it's a little shocking.  I have friends that are like that too, though.  If you really talk to some of these kids you might find more out there like that.  You'd be surprised at how many teenagers are finding God and getting to know him.  It's not an easy thing, and you will find that many teens do still have some problems finding him and being the person that they want to be, but many of the christian "guys" and "chicks" will be some of the happiest people you meet.  There is a level of peace in finding God, even through all of the chaos and the storms you go through to get there.

I guess the point is, don't be afraid to go after God because you are afraid of the storms.  They are going to come.  It may be the most difficult thing you do in your whole life, but I guarantee that if you trust God and get to know who he is, you will find that level of peace.  You could find that you are the happiest that you have ever been.  You won't be perfect; it's just not going to happen.  Don't be discouraged because of that either, it really is okay to not be perfect.  No one is perfect, but you can still get into heaven.  You could have been the worst person in the world and done the most stupid things and gone to jail, or abused your children, or forgotten about birthdays every year, done drugs, even murdered.  If you change and find God, you will make it into heaven.  I know, it is the coolest thing ever!!!!! 

Just thought I would let the world know...

Choices

I have found that, in general, people can't seem to make up their minds.  And I know I am one of them.  We complain that certain songs are over-played, but then if it's not over-played we complain that it's not played enough.  We say that we hate when people talk behind our back, but then get mad at someone and go on some crazy rant about everything that they have done wrong in the past.  We even say that we want to be better and do what the bible says, but we end up doing something different because society tells us that church just isn't that cool.

So why is it that we can't make up our minds?  Is it just a part of our nature, or is it something that we have control of?  I went to a bible camp last weekend out in Iowa.  The speaker at this camp talked about choosing between the crowd and the cross.  I mean, clearly the cross is the right option.  In theory, it's a simple decision, but what about actually doing it? That part isn't so easy.  I think that's something we all need to work on, including myself.

Life is all about choices.  There is always a choice to make.  Whether it's an easy choice or a hard choice, we can all work on making up our minds.

Making a Difference

There are so many people that tell all of us kids that one person can make a huge difference.  I don't buy it.  If one person does something crazy and amazing, it still needs a whole lot of people to notice.  If no one notices, you are not really making a difference are you?  Martin Luther King Jr:  He was an amazing man who, by himself made a speech to the United states.  Would it have made an impact, though, if no one showed up to his speech?  No probably not. 

I know, this may sound very pessamistic, but that is not what I am trying to go for.  I am just being realistic.  If you want to make a difference in the world, you really have to try to get as many people involved as you possibly can.  I think it is important for people to realize that you do need help, and the grace of God to make a real difference in the world.  You cannot do it alone.  Get a big group together.  Pray to God.  Make a huge difference in the world.

My Definitions pt. 2

Wow.  I ran accross this in my notebook today.  I totally forgot about my little mini series with these definitions and things.  So here is a definition that I actually wrote a couple of months ago, but wasn't ready to post because it had some meaning to me.  It still kind of does, but I have gotten over it.

Moving on.  That is what I am going to define.  It may mean something different for some of you out there, but I think this is generally what moving on should be.  It is something that took me a long time to figure out myself.  What I have finally found, though, is that moving on does not mean going out and finding something, or someone new.  It means letting go of the past.  Yes, sometimes in the process of moving on, you find something or someone else, and that is okay, but you don't have to find something else in order to move on.  I see a lot of people that take moving on as finding someone or something new, and that's just not the case.  You can find something new and still not have completely moved on.  Moving on may take time.  Letting go may take time.   It is okay.  Time may be the best thing for someone who is moving on.  Forgiveness may be needed, depending on the situation. (If anyone has questions about that one, they can look to my Definitions pt. 1).  So when you are trying to move on from someone or something, don't let your first instinct be to find something new.  Just work on letting go.

Just Another Day

Another Valentine's day has gone by.  While some are spending time with the love of their life, or who they think to be the love their life, I am here, at home.  I don't have a valentine this year, as I did last year.  And yet, I am not sad because of it.  There are too many other things to worry about, other than not having someone to be in love with.  Yes, I do miss having that one person here a little bit, but it's not a big problem anymore for me. 

What I am worried about is family.  Cancer is getting to be a worse problem, and it scares all of us.  Cancer being spread across one body is a scary thing.  It's not just one or two people who are being affected, it is the large amount of family and friends that are also going to be affected and depressed when that one person is gone.

On the upside, I have finally gotten the job that I have been wanting for a couple months now.  I had been working with some family refinishing furniture, and that was fine, but it's really not what I want to be doing for the next year and a half before I go to beauty school.  I have finally got a job as a receptionist at a salon.  No, it is not a super fabulous job for most people, but I want to own a salon one day too, so learning all the parts of a salon is something that would be good for me.  It is something that I want to do.

And so, today has seemed to just be another day.  Not really a holiday of sorts, but just another day.  So goodnight, and for all of those out there with their lovely spouses, boyfriends, and fiances, I am happy for you.  Good luck with all of the other days ahead of you.