“I’d like to know about when, when does it all turn around?”

Can knowledge really ever be bestowed upon those younger than yourself? I am not about to claim old age or even wisdom, however, I have learned a few things (at least I hope I have) since junior high. After being with family this past week and watching my cousins and sisters allow themselves  to be consumed by such ridiculous things I wanted to sit them down and explain all that I’ve been able to learn.

Maybe some things do have to be learned by experience. I’m sure people warned me things then that I brushed aside (heck, I’m sure people shake their heads and want to teach me things now…it’s probably something you don’t really grow out of doing). At the same time, if only I could spare them some of those hard-learned lessons.

Let me go broad – is all humanity destined to make the same mistakes and never learn? Because I would love to stop the cycle. I’m not even entirely sure what that would entail, but to begin with, there needs to be more role models. More prayer. More teaching. More examples. More love.

Lyrics from Typical by Mute Math.

“You step a little closer each day”

Thirteen years old, braces, and ugly bangs. You could not pay me enough to return to junior high.  We played MASH and tried to figure out who’d live in a house with ten kids and who’d live in a mansion alone. There was a new boy of interest each day, mainly because I couldn’t get any of them to give me the time of day. There are only a few memories of that time I can consider pleasant. I always knew I would make it out alive, but I did often wonder if everybody else felt the same way I did. If they felt just as ugly and awkward, then why did they have to be so mean and make matters worse?

My way out was high school. I’d dream about being old enough to say I was in high school. Soon, I started gravitating toward people older than me, seemingly more mature than my own peers. While some wore more makeup to feel older I went after something more than what was surface deep and just acted as if I actually were older. My mom always told me I tried to grow up too fast.

Now I find myself in college, planning to graduate a year early and looking toward a possible career paths. I’m not completely sure why I am always looking so far ahead, but I’ve decided it is okay. It’s not that I am without satisfaction or contentment. I’m thrilled that I transferred this year and have been really enjoying various aspects of this year. I think I just want to experience all that life has to offer, meaning that I want to get to it all quicker. I don’t live in the past, nor do I feel any need to hold onto the present. Times will come and go. Striving to reach what’s ahead is how I best approach what’s been given to me.

Lyrics from Cannonball by Damien Rice.

“There’s no need to complicate, our time is short”

Consumerism is something that seems to have recently taken my thoughts by storm. No matter where I turn, it seems to show up. Then again, it is Christmas time after all. With the economy going down, I can’t help but wonder where that leaves those like myself, continuing to further drown in debt with no prospect of getting a well-paid job once I’m through with school. To which I want to turn to the average shopper and encourage them to give (aka buy) a little more this season in order to keep the economy afloat.

This morning, I happened to see a segment on a couple who lived on a dollar a day for food. It was all very interesting, and I decided to read a bit from their blog for further details. I couldn’t decide if it gave me hope that it can be done should our economy completely sink or if it depressed me that some people are already having to look at that as their only option. It makes me tempted to consider living on a much stricter eating budget (although I will admit funds are tight, I do try to allot for adequate meals each day).

I pulled out of one of my gift exchanges with a bunch of girls from high school. I’m trying to use old gift cards to get gifts and go to Goodwill for the rest. If that works out, I’m hoping to pull off spending less than $50 for gifts, which is quite a feat considering those I’m supposed to buy for and the recommended rate for each gift. When and why did it become a necessary gift-giving season?

Although none of this may seem to relate, I find it to be an incredible mixture of thoughts. The world makes it so easy to focus on ridiculous things by being caught up in the sheer perception of importance, and lose track of real meaning. Today at church we read a passage from Mark 4:14-20 about the soil, in which Jesus said, “The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”

This just speaks magnitudes about Christians. We’ve heard  the truth, the purpose, and the ultimate meaning of life for years each Sunday morning but suddenly become overtaken by the idea the failing economy, a lackage in tasty food, and constant expectations for things that may even be nice things, but not necessary. Consumerism is a desire for other things, so when that chokes out the word, what good is that? Despite my hope for a healthy economy, what is so much more important is to be fruitful in my walk with Christ. As a Christian, it seems absolutely essential that I live my life in a way that does not depend on materials, including food, in order to set a standard of trusting in God, and only Him to live.

Lyrics from I’m Yours by Jason Mraz.

“There will be food in our mouths”

After months of abandoning this blog, I return to writing. There were many instances in which I thought about writing things, but they never seemed good enough to be the comback blog. I don’t have many excuses for being gone, just haven’t been here I guess.

This week has been a stressful one, but not because of impending finals and papers. No, the reason was something more. The latest Ethos article was released on Wednesday and it makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about it. Honestly, I walked out of the room of my first class thinking I was about to vomit due to the stress it has had on me. At the same time, I wouldn’t do things any differently.

Until Wednesday, I was an Ethos staff member. After reading content I was fully unaware would be included in the issue and then writing an intense editorial with my roommates, it became very apparent that I had to quit. The most recent issue contained dirty language and displayed values (or lack thereof) that I am not proud to represent as a staff member including having sex in the library, treating family poorly, and where to get hammered. At that point, I needed to speak up for what I’d like to represent. I was proud to put my name on something that demanded we exemplify something greater than a life of self-indulgence.

Today, that editorial was published in the Daily at Iowa State. When I quit, I forewarned both of my editors of the possibility of this editorial and was told to expect and editorial from them in response. The faculty adviser of the magazine also had a talk with me. What I did was extremely unprofessional, but profession aside, I did what needed to be done from a moral standpoint.

So if you’re feeling the need to read an editorial from three Christian girls that would like to see the average standards of college students to be raised, then go to the Iowa State Daily website and see for yourself. Although I’m nervous of how my editors may come back at me, I am at peace with doing what was absolutely required of me in order to maintain my integrity.

Here’s the link: http://www.iowastatedaily.com/articles/2008/12/11/opinion/letters/doc4941f0d991b3f445367757.txt

Lyrics from Teeth in the Grass by Iron and Wine.