Teens, Will You Change the World, Yes or Yes?

If you had the option to change the world, would you?



Trick question! No matter what you do with your life, it will have a great effect on the world. The question is though, how are you going to use your power?

With great power comes great responsibility. My uncle Ben told me that once.
In correlation with the title, teens, this is a blog post for you. It is about you, directed at you, and made for your benifit. Now you have to decide, will you keep reading, or ignore this? The thing is (I must warn you) if you continue to read, an even greater responsibility will be placed on your head. If you ignore it, what kind of a person does that make you? (A lame person in my oppinion.)

Well, you're still reading. My pep talk worked! Yes! (I am not very good at those things, so this sucess is great for my ego.)
Like my uncle Ben says, with great power comes great responsibility. The fact that you are alive, and you are between the ages of 12 and 20 means that you have an increadible power. A world changing power believe it or not. Think about it this way. Other than adults, who listens to adults? (Not even adults listen to eachother, so I think you get my point.)
Who really decides how we are going to vote, what laws we want passed and in general what decisions are made for the future? We do of course! Adults had their time, now it is passing. Teens are fresh, they are making their own decisions. Important decisions too. Thats why politicians LOVE going to highschools and colleges. They tell you what you want to hear and take that chance to help you decide on what you want for the world (it's more like they plant ideas into your head, because we all know you weren't really listening to your local rep. when he told you how a bill becomes a law) because YOU are the people who will be deciding the fate of the whole world for the next decade. Ten years is a very long time. An entire country can be changed for the rest of time based on that decade.

The point of this post is to get you moving. I know that it seems arbitrary for one person to even try, because what can one person really do? One person may not be able to walk up to the president and say "Hey, this is what I think." but one person can walk up to a friend from school and say "Hey, this is what I think, and I want to do something about it. Can you help me?"
Some of the biggest orginizations were started from a few teens getting together in school.
At a camp I was privlaged to attend, a speaker named David Pomerantz told us about the orginazation he started called Save the Storks. Originally he started the orginazation Cupcakes for life when he was in highschool. The idea was to pass out cupcakes in symbolization of all the children who could not have birthdays due to abortion. Such a simple idea, and it doesn't require great orginazational skills, increadible creativity or a hundred people. This may not change the world in as big a way as the world needs, but it does help. It helps more then you think.
Your fellow students are going to hear you, and think about what you're saying. There could be a pregnant girl who takes a cupcake (God knows she can't resist) and at that moment, she realizes there is life inside of her. Not a blob of tissue, but a child deserving of life! That child could grow up and do many great things, like become president and show the world how valuable life is, or become a great parent and raise more wonderful children, all because his mother chose life.

Of course not every person taking cupcakes will be pregnant (at least I sure hope not), there could be a 17 year old guy who never really thought of it that way before, and could help you in becoming the next best thing to happen to this generation.
These what if's may never happen to you, but life is full of what if's, and if you never take a step in leading the world in the right direction because you don't think that what you say matters, you need to adjust your world view or accept the fact that you had the chance to change the world, but you left it in the hands of irresponsable brainless twihards that are being led to the slaughter house by people who wanted something, so they did something about it. *Breathe* Yeah, I know that sentence was long.

You may not be able to vote, but your voice is a very loud one, and people will listen whether you think so or not. All you have to do is say something.

Birds or babies?

Just thought this was really interesting. I am slightly confused by why this is.

YOLO

My generation drives me insane. Mainly the issues surrounding sex. Why do teenagers today treat it as something as simple as going to the dentist? "You haven't lost your virginity?!" It's like saying "You've never had your teeth professionally cleaned?!" It's almost as if my 'friends' are trying to make me feel bad because I value my body and the future bond between me and my husband.
What peaks my curiosity most is 'How'. How has it become so much a part of our culture today, that to be a man, you have to get laid, or to know that you love and you're loved, you have to sleep with you're boyfriend. It's not just pleasure, it's guilt. Embaressment. Shame even. How could it be SHAMEFUL to NOT have slept with anyone?
Now a question sits in my mind. Why have our parents not instilled the sanctity of purity in our minds? My parents of course have (I doubt I would be writing this otherwise) and I of course know more, but to the general population, it's not a big deal to keep your body pure, or to respect yourself and others.
It honestly scares me what is going to happen to this nation if the teenagers and young adults of today do not mature, and live real life.
So the acronym YOLO has brought up a lot of interesting quotes and discussions. People use it as an excuse to do stupid and health harming things like drugs or playing road kill (really fun but very scary game) ignore traffic laws (I saw YOLO spray painted on a stop sign once) or even dating/sex. People think because you can die at any moment, that you should risk your life and health. Just curious, doesn't that INCREASE your chances of dying? Isn't that what people want to AVOID? I thought because "YOLO", that we should use our short time on this earth to make it BETTER for people? Even though I will not be here to see my great great grand kids, I want them to have a fantastic life.
I realize that the focus of our current generation is to have fun and live life, but lets be honest here. Life isn't about that. I usually try to have the mindset that not everyone believes the same way I do, because of course, not everyone does. I can't use the argument that "You're going to hell if you sin." because first of all, that is increadibly accusing and I have no right to accuse, as I am just as imperfect as the next, and second, because not everyone is a christian. I truely believe in the after life and only one way to heaven, and have no problem saying that, but the best way to go about it is NOT to judge people and tell them that the only solution is to give in to my desires and beliefes. Who was ever won over by being accused and yelled at?
Back to my subject earlier, though most of the time I try to have a certain open mindset, this is a time I just cannot. Or will not. Either way, the word that describes our generation the best is 'selfish'.

I see what chaos and turmoil goes on in our world, and I do not understand how people can sit and do nothing. Oh yes, they can sit and complain constantly, and tell others what they think needs to be done, but who really does anything? Actions speak louder than words.
I was reading Psalm 4 the other day, and I came across some of the most understanding and encouraging of verses.

"2 Oh you sons of men, how long will my honor become my reproach?
How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception?
3 But the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself,
the Lord hears when I call him."

When we are discouraged by our peers treating us with disdain for not acting with the same shallow mindset as they do, think of those verses. So much can be pulled out of those verses! David is just as baffled as I am at the treatment of those who strive to do right and uplift others around them.

The purpose of my blog being to further a life sustaining enviornment, what was the point of this post? Why write about people judging your for your honorable actions (that was kind of a rabbit trail by the way)?
People do not understand how one little thing could completely change the direction of the world. One little white lie (we all know where this goes) then a kinda small lie, then a big lie until you are lying about everything. That destroys relationships and therefore ruins peoples lives! It can change the most upbeat person into a dark cloud of despair and emptyness. What happens to that person? They are obviously not a ball of life brightening the world with the light inside of them.
She's 18, a freshman in college, and she meets him. The boy who changes everything.
She grew up in a broken home because her parents couldn't hold things together. Her father cheated, so her mother left him. She was swapped back and forth between them, and all of her parents stress was taken out on her. She may have been the focus of her parents arguing, but she was not getting enough attention. Her parents focus was on themselves, not their daughter that they had a responsibility to raise and love and care for. So she spent her time looking for the right boy to change all of that. And she found him.
He grew up in a great home. His parents loved him, cared for him, gave him everything a boy could want. So what went wrong? Why did he sleep around and use girls for that one night weekend stand? His parents gave him that attention, they gave him everything he needed, or did they?
He hung out with his friends very regularly, his parents didn't know what type of guys they were, and they were so good at pretending his mom did not even give it a second thought. The influence he got from his friends was in no way a good one. The problem lay not where there was mistreatment, but no treatment at all.
Because of his outward behaviour, his parents felt no need to teach him about the dangers of his peers effect on his thinking.
So he met her, volurable, naiiv, desperate almost, and knew she would be an easy target. He asked her out, took her out on romantic dates, bought her presents and even told her he loved her. She would do anything to please him. She didn't want to lose him like she lost her parents.
They started being physically intimate early in their relationship, much to the urging of the love of her life. They were careful of course, but there is still the posibility of pregnancy. And it happens.
She is so scared at first, but she is sure he loves her, so she comes right out with it. He tells her he is going to leave if she doesn't get it taken care of. She can't lose him, so she drives to the clinic, has it taken care of, and leaves, devistated. They arent together much longer after that because of her depression and he eventually gets bored of her.
She goes on to get married later, her husband finds out, and again there is strain in the relationship. Not being taught to stick it out, things get tough and they end it. Her life continues in this pattern and she see's no hope anymore.
He goes on to sleep with more girls, not realizing he is doing this to cover up the pain of knowing he ended an innocent life, and hurt a girl more than words can express. So he hurts more girls and gets more depressed, lives crumble and life sucks.
All this because someone couldn't say no to immorality, and someone else didn't take a little extra time to show their son what it really means to be a man.
All of your decisions make a huge difference. All of them. Whether you decide not to go out with that one girl, whether you grab a donut instead of an apple and maybe even whether you say thank you or not to the cashier. People don't care anymore, they just want that momentary happiness. They don't think 'hey, is this going to make his day better or worse?'. Doing the easy thing isn't always the best choice.
Remember, You Only Live Once. Why think about that and realize, your neighbor only lives once, your best friend only lives once, your mom only lives once. When you take five minutes to make someone elses life better, it can make the biggest difference in the world. Start a chain reaction. You want change? Be the change you want to see in the world! (Ghandi) Think TWOLO (The World Only Lives Once) and be the difference, be the one the world remembers for the rest of time because you didn't do what she did, you did what YOU did.

Womens Rights.

I am ALL for women's rights, after all, I am a woman. I think all are created equal, and that includes men and women. I think we should have the right to vote, and the right to become doctors and lawyers and the like. There still seems to be sexism in the world, but in general, women are now given a much higher respect then in the past 500 years.
That has turned into a problem though. Women are taking the "women's rights" thing way to far. Feminism, hatered, abortion. Those are SERIOUS issues that I don't think america fully grasps. People view it as a passing craze, after all, its just a group of women who have the right to believe what they want. Is it really?
Women have taken the 'feminist movement' to the point of viewing men cavelike ignorant jerks. Where has the respect gone for the leaders of our households? Though some men are actually like my discription, most still deserve the respect they have held for many hundreds of years.
So what gives women the right to disrespect their husbands and bosses and do as they please? I honestly am baffled by the liberty women take in families. Making big decisions without consulting their husbands, doing exactly as their husbands have asked them not to, and not taking their rolls as mothers as seriously as anyone takes their regular job. Where has unity gone? Not only respect, but the oneness of marriage. I can see a wife being frustrated by her husband making all the big decisions by himself, and never consulting his wife, but doing the same thing to him? Hypocrisy, disrespect and immaturity.
The feminist movement, I believe, is one if the leading causes of divorce. There needs to be equal respect, not just extra respect for the wife, making up for all the years of inequal treatment of the sexes.
Aside from in the home, single women believe 'my body, my choice'. This is the main argument in the abortion issue. For the longest time, abortion doctors used the 'it's just a wad of tissue' argument, and so have women. Science has proven beyond the point of denial that it is indeed NOT a wad of tissue. So now women claim its their body, so they can decide what happens to the inside of it.
Aside from the fact that it is a human baby, let's look at this from a scientific point of view.
When a baby is created, it takes 23 chromosomes from the woman AND the man. Not just the woman. Then those chromosomes are put together, and it creates a completely different string of DNA. These chromosomes and DNA grow into a seperate body, a separate mind and separate feelings. Completely seperate. The mother cannot feel what the baby feels, just as the baby cannot feel what the mother feels. This baby has rights.
Abortion is legal through all nine months of pregnancy, so at what moment during birth does a 'fetus' magically become human? During all nine months of pregnancy, this baby has its own string of DNA. If the baby is a girl, where are her women's rights? Since when do women's rights involve another human life?
In my closing statement, I would like to say, moms, women, the future generations in your hands. If you want a respectful generation, you MUST show your daughters, sisters, cousins and friends what it means to be a woman. We look up to you, we do as we see you do. We are influenced and molded at a very young age, so act now. 
I am so grateful God put me in the family I am in. I am a very independent and out spoken person, so without the influence of my mother, I would be a completely different person. My mother is the picture of a proverbs 31 women and I thank Christ for that daily. Moms, we need you. You're all we have. Show us what real woman are.

Missing someone?

There are 7,000,000,000,000 people in the world. 300,000,000 people in America, 25,000,000 in Texas and 2.1 million in Houston TX (My home town). Out of the twenty five million people in Texas, and the two million people in Houston, I know a few hundred. I am at least friends with 200 or so, related to and close friends with far fewer. I would even dare to say I could count my close friends with my two hands.

Now think about your closest friend. The one friend that you know you can tell ANYTHING. Your relationship with them is so unique, so close and so matchless that you cannot even think of what you would do without them. If you could have another friend like them, would you? Not a replacement, not even the same type relationship, but another friend that you are so close to and can tell anything, that you can spend your weekends with etc.? After having a lot of trouble with the relationships I have now, The idea of one more best friend, aside from the two I have now, is increasingly favorable.

Although we don't all have relationship troubles, or even want more friends, maybe you were just having a really crappy day. You slipped and fell in a puddle of water in front of 20 people, you almost got run over -TWICE- you stepped in mud, stepped in mud again, and then stepped on a piece of glass (Yes, I did get this story from personal experience). Then the rest of the day was disappointing and you had a grey cloud following you everywhere. Where was that one person to brighten your day? There could have been a girl who walked up to you and said "Hey, I love your hair!" or a guy who just couldn't stop smiling at you, or even and old lady who just wanted to tell you that you made her day. Those people are the ones who matter. They make the world go round. So where are they?

Lets look at things from a bigger perspective. Aside from those who directly effect your life, there are those who effect the whole world. There are those who haven't yet also. According to the Population Reference Bureau, more than 100,000,000,000 people have walked this earth. Out of all those people, why has no one found the cure for cancer? Why has no one found the cure for Aids, or even the common cold? How is that even possible?

Do you not think that with how many loved ones we have lost to cancer and aids, that we would not want to do something about that? Of course we do so much! We donate our time and money to find a cure, we pray, beg and plead with a God we may not even believe in to give our wife or son a chance to be healthy again. We do so much, but do we do everything? If you were in that situation, as I know some of you are, wouldn't you do everything? What do you think everything includes? Donating a ridiculous amount of money? Spending hours in the hospital making a little dad laugh so that he wants to make it through this cancer? What if everything meant discontinuing abortion?

The sudden subject change has probably thrown you off. What does abortion have to do with cancer, or aids or even the common cold? As I was reflecting on earlier in the post, we still do not have cures for these seemingly incurable diseases still, and do not seem to have the people in our life that we need. So where are they? Abortion has caused us to lose 53 million babies since 1973, the date of Roe v. Wade. 3000 children daily. That is where those people are going. You may never meet that best friend, that future spouse or even that one person that makes all the difference in the world. The world may never discover an end to cancer or a cure to the common cold. The question now is, WHY? These lives are lost, never given the chance to grow up, or smile, or even meet mommy. Life may not be fair, but shouldn't we work towards that? We don't give up on something just because it seems impossible, we work towards a goal to make the world a better place for others.

53 million babies is about one third of america's population. Think of three of your best friends, or three of your siblings. Now think of one of them being gone. 1 out of 3 may not seem like much, but 10 out of 30? Even this; That knocks your favorite NFL team down to 25. Your wedding just went from 120 down to 80. How many people will attend your funeral?

Every living person makes a difference, so why would we take away their chance to walk on this earth and live for it?

You may not have an abortion. You may not even be pro choice. That is great, but what difference does it make if you do not do anything about it? There is so much we all can do, and it duants me how not everything that can be done, is done.

There is an entire month dedicated to breast cancer awereness, and I admire the passion behind their movement. Seeing that, why does our passion go unfed and neglected? Knowing now that we could have so much more on this earth, and we are throwing that away, does that not substain and feed our desire for the greater good of the society?

Think about where we might be if we had given those little girls and boys a chance, now think about what you're going to do about it.

Whats with the name?

Love Independence Freedom Equality. I was inspired to start this blog after my week at REveAL, a Pro Life summer camp that I have now attended twice. You may be wondering why I chose those  words for my blog title, or you may have already guessed. LIFE is the acronym of  "Love Independence Freedom Equality". I made this blog to show my wholehearted support of life, a right SO IMPERATIVE, it is the first right stated in the Declaration of Independence.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

 Who then has the right to take this away from us?

Love of life, Independence of others, Freedom of Speech and Equality of all those existing. I have decided that THAT is my blog's motto. 

Love of life. I have a passion for life. I LOVE life. I respect the fact that each and every life that comes into existence is a very valuable light shining brightly for all to see. Each life has a purpose, and will effect the world in some way or another. Each life should be given an equal amount of respect, whether in the womb, on its deathbed or just trying to make it in the world. You, as a human life, deserve that respect. Without your life, the world is incomplete.

Independence of others. All of you are unique, and therefor independent. No one can be you, just as you can be no one else. To be you, you have to make your own decisions, form your own opinions, build your own respect and make your own mark on the world. No one can do that for you. You have to take responsibility of your OWN life. Your decisions are yours and no one elses. You can't blame others for your mistakes, just as they cannot blame you for theirs. Take responsibility, be you. It's your life, live it to your conviction.

Freedom of speech. You have the right to speak up against what isn't right, to share your opinion, to tell others what you think is right or wrong. It's your God given gift to speak out. So do it! If you don't say it, who will? United states representatives get about a few hundred letters from people telling them what they want taken care of. A few hundred out of a few hundred THOUSAND. And usually, the issues they get the most letters from AREN'T about the most difficult issues in America. They are usually about small issues like whether it should be legal to eat horses or a small matter of that kind. Not that those issues aren't important, but WHO is writing their rep. with issues like Abortion, Euthanasia, Government spending or domestic violence? SPEAK OUT! SPEAK UP! Tell someone what you think! Your opinion is needed so much that is not even funny! Lead by example, you could be the next best thing to happen to the world, and all you have to do is say something.

Equality of all those existing. A huge issue that plagues our world today is inequality. Sexism, racism, discrimination on wealth, social status, age and so many more. The world today is so selfish and hateful! Where did hate ever get someone except the back of a police car? Is that what the world wants? A race of humans bred to despise because you are not the same? What baffles me the most is WHY. WHY would anyone want the world to be the same? Where then is the talent, where then is the unique abilities we search for in a new friend? We are reliant on those who can do things we cannot do. If we bred a race of humans built of the same substance and understanding, who would reach the top shelf, or climb under the fence to rescue the lost ball? We must have a group of people with every different capability, or the world will fall. The point of going into detail about the necessity of all those who are different is that we all still manage to be equal. Don't hate a girl because she isn't your type. Don't get mad at a guy because he doesn't know that what he is doing makes you tick. Don't judge me because I commit different sins than you. We all make mistakes that equal and translate the same. We all help change the world in a different but equally valuable way. 

That is what I believe life is. Love, Independence, Freedom and Equality.