I'm horrified and in shock by our society.

A college student just commited suicide because he was videotaped kissing another male. He was harrased about it and jumped off the George Washington Bridge.

I am appalled that this happened. Many of the suicides committed in this day and age are commited by homosexuals who are exploited or ashamed of their sexuality.

This is not okay.

They are people, just as much as we are. If people want to be accepted, they have to accept!!! I see it happening in my public high school, too. My favorite teacher is homosexual, and a few girls I know have him, too. I was raving about what an awesome teacher he is, and they said they didn't like him. I was surprised and asked them why. Their response?

"Well... he's gay!"

A person's sexual identity does NOT define a person, unless you let it. I'm straight, but that has NOTHING to do with who I am. It COULD, but I don't let it. I don't want it to define me.

I'm disgusted by our society today. Abortion, Euthanasia, War, the Death Penalty, and now this discrimination. This is not about gay rights. This is about discrimination. If that student had been filmed kissing a female, other people would have been disgusted because that is a personal moment and an invasion of privacy.There would have been the people who thought it was funny and would have  Because he was gay, he dealt with cruelty from everyone, which led him to think the only way out was death. Can you imagine feeling so hurt, so depressed that you think the only way to not feel that way is to take your own life? That's how he felt. Nobody deserves to feel that way.

Make a difference. Remember Tyler Clements.

I'll never Forget.

Nine years ago today, America changed as we knew it. For the better and for the worse. We became an angry country, unforgiving and brutal. But we were United.

I was eight years old. My sister, mom and I went on a bike ride. My dad stayed home because he was working nights at the time. Our internet wasn't working, so my mom wanted to stop at my gramma's house to check her email. My mom looked worried after she had done that, but we continued our ride home. When we arrived home, my dad was at the door to our basement. I remember his exact words: "Stace, you gotta come see this." My mom ran downstairs. We could hear them screaming and crying. I was so scared. But I was the big sister, so I remember hugging Sarah as she asked me "Why are mommy and daddy so scared?". I couldn't answer. I didn't like that.

The phone was ringing off the hook that day. Turned out my gramma, who works for FEMA, was less than 15 blocks away in her office, and family and friends were calling to check if she was okay. My mom always answered the phone, but she never had an answer. She kept calling my gramma, but she never picked up.

My parents eventually told my sister and I what had happened. I kept a diary at the time, and I still have it somewhere. I have about five entries I wrote that day. One day, maybe I'll get it published. Reflections of an eight year old's experience of a national tragedy. My explanation to my diary about what had happened was simple. There were some not nice people who didn't like America. They flew a plane into a big building in New York City and lots of people got hurt. Some even died.

I wasn't allowed to watch the footage, and I'm glad.

My gramma was okay. Her whole floor had swarmed to the windows to watch the buildings fall. She was answering everybody else's phone calls. That night, we were at her house. I saw part of the TV footage. I will never be able to erase the image of people running and screaming from the falling buildings. The next day, my gramma rented a car and drove into the city. She had to LIVE in New York for about a year to deal with the turmoil.

I'll never forget. I hope you won't either.

This was in my Church bulletin this week, and I thought I'd share:

MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL

You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news on September 11, 2001.

Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say 'Good Bye'. I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK... I am ready to go.'

I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help.

'I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said.

'Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in Me now.'

I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of the planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their faith had saved them.  I was in Texas, Virginia, California, Michigan, Afghanistan. I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.

Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face.

I knew every name -though not all know Me.

Some met me for the first time on the 86th floor. 

Some sought Me with their last breath.

Some couldn't hear me calling to them through the smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take my hand.'

Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.

But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. 

You may not know why, but I do... However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me?

Sept. 11 2001, was not the end of the journey for you. But someday, your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are 'read to go.' I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

God.

 

 

Quote

"I must remember to forgive myself. Because there is a lot of grey to work with. No one can live in the light all the time." - Libba Bray

First day o' school =

SUCCESS!!

New blog

Greetingses!

I have made a new book blog. Go check it out: With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Let's talk Taylor Swift

So

I went and watched the "Mine" Music Video. If a music video can be beautiful, it's this one. And the rest of T-Swizzy's. Love Story, You Belong with Me, Our Song, Picture to Burn and now Mine are some of my favorite music videos ever.

Oh and hey here's her new album cover. Gorgeous, no?

SO EXCITING!!!

I have been following Lyndsie and Daniel's blog for a few weeks, and imagine my joy and surprise when I checked out their blog and saw THIS!!!

Lyndsie was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer when she was nineteen, and though now she is cancer-free (GOD IS GOOD!), she is unable to have children. This is Aubrey. She is the beautiful baby that the Brookers are adopting.

I am SO happy for them and they are in my prayers!!!

Little Fairy

Little Fairy

Fly Around

Dance Among the Stars

Do not think of who you'll be

Just love who you are

The world in which you live

Is as beautiful as could be

At least for now

While you are naive.

Stay happy to be alive,

You won't always feel that way.

Heartbreak and tears

Will soon become common.

The age of innocence will fade

Just like melting snow

The things you are sure about

Turns out you don't know.

The beauty of your soul

Will not always be seen

Enjoy this time of life

When everything is right.

Go fly to Never Never Land

And stay the way you are.

The world will never change you

And you'll never become

Me.

~~~~

Just a quick note. This is probably my favorite poem I've ever written. Like, ever. I was thinking one day, "I want to write an autobiography. All poetry." So this is the poem I wrote for when I was about four years old. I played a fairy in a Midsummer's Night Dream and everything in life was just SO right. Perfect. Nothing was wrong. That obviously changed. This is almost a letter to me, I guess. But this poem is my favorite, and I hpe you'll like it half as much as me.

Best way to spend a 17th birthday?

With Jesus Freaks :)

Me, Caroline, Leah Darrow and Alyssa

Caroline, Alyssa, Me, Sarah and Kristen

Me, Brittany, Krissy, Sarah, Christy, Claire, DeAnna, Steph, Caroline, Sarah and Alyssa

The lovely group.

Life in the slow lane

In two weeks from now, I will officially be a junior at the public highschool in my town. AAH! I entered in April, but this is my first first day and Its my first whole year. Absolutely terrifying if you think about it. Anywho, prayers would most definitely be appreciated. I'll be joining the swimteam at school and auditioning for the Fall play and Spring Musical. I'm also hoping to audition for Footelights' production of "Our Town", which I just read for summer reading. Speaking of Our Town, if you haven't read it, I recommend you do so immediately.

I just did tech work over the weekend for Footelight Theater Company's production of 'The Wizard of Oz". There are pictures in the previous post =)

I'm super excited to go school supply shopping. I know, I know, I'm a dork =).

My birthday is coming up! August 21! Five days. I'll legally be able to do... well, nothing really.

Anywho. That's what's happening in the slow lane. Peace out!

The Wizard of Oz

Glinda, the Almighty Director and Melinda

This weekend, I was a lovely techie for the lovely performances of "The Wizard of Oz" done with the lovely Footelights Theater Company.

Here are some pictures that I took with my not so lovely phone camera... And a few I stole from various cast and crew. PS. My sister played the Wizard. She was hysterical.

The Scarecrow and Belinda (The Wicked Witch)

The Three Wizards of Oz: The Shadow, Body and Voice

My sister as the Wizard and her adoring fans!

The Truth

You're beautiful
Inside and Out.
You don't need makeup.
You don't need a man to love you.
You already have three in one.
Your body is beautiful.
You're not an object.
Love is not sex,
And sex is not love.
You ARE worth it,
Someone would give His life for you.
Your worth dying on a cross for.
Your life is worth living.
You are unforgettable
Irreplaceable.
You are forgivable
Lovable.
You are perfect the way you are:
The Divine Artist makes no mistakes.
You ARE loved.
The perfect man doesn't want you to change.
In His eyes, you are worth everything.
The Truth is so beautiful.
Why are we lied to?