Call the Fashion Police on America

Read this first.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57585174/dressing-down-a-culture-for-refusing-to-dress-up/

This was on the Sunday Morning show today. I was glad to hear someone talking about this. I feel that dressing down is a big issue in our culture, especially when you have professionals going to work in pajamas ( I have witnessed this.) and students doing the same at school. This trend is starting with the younger generations and, at the risk of sounding like an old biddy, I fear it will become a social norm for everyone by the time I'm an old and wrinkled woman. I teach high school and I've had students come to school in their pj's. I don't know about you, but when I was in high school, you had to call home for a change of clothes or go home if you wore pajamas to school. The one time I wore pajamas to class (in college), I felt so uncomfortable that I had to go back to my dorm room and change clothes between my classes.

I'm not saying that I'm the best when it comes to fashion, but I do try to do my best when it comes to dressing well. I will be the first to admit that I have days that I wear sweats and a t-shirt, but I don't wear them to work. Dressing well shows that you care about yourself and that you may even want to reach your full potential, whether in the workplace or in your personal life.

Today, it seems as if people don't respect themselves enough to present themselves well. I understand that we all have days where we feel like being slouchy, but this shouldn't be the norm. I'm not saying we need to wear elaborate gowns and suits everyday, but, as a nation, we need to do better about the way we dress. We would do well to take some pointers from the Europeans. In general, they take dressing well very seriously.

This is my last point before I end my rant. People tend not to take you seriously when you don't present yourself well. They judge you before they get to know you. Yes, we've all been told that it doesn't matter what you wear; it's what's on the inside that counts. While this is true to a certain extent, it's also a bit false. It is what's on the inside that counts; however, it does matter what you wear. You wouldn't wear shorts, t-shirt, and flip-flops to an interview at a big corporation. Your interviewer would take one look at you and think that you don't take things seriously and wouldn't hire you. Just as there are times and places to act certain ways and say certain things, there are times and places to wear certain clothes. Don't let your clothes be a hindrance and hold you back from your full potential!

Persecution of Good

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/258646/christian-business-left-s-crosshairs-michelle-malkin

Today this news article came to my attention: "A Christian Business in the Left's Crosshairs". I was shocked by what the author had to say. If you haven't read it, please read it before you continue reading this post. I've pasted the link above.

What is this world coming to when people start attacking a perfectly good and wholesome company? Forget for a second that Chick-fil-a is based in Christianity. Look at what it supports: strong marriages, devoted families, highest standards of character in employees, foster-care, summer camp, scholarships, marriage enrichment programs, etc. Who would not want to support these things? Why would you put all this good aside and attack this wonderful company just because you don't agree with it's Christian beliefs? It makes me sick to think that people would attack a company that is trying to better society and do good throughout communities in the U.S. Chick-fil-a does not force its beliefs on anyone. It does not have its employees preach to customers whenever they go into one of the restaurants or turn people away because they do not believe in Jesus Christ. This company welcomes all people with open arms. As Christians, we are called to love all people and I feel that Chick-fil-a exhibits this love. Why would people want to attack such love?

While I have the same belief system as Chick-fil-a, I know others do not. However, that fact alone should not cause people to ignore the wonderful things this company is doing for society. We must recognize the good in the world and not destroy it.

Who needs a summer vacation when...

Who needs a summer vacation when you could have the summer job that I have?

Last summer I worked at a Christian camp in North Carolina. I found out about the camp through one of my close college friends, K-10. She was always talking about the camp and telling stories about the kids she worked with there and I just became really interested in the place.

After thinking about it for a while, I eventually worked up the nerve to ask her how I could go about applying to work there. At the time, I didn't really think I would apply but I was keeping my options open. I ended up applying and I guess you could say I had an interview. It was actually more of a tour of the camp and getting to know the man who would eventually become my boss and teacher.

Before the interview, I pretty much had a feeling that I would have a job there because I just felt that the camp was where God wanted me to be for the summer. I was thrilled when I got the job and I just couldn't stop smiling and I felt such a surge of joy and hope.

Some of you might wonder why I say I felt hope. I felt hope because I was in a dark place before I went to work in NC. I felt like all the worries and burdens of life and my family and friends were weighing down on me and I just wasn't living life the way I should have. I wasn't giving these things up to God. I wasn't trusting Him to take care of it because I had drifted away from Him. I still turned to God for things I still knew He was there for me but I thought I could handle some things on my own. Those things just snowballed and I let them come between my relationship with God. Although this happened, I slowly started finding my way back to Him before I started working at the camp but I still wasn't where I needed to be.

Knowing that I love to work with children, God placed me in an environment where I could do just that. I went to work at the camp so that I could teach the children there about God and share His love with them but it became so much more than that. God truly blessed me through those children. I absolutely loved working with them and sharing God with them. Being able to share God with them not only helped them to grow in their faith but it also helped me to grow in my faith.

I truly believe that God put K-10 in my life to help me get on the right track. He put her in my life to introduce me to some of the greatest people I will ever know. I learned so much from the people I worked with last summer and they really helped me grown in my relationship with God. I learned so much about God and myself. I learned things that I never knew or fully understood before last summer.

My boss told me that he felt that God wanted me to pour myself into the children I worked with and my burdens would be lifted. That's exactly what happened! The moment he told me that, I began to feel my burdens start to lift and I haven't been the same since. I don't worry as much as I did and I trust God so much more than I ever have. I have been truly blessed!!

I will be working at the same camp again this summer. I'll be leaving in a few days to go there and I can't wait to see what God has in store for me this year!!!

Finding Love

Every time I watch a sappy love story or read a sappy book, I think: "I seriously need to stop watching movies and reading books in which people fall in love." They make me wish I were in love and I sometimes feel as if this will never happen for me. However, I stop and remember that I don't have to feel this way because I have a father who will give me everything that I need.

I am comforted by the fact that God has a reason for making me wait. He has the perfect man for me and He is going to put that man in my life when I am ready. (Who knows? Maybe I have met this person and I don't realize it yet.) He has a plan for me and He gives me the strength to be patient and wait. I love that I have a father who would love me so much that he would do this for me. Not only does He have someone for me but He has a plan for my whole life and I know that they are plans to prosper me and not to harm me, and to give me hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Isn't He amazing?! He has a plan for you as well. So those of you who have felt what I have felt about love (or even life), don't be discouraged. Trust God because He has a plan for you and He will take care of you and provide for you no matter what you need. When you think about it, His love is the best and most important of our lives!! :D

25 Random Things About Me

Okay, I didn't know what to do for my first blog so I decided to tell you some random facts about me just to get started.

1. I love to read.

2. Dr. Pepper is my favorite soft drink.

3. Procrastination is an art form that I have mastered.

4. I am a recent college graduate.

5. I’m 22 years old.

6. I absolutely love to watch movies.

7. I’ve never had a boyfriend.

8. Blue and turquoise are my favorite colors.

9. I used to have an amazing truck and I really miss it.

10. I have an awesome brother, even though he gets on my nerves all the time.

11. December is my favorite month because I love winter and the Christmas season.

12. I sing in my church choir, even though I’m not very good. It’s fun!

13. I’m a firm believer in the fact that chocolate fixes everything. :)

14. I love bowling even though I don’t get to go very often.

15. I love to take pictures all the time.

16. I buy picture frames before I even have pictures to go in them.

17. Guitar Hero is awesome!!

18. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and am currently looking for a high school teaching position.

19. I went on a road trip to Washington, D.C. and New York with my friends, Madonna and Anthony. I can’t wait to go back again.

20. While in NY, I got to see Lea Michelle and have my picture taken with Jonathan Groff. (You Gleeks know who they are.)

21. I hope to teach high school English near my hometown.

22. I hope to one day go on a mission trip.

23. I love to dance, even though I'm bad at it.

24. I want to travel all over the world someday. I hope to be able to go to Italy, Greece, Ireland, and France.

25. God sending his son to die for my sins is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me and I don’t deserve such a great love.