Christmas Spirit

For Christmas this year, I'm not receiving any actual paper and bow gifts.
I'm receiving the best gift I could ever get. I'm going to Passion Conference.
It's a christian conference where people from all over the world come together in one place to celebrate
the love of Jesus Christ. It's not a gift you can wrap, but a gift I will benefit from in the future to come.
It is not a pair of jeans that will go out of style in two weeks, or a cell phone that will be upgraded in a year.
It's an eternal gift that can never be repaid. I'm so thankful for this gift from my parents.

Honesty.

There's often a time in every person's life where you lie. Usually the lie is to cover something up, to surprise, or to even be nice. Lying has become part of everyone's life at some point. There's something about the lie that makes us have an adrenaline rush or the ability to control how someone feels. It's something that someone can control when their life seems to be uncontrollable. Is it right to lie to someone if you are just being nice? Is it okay to lie about a dress that makes her look fat? A lie, is a lie, is a lie. When the realization of a lie comes to be known you get that stomach drop feeling like you just fell of of a cliff. It's the worst feeling in the world. The trust this person has had for you, now means absolutely nothing. You have given them nothing to go on or by with the rest of the relationship.

Honesty is the best policy. Why can't we all follow that rule?

Sandusky & the Sex Charity

Coach Sandusky was accused of allegedly having inappropriate conduct with boys that he met through his charity the Second Mile program. A graduate coaches assistant saw Sandusky doing inappropriate things to the boys in the shower and reported it to head coach Joe Paterno. Paterno then reported it to the athletic director and at that point it was pretty much dropped. In 1998 one of the mothers in Sandusky's charity reported that he showered with her son and may have done inappropriate things with him. Sandusky admitted to showering with the boy and admits it was wrong and promises not to do it again and the case was dropped. One of the boys he spent a lot of time with suddenly dropped communication with Sandusky, and since then it's been under investigation since then.

I'm not sure how this could have gone on for so long. It's a little ridiculous that a major university would let something like this go one for so long, or even drop charges like that. No matter where you are, this isn't something you just overlook. The coaches were right in reporting it, but the university wrong to let it go. I think this should have been over and done with the first time it was brought up. Not only was it inappropriate, but it was in his charity. Just so wrong. It's almost like he made that charity to take advantage of the boys.

Bungee Jump!

Have you ever thought of bungee jumping out of a hot air balloon?
I saw it on T.V. yesterday and it looks super scary, but at the same time
super fun. I'm not sure how the hot air balloon doesn't bounce up and down
when the person bungees down, but it doesn't. You are strapped up against someone
and you just jump right out of the balloon. When you are finished you just get back in the balloon and go back to the ground.
It's so weird that someone one day just decided to try jumping out of a hot air balloon.
I really want to try it some day. Hopefully I get to.

Pig Sooie?

I wil be traveling to Arkansas this weekend. I'm pretty excited. I have never been to the U of A. It will be pretty nice.
I have been having thoughts of maybe transferring there. Who knows. They have a really good education
major there that I have been looking at. I have a few friends there and it will be nice to see them.
I don't get to go to the game, but that's alright.

My family had a family day on Sunday. It was really good to spend quality time together. I hadn't been home in
about a month. Thanksgiving break will be some great family time. I'm ready to be home!
My cousins, grandparents and my family all go to Eureka springs for Thanksgiving. We rent a cabin and
spend some good time out in the sticks. We shop on Black Friday and have a Thanksgiving feast. It's one
of the best times we have all year. After Thanksgiving break, the studying for finals begins and I'm terrified.
We'll see how well we all really study after these tests. Good luck everyone!

Armistice or Veteran?

"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…" President Wilson 1919.

Veterans Day is a day for us as American citizen to thank and appreciate those who gave up everything and those who gave their lives to serve our country in war. It originally started when World War 1 ended and the Treaty of Versailles was signed. It was called Armistice Day. They eventually amended the act of 1938 and changed Armistice day to Veterans day.
The first Veterans day was confusingly celebrated on October 25, 1971. So president Ford signed a Public Law that changed veterans day back to its original date of November 11. He signed this law in 1975.

Veterans day continues to be celebrated on November 11th no matter what day of the week it falls on. It's a celebration of those who have gone and served their country in its time of need. These people are the ones we should thank for our freedom. So, thank you to everyone who has ever fought for me and my country. It is my privilege to write this for you.

Texas Rangers, Minnie Mouse, and Frosted Flakes.

This week has been the coldest week of the fall so far. I love cold weather. I can't wait until it's cold enough to wear jackets all the time and boots. There's just something about that time of year that makes everything seem more warm than in the summer. The Texas Rangers are in the world series and I am super excited about it. Trying to write this has actually been difficult because the game is on. I died my hair purple the other day. My mom loves it, and I find that odd. I eat my frosted flakes really fast because they get really soggy really fast. I also colored my Minnie Mouse coloring book today. It was raining outside, which makes for a great time to color. It's also Homecoming week and I'm so excited for the game. My parents are coming up tomorrow to do the walk around and see my apartment. I can't wait to see them. Hopefully the Pokes will pull out a win and make for an amazing weekend!