11 Things I Learned in 2011

Just so that you guys know, I have a lot of unfinished posts waiting to be completed so that you can actually see where my thought process was going.
I haven't forgotten about you.

So here's some stuff I learned in 2011, just because it's January first... :D

1. Don't ever let someone tell you you're too sheltered. The stuff that I've been told in response to being "sheltered" is stuff I already knew, and wished it wouldn't be repeated. Honest, you're not missing much.

2. Education is not the most important thing in life. Really!! The government will tell you that education will solve all the worlds problems.. but it doesn't. In fact, sometimes it creates more problems. I'm not saying don't learn to read (Come onnn, I like my readers, why would I chase you away??) I'm just saying it's not THE most important thing in the world.

I had to learn this the hard way. Ever since I was a little kid I've been an overachiever. If I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it all the way, the right way... or not at all. Which can be a very, very, bad trait... but it can also be very good. I got to college early, which is an achievement in the "homeschool" world...but I've had to learn that really, that shouldn't be my focus. No matter how smart I get, or what job I have.. there are still people out there who don't know what peace and freedom feels like. They never experienced pure joy from knowing unconditional love. They need Jesus. No amount of PhD's or Doctorates will ever give them that. I have to be careful that I don't get distracted from my goal of Christ.

3. You need to stand up for what yourself and what you believe in. Showing someone unconditional love doesn't mean letting them run all over you. Being love sometimes exposes people's ugly side. It's necessary to love them despite their "ugliness", but it doesn't mean being abused. Don't get me wrong, when I say "stand up for yourself" I don't mean in the sense that you don't trust God. But that if someone says you're unworthy, you don't take that. You say "No! I am created by God for a purpose, what you say doesn't hold any value in the large scheme of things."  Sometimes this is something you have to just tell yourself, other times, you have to let the person know you won't stand for their belittling any more.

If you don't stand up for what you believe in, then it's not really your belief. You're just a hypocrite. If I profess to know the God of the universe, and won't defend him in the schools, or behave like I know him at home, then I'm a fake. I'm not worth anyone's time. There's no point to what I say.

4. Love comes from God alone. The only way humans know what love even is, is because God imbedded it into our brains. When we fell from grace, we lost what pure love looked like. We don't model it very well anymore. No guy or girl can ever give you pure love, no matter how hard they try. And if the guy or girl your dating isn't pushing you towards Christ, then he or she doesn't really love you.

5. I am dangerous with sharp objects. No really... it's not even funny.

6.  I love my family. I don't like their bad days... but really, wouldn't it be weird if I did?
No seriously, my family is amazing. They have such a cool dynamic. They love to tell stories and laugh. We could sit around a table for hours just talking about different things and laughing. Not only do they love to do that, but when the laughter subsides, we can talk to each other. If we're having a hard time in life, school, work... we can sit down and say "this is what I'm struggling with" ask for advice, and prayer. It's such a blessing.

7. Homework is the most retarded thing on the face of the planet. What's the point of sitting in a classroom for an hour and a half, and coming home to do three hours worth of work??
And they wonder why kids are obese these days... I mean really, they don't have time to play! They're to busy being "educated".

8. I have weird beliefs. (ha!) To me, overpopulation and climate changes don't really seem like an issue. But apparently they're huge in today's society.
If we came from evolution (since that's the most widely held belief in the public school system, in my area today) won't we just adapt to the issues of overpopulation?
Hey... won't we learn how to take the heat? Hmmmm.....

9. I am no longer a tomboy. I used to hate wearing dresses and makeup..used to have burping contests with my babysitter... (oh boy, I just admitted that...)
Now I loveee dressing up and having tea parties with my friends.

10. I have some of the best friends in the whole world. I got a bunch of friendship necklaces from a whole bunch of my girlfriends, and have been wearing all of them around my neck all at the same time. It looks really really retarded, but it reminds me of how loved I am.

If you had told me when I was in eighth grade, that I would have the friends I have now, and even the AMOUNT of friends I have now, I would have laughed in your face... and probably punched you too (told you I was a tomboy) But the Lord has really blessed me. He's changed me a whole lot, and blessed me a whole lot. 
I guess I need an 11th thing for 2011...

11. I really love shiny sparkly things. Fireworks, explosions, glowsticks, LED's, fresnels, Pars, Cyclicals.... you name it, if it glows, emits light of any kind... I love it.

Those are my eleven things. How bout you guys???