Lesson #41: Study hall actually can help you.

I had zero homework this weekend. It was probably the best feeling in the world! This weekend was all about fun and relaxation. It was good to spend time with some of my favorite people in my life! I absolutely love weekends like this. Sadly, I don't get them very often.

Philippians 2:14, "Do everything without complaining or arguing." This is one of my favorite verses, but it's hard to follow sometimes. Being the week before Spring Break, all the teachers decide to pack as much as they can in this one week. (Which is not fair, because we DO have lives! Whether they think we do or not. Haha) It really is hard not to complain sometimes. I know, trust me. But honestly, there's a point when you really just need to stop. Because nobody likes hearing somebody complain about every little thing. It gets old. So let's be positive! No matter what our circumstance!

Use your study hall time. I think I'll start using mine a little more wisely from now on.

Lesson #40: It's beyond my control.

Do you ever feel like you have absolutely NO idea what you're here for? Why you were created? What your purpose is? Well, me too. I feel that way a lot, actually. But we all have a purpose, and that purpose is what? Well, it's different for everyone.

When I feel like I have no purpose, one verse always comes to mind. Jeremiah 29:11. It's a pretty well-known verse. "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'" Doesn't that just give you some sort of sense of security? To know that God knows every plan he has for you? And for your future? God isn't just making this up as He goes. He's known forever what it is. So just trust him.

It's beyond our control.

Lesson #39: "True to ya heart, you must be true to ya heart..."

Be true to your heart, and yourself. Not everyone or everything around you. Don't try to just do things because it will please everyone else. Don't lie about things to make yourself seem better. It isn't worth it! If people can't accept you for who you are, then they DO NOT MATTER. "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." --Dr. Suess. So be who YOU are. Not who other people expect you to be. Live YOUR life.

Lesson #38: "When life hands you lemons, make... Grape juice?"

Everyone knows the saying "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade!" Well, lately I've been making a lot of lemonade. Or, trying to. But life keeps throwing too many lemons at once! So I was thinking, maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way. Maybe the lemonade I'm making isn't the right kind. Maybe I should take these lemons that life keeps throwing at me and making something completely different: Grape juice. (No one will ever see that coming!) When I think lemons, I think sour. Sure, you can add sugar to it to make it sweet, but you will eventually run out of sugar to do so. I don't know how many of you have tasted freshly made grape juice, but it is out of this world. Just requires a little time and work. Same with our lives! You can keep putting sugar on those lemons, but eventually you'll run out and then what? OR you could make grape juice. It's not always fun, or quick, but in the end, it's worth it. It's not fake, and it doesn't require anything but yourself.

Does 2+2=5? No, but you can most certainly make grape juice from lemons.

Lesson #37: "Why not?"

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."  ~Milton Berle. We can't just wait for something to come along in life. Because nothing will come to those who don't make an effort. So build a door, and odds are, opportunity might come knocking. Could be a small opportunity, but many small ones can get us somewhere quicker than waiting for one big one to come along!

Oh yeah, and when you ask why I'm going to tour ACU if I already "know the campus", well, why not? Free food, a day of fun, learn more about college, and skipping school? I think that answers itself.

Lesson #36: Life is tough, wear a helmet.

Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Amen.

Lesson #35: Friends are the best medicine.

When times get tough, surround yourself with good friends. They always make things easier for you! So to all my best friends, I LOVE YOU.

Lesson #34: "You remember that one old computer game? With the mouse?"

Today was ahhhhhh-mazing. The weather was beautiful, it was a Friday, and I got to spend time with my wonderful friends! The last three periods today were all free days. In physics, Reilly, Beth, Kyle and I went and laid in the grass in the courtyard. In study hall, Daniel and I rediscovered an old computer game! (I'll get back to that). In Theatre, well, today was supposed to be a half day so he didn't have anything planned. Our class just went back outside and chilled. Anyway, back to the old computer game. On our old computer, when we still had windows '95, there was a game called 'Rodents Revenge'. Anyone else remember this game? I used to play it ALL the time! I'm not the best at it, but I still love playing it. (I found a link to the game if you'd like to play it, also!) It just brings back memories from my childhood, when we still had dial-up Internet and I wasn't allowed to be online 24/7. (Oh the good ole days..)

Today was awesome.

Lesson #33: Don't judge a book by its cover.

I'm pretty good at hiding my emotions when I want to. But there's those days where I just can't hold them in any longer. I hate it when I'm like that, because I don't like attention. So I normally try to hide the fact that I'm upset or angry. But there are those times where its easy to tell how I'm feeling.

I'm sure a lot of people try to hide their emotions as well. Everyone is going through some kind of battle. Just because they look happy and care-free on the outside, doesn't mean they feel that way on the inside. Just remember that even the super happy positive people like I try to be go through sad times. And remember that they need care and love just as much as those who show their emotions. I honestly don't like attention, but I don't particularly like being ignored just because people think I have everything right and I'm perfecty fine. Everyone needs the same amount of love. No matter what they're going through on the outside, there's always something different going on on the inside!

So don't assume that just because the outside of this book looks good that the inside is good, too. Take the time to find out!

Lesson #32: Only God can make this flower grow.

I love flowers. They're just so happy and beautiful, and by far one of my favorite of God's many creations. My favorite flowers are daisies. They just seem so happy. Even the name is happy. I don't know about you, but when I hear daisy, I think of smiles! If I was a flower, I'd be a white daisy.

1 Corinthians 3:7, "So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." There's the planter, and there's the seed. There's the sun, and there's the water. All of these things can help produce a flower. But God is the only thing that actually makes it grow. Everything ties back to God. In life, we are the seeds. As we grow, we go through cycles of dry heat, bitter cold, and lush sunlight. In the bad times is when we need to look to God for our water and sun. Without it, we would just be a dead plant sitting in the dirt. How does that sound?

Sure, we have the "planters" who help us grow in our spiritual life. We call them preachers, ministers, mentors, elders, etc. But who put them in our life? God. We have the "water" in our life, we call them friends. Who put them there? God. We also have the "sun" in our life. We call him Jesus. (No pun intended.) And who put Him there? God. Everything in our spiritual life ties back to God. So let's remember that He, and He alone, is the rock. I'm not perfect, I struggle with this concept a lot.

Only God can make this flower grow.