WORDS HURT!!!!!

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me...

YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!!!!

Regardless of what we would like to admit, words hurt. We have all felt the sting of an unkind comment. Nobody is safe because the cold truth is everybody is hated by someone, no matter what. No matter how hard you try, how nice you seem.

The most common thing is size or physical appearance. Why do we do this? Why do we think one person is less beautiful than another? True beauty isn't seen on the outside, it's seen with the spirit that lives within. Why should someones skin, size, hair, clothes, anything matter? If they are a good person, they are beautiful.

It's a common misconception that thin people are excluded from these hurtful comments about size. Here are a few things people have said to me, personally..

Too skinny is a bad thing..
Unhealthy..
Gross..
Do you have an eating disorder..
You need to eat more..
Real women have a lot of curves..
You have no body..
Only dogs like bones..

Some of those aren't too bad, but some of them really hurt. Making fun of someone for something like that is so trivial and useless, so why do it?

STOP THE INSULTS!

Do not let your adorning be external-the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear-but let the adorning be the hidden person of the heart with imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 1 Peter 3:3-4

XO,
GL

What is forgiving?

I know the title is sort of silly, but hear me out. You may find yourself asking the same question someday.

Forgiveness is a concept we are taught since the moment we can comprehend the idea of cause and effect. Think about it, when we were toddling around at the age of two and hit someone, what did mommy make us do? Say I'm sorry. Unfortunately, the concepts of apologizing and forgiving is something that is used so much that most people become indifferent to them. How many times have you caught yourself saying "I'm sorry!" without even thinking? How many times have you just brushed something off as nothing, something that should mean more? It's a blessing and a curse all at the same time. 

People don't always mean what they say. Can you ever truly tell if someone is genuine in an apology? Not really. Same goes with forgiveness. People can say they forgive you, then days, weeks, months, or even years later bring it back up. 

Someone wise taught me something about forgiveness, something that put it into perspective. First, there is an offense. Someone does something malicious or bad that hurts you in some way. Then, there is the reaction whether it be sad, mad, or whatever. This is okay, as long as it is kept under control. The right thing to do after that emotion, is to forgive the person. Now, I know what you're thinking, that's stupid. What if it's something huge that can never be repented for? Well, you still need to forgive that person. Without forgiveness, resentment forms. With resentment, the only person who is truly hurt is yourself. 

I think it's important to know what forgiveness really is. To forgive is defined as this-to grant a pardon for an offense or debt, or to cease to feel resentment. So often, we misinterpret the term forgive. Forgiveness is not justifying, forgetting, or becoming okay with the person or the offense. It is only ceasing to feel resentment. Forgiveness should be for YOU, not the other person. The rest of the things are involved in rebuilding trust. 

Moral of the story: You should never let resentment build, it will only bring you down.

I have been the victim of such resentment. Something that I had absolutely no say or part in that happened some time ago has come back to haunt me. I am paying for someone else's mistakes and lack of forgiveness. I'm sure she has suffered through the years with this. Maybe it's too much pride holding her back from forgiving, I guess I will never know. That's another thing with resentment, you may end up hurting not only yourself, but the ones who love you and don't deserve to be hurt. 

Learn to let things go. If it happened a long time ago and it involves someone you love, let it be water under the bridge. Although the relationship may never be the same, it's better than completely losing someone you love. People make mistakes, some big, some small. Nobody on this Earth is perfect, and they never will be. In that aspect, we are all equal. 

Resentment is like a glass of poison that a man drinks; then he sits down and waits for his enemy to die. -Nelson Mandela

Forgiveness means that you've decided not to let it keep festering inside even if it only comes up once in a while. -Howard Martin

XO,

GL

Preferences VS Politics

I'm about to spew some hardcore political viewpoints at you, so if you are one of those people who can't respect others opinion, I suggest you get off my blog.

I have kept my political viewpoints to a minimum up until now. I think that someone telling me that I was going to Hell for supporting abortion really set me off. Here's the thing, not all of us vote for the entire country based on our personal beliefs. Also, not everyone believes the way you do, so don't tell us we're going to Hell just because we don't believe the same way you do.

I tend to keep my personal preferences away from my political ones. Yes, I am a Christian, and I see that our country is blessed enough to have freedom of religion. (Yes, that means ALL religion) It only makes sense that there is a separation between religion and state. I respect that and try to keep my religious views out of the election, because when you get right down to it, a house of worship has no place in government affairs.

Someone wrote me on Facebook informing me I was a supporter of evil if I voted Obama, that I was responsible for the death of millions of innocent children and promoting the sin of gay marriage. I find this EXTREMELY disrespectful and uncalled for. I do not criticize anyone for the way they vote, I expect the same respect. Should someone's opinion mean more than another persons? Absolutely not.

First off, I do not promote abortion, personally. It is one of those things that just isn't right for ME. I do believe that it is a woman's right to decided what she does with her body, though. As a woman, I feel that a man has no right to decide what is and isn't right for a woman to do with her body just as a woman should not tell a man what he can or can't do with his body. We do not have a clear understanding of what it is like to be the opposite sex, that's just that. It comes down to this: In the end, I only have to answer for myself, not everyone else. I exercise my rights and am extremely grateful that I am able to do so. Why in the world would I feel it was okay to take a right away from someone else? Based on my religious and personal outlook?! That goes against everything our country stands for: freedom. So, next time, find out what someone believes personally before you criticize them.

The next thing that I was bashed for, gay marriage. Okay, here's some cold, hard truth for you. I support it 110%. Don't like it? Sorry. Marriage is not what it used to be. Times are changing and with it, the culture changes. This goes back to the whole religion thing, keep it out of our government. It was taken out for a reason. Marriage should be a right, not a privilege. And honestly, how many of you Christians denying gays this right have practiced every word in the Bible exactly the way it instructs you. None of you, and if you have, you're probably in prison. You conform your interpretation and practicing of what is said in the Bible to be socially acceptable. Do we stone people and sacrifice animals in this country anymore? No, not legally at least. It was perfectly acceptable when the Bible was first written, but society changes. I do not view it as a sin.

I am only going into these two topics because they were directly brought to my attention, it's late, and I could go on for hours about all of this. I voted the way I did for MANY reasons, not just these.

My views may not be the same as yours, that's fine. I do not care if you support abortion 100% or completely hate it. I respect each opinion.  I, personally, vote for what I believe is right for our entire country, not just myself. My only purpose for posting this is to try to extend the respect I have to others and make it known that what is on the surface isn't always what is underneath. I respect the opinion of the person who sent me that message, I just do not appreciate the way he expressed his beliefs to me, maliciously. It is not fair. Nobody's opinion of these subjects is right or wrong, they're opinions. But, there is a difference between talking like adults with respect and just trashing someone. Remember the magic rule....Do unto others as you would have them do to you.



"Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric." 
-B. Russell


XO,
GL