Hullo, I’m Not Dead…

Hello, followers!  I’m actually not dead.  Yeah, I know I haven’t posted in forever.  Sorry about that.  I’ve been gone for 19 days out of the country (originally, that was supposed to be 18 days, but airport and airplane problems happen…).  So getting back home was quite an adventure.  I got to sleep in the airport.  If anyone ever tells you that sleeping in the airport is fun (I don’t think anyone ever will, but just in case), they’re lying.  You don’t go to “bed” until 1 in the morning, get 4 hours of sleep at most, and wake up at 4 or 5 am, not to actually fly home until 6:45.  And then when you actually do arrive at your hometown airport, you find out that there was only one bag put on the plane, and that one bag isn’t yours.

But the trip was well worth the airport problems.  This was the trip of a lifetime, and God has blessed me immensely.  I learned so much on this trip, while having loads of fun at the same time.

1.  I learned that I love listening to British accents.  I may or may not be a too little obsessed with British accents.  But on a more serious note…

2.  I learned that life is all about the people.  Our “stuff” doesn’t matter.  Only the people matter.  When you look at someone, think of that’s person’s soul.  The only thing in this life that matters (besides God) is people.

3.  I learned that America, with all its problems, is still a wonderful place to live.  Multiple times on the trip, I heard people, “Ohh, you’re from America?  I’ve always wanted to go to America.”  America, despite all its issues, is still the “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.”  I’m so blessed to live here.

4.  I learned that no matter where you’re from, we can still be friends.  It’s really amazing that you can live across the OCEAN from a person a still be friends.  I now have friends in England and Japan.  I mean WOW!

5.  I learned that History (His-Story) is essential.  How are we supposed to be effective witnesses for Christ if we don’t know the beginning of the story?  How can we begin to understand our part in God’s story if we don’t know the beginning of the story?

6.  I learned that we are all created in God’s image.  Having friends all over the world really taught me this lesson, especially on this trip.  It doesn’t matter what’s different between you; only the similarities between you and others matter.  And the number one similarity is that everyone is created in God’s image.

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But enough about the trip and my horrible blogging habits!  I’ve been reading and *clears throat* writing.  Yeah, my goals for the summer are nowhere near completed.  But at least that’s something.  I just finished Mansfield Park by Jane Austen and the NEWEST HARRY POTTER BOOK (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And the good news doesn’t stop there.  I have a poem for you.  *happy dance*  Sometimes I need to be reminded why I write.  …Scratch that.  A LOT of times I need to be reminded why I write.  So that’s what I wrote this poem about.  Hope it’s encouraging to you, too! 🙂

Words of Life

Words are nothing,

Unless I make them something.

Words speak love or hate,

Bring people together or isolate.

Words hold the power,

To help people stand or cause them to cower.

Words force some into a hole of depression,

And leave them alone in this cruel condition.

Too many works of words

Speak death, hopelessness, and darkness.

They rip hearts to shreds,

Give nightmares in beds.

Where are the words of life and hope?

Who will write words of truth?

Who will bring life and hope to the youth?

I could write these words.

The words started coming to me,

They poured from my heart onto the page freely.

I can write these words.

My poems have become more numerous,

As I seek to write words that are luminous.

I WILL write these words.

Have I been called to spark,

The imaginations of those in the dark?

I accept the challenge to be a light to those hurting,

I WILL be the one who writes hope for those yearning.