The Giver

Yesterday afternoon, I went to see the movie The Giver with my dad and sister.  I'm not going to lie, at first I thought it was a little slow and confusing.  But as the plot developed and the movie went on, it started becoming more clear and less strange.
The Giver is about a boy, Jonas, who lives in a Utopia where everyone is the same.  They wear the same clothes, speak the same, and there are no colors.  Jonas is chosen to be The Receiver on graduation day (where every eighteen year old is assigned a job).  The Receiver is given all the memories from that past that have been lost, from The Giver.  As Jonas gains all of these memories *spoiler* he starts to realize that the "Community" they are living is incomplete and empty.  There are strict rules (never lie, precision of language etc.), curfews, and no emotions (due to daily injections).  All in all, the movie was great and very interesting!  My dad and I were talking about it and he said, "It's strange, most movies these days are about teenagers.  And there's a teen who is a Christ like figure trying to save the world."As I thought about it, I realized he was right.  It kind of feels like Hollywood ran out of ideas so they keep repeating the same plot line but with different characters with goals that "sound" different.  While I watched The Giver, I noticed that while people may deny that there is a God, and that Jesus died for our sins, they can't help putting a "Messiah" in their books and movies.
Anyway, just a thought.  Hope this little review was helpful for this highly recommended movie!

RUDE!

Today, girls don't really see their dads as the protectors of their hearts.  My best friend showed me this a few weeks ago and it's a parody of a song by the band MAGIC, but from the dad's perspective.  Honestly, I think it's very accurate and also hilarious!

Fair 2014

I just finished my 4th year doing a steer at the fair!  It was tons of fun and VERY exhausting.  It's hard getting up every day to get to the fair grounds in time to clean pens, feed the animals, AND get them and myself ready to show that day.  My steer, Tornado, wasn't on his best behavior, but he placed first in confirmation which gave me the #5 spot in the sale!  Very proud of him and I'm sad that he's being hauled away tonight.  I'm gonna miss that animal even though he had a strange obsession with licking/eating leather.
One of the members of my 4-H club won grand champion showman overall for the beef barn and got to participate in the Round Robin which is where all the champion showmen from the other barns show lambs, goats, pigs, horses, dairy cattle, and steers.  For being a Junior Showman, he did fantastic!  He didn't win Master Showman, but he did us all proud:)
It's been a great experience and I can't wait for next year!  So there's my FAST summary of fair 2014!

Internet:(

So sorry I haven't posted in so long!  The internet hasn't been working on the device I usually blog from, so until I get it fixed I won't be posting for awhile longer:(

CYIA 2014

Just got home from one of the best CYIA Training School years I have ever experienced!!  For those who haven't heard, CYIA stands for Christian Youth In Action and it's where teenagers (ages 13-18) are trained how to teach the gospel to kids with one week of classes and teaching.  Have you ever heard of 5-Day Club?  Good News Club (GNC)?  Good News Across America (GNAA)?  That's us!!

How Small

It's that time of year where teenagers from high school are sent out into the world with a big ceremony we all call graduation.  I went to one today because I knew a few of the people graduating.  As I listened to the Valedictorians and Salutatorian give their speeches, and as they all received their diplomas, I couldn't help but think about how short life is.  I mean, to the parents of the kids graduation, it seems like yesterday they were starting kindergarten...and now here they are, graduating high school and going off into the world to colleges and jobs.  It might not feel short to some of us, but honestly, we are just small things in this HUGE universe.
I watched an amazing video by Louis Giglio about the planets and stars and how great and big our God is.  As I watched it, I was amazed at the fact that even though we are some of the smallest things He created, He loves us more than the birds and the trees.  So I guess the point is, since our lives are so short, we should worship and honor the God who made us while we're here on earth, and share His light to others around us every day.  I don't know about you, but right now, I feel pretty small compared to the huge and amazing God we get to worship every day.  Don't waste your time here on earth, because "it won't be like this for long."

Blood, Sweat, and Tears

 So I finally finished writing a novel and I'm going to get one free hard back copy of it.  At first I was all like, "Yay!  I finished a novel!  Now I can just upload it to the website and get my copy!"  Haha.  NOPE.  Now I have to do all the editing and non stop revising.
As my cousin points out things that don't make sense to her in the novel, I'm reminded that to someone who hasn't read it yet, it is VERY confusing.  But to me, hey, it makes perfect sense!  So right now that's what we're working on.  Making sure it all flows, makes sense, doesn't contradict itself, and all that FUN stuff.
To be honest, I'm tired.  I just want my book in hard cover!  But the thing is, if I want it to be well done, complete, and thorough, I have to finish the editing process.  This is the most time I've EVER spent perfecting a novel...like EVER...in my life.  It's been VERY intense.  Really...like...I'm sick of my own novel.
Anyway...the point of this post is that in order to get a good end result, you have to work hard and wade through the blood, sweat, and tears to get the product you want.  Things don't just come to us with the snap of a finger or the wave of a wand.  It takes work, dedication, and an aching brain to get better and create something you're proud of.