"the world these days."

I think the media is trying to destroy us. I think we've fallen into a trap believing every single thing we read. The other day I had a thought about how the media would have covered things when Jesus walked the earth and then I got sad. Literally, sad while I thought about. Then, I looked at my parents last week and thought about how nice it would have been to be a part of their generation because they grew up not having the media right in their face. Negative, over opinionated people shouting negative things on Facebook posts - as if they actually does anything. How nice would that have been?! 

Last year I found myself getting super involved in politics. My views were shifted, I started believing things about these people who clearly lie to us. I believed every single word I read in a book or on the internet. I listened to the view of people on Facebook. I got too involved and it stole my life. It stole my joy. It made me think negative and for just a little bit I thought that I wanted to be President someday. I thought that working the government was fun - kind of how Leslie Knope makes it look.

Then I moved to Uganda because I wanted to. Because I thought that it was my next big step and it was not. I let fear win for a bit. I let my anxiety and fear speak for me in too many situations. & here I am back in Dothan, knowing that Jesus brought me back here. since I was 14 I said I was ready to get out of this town and now there is no other place in this world I would rather be - this city needs me. This city needs you. This country needs you. This world needs you. 

It does not need negative Facebook comments. I am tried of people being so negative. I think if we focused more on the the good instead of the bad things would be easier around here. 

When people say things like,  "the world these days"- "what is the world coming to?" - "this world is going down" - I get so offended because I am not married, I do not have children and I refuse to tell my little sister not to have dreams and goals because of your negative view on the world. 

I am not sure where this post is going. I just had to write and this is what is on my mind. I still have dreams, MEGA BIG DREAMS & I don't want them to go away. I don't want them to be suppressed by negativity.   

We need Jesus.  

We need unity. 

We need love. 

We need peace. 

those things are going to happen until heaven, but I am going to try with every breath in my lungs to love my neighbor as myself, to not scare the younger generation or talk about gun rights at the table. 

We need to be positive. Please be positive. 

I don't really have more to say - just love each other. 

#24for24years

I could write 10,000 words about today. I could write about every single story. I want to tell each one and I want to give them justice - I wanted this project to shine light on how important it is to share simple things with people. We are a community, a family - we were made to love each other and be there for each other.

So I decided to do something positive for my birthday. I did not want a party, I did not want things shined on me - I wanted to give small things to people I know and people I don’t. I wanted to share the love of Jesus just through buying a snow cone for a stranger, giving a homemade cupcake to a city worker, or giving cold bottle of water to someone working in the heat. I wanted people to know they they are loved and valued. I wanted people to take the joy they received in that one second of me me handing them something and I wanted them to share that joy - spread that joy like wildfire. 

This isn’t a blog to tell you the good things I did. This is a blog to tell you that I am in a FUNK. I have been for quiet sometime, I am in route to get back to being myself. It isn’t easy - so today I put myself aside and I fully embraced every hug, every smile, every laugh, every tear and I watched my sister and her best friend live it out too. They were excited about helping and spreading joy. I watched positive things get pumped into social media and while I never intended for my name to be attached - I cried each time I saw their smiles or heard their stories. 

Today was for this community. It was for my friends here in my hometown. It was for the mechanic who fixes my car. for the family who gives free hugs at the snow cone stand. for the Waste Management men who were on their lunch break. for the little girl who wanted a snow cone on a summer day. for my neighbors. for the family who wanted a Redbox. for the lady at the gas station who needed a hug. for the men who work in the heat all day. for the people who play Pokemon. for the pet owners. for the cancer survivors. for the people who needed encouragement while learning to cook or hike a mountain. for the people who look different than me, think different than me and act different than me - this was all for you. 

Today is a day I will carry forever. I loved today.

I am beyond thankful for every person who accepted these gifts. I am beyond thankful for the people who are continuing to share the joy. KEEP IT GOING.