Appreciate

When I came to this school, I was not happy. I was stuck in  a mentally desolate place. It was like the Sahara Desert.  There was never any sun. I felt very contained and alone, separate from the rest of the world that seemed to be doing fine. My first week at this school was like being thrown into water after years of drought. 

I promised myself that I would do all that I could to show Maria how much I appreciate her. I didn't just tell her. No. I got excellent grades, I helped out as much as I could, I did everything I possibly could to prove that I was extremely grateful.  

Then it hit me.

Maria gave me a second chance. 

Just like Jesus Christ did.

I never truly thought about it, but I was sitting in church the other day, and it just dawned on me how I should be doing the same thing for God. He didn't just give me a second chance, He gave me every chance. I don't ever want to disappoint Maria, I want her to be proud of me, to be able to count on me to do big jobs. I also want God to never be disappointed. I want Him to trust me with big jobs, to smile at me when I get to heaven and have him say "well done, loyal servant" to me. 

Its all about an attitude of gratitude. I can tell anyone I want how grateful I am for them, but its a whole other game to prove it. I guess the concept of "Actions speak louder than words" never really sunk in till now. Now I want to run around the house, being helpful. I want to obey my parents and show them that I appreciate the sacrifice they made for me. I want them to be proud. 

I want to represent Christianity the best I can. To do good thing, make a positive impact on my world that LASTS. 

My mom and I were watching "The Good Witch" on Hallmark last night, and Martha, the mayor, was trying to find her "Foundation Stone". She thought that it was the only mark she had left on the town. As the show went on, so did her understanding of the true impact she had had on the town. She saw all of the good things she had done for the town, and how the people appreciated it. 

I want to do that. I've been thinking about how I'm gonna leave my house and go to college, move out, and go off in the world. I want my absence to be noticed. I want people to do things, and think of me. I want to make lasting improvements, relationships. My whole life, I've been thinking of how someday I would grow up, move out, and change the world. I don't have to grow up to change the world though. 

Maria has changed the world, by giving kids a second chance. All she had to do was become a teacher. My mom has changed the world, and all she had to do was be a mom. I've had such a huge mindset, that I forgot that I can do things HERE to make a lasting impact. Maybe me helping out in the church nursery is gonna impact those little kids. I don't have to become a hugely popular singer/song writer that writes songs that feed peoples souls, a house hold name, to change the world. 

All I have to do is love Jesus, and strive to make Him proud, follow in His will, and that in itself can impact the world. 

I know I haven't talked about my faith on my blog before, except for in short passing, but I hope to share more and more as I grow in my faith and my relationship with God. 

There is a whole entire crazy world out there. Art is splashed across walls, names are written on water towers, and everybody is in a constant race to make sure that they can make a huge and important impact on the world. Sometimes its the smaller things that make the largest impacts. Stay true to who you are. Maybe the whole world thinks your crazy for having this big dream, but maybe your showing someone else how to believe in something bigger than them.

 Maybe your a mom, reading their kids blog, maybe your a teacher, maybe your the guy that drives a tractor for a living, or the guy painting roads. Maybe you pump gas, maybe you are customer service. Whatever your job is, where ever your job is, you have a chance everyday to impact someones life, to change the world. So do what you do, and do it the best. 

When my brother and I go into a store, if we notice that our checker is having a bad day, we make it our mission to make them smile, even if its just for the four seconds we stand in line. Small things make a large impact. So tell me, who are you when your done being everyone else?