I-it         vs.        I-thou

These is the two ways we can treat another person.

I've seen people as the 'it'. I try to forget about the 'I' part of that equation. They have been an 'it' too.

Who hasn't been bullied? Who hasn't felt alone? Who hasn't felt worthless? Who hasn't felt hopeless? Who hasn't felt like they aren't enough? But also, who hasn't felt happiness? We're all humans here!

I've seen 'I-it' equations. It is extremely... interesting to see from the outside looking in. The funny thing is, they both feel like the 'it' themselves, so they treat each other like the 'it'. I always felt like laughing and crying at the same time while wondering how to help. They were just both making it worse! Further and further and further!

When we discussed this way of looking how people treat people during class, I tended to look at other relationships instead of my own. But then, when Mr. Dye started talking about how he treated his kids and analyzing it this way, there was a new light.

Dang I need to be more careful.

Like in the story, I think siblings are the most prone to 'I-it' towards each other. Yet, we are with them the most and it hurts the most if our own family doesn't accept us for who we are. Friends, yes. They are important. Especially now as Mr. Dye said. But why does it seem to hurt more if you get less acceptance from your siblings than friends at school? Is it because we know that they know us better? Or does it hurt because we know that they don't know us as well?

My goal, and what I have tried to do for a long time, is watch how I treat my siblings.

I think 'I-thou' is the heart of charity. The pure love of Christ. That's why it is hard to do it all the time. :) We are not perfect.

My Week... Not a College Student Thank Goodness!

Well,

While my classmates were either visiting colleges or in Mexico,

I was still in school!

Yippee.

I did math, sketched, analyzed what I needed to do/fix, and wondered around the school feeling slightly... out of place... "why aren't you with the rest of your grade Sarah?" "I thought you were going to be in Mexico Sarah!" "Why?" "Why?" "Why?" Yeah yeah yeah. Got it.

I'll take the blame for not being somewhere fun, but I still learned a lot.

Big personal reveal #1- I'm depressing! I pity myself too much and need to get my face out of my pillow on my feet! I also learned something that holds me back. When I get too stressed or feel that I will never be done, I shut down. Whoop. That's something to fix. I'm going to have reasons to be stressed for the rest of my life. (Like... College! Can't shut down there! Just a way to explain the title...) May as well learn to put up with it, not be overly stressed (the devil to the nature of my brain, curses!) and move on. I think I've known that for a long time, I just finally admitted that it was an extremely degrading, and that it was what has always held me back. Not to mention my fault... :/ :) One of my fatal flaws I am striving to fix.

#2- I love my friends. They are very very important. As who they are, what they have helped me become, what they teach... just for existing! They are important because they are people. I'm so glad our paths crossed! They are wonderful! I missed them dearly! Every last one! I was immensely grateful for the ones that I did see throughout the week.

#3- With the above, I learned that family is the most important thing. Friends are important. But throughout my life, my family has been a constant I have been able to count on to stay the same (You have no idea how grateful I am for that. I know not everyone has that same blessing). The only thing that changes are adorable additions (that are a little feisty...). Forever too!

How does that relate to who I am? ... who am I?
I am someone striving to do her best. Knowing that there is a plan for all of us, and that we can be with our families forever. Also, knowing that I am a Child of God and no body can change that.

What am I going to do because of this?

Learn and live so I can help my own family. I will work hard to learn, and work hard to learn how to learn. I'm going to have to be teachable for the rest of my life!

Talent... for anything?

Assignment:
Post #3 – Write a well-developed paragraph on the following question:  How can you use your talents and interests to “join the conversation” online?  How can you be am ambassador for the gospel by using your individual gifts?  Make sure to title your post to reflect the meaning and essence of your writing.  Add a visual element.


Blogging... blogging.... What do my talents have to do with blogging?

I can play violin...

I've tried doing one blog. A writing blog.

Needless to say... it failed. Just simply failed :) (Well, not in my eyes. Somewhere to write whatever I feel like!)
I just came across as a... what do you call it... highly emotional unbalanced teenager?
I guess I was when I started it... Still am... Not that I would actually admit it...

Talents are usually seen as, say... a musical ability at a particular instrument. Or being to sing like an angel like a couple of my good friends at school. Or being able to draw up a storm with brilliance and wonder. Or like my friend down the street, being able to write in such a way you just melt! Or being amazing at a sport! Maybe looking downright hot is one of those... *Looking into space. (jk...)

I have been told several times that those aren't the only talents. Everyone has talents afterall! And no one is the best at anything! Somehow there is always someone better. (Although I just might be the best at being jumpy and startled at anything. That one drives my mother crazy. "Sarah! You don't have to jump every time someone walks in the room! Cut it out!") But one of my teachers told me that she had been told she was good at giving people the benefit of the doubt. They also told her that was a talent.

But hey! That means trying to make something have a conversational feel when someone is reading it is a talent!

I think that if someone were to write an angry comment on my blog or something I said somewhere else, then I would be able to keep my head and not blow up. Lately I have found out that that is a talent. The only person I have really blown up at is one of my five brothers. I haven't even blown up at the other four and I live with them! But it is hard to get me mad (that is not an invitation to try to. That would just be pathetic). Though I may not always be able to explain things the best, I keep my head. And I want to explain! I also love talking (obviously). Especially people. I want to make them feel better and know that everything will be okay even if it doesn't seem like it. My phrase: " I promise that though it doesn't seem like it, everything will be okay. Everything is better than you think."

Using the Right Harmony Behind the Words

"...And I'm a Mormon." The best ending to any youtube video!
But also an answer to a challenge. ;)

In 2007, M. Russell Ballard, one of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, addressed the LDS church, my church, regarding the internet, and how we should all be more involved (in the right ways)

Here are a couple of what I thought were highlights:

"I am in my 80th year. By some accounts that makes me pretty old. Actually, some folks think some of the Brethren may be too old to know what’s going on in your world. Let me assure you we are very much aware."
 We always think this way about our grandparents, the poor people. But is anyone really too old to learn? I think the apostles and prophets are some of the best examples of always continuing to learn as long as they can. I think they are especially in tune to what happens in the world. Would God send a guide that didn't know the landscape? Or even worse, a blind guide? We get direct revelation, and it is for our time. Not the times when they were thirty. Otherwise, what would be the point of having a modern day prophet?

"You can see how important the right words are today. Words recorded on the Internet do not disappear."
In this same address, he goes on to say how we must be careful. We must be knowledgeable. We must be kind. We have to be sure in what we say, but also be understanding I was talking with a friend the other day, and this friend didn't understand why words could hurt so much. I sat and thought for a moment. Why are they so hurtful and powerful? I think one reason is because you cannot take them back. You can do anything to fix it except with more words. If you steal, you can go back and pay for it. If you break something, you can fix it or buy a new one. You can't buy a suit to cover the words you said. They stick there. Especially on the internet when anyone and everyone can see it.

My Perfect Day

    One, I would wake up at five in the morning (No, I am not crazy). Rested, relaxed, and most certainly NOT stressed. I'd run around the neighborhood a bit with my older brother. Up by where the trees get thicker and thicker and where the houses are surrounded by their own forests. Then I would drive up to the hike that is about five minutes away, and hike it with a close friend, to the lookout point that looks out on everything. For breakfast we would have homemade sourdough waffles with fresh blackberries and blueberry syrup. Don't forget the hash browns and the scrambled eggs! We'd have to bring blankets, for this day would be towards the beginning-middle of March when there is still a ton of snow at higher elevations, but none at my house.
    After going home and freshening up, I would sit down and write under the covers. I would get up and play my violin to my heart's content. That is, until we had to leave to go skiing with my brothers and dad. Skiing for as long as we can, we'd be back home before dark. We'd play soccer and basketball in the backyard for a while, watching the sun go down. After realizing that we were extremely hungry, we would go help mom in the kitchen just talking (No fighting please!!). While dinner was cooking (as long as it isn't ice cream or chillie/cheese sandwiches, I'm good!), we'd sing hymns and other songs in the living room with my mom playing the piano and my younger brother attempting to play a couple of his own and doing his best. We'd sing dinner and clean up. We would sing Lizzie to bed, and I'd drive to the cabin my cousins usually rent around this time to be with my best friend/cousin. We'd talk and catch up, watch movies, eat ice cream, and dance around the room crazily to fun music and make up stories to go along with the songs.