Christmas Presents

"Of the presents which ones last" words sung in a favorite song of mine. And I got to thinking about that line. Yeah, I thought, presents never last, but then I got thinking again. That's probably not what the song means to say at all. It could easily and most likely is associated with the birth of Christ and the first Christmas which is what most Christmas songs are all about. But what if this song means a little something else. Whit if it just means that it's not the actual gift, the physical present, that people remember so much as how grateful a person feels to know that someone else was thinking about them. That's really why Christmas works like it does. When Christ died and was resurrected he was thinking of us. He was thinking of the people he loved, the people he was dieing for. And how can any person show how grateful the are to that kind of thoughtfulness. Perhaps by thinking of others and being a servant for Christ, because he would help us all if he could, is what we should do. Why not do that for him? Do for him what he can not. It doesn't have to me something huge, just making a sick friend some cookies or doing a siblings chore one day. They may not notice or show gratification but Christ will notice. He will be grateful to you and what more could you want in the Christmas season that to thank your Lord for all he has done for you. People will remember being so grateful for the things you have done. So this is my challenge to all of you. Remember what your savior has done and thank him for it. 

Me and Alexander the Great

Well Marissa was telling us today about Alexander the Great.  And for the sake of my fingers we'll just call him Alex or Mr. Great.  He's awesome.  He was way cool and beside the fact that he killed people he was a really great person.Obviously the killing of people shouldn't be over looked but I'm going to over look it for now.  And lets just remember it was a time of war.  So Mr. Great was a determined and very fascinating person.  Very worth studying.  The story I wanted to touch on was one that comes from Alex's tenth year.
Alex was found once when he was ten crying in a room. When asked why he said that his father, Philip of Macedonia, would do all the great things and that there would be nothing great left for him to do.  We know this is not true as I call him Mr. Great. That he was so sad and worried about this is endearing to me. I'll admit, I think it's kind of sweet in a weird, glory-seeker way.  But it's really what made me like listening to Marissa's stories about him.  He was a child who had worries and fears too. Abet less odd, well hopefully.
I'm decided that Alex and I are not very much a like except that I think we both like him.  We think he's pretty cool. But as I was thinking about this I realized this story relates to me a lot.  I'm just like that, I worry that I wont be able to do anything great.  Obviously I'm not going to rule a country or build an awesome empire but I do want to make a difference.  I want to change things and do something truly "Great".  I don't know all of Mr. Great's reasoning but I know mine.  Maybe his were similar, but I doubt it.  His idea of great and my idea are two very separate things.  He wants to own the world and  I just want to teach the world a lesson.  If Alex were alive today I don't think he and I'd be friends.  People seeking for glory aren't really that realatable to me.  But just maybe the was really just a Greatness seeker.  Then we might get along.
I really like Alex and he's got a cool name that goes right along with his determination and perseverance.  Seven months putting sand into the water to make a bridge to an island.  If that's not shear determination then I will never here of it.  Alexander the Great was named properly.  He was Great.

Worth it

Worth It

By Emma Worsham

Is it worth the pain

to be your friend?

Is it worth the tears

to see your smile?

Is it worth the ache

to be witness to your happiness?

Is it worth the emptiness to

see your passion and love for

life?

Is it worth the despair

to get to know you?

It's not worth not liking you

for your grades.

It's not worth not liking you

for the books you read.

It's not worth not liking you

because you don't listen in class.

It's not worth not liking you

for the things that span mortality.

It's worth liking you

for your smile.

It's worth liking you

to see one more happy person.

It's worth liking you

to see passion for life

no matter how short.

It's worth liking you

for your friendship.

It's worth the pain

to have been your friend.

It's worth the tears

to have seen your smile.

It's worth the ache to

have witnessed your happiness.

It's worth the emptiness

to have seen a passion.

It's worth all the despair

to have known you.

It's worth it

to see you slowly fade away

because I knew you.

It's not worth a thing

unless you know what will happen

at the end.

It's worth it

if I can help you home.

The Incredable Love Story of George and Martha - Good Friends of a Teenage Gir l- Entry 2

Hey diary, guess what!! I've got more news but it's hard for me to know how I really feel about it all so don't be judgmental, there are some very throwing comments that will make my allegiance seem different than it is. Not that I'm siding with either of them but what am I doing, here's the story...

So everything's been different. I started having great talks with George. He's really great but there's something about Martha that makes me so loyal. I have a difficult time with them both in the same room because she can be quite mean. The neighborhood thinks nothing of it but I think that they've all decided who to side with should things get um...I dunno, should things turn out badly. I don't think they will. Martha plans to visit a foreign land like Charles did. She's applying with the FLO (foreign land operators) and she's gonna leave as soon as they say she can. I think she thinks that she's off the hook with that but I think as her good friend that she needs to go to the FL so that she can experience the world in a different light. But they make such a big deal out of it that I don't know how it's gonna be. When Martha goes I'm really gonna miss her. She's a really, really good friend and I'm gonna be sad when she does leave. There's nothing I can do to change her decision but in all honesty I don't want to change her mind. She wants to do this, this is going to make her happy and I want her to be happy. That's why I only write this rather than telling them both just what I think of them. Although I don't think I could really tell them "what I think of them" because it would be hurtful. I should only say nice things to them but I don't think I do.

Oh rats! Mom is asking what I writing on about, I gotta go. I'm supposed to be working on my history report on the predicted Life Cycle of the (and then I have to pick something, my teacher is so stupid!!). More later I have to clean my room too!

Robin Hood

Why is Robin Hood a hero? He steals and deceives yet people love him. Weather fictional or real people many of them love him. And why do they love him? Both very great questions to ask yourself with even better answers. For one Robin Hood is a man, he's human. He feels pain and loves like everyone else. He feels a great sense of injustice and feels for the people receiving it. Robin is a very honest and good person. Which brings us to my next point. To begin lets just clear something up, Robin Hood was no servant or courageous peasant. He was in a position of power. He was of the nobles, he could have been patient and eventually gotten enough people to side with him on matters but how many people would have been killed if he had done that? His voice would have been heard and if not acted upon at least acknowledged. He had land with food and money readily available. But what does he do? He gives it all up to do what? To help the poor? To steal from the rich? What's the point? What's so great about a man who gave up everything to become a thief, who gave all of his goods to others often better off then himself now that he's given everything away. Some would call that stupidity. Now the truth that is often hidden from those who do not look is the reason he has become a hero. Why he gave up all he had to become an outlaw. The vary reason is this, he did what so many honor men in our history for doing but would rarely to themselves. He stood up for what was good, what was right and as cliche as it might sound, he stood up for what he believed to be true, what he believed was right. The truths he knew his country deserved. This is why he has become a renown hero! He may not have super powers and he may not have been famous or rich or even fed. Yet these are things that make him the incredible, beloved, and respected hero that he is and was. The fact that anyone, especially some with power, would give away all they have amazed people and they long to think that they would do the same for their own home, people and country. But again this is what made him the hero he is.

So I'll tell you why the people love him. They love him simply because he loves them, loves them so much that he gave up his entire like to starve for their rights and freedom when no one would. How can ordinary people say they would be like him if they can't defend their little brother from bullies in the 2nd grade. Now if you can tell me why Robin is thought of as a hero then I applaud you. For those of you who can't then listen closely. T begin Robin was not given a bow and arrow then told to shoot miraculously having perfect aim. No he had to work hard and try to get where he was. Everyone likes a hard worker. Next is very typical of most heroes but people like the aspect because it shows how much he feels just like any normal person. That is his love, not his love for his people but the love he feels for Maid Marian. Romance is a loved and carefully thought over idea in our world and it was easy for him to love her even when he had to be away from her. The fact that he falls in love not only draw people for romance but also for the connection between us and the hero. My last reason is almost exactly why people love him. He gave up everything for the standards and truths he held and believed where right. To end I'd like to tell you this was not to discourage believing in yourself. Or saying you want to be like a hero, everyone should want to bee like one hero or another. No what is wrong and should be discouraged is expressing that longing but not acting upon it. If you want to be like a hero than start small. Start with the bullies and move upward from there. Put yourself in a place of power where you voice will be heard but willing to make sacrifices. The very last thing I would like to mention is that Robin fought in a war before he became Robin Hood. He knew the horrors that death and killing could bring, even more he knew what horrors anger and hatred did to people. Their lives, their family and all the people they came in contact with. You don't have to fight a war to understand that but you must be merciful or you might as well be a common thief or murder. You must be politically and socially aware of your world an it's going's-on's around you. Everything I have written about illustrates one very important thing. Something very important to me.

Robing Hood is a hero with out special abilities or powers. Just his own skill and love. He's more human than so many imagined heroes and if that's not a hero than I don't know what could ever be considered so.

-EW

The Increadable Love Story of George and Martha- good friends of a teenage girl

Dear new diary, I need to update you on the secret story I want to write about my friends but they wont let me. So here it is, I hope you like it as much as I do...


I once knew two people named George Valkenburg and Martha Martins. Good friends of mine, older than me and very wonderful. I love both of them very much. Now the trouble with them is that I want them to marry. I know it's odd but it's true. Now Martha loves George, thinks he's wonderful and a great friend. Martha has also never been in any kind of relationship at the age of 43. My good friend George is crazy about Martha. He doesn't want to marry her or anything-yet. He just wants to give their relationship a try. Martha shuts him down every time

Not to worry there is another road block. George has a best friend as most do but his best friend is Charles. Martha's brother. Yes I know, it's a major pain that Charles wants to keep George from being hurt by his sister and his sister from being hurt by George. Charles has been doing everything in his power to line George up with someone else-anyone else in true. We have to look back into the history of Charles Martins. He was and is a lady killer. He makes them love him for fun, he sees it as a challenge. Often sees himself as God's gift to women. Sense he has returned from his adventures in the foreign land he has seen the world differently. That should be appreciated by all the world but often isn't.

Martha does all sorts of flirting that see excuses as being his friend. When George sees them he looks at them as her falling for him and his hopes rise. George once said to a very good friend, "I see her actions and look at it as a puzzle. I see a window and a chimney then a door. And I say 'oh, it's a cottage' then she says 'no, it's an elephant'. Now I don't dare put together any of the pieces". This friend goes by Denndy. Real name is Danell Nailly and got her nick name from a teachers accidental mispronunciation in junior high school.

Denndy in a really close friends of Martha and Charles too. But they knew Denndy before George so they get a little upset that he gets so much attention from Denndy some time. Oh and Denndy loves them all so much, like a mother (her being so much older than them,75) and can hardly choose a favorite.

My mom is coming gotta go!!

Be Positive!

Having a good time is not hard. When kids my age ask how people who didn't have TV's or video games had fun, I always got frustrated. But now I know what to answer when someone says something to that affect. I will tell them that it wasn't in the entertainment that others created for them but the entertainment they created for themselves and positive attitudes. That's it you just have to want to have a good time. It's not about what other people do for them but what they can do for themselves. Maybe they would read or perhaps they'll go out side and play with their friends. Of they might have done something purely on imagination. These are my favorite types of entertainment, but mostly I think if you want to have fun you need to be positive. I know this isn't a thing I practice very well but I think it's true. Positive attitudes are really important. They give a person the mind set to do almost anything. What if Alexander Gram Bell had quit when working on the telephone because he had a bad attitude? Well we wouldn't have the telephone now would we?! Or what if Konrad Zuse hadn't tried as hard as he had when making the computer? You wouldn't be reading this and I wouldn't have written this at all. Positive attitudes are the key to completing something, anything hard or easy. If your happy you can accomplish a world of good. I think if I could be just a little more positive than I wouldn't be quite so grumpy obviously but I might just be more social, hmm...I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I guess we'll see.

Thank Ireland

I don't know why I noticed her that day. She was different from all the other girls but not in a physical sense so much. She wore the same clothes but that's were the real similarities ended. But even her clothes were slightly different from the girls in the school yard that day. Maybe it was my imagination when i saw her for the first time but I am almost certain that what I saw real. Her story is on of the most often told in out small town scenes she came. For frighting children to bed at night, for making little girls believe the world of themselves and boys too. But over the generations I know that it will be lost, the true meaning of her beloved story. I can't let that happen to something so pure, so happy and so perfectly done. She had known it all but she hadn't known one thing, I delight in telling children that I was the one thing she hadn't counted on but not too often for the think I the criminal at times. I can't let her story turn into one of myth and legend fore I know the truth and can not allow myself to let that happen to something of momentous history. But reader you must be warned that this story is not all that it would seem in the beginning. It seems but one of romance and happiness and joy. It is so, it is a story full of lessons to be learned and taught. It's a story of pain and unexpected hurt. Things no soul could predict could ever happen to a girl like her. But remember that it is a dark story that none but myself know the whole truth of a wonderful girls mission. Remember that my friend, remember that. Be prepared. And so her story begins in our village...