Heads up on the really random posts...

Just wanted to let everyone know that there may be some random posts. I'm currently looking for any scholorship I can get my hands on and some of them are for teens with blogs. The point of these scholorships is that they send you to a website and say you have to pick out a car and then write a blog post about why it's your dream car or they'll give you a topic and you have to blog about it. I just wanted to let you know so that when "My dream apartment" pops up its for a scholorship contest. Hope your having a great day!!!!

We are who we are when?

So today something happened I have been really convicted about the way I reacted to the situation. Basically some people were making fun of God and instead of taking a real stand I tried to make a joke out of it like "hey guys we should stop, don't feel like dying" type of deal but I didn't take a real stand. I become really convicted one because I feel like I pretty much smacked God in the face by standing by and letting him be mocked and two because everyone there knows that I'm a Christian and that one screw up alone could very well have hurt my witness to those particular people. I was praying about how to handle the situation (which is take a stand if the joke is brought up again) and that quote "You are who you are when no one else is around" popped into my head and I really started to think about it. That is how the world justifies a lot of what they do. If you're the real you when no one's around then what you do the rest of time doesn't matter because that's not really you right? Wrong. Unfortunatly a lot of Christians (myself included) have decided that if this standard is good enough for the world then it's good enough for us. Well that mind set is wrong a destructive. For us as Christians the reality of life is We are who we are when EVERYONE is around. Our job is to take a stand for Christ in front of people not in private. We are supposed to glorify Jesus in front of people not just when we're alone. So, think about when you laugh at a joke, refuse to speak up, or open your mouth. You Are Who You Are When Everyone Is Around.

Vivint Gives Back: Please vote!!! Need all the help we can get!

Vivint is a company that deals with home living, appliances, and green living. I don't know much about the company I'm just going off of what their add says. However, what I do know about Vivint is that they're hosting the Vivint Gives Back Project. It's kind of like Pepsi Refresh, there's a list of a ton of charities and people vote for a charity of their choice and whatever charity wins gets over a million dollars to help with their organization. A charity that I really want to help out is Courage To Be You. I don't know if you've heard of them but they're a Christian organization based right here in the United States and their main focus is to rescue girls out of sex trafficking and give them housing and support. Abortion and Sex Trafficking are the two things that I am most passionate about. However, I've been fairlu active in the pro-life movement but I was never really sure how to play a role in helping victims of sex trafficking well here's where I start. C2BY is in 68th place right now...they need all the voted they can get. I know that all of these charities are important and matter but I really believe that Courage To Be You is a charity worth giving to and helping out.
You can vote for C2BY here for the next 3 weeks and you can vote once a day everyday! Also if you want to know more about C2BY or check them out before voting for them go here. Please vote at least once. This really means a lot to me. Thanks and God Bless!

My very own pictures :)

Sooooo....I said a while back that I would share some of my photos (because you've heard me talk about my favorite photographers and how I love photography and I want to be a photographer). Anyway...here are some for your viewing.

There's just a few :) Hope you like them. Let me know what you think. (Please be honest but nice.) Hope you have a blessed day!

Mac Lucado book expert "A Love Worth Giving"

Holah Ladies and Gents.
Soooo...on wens. night at church we're doing the DEVO A Love Worth Giving by Max Lucado. Anyway tonight we read something that just really stood out to me and paints a vivid image of what Christ really went through for me it just blew me away and really touched base with me. I dont think Im breaking any copy right laws or anything....I hope not (sorry Max! if I am) Soooo....here it is.
"Such love isn't easy. Not for you. Not for me. not even for Jesus. Want proof? Listen to his frustration: 'You people have no faith. How long must I stay with you? How long must I put up with you?' (Mark 9:19)
 Even the son of God was handed plates of 'croak-ra' and 'gasp-aragus.' To know Jesus asked such a question reassures us. But to hear how he answered will change us.
How long must I put up with you?
'Long enough to be called crazy by my brothers and a liar by my neighbors. Long enough to be run out of my town and my Temple. Long enough to be laughed at, cursed, slapped, hit, blindfolded, and mocked. Long enough to feel warm spit and sharp whips and see my own blood puddle at my feet.'
How long?
'Until the rooster sings and the sweat stings and the mallet rings and a hillside of demons smirk at a dying God.'
How long?
'Long enough for every sin to so soak my sinless soul that heaven will turn in horror until my swollen lips pronounce the final transaction : 'It is finished.''
How long?
'Until it kills me.'
Jesus bore all things, believed all things, hoped all things, and endured all things. Every single one."
If that doesn't paint an amazing picture of what Christ did for us in your head then I don't know what will.
If that doesn't bring tears to your eyes, then I don't know what will.
If that doesn't make you want to strive to live your life in a way that will represent God so that you might possiblygive him the smallest fraction of what he gave you, then I don't know what will.
Think about it...Christ did all of that for you, and you complain because tellin strangers that Jesus loves them is akward. I know...I do it to. But hopefully at the very least this will make you stop, think, pray, say thank you, just do something.

Summer Reading List

Hey guys...so I am a major book worm! Now that summer's here alot of us have time on our hands so this is a recomendation of books. Most of them are fiction a few won't be, some will be Christian fiction, some  science fiction, historical fic, and realistic....so yeah.

The Luxe Series by Anna Godbersen
*Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer
*Turtle On A Fence Post by June Rae Wood
The Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson
*Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris
*The Complex Infrastructure Known As The Female Mind by Relient K
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin
*Time Lottery by Nancy Moser
*Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
The Family Greene by Ann Rinaldi
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick
*The Shadow Children Series by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Against All Odds: My Story by Chuck Norris
Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen
*The Man Who Loved Clowns by June Rae Wood (read before Turtle On A Fence Post)
The Road To Memphis by Mildred D. Taylor
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
That Summer by Sarah Dessen
Jude by Kate Morgenroth
The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Matched by Ally Condie
Converting Kate by Beckie Weinheimer
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Sweetness of Salt by Cecilia Galante

Well guys that should hold you for a while. Now if you see a title that intrests you google it before you read it...just because books are like movies there may be something you have a problem with that I don't and vice versa. None of these books however use the "F" word of "Gd" (at least that I remember) I try my best to stay away from books that use these words. * means that I know for sure there is no cussing what so ever...the others may use the "d" word or the "h" word but nothing major. Some may not have the * but that doesn't mean there's cussing it just means I can't remember so I dont want to star it just in case. The Road To Memphis is about a black family in the 1930s so there is the "N" word in that book but I dont think there's any obscene language other than that. I'm pretty sure Matched and Impossible have no cussing what so ever but I can't be 100%.
Also Speak and Impossible have "rape scenes" in them. The Famil Greene discusses an affair and an illigitament child. Jude dealss with abuse. The Hunger Games is extremely violent. and Percy Jackson and Maximum Ride both have violence in them. I dont remember much about Converting Kate, The Sweetness Of Salt, Once Was Lost, or some of the Sarah Dessen books sorry. I just went through my goodreads list. Also Thirteen Reasons why is about suicide and it has alcohol, drugs, and it talks about sex but nothing to graphic, it's  actually an extremely good book just keep some tissues with you. Anyway so just google them first!
Time Lottery
Do Hard Things
and The Complex Infrastructure Known As The Female Mind are all Christian books but each is amazing and the last one is hysterical.

The Terror of Senior Year

So, I am currently a junior in highschool...and will be until next friday and then I officially become a senior and I am terrified! Junior year has been the best school year of my life; I'm not an under classman and Im not in the frying pan...yet. I've had a great year with my friends and there are several things from this year that I want to remember for the rest of my life like XLT, "Kool-aid!", forensics tournaments, discussions with my best guy friend about comics, the jolly green giant, creative writing, football games, and a bunch of other things that will make no sense to you as you read this. Point is it's been a great year. But now I face my senior year, the year of growing up and making decisions. I've had a plan for a long time graduate, Honor Academy, and college. Through a lot of praying and confirmation I know this is the plan but up until now that's all it's been is a plan, a dream, a someday thing. Now I have to get a job and start saving up...it's not a someday thing anymore it's reality. It's a this is real and is going to happen. and the truth is I am terrified out of my skull. A job? No more highschool? Moving out? No more mom and dad? What is going to happen? Now most people would tell me (and have) that my senior year is ahead of my and I still have a while before I really have to worry about this stuff...but not so, not so. I start working and planning now. I fill out applications, I stock up on dress clothes for my internship, and I start making payments on my internship...I have to talk with counslers and start college visits...everything that means my childhood is behind me and now I'm an adult. I have to grow up. However, I have a sense of peace through all of this because I know that God is in control and that he's given me godly parents and they've prepared me to handle myself and make good decisions. I know that God is with me through it all. So for those of you facing change and uncertainty know that God is in control and if you have recieved him as your personal saviour and Lord and if you;re serving him he is your hope, and no matter how crazy things may seem...he's holding you in his hands.

The Amazing Race: My emotional viewpoint

OH MY GRAVY!!!! Really really?!?!?! COME ON! SHANNON MURPHY SHANNON MURPHY SHANNON MURPHY!!!!! REALLY?!?!? What was the point in that ya globetrotters? I liked the Globetrotters up until now! Was there any reason to do that? No there crackin wasn't. SHANNON MURPHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! and yes I know I am editing and adding pictures its not creepy...but it is how I channel my uneccessary anger towards people I dont know!! and venting in random notes! Jet and Cord were THE BEST team in Amazing Race history!!!!!!! THE BEST! They were funny, nice, polite, they didn't cuss, they didn't ditch people (on purpose), they were just all around amazing and great guys! and what happens?? They get u-turned my a couple of "nice guys" hmmm....not so nice! lol..but really if they had been reversed would the Cowboys have u-turned anyone? No! They would have let it play out. but gee I guess some people can't do that!!! Well I am done with The Amazing Race for the rest of the season...I threw my little cowboy hat on the ground and cried...just like Daddy did when The Steelers lost the superbowl..oops did I say that? lol. Well here's to the best team to ever grace us with their presence on The Amazing Race Jet and Cord McCoy! No matter what anyone else says or whoe ever "wins" the million dollars they will always be the best and the greatest, and at least everything they did they did it honestly, politely, and they worked hard! When I take my trip down to Oklahoma (cause its like 5 miles...but they live like 3 hrs away...) anyway when I get down there I will see you and hug you and squeel like a little girl and then thank you for being the best!!! and now I will continue to watch bull riding in hopes of seeing them...and maybe now I will stop dreaming that Cord is my dad.....meh maybe not. lol. TO THE COWBOYS! Oh my gravy!

Luke Castellan ...and other things on my mind.

I notice as nothing amazing happens ....yet that there is nothing to write about...but it is very late at night and I feel oh so much like writing...soooo here goes. Real quick if you plan to read the Percy Jackson series and haven't...or if you haven't made it to the last two books just prepared to have everything ruined for you. So....I love love books and when it comes to some books such as the Percy Jackson series I become more involved and attached to them than any normal person should be....I mean I get attached to characters and everything is personal.....yes Im one of those people...you know the ones. The ones who would kill someone because they trashed Edward Cullen (only Im not thaaat bad...nor about Twilight) but you get what I'm talking about. so...in the Percy Jackson series my favorite character is Luke Castellan...the main evil guy...except I refuse to believe he is completely evil. Let's face it if your mother was phsyco and your dad abandoned you and you had to live a camp aaaall year and you were always chased by monsters you would be easily influenced by Kronos too...
okay this has nothing to do with my rant but it makes me laugh its from one of the PJ books
"Dreams like a podcast,
Downloading truth in my ears.
They tell me cool stuff."
"Apollo?" I guess, because I figured nobody else could make a haiku that bad.
He put his finger to his lips. "I'm incognito. Call me Fred."
"A god named Fred?"

another one
He cleared his throat and held up one hand dramatcailly.
“Green grass breaks through snow.
Artemis pleads for my help.
I am so cool.”
He grinned at us, waiting for applause.
"That last line was four syllables.” Artemis said.
Apollo frowned. “Was it?”
“Yes. What about I am so bigheaded?”
“No, no, that’s six syllable, hhhm.” He started muttering to himself.
Zoe Nightshade turned to us. “Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I’d had to hear one more poem that started with, There once was a godess from Sparta-"
“I’ve got it!” Apollo announced. “I am so awesome. That’s five syllables!” He bowed, looking very pleased with himself."

okay so Apollo is my 2nd favorite character...lol..I promise I'll get back to my rant...sometime.

""Wow," Thalia muttered. "Apollo is hot."
"He's the sun god," I said

"It seemed weird calling a teenager 'sir' but I'd learned to be careful with immortals. They tended to get offended easily. Then, they blew stuff up.

-Percy, thinking about talking to Apollo"

"You deal with mythological stuff for a few years, you learn that paradises are usually places where you get killed."

OKay back to my rant about why Luke isn't totally evil and I love him....however here is where I add my disclaimer I don't dislike Percy or anyone else, in fact I love them all very much, lol....but Luke is my guy! I shall defend his honor!!! okay anyways......
*thumbs through The Last Olympian*
Okay so...Im looking through the book trying to find the quote I want and Im already bawling!!!!!! Im not even really reading, Im skimming...see what I mean????
okay this is going to be alot of jumbled quotes....but hopfully it serves my ranting purpose.
"Then he gasped...'Annabeth'...it wasn't the titan's voice it was Luke's"
"He gasped again. Luke's voice: 'He's changing. Help.He's ...he's almost ready. He won't need my body anymore. Please-'"
"Luke ...collapsed, 'Please Percy..'"
"With difficulty, he stabbed himself" (Luke)
"Luke's left side was bloody. His eyes were open-blue eyes"
"You were a hero in the end Luke."
"Don't let it happen again' his eyes were angry, but pleading too...Luke nodded and his hand went slack"
"A shroud for the son of Hermes." (Luke :( he died)
"In the end, I wasn't really the hero. Luke was"
all of these come from The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
Now to explain this (condensed version) Luke was all *turn to the evil side* because of cercumstances I mentioned earlier..however the Titan Kronos (Luke's great grandfather?) (this is all about greek mythology modernized by the way just in case you didn't know) manipulates him into serving him...I guess...in the end he semi-kills Luke so he can use Luke's body to form himself back together (in mythology Kronos was overthrown by the olympians (or the greek gods)(also his children) and they cut him up into little pieces and threw him into tartuars (deepest part of hades(I find greek mythology enertaining and I love PJ series, lol)) anyway...but Luke is still...alive. Anyway the point is once he is in his "true" form Luke's body will pretty much evaporate (killing Luke) and making Kronos super powerful and able to overthrow Olympus and the gods destroying everything. In the end Luke wants to "come back" to the "good" side and so he overthrew Kronos by fighting him for control over his body and killing himself...now let me explain it wasn't really suicide...here's the deal Kronos had Luke take a bath in The River Stix so that his body would be indestructable except in one very small place (ever heard the story of Akellies heel??? (I know spelling stinks...but you try spelling all these greek names)) Its the same thing...well only Luke knew where is "dead spot" was and Kronos was so powerful that he didn't have time for Percy or Annabeth (grrr...she's cool but she gets on my nerves...but that is another rant for another day:)) so he had to do it himself. Ultimatly he saves the day by sacrificing himself....and he dies a hero!!! By the waaaay he was my favorite from the very first book...so even if he hadn't died a hero I would still love him, but he did so ha! Also can I just say the actor they got to play Luke in the movie is like super amazing (and super hot!!!) he is its true.
 JAKE ABEL!!!!! Just saying!  yay...time for the Jake Abel show!! mwwwuuuuuaaaaah....oh gosh wait til I go off about Matthew Thiessen one of these days....cause its coming.

 and there is Jake Abel being Luke....lol

and I suppose we'll give a lil shout out to Logan Lerman who actually played Percy Jackson...lol.
He's pretty good looking too...and he's actually a great actorr....]
....okay so Im pretty sure I could do a whole blog on Logan Lerman's eyes (along w/Matthew Thiessen's ha-ha!) but I won't...so YAY for Logan you are also equally amazing!!!
How ever forgetting Jake and Logan...Percy will never be as amazing as Luke....lol...okay so...see ya! if you never read this blog again I understand! ;)
Kaitlin

Difference Between Telling The Truth and Judging: My Soapbox

What was said: If I tell you, you have to promise not to judge me
Translation: I'm going to tell you about something that I know is wrong and I know you don't approve of and I want you to keep your mouth shut.
Reality:Telling you that I don't approve and telling you that you're wrong isn't judging you it's loving you. I tell you I don't approve because I think you're making a mistake, I tell you you're wrong because I don't want you to screw your life up, and I tell you it's sin because I don't want you to spend an eternity in hell.
Judging you is making fun of you or treating you a certain way because of something you did or said or wore. Correcting you and telling you that you're wrong isn't judging, it's loving.
So be glad that someone loves you and quit getting irritated when someone tells you the truth.

MY BREAK

Some amazing things happened over spring break. 1) I went to the zoo. 2) I turned 17! and 3) I went to Acquire The Fire.
I have no pictures of my bday or ATF but here are some from the zoo :) (next time I will do a blog about my trip to ATF but for now the zoo!!

 

In case you can't tell Penguins are my favorite animal of all time!!! lol, I think all in all I had 97 pictures and like 75 of them were of Penguins :)

Amazing Pictures!

Hey guys! So in case you didn't know my dream in life is to be a photographer and so I thought I would share some of my favorite pictures (taken by other people)
First though you should know that my two favorite photographers of all time are Ethan Luck and Jered Scott however my favorite picture of all time was taken my neither one of them. First off some Ethan Luck!

Those were all from the amazing Ethan Luck (and he has bunches that are waay better I just dont have them on my jump drive, but these are some of my favorites) Check him out at http://www.ethanluck.com/

Next Up Jered Scott!

Yeah those are the work of Jered Scott! http://www.jeredscott.com/

Here are some more of my favorite pitures whose capturers are unknown!

That first one is of Mike from Tenth Avenue North.
Now real quick picture of the 3 most beautiful men to grace this earth ;)

That would be (top to bottom) Matthew Thiessen, Taylor Mathews, and Jake Abel.
ha-ha I have been "in love" with Matthew Thiessen for 4 years ha-ha.
Oh okay so my favorite picture of all time is.......

This picture was taken by Father Browne from the Titanic. I have no idea why this is my favorite picture of all time but it is. For me when I look at this picture I don't just see people in line, I see a story. I look at the guy in the middle and I instantly want to know everything about him, I want to know his story, where he's from, what he does, his thoughts, his words, I want to know everything. This is the picture that grapped me and didn't let go it will forever be my favorite picture! Now maybe sometime  can share some of my own stuff :)

Real Christianity

Okay so this blog is sparked my a comment I heard a girl in one of my classes made. We were discussing our weekends and I said something about church and she goes "Me and my aunt don't do church. You go out and do your *crap* and then you go to church one day a week and that makes you a good a person? No thats just *screwed* up and I don't go for that." Unfortunatly her statement is partially true because we have to many fakers and hypocrites in the church....but this isn't about that. It got me thinking...how do I represent my faith? I mean I see this girl everyday. Sure I don't drink, I don't party, I don't have sex, I don't do drugs, I don't cuss, I don't do all of that stuff so I mean that puts me ahead in the game right? Right. But other than what Im not doing what am I doing? Because yeah she's right to many people live sinful lives and misrepresent Jesus Christ and that is NOT what real Christianity is about! Real Christianity is about surrendering yourself to Christ and giving up sin and living for him everyday not just on Sunday! However those of us who are sold out have become defined by what we don't do instead of what we do do for Christ and we aren't reaching as many people as we should be and we're not standing up and saying hey those people are wrong! Don't base how you feel about Christ and church on them because they are just as lost as you. We probably just come across as good people that don't do anything at all. So I wanted this to be longer but it's short and sweet. For those of you who aren't Christians know that living life however you want and then going to church is not real Christianity and for those of you who are how about we quit being defined by what we don't do and start being defined by what we do do for Christ!

The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business ep. 1 and my freak out

                                                             Jet                          Cord
OH MY GRAVY!!!!!!!!! What have you guys been up to? Well I love love love The Amazing Race....however you get new teams every season so you have to say goodbye to the teams you love (and maybe cry at their departure) and prep up for new teams, however you're never emotionally invested for at least the first month right? WRONG! This season they brought back fan favorites (which is why Im confused about Jen and Kiesha coming back....anyway) and my favorite team of all time is back!! JET AND CORD
They got 2nd place first time they raced! I have been soooo pumped for "Unfnished Business" I even went to wal*mart and bought a red cowboy hat and wore it during the episode tonight.
Jet and Cord are amazing, their funny, polite, don't cuss or trash talk, and they work their butts off, and play fair!
What's not to love?!?!?!
Anyway so I have been pumping myself for weeks I mean this is my superbowl people!!!! I am crazy about They Cowboys!!! and they only live one state away!! How amazing is that????
Anyway tonight was sooo stressful Capital S capital FUL! I am too invested into these guys! I cried....twice! They are still in the race but it's a "To Be Continued" and they're currently in last :(
The Amazing Race never has a "To Be Continued" episode!!!!! NEVER! Im sooo stressed but at the same time sooo happy because they're STILL IN THE RACE! THEY STILL HAVE A CHANCE! However....I will admit when it went off I was sitting on the couch hypervenalating and on the verge of tears!! lol....dang! I need therapy or medication or somethings. Anway all this to say next week on CBS at 7:00 sunday night (we have church at 5...so so we're done by 6:30) watch The Amazing Race and cheer on the cowboys!!!! GO JET AND CORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GRAVY! I love those two sooo much!
oh yes and this is what my hat looks like

wal*mart doesn't have any real ones!
Hope you have a great week! and I hope Jet and Cord win!!