Reflections

I think I'll take a day break from the heavy topics and just reflect. I'm sitting on the couch in the living room looking out the picture window at all the snow and drinking a cup of hot chocolate. This snow was a God send. It gave us a much needed snow day, and I needed a mental health day. Lately I've been thinking about life and the road I'm on. To sum up where we are at in Sam's Life Story: I was born in 1993, the location and date are not needed. My parents got divorced when I was about three, and they were both remarried to different people by the time I was five. Mom and Stepfather have a daughter who is nine, and Dad and Stepmom have two daughters ages seven and five. I am one of two boys on my dad's side of the family, which is kinda crazy. I was a generally happy kid, life was different, but it was all cool. Sixth grade was hard, but I'm not here to whine about my life when there are people who live off a dollar a day. Anyway, I moved to my current location in the summer that I was to start middle school. That summer I joined a swim team, and even though I was terrible, I got better really fast and developed a love for it. Middle school is fairly uneventful, but I a lot of it seems blurred by the next part: my grandmother's battle with cancer. She fought breast cancer for ten years before she was called to Heaven and rescued from her pain. The remarkable part? She NEVER complained. Never "Why me?" or "What did I do to deserve this?" Just a smile and a joke. She was hands down the strongest person I've ever met, even if she was only four foot eleven. She past away a year and two months ago and not a day goes by where I don't think about her. She was such a remarkable person, that I find it hard to believe that she is gone. Her house feels so very empty, and it's not spotless like she kept it. I actually went over there with my cousins and cleaned it because I could see some dust. She kept the place immaculate. That house and her family were her pride and joy.

When I went to my concert last week, Of Mice and Men played a remarkable song called "Second & Sebring." I loved the song when I first heard it, and now that I've done my research I find the song even more amazing. Jaxin Hall's clean lyrics are fantastic, and Austin Carlile (former frontman of Attack Attack!) is at his greatest in this track.

So with that, I think I'm going to do some reading, we're reading Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers in Modern Literature, and I'm severely behind.

I'm leaving you with the lyrics to Second & Sebring, as well as a link to download their self titled album, out March 9th.

Second & Sebring
I believe its time for me to be famous,
and out of place.
I believe its time for me to move for forward,
when I break through.

This time I'll, make you,

Proud to see me over, come all day life.

Proud of, who you raised.

Your shelter, your peacefulness.

So this time I'll make you proud.

Proud of, who you raised up.
You know that I will,
always be here till' the end.

Come back so I can say thank you for this,
home cooked meals and a place to rest,
my troubled head when you're away,
I've passed the test, I've earned an A,
not just in school, but in life,
you'll always be right by my side.
To help me show, hope to all,
that are lost and sick in this dying world.
I'll use the love you left behind,
I'll change their minds, I'll change their minds.

I hope, I hope you smile,
when you look down on me.
I hope you smile.

This can't, we won't know.
I hope that I make you proud.

This is not what it is, only baby scars.
We need your love like a boy needs his mother's side.

This is not what it is, only baby scars.
I need your love like a boy needs his mother's side.


Here is the link to download their album, I hope you enjoy it, I know I am.


With Peace and Love, Always


Sam

Evolution/Revolution

Hello everybody, I hope the week went well for all of you. My week was fairly short, no school Monday, then Thursday I went to visit a college downtown. Yesterday, I saw We Came as Romans, The Word Alive, Of Mice & Men, A Skylit Drive and Alesana at a club downtown. This was my first stage dive and crowd surf experience, and while it was a reckless decision, it was amazing :D We Came as Romans ended their set with as speech about compassion and loving each other. It was a prelude to the awesome concert that lay ahead.

During Biology II the past couple weeks, we have been studying genetics and with genetics raises the timeless debate over evolution. And that thought has been bouncing off my skull lately. But here's a question: Why can't we believe in both Creation and Evolution?

Evolution can be defined as change over time. Like Pokemon, Bulbasaur didn't become Ivysaur over night. It took lots of hard work and a long time for Bulbasaur to become the end result. So we all came from Adam and Eve, but we needed to change over time to adapt to the harsh world we live in. It's similar to going outside in the winter time. You get cold, you adapt by putting a jacket on. There is no proper way to discuss this topic, as we base the Creation theory mostly on the Bible. I believe in Creation wholeheartedly, but I have been feeling like it's part of God's plan for us to evolve. After all, we were created in His image, but were ruined by eating the fruit from the Tree. So would evolution be steps closer to being restored to His image?

All of this is just guesswork, and I guess only time will tell.

I know that this probably doesn't sit well with some people. But as of now, I'm just trying to find answers in life. I'm trying to work through the Bible and understand what it is to be here. What is my purpose? Maybe it's just to write this. Maybe it's just to challenge myself. Maybe it's just to do nothing. Either way, I will search until I find out what it is to LIVE and LOVE

Denzel Washington plays a man trusted to protect the last Bible in The Book of Eli. That man had it all figured out. He was a total boss. If I even gain half the knowledge he had, I'll chalk my life up to a success.

Believe- AKissForJersey

Well friends, I'm going to get some sleep, possibly watch The Breakfast Club.

With Peace and Love, Always,

Sam.

What is Perfection?

Perfect- adjective- pure or unmixed

"I always knew I'd never reach perfection. And if I ever did, than I wasn't trying hard enough, because there is always for to reach for."- Seeking, Searching, Reaching, Always- We Came As Romans.

This quote has really changed me look on life and myself lately. While WCAR is not strictly Christian Rock, they preach a good message. In a world where the view of "perfection" has been drastically skewed, this guys shout the truth. That's what I want to talk about today. Perfection. What is it? What does it look like? Where I can find me some of it?

Well, first, I believe perfection is impossible. The only person I can think of who is perfect is God himself. God created every one of us in his image, but thanks to sin, we become skewed and lose sight of what is "perfect." Society's view of perfect kinda plays like this: Blonde or brunette hair (since red hair deems you a "Ginger"), large chest, good makeup, nice teeth, tan, and name brand clothes. Guys, basically nice teeth, name brand clothes and a six pack. This image is splattered all over every name brand store, Aeropostle, Ambercombie and Fitch, American Eagle. All shirtless men that are built. But really, all that does is ruin people's self esteem.

Perfection is in the eye of the beholder. Nobody can define perfection for you, you need to discover what you believe is perfect. It takes a while, and you may make mistakes, but that is why Jesus died on the cross. To forgive our mistakes. But we need to life our lives for Christ and not throw caution to the wind and do whatever. Perfection is what you decide, and you cannot let anybody define your principles. Make your own path in life, you only get one.

Seeking, Searching, Reaching, Always- We Came As Romans

With Peace and Love,

Sam.




PS. If you like what you are reading, pass it on! Let this truly be An Ever Growing Wonder.
SJH

New Photo

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Originally uploaded by Tom Sawyer Photography

Went on a shoot with my best friend Tom today. What do you think?

It's Been A While...

I know it's been like two weeks since I've posted, but I had some important swim meets I had to train for. But swimming's over now, so expect one post a week.

I've been thinking about the whole grand scheme of life. Why is it that we search and search, but can't seem to find true happiness? A couple months ago I was struggling with my swimming times and could be satisfied until I beat them. It makes one think that walls are put up for a reason. But I broke through those walls. I found that there was no where to go, but up from here. And I like that feeling a lot more than the depression of having that wall there. I was talking to a friend about how we've been single for over a year and he asked if "it was okay that he enjoyed the loneliness." I think that while the feeling of being alone sucks, we've become adjusted to a life where we don't wait on girls and we just do whatever we want. Sure, the first couple months alone are depressing, but after a while, it's liberating.

I've been single since a month after my grandmother died. Sure, I've liked other girls, but I've learned what I need to be happy in life: family, friends, God, and a good book. At this point in my life, a relationship is optional. I've got so much I plan to do in my life, that I need a head start, and life is far too short to just hop from relationship to relationship. I've planned to life every day like it is my last and live without regret. I think that if a lot more people lived like this, we'd all be a little happier. I've got loads of stories to tell, and even more to write.

I'm done for now. In retrospect, that seemed like a post where I just rambled incoherently about nothing in particular. Story of my life I guess.

Check out this song, I discovered it yesterday

-The Same Thing We Do Every Night, Pinky by Broadway Featuring Craig Owens

With Peace and Love,

Sam