40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes

Status Quo II

So I left off posing the question, what is our existing condition? Granted, I still dont have a solid answer for this question. So I asked around, here's what some of my friends said...

-"Desperate"
-"Wanting to fix ourselves but not help others."
-"Apathetic"
-"I think any response other than dire leaves us unmotivated"
-"Starved, struggling and lost"
-"Selfishness, pride and power"
-"Automatic; people just dont think anymore. They just go on autopilot to get what needs to be done"
-"Exploring a flawed world through flawed eyes"

I dont know what else is left to say. Unless we are dissatisfied with the "Status quo", we will never have a vision or purpose. Chew on this a little bit and let me know what you guys think!

Status Quo

"If we want a PURPOSE & VISION for our lives, we must be dissatisfied w/ the Status Quo." Brad Cooper, the youth pastor at Newspring said this in one of his Facebook status updates. This hit me hard. Lets break this statement down...

"If..." So its saying, "IF...we want a purpose and vision..." Some people will want it and some people will not want it. That's interesting.

"...we must be dissatisfied..." The word satisfied means content. Dissatisfied means discontent or not pleased. So its saying we MUST be discontent or not pleased with the status quo.

"...the status quo" Whats the status quo?! Status Quo means the present state or existing condition.

So what is our existing condition?

Right after I wrote that question, I saved the blog. I didnt know the answer to that question. I went about my day trying to think of the answer...still no clue. So Im just gonna let it sit there. And maybe you guys can help me out...

What is our existing condition??

Unknown

Saw the eyes of a scared, lonely 18 year old boy today leaving the facility...he was leaving a place where he was taken care of, nurtured, and loved. Three meals a day, a roof over his head, a place to sleep and clothes to wear. But he was going to a place of the unknown-no meaningful relationships-no therapist to tell him what he's doing wrong-no teacher to help him further his education-no behavior guide to confront him when he steps out of line. Now hes going to a place of the unknown. Who knows what he's going "home" to-Who knows what is waiting for him at "home"...
He holds his head down...but he still stands 6'2", weighing at around 215lbs-big baggy shorts-hair in braids-durag donned...however, his eyes filling up with tears. Standing there with him, it felt unnerving-something didnt feel right-why would you not want to leave?? He's been in custody, no freedom for ten years of his life-now hes free and he doesnt want to be-why?
His transporter showed up and took him from the facility...to "home"...to the unknown.

A little thing called self control

So I work in a psychiatric facility where we have kids on fluoxetine, paroxentine, prozac, adderall, zoloft, clonidine, desipramine, lithium, and risperidone. All these meds for anger, depression, behavior and many other reasons. These therapist and docters prescribe these kids with all these medicines in hope to change their behavior. However, the only thing these medications do is delay the inevitable; they dull the behavior...for a season, for a short time period. What they don't realize or fail to accept is that none of this can "change" them; the meds just delay the inevitable. Its time that we, as people, take charge of our own lives. Its time we have a little thing called self control.

I mean people are being sent to doctors because they eat too much, because they have sex too much, because they get mad every once in a while. YES, they have a problem but its time we start to take responsibility of our own actions. Its time we step up and control our own actions. Example, Tiger Woods just went to therapy and rehab for being a "sex addict!" SERIOUSLY?! Every man has those feelings and desires but most have the ability to control his own desires and has respect for his wife and the other people in his own life. Is this for real?! Come on people!
People are going to the doctors for an eating disorder. HOW BOUT YOU JUST STOP STUFFING YOUR FACE WITH CHEESEBURGERS AND HIT A TREADMILL EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE! We have to start taking responsibility for ourselves!! We have to stop blaming others or shifting the blame onto the concept of "I cant help it-its just the way I am"...Im tired of those words. YOU CAN HELP IT! God has placed self control in us, we just decide to not use it because its easier not to.

People its time we step up and stop shifting blame. Its time we stop blaming our past, our environment, our parents, our homelife, our "weak self"; its time we stop that! At the end of the day-blaming anything else but ourselves means nothing. Its still the end of the day and that "problem" still exists. At the end of the day, if we dont step up and show self control-if we dont accept responsibility; everything is meaningless! Lets step up people-NOTICE I SAID "LETS" AND NOT "YOU"!

The reality of wedding planning

So as you know we've been planning a wedding since Nov. 1st. We got a lot of the big things out of the way; venue, reception, etc. Then after the first surge of "beastly" planning, we kind of hit a lull. We didn't really get much done. However, in the past month or more we have picked it back up. We have been planning and planning and planning. We have booked a photographer (AWESOME by the way, Kenny Fey), we have planned our wedding party,tried on dresses-well not me but Cassie, we have sized, priced, and selected. We know where, who, when, how and all the little knickknacks in between. Were planning how the ceremony will play out, all the songs we'll use, the colors, the styles, and the prices. We've tried to be thrifty, swiftly, crafty, nifty, and all the other y words. We know who's doing what and whats happening when. WE GOT THIS...

BUT WHAT FOR?!?!

Why are we planning so much? Why are we focusing so much on this ONE day? Why, in America, is so much focus, time, money, and effort put into this ONE day? I feel like it should be opposite. All the planning, money, time, effort should be put into the MARRIAGE and the future. The wedding should be so easy to plan--dumb traditions! Why did America and past generations put so much focus on the wedding????? Maybe thats why 50% of every marriage fails....

Just a little bit about where I work...

So I go onto Unit CC2...At Hampton the boys are placed on separate units regarding how far they are through the program. And if you don't know much about where I work its a psychiatric treatment facility for boys. It is a court ordered placement and the boys live here until they complete the program. We have boys that have made some horrible choices and some that others have made choices for them as their reasoning for being here. Two examples would be that we have a 10 year old with 22 charges on him (mostly gang related) and we also have a young man who is here because he came home from school and his parents had been taken off to jail. These boys have serious issues but in order to stay sane in this place we (staff and clients) have to make light of things that go on in here.
So back to where I started; I walked into CC2 and we were getting ready to go to class (they have to have education while they are placed in here). And me and 3 clients walk into class and 1 boy was not wanting to come to class. They have their good days and they have their bad days. This my friend was a bad day. So this is how it plays out...
1. He flops himself on the floor
2. He starts screaming "I'm remedial, I can't go to school!! I'm remedial!"
3. Finally convinced to come into class...he does the paralyzed army crawl to his desk.
4. He bangs his head on his keyboard for a while.
5. In the end falls asleep on his desk until class is over.

Just a little bit about where I work...stay tuned more news to come!!

Where is the HOPE?

Where is the hope? Where is the hope for a 5 year old boy who has been sexually abused his whole life. Who was sexually abused by his parents and then placed in foster care where in turn was sexually abused there too...Where is the hope for him?
Where is the hope for a young man who has been in the "system" so long he cant remember when it all started. Where is the hope for this young man who only knows violence as a means of dealing with every situation. Who's commonly used phrase is "I hate your life" and "Go kill yourself." But he is so smart-too smart for his own good...But who the heck cares?
Where's the hope for a boy who faces so many disabilities he doesn't even know how to cope. He was given anti-depressants and bi-polar meds at the age of ONE...in turn damaged his brain and is now legally mentally handicapped. Where's the hope for him? Who can't communicate very well however when he gets mad, he curses like a grown man-speaking clear and precise. But who cares?
Where's the hope for a young man who has been physically abused and severely neglected his whole life. Who, when in an evaluation said "looked like an animal" by his actions-grabbing at things on the desk, putting things in his mouth, not being able to make eye contact or sit still...who was severely emaciated. Where's the hope for him?

But who cares...?

Actions...Actions

"Its easy to speak truth out loud when youre being monitored; but its hard to speak truth in your heart where only you and God can hear."

This statement is so true in our fast-paced, twittering, facebook status changing, blogging, everyone wants to know what I think and how I feel about things, world we live in. I look on facebook everyday and see profound religious statements, impacting verses, and theological beliefs that always catch my attention. However, anyone can say these things on our social networks and make themselves look good to whoever decides to view their facebook, twitter, or read their blogs. But its how you live out these beliefs and convictions that make it worthwhile. The old adage still holds true when it says "your actions speak louder than words" or "your actions scream so loud I cant hear what you say."

Father mold me into a man of integrity. I dont want to say one thing and do another; father make me TRUE!! May there be nothing hidden...if you know me, I pray that you know me. Nothing false, fake or a lie; Nothing "sketchy" (my favorite word). Father make me into the man you called me to be and NOTHING else!

It is well...

Lately life has been slowly feeling like I'm out of control...and you know what? I hate bein out of control. I hate that feeling of knowing 'I am not in control.' Scares the living you know what out of me. But you know what...that's exactly how its suppose to be. I'm not suppose to be "in control." If I have everything in control or under control, who is God to me? Why do I need a God who always has everything in control?
How big do I think I am to have my whole life under control....How stupid can I be?
God is in total, utter, and complete control of my life and that's exactly how it should be. I should never feel like I have everything right or stress free or in control-that means something is definitely NOT in control. If I feel like all is ok...that's when its not.
That feeling of being out of control-that feeling of complete uselessness...that's when God uses us the most and that's when we should feel ok...hmmm seems opposite in todays world.
So think back to the song "It is well" because truely when our life seems out of control and spiralling....IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL. but only because God has it all under control! Thank you Daddy!