Andrew Smith's Blog

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Showing posts with label comments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comments. Show all posts

Learning to Heal

Week 7

Day 1 – Friday, May 28

Today, I took the day off on my running a 5K.

Day 2 – Saturday, May 29

God didn’t create us to be depressed in this lifetime. He wanted us to enjoy our life every single day. I have been putting off sitting down and writing this. Today, I got really depressed. Sometimes I feel like I don’t even know how to smile and laugh a little. I tend to be serious minded. I am not trying to make you get depressed too. I write to try and help others and myself. I know what’s it’s to carry all of your baggage from your past. I carried anger and my hurts around daily. I have always had the Simon’s in my life. I can even be the Simon. Everyone tries to tell me who I should be. I need to agree with what they are saying. That’s what they are telling me. But that is what Satan wants me to believe. They are the judges and they rule my life or so it seemed that way. I have been called names from a too z and I let them define me. I received the comments and opinions and I let them run my life. Since they seem to know so much right? They define and rule me? Wrong they don’t.

I got knocked down by the wrongs and hurts. But I had to pick myself back up with God’s help. You can’t let life knock you down. As Dolly Parton has said, “We have to get over what is bothering us and get back to living”. She said that statement for her introduction to “Better Get To Livin’” on her “Live From London” album.

Here is the official video for “Better Get To Livin’”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKeulwZ3sGE

I have been called fat in some terms and that comment scared me because I let it. I have been called gay and picked on and rejected from time to time. I let someone tell me, I am fat and who I need to be. I didn’t want to relive the pain. I didn’t want to hear that comment. I was insecure. I didn’t know how to love me for me. Not be in love with me. But just like me.

So this weekend, I got knocked down and stayed in bed. I withdrew yet again from the world. I thought if I didn’t open up and get to know people they couldn’t hurt me. But that was just a lie from Satan. I wanted to be accepted for who I am. There are so many people that need and want to be accepted. I looked the last time, I went to a store and most of the store was teenagers. Not one of them looked happy. When are we going to love people for who they are? So what if they’re not the most popular people! Fame and looks won’t last forever. I had to let down my walls and live a little. You don’t have to be so serious all the time. Yes, we do need to take some things in life seriously but not everything. You can laugh and smile! I had to heal, which is painful. But if you don’t heal and let God heal you. You will continue to be broken. God can take your broken pieces and use them to help others. You can get back to living your life! I know what it’s like to be knocked down and broken. Believe me. So why did I write about this? I needed to and let it all out. Life is way too short to not heal and love again. I know it’s hard when it’s someone who is in your family, someone you thought was your friend, or maybe even your parents. But I had to be happy again. I have let it hurt me for far too long. I had to change my thinking and lighted up and have some fun.

You can’t stay in bed all the time and hide from the world. You have to out there and live. Even a Christian Artist, Mandisa got told who to be and hid in her own bed for a little while. She let Simon’s comments bother her. America was watching her to see how she would react to Simon’s comments. She chose to forgive him on live television. I don’t know if I would have responded the same way.

Listening to music is something I enjoy. So, I watched Good Morning America because one of my favorite bands was on there today. Sugarland performed a few songs in Times Square. Jennifer Nettles and Kristen Bush know how to live life to the fullest and smile and perform.

“Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.” Psalm 42:5 (The Message)

“Fear not, for you shall not be ashamed; neither be confounded and depressed, for you shall not be put to shame. For you shall forget the shame of your youth, and you shall not [seriously] remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.” Isaiah 54:4 (Amplified Bible)

I am going to start enjoying my everyday life. Life is way too short to hang on to this depression and self-pity. I am going to be happy and be me. Not someone else. I will let God take control and help me change and be who he wants me to be. A song that helped me along the way was one by Faith Hill. It’s called, “This is Me”.

Some of the lyrics are: “Yeah I have my addictions and keep my share of secrets and things you'll never see I get selfish and defensive And pay too much attention to my insecurities Oh I'm just like everybody else I try to love Jesus and myself I don't know what you believe or what you think of what you see but this is a part of me what I do and who I am all my impurities Are right here on my sleeve This is me”

Listen to the song below:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=29981356

I went a total of 1.47 miles today. I burned a total of 106 calories. I took 3106 steps today.

Tomorrow’s post will be on forgiveness.

Hurts By Rejections

Rejection effects most people at least one point in their lives. But more than likely, we go through rejection a lot every single day. I have suffered rejection from peers, family members, strangers, and just every day people. We all have been looked at funny with that look that says, “You’re not worth my time.” Just look at people you meet on the street. Some of them are so shy and quiet they hardly talk. Yep, you guess it that's me. I have always been controlled by what people think of me. What should I wear, what should I eat, what should I drink, what should I say, what shouldn't I say, how will I sound, how do I look. I know I'm a guy. But I have been struck with criticism my whole life. I compare myself to other people. I know we all thought wow I wish I had that personality. I wish I could look like that.

In our world today, the models and celebrities look so perfect and flawless. It's called Photoshop; let's just paint over that flaw. But the flaws make us not look like everyone else. If you haven't noticed, no one looks like you; or me for that matter. I know, you're thinking that might be a good thing. But we had to deal with the issue of why we feel so different.

Jessica Simpson was one of the first people, I wrote about in my first blog. She was getting make fun of by a pair of jeans she wore. Which, she looks fine in might I add. Heck, I wear the wrong thing sometimes too. But maybe that's just me. Now, she has a show out called "The Price of Beauty". The show purpose is to show the True Beauty of different countries. Some of the ways are crazy and some are way different than America. The second episode showed a girl who was a model in Paris. She went through an eating disorder called anorexic. She had to weigh a certain amount to be a model. The concept of the show is a great idea.

We think we have to be tan and weigh a certain amount to look good. I am all for being healthy; however, you need to be you. You have got to love yourself. Yes, you make mistakes. But it's never too late to turn around.

Jessica Simpson also has a great theme song for The Price of Beauty. The words in the song include: "I have to take control So much is left untold Trying to find myself At times its hard to know Who we are, we are, we are Words can cut so deep Weighing down on me Time and time I see how vicious the world can be Who we are, we are, we are We're beautiful Our flaws and all They're beautiful to me It's who we are, who we are It's who we're meant to be You've got to be you for yourself Cuz you're like nobody else Who you are, you are, you are, you are" The song is called "Who We Are". It has a wonderful message, because we all just want to be accepted in life for who we are. We may not have done everything perfectly, but no one has except Jesus.

You might have come to guess the truth. I have been called fat before. You don't know what that comment did to destroy my image of myself. I remember in high school I got invited to some pool parties. I wouldn’t even take off my shirt and swim! I wasn’t even swimming in front of the person who called me fat. I just sat on the sidelines and watched everyone else swim. They must have all thought I was afraid of the water. The thing is I LOVED to swim until that comment. I am sure that person meant nothing by it. I couldn’t let it go and move forward.

Another example, some of my so called friends called me gay before as well. I admit I don’t date a lot of girls. I haven’t found the right one yet. None of them are married yet; so I am guessing, they haven’t found the right one either.

How do you get through the comments? Well, you have to forgive them. It took me a lot of years to do just that. I have always been in a little bit of a box. I didn't want to get hurt by anyone. People are going to think what they are going to think no matter what. You have to just be yourselves. If they don't accept you find someone who will. God always will love you no matter what. He can always forgive you. I have been hard to get along with and I have said things I regret too. That's why it's important to forgive one another.

"But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’" Luke 10:10-11 (New Living Translation)

Some people hide their true selves, because they think people will like them more. The mask will eventually come off or it will fall off. Don't pretend to be someone you’re not. It's not worth it!

"You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you. John 15:16 (The Message)

If God choose you, why are you rejecting yourselves? There are a lot of people comparing ourselves to other people. You are an original. We all do things a little bit differently.

"Fear not, for you shall not be ashamed; neither be confounded and depressed, for you shall not be put to shame. For you shall forget the shame of your youth, and you shall not [seriously] remember the reproach of your widowhood any more." Isaiah 54:4 (Amplified Bible)

You shouldn't be ashamed of yourself. Keep trying to do the right things in life. God loves you! Nothing can change that. Yes, you may need to change in some areas in your life. We all do. He will continue to work with us to bring the change we need. Keep on keeping on! He is your Healer. No problem is too big for OUR GOD!

“Stay alert, stand firm in the faith, show courage, be strong. Everything you do should be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14


With Love,
Andrew