u n a s h a m e d

This past week, a new club was created and it's called Unashamed. The club was a joint effort by myself and a Junior at my school. It all started off with a passion and a vision. The purpose of Unashamed is to have an environment where Christians can meet up and grow within the school setting. But the even greater purpose above that is to encourage the communities of NCS and also Newark.

clear the stage

A song by Jimmy Needham says "Clear the stage and set the sounds and lights ablaze, if that's the measure you must take to crush the idols." It can be taken in a religious/spiritual way but it's something I tend to struggle with overall in everyday life. Every single day I'm occupied with responsibilities and obligations. Whether it's my role as a student, a son, an athlete, or even a worship leader, sometimes I just lose a sense of the things that matter. Sometimes my priorities get out of order and I find myself lost and confused.

I guess "clearing the stage" could be interpreted as taking out all the unnecessary and extra things. It could be a call to return to simplicity or a call to return to the basics. It's easy to begin to prioritize things that don't really matter in life when you lose sight of the things that have gotten you this far. Whether it's popularity or social media or even material things, it'll never be enough to satisfy the things that have brought us this far. I guess in my own life I struggle with putting social media over more important things. I've created this idea that if I was popular online, it would translate into the real world. But the reality is that I'm continuously losing sight of the things that once mattered to me most.

Life is too short to live for the unimportant things. The things that matter are the things that you'll be remembered for. You won't be remembered for how many followers you had or the number of likes you got on a picture, but instead, for the impact you had on others and society. Maybe clearing the stage and returning to simplicity is a way of accomplishing that. I truly believe that once we return to the basics, everything else will follow through.

live life.

       Losing someone is a life-changing, world-shaking reality. It isn't easy to lose people close to you and those are the times where we realize that we should never take things for granted. Just recently, a Delaware student had taken her life and it seemed like students all around the state came together in some sort of unity through social media. I'm guessing that no one really knew what the student was going through. Sometimes it's easier to hide the hurt and pain inside instead of sharing it with others. Sometimes it's easier to act like you're okay when really you aren't. I would know because at one point in my life, that's exactly how I felt. Too many people relied on me and I couldn't show my times of weakness. Although people act like everything's okay, for all you know they could be going through hell inside. It's easy to judge and make fun of people but it isn't easy to take back harsh and hateful words and actions against someone. One word can change someone's life and one action can alter someone's world. It's easier to live a life of positivity and kindness instead of living one full of hate and regret for actions that you can't take back.
      2016 has surely been a year of losses and it's easy to question why the man up above is taking kids that are so young. It's easy to question why the man up above would take away people who had some much more ahead of them. Life is too short to be wondering why things happen. Life is too short to live in pity and sadness. There are times for mourning but today is the day to live your life. Nothing is ever guaranteed and we can't expect to wake up every single morning just fine. Often times it's easy to take life for granted. We tell ourselves that we'll do things the next day. We tell ourselves it's okay to keep pushing our goals back because there's always another day ahead. Nothing in life is guaranteed so you have to live every day like it's the last one you'll ever have. Live life without regret.

"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest"- Matthew 11:28

college or nah?

       After 3 long years of high school, we're finally here. The last year. Now that it's finally the last year, college application season is already in full swing. It's almost the time that everyone's been waiting for. The time to leave beloved Delaware. Sometimes we get caught up in the motions and we forget what the real purpose is. College is a time to leave boundaries. College is a chance to gain knowledge to change the world. College can also be a fresh start for some people. Despite all these great things that college can bring, there are countless stories of people who've become successful without going to college at all. In most households, it's kinda an expectation to go to college. It's a societal expectation to go to college and to get a degree. Most people believe that if you don't get a college degree, you can't contribute to the world. But I think that's wrong. Society just hasn't grasped the idea that college is not for everyone. For a while, I thought about not going to college. Maybe I would be the next great YouTuber or maybe the next Mark Zuckerberg. Just kidding that's most likely never gonna happen but some people just aren't fit for college. Some people just don't like the idea of being stuck in the strict education system for another four years. So I guess the point of this is that college surely isn't for everyone. Some people were just destined to be great without a degree. Whether you go to college or not, you're taking big risks in life. Whichever one you decide to choose can change the course of your life in a positive or negative way.

election 2016: quick thoughts

This year's election has proven to be one of the most heartbreaking ones in the history of our country. Though we are supposed to unite, the outcome of the 2016 election has created outrage and division between everyone. Ever since Donald Trump has been elected president, there have been countless stories of protests and racist acts in the news. By no means am I a Hillary supporter nor am I a Trump supporter but I am an America supporter. I believe that Trump was elected for a reason and that you can't judge a book by its cover. Though people trash Trump for his hate against countless races and denominations, the hate stirred within people in Trump's elections is insane. My parents have always taught me to give people chances no matter who they are. I don't support the harsh words Trump says but I do respect that he will be the president for the next 4 years. People have so much hate for a person who they haven't even given a chance and that's what disappoints me. I'm disappointed in a country which supports democracy but falls apart when they don't like the elected. If anything, the country needs to find unity more than ever and it isn't gonna happen if people can't stand by the one who has been elected. I believe in giving people chances and I think people should find it in themselves to give the president a chance also.

Coke vs. Pepsi

      Most people have probably heard of the term "Battle of the Bands" but most have probably never heard of "Battle of the Brands." Throughout history, there has never been a more controversial topic than that of Coke vs. Pepsi. Chances are that the split for either side goes about 50/50. As for which I would personally choose, Coke takes the dub over Pepsi. I don't know about you but I can't find that many reasons to support either product, but others think that there's some psychological connection to a topic as controversial as this one. Some people refer to this battle as the "Cola Wars." Honestly, I would rather choose Coke because I've had it way more times than I've had Pepsi. If you're looking for an in-depth analysis on the taste and opportunity costs of Coke and Pepsi, this isn't a post where you'll find those answers

life goes on.

      Often times in life, we get caught up in the fact that when one thing goes wrong, everything else is going down with it too. I remember back when I was younger, everything seemed to be so much more fun and simple. No kid had to worry about who the president was, how many hours to work during the week, what friend was backstabbing you, and even what clothes to wear to places. These things didn't matter because we were more focused on enjoying life instead of worrying about all the outside factors we believe lead to a better life but actually don't.
      Most people in America would consider this year's election one of the most important ones that we've ever had in this country's history. People don't wanna vote for a womanizer like Trump but at the same time, people don't wanna vote for a liar like Hillary. Everyone's getting caught up in scenarios they make in their heads of what would happen if either candidate became the president. We're so concerned about what we think is gonna happen when really, it's affecting how we live life in the now. These problems go even farther than just America too. The president of the Philippines announced that he wants to cut all ties with the US and make allies with China and Russia. There's so many life altering events occurring all at once and many people are fed up. But the reality of all of it is as simple as 3 words. Life. Goes. On. We're so caught up in scenarios of what would happen when we should be living our lives to best we can regardless of the things happening around. Just because Trump potentially becomes the president doesn't necessarily mean the world is gonna end. Same with Hillary. Instead of worrying so much about what's gonna happen in the future, people should continue to live life to the best they possibly can. It;s not bad to look ahead into the future but life goes on whether you like it or not. As long as you keep on moving, everything else will follow.