Youth Group

Last night I attended (I helped set up & serve the food) the 1st Annual Student Life Awards for the youth of CCC. It's an Oscar Award theme; it was a fun event where youth and volunteers were recgonized for their for the accomplishments, service, and faithfulness. Everyone got dressed up, and the youth were given celebrity treatment a ride in a limo, with red carpet, and the "winners" (everyone is a winner when you serve the Lord) were given an Oscar look-alike award.


I sat there last night in awe of the life, faith, aspiration, and fire instilled in those middle schoolers and high schoolers. Suddenly, somewhere between the laughing and trying to keep Nathan quiet (ha), I had a flash-back to my days in the SABC youth. And though it was only 2 years ago it feels as though it was another life. We all had a lot of good times, and learn to rely on each other and trust one another. We all said that the friendships would last after college and our seperate ways, but the relationships we once had will always live on in the memories of the past. I had a friend of mine, who is a senior in high school, jokingly say something on the lines of "its suppose to be best year" "it goes by fast" and I quickly reminded him how true that is, but at the same time our lives have so much more to hold than what high school offers, don't believe the lie "high school is the best 4 years of your life" because if that is it then I don't want to know what the future holds!


But somehow life did seemed easy then, less complicated, not too much work, easy come easy go, and yet now I am happier than ever before. My feet are slightly dipped into reality, I can't honestly say that I've been fully thrown into that ocean yet. And though I know things won't be any easier, I can't wait until I am. Easier doesn't equal happier. I think at this moment in my life I am the happiest I have ever been. I know that is because I'm fulfilling my purpose, doing what I was created for.


I think that is the goal of it all. Living in the moment. Carpe diem (sieze the day). What is the point if everyday if I were to constantly keep saying "the future will be better" "I can't wait for the next stage of my life" or if I am constantly reminesing about the past and saying that things will never be better than those days. Those type of thoughts--which I have learned to steer clear of---have never gotten anyone anywhere except for missing out on the here and now!


That is my advice to those of you who are still in high school. (Well, to anyone really). Don't keep wishing for the year to end, or for graduation day to come because that will happen sooner than you wished. Enjoy today. Enjoy tomorrow. Take in every opportunity. Does anyone really want to miss out on extraordinary because they thought tomorrow was going to be better than what today holds? We all have bad days but the best way to end a bad day is learn from it. Take something away from every expierence. The future isnt better than the past. And the past isnt better than the future. It is all good in the here in now, so learn how to enjoy it.