You CAN grill a cheese sandwich on a rock!

Well, this may seem a strange title, but it's true! Back in early July (I know, forever ago) I was at my best friend's house. I'll call her K Grace, which is her blog name. She has a fantastic blog called Ever In the Present Moment that she co-authors with her best friend, Kiana. Well, one night we were both hungry and a grilled cheese sandwich sounded AMAZING, so we decided to make one. Oh, but we weren't going to make it the traditional way, that would be boring. No, we decided to grill it on a rock that was next to the bonfire we were having. It was a brilliant idea, just saying. I can't remember who thought of it, though. Haha, that's probably a good thing. Anyway, it took awhile to cook, so while we waited we caught fireflies.

The cool thing about that is that I had wanted to do that for a long time. I remember telling Kyrie "I really want to catch fireflies and stargaze."

She then informed me, "We don't really get fireflies up here..." Well, I just happened to visit her at just the right time, because there were dozens and dozens of fireflies! It was so fun chasing them under the stars, it was pretty cool. After we finished firefly hunting, we sat down and shared our grilled cheese sandwich. And it was probably the best one I have ever had, actually, it WAS the best one I'd ever had. K Grace and I created a really cool memory that night, it was probably my favorite part of the trip. That and talking while floating on a tube, screaming at every little bump on the four-wheel drive, flying on the road...they were all little things, but they are memories I'm going to be keeping in my back-pocket :)

Music

"It all started two years ago" That is usually how I start this story. We (me and a few others on this blog) were on our way down to a christian camp, When I was asked the question "What are you going to do with your life" I had said to them that I had dreams , like any other little kid, but I had never seen myself in a certain position and roll in life. That is when it all sparked, I was suddenly surrounded by this question in my mind. The whole week at camp I started praying to God saying "I want you to show me God" every single morning and night during worship I was in the presence of God. It wasn't until that last Friday night on July 16, 2009 When I was in the complete, marvelous, love of God's presence surrounding me. In that moment, while I was crying laying on the floor, God revealed to me that He wanted me to be in the ministry. I was so thankful for all He had shown me , but I still didn't know what the exact position was and I kept praying to God that He would reveal it to me....

After camp I came home all amped up in God's presence and I didn't want to let Him slip through my fingers ever again. A year after two or three people prophesied over my life,telling me I was going to be an Evangelist and spread God's word. I have loved music my whole life and I have had several people come up to me saying that they could see my pureness of worship to God. When I was twelve years old I started playing guitar and fell in love with it! Suddenly I stared becoming better at it and couldn't put it down. Soon after I started playing I started practicing with the worship team at our church. It took a year of practicing with them before I could start playing with them on Sundays. Acoustic guitar was first on the learning list and then I started practicing with electric guitar. My parents saw my love for it and after buying me an acoustic they bought me my dream electric, an Epiphone Les Paul! Of course they are the best parents ever!! ha ha

Recently, Mickey Robinson came to our city. Me and the rest of the youth group went to a Youth night service that he was speaking at. Worship was great and soon after he pointed at me....suddenly he started to prophecy over my life. He came up to me and said " You love color, (ha ha direct hit)" he went on to say, " you have a love for music and worship, and God has called you to be a minister and evangelist in Worship!" Amazing how God works, huh? I love how he does things!He is a loving God! I hope you enjoyed my story, God blessY

The Logical and the Emotional

Alright, you may be thinking at this moment that this is a strange title. The logical and the emotional, what do they have in common? Not much, except that they both need to be balanced.

This subject has been the object of much thought for me. Who can deny that they've never been driven by emotion (anger, love, and frustration chief among them)? And who can say that they've never thought through something logically (I'm hungry, therefore I should eat something)? Everyone uses logic, and everyone has emotion. And most people would agree that women are generally more "emotional" than men, and men more logical than women. And there lies the example for what I believe, that there must be a balance of the emotional and of the logical. The man and woman balance each other out, balancing the logical and emotional. The mind and soul must be "in harmony" so to say.

Let me give some examples. Let's start with Annie. Annie has been hurt by a close friend. Her friend spread a bad rumor about her in school-at least that's what Charlotte said. Instead of stopping and thinking about how such a good friend could do something so mean, she is driven by anger and spreads a vicious rumor about Annie. When her friend comes up to her and asks why she did, Annie explains. It's then that Annie finds out that Lucy never said anything bad about her. It was someone completely different.

Annie was driven by emotion, and refused to think logically because that would mean letting go of her anger and hurt, at least to the degree of not letting it drive her. Her friendship with Lucy suffered because of it, and many apologies and explanations followed.

Now, let's look at a completely different example of someone who stopped and worked through their emotions. Jamael lives in a shabby neighborhood in Detroit. Gang wars are rampant through the area. One day he hears the pop, pop, pop of shotguns going off in the distance. He doesn't think much of it until his friend comes hopping up to his house with a bloody leg (he was shot) screaming that Peter's been killed. Peter is Jamael's younger brother. Although the police investigate the shooting, they can't pin down the murderer. Jamael knows who it is, though. And he's going to get his revenge. He manages to procure a gun, and plans for the day he'll shoot Fat Louie, one of the gang leaders involved in the shooting. One night, he finds himself crouched behind some crates, taking aim at Fat Louie, ready to pull the trigger. Then he stops, he starts to think about what he's doing. He hears his little brother talking about his dream to become a pro football player. he imagines his own life in jail, which is where he would most likely end up if he pulled the trigger. Slowly he backs away, controlling his anger and listening to reason. Jamael went on to graduate from high school-no easy feat in the neighborhood he lived. He went to college and became a talented football star, like his little brother wanted to do. Just imagine what his life would have been if he let emotion overtake him?

Jason stands before Kate's house. He had decided to ask her out to prom, and tonight was the night he needed to do it. He nervously paces, flowers in hand. He really likes her, she's exactly the kind of girl he could imagine marrying someday. She's sweet, pretty, kind, and funny. His mind begins to take over. He sees himself getting rejected. Why would she want to go out with him? He's no one special. He's not even that good-looking. Finally he trudges away, giving up his chance. Kate goes to prom with Steve, a close friend. Years later, when Jason runs across her in a n airport, he finds out she married Steve and they'd had two kids. After talking with her for awhile he tells her he almost asked her out to prom. And she shocks him by saying she wishes he had, because she had a huge crush on him back then.

Jason let reason get in the way of emotion. By reasoning, he let fear creep in and take over. Instead of saying "okay, I like this girl, she's nice, I might as well ask her", he let further thoughts crowd out the first.

During the days of Napoleon Wars there was a man who served in Napoleon Bonaparte's army. Now things weren't going well for the army, hunger and disease was rampant. The young man decided to desert, to return to his mother and the simple life he'd left behind. However, he was caught and found guilty of desertion. He was to be hanged in a couple days. His mother, who lived nearby, heard about his hanging; in a desperate act to save her son she sought out Napoleon himself and begged for her son's life. Napoleon simply looked at her and said, "You're son doesn't deserve mercy."

She responded softly, "No, but he could use it."

Napoleon was moved by the mother's pleas and pardoned the son, even though reason was all against it. He let a little emotion creep in, pity, mercy, kindness-call it what you will-and it saved a young man's life. Later on, shockingly, that same man saved Napoleon's life in battle.

A husband and wife help each other out, they balance one another. The man reigns over the house because of the wisdom, reason, and steadiness he brings it. A wife is a helpmate to the husband, providing the salt that the potatoes need. She brings the creativity, gentleness, comfort, and lightness every house needs. And as Smith Wigglsworth once said, "'The woman is the thermomater of the household' is a true saying. For example, if your wife is in a bad mood, the rest of the members will end up having a negative attitude. On the other hand, if your wife is cheerful, regardless of how else you feel, everything seems more upbeat." I put that in there because I thought it was funny. I think it's true, haha.

And so, I hope that those who read this realize that there is a balance that needs to be found between being emotional and logical. Anger and frustration, and sometimes even love, need to be controlled. Along with other emotions; like fear, distrust, and pride. Also, emotion is a good thing if used rightly. Love, hope, joy, and peace. Reason is a good thing, it's often needed. However, be sure you don't let reason rule your life. Sometimes God calls us to do things that make no logical sense, that have no reason. We have to trust him, and find that balance that is so worth finding.

The Tuskegee Airmen

"Why'd you join the air core, boy?" "This country has enemies sir, and there are people who need protecting from those enemies." "What people, nigger?" "All people, sir. To my knowledge the Germans aren't sparing the colored." "To my knowledge the colored aren't up to fighting the Germans, let alone beat them." "Max Schmeling ( a German boxer who was defeated by a black boxer named Joe Lewis) found out differently, sir." This scene was taken from the movie The Tuskegee Airmen. The movie focuses on four specific men who begin flight training in June 1941. One commits suicide by crashing his plane after he learns he's being kicked out of the program for performing an unauthorized stunt. The other three obtained their wings, becoming part of the first black squadron. Although it took the 99th squadron awhile to participate in active duty, they eventually were transferred to active service. During the time they were in North Africa, one of the three pilots focused on would be shot down. The 99th then found out that they would be transferred to Europe, where the main action was. There they would become bomber escorts. Another one of the pilots focused on would die while protecting his bombers. Knowing he is going to die, Billy "Train" Roberts starts to sing the 99th fight song. His best friend and partner, Hannibal Lee, accepts that Train is going down and comforts him by singing along. The white bomber pilots are listening through the radio, touched by this display of bravery and friendship. Later they ask specifically for the 302nd to escort them on an important mission, knowing that they are the best escorts around-despite the color of their skin. The movie ends with these facts. Between May 1943 and June 1945, 450 Tuskegee Airmen were awarded more than 850 medals-something Hannibal and Billy were convinced would never happen. 66 Tuskegee airmen died in battle. And the 332nd (the 100th, 301st, 302nd, and 99th) Fighter Group never lost a single bomber to enemy action. They were that good. But why were they so good? I think it's because they had something to prove. They knew who they were, and they knew what they wanted to prove. They had been pushed to limits most white airmen weren't pushed to. They would gladly give up their life to serve their country and those they escorted. They were the best. And so should we be. As Christians, we are apart of a larger kingdom, a kingdom that is not on this earth. We are ambassadors for a God so powerful he formed the world with words. Can you imagine that? Smiles put down a quote that sums it up pretty well. I won't repeat it, but you can go back and read it. As ambassadors, shouldn't we be the best? And how do we become the best? Through training ourselves, through being in contact with our boss, and through being in contact with other ambassadors. There's also another point I would like to make. The Tuskegee airmen faced many problems and difficulties. They lost friends, were accused of laziness and bad work habits, they had congressmen wanting them to fail, they had prejudiced commanders and fellow pilots, but they faced the trials and came through swinging. Trials enrich us, strengthen us, and purify us. When true gold is heated up and melted, not burned, the impure substances float to the top, allowing the goldsmiths to remove it. The more meltings the gold goes through, the purer and purer it becomes. Which is what the author meant when he wrote "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials . These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine (pure) and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:6-7. You see, trials are there for a reason, much like exercise. Trials exercise your faith and makes you stronger, richer, and purer. Whatever your going through, face it bravely, with the knowledge you'll come through, even better than you were before. Sometimes you have to face the storm to be able to sail at all.

A Street Sweeper

Howdy, I am one of the young ladies who is going to be posting on this blog. My name, Smiles, is something you would understand if you knew me... :) I had a hard time coming up with a name, but I finally found one that describes me! ha ha

The subject "What am I going to do with my life?", is something that has been on my mind and is on allot of other teenagers minds as well.

There is a great quote (which is one of my new faves) by Martin Luther King Jr. he said, "If it falls on you to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music.... Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well." I think that it is very important to do things with our whole heart. In Collossians 3:23 it says, "and whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men."

As teenagers we are imagining our selves as different roles in life and some of us already have an idea of what that may be. I know that in my life it has been a topic on my mind. God has called us to do different things in life. Just because were not a pastor (or a youth pastor) doesn't mean that we can't have a ministry and minister to people. God places us here to be a light in whatever role He chooses for us in life. I encourage you to seek God in times of decision making, because he already knows what you're going to do (kind of scary, huh?) Just remember whatever you do, do it with your whole heart, and not to men, but to God!

Friendship and a Pool of Water

Alright folks, I'm back. Today I went skiing in this wonderful, fresh spring air. I had been sitting in my house, lamenting over the fact that I had nothing to do today. Now don't get me wrong, there's a lovely thing in listening to music, reading a book, drinking a snapple, taking a walk, and just hanging out through a day. But I'd been doing that for the past few days and I wanted to hang out with a friend.

And so I had been thinking about calling a friend and seeing if she wanted to hang out, but I didn't. I was extremely surprised when a good friend texted me asking me if my sister and I wanted to go skiing. I was ecstatic. Now Toast (my friend), Hallee (her younger sister), Tipsytoe (my sister), and myself were surprised when we arrived at the hill to find out that a there was going to be a competition that day. What was the competition? It wasn't a race. It didn't involve jumps. It did involve a pool of water that was announced to be twelve feet long. It also involved skiing across this pool of water. Don't worry, the pool was 102 degrees. Never mind the ice chunks floating in the water. At this point you may be asking what in the world was going on, I would. The point of this competition was to try to ski across this pool without falling. I'd say about 75 percent failed. It wasn't pretty, but it was funny. Only in Minnesota would you go skiing across a pool of water that is in the middle of a ski hill in winter for fun. Yeah, that's what Minnesotans do for fun, what else do you think we'd be doing? Tipping over cows? Okay, we only do that on the weekends, haha, just kidding.

Now, as much fun as that was, the real fun was hanging out with my friends. It's a special thing in life, being able to laugh and have fun with someone. Totally free of all pretensions, no artificial flavoring. That's why God created friendships. He understands the importance of something called "fellowship". It's one of the reasons we go to church, for fellowship with your fellow Christians. So if you're reading this right now, remind yourself of the importance of friendship. Call up someone you haven't talked to for awhile. Tell your friends how much you appreciate their friendship. They might look at you weird, but at least they know, right? And it doesn't hurt to invite your friends to go do something fun, like skiing. You never know when our friend will praise your name in a blog because of it.

Welcome

Hello all to Our Guts readers! To be clear, Guts stands for God Understands This Stuff. How did we come up with the name? Pure accident. My lovely sister was trying to explain why she exclaimed guts as we were trying to figure out a name for this blog. You know, Ramona and Beezus. Well, with my very creative mind (and charming personality, but that's beside the point) I said, "Yeah, God Understands This Stuff." And there you have it folks, the home run.

But what is this blog? And who is writing this post? And does she have a phone number? Okay, maybe you're not wondering that, but I wouldn't tell you anyway, so it's all cool. To answer the above questions, this blog's purpose is to shine a light in today's world. We (our church youth group) want to give a Christian teen's perspective on life. Also, we hope to convey a message of hope to whoever reads this blog. To help show you that God does understand this stuff, he knows what every teenager is going through, and he wants to help.

As for who I am, well, I'm just one of the teenage writers you'll see posting on this wonderfully hip blog (yes, I know wonderfully is not a word). You'll see a bucketful of different topics broached on this blog, with a bucketful of different viewpoints and perspectives. Sometimes you might see interviews of us or of different people. Sometimes we'll all discuss one topic. At other times we'll each post something for the week, or someone will "take the blog" for a week and you'll only see her posts. In whatever form these posts appear, we hope they will amuse you, charm you, and most of all, challenge you.

Welcome To Our Guts, we hope you enjoy.