Jersey Shore

Because MTV decided to stop playing music and started airing reality shows years ago...this show was birthed. Its been a formula MTV has used over and over and every "cast" member finds their role, plays it and then tries to get their 15 minutes in the sun. I remember days where I actually used to watch that station and would be able to hear a song... I don't think that has happened since I flipped the channel and happen to switch past the MTV music awards.

 The reason for my take on this show, is that I really can't stand to hear any more about it...and don't understand why it has become as popular as it has. I get the fact that it can be "funny" to see people so different from ourselves. I get that it might be "entertaining" to see these people get into stupid situations, and make bad decisions. However, it saddens me that this is the case. I am all for a comedy show. I am all for entertainment. There are plenty of "reality shows" that I actually enjoy. However, it's an embarrassment to the state, to Italians and the human race to watch what goes on in this show, and to realize that it is the default topic to talk about among middle, high school and college aged people. It scares me a little to think about the fact that we live in a time where the "conversation" we have with eachother now entails what someone's status said on facebook, what pictures they posted, what their relationship "status" has changed to, who Snookie slept with last night, or what additional girl the "Situation" has taken home for the night.

I remember being younger, when people actually called their friends to hang out, to find out what was going on. I remember when people actually went out and did things. When they enjoyed being outdoors. When they took more time to be there for and care for eachother. It wasn't that long ago, however looking at most of the shows, blogs, and information we see pouring through our smartphones...it seems like it sure was.

One could argue, that people need to lighten up, and that it is only a show. However, my argument to that is just the SAME thing. It is just a show. It isn't completely reality. It is partially scripted. It is the extreme. And it isn't your typical real life situation. Sitting at a starbucks yesterday, I heard some kids ranging from 16-19 just talking about Jersey shore, Facebook, relationships gone bad, one-night stands, and many other things. Like it was nothing. Like it was a part of THEIR everyday lives. Because it was. Yes, it is just a show. But when that show/s becomes all you talk about, and all you can find commonality about... you start to make decisions based upon those things you see. That is what I find disheartening. To hear these people talking about someone that was going to be dying in a month due to health issues, and then saying oh well, did you see the last episode of Jersey shore, and continuing on like nothing was wrong... just was the last straw on holding back writing my opinion of this show. MTV has been putting trash on its station for years, but it truly has taken the cake these past few years.

Yes, some people will make the right decisions, because they see how stupid these people are. Some people learn stuff from 16 and pregnant. The reality is people do need to hear some of that information... but part of th reason they aren't hearing it where they should be, at home and from family...is because we have become so dependent on the media, news, and internet to supply our information, and even to have our "conversations". Most people loosen up their morals because of it.

I watched one episode and turned it off. Only one of these people is even from NJ. I cant imagine that in some time, these people will watch this back and not be ashamed for acting like this. There is a reason sponsors are pulling their ads and the town has come out to speak out against the show. Because its offensive and disgusting.

I ask...You answer.

As most of you are all aware, I have been nothing short of busy these past few months. There have been ups and downs--and most of the time it felt like more downs than ups. I've always seemed to be the type of person that puts a whole lot on her plate, and always ends up finishing it all. It's just the process in getting there that sometimes changes, or can get stressful.

I think this is pretty common for most people. We live our busy lives--work, school, social life, we structure our day--planning everything right down til the last minute, and if we're really good--we even incorporate time for those that love us, those that are in need, and those that are far from God--volunteering, family functions, praying, church etc.

Everything goes along smoothly until one of those things goes out of whack. All of a sudden we find it harder to do every other item on our list. We start to get stressed. We start to worry. We start to think about how we ever got so many things on that list in the first place. It happens all the time.

The thing I have been thinking about lately however is how I handle this busy schedule I have made for myself. In thinking about it, how can I better improve how I handle that schedule. How can remain at peace, show God's grace in all that I do, and reach out to those I don't know to help them as well. I have always felt a strong calling on my heart to help others. It's in my nature. I am a good listener, communicator, time-balancer. However, even those of us who are graced with this ability to multi-task get tired. In my case, very tired. Don't get me wrong. I'm very happy being tired... :) Just looking at how I can better improve this busy, hectic life.

Two of many topics that I want to talk about are below. I found a few verses that I feel tie into the topics pretty well:

Weariness


Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

Often times I get busy. I forget where my focus is, and always has been. I forget to keep God at the center. Somewhere in the process of trying to show his love to everyone...it is possible to lose sight of him. Setting aside specific time to pray is important to me, because sometimes it is exactly what I need to bring me back in, and provide me the guidance and direction I need--not to mention a sense of peace.

Worry

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)

We all worry. Some more than others--and I am willing to bet I am in the top percentile with this one. I have always struggled with putting my problems and trials completely in God's hands. Where do I draw the line? How much effort am I suppposed to put in? How does God want to use me in this situation? What is God trying to do in this situation? Perhaps, I ask too many questions. Part of me thinks God and I are going to have a good laugh at how many questions I ask one day.

I feel I have done a better job lately, at removing stress from my life. I am still working on making my schedule a little less hectic, but for now... I seem to be able to balance it. Rather, God seems to be helping me balance it.

Anyways, just had a few thoughts on my mind... and figured I would share, because I know I am not alone on this one.

Direction

What a week. I found myself scouring the state of Wisconsin for any place or service that could be of some service to my mother. I had my plate full, and at times definitely was overwhelmed....somewhere in that process though, I found support, I found a way to tackle the situation. And I'm very thankful my prayers were answered...and for everyone else who joined me in prayer. As I mentioned, I finally found this place called the Hebron House. Somewhere my mother could stay temporarily, and depending on how her stay goes, she may be able to get further help and assistance with the issues that really need to be addressed.

My stress levels seemed to decrease little by little, and as more people stepped up to offer support, and as more things began to fall into place...I saw my prayers being answered slowly but surely. I can't really pinpoint the time in which I went from "paralyzed to completely mobile" but I can tell you there was a definite change in my overall demeanor, outlook, and attitude. I have a sense of peace. One I am not sure I have ever had before. A kind of peace that can only come from my maker. A kind of peace that no matter how bad the situation might be, I know he's there and has a plan for all this in the end...and that he has all along.

But for now, this temporary solution seems to be okay. It's actually a house, and it's nice inside. The kitchen is shared, and all food is everyone's. There's a lot. They have access to the phone, they are on the busline, and they will be assigned a case worker. She didn't hate it, and that's a plus.

It's not going to be easy. There are going to be more downs that ups. My mom is probably going to get angry with me, my family might to, some people will understand, some wont, some will help out, some will watch from a distance, and others will just continue to completely ignore the situation as they have in the past. However, it doesn't matter. I realized last night, that even if it was just only me giving my mother some help, with the help of my God, I can do that. In a week I have seen more transformation in the situation than  I have in 7 years. In less than a year, our relationship has somewhat been restored.

No, she isn't healthy yet, and maybe she never will be...but she knows I love her. She's laughed this week. She's smiled. She's said thank you. She's trying to get her life together - whether she knows why it has fallen apart or not. She also knows I love this man called Jesus. She sees my actions, and sees the actions of everyone else around her. She sees me working hard for her. She sees something. In that, she's a little more hopeful. A little more trusting, and who knows maybe will be more open with her case worker that she meets today. She also agreed to check out Brooklife church. I've been trying to make that happen again for a long time. She's lost her way, I'm not quite sure where she stands on the topic, and I want to help guide her back.

So tonight I will go visit. Spend some time with my mother, and the other members of the Hebron House tonight. Because at the end of the day she's still my mother. At the end of the day she can still laugh, or cry or be angry...and I'd like to make it be that she laughs, and is happy and somewhat at peace.

Yes, I have another agenda...to help her seek medical help, get insurance, eventually find work again, etc. Hopefully that will come in time. But like all of us, when things are going badly, we don't always want to focus on them...nor should we. Sometimes we need a break...a good laugh...just time for some unjudged and unconditional love. My time with her doesn't always have to be stressful, I don't always have to feel pain. Neither does she. God's been there all along, I know this -- or she more than likely wouldnt still be here today.

That's my goal for tonight. Maybe watch a movie in this house with people who God loves just as much as you and me. People whom don't have the best situation in life, but if they have a story just like my mother does, I'd like to hearit if they want to share. Perhaps I have more to learn there, than most other places I might spend any other given night. I'm guessing I do. Sometimes the thing that seems too obvious... showing His love, and acting as Jesus would in any given situation, can help lead that person to finding peace in Him. I'm thinking its a combination of doing the obvious, and doind the neessary research to get her some help. Perhaps that was His plan all along. Either way, I am looking forward to spending an evening with 13 beautiful adults, and 14 beautiful children tonight.

Lastly, I have my own thank you, to God, for giving me strength, passion, compassion, peace, and a number of other things. Right up there with that thank you however, is to my mother. A thank you I may never give you to your face, unless you end up getting the help you need. But a thank you for making me who I am today. For making me a person who is more patient, more compassionate,better at handling problems and challenges, better and problem solving, better at managing my time. You've helped me do this. Without your struggles, I would have never been as well-rounded as I am today. Without your struggles, I would never be able to help someone in your situation. Without you I would be a little more judgemental, a little more impatient, and whole lot worse at handling stress. Without your struggles, I may not have pushed myself so hard through school. I may not have received honors. I may not be going back for my Master's. It is becauuse of you and my father that I want to be better. That I want to lead a better life. Without you I may have not found my way back to God.

So for that, I thank you.

Lifted

Today I'm feeling inspired to write. I'm feeling inspired to not only share my thanks with God, but to also share my experiences this past week, and the overwhelming comfort I have been receiving given my current family situation. Saturday, I will be taking my mother to a shelter. Yes, a shelter. I will be taking her to the Hebron House, where I pray that a door will be opened, and she will start to get pointed in the right direction to get the care she needs.

I've realized that I can't heal her. I can't bank on the fact that if she by the grace of God does get evaluated, that she will be compliant with taking her medication. If by even a slimmer chance, those medications are taken, they actually work. Yes, you could say I hit my breaking point this week. I felt like again, there was nothing I could do, and there was nowhere to turn. I felt like I had little to no support left, and that my mother was going to end up on the streets, and not have any more options sent her way. For the most part, that was true. However in a time, where I couldn't much less make it through vocal sentence about this issue without crying, somehow my head was cleared. I did a mental dump. I wrote in my prayer journal. I broke down in tears, and I handed this off to God once more --this time with no strings attached. Not one. I once again, set aside the hurt, the pain, the anger, the worry, the embarrassment -(the list goes on) and begged God to please show me an answer of some kind.

The next day I woke up, feeling surprisingly good. Motivated, and in a sense guided. I started looking up various facilities, shelters, and state contacts. I wrote and called about 20 of them, and started to tell them my mom's story. I started to ask questions. Questions I didn't know I had. In less than 24 hours, I was pointed towards Hebron House by nearly half of these people. I was given other suggestions as well. During this same time, I had family step up as support, I had friends offer to make care packages for my mom, I had an overwhelming sense of comfort, even by myself that God was saying don't worry, I'm going to carry you through this, you need it -- and I did.

My mother needed to fine help and shelter in under a week, and within 48 hours I seem to have found the best solution that we have been able to come up with in 7 years. I have no idea how this is going to turn out, and I have no expectations. That was part of the "giving this all to God with no strings attached" I know he has been there, I know he continues to be there, and I am just going to keep on praying that he continues to so clearly guide me as he has this week.

The situation is sad, and the outlook might not be as bright as I would like it to be, but to see God's presence around me and my mother right now is all the comfort I need.
So today is a good one, a positive one, and there's still a lot to do. But I think He's got a plan... and I might finally be catching on.