Living Like the Homeless

We are all so blessed in what we have—food, a home, money, a family, friends. But sometimes we all need a little reminder. A few weeks ago I went on a hunger retreat, and we lived how homeless people. It was crazy and so sad to be like that! I could never think about what I would have done to my life to get me in that situation. Its really sad.

I feel so bad for homeless people! We had to make a box house and sleep in that all night. It was cold and not comfortable at all! We couldn't even change our outfits; the homeless only have one thing and they are wearing it. The next morning then we had to feed 18 people on $20 because the homeless don't have much money at all. Then we had to go door to door to ask for cans and other foods! By this time we felt so bad for homeless people at this point.

Now when I see homeless people I feel their pain. I feel so bad that they are in that place!  It was so weird living in someone else's shoes—especially when its not good shoes. Now whenever I think about what I don't have, I think about all the things I have that the homeless don't. I have sooo much when I think about it. I have a house. I have friends. I have a family. I have a job. I have money. I take trips. I get christmas gifts. They don't get any of that! They have to stand on the side of the street asking for things just to survive. Now I pray for the homeless to work hard and get their lives back together. That's the best thing for them to do.  

Christmas 2012

This was a good Christmas this year. All five of us were together--Chris, Josh, Mom, Dad, and me. I'm pretty sure my mom had been wishing for that for at least 4 years. Every family has their ups and downs and things that they don't like about each other. But forget all that, because we are a family. We should be together for Christmas and we were!

We had an awesome Christmas, too. I went to church on Christmas Eve and then again on Christmas Day. The services were both so moving. On Christmas Eve  i went to the kid's mass; that was so sweet. They had the kids singing the songs, then they got all the kids to come up and see baby Jesus. Then, Fr. Kramer asked all the kids what gift did they bring to gave to God? One boy said I didn't know we needed a gift! Then, this little girl said, its us, we are the gift! I am 18 and I never thought about it like that and a little girl did!

After church my mom and dad picked me up and I got in the car thinking I was going home. But no, we had to go to the store on Christmas Eve. In my head I was thinking, Oh no, that's when all the crazy people come out; we got out just in time, trust me.

Then we went home. Every year we open one gift on Christmas Eve, so we opened them! After that everyone just chilled for a bit, then went to sleep.

I woke up at 5, and had to wait till 7:40 for everyone else to get up. Then we all got up and everyone said Merry Christmas! We opened more gifts and then we had some food. Then we all played with our new stuff , then got ready for Christmas Day mass at 10:00. That was really nice, because my whole family was being God's gift together. After mass we went to lunch, then went to see Les Miserables. The movie was amazing, and a really great ending to a awesome Christmas!!!

The Place Where Dreams come True

The most exciting thing happened to me recently. I went to Disney World in Orlando, Florida for my 18th birthday. It was amazing! I went on the most amazing rides (most of them a few times). Also, Disney food is so yummy; I don't think I had one bad thing to eat there. I took pictures with all of the Disney cast members!

I got a lot of attention, because I had a pin that said “Happy 18th Birthday Maggie.” Every time I walked by a worker they said “Happy Birthday.” That was so awesome it was everything I wished it to be!

My Mom worked so hard on that trip, and I am so thankful, because it was so great! Who wouldn't want be at Disney on their birthday. My dad got me into one of the shows, like I was in it! Josh got one of his friends to get 10 or more people to sing Happy Birthday to me; it scared me, too! My family worked so hard on that trip! I just don't know how to thank them enough.

My favorite characters are Chip and Dale; I got to go to go to a camp fire with them, and it was awesome. For my birthday dinner we went to an all-you-can-eat seafood place! I love seafood! It was so good; everything was just perfect.

I have nothing bad to say about my trip at all! I am so blessed. Not a lot of people can say I went to Disney for my birthday, but I can. Disney is where dreams come true, and my birthday dreams did!

We need to be looked up to.

I have a little story to tell you. I was sitting at school and I heard a senior making fun of a freshman. I thought to myself, “I remember when I was a freshman. I was scared of seniors.” So I felt the need to find out what was going on. I knew the senior. I asked, “what in the world are you doing?” They told me to stay out of it, so I waited until it got too ugly then I had to butt in!

The freshman was getting very upset, so I stepped in. I said to the senior, “I don't think you need to be mean to someone a lot younger then you! As seniors we should be looked up to and not looked down on! It makes all of us seniors look bad!” I told him he should stop. Then the freshman started crying and ran out of the room.

I told the senior that he went way to far with that! Then the senior got mad at me for helping the freshman and not him! I told him I help people in need, not bullies. He said he didn't want be friends with people that didn't stick up for him. I said I would not be friends with someone who picked on 14 year old girls.

I walked out to find the freshman. I found her and sat down and talked to her to make sure she was ok. I said, “Hey, I'm Maggie. We are in choir together.” She said, “Hey I remember you.” I asked, “Are you okay sweetheart?” She said, “Yes thank you. I'm just tired of bullies.”

That broke my heart because she should be able to come to us, not think we are bullies. I told her some funny stories and told her being different is a great thing in my eyes. I told her I wouldn't have many friends if they were all the same. I told her she was awesome and that I would like to be her friend. She said, “I would like that.” We went to class together. We have been good friends ever since.

Mr. Right

Most girls are living their lives just waiting for the right guy. They think that they need to go from guy to guy to guy to find him. But that's not really how it works. Your Mr. Right is out there right now just waiting to find you as well. God has a plan and a date and a time you will meet Mr. Right. We think its our job to find Mr. Right, but it really isn't. God already has him for us.

Just wait until you are ready for that step in your life. Some of us have things we have to go through before we can get to that part of our lives. Its not easy to know who the guy is and if they are the right guy. So people get their heart broken by a lot of guys. They think its right, but when you know you know. You've got to know what kind of guy is right for you; even that most people don't even know. I know its a lot of waiting, but the alternative is you could just get your heart broken some more--but I wouldn't think that’s the way to go!

I think you need to be happy where you are in your life right now and not worry about what's going to happen. You can even pray to find the right man. I'm only 18 and every night I pray to find the one God has for me. I know God has a plan for me. I am just going to live my life day by day in his plan and just pray for the one to come.

Its so funny. A lot of times I hear Mr. Right comes when you stop looking for him! If we stay on God's path, you will find he is always 25 steps ahead you! He has a plan for you!

Being Grateful

Today when I was in church I asked a little boy how he was doing. He looked at me with a big smile on his face and said, “I'm great!” I said, “Wow, really! That is really cool to hear.” You don't hear it a lot. It was even more amazing because I know what this little boy's home life is like. It's not perfect. But he is still great! He is just so grateful for what he has.

That's how most of us should be, but we aren't. A lot of us look at what isn't right and not what is! It just shows you how wrong is our outlook on life sometimes. After I talked to that little boy, all I could think about is what I do have. I have so much, and I'm so grateful for what I have! Its so good when you see the light in other people's life. It gives you hope yourself. At Christmas time it makes me so grateful!

We are lucky to have Jesus as a gift for Christmas. I'm grateful I can be one of his gifts! We should all stop and think about how we are Jesus' gifts and not if mom and dad are getting the right gift for us! Sometimes our mindset isn't in the right place; we have to set it to be more grateful. Its better to live your life happy and grateful than sad and alone!