This past weekend, I went to the movies to see Heaven is for Real. The movie is based on the #1 New York Times best-selling book of the same name, Heaven is for Real. It is a true story of a small- town father who must find the courage and conviction to share's his son's extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world. His son claims to have visited Heaven during a near death experience. Colton didn't actually die; he was just under some really good anesthesia during an appendectomy. Colton recounts the details of his amazing journey with childlike innocence and speaks matter-of-factly about things that happened before his birth ... things he couldn't possibly know and things that his family has not told him. When pressed by Todd, Colton insists that Jesus informed him on these matters. Todd and his family are then challenged to examine the meaning from this remarkable event. I personally loved the movie. I had read the book beforehand, so the movie fit perfectly with the plotline of the book. The movie opened my eyes and I was very touched. It brings Heaven to life and you realize that in one second your life could be taken away. You need to go through life acting like today is the last day: make the best out of everything.
Everyone has role models that they look up to for different reasons. They’re role models because they help you to get through life and they teach you a lot of things. They have their views and philosophies on life and in general, and you listen… because they’re older and they’ve been there, done it. They inspire you in different ways and you can learn a great deal from them about life. True role models are those who possess the qualities that we would like to have and those who have affected us in a way that makes us want to be better people. We often don't recognize our true role models until we have noticed our own personal growth and progress. There are many people who have influenced my life but the person who has influenced my life more significantly than the others is my Aunt Lindsey. She has made me the strong person that I am today. Whether it was encouraging me to stand out in the crowd or recommending good foods, she has always been there for me when I needed her. Attending her competitions when she was a cheerleader, was what caused me to become a cheerleader myself. We seriously have some of the most funnest and embarrassing moments ever, but I wouldn’t change a thing. She is one of the only people I can tell absolutely anything to and not be ashamed. She is more like a sister or friend to me than an aunt. Lindsey and I have always been close even with the seven year age difference. I have several aunts, but I look up to her the most by far. She has several qualities that I wish to have myself. She is kind to everyone. No exceptions: Race, age, economic status– everyone is treated the same and with respect. She is open to hearing what others have to say. She is financially responsible, and knows how to spend money wisely. She is helpful when she can be and knows when it is better to stay quiet. She is beyond polite to people, and everyone who knows her loves her. She also taught me to be patient and that not everything goes as planned. She has had to go through many hardships, but she never let her problems show on her face. She covered everything with a smile and taught me to do the same. One thing I greatly admire about her is that even though she had her own problems, she never hesitated to help others. My uncle does not get along great with the family and causes several problems, but Lindsey keep us all together. She is like the glue that holds a family together. You know what usually happens when teenage girls go off to college, but she was very mature and finished college with excellent grades. A role model to me is someone who not only treats me as an equal but is honest, trusting, and most of all open-minded especially in today’s society. We live in a society that really doesn't allow one to be different, but my aunt taught me to not set limits on what I could do. Lindsey is a very important part of my life and who I am. She has played a big in role in shaping my personality. I deeply admire her and her qualities. Gabi Butler: There are very few excellent cheerleaders because it takes a lot of work and time, but Gabi Butler is one of them. She has taught me that you have to be dedicated and never quit even if it gets tough. Gabi Butler is a fifteen year old cheerleader. Her birthday is January 16th, 1998. Her hometown is Boca Raton, Florida, but lives in California. She is currently home schooled, so she can have the flexibility to go and see different places. When she is not cheering, she loves to do draw and surf. She is also, a huge lover of animals, and wants to become a veterinarian. Her favorite celebrity is Selena Gomez and her favorite artist is Katy Perry. Her favorite foods are crab legs and any kind of chocolate. Clowns would be her biggest fear. She has been a cheerleader for seven years. Her sister, Ashley, was her first inspiration in cheerleading. She got her into cheer, and she always looked up to her. Flying is Gabi’s favorite part of cheerleading. Flying is natural to her; it is a challenge of balance, agility, and stretching your body beyond its limits. Being a flyer for the number one All-Star team in the country, California Smoed, means you are going to be under a lot of pressure.Competition season is an exciting time to whoever loves cheer. She has learned from cheerleading the no matter how hard you work you might not win. It’s about the team coming together and all working hard together. She thinks teamwork is the most important part of cheerleading. Although each person must work hard to achieve their own personal goals, each person must then come together as a team. Her proudest cheer memories were pulling her needle for the first time and winning NCA in 2010. In 2011, Gabi attended Worlds with her Top Gun team, but to just sit on the side because a month before competition she broke her ankle. It was hard to sit and watch her team, but she was so proud of how far they came. Last year she attended the World Championships in Orlando, Florida, and won with her Smoed team. She is excited about where things will take her as the sport of cheerleading continues to grow. I can explain every detail about my happy memory because it is so close to my heart. December 21st, 2013, was one of the best days of my life. This memory took place in Hot Springs, Arkansas. All the cheerleaders were experiencing an event that they had look forward to all year long. We were at the State Cheerleading Competition. On Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. the bus headed out for the adventure. The bus was packed to the max; every seat was full. About two hours into the trip, we stopped for a short break, but didn't stay long. We finally arrived at our destination around 11:30 a.m. After a lunch break at Subway, we headed to the hotel. At 3:00 p.m. we called practice. This was the last practice we would have before the actual competition. We didn't have a perfect practice, but it was definitely needed. After practice we went back to our fancy hotel and got cleaned up. We were going to go to Outback Steakhouse. We had a great time there and created several memories. Once we got back to the hotel, we explored. There were several teams there so everywhere you went there were cheerleaders. Lights were out at 11:00 p.m. so we could rise up early. While most people were sleeping the cheerleaders were getting competition ready. We had the hotel breakfast at 7:00 a.m. It took us a good two hours to finish getting ready. At 9:00 a.m. we headed across the street to the competition arena. We took the warm-up mat around 9:30 a.m. We had an okay practice, but we were not hitting everything perfect. You could feel the fear pouring out of us. We had one shot to do the best we could. Pea Ridge was the first 4A team on the mat. We had to set the bar high for the other teams. Right before we went out on the competition mats, a team on the warm-up mats had a bad injury which proves how dangerous cheerleading is. 9:56 a.m. was the time, the time to prove ourselves. We had shed blood, sweat, and tears to get to this point. We were nervous about our performance, but we knew under pressure we would do our best. Right as the music began, I knew we were going to do fantastic, and we did just that. Everything had hit perfectly; we could not be any prouder. Two minutes and thirty seconds flew by fast. As the day went on the other teams performed. They all did well and it was going to be anyone's trophy. We knew we were probably near the top of the list, but we weren't sure. When it was time for awards, the excitement was flowing. As they got closer and closer to the 4A champions, Pea Ridge was nervous. "The first runners up are... Maumelle." So now it was either we had won or we had lost. "The 4A Grand Champion is... Pea Ridge." As they said the words every cheerleader jumped for joy. We had won the State competition; we were going to get rings. The picture that we took with the trophy was definitely a sight with all our tears. We were so proud of ourselves because we knew we had earned the title, the rings, and the trophy! Review on Safe Haven the Movie. Lasse Hallstrom’s new film does exactly what an adaptation should: It turns the original material’s greatest flaws into assets. Safe Haven, based on Nicholas Sparks’ bestselling novel, is a sentimental romantic thriller. But it’s a well-made sentimental romantic thriller, and that makes all the difference. The film follows the path of a desperate young woman whom we first see rushing from a house in which something violent has happened. She eludes an angry Boston cop at the station and escapes on a bus heading south. Eventually she gets off for a bathroom break in the pretty North Carolina town of Southport and impulsively decides to stay. She finds a job and a house to rent easily. She introduces herself to her new neighbor as Katie, though that’s not her name. She also meets Alex, a handsome shop owner with two young kids. He’s widowed; his wife died of cancer, because someone always does in a Sparks novel. Katie wants to keep her distance, but really, who could? The courtship between the couple makes up most of Safe Haven. Interspersed with the blossoming of their romance are scenes that focus on the cop, who seems to be growing ever more frantic. The balance between the two plotlines is crucial, and Hallstrom rearranges the book’s chronology a bit to keep the film moving in the right direction. The love story uses natural elements to reveal the nature of the unfolding relationship; scenes are either bathed in drowsy sunlight or drowned in fierce rainstorms, signaling the characters’ changing moods. Short flashbacks pop up at the perfect intervals, just enough to keep the audience interested, if not guessing. Safe Haven is more date movie than thriller, so if it’s hardcore action you seek, look elsewhere. Hallstrom directed Dear John, which was also based on a Sparks novel, and has adapted films from novels before — notably The Shipping News and The Cider House Rules. The novels on which those films were based were far more complex than Sparks’ Safe Haven. But that simplicity works in Hallstrom’s favor here; there’s nothing that has to be left out for expediency’s sake, no reason to stretch the film beyond the two-hour mark. He puts together the film in a way that lends power to moments that might have seemed hard to believe otherwise, making Safe Haven a safe bet for anybody craving romance. I knew Brad was chasing me because he wanted to get revenge. I was terribly sorry for what I had done, but there was no possible way I could go back in time and change what had already happened. Brad continued to chase me for thirty minutes around the town. He finally lost me as I ran into a 24-hour gas station. It was 3:45 a.m. so nobody was present. The cashier asked me what was happening and why I was out so late. I told him that I simply needed to hide. All I could see was black, black, and more black. I literally could not see my hand which was an inch away from my face. I knew something was chasing me just by the way the air was feeling. I had an idea of who it was and why there were doing this, but I didn't understand. ...I received a letter a few days ago that read “You will not get away with what you did.” Bang, Bang, Bang. He was getting closer by the second. He could run twice as fast as I could, so I had an unfair advantage. I was 16 and he was 20. I did not mean to do what I did, but what happened can not be undone. What was he going to do to me when he caught me? Was he going to hurt me or even worse kill me? Even though these thoughts were coming to me head, I did not let them get to me. I had to focus on the task: to get away safely. I couldn't run forever, but I would try. At that moment, I tripped. I knew it was not a good idea to run when you absolutely could not see where you were going. I laid there in panic as long as I could until I forced myself to get up. My foot was hurt severely, probably broken. ...Three months ago, I went through a horrible experience. I was driving home from Oklahoma with my best friend Sarah when out of no where a car came into my lane. We had a head on collision, and both cars were totaled. I came away with just a few bruises and scratches. Sarah, on the other hand, was severely injured and was airlifted to the hospital. I was beating myself up because I felt like I had caused this; I had hurt my best friend. Sarah spent three weeks in intensive care, but passed away at 11:59 a.m. on Monday. I have never felt so depressed. Brad, Sarah’s boyfriend, hated me; I had just killed his girlfriend. I thought Brad was chasing me because he wanted to get revenge. I was terribly sorry for what I had done, but there was no way I could go back in time and change what had happened. Brad caught me after about thirty minutes of chasing me. I was beyond nervous to see what he was going to do to me. Surprisingly he did not hurt me, he did not kill me, he did not injure me. I was always running from him, so the only way to talk to me was to catch me. He wanted to make sure that everything was okay and that I wasn't depressed. After a two hour talk, we went on our separate ways. Everything was going to be okay, we were going to make it through this experience. “I Have a Dream” are the famous words of Martin Luther King, Junior. King, a strong worker for civil rights and a Baptist minister, had an impact on members of his race beginning in the mid-1950s. Martin Luther had a rough life, but never shut down with all the racism. He accomplished so much in his short 39 year life, that we still celebrate all his achievements to this very day. Born as Michael King, Junior, on January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King, Junior, was the middle child. He attended segregated public schools in Atlanta, Georgia, and graduated from high school at the age of fifteen because he skipped 9th and 11th grade. Though they undoubtedly tried, Martin Jr.’s parents couldn’t shield him completely from racism. Martin Luther King Sr. fought against racial prejudice, not just because his race suffered, but because he considered racism and segregation to be sarcasm to God's will. He strongly discouraged any sense of class superiority in his children which left a lasting impression on Martin Jr. In Boston he met and married Coretta Scott and had four children: Martin Luther King III, Dexter Scott King, Bernice King, and Yolanda King. On the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was to lead a protest march in sympathy with striking garbage workers of that city, he was assassinated. He continues to be remembered as one of the most glorified African-American leaders in history. He headed the SCLC and was a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He played a role in ending the legal segregation of African-American citizens in the South and other areas of the nation. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was created by Martin Luther King. He is often referenced by his 1963 speech, “I Have a Dream.” In the eleven-year period between 1957 and 1968, King traveled over six million miles and spoke over twenty-five hundred times, appearing wherever there was injustice, protest, and action; and meanwhile he wrote five books as well as numerous articles. He was awarded five honorary degrees. He became not only the symbolic leader of American blacks but also a world figure. At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Junior, was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King's birthday. With the exception of Washington’s Birthday and Christmas, none of our holidays celebrate a single individual. On August 2nd, 1983, the House passed the King Holiday Bill by an overwhelming vote of 338-90. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law, and it was first observed three years later. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000. It celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., an influential American civil rights leader. Martin Luther is most well-known for his campaigns to end racial segregation on public transport and for racial equality in the United States. Although we have not reached the promised land Martin talked about, racism in the United States has declined greatly thanks to the work of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. It was quite a sight watching all the cheerleaders trying to pack the bus. There was not one empty seat to put anything in. We were headed to Hot Springs for a great memory that I will never forget. The Cheerleading State Competition was held on December 21st, 2013. We had cried, laughed, puked, and bleed to get ready for this day. It was the day we had worked for and we had to show our stuff. Our cheer family became closer than ever that weekend. You could feel the nerves pouring out of all of us. While most normal people were sleeping, the cheerleaders were getting competition ready. 9:56 a.m. was the time, the time to prove ourself. Being the first one on the mat is a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the way you look at it. You have to set the bar for the other teams. In warm-up room we were definitely not hitting everything perfect, but it was not awful. Even though we nervous about the stunts, tumbling, and pyramid, we knew under pressure we would hit it. As we entered the mat and started the music, I could tell we were going to do good. And we did just that. We rocked that performance and did the best we have ever done. After our performance, all the rest of the teams went. We knew we had a chance of winning, but we not getting too confident. Now it was in the hands of the judges to decide. We were so ready to find out if we had won. There were several excellent teams that had worked just as hard as we had. Sitting on the mat with the other eight teams we had competed against was nerve-racking. They started calling out the teams and who had won a bid to nationals. We received a bid so we knew we were in the top five. When they said “The State Runner-Up is Maumelle,” we were shocked. We were told West Fork was our biggest competitor, and when they didn’t place second we were confused. Now it was between West Fork and Pea Ridge for the State title. Every cheerleader’s face was priceless when they announced “The State Champion is... the Pea Ridge Blackhawks.” As they handed us our trophy, we cried of joy. We had worked hard and achieved our goal of winning state. We wanted that title of being State Champions so much. That moment will stay with me forever, and I will never forget that day. It was a great start to my Christmas break. |