If this offends you.... go find the "Unfriend" "Unfollow" "Block" links now...

It is 2013 and as people we are still offended by the personal beliefs and opinions of others. The funny part is that most of those beliefs and opinions have no direct and personal affect on others; hence "personal".


I am a Follower of Christ, Child of God, Daughter, Sister, Grandchild, Friend, Niece, Cousin, Republican, Traveler, Healthy living advocate, Employee to my job, Cal Poly Alumni, MBA student at HIU.... I am all these things and if you are offended by that..... feel free to "unfriend me", delete me from your phone book, take me off your social networking radar. I am not going to change being those things. One day I may add "wife", "mother", "grandmother" to that list... so be prepared. God is not done with me yet.

I know I was not put on this earth to be everyone's best friend. I was put here with God's will in mind... to love Him and serve Him and love others. First and foremost "Love Your Neighbor". That is part of the foundation I stand on... and live by. The other part is believing that Jesus Christ did not come to condemn but to redeem, by going to the cross in MY place for my sins (missing the mark). No greater love has none than this: than to lay down life for a friend.... and JESUS did! The key word is "love". The best example on how to love people is from Jesus himself-- talk about the best example.

Now, this concept will offend people. Love offends people. In this, I also believe every word in the Bible to be without error and true. I put my own life on it. I have faith this is true and have no reason to doubt it.  I have seen God personally work in MY life and those around me. I also know how my life can look when I don't trust Him and I trust myself thinking I don't need anything but me. Me? A human being with the ability to make mistakes-- and often does.  This is the foundation to who I am and what I stand for.

In love you find grace and mercy. Who am I to not exercise this when it is given to me each and everyday from God... and if I am striving to be Christ-like in heart and lifestyle... shouldn't I at the very least do this? I have my short-falls.... a lot of them... and I am not comfortable with them. I know I have a big need for more discipline in my life, I need to remember that the words of my mouth are the reflections of my heart.

People are easily offended at others personal beliefs and opinions... and even lifestyles. Obviously, there are things out there that offend me or I don't agree with. To bash an individual is not love, it is a form of hate and intimidation. Over the years I have had every social networking site out there: MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, SnapChat, Blogger, WordPress.... we are in a world of Social Media.... the first word is Social. We now hide behind this to hurt others. Half the things that get said on Facebook to others concerning pictures they post, thoughts they share, comments they leave... would never get the responses I see if the only way you could convey them was to the other person's face. This morning I commented on a friend's post concerning fast food. It was light hearted but I was also sharing my personal (key word) on it.... it then in an instant from another individual turned into my preaching and being judgmental. Because I personally believe Fast Food is bad for you and any nutritionalist will tell you that. Yes, I only live once... and after everything I have come through medically why would I chance it and not take care of the ONE body I am given. I am not perfect.... I am enticed by pretzel M&Ms and grabbing a drink with friends... but it is not my lifestyle. I prefer meals at home to eating out. I prefer to take care of myself and being responsible to myself in what I put in to my body. Somehow my opinion offended the individual.  For those who don't know-- I had open heart surgery at 2 1/2 and to this day I am very cautious in how I treat my body. I am healthy now, yes, but I don't do anything to play those odds. I do watch what I eat. I come from a family who has struggled with weight and I know those struggles are in the cards for me if I didn't watch it. Being active is a huge thing for me in order to maintain health. So I find it funny when people call me a "health nut".... no it is more like "I like being alive" weird concept I know. I don't want to be in a position where I need to depend on the tax payers to take care of me because I chose to say "to heck with it, I will do what I want". I also don't want to be in a position of being sick. I am someone who does have food allergies and other ailments so why add to it? Why not do everything I can, every second of the day to be active, eating right, and cutting out the garbage (in every aspect of my life)?

If it isn't my Christian faith, what I choose to eat (or not eat), then it is my political beliefs. My being a Republican does not stop anyone else from being what they want or feel they align best with. Frankly, neither party really has it all together and if I had to best define myself it would be "Fiscally Conservative and Socially Moderate". If it has no direct affect on your life.... why even argue it?! If you go on to my social networking site and berate me for posting something I believe in.... then stop yourself. Go to the bottom right of my cover photo and click "unfriend". I don't need that in my life or people who don't respect my RIGHT to believe and practice what I do. I don't mind the respectful discussions as long as boundaries are not crossed, but I think people have forgotten how to do that. I think people go from "No" to "You are the Devil" in 9 seconds flat.  It is amazing that adults can act like children when they aren't getting the results they want.

Facebook and other social media have become a bullying tactic. I took to Twitter a couple years back and have more and more gotten into that communication. If it takes more than 140 characters to convey something to an individual... I should pick up the phone and call them. Why do I have Facebook still? Really because a lot of my family 2,800 miles away are on Facebook and it keeps me connected as my 4 year old cousin is growing up and my Aunt is doing amazing things in changing her life and taking on a more healthy lifestyle. One of my closest friends to me moved to Washington and it is the best I can see her kids growing up everyday when she posts pictures. If I could teleport to those people in 9 seconds every time I wanted an update I wouldn't need Facebook. People take it way too seriously like it is the 'doctrine' of their lives. I really have no status updates anymore but great quotes I personally am reflecting on throughout the day. I see funny pictures and I am like "sure, let's share that". My Instagram is linked to Facebook... so really if I didn't have 8 years worth of pictures sitting on a server based in Palo Alto... I would be out. So really, if anyone can find a way to get all my pictures off and on to my computer.... I would delete Facebook like yesterday.  Until then I will continue to share things that interest me on MY page, interact with friends and family, and if that offends anyone.... delete me. I don't have time for negative people in my life who are not there to encourage, lift up, or those who say things that are not quite necessary. I believe in "garbage in, garbage out"... with what we put in our bodies, our lives, or the people we choose to be around. They say that "we tend to be with people we want to be more like"..... and I know I want to be around those who encourage, lift up, and are people who make me want to be better. Those who are examples of "Christ-like" living, great mothers, great wives, people who love others, those who respect people, those who embrace those regardless of the baggage they carry.