The Art of Happiness - Gratitude

So I watched this video on YouTube today that got me thinking. It is a video by the fantastic channel, SoulPancake, about happiness. Yes, it is that simple. Happiness. You can watch it below.



The idea of gratefulness is not something that I act upon often but watching this video not only made me want to tell one person how I am grateful for them but every single person that I am grateful for. There are plenty of people, some that I call friends and some that I call family, that have blessed my life and have been there for me in some of my toughest times. As well as my God, who is all loving and forever forgiving, who has given me a life and a purpose. I often forget and take for granted how much each has affected me in such a tremendous way. I plan on doing what the video suggests but for more than one person. My plan is to write a paragraph for every friend/family member that has touched my life and has blessed me. To get things started off though, I will start with a blanket letter to cover everyone who has affected me.

Dear _____,

I am sincerely grateful for the time we spent together through my life. We may no longer be close as we once were but I look back at memories and I am glad that you were a part of my life. There was a reason you were there and there is plenty of time left for us to reconnect (hopefully). Whether you listened to me at key moments of my life and helped me get through some tough situations, included me in yours or both, I am who I am today because you were there when I needed you most. I hope that life is treating you well and that you have the support that everyone deserves. If you are reading this and you don't, I am there for you.

Thanks for everything and God Bless,
- Cody

Anything Could Happen

It is winter break, the grade reports have been released, and I am home. This break could have not been more necessary than turkey on Thanksgiving. It needed to happen and I am glad that it did. The semester of non-stop working (whether in the Art Building or in Admissions) had worn me down to a small nub of a person. I had no social life, no will to continue on with school work, and definitely a lack of patience the closer it got to the end of the semester. On top of that I got mostly B's this semester and that did not help my GPA at all. I realize that there was more I could have done for a couple of my classes that would have gave them the grade boost I needed but at the time I decided against doing what I know I should have done for sleep and a social life. For instance in Theatre History 1, I could have easily read the plays that we were supposed to and got better grades on the quizzes for them. I also could have perhaps worked more on my final paper and presentation for Theatre History 1, that definitely wouldn't have been a bad idea. For Intro to Computer Graphics I could have thought more about the tape I was using for the final presentation and gotten a much better grade than I did. As for Painting I, I would be surprised if more than two people got an A in that class. I worked so hard for that class until I just could not stand seeing the paintings anymore. Regardless of my final grades, I learned so much this semester and probably have received some of the best education that I could possibly imagine from Sterling College. Also, I remind myself that there is always next semester. Hopefully, next semester will be easier as well, that wouldn't hurt my feelings.
This was a semester filled with fun, friends, and soul searching. The fun more so towards the beginning of the semester, friends making a tighter bond at the end of the semester, and soul searching throughout. For the better part of the semester, when I had no social life really, there was a lot of life questions running through my head mostly about the friends I had made at Sterling and how none of them had really cared about me and through God's grace I found that more people than I thought truly did care about me. I finally found friends who will text me occasionally just to see how things are doing and to hang out. The sensation is overwhelming to say the least. Something I have searched for practically my whole life is finally panning out before my eyes. It is great to finally know that I have friends that I can turn to about pretty much anything going on in my life. This is where I end by saying that anything could happen in my life right now and it looks to me that it is going to be a bright future someday.

YouTube & Oppurtunity

YouTube has informed me that two of my videos are apparently not up for monetization because they are questionable if they are mine. I am not sure how I am suppose to support the fact that they are completely and 100% mine. They don't even contain anything remotely questionable. They came straight from the device I recorded them on to my computer. They contain nothing from a movie or television show. They contain no music (of any sort). They contain no graphics or pictures. They definitely don't contain anything about a video game or anything along those lines. It is just strange how they ever questioned them in the first place. Now, I am waiting on YouTube to see if they will change their minds about my channel's videos. If  you, the reader, would like to check these videos (The BWP - Campus High Thespian Edition & Kacie Being Creepy)  and tell me what you think or any of my other videos, here is my URL: http://www.youtube.com/user/codegreen04

On a completely different note, I was just called by my Sunday School teacher and I was asked to teach the class for when he will be gone (next Sunday). I am just so unsure about this offer. I have no confidence in my teaching ability or even my ability to lead a simple discussion. The reason he said that he called me was because he was looking for a reliable person who is on time and comes on a weekly basis. While I am all of those things, I still don't even have the book that we are discussing in class, Forgotten God by Francis Chan. I just don't know what to do.

This Life Is Crazy.

It all started tonight around 8:30 p.m. that my great day all came crumbling down. I always knew that the smallest things can change a day completely but never did I think that the small things could come in a chain. My sister called me, she was frantic and after the day she has had no wonder. Her boyfriend was thinking about breaking up with her, so he was at his relative's house "thinking it over" on the very same day that she had a miscarriage and got yelled at all day by my father. So, she was in tears. She asked me to come home. Even though I was out with friends I felt it was necessary that I come home, only to find that I am not needed anymore. The boyfriend made his way back over to our house and they made up (for now). While I sat around  after coming home and having nothing to do, my mother tells me that my dad had a conniption fit tonight. He went around yelling, screaming, making threats, and slamming doors. My mother then also tells me that my father told her he has contemplated suicide. Never have I had a shock go through my body like that when I heard my mother say those words. I could not believe it and it was all about how much money he has been giving my sister. He feels like he is getting none of it. My mom then also discloses the fact that before my sister and I, he was going to attempt suicide because he was having a hard time finding work and such. So knowing that he has a previous history worries me even more. I told my sister when her and her boyfriend came upstairs to be extra thankful and careful. I then decided to write my father a letter about all the unsaid thanks and gratitude I have for him because now more than ever, he needs it. I closed in a verse from Joshua.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
- Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

He isn't a religious person (at least anymore) so it should be interesting how he takes it.

If there is anybody reading this and you are a follower of Jesus Christ, please pray for this family. We need it and it is all that I ask.