American Idol Season 12 Inspirations

It's that time again.. American Idol preliminary auditions have ended and some amazing talents have began to emerge. Not only that, but some of these contestants have inspiring stories to go along with them! Take for example the story of  Kayden Stephenson, the 16-year-old living with cystic fibrosis; he realizes that life is short and to take every opportunity as it comes.

Then there's Micah Johnson..He suffered severe nerve damage during surgery to remove his tonsils; As a result, he has undergone speech therapy and has a impairment when he speaks. Miraculously, you don't notice it when he sings...
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvEln8PnbHA

Last but not least there's Matheus Fernandes.. Matheus Is a perfect example of why you should not judge anyone simply on looks. After enduring years of bullying in school just because of his stature, he is ready to step out in courage and show off his voice!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5CfvUYQog8

My problem with Windows 8

Welcome Back Readers~      

My apologies for not posting on this blog as regularly as I have in the past. Currently, I am in a state of transition from my two-bedroom apartment to a one-bedroom apartment in the same community; not only that, I've had to deal with a new (yet unreliable) computer back at my parent's place... Which brings  me to  the title of today's  post:  ""My Problem  with Windows 8".  

    In my opinion,  Windows 8 is not as  easy  as it  claims  to be. For starters, users of the system are asked to create n Microsoft password and then forced to merge their information on certain apps on the computer such as Skype. This may be fine for those of you who use one primary computer, but otherwise it seems like a more complicated process-keeping track of passwords. Upon further reflection, merging accounts does not change your access of Skype on other computers.

It also poses difficulty for those using Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 or 11. The software is not yet compatible to control the Metro interface and some of the Global commands no longer work. Worse yet, the newest version isn't compatible either-take heart, the company is aware of the problem and looking for solutions.

Aside from the basic Windows options, users should be aware that Internet Explorer has a propensity to crash when entering dictation into search fields. This was a major source of contention for me since I am unable to restart the voice recognition by hand myself upon system reboot; this is because things like the "start" button have been removed and the ability to create startup routines have been made EXTREMELY difficult. The only way to stop th computer from crashing was for me to start using Microsoft Firefox instead.

Although my dad was able to deal with most of these problems on his own or with the help of technical experts, Windows 8 has been an extreme disappointment. What was supposed to be a unique Christmas surprise turned into a frustrating experience for both me and my father.

I will keep you, my readers, up-to-date with any changes being made to the Windows 8 system. Luckily, I am still able to use Windows 7 on my desktop computer at the apartment and only have to cope with Windows 8 on my laptop at home!

What Do You Say after Tragedy Strikes??

Greetings,

 

 

Happy New Year to my readers... May God continue to bless you through reading this blog as much as I have been blessed by writing it. Through life's ups and downs, he has revealed his faithfulness to me if only I trust Him! This can be a difficult task especially  considering  the  recent  events  that   happened   in Newtown Connecticut;   I find myself  asking,  "Why would someone want to do something like this?"

 

I don't know the answer to that question; nor do I claim to understand what the parents of those innocent children are feeling.. But God does! He feels their pain just as anyone would and wants nothing more than to wipe away the tears.   I sincerely believe  that Jesus  was holding those children  in  His hands  as he  carried  them  up  to  heaven  that fateful  day. This begs us to question once again, "Why would He allow such a tragedy in the first place?”

God is merciful; but that doesn’t mean sin and free will don’t have free reign in this world. They do. Every day we have a choice to make- whether we use our God-given talents to help others or serve ourselves. It’s strange though, considering the gift which was originally meant to bring us closer to our Creator has only divided us!

Food for thought..

If you ever think God doesn't exist, you may rethink it after this clip!

Hey Guys,

I'm not a scientist, but when a friend showed me this clip I was amazed at the  length that God went to remind us of the price He paid for us  on  cross!
Take a look...

Encouragement: With Christmas coming, we have a unique opportunity

Welcome Back Everyone~

Recently I've been reminded how important the Christmas season is to Christians as well as the community at large. Not only does it provide us with a unique opportunity to be renewed in the true spirit of the season, but spread the Good News to others!  As Christians, we tend to forget that sometimes... After all, it's so easy to get caught up in the busyness of this life and lose sight of what truly matters most-God's Gift to us.The Father sent His Only Begotten Son to be born of a virgin, knowing the ultimate price Jesus would make for our sins. 

What an amazing sacrifice that is!

The shocking truth is, we don't always live like it is.  But we should.Jesus loved us enough to give his own life and that calls for a response -not one of obligation rather  rather than an attitude of gratitude for what we've been given. Let me put it another way, becoming a Christian is a lot like receiving a organ from someone on donor registry. Recipients are usually keenly aware of the gift they've been given and no longer  take the days on this earth for granted.

Likewise, we are  no longer living of our own will, but thanks to the life-saving procedure of someone else. God doesn't want us just to go through the motions of living, but wants us to enjoy our life free from the bondage of sin.  Essentially, we too are living on "borrowed time" as well.

That doesn't mean this life will be easy.. Take it from me, it's not! There will be times when you question yourself (or God for that matter) as to the decisions you made and whether you're heading down the right path. But stay steadfast, knowing that wherever you're going; God is with you.

Below are the lyrics to Hillsong's "Mighty to save". I especially like the second verse



Everyone needs compassion
A love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me

Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations

(Chorus:)
Savior
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever
Author of Salvation
He rose & conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me
All my fears & failures
Fill my life again

I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender (I surrender)

(Chorus:) (2x)
Savior
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net]
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever
Author of Salvation
He rose & conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

(Bridge:) (2x)
Shine Your light &
Let the whole world see
We're singing
For the glory
Of the risen King
Jesus

(Chorus)
You're the Savior
You can move the mountains
Lord You are mighty to save
You are mighty to save
Forever
Author of Salvation
You rose & conquered the grave
Yes You conquered the grave

(Bridge:)

Encouragement: Hero Dog Awards 2012 is tonight on Hallmark Channel!

Dear Friends,

I realize it's been a while since I posted some type of encouragement on this blog. That being said, I thought I would like to share the amazing role that pets play in our lives. Whether they are real life heroes or not, they still provide us with unconditional love. Take time to honor them by watching the 2012 Hero Awards which airs tomorrow (Thursday) at 8 o'clock on the Hallmark Channel!

What's Next For Me??

Welcome Back Readers ~

I'm sure I'm not the only person to pose the question at the beginning of this post at least once during their lifetime. After all, it's completely natural to wonder where this journey called life will take you or what the future holds. This seems to be a central theme weaved throughout the circumstances of the last few months…

But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself…

Over the course of my one-month absence from this blog, I underwent surgery to straighten my right arm. Readers may recall that I had this same type of reconstruction on my other side, where the doctor chiseled out some of the bone in my elbow and stretch out the arm (including the muscles and the nerves) to just about a 90° angle. This time, though, was quite a bit different. When the doctor went to stretch out my skin and nerves in between my elbow, the skin broke. This left him with no other option but to take some from another part to repair it. That being said, the outcome has been positive despite having to deal with the open sore as an additional part of the healing process.

At the same time, changes continued to take place in other aspects of my life as well. My personal care agency struggled to find aides that were capable of lifting me and accommodating me in terms of my needs: so much so, that one of them actually hurt their back while working for me one day. On a positive note, I was still at my parent's place recovering and they were able to provide a reliable backup in the interim. It also allowed me the unique opportunity to figure out where God is leading me- whether it be switching to a new agency or staying with the one I had. In the end, I chose the former and am in the process of waiting to see how many hours the new agency can provide; either way, I believe God knows what the future holds for me and will work out everything according to His Plan.

What's my point? Unplanned or planned, these events had the same effect on me- leaving me nervous and anxious with the uncertainty of each and every outcome…

That much goes without saying…

 
However, we tend to forget the unique opportunity that trials offer us- not only building our character but teaching us the dependability of God if only we'd trust Him! In Psalms 46, David goes even further portraying his relationship with God as a intimate one using words like "refuge" and "strength" in the description. I'm
not saying this is easy; hey I'm still learning this very important lesson myself.. But if we would learn this, it would make this journey called life a lot less stressful!

What do you say??