DID I DO THAT?!
-EVA SANTIAGO copyright 2012
Tag: People
365 Snap Shots of Life Blog Challenge: Day 37
February 6,2012
-EVA SANTIAGO copyright 2012
Can Men & Women Just Be Friends?
This video is a must for parents with teens as well as for adults. It’s just about using common sense and courtesy. Sometimes I wish we could go back to times when men behaved like gentlemen because women’s behavior encouraged them to do so. Enjoy your Saturday 🙂
-Eva Santiago copyright 2012
30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 22
Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense 
Day 22 Question #22: If you could choose only one famous quote that you would want your children to always remember, which one would it be?
Answer: This answer comes from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet: “Above all: To thine own self be true.” That is such an important and profound quote.
We live in an age where our children are bombarded by the media to be everything else but who they really are. Children are sent to public school to learn to conform and fit the mold in order to further an elitist agenda that disregards the unique, amazing individuals that God created.
Just think for a moment, if God wanted us all to be cookie cutter forms of one another why did He create such a diverse human race? Clearly God celebrates individuality while we live in a society that tries to get everyone to fit in the box of conformity. Our young men and women watch TV shows Like CELEBRITY LOOK ALIKE
where they pick someone to get a head to toe makeover so they can look like one of the famous Hollywood celebrities. Personally, I have always liked how I look and I’m not at all interested in looking like anyone else. Let’s turn that idea around and have a celebrity do a make over show where they look like the “Average Joe” or “Ms. Plain Jane” I guess that much reality would cause their precious TV ratings to plummet.
To thine own self be true: Thank you Mr. Shakespeare for having penned your words for a generation of people who are willing to sell out just so they can fit in with the crowd.
It takes great courage to be yourself in a culture where uniqueness tends to be scorned. That’s one quote my kids have heard for quite some time and I hope they embrace it through out their lives.
30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 15
Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. 
Day 15 Question # 15: What would you list as the three most memorable TV moments you’ve ever seen?
Answer: I grew up not watching a whole lot of TV. So I had to really think hard about this one. These are the 3 I came up with. I was in the 8th grade and living in Germany when I watched the royal wedding of Princess Diana to Prince Charles. I was so amazed by how magical the whole event seemed to be. What I couldn’t get out of my mind was that she looked so young and pretty and he looked so old and boring. They seemed so mismatched for each other.
The second most memorable TV moment was 9-11. I had just woken up by a phone call from my friend back east telling me to turn on my TV. As I watched, still half asleep I had to ask her what was going on; when she told me I was in disbelief for a few seconds. Then I kept watching, mesmerized by it all.
The 3rd most memorable TV moment was this past summer. My kids and I watched the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. I loved the part where the newly weds drove off in their own private car just so that their adoring fans could catch a glimpse of them. That was a very nice, personal touch I thought.
It’s Fruit Season!
” You shall know them by their fruit…”
Dear Diary,
I went camping yesterday with a few adults and a group of kids. I am new to this church I recently started attending. My Ma avoids going to church because she doesn’t like religious folks so we have stayed away from church circles for a while. I love God and I have a deep faith in Him because my Ma models Him for me everyday. But just recently I felt drawn to finding a church to call my 2nd home. And, I thought I had done just that until I went on this trip. Boy was I blown away with the things I saw some of these “nice” church people doing.
The leader of the whole group was nice at first but in time I saw his true colors.
I heard him talk down to a lot of kids and when one of the adults got hurt he was so lacking in compassion. I thought,’ I’m supposed to listen to him? Why?’
Then there were the various groups of cliques that had formed
; I felt just like I do when I go to school everyday. The popular kids hang with each other and the regular kids like me we sought out the ones who were ignored by the popular kids. I thought.’ No wonder my Ma stays away from all this craziness.’
I saw another thing that really made me sad and it was how this one youth leader whom us guys are suppose to look up to was rough housing and playing with some of the girls that came. This guy was trippin’…on his own ego that is. Wasn’t he supposed to be looking out for all of our safety? Isn’t that what leaders do? I saw two girls I had been talking with all week end long get injured under this guy’s “watchful eye” when the raft they were all on was capsized and it landed on both girl’s heads. Hmmmm you be the judge God and you show me if I’m being judgemental or not. If I am forgive me; but if I’m not, help us all act more like you.
Lastly, I read somewhere that we will be known by our fruit. One of the fruit of The Spirit is LOVE. This week end I saw love in some people that came on this trip; there were some parents that came a long to help out the youth leaders; I saw love in them. Then I saw love in a couple of the other youth leaders. May be just maybe, the rest of the youth leaders came along to learn to love by having to serve the whole group. You decide.
I’m glad I went on this trip though because I did get to meet some really cool kids.
Talk more later…
Carlos G.
P.S. To ALL youth group leaders everywhere: Please remember we are still kids and if you are trying to lead us, we watch what you DO, way more than what you SAY.
I AM
A long time ago a neighbor gave me this beautiful piece in a black frame. I was going through some very tough times and she put this message in my hands. There are times in everyone’s lives that no matter how much you think you have it together, you don’t. We all need encouragement from time to time. No man is an island unto himself and if you think you are, then you are missing out. If you look back in history even the greatest of heroes needed up-lifting words to keep them strong. We can’t forget to pray for and encourage our leaders; they are human too and they need encouragement perhaps more so than those of us under their leadership. I hope you read this and pass it on to someone you know who needs some cheering up.
I Am God.
Today I will be handling all of your problems.
Please remember that I do not need your help.
If life happens to deliver a situation to you
that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it.
Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box.
It will be addressed in MY time, not yours.
Once that matter is placed in the box, do not hold on to it.
If you find yourself stuck in traffic don’t despair,
there are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
Should you have a bad day at work;
think of the man who has been out of work for years.
Should you despair over a relationship gone bad;
think of the person who has never known what it’s like
to love and to be loved.
Should you grieve the passing of another week end;
think of the woman in dire straits, working 12 hours a day,
7 days a week to feed her children.
Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance;
think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.
Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror;
think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.
Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering
what is life all about, asking what is my purpose;
Be thankful;
there are those who didn’t live long enough to get the opportunity.
Should you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness,
ignorance, smallness and insecurities;
remember, things could be worse:
You could be them!
-UKNOWN 
The Heyday of The Blood
One day during the last school year, my daughter Esther read this story as an English class assignment. I found the following excerpt from The Heyday of The Blood to be relevant to our times. I hope you enjoy the excerpt and I encourage you to find this short story and read it in its entirety.
THE HEYDAY OF THE BLOOD
” I tell ye Joey, I’ve lived a long time and I’ve learned a lot about how folks is made. The trouble with most of ’em is that they’re ‘fraid-cats!”…..
” The only way to manage this business of living is to give a hoop and let her rip. If you’ve just about half lived, you just the same as half die. And if you spend your time half dying, someday you turn in and die all over;without rightly meaning to at all, just a kind of bad habit you’ve gotten yourself into.”
“Some live and some die; but folks that live die happy anyhow…Live while you live and then die and be done with it !”
Children Are Natural Learners
Hello again!
I hope you are having a great summer! I want to touch on a slightly over looked fact. Have you ever noticed that children are naturally curious? Albert Einstein referred to it as, “A holy curiosity for enquiry.” This needs to be nurtured in our children and one way to do so is to encourage their questions. My teacher in the 3rd grade, Ms. McClellan once told me that there are no dumb questions except that ones you don’t ask. I never forgot that and I do the same with my kids.
So next time you are pressed for time and your child comes up to you and peppers you with a myriad of seemingly silly question remember; what maybe obvious to you maybe a mystery to him because he’s new in this world. So count to ten, take a deep breath and relax if you don’t know the answer to his question. Then be brave enough to tell him, “I don’t know but we can find out together.” I will leave you with a couple of quotes on education. Adios!
“Education has become too important to leave to educators.” – Peter Drucker
“Educate a man and you educate an individual-educate a woman and you educate a family.”
-Agnes Gripps
Eva Santiago 