Madison Sanders Writes

I have some exciting news to share with all of you. But, in true form, I'm doing things a little different. Dinosaurs.............$7 Box of toy cars..........$19 Baseball bat..............$40 Four wheeler..........$398 My little nephew .............PRICELESS That's right! I'm going to be an aunt in May 2011! I can't wait to meet this precious little man! Fun times are ahead for sure!

This is just a quick entry to let all of you know I haven't been feeling the best for the past few days. I'm going to rest today, so there won't be a Memories Rewind post. School starts back next week, so I need to be feeling better by then. As you know, life isn't always rosy. I have bad days just like you. When I had my back pain for a year, I didn't write in my diary because I was in excruciating pain. It was hard to get through the day, much less write about my feelings. In retrospect, I wish I would have written about that time to some extent, but I didn't want my diary to be filled with pages of "I've had another bad day" you know? Anyway, I am blogging about my not so good days. Sometimes, it helps just to get it out. Tomorrow is a new day, and that means it has the potential to be a great day.

Thanks for participating in my polls! I was glad that a few of you joined in on the fun. Some interesting facts: The poll said that the majority of my readers are female, but I know for a fact I have a few male readers. :) Most of my readers are between 18-25 and 33-40 The majority of you have children There was a tie between Fall and Spring as your favorite seasons I know everyone who reads didn't participate, but it was interesting to find out a little more about some of you! Now that Christmas is over, what was your favorite thing about Christmas?

I thought I would share our tree for this year. In the midst of presents and parties, don't forget the real reason for celebrating. God gave His best so that we could have a life filled with hope for the future. Even though we deserved a much harsher punishment, He took our place. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year!

Every child waits in anticipation for Christmas. Pretty lights, presents, and festive music are a change from the everyday routine. We would all pile in the car to go look at Christmas lights. Mama would take us down through where Granny and Papa's old house was because there were a few houses that really loved to decorate for Christmas. As we pulled up to the old man's house, Mama slowed the car to a crawl so that we could take it all in. In the front yard, there were reindeer and trees with colored lights. There was a Santa's workshop that was trimmed in red. Each year he would add something new, so me and Eli would try to see who could spot the newest addition to the old man's growing collection first. "Look at the blow up igloo, I exclaimed. It even has falling snow inside of it. I don't think that was there last year!" We would be in awe of the decorations. As children, we would get excited if a Christmas song came on the radio. Everything was differe

Growing up, you never saw dolls that looked different. The dolls always had the perfect outfits, manicured nails, and all of the accessories. In case you haven't been out and about in awhile, you may not realize that most people don't look like that. There are kids with cancer and many other things. I thought it was important to make sure they were represented, too. So, I went on a search for dolls that have wheelchairs, crutches, etc. To my surprise, I even found dolls with braces! I think this would help kids who are different to feel better about themselves. These dolls would be good for younger kids who like soft dolls and aren't old enough to play with dolls that have lots of parts. You can purchase everything at this website . They have lots of accessories to choose from too. *The accessories are sold separately from the doll. This is a doll for kids who are going through chemo. You can purchase it here . Scroll down until you see a doll named Hannah. It'

I was sitting in an office and noticed some very peculiar things. Someone was expecting a baby and the mother of the woman never got excited as the ultrasound wand moved over the woman's belly. I couldn't believe it. How can you see a precious little person on the screen and not get excited? If you aren't over the moon about having a grandchild, could you at least smile? What about thinking about all of the adventures, trips, and firsts you will get to experience with your grandchild? Does that not make you get the warm fuzzy feeling in your heart? I'm afraid in today's society, people don't get genuinely excited over anything anymore. Sure, they scream and yell when their favorite team is playing on TV, but that's not what I'm talking about it. The kind of excitement I'm talking about doesn't fade away within a day or so. It lingers with you awhile. You have a spring in your step and are feeling alive. I guess you could say this is what a newlyw

I've recently had some new people subscribe to Making my Mark through email. I just wanted to say thanks for reading! It is wonderful to know that people take time out of their day to read what I write. Since I've had some new readers as well, I want to know more about you. Yes, even the ones who never comment, feel free to participate in this. :) The polls will close on December 25, 2010 at 12:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time Can't wait to see the responses! This should be fun!

My post is up at (in)courage! I'm seeing myself in a whole new light. I've had to face the truth today. It was a harsh reality, but it was also a life-changing truth... Click here to read the rest of my post. We've all been broken, but the Potter can make something beautiful out of our mess if we let Him.

I will be posting over at (in)courage tomorrow. I'm very excited because it's a website that encourages women. Be sure to scroll through the Daily Guests section because there are some awesome stories that are sure to inspire. Even if you're just having a bad day, you will be feeling grateful for what you have. The best part, no caffeine is needed. :) So, head on over there tomorrow to see what I have to say! I'll post a link to my post when I get back from my doctor's appointment. It will be posted in the Daily Guests section.

Image Credit: What Not to Do © StillSearc  I said I would share some of the dumbest things I've been told concerning my disability. So, here they are: "I'd like to be out of school for three months...but not because of surgery of course." [in reference to my wheelchair] "You don't need legs do you?" "You have it easy because you get to leave Chemistry early." I responded by saying, "No, I actually don't. I have to work harder to make sure I have all of my work done because I leave early." "You must be the teacher's pet because you get to leave lunch early." I had to leave class and lunch early to avoid the crowds. Because of the hardware in my hips, if I fell, it could cause serious damage. "You must be the Queen of Sheba! You have the best desk and chair in the classroom." I had a desk and chair because of my back pain. All of the other students had those small desks. (This was actually prett

We all hide behind a mask. We plaster on smiles when we are breaking on the inside. We just want people to think we have it all together so we aren't peppered with a million questions after they find out what's really going on. If we're being honest, that mask almost makes us forget we don't have any pain in our lives. (Fill in the blank with whatever word fits your situation). The mask has become almost like a second skin because we find ourselves telling everyone, "I'm okay," but that couldn't be further from the truth. Only when we get to the root of the pain or frustration will we begin to heal. Imagine someone in so much pain (whether it's physical or emotional) that they want to crawl out of their own skin. I uttered those words just the other day. They peel back that thick layer they have built up around themselves that was crafted for years. As they take of the mask and seemingly protective layers, you get to

Eli and I were on a mission. The night was a bit muggy, but it didn't bother us. Armed with mason jars and coats, we were ready. We weren't catching measly bugs. This twin duo was going to catch some fireflies. They fluttered all around my Memaw's yard in the summertime. I darted off in one direction so me and Eli wouldn't be fighting over fireflies. I wanted to catch my own, you know. So, I ran around until I set my sights on one within reach. The firefly's body would light up like a neon light one second and be gone the next. I cupped the jar and slammed on the lid. "I got one!" I thought to myself. Much to my dismay, the little critter got away before I could catch him. I don't know if there are male and female fireflies, but it didn't seem right to refer to these beautiful creatures as its. "Look! I got one, Madison!" Eli exclaimed. I rushed over to see firefly up close and personal, but Eli would only let me get to a certain distance

I apologize for leaving you hanging on this story for so long. I just didn't have the energy to continue until now. For the previous edition, click here . "Why not go?" Domonique asked herself. Well, she could think of a million reasons. For starters, she didn't want to hear his incessant ramblings about what he hated about his life. She also didn't want to be badgered about things that happened years ago. She didn't want to hear about any negative things. Domonique just wanted a simple, quiet dinner. Was that too much to ask? Maybe this time will be different. Who knows he might be glad to see me? Ugh. She was doing it again. Dominique was torturing herself with countless what if scenarios that might not even happen. In the midst of her tug a war with her mind and heart, a song came on the radio. She paused her pacing on the floor to see what was playing. Wouldn't you know it was What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts? How ironic. That was exactly how sh

With each birthday comes a time to reflect on the past and anticipate the future. As my mom said, "Make a wish!," Eli and I simultaneously broke out in a fit of laughter. It was a priceless moment. In honor of my 21st birthday, I thought I'd list 21 wishes. I didn't want to do a 'traditional' birthday post. I guess you could call this my bucket list. Some of these things are just for fun. :) 1. Enjoy this next year no matter what comes my way. 2. Take more opportunities to thank my family "just because". 3. Go to Spain. 4. Learn how to use Photoshop. 5. Learn calligraphy one day. 6. Meet Denise Hildreth. She's one of my favorite authors. 7. Write a book. 8. Go back in time to the visit those beautiful, old libraries to learn how people lived, what they did for fun, etc. I like to look at people's handwriting, too because every person's is different. 9. Be able to do more in physical therapy. 10. Be able to sit up more during the day. This

It had snowed the night before. The ground was covered in a beautiful blanket of snow. As I stepped out onto the porch, I had to stop and stare for a minute because we don't get snow very often where I live. Being the kids that we were, we couldn't wait to build a snowman, but first we had an impromptu snowball fight with my older cousin Brad. Eli threw one at Brad and then it was on. Brad got a big pile of snow to make sure his snowball packed a punch. He wasn't playing when it came to snowball fights. I was walking around in the yard when it happened. I turned around slowly and I was met with Brad throwing a snowball that hit me right in the shoulder All I remember was the blur of his jacket as he was running towards Eli. Man, did that hurt! As I regained my balance, snow was coming out of my mouth as I stuttered while trying to speak. "Madison, I didn't mean to hit you," Brad assured me. "I was trying to get Eli back and I you came into my path as I wa

I was recently having a conversation with some other people. A really thought-provoking question was asked. "What event do you wish you could have prevented?" I said a friend's suicide. Another person said the life-changing car accident that left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Her response got me thinking. I've never wished that I was born a different way.* Sure, I've gotten frustrated over the years when I couldn't do things my friends were doing. When I was younger, I wished I didn't have to have so many surgeries. As I've gotten older, I've realized that all of the events in my life have shaped me into the person I am today. If I had been born with no physical handicaps, I would have an entirely different outlook on life. I wouldn't be as compassionate. Unfortunately, I probably would have been one of those snarky teenagers who thought the world revolved around them. I would have been concerned with the latest fashion. So, in that respec

I'm in the homestretch as I countdown the end of this semester. I have two group projects to film today, a speech, and then finals. But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! I've learned a lot about communication and designing publications, but most of all I've learned a lot about myself. I've learned that I can do things that seem impossible if I'll tackle them one page at a time. I've learned that everything has a way of working out in the end. Countless times this semester, I've been frazzled and stressed. But, everything always comes together when I give it to Him. Why is it so hard to do sometimes? We know God knows what to do, yet we think we've got everything under control. I've learned that you learn a lot about others in the midst of stressful situations. Some people stick it out with you, while some hide away in the rooms away from reality. I've learned to trust even more in the grace that God gives each day. Just when I think G

I've asked my friend Katie Griffin to do a guest post for Memories Rewind today. Go on over to Katie's blog The Greatest is Love and welcome her. She is finishing up college, so she hasn't had much time to blog. But I know she would love to read your comments. Enjoy! As a seven year old little girl, the event of the year was Kite Day. My dad and I would go to the hardware store and buy the plastic, wood, paint and string needed to build a kite. Then my brother, Isaac, and my older sister, Lauren, would race us down to the basement to see who could finish making their kite first. It was never a real contest because there were three of us and only one dad, and we couldn’t do it without dad’s help. As dad glued the sticks together to make the frame we would unroll the plastic and try to drape it across the wooden sticks just right so we could get to our favorite part of kite making- painting. We got to choose three of our favorite colors and mine were pink, purple and green. L

As I lie here, waiting for my medicine to work, I can feel my heart beating. Bump ba dum. Bump ba dum over and over. My heart still beats in the midst of everything around me. No matter how many doctors appointments I have sprinkled throughout the month, life goes on. Each day, I have a renewed hope to face the day. This past week was hard and frustrating. All I wanted to do was work on my assignments and I couldn't. The reality that I needed to rest...HAD to rest hit me like a ton of bricks. I sighed as my face felt the coolness of my pillow. "When I wake up, I will feel better," I told myself. I was right. I did feel a little better. I made a choice to do some work that day no matter what. As I eased myself into the right position, I felt satisfied. No, I didn't get everything crossed off my to do list that day, but I did something . My pace was steady. I have to keep living my life in spite of what's going on in my body or around me. With God's help, I will

I went down to my Papa's house and ran up to the door. "Papa, guess where I'm going?" "Where?" he asked. "I'm going to Wal-M@rt to get my ears pierced!" I said excitedly. He was a little skeptical at first since I was only nine years old at the time. He fished around in his pockets and handed me some money. "Well, here's $9, but you better come back with your ears pierced." "I will, Papa! Don't worry!" I assured him. When I got to the jewelry section, Mama told me I needed to pick out some earrings first. I scanned the options and settled on a pair of little studs. I climbed up on the seat in anticipation of getting those sparkly earrings. After cleaning my ear, the earring was in my ear. "That wasn't so bad" I thought to myself. Well, I didn't know whether to be nervous or excited because we were almost done. I knew what to expect, so I tried not to get too nervous. Before I knew it, my ears were r

I want to check in with everyone today. In the midst of many final projects and doctor's appointments, the blog has been a little neglected. I'm sure you understand that school comes first. :) Blogging is something I enjoy, but I want to have the time to make good posts, not sloppy ones. I have some posts coming up that I think you will enjoy. So, I just wanted everyone to know I'm still alive. I just have some things that must be done this weekend. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

As I go about my daily tasks, I can't help but think a little more understanding would go along way. These are just general thoughts. This post isn't directed towards a specific person or group or people. For example, when I'm tired after a day of school and assignments, a little understanding would be nice. I'm not talking about treating me like a queen bee, but just put yourself in my shoes. So often, people are rude, and it shows. They don't hold doors and they barrel past you in a store without a second thought. This reminds me of a horse with blinders on. People are in such a rush that they can't see much of anything around them. Others are snappy, and you can't figure out why. In my experience, this leads to frustration because I don't know how to help them. I have to be patient with them regardless of how they act because I don't know what kind of day they've had. But, that's easier said than done. Sometimes, I would like to give peopl

Mama and I were on our way to pick out a Halloween costume for her character at church. I skipped through the aisles looking at the costumes. There were scary goblins and witches for those who wanted a little fright in their Halloween plans. Then, you had Dorothy from Wizard of Oz or Cleopatra. The possibilities were endless at this store! When I turned around, Mama had put on a colorful wig. It was hilarious! But, I have to admit I was a little embarrassed at first. :) Then, she put on a mask and burst into a song that she just made up on the spot. We had our own fun right there in the store. I loved that my mom didn't care what anyone thought about her dancing around and having fun with me in the store. Before we knew it, we had been in there for over an hour trying on funny glasses, hats, and the like. I spotted a feather boa and just had to try it on. I guess the creative juices of Halloween had finally found their way to me. I looked pretty awesome with my pink boa and capris

Little baby chicks are so cute and small. But when I had the opportunity to reach in and touch one, I instinctively said, "I don't want it to bite me!" Isn't that what we usually do with people? We don't want others to hurt us, so we hold back. If we are brave enough to start building a relationship, we flinch and pull away as soon as others try to help us. Admit it; you've had someone give you constructive criticism and you've flinched. You instinctively pulled away from that person the minute you thought you might get "bitten." Sometimes we pull away from the very people we need in our lives the most. Pulling away from them isn't going to change our situation. It will only distance us further from our lifeline. If you were drowning , would you swim away from the rope? No! You would swim furiously until you latched on. Hopefully we will all realize the importance of having someone in our lives that loves us enough to tell us the truth

I was scheduled to go for a nerve block in Augusta on October 15th in the hopes that the doctor would be able to pinpoint the source of my pain. When I went to sleep that night, something was different. My heart rate was slower and I actually got a good night's sleep for once. I was trusting God to guide the doctor's hands as he would be the one injecting the medicine into my back. An unmistakable peace was with me as I drifted off to sleep. When I woke up the next morning, I didn't have ANY pain! The miraculous thing was I wasn't in any pain on the way to my doctor's appointment either. They ended up not even doing the nerve block because I wasn't in any pain. That type of nerve block is only helpful if you're in pain when they are doing it because that's the only way to tell if it was working. I was a little upset that Mama had to take off work to come with me and they didn't do it. But, those thoughts quickly vanished when I realized this

(I had forgotten about writing this awhile back, but it's worth posting.) Your 12 year old cousin sits quietly, laptop in hand, reading your blog. Sometimes I question whether or not I really produce interesting work. Mama cast a knowing glance at me and said, "You've done good when you can keep an 11 (now 12) year old's attention for several hours." I guess she's right. After writing for such a long time, you learn that no paper will ever be perfect. No story will be complete, but you begin to be okay with it. Sure, I revise, revise, and revise again to make sure that I've fully developed my ideas, but my mama has taught me that you can only do so much. An English professor of mine once said something that I still remember, "There's no such thing as great writing only great rewriting." How true that is. When he first said that, I was a freshman navigating the waters known as English 101. I woke up on the first day of school a little nervous

I've been waiting to announce something. I am now one of the five feature writers for Adori Graphics! I'll be writing articles on all things related to blogging, which is so me. As you all know, I love to write so this just allows me combine my love of writing with helping others. That's what communication is all about, so the things I've learned in class will definitely be put to good use. Here's a little snippet of my first article which is about writing for an audience: Writing for readers versus in your private journal are two very different things. I'm going to give you some tips to keep in mind... Join me today at Adori Graphics for the rest of the article!

I'm not feeling good today, so the weekly Memories Rewind post will have to wait. I just need to rest, so I'm not going to fight it. In the meantime, why don't you all link up your Memories Rewind posts? It could be a childhood memory or something your children have done. The sky is the limit as far as topics go. I've always wanted to branch out with Memories Rewind, so hopefully many of you will join in! I asked about interest in this before, but I choose to believe some of you were too shy to comment. :) Please link back to this post somewhere in your Memories Rewind post, so others can be a part of the fun, too! If I have a good response, I may may this a weekly link party in addition to my own Memories Rewind post. No story or memory is dumb. Just link the URL of your Memories Rewind post here , not the URL of your blog. Example: http://dropletsonajournal.blogspot.com/2010/09/memories-rewind-laughing-in-night.html It will be open until Friday, October 22. I can&#

As a young girl, I loved shoes. But, there was one problem. None of the cute shoes would fit with my AFO's. My mom and I would spend hours in Wal-Mart hoping that one pair might work. I spotted a cute pair that I just had to try on. Mama would bend down with the shoe horn in hand. It was a war. Heragainst the shoe. She pulled and tugged, but it just wouldn't go over my braces. I let out a sigh of disappointment as we moved on. Sometimes I would suggest a pair to Mama even though I knew they wouldn't work. I thought if I wished hard enough they would magically fit. I knew Wal-Mart shoes didn't have any support in them, but they had all of the cute styles. Usually, we would order dressy shoes from a speciality shoe store, but it was different for everyday shoes. Mama would have to buy them a size up from my normal size so the shoes would go over my AFO's. Tears would sting my eyes as I was reminded once again that I wasn't like everyone else. (These didn'

This is a journal entry that was published in my middle school literary magazine. Please ignore any errors. I was a sixth grader when I wrote this. :) Dear Journal, 1/29/02 I enjoy looking at my grandmother's flower garden when I go to visit her. When people look at her flower garden they just see beautiful flowers surrounding them. I see that, too, just much more than that. When I gaze out into her flower garden, I see all all the different colors and textures of each flower. She may have a whole bunch of the same kind of flowers in a group; each one is unique in its own way, just like people. Some of them have red on them with tints of white on the edges to draw the attention of the person or thing looking at it. In my mind, I see each flower trying to outdo the other. They are very beautiful, my favorite one is the one I just described called, Double Delight. Others are bright pink with long sturdy

I've had several anonymous comments over the past week about a certain subject, so I thought I would answer it here. They will say something like, "I want to thank the staff here at dropletsonajournal.blogspot.com/ for their work." My personal favorite was, "Can I get a staff member to answer my question?" So, for all who are curious, this site isn't run by a staff. It is run by me and me only. I got a good laugh out of those comments, though. I guess people think that several people contribute to this site, but it's just me. I plan to have some guests posts occasionally, but what you read here is my life...my stories. Someone thought I completely made up the Memories Rewind posts, and when I responded that these were things that happened to me or someone in my family as I was growing up, they were surprised. Needless to say, I had a great childhood for the most part. :) I do all of those from memory, except for My Favorite Place , which was taken out of

The teachers gathered the teens and said we were going on an adventure...in the woods. They explained the rules. Everyone had to have a buddy with them and we had to find our way back by working together. Note: This was a well-facilitated group exercise with many teachers and adults around. Mrs. Stephanie and I started off just trying too get a feel for the area. Soon, we came to an area that forced us to decide which direction we were going to take. Left or right. The pine needles underfoot were no help. No one had paved the way for us. We choose one and continued on the path. Time rocked on. I wondered if we were any closer to the church. I had no idea where we were. I just knew we had to keep going. Let's just say my legs had other plans. They were throbbing in pain because they weren't used to being used that much. I trudged on. The pain became more intense so I leaned into my crutches even more. "Do we need to stop and rest?" Mrs Stephanie. asked. &

I have a mid-term exam to study for and lots of little assignments, so blogging will be limited this week. I may have a Memories Rewind post up, but if I don't feel free to look at some of my past stories for your weekly dose of laughter. Hope everyone is having a great Monday! Mine will be filled with studying.

Every day we are faced with a choice. Is today going to be good or bad? While you can't change the circumstances, you can change your attitude. When my body is trying to adjust to the changes, which result in some sleepless nights, I get a choice. I can wallow in self-pity and find countless things to nit pick, or I can say, "No matter what I feel like, I'm going to praise You anyway." In fact, I uttered those words through tears today as I waited for relief. One thing I've learned is you can waste your life away waiting for things to happen. You have to embrace the moment. I thought of the first song that popped into my head and started singing. God didn't mind that it sounded like a blubbering mess. I was determined to get in a good mood. Sometimes we can be so focused on a little thing that we miss the big picture. The big picture is I still have a life. I have breath to laugh and sing. I can write when words are stuck between the lump in my through and my

I just came through another major surgery at 14. I slowly walked the hallway of the hospital as I was trying to prepare myself to meet my new physical therapist. Up until this point, all of my physical therapists had been women, so I was nervous. My feet were dragging as my mind was racing. "Would he be understanding? Is he patient? Would he be like a drill sergeant?" I wondered as I stopped in front of the room. There was no turning back now. I eased my body into a chair in the waiting room. I decided to watch the minutes tick by on the clock on the wall. I was trying to think of something...anything to keep from going into panic mode. Tick, tick, tick. Before I knew it, it was my turn. I was met by a young man named Dustin. "Are you ready to get started?" As I got up to leave, the receptionist said, "He won't kill you." I felt a little more at ease as a smile crept across my face. "Maybe this won't be so bad after all," I thought. We di

School is keeping me incredibly busy. I am learning so much about how magazines and newspapers design their pages. It definitely takes patience! I'm juggling the workload fairly well, considering my pain. I love being busy because it keeps my mind off the pain. I haven't given an update on the medical side, so I thought I would take time to do that. I've been in a lot of pain these past few weeks, but I'm managing. I go back to the doctor in October to get a shot. I've often heard it's important to keep your routine as normal as possible, and I would agree with that. During a recent conversation with my old orthopaedic surgeon, he said something that really encouraged me: "You have a lot of things left to do in your life!" I hung up the phone feeling renewed. It's amazing what a few simple words can do to encourage you. I was hurting that day, but I wasn't after we finished talking. I love it when I'm reminded of the big picture. I'm no

At my school, everyone looked forward to Field Day. It was a chance to take a break from our schoolwork and just have fun. I found my group over by the swings and waited for the games to start. You could feel the excitement in the air. One of the first races was the wheel barrow race. One person had to push someone in a wheel barrow all the way around the orange cone and back, and whichever team did this the fastest won. "C'mon!" we all shouted to our teammates as we waited our turn. I was next. I hopped in the wheelbarrow as fast as I could and off we went. A massive black guy was pushing me (if I remember correctly). "Are you ready to fly down this hill?" he asked. "Yep, just as long as you don't throw me overboard!" I replied. The next few minutes were a blur. We whizzed past the trees so quickly they resembled huge green blobs to me. "Lord, help me not to get sick," I mumbled under my breath as I heard my classmate's feet pounding

I was at a crowded, required function at school this week. I went in determined to learn something, and I did. I wasn't bothering anyone when I overheard girl talking in her cell phone: "Where are you?" she demanded. "I'm over here by the door trying to find you!" I watched this girl as she waited for her friend to find her before she would sit down. I wanted to tell her, "Sit down next to someone and introduce yourself. It's not that hard." It was hard to watch her look so lost and nervous among strangers. She reminded me of a butterfly. If a butterfly doesn't get out of its cocoon, it will die. In order for it to live, it has to stretch its wings and push past the thing that has it confined. To put things in perspective, the butterfly is furiously working to reach what lies beyond that cocoon. All this time the butterfly has been nestled there, but there comes a time to shed that covering. If not, the butterfly will be suffocated and neve

Being a friend means many different things to people. To me, it means being there for the other person no matter what. A friend is someone who knows all of your flaws and chooses to love you anyway. A friend listens. A friend supports. A friend challenges you to do things that you wouldn't normally do. Lately, I've been questioning a few friendships. As with any relationship, it is a give and take. Sometimes, I wonder where to draw the line. I've forgiven many things. Friends spend time together, right? That's what I thought, too. It's like I'm a puppet on a string that is being led on and pulled in so many directions. I still love this person, but they have to make some decisions. When they do, I'll be here waiting. I'm not going to be a doormat, but I am here to listen. I just think some people don't know the difference. We all should to re-evaluate what's important to us from to time to time, but not everyone does. It bothers me when people ju

We had just moved into our new house. The crickets were chirping as people were getting ready to relax for the night. "Wanna throw the baseball around with me, Madison?" my brother asked. He didn't have to ask me twice. I jumped up off the couch and headed outside. Eli was good about throwing it easy. He stood close to me, letting me catch the ball with ease. The muggy air was making me sweaty as I concentrated on catching the ball in his worn glove. We were talking about school when I forgot a ball was headed in my direction. "Madison, you were supposed to catch it!" Eli said as the ball rolled to a stop on the grass. I laughed as I tossed it back to him. He just had to understand that girls get distracted when they talk. Eli was a little frustrated. He wanted to play catch. I had ruined the game. Oh well, that's what little sisters are for, right? I felt bad, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw his trademark grin. That was our unspoken signal that every

As human beings, when tragedy strikes, we have to find something beautiful in the midst of the chaos. Isn't that what we search for? We come home after a long day at school or work and seek solitude in food or a good movie, right? We want to quiet our mind's restless thoughts as we try to make sense of our lives. Sometimes we can't plan next week's schedule, much less what we will do tomorrow. It's normal for us to crave calm in the storms of life, but we need to look in the right place. We can't do it alone, that's for sure. When my mind wants to wander off in million directions, worrying about things I cannot change, I'm gently reminded by my Father of something I sometimes forget. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things" (Philippians 4:8 NIV). After l went to Augusta for my last

I had an interesting question someone asked recently I thought I would share with you. Anonymous said, "Wow...this blog is so popular. I just wanted to know how do you monetize it? Can you give me a few advices? For example, I use http://www.bigextracash.com/aft/2e7bfeb6.html I'm earning about $1500 per month at the moment. What will you recommend?" First of all, thanks for the compliment. To answer your question, I don't monetize my blog. I don't have any ads on here. In other words, I don't earn any money from my blog. I do this because I love it. It's not that I'm opposed to making money doing what I love, but that's not why I started this blog. (I don't want to put random ads on here that have nothing to do with causes I don't support.) Writing is my passion. It's actually like breathing for me. I try not to go a day without writing something. This blog isn't popular because of anything I've done, I can assure you. I

I have many scars on my body. One girl even went so far as to tell me she felt like she was going to throw up after looking at my leg, even though there was no blood or anything. I look at them as something beautiful. They signify that I've survived. No, I didn't always look at it that way. As a young girl, I didn't think anyone could ever love me with all of my issues. If I'm being honest, sometimes I still feel that way. I know that love isn't determined by what's on the outside, but you would be surprised at how society is towards people like me. But, as I was going in for my spinal fusion surgery, something changed. I was seventeen years old. I was no longer a scared nine year old girl. I knew what I had to do. "Let's go add another scar to my collection!" I told my Granny with a laugh. We all have scars. Some of us have scars on the inside that run deep. Just because others can't see them doesn't mean the pain isn't there. You surv

Hello, readers! Madison invited me to do a guest post for this week's Memories Rewind, and I was very excited for the opportunity to share with all of you. My name is Tanya Hudson, and I was Madison's junior English teacher a few years ago. (She was an excellent student and, of course, an excellent writer, as I'm sure you could've guessed. :p) Now, I'm a school librarian in Athens, GA, and I thought I would share one of my favorite childhood memories: summer trips to the library with my Mammaw. We didn't have much money when I was growing up; my parents had me and my little brother, Dave, when they were teenagers--just kids themselves. Despite their limited means, though, Mom and Dad always made sure we had books at home, and they always encouraged us to read--but I was ravenous for more. I even read in the bathtub, squinting to decipher the microscopic print on the lime green shampoo bottle. Enter my Mammaw, who kept Dave and me in the afternoons during the sch