Madison Sanders Writes

I have some things on my mind, so here it goes. If you were to ask people who know me to describe me in one word, it would probably be serious. If they didn't mention that one first, it would be in the top three things I'm sure. It's one of the things I dislike about myself sometimes, such as when I'm giving a speech. Other times, it is one of my best qualities because I can focus on a task and see it through to completion. I'm not quite sure how to change it, though. I guess I lost some of of that fun, carefree nature when I had to go through surgeries as a young child. Basically, I had to be tough. While others were worrying about what kind of outfit they were going to wear the next day, I had doctor's appointments. Today, I'm just a little frustrated. I never want to come across as not approachable, yet sometimes I feel like that's exactly what happens. One good thing about reflecting on things is that I know what I need to work on. I know I'm a w

It was time for family pictures. Normally, I would pick out my dress and have everything laid out and ready to go. This day was different. We were super busy, so everything happened at the last minute. I brushed my hair, put on a dab of lipstick, and rushed out the door. It was your classic set-up: Boring background and an overexcited photographer. Something happened that day that I still can't think about without laughing. "Pose beside each other," the photographer said to my brother and I. "Kind of turn your shoulders sideways so you are leaning into each other just a little," he clarified. Snap. Snap. Everything was going smoothly. We just had to look like we were excited to be there a little bit longer. Then, the inevitable happened. There was a screen so that you could preview the pictures. For the average person, this was a good thing, but for brothers and sisters this was a bad thing. "How can you be taller than me!" my brother shrieked in digus

I want this blog to be about more than just me. I want to touch lives. I want people young and old to go away with their hearts fuller and their steps more sure. I'm just going to share my heart with you. I long for a part of this blog to be a refuge for disabled families. I want to do a one on one interview with someone who is disabled about once a month, so that it eventually becomes a place for people to go to for answers. For hope. For an encouraging word. This would probably be easily accomplished by creating a YouTube channel for the interviews and then posting the link here. The reason for this is lots of videos on a blog makes the page load slower. The interviews would be conducted through Skype, which is a free service and downloads in minutes. I'm am only one person, but I can make a difference. One of my favorite quotes is by Edward Everett Hale: "I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do

I always love input from other people. I've been evaluating this blog and thinking of ways to make it better. I've got some things planned to keep the content interesting, but I want to hear from you! Since you take time out of your day to read what I write, what are some topics that you would like to know more about? I've done Q&A's in the past with minimal response, so I thought I would try something different. I probably won't use all of your suggestions right away, but don't shy away from giving a suggestion. Maybe you have thought of something great that I never would have thought of, so feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or a quick e-mail. P.S. If you think the blog is okay as is, let me know that, too.

I apologize for things being so quiet around here the last few days. I do have a good reason, though. The Internet at our house has been down for awhile. They finally fixed it last night. During this time, I've still had assignments to turn in and projects to complete. But, I wasn't distracted by status updates and the like. I love the Internet and its capabilities, but sometimes it feels like you are more detached from the world in a way. It seems kind of contradictory, though doesn't it? I mean websites like Facebook were built for connections. I can't help but wonder if the Internet has helped foster this idea that it is okay to not talk to someone face to face. In today's society, sometimes people feel it's okay to just send a text when it would be better to actually meet with the person. Although there were some obvious difficulties during this waiting period, one perk of no Internet was I able to just be. I didn't have to answer every e-mai

My brother got married Saturday, so when I found a post about love and marriage I had to share. I didn't write this. One of my fellow bloggers over at Four Sisters Farm wrote this, so go over there and comment. :) Rooted and Established in Love (Reposted with permission) I've recently become intrigued by a tree near our farm…or is it two trees? I’m not a horticulturist so I really don’t know - I haven't inspected it below ground level (The neighbors would probably think I'm strange since it isn't my tree). This tree appears to actually be two trees that decided to work closely together. One trunk is sturdy and looks like it has been growing longer than the other; or maybe they started out at the same time and one was better suited to the ground from which it grew. For me, this tree is a beautiful depiction of marriage. Two people choosing to intertwine their lives, their assets, their very beings into one. They share the seasons and are sustained by the same soil

Relationships are two-sided. They bring great joy and also stretch you beyond your comfort zone. It seems like every time I get close to someone, they leave. That hurts! I'm having a very hard time dealing with this current season in my life. I know that relationships are vital to my growth as person, but they are not easy. They take committment. You make yourself vulnerable. That song by Martina McBride called "Anyway" comes to mind. You can love someone with all your heart For all the right reasons In a moment they can choose to walk away Love 'em anyway That's what I'm going to do. As hard as it is to let them go, I have no choice. I do have a choice how I react to it, though. I choose to love people anyway. I will not let this make me bitter. I will not close myself off to a relationship with this person. I wish them nothing but the best in life. They were a vital part in my life--for a season--and I don't regret one moment of it. They supported me. T

As a child, I struggled learning how to write in cursive because of cerebral palsy. I would stay after school with my precious third grade teacher for at least an hour working on making a cursive "h". No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't make my pencil form the hump in the letter. I was beyond frustrated with myself! My teacher would always pat me on the back at the end of each study session. "You'll get it one of these afternoons," she would say with a smile. Mama bought me some writing books so I could practice my letters. I was somewhat excited at the possibility of getting better yet also nervous because my previous attempts had ended with me in tears at times. Despite my frustrations, I would get into a comfortable spot on the couch every night after I finished my homework and practice writing. I could see some letters start to form in the midst of the mess. "Look, Mama!" I said barely able to contain my excitement. She was sm

Sometimes the words just flow so freely. It's days like that you will see me typing the thoughts in my head as quickly as I can. In my opinion, words are like raindrops and you have to catch them and put them on paper before they disappear. When the days are long, I find refuge in writing. I am at peace when I get the chance to release my thoughts. Some days, I feel a burden to write. Keep reading, I will explain what I mean. This quote is one of my favorites: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” –Maya Angelou I think most writers can relate to that statement. I feel like I would be doing the people around me a disservice if I didn't share what was on my heart. What good is a gift if you never open (or use) it? I don't know about you, but I want to pour my heart out in the hopes of helping others. I hope this blog has been a healing balm when someone needs it. I hope this blog has made you laugh through your tears. I hope my story has helped

Today is a get real with myself kind of day. I may be tall, thin, and opinionated, but Superwoman I am not. I'm a person that gets tired and frustrated just like everyone else. There's only so much I can get done in one day. Yesterday, I had to come home from school because I started feeling awful. Pain in my hips and just feeling yucky. Normally, I would push myself to stay, but I could hardly focus on my work. "How are you?" my teacher asked. This was my chance to be honest with her...and myself. "Well, I could be better," I told her honestly. "Tell you what," she said, "Why don't you go home and we will reschedule your speech for another day?" Wow. God knew just what I needed even if I had a hard time admitting it. If you know me in real life, you will understand why I hated leaving school yesterday. I genuinely love school. I pretty much always have. I get a rush like no other when I learn something new. I wake up (mo

My friend has posted Part 2 of Every Rose Has Its Thorn . If you missed the first part, please go on her blog and read it. It will make more sense that way. For those of you who read the first part, what did you think? Have you ever been in a hopeless situation? I'm so glad that God is right there with us, even when we think we are all alone. I've always said everyone has a story to tell. My friend is boldly sharing hers, so I invite each of you to share something about yourself. Write something on your blog this week. It can be a short, funny, or serious post. It doesn't matter. Writing is therapetic to me and I think it will help you, too. Link up your stories here so we can all read them! Just type in the URL of your post along with the title and your good to go. An example of a URL would be this: http://dropletsonajournal.blogspot.com/2011/01/energy-boost-would-be-nice.html It will close on Feb. 7th.