My Sweet Sixteen!

GUESS WHAT TODAY IS?!
Today, I turn 16 years old! I love being able to say that. "I'm 16." It just sounds nice.
I have dreamed of being sixteen since I was about six. So for the past decade, I have dreamed of this very day. It sets the expectations for this otherwise ordinary Tuesday pretty high, doesn't it?
So, reality check.
Today is going to consist of morning Bible study at school, then classes. Let's see...Spanish: I have a presentation due. Biomed: work to catch up on, as always. Math: Going to be staying after for tutoring this afternoon to correct learning targets. English: Exams are soon, let's get some stuff done.
Overall, how extraordinary is my sweet sixteen? Because if I don't get those grades back to A's where they belong, that amazing party we have planned for this weekend isn't going to happen. It reminds me that sometimes, it's not so great to expect so much out of something that it can never be as good as you expect it to be.
That's not to say my birthday isn't going to be good. I have some really amazing friends, and I can't imagine how they could make today anything but good for me. I'm sure I'll get lots of happy birthday's and it will be wonderful. But to expect my sixteenth birthday to be the showstopping day that I once imagined is a little ridiculous. I've mentioned my math teacher's wife before. (Author Kimberly Rae.) This whole scenario reminds me of a story I read on her blog, about expectations. In the story, Kim learned not to expect too much out of her husband, because he, like everyone else is human. And there was really no way he could've known she wanted him to buy her flowers...until she bought them herself. So I guess what I'm trying to say here is that expecting my birthday to be the most incredible day to ever exist is a little overzealous of me. Who's to say something completely horrible won't happen and that when I'm older, it won't be a great day to think back on? (Hopefully, nothing horrible will happen, and I'll still have a great birthday.)
But, you know, it already isn't what I dreamed of. For one, house fire! I never imagined getting ready for school on my sixteenth birthday in a somewhat cramped house, sharing a bathroom with not only one member of my family, but all three of them. See? Already not what was expected of my special birthday. But you know what? That's okay! It doesn't have to be exactly what I expected to be great! I am a very blessed sixteen year old girl! I have a family, a house, two dogs, my writing, my boyfriend, my friends, an amazing church family, good books, caramel apple cider...the list goes on and on! I'm in a good place, and I have realized that just because the unexpected happens, doesn't mean I can't make something good out of it. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. It's a pretty good motto to live by, if you ask me. (Maybe stir in some thankfullness in with that sugar, too.)
So, happy birthday to me, and it's going to be a good day, no matter what kind of lemons life throws at me!
Always, Cassie

Taylor Swift

Today's post (the first of December, yay!) is all about Taylor Swift.
I know that a lot of people don't like her (although I'm not sure why). But you know what? I love Taylor Swift, and I'm not afraid to say so. I love everything about the way she presents herself to the world. I love that she wasn't afraid to change and grow up, as well as allow her music to make that transition with her. She started out in country music, so what? She was a child then, only fourteen years old. She grew up, she changed. Her music did, too, and that's okay. That's normal. Change happens, you guys. Also, I love that she didn't let her image go wild. She never abandoned her dignity just to be "successful". Success here is used loosely, because I personally do not consider Miley Cyrus a successful person at this point. Yeah, people talk about her. Yes, they know who she is. That doesn't mean they like her, respect her, or idolize her. It doesn't mean they even consider her anything more than an overused joke. Taylor Swift, on the other hand, is someone I consider to be successful.
But what is success? A couple of weeks ago, the sophomore biomed students took a field trip to Greer laboratories, where, before our tour, we were spoken to by a doctor who works there, and he told us many definitions of success. (Like not living in your mom's basement.) So I got to thinking about the differences between our worldly successes and the meaning of success in God's eyes, a topic which was discussed at last year's Lutheran Youth Organization Assembly in Greensboro. What is the difference? Earthly success is often balanced on money, fame, and social status. Godly success is more focused on the way you live your life, and what kind of difference you can make when you follow God's will for your life. So the question is, can you have both? Yes! Which brings us back to today's topic, the lovely Taylor Swift. I can't imagine a more impactful person. We all know that celebrities impact our lives. They're a part of our society; we can't change that. But we can choose which celebrities to follow and which to disregard. Taylor Swift has made her impact a positive one. She dresses appropriately, for one. Yeah, she shows some skin at times. But guess what? She's in her mid-twenties at this point. She's allowed to wear things she couldn't wear when she started her career at fourteen years old. And the best part is, she didn't wear those things then. She only started wearing them when she was old enough to do so. Also, she's pretty admirable in her care for people in general, but especially her fans. For example, she sent a care package to a fan who was struggling with moving out of her childhood home. (The care package included a sweater, a blanket, candles, tea, and personal notes along with a journal. No Taylor Swift endorsement material included, I might add. It wasn't a marketing tool, people. It was a genuine CARE package.) She also showed up at a fan's home with presents for said fan's little boy, all because, five years ago, Taylor met this fan who was struggling with the fact that she apparently couldn't become pregnant. Taylor later learned that she had, in fact, eventually become pregnant and had a little boy. So Naturally Taylor showed up at their house, just to drop by and say hello. Because she's Taylor Swift, and she can do that. The remarkable part is that she wants to.
This is no small-time celebrity we're talking about here. This girl has broken records nobody could break. She beat the Beatles in record sales. That's not easy to do. The fact that she is staying humble and, even more importantly, true to herself, is even more remarkable considering her earthly success. She's a pretty remarkable person. I don't know what Taylor Swift believes. I don't know if she's a Christian. But I do know that she demonstrates some very Christian traits. (Forgive me for saying this, but sometimes I think she demonstrates them a lot more than some other celebrities who do profess to be Christian.) Regardless of what she believes, Taylor Swift makes a very positive impact. She gives back in a personal way, rather than just being the face for some charity. Don't get me wrong, that's good too. And I know the children Angelina Jolie adopted from various countries are grateful for that. But sometimes, in the grand scheme of things, the smaller things in life, like a toy truck for the little boy of a fan who thought she would never get pregnant, or a blanket and a journal for a struggling young woman who was having to deal with a massive uprooting, might mean more than any amount of money. It makes my reflective mind think. What kind of impact can one care package have? What kind of impact can one person have? A pretty big one, apparently! So, maybe you don't like Taylor Swift. Maybe you think she can't sing, maybe you think she can't dance. But don't tell me she doesn't care. Don't tell me she doesn't make a difference. I would so much rather tell you that I'm a fan of a girl who can't dance, but who sends care packages and makes home visits and takes selfies with excited fans at Starbucks, than tell you I'm a fan of a lunatic who swings through the air on a wrecking ball or who makes a fool of herself on national television by being disgustingly grotesque on stage and calling it art.
If Taylor Swift can't dance, so be it. Haters gonna hate.
Always, Cassie

Music

Today, I would like to address one of my favorite topics: music!
I love music, which is something not everyone knows about me. I have been writing song lyrics since I was six years old, and I have always loved to sing, as you can see in this photo from Thanksgiving 2001, of my little self singing Amazing Grace. Now, I still love to sing, although I do not perform in front of people quite as willingly as barely-three-year-old Cassie did. I also still write song lyrics, even though it is a few-and-far-between sort of habit. I love the way music has the power to make people think things and feel things that they previously hadn't been feeling. However, I know that is the kind of power that is easily abused. For example, I know that certain songs can make people completely miserable by the combination of their melody and lyrics. It is for that reason that, as I embark on my new adventure, I will be very cautious about song choice.
But Cassie, what new adventure?
The new adventure of my YouTube channel, of course! I have decided that, as a new hobby (because I definitely have time for a new hobby, right?) I'm going to be doing videos of myself covering songs for my YouTube channel. So far, I have recorded and posted Blank Space by Taylor Swift. I really love that song, as a side note. But my Taylor Swift rant can be saved for another day and another blog post.
I have plans to do a Christmas song next, although I haven't yet decided which one, as there are so very many to choose from. After that, I have plans to do "Ledge of Love" by Jon Huertas and "How To Be A Heartbreaker" by Marina and The Diamonds. (a song I never would've heard of if not for my best friend, Tayler.)
After that? I'm not sure. But I do know that I love music, I love singing, and if I love those things, why should I not share it with the world? I can't think of any opposing reason.  If you're interested, the link to my YouTube channel is attached.
Always, Cassie

http://m.youtube.com/channel/UCQLfLsfyirTwCh6ZDMv26zA

Why I Love School

So, why I love school is today's topic. School is something that so many teenagers absolutely hate with a burning passion. I am not one of those teenagers. I love school. I love it so much that I would literally go to school every single day and be so happy about it you would've thought it was Christmas. Why, you ask? Because I love to learn, for one. I really do. And because of my friends and my boyfriend, those are also reasons that make sense.
But, to be honest, I actually think it is mostly to do with the simple fact that I go to the Caldwell Career Center Middle College, and that makes all the difference in the world. For those of you who don't know what that super long name means, my school is a four-year high school program that allows me to earn college credits toward my associate's degree, while taking classes related to my academy, which will lead toward my chosen field of study. The three academies to choose from are Life Sciences (my academy!), Advanced Technologies, and Engineering. If you know me at all, it's obvious where I fit in that scenario. My biomed instructor is one of the most incredible people I have ever met. If you do not know Connie Root, you are missing out in life. She is the kind of teacher that brings life into her classroom, simply because she is passionate about teaching and loves her students with a mother's love. I am not exaggerating when I use my classmate's analogy that we are the chicks and Mrs.Root is the mother bird. It's completely accurate. Whereas some teachers aim simply to stuff our heads with the information needed to pass the exam and get out of their classroom, Mrs.Root aims to do more with us. It is never so much about the final exam or even that pesky unit test as it is about learning, processing, gaining information, and going somewhere in life. Mrs. Root teaches us more than the skeletal system and what the term gel electrophoresis actually means. She teaches us how to get that information: how to use our resources and how to be successful in life. She teaches us love and compassion and so many other things.
But Mrs.Root isn't the only teacher at CCCMC that is extraordinary in the way of teachers. I have had the same English teacher for three consecutive semesters in the classes of Communication Skills, English 1 and English 2. Carly Johnson teaches more than English as well. Seeing as she is so much like me, I have learned a lot from her and frequently go to her for life advice. Speaking of life advice, Mr.Brian Thigpen is definitely our go-to for advice at the middle college. (I've also learned a lot from his incredible wife, author Kimberly Rae.) He has taught us all a lot about life, and maybe a little math along the way. :)
Aside from the amazing teachers, my school has a pretty incredible student body as well. We are a small school of around 250 students, and there are 61 sophomores. Needless to say, we know each other pretty well. I have been blessed in high school so far with many great friends and one really wonderful boyfriend. (If you haven't met Noah yet, you've probably heard me talk about him at least once and likely to the point where you wished you never had to hear about him again. But just in case you haven't heard me talk about him, he's pretty great.) Some of my other friends include the ever-dramatic theater kid with an incredibly intellectual mind, Nick Grozier,author of "50 Shades of Grozier". Also in my friend group, Tayler who is beautiful and sweet and funny and wonderful in so many of her anime-loving ways. And Lyndsi who is also beautiful, whom all the boys love, and who is lovely. And Emma, who is somewhat crazy but wonderfully sarcastic. Brennen, who is absolutely crazy but funny and smarter than he lets on. Sammy, who is brilliant and one of those people you know you can trust. At my school, there are so many people I call my friends. Too many to list, for sure. But the point is, the variety of types of people, the true diversity in more than race, is astounding and wonderful. I am proud to call myself a Career Center Middle College Knight.
Therefore, my point is, I believe, proven. I love school, and I absolutely have reason to!
Always, Cassie

So, for my very first blog post, I am approaching a topic on many minds right now: Christmas!
It has always been my favorite holiday. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved Christmas for every reason. The lights, the weather, the music, the food, the presents. Decorating the Christmas tree, going to my Maw-Maw's house, opening presents. I've always loved the general atmosphere and the anticipation that comes with this particular holiday. I've always loved the tradition of it all: watching the same movies, putting the same decorations in the same places, those certain treats that are only made at Christmas, opening plastic bins and carboard boxes to reveal the same ornaments and things that I see every year. I've also always loved the Christmas story. I've loved the Christmas Eve service at church, the candles, the books that my grandmother had and the story of baby Jesus.
Those are all things I have loved since I was a little girl. But, in recent years, as I turned ten and then became a teenager, I have discovered other hidden joys of Christmas. I have discovered the joy of shopping for Operation Christmas Child, and the enjoyment of going caroling with my church. I've learned how much fun it is to serve others at Christmas. Learning the true meaning of Christmas has been a joy in and of itself. Seeing the joy on the faces of others gives me joy, and sometimes it is that joy that resonates more.
I was told a couple of years ago by a youth leader of mine that I have serenity in my heart and joy in my smile. It was by far the most humbling thing I could have heard, and to hear it from such an influential person in my life was truly a blessing. I have met many people in the last few years that have had a major impact on my life. Youth leaders, pastors, a rapper, singers, authors, teenagers, adults, children, teachers, and even others that I can't think of right now, they have all impacted me. I sometimes get into a very psychologically deep mood, and I tend to reflect on the world in general. Around the holidays, I find myself in that mood more and more frequently.
Christmas has changed for me in the past half-decade or so. Five years ago, I was going to my grandmother's house for Thanksgiving, where we would cook in the morning and watch the parade on television, and then eat lunch and decorate the Christmas tree at her house. I was also waking up at home on Christmas morning, and either my Maw-Maw would be at my house very early, or we would pack up and go  to her house. Either way, we would open presents and eat homemade bread with butter for breakfast, and sing Christmas carols and play with our new possessions.
My grandmother died the fall before my thirteenth birthday, and it was a downward spiral from there. Strange circumstances were in abundance, and holidays that year were, to put it nicely, a mess. I believe we went to my sister's house for Thanksgiving, where emotions were running high and my Cherry-O-Pie wasn't properly smooth, which was a problem that I could no longer consult the woman who taught me the recipe about. Christmas was also a mess, and we spent it just the four of us for the first time, if I remember it correctly.
This year, Christmas is going to look even more strange. Not only are we estranged from my sister and therefore my four-year-old nephew, but we had a house fire in October and are living in a rental house. As I type this, it's Thanksgiving day, and we are far from celebrating the way we once did. We're sitting here in the kitchen of a rental house that is far from organized as of yet, and it may as well be another day of the year. Except, of course, for the thankfulness we all have, for our family, our friends, and a house to live in at all. And the dog barking wildly at thin air, I guess we're thankful for him too. I have always loved Christmas, but this year I'm starting to wonder what exactly Christmas will look like. I mean, I know we're leaving Christmas day to spend a few days at St.Simon Island with our grandparents, but aside from that, what exactly will become of my beloved traditions? Being in my reflective mood, these are questions on my mind. But, as I sit back and think about it, I realize that my most beloved traditions are actually still entirely intact! There are still plenty of children to pack Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes for, and I still have my angel tree gift to give, as well as the other gifts for family and friends. There are still homebound church members to carol for, and plenty of things to do to prepare for our Christmas Eve service at church. And, yes, I will definitely be spending Christmas with my family...I have no choice, we'll be packed into the car for six hours! :)
So, the true meaning of Christmas from a high-schooler's perspective is simple. Don't focus on what you don't have, focus on what you do. Focus on the joy that comes with Christmas, because it is a joyful time!
Always, Cassie