God chose you, but what are you choosing to do?

Many are called, but few are chosen. We hear and quote it all the time. Some of us have been prophesied to with the ministers saying, "You have been chosen by God..." Ok, so you know that, but are you choosing to do what you have been chosen by God to do? In high school, or school in general, I was assigned projects, but most of the time I CHOSE, key word, I CHOSE not to do it. What happened? I got an F. The class didn't end because of it. The teacher gave me the assignment and gave me the freewill to do it or not. The teacher didn't infringe on my free will. Now God gives us all assignments. He tells us what to do, and what not to do on that assignment. Then it's our choice to do it, or suffer the consequences.

In 1 Kings 13, this un-named prophet, had an assignment. He was told to eat no bread, drink no water, and don't return to Judah the same way he got to Bethel. No that wasn't the whole assignment, but I'm using that part of it to make my point. This prophet was met by an old prophet that claimed an angel of the Lord said go with him and eat bread and drink water. The old prophet was lying. The prophet from Judah went with the old prophet and did eat bread and drink. So while they were eating and drinking, the LORD spoke to the old prophet and said because the prophet from Judah disobeyed, he wasn't going to be buried in the family cemetery, which was a big deal back then. So when that prophet was on his way home, he was met by a lion that killed him. God warned him not to eat bread or drink water, but because he decided to believe the first thing a old prophet said, he got himself killed. What the prophet should've done is go to God for himself and ask what he should do. (Side Bar: Everyone who says their sent by God, may not always be sent by God.)

Noah was told to build an ark for him and his family to keep them safe from the floods. The ark was built, and they were safe. When you do what you're told to do, you get rewarded. That's common sense. There's a lot of examples in the Bible of consequences of the choices that were made, good and bad. Choices begin with your mind. You make the decision to choose right or wrong. Most of us, know the difference between right and wrong. You got to want to do right, then you have to choose to do right. Some of us want to do right, but yet choose to do wrong, and wonder why there's no peace. Change starts at the mind, then you gotta put action on it. William Shakespeare said this, "The choices we make, dictate the lives we lead." The choice is yours.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

Depressed and 19

I'm 19. I live at home. I got saved last year in January. I firmly believe that if you let crap enter your mind, crap will come out. I find myself depressed over little stuff. Look under my eyes, you can tell that I don't get much sleep. My home is not the best, but it's shelter. My father is not the best, but at least he's around to talk to. Being fat lowers my self-esteem a whole lot. I've said before that people don't look at the personality. I realize that everyday, and it is depressing. I'm at a community college while my little sister is going to Clemson. That thought pops in my mind all the time. My mom and sister keep telling me that I'm not ugly. That the right girl will come along. Looking in the mirror, I have a hard time believing that. 

I've always been the "black sheep" of my friends. I never really felt like I was "in." I felt more like the safe guy meaning that they knew I was there, but I didn't really matter. Want to know why I make video and voice blogs? To get accepted. To try to get people to like me. Does my sister have this problem? Nope. Did my brother have this problem? Probably not. So, I guess, I'm the black sheep in my family. I don't know if people feel sorry for me or not. Some where inside of me, I want people to feel sorry for me. Just thinking about it, I spent most of my childhood crying. I would come home and take it out on my little sister and mouth off to my parents. I was a true definition of a follower. I play drums, but I definitely ain't the best. The only reason I get to play at church cause there's no one else there. That's the bottom line. I go to District Choir rehearsal and I never want to play cause I know I suck. I let the Supertindent's son have at it cause I know I would ruin the whole thing. Every time I play for the District or a large crowd, I choke. I don't know why I just lose what little touch I have. 

Think I'm being to hard on myself? Ok then, how bout this. One day I was at a State Youth Choir rehearsal, and the drummer that was playing had to leave. He gave me the sticks and got on the drums. I did aight. Definite not state youth material by any means. The song I filled in for was a slow song. Which was wanting to be played a little faster so the choir could get it, but I just could push myself to do it. The piano player got on me about it and I used some wacked-out excuse about this is the first time I've really played with musicians. Which is not all together true. So after that song was over, they went to an upbeat song that I didn't know to save my life. After about 5 seconds the director stopped the song and said, and I quote "I need a drummer." I handed the sticks to another brotha that was up there and he straight up killed it. the director then said, and I quote, "We got 2 drummers." I was, once again, the odd ball out. Nobody even cared or even noticed but me. 

Of course Dad tried to build me up saying I did a good job and all that. None of my so called friends could see behind the smile sometimes. Most of the time you would find me sitting or standing by myself. I had the mindset where if people didn't bother me, I didn't bother them. Still do that now as a matter of fact. I stand outside waiting on whoever's picking me up with my headphones, by myself. I have no one at Tech I can truely call friend. It's the honest truth. I don't. I don't know why I'm typing all this. Prolly because this is the only way I can make myself heard. People never really listen to you when they judge you before hand. Anybody else has ever been through that? So that's why I type these blogs. It's my voice. My voice to the people, so to speak. 

I want to be accepted for who I am. I want to be more "outgoing" so to speak. I would love to be my true self out in public and take this depressed mask off. I want to sing in public and not sound shaky. I want to sing in public and let people know what I can do. I want people to know that I can do things. I do have a soft heart and I am sensitive. Sue me. That's just who I am. Want to know why I truly grew my hair out? Cause people actually liked me. I was, even for a little bit, accepted. The reason I wore my hair out all the time is because for a brief time, I was popular. It's the God's honest truth. I hate being the loser you know? I really do. Don't feel sorry for me. I don't deserve it. I'm a complete jerk. Heh...well dang. I'm a jerk. It's a trip ain't it? You think you know me...

Back again from the dark side of the mix family, how y'all feelin'? Me? It's real simple. I'm tired. I'm am straight up tired. Know what I'm doing this weekend? Sleep. I'm going to sleep like a pimp on Sunday. I'm going to sleep like people did when they went to see the 2nd Pirates of The Carribean. Oh boy...well, I got a full schedule of classes this semester at college. Which means I got 4 classes. First class is Phyics, again. My teacher is gunshot deaf, so bascically you got to yell, for him to barely hear you. How he kept his job for all these years is beyond my thinking, but apparently the Powers That Be like him. I got a feeling I'm going to hearing a lot of war stories, and that is going to be so "exciting." Man, I'm going to be more bored than a congregation listening to that one old lady that gives 30 minute testimonies. Second class is Trig. I think I like this class 'cause I almost fell asleep a couple of times now, so that's a good sign. Seriously this class should be a breeze. The teacher seems like a cool guy. On to my third class, English. I think the teacher is a little out. I don't know weather it's drugs or what, but something ain't right. I can tell he knows what he's talking about, but making eye contact is not his best attribute as a teacher. He acts like he's blind or something. Really bizzare. Don't get me started on his writing skills. Then to the one class I have on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which is Sociology. That might be my favorite class. This teacher is real down to earth, and she's a little crazy. I know we going to get along. She sorta reminds me of a female version of Mr. Brown, who was my favorite teacher I ever had at Eastside. Well that's my whole schedule...la di da!

So once again giving shout outs to all family, and my extended family that deal with me. To all the new friends that are reading for the first time. To all my friends. And to the haters.

Daniel aka Big d

Be real!