Reality Check

For some reason I have been geared into watching reality shows. I do not watch that much television to begin with, but when I do, I dive head first into my reality shows. My shows can range from The Real World to The Hills or America's Next Top Model to The Bachelor. These are only a few of my favorite's that I enjoy watching when I can. I usually get made fun of for my enjoyment of reality shows, many call them "scripted reality" and a waist of time. "Scripted Reality" seems like an ironic statement, but in actuality some of the show is scripted, but what do you expect, its television. One of my all time favorite reality shows was Newlyweds with Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey. I have all four seasons on DVD, it makes me think they are still together when I watch them. Sometimes I do have my doubts wether or not it truly is reality or just entertainment, but in the end reality shows are always so much more exciting and drama filled. I always thought it would be so much fun to be apart of a reality show. I think my life would be very entertaining to watch on television. Another plus of reality television, is there are so many a viewer can choose from. There are game shows, finding love shows, a mixture of love and competition, following rich people around and documenting their lives, documentaries, or putting completely random people in a house together and seeing what kind of drama it can make. All these topics and more are on television now. I bet almost everyone has watched a certain type of reality show in their day and has liked it. So if you want to be entertained and enjoy a good gasp or chuckle, you should definitely look into setting aside your evening to watch someone else's life. It is actually more fun than it sounds!

A Life Changing Summer

August 6th 2009 was the turning point of my summer which impacted my life both physically and spiritually. It was the first time I ever went on a missions trip, and I was blessed to share that experience with my volleyball team. On August 6th at 3:30 in the morning, I departed California Baptist University with the rest of the team, our destination: Belize

After we arrived at LAX and checked our bags we waited at the terminal for our connecting flight to Houston, Texas. All I could think about was arriving in Belize, what kind of people we would meet and how the experience would affect me. After tedious lines and irritable security guards checking our multitude of bags, we finally saw the “Welcome to Belize” sign. Exhaustion caught up to us quickly on the ride to Machaca, temporary home during out stay in Belize.

We arrived at the Machaca outreach camp at midnight California time. We were greeted by smiling faces and a warm meal. The Machaca people changed all of our outlooks on life in a positive way. There one true love was Jesus, and they showed it every day. We stayed in cabins sharing sleeping spaces with scorpions, mosquitoes, and many other bugs I never saw before in my life. I am definitely not an out doors type of girl, but when I saw the people of Machaca be content with their living spaces and thankful to have the love of Christ in their life, the bugs did not seem so bad anymore. The great thing about this mission’s trip was the fact that we were able to spread the word of God, but also play and teach the Machacans the sport we love.

The weather, nature, people, and environment was something I never experienced before in my life, but every person and thing affected my life and walk with God in a life changing way. On August 9^th 2009 five girls from my team and I were baptized in the Blue River in Belize. Words cannot describe how that trip affected my life. Not only did we teach the people of Machaca many things, but also they taught and showed us how to be better servants to the Lord and to be thankful for everything God has blessed us with. I thank God every day for blessing me with that amazing opportunity that changed my life forever.