"SANTA!!! I Know Him!"

Well, dear friends, it is Christmas, and it is what we call "the most wonderful time of the year!"

Christmas holds a special place in each and every one of our hearts because it is one of the most fantastic traditions we pass on from generation to generation. As kids, we were in awe of Santa Claus - he was just about the coolest person in the whole world to us. As adults, we are inspired each and every year when we see just how excited these kids get over this jolly red-clad man.

Just about two weeks ago, I had the great honor of helping out Santa himself during an event SLU held for underprivileged kids in the Saint Louis area. We had a Christmas Carnival that ended with Santa Claus comin' to town and giving out toys donated by the SLU community. My job was to dawn my elf hat and Christmas jacket and assume the identity of "The Elf Enforcer". Essentially, I just talked to kids as they waited to see Santa. What at first seemed to be a tiring and mundane task, later turned out to be a real eye-opener. I was amazed that these kids were literally jumping and screaming over the simple thought that I had rode to the event form The North Pole in The Sleigh. The absolute last thing on their minds was the toy they would soon find under the wrapping. Each and every child that came up had a series of questions for me about The North Pole and my job, and each time that I answered one, they all jumped for joy. They asked questions like, "If elves are so small, how can they make such big toys?" or, "Who is Santa's great great great great great grandfather?" or my favorite, "If I was naughty, but I asked for coal... then Santa HAS to give me something else, right?"

What mattered to these kids the most was the idea that there was actually a person out there who, against all odds, cared for them and would always be good to them. They didn't care as much about the physical gifts that Santa would bring them... simply the fact that there is a person who watches over them and rewards them for that which often goes unseen. That, my friends, is the spirit of Christmas.

Many of you today would say, "that's nice and all, but Santa isn't actually real, so those warm thoughts won't do much for me." Well, that may be true, but it depends on how you see Santa. What if Santa exists in a way other than what we normally think of? What if he isn't a jolly man in a red suit, but really, he's our conscience? What if that drive to do good and care for others that we get during this season is Santa? I say to all of you - Santa is as real as it gets. He lives in each of our hearts and reminds us that Christmas is about taking the gift of life that Jesus gave us and sharing it with others. It's not about the gifts we get or the money we spend this year, it's about taking time out of our busy scheduled to let each other know that the greatest gift we have is the gift of being there for each other.

I'm Not Fearless, but Dammit, I Am Wearing Brave Socks Right Now!

It's the middle of finals week for many of us, and there is no doubt a lot of stress in our worlds.  I know that much is true for me - I am freaking out about what grades I'll bring home and all the stuff that I have to complete... and yet, I am amazed by the fact that a whole semester of college has already gone by. The college transition has definitely been hard, but at this point, I must admit that there are people here that I care about. Now, that being said, my single greatest fear is that time will pass faster than my dreams will be able to be accomplished. As I reflect on this semester, at first, I feel like it was time wasted. I didn't do anything worth writing home about, and I surely didn't change the world in any way... or at least, it seemed that way at first.

Fears have this cunning ability to blind us of that which we have accomplished. We need to learn to see past that. While I may not have become a famous speaker, or started a movement to change the world, I made an impact at this school. There are people who know me and believe in me and, respectively, there are people who I now know and believe in too. Look at yourself - maybe you have met a great friend, or maybe you've declared a major, or maybe you've gotten involved with something you never saw coming. What I am saying is - don't let your doubts cloud your vision and prevent you from seeing the small (but good!) steps you are taking.

Fear is just an emotion - an emotion that means you care. If you have a dream - follow it. Anything that makes you uneasy - know that you only feel this way because it's something you care about. Nothing worth getting comes without a fight. Now is the time that we are young, now is the time that you can make mistakes. You are never going to get anywhere worth going without taking a leap of faith. Even if you fail, I guarantee that you will still learn something new. Think about it - in one semester you have been immersed into an entirely new life. You are in charge of every aspect of your life, away from almost everyone you spent everyday with in high school. Despite the massive amounts of new responsibilities, you found the time to make friends and do well in school. That is a lot to say for just one semester! But we don't see that because we let the fear of not fitting in or failing block us from seeing the blessings that are at work right in front of us.

Take each day as an opportunity to chip away the fears you have so you can work to form that life that will one day be the manifestation of your dreams.

Thank God for All I Missed, 'Cause It Lead Me Here to This

It's been said many times that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There is not a single statement that I agree with more. There is never a reason for one to cut themselves short because they don't meet someone else's standards. I have already touched on this idea of "those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind", so this time, I'd like to talk more about living your life regardless of your "shortcomings."

Yesterday, a friend of mine at SLU and I were talking, and she said something along the lines of, "You have these insecurities that everyone has... but instead of letting them hold you back, you walk confidently knowing you're a man of God." That was quite possibly the best compliment I'd ever received in my life. I've often been one to accepts complements with a "thanks, but no I'm not _______", but the essence of these words made me realize that I wasn't being fair to myself. If I am going to beat myself up over the parts of me I don't like, then I owe myself to at least accept the parts of me that others like.

God has gifted me with these qualities that are hard for me to accept because those parts give me depth, make me interesting, give me passion! Be proud of the things that others don't have the courage to be proud of, and you will have the courage to overcome the things others cannot overcome.

I may not be as fit as a fiddle, I may not be the next Damian McGinty, and I most certainly may not be a Victoria Secret model... but one day, I may be a speaker, I might meet the girl of my dreams, I'll hopefully get the honor of raising a wonderful family, and I will definitely get to share the greatest moments of my life with my outstanding friends, family, and people I care about. What more reason do I need to walk tall? If, in my life, I can make my parents proud and help my friends accomplish their dreams... then I will have led an amazing life.

God's love for you does not come from how well you dress, how skinny you are, or how talented you are. His love stems from the love we give to others. Have you ever noticed that when we discuss God, we never comment on His looks or His talents? When God does something amazing (i.e. a miracle), he does that by blessing us with his pure and holy love. We are made in His image and He has taught us how to accomplish amazing feats - simply act out of love.

Do yourself a favor, and strive for joy, not perfection. Because, unlike perfection, you can share joy with others!

You Are Amazing... Just the Way You Are

You don't need any excuses to be yourself - remember that.

When you describe someone you know, what do you say about them? Do you say what ethnicity they are? Skin color? Sexual orientation? Things about their external appearance? While it's true that each of these aspects differentiate us from others, none of them make us any better than anyone else. I'm no saint, and there are times when I say things about people that I am downright ashamed of. But I could never imagine the feeling of directly tearing someone down day by day.

What is it that motivates others to take it upon themselves to try to openly harm someone? Are your own insecurities so difficult to handle that you take them out on others? To those who try to hurt others - you are the weakest of them all. To those who take the beating and get back up - your strength can move mountains, and you will one day change the world. 

As you read this, I ask of you one thing: anywhere you go, make it a point to stop others from hurting others. I'm not asking you to be perfect - you might slip up and spread a little gossip, or put someone down without even realizing it. Those things will happen. But please, never allow yourself to attack someone with the intent of harming them. Your words may gratify you now, but the scars you leave on that very individual will stay with them, and will come back to haunt you later. 

As a community, we need to reach out to each other and let each other know how much love we have to give. Bullying is a terrible act that blind kids of the love that is offered to them. It needs to end, and it needs to end now. While there are efforts to snuff out bullying, they appear far too rarely. When someone hurts them self or when tragedy strikes, we react instantly - and yet, on a daily basis, when this occurs all around us... even the best of us simply stand by and watch. 

God loves you more than you could possibly ever come close to knowing. Imagine the absolute deepest love a human can feel... God's love exceeds that love millions of times over. You are a result of His love for the world. In your lowest of moments, always remember that He has a plan for you and He will lead you step by step. Your actions, believe it or not, are changing the world. YOU are making an impact! It's our duty as children of God to shows this limitless love to each other - not to hurt each other. Think long and hard about this love... it gives you meaning and purpose in life, and it's what will drive you for all of your days. To quote one of my biggest inspirations, I say to you, "You've found your purpose, now make your difference!" 

Spread love.