Growing up in school I can remember hearing about the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and thinking ‘If I lived back then, I would have
done something to help the slaves. I would have stood up and fought for them. I would have been brave and befriended them when no one else would. I would have made a difference. I would have…ect’. When did that change? I can remember making plans of what I would have done. I was determined that I would have had a house in the underground rail road. I distinctly remember thinking, if there was a chance that slavery was still happening, then I would prove myself. But the thing is..

slavery still exists.

Even if we don’t want to admit it,

or notice it,

or call it what it is.

And I am a part of the problem.

Over 27 MILLION people are still enslaved. 27 million!!!! That is more than all of the african slaves combined over all those years. Its huge, and hidden, but not extinct. How have we let this happen!? We, who thought we conquered slavery and we upstanding citizens of the land. We have just hidden it, and not even that well. If you open your eyes you can see it every where. That banana you just bought came from a banana farm in Brazil and they have slaves working for them. It’s so simple, and we over look it. I was talking to a friend of mine and I was telling her how much of my stuff came from slaves. Even the clothes that I wear. I made the decision that I would buy clothes that are made by only free people and she was shocked. She told me that if I did that, I wouldn’t have any clothes.

When did that become acceptable!? We put our “fashionable needs” before people!? I would honestly rather go around in a potato sack that has been made by a free person, then wear anything that has been created by the abuse of human beings. God created PEOPLE, and we need to save them! Slavery exists. At this very moment, while I am writing these words, a woman in India is being raped and molested, for the 3rd time today. How can we sit by and let this happen?! How can we, who know what a better life is let this continue? I will no longer be blind to the problems of this world. I am going to stand up. I am going to fight. I am going to be brave for them and befriend them. I WILL make a difference. Will you?

Here are some places that help aid different movements to end slavery:

Women who have been saved. 

Products made by FREED people. 

See how many slaves you have. 

]]> http://tara1md.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/no-longer-blind/feed/ 0 tara1md Picture 2 1cara0117m Human-Trafficking http://tara1md.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/noahs-arc/ http://tara1md.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/noahs-arc/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:12:53 +0000 Tara's Blog. http://tara1md.wordpress.com/?p=818 ]]> There is a blind spot in the Americans eyes. While most people in this world can walk around not seeing the problems, some people Like Jack Kosik see the blind spot and actively try to fix it.

This blind spot is those who are mentally handicap. Together these people make up about 13% of America, but they are not as taken care of as they should be. There is government funding set in place for those with this disability but it only covers about 30,000 people leaving about 20,000 on the wait list for Medicaid.

According to Kosik, The parents of those with personal disabilities are worried about what will happen with their children after they [the parents] are gone. With this in mind, Kosik has created a place called “Noah’s Arc” where those with disabilities could live and be independent people.

Getting this kind of housing has proved to be more difficult than one would assume. There are laws in place to try to help those who can’t normally help themselves, but are they working?

“There was a law in place saying that only a couple of people with disabilities can live within 2 property lines. This is mostly put in place for the other people living in the neighborhood. It has the ‘not in my backyard’ feel. Everyone thinks that this is a good idea, but not a lot of people would want it in their own neighborhood,” says Kosik.

The Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 was set in place by Senator Altman was recently appealed so that Noah’s Nest could be possible. The court document says “Planned Residential Community is a community with residential homes located within a planned residential community may be contiguous to one another; providing an effective date.”

Through a grievous amount of time spent at our Tallahassee, Kosik and a few others who felt the sting of what this law really meant decided to change the law to match what would help the majority of those who were falling through the cracks.

“We’ve gotten an Administrative Rule removed from the Florida Medicaid Handbook that put limitations, or quotas on how many people with DD could live in a given area. A rule that someone thought would be a good idea but did not have statutory authority. It took us nine months to get the rule removed,” says Kosik.

Since that time, Noah’s Arc has been able to purchases enough land in downtown Lakeland for 3 houses, with 11 different people having the ability to live there independently.

The abridged act did say that “individuals who have developmental disabilities should be able to select a home with the same freedom of choice as other United States citizens”

Because of people like Kosik, those with DD are able to live with the freedom of being with others just like them in their own community. The best part is that they have the ability to pay for it, even with the meager income that they receive.

Samson had a mother and father (as so many do) who were unable to conceive a child. So an angel went down telling them they would have a baby, but it would be under the Nazarite Vow. This meant that Samson could not touch an unclean animal, could not touch a dead body and could not cut his hair. [Fun Fact: John the Baptist was also under this vow] So one day, Samson goes to Timnah and finds ‘the one‘. I think the best part about him thinking this woman is “the one” is the fact that we don’t even know her name. Clearly she was important. ANYWHO.. So Samson finds ‘the one’ and tells his parents to get her for him. (that’s the way it worked in the old days). He went back to Timnah and a lion attacked him so he killed it. Then Samson goes to talk to ‘the one’.  He went back to get her and took a detour to see his lion friend. Some bees had made honey in it and he grabbed some and started eating it.His parents go to make arrangements and Samson goes to make a feast so she will marry him. But before she said yes (hah!, like she had a choice..) her town was wary and sent 30 people ‘men’ to go chat with Samson. While they were talking Samson they made a wager of sorts. If they could figure out Samson’s Riddle then he would give them clothes and vise versa. The Riddle was this:

From the eater came something to eat, From the strong came something sweet.

For 3 days the men could not figure it out so they talked to ‘the one’. They got her to convince Samson to tell her the answer (by horrible nagging for 7 days straight) and then she would tell the men. Because even the strongest man in the WORLD cannot put up with nagging, he gave in, telling ‘the one’ the answer. ‘The one’ told her people and they told Samson. He grew quite upset and killed them all… with a donkey’s bone. *Lesson; don’t get on Samson’s bad side.

So the other day, I walked into the house one day and found my husband talking to a visitor who turned out to be God. Now, hunny, I am very old. Way to old to be having a child. But God said that he would come back in a year and I would be pregnant. It was all I could do not to laugh out loud. But you know me. I snorted! And he heard me!! I thought he didn’t. I tried to play it off, but he just stood there saying ‘Is there anything that the Lord can’t do.’ Well no.. thanks. Now I feel stupid. Later on in the week we went to do some traveling, Abrahams idea, and we stop in the middle of the road, not really anywhere that you could name and he looked me straight in the eye. You know that look? Well, it wasn’t THAT look, but it was a look. He said ‘Sarah, you are so beautiful-’ Isn’t that sweet of him? He can just put butterflies in a girls stomach.. But wait for the rest. ‘Sarah, you are so beautiful, and surely the king will notice. He will try to take you from me and marry you and kill me.’ Right there I slightly freaked. We were going to a place where the king wanted to kill my husband! ‘TURN THE CAMEL AROUND!’ Thats what I shouted in my head.. because then he said this little nugget ‘If you love me, then you will say that I am your brother.’ What can I say to that? Nah, no thanks.. I didn’t really like you all that much. No. I love him, and he is my lord, and so I did what he said. It got kinda bad.

Thats how her story goes in my head. She’s one of my favorite people. But I don’t know how that happens.. I don’t know how to let someone know ‘Yes I love you, but no I’m not doing that.’ I remember a guy used that line on me to try to get me to do something that WAS NOT going to happen. Hes’s gone now and I have to live with the idea that I did the right thing.

People really do enjoy humor. Comedies are the most sought after films, and there is a valid reason for it. People love to laugh. There is a movie called “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” where Roger Rabbit says “That’s right! A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it’s the only weapon we have.”

It may not seem like a big deal, but if someone laughs, they will remember you (or your blog) and go back, maybe even tell people. And isn’t that the point of a blog, to have everyone read what you write and enjoy it? Yeah, me too.

Through my long years of writing and all of the Pulitzers that I have received, I have compiled some tips for writing a blog, and letting people enjoy it (hopefully) or just yourself. Make sure that you are happy, because if your not happy on your own, then you might never be.

1. Write about things that matter to YOU. If you don’t care, how are you going to try to connivence someone else to?
2. ALWAYS edit. I don’t think I can over emphasize this. Grammar matters. Check out Grammar Girl to learn if you don’t get it.
3. People like pretty things. Make your blog look cool and people will give it a second look. Once you get that, your in.
4. Don’t use clichés. The only exception is if you are literally living in the middle of the boon docks and that is honestly how you talk in real life.
5. Use your voice. People will get it. You are absolutely unique people will appreciate that. Use it.
6. Don’t use the same format for every post. You can use lists or paragraphs. Use them all!
7. Use comments to your advantage. If you comment on others blogs, they might do the same. Voila! Networking.
8. Use links. Its super helpful and makes your blog more exciting.
9. Don’t be afraid to just write. Sometimes you just need to get everything out, and nothing is wrong with writing. Use it to your advantage.
10. Please don’t use your blog to gossip about other people. Your entire world does not need to be put online. Know this.

With these tips, be the best blogger you can be. Feel free and don’t get hampered by all the random things that people expect.

<a href=”[View the story "Red Bull Flugtag" on Storify]“>READ IT!!  I would encourage you to go to an event and try it out. It will make you seem super knowledgeable to your friends, and who doesn’t like that?

Because I am interested in the news, it will give me news type sites to look at and show me what is going on there. I asked my sister to do the same thing to see if there would be a difference and her site was how to read hieroglyphics and how to dance the egyptian dances. She is more interested in those type of things and so google will find that out and use the information accordingly. The same type thing happens for social media, or sites that might get a lot of traffic.

I asked my friend Curtis to check out Egypt also, and he got the same page. It makes me question what TED actually said. Curtis and I are completely different people. He is on the far left of the video gamer and all of that. I am nothing like him. I am a girl and I love sappy chick flicks and things that have a purpose. It’s interesting that we had the same screen.

Facebook is a site that there are differences though. On the side bar of Facebook, you can see different ads for things that might interest you. For example, on the side of my Facebook is usually ads for ‘Christian Singles’, yet another unwelcome reminder that I am alone… Thanks. I also have links to sports pages with the Bucs logo on it, because I am a die-hard Bucs fan and local coupons for coffee places. Because the internet is set up like this, one can never go anywhere without having something specifically set you for them.

                           “…though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again…” Proverbs 24:16a, (NIV)

I’ve always admired people who aren’t afraid to fail. You know the ones who don’t even consider defeat when they blow it; people who see a personal setback as just another goal to conquer.
I’m not always so courageous. In fact, I can be really hard on myself when I fail, and it doesn’t even have to be a biggie. You see, I have what I call a “meanie in me” who replays my mistakes over and over, reminding me of how badly I’ve disappointed someone, or how impatient I was with my husband, or how harsh I was with my kids, or all sorts of ways that I fell short that day.
But the greatest defeat comes when I allow a mistake, a bad decision, sin, or a broken relationship to convince me that I might as well give up. Perhaps you have also allowed failure to knock you down, tie you up with the ropes of regret and hold you hostage like I have.
When I surveyed over 1200 women for my upcoming book, A Confident Heart, I discovered that our past failures, and our fear of failing again, are two of the biggest triggers that make us doubt ourselves.
Today’s key verse, Proverbs 24:16, has helped me release the regret, guilt, fear and shame that have weighed me down and held me back. Take a minute to read it now and notice how it says the righteous will fall. That is right. Even those of us who have received the gift of Christ’s righteousness and redemption will fall down. But we were never intended to stay down.
Instead of giving up Jesus empowers us to get up again.
In getting up, we can apologize and ask for forgiveness. In getting up, we can choose to try again with our kids, in our jobs, in our ministries, in our marriages, and in all of our mistakes. Because we trust that although we fall, God will help us up. Listen to His promise in Psalm 37:23-24 and as you read it insert your name in the blanks: “The steps of ____________ are established by the Lord, and He delights in ____________ way. When ____________ falls, __________ will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds ________ hand.” (NASB)
When we get up again failure can actually help us become the confident women God created us to be because it makes us stronger and better — when we go to God for help. Failure can stretch us to do more than we think we can and push us to try other methods of doing things when one way doesn’t work.
Yes, failure can be hurtful but it can also be beneficial. Failure produces wisdom when we ask for it and maturity when we learn from it.
The truth is, following Jesus is not about avoiding failures and being perfect. It’s about accepting our weaknesses and becoming more dependent on God’s perfect love and power at work in us. So the next time you fail to be the woman He calls you to be, or the woman you expect yourself to be, ask God to remind you of this truth.
We will sometimes fail to be who we want to be but we will get closer to who we are meant to be every time we fall and then choose to take God’s hand so we can get up again!

If you go to an event and  there seems to be a lot of people there, most of them will have social media on their phone and use it to talk about said event. If you can use what other people think, then the story becomes more realistic. People are more inclined to hear something if there is a chance that they are apart of it. [It comes from a deep seeded truth in everyone to be accepted by others.] The best thing about Storify is that there is the capability of using what other people say and making THAT the story.

I tried to use it a couple of times and had the hardest time making it work. The only fall back of Storify is that people need to be using social media for it to work. I went to a couple ‘gatherings’ but could not make it work because of the lack of social media use. However when I went to Tampa for the Redbull Flugtag day, people were using social media the whole time. I was able to create a really interesting story of what people thought and who they thought should win. You can find my story here.

I encourage everyone to try it out at least once.