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2.5k · Apr 2012
The Price of Freedom
Carissa Dickey Apr 2012
Freedom isn't free, my friend.
It is those who choose to serve their country, on which we depend.

Freedom comes with a very lofty price.
It should make us all stop and think twice.

"One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all"
It is those who fight for liberty that we should recall.

Mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers.
We should applaud those selfless others.

These women and men are determined and brave.
These heroines and heroes, their services they gave.

The children of today say, "Let freedom ring!"
This is the song our proud nation sings.

My home is this free nation on which I stand.
This is my country, this is my land.
1.6k · Apr 2012
Untitled
Carissa Dickey Apr 2012
Why do we strive to be something we're not? Why do girls wish they were tall, tan, skinny and blonde? Why do we alter our bodies to make sure we look a certain way? Because that's what the TV, magazines, movies, and models all tell us is beautiful. The media's definition of beauty is a skinny girl with mile-long legs, big ***** and an amazing ***, all topped off with perfectly tanned skin, a flawless complexion, long flowing tresses, big, **** smouldering eyes and wonderfully plump lips. But in all honesty, what are the odds of someone looking like this with absolutely no surgical alterations to their body? Slim, my friend. It PAINS me to see so many girls try to attain this level of "beauty" that is so accepted by our society. The medial has such influence in our lives, and unfortunately, we listen. We think that their definition of beauty is right and attainable and "We can look just like celebrities with the help of THIS special product!" I wish I didn't see ten year-old girls already trying so hard. They're wearing barely-even-there shorts, low tops that reveal nothing but a flat chest, hair that's already been dyed, makeup that's way too heavy, and they do this because they think they'll be pretty if they look like the ******* the cover of Seventeen Magazine. "If I look like her then maybe my crush will finally notice me and think I'm beautiful!"
Sweetie, you're ten. Stop trying and go have fun. I want to climb somewhere up high and have every single female in the world as my audience, no matter what their age, listening to my voice. I would tell them to ignore our society's definition of beauty because it's just WRONG. You're GORGEOUS the way you are! Don't change that! How can we try to look like the girls on magazines when they're photoshopped so much that they're hardly recognizable? That is fake beauty - that's the kind made by a team of expert bullshitters. They photoshop and photoshop until they are happy with the beautiful monster they have created. They do this to make all the girls look "better." Why does she need to look better if she's already perfect how God made her? There's no way we can possibly look like those girls, because what you see on the cover, isn't what's there in real life. But why do we still try to look like them even if we know the truth about the team of magazine editors? Because we're not happy. We're not satisfied. We're not content with ourselves physically, so maybe if we try harder to look "better," we'll feel better about ourselves. Now don't get me wrong, I don't see anything wrong with doing things like working out, eating right, and taking care of yourself physically so that you feel feel better about yourself and gain confidence. But where so many women and girls go wrong is they abuse the things that help you improve your overall health or looks. They try so hard to fit a certain stereotype that doing these things eventually becomes unhealthy. There is no amount of throwing up, exercising, or eating like a  bird that will give you confidence. That comes from within. That comes from being happy with yourself and how you look. When we finally accept the woman God created each of us to be, then that confidence will follow soon after. We have to accept the fact that God made us the way we are for a reason. I am made in God's image - I am fearfully and wonderfully made. We are ALL made in God's glorious image and we are ALL fearfully and wonderfully made. So stop trying to change your looks. You weren't meant to look like the girls on the magazines. You were meant to look like YOU. And honey, lemme tell ya: you're gorgeous. So embrace not just your outer beauty, but your inner beauty as well. At the end of the day, looks will fade, but personality is something you're stuck with forever. So make sure that you can stand to be around yourself. And don't let the media and society dictate how you should look - don't buy their lies. God is absolutely in love with YOU. He loves you - not the media's twisted, altered version of you. We were all made uniquely, so let's embrace our unique beauty. Let the world's view and opinions bounce off you, their lies reaching deaf ears. You don't need them. You need to look in the mirror, see God's handiwork and appreciate it. He loves you more than you could ever fathom, and guess what? Impurities and all, God still thinks you are soooo beautiful. And in the end, His opinion is the only one that really matters.
678 · Apr 2012
Fire
Carissa Dickey Apr 2012
Fire
Eats up the night
Biting the hand that feeds it
Twisting and withering
Dancing and cackling

A source of heat and light
When the sun moves on
Whispering
Singing an unheard melody
Enticing the cold
To enjoy its warmth

Frightening the creatures of the night
When they approach this new sensation

Darkness runs to every corner
To avoid it
Devouring flesh, wood,
And anything else caught in its path

Wicked, cruel, painful
Beautiful, mesmerizing, enticing
"Come share my warmth," it sings
"Rest your tired feet and aching body,
"Soothe your mind and feed your hungry belly,
"For it has not had a good meal in weeks"

A singer of beautiful songs
A melodious sonnet
A pathfinder
Joining souls

Some fear fire and run
Others tame it
Letting it run up their arms, bare chest
And crawl into their mouth
Then spitting out tongues of flames
Playing with it
Encouraging it to bite

A source of entertainment and pleasure
Burning and choking with intoxicating fumes
Laughing at the trapped and helpless
It slowly and painfully takes away lives
"Feed me! I'm hungry!" it cries as it dies away

It mourns when it is not wanted
And rejoices when needed

Keeping your body warm on the coldest of nights
Gives your whereabouts away to your enemy

Treacherous
Beautiful
Cruel
Hypnotizing
540 · Apr 2012
I AM
Carissa Dickey Apr 2012
I create a path treaded by few.

I am the stranger you see standing,
Lonely at every corner.

I am the hungry orphan you see sitting,
Waiting for a kind soul.

I am the widow,
Mourning, praying for hope.

I am the shunned,
Hoping for acceptance.

I am a lover,
Only loved by few.

I am a friend
To the desolate and weak.

I am the tired,
Laid to rest in your home.

I am helped,
As you hand me your coat on a rainy day.

I am the righteous,
Scorned by the wicked.

I am the humble servant who bends down
To wash the feet of my loved ones.

I am the sacrificial lamb,
Who made a path for you.

I am the path,
Only treaded by a few.
523 · Apr 2012
Thank You
Carissa Dickey Apr 2012
Thank you
For being my friend
For making me smile when all hope seems lost
For comforting me as tears fall down my face
For making me laugh in the darkest of days
For being a constant source of happiness and laughter
For making me realize that I am strong and I can survive
For telling me that I'm loved
For looking at me, knowing something is wrong, and hugging me
For reminding me that it's always darkest before the dawn
For cheering me on when I persevere
For being my shoulder to cry on
For celebrating with me when things go well
For staying up late and just listening to me when I need someone to talk to
For blessing me just by being you
I just wanted to stop for a moment and say,
Thank you, my friend.
443 · Apr 2012
My Savior
Carissa Dickey Apr 2012
The darkness closes in and suffocates me
I am surrounded with nowhere to go
I hold my body together because if I don't, evil will tear me apart
I search and search but cannot find a glimmer of hope anywhere
I feel lost, tormented, confused, scared...
As I lay on the cold ground, holding my body together, I hear something

"My child," the voice says

I gasp for air as emotions consume me
I hear sweet, pure laughter
It resonates through my body like a drum
I am overwhelmed with the sense of pure joy and unconditional love
I look up and I see a figure surrounded by pure white light
I see an outstretched hand
I look at the palm and see where the rough skin has been pierced
In this moment, I realize who this man is

He is Jesus Christ, my personal Lord and Savior

My heavenly Father has sent his Son to rescue me in my time of need
I grasp for Christ's hand like a beggar desperately grasps at money caught in the wind
I look up into the face of the Son
As he smiles, I see wisdom, love, laughter, sorrow, and pain all etched in his glorious face
My insides feel like they might burst
He takes my frail body in his strong arms and I know he will never let me go
I close my eyes and rest my head on his chest, feeling like a small child
The last thing I feel before I fall asleep in the Son of God's embrace is the love of the Father

Pure, unconditional, everlasting love.

— The End —