Here We Stand Student Site Webzine: Real Life

Seeing God

Joel S., age 11

Excerpt: I usually wake up early every morning to get ready for school. I like school, it's so much fun! I play pogs (circular cardboardy paper disks that we use to hit against others to flip them over) with other kids at school. I have so many pogs at my house now, from winning them. I hold them all in a white sack. It used to hold pencils. My favorite pencil was one that had flames on it, but the tip broke and I sharpened it too small so I can't use it. Then my sharpener broke so it wasn't good. Hand...

Spring Break

Haley T., age 16

Excerpt: It's Spring Break next week. Most of my friends are going somewhere warm, like Florida, California, or Mexico. I'm headed to a warm place as well—Brazil. My school is taking 15 people for a six-day experience. I'm a little bit nervous but mostly excited. I will be staying in a small home with a large family. I've been talking with them on Facebook, so I already feel like I know them a little. Our group won't be doing any work projects. Our leader said this is a...

Snow

Jed, age 14

Excerpt: It snows all of the time where I live. You might think that snow is pretty or fun, but I don't. My parents are farmers. We live along a gravel road. Snow plows don't come down our road very often. When the wind picks up, the snow makes huge drifts. Last week we had a drift up against our cow barn that was eight feet tall. My dad woke me up at 4:30 a.m. so I could help him shovel the drift. It was the only way we could feed and milk the cows. After shoveling, I rode in my dad's truck to...

In the Middle

Patric, age 14

Excerpt: My real life is really hard. I am the middle of three kids, which means people don't always notice me. My parents are divorced and live seven hours apart. That means I spend 14 hours in a car every other weekend. My dad doesn't really do much with me when I visit, and my mom is always working. I know they love me and that they're just tired. I just wish they tried a little harder. I'm a good kid, most of the time. I get good grades. I'm a captain on my 8th grade football team. My friends are...

Life after Confirmation

Chris, age 14

Excerpt: I'm finally done with confirmation. I was confirmed last Sunday, which means I don't have to go to confirmation class anymore. My church does 5 years of confirmation, so it will be nice to have other options on Wednesday nights. It's not that I hated going, I'm just ready for something new. I met a lot of cool people in confirmation. I hope I can still hang out with them at church. In the confirmation service we all promised to stay active in the church. I'm not sure how I'm going to do...