And Still We Rise Prompt #3

For week #2: Two things! Write them in ONE blog!

Miesha: "My Talent is Perserverance"
*What is your talent/gift?
*What are you going to do with it?
*Compare your talent with Miesha's

Literary Connection: Jesus' Parable of the Talents NOTE: In ancient times, a measure of gold was called a talent: There once was a master and he had three servants. He goes on a trip and gives gold to each of them. The first one spends it having a good time, the second one purchases a rug in the market place. The third one goes out into the fields and buries it. When the master returns, he asks them what they did with the gold. The first one says, "I spent it and had a great time with my friends." The master says, "Very Good." The second one says, "I purchased a rug in the marketplace." The master says, "Very Good." The third one says, "Master, you will be most proud of me! I buried it in the fields and here it is!" The master beats him and send him out of his house.

What do you think is Jesus' point? What lesson does he teach and how does it connect to you and Miesha? How does this story work on more than one level?

This post is due by Tues, January 19th! Be sure to do it by the 18th to do comments!


My talent is time management. Throughout the years I have been bombarded with many responsibilities and obligations that have built up over time. Some of which include working an average of 40 hours a week and babysitting my two younger cousins Tanner and Hunter. Although I get overwhelmed with the obligations of being a teenager also, I seem to always find time to manage and get everything done! It even surprises me too. This year most definitely been has difficult out of all my years of high school, like everyone I had to apply for colleges and scholarships. I never knew it could be so excited yet so time consuming. Along with taking AP literature and keeping up with my Senior Project deadlines, at the beginning of August I moved out of my mom’s house and into my auntie’s house because of constant disagreements with my mother’s boyfriend. The change was difficult for me; however I managed my time well to get to and from school, along with picking up my cousins everyday from school, then rushing to get to work at 5.

In some way I feel as though I can relate to Miesha out of all the character’s in the story, because she was not really raised by her mother or father, her brother was her surrogate parent. The same way like my Aunty (my mother’s sister) is for me. In my childhood, my mom would work a lot to, like Miesha’s mother so I would hardly see her, as a child my grandma and two other aunties nurtured me. And as I got older, one of those Aunties, my Aunty Trisha, mainly took on the responsibility to care for me. Also Miesha works and she works hard. Sometimes she just always seemed to put her schooling and part time job in front of her social life which is similar to what I went through last year. My junior year of high school was hell. I was constantly working, probably 50 hours a week, to help my mom pay for our rent because her boyfriend was out of work and had child support to pay for. So within this time I didn’t really get to go out or have a social life other than when I was in school, and even then I was mostly trying to finish my homework before I had to report to work. Miesha’s financial situations with her family smoothed over, just as mine have now. I only work about 35- 40 hours a week. My life is still crazy though. Most days I wake up go to school, then get out early because of half day, then I run over to Waikele Elementary to pick my two cousins up from school, take them to Kumon, Karate, Soccer Practice (when season is in), Swim lessons, doctors appointments, etc. Then I have to be at work by 5, I don’t get home till 11, then I begin to do my homework, and I go to sleep and wake up and do it all over again. It is difficult, but I seem to get it all done.

Like everyone we all have our problems, but we all get through them one way or another. The best way I found out for me to get through my day is planning everything accordingly and going from there. It’s difficult, but I love the feeling of being crazy and knowing that I’m helping my family and myself. I still make time for my friends and for myself. But I sacrifice things such as watching TV, but I have learned to accept the fact that life itself is crazy, and I plan to get managing my time well and that’s the only way I know how to get through things.

Response to Jesus Excerpt

I think that the reason Jesus was upset with the third servant for burying his gold, was because that was considered his talent. He just let it go to waste, where as if the other servants went out and enjoyed themselves, whether it was buying a rug or having a great time with their friends. All in all you should never let your talent go to waste no matter what it is. As for Miesha, she perseveres through everything that is thrown her way, by doing so she is able to live life, yes she struggles but I’m sure she thinks it is worth it at the end of the day. As for me, I am decent at managing time, sometimes I fail but each day I am happy to have helped my family, and that I am independent.