We're Halfway There

midtermbreakmidtermbreakmidtermbreak


Gahhhhh.


I seriously don't know if I've ever wanted a break this badly before. This semester is trying to beat me down. BUT TOMORROW I AM GOING TO KANSAS CITY. I have nothing left to doooooooo! I just have to go to class and pack! I hate packing! But whatever! So I'm not doing anything tonight. After lunch tomorrow I'll probably throw some stuff in my car, get gas and gooooo. I'm so so so excited to see my family there. 


I'm wearing a big yellow bow in my hair. Pulling. It. Off.


Still listening to Foster the People a lot. Also, I came up with a name for my friend's band: The Ambivalence Conundrum. I think they should use it. (For the record, my first pick was Unicorn Ambivalence.)


So, I'm trying to figure out my classes for next semester. I really want to make it so that I don't have class on Friday. Because it's a very real possibility. However, it's looking like that might mean 4 class (ALL my classes) on Tuesday and Thursday. BUT two of the classes I want to take are at the same time. Classes I want to take: Sociology of Family, Christianity, Faith and Reason in Christian Thought, and Hebrew. I think. But Sociology of Family and Christianity are at the same time. :/ These are pretty much the only classes I want to take, too. I'm going to keep pouring over the course list, trying to figure things out.


Exciting: Since I am at this point planning on getting my masters in counseling and the dean of student affairs (also in charge of my scholarship program) has a degree in counseling and used to be head of University Counseling Services, I emailed the dean and asked if I could meet with her and get advice. Yay!


Midterm break should be hecka Hebrew time. That's what should happen. I really want to beast that class. I need to work on my motivation.


So. Even though the plan is currently a masters in counseling, at dinner, a friend who's planning to go to seminary was talking. And I was talking yesterday to a friend about philosophical theology. And I can't imagine staying away from these things. So, I will probably either have to go to sem to get my masters and take some awesome classes while taking counseling ones. OR... I'll have to get another degree in addition to (or instead of?) counseling. decisiones.


Everything is pointing me to this (I cannot ignore): "A new commandment I give to you,that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." ~John 13:34-35

"Help, Save, Comfort, and Defend."

I'm not sure what on earth is more beautiful than an early morning fall drive from Kirksville to Memphis. I wish I had a picture to illustrate it, but I just soaked it up. Seriously, just take part of the drive yourself. Worth it. It's one of my favorite drives scenery-wise at any time, not just fall mornings. Gorgeous.

I love liturgy. I love order and constancy and truth.

"Help, save, comfort, and defend us, Gracious Lord" is my favorite line in the Lutheran liturgy. It makes my heart happy to hear it Sunday mornings. Also it makes me feel safe.

These things are among the best things of Sundays.

I am in love with Foster the People's album Torches. I don't know if I've listened to an album as extensively and intensely and lovingly(?) since I started listening to The Avett Brothers last fall. So. Good. Awesomeness. <---link to my favorite song on the album, "Houdini," with lyrics. Because they're great. It's great.

Notice the new bloggity design. Thoughts?

Hebrew makes me experience quite a range of emotions. It mostly makes me hard on myself and negative. Then I figure something out and I'm awesome. Then I'm positive. Then I'm like "YEAH, you can do this." Despair. "Keep going! YOU. CAN. DO. THIS." I admit to being somewhat lazy. I don't want to work as hard as I have to in Hebrew. I need to be eatingsleepingbreathingHebrew. I'm not. Then I'm frustrated by my ineptitude. And I want a 4.0. And I wanna please Dr. Appold. And be awesome. Also, one of my Junior year goals is to be a beast at Hebrew. So I need some sort of accountability or better system or something. Because clearly I kinda suck at self-motivation.

For the record, I already accomplished one of my Junior year goals: Ring the church bell at St. Paul's. Happy day.

I laughed a lot with my roommate today. It was beautiful, and I think I might have laughed so hard I almost cried once. I really needed that today. So grateful.

I've been thinking on love. I want to be loved. And I want to love. And these do not have to be in a strictly romantic capacity. There are SO many people in this world and SO much caring to be done. 1 Corinthians 13 does not mean "But this is only for your husband/bf/fiance..." It is love that we are to do (as Christ first loved us) to humanity. Cultivate love in lives.

I Thought Yesterday was Tuesday...

Don't worry, I still went to all my Monday classes and meetings and such. I just felt like the week had been longer already. Sad.

I have to do a presentation Friday morning in my Ancient Philosophy class on Pythagoras (or P-thugz, as I affectionately call him.) So I went to Pickler today and got some books. The books are pretty. And fall colors.

Artistic picture of books.

What I've learned about Pythagoras so far: It's very likely he didn't really have anything to do with the Pythagorean Theorem, and he pretty much had a cult following. Also a golden thigh, or so the rumors say. This will be interesting.

Also, today in the Dear Abby section of the Post-Dispatch:

Dear Abby. I am deeply in love with two wonderful women. I know I have to let one go, but I don't want to break either one's heart. Instead of "dumping" one of them, can I explain the situation to them and ask that one of them dump ME?

I don't understand this. It makes me sad, confused, and kinda angry. Also disturbed.

 "Up and Up" by Relient K is kinda my favorite song right now/I'm trying to make it my theme song sorta. It's good stuff. Despite that, I am actually listening to Bon Iver right now. Also good stuff.

I just remembered I need to write a thank-you note before I go to Hebrew. Which means I'm going to put off vocab studying a little bit longer. But I shouldn't put it off long.

Really, I just wanna curl up on a couch with friends and watch TV and talk, sipping hot drinks. Perhaps after an afternoon of leaf-jumping and fall picture-taking. That sounds lovely, doesn't it? Well, Hebrew calls.


"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." -Romans 12:12

Juxtapositions

Oh, it's been forever since I've posted. As much as I feel like I've somewhat gotten into the routine of this school year, there's still other things (such as blogging, keeping in touch with non-Truman people, exercising) that are not in the routine as they should be. Sigh.

My birthday was Tuesday. And it was the best birthday I've had. I wore a pretty dress (Tricia's), had a beautiful birthday crown, cards, hugs, surprises, well-wishes, delicious food, and a festive apartment. :) And love. Lots of love. I'm not planning on taking the festive decorations down for quite some time. So long as my roommate is not bothered by them, they are staying up.

A glimpse at the festiveness of the apartment.

My roommate and I also "finished" our apartment. Meaning, we crafted a poster with Jeremiah 29:11-13 and also we put up glow in the dark stars in our bedroom. I've wanted glow in the dark stars my whole life and now finally have them! Dreams do come true. :)

Also! Here is my internet-official declaration: I am not going to complain about the weather this school year.

Yeah. It's already been a bit of a challenge. However, it has improved my mood and outlook. I'm excited for the challenge! I will hopefully be using this blog for accountability in that.

This semester presents a good many challenges, aside from not complaining about the weather. I find myself all too often much less motivated than I should be, and much less hard-working than I ought. However, this semester is the first time that I can think of when I've honestly had to resist ambitions, so as not to ridiculously overbook myself. Weird.

This week has been an incredible mixture of stressing and blessing. I'm feeling fairly content right now. And need to get to bed, so I cannot write more. Should not.

I'll leave you with a thought:

I hope to never outgrow the joy in small things and to look upon things in child-like wonder. Yet I hope to grow in grace and wisdom and knowledge of him and his ways.

My desire is not to "grow up," but it is to grow upward.

"And It Warms Your Skin, and Your Soul Within..."

Today has been a yellow day.

I don't know if there is some connotation to a "yellow day," such as a "red-letter day," but I create my own definition here.

A yellow day is a happy day, a sunshine-y day, a day where you might find me wearing yellow. And, in fact, I am wearing a yellow shirt and yellow shoes. I thought the yellow hair bow would have been overkill. It is also Skirt Monday, thought that is not yellow.

I woke up early. (Read: 8 ish) I showered and such, then made coffee, and my friend Katherine came over. And we prayed together. :) I had my first class at 10:30 (History of Philosophy I: Ancient). At 11:30, I had my scholarship class on the 4 Roles of Leadership (Stephen Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People sort of stuff). The dean of student affairs teaches this class, and she's awesome. We got out early and I ran into my friend Liz, so we had lunch together. I ate rice and beans and spinach and carrots and hummus. And juice. :) I felt healthy (I say this as I eat Nutella and crackers now...). I headed back to my apartment and prepared more for Bible Study tonight. I left for my last class, Globalization, Social Justice, and Human Rights, which got out about 15 minutes early. I might drop this class and switch to another one. We'll see... :/

One of the songs of the day is "And the Birds Sing." (From which I gained my post title.) It makes me cheerful. Doo doo doo... :)

I just got back from dinner with my little and then my first Bible Study of the year. I'm co-leading a women's study with my friend Alex. I was bold and talked to someone I didn't know yet... Which I prayed for the strength to do this morning. :) I'm excited for how this study will go.

I'm back in my apartment and am fighting the urge to snack. I need to read Book 8 of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. And maybe some Globalization stuff.

I just signed up for word of the day emails from dictionary.com. Today's word: flounce. "to go about with impatient, exaggerated movements."

Let us not flounce through our days, especially yellow days. Let us breathe them in and be thankful for them. Smile and enjoy the yellow days of life. :)

Last Week of Summer: Boring Post

I thought it would be funny to write a post while I was recovering from wisdom tooth surgery. Buuuttt... I don't think it's going to be as funny. I was a little fuzzy taking the nitrous oxide, but that wore off like right away. The nitrous freaked me out for a teeny bit, til I got suuuuper relaxed. It was like those times when you're soooo close to sleep, but not ACTUALLY asleep, but your body is crazy relaxed and everything is niiiice... It's quite a nice feeling.

I only got the left ones out, as one had to come out, and the other was ready, but the right ones aren't ready and probably won't be for a bit. Coolio. I'm on anti-inflammatory medicine, antibiotics, and the vicodin as needed.

^I wrote all this up top Monday after I got them pulled. It's Thursday evening and I haven't had any vicodin today and I'm not swelled up. Like, at all. I still can't eat too much real food yet, but I'm healing quite nicely.

I'm bored. I'm essentially all packed up, ready to go to Kirksville, and the fam is gone most of the time. But I need to go to church here on Sunday and do that with the fam and so I have two more days of... Pretty much nothing. But I think I'm going to buy shoes tomorrow. I need shoes to run in. If I can find some that fit/are comfortable.

I could do something productive such as get started on textbooks, or read other things... but it's the last few days of summer. I'm watching TV and facebooking. Also, I cleaned a bit.

So, that's my week. Impressive wisdom tooth surgery recovery, and packing, and some fam, and some boredom. Also a haircut! Weee-oohhh!

Stuffandthingz

The tabs I've had open for a few hours on my computs:

• Stuffchristianslike Serious Wednesday post. I need to read it more than the skimming I did.
• Myspace music (Disclaimer: music is the only thing I have ever used myspace for) Mumford and Sons
• Myspace music Tyrone Wells, a new listen starting today. 
• (The music player also has Phoenix on it... yeahhhh.)
• Calvary Theological Seminary: Expenses
• Trinity Theological Seminiary: Tuition and Finance
• Youtube: Boy Meets World (I'm currently at Season 4 episode 21. Oh, boy. They go by very quickly.)

Today's weather was great, also. Just wanted to note that. Hooorraaayyy. I sat outside and finished Through the Looking-Glass and started Peter Pan. While listening to Tyrone Wells. 

AND, as one can infer, I am planning on attending seminary after I graduate from Truman. Eeeeeeeeee. So I'm looking into programs and monies. My first look was, of course, Covenant in St. Louis. And, I looked into Wheaton. Oh, man, WHEATON. Ideally, as of right now, I'd be in the KC area though. I love it. Maybe because it's been a great summer. I have family here, I have a church here, I have friends and connections here, and I'm beginning to know the area. Thus, the leaning towards Calvary. So, that's some thoughts.

Oh, and seminary for what? My masters in counseling, or Biblical Counseling, or whatever the particular term per institution it is. HOW EXCITING. Seriously, though, it really is. :) Life plans, whoop whoop.

Also, you know what I love? Friends. And you know what is humbling? Just being there with people, listening to them, not talking about yourself, realizing people aren't always going to ask you all about your life. Pie.

I apologize for this conglomeratory post. I hope to write profound posts and they take much more time and refining to write, and it will be a while before they can be seen. So, here's some stuffandthingz.