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.

So Sentimental, Not Sentimental, No

Last week I...

• said goodbye to some dear friends from Woodland Ridge church and closed out VBS there.
• hung out with my awesome Truman family (though sans the Erins).
• saw the new Winnie the Pooh movie.
• continued bonding and relationship building with my cousins.
• crafted and wrote some letters.
• saw my little sister in her first play. Also saw that she was nearly my size... Though her arms might be bigger. I have little arms. 
• went back to New Haven for the first time in nearly 10 weeks.
• tried more tea.
• met with my friend Jordan for the last time before she moves to IL for her job.
• went to Staples, got what I needed on sale and mildly geeked out over school supplies.
• cried.
• laughed.
• hugged.
• prayed.
• procrastinated.
• watched Boy Meets World.

I don't have some sort of moral or profound thought or life-revelation for this post. Just this, this glimpse of a week of my life. And this is life. Maybe that is profound. Maybe it was my lazy way of writing a post because I wanted to write something and couldn't make something else work and this did work and just came about. 

So here's some things that happened in one week of my life.

So We May Tell

11."You have turned for me 
my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12. that my glory may sing your praise
and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks 
to you forever!"
~Psalm 30:11-12

11. This is what God does.
12. This is what our response should be.

God has turned and is continually turning my mourning into dancing. He clothes me in gladness, bidding away my sadness. For why? that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. I want to--and ought to-- tell people all that he has done for me.

My hopes were crushed, my plans set to ruin, my heart hurt. And yet I dance. He drew me to himself and showed me his grace daily. He wrapped his arms around me and assured me of his love for me, his daughter.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!