A Semester of Promise

I would just like to say that this has been the most wonderful day, for no reason in particular. I had my first violin lesson of the semester this morning. Maria was glad to see me, and she seemed to take the news well that I'll be dropping my music minor. And the weather was just gorgeous for walking there and back. But probably the best part of the whole day was the good conversations with people. Completely random or at least unlooked-for. And Dianna and I had a great talk on a walk after dinner. That one was planned, but was no less serendipitous than the others. I love all of my friends here so much. In the last week or so I've made several new friends who feel like old friends already, and I'm getting to know the old friends even better. It's great.

What else has me feeling so alive and happy today? God has filled my heart with joy and I am facing a semester of promise. I never would have thought things could work out so well for me, but they seem to be perfectly aligned this fall for amazing things to happen. My open mornings have given me the perfect opportunity to spend quality time on my daily devotions. It helps so much to start the day with God and face everything else that comes from the right perspective. And I'm just pumped to keep learning amazing things from Dr. Hiigel. I love me Genesis class--it's like getting course credits for doing, essentially, an incredibly in-depth Bible study. What could be better?

And I've come to a realization about my music. Playing second flute really is where I need to be this year. With less pressure on me there, I don't feel as guilty for having to be late coming from class and I have more time to focus on the things that are more important. Like my story. This could be the time things finally come together.

More than anything else, I'm looking forward to this semester because I just feel like I should. God is going to do powerful things this year, and if I stay on the ball I can be a part of it. I feel like God has been preparing me for something over the summer and the semester before that. I don't know what's coming or how soon it will come, but I want to be ready for it. Now if I can just keep my head and heart from becoming distracted...

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" -- Esther 4:14

-Kim

getting into the swing of things

College life is so random. I love it. Last night, coming back to thr dorm from the library, I ran into a girl who remembered meeting me at Camp Judson about four years ago. It took us a while to figure out that was why she knew me. It was very confusing at first, because she knew she knew me, but she couldn't remember who I was or why she should know me. Once she said her name was Ivy, I knew she had to be a Judson girl--you don't meet very many Ivys.

Yesterday I had the most amazing time doing my homework. Yes, you read that correctly: I had fun doing homework. You see, Jesse and I both had a lot of reading to do, so after choir we went out to the falls. I gotta say, reading Tennyson on a red sandstone cliff with water cascading nearby is quite the experience. Of course, the planes coming in to land were a bit distracting, but it was a good time. Jesse did gripe a bit about climbing down to the spot I wanted to be at, but that's his own fault for bringing a lawn chair.

After everyone had finished their homework we decided to watch a movie. Jess was on duty, so I let her search my movie shelf and we ended up with Brothers Grimm. The people who had never seen it before were understandably confused and creeped out. I couldn't stop laughing at their reactions and Ian's constant chorus of "what sort of movies do you people like?" Sam was quoting the whole thing, which was somewhat annoying, but it was good to have a vocal ally.

I need to work on getting up early again--I keep sleeping in until 8:30. But now it's time to practice--I have my first violin lesson tomorrow.

-Kim

Musicality

It's funny how much of my life is wrapped up in music. I mean, I'm an English major. Aren't books supposed to be my life? They are, but not to the extent that one would think. It's still music that moves me forward. I can't hear music without at least wanting to dance. Whether I do or not depends on circumstances, though I'm fairly likely now to bust a move just about anywhere (although, I will be the first to admit that it probably doesn't qualify as actual dancing). But that's beside the point I was intending to make. Even though I should be working on my story right now, and focusing on that for the semester in the hopes of finishing, and yet I am caught up more than ever in the musical side of college life. I had an awesome time at the choir retreat (we went canoeing!) and I almost didn't mind missing out on the dance here (at least, not until I heard about the other things I missed after the dance--the talking wall!). I feel more a part of the choir family than ever before, and it's great. Then there's band. Shannon beat me out for first chair. I was sort of expecting that, but it's still going to take some getting used to. I mean, I know she can play better than me because she takes lessons, butthat used to be MY spot. On the bright side, there's less pressure on me, so maybe I will be able to focus on writing. Although, the music is more difficult this year, and our other flute needs me to be a strong leader. It's strange--I was talking to Amber last night and realized that both of us are in band because we would feel guilty about abandoning such a small program. And that's not the best way to do it. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy playing my flute, but I would enjoy even more finding a place to play violin. It makes the Augie orchestra look more and more appealing. And I vow that I will play in chapel more than just once this year! I refuse to be pushed aside any longer because people don't know what to do with me. The Teel Family Bluegrass Band led chapel today and it was a blast. Why can't I do something like that? Somehow, I will.

-Kim

How long?

Wow, has it really been this long since I posted? I really intended to give you one right after my birthday, but I kept getting distracted. I was going to gripe about government offices randomly being closed on Mondays and share about Alice the lunchlady who chatted with me while we waited to renew our licences. I would also have described how the waiters at Guadalahara sang to me in Spanish. We might have even pondered the meaning behind birthday cake signs. You know, I think we're going to do this one even though it's old. We all know what it means if one or more candles remain lit after blowing them out. But what about blowing a piece off the cake? could that portend something even more disastrous? Or maybe I just have a good, strong set of lungs.

LifeLight was absolutely amazing. I was front row for Audio Adrenaline's last major festival performance ever and was actually involved in the show. And we met some cool new bands, like Leeland. If you want more stories, ask me in person. There's just no way to do it justice here. Plus, I'm too lazy today to type that much.

We've had a great time since campus filled up with people again. I met Dianna's friend Shane at LifeLight (the three of us went to Perkins Sunday night, where I learned he's a head-patter). And hanging out in Adam's room we had the most amazing conversation with friends newly made and reunited. I now know a real, bona-fide cowboy named Sam. He's really good at lazer tag--he creamed us all at Gigglebee's last night.

Classes look to be good this semester. I'll keep busy with plenty of reading, but I think I'm going to enjoy it. My schedule is so spread out that I don't know yet how to organize my days and make sense of it all. My open mornings are going to be great for getting some writing and things done once I get used to the idea and can focus properly.

The music department has certainly changed, and I am now convinced that it is for the better. We're getting new choir dresses, and in band we're going to have just a dress code, no uniform. Tomorrow we audition for chairs, which still leaves me nervous, but we'll just see how things go. Jeff (the new director) seems like a good guy, and he's been very understanding of the complicatedness of me so far. It probably helps that I sought him out to talk about what was going to happen with the program this year and have volunteered to be on the band council. Now we just have to find the brass players hiding among our classmates and conscript them to play with us.

Oh, and tonight we're going to a free concert of Seventh Day Slumber and Last Tuesday. Woot!

-Kim

Shinies

Well, today was my last day at the salad bar for the summer. I think I made more fruit pizzas today than any other single day this summer. Not that that matters anymore. In the last ten minutes of my shift, Lynette decided that she would make my last day special by wishing me a happy birthday. So she grabbed the storewide intercom and said, "I would like to wish a happy 21st birthday to Kim from the salad bar!" And so, before Lola had even gotten to the phone to do her own page, the store manager wishes me a happy birthday over the intercom too. So I was laughing all the way out of the store. You know, I'm going to miss those older ladies a lot more than the younger people I worked with sometimes. Not that I told them that.

In other news, I upgraded my computer yesterday. I spent more on that than I did getting a new set of tires for my car. Ouch.

Oh yeah, and today I finally replaced something before it was actually broken. I got a new cell phone. We changed our wireless contract to add a line for Mom to have, so we all got new phones that are basically free after rebate. It may take me a few days to get my whole address book transferred over. The plus side of this phone is that it's a picture phone. The downside is that it's ringers suck and it has pathetic wallpaper options. Oh well. I'll take what I can get.

-Kim