So I got to the Camp a week ago, feeling like I was virtually starting over (which makes sense, since I'm in several freshman classes). I got put in a room with one of my good friends, and two international students. There were a few bumps in the road to registering. I had no time to do it when I got there, because even though it's all online, I kept getting an error saying I didn't meet the prerequisite for what would have been my freshman electrical engineering class that I was told last semester I HAD to take. The problem was that I did meet the qualifications, so there shouldn't have been a problem. I wasn't able to see my advisors until Tuesday to get it all worked out, so I just filled out a form and hoped it would be resolved before then.
So I went ahead and started my job on Monday. Easy job...anyone who can count to 10 can do it. It just makes it that much better because I don't even have to be awake, really! I was supposed to work 8 hours, but got off an hour early because we had already finished all the available work. I thought, "Perfect! Now I have an hour to go see my advisor and get these registration errors taken care of!" Right before I went, I checked my email, and got a message saying that there in fact was no need for me to take that class because the material had been covered in other classes I've taken, (which is what I had been saying all along) and I would therefore not even be allowed to register the class at all. Stuck a Literature class in its place, and now I'm good. Except for the papers I'll have to write.....
I wasn't able to buy books until Tuesday, and I ended up finding some deals with various people (I'm renting some books from one person in exchange for packs of gum...how awesome is that???), and the price of my books dropped from almost $800 to $220! That felt like God saying "Yup, this is what I want you to do. I'll make it work" Then the preacher brought a message that night that in a way seemed to verify that again. He talked about having harmony amongst ourselves, and not getting worked up about one person having some minor belief or standard that you don't agree with. Then he turned that into an application for the students who felt that coming to the Bubble was what God was calling them to do. Just because we may not like certain rules, that's really not a good excuse to leave the will of God. Then it all clicked in retrospect. That answered why it was so hard to register with other colleges. I can't explain how, but it answered so many more questions I had ever since I decided to forego registering with UWF. I now know beyond a shadow of a doubt God wants me to finish out here. What He plans for me to do with the degree I get out of this, I still don't know, but at least I can rest assured I have another 3 years here.....which should be more fun than it sounds lol.
Classes started Wednesday and all has gone well since then. I've spent the last few nights hanging out with ex-CCA peeps. I've had a blast with them. Greek Rush was last night, and our collegiate (the Cougars!) was doing the theme "Overcoming Obstacles." Mamoo and Topher built a little obstacle course on a trailer, and it turned out great. The trailer was carried by several of the guys (wearing the awesome new jerseys), and I was one of the guys selected to run the obstacle course during the parade (since I'm possibly the lightest guy on campus haha) It was a lot of fun, and I was sad that it had to end; but I did feel kinda bad for the guys carrying the trailer, cuz they were exhausted at the end lol. I'll post sometime in the near future and show you how amazing our soccer uniforms look this year! We have our first game on Friday night.
Well, that was a lot of writing. If you read this far, you deserve a prize. I'm a poor college student, so I won't give you one now, but just take comfort in the fact that you deserve one. Soon I'm going to rule the world, and then I will give you all your prizes. They might include little Ninja figurines. Or tacos. People like tacos.
Something's different.
I woke up at 6 today. Why, I don't know. But it wasn't normal "waking up at 6" where I'm tired still and go back to sleep. No, I was wide awake. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I slept for 12 hours the night before last, fighting off a cold; my body just decided "Ok, mister. You've slept enough. Get your butt out of bed."
I will say one thing though: I love the dreams I have when I'm on Nyquil. They are sheer awesome in its truest form. I'll spare you the details, though, because I don't want anybody assuming I'm crazy.
Most of my day today will consist of me getting the rest of my stuff together to leave for the Bubble tomorrow. I set up blogging via email, but I'm not sure how much time I'll have to do it. We'll see. Blogging doesn't take up too much time, though, compared to videos. So don't expect any of those for a while. If I can surprise you, I will. Just don't hold your breath for one. I'll be working on campus this semester, and my homework will change dramatically from the past. In previous years, I've been doing straight engineering work, so my homework was all math stuff. This year, I only have two engineering classes, and the rest are music. That means a lot of practicing. So while I'll inevitably have more time for music, I'll likely have less time for MY music lol.
Things I'm looking forward to:
Driving west, into from the sun.
Junior year, coming with all its thunder.
...I should actually stop there. However apropos it may or may not be, I feel weird, knowing that I'm sticking words about doing to school into the tune of a military song.
I will say one thing though: I love the dreams I have when I'm on Nyquil. They are sheer awesome in its truest form. I'll spare you the details, though, because I don't want anybody assuming I'm crazy.
Most of my day today will consist of me getting the rest of my stuff together to leave for the Bubble tomorrow. I set up blogging via email, but I'm not sure how much time I'll have to do it. We'll see. Blogging doesn't take up too much time, though, compared to videos. So don't expect any of those for a while. If I can surprise you, I will. Just don't hold your breath for one. I'll be working on campus this semester, and my homework will change dramatically from the past. In previous years, I've been doing straight engineering work, so my homework was all math stuff. This year, I only have two engineering classes, and the rest are music. That means a lot of practicing. So while I'll inevitably have more time for music, I'll likely have less time for MY music lol.
Things I'm looking forward to:
- Seeing friends I haven't seen in a while.
- Meeting a ton of new people (With the major and minor change it feels like I'll be among a whole different class of people. I'll only have one class this semester with my usual classmates)
- Being guaranteed to finally have a girl in one of my classes now.
- (Hopefully) only rooming with two other guys.
- Soccer season.
- I might try for the volleyball team if I have time.
- Seeing people I don't want to see.
- Meeting a ton of weird people (There are bound to be a lot. It always seems to me that half the new music guys are gay)
- The one-on-one piano lessons. I love learning music and stuff, but one-on-one lessons always kinda terrify me for some reason. Maybe it had to do with the fact that my first piano teacher had a Siamese cat that I hated. Siamese cats look evil.
- The possibility that I room with 3 other guys, and one might be the last person on earth I want to be stuck in a room with. If you knew the guy, you'd side with me, I promise. Don't get paranoid dude, I'm not talking about you.
- Soccer practices.
- Waking up early every day and needing to be alert.
Driving west, into from the sun.
Junior year, coming with all its thunder.
...I should actually stop there. However apropos it may or may not be, I feel weird, knowing that I'm sticking words about doing to school into the tune of a military song.
Short update
Ok so, the video was a couple hours late in coming, but that's not my fault! Someone tripped over an elk (which translates to "technology hates me"). Seriously though, I must have done something to anger the world's computers when i was young. It took forever to match the video to the audio because, somehow, the video recorded slower that it was supposed to (which means I have a time-traveling camera!!) Anyway, this is the video, right here. Click this link. This one here. Do it. In all honesty though, this is one of my favorite songs. There's a chord in there that literally sent chills down my spin as I listened to it a few minutes ago. But enough of that, I'll just let you hear it.
I recently held a "Facebook election" to decide whether to go watch a soccer game on Friday or to go to Milton to hear bro Kenny Baldwin. I was completely torn, because I love soccer, but it's also been a while since I've heard Kenny Baldwin. Well, in case any of you were wondering, the election has been decided (partially because of a mandate from mom 2.0; partially because in the end, when my fellow short friend and I pooled our votes together, Kenny Baldwin really did get more votes than soccer), and Friday will be fun! I'm excited! If that paragraph didn't make a lot of sense, get over it. It's late, and I'm going to bed. *Looks around at pretend audience* Goodnight, person. Goodnight, that other guy. Goodnight, cute girl. Goodnight, rest of world. Goodnight, Jeltso Falkroff, the alien from Saturn who has it out for me and keeps praying to the overseeing powers of technology to rain down their curses on innocent me. Even though you are mean, I will return kindness to you. May your children grow three extra heads in plenty of time for the convention, and may your aerobatic cattle bestow wonderful gifts upon your family for 3.2 generations.
I recently held a "Facebook election" to decide whether to go watch a soccer game on Friday or to go to Milton to hear bro Kenny Baldwin. I was completely torn, because I love soccer, but it's also been a while since I've heard Kenny Baldwin. Well, in case any of you were wondering, the election has been decided (partially because of a mandate from mom 2.0; partially because in the end, when my fellow short friend and I pooled our votes together, Kenny Baldwin really did get more votes than soccer), and Friday will be fun! I'm excited! If that paragraph didn't make a lot of sense, get over it. It's late, and I'm going to bed. *Looks around at pretend audience* Goodnight, person. Goodnight, that other guy. Goodnight, cute girl. Goodnight, rest of world. Goodnight, Jeltso Falkroff, the alien from Saturn who has it out for me and keeps praying to the overseeing powers of technology to rain down their curses on innocent me. Even though you are mean, I will return kindness to you. May your children grow three extra heads in plenty of time for the convention, and may your aerobatic cattle bestow wonderful gifts upon your family for 3.2 generations.
Woah...Time is Weird
So I can't believe it's been only a week (and a day) since my last post. Feels like it was almost a month. What with people leaving for school, gettin married, and everything else. I won't elaborate on any of the time-stretching details that come to mind, because they're all long stories. Anyway, I guess another video is due soon, hopefully within the next few days. If I give myself a deadline, maybe I'll actually do it lol. Let's say before Wednesday at 10:07pm. Sound good? Ok, good. But let's make that Pacific time, so I get a few extra hours to procrastinate. I like my deadlining style!
So last night was fun. Went with some friends to the mall and hung out in the arcade until they kicked us out. I was pretty sure we were going to get locked in the mall, but it was all good. We took off to the bowling alley and played pool for a while. Enough for me to remember why I don't play pool too often. After that, went to the bowling alley on base so we could do laser bowling. I love laser bowling. I also bowled my best game ever last night (but I won't say what I got, because I don't think I'm supposed to be as happy about the score as I was lol). Anyway, stayed there till the kicked us out again, then headed back to el casa and watched Green Zone. That movie definitely wasn't worth watching till 3am. A slow-moving plot and an embarrassingly short attention span don't mix very well. But it was definitely a lot of fun just hangin out with friends all night.
This morning, I got to go out on the bus visitation and invite some folks to church. There weren't many people home (or just not many people answering their doors), but we handed out a few tracts, and it went pretty good.
Well, I really don't have much else to say. If you promise not to trip over an elk on the way out of your front door, then I promise to try to stick to my deadline. Gyuunyuu! (That means milk in Japanese. I randomly wanted some. I think I might get some, which involves me getting off the computer and going to the fridge. Goodbye!)
So last night was fun. Went with some friends to the mall and hung out in the arcade until they kicked us out. I was pretty sure we were going to get locked in the mall, but it was all good. We took off to the bowling alley and played pool for a while. Enough for me to remember why I don't play pool too often. After that, went to the bowling alley on base so we could do laser bowling. I love laser bowling. I also bowled my best game ever last night (but I won't say what I got, because I don't think I'm supposed to be as happy about the score as I was lol). Anyway, stayed there till the kicked us out again, then headed back to el casa and watched Green Zone. That movie definitely wasn't worth watching till 3am. A slow-moving plot and an embarrassingly short attention span don't mix very well. But it was definitely a lot of fun just hangin out with friends all night.
This morning, I got to go out on the bus visitation and invite some folks to church. There weren't many people home (or just not many people answering their doors), but we handed out a few tracts, and it went pretty good.
Well, I really don't have much else to say. If you promise not to trip over an elk on the way out of your front door, then I promise to try to stick to my deadline. Gyuunyuu! (That means milk in Japanese. I randomly wanted some. I think I might get some, which involves me getting off the computer and going to the fridge. Goodbye!)
Smile big!
Smile often.
Let your smile change the world, but don't let the world change your smile.
Each little sincere grin I receive carries a much bigger impact than the person who gave it ever realizes. When someone else is happy, it brightens my day. I think we all need to strive to have this effect on others. I have noticed at times that I'm not completely happy unless I'm helping someone else. You never know what a person might be going through when you meet them, and for all you know, a smile could make a world of difference. I can think of instances where I couldn't t imagine my day getting worse, but once i get a peek at the joy someone else has, it can bring my day into a new light.
Simplifying everything down to its purest form, it's easy to recognize that joy stems from love. Most importantly, the love of God. Accepting God's love for me (shown in the giving of His Son so that I might fellowship with Him forever) has given me the truest joy I've ever known. If I turn away from Him, or question His love, the joy is gone, and I have no song.
Recognizing and accepting God's love for us then leaves us with a choice -- to return that love or not. If we choose not to love Him back, we sink back into that state where true joy is gone, and you often feel like something is missing. This is because God made us so that He could have someone who chose to love Him back. Without a love for Him, there's something not right, like sometimes when you make Jello, and that weird crust forms on the top. It looks like normal Jello on the outside, but dig a little deeper, and something's just not quite right. He loves us regardless of anything we say, do, think, or feel. Rich or poor, regal or pauper, righteous or profligate, God's love stretches no less to you than it does to me than it does to the most unlikely person you can imagine, and He gave His Son for each individual. The least we can do is love Him back. When we choose to love God to the best of our finite human ability, we've completed Part 1.
Some people make the choice to not return His love because they can't accept God's love in the first place. Some see their lives full of trouble, and don't believe God loves them because they don't believe He would allow their circumstances. God still loves these people just the same, and He would never give a person a trial they could not bear. Sometimes He allows things to happen to us so that we have a chance to grow stronger, sometimes it's to teach us something. If God had the power and wisdom to breathe the world into existence, who am I to question His plans? An uncut diamond doesn't look so hot in a piece of jewelry, and gold can't serve its purpose until it goes through the fire and is purified.The only way through trials is to keep our eyes on Him and know that He, as the Master Gem-cutter, is beautifying us. He will give us the peace to come through.
If someone we know goes through difficult times, then we as Christians should be an encouragement, and lovingly point them to God. It is important to realize that the Lord never forsook Job when he lost his family, his possessions, and his health? No, God was there the whole time, strengthening Job, molding him into a priceless work of art. Job focused His eyes on God, Who brought him through and gave Job twice the life he had before. It's often difficult for us to see God's in control when we are in the middle of the situation. We need to be there to encourage them through love and prayer, and to be a friendly reminder that God always has been and always will be in control. Job's miserable comforters did him no service, and neither will we if we point someone in a direction other than God's. Sometimes people need help a hand to hold through a difficult life crisis, and sometimes they just need something much less significant in our eyes, such as an extra hand to help them carry a bag of groceries. Regardless, the least we can do for God is to be his servant and point others to Him. The best way to do this is by loving others. This is Part 2
There you have it, two key elements for joy in the Christian life: love God, and love others. All that's left is to observe the effects of joy. It is my goal to spread some joy and the love of God in whatever I may do, and wherever I may go. I have no idea whom I could serve and in what way with just a simple smile.
Let your smile change the world, but don't let the world change your smile.
Each little sincere grin I receive carries a much bigger impact than the person who gave it ever realizes. When someone else is happy, it brightens my day. I think we all need to strive to have this effect on others. I have noticed at times that I'm not completely happy unless I'm helping someone else. You never know what a person might be going through when you meet them, and for all you know, a smile could make a world of difference. I can think of instances where I couldn't t imagine my day getting worse, but once i get a peek at the joy someone else has, it can bring my day into a new light.
Simplifying everything down to its purest form, it's easy to recognize that joy stems from love. Most importantly, the love of God. Accepting God's love for me (shown in the giving of His Son so that I might fellowship with Him forever) has given me the truest joy I've ever known. If I turn away from Him, or question His love, the joy is gone, and I have no song.
Recognizing and accepting God's love for us then leaves us with a choice -- to return that love or not. If we choose not to love Him back, we sink back into that state where true joy is gone, and you often feel like something is missing. This is because God made us so that He could have someone who chose to love Him back. Without a love for Him, there's something not right, like sometimes when you make Jello, and that weird crust forms on the top. It looks like normal Jello on the outside, but dig a little deeper, and something's just not quite right. He loves us regardless of anything we say, do, think, or feel. Rich or poor, regal or pauper, righteous or profligate, God's love stretches no less to you than it does to me than it does to the most unlikely person you can imagine, and He gave His Son for each individual. The least we can do is love Him back. When we choose to love God to the best of our finite human ability, we've completed Part 1.
Some people make the choice to not return His love because they can't accept God's love in the first place. Some see their lives full of trouble, and don't believe God loves them because they don't believe He would allow their circumstances. God still loves these people just the same, and He would never give a person a trial they could not bear. Sometimes He allows things to happen to us so that we have a chance to grow stronger, sometimes it's to teach us something. If God had the power and wisdom to breathe the world into existence, who am I to question His plans? An uncut diamond doesn't look so hot in a piece of jewelry, and gold can't serve its purpose until it goes through the fire and is purified.The only way through trials is to keep our eyes on Him and know that He, as the Master Gem-cutter, is beautifying us. He will give us the peace to come through.
If someone we know goes through difficult times, then we as Christians should be an encouragement, and lovingly point them to God. It is important to realize that the Lord never forsook Job when he lost his family, his possessions, and his health? No, God was there the whole time, strengthening Job, molding him into a priceless work of art. Job focused His eyes on God, Who brought him through and gave Job twice the life he had before. It's often difficult for us to see God's in control when we are in the middle of the situation. We need to be there to encourage them through love and prayer, and to be a friendly reminder that God always has been and always will be in control. Job's miserable comforters did him no service, and neither will we if we point someone in a direction other than God's. Sometimes people need help a hand to hold through a difficult life crisis, and sometimes they just need something much less significant in our eyes, such as an extra hand to help them carry a bag of groceries. Regardless, the least we can do for God is to be his servant and point others to Him. The best way to do this is by loving others. This is Part 2
There you have it, two key elements for joy in the Christian life: love God, and love others. All that's left is to observe the effects of joy. It is my goal to spread some joy and the love of God in whatever I may do, and wherever I may go. I have no idea whom I could serve and in what way with just a simple smile.
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