Irons in the Fire

Today was a good Monday if I ever heard of one.

I woke up bright and early this morning thinking I would need to substitute for my Mom in the cafeteria at SFC, since she had to take my brother to the doctor. But the school called her at the last minute and reassured her that they'd handle it. So I ended up going to the DMV in Fountain Inn to renew my driver's license. Thankfully, I got there before the line got really chaotic. And I managed more of a subtle, rustic smile in my picture. Heh heh.

After that, I headed over to the church to talk with our ministers of children and youth about possibly getting an internship with them during the summer. I had hoped that I'd gotten there early enough ahead of other would-be candidates for the position, but even four months ahead of time was pushing it. The youth minister already had a solid list of contacts that he'd submitted for the chairman of the board, but that I should go ahead and apply for it anyway - I never know what might happen. Annie Ruth told me only one other person had applied for her intern, so my odds of securing that one are a little better. At this point, I'm fine with either one. I filled out my application form and sent it to the main office. I should be receiving a call for an interview within the next few weeks. Prayers for that would be wonderful. This would be an excellent way to build my ministry and to prepare me for teaching.

Winter grades arrived. My heart held its beat as I loaded WebAdvisor this evening. I was braced for the worst. But by God's unfailing grace, the worst did not pan out. CS-16 actually finished a bit better than I expected, so that was a major surprise. ED-21 was a minor disappointment, however. I must not have done very well on the final exam. Still, it's in the books. My GPA escaped relatively unharmed. Big sigh of relief. Bring on spring term!

I had better go. The day of my birth arrives tomorrow, and if I want to wake up at 5:25 AM (the exact time that I was born), I'm going to need my sleep. Yes, I know, it's a silly and insane tradition. But it's my silly and insane tradition. That's all that matters. Goodnight and God bless!

Song of the Day: Avalon - "Take You at Your Word"

Verse of the Day: "Each person's work will be shown for what it is. On Judgement Day, it will be brought to light. It will be put through fire." - 1 Corinthians 3:13

"This Too Shall Pass"

"There's no place like home." - Dorothy Gale, The Wizard of Oz

A simple statement. Used and overused many times over. But Dorothy echoes my thoughts tonight. There really is no place like home.

I take great pleasure in actually having a day to rest and take a breather. For the first time in months, I didn't feel the overwhelming need to be on my feet doing something or preparing some kind of assignment for class. I could just take an afternoon cat-nap, eat my traditional Sunday dinner, and be with my family. It's so good to be home again after a bitter winter term. It makes me thankful that home is a mere 40 minutes away. A blessing, indeed.

One of the greatest things about today was going back to the Blackburns' Sunday School class. I've missed that a lot, and enjoyed seeing Doug and Karen again. We got to participate in some intercessory prayer this morning as the church staff asked all the classes to pray for each other. Ours was the 3-year-old class, and so we stood just outside the door and quietly prayed for them, their families and teachers, their future as teenagers and adults as well as their coming to know the importance of growing in Jesus. Also, Annie Ruth Yelton saw us leaving and called us over to pray for a special situation. Apparantly, the church can no longer afford to hand out beepers to parents and teachers of pre-school children, and so they need to find a new way to stay in contact and maintain a safe, comfortable environment. Praying about beepers may seem weird to you, but child safety is a very big deal.

Our lesson today focused on Jeremiah, and how he prophesied about the coming of Christ in the midst of heavy persecution under the Babylonians. The lesson used a theme/heading that stuck with me: "This too shall pass."

Lots of people have used this as a 'feel-better' statement. Something to get us through the trials and difficulties of daily life. College life getting you down? This too shall pass. Feeling frustrated in the workplace or a relationship? This too shall pass. Bedridden by Old Man Flubug or hospitalized with an unknown ailment? This too shall pass. But is that all it is? Just a be-all, cure-all tiding to make us feel better? Or is there more to it than that? I think so.

A little research into the topic led to an interesting story about King Solomon:

"The origin of the saying "this too shall pass" appears to date back to a story told about King Solomon. It is said that the King, feeling blue, asked his advisors to find him a ring he had seen in a dream. "When I feel satisfied I’m afraid that it won’t last. And when I don’t, I am afraid my sorrow will go on forever. Find me the ring that will ease my suffering."

Eventually an advisor met an old jeweler who carved into a simple gold band the Hebrew inscription "gam zeh ya’avor" – "this too shall pass."

When the king received his ring and read the inscription his sorrows turned to joy and his joy to sorrows, and then both gave way to equanimity."

Our feelings, good and bad, are very fickle. We're not always going to feel a certain way 100% of the time. 'This too shall pass' refers to our whole range of emotions. It's true that bad times are temporary. But so are the good. We won't always wallow in the pit of despair and sickness any more than we'll always stand on the mountaintop. More often than not, the best option is an even keel. To keep our emotions steady and not allow them to rule us.

I'm not saying we should live our lives as emotion-less automatons. The ability to feel, to express joy, to grieve in times of sorrow is one of God's biggest blessings. It's part of how we live. What I am saying is if we let emotions drive us instead of trusting in the life-sustaining power of the Holy Spirit of God, then we end up like Solomon. Afraid of life. We start to fear being happy because it doesn't last. We fear sorrow because it always seems to last. I don't think anyone can live like that. How can we truly live for Jesus if we allow feelings to be our master? They don't sustain us, no matter how raw or deep. They are all too fleeting. Trusting in Jesus means surrendering all control to Him. He is our mountain guide and anchor in the storm. He never fails. He's so much more reliable than human emotion. When we trust him like that, we look to Him with awe and praise in good times and bad.

Jesus is all about shaking us loose from our restraints. Many times, that includes our own selves. We're our own worst enemy sometimes. We have a tendency to make masters out of anything other than the one, true Master of all creation. Whether it's money, intellect, ego, or feelings. Control is a tough thing to relinquish. It's very tempting to withold it from God. To keep trying to do things our own way. To listen to Satan's lies when he says we can make it on our own steam, and we need not listen to God. Very often, it takes us falling flat on our face to wake up to the sobering truth: everything about us is finite. In fact, it's less than finite. It's empty. The lowest negative on the scale. We're not complete until we are willing to surrender it all to God. The only One who is in control.

It's always nice to be reassured that dark, distressing times will pass. But it's good to be aware of that even when we're not suffering. If not, then it's easy to get complacent. To become comfortable with the way things are at the moment. To put down roots and get fat and lazy. And then when something yanks the rug out from under us, we feel lost and don't know how to respond or where to turn. This is why it's so vitally important to keep our prayer lives strong at all times. To constantly seek God, and to receive fresh infillings from the Holy Spirit as often as we can. This is how we stay grounded. We express joy and grief, but with the full context of God's will in our minds. We know full well that at any moment, things can change. Lives can change, sometimes drastically, sometimes in smaller ways. The question is, will we be ready to praise God? Or will be run in fear when "this too shall pass?"

Song of the Day: Jeremy Camp - "This Man"

Verse of the Day: "I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together." - Psalm 34:1-3

Gory Relief

Well, I lived through finals. Whether I made it with my grades intact is another story, and one that won't receive closure until WebAdvisor lets me know. But let us speak no more of the cackling, nightmarish entity that is winter term. Look to greener pastures. Hello, winter break.

(I refuse to call it spring break. Not when both the calendar and the groundhog beg to differ).

It's good to be home again. I spent the latter part of my afternoon with my Mom and Susannah. We headed out to an early evening matinee, and my sister picked it out. No surprise that it turned out to be "Final Destination 3."

I haven't seen the first two installments in the trilogy, but the best point I could take from it was this. Death is just a regular joe trying to do its job. And it doesn't take too well to being thwarted, as a group of teenagers *cough twentysomethingadultsplayingteenagers *cough* manage to do here when they get off a roller-coaster ride that goes tragically haywire. So Death sets out to finish what it tried to do in the first place: kill these kids off. Except one of them had a premonition about it, and as it just so happens (don't you just LOVE these little contrivances), she took a picture of each and every person who escaped Death the first time. And the pictures seem to contain clues as to how Death will get its payback. Despite her warnings, the kids get bumped off one by one in several brutal, stomach-churning sequences. Can she and friend Kevin defeat Death? Or will the tragic cycle be finished?

Was this a good movie? No. Was it intelligent? No. Witty or charming? Absolutely not. Captivating plot? Paper thin at best.

Was it a sensory thrill ride? Oh yes.

Don't see this movie if you're looking for a cinematic masterpiece, five-star acting, or a happy-pink-bow ending. It's none of these. It's a gory, slam-bang pulse pounder, and it makes no apologies for it. So to enjoy it, you have to view it from one of two mindsets: 1) Turn the brain off and bask in the senseless violence, or 2) Let yourself be sucked into the paranoid tone of the movie and start putting the clues together. Because that's always fun.

On a kinetic level, I had fun with this movie. There are some genuinely squemish death scenes (two girls getting cooked alive in tanning beds ... I dare you to see that and not be forced to look away), but the tension is terrific. The story, weak as it is, hits the ground running and keeps a breakneck speed all the way to the end. You never get a chance to catch your breath as the deaths keep coming, one after the other. And truly, that's the way to go. If the movie wasted time trying to pace itself with unnecessary subplots and padded scenery among characters, it would have ruined the entire mood because the plot isn't strong enough to support it. But thankfully, none of that happens. The characters are little more than ciphers on a hit list: only the two starring ones get any development. The main character is Death itself. This whole piece is about Death making these kids pay for getting in his way. It's really no deeper than that.

So yeah, "Final Destination 3" is a mindless hit-flick. But if you can enjoy it on those merits alone, then go see it. I personally didn't take anything profound from it, and it's already becoming a huge blur in my head upon returning home. But it was a decent way to switch off my over-worked brain and be shocked by all the splashy, gratuitous violence. Don't expect anything more than that. Goodnight and God bless!

On the Edge

Too...many...notecards. The horror...the horror...

Learning Curve

Learning. It's an accessible medium. You're never too young or too old to learn something. Whether you're a one month old learning to crawl and express your preference for a bottle (in high-pitched tones) or a forty-something adult learning the mechanics of computer software. We are constantly learning new things. It's one of those things I like about us. We make mistakes all the time. We screw up, but we're all the better for it. Praise for adaptation.

Right now, I'm hoping and praying that truth holds up to final exams. My initial bout with midterms a few weeks ago wasn't something to write home about. All in all, they weren't garbage, mind you. But they could have been much better than they were. Isn't it confounding how you can totally blank out on an exam question, only to get the test back next week, see the "obvious" answer, and smack yourself for not figuring it out. It's a wonder I'm not covered with red slap marks. Only kidding. I don't abuse myself (much).

One thing I learned from last time is that computer science terminology requires in-depth, one-on-one study. So that means it's back to basics with note cards, those lovely little study aides that originated in elementary school. I purchased a whole box of them from CVS (the multi-colored ones, natch), and I'm convinced I'm going to wear out the entire supply before I get into chapter 10 (there are 17 chapters to cover). Sigh. Memory games are fun.

Another thing? It pays to add notes to PowerPoint slides. I'm among the guilty ones who have a tendency to let the PowerPoint do the work for me. But the sad truth is, they are meant to summarize. Summaries omit details. Important details that most definitely show up on the exam. At the same time, there's something to be said about the KISS method (Keep It Simple, Silly). As in, don't bludgeon yourself with more information than is necessary.

Sigh. I really hope I can do well on these finals. My parents keep telling me to do the best I can. But what if my best is a C? I still revolt at the sight of that letter on a grade transcript. I've grown more accepting of Bs, but my drive to be the best is still there. I had it during elementary & middle school. I had it in the race for valedictorian. I still have it now. Is it wrong to have that kind of fighting spirit in academics? Maybe to an extent, yes. But that's how I stay motivated. I've got to have a goal, a target to shoot for, and push my limits as much as I can to nail it. Still, I've learned something from this mindset as well. I'm still a perfectionist, but I've learned to be a non-perfect perfectionist, if that makes any sense. Knowing that no matter what, I'm still loved and accepted by God despite my failures is intensely liberating. Having a tight circle of friends who also love and accept me just for who I am is wonderful. If anything, that motivates me to work even harder. Not to try to earn that love, but in response. How can it not stir you to action? How can you not rejoice at being loved because you're so messed up and flawed?

The love of Christ is funny that way. Thank goodness I'm still learning about it.

Song of the Day: ZOEgirl - "Scream"

Verse of the Day: “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." - 1 John 4:11-12

The King is in the House

No, not that King. Jesus Christ, the only One who truly deserves that title.

WinterJam was unbelievable last night. I latched onto the FCA caravan and met up with Anna Kate at the Bi-Lo Center. We got there under an hour before showtime at 7:00, but Krystal Myers was already getting the crowd pumped up. We decided to get some refreshments in the lobby. Which ended up taking care of all of our excess time, because we spent 45 minutes standing in line. I felt so bad for those poor workers, some of whom looked no older than 12 or 13 and using calculators to figure up money totals. Yikes. I'm surprised the people who own the Bi-Lo Center can't afford to give them real registers. Oh well. At least they had Suite Life on the TV sets.

Anyway, that's a minor gripe. The show was a sight to behold. Newsong. ZOEgirl. Toby Mac. Newsboys. All in one massive arena of 15,000 excited people jumping up and down, dancing, waving their hands in the air, and a wave of shouts reaching to the roof. What an experience. I think at least 204 people gave their lives to Jesus last night - PRAISE GOD! More than anything, I really enjoyed the way they handled the whole event. They could have just as easily made it all about the music, the big-name bands, the funky pyrotechnics displays, the speaker, or the motorcycle stunt show. But instead, they put the focus where it should be - on Jesus. And when you allow the Holy Spirit free reign in a setting such as this ... magnificent things happen. It's a fact. Write it down. Just ask the crowds of people who had their lives changed forever through an encounter with God. It's beyond compare.

And of course, being there with Anna Kate only made it sweeter. We had an outstanding time together. We ate a late dinner/breakfast at Stax Omega near Haywood Mall. There, I entertained her with this year's newest VBS theme song - Arctic Edge. Based on Joshua 1:9, my favorite Bible verse. It's going to be awesome (no surprise).

Song of the Day: Jars of Clay - "Sunny Days"

Verse of the Day: "In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From the depths of the grace, I called for help, and you listened to my cry." - Jonah 2:2

Seeking Solace

I'm in a reflective mood, so I thought I'd share one of my little rituals that I've developed in my time at Furman.

One of the defining hallmarks of our campus is the Bell Tower. Constructed in 1854 after the university moved to Greenville, the Furman Bell Tower has a long, rich history. Its bells once rang to celebrate Confederate victories. It summoned generations of students to their classes. It chimed in glory with Furman triumphs over their arch nemesis, Clemson, in sports. Makes me wonder why the Tigers made South Carolina their in-state rival. At least Furman earned the label. :)

The original tower was destroyed, along with Richard Furman Hall, to pave the way for a new shopping center. But as Furman took the first steps toward its modern-day look back in 1964 (the Bell Tower would have been 110 years old), plans were put into motion to build a 55-foot replica of the old 88-foot tower. Miniature, yes, but give them credit for taking pride in their past. Instead of building it alongside the modern Furman Hall, a peninsula overlooking the Furman Lake was chosen. No doubt the construction crew envisioned the sight that we students have come to take for granted. A majestic beacon illuminated by spotlights. Brilliant bells resounding over a crystal clear lake (we've certainly messed that one up, haven't we?). A shining symbol of the finest the university had to offer. And so the peninsula was expanded to make room for the Tower that we know today (with the original bell installed on the 5th level).

Whew. Hope I didn't scare you away with the history lesson.

Anyway, I like to walk around the campus on my nightly "patrols." And on most nights, I have to walk up to the Bell Tower or view it from the edge of the lake in front of the Dining Hall. Glorious sight with the mountains as a backdrop. Many times, I'll pace around the brick surface foundation, run my hand over its sand-colored, grainy exterior, look out at the lake beside the spotlight, or climb the interior spiral stairwell and just sit there for awhile. It's so peaceful. I like to go there whenever I need some space or to clear my thoughts. Sometimes, I'll be silent. Sometimes, I'll talk to God because He feels so close to me when I'm out there. Sometimes, I'll just listen to the ducks flapping and splashing around in the lake. To me, the Bell Tower is more than an engagement setting or a structure that looks good on a postcard. It's like an old and trusted friend. Yeah, I know, I'm associating with a tourist attraction. So sue me.

So that's one of my rituals. What's yours?

Song of the Day: Jars of Clay - "Be Thou My Vision"

Verse of the Day: "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." - John 21:25

Surprised by Love

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. A friend of mine commented in his blog that we are required by law to write about love on that day. Well, I guess I'm tardy. Somebody'd better report me to the proper authorities. Or tell Cupid to come smack me around. Or something. :)

But anyway, Anna Kate and I had a glorious Valentine's Day together. We went out to dinner at Ruby Tuesdays (too bad the Gamecocks were on TV) and received some of the best, timely service I have ever seen. After that, we stopped at Furman to share some V-Day goodies. She gave me a card that contained a beautiful poem. I am not ashamed to admit it brought tears to my eyes (relax, guys - crying is a sign of strength, not weakness). I also received The Chronicles of Narnia and a four-in-one picture framset containing pictures of us from New Year's Eve and the night we danced. It's now sitting on top of my dresser where I can look at it anytime I want. Right next to a cute little brown bear in shades and a leather jacket playing electric guitar.

I also got to serenade her. Well, all right, not really serenade, but I was humming the lyrics to "A Whole New World" from Aladdin. This brought chuckles of amusement from her. Apparantly, my humming needs work.

*sigh* Because I know you'll read this sooner or later (and everyone else can read it too; it's not like I can stop you), Happy Valentine's Day, Anna Kate. You are so much more than I deserve. I thank God every single day for blessing me with you and for working so wonderfully in our relationship. I hate that we can't be together more often, but just knowing you're there warms my heart. I love you dearly, sweetheart. Beyond what words can say.

Amazing how love just hits you like that, isn't it? I think it clubbed me over the head with a five-iron. Look at the pretty hearts...time to go!

Song of the Day: Steven Curtis Chapman - "All About Love"

Verse of the Day: "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." - Luke 6:35-36

What's So Funny About Taking Responsibility?

I read online this evening that the House of Representatives has finished the first of its full-scale inquires on the government's response to Hurricane Katrina. It's a pretty scathing report.

The House labels it a "top-to-bottom" failure on both the local and the federal level. Not enough preparations. Lack of experience in FEMA. Not enough early involvement on behalf of President Bush. Ill-timed evacuation procedures. Little to no recognition of exactly what a category 4 or 5 storm of Katrina's might would do to the Gulf Coast. A disorganized American Red Cross. A lack of adequate warnings for ruptured levee systems.

Basically, the common theme here is an attempt to find blame. Figure out who was responsible for the tragedy of Katrina's destruction and death. Personally, I view this as not only an impossible endeavor, but a waste of time.

Playing the blame game can go on forever. People aren't naturally inclined to agree with sharp criticism of their actions. Take Michael Brown, the ex-FEMA director, for instance. Following his dismissal, he has launched an attack on the Homeland Security Department for allowing bureaucratics to impede relief and response efforts. Of course, they swiftly fire back at him, calling him a renegade and claiming that he failed to follow proper protocol. A White House spokesman comments on how Bush was not caught sleeping by Katrina, saying that he was fully involved in the preparation and response. Many Democrats claim the report doesn't go far enough in pinning the blame on somebody, and some are holding out for an independent commission bent on playing the same game.

I just finished watching an episode of Gargoyles in which the main theme is responsibility. Basically, a corporate owner takes Goliath the gargoyle prisoner after he's caught shadowing their air fortress. Several episodes earlier, the gargoyles were tricked by another corporate mongul (Xanatos) into stealing valuable data from his company, and in doing so, destroying their first air fortress. So he believes Goliath is out to do the same to the new model.

The owner, Halcyon Renard, hits Goliath with this. Goliath denies blame and lays it at Xanatos' feet. This enrages Renard; he comments that Goliath sounds "just like every employee he's ever fired. Not one ounce of integrity."

Renard believes Goliath's story, mind you. He has no doubt Xanatos set him up to destroy his fortress. But that's not the point. It doesn't matter how Goliath was duped into doing what he did. The point is, he did it. His actions caused grievous consequences and damage, inadvertent or not. He can't deny culpability. He must own up to it and be willing to make restitution. By the end, Goliath realizes that he must be willing to take responsibility for his actions even when it isn't easy. Denying that and looking elsewhere for a scapegoat to blame is a fool's errand, because he can play that game for years. And none of it will make amends for the damage that has been done.

I wish more of those in power would adopt this outlook.

Song of the Day: Big Daddy Weave - "Audience of One"

Verse of the Day: "Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight." - 1 Corinthians 3:18-19

Befuzzlement

This day went from uneventful to busy to painful to pleasant. Pretty much ran the gamut of emotions in less than 24 hours. Thank goodness it ended on the last one.

I ended up sleeping until 11:00 because I stayed up extremely late the other night talking with a close friend. The day was stodgy, with only a gourmet Sunday brunch to liven it up. Then I headed back to my room to work on a timeline for Computer Science, which thankfully didn't take very long. Of course, lab work immediately followed. I camped out in Riley Hall for three hours working on both my personal webpage and a spreadsheet application. The webpage remains a work in progress but at least the spreadsheet is nearly finished. Now I just need to figure out how to make those pesky column charts match up right with the data tables. Then I should be good to go.

Okay, this was the painful part. Praise team practice this afternoon. I knew going in that I couldn't attend the full practice because of dinner plans, but still, I hoped to enjoy what time I would have. I didn't. All at once, I felt the sickening feeling wash over me again. My voice was choking off in my throat; I physically could not sing. I heard sound coming out, but it didn't feel like my voice. There was no fire in it, no passion, no excitement. I can't figure this out. I'm still not really sure what it means, but I do know this. I can't be up there leading praise and worship if I'm not into it. I love my friends too much to give off a phony appearance. It's so strange. I've never felt this way before; I've been singing in praise bands ever since junior year of high school. So I don't know what's changed it now. Especially since I can listen to music either on my laptop or my car radio and I sing just fine, totally normal. It's very confusing, or befuzzling, I guess is a better way to describe it. But I have the sense that God is speaking to me through this; it could be that He's putting me through this for a reason I don't yet know. Maybe He's saying it's time for me to step down. Withdraw my spot and let someone else step up to the mike. Maybe He wants me in the audience for some reason, to lead people in the crowd and not on a stage or a platform. Maybe He thinks I can be a more effective witness when I'm actually among the ones we're trying to reach, not communicating on a piece of electrical equipment that is impeding it. I just don't know. That's the best I can figure out. So I'm going to try that for this coming Tuesday, which, ironically enough, is a Praise and Worship Night. I'm going to see how it feels to sing in the crowd, and let God decide what comes of it. I may not get an answer to these weird feelings I've been having, but if it's truly God moving in me, I want to act on it. So prayers for that would be appreciated.

But lest you forget, my day did end on a pleasant note. I had a great prayer meeting in the chapel with Chandler, Dawn, and Hilary; wonderful girls. After that, we had our first BCM Drama/Dinner Theatre meeting in a while; it was great to reconnect with the gang and get started on a vision for this year's production. It's going to be great; see Taylor's blog for more about this year's DT. Kudos to Michael Reddish for bringing Krispy Kreme donuts.

Song of the Day: Matt Redman - "The Wonderful Cross"

Verse of the Day: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." - Romans 3:23-26

Television Nomad

Sometimes, I feel that's what Furman has changed me into (among other things). I've had such precious little free time these days that I rarely can sit down and watch television. Oh, there are a select few shows that I make time for, including Lost and The Weather Channel (quit laughing). And if I want mindless entertainment, there's always FU2. But other than that, I hardly ever watch. Thankfully, that seems to be the case for quite a few of my friends.

So, as a result, I missed the opening night of the Olympics. But I did read an online news article about Michelle Kwan, nine-time U.S. Figure Skating champion who has won a silver and bronze medal in her last two Olympic contests. She's the hometown favorite, I guess you could say, but this year, she's been slowed by a groin injury. Bad enough to keep her out of the Grand Prix contests, and to warrant a waiver to play on the Olympic squad. However, her practice session on the ice didn't go very well. According to the news article, she managed to land a single flip, landed with two feet on a triple flip, crashed hard on another attempt, and then turned a third try into a double instead. She ended up cutting her practice short. Now her statements make it seem as though she might withdraw from the Olympics because she still isn't healthy enough. She holds the sport with pride, and wouldn't want to embarrass herself out there when it's the real thing. I understand that. It'd be a shame, though. She's 25 years old, so this might be her last realistic chance to get the gold. But oh well. Gold medals aren't everything.

It's cold and drippy up here. So it looks like I'm staying in tonight where it's cozy and warm. Tomorrow should be sunny, though. I'll wait to venture out to the dreaded computer lab then. Until later, goodnight and God bless!

Song of the Day: Alathea - "Runaway Heart"

Verse of the Day: "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created." - James 1:16-18

A Brisk, Blustery Battle

Good day today.

I received two good lab reports from Computer Science, and I earned a little bit of extra credit on the final exam just for showing up to class when half the other students were late. Just goes to show, it does pay to be punctual.

I had a very nice lunch with Dawn, Jennifer, and Colleen (well, they did, anyway. I got mine early because I got our meeting times mixed up). Then Jenn and I headed to Lakeview to log the last of our observation hours. I still need to go back one more time next week before I'll be finished. Today was a pretty slow day, so we spent a lot of time staging pen wars, napping, and talking with a student named Vinnie in the class. He's a pretty funny kid.

After a quick CVS run to pick up some notecards, I headed over to the North Village field for Friday Afternoon Football. Today was a special treat because Chris and EA Cox showed up unexpectedly. And so my team had to play against both Chris and Taylor; plus, we were outnumbered 8 to 7. We also got some different people to come and play, like Stephen Ramey and Michael Wise. The game was, as they say, fast and furious. My team took an early 35-14 lead, and it looked like we were going to cruise to a win. But sure enough, the Cox team battled back and eventually tied it at 42-42. We got the ball back and were driving to score, but found ourselves facing 4th and 1 deep in their territory. I scampered toward the left corner of the endzone, and then Andrew (the QB) tossed the ball in my direction. All I know is, I made a grab for the ball, lost my footing, and bounced in the far corner of the endzone. I opened my eyes to the sight of my teammates cheering, and it was only then that I looked down and saw the football clutched in my hands. I must have lost nearly all feeling in them by that point (it was pretty darned chilly outside). But somehow, I made the TD catch, and my team jumped back on top 49-42.

This was one exhilerating game, and I felt glad to be a part of it. Both of our teams made their share of incredible plays and breath-taking ball skills. In the end, neither squad could snatch the decisive advantage, as we fought to a 56-56 tie and closed up around 5:00. But the evening wasn't over yet. After getting cleaned up, we headed out to Firehouse for some quality time and delicious, mouth-watering sub sandwiches. I chatted a lot with Chris and Andrew and Brandy Scott. Great times were had. Afterward, we headed back to South Housing, where I hung out on Geer Base with Jon, Lauren, and Michael Reddish. There were Tiger Woods games, cow jokes, stalker stories, Jon bonding with turkey jerkey, and TJ bonding with a laptop...wow. When I'm with this fabulous group of people, our randomness knows no boundaries. Fun doesn't always need to be structured. Just let it happen.

Lauren tells the funniest cow jokes, by the way. Ask her to tell you one sometime. It'll make both of your days.

Let it be known that I had one super-terrific day, which more than made up for this impossibly difficult week.

Goodnight and God bless!

Song of the Day: Bethany Dillon - "Beautiful"

Verse of the Day: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." - Ephesians 3:20-21

Tomato Sauce Cure-All

I love my parents. They have the uncanny ability to make a struggling college kid feel better in a heartbeat.

I've been having a pretty rough week. Winter Term does that to you. Since it's due to be phased out in a couple of years, it's determined to spend the remainder of its life beating us into the ground. This week, it's with projects.

The week hasn't been terrible, mind you. Just...melancholy. The Education project on Tuesday didn't go as well as I'd hoped. Kristen and Jennifer did superb, though. But my parents surprised me with a trip up here yesterday evening. They brought a whole bag of grocery goodies with them; I may not have to shop again this whole term. And then they took me out to dinner at the Pizza Hut in Cherrydale. Like I said, parents are simply wonderful.

Funny story. Our waitress came to our table carrying a basket of breadsticks and tomato sauce. We'd already ordered our pizza dinner. As she was about to set them down, she said, "Okay, we have a problem." And the exact moment she said that, she [accidently, of course] knocked over the sauce - all`over my jacket front. Oh goodness! We didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She apologized for the rest of the evening, but it was no harm done. But wow, you couldn't have timed that moment any better! Talk about a case of speaking too soon.

UPDATE: Oh yes, we did get an A on the ED project. So that makes me feel better. A little.

Song of the Day: Chris Tomlin - "How Great is Our God"

Verse of the Day: "I sought the Lord, and He answered me. He delivered me from all my fears." - Psalm 34:4

Project Overload

Let's see.

I have an ED-21 project due on Tuesday about discipline for students with special needs. It involves a scholarly paper and Powerpoint. An oral project/presentation in Computer Science on the history and uses of Blogs (and for those of you who are no doubt wondering, no, I don't get to use this blog. Loophole, indeed) that is due next week. As well as three other projects involving websites, spreadsheets, and databases in the same class. Also due in the coming week. And being the ignoramus that I am, I left my wireless card for internet access at home.

And people ask me why I won't mourn the death knell of Winter Term.

Song of the Day: Mark Schultz - "Can You Hear Me?"

Verse of the Day: "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up." - James 4:10

Lord of the Dance

I went to a formal in Clemson this evening with Anna Kate. Without mincing words, let me say that I had the time of my life! It's been many, many years since I let myself cut loose on a dance floor. Even senior prom wasn't like this. But we went out there and danced to almost every kind of song imaginable. Plenty of old favorites in there, including the Electric Slide. What's a formal dance without the Electric Slide? Oh goodness, if my friends could have seen me out there tonight, they would've thought, "Who's THAT guy dancing with that pretty lady. There's no way it could be David! He never dances!" Well, I danced tonight. No evil twins. No dopplegangers. Just me and Anna Kate, along with tons of other students from Campus Crusade. My shagging has gotten rusty, it seems.

I'm too tired to bring this post up to my usual lengthy standards. So I'll just leave it that I enjoyed the fool out of tonight, Anna Kate is my dancing queen, and my feet will be creaking in the morning. Goodnight and God bless!

Song of the Day: Third Day - "Cry Out to Jesus"

Verse of the Day: "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." - 1 Peter 1:15-16

Reverting to Type

I really wish I could get paid for how many hours I have spent in the Furman Computer Lab this semester. For the past week especially, I've practically lived in there, crunching numbers, entering formulae into Excel spread sheets, somehow screwing them up, and doing them all over again. It's easy to get behind in Computer Science and so I decided to plant myself in the lab until I was at least back to a decent spot. I sat down at 7:30 AM and didn't get up again until 2:15 PM (excluding restroom breaks). In my opinion, these exercises don't teach you to use the computer. They teach you to fear the computer. One misplaced integer, and it's curtains for your formula.

But I digress. Today managed to perk up once I successfully extracated myself from the confines of the lab and emerged into the unusually warm February sunshine. Old Man Winter must be slipping. He's apparantly gotten the idea that one major ice storm in December was enough to satisfy our Southern quota of frozen precipitation. It's not. Winter just isn't winter without at least one decent snowstorm. I'm not talking blizzards or whiteouts or any of the typical fare our NC mountain friends are fortunate to get. A good two to four inches of snow. Enough to sufficiently coat the grass in white, slush up the roads, and make for some good ol' fashioned snowball fights. I've never been through a snowstorm in my three years at Furman, and I'd like to before I graduate. Just once. Still, I was grateful to be in the warm sun. Always need to thank God for the little things that He blesses us with.

Some quick hits:

- Super Bowl XL. None of my teams even came close this year (well, unless you count Carolina, but I'm not as endeared to them. No offense, Panthers). So I'm not too enthused. Having project work doesn't help.

- Welcome to Clemson, C.J. Spiller. Sapp, Cumbie, McDaniel, and Jackson are just a few of the other highlights of our new recruiting class. I am officially pumped for Tiger football '06 :) Our backfield is going to be scary. Let the Hill Watch begin!

- Starting next year, all seniors and North Village residents will be assigned a meal plan. Lots of people seem to have a bone to pick with this. I'm not too bothered with it. If it's a community-building initiative, then I applaud it. If it's purely a money issue, then whatever. You know that they'd find something else to justify it anyway.

- Nothing beats coming home to your old high school on a Friday night. Especially if it's Homecoming. Catching up with friends, looking on at the new blood, and reminiscing all serve to make it a memorable experience.

- Two English courses next semester. Both involve strenuous writing. I may as well saw off my right hand already and be done with it (only joking; I love to write. Even when it hurts).

- I need to sleep. But will I sleep? That's the question of the night. I'll leave you hanging with that one. Mwahahahaha.

Song of the Day: MercyMe - "In the Blink of an Eye"

Verse of the Day: “But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble." - Psalm 59:16