Anderson University

So here I am once again blogging past 2 a.m.  Oy, time management is not a skill I wield well, nor is studious discipline.  Though I find distractibility is a strength of mine.  I just spent almost 5 hours working on homework with my friend Sam, well my girlfriend now…but anyway, that’s another story.  The pointed question is, do you really think I used that time productively, as in, got work done?  Of course not!   You would have thought that my homework consisted of a lengthy dissertation on, you guessed it, distractibility.  

Let’s see, what DID I do…grabbed some water, sat down in her bedroom, opened my lab top, rolled over onto my stomach, answered some email, spilled some coffee, sent a few texts, drank some coffee, moved to the kitchen, ate banana bread, started an article review, talked to Sam, stared at Jeffrey the goldfish, kicked a flat soccer ball, et cetera.  

So yeah, I didn’t see any homework in that list.  Ok well, there was the article review, but I finished most of that when I got back to my apartment.  Now that we’ve determined that yes, in fact, I am distractible, we need to find some way to relate that to the title of this blog so you won’t assume that by my example, college students can’t follow a thesis.  Believe me, we can.  But, I think that we get so tired of supporting the thesi (oh yeah, I used it…hippopotami hypothesize provocative thesi to occupy my…mind [bongo roll]) in all of our other papers, that when it comes to blogging, it’s just our guilty pleasure to cite a thesis and then trash it two sentences into the first paragraph.  Ha, take that SAT writing sample!  

Refocusing…

I had a minor epiphany today, a realization that was not too significant in the moment, but may prove to be very beneficial to me in the future; Dr. Ross, my advisor and Dean of the School of Education led me to it.  In a conversation we had earlier today, I was griping to her about my hectic, unpredictable week and how flustered and all-over-the-place I have been when she threw me these insightful words, “Well Joey, I’m finding that’s just kind of your nature.”  Woah!  I think she’s right.  All of this time, I’ve been fighting for ways to curb the very thing that makes me distinctly Joey: my nature, which tends to be distractible and free-wheeling.  Perhaps I just need to embrace it and accept that though I can’t change my nature, I can certainly learn to manipulate it.  

For example, I always wondered how I, the spontaneous, undisciplined, unpredictable elementary ed. student ended up in the same apartment as two straight-arrow math majors and an English buff.  Now, I think the answer is clear!  It was a simple balancing act: a balancing of my equation.  Naturally I maintain a very unstructured, poorly disciplined lifestyle.  Meanwhile, my roommates lead rather calculated, controlled lives.  So during the roommate selection process last year, my subconscious sought to balance my spontaneity with structure and found Brad, Booms, and Zach to make both sides of my equation equal and keep me sane.  It’s basic algebra!  

Epiphany!  I think I’ve found the secret to doing homework without becoming distracted: external structure.  If the environment around me is fixed to be controlled and predictable, then my distractibility will be voided, or rather, subdued.  Discipline and focus may not be included in my strong set of study skills, but by structuring my work environment, I can certainly make them seem inherent.  

Joey

This afternoon in one of our MBA courses the professor talked about how the American culture tends to answer the question “How are you doing?” with some description of all of the things that we have to get done or what we have been doing. My initial thought was “No” that’s not what happens but then I thought back to the conversations that I had only about 10 minutes prior where I answered “Good, I got up at 4:30am, went to work, got some projects done, and I have to go the gym, run to the store, do the dishes, and laundry after class”. It was almost as if we determine how good we are doing by the amount of stuff we have going on in our life. 

After sitting in class for a while I began to look at my agenda and everything that I had coming up and trying to figure out how to get it all done before thanksgiving and soon to follow Christmas break. But then I realized that I hadn’t even thought about how I was “actually doing”. I think so many of us, especially myself, push things inside of us for so long because we don’t have time to deal with them or we have other things that occupy our time and energy. We forget that in order to do the best job we can at all of the Busyness of life we must take care of ourselves.

For me this has come and knocked me out, literally. Over the past week or so I have neglected to take time to truly talk about how I am doing. You see about a week and a half ago I passed out in class, just another episode in this stream of heart complications I have been having for about 2 years. And while the truth that my heart was in v-fib and that my heart could stop at any moment was the reality of the situation I felt like I had to many other things to worry about like projects, class, work, friends, organizing holiday plans, etc that I never stopped to deal with the fear that was taking place inside of me. The thought of having to have heart surgery scares me to death but for the past week I haven’t dealt with those feelings.

While we must realize that life is continually going to move at a faster and faster pace, we have to force ourselves to not let is sweep up us that we forget to take time for dealing or at least talking about those things that are going on down deep inside of us. I think this is why so many people struggle with addictions of all kinds. We need something to gain control of because everything else seems to be going out of control and we don’t ever deal with the things that really matter. 

So next time someone asks you how you are doing, don’t just start listing the things you have to do, but stop and answer the question. And if you are the person who asked the question take the time to listen. 

-Slowing Down for the Night—

Christin Dawson

Let’s just be honest; this is an awkward time of year. It has yet to get cold enough to justify pulling out our bulky winter coats and sweaters from storage, yet the simple cool weather attire feels inadequate in the wind and rain. Christmas decorations and lights are being hung and music about Santa is starting to play on the radio; however, we have yet to have our turkey feasts, so it just seems inappropriate to join in the premature Christmas festivities. And, the end of this semester’s classes seems so close, yet celebration is thwarted by the reality of the many projects still to complete, the tests still to take, and the essays still to pen. 

The relief comes with the Thanksgiving holiday! The buzz about campus surrounds this special day. “Do you get to go home?” “When are you heading out?” “Who’s doing the cooking?” etc. Once the holiday comes and goes, then the Christmas season officially arrives, and we can see the end of the semester clearly…and bring out our winter attire! For me, I do not get to go home to Washington for Thanksgiving and have not had this pleasure for the four year I have been at Anderson; however, I am fortunate to have a whole crew of extended family in the Illinois area that takes me in for the holiday. Because I cannot be home until the end of the semester (also because I love to see the Christmas tree in the valley all decorated with lights and decorations), I am all the more anxious for the Christmas season to officially arrive! 

What is culture?  According to Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, culture is defined as “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.”  Everybody has a culture or is a part of a culture.  Culture can be the type of music you listen to, the clothes that you wear, or the food that you eat.  For instance, somebody from Mexico can eat real Mexican food, but listen to hip-hop and wears baggy clothes.  Can this person be a part of the Mexican culture and the hip-hop culture at the same time?  The answer is yes.  People should be cautious not to stereotype people.  The definition of stereotype is “a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudice attitude, or uncritical judgment.”  A lot of people have stereotypes about other people, mainly because of ignorance.  Since people don’t know many people of the other races, they get a fixed idea of the other races based on what they see on television or other forms of media.  Being culturally aware is very important.  You don’t have to know everything about other cultures, but be aware of the differences that are present.

Another topic is how we can make people more aware of other cultures.  A lot of people come into college being totally ignorant of other cultures.  It is not their fault at all; it’s just how they grew up.   It is important to be open to new cultures and embrace differences.  So all cultures have to step up their game and take responsibility to teach one another.  Don’t be afraid to sit with somebody of another race at the lunch table.

All in all, we, as in everybody, should do a better job of being culturally aware not just in our immediate communities, but in the world.  Take a leap of faith and go talk to that person that doesn’t look like you.  You might find out that you have a lot in common.  If each person were to do this, the world would be a better place automatically, let alone our schools.

Myron El

As a senior-year Art Major (as well as an English Major), I have just recently realized that most of my non-art peers have no idea what really goes on behind the big metal doors of the 3D Art world! So, I suppose it is time to offer a small window into what my life looks like as an Art major at the moment.

I first must clarify that, because I am a complimentary major with my alternate studies in English, my experiences in the Art Department—though vast and numerous—do not reflect the deeper experience of a full art major. Regardless, over the past three years I have had the opportunity to dapple in many different art forms and experiment with unique materials and tools. I am currently in a Sculpture class, and I have already had my hands on paper pulp, clay, plaster, wax, sheet metal, and other organic materials. I am currently in the process of moving a piece of mine—that outlines the form of an African woman cradling her two young children on her lap—into the metal casting process, either in aluminum or bronze. 

One of the unique parts of being a student in AU’s Art Program is that we have the opportunity to witness and occasionally be a part of the work of the faculty. I spend many hours on the first floor of the department—which includes the ceramics, sculpture, carpentry, and glass departments—and not a day goes by that I do not see some of the faculty moving about the space as they work on their own projects. My sculpture and ceramics professor, Ken Ryden, is an accomplished sculptor, and he just recently completed a large commissioned piece that he has worked on for over a year. We had the pleasure of watching the process unfold over the past year—as the piece moved from sketches to clay to plaster molds to wax to sand molds to the final bronze piece! The work of my peers is just as noteworthy, and it has been an amazing opportunity to work beside such talent and dedication. I would encourage any and all—whether there is interest in the arts or not—to make a pass through the department. It really is not as scary as the kilns, broken metal, and rusty barrels showered over the lawn outside the building often imply.

Anna Long

Next weekend will be the second time that I will attend the Indiana State Youth Convention, and this year I am particularly excited. Since my freshman year at AU I have served as a small group leader for a small group of youth from Madison Park Church of God, and this year they are seniors. I can’t believe that I have seen them go from 8^th grade to now 12^th grade and soon they will be graduating and off to college. This convention will be one of the last major trips that I get to take with them. 

In addition to the spending time with my students I am very excited that Alanna’s Story is going to be the worship leaders for the weekend. Over the past few months I have gotten to hear more and more of their music and have fallin in love with their music. Their hearts truly pour out in the words that they write and the songs they sing and I know that this next weekend many students are going to be impacted because they are allowing God to use them. Even though the weekend is supposed to be about students it never fails that I too walk away impacted. I think so often as youth volunteers and leaders we forget that these conventions can be a time of refocus and rejuvenation for us just as much as it can be for students, even if that means getting less sleep than usual. 

Last week a senior from Pendleton High School passed away in his sleep unexpectedly and many of the students in my small group attended school with him, and even those who go to different schools were still impacted by his death. I know that around Indianapolis many students are struggling to comprehend this tradgey and to ask God what His plan is for this world and for their lives. As I prepare my heart for next weekend I am also asking that God prepare theirs. That he would make himself visible to them in the specific ways they need it. 

--Looking Forward to Next Weekend—

Christin Dawson

Maybe one of my problems is that I don’t communicate well.  Sure, I use big words, speak fluidly, and I can listen pretty well.  I make eye contact most of the time and I’m confident and clear in letting people know what’s on my mind.  But I’m not talking about strictly verbal communication, nor am I talking solely about nonverbal or physical communication.  It’s kind of a subset of both really.  I think I’m having real difficulty with communicating emotionally.  

There are things I want to ask my dad.  Things I want to tell him so he can counsel me, give me advice.  Sometimes I want more problems in my life just so I can bring them to him and hear what he has to say.  But, our relationship hasn’t always been this way.  And still it isn’t really.  These are just things I want to do, but haven’t.  

For so long, my dad and I have had an odd relationship.  I live my life and he sort of gives a play-by-play.  Yeah that’s a good analogy -- you could definitely compare it to football.  I think sons are like QBs and dads are supposed to be like head coaches.  The coach composes a playbook of certain rules and strategies for success, based on a lifetime’s worth of experience playing ball, and the QB studies it in order to win games because he knows that the coach’s experience is more valuable than his own.  In that same way, dads catalogue life’s wisdom and experiences into a memory bank for their sons to access so that when trials come to pass, the sons have a more experienced coach to guide them through.  

I think this is the way it should be, but for me and my dad, it’s not quite like that.  He’s not really the coach in my life.  He’s more like the commentator.  A commentator calls the action, regurgitates stats and analysis, and entertains the viewing audience.  But would a QB listen very intently to a commentator telling him how to play?  Probably not.  I can’t imagine Brett Favre heeding advice from ESPN’s Chris Berman.   This sort captures the relationship that my dad and I have had for so long.  He comments on my life and does a pseudo play-by-play.  But usually when he offers me advice or a bit of wisdom, I just ignore him.  I think that my experience is more valuable than his.

Man am I dumb!  It’s hard to beat 50+ years of experience with a short stack of 21.  I just don’t give him enough credit.  However, I think maybe I’m finally reaching the point at which I can open up to him.  It’s been a gradual process, and I’ve even written about it in previous blogs.  Relating my relationship with him to my inability to communicate emotionally, I think that maybe the first step in my recovery could be opening up to my dad.  He’s the person to whom I’m closest but also most reserved.  So, perhaps if I give him an open peak into my life, then I can establish a foundation for me to be able to communicate with more emotional freedom to my friends and family in the future.  

Thoughts to be continued once more,

Joey

The stares I recieve when I tell people that I'm a history major are all the same.  They express disbelief and bemusement over what a horrible decision that must have been and my obviously sad existance.  But the joke is on them.  At Anderson University, the professors in the history department are a bit excentric and crazy, slightly nerdy, but overall amazing.  I've taken classes from all of the professors and have not been at all dissatisfied.  In class we cover the traditional 'text book' material but the ways in which we apply it to historical periods and social norms are unbelievable.  We discuss wars and political movements, but Dr. Dirck likes to compare these events to the NFL season.  We interpret TV shows such as 'Leave it to Beaver' and 'Happy Days' and 'The Brady Bunch' and analyze the differences in mass media and every day life in the 1950s and 60s.  We play games that are designed to make us think like enlightened philosophers and compete with each other over a bag of M&Ms.  And we read....a lot.

One of the best parts of the history department professors is their relationship to each other.  During departmental chapels, the professors like to argue amongst each other (in front of the students) over who's view is correct and who's specialty should be the dominant way of thought.  They constantly put each other down (playfully and respectively of course; they're academics) because each one of them is so knowledgable in their chosen fields that they need to prove their point by dismissing the others.  I am constantly amazed by the level of experience and authority each of them have in the historic community.  And of course, the conversations regarding the degradations of the Caesars, the brutal murders by John Brown, and the day to day lives of people in history just cannot be beat.

Gina Farmer

Do you ever wonder how your favorite song is made?  How do the producers get the perfect sounding bass drum?  Or what kind of keyboard is being used in the song?  All of this is done in a place called the recording studio.  To a musician, being in a recording studio is like being in heaven.  This is where beats are made, voices are recorded, and sounds are mixed.  It is rewarding to hear the finish product after you have started from scratch.  I have had the pleasure of working in the studio and there is nothing else like it.  It is a unique experience to say the least.

From the moment you step into a recording studio, you will be blown away at the sound equipment that is on display.  Most studios have wall pads that absorb sound so that when a person is singing, the sound does not bounce off of the wall.  There is also a soundboard that the producer uses to control volume levels of the microphones, instruments, and sounds.  The soundboard is connected to a computer or maybe two.  The computer has the software program needed to record and mix sounds.  Popular software programs include Acid, Pro Tools, and Logic.  You can also choose from thousands of sounds and effects to use in your song.  Or you can choose to play your sounds in by using live instruments.  

The recording studio is a unique experience that everyone should observe in their lifetime just simply to gain respect for the people that are in there basically their whole lives.  The engineer sets all the microphones and recording equipment up, works with the software program, and all the other technical things.  The producer works with the instruments and the sounds in the software program.  There is also a writer who writes the lyrics for the song.  Then of course, there are the artists who sing or play instruments.  All of these pieces come together to make one song.  Imagine the work that goes into making a whole album.

For me, the best thing about the studio is hearing yourself on a song.  Once you sing in the microphone, you are anxious to hear your voice with the music.  Often times, you sound different after you have been recorded.  Also with technology now, the software program can make your voice sound totally different than what it really sounds like.  If your voice is flat, the engineer can go into the program and make the actual pitch of your voice higher so it will not sound flat anymore.  I was amazed at how detailed a simple harmony part can get.  When you listen to your favorite songs on the radio, you do not pay attention to how the harmony parts fit almost exactly with the melody.  In the studio, the producers mix the vocals just right so that the harmony parts blend perfectly with the melody.  

I could stay in the studio all day long if I had the chance.  Being in the studio for me is like being in a candy store to a kid.  A lot of times though, the recording process can be grueling and tedious.  Because of the fact that the mix of the song has to be just right, the process of mixing and picking the right sounds is sometimes a bit mind numbing.  However, when you hear the finished product mixed perfectly and you hear yourself on the track, you realize that it was worth the work.  I was in awe my first time going to the recording studio.  I fell in love with not only the place, but also the whole process.  The musical possibilities are endless.  Any sound that you want, you can have.  Any style of music you want, you can have.  Any kind of tempo you want, it is yours.  It is like the oasis of musical creativity.  

Being in the recording studio will definitely open your ears, literally.  It will give you a newfound respect and outlook for music.  Anderson has a recording studio called OrangeHaus Records and Anderson also has a songwriting room just built this year.  It allows you to write and record songs and it is free to students. These two things are a couple of reasons why I love being a student at Anderson University.

This morning was an incredible service at Madison Park Church of God. First it started with worship from Alanna’s Story, two of AU’s very own Anna and Ally Long, and then Pastor Lyons talked about God’s design for man to not be alone. During undergrad I never really took the time to think about the battles that students at AU were dealing with, and not because they didn’t exist but because I just assumed they were talking about it with someone else. 

The other day I came across the “AUPS” youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK25cG3Ymuo, that was done and it blew me away at how many people on campus are hiding secrets, feel alone, and don’t have people they feel as though they can talk with. This whole thing got me thinking about how much we need community, how much we need healthy relationships in our lives. God designed us to be in community with others and we cannot accomplish his plans for us individually or collectively without other people. 

I think one of the reasons that I never really focused on loneliness during undergrad was because I felt like I had people to talk especially with Camarada. The Bible studies and accountability groups that we had was such a comfort and sought to defeat and eliminate loneliness, yet it was a battle that I too faced. When we keep our struggles in darkness it is often hard for light to enter in. But without people to share those with over time it becomes easier to live in darkness. 

I know this post may seem very random and some may see it as kind of depressing, but I see it as hope. Hope that the loneliness that all of us feel at times is not the true way that God intended us to live, hope that we no longer have to live in darkness, and hope that we can have community with others. But I too know that the devil is going to do everything he can to distract us from seeing those we need to reach out to. Every day we walk by people on campus and at work,  every day we sit in meetings and classes, and every day we choose to ignore what is going on with others maybe out of fear that our own insecurities will be brought into the light. But nevertheless take a moment and truly listen to what they are saying whether out-loud or silently in the way they walk or the expressions on their face. We have been designed to be in relationship with them, it is time we stop ignoring each other and reach out to each other. 

“I carry your heart”

For those who are unfamiliar with the work of Hillsong United and their i-heart campaign…

Hillsong United began, simply, as a bunch of musicians from Sydney Australia with a passion for worship. They started as the youth band for their local church, and after releasing a few recording projects, they were thrown into the global Christian music scene. Members of HU admit to struggling with the concept of gaining fame as ‘worship leader’ and many who are familiar with their ministry also struggle with his notion and likely question intentions. However, HU began a project that addressed this struggle in light of the injustice of poverty, hunger and brokenness in the world at large. This project, called i-heart, began as a vague vision for change; however, the vision eventually saw the light with the completion of the first phase of the ministry: the i-heart album. The second phase of this vision took on flesh as a group of film-makers began work on a documentary. Released LIVE on Wednesday evening of this past week in cinemas across North America, the project looks into the struggle that the Hillsong United crew has faced when they play at the biggest, fanciest venues across the world, all the while question whether their music and ministry is actually affecting the broken streets that they take to get to the arenas. More prominently, however, the 2-hour documentary directly and boldly takes on the notion of the church’s dying role in the world in the face of the great injustice that occurs daily. It is a revolutionary call to Love.

This film has been greatly anticipated by many on AU’s campus—so much so that the themes in the documentary laid the foundation for the direction of the Vision Revision Ministry on campus (a ministry that seeks to connect the arts to campus life). I was only one of a few that was able to attend the one-night-only screening of the film; so, in order to make it more available, another special screening of We’re All in This Together, will take place next week. I am hoping that every seat in the auditorium is filled because this work by Hillsong United and the themes addressed—both creatively and smartly—has the potential, in HU’s words, “not to just start a revolution, but to do something even bigger.”

Anna Long

Friday night was dreary and rain-soaked.  It was the end to a busy and somewhat stressful week and personally, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and just plain awkward.  You know when there’s something so stressful in your life that it occupies every conscious thought so that in your preoccupation you just feel inept at everything you do?  Well, that was me.  I tried to enjoy Fall Into Dance, a student choreographed dance production showing on campus that night…zoned out.  I tried watching a few episodes of The Office…the laughs were forced.  I even tried a little guitar hero with my roommate Brad…the star power just wasn’t rockin’ for me.  He pounded the bass line like a pro and I choked the lead riffs like a scrub.  It just wasn’t my night, or rather my week.  

After dropping my friend back at her hall, I headed back to the apartment to sleep off my weirdness.  Just as I rounded the corner off of 5^th onto the newly paved Chestnut, I spotted my friends Jackie, Amanda, Adam, Keith, Brad and company waving from the sidewalk.  With a screech and lurch of my Camry, I stopped at the intersection and rolled down my window.  

“Hey Joey, you wanna play some street soccer?” 

“Heck yeah I do!” 

So I rolled the Toyota into the first parking space hopped out of the car to join the posse already congregating in the middle of 5th street.  We split teams quickly and for two goals we placed a coiled Hartung Hall hose on one sidewalk and on the opposite sidewalk Adam’s Rocket Dog shoes.  In the cold and slippery street, with a few interruptions from passing cars and campus police, we played 4 on 4 until four in the morning.  It was glorious!  After a stressful week and an awkward night, street soccer was just what I needed to bring me back to normal.  

The moral of this story: sometimes life’s stresses overwhelm our thoughts and cause us to feel abnormal, and perhaps all it takes is something spontaneous like an early morning game of street soccer to bring us back to our balanced selves.

Cheers to spontaneity,

Joey

Have you noticed how many people are have birthdays this time of year? The other day I was looking at my facebook notices (yes this saves many friendships when it comes to birthdays) and there were 10, yes 10, of my friends who had birthdays that day. Then within the next week there were like 3 or 4 really big ones coming up. Now you may be thinking wow you have too many friends on Facebook to have that many people with birthday, but it’s there are some of those people what you just right something on their wall. Then there are the ones that you are going to truly celebrate with them. 

I remember in undergrad being so confused one day walking out of Rice Hall and seeing chalk notes written to this girl names Kelly. I mean all the way from Rice to Reardon there were notes about having a good day, how much her friends loved her, and just wishing her a happy birthday. Or the time that we blew up as many balloons as possible and snuck into my friend’s dorm while she was sleeping and filled her rooms with balloons. Or the time that we blindfolded one of my friends and took him to eat downtown. 

Birthdays are a great way to show someone that you truly care, that you appreciate them, love them, and that they are a blessing in your life.  It doesn’t have to be anything crazy or over the top, even a simply note or card can make it one of their favorite birthdays. But I am realizing that I can learn to appreciate my friends and let them know how much I value them even when it isn’t their birthdays. I think we often forget how important these people are to us, especially when far away from family. 



So today be thankful for the friends in your life and show them how much you care.

It has become apparent to me over the past few days that in almost no circumstance is having to show your ID a good thing.  Some prevalent examples.  Being pulled over on the road and being asked for registration and your license.  Being checked through a foreign country and only having your passport as proof of who you are.  Being asked at the check out at CVS because you are buying cold medicine.  All of these scenarios are ones that people fear.  Why do we fear it?  Because there is always that chance that the people who take your ID don't believe that it is you.  And I have come up with a reasonable conclusion to this.  The reason why these people do not recognize you from these photo IDs (that were taken years ago) is that in the photos we are usually smiling, while those aforementioned scenarios cause you to do anything but smile.  

College is a time to exercise freedom.  We are finally out from under the roof of our parents (at least for the time being) and we are forced to make our own decisions.  We have to manage our time and make choices that will affect the rest of our lives.  We have 16-17 credit hours a semester, along with jobs, and different on campus responsibilities.  And then we try to have a social life while all of this is going on.  It can get pretty difficult to balance all of these things.  For example, I am taking 17 credit hours, I have two on-campus jobs, I am the co-director of the New Image Gospel Choir, and I play keys for Celebration Church in Anderson.  And I still have to find time to have somewhat of a social life.  It is a struggle.  

So how do you maintain balance?  I’ve found to believe that it is helpful for me to actually block out time for homework, and block out time to hang out with your friends.  It is very important to be somewhat organized.  Writing down all dates, or keeping time commitments in your phone is helpful.  Plan out your day before you do anything so you don’t forget about something that you’re supposed to do.  These things have been helpful for me because I have struggled with balance before and even this year because I am involved in so much.  But if you are organized and be intentional about the things that you need to do, then it will help out a lot.

Myron El

The grassroots ministry of 10:07 has grown exponentially in the last year, and this growth is simply a reflection of the vast student population on campus that loves to worship. Meeting every Tuesday night at 10:07pm in the Fair Commons Lobby, hundreds of students pack the space to sing and pray together. Led usually by just one or two acoustic guitars and an occasional djembe or violin/viola, the 10:07 leaders have sought to preserve the simplicity and purity of the worship times. No microphones. No stage. Just a simple overhead projector with lyrics and candles lit around the space. These times are always sweet and greatly anticipated by the many students who take advantage of the time to get away from studies and re-center their spirits.

In an effort to make 10:07 more available to the rest of campus, once a month we gather in the Park Place Church of God sanctuary—which happens to be a beautiful, old sanctuary that resonates and echoes the voices that fill the space in a manner that resembles cathedrals of old. This past week was our first time in Park Place this year, and the place was nearly full of students, faculty, and graduates—all hungry for a sweet time of worship. Very little changes from the regular, simple routines of Fair Commons 10:07—save the use of basic microphones and the addition of the communion elements. It was a simple time, but it was beautiful in its simplicity. 

This may be a bit of a tempo change from how I usually blog, but I think a little variation is good…especially at 2:10 on a Friday morning.  I’m just feeling downright reflective.

My spiritual life is in an odd transition phase right now.  Really, it’s been in this sort of limbo since last spring, and I feel that I’m just now beginning to find my way to the next transition point.  Last semester, it seems I just grew into a state of spiritual weariness, not exactly doubt, but of “what’s-the-point-ness”.  God became a distant figure in my life and remained that way throughout the summer and into this semester.  

Retrospectively, it’s an odd thing to know where I’ve been spiritually and where I am now.  At this point, I haven’t been very actively investing in my relationship with God.  I think it’s still there, and I feel yet a small desire to be close once again.  But right now, the busyness of life in college coupled with my inability to pinpoint the cause of this foggy phase is keeping me distant.  

Through talks with my friend Josh and reflections like these, however, I think maybe I’m stumbling on an explanation.  

I remember my hormonal high school years when praising God and singing really loud were necessary and inseparable from a strong faith, where crying over guilt and sin was a weekly addiction and the pressure to evangelize (share my faith with friends, family, and complete strangers with great enthusiasm and disregard for their desire to hear about it) was a constant, annoying prick in the back of head.  Those were rough years, rollercoaster seasons of my faith.  Instability and rage could describe what youth pastors would call fire and passion for Christ.  

And last semester, including now, I remembered that time.  I remember that ultra-emotionalism, and I don’t like it.  It makes me uncomfortable.  I can be passionate, and enthusiastic, ridiculous and loud.  But that kind of faith, relation to God, is just not appealing to me now. 

To be continued…

Joey

So I am beyond a shadow of a doubt that professors are out to get us.  In my mind they meet up before school starts and write their syllabuses (syllabi?!) together.  At these meetings they rub shoulders with the administrators and determine when breaks are, or important on-campus events, and then they giggle evilly as they all write down assignments.  And when are these assignments due?  Why it only makes sense to have them all due on the same week!!! Obviously that is the only real solution.  Maybe there was a point in these professors' lives where they were not part of this conspiracy but sooner or later they all bandwagon on to the 'overwhelm the poor students' train.  Secretly I think they sit in their offices and chuckle about it.

In all honesty though, I know they don't do this.  But life has a way of doing this to us all.  Personally, I am looking forward so much to Thanksgiving.  Sure enough though, I have three major papers due the week after...but hopefully my mom's cooking will give me the strength to tackle these tasks..............I think I hear faint laughing in the background as I write more papers.