A Small White Funk

Ok. So I started the day in a bad mood, which is very unlike me. I guess the reason behind my sour disposition was that I missed the first snow in Boone. That's right, Friday night, it snowed, and all my friends were out playing in those beautiful snowflakes without me. That's enough to make anyone sad.

Then later on in the day I realized....there will be plenty of chances to play in the snow with my friends. We're taking a skiing class together, we'll be playing in the snow at least once a week. Needless to say, after that, I was in a much better mood. Which is good considering I had to direct my church's Christmas play starting at 4.

So this year, I didn't write a Christmas play. (When was I going to, in my spare time?) So our youth leader and I decided to do a skit. I've named it "Christ, Christmas, and Wal-Mart". It is completely improvised. So, we're having a ton of practices between now and the performance date.

I guess if I've learned anything about life today, is that there can be more first snows. There can be more chances to play. There can be more opportunities to smile with friends. However, there may not always be. Thus, take any chance you get and treasure it.

"These are the moments that become memories. Time quickly passes. Soon, friends fade out, moments pass, but the memories will remain in our hearts forever."
-Jeffrey Lazenby

A Christmas Exit Strategy

Well, so much for this semester. I guess it wouldn't hurt to look back on what I accomplished.

1. I survived. (You laugh, but some people don't).

2. I made new friends (Not as hard as I thought it would be).

3. I passed all my classes with flying colors (No big surprise there).

4. I found a potential girlfriend (It's about time).

5. I passed on my drum major knowledge to another generation (Whether it was received or not, I don't know).

6. I didn't gain the freshman 15 (Of course not, I'm a walking stick).

7. I got closer to friends that were farther away (Even the ones on the other side of the state).

8. I got along with my roommate (Not hard since he's never here).

9. I kept my faith.....

I must say. I am most proud of numbers 3, 4, and 9. So overall, this was a good semester. Now for an exit strategy, I am going to do what any good performer does. I'll leave Boone with it wanting more.

Take a look back at your semester. What did you accomplish? What would you have done differently?

For my BC friends, I'll see you soon. For my App friends, please don't forget me, because in January I'll be back. My hair will be lighter, my teeth will be whiter, my spirit re-energized, and my heart full of love to give away. You might not be able to control yourselves....

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
- 1st Corinthians 13:13

Finally Finals

Today was reading day. The entire purpose of reading day is to lock yourself in your room and spend the entire day pouring over your books, cramming every last bit of knowledge into your head before the exam. But, I didn’t do a lot of reading. I did referee a football game though.

Many people stress over finals. Reassuring words come from Dr. Seuss and selections from his “Oh the Places You’ll Go”.

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go

I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's truea
nd Hang-ups
can happen to you.

I'm afraid that sometimes
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win'
cause you'll play against you.

So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life'sa Great Balancing Act
.Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)

The message of the text is clear. You have the capabilities and you have the knowledge. Don’t let things get you down. Life is sometimes isn’t fair, but keep pushing through it. So, everybody, good luck on your finals. Don’t stress too much about them, because in the grand scheme of the universe, they really aren’t that big a deal.

As always, may God keep you this and every night.

"Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much perfoms much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well." - Vincent Van Gough

A Very Ordinary Unordinary Day

Today was pretty good as days go. It seemed fairly normal, and predictable given my need for continuity and structure. I woke up at the same time, went to the same 8:00 class I have been going to for the past months, saw the same people, at ate the same place, and thought I must be the most boring person in the world.

The afternoon wasn't that different either. I went to marching band and turned in my uniform. Then I sang in voice class, and did reasonably well for an instrumentalist. After that, I went to orchestra and turned in all my music. I was wrapping up the semester.

That evening after orchestra, however, things began to change. First off, sometime last week I was commissioned to arrange a more contemporary version of O Come O Come Emmanuel to be performed at the CCF Christmas service. I finished, the singers approved, and all that was left to do was practice and perform the piece. It's amazing how the simple can become so complex when start thinking about it too hard. Our first practice went ok. One of the singers, poor girl, she got so stressed out. I finally just said we all needed to go and relax. We didn't get to practice again until this afternoon, just a few hours before the performance.

Well, thank goodness this practice went better. We got everything worked out, including the nerves. The performance went wonderful! Faith and Julie did so good!! I was very proud of all of us. I know God was too. After the performance was over, we got the usual "good job" 's and a few hugs. Including a special hug from a special person. Then it was time for Dr. Lazenby to get back to his office. I still had a paper to finish.

On the way back to my dorm, something interesting happened. I was walking by myself toward the music building. No one else was around. I figured I would practice a song or two on the piano before I resigned myself to sitting in front a computer screen for a few hours. Then, the bell tower beginning to chime out the time. Since I've lost my watch, I listened to see what time it was. It was 9:00 P.M. Then after the nine chimes, the bell tower begin to ring out our Alma Mater. I stood and listened and looked around at the beautiful campus I could see. Then it all of a sudden hit me. I realized exactly all I had accomplished this semester. All the new things I have learned, all the new friends I have made, and the confidence and independence I have gained. I'll I could think was...Wow.

After that, I went up to the practice rooms, with a smile on my face. I had just performed at CCF in front of a lot of people (it's no Panther's stadium, but it was still a big crowd). Yet, my biggest performance of the day was just coming up. See, in the practice room, it's just me by myself. Nobody else is around to hear me, especially at night, when I like to go. Even though nobody else was around, I still had to perform for my biggest fan. Sure enough, I sat down to play, and he sat behind me to listen. Beginning with "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus", going through songs like "Christmas Time is Here" and "Your A Mean One Mr. Grinch", and ending with "O Holy Night" I played a small concert for my biggest fan....God. I sat at the piano, and he sat behind me, enjoying the gift that he gave me.

God has given each of us gifts and talents. He loves when you use them for him. He'll be your biggest fan if you'll let him.

As always, may God keep you this and every night. Now if you'll excuse me...I have a paper to finish.

"Grief and tragedy and hatred are only for a time. Goodness, remembrance and love have no end". - President George W. Bush

Count Your....Friends

I have decided, that today will be a day devoted to friendship. Over the past few months, I have had the privilege of growing closer to and gaining many new friends. It seems like, ever since I graduated, some of my high school friends have drifted away some, while others drew closer. Seeing as many of my classmates decided not to join me at Appalachian State, I thought for sure I would lose them forever. Not so. I have friends, really good friends, stretching from Boone, through Raleigh, all the way to Greenville. My network of friends did not get smaller, the distance just got bigger.

Of course, being thrown in with 59 strangers at the beginning of the year was another chance to make new friends. And I have. I have gained the friendship of many new people, and the number grows every day. We are constantly doing things together, whether it be going to class, singing at CCF, or making gingerbread houses.

Good friends are a gift and blessing from God, and must always be seen as such. Leo Buscalglia once said, "A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world". I guess that means I really do live in my own universe.

Will I get around to dating? Yeah, eventually. But the way I look at it, I've got the rest of my life to be devoted to one person. I only have a limited number of years to be devoted to my friends. Make sure to thank God for your friends today. And tell your friends how much their friendship means to you.

Have a great day!

Any Given Sunday

Every day has the possibilities for a miracle. But on any given Sunday, there is the potential for a Sunday Miracle. I didn't see anyone raised from the dead or the lame made to walk today, but I did see plenty of miracles.

To start off with, I woke up this morning. To some it is just an everyday occurance. But to me, it's a miracle. Then I put in my contacts and could see clearly, another miracle. Then I had a hot shower, a hot breakfast, clothes to wear, a place to stay, and friends to talk to and hang out with. All miracles in their own right.

Then, this evening, I witnessed a Sunday Miracle. In the second floor kitchen of my dorm, I ran across a group of teaching fellows, many of which are my friends. They were making gingerbread houses and getting ready for an Angel Tree party. These young men and women were giving of theirselves and their time, all to help the needy.

So my friends, miracles occur everyday in our own life. All we must do, is look around and notice them! I go to sleep tonight with a heart full of love for people, and a belly full of all the food I snuck from the gingerbread house supplies.....

As always may God keep you, this and every night.

"Love and music have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, delight the heart. And they both take practice."

How Great Thou Art

For the past hour, I've just been sitting and talking to God. And the great thing was, he was answering. There weren't very many words present though. They probably would have just gotten in the way. No, this was one of those meetings where you just feel him all over you. I turned off all my lights so that the room was completely dark. I put on Michael W. Smith's Freedom album, and just started pouring my heart out. I found however, that tonight, I wasn't treating God like Santa Clause. Not tonight. Tonight I treated him as the Almighty God he is. I may have asked for help with one or two things, but mostly, it was a long list of thank you's. Nothing was too big or two small to thank Him for.

It started out simple enough. I started at the beginning and put "thank you for" in front of everything I could think of. But as I kept praying, just me, God, and the music, something began happening. I felt my soul swell! Tears began forming in my eyes, and I just let them go. So there I am, sitting in the middle of a dark empty room, crying, with my God just holding me and telling me "I Love You". I'm crying right now just remembering it. It has been a wonderful night. It's been a wonderful semester. It's been a wonderful life. And I am looking forward to every day that is to come. May God bless you and keep you this and every night.

By the way, it's still a little early to tell, but if things go right. Dr. Lazenby might just walk away from his freshman year with a girlfriend!