Excited List

Ok, so, in general, I dont like college. I dont like the environment of NSU. I'm real apathetic about "the college experience." But, I'll go on and on about all that some other time. Because, right now, I feel the need to admit the things that I'm looking forward to. The things about school that are exciting to me.....

1) the fact that I'm driving myself to Natchitoches... :)

2) I love the feeling of moving stuff to a new place. Calling said new place "my own."  The shopping, packing, driving, unloading, situating, decorating.... im just so totally into it :D

3) I have a single with my best friend, CJ. So, not only do I have my own bedroom and bathroom, I'm sharing my living room and kitchen with someone that I, not only will actually talk to, but with my girl that I love so dearly! I cannot wait for falling asleep in each other's rooms, cleaning stuff, decorating together, laughter, Adult Swim and other weird shows that she gets me into, talks about EVERYTHING, crying together, eating ramen noodles and turkey sandwhiches when we're too tired to go to the caf, studying together, her encouraging me to think outside the box. Ahhhhh!!!!!  (This is what was supposed to happen last year. But, of course, it was still good. If everything hadn't messed up last year, I never would've met my new, awesome friend, Wendy Kussman. Still love her :) )

4)  Seeing people that I know again , which will get old quick (not my special, dear ones... Wendy, Cj, April.... obviously!), but we're focusing on the positives here. I do like seeing old faces again, and just having history with people is nice. Makes me feel like less of a recluse.

5) buying textbooks, making trips to the financial aid office, planning new routines (gosh, i love this)..... being busy, basically. Busy and productive! Love it :)

6) New classes, new teachers, new starts, clean slates, all A's (haha), being excited about music, and inspired by the geniuses around me :)

 
I have a lot to be thankful for! Pray that, Lord willing, everything goes smoothly with financial aid and room stuff, and that after the high of the new start wears off, I'll stick to my guns. That I'll keep my promise (that I always make at the beginning) that I'm gonna work hard on every assignment, never procrastinate, and study more than ever!! Also, pray that I can keep growing in the Lord, and make time to spend time with God as much as possible. That I wont make excuses that I'm tired or busy. That His Word will be more desirable than anything else, and that I wont lose myself in this worldly environment. That I'll stand for Him in everything that I do or say. I appreciate all who read this. I hope you had a wonderful summer, and an even greater fall :) Autumn is so beautiful! God is so great :)

God bless you, Rach

Take My Life

I didn't realize how little I had grown. I didn't realize how complacent I had become. Then we sang this song in church. It's a song that I've sung so many times, even learned it on the guitar, but have never been very impacted by it. Today, the words struck something in me.

"Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing
always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as You choose.

Here am I,
All of me.
Take my life,
It's all for Thee.

Take my will and make it Thine
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is Thine own
it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord I pour
at Your feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee."

-Chris Tomlin

At first, I was singing it as I always have. Then I heard "Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise" and I thought to myself, "That's really good to remember. I should put that where I can see it when I wake up every day or something." Then, I started thinking, "Am I stupid? Do I think this is just a little happy, devotional song meant to inspire me?" I started actually understanding the words. Thinking on what they were actually saying! It's talking about sacrificing every single part of me to God's work! "Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful FOR THEE" "Take my lips and let them be filled with messages FOR THEE" I will not withhold ONE MITE of my silver and gold! Use my intellect, not for my own way in this world, but for every power as YOU choose. Take my will. Take my heart, it will be where you sit! Where you live! Where you reign! Take my love and pour it out at your feet! Take my self! I will be EVER, ONLY, ALL FOR THEE! I almost began crying right there during the song. I was so humbled and convicted.

We read a book called "Radical" by David Platt, as interns during this summer, so it's gotten me thinking on what radical christianity really means in my life. Now, I know what it means....

"I am not my own. My life is not my own. Take my hands and feet, my heart, my will. Use them for your glory. Take all my silver and gold. Take my intellect. Use it all for any and every power that YOU choose. Pour me out. Mold me. I will live FOR YOU and ONLY YOU. No one else will be my Savior. Nothing else will be my God. Let me never cease in praise to you. Here I am. All of me. Take my life, Lord! It's all for you! I will be ever, only, all FOR THEE!"

There are so many temptations. I could go on as if I have something to gain in this world. I could take control of my life, keep my intellect, and use my hands and feet for worldly pleasure......

But, I choose life in Jesus. And, I'm convinced, that this is the only way to live.

Music Snobbery... Shrubbery!!!

I feel like I should be a music snob because I play instruments and I'm a music major. But, often, I find myself jammin out to the popular music radio station. I mean, I seriously can get down with some hip hop. In fact, I've been on a Britney Spears run for almost a month now. But, I will say that I have a greater appreciation for artists that seem to really do it for the art. A lot of popular artists today are more business-oriented than art-oriented. And while I can admire Britney's success at knowing what the people want and being smart about it, it's hard to think of her as an "artist" in the literal meaning of the word. There are times and even seasons in my life where I can enjoy the catchy, poppy, dancing singles, but, most of time, I think of music more emotionally. I get much more out of an artist evoking a feeling from their music.

 For instance, a lot of people that I know would say that Taylor Swift is not an "artist." But, when I listen to her music, I feel her emotions. Maybe their cheesy, immature, and typical feelings, but they still feel real. I really can tell that SHE wrote it. I can tell that the song "Forever and Always" was written about someone who really broke her heart. Maybe it's because I know this information, but I can just see her coming into the studio right after the relationship ended (couple days before the album was released) and spending hours writing and recording it. It feels like a last journal entry before it's published and becomes a best-seller.

I guess that's just how I feel about art. Yes, some of it's bad, mediocre, and some of it's good. But, I'm not exactly interested in being a music critic. And most people wouldn't want me to be. Because I consider my little sister's song, that she wrote about loving her dog, art. There's no consistent beat, not much of a melody, and lots of repetition, but I can feel her love for her dog. I believe everything she's saying. Therefore, I call it art. That may be a bad example. But, oh well, when it comes down to it, I believe music is about feeling. It's about expressing yourself and connecting with others through it. I don't think this makes me a snob.

That's pretty much how I feel about it. Good talk.