It's Been a While...

It's been eleven days since I've blogged. That may be the longest break I've taken from my blog. Anyway, just to fill you in on what's been going on in my neck of the woods...

I think I'd ramble on and on if I really got started on the World Series, so let me just say I will be purchasing a box of Chris Carpenter edition Wheaties. (I like Wheaties anyway.) The box will probably ride in front with me on the way back to the apartment and be separated from the actual bag of cereal almost immediately upon arrival to the apartment.

Regarding other things, my life group (small group) gained a new member yesterday. I was and am still excited about it. He graduated from high school with me last spring, and I was so pleased to hear that he is going to college up here and is living so close to us. (He lives on Page; we live on Olive.) I was so happy last night that I was actually a little unlike myself. I'm pretty low-key, so when I joke excessively or can't sit still, you know I'm excited/extra happy. I love gettting new members, especially people I know!

Tonight, we had some friends over for supper, and the crock pot experience we had was very entertaining and gross to my roommates and myself. I might elaborate on this if I get my sister's permission.

One more thing: If you don't have the Passion05 CD "How Great Is Our God," buy it! My sister and I ordered it online from BMG Music, and my mom brought it up with her when my dad and she came to visit last Friday. It's quickly becoming one of my favorites... Speaking of Passion, have you geared up for Passion07? It's going to be GRAND! Come praise God with the rest of us! If you're interested, visit http://www.268generation.com for more information, video clips/previews, the guestbook, and signing up! Mmmm... John Piper-meaty.

The Unforgetable Forgetful Monday

Last Monday was the last time my night class met. Before my night class each week, my roommates and I go out to eat, and we rotate on who decides where. This time it was Dana's turn, and she chose McDonald's. Basically, my purse went in with me but didn't go out with me. I realized it was gone while we were on our way back to Mobap. So I went to my class, took my final (that only took about fifteen minutes) while Dana and Rachel went back to retrieve my purse.

Earlier, before continental breakfast at our apartmetn complex, I lost one of my earrings. Dana found it later.

After my night class, I hung out in the Bywaters Lounge until Dana and Rachel arrived. My orange Starbucks water bottle had went in with me but didn't go out with me. It is still MIA.

Being absent-minded is not particularly convenient, but everyone has these days, right? It's amusing to look back on the day, and even though I still haven't located my snazzy orange Starbucks water bottle, I've aquired a new favorite cup to drink out of at the apartment. It's transparent yellow with opaque tropical flowers. I like it; it's good.

I've Been Running on Adrenaline for an Hour and Twenty-Five Now

I'm flabbergasted!
I'm elated!
I'm awed!
I'm... almost speechless!

The Cards are going to the World Series, and I've been posting comments on friends' Facebook walls since Wainwright's strikeout of Beltran! Oh, my, what a night!

When we won, I had to leave the room for a moment because I could barely stand it. Seriously, the 83-78 Cards going to the Fall Classic? Beating the best team in the National League in the NLCS? Wow!! This may take a long time to fully get over, and Game 1 of the Series is Saturday night! It might be a little too soon--I need to catch my breath!

A quick rundown of NLCS Game 7 events: Jeff Suppan pitched an awesome game, Rolen came close to homering but didn't, Molina took care of that in the ninth (making the score 3-1), and even though he made it interesting, Wainwright finished what Sup started for a Cards victory.

Yes, it feels good. Let's hope we don't--dare I mention it?--go down in four this year.

Congratulations, Cardinals! You make it so fun to live in St. Louis!

What Collegiate Seminar has Taught Me

Collegiate Seminar is a required class for all freshmen. Despite the popular belief that there is nothing to gain from this class besides good reading material (How to Stay Christian in College by J. Budziszewski and The Call by Os Guinness), the class could be life-changing if you let it.

Near the beginning of the semester, we had to write a "personal assessment paper" that discussed the factors that have made us who we are today. In approaching this assignment, I made a list of factors and ranked them. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) was at the top of my list. I was born with RP--an eye disease that causes night blindness and limited/no peripheral vision or as my biology II text described it: "apathy of the retina." Growing up with RP has no doubt impacted my life, but it wasn't until Collegiate Seminar that God convicted me to use it for His glory.

Whoa. It was like the light came on for the first time. I had wondered from time to time that maybe God has not taken away this "thorn" because He could receive glory through my unique testimony, but I never realized that by trying to hide it I was actually hindering God's glory from being reflected in my life.

The public school system has taught me to hide it the best I can by not assisting me very well when I was little and supplying plenty of embarrassing moments through my peers. For example, I was still required to take P.E. when I was little and participate in some of the games. Because I don't have very much peripheral vision, a ball could fly my way and I'd never see it--only feel it. Ouch! You can throw a ball at me, and I wouldn't know it's comin' (please don't try it).

Anyway, God basically pointed out to me, "Hey! How are you going to bring glory to My Name if nobody knows about it?" I'm pressing through and rising to the occasion, which is very good news in light of RP. I've come to realize this through other people's comments; I actually don't look at it this way. I view myself as being just like everyone else when it comes to setting standards for myself (I set a very high standard, partly because I'm perfectionistic).

If I come out of Collegiate Seminar with only this revelation from God, that's fine with me.

Foundations Retreat, Part 2

So during an inning of the game I showered, and Megan and I headed down to the conference room once the game was over. (Believe me, I didn't miss anything in that innning.) Jeremy, Kyle, and Keith had their guitars going when we came in, and Allicia and Brandon were already there singing with them. Another man joined us later.

From about ten to midnight, we sung whatever songs came to mind, and it was during that time that this event started feeling like a retreat for me. I cannot express enough the enjoyment of a down-to-earth fellowship with gifted musicians and blessed vocals. (I sung, but I by no means was a part of the groups I just mentioned.) I love music so much, especially music for the King.

My love for just hanging out and praising God in a small, casual setting probably spawned from the times family would come up from Arkansas, and my dad and uncles--and sometimes my cousins--would get out their guitars and we'd sing old hymns or country classics. Mmm... I love it!

Friday morning, we had a nice buffet breakfast and our last meeting. We went around the conference room telling our "journey to MBU" and what may be in our future as well as explaining our calling or where God was leading us. God is working in the hearts of us young people, and I am so encouraged. It should set our hearts and souls ablaze for the glory of the Father and His Kingdom and the movement He is creating in our generation.

Foundations Retreat, Part 1

This Thursday and Friday I went to the Doubletree hotel off I-270 and Page for a retreat. It was mandatory for my Foundations for Christian Ministry class. I have to admit before the event I was not looking forward it. It was complicating my life because I had to finish homework early for classes I was going to miss.

Well, now that it is over, my tune has changed considerably. I loved it! I met and learned of so many of my peers who were in the same field as me. Religion, religious ed., ministry and leadership, and worship arts majors were able to come together and fellowship with one another while taking care of some serious "college career" business.

For our first official meeting, we ate at Ryan's--the restaurant with the most awesome macaroni and cheese ever--where Dr. McClain was cracking me up most of the time. Later that evening, we had our first session in an elaborate conference room that provides half-pint Ice Mountain waters for everybody. (Mmm... quality!) After the session, most of us tuned into the ball game and watched the Cards lose. Then some of us reconvened in the conference room for some time of praise and fellowship. (Whip out the guitars!)

That was my favorite. For those of you who know my love for music, you're probably not surprised. I'll tell more about this and give a wrap of the retreat in my next post.

Shall We Gather at the Chapel?

Let me tell you, Chapel has been AWESOME so far! I am so pleased. This is part of what makes a Christian university special--not to mention prayer before some classes and Mr. Johnson's readings of Proverbs in intro to philosophy. I love being able to praise God with my classmates.

And who could forget the one and only campus pastor Jonathan White? (By the way, he has a blog too: http://www.jonathan4one.blogspot.com.) Yeah, he's a humble, God-fearing man with a fantastic personality.

Let's not forget the music either. I know that when it comes to praising God, it's about God not us (except our satisfaction in Him), but I just want to say that the Chapel band does a phenomenal job. I love music, and when we sing songs like "Sing to the King," "Marvelous Light," and all those other ones, I'd prefer them not to end. I think "Came to My Rescue" and "Majesty (Here I Am)" would be some good songs to sing in Chapel. My church family and I sing them sometimes, and I almost always get emotional in the presence of God.

A great spiritual rain is coming. Can you feel it? I can't wait to see how God is going to turn MBU upside-down. It's like that Delirious? song: "Open up our hearts. Rain down. All around the world we're singin' rain down." It seems like that's the heart of MBU--glorifying the Father for the joy of all peoples (John Piper).

Kristi, is that You?

Being a college student has changed me considerably from who I was in high school. For example, I wear my clothes multiple times before getting them washed. I reuse dishes--something I would NOT do before unless it was a glass of water. Today, I grabbed a plate from the dish washer that I had used the night before for supper and reused it. Gross, right? I did it. After all, just food has been on it, and it has been rinsed. (That's how I make myself feel better about doing it.)

On a more serious and more sanitary note, I don't have the same pressure that I had in high school. If I was to be labeled then, I'd be the quiet Christian girl who likes sports and makes good grades. (People who really knew me knew I wasn't so quiet.) College is a fresh start: no reputation. If I don't do well on a quiz, no one knows to be shocked about it. It's great.

I thank God for my road to recovery to being genuine. I've reached the point to where I just want to be real. I can't tell you how great it is to be free from feeling the need to put on an act in high school. I was really self-conscious in high school, and I'm just not so much anymore.

I love how I've gotten to meet so many new people. I'm actually an introvert, but I'm working on being more open and friendly. During Welcome Weekend and the first two weeks of classes, I made myself initiate conversations (as bad as that sounds) because I really wanted to meet new people and establish new relationships. It's been good; I've connected.

So as you can see, college can change at least one part of someone's life pretty quick.

Thanks, Friend!

My friend Tracy gave me part of my birthday gift on the weekend of my birthday but forgot some of it at her dorm at MIZZOU. One day she IMed me and asked for my address--I knew she up to something. Just the other day I got home from school and a package was waiting for me outside the door of my apartment. She had sent me a photo album for me to store all my pictures I'll be taking or be in during college. She also sent some Tony Stewart stickers (hilarious!) and an awesome card. It was the words she wrote that made her gift special to me though. I didn't know I meant so much to her, and getting to read such kind words in black and white felt good. She's always meant so much to me. We respect each other's interests and support each other and have invested in each other's lives for years. Thanks, Tracy, for everything. I love you very much!

The Empty Nest

With both of their daughters out of the house and living in St. Louis, my parents are going through the adjustment stage in life. It's interesting to observe how they handle it differently. My mom keeps to herself and is truly happy about Rachel and I be able to do what we're doing by the grace of God. She is adjusting, but she is keeping a clear and good perspective on the big picture.

My dad is another story...

Allow me to give a little background info on my dad before I continue. My dad is great. He has a solid foundation of Christ, can be extremely lame and funny, and seems to be able to build, repair, or maintain anything. He can turn nothing into something. He's good at that. He is analytical and, at least he appears to me, brave. We have so much fun watching baseball together and M*A*S*H reruns, in which we can quote almost any line. (One time, we spent an entire trip in Wal-Mart quoting and laughing about National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.)

Now for the nitty-gritty. My dad does NOT like our being gone and wants us to be home every weekend. Though he knows it is a good thing for us to be in St. Louis working and/or going to school, he still has trouble coping with the fact that our lives are primarily up here and not in Fredericktown. I understand he is adjusting; that is not the problem. The problem is that he is very apparent and "jokingly" (as he says) gives guilt trips (though he says he intends for them not to be). Consequently, my sister and I feel an obligation to be home on the weekends.

This wouldn't be as big of a problem if my sister and I were not so involved in church. My dad has the strong belief that because our church family is a Baptist church, it couldn't go very deep in Christ. According to him, they don't have the revelation he has. I have a problem with this: he bashes our church family when he has only been at a gathering a few times? He sterotypes Baptist churches and is convinced that our service as a part of one is a waste of time?! It seems he fails to consider that some kids don't get to go home every weekend. It'd be great if he was grateful for our just being home on the weekends.

I don't want to put my dad in a bad light. I want to reiterate how a great a man he is. I don't want to dishonor him. I know that if he knew I was even writing this he'd be upset.

I am writing this because fellow students can identify with this pain that we experience with our parents. One handles it well; one doesn't. One keeps it in perspective; one blames other things and "unintentionally" gives guilt trips. (For example, "I won't always be around, you know.")

If you are in the situation in which you have a parent who seems to be extra paranoid and is having trouble letting go, try something my dad uses on my grandmother sometimes and my sister in turn uses on my dad:

When your parent expresses some paranoia or negativity, turn it into a joke. Your parent will probably laugh off your response, and his or her mind will be at ease. For example, my sister and I were going to cross the road from the Wa-Mart in Desloge to McDonald's. My dad said something to the effect of, "Be careful crossing the street. Make sure you look both ways for the cars." My sister wittingly replied, "No, Dad, we're just going to walk right out in front of the traffic."

"Ha, ha, ha..." He laughed it off, and the paranoia subsided.

Pretty cool, huh?