The Bermuda Triangle: Perspectives, the Center, and School

I think my perspective on God can get pretty warped sometimes.

Like when I FEEL like things aren't going right, I have to work my way back to God. Or that God is a father who beats you down when I'm full out dealing with sin or problems and they laugh in my face.

But... I haven't thought about Easter much, either. Isn't that why Jesus died in the first place? Isn't that why we celebrate His death and resurrection? Didn't He make a way on the Cross so Teresa could come to the Father? Didn't He die so that Teresa can overcome sin? Isn't He at the right hand of the Father making intercession for Teresa? Doesn't He love Teresa more than life itself?

I know it, but I can't comprehend it... I sure hope what Jesus says about the truth is true... that knowing the truth sets you free. I need His truth this Easter to set me free from a lot of things.

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In other news, I'm pretty excited about this. For the Center this summer, I am the "Chaplain." The director says that means I'm responsible for the spiritual facets of the Center: planning the daily chapel services, which includes Scripture, music, lessons, guest speakers, skits, etc.; overseeing staff prayer meetings; Bible studies during the day; etc. It's kind of exciting, but it's going to take a lot of prayer and... gasp... fasting... to be prepared for it.

What I'm most excited about this summer is getting to spend time with my group, the 3-5 girls. Lately, I dunno what it is... I love them so much. I don't know if I'm starting to understand them a little better--how they interact, how they understand the world, stuff like that. I love them. And more than anything, I just want to hang out with them this summer. I want to take tons of pictures this summer--lots of disposable cameras!!! Some days they drive me up a wall, but I still want to be with them anyway. I'm glad that I've come to this realization before my last year at ISU.

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And speaking of skewl... aka school...

I've figured out my schedule for next year... maybe I'm being selfish, but I've decided to drop the International Studies minor. And here's why.

Fall semester, I will have 15 hours in 8 classes... pretty good for a music major. 4 hours will be performance classes: Concert choir, Sycamore Singers, Opera Theater Workshop, and Voice Lessons. The rest of my classes are: Basic scoring (how to actually notate music), Secondary Choral Methods, an elementary education course that basically give the 411 of teaching in elem schools, and an education psychology course that talks about multicultural issues in education (basically, white men are racist, is what I'm told about it). SO... yeah. A relatively easy load. You should see my schedule... it's pretty amazing.

And in the spring, all I will have left to take is 12 hours in the educational observation (student teaching before you teach), Adolescent voice (basically what I'm doing now in Vocal Tech), Music in Special Education, and then I'll be in Concert Choir, Sycamore Singers, and voice lessons. I will give my final hurrah in my Senior Recital. OO-RAH!!! And most likely an independent study in choral conducting (before I student teach).

So, because my course load will be light as compared to the last three years... and I'll be just about finished, I'm going to drop the International Studies. Which means I won't go to Africa for a semester abroad. :(

OH... and speaking of this summer... I'm not sure I've said this or not, but the ISU Concert Choir is going to tour in Europe this summer: in Lucerne, Switzerland to sing in the International Choral Festival with Bowling Green State U and Ohio State U, and then to Venice and Lugano, Italy. Pretty exciting!!! I'll make sure to take pictures... more disposables!!!

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... I think that's it for now.

Happy Easter!!!