Good day, good day. Why bother easing into things?... let's schedule Megan for 4 classes her first day rather than 1 or 2 like everybody else! It's all good, though. Only 2 tomorrow. And today's went well. Some better than expected, so that's always cool. I'm begining to "classify" professors: I've decided psychology professors are a bit eccentric and like to tell LOTS of stories, professors of education courses are rather picky about rules, and professors of deaf education courses are all-buisness. And don't get me started on philosophy.... I'm in my first philosophy class and I can tell it will be very interesting to say the least.

Other random things: I got Laci interested in blogging and today she finally started her own! I'm really excited! Be sure to read there frequently once she's up and running. She's a writer at heart, so I know it'll be good. Tonight I got to go back to Fusion at Anastasia, which was really awesome. It has really taken off over the summer and I'm really excited to get to be a part of it. The best word to describe it is atmosphere. That's the awesome part about it. It's really laid back and casual--we all sit around on the floor and bean bags and whatever--and there's all these sweet candles and lamps and stuff on top of little black pedistal and the overhead lights are all out (therefore just the lamps and candles light the room). Jill, Phil, and Joe do the music, but not so much in like a "leading the music" sort of way; more like "keep us on the same track" during the songs. Fusion has grown so much while I was away. I'm really, really excited to see where God will take it next. Already I can tell that there are people coming who are not the typical "church crowd" which is totally awesome. I think the casualty of it makes people feel welcome and comfortable.

Here's a random journal entry from last night.
Life is funny, isn't it? You start thinking you've got things figured out--a few things at least. But then suddenly one day you realize you don't have anything figured out at all. You don't have a clue. How startling! But then--gloriously--you realize that those dearest to you don't have a clue either! They're just as baffled and confused as you are! You share your confusion with one another and somehow draw comfort from your dear friend's equal level of un-understanding of life. How fabulous it is to be confused together! What a comfort! What reassurance! Although you and I are just as confused as each other, we can tell each other what we each need to hear and the words of another somehow sound truer than our own. "It's okay. God is in control. There's a purpose to this mess. It will all make sense in the end." Why do those words not seem as true from our own mouths? Maybe it's so we will know we are not self-sufficient... we need friends. We need godly advice. We are not islands. Thanks for the confusion, God! It draws me closer to the ones who are most important to me, and ultimately closer to You!
I don't know if that really made any sense to anyone but me, but maybe it did.

I've gotten on a journaling kick. I now have three different journals, all for different purposes. My newest has quickly become my favorite, mostly because it's new, but also because its purpose seems more important than the others. It's my journal for "God stuff" for lack of a better term. I journal during my devotions, during Bible studies like Fusion, I take down prayer requests that others tell me or that I think of. I'm really loving it. I was going to start one anyway, but my enthusiasm for it was strengthened by Marti last week. She has become a serious journaler and I can see how important it has been to her life this year. I really hope I can use it to keep track of my growth, struggles, and everything else important to me throughout this year, and I hope I can look back over it and see where I've been or what I've learned. I'm excited for what's to come.

Thought for the night from Fusion: Even when circumstances change, God does not change and is still worthy of our highest praise. This was never said directly tonight, but it's what I gained. We sang a song called "Blessed be Your name" which talks about this. It says: Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful, where Your streams of abundance flow, blessed be Your name. Blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering, though there's pain in the offering, blessed be Your name. Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise. In the darkness I'll cry out, 'Lord, blessed be Your name.' Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your name. Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your glorious name. You give and take away. You give and take away. My heart will chose to say 'Blessed be Your name.'

That's it for tonight. The morning is coming quickly! Later.

quick update: I just read the "verse of the day" which fits PERFECTLY! It says, "Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise."

Nehemiah 9:5/NIV

g'night