Back to School

Wowza. So, my apologies for never updating this thing. In my defense, I have a few excuses. Such as living in three different places over the course of approximately one and a half to two weeks. Or moving into an apartment. Or starting college (again). Man, these things are time consuming!

Good news: I'm all caught up with homework! Unfortunately, that's not much of an accomplishment, seeing as I've only had one class. And, mark my words, that's probably the last time you will EVER hear me say that again this semester.

Camp seems like a million years away. I've been trying to keep it close to my heart by playing camp songs on the guitar, writing messages to people, looking at the pictures, jotting down inside jokes, and most importantly, working on the "Camp Shrine," complete with pictures and song lyrics and memories from the summer. (I'm afraid it has now been put on the back-burner; I just didn't seem to have the time to finish it before school started, which is a little upseting.)Camp still lives on a little, though. For one thing, it taught me how to manage my time much more effectively, which I've been putting into practice since I've gotten back to school. I haven't really been messing around on the internet or watching mindless TV. I've also made it a point to stay active and go to sleep at a reasonable hour. And my stomach has been loving this eat-healthy thing I've been trying - the camp food all summer was what convinced me that good food makes you feel really good too. (Thanks, sister. You'd be proud of me and my salmon.) I've also kept in touch with people, which has helped things stay fresh in my mind as well.

More importantly, I've been trying to stay in the Word and talk to God a lot, which really makes all the difference in the world. I miss Camp most of all for that - solitude, alone time with God. You have to search harder for it here, and it's certainly not in the pristine wilderness that we've got up there. But, I guess God lives in Madison too. :) And, I've gotten so accustomed to singing all the time that I'm even thinking about joining Gospel Choir. I know, you guys are all falling off your chairs with laughter right now, but I'm pretty set on it! (My roommates convinced me ... !)

Now it's back to routine time again. Starting schedules is always difficult, but I think organization in the beginning of the year helps a lot later on. I'm certainly trying to fit a lot in! There's planning and teaching Emerging Leaders; Student Leadership meetings and committee work; church, Primetime (weekly Campus Crusade gathering/worship), and Bible study; Gospel Choir, tutoring middle schoolers (if it works out); working out; taking care of the apartment and myself; hanging out with friends and roommates; sporting events, and oh ... I'm missing something ... oh, right. Classes. I had almost forgotten. Well, those classes will certainly be an inconvienient addition to my college experience. Good gracious. It looks awful when I write it out like that. Maybe I won't think about it!

Funny story of the day: I was sitting around before my English seminar started, just chatting to some of the other people around the discussion table. One was a junior, one was a senior, and both were English majors. And then they laughed a me when I said I was taking two English classes this semester. "Oh, that's rough. Good luck on having a life." Wait a minute ... we're English majors! Isn't that what we're supposed to do?! Take English classes?! I knew it would be bad, but sheesh ... We'll see how the semester goes! Looks like it will be intense.

Well, I should get going. I think I will hang out with my roommates for a little bit before I retrieve my cousin from his job in Middleton. Aaadaaam ... why are you depriving me of sleep!? That's okay, I really don't mind. :)

I miss you all and wish you God's blessings at home!