And thus we start another year at Houghton College. One more year, and I'll have a college degree. How scary is that? A part of me is rather glad it's almost over. It's frustrating for me to say, but school and I don't get along. I want to enjoy it, but instead we always seem to butt heads. However, this semester has the potential to be a good one.
For those that read this blog, I had a fairly eventful summer. My friend Shelly Manhart is now Shelly Carlson and I keep getting that wrong. I visited my forever friend Dana in northern New York for a long weekend. I took two online classes to keep my brain going over the summer because I tend to turn it off once finals are done. I also went down to Memphis to work with my brother to catch up his computer work for two weeks. It was a lucrative two weeks, but it was also rather boring. Granted, I'm not complaining.
Above all, I finished my second book. In two months, with a fire under my butt lit by God, I completed the first draft of my second book in my five book series. It's invigorating to know that I am capable of writing a 100,000+ word book in less than two months. I had been dragging my feet for so long that I didn't think I was able to actually do something like that. And yet here I am, printing out copies for my Houghton friends.
I feel blessed, really, to know that God is helping me through these hard times I go through. You know, last year really sucked and was among the hardest years I've ever gone through. But we all survived, some stronger and others better, but we survived. And this year has such a great feeling to it. We're only in the second week, but it feels so much like home already. Last year things felt insane within the first day. Now we're in week two and it's flown by.
Fumbling through my massive (or diminutive depending on who you're comparing me to), music library, I stumbled upon the band Fireflight. If you've never heard of them, go look them up. I'm on a kick from their music. I've got 2 1/2 of their albums and keep listening to the same songs over and over again. It truly amazes me how God uses so many different people to motivate, encourage and Shepard people to Him. Songs that reach the soul, poetry that moves the mind, and writing that can engage the spirit. The more I meet people and see their gifts and talents exposed, the more truly astounded I find myself at God's amazing power. Life gets hard sometimes, but at the end of the day, He's standing next to us, holding our hands. A gentle breeze reminds me, "He's here."
Well, I'm gonna head off and try to write a paper that isn't due for a week. I'd prefer to get ahead of my work this semester.
"I can hear you say, 'It's a brand new day.' The pain goes away and I'm headed for the door. And I'm going home."
