I forgot my coupons.

One thing you have to know about me. I have no patience for shopping. Going to the mall is more of an errand than anything.

Shopping for classes is different. I feel like a Black Friday shopper for the first time in my life, wanting to get my classes as early as possible, before everyone else snatches the best buys. It's stressful though when I see that an 18 person class is almost full, and I can't register for a few days. Financial Accounting is hot on the market for the J-Term season. Unfortunately, inventory for this product is low.

I have formulated an ideal wardrobe for the spring season. I'm hoping that all the pieces are easy to come by.

Banana Pancakes

Sarah and I learned some guitar last night. Jacob was kind enough to teach us a few chords as well as the intro of Banana Pancakes. I'm really looking forward to playing more. It also makes me miss my first instrument. Anyone know how to fix a cello?

I'm loving Messiah more and more every day. It's odd that it's home though. When I really think about it, it does not seem like I've slept here 60+ nights. Weird.

The soccer game last night was absolutely incredible. Messiah whhooooped Widener 7-0. I'm so proud of my school. Oooh ahh mess ay ess ay oooh ah mess ay ahh HEY!

Phonathon, my new on-campus job, is such a great opportunity. I get paid $10/hr to talk on the phone with amazing people. The other day I experienced a bit of a flash forward. I called a one of the 2008 alumni who was also an International Business major. His roommate told me he wasn't home. He is in China. How cool is that?

Anyway, a bit of a sporadic entry.

Conversation

I love conversation. Spoken word is truly a lost art waiting to be found again. I've been touched by several great interactions within the last 24 hours. I was filled with anxiety today before a Spanish speaking exam, but a conversation with my friend Lauren calmed my fears. My dad visited Messiah for lunch and I enjoyed the words we shared. Several other exchanges blessed my day. I received great advice yesterday to never fear conversation.

I'm off to NYC for the first time in these 19 years and 24 days of living. Liz and her dad have invited me for a short trip to kick off fall break. I'll be sure to take many pictures.

The realities of college life are hitting me. All the talk about keeping GPA, life plans, mission statements, balancing a social life and homework, being healthy and spending enough time in fellowship tend to stir up some butterflies in my stomach. I know I'm here for a reason, which God is revealing to me slowly but surely.

Jesus and the Disinherited

First update of college life...I'm just going to start out with today. There are so many things I could say about the past few weeks.

My first year seminar is very loaded. Today we discussed a quote in the book "Jesus and the Disinherited". It referred to Christianity as seemingly "impotent to deal...with the issues of discrimination and injustice on the basis of race, religion, and national origin." I was a little overwhelmed when my professor started talking about the name that early Christians established for Christianity...and the name we still create for it today. Thousands were killed if they didn't believe the gospel, homosexuals have been repeatedly judged and hated by Christians, wounds in the process of healing have been torn open with hateful remarks. Unfortunately, this is how the world views my faith. I stand on the Word that I know is true, and I believe in Jesus Christ with all my heart, but I wonder if people would accept my love more easily if I professed faith in Allah or Buddha or some other false god (simply because of the name). It hurts to think about how my Jesus has been misrepresented.

Big Decision

We all face big decisions in life:

What college should I go to? Who should I marry? Where should I live?

Should I buy a Mac?

As a college freshman, I'll need a good computer. I've heard that Mac is the way to go...but I'm still a skeptic...it can't be perfect...or can it?

Please help me out here. I need to make a decision soon!

Nicaragua

I expect to blog on www.frequencyouth.com while in Nicaragua. Make sure you check it out. Pray for a great trip!

Promise

After Cheryl Lehmann and I spent time in prayer at the church today, there was a beautiful rainbow over the mountains. I felt God speaking his promise over our upcoming trip to Nicaragua. Keep us in your prayers.