Monthly Archives: October 2012

Remember playing Red Rover on the playground as a kid? We would all squeal with glee as we swarmed the field to pick our teams. Then there was the excitement and ecstasy felt when the other team called your name. You would light up and run toward the other line while gathering enough speed to break right through the other kids’ arms. Unfortunately, there were also those times when you overestimated the power of your momentum and got clotheslined. You would find yourself on the ground, clutching your gut and gasping for air while trying to maintain a small shred of childhood dignity.

With midterms quickly approaching, I imagine most students at California Baptist University feel that way right now — floored by the weight of our academic ambitions.

Other people I have talked to were kind of like this:

MAKE IT STOP!!!

(They made those exact faces, too. Don’t ask me how.)

Last week was personally a busy one for me. I was hit by exams and papers, some of which were postponed (thanks, Lord). Not surprisingly, this business seems to have reached just about everyone on campus, as well.

However, it is great how academic crunch time serves as an equalizer for everyone at school — professors included since they will have a ton of assignments to grade. Even though it has been a little crazy for most of us lately, we should stop and remember the fact that this is exactly what we are all here to do. It is a privilege to be able to learn about your preferred area of study every day. I don’t know about you, but I adore sitting in a classroom. I am “that” English major who wants nothing more than to read the classics and participate in discussions each day of the week. It is wonderful, productive, and allows me to experience literature that teaches me more about humankind. Okay, okay — I’ll stop being a nerd now.

In the midst of the papers and exams, I am reminded that breaks are good, as well. I received a wise reminder once again from my grandpa this week: “You need to make time to smell the flowers, not just grow them.”

I had the opportunity to “smell the flowers” one night this week while taking a study break during a worship event for Seek Week, an annual week of events organized to set students’ minds on the Creator. I found myself in need of the time to separate myself from the agenda I had planned out in my mind and refocus on why I am actually here at CBU. I spent the time reflecting on the sheer goodness of our God and how much He continues to love us. He deserves glory, and we are here to learn to live up to our full potential in order to serve Him more.

Yes, we may occasionally find ourselves unexpectedly clotheslined by the weight of our assignments, the challenging of our ideas or a surprising turn of events. However, that should not stop us from playing the “Red Rover” of life all through our lives. I realize that I am blessed way beyond what I deserve. Throughout the blessings and stresses that come with being in college, I feel constantly thankful for the community I find at CBU. I cannot rave enough about the genuine, godly people I have met and about the opportunities we have to serve God at this university. We all occasionally need to remind ourselves of how loved we are.

So for all of us who are becoming overwhelmed, let’s take a break. Drink coffee. Invest in a friend you have not seen all week. Learn to dance Oppa Gangnam Style. Do whatever it is you have to do to remember that God is good, laughter is healthy and life is gorgeous.

I’ll leave you with the words that have been replaying in my mind over the past two weeks: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, ESV).

One of the cool college things to do is to get a Facebook account.  It is an awesome way to update your friends on what is going on in your life, to network and connect with people who are far away.

This week I deleted my Facebook account.

I know what they say: “Deleting Facebook is the adult version of running away; they do it to get attention, but they’ll be back soon enough.”

Well, my reasoning is a little different than that.

I read some online articles this past week that have caused me to rethink some things in my life. As an introvert, I like to have time alone to evaluate things about myself that need improvement. The articles made me think about how and why I spend my time online. I know that Facebook is not inherently a bad thing, but for some people it can become something negative.

College students are in the stage of life where they are still trying to fit in and desperately want to be accepted. Though I may not like to admit it, I am a college student through and through. I want to be respected, liked and enjoyed by others. A lot of people evaluate themselves as being liked or not by comparing themselves to those around them.  One of the mediums we are susceptible to doing this through is Facebook.

One of the articles I read was called “21 Secrets for Your 20’s.” A couple of the “secrets” dealt with Facebook. The first tip was to never check Facebook when you are lonely, depressed, unemployed, struggling with being content with your single-ness or anytime after 9:17 p.m. This might seem basic, but it is not something college students always consider. Sometimes Facebook is just a time-killer when you are bored, but sometimes we use it to fill an emotional void.

A friend of mine has a self-imposed rule about not talking to boys on Facebook past 10 p.m.  This seemed very wise to me, because if you think about it, it is typically at night when people get lonely. Not only do we say things we might not normally say when we are lonely, but we also see everyone else’s posts through loneliness filters and think that everyone else is happy with their relationships, friendships, weight loss, cooking skills, cool photos, etc.

Another tip from the article — we should not compare ourselves to other peoples’ Facebook pages. Whether consciously or not, everyone is putting a PR spin on their page. They do it to show off the best versions of themselves or even create someone they are not.

So I’m not saying that everyone has to delete their Facebook. However, I encourage everyone to be wise about their time online and to think about why they use websites like Facebook. It can help make your college experience more enjoyable if you choose not to compare and to enjoy being the original version of yourself.

Here are is the article mentioned above:

http://allgroanup.com/adult/21-secrets-for-your-20s/

Another good read is:

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/relationship/124819984.html?refer=y

My six classes have been keeping me busy. Because I still haven’t declared a major, most of my classes are general education. While I fight to keep my eyes open in some classes, my two theater classes, Fundamentals of Stagecraft and Advanced Design: Lighting, remain my favorite.

 In general, I enjoy both the homework assigned in these classes and the small class size.

 Fundamentals of Stagecraft is a very hands-on course. It’s a nice change from sitting behind a table and taking notes. In Fundamentals of Stagecraft, we’ve learned a little about the history of theater and the spaces within the theater. We have also learned about theater safety and workshop. However, my favorite part about the class is painting. We’ve learned and used several painting techniques for a project. Each of us painted a brick wall that looks 3-D. This was a bit of a challenge for me since I’m not artistic, but I think that I did a pretty good job. I’m proud that I got the project done.

 My other favorite class is Lighting Design. The class teaches us how to think like a lighting designer, which is what I want to be. We’re learning and studying some really interesting topics like electricity. We’re learning how to identify the types of lights used and where the light is coming from. This Oct. 2, we got to help set up for “Forever Plaid”, the first of the two productions the theatre program is putting on this semester.

Lee Lyons, professor of theatre, teaches both of my courses. He’s really nice and knows a lot about theatre. Lyons has lots of experience teaching and in his field of work. However, while he has worked in Hollywood, he remains very humble about it. He often draws from his experience. When he shares his experience, it helps the other students and myself get an idea of what it is like in the business and how what we are learning can be used practically. His classes never prove to be boring.

 Overall, the theater department does a good job of making sure their graduates are well rounded. I think that is important, especially in the realm of entertainment. It helps to get jobs and form connections, but it also helps to foster appreciation of what the other people in the business do. It will be interesting when I start taking more “artsy” classes like performance courses.

Until next time!

Prayer:

This week, pray for the leaders of Syria and Turkey.

As a stereotypical, broke college student, I will be the first to tell you that when a card from a family member with a small donation to my Starbucks addiction appears in my mailbox, my eyes almost tear up. Then there is that moment when I randomly find a five-dollar bill in a purse that hasn’t been used in a while. Of course, I immediately spend it, because when you’re used to very little (as most college students would agree), those thin paper bills are like a brick of gold in your wallet.

Growing up, many conversations with my father started with, “$5 can’t get you anywhere nowadays. Boy, I remember when $5 could…”

But if we brain storm about it, $5 could be spent in an uncountable amount of ways as a college student—my personal favorite being for a Starbucks’ drink (Tummy, meet Pumpkin Spice, Pumpkin Spice – Tummy), a meal at In-n-Out or a 35-bottle flat of Kirkland Water from Costco.

Here are a few other ways your average CBU student could use a crisp five-dollar bill:

For the days that you:

– Don’t want to leave your air-conditioned apartment, $5 could make you a meal for your entire apartment consisting of homemade omelets, a tangy Caesar salad or a hearty soup.

– Expect a package in the mail, $5 can get you a little over a gallon of gas to drive yourself to the post (I am definitely not walking when it’s 105 degrees outside, let’s be real).

– Run out of tissue of the bathroom variety, CVS carries plenty of brands for around $5.

– Forget to do your homework, some desperate freshman could really use that $5 … Kidding. Don’t freak out, moms.

– Have an enormous essay due for that class you didn’t want complete in the first place, printer paper is easily accessed for $5 from Target or Walmart.

– Smell from recycling the same clothes for two weeks, CBU’s laundry cards cost exactly $5. Three of those dollars go toward a full load of laundry.

– Just really need a DVD from Redbox or a Cold Stone treat. No explanation necessary.

What I’m really getting at is this: Parents – send your kid a Lincoln every now and again! If not for a sweet Starbucks drink now and again, then for a load of laundry… You really don’t want your child to be the smelly kid in class!

I was that child on the softball field blowing bubbles with my watermelon-flavored bubblegum the size of my face. Given the fact that my mother would only allow me to consume the sugary goodness when I had an entire field at my feet’s mercy, I would chew and blow, chew and blow until the flavor was gone (or at least until I could unwrap a new, flavorful hunk of gum to start in on). That watermelon gum was my life for seven innings because I knew at the end of the game, Mom would replace that sugar with some endless heap of green beans. Occasionally, the kid who had a history of striking out would pull a ball right to me. In my panic and frenzy, I would blow too hard and my masterpiece would splatter all over my face. What a heartbreak to a kid who only knew bubblegum once a week. In that moment, your whole life is smeared across your dirty face (more often than not, the gum would end up right back in my mouth — God made dirt; dirt don’t hurt.)

As a college student, my watermelon-flavored “bubbles” are still getting popped — this time by the dozens of new concepts and ideas lobbed at me each day at California Baptist University.

Literally, I cannot count how many times these past couple weeks of the new school year that I’ve sat in whatever class, in whatever seat, thinking, “Seriously? I now have bubblegum smeared across my face from what you just said.”

That precious bubble – my ideas, experiences, and theories – had just shattered by the impact of what Dr. Whatshisname just taught. However, I feel like that is the whole point of higher education. You have roughly 18-20 years of life experiences that develop into ideas and beliefs which you base your life around, and then wham a guy with a myriad of doctorate degrees uncovers the whole truth of an idea you had never heard or experienced before. You’re left completely and utterly confused.

Because I am stubborn and I like to think I’m right (although, my boyfriend and best friend suggest otherwise), I usually sit with my arms crossed and brow furrowed, deep in thought or disagreement. I often leave class just a little more confused than when I entered it.

But how amazing can those moments of complete frustration turn out to be? True intelligence comes at those confusing moments when that bubble bursts and all of our ideas and beliefs are turned on their head by another opinion or option. As long as I am in school, where I can exercise my ideas and thoughts, I will continue to work my skill of bubble-blowing because goodness knows that those bubbles need to be popped to reveal truth and wisdom.

We all know that watermelon bubblegum tastes tenfold better than green beans.

Unless there’s bacon involved. That’s a completely different story.

I have a confession to make. Before chapel this week, rather than spending most of that time taking on an attitude of worship I spent my time telling a friend about my distaste for insects.

To say I dislike bugs would be a big fat understatement. I hate bugs. To be more accurate I hate bugs like Jesus hates sin. I know creation is good and all, but I seriously am not a fan of the creepy crawlies.

So what brought this angry rant on?

Upon my return to the fantastical land of Riverside I feel as though I have fallen down the rabbit hole and into the land of bugville. Now, let me say that Riverside is actually a really nice place, and I normally do not have close encounters with bugs. Lately, though, these things seem to know I hate them and so they must plague me and make me as uncomfortable as possible.

Let’s start with Plague Number One. I spent an evening in Downtown Riverside over the weekend. This place that should have been crawling with people in reality turned out to be crawling with cockroaches. Okay, I actually don’t know if they were cockroaches, but I know they were REALLY BIG DISGUSTING BUGS. Not only were they ugly, they were not shy. They seemed to just mosey right alongside me as I walked past. I almost felt as if nuclear war occurred and the roaches were just making themselves right at home. What deep, dark hole these things crawled out of, I have no idea. I’ve been downtown many times before and have not seen them there, but they apparently decided to follow me that night. This is definitely not okay with me.

Plague Number Two struck me in the comfort of my own home. I sat in my apartment doing homework when I received a call. I stepped out onto our porch so as not to disturb my roommates. Now, normally I would say that our apartment contains too much coolness due to the amazing people I room with, but I will not say that now. As I sat on the porch a HUGE thing flew in front of my face. I let out a slightly dramatic scream as the beast landed on the railing directly across from me. As I stood in the company of the gigantic cricket-Godzilla thing, I discovered to my horror that my roommates had locked me out in an attempt to be funny. Those scoundrels… Now, I’m all for practical jokes and all, but this was not a joke. This was a matter of life and death. I was caught in a sort of standoff with this bug that gazed coolly at me with its demon-eyes while I stood as tall as I could and tried to look intimidating. Fortunately, I was let inside in time to escape a brutal death by monster.

I hope I’ve given a clear picture now of how I feel about insects. They are vile and disgusting to me, and I can never seem to find anything appealing about them.

This disgust brings to mind a conversation I held with a dear friend of mine. We sat outside once listening to crickets that were being obnoxiously loud when I made my comment about my disliking for the things. After stopping to think for a moment, my friend then brought up Psalm 96. In verses 11 and 12 it says, “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall the forest sing for joy.” So, nature and all things in it are designed to praise God. The crickets, annoying as they were, could not help but sing the Creator’s praises. In fact, that is all they can do. The bugs that fly around looking all scary and gross do so because that is what they are designed for, and in that act they are living out lives proclaiming the goodness of God.

Isn’t that what we’re supposed to be doing?

I’m immediately humbled by the fact that insects and all of nature are more proficient at worship than I am. We as Christians are also a part of creation and our purpose is to glorify God, and yet we tend to only do so when we make a conscious or even painful effort. Worship for us takes sacrifice, whether it is of time, pride or commitment. Christianity is by no means a segmented portion of one’s life, but a holistic, daily choice to put God before ourselves.

With this understanding, the time we are given at CBU to sing to the Creator in chapel every week becomes so much more precious. That is the time for students and faculty to come together and stand before God, using our time and our voices to praise Him for who He is. Our thoughts should be always directed toward Him. After all, if the world, its bugs included, can’t cease to praise Him, why should we?

This past week was quite the adventure.  On Saturday, my boyfriend Daniel and I went to the Six Flags theme park for TWIRP, a Sadie Hawkins style CBU event.  It was a frustrating experience at first. In my excitement for our date, I bought a ton of snacks for us to bring to the park so we could save money and was upset when they told us we were not allowed to bring any of our goodies inside. We made the long, hot trek back to the parking lot to leave our stuff in the car. It was when we got back into line that I started feeling nauseous. Panic swept over me.

If I had to choose death or vomiting, I would choose death.  

 I began to cry on Daniel’s shoulder (the best way to start a date!).  I had visions running through my mind of me puking into the bushes in front of scores of random strangers or even on the roller coaster. However, I was determined to make it through this date puke-free. I was sure that if I just got on a roller coaster I would psych myself into being fine. Makes sense, right?

We then got into the line for X2, the scariest roller coaster at Six Flags. This thing has received awards for how mind-numbingly terrifying it is. Wise life decision on my part, of course.  While we are waiting at the end of this 2-hour line, my brain starts to go numb.  It played out like this:

 “Daniel, I’m losing my hearing. I can’t hear anything. Daniel, I’m blacking out!”

My body went limp. I woke up to a complete stranger splashing water on my face and elevating my legs.  Apparently, Daniel did catch me as I lost consciousness and control of my body, and laid me gently down on the ground in front of the entire line of people behind us.  At this point, the EMT showed up and I was escorted to the staff break room beneath X2. 

            Long story short, the EMT just told me to drink water. However, this whole fainting thing did do me one favor. After I refused to go to the hospital, they told us we could get back in the line for the ride and led us to a secret opening to the line — the front of the 2-hour-wait line. Score!

I know you’re probably thinking, “You went on the most intense ride right after you passed out?”

Yes, yes I did.  

After we got off X2, I was just fine as if nothing had ever happened.  The rest of the day went smoothly. Daniel gave me extra tender, loving care after my “incident”, and we got to ride rides until our hearts were content.  

            This is a lot like how life works, actually.

 Even though I was frustrated and a bit disoriented after the whole ordeal, Daniel and I had a great time and my incident was humorous after it was over. That is something that I have learned throughout recent years. Bad things will inevitably happen to you, but God is always in control.

I love those people that can laugh off embarrassing or frustrating moments and just take life how it comes. Also, it is great to have friends who, when you do have those unforeseen difficult moments, will pick you up off the ground (sometimes literally, like on Saturday).  I am thankful for the friends I have met at CBU who have been my steady backbone and support through the years, and have helped me through the “roller coaster” of my life.