Paper, Paper, Whose Got the Paper? Wait a second, that would be me...

I think that I am drowing in papers. Actually, I don't think that one can really drown in papers. It's more like suffocation. At least the semester is half way over. Eventually, the papers and the reading will end...I hope.

October

I can't believe that it's already October 1st! This semester is really flying by. Before I know it, it will be Thanksgiving again. Speaking of flying, I'm flying home today for a visit. We have this coming week off for fall break, but I'm leaving a little early. So, no posts for a while.

Odd

I saw a butterfly today. I never expected to see one this late in the year, but he was busy, busy trying to get as much food as he could out of one of the flower beds on campus. Even odder, I actually had a camera with me when I saw the butterfly. Even more odd, the camera actually had batteries in it that weren’t dead, and oddest, the butterfly stayed in one place long enough for me to not only check all of these things, but also to take a few pictures.

Time Crunch

I am on a huge time crunch right now. There is just so much that needs to get done before September 30, but I'm sure that it will all get done eventually. It always does. I used to stress majorly when projects started piling up, but a little perspective always takes my stress level way down. I have never not finished a project on time. I'm trying to finish 3 papers, my class reading, 4 quizzes, and I have a conference to go to this weekend. Man, when one teacher decides to pile on work, it seems like they all decide to pile it on. Prayers would be appreciated.

First Day of Fall

I've got to quit talking about fall so much, but today is officially the first day! I desperately want to pull out my light weight sweaters, but it's still not quite cool enough. However, thanks to an over active air conditioner, I have been able to wear my jackets to class. To make this first day of fall feel even more official since the weather is only being slightly cooperative (at least it's not oppressively hot), I'm sitting here eating Brach's pumpkins which is pretty much the best candy ever invented. Thanks mom for the care package!

I decided to walk around campus between classes today, and found many signs of fall including...

Some steps that are covered with leaves that the grounds crew has yet to get around to.



And some smaller trees that are already looking very bare.



There are also some signs around the house that fall has officially arrived.

For instance, Kanon has hung a great fall-esque wreath on our front door. Yes, I'll have to admit for those of you who are wondering, it does creep me out a little bit. I'm constantly checking it for snakes and other critters as I go in and out the door, and I seem to make a point to move it around a lot so that nothing could get comfortable in there. If you don't know the story, Julie got a snake in her house a few years back because she opened her front door and unbeknownst to her there was a snake who had decided to take up residence in her wreath. I'm not sure that I've ever seen a wreath on her door since then, and I definitely wasn't going to put one up. However, I really do like how they look so all in all it may creep me out, but I like it.



Also, ever since I fell in love with and bought one of Wal-mart's candles from their fall line, I think it's pumpkin, our house has not only looked fall-esque but also smells like it. I don't think that I have ever burned a candle of this size so fast in my life. I've lit it at least once if not two or three times a day since I bought it, and now after only two measly weeks it's almost gone! Maybe I'll have to limit myself to burning it only once every other day or something so that I can make it last longer...



Now if only the leaves would start turning and the new season of CSI would start...

Christmas Music

I have this huge love of Christmas music, and I think that it’s a true shame that it’s only “acceptable” to listen to it for about a month out of the year. So, as my family well knows, I resist listening to it for about 8 months out of the year. Come September however, there will be random days that Christmas music will come blaring through my speakers. By October, Christmas music is my genre of choice. By November, my family is sick of it, but I’ve never been known to relent. For me, the Christmas music season runs from October through December, and if it must be known, sometimes early January. Yes, my Christmas playlist is currently blaring in my bedroom.

Meditation

Growing up in church, I’ve always heard that you need to meditate on Scripture. The problem was that the image my mind conjured up when the word meditation was mentioned was of someone sitting very still on a pillow with their eyes closed, fingers pinched together, arms partially extended, and legs crossed with a continual humming sound being issued from their vocal cords. Now, I knew that’s not what meditating on Scripture was, but it formed the basis for the way in which I viewed meditation. My interpretation was that meditation involved sitting still and mulling a piece of Scripture over and over in ones mind, kind of like savoring a piece of cake. This is what meditation is at times, but I love the explanation of meditation that a professor recently gave us. Meditation is owning a piece of Scripture. It’s reading it over and over again until you are familiar enough with it that you can either paraphrase it or quote it as you go about your day. It’s applying that Scripture to your life in a very real way, and it’s allowing life to help you better understand the Scripture. Meditation is more than just sitting still. It’s grabbing a hold of a piece of Scripture and getting everything you can out of it. To meditate means to dwell on something. Your mind should be dwelling on Scripture in such a way that it influences every aspect of your life.