Holy Crap!

There are fewer than 100 days until Jeff and I get married. Is it possible to be both the most excited you've ever been and the scardest you've ever been at the same exact time? If it is, I've done it.

Edit: Theknot.com didn't account for leap year being this year. There are actually 100 days today.

I got an A!

My very first grade as a graduate student has been posted, and it's an A! I'm excited! This is a great start. I also passed my very first music therapy quiz-out yesterday afternoon. I'm functional on guitar.

Close to the end

The end of my first semester as a graduate student is coming. Due to the nature of my program, it hasn't been all that different from my experience as an undergrad. I have a few extra projects, but I finished one of those last night, and it wasn't all that terrible of a process.

I have a ton of stuff to do over Thanksgiving break. I hope Jeff doesn't mind me working in the car while he drives. I'm actually glad this one project is due before we leave for break. It's one less thing to worry about this extended weekend.

I hope everyone is having a joyous holiday season so far. Hopefully, I'll actually get a Christmas letter out this year instead of a Valentine's Day letter or whatever I actually sent.

Peace Out, Kids!

Woohoo!

I love Christmas season, and the radio stations have declared it to have started. I'm cleaning my apartment mostly for the purpose of putting up my tree. I love this time of year.

I'm Officially Old

Today I plucked a completely white hair from my left eyebrow. It was weird and depressing. I'm now an old person.

Today's Rant

I'm annoyed with a few things. I decided to blog about them. Lucky for you, reader.

I hate low rise jeans. I'm so tired of seeing buttcracks. I would much rather look at a person with pants up to his or her chest. Likewise, I feel uncomfortable when too much of my butt is exposed. I've hated low rise jeans since they came onto the scene. I saw two buttcracks today and one yesterday. I'm grossed out.

The second thing that is currently bothering me is the John Mayer song "Dreaming with a Broken Heart". I basically like the song, but one thing drives me crazy about it. Whoever made the editorial decision to pound out that E on the piano during the intro was stupid. The note is high enough in the context of the section that it does NOT need extra emphasis. The weight given to that note on that particular instrument is too shrill and tinny. It makes me cringe every time that note is played. It even makes me cringe later in the song when there is a piano interlude playing a nice, little melody. Even there is no special emphasis on that E during that interlude, I still cringe when I hear it in the context because of how my pitch memory works.

Yesterday in the mail, I received coupons from Target. I was really confused, though, because all of the coupons were for baby items. I'm not pregnant, and I have no idea why Target thinks I am.

Dumbledore is gay. Interesting.

God's Blessing?

Instead of going to church this morning, I decided to watch TV church instead. At this moment I'm watching Joel Osteen and his huge Lakewood Church in Texas. I have a big problem with his message. Basically, he is telling people if they are faithful, God will bless them. This is true, but he is implying these blessings are material and of this world. He says God will more than provide for each of us. God does bless each of us, but I think the importance of promotions and wealth is scary. My blessing from the Lord is that I won't go to hell when I die.

Seeking material blessings does not seem very Christ-focused. It seems a little Me-focused. It would be incredibly difficult to remember all those blessings come from God. I think the temptation from the devil would be too great to accept a destructive way of thinking. I see Satan telling these once faithful people they gained all those things alone. Satan would tell these basically good hearted people they don't need God because they have achieved things without His help. Wow. What a terrible problem.

Mark 8:34b-36 "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" (NIV)

Luke 6:20b-26 "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets. But woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets." (NIV)

Matthew 19: 21-26 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven. Then come, follow me."
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of god."
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
(NIV)

Matthew 6: 19-21, 24 ”Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (NIV)

My treasure is in heaven. I'm blessed now on this earth, but I'm so glad it will be even better when I leave it.