Kristin’s Blog

If you don’t know, PBU has a one year campus in Wisconsin. It is called Wisconsin Wilderness Campus (isn’t that creative?), WWC for short. Students get to go out to in the great outdoors, learn about the Bible, and spend time with a small group of peers. And then we inherit many of them here on our campus; a group transfers in every year.

No, I was not one of these privileged individuals. But I have befriended many of them! And I am glad because my life would be a lot boring without them.

Anyway, a few of the guys had come to my house over Christmas Break (since a few of them live close to me). We had a good time, and ever since we got back to school they’ve been bugging me about coming over again. So we finally, the week before Spring Break, added a few cool people to our individual group and took off for my house. My mom made a delicious home-cooked supper and we got to sit around and play games. You know the game Catch Phrase? We added my sister and we played girls versus guys. It was very stressful because it kept beeping on my friend Danette. The guys got a kick out of it. They also distracted us. I guess we don't need to like them all the time.

Well, it was a really nice time. I have been able to bring a lot of friends home to meet my family and spend some time relaxing off campus. My parents commented on how cool it was to meet all these people that I talked about when I came home. They also comment on what good friends I have, and I must agree. God has blessed me with awesome friends here at PBU, and I am so thankful. They really do make the college experience.

Posted by Kristin at 2:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Music has been one of my interests for as long as I can remember. We have those crazy home videos of me singing Sunday school songs. It has been a part of my life ever since. I have sang in choirs since sixth grade, and I knew that I wanted to sing while I was in college.

So last year, with much fear and trepidation, I tried out for chorale and made it. And I have been in love with it ever since. Ok, so at first it was a bit intimidating; Dr. Shockey is a master musician, but I soon learned that he is as compassionate as he is demanding. I love him and all of my fellow chorale members. We have a good time together.

Anyway, this past weekend we had a wonderful concert. It was our second concert of the year, and we finally have gelled together as a group. Our program this year is really neat; it is called “The Christ Event.” We sing advent and Christmas songs, songs about the Holy Week, death, and Resurrection. It is really moving to think about the whole process of Jesus coming to earth to deliver us. Our songs range from the modern composers back to a song that was originally plain-chant from the twelfth century.

We really have a lot of fun. I mean, it is a lot of work. But Dr. Shockey is really imparting good knowledge on us, helping us to sing our best and also to love music and to use it in worship.

At the end of the year, we go on a tour. I am so excited for it! Last year we traveled down to Washington D.C. and North Carolina, then to western Pennsylvania and back. This year we are going up to New England! It will be a fantastic experience, I have no doubt.

Here are some pictures from last year's chorale tour:

This is Meghan and I at a fountain in Washington D.C.

Some of our group on the Lincoln Memorial

Some of us ladies at the Pittsburg Zoo

:-)

Posted by Kristin at 2:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Glorious of gloriousness; yesterday was a snow day! What a lovely way to break up the long month of February. Some of my close girl friends and I had planned on going to our friend Kendra’s house for the weekend. Unfortunately, because of practices, my roommate, Betsy, and I were going to have to go late on Friday and drive back by Saturday afternoon. It would have been a short trip with a lot of driving, and we were wondering if it was even worth it.

But, lo and behold, the sky opened up and blessed us with snow. Betsy and I stayed up after we got checked the website at 6:00 (no, I do not know what is wrong with us). We worked out, got a lot of homework done, and then packed up to go. We left in the early afternoon after the weather cleared up a bit and headed towards the coast of New Jersey!

We had a wonderful time together. We went out to a Hibachi grill for dinner (entertaining AND delicious), walked around Atlantic City (just for clarification, gambling is actually really detestable to us, but the lights were spectacular at night), played games, sipped coffee, and slept in. It was just what we needed.

And now I will grace you with pictures.

This is what we woke up to

The ducks on the pond

Fire at supper

The girls and I

Posted by Kristin at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today was a busy, but Thursdays are generally fairly hectic. It took me a little while to decide if I wanted to wake up and work out or sleep an extra half hour. I compromised and slept for an extra five minutes and then went downstairs and hit the treadmill.

I really enjoyed my Prophetics I class today. We have been learning about the book of Isaiah and are about ready to leap into Jeremiah. Today we discussed the practical implications of what we learned. There was a lot of good conversation about how we can better serve as a body of Christ, all of us Christians together. I appreciated the fact that we were able to take the knowledge we had gained and make it relevant for today.

Today I also had voice lessons. I am always amazed at how fast that half hour can go, and how little I actually know about singing. It is funny: I know that I need to improve, but I did not know how. I did not even know there were things I was doing wrong. Thankfully, my voice teacher is not afraid to tell me what I am doing poorly in order to help me.

After voice lessons I ran to lunch, went to work, and then had chorale practice. Since today was Valentine’s Day, the cafeteria was all decked out with red and pink balloons. The best part was the dessert table. They had a chocolate fountain and homemade heart-shaped cookies! It was exactly what I needed before I took my final exam for the week.

After night class, a few of us girls went out and got frosties from Wendy’s. My friend and I chilled in the lounge and watched a movie to celebrate the fact that we are single and happy. The relaxation was just what I needed! I am so grateful to have so many wonderful friends that love me. So celebrate by focusing on the people you love, spending time with them, telling them how much you care about them, and then thanking God for them. It cheered me up indefinitely.

Posted by Kristin at 11:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I think my conclusion from the past few weeks is that I need to get more sleep. Period. Yesterday we were blessed with a “Snow Afternoon” and I got off work an hour early. I came back to my room and visited with my roommate. I tried to read for my Survey of American Literature class, but I kept staring out the window at the snow. Watching it made me really sleepy and I ended up dozing off.

Today I was going to skip chapel in order to study for an exam. I do not know how it happened, but four out of my six classes had exams planned for this week. It is kind of nice to get them all out of the way at once, but that is a lot of information to shove in my head! While I was sitting in the library about to really delve into world history, a friend of mine kindly reminded me that the Gospel Choir was going to be performing in chapel and that I ought to go with him. Needless to say, I decided to go to chapel instead. And I am so glad I did!

First of all, the Gospel Choir was fantastic. Everyone was full of enthusiasm and it was a wonderful personal pick-me-up. Secondly, our speaker was a sweet, little, feisty woman that had worked with Wycliffe Bible Translators. She single-handedly had the entire chapel laughing with her stories and expressions. It is amazing what courage her and her friend had, going into that unknown tribe and learning their language. Her discussion in chapel reminded me of two things; one, that God does have a sense of humor, and two, God can do a lot with us if we stop letting ourselves get in the way.

I probably did not do as well on the exam as I could have. Ah, well, it happens! Tonight we had practice for Oklahoma! I got to watch the couples dance (my role is an older, single woman). I ended up laughing at them most of the time. It was joyous.

I will take pictures at Oklahoma practice soon, I promise. Here are a few from last year's production, "Fiddler on the Roof"!

Posted by Kristin at 10:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Friday really is a wonderful day of the week! The promise of relaxation is right around the corner. Today was not extraordinary for any particular reason. I did not work this afternoon, so after class I went to lunch with my friend and we updated each other on our lives. I then headed back to my room and started on some homework before Oklahoma! practice.

For dinner, a bunch of my friends and I decided to go to a local Chinese restaurant. It was utterly delicious. We sipped green tea and laughed as we told stories about the week. The only bummer was that I had to rush to get back to campus to see the Haydn Creation concert.

Let me tell you, that concert was fantastic. I had sung a piece from it in high school, but I did not know that any of the rest of it. The community chorus was great; I had a few friends that I got to watch. Also, my chorale director and Oklahoma! director both had solo parts. It was so awesome to hear them sing in their element. The turn out was wonderful, and the music was spectacular.

After the concert I headed back to Heritage. I mingled for just a little bit and then planted myself in the lounge to work on a book review. I had a few nice interruptions from friends as the night went on, and then, glorious sleep!

What a crazy week!

Posted by Kristin at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, a hectic and chaotic week was made complete with the inauguration of Dr. Williams as the new president of our school. Classes were canceled for the time, and many of us students gathered in the gym with other important and influential individuals to be a part the ceremony. Dr. Williams has always appreciated listening to our chorale group sing, and he asked us to sing an arrangement of “Be Thou My Vision.” It was quite lovely, really. It was the first time we performed together as a group this year, and I am glad that it was for this important event.

It is a tradition for commencements and special ceremonies for the faculty to process wearing “clothes of the academy.” The inauguration was not an exception. It was so interesting to watch my professors glide in with those different colored gowns and caps instead of khakis or a pencil skirt. It really struck me that while we are a school with a new vision and goal, our roots lie deep in traditions that have lasted and made us strong. PBU is a place where the students have fun and grow in their relationships, but watching these godly men and women enter reminded me of the knowledge they have worked hard for and the wisdom that they developed while growing in the Lord. I decided that PBU is a very good place to be, indeed.

Dr. Williams personally thanked us for singing. It was very sweet and characteristic of him. And while I was exhausted for my Thursday night Old Testament Wisdom Books class, I was happy to be a part of all the festivities.

Regretfully, I did not take any pictures at the inaguration. But this is a picture of a cool bench by the pond that I like to sit on and think about life.

Posted by Kristin at 10:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, I figured if you are going to read my blog, you should know a little bit about me!

My name is Kristin, I am twenty years old and a Sophomore at PBU. I am a Secondary Education, English major and, as we all are, a Bible major.

I like, but am not limited to liking, sunsets, fireflies, deep conversations, poetry, reading, singing, musicals, coffee, my family, watercolor paintings, the beach, writing, green, my camp, photography, indie music, driving with my windows down, Rita's water ice (if you come to PBU, there's one super close!), learning, taking walks, relaxing, playing the guitar, my church, blueberries, green tea, Superman, parks, watching the stars, and laughing. My family and friends are my dearest possessions. I spend a lot of my time thinking. I enjoy being both sad and happy. God teaches me a lot through the situations I encounter and the people I meet.

So how did I end up at PBU? I was never a student that got real gung-ho about college. To be perfectly honest, the idea of college scared and frustrated me. I had visited a few schools and did not feel really drawn to either of them. I had never considered PBU, but my father encouraged me to at least look into it. So I came for a visit. I distinctly remember thinking, "God, either allow me to love it or hate it. And give me a peace about it."

Well, I found myself in chapel. And the atmosphere there was unlike one at any other school I had half-heartedly visited. Between that, the campus, the distance, the programs, and the students, I decided that it was going to be where I would spend my college years. I knew it would be a bit of a struggle for me; I knew no one coming into PBU and it was very different from the high school I had attended. But I decided that the challenges of adjusting would be worth it for the sake of the education and the growth that would occur here.

And I have yet to be disappointed. After the awkward adjustment some of us have to go through as a freshman, I learned to call this place my home. I have met so many beautiful people that have brought me countless memories. I have been exhorted to think, to experience, to learn and grow in an environment of support. I believe that PBU is an institution devoted to serving God in all that it does. And I can see Him working through the school and all the people that encounter it. It is a wonderful place to be.

I hope that the postings I write will provide you with my perspective on life at PBU. And please read the postings of my friends, too. They are some really neat people, and you could learn a lot from them. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy!

I am so happy to be sharing with you; see, it's so apparent in my face and body language.

This is a picture of my awesome roommate and I.

Here's what my room looks like.

Posted by Kristin at 1:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)