Kristin’s Blog

Friday night and today was crazy.

After class, I did the weekly sit-on-the-shuttle-with-Tim-and-talk-about-life, my favorite part of Fridays. Then I took a brief nap listening to the ever glorious Arvo Part. Woke up, went to Mikado practice, then headed over to my Director's house for pizza. We sat around discussing what animals we look like. I was told I look like some kind of a Pokemon that I can't even remember...wow.

Got lost coming back to school, then watched a movie with John and Seth. Went over to my friend's birthday celebration for a little bit, and discussed Morse code with a friend. Then I talked with my beloved roommates.

This week has been...good...for me. Even though it's been a bit toilsome. It's involved some deep inner thought, which is good.

I'm ready to sleep it all away though. Gotta love my Saturdays. :-)

Posted by Kristin at 12:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today at lunch, I was looking at those around me and it occurred to me that friendships are a curious thing.

Most of the time we happen to cross paths with someone frequently. There are usually some awkward conversations about what the other person is majoring in and where they are from (as if that REALLY tells us a lot about the person). But sooner or later we discover that we have something in common with that person. And we become adjusted to them, and before you know it, we start expecting them places. And when we discover that we love running into them, love having them around, we further get to know each other in all kinds of circumstances, both good and bad, lighthearted and intense.

I had vowed at the beginning of this year that I would not make any new friends because I had enough as it was. Well, what a stupid thing to do. Today at lunch I was with two of my most recent friends, wondering at the fact that a few short months ago, we hardly knew each other. And now I can't imagine my life without knowing them.

This past week I have been so grateful for the people that I know here. Whether it was painting mugs for fun, watching ridiculous movies, reading stories to each other, sitting across from each other and pouring our guts out, talking about the frustrations of life in the car, or simply being in the presence of those that I love...it has been a tremendous reminder to me how God wants us to take care of each other. We NEED each other, you know?

Posted by Kristin at 9:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I wish I had something brilliant or creative or fascinating to say tonight, but I don't, not really.

Tuesdays are my favorite because I only have THREE CLASSES and that's it! No work, no chorale. Everyone needs a break every once in a while.

So when I was walking to breakfast this morning...my hair froze. Isn't that bogus? I felt weird the whole rest of the morning, like there was an ice-cube in my head instead of my brain.

And I took a nap and did homework and had a wonderful time of talking about life over tea with my good friend Marjorie. She helps me remember how truly good God is to me. And he IS good. Wonderfully good.

So as for now I think I am going to hit the hay a bit early. Maybe there will be something more exciting to talk about later in the week.

<3

Posted by Kristin at 11:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday night in my Cultural and Linguistic Diversity class we were talking about the nature of our lives as Americans as opposed to the lives of those in different cultures. The one thing that seemed very prevalent is that we are so task oriented, fast-paced, shallow in our relationships, and focused on time, time, time, time, time, time, time.

That has been something God has been showing me a little bit more every year. How do we balance task related responsibilities and commitments with the importance of relationships? Freshman year I would often decline opportunities to spend time with others because I was so focused on my studies. I remember during that summer, I told my mom that I wanted to sacrifice that time in order to spend it with others. Thankfully, God helped me to do that (NOT that it is a good idea to spend all of one's time socializing because that is unhealthy...but I needed, like I said, a better balance).

I am just so fascinated, because the past few days for me have been characterized with spontaneous conversations and lingering over others and relishing their existence. Tuesday afternoon, I went to lunch with a fairly random group of persons. A conversation about trite occurrences of the day was transformed when my friend John said, "I can't pay attention to what you are saying and do Greek homework at the same time." I laughed and said that it was because he wasn't a girl, since girls are such good multitasking. Suddenly we found ourselves discussing gender roles in society and our biblical interpretation of what they ought to be. That somehow turned into a discussion on denominationalism and our struggles as a church body in general. While we did not solve any of the problems, I think it was completely worthwhile to talk. And we did all conclude on one thing: we must learn to love each other more and embrace who God created us to be because he did it with a purpose.

That afternoon I went to Starbucks with a few friends I haven't spent time with in a while and we laughed and were merry. Then that night my friend John stopped in and we sat for an hour on my couch talking with the addition of a few others throughout the evening.

Back in freshman year I never would have spent four of my hours spending time with others when I should have been doing homework. But the truth of the matter is, the work will get done. But beautiful moments like those...cannot be duplicated and therefore, look at what I would have been missing? There is responsibility to the commitments we have made, but have we allowed ourselves to be committed to each other? To God?

I remember back to the video we watched at the end of my Cultural and Linguistic Diversity class. They were saying that it was amazing how little American's cared for each other...they are too focused on money or success or busyness in general.

God forbid we allow that to become us, more focused on the trivial things of this earth instead of the real living breathing people made in God's image around us. And, more importantly, on Him. I've been slacking in that.

But my Father is merciful and has always been gracious to me. I'm grateful.

Posted by Kristin at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ok, so I don’t know if you all have Facebooks or not, but there is this “bug� going around Facebook where you are supposed to say 25 random things about yourself and post it as a note and tag a bunch of people in it. But I don’t really feel like it. SO! I thought that I would do it here for you all so you can get to know me a bit better. Fun stuff.

1. Currently listening to one of my favorite songs: Sufjan Steven’s “For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti.�

(go here to listen to it, too...) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4tkiGvV_ek

2. I only visited PBU because my Dad bugged me to. But when I was here, I knew this is where God wanted me.

3. When I came to visit PBU, I had a personal tour from one of the Vice Presidents of something-or-other. I burped in front of him at lunch and my mom almost slapped me. But they still let me into the school. Grin.

4. I need to work on my burping. It’s bad. I sound like a wild animal. My dad says that’s why I don’t have a boyfriend.

5. I actually loved math in high school. I almost took Calculus 2 for fun in college, but my adviser laughed at me. I still regret that I didn’t do it while I had the chance.

6. Someday, I want to own some sheep. I think they’re cute.

7. Three of my very good friends are overseas in Africa right now: Brook is in Kenya, Lavonda is in Morocco, and Lillie is in Uganda. I miss them immensely.

8. I am going to South Africa with a school mission’s trip for two weeks in March and am SO EXCITED!

9. I really...actually...love the Twilight series. I have to admit it. Edward is wonderful. Kind of in love with him.

10. Ha! I dropped my cell phone in the toilet earlier this year and salvaged it by putting it in a bowl of uncooked rice. And then I slathered it with hand sanitizer.

11. My friends showed me this skit from SNL. I didn’t think it was all that funny except for the fact that they were cracking up at it. Now when I watch it, I have to laugh.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/16388/saturday-night-live-surprise-party

12. I’ve played the acoustic guitar for about…7 years now?

13. I really enjoy taking pictures.

14. I played one year of volleyball freshman year of high school, but the coach scared me so I quit.

15. Here at PBU there is a walkway that has a large circular center and if you stand in the middle and talk you can hear yourself echo. I have made it a life goal to sneeze in the center of the circle before I graduate.

16. I like to sleep in sweatshirts with the hood up when it’s chilly outside.

17. The musical Oklahoma! was one of my all time favorite PBU memories. We still reminisce about it frequently.

18. A group of us students started a writing group that gets together on Saturdays and sip coffee or tea and read each other our stuff.

19. I have place mats with apples on them. They were a birthday present from my friend Meghan.

20. I only have cartilage in my nose, so if you press on it, it goes completely flat. People like to see it even though it usually freaks them out.

21. I really love my handwriting. It’s kind of a pride issue, I think, because I will write just for the sake of seeing my own writing.

22. One of my favorite things EVER is to lie outside in the sun in my hammock and read or think or listen to music or snuggle with my sister or a friend and talk or think or pray, but ultimately soak up the beautiful world I live in.

23. I really like reading poetry. My favorite poem is “The Buried Life� by Matthew Arnold.

24. I have an awesome painting of dolphins leaping in the ocean that I bought in Baltimore, Maryland from a very talented homeless man. It’s painted on a chunk of wood from a dresser. It’s one of my favorite things.

25. I have the best family and friends in the world. :-)

Have a blessed weekend!

Posted by Kristin at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We were sitting and enjoying a lovely chat in our apartment when we heard the wild shrieks of wonderment outside our window. Betsy stood and looked at the window and called us over where we saw a bizarre and entertaining sight! For the world of Penndel emerged from their rooms in order to waltz in the four-or-so inches that the heavens dumped on the earth today.

Well. The waltz turned into a war. A snowball war. Girls and boys packing snow in their hands to form little ice-balls of brilliant proportions, then hurling them from across the parking lot at each other, at people watching from their windows. Giggles erupted, assignments were forgotten, and fun was had by all.

Betsy looked at me and dragged me out with her. I complained the whole way about being cold and wanting to go to bed early, but she just insisted that I go out and make a snow cone with her. Right. Within about five seconds we became victims, and within ten seconds we were retaliating with our own barrage of snowballs. Funny how that works. But it was wonderful.

I think that's one of my favorite things about this school. We can go out and enjoy life without having to go out and spend money or compromise our morals. And we genuinely LOVE it. We love being together, we love getting hit by a freezing clump of snow, we love getting out and relishing in the wonderful things God has given us no matter how big or small they are.

*Sigh*

My hands are still tingling.

So worth it.

Even though my aim really stinks.

:-)

Oh well.

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

Ahh...what a good weekend...

So. Friday after class was done, I rode on the shuttle with dear Tim for a while and we talked about life and other such things. I think it will probably become a Friday afternoon tradition. Then I went to practice for the Mikado which went much more smoothly than Wednesday night's practice...which was good. We're singing some crazy stuff in that show, let me tell you. It makes us a little bit crazy. We get to sing things like, "She's going to marry Yum Yum (Yum Yum!)...stay dumb (Dumb Dumb)..." weirdness. It's true.

Ok, well after practice we hit Chick-Fil-A, the favored fast food of the PBU student. There was a pretty big group of us, actually...it was great. We pushed tables together and sat around and laughed and told stories.

THEN! I headed over to Dr. Bancroft's house with Marissa and Bethany. We sat and talked and sipped tea and watched "Sense and Sensibility" which was exceptionally entertaining since Marissa and I had never seen it before and we are hopeless romantics. We yelled at the TV and called the characters names and squealed when the hunky men wooed their women.

Saturday, I went to Starbucks and watched "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" with a dear friend of mine. That movie made me think a lot about life and what is valuable...I suppose having a near-ish death experience this year truly has caused me to mature in ways I cannot see. Watching that movie reiterated a lot of what I had experienced prior.

Then that evening we had our little "writer's guild" in which we sat around and sipped coffee and tea and shared poems, short stories, etc. I am amazed, sometimes, at the talent within the student body. We're quite the eccentric group.

So...this morning, then, I went to church with my friend Rachel and headed back here for lunch before heading home briefly to watch the Superbowl. And now I'm subsequently EXHAUSTED.

Sorry this wasn't really more exciting...but I'm zonked.

And hoping for another snow day this week.

:-)

Posted by Kristin at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)