I saw God's power yet again this past week. The space He lets Satan have to get into our lives and try to sabotage it is insane. Sometimes God gives him a lot or sometimes its just a little wiggle room but either way, he's there. It has seemed very apparent this past week. My classes started and auditions for select groups began. Along with a few other unexpected happenings.
Monday's classes were good. Boring, but still good. I can handle them easily. Tuesday is a little different. I have sight singing and ear training which isn't my favorite. I have Diction for singers which is difficult. It doesn't sound that hard, but it is going to challenge me. I also have a Expository writing that seems like it'll be somewhat overwhelming.
Piling onto that I had jazz band and Choraleers auditions. My jazz band audition could have gone better. I can play jazz and rock beats easily and pretty well, but the samba...something I haven't really practiced and am not skilled in that area. It kind of took me by surprise. My Choraleers audition actually went great, but I didn't get in for one reason or another. What's weird is that the guy that gave me the scholarship to come sing was the same guy who did my audition, and he didn't put me in. I was confused and frustrated.
On top of that my dad called me. My grandpa was working on the roof of my aunt and uncle's and he fell. He fractured 6 of his vertebrae, broke 3 ribs and punctured a lung. They said he'll be okay but it'll be a long, long recovery. So, if you could pray for him, that would be awesome. Thanks.
Oh, and I got a parking ticket because I didn't have a permit which I'd been waiting for the past 2 weeks in my mail. I found it in my desk the next day...
So last night I was feeling a bit down. Zac wasn't feeling good and my classes began to stress me out. I didn't make the groups I had expected myself to make. My grandpa was in the hospital and not doing the greatest. Time for some music I decided, so I brought up my iTunes and clicked on party shuffle. First song that came up was "Trust in You" by Jeremy Camp. It was a nice little reminder. God is so cool.
The next song that played was "Pressing On" by Relient K.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
The Tipsy Times have been Triggered
I had my first drunk encounter the other night. About 9:30ish my roommate and I and some people from our floor went to Jim John's. It was nice, some good food and fun conversation. We decided we wanted to go back to the dorms and watch Tommy Boy. So we began to watch it. One of the girls that was in the room wasn't there she was out partying. She came in about half way through with 2 guys, both drunk. You could smell it as they walked in.
"Oh what are we watching," said one of them.
"Tommy Boy, shut up."
They then managed to trip over me and barely get up to the beds they were going to lay down on. Eventually they got up on the lofts. Laughing and talking, someone finally told them to shut up again. They apologized and said they just wanted to be everyone's friend, again the response from the sobriety group was shut up. For about 5 minutes I forgot they were there, until a metal tray landed right on my shoulder. "I didn...didn't t-touch that."
Eventually they left, but some girls showed up talking about how the cops had busted a party and they had just ran back here. They smelled weird. Apparently alcohol and perfume don't mix all that well together.
Because of this I was not able to go to bed until around 2:30 and my roommate was out talking with one of the girls that ran back from the party. I fell asleep before he got back and I talked to him in the morning and he had said he got back around 3:00 but couldn't get to sleep right away. We woke up at 10:30 again. I felt great the next morning, but my shoulder was little sore.
Proverbs 20:1
"Oh what are we watching," said one of them.
"Tommy Boy, shut up."
They then managed to trip over me and barely get up to the beds they were going to lay down on. Eventually they got up on the lofts. Laughing and talking, someone finally told them to shut up again. They apologized and said they just wanted to be everyone's friend, again the response from the sobriety group was shut up. For about 5 minutes I forgot they were there, until a metal tray landed right on my shoulder. "I didn...didn't t-touch that."
Eventually they left, but some girls showed up talking about how the cops had busted a party and they had just ran back here. They smelled weird. Apparently alcohol and perfume don't mix all that well together.
Because of this I was not able to go to bed until around 2:30 and my roommate was out talking with one of the girls that ran back from the party. I fell asleep before he got back and I talked to him in the morning and he had said he got back around 3:00 but couldn't get to sleep right away. We woke up at 10:30 again. I felt great the next morning, but my shoulder was little sore.
Proverbs 20:1
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Kicked Out of the Bird's Nest
Last night I realized the true power of God. I was sitting in my dorm and Zac and I were playing some PS2 and I was talking on facebook chat to some friends back home, and some that were leaving for college. Most of the kids I was talking to were from my church family back home. Zac and I were raised in an awesome community, and now it's gone. It happened in a few hours. I moved in and that was it. I'm on my own. It's like God is throwing me out on my own with only a few tools and seeing if I'll survive or not. All the friends, the awesome influences in the church community, and the regular attendance to services from my parents have disappeared.
Now it's up to me to fend for myself. I had always known that college would be different and a lot harder than high school, but not like this. I currently hang out with 3 guys I know for sure that don't drink. Three. As compared to my 30 to 40 back home. However I haven't been able to attend a church service in Kearney yet. Hopefully I can find some awesome kids here.
Another thing I have noticed here is how "desperate" some of the guys here are, and they're looking for one thing. It's not a relationship. For example, across the hall from me are 2 attractive girls and in the last hour there have been probably about 5 guys walk down the hall this way looking for them. Most of them don't say they're looking for them, but you can tell. Two guys came by at one point and were looking at their door and I said hey to them. They said, "oh well hi we're just walking around." I'm sure. By the way, our rooms are in the corners of our floor; one of the farthest spots from the floor lounge and elevators. My bed and desk are right by the door so I've been saying, "Yeah, they aren't here," too many times and am starting to get annoyed.
The last guy that came down here I said, "Yeah hey those girls aren't here they went out." He said, "oh well I wasn't looking for them what are you guys up to?" "Yeah okay, oh hey they aren't here." He left.
Right now I'm just praying that I find a group of non partying people, that know how to have fun. Real fun. The kind of fun that makes you smile because of the sole fact that there is a God. Getting hammered and waking up somewhere new every morning isn't fun. This is the "healthy lifestyle living" floor but so far it doesn't seem that much healthy living is taking place.
Pray for Zac and I please. We'll need it. Hopefully this is just back to school hype with the partying and drinking and everything. Then again...I'm not so sure.
1 Peter 5:10
Now it's up to me to fend for myself. I had always known that college would be different and a lot harder than high school, but not like this. I currently hang out with 3 guys I know for sure that don't drink. Three. As compared to my 30 to 40 back home. However I haven't been able to attend a church service in Kearney yet. Hopefully I can find some awesome kids here.
Another thing I have noticed here is how "desperate" some of the guys here are, and they're looking for one thing. It's not a relationship. For example, across the hall from me are 2 attractive girls and in the last hour there have been probably about 5 guys walk down the hall this way looking for them. Most of them don't say they're looking for them, but you can tell. Two guys came by at one point and were looking at their door and I said hey to them. They said, "oh well hi we're just walking around." I'm sure. By the way, our rooms are in the corners of our floor; one of the farthest spots from the floor lounge and elevators. My bed and desk are right by the door so I've been saying, "Yeah, they aren't here," too many times and am starting to get annoyed.
The last guy that came down here I said, "Yeah hey those girls aren't here they went out." He said, "oh well I wasn't looking for them what are you guys up to?" "Yeah okay, oh hey they aren't here." He left.
Right now I'm just praying that I find a group of non partying people, that know how to have fun. Real fun. The kind of fun that makes you smile because of the sole fact that there is a God. Getting hammered and waking up somewhere new every morning isn't fun. This is the "healthy lifestyle living" floor but so far it doesn't seem that much healthy living is taking place.
Pray for Zac and I please. We'll need it. Hopefully this is just back to school hype with the partying and drinking and everything. Then again...I'm not so sure.
1 Peter 5:10
Saturday, August 16, 2008
The Genesis of College Life
Well it has been QUITE a while since my last post. I've been busy with college. I moved into my dorm at UNK on the 14th. Drumline camp started 8:30 the next day. We had auditions. Turned out to be 6 snares, 3 tenors, 5 basses, and 2 cymbals. I managed to make it on the snare line.
But I wasn't very worried about this audition. It turned out the way I thought it would. However, the one audition I'm getting more and more freakin' excited for is Troopers. In less than 4 months I will be in Casper, auditioning for the Troopers drum and bugle corps snare line and I am pumped.
I tried for Colts last January but unfortunately wasn't able to make the line there. However I was able to make it into the top 15 snares out of 40 and lately everything just seems to be clicking. Its awesome! I can play through the Colts opener easily now! This year in DCI the Colts drumline placed 15th overall. The instructor there told me to keep practicing hard and by next year they'd have a spot for me. However, Troopers seems to be more my style. Titled drums, the use of arm, etc. I feel like if were to go audition at Colts now I'd be on the borderline of making it, and I've still got a few months left to practice. Oh also, Troopers drumline placed 16th this year in DCI.
Now to go off on a complete tangent, when we were still on Esprit tour, I made a comment the last night at the hotel. I said that the song "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" was hard for me to believe because I have all these awesome people around me that are walking with me. Carey told me that I'd better start believing it because I'm headed off to college soon and she was right.
I went from about 50 awesome christian kids from Esprit to FOOT and now I'm down to maybe 2 or 3. I keep thanking God that he let Zac come to UNK because it has helped me out a lot. To know that I'm not completely alone in my faith is very reassuring, and the other girl I probably just creep out. Hopefully when the rest of the students move in I'll find a group of really good kids.
Sunday I did not go to church, due to sleep deprivation and an unknown location of Kearney Berean, but I do plan on going next week, with Zac.
2 Corinthians 6:14
But I wasn't very worried about this audition. It turned out the way I thought it would. However, the one audition I'm getting more and more freakin' excited for is Troopers. In less than 4 months I will be in Casper, auditioning for the Troopers drum and bugle corps snare line and I am pumped.
I tried for Colts last January but unfortunately wasn't able to make the line there. However I was able to make it into the top 15 snares out of 40 and lately everything just seems to be clicking. Its awesome! I can play through the Colts opener easily now! This year in DCI the Colts drumline placed 15th overall. The instructor there told me to keep practicing hard and by next year they'd have a spot for me. However, Troopers seems to be more my style. Titled drums, the use of arm, etc. I feel like if were to go audition at Colts now I'd be on the borderline of making it, and I've still got a few months left to practice. Oh also, Troopers drumline placed 16th this year in DCI.
Now to go off on a complete tangent, when we were still on Esprit tour, I made a comment the last night at the hotel. I said that the song "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" was hard for me to believe because I have all these awesome people around me that are walking with me. Carey told me that I'd better start believing it because I'm headed off to college soon and she was right.
I went from about 50 awesome christian kids from Esprit to FOOT and now I'm down to maybe 2 or 3. I keep thanking God that he let Zac come to UNK because it has helped me out a lot. To know that I'm not completely alone in my faith is very reassuring, and the other girl I probably just creep out. Hopefully when the rest of the students move in I'll find a group of really good kids.
Sunday I did not go to church, due to sleep deprivation and an unknown location of Kearney Berean, but I do plan on going next week, with Zac.
2 Corinthians 6:14
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Recently I travelled to UNK for a drumline camp. It was for high school kids but Schnoor (UNK band director) said he’d like it if some incoming freshman came. Along with me there were 3 incoming and all were good. However the camp was boring. Tap and accents was all it really seemed to be, on top of that most of the kids weren’t very good. I’m sorry but they just couldn’t play, which was good that they were at the camp, but for how easy everything was I thought it should be very clean. There were 18 snares and of course nothing can be THAT clean but for the stuff we were playing it seemed like it should be.
I was so thankful that the other incoming freshman were good, and certainly capable of much more than the music at the camp. They had UNK drumline guys there and when one of them gave us a break to work on some music 2 of the freshman and I played through it and it was very refreshing to play something clean. I was thankful that out of the 18 person snare line that 2 were capable of playing well with each other and someone else.
It also made me thankful of the instructors I’ve had. Heath and Dan have been great. They gave me the tools to become good and now confindently trying out for drum and bugle corps. Most of the kids hadn’t had an instructor, ever. They just had there band director and unless he or she has been on a drumline, he or she doesn’t know much. The “clinician” there was Chad Scharf, he is the band director out at Lexington and is also a drummer. I had someone tell me once that, “No offense, but I don’t think that a drummer would be a very good band director because all he knows is percussion.” Not true, even at the drumline camp Chad would talk of some very musical ideas. Besides no matter what kind of music educator you want to be you take all the classes a woodwind or brass player would. I nearly tested out of Theory 1 at UNK, and I drum and sing.
And in case you haven’t seen Lexington’s band, they’re good. I saw them at Harvest of Harmony last year and they were among the best, not bad for a drummer, and its not just the drumline, of course I’m biased but the brass and woodwinds were quite exceptional. Hopefully I can become as talented as Chad Scharf has in instructing a high school drumline AND band.
I was so thankful that the other incoming freshman were good, and certainly capable of much more than the music at the camp. They had UNK drumline guys there and when one of them gave us a break to work on some music 2 of the freshman and I played through it and it was very refreshing to play something clean. I was thankful that out of the 18 person snare line that 2 were capable of playing well with each other and someone else.
It also made me thankful of the instructors I’ve had. Heath and Dan have been great. They gave me the tools to become good and now confindently trying out for drum and bugle corps. Most of the kids hadn’t had an instructor, ever. They just had there band director and unless he or she has been on a drumline, he or she doesn’t know much. The “clinician” there was Chad Scharf, he is the band director out at Lexington and is also a drummer. I had someone tell me once that, “No offense, but I don’t think that a drummer would be a very good band director because all he knows is percussion.” Not true, even at the drumline camp Chad would talk of some very musical ideas. Besides no matter what kind of music educator you want to be you take all the classes a woodwind or brass player would. I nearly tested out of Theory 1 at UNK, and I drum and sing.
And in case you haven’t seen Lexington’s band, they’re good. I saw them at Harvest of Harmony last year and they were among the best, not bad for a drummer, and its not just the drumline, of course I’m biased but the brass and woodwinds were quite exceptional. Hopefully I can become as talented as Chad Scharf has in instructing a high school drumline AND band.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Esprit de Corps! Kickin' it!
This Friday I am leaving on tour with Esprit, an absolutely amazing singing/drama team based out of Berean Church in Lincoln, and I am sooooooooo excited.
We will be traveling around the middle part of Nebraska and then we drive down and perform in St. Louis for a couple days. I'm so eager to just spend time with all the AWESOME kids involved in this ministry and the time in devotions with God. I plan on growing in many, many ways.
All of the kids in Esprit are in high school or recently just graduated (like me), and you're normal high school kids may be stereotypical and judgemental. These kids are not, it's so nice to be with a group of people that are so accepting and understanding of you. The only thing wrong with it is I haven't done in the past few years. My aunt does all the music stuff, so it's not like I just didn't know. If I would have known that it would be a part of such a dedicated, motivated, and talented group I would have done it the past couple years.
I would have to say that singing wise, this is the best group I've ever been a part of. Sure, I've been in high school choir and we did have some pretty talented groups, but this is insane! Usually in your normal high school choirs you have certain kids who just cannot sing. That's not an issue in Esprit. EVERYONE can sing and are able to at a high level.
Now during the school year I sang bass in choir. When I came to try out for Esprit my aunt Carey agreed with me that I was more of a baritone. She said she did not care what I sang. First rehearsal came along and I tried my luck at tenor, I had sang tenor my first 2.5 years in high school and I forgot how cool it was. But there was something else I found interesting...
If anything I'm a low tenor, I've never been known for a high range and being able to wail way up there and tear it up as some tenors do, but as I've been singing tenor with Esprit I've learned that when I don't think about the notes and just worship, I can hit any note I want. It's not an issue at all. In our closer, Make Some Noyz, the opening statement starts high immediately. It's unison with the girls and is in the range of high C to high G and I have absolutely no problem if I just let it rip and worship the Lord. It feels so good!
So, that's it for a while. I'll be on tour, hanging out and praising for a whole week. I am so pumped! See you on the 12th!
We will be traveling around the middle part of Nebraska and then we drive down and perform in St. Louis for a couple days. I'm so eager to just spend time with all the AWESOME kids involved in this ministry and the time in devotions with God. I plan on growing in many, many ways.
All of the kids in Esprit are in high school or recently just graduated (like me), and you're normal high school kids may be stereotypical and judgemental. These kids are not, it's so nice to be with a group of people that are so accepting and understanding of you. The only thing wrong with it is I haven't done in the past few years. My aunt does all the music stuff, so it's not like I just didn't know. If I would have known that it would be a part of such a dedicated, motivated, and talented group I would have done it the past couple years.
I would have to say that singing wise, this is the best group I've ever been a part of. Sure, I've been in high school choir and we did have some pretty talented groups, but this is insane! Usually in your normal high school choirs you have certain kids who just cannot sing. That's not an issue in Esprit. EVERYONE can sing and are able to at a high level.
Now during the school year I sang bass in choir. When I came to try out for Esprit my aunt Carey agreed with me that I was more of a baritone. She said she did not care what I sang. First rehearsal came along and I tried my luck at tenor, I had sang tenor my first 2.5 years in high school and I forgot how cool it was. But there was something else I found interesting...
If anything I'm a low tenor, I've never been known for a high range and being able to wail way up there and tear it up as some tenors do, but as I've been singing tenor with Esprit I've learned that when I don't think about the notes and just worship, I can hit any note I want. It's not an issue at all. In our closer, Make Some Noyz, the opening statement starts high immediately. It's unison with the girls and is in the range of high C to high G and I have absolutely no problem if I just let it rip and worship the Lord. It feels so good!
So, that's it for a while. I'll be on tour, hanging out and praising for a whole week. I am so pumped! See you on the 12th!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
The Pianist
The man came in and asked to look at some pianos; he was a pianist and said he need to invest in a new instrument for himself. The employee took him over to wear they hung. There were 5 of them. The man smiled and began to look.
Now the employee stepped back and looked as the man picked out a piano, now the employee was also the piano teacher in the store. He watched the man run his hands over the keys. The man turned around, "Do you mind?"
The employee replied, "No go right ahead." The man began to play. Although the man was very good the teacher couldn't help but notice that his wrists were very high up from the piano and it seemed as though his fingers were straight, it wasn't drastic but it could be fixed.
"Excuse me, sir," said the teacher,"could I offer you some advice?"
"Oh well yeah sure I guess," the man looked a little confused.
"Well I teach piano and have played for about 20 years now and I can suggest maybe moving you wrists down closer to the piano and curving your fingers a bit more," said the teacher.
"Oh, ok well thanks."
He continued to play some more and the teacher was surprised how well he caught onto his instruction. The man stopped suddenly and said, "I'd like this one please." The teacher nodded and put a "SOLD" sticker over the price tag. He took the man up front to pay. He stepped behind the counter and said, "That'll be $7,355.09." The man nodded and took out his checkbook and wrote a check for the whole amount. The teacher was impressed, he was rich but still could practice. Talent doesn't come from money, he thought.
"Thank you, sir," he said as the man handed him the check. He left quickly. Confused, the teacher looked down at the check. He was curious as to who this man was, he hadn't seen him around. He could barely make out the signature. It was signed, "Duke Ellington."
Now the employee stepped back and looked as the man picked out a piano, now the employee was also the piano teacher in the store. He watched the man run his hands over the keys. The man turned around, "Do you mind?"
The employee replied, "No go right ahead." The man began to play. Although the man was very good the teacher couldn't help but notice that his wrists were very high up from the piano and it seemed as though his fingers were straight, it wasn't drastic but it could be fixed.
"Excuse me, sir," said the teacher,"could I offer you some advice?"
"Oh well yeah sure I guess," the man looked a little confused.
"Well I teach piano and have played for about 20 years now and I can suggest maybe moving you wrists down closer to the piano and curving your fingers a bit more," said the teacher.
"Oh, ok well thanks."
He continued to play some more and the teacher was surprised how well he caught onto his instruction. The man stopped suddenly and said, "I'd like this one please." The teacher nodded and put a "SOLD" sticker over the price tag. He took the man up front to pay. He stepped behind the counter and said, "That'll be $7,355.09." The man nodded and took out his checkbook and wrote a check for the whole amount. The teacher was impressed, he was rich but still could practice. Talent doesn't come from money, he thought.
"Thank you, sir," he said as the man handed him the check. He left quickly. Confused, the teacher looked down at the check. He was curious as to who this man was, he hadn't seen him around. He could barely make out the signature. It was signed, "Duke Ellington."
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