Convocation of Baklava

Tuesday was convocation at Moody Bible Institute. I have been to many convocation's here before- 13 actually. There is something about them that never gets old though, something timeless. Seeing professors that you love marching down the center aisles in their regalia, hearing the rousing organ tune, the crowd singing “Great is Thy Faithfulness”; it all feels like magic to me.

Magic is difficult to capture in words… It’s not fairies or “abracadabra!” It is this mingling of the richness of the past and the freshness of the new year. It is the converging of learned professors and ambitious freshman. It is the jumble of emotion that comes with your first day of classes and your last first day of classes. It is the hope growing in every person that this year will hold something new, that they will be changed for the better. It is being surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…and keeping your eyes on the prize set before you.

Anyway, maybe that seems dramatic coming from someone so young- it’s not like I have been here for 20 years or anything. I can’t help it though- I am enamored by this place! More than that, I am indebted to the many places around this campus where the Lord’s work has transformed and stirred me in my deepest part.

Every building, every dorm room, every classroom, every plaza bench could probably tell an amazing story or two of how God has been faithful. Maybe that’s the true magic of it. We are not just a part of a beautiful story or singing a pretty song, but we are caught up in the realness of a God Who has proven Himself over and over and over again. It’s the layers of God’s faithfulness here that I savor… kinda like baklava. :)

Blogless August

I have not been blogging lately because frankly my brain feels like it will explode at most points throughout the day and that kind of pressure really crowds out creative ambition.

I've never felt like a grown up as much as the last week at work- staying an extra 6 hours because literally I have to in order to be prepared instead of staying an extra 6 minutes to rewrite a color coded to do list for the next day. :) So thankful that the end of this crazy season is nearing it's end. (I leave that last sentence as further proof of my mental state at present... you know what I was trying to say!)

Kinda pathetic, but these are the highlights as of late:
1. I called someone and said "Residence Life, this is Rachel" as if I was answering the phone.
2. I put down the phone and was sure I had a conversation but had no idea what was said since I was "multi-tasking."
3. I almost got on the Orange line to Midway instead of my train home at the end of the day.
4. I ran a mile unprovoked to zen out.
5. I literally could not remember which set of keys was for home and which was for work.

Although, God is so gracious and provided such reminders of His rest and grace too.
1. Like a ride home, getting lost and laughing about it with my coworker at 10:30 at night.
2. Like reading Anne of Green Gables in it's entirety- some on the front porch, some more on my window seat.
3. Like playing banannagrams.
4. Like eating dinner and cosmic brownies on my window seat with a friend.
5. Like meeting "Jesse" in the park yesterday after running and getting asked for my number & told I "is a real good lookin woman" while sweaty.
These priceless things are truly such gifts from above!

The Mamas and the Papas (not the 70's music group, but the freshman parents with a fragmented reference to a song in the beginning of Fiddler on the Roof) continue to call with crazy pants questions. Sometimes they are such a bright spot in my day- such eagerness. I really do mean it when I say that! I remember that feeling and even now it comes over me sometimes- to think of this place you are being swept up into... this story...these people that God has been using throughout the last 150 years.

You should all buy Andrew Peterson's new CD. It's rockin awesome and I essentially listen to it 4 times a day. :) It is so good- so full of the life of the Gospel. Track 9 is my fave....

There are dishes in the sink that I should do... boo! I hate being a grown up. hahaha. not really, only grown ups can have as big a bed as me! It's huge... and finally the frame is put together!

Take this post for what it's worth and I will try to put something insightful out soon. :)