Tuesday, 25 April 2006

Bring it on...
I have no time for blogging, but I felt called to write down a few thoughts after what happened today. It segues well from the last post.

Today could have been a disaster. I had my final field placement and was forced to say good-bye to another set of students and another teacher. They gave me a poster with their names and the whole bit of "we'll miss you, etc." The teacher gave me one of those nifty little boxes of Russell Stovers chocolates (brown ribbon, meaning it's caramel and nuts, my favorite!) and a card attached. It was everything I could do to keep from completely losing it when I had to leave, so I pretty much ran so none of them would see how difficult it was for me to say goodbye. I love those students and I will miss them...

Keyboard Skills loomed large and scary. Everything hinged on how Chelsea and I played today. If we didn't play well, we could have failed and be prevented from even playing for the final exam. After approximately one week to prep together and practice, we played today. Although Prof. Le wanted the tempo faster, he said it was good. We ran out of time so now the symphony's down to the exposition and development, so we're looking at probably between 8 & 10 pages instead of nearly 20. If we can speed it up a little, Chelsea and I have it made. So much for "ineptitude" that the piano man talked about last night...

I had lots of good people to thank for coming to the Combined Choirs Concert! Ben & Autumn came and greeted me with "T-Money... T-Rizzle" afterwards, which made me laff. Angela came too, as did the parents and my Viking brother. Getting food with them afterwards was delicious, and there's nothing like home-baked cookies from home. A little time with family and a good friend when you're stressed and a delicious concrete shake from Culver's does a person good, too. And yes, you can hold them upside down and they won't fall out. It's true. I should have taken a picture.
So the segue? The link? It seems like Satan was giving it all he had and then some. Sorrow over saying good-bye to my students. Little time to work on anything called "homework" because there's so much of it. A scary class where my grade was in the balance with an instructor who has little pity on anyone.

So I woke up this morning, saw what I was facing, and prayed to Jesus to guide me through it because there sure wasn't any way I could get through it on my own. I think He did and getting see my beloved family and Angela too along with Autumn & Ben was icing on the cake. And to quote Prof. Le said in his own words, his "expectations were totally shattered" by my classmates and me.

It'll be a late night, but I'm feeling a lot more at ease. With a great God to lead me onward, I'm not scared anymore. Maybe I've begun to learn to take refuge in God.

Bring it on, Satan. Psalm 27 shall be my answer, for it applies perfectly to me as the musician who was frightened.

The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.
4 One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD.
7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"
Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.
13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

I think it's pretty sweet that King David, "a great Stud of the Bible" as Ben put it, wrote a psalm several millennia ago that still applies today.

Comments(2)

Another Psalm for the music major might be Psalm 127...
johnateson

I just heard a song that might fit. Forget for half a second that it is classified as country music. Its called "If You're Going Through Hell" by Rodney Atkins:
Check Out the Lyrics:
http://www.onlylyrics.com/correct.php?id=30514
chickenlittle27