Rebellious thoughts from camp.

Inadequacy. In some ways, I feel like that's the only way I can describe my summer.

"But Tyler, how on Earth can you feel that way? You've done this before. You've been to college. You went in just finishing a teaching job!"

But that's just it.

I loved my teaching job in Ludington. It was the best thing to happen and I was happy to have a positive experience at the secondary level, work with students that were actually MY kids, teach them about singing, and learn more about teaching (and the challenges I'm still facing). But the one problem that had to do with camp that was that I had to rush right off to Tustin. Don was perfectly okay with this, for which I was very grateful. But in some respects, I thought I was going in unprepared for the next phase of life, which took a lot of twists. Staff training went great and I got to meet the rest of the team and reunite with some old friends. And together, everyone made a pretty good team this year.

Week 1... Junior High Camp in Huron. Pastor Jim Lacy, speaker.
My summer started a LOT like summer 2009 - with junior high boys up at High Point. And it was a great beginning this year-I had an absolutely AMAZING tent of guys, and so did Cameron. We could take them just about anywhere, do just about anything with them because they were game for just about anything. I'm still sad we weren't able to pull off camping out on Sunshine Mountain with them because they totally would have loved it!. They were probably one of the most chill group of junior high guys I've had in a cabin/tent yet.

Cameron had a camper in his tent that totally got all geeked about the Bible studies and loved talking about stuff with me - we had quite a discussion about Revelation 21 before our campfire and God making His dwelling with His people. He got all excited just talking about that and the pure thought of living with God someday on the newly-recreated Earth. I really hope Sonny becomes an SMT-he's totally the kind of person that I could see doing it. I really wish I could have had a chance to talk with him some more, but I couldn't. But talking with my guys about stuff WAS awesome.

Week 2... Junior Camp in Pictured Rock. Pastor Ken Nichols, speaker.
For the first time, I didn't have a long move! But I had to switch tents up at High Point (from Huron to Pictured Rock). And it meant switching mental gears - week 2 was our week where camp was completely loaded with younger kids. Though I was technically working with junior campers, it felt at times like I was counseling Pre Camp for the first time in two years just because of the age of some of my kids (they couldn't be more than 8 or 9) and how needy they were, except all week.

Despite some of the bad stupid moments, it was actually a pretty good cabin (one of the better junior cabins I've had-and I've had some rough ones), I had some hilarious moments with them (the best quote of the summer came from one of my kids doing counselor impressions-"Why don't we just SKIP IT!!"), and one of my boys got saved this week at camp, which is the big reason why we do what we do at camp-starting and renewing relationships with Christ. Not a bad week at all.

Week 3... Junior/Junior High Ranch Camp in Buffalo. Pastor Dave Heyn, speaker.
I made the longest move ever (from High Point to Ranch!). As I made the transition, I was praying/hoping a bit before this week began for a number of reasons. Last year's drama with all the campers the week we had girls and guys at Ranch Camp, plus all the rain that made it tough to be outside (and the c-c-c-COLD!) made for a pretty miserable week. I really, REALLY didn't want a bad week for my kids this year. Thankfully, this week was much sunnier, warmer, and despite PLENTY of interaction between the campers (a lot of these kids are in middle school, and one of my once-junior campers is now taller than me, yikes!), the kids had a good week. And despite an age gap of around 5-6 years between my youngest and oldest campers and a good ten-twelve inches in height between them, all the guys got along very well. The guys were LOUD. The girls were LOUD. But it wasn't a bad kind of loud, as I was talking with Carissa, Michelle, and Ethan. It was just... crazy.

Counseling at Ranch Camp is always special just because we're out away from everything else so the kids tend to bond pretty quickly and I've gotten to know some of these kids over the past, well, now three years. Some of them I've gotten to watch literally grow up (and they're taller than I am now, which is a little scary!) I had some really good talks with my guys this year, I really enjoyed praying with them, and also had a reminder about sometimes service at camp is in the behind-the-scenes rather than the fun, obvious things that staffers do. Mandi reminded me of that in a friendly but very clear way.

(I also saw a lot of my former campers from years past on this week, including my dudes from the TC area from my very first week of counseling - they're junior high campers now too, they're getting tall, and it's reminding me how long I've been doing this.)

-Pause, partial staff exit to Mackinac Island for weekend of mayhem-

Week 4... Senior High Camp with Isaiah and Seth in Squirrel. Pastor Ryan Huebner, speaker.
I was really psyched about this for a number of reasons. First, high school camp was loads of fun last year, I learned a ton from the week, and... well, a little more simply,

1. I was back at MAIN CAMP. That means being near other people and stuff.
   
2. I was with Isaiah (with whom I hadn't counseled since his very first week ever as a CIT back in 2008!) and Seth.
3. A number of my high school campers from last year were back yet again!

But the week wasn't just all kicks and giggles - a nearly stress-free week the year before with high school guys the year before wasn't like that this year. I had one camper who had some additional needs (hence why Seth was also in the cabin) who ended up needing to leave early. I was honest with other staffers that while I was bummed that he couldn't stay, I was also a little relieved with regards to not having the extra stress, and Seth was able to stick around in our cabin and work with the other guys. Speaking of visiting staff, this was again the week for visitors-Austin, Rachel, & Patrick all came back as counselors again and Isaac came ALL the way up from Kansas to visit family and ended up stopping in to see everyone at camp!

The teaching was REALLY good-Pastor Ryan challenged the kids (and made me think about how to make all this stuff real in my own life) and so did my fellow colleagues during their talks to the guys about purity. The time of sharing around the campfire was especially powerful and I really enjoyed how real it was. That, I believe, is one of the positive facets being able to serve the older campers. Even though there's more drama and the issues can get more difficult, we can really attack what's going on in people's lives and say, "Hey. This is what this is. And yeah, it IS tough. The Bible says this. Take joy from that alone. And let's live it like this so we're not going home without some sort of idea of what to do."

-Pause, partial staff exit to Ludington during Family Camp for weekend of rest and mayhem-

Week 5... Junior High Camp in Petoskey. Pastor Scott Gardziella, speaker.
The transition from senior high campers (who really ARE exhausting!) was a bit easier this time around-I had junior high the following week! But to be honest, I was a little dismayed to be back at High Point because... it gets lonely way back where no one goes except us. However, I was with Dan again and Colby too, and since it was a trio of tents, we'd be doing stuff together. I also had some campers that I knew from either having had at camp before or from church, so that was exciting. However, this week was a bit taxing for a number of reasons.

I had some campers that just simply have stuff going on. Others didn't, so the tent dynamic was REALLY dichotomous. And this was where teaching really got intense. Again. I had on my mind a lot of the stuff from Senior High Camp and I wasn't entirely sure how it might play into this week, though I was certain I didn't want to just ignore it, since I knew

1. It's relevant to junior high guys.
2. Ignoring the topics we discussed with during senior high week would NOT be an option. They're part of that whole pie related to what life actually LOOKS LIKE for a Christian who wants to mean what he says about not just praying the prayer to be one and walking away.
   

But how? As it ended up happening, Bible study became the launching point and we took it from there. It ended up working just fine between Bible study, a prayer work that dovetailed into our campfire and a couple of discussions I had with some of the guys. I felt like I wasn't prepared to talk about such heavy, deep topics. I felt downright inadequate, like I was the wrong person. But if I didn't... then I wasn't sure if anyone would. And as I've thought about it, I wish I'D have heard about this kind of stuff at camp and church and youth group than school and health classes. So if we don't talk to these guys about the scary, heavy-hitting topics that we don't like... then who will?

I talked to a couple of core staff during the week, who knew I wasn't doing well-Becky gave me some good advice along the way and said, "Do a heart check, then." She highly recommended spending some time in prayer, in the Word and finding out where I am and getting my brain, my heart, and so on back where it should be-serving Christ, and my campers, right there and then rather than worrying about me. And it made a difference. Despite it being a tougher week, some of the best conversations I had with campers came from this week. And the kids appreciated it.

-Postlude, staff exuent to First Street Beach in Manistee for enough steak to slay an elephant and a night on the sand and the water (and fish throwing!)-

Appendix... with various staff.
Beach times were great. I ate way too much steak, tons of other snacky stuff, drank tons of pop and let out a couple belches that impressed Don and Sue (yes!), and played some pretty epic volleyball with Kristen, Tiki, Jamie, Candace, Mike, and other people I'm forgetting. Saying good-bye was hard as always because as I've personally experienced twice now, I never know when I'll see some of these good friends again. Sometimes it's not for around a year (or more!), as was the case when Isaiah woke me up from a near-sleep as promised when he arrived for staff training. It's tough-the people you serve with become your greatest friends and separation becomes tough, but I think back to what Trygve taught around graduation in 2008 at Hope: "It's not good-bye. It's until we meet again." How true it us, for those of us who are in Christ.

So I came home for the first week of what Center Lake calls "rental" camps, essentially where churches come, do a week-long retreat at camp on their own, and we provide whatever support they need to run camp. Depending on their needs, it might be a little or a lot. I stayed home the first week and... went camping with the visiting family from NJ. The cousins (and so did Uncle Wade!) asked a zillion things about camp, so I finally showed them two weeks of footage from junior high and senior high camps, including testimonials from campers (thanks Isaac, yours really helped sell it!). Allie and Luke asked Uncle Wade point blank, "We want to go to Center Lake next summer!" I'm praying already.

I returned to Center Lake after that week for Valley Family Church's (VFC) rental camp with its middle school & high school youth groups, as I have every year. It was good to see a number of my friends again and to do camp again. Though it's their camp (and their church staff is getting very good at scheduling and running things by now), they still have us help them out with the more intense areas. So it's fun to come back and help out-I like it and I've come to enjoy working with their staff. They're very appreciative and so are the kids. I got to go on possibly the largest boating outing we've ever taken on the Pine River with Don, Jesse, & Monika and I had the privilege of going in the double kayak (the Stalker). Even cooler, I jumped it over a rock, so I can literally say I jumped the Stalker! As an additional bonus, I got to work the guest High Ropes group from Son-Life Camp & Retreat Center down in Wayland on their Outpost trip - (cool aside: their extra-tall staffer got two solid kicks off the Sky Deck with some coaching from Duane on the Giant Swing and almost landed a third!) I figured after this week and one final service at Temple Hill, I'd be done and returning home, but... Duane asked me, "Tyler, what are you doing next week?"
"Um, nothing yet."
"Would you like to work at camp next week?"

And with that, I was set to come back for another week, this time with Woodside Bible Church network out of the Detroit metro area and its kids camp. It was definitely different than VFC but they were also appreciative and I liked working with them too. Lots of time spent in housekeeping (as with the previous week) and at the flying squirrel and climbing tower. And after Thursday's programming was up, I had myself already packed up and ready to go and had to say my good-byes to everyone who was still there. In a way, I was ready to say farewell for the summer but at the same time, it was hard. But then came the whirlwind weekend-Spring Lake, Muskegon, Coopersville, and Holland all in two days for Ben's bachelor party/prayer night, visiting Leah, visiting Ross (and seeing Matt!), and Ben's wedding! Quite a weekend.

So. What did I take away from one and a half weeks of staff training, five weeks of counseling, one week off, two weeks of retreat hosting/housekeeping, and a whirlwind weekend of visiting friends/watching one of my closest friends finally tie the knot with his wife?

1. I felt completely, utterly inadequate to teach my guys on some of the scariest topics that people face. I knew that I had to talk to them about this stuff, and I didn't want to touch any of it with a ten-foot pole. But somehow, despite all my failings (and the fact that God knew I really didn't want to do any of this), it still worked out. I'm not Moses. I'm not Elijah. Or Jeremiah. But my kids still got the point. And it made a difference.
2. I really, REALLY need to know my Bible better. I felt like the parts that I did get through earlier this spring in my attempt to read through in three months I know better than ever. But the rest is still cloudy. And make no mistake, this goal will be a lifelong goal. It's something I know everyone should strive for, but I believe especially as someone who wants to work with kids at youth group and camp that it's possibly even more important.

I don't want my whole summer (because it pretty much has except for a few weeks) to be a gigantic Jesus jolt, as my camper, Darin, rightfully describes it. Yes, I miss my friends and would love to see them all the time. I miss the place called Center Lake Bible Camp. I gladly admit that I miss people that I love. I love the memories.

But as summertime has ended: I take away a resolve to know my Bible better. I REBEL AGAINST IGNORANCE!!!!

Avalanche

More to come later, but a fun weekend of camp with good friends, goofing around at Buffalo Wild Wings, and then talking about theology, and then talking about it a little more with D-Wag is worth blogging. Plus church at Temple Hill was a hoot! I love my church home in Cadillac.

Catching up with Isaiah after too long was a blessing too. I don't know why I have some of the best friends I could ask for between my crew from Hope and everyone at camp, but I really do.

And speaking of Hope, I could be coming there sooner than I expected. More hopefully to follow on that.

Tuesday, 22 December 2009

Love Your Neighbor, Hope College

I read an article recently that disappoints me. Even after being a Hope College graduate for a year and a half, and knowing less and less students at the institution every year, life and the overall pulse at the place hasn't changed a great deal.

The article basically was over the huge flap by this guy named Dustin Lance Black, who was the screenwriter for a film called Milk, a gay rights film. The man wanted to film a new movie in Holland and had even settled in the area and had scheduled to screen the film until administration stopped it in its tracks, setting off (big surprise) a extremely vocal reaction by students and in the community. It later screened and Black met with the dean at a local theater.

I'm not sure what to make of this. Neither side is right in this instance. Black should have gotten to know the Holland and Hope College areas better before he decided it was the right place. Knowing what a place looks like is a far cry from what it's actually like in terms of personality if you're attacking a topic such as homosexuality, as evidenced by what happened. It was a colossally stupid move to film in west Michigan and all its conservatism if you think no one is going to care if you make a movie about homosexual activism. And based on what the dean said, it's yet more bad publicity for the college.

But the more I think about it, the institution did it wrong, too (if that's indeed what happened). To agree to screen but then backpedal IS wrong. Either you say, "No thanks. We're not interested." or "Name the time and place." Realizing after you agree that you're going to offend the major lines of credit is wrong, even though that is often reality. Hope, especially as a private and Christian institution, has a free (and moral obligation) to maintain Biblical standards and must do so. And while I'm glad that they aren't backing down at least in defining what the institution's official stance is on homosexuality, so to speak, they're running into major problems with their execution. To exist in a culture of fear and even outright animosity is not the way to live. It's not what the Bible teaches and as Christians (a little Christ, a shadow of Him, I suppose), we're supposed to love our neighbors, not hate them (Matthew 22:37-40).

Come on, Hope College. Your stance is fine, but do a better job in love. Cut the "you people" accusations. And as for Mr. Black... PLEASE use your brain.

Monday, 23 November 2009

I come home. I go away. I return. I am thankful.

It seems I'm finally home for at least a bit of a longer stretch of time. For a while, I felt like all I ever was doing was spending my weeks doing my thing at home prepping for the weekend and weekends were spent going to camp. Or Holland. Or in one instance, both, which isn't that bad.

I really like seeing my friends and reconnecting with them. I believe that I have some of the greatest friends that I could ask for, and that has been reaffirmed in the past three weekends. I've developed a closer relationship with some of my camp friends as we've studied discipleship together in a Bible study and thought about the persecuted church during the month of November (and in the process, at least personally, developed a greater sense of perspective on thankfulness, especially when we celebrate being thankful for all the things we DO have with one of the biggest feast days of the year). I find a certain sense of irony in that, but I'll reserve my thoughts on that for another post, hopefully.

Staff Reunion was shorter this year, but I think Nate and I made the exact right move in going down to Grand Rapids afterward and then to Holland on Sunday morning. I'm always glad to be at Engedi for church because it's like another church family along with Cornerstone (and now Temple Hill), but this last experience at Engedi now a week ago was special. The service was a baptismal service and Nate and I witnessed something that I think very few people have ever seen. As usual, a number of people had planned on getting baptized, some with extremely powerful testimonies. But perhaps the most interesting was something that no one had necessarily intended, yet God knew all along would happen. It was an impromptu baptism. This gentleman that I didn't even know of came, said he was at home and had this realization that he knew a church was doing baptisms and that he needed to be baptized that morning. And so he went to Engedi and asked to be baptized. The part that brought me, well, joy was the fact that some of the men didn't turn him away because of church policies and Brian didn't either (though he did ask him in front of everyone the same questions about if he knew Jesus died for Him and if he was a Christian and if he wanted to make the public statement of being a new creation and living for Him). And just like with its own close members, the congregation erupted in celebration.

And then there was The Gathering. Shane Claiborne was brought in to speak at Hope College during The Gathering, which was the biggest reason Nate and I stopped in Holland instead of going straight home and meeting Leah and Jessica at Hope. And it was worth it. For all the controversy that supposedly surrounds this man, what he talked about a week ago didn't seem that wrong to me. Shane Claiborne talked about how he lives in a tough neighborhood in Philadelphia and reach out to the kids. How he gets sad when one of them gets hurt, or worse, dies. How he wanted to serve alongside Mother Theresa in Calcutta. And how he keeps a soldier's dogtags, a piece of detonated bomb casing, and bullet casing in his pocket to remember to pray for the suffering. If the American churches are upset because Shane Claiborne wants to pray for those that need help and are hurting or confused and want to know Jesus, then they're getting angry at the wrong person.

While I was at The Gathering on the 15th and this past weekend, I was also reminded of why I loved spending four years at Hope College so much. I jokingly tell high school kids that I know that Hope is one of the best colleges on the planet. But this is one reason why I loved it so much. While I was in Dimnent Chapel waiting with N-Sto and company, I saw Trygve Johnson & Josh Banner talking and I just wanted to talk and say hey mostly because it's hard to catch them and actually TALK. But then when they asked how I was doing, I was honest and said that job stuff is hard and a little discouraging. And instead of being simply sympathetic, Trygve pulled me in and said, "Tyler, let me pray for you. Right now." And we did for something like 5 minutes. That meant a lot. Instead of being one of several thousand alums he's sent off now in his time, it matters to Trygve how I'm REALLY doing even beyond my four years at Hope. To be known and then forgotten is absolutely heartbreaking, but not so at Hope. Not only have I felt like I was SOMEONE with a story rather than just a face, but to know that I have a Dean of the Chapel that would pray for me because I'm discouraged about wanting to teach and can't find the right job yet means so much.

And this past weekend playing for Nate & Caitlin's wedding meant two things. First, I had the pleasure once again of getting to play music for two more of my friends from school on the day when they celebrate the bond of marriage together. That's lots of fun in and of itself, although I always wonder a little if the music will come together and if the music I pick will be okay (thankfully Caitlin & Nate both liked it!). Better yet, it was a time to reunite with TONS of my closest friends from Hope, which is my other favorite part of weddings when they involve my friends from college. It's yet another excuse to hold gigantic parties with way too many people and act silly together. Who knew you could stuff 10 people in a photo booth?! And did I mention I saw BEN at the same iHOP where we did Bible Studs iHOP runs?!

Yes, I'm thankful to be home for a little while. But I'm thankful for four years spent at Hope College, even if it cost money, for the good influences it has had on me. God taught me a lot there through EVERYTHING. And I'm thankful for all the relationship I have there. Gosh, I miss them all so much. I just get to see them and enjoy them for awhile and then I say good-bye again. And I am thankful for music too.

Currently This Is Our God By Hillsong Desert Song see related

Saturday, 26 April 2008

Thanks for the memories!

As I prepare to leave Hope in 8 days, I've come to a realization.

I'm ready. I want to leave. I want to graduate.

I've had about enough. Enough of college life. Enough of roommates. Enough of studying. Enough of living in close quarters. Enough of almost getting my head smacked by frisbees. Enough of living in a community within a community. It's time to head back out into the world and find out what life has.

Not to say that I haven't loved what Hope has had for me. I've learned so much of what it means to be a musician, what it means to be an educator, what it means to be an educator of future musicians, and who I am as a person and a Christian, one of God's people.

I'll miss Hope College. I'll miss my friends. I'll miss my professors. Leaving them will be hard. They've made a difference that will matter more to me than they'll ever know. But I sense it is time.

In the meantime, one more week of teaching, and then wrapping things up while I learn what it's like to commute to work from Coopersville to Holland every day.

Random thought: I was talking to Nik today. He and I were reminiscing about some crazy memories that we've shared together. The top three...

1. Telephone Pictionary (aka Teledraw to some people) up at his house in Brutus. That was made of pure hilarity. He's kept some of the drawings I've made. I still have yet to figure out why, considering he's an art major and I cannot draw to save my life, but there are some mysteries in this life that I think God has always left us to ponder.
2. Re-telling the pirate story at Captain Sundae to a bunch of strangers. Nik acted the story out as I read the legend from the tree while some people we didn't even know listened with great interest and amusement. They were from Hope, but we didn't know them. Good times, and this just happened recently.
3. Introducing Ross to the joys of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Ross had never seen the movie and Nik and I both had. Seeing the reaction from our friend as we laughed with glee at the jokes we knew made it even more fun.

Wednesday, 30 January 2008

Not even the Dutch can handle it... completely

40 degrees.

19 hours.

5 inches of snow.

30-40 mph winds.

Over 400 school districts. Closed.

Michigan got slammed with the meanest winter storm it's known in a LONG time. So bad that... that's right, even HOPE COLLEGE was delayed till noon. For the first time since 1997. They probably should have canceled classes. Davenport, Grand Valley, Western (I think) and even Michigan Tech (first time in 40 years!) shut down.

Mark it down in the record books, folks!

Monday, 27 August 2007

Don't forget your ribcage! And some extra breath!

I loved it this year-with Convocation in the afternoon, I was able to make it Engedi on my first Sunday moved back into Holland. I was thrilled with this prospect and it was good to return to my second church home when I'm not at my first church home. I'm not sure if I was being complimented when Pastor Brian put an arm around my shoulder and proclaimed, "Look what the cat dragged in," but I figured I was welcomed back between the bearhug I was also given from my pastor and the excited announcement from the stage (and congregation's excited response) that the Hope students had returned.

Convocation went really well for being the first time they tried it in the DeVos Fieldhouse. It was kinda cool to see all the new freshman process in together, sorta like they all processed out of their graduations and found their way in to Hope together. I'm encouraged to see the new freshmen from Ludington seem to be doing well. I'll be glad when Chapel Choir's ranks are back up to full strength, but we did pretty well for having only a very small amount of time to practice and a fair number of new singers having to learn "Elijah Rock" in that amount of time. Kudos to you new Chapel Choir folks! And hurray for seeing Trygve again-I've missed that guy. He rocks.

And then more people start arriving. Ross and I hung at Brumler out of the heat and only came out for the massive Bultmans' Backyard Barbecue, where more upperclassmen had begun to arrive, and more bearhugs. It's always hard to go to functions like that with friends because you always get sidetracked with people you haven't seen all summer and the yells of your name and "Oh my gosh!!!!!" and all that fun stuff.

It seemed to only get more intense as time wore on. Brandon finally arrived (YEEHA! I have another roommate!) and not too long after that, Ross and I gave Sara a great big hello in Brumler. Then we got rushed by a bunch of friends from Fairbanks Cottage looking for another Frisbee as I was trying to talk to Nik on the phone while spying on him and the large horde of people through my window (I'm going to love having a nice view). More bearhugs because I haven't seen Matt since May, Sara in maybe an hour, and Nik for, well, one week... oh well, I claim legitimate excuse on friends leaving for off-campus study programs.

It's even worse when you're with Brandon. This kid knows everybody, and I think we got stopped three times on the way to Columbia Apts. Once a house ate him (they literally pulled him inside), we were swarmed in front of another and sandwiched by former his Durfee friends who made sure to include me even though they didn't know me at all. I felt so special.

And it only got worse walking down 14th Street. The group of people only got bigger and bigger, there was a steady of stream of hellos and yes, MORE bearhugs, and the umpteenth retelling of, "How was your summer?"

Lesson? At Hope College, when you come back, make sure you have STRONG ribcage and plenty of patience to hear summer stories and to tell yours till you pass out, because you'll either turn blue repeating yourself or get squeezed to death by someone with strong arms.

Saturday, 25 August 2007

Hope College, Op. 4

I'm back at Hope. I'm not done unpacking and I'm a bit daunted how to fit everything in this small(ish) bedroom in my apartment and leave enough space for Zach, but it'll come together with a little time.

I think the first night was well-spent: enjoying some time with Nate & some laughs over Garfield cartoons. Classic stuff.

Senior year, here I come.

Friday, 15 June 2007

Dreams are WEIRD

I dreamed that I was back at Hope. I was quite happy, but it was weird. I saw my music history prof digging for cookie tins in a warehouse-like room (why?). I was playing in Wind Symphony and it was this weird string cello-like instrument shaped like a big box. As I am wont to do with the cello, I promptly broke one of the strings on my instrument mid-rehearsal. Luckily, the prof (weird mystery extra that dreams provide) was okay with it but I got yelled at by one of my colleagues who's actually a new graduate. I sighed in not-surprise to myself.

Then I saw my friends. I got a massive bone-crushing hug from the Dan, as usual, but he decided to carry me away and set me down in front of a sprinkler, getting me soaking wet (I wouldn't put it past him, but why me? And for that matter, why didn't he tell Sara?). I laughed like crazy, saw Brandon, and then got another bone-crushing hug from him. I guess the Bible Studs still love me in Dreamland, even if I'm soaked to the skin.

Currently Listening Exodus By Various Artists Crystal Lewis - Salvation Belongs to Our God see related

Saturday, 24 February 2007

Is it secret? Is it safe?

Earlier this past fall, a laptop and a digital camera were stolen out of my former piano teacher's office. Apparently he had gone into the music library to make a couple copies and left his studio door open. Within that timeframe (less than 5 minutes), someone managed to sneak in and swipe the computer and the camera.

That disappointed me, but today reminded me of Nykerk's amazing record of people finding lost objects, putting them somewhere in sight, and often the owner retrieves their lost item, at least in my experience. I had accidentally left a book for Music Lit somewhere in the classroom right before Winter Break. Come the following week, I found it right outside the Music Library on the table. I've found other stuff that belongs to me, too.

Earlier this past week, I managed to somehow lose my all-important notebook full of stuff for Secondary Block. Ordinarily, this wouldn't be quite a huge deal except for the fact that the class materials are almost ALL handouts that are best kept together in a binder. So when it got lost somewhere on Thursday and I discovered this on Friday, my heart sunk. I could copy materials from my friends, but it'd be a pain and I still wouldn't be able to replace everything. Fantastic.

Well, I contacted Emily and she had actually already made copies, when... there in Nykerk, on the coffee table in the couches, was sitting my Secondary Block notebook. Once agian, the music building has managed to save something that belongs to me and it has ended up where I'll find it. It's amazing.

The music majors at Hope College should have been given the One Ring. We apparently can keep things safe from outside hands that might do harm (except for that one incident).

Wednesday, 21 February 2007

On Ash Wednesday at Hope

I had ashes placed on my head today, even though I'm not Roman Catholic. As Trygve stated, the ashes on Ash Wednesday serve as a public proclamation of your walk with Christ. It kind of compares to baptism in a way, at least in my view.

It's interesting; Revelation 13 mentions how the sign of the beast is marked either on the right hand or forehead. After thinking about it, I see Ash Wednesday in one respect as an answer to that. Instead of having a mark on my forehead which represents devotion to something evil, the ashes symbolize devotion to Jesus. Having ashes on your forehead on Ash Wednesday indicates (at least it SHOULD indicate) devotion to Him. It visually states, "I want to follow and serve Jesus." I'm certainly not perfect, but I want to please Him, even though I've messed up plenty of times.

Maybe that's why it shook me so much when one of my colleagues in the music department promptly mocked the ashes on my forehead in a joking fashion. I never would have imagined something like that happening here at Hope College...

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One of our professors made an uninformed comment in class. One girl walked in the professor said "What's with the smudge?" She had totally missed the connection yesterday between it and Ash wednesday. She had to make a bit of a recovery saying something to the effect of- oh, yeah. So what does it all mean? Why do they do it?
In her defence I must say that this girls mark was unusually large and very very dark. It was at least quarter size.

chickenlittle27

Wednesday, 30 August 2006

The book of Romans... WE'RE GOIN' IN, BOYS!

So this is overdue for an update and I could probably write for hours, but that'll make it too long.

It feels like God is blessing me a lot recently. I'm not exactly sure why since I certainly don't deserve it, but I'm incredibly thankful, especially at this time of year. The last week at home was one of the best of the summer-hanging out with Will & Juliana practically every night was just plain awesome, whether at the State Park on the dunes after midnight (shh, don't tell the DNR), at the brewpub, or watching two acts of Die Walküre and getting Haydn symphonies-hurray!

Then it was time to come back and I didn't want to. I knew I wanted to come back to Hope, especially after Steven & Joanna's wedding and seeing tons of good friends. But my fluffy kittycats had to stay home (yes, I'm a sap), and so did my family.

But then I got here and I saw friends and I became happy again. I saw my room, heard the jet-engine roar of my A/C (which incidentally hasn't stopped once since I've arrived), set things up, and made it feel more like home while waiting for Jay to arrive. Chapel Choir made me even more excited-these are the people I spend time with!

Then came Sunday, which brought my roommate, our first Chapel Choir performance of the year at Convocation, a surprise visit from Ben (complete with some insight on how God worked through him this summer), and a picnic full of food!

After running home for the night to grab forgotten items, hug kittycats and family, and driving back in the rain the next afternoon, I felt now it was time to be back, and the year has now kicked off to an amazing start. Introduction to Biblical Literature might be a bit more than I bargained for, but Conducting Techniques with Dr. Richmond is going to be amazing. He's making it fun, amusing, and teaching us a pretty cool party trick-can YOU hookshot a quarter behind your head and clap your hands exactly when it lands? If you're a conductor or conductor-in-training, you can! Hearing about Chapel Choir auditions has me excited as well-my remaining vocal music ed. colleagues now have taken their rightful places in Chapel Choir and Dr. Richmond says we'll have "a to die-for tenor section."

But possibly most exciting came late in the evening. Admittedly, planning for the Bible Studs has been a little scary-am I prepared to help shepherd a small-group through a monumental book like Romans, all while trying follow the Holy Spirit's directions? After meeting with Nate, Brandon, and Pete, praying for everyone and the year together, and discussing our plan of attack, my fears have been calmed. Helping lead with three fine men of God such as them will be a pleasure, and the encouragement from Josh in front of the Keppel House was a blessing.

Well, since I have an 8:30 class awaiting and reading to do, time to look at the conducting book and then go to bed. Random note: everyone listen to this song. It's amazing-40 different vocal parts. Yeah Thomas Tallis!

Currently Listening The Renaissance In Music (National Public Radio Milestones Of The Millennium) Spem in Alium see related

Sunday, 07 May 2006

The Tradition Continues...

The 2005-2006 academic year at Hope College has ended with the graduation of the Class of 2006. That means that the Major General Music will start a new quote collection and post the humorous quotations from this year. Here they are. There are lots more this year. Some may not be so humorous to the readers, but they could be possibly things people said many times and are more like catchphrases. Others make absolutely no sense at all.

“But I’m not very tall!”

“For a watermelon, you are.”

“Nothing broke! It was exciting!”

“Janitorial fire punch!”

(During Orange & Blue For You) “I brewed you this Nalgene full of coffee.”

“What am I eating? I’m about to eat some water.”

“Hey, homo-erotic love god!”

“Yes...?”

“Kay looks like a sexy librarian.”

“A West Ottawa Middle School band record... I’ll take it.”

“What’ll you do with it?”

“Listen to it.”

“And then what?”

“Throw it out the window.”

“A hurricane is kind of a bad thing.”

(During a getting-to-know-ourselves game at Chapel Choir retreat) “‘If you could be stranded on an island with one person, who would it be?’ Someone with a boat.”

(During a getting-to-know-ourselves game at Chapel Choir retreat) “‘When you’re in the shower, which do you wash first: your hair or your body?’ I just prefer to not bathe.”

(During Trainwreck at Chapel Choir retreat) “Hi... I’m Brad... and I wear an eyepatch.”

“Who just took a picture of me doing something stupid?!”

“I did! It turned out great!”

“Sweet!”

“Oh, come on. You're the conversational equivalent of a half-brick in a sock.”

“Alana, did you know there’s a pencil trapped in your hair?”

“Oh yeah! My shoes are probably in there, too.”

“Onomatopoeically...”

“There’s some neurology going on back there.”

“It’s all about the tonic.”

“Tenors, why did you sing that C-natural as a C-flat?”

“It is a C-flat!”

“If we were married, I’d buy you a chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream every day.”

“Alana, is there anything stuck in your hair today?”

“I don’t think so. Why don’t you check?”

“Why are you touching her hair?”

“It’s sorta soft...”

“Mmm, sometimes I can be such a man.”

"The Lee-Branford bill of 1897 was a watershed moment in American history."

“Peter, you have a bat in the cave.”

“Right here?! You want it?! I’ll put it on your chair for you!”

“Tyler, you’re stupid!”

“I have six-pack abs on my FACE!”

“Have fun with your crazy Tyler antics of destruction.”

“Hi cutie hot girl!”

“I’ve sang in choir since, like, 3^rd grade.”

“So why aren’t you in Chapel Choir?!”

“I’m busy...”

“Don’t give ME that!”

“I’LL give you that and I’ll raise you one pickle!”

(During Relay For Life)

“Will you give me a hug?”

“Sure...”

“Wow, that was awkward.”

“Then don’t ask for random hugs.”

“How do you pick a peck of pickled peppers? Peter would have to pick the peppers first and then pickle them! It’s like buying a loaf of toast!”

“Hi Tyler.”

“Thank you... whoa, what’d I just say?!”

“Why did you say that?”

“This, you see, is the effects of spending your day working with fifth graders.”

“Put the ding-dong in your bing-bong!”

“I’m trying to make a fat paper crane.”

“What was that sound?”

“Annoying stupid people!!!!”

“Do you want this pen in your eye?!”

“‘Irish exclamation...’ POTATO!!!!”

“Remember this is in major mode. Why do I keep hearing a ‘le?’”

“Because I’m STUPID!”

“We don’t throw shoes in music class.”

“I have two best friends. One is named Henry & he’s my cello. The other is Ben and Jerry’s. He’ll always be there for me. He’ll never cheat on me, and he’ll never leave me.”

“Tyler is half the size of a genetically altered koala bear.”

“That’s a pretty big koala bear.”

“Did you just call me fat?!”

“No.”

“I think you did.”

“Fine. Tyler, you’re FAT.”

“I’m not a disease!”

Staring at SAC’s ultra-cheap decorations for Halloween including styrofoam tombstones)

“Isn’t it sad?”

“I don’t know... it screams... ‘budget.’”

(In a creepy voice) “Buuuudget... BUUUUDGET!!!!”

“Where were you yesterday?! I thought you had died!”

“Your brother looks like a Viking with a pair of Levi’s.”

“This is BAD news!”

“Brad acts fairly normal around here. But you should see him at home. He’ll put chopsticks up his nose and he sings about everything. He’ll sing about the bacon frying!”

“You can’t see them unless you look.”

“Now THERE’S an earth-shaking statement.”

“Adding Sweas to anything enhances the experience!”

“It’s not died!”

“Wow...”

“I like hats that look like animals!”

“What kind of animals?”

“People!”

(later)

“Isaac is a strange, strange person...”

“I am a strange, strange, kazoo!”

“I have something very exciting!”

“What is it?!”

“Guess!”

“A purple giraffe!”

“Nope.”

“A green rhinoceros!”

“It’s not alive.”

“Fishsticks!”

“Stop answering with animals! What you’re saying is irrelevant!”

“Isaac, EVERYTHING you say is irrelevant!”

(wild laughter from everyone gathered in the music library)

“Horny toads, my fellow chimpanzees!”

“Did he just say...”

“Horny toads, my fellow chimpanzees?”

(dryly) “Yes, he did.”

“Piano majors all have the same body type.”

“What body type is that?”

“BIG BUNS!”

“Let’s quote Macbeth!”

“Who wouldn’t want a pair of Beethoven socks?!”

“I cannot be enharmonically respelled!”

(Overheard across campus in a snowstorm)

“I’m so cold I can’t feel my legs!”

“I can’t feel my BUTT!”

“Burping is actually a pretty cool thing.”

“Becky, you make Kevin a winner by association.”

“I like to answer the phone and say, ‘Hi, is ___ there?’”

“I’d love to see you actually do that.”

“I have to be in the right mood...” (later, answering the phone) “Hi, is Kay there?”

“You’re just performing for me!”

“Hmm, yup!”

“Wouldn’t a Cannibox eat other boxes?”

“No, that’d be a cannibalistic... box.”

“I’d just call it a bad box.”

“YOU’RE a bad box!”

“I have cat-like reflexes... like a goose!”

“How-DY!”

“What you’re saying has no logic!”

“The logic IS that there is no logic.”

(In a Cockney accent) “I’m going to England and I’m going to learn to talk like an idiot!”

(Referring to Eric Laug) “It’s like white on rice.”

“I wasn’t in Concerto/Aria. Now I’ll never get to wear a dress...”

“We just spent five minutes talking about exactly what I said in the first place.”

“Where are my pants?!”

(While sledding) “There’s LOGS!!”

“Look, it’s your Mini-Me!”

“Slavic. Power. Molotov Cocktail!”

“I think you’re right, but he wrote it this way.”

“I couldn’t plan your funeral, so I have to keep you alive.”

“I’ve misplaced Eric Bourassa.”

“That’s stupid.”

“YOU’RE stupid!”

“Your FACE is stupid!”

“Your... pigeon... is stupid!”

“You’ve seen Airplane!, right? It’s the movie where they say, ‘Surely you can’t be serious!’”

“‘I am serious! And stop calling me Shirley!’”

“You write too small!”

“Oh no! Do I need to call the WAAAAHHHHHMBULANCE?!”

“That’s what makes her [Erin Marks] such a good chimpanzee observer.”

“I read the Internet last night.”

“Wow!”

“All of it?”

“I think allergies are bothering me with all this spring weather. I never used to be allergic to ANYTHING!”

“I was tested several years ago for allergies to around 53 different things and discovered I’m allergic to ALL of them. Then my wife said, ‘So, it’s true; you really ARE a bubble boy.’”

(In Middle School Methods) “Peter called me a hippo!”

“My pants smell like smoke. Smell them.”

“No.”

“Smell them!”

“I’M NOT SMELLING YOUR PANTS!”

(In Middle School Methods) “Sing at the target I drew on the board.”

“I can’t, Jeannette’s huge head is in the way!”

“Are you SERIOUS?!”

“I hear velvet pants! I mean, velvet youth!”

“Alana, you left pieces of your score on the piano.”

“Oh, there are pieces of it in every practice room!”

“Schlinkybong!”

“I’m fat and I’m psychologically messed up!”

(Looking at a bun with cheese) “Wow, that’s a real CHEESEburger.”
"Oh, I'm just waiting for my burger. I have everything ready; the mayonnaise is spread and my cheese is laying."

And of course, giving credit to the sources of all these quotations... Sam Adams, Branden Bacon, Autumn Bills, Lea Blackney, Sarah Blankenship, Abby Bolkema, Jennie Boone, Adam Brink, Jeff Brown, Dr. Jeff Buettner, Hillary Byker, Sean Daenzer, Chris Dekker, Isaac Droscha, Gabe Hall, Aaron Hawn, Maggie Hellner, Angela Herban, Dr. Robert Hodson, Steve Horeni, Prof. Andrew Le, David Lee, Ryan Lincoln, Ben Manting, Nik McPherson, Matt Minkus, Natalie Moll, Alana O'Bryan, Adam Pepper, Lisa Peterson, Jordan Racey, Dr. Brad Richmond, Steven Rodriguez, Sara Schaedel, Kailey Schroeder, Charlie Sierzant, Chelsea Stephenson, Prof. Linda Strouf, Rob Sweas, Alex Taylor, Erin Taylor, Amy Troup, Chris Turbessi, Joe Turbessi, Peter VanKempen, Pete Vollbrecht, Prof. Jennifer Wolfe, & Becky Young.

Comments(2)

1. I'll respond with something random about you: you were scary during pledge...ps
2. I'll challenge you to try something: don't follow the rules, follow your heart
3. I'll pick a color that I associate with you: blue
4. I'll tell you something I like about you: you go out of your way to see how peoples days are...and i like that!
5. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory of you: theory spring semester last year...you and pretzels...
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of: a little chipmunk
7. I'll ask you something I've always wanted to ask you: how do you not go insane being a music major? i've already gone insane...if you didn't notice.

8. If I do this for you, you must post this on yours

WildBuffaloFeet8

Fishsticks!

...and I still don't want to plan a funeral; too much work.

chickenlittle27

Saturday, 06 May 2006

There's an Air of Bittersweetness

I look back on today and that's the first word which comes to mind in describing my emotions. Bittersweet.

The end of the exam weeks when Christmas or Summer breaks kick off is usually awesome, and this was no exception with a plethora of partying. First was the Bible Studs Party, followed by Sara's going away party. Then Prof. Le holds a shindig at his house and the gathering of music folks at Sean's house last night. Then came today, with more celebrations. It began well-the Chapel Choir held its annual barbecue at Eric & Mike's house, complete with officer elections and the Paper Plate Awards. Think of them as high school senior mock awards, only they're just chosen for everyone and are even MORE ridiculous. Some of the more creative ones were the Watermelon Award, the I Can't I'm on My Cell Phone Award, the Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Pitchpipes Award, the Nice Rack Award (inside joke, don't ask), the Most Likely to Punch a Baby Award, and the list goes on. I was apparently selected as the Hottest Tenor, which I guess is a big deal. Smokin'!

The campus is so beautiful this time of year. After coming back with Maggie, it was grand to just bask in the glorious sunshine and take in the atmosphere of Hope College's campus. It looks magical in the winter with snow, and it looks glorious in the fall with the colorful leaves, but nothing beats the renewed, joyous look in the spring.

After restlessly catnapping in the afternoon, I watched the girls win the MIAA softball championship against Albion at Pete's insistent bidding and an amusing third-person voicemail. It was pretty sweet, although the best was seeing the superstitious side of Pete come out as he bounced between the bleachers and the fence, supposedly charming the team. I have my doubts about the helpfulness, but I have no doubts about dinner. Applebee's was delicious, Pete's generosity in picking up the tab without a second thought was cooler (not to mention surprising), and just spending some quality time with a brother in Christ was even better.

I also learned Pete is good at the whining jokes. He's heard of the waahmbulance, he doesn't speak whinese, and he asks if I want cries to go with that waahmburger. However, I amused by twisting the subject and telling him, "Before you say anything else, I have to sit down and have a great big bowl of I Don't Care."

Leaving it all is going to be hard. Yes, I can't wait to see my family, live in my house again, snuggle three psychotic kittycats, see all my friends at home, and be back at church. But it's painful. My friends here at Hope have come to mean a lot to me; they're like a second family. Together we have gone through good times and not-so-good times, shared pain, prayed together, rejoiced together, and shared great fun, all with the objective of glorifying God.

I look forward to another great year like this one. In the meantime, summer looks wonderful.