Back to School

I've been attending classes at Southwest Baptist University now for five weeks. Living in a dorm for the first time has been a great and very different experience. So far I have very few complaints about things, though I have come to realize that I'm one of the few people that goes to bed early and is quiet most of the time. Actually, my roommate and suite mates seem to be the only others... thank goodness it's them.
Classes have been good so far. I have been challenged more than ever before to make an effort in studying and paying attention in class. I finally feel like I'm in an institute of higher education. This basically means I have a ton more work to do. But all in all, I feel that I've been given the right tools to deal with and make the most of it.
Some of my classes were difficult to start off with. I don't agree with one of my teachers on the origin on of the universe, and considering he teaches my earth science class, this may prove to be a problem. At the beginning of classes, though, I decided that I should see the class through, and not drop it because I didn't agree with the teacher. I had expected that kind of disagreement at my previous school, a community college, but here, at a Christian school? I was somewhat shocked that the teacher would propagate such views.
Working on the school newspaper, the Omnibus, has been a great experience so far. I feel like I have a lot to offer, and that I'm not totally expendable. I constantly find myself doing too much, which is stressful. However, I think that I somehow get a rush from having so much responsibility landed on me. I can't do it all the time, but it gets done when I have to. Already I've had to deal with issues of politics and sensitive topics, and it makes me feel like I'm doing real world work, not just writing for a "school paper" that no one reads. (www.omnibusonline.com)
Soon this semester will be over and I'll being going crazy with something else that HAS to be done NOW, but now I'm going to just live in the moment and not worry about what's coming up later.

Change

In just two weeks I'll be moving into a dorm. This is a first for me, even though I've been in college for two years now. All the what-ifs attack me all the time; what if my roommate and I don't get along, what if I don't like it, what if there are too many distractions, what if I just plain hate it? I really have no idea what to expect.
A couple days ago I was freaking out about how to pay for school in time. I didn't have the money, and the deadline was approaching fast. I didn't know what to do. Today, I have peace that goes beyond understanding. I still don't have all the money, and I can't pay for the whole semester. But I have enough. I always have enough. I may not have all I think I need, and I definitely can't see what's coming in the future. But I have enough for now. God has always given me that.
Things still attack me, like fear and anxiety, but when I calm down enough to listen and remember, I remember that I have the peace I need. It's always there, I just don't always see it past my whining and struggling and claim it as my own.
So, dorm life, here I come. Give me your best shot, 'cause I'm on the winning Team.

Baby Birds

On the front porch there is a nest of baby birds just learning to fly. I got a chance to take some pictures today. There were three birds in the nest when I set up the stool and started to get on it, but as soon as I was up where they could see me, two of them flew away. The third cowered as low and flat as it could while I took some pictures. I got quite a few before someone came out and made just enough more noise to scare it into flying away also.