My favorite way to start my day...

It's quiet. It's early. My coffee is hot.
The sky is still black. The world is asleep. The day is coming.

In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.
For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day's demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I'm free to choose. And so I choose...

I choose love...
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I choose joy...
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to e cynical... the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I choose peace...
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live
I choose patience...
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I choose kindness...
I will be kind to the poor for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
I choose goodness...
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
I choose faithfulness...
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My companion will not question my love. And my family will never fear that I won't return home.
I choose gentleness...
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it only be in praise. If I clench my fist, may it only be in prayer. If I make a demand, may it only be of myself.
I choose self-control
I am a spiritual being... After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.

LOVE, joy, PEACE, patience, KINDNESS, goodness, FAITHFULNESS, gentleness, and SELF-CONTROL... to these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

-Max Lucado
(this book helped me survive New York and
still serves as a daily reminder of God's grace)

Jim Jarmusch...

Everything Starts Where It Ends...

J-term (a.k.a Interim) here at Bethel is finally over! While I loved the two classes that I chose to take for the month of January, it is so nice to have a new schedule again. I am really excited about the classes I signed up for this semester, especially because I will finally be getting to take classes within my major now that I have most of my generals wrapped up : )

...Here's my schedule in a nut shell...
Monday-Wednesday-Friday
Urbanism (I am really excited about this class, we are going to be learning about several aspects of poverty, I think this will be a really great class for me to take as I'm preparing to leave for Appalachia in March).
Sculpture II (I'm a little nervous about this class... I need to start brainstorming some ideas)

Tuesday-Thursday
Drawing (The class I am MOST excited about!!)
Making of Minnesota ( I feel like this class might be kind of lame... but it fills a required "L-course" so hopefully it's not too bad!
Senior Seminar ( I am extremely nervous about this class... yikes!)

"It's like there's a gun to your head... but you just kind of have to pretend it's not there."
- Dale Johnson, in regards to Senior Seminar

Another thing that I am really excited about for this semester is my new job as a teacher's assistant for the Painting course (No more Radisson!). I get to work for Dale Johnson, probably one of the nicest/funniest professors I have ever met. He makes the most incredible paintings!!!!! I really hope that I can learn a lot about painting from him this spring while hanging out in the studio! And hopefully I can get some of his advice for my projects for Senior Sem this semester. I'm starting to appreciate being able to work on campus and not having to drive to work everyday anymore, it's nice to be done with class and to be able to just walk to the library or art department : )