Day 5

Bob Jones University Competition - Day 5

So today was the last full day here at the college and I can truly say it's been a ride...good and bad. I've learned a lot...spiritually, musically, and personally. I'm sorry if this is all a repeat. It's just taken me very off guard. I didn't exactly come ready to learn and grow...it was more of "Oh, here's this thing that I'm sure if I want to go to and I just don't know what to expect". But I can go home...I truly believe that performing will be so much more of a breeze. It won't be worrying about what people think of my playing...no worries about being judged by my non-judging audience...no glory or praise for myself so then no high expectations to be dashed or myself to be disappointed if I don't make it to the place of the best. God has my whole future plotted out carefully...He didn't leave a single detail out. When I began I said it was bad...I mean bad as not bad bad...but more a good bad. It's taught me a lot here and one of those things is that people are not all that they appear to be. This is what I mean: a guy who I had first judged to be suave and rather a cool stud turned out to be a cruel bully who enjoyed teasing and tormenting the weaker ones. And yet a guy who I had first seen as a rather dork...kinda maybe a little slow...lead us in prayer tonight and God has blessed him greatly...he has great talent with and words and you could just tell that he was an extremely talented young man. The difference between these...I had pre-judged them with barely knowing them at all. I had made assumptions and those turned out to be vastly different. I wish I could apologize to someone for that stupidity on my part. Also on this trip I would say that I've come to see other sides of the people who came with me and that I've known for years. Sometimes those who are always happy and cheerful get tired and have to be the real them and so they are quieter and more thoughtful and spent...and because of that I'm sure they're mad at me for something. I start to think of everything I've said or done that might have set them off. I blame myself. Every word they say seems to be accusing or rude but in reality they are just so tired and spent. And a friend of mine who I feel like I tend to follow around wanted to spend quality time with me...that was huge to me. This is a friend who I respect and I always thought of myself as a little bug following her around, so I made it a point to make plans to be somewhere else or go elsewhere and yet she would ask if she could come too...that meant so much to me and I don't think she'll ever even know. So just the smallest of things can mean the biggest of things.

So onto my day...I was rudely woken this morning by this blaring alarm...I take that back. I was looking forward to sleeping in today so I didn't set my alarm clock. However, this stupid alarm went off and I rolled over and promptly fell asleep again just to be shaken a couple minutes by our RA who yelled at us to get out of the building right now...okay, maybe that alarm was a fire alarm...I'm homeschooled! How would I know? lol - okay, I did know it was..thanks to the flashing lights and loud loud constant buzzing. So I joined the numbers of other freezing half-asleep half-showered girls in the freezing cold (bare feet and pjs). We were out there for probably a half of an hour. During that time we had 3 firetrucks show up with an ambulance and a couple security vans. It just turned out to be a heater that got dust on it and started smoking...okay, I guess it's good to be safe, but still...it was COLD and I was sleeping! So that was my morning...after that I got a shower and we headed to breakfast. We just hung out in the morning mostly at the Student Center with the guys playing ping-pong. Then Derek, Seth, and I had orchestra. After that we hung out more...got lunch...hung out more...went and got our free t-shirts...changed clothes...hung out...got more food...played ping-pong...checked email...etc. Then we got all dressed up and headed off to the final concert. We've had about three of them in all...these would be comprised into sections and would be the top finalist of each section: preaching, inspirational speaking, acting ensemble, acting solo, string ensemble, string solo, brass solo, brass ensemble, woodwind solo, woodwind ensemble, female vocal solo, female vocal ensemble, male vocal solo, male vocal ensemble, piano solo, piano ensemble, handbell ensemble, percussion ensemble, Scripture reading, and alllll the other categories that I can't think of. Art isn't included because those are just consistently shown, not at one concert. In addition we have the choir, band, and orchestra that are comprised of the highschoolers who have had about 2-3 days of rehearsing to perform together in addition to their original performances. So that's what we had tonight...the last of these concerts. Our orchestra (like I said comprised of various students who came to the festival and all bonded together to make an orchestra) played two pieces, one of which I got to solo with the concert mistress so that was super fun and a really amazing experience for me. We did that tonight. After that we rushed off to play more ping-pong but I found myself a bit lonely so I came back pretty early to the dorm by myself. I got mostly packed up and showered and I'm ready for bed and it's still early! It's 10 pm! If we don't have any room devotions then I may just sleep now. Sleep has been evasive and I'm sick so it'd be a great idea. We headed out tomorrow once we pack the van and get on the road! We should be home either really really late tomorrow night or early Saturday morning. So now it's later...I've come back to finish this...Tori came back and so did our roommates and we had such good conversations! I think they were a good mixture of healthy, funny, and intelligent. I love those...where you leave them feeling so much lighter and wiser than before...also happy because you know people agree with you on such important issues. I meant to tell you this "story" earlier...but judging can you into so much trouble...I've known these two guys from my orchestra for quite some time...and I wouldn't say so much that I've judged them...but I just know them in a specific place and as a specific personality. One I found to be a complete gentleman (I had just known him as a quiet and interesting person...nothing bad) and now he has good humor and has a great laugh and gets involved! He knows how to make people comfortable and he has nothing but good words and a positive attitude for everything. The other one...is kind of one of the "cool guys"...not a bad thing...but he's a leader and pretty neat...if he hangs out with you or talks to you then you have officially made it to the "cool group". But this week...it's just opened my eyes! Sorry...I know I keep saying that, but it's true! This week I saw as he sang well at chapel...not only sang...but sang lovely harmony (his own made up harmony, but still not bad!). Cool guys don't go down levels to sing let alone sing harmony. But he did. Also, he brought his Bible to chapel...he brought it and read it and followed along. Now, I'm not saying that he isn't obviously Christian. But guys like him don't usually do amazing things like that! I found it so refreshing. He tends to be a prankster...one who has fun and loves to just enjoy life...pretty much has a smile always on his face and a joke for any situation. But tonight as we sat at a concert listening to the motivational speaker we started to talking about reading and language and communication and he was 100% serious...focused...just talking. I know it sounds weird but if you knew him you might understand. It was utterly fascinating. Anyways! All that sounds weird and if they ever thought like this then they'd be very creeped out. They already are thanks to being so near to me so often here at the college. But tomorrow we go home! I need to go to bed because my eyes are burning now - haha.

Here's to wishing you all the best of weekend! Chow! <3