Today

Last night was Axcess, my church's weekly College Life meeting, so that meant I didn't get home until 11 pm -- which by extension meant 5 and 1/2 hours of sleep. Though usually wide awake upon hitting the floor, this morning I had to literally drag myself out of bed and crawl to the kitchen to make coffee. If you can, picture me stumbling to the kitchen, freakishly messy hair, eyelids slightly glued shut, running into things... it's like a scene from a horror movie.

I sat on the couch in a daze, coffee and Bible in hand, praying that the Lord would still reveal His truth to me despite my comatose state. I looked over my notes from last night's lesson. Shea started the four-week series, "The Missional Life," with loving God. Sounds simple, yet oh how profound that is! Here are some of my notes from last night:

Our love for God should be...

... earnestly holistic, not complacently compartmental.
- Jeremiah 29:13
When the soul does not feast on God earnestly in love, spiritual malnourishment
will show up in every area of life.
... personal obedience, not just private experience.
- John 14:21
- 1 John 2:5, 5:3
True love evidences itself in obedience.
... outwardly expressive, not inwardly passive.
- 1 Peter 3:15
... given out of the same cup from which it was first received.
- 1 John 4:19
- Luke 9:23

Even though I moved very slowly all morning, I managed to get to Statistics class on time (barely). I would have dozed off during the lecture had it not been for Professor Excited next door occasionally shrieking "Ahh-hahh!!"

British Literature would be fun -- had the professor shown up. School policy states that if the professor doesn't show up ten minutes after class should begin, then the students may leave. Some of us stuck around longer, so I took the opportunity to talk about Stonehenge, burial mounds, and Viking excavations, showing my remaining classmates photos from my trips to the UK and brochures I had saved from the Viking settlement in York. (Leave it to me to take over the class if the professor doesn't show up.) Thirty minutes into class time and still no professor, we faithful few finally dispersed.

I took the unexpected break to pay a visit to the coffee shrine... er, shop.

"How many shots of espresso would be considered lethal?" I asked Glenn, the coffee shop guy (and fellow believer).

"Umm... I would recommend you start with two." He passed me a small cup of steaming goodness (which I loaded with Splenda and creamer).

For some odd reason, I was extra alert for Spanish class... unlike the dude sitting next to me who fell asleep during lecture. I don't know how he made it into Intermediate Spanish; he always looks on at my notebook for a translation of the homework assignment (our professor rarely speaks English in class).

Lunch break found me in the company of a former classmate and friend, Danielle, and her posse. Our discussion ranged from the five-second rule (of which I demonstrated by dropping a raisin on the floor and then eating it -- much to the horror of everyone else) to dating and personal purity standards.

"I don't think I could do that," Danielle commented on my antiquated no-kissing policy.

Government was frustrating as usual -- not because I don't love the subject, but because I have a bunch of disrespectful classmates who use lecture time to visit amongst themselves or surf the web on their lap-tops. Even sitting on the front row does not lessen the distraction. I wanted to turn around and shout "SHUT UP!" but refrained because that might (slightly) mar my testimony. Maybe I'll talk privately with the professor to encourage stricter class policy so we can actually learn something. One of the girls actually asked what an oligarchy was!

Before History started, I got to chat for quite some time with one of my classmates. His name is Jonathan and he's one of those sweet, quiet, slightly nerdy types that most people overlook. (I always make it a personal goal of mine to seek out quiet loners and draw them out of their shells.) We discussed classes and our selected majors, which (naturally) lead to talking about international travel and mission trips.

"I went on a mission trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil," he told me.

"Oh, really?" my interest was immediately peaked. "How long were you there?"

"Two months, but I was supposed to be there two years." Jonathan had to leave because of health problems. I asked where he went to church. "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints," he answered.

"Oh, okay." I raised my eyebrows and said nothing more about the subject. I've got to read up on Mormonism again. Now I've got MOs (mission opportunities) in Spanish and History.

So that's today so far. I have another hour at home before I need to leave for work.