The Sound of Settling

It seems like forever since I've posted! How was everyone's first week at school? Anyone unfortunate enough to have tests? I know my roomate Miranda had one on Friday. Some days I'm so glad to be an Engineer not a Nurse. They're a special breed haha. I know- my mom is one too.

As for me, I have already had a pop quiz, but it was the best kind: open book, open notes, and open classmates. I think I'm gonna like Linear Algebra :) Shout out to Matt Smarsh for helpin' me through it! You're the best.

I can't believe it's almost September. Summer is slipping away :( I think it's time to reminisce about the slow, sweet days of summer. Let me introduce you to the awesomeness that is Creationfest!!

If you've never been, like I hadn't before this last summer, you probably don't get why I'm making such a fuss about it. Well I can't really tell you why YOU should go, but I can tell you why I went. I went because: I love camping, and we spent three nights camping surrounded by the beautiful Washington scenery...

And I had heard about Creation before and was always curious, hey it was my "summer of trying new things" so why not!? No I wasn't having one of those "Yes Man" moments haha, I just figured a little churchin' would do me good... Man was I right...

I know some of you don't really know me all that well, besides bein' the blonde chick who blogs for Montana Tech haha, so you wouldn't quite be able to understand my personal journey with God, or with self-discovery, and growing to become a better person through the good times and the bad. Side note- I think through every experience in our lives we have a choice: to let the situation determine our happiness, attitude and actions; or to dig deep and gain patience, wisdom and kindness by maintaining our moral character. Often times, if you choose the later, you'll end up with stronger character, and the next time adversity comes your way you'll be better prepared to handle it in a graceful way- which is absolutely always the harder option.

This summer, although I was blessed with many AMAZING opportunities and experiences, I had some adversities too. I had a misunderstanding with someone (which led to me moving a couple weeks before my internship was over), and I feel like I handled it with much more grace than I would have if I didn't have a strong enough moral code to handle tough situation. I am blessed to have grown up in a good home, that engrained in me the basics of good moral character. But it's soooo important to realize, that the small things you do, day by day, are making you the person that you'll be tommorrow. Have you ever heard the quote:

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. 

 Watch your words, for they become actions.

 Watch your actions, for they become habits.

 Watch your habits, for they become character.

 Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

 
It's so true don't you think? I've found that I easily slip towards being overstressed, anxious, impatient, and uncaring if I don't surrounding myself with good people, only listen to good music, and take time to pray and thank God for all He's blessed me with. That's why I went to CreationFest: to listen to awesome music, and to praise our Awesome God! Can I get a hallelujah amen haha.
 
The whole point of Creationfest is a "Tribute to our Creator," and it was just that for me. It was a time for me to rediscover what is important in life- and what isn't, a time to decide truly in my heart that I will choose to love even when the world gets hard, and a time to let go of all the burdens I've carried about striving to be perfect, and aways doing things the best way.
 
Music has a crazy way of bringing out all the emotions that you need to feel, but never really addressed. The power of music is not to be underestimated. Kari Jobe, one of the worship leaders at Creationfest, said "I am moved by people's lives and stories, and I am amazed by who God is and who He says that we are. Music becomes a way to minister to people in times of trouble, to lead them to the feet of Jesus who can bring peace, life, hope and healing."
 
Here's some of the highlights of my experience there, as always, in pictures :)

The main stage

Our awesome group :)

We sang our hearts out...

...And Tom needed a lil' napper afterwards haha

~Switchfoot~

Check out the levitating stage sections the guitarsists are on!

Obviously, I'm excited to be there ha-ha

Danielle and I chillin @ our picnic area waiting for the next concert

AirOne monkeys!!

The last day :(

Candlelight vigil... this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!

~God made you, God loves you. Peace and love my friends, see you all at school on Monday. Have a great rest of the weekend! Don't forget to get outside and enjoy nature's beauty while you still won't freeze your fingers off doing it :-P

Can you DIG it?

As you well know, Montana Tech is pretty awesome. Oh wait I'm sorry, do you need convincing? You do go to school here don't you? At some point in your past you thought it was a good idea to come to Butte, hike up and down the hills of the "mile high city" in blowing snow, live in perilous danger of slipping and falling on the iced steps (yes, someone saw you), and get schooled on all that is Oredigger.

Maybe you aren't actually a student here. If not, you at least know someone who is (perhaps your truly), you work here (shout out to the profs! I'll see you in a week), or you're just bored enough to read some college kid's blog (in which case I'm worried about your social life. At least you aren't playing Farmville). However, this is all "Erroneous! Erroneous! Erroneous on both counts!" Allow me to let someone else do the talking, besides (my comments) of course. Hey, it is my blog. This is from a Montana Tech email, but shortened:

MONTANA TECH RECOGNIZED BY THE PRINCETON REVIEW

Butte, MT – Montana Tech is in The Princeton Review’s “The Best 373 Colleges" and one of “2011 Best Colleges: Region by Region.” Now on the 19th edition of the book, Montana Tech has been on the list 11 consecutive times. (Booyah! 11 out of 19 ain't bad) 

Montana Tech is a "BEST IN THE WEST” College (again according to the Princeton Review). The 120 colleges that The Princeton Review chose for its "Best in the West" list are located in fifteen states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. U of M is the only other Montana university listed. (This is the cool part-->) For this project, The Princeton Review asked students attending the schools to rate their schools on several issues--from the accessibility of their professors to quality of the campus food -- and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students, and their campus life. (So some Techie out there said they like it here, proving my point of Tech's awesomeness) However, The Princeton Review doesn't rank colleges, it just lists them. (which insults the competitive parts of me, I mean come on: If you aren't first you're last!)

Tech's true merit as an educational facility is not a measure of educational quality at all, but of the "coolness" of our mascot. I'm kidding of course, but again, the competitive side of me is glad to be on this list:

THE 20 COOLEST-NAMED COLLEGE SPORTS TEAMS YOU MAY NEVER HAVE HEARD OF (NAIA EDITION)

We came in at  #8:

I recommend reading the whole list, it's quite entertaining to see what crazy mascots some schools have. Who thought of these!? Poor, poor Southwestern College Moundbuilders. There's no recovering from that one.

Drum roll please! Number one goes to: EVERGREEN STATE GEODUCKS

Hmmm, wonder why. Actually this is weird for me because I was born in Olympia, WA. So two schools I'm associated are on this list. What a proud moment! :D Although,

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about our school's acclaim. I sure feel all warm and fuzzy... can't wait to go back... :/ Go Diggers!