catch up.

Well hi everyone!

It's been a while. I thought I'd take some time to catch the world up on what's happening in Shelbyville.

As of four days ago, I am no longer a real-live college student. This was my last semester as a living on-campus, going to class full time, spending 99% of my time in Commerce, honest-to-goodness college student. I moved back home this week, and next semester I'll student teach, get certified K-12, and then graduate in December with my bachelors in Music Education before being set loose upon the world. I'm excited and anxious for student teaching; I'll learn a lot of useful things, and get to work with incredible people. For those wondering, I'll be in Tyler ISD for 8 weeks in elementary, then 8 weeks in White Oak ISD at the secondary level (MS and HS).

As far as this summer goes, I'm crazy excited for the things the Lord has prepared for me. My home church, FBC Liberty City, has created a position for me as the worship intern. Basically I'll get to be Bro. Keith's (our worship minister) shadow and try to absorb as many nuggets of knowledge that I can while I'm there. I'm reminded more and more through all of this how my entire life has been prepared for me. My God has a plan and I just need to stop worrying and walk in it (easier said than done sometimes).

So that's my life as of now. Now about this semester...

This past semester goes in the books as the most fun of them all. I got to lead worship at the BSM every week, learned how to country dance, strengthened old friendships and made so many new ones. I took chances, went on adventures, and had so much fun with so many awesome people.

Before I go on: My time at the BSM was a total Godsend. I had prayed and prayed for something to get my feet wet and back into worship leading and boom, right in my lap fell this opportunity. I can't even put into words how grateful I am for that time. He is truly the God who can do immeasurably more than we ever ask or imagine (eph 3.20).

As far as my entire time in college goes, I can't imagine my life without having gone the way I did. I learned SOOO much; not just in class, but in dealing with and living around people. I learned how to manage my money, and how to live and survive on my own.

I learned about human nature and the weaknesses most of us have and that we should love people in it instead of instinctively judging them for it (something He's still working in me). I learned that we're all insecure, and just want to be loved for who we are.

I gained a little gumption, and don't put up with as much as I used to. I learned when to shut up, but also learned that it's ok to speak up when something's not ok. I learned that there are so many types of people and personalities in the world, and that there actually are people (a very rare one or two) out there that get things the way I get things and laugh at all the dumb stuff I do.

Post-college life has me feeling refined and confident, but not complete. I know that feeling won't come until Paradise. I'm so happy and excited for the rest of my life. Let's do this.

 .

Januarygrams

I think I'm setting a pattern of tardiness with these posts, but I figured I had better post this newest one before February is behind us.

January was an incredible month, Passion 2013 being the highlight. I experience God in new and facinating ways each year at this conference, and this year He showed me a freedom in worship that I've never known and can't get over. The weekend before we got back to school, a friend who plays bass in the BSM praise band said they needed a lead singer this semester and asked if I'd audition. I got the position and it has been an amazing experience getting my feet wet in worship leading again. The people are great, and the preaching is God-breathed and straight out of scripture. Their hearts beat for the glory of God, and it's inspiring and encouraging to be a part of.

My recital is on March 24, and most of January was spent figuring out what songs I would do and practicing. I'm doing a joint-recital with two of my good friends, and I cannot wait. I never thought I'd be excited to perform a classical recital, but I'm out-of-my-mind excited. I'm seeing tons of progress in my vocal technique thanks to the magic ways of my voice teacher, Jennifer Glidden. Through her greatness and new freedom I'm finding in my voice, my nerves of performing really hard literature in front of 75 of my closest friends and family are at ease. My dress arrived today and we've solidified the order of the songs for the program. I ask for tons of prayer as the day approaches. I DO NOT want to forget my words!

I was a councilor for my home church's D-Now and that was an incredible experience. My group was 10th-12th grade girls and they were amazing. I saw so many of their lives change and many of them start to understand things of God they've never understood before which is miraculous to witness. Just more proof at how active and alive the Spirit of God is in this generation.

I also learned how to dance for the first time at a country dance hall in Commerce called the Drunken Mule (classy, right?). My friend Taylor started going last semester and has been begging me to go, so I went one night and had an absolute blast. We went as a group with several guy friends who already knew the turns and spins and they taught me all of that and how to follow the guy's lead. So.Much.Fun. Yeah, the place reeks of smoke and there are half-drunk girls in the bathroom screaming at their boyfriends who have just cheated on them, but going and dancing with a bunch of friends is crazy-fun. I normally hate country music, but dancing to it is fun! It feels like one of those things I can really only do in college, and I'm soaking up every bit of this good clean fun while I can. 

 

On to the Janu-grams!

PASSION 2013

The rest.

decembergrams.

December was a crazy, but cool month.

Crazy because it was dead week/finals and I've never had a more stressful end to a semester. So many projects and concerts and papers. But I got it done, and ended up with the best grades I've ever had in college so I guess I can't complain too much. Christmas was great and very restful, then it was off to Passion 2013 which I can't even describe in words. But that'll be in next month's instas.

On to the goods!

Shelby

I wonder...

I found this picture the other day buried in the mountain of pictures I have on Facebook. It was taken in a practice room at TAMU-C the day I auditioned for the second time, this time for placement in a choir. I had already been accepted to the music school, but this day was equally as important. My family were in to help me finish moving in, so they came with me to hear my audition.

This is one of my all-time favorite pictures because it is a perfect picture of my family and how we are. Dad messing around on the piano, and the rest of us cracking up because of something one of us probably said; maybe about his playing or maybe about something completely off-topic. I love that my mom captured this moment.

As I came across the picture on Facebook and remembered that day and what it meant, I noticed how familiar that practice room looked. In the music building at TAMU-C there's a long-ish hallway with large practice rooms to be used by piano and voice majors only. These six or seven rooms have the best pianos because vocalists and pianists use them the most (more than the instrumental or percussion majors). But best pianos or not, everyone still has their favorite; that one room you seek out before checking the rest for a vacancy. And my favorite just so happens to be the one pictured below. Crazy, huh?

I like it because it contains my favorite piano, the one my dad's playing in the picture. The weight of the creaky old Steinway's keys and the way the hammers and pedals respond is, in my opinion, perfect. The shape of the room is small and cozy (believe it or not, not all of these rooms are the same size), and the piano is placed so that you're facing the door. This is important because watching for people passing in the hall becomes pretty critical when you're practicing your tongue placement or picking your teeth.

I didn't choose the room because of this picture, it only just occurred to me that they're the same.

My brain, always looking for connections, goes immediately to what this could mean. I should probably dismiss it, but I don't believe in coincidence. I start to wonder if there's some kind of subconscious connection to this day and photograph with my preference to this practice room. I doubt it.

I've decided it's just one of those little grace things God works up to make us smile. Whether there's any meaning or significance to it doesn't really matter to me, it's just neat. It also took me to a place of realization, I guess. That picture was taken on basically my first day in Commerce. Now it's three years later and I'm about to start my last semester of classes there. Funny how time flies...

 

-Shelby

november instagrams

Hi readers!

I know December's basically over and all, but here finally come the November instagram pics. The beginning of this month was crazy so I'm just now getting time to blog and catch up. 

November was a crazy month. I got to go home for My sister's senior recital that basically blew my mind from beginning to end. Midterms brought way more stress than I'm used to for midterms, and the stress just compounded after that. Thank goodness for Thanksgiving break or I may have died. Speaking of Thanksgiving break, I had my 21st birthday that week as well and a glorious birthday it was. I got to spend lots of time with my family and went to dinner with my best friend. Afterwards a giant wave of "Holy mess, finals are in three weeks and I'm not prepared in the slightest," washed over me. I spent the rest of the break freaking out about all of the stuff I had to get done in those next three weeks, until my mom talked some sense into me and my pastor unknowingly spoke truth over my situation in his sermon the day before I left to go back to school. Funny how God works like that. The rest of November I spent burried in music and textbooks finishing projects, memorizing songs, and practicing minor scales until my fingers fell off (don't worry, they grew back). I am happy to say, since I am now on the other side, that all the hard work paid off and my GPA and I are still in tact. Glory.

On to the instas!

-Shelby