A Long Time

It’s been a long time, or at least a relatively long time… How long is a long time? If you mean the time since I’ve written, considering the fact that I intended to write almost every day, and it’s been almost a month since I last posted then yes it has been a long time. If you mean the time since I’ve been home and seen you all, three months and twelve days, I would also consider that a long time. Well, I can now reset both of those counters, because I’m posting now, and I’ll be home late Wednesday night!

Since I last posted, I have had one major Physics test, one major Microeconomics test and two papers for my Gospel, Church and Culture class. On the 18th, Glee Club had its first practice for Brahm’s Requiem with Maestro John Nelson, who is a conductor who graduated from Wheaton and Juilliard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nelson_(conductor). He’s really a great conductor in just about every way. He has a great ear, and a great personality. Last week we had two two hour practices and three three hour practices, plus the performance. It was a ton of time, and by the end my voice was gone, and I was pretty tired and a little behind on my homework, but it was well worth it. You may know that a Requiem is a song traditionally performed at a funeral. Brahm’s wrote this requiem with some really fitting scripture references and the way he ties it in with the music is really incredible. I do not think I could have appreciated it nearly as much if I had not needed to perform it (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahms_Requiem).

There have been several other concerts on campus as well. Keith and Kristyn Getty performed here a few weeks ago. Not only did I get to go to their concert, I also visited a class where Keith Getty talked about how he writes songs. In case you do not recognize the names, the Getty’d wrote “In Christ Alone” and several other “modern hymns.”

As for academics, my Physics class has started studying relativity. If you want a brief overview of what I’m studying the rest of the semester, take a look at this: http://www.onestick.com/relativity/. I showed it to a few guys on my floor the other day and it blew their minds. In my microeconomics class, we have been going back and forth between using a textbook and two other books, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger and Godly Materialism. Then discussing them in class. They are both very interesting books with very different perspectives. To summarize briefly, the first says that American Christians have too much wealth, considering how extremely impoverished people across the world are and that we need to give more of our money away. The second talks about how God wants people to enjoy wealth and that a constant sense of guilt for any excessive material possessions takes away some of the pleasure God wants us to take in the wealth he has blessed us with. I think I would agree with both of those summary statements, but there are some really thought provoking, subtle issues involved.

Once again, I am sorry for not posting for such a long time. I hope you all have a marvelous Thanksgiving, and I hope to see you soon!