Surprise Party

The last week of school is approaching. It’s time to finish all the projects, hang out with all your friends, and try to pull an A in that crazy math class. As for tonight, it’s party time! My hall is about to throw a surprise party for the Growth Group Leaders this year. The girls work so hard to make sure they love on the freshman and on all the girls on the hall. The unpaid time they put into weekly meetings and prayer for spiritual growth for the girls can never truly be repaid through a party, but we are going to try. We have snacks and balloons picked out so we are set. The girls are going to go on a scavenger hunt and get clues from girls on the hall to their next destination. They will end up back on the hall with everyone waiting to give hugs and flowers. I am so thankful for the hall leadership this year. I love them all dearly and thank God for the impact they have had on my life.

SAB Blowout

What a long day I had! Today, I went to the Student Activities Board end of the year Blowout event. I was looking for relief from the loads of homework I was working on; therefore, I went to Beta field to enjoy the weather, blow-ups, Mr. GC contest, and a performance from Grace College's own two man band, Better in Plaid.
I raced my roommate through the blow-up obstacle course and fought her in the blow-up boxing ring. While I lounged on the grass, I listened to the group "Better in Plaid" perform a variation of acoustic songs, such as "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz, a favorite of mine. The Mr. GC contest gave me a couple of laughs when the contestants dressed up in 80's wear and had to answer questions about their experience at Grace. Congratulations to Steve Fowler, a freshman, who won the crowd with his soccer skills and fantastic fashions. Before returning to my homework, I went to the bonfire and relaxed in the atmosphere of a warm breeze, friends, and the glowing light of the fire. The SAB Blowout was an enjoyable vacation before we head into the last full week of school!

The Home Stretch

In exactly two weeks school will be done. I"m not going to lie, I'm excited. The last two weeks are often the hardest to concentrate and be productive. They are also the busiest as final projects, papers, and speeches are due. I've heard a lot of students say this week is harder than exam week. I would agree. So far this week I have done two projects, five papers, and over 60 pages in reading. Good times. 

These last couple of weeks are also when things start getting planned for next year. Leadership positions are finalized and housing is determined. It's a lot of work, but it helps to get the next year off to a good start. 

Housing Lottery or Ulcer Attack

So last night was Grace College's Housing Lottery. It was my first experience with the lottery and I didn't know what to expect. From previous years, I had thought there had been cat fights and tears and blood, so I went into it prepared for a fight. But the whole process was calm and collective and in the end, every one still had their teeth. Now the lottery did not go as I had hoped for me and was placed in one of my last picks. So the past day has been a stretching process for me, learning to accept what God has given me as a good thing. Now I really, really, really like to be in control and in a lottery situation...you are not in control at all. So this was God's way of telling me, 'hey jaimie, it's not all about you having control. I made you, I formed you, and I know what's best for you.' So while I am still trying to digest this lesson, I am continually being shown by God how amazing and loving He truely is. So remember this boys and girls: when you think everything is out of control and that you are about to have an ulcer, God has got your back, always has, and always will.

The Face Of Grace:
j-MO
(p.s. weather's getting better, if you live in the area come out for our baseball games! Home games Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 1! See you at Miller Field!)

Tin Caps

We have had some great weather here at Grace lately. This weekend was beautiful and students came out from hibernation. Everyone was outside running and biking by the lake, tennis golf was going around campus, and everyone was out on the grass doing some reading and homework for the end of the semester. Spring is such a beautiful time of the year with everything in bloom and amazing sunsets over the lake again. I was especially thankful for the nice weather this past Friday. My hall, along with my brother hall decided to go to Ft. Wayne to a Tin Caps’ game. The Tin Caps are the minor league baseball team in Ft. Wayne. They have a brand new stadium in downtown and it was a perfect night for baseball. We all piled in vehicles and headed to Chipotle and then the game. We had great seats right down third base line where the 25 of us hung out and watched the Tin Caps beat Dayton, Ohio. It was a great night to get closer with our hall mates and our brother hall and enjoy the beautiful spring weather.

Only at Grace College...

I attended a funeral today. It was a service to celebrate the life of a well-loved brother, father and grand-father who will be sorely missed. Many students came to honor the family today with their presence and comforting support. What was the connection?

This man was the father of our music theory professor. Not a family member, not a close friend or even a peer. A teacher, our professor. It was such a beautiful service, but what also struck me was the beauty in the crowd itself. Family, close friends, and us...the students. Where else does community play such a large part than in the family of God, encouraged by a college with such an emphasis on relationship as Grace does? I was so glad to be called a Grace College student today, and be counted among those who cried with our beloved prof and his family over the loss, and rejoiced with them for the memories and laughter they shared!

At the beginning of this year in chapel we were challenged to become a campus of lovers (all right you immature ones, get the giggles out and then come back to read the rest of this ;)... I believe today was one example of love freely given and received because we are alive in Christ and have answered His call to to be lovers! :)

Carpe Diem!
Elly

Fabulous Fee Concert

What a great way to start another Lancer Day. The Steve Fee concert was spectacular as approximately 800 attended this concert in the award-winning Orthopaedic Capital Center. Then, today, our guests were treated to an informational day on campus that included a special tour of campus, chapel, and interaction with faculty and staff.

The Lancer Day program has been a huge success this year. If you haven't participated in the past, be sure to check our website for future Lancer Day opportunities. You enjoy them, I promise!

What a comeback!

Last saturday, our baseball team had a double header against Taylor University. While our boys have put in a good effort over the past season, there haven't had many wins to show for it. I have been a faithful baseball attender (well at least the home games) since a few of my close friends play on the team. Loss after loss has occured, so by saturday we as the fans were pretty discouraged. It gets the bottom of the seventh inning and the score is 9 to 1 in their favor. I, at this point, had gone to the fence in left field and decided to take a short nap, since there was another game to follow. As I'm laying there staring up at the clouds trying to make shapes out of them, I hear it...CRACK! It was a home run hit by Ryan Combs which brought our score up to only being down by five. By the end of the inning we had scored 8 runs, including hitting two home runs, the other hit by Brent Easterday! The atmosphere was filled with excitement, you should have seen our boys jumping up and down shouting encouragement out to their fellow teammates! We ended up pulling off three more runs to beat them in the 9th inning. Let me tell you, there was pure joy flowing throughout of our boys. It was well worth it to sit through the three hours and even have a burnt nose, just to be able to enjoy the moment with them.

:)
-jMO: the face of Grace

-Steve Fee tomorrow!!!!!!!!!

Proverbs 30:26

It’s a Sunday night and I am exhausted. The weekend has been crazy busy, but filled with a lot of fun. Junior/Senior banquet was on Friday night which was AMAZING food and fellowship. Then Saturday was a fun time watching the boys’ volleyball team and hanging out with the brother hall watching March Madness. Even though it was a great weekend, I have something else on my mind this evening as I’m fighting off the Zzzzz.
So today I learned something very interesting from a friend about an animal in the Bible. I bet you have never heard of a Hyrax! If you have, I’m VERY impressed. My good friend Val is an amazing artist and likes to color me pictures (yes we are in college). There is picture that she colored for me that I was unsure of exactly what it was. It kind of looks like a camel and a cow mixed with a llama. Anyways, coming across the word hyrax, we thought maybe this would explain the interesting picture. I must find out what a hyrax is so what do I do….I Googled it of course! Expecting an animal from the camel family, to my surprise was a strange little creature that I must say is rather scary looking. Kind of looks like a groundhog gone wrong. It’s no wonder why people weren’t allowed to eat it in the Old Testament. I wouldn’t pick a fight with that thing.
I’m sorry you took the time to read this blog. I know the picture is so intriguing you had to read. Now when you are reading through, Leviticus, Psalms, and Proverbs (yes that little guy hyrax is mentioned in all three) you will know what a hyrax is. Oh the things one learns at college!!

The Sad Little Music Major

Tonight is the Junior/Senior banquet. Many couples and groups of friends are going to be dressing up and making their way to a fancy dinner banquet soon. I'm not going. =( I was going to, but then my 'date' accidentally (question mark?) gave our tickets away?? Haha. What a spazz. So now I am spending my Friday evening practicing for my solo voice recital which is in 2 1/2 weeks. I sound a little bitter don't I? So sorry, I really wasn't that attached to it besides the fact that this would be my last banquet before I graduate. It is always a lot of fun because you can hang out with a lot of friends and I don't know about you, but I always LOVE an excuse to dress up and go out on the town! :)

Anyway, I wanted to go tonight but it will also be good for me to get some more memorization done and work on my songs, which I am very excited about. This month is so full of music opportunities! The musical is coming up in a couple weekends, and there are several music seniors giving recitals towards the end of April. My hearing (which is a performance of my recital for the faculty so they can pass me to give my recital) is now this Tuesday morning. Yikes! *Adrenaline starts pumping* If you think about it, say a little prayer for me I know it will probably be fine but I'm still pretty nervous. AND, if I pass, please come to my recital! I am singing some absolutely gorgeous music by composers Mozart, Debussy, Mahler and Bolcom. It will be Saturday, April 25th at St. Anne's Episcopal Church - 4:30pm.

Be there or be...a loser. ;)

Till then,
elly

The great Grace water balloon fight

My team didn't win, but we had a great time. It was a fantastic campus-wide event. Next year the team from enrollment will win the tournament. I promise!

The Great Grace Water Balloon Fight

   Not only is today April 1st, but it is also the day the Millennial Scholars Academy hosted The Great Grace Water Balloon fight. The Millennial Scholars Academy is a leadership development program here at Grace. I am a member of the MSA and also on the MSA Social Committee. As a result, I was one of the people who helped planned the event. 

   We set up the fight dodgeball style. It was single elimination with 7 minutes per round. Students signed up for teams led by faculty. The turn out was great! There were 9 teams that competed. The prize? A nome statue to be passed around among winning teams in future years. It sounds weird I know, but it fits with other campus awards... like the duck statue and stuffed giant rainbow trout for winning teams during the Hall T-Shirt Chapel. 

   I wasn't able to be there the whole time because of other commitments. I stopped by the event and found the event very entertaining. There is nothing like seeing faculty and students throw water balloons at each other! It was a great way to kick off April. 

AHHH!!!!!!!!!!!1

So my week has been ridiciously busy! 1 12 page paper, 2 finals, and 2 exams! All the work I haven't been doing is finally catching up to me :( But as I am reminding all my friends that I am going to extremely cranky, I was kindof slapped across the face by God. I was reminded that this is when I need God the most! Just because I'm having a rough week doesnt mean that the people around me have stopped watching me. Just because I'll be averaging 2 hours of sleep a night, doesn't mean the I have the right to be a jerk to my friends that care about me. It's how we as Christians act when we are down or having an awful week that our true character comes out and that is how people percieve us. So this is just a brief reminder that even though you might be having a tough week that doesnt mean we get to be a tool, but rather that God is still there and he will give us the strenght to get through each day.

- jMO