Is it Spring yet?

Like most of the country Blacksburg has been experiencing bitter cold temperatures the past few weeks (without snow unfortunately) until today. The temperature on weather.com reads "Feels like 57" and I couldn't be happier. Apparently the rest of the town feels the same way. Nic & I went to grab some lunch and run into Kroger around noon today and the traffic was K-razy (although I must confess no where even close to traffic on 1-76 in Philly on a Friday afternoon)! As I look out my office window there is still a steady stream of cars as it has been since 10 am this morning (some even disobeying traffic laws- a red octagon sign means STOP people). It would seem that it's not just me that's ready for some warmer temperatures! I like my four seasons don't get me wrong but sometimes in the middle of freezing January it's nice to get a break-my spirits are lifted and people are just nicer in general. Nic & I both got to enjoy the nicer weather a bit too, his in the form of frisbee on the Drillfield and mine a brisk walk on the Huckleberry. So whatever your thoughts may be on the weather ahead of us- here's to the smell of fresh cut grass and the sound of baseball bats clicking!

A New Semester

It's a good feeling to have survived one semester of life in campus ministry. Entering our second semester here at VT, I have much less anxiety and troubling uncertainty about what my life and work will look like. April and I have been asked on a few occasions if this first semester went how we expected it to go. I would say that we had very few expectations coming in, other than the fact that our lives would feel very different from how they did when we were in Philadelphia. Although every day seems to bring a new surprise, it is a reassuring feeling to me to have a general feel of what I'll be getting into this semester. For me, a person who is generally uncomfortable in social situations where I don't know anybody, coming into the semester having relationships with many of the students involved in our ministry makes things feel much easier. I'm looking forward to the chance to go deeper in some of my relationships instead of spending my relational energy remembering names and recognizing faces.

The winter break was a good time for me to have some reflection on the past months and some general goal-setting for the next few months. We have another week of work before students will start coming back and starting class again. It's been a good time to get some projects done around the BCM building (including cleaning out our cluttered basement), and also a time to get a head start on planning some of our Bible studies and programs. For some reason, I still feel apprehension about the upcoming semester and what it will entail, but I have a lot of excitement and hope to see what God is going to do in me and through me as I grow in my role here at the BCM.