Firsts, lasts, and things I wish I knew

Today is the first day of many last days.

Now before you start freaking out and think I'm going all suicidal, let me explain. I'm not suicidal. I promise. Today is just my last first day of college classes. Unless something unexpected happens.

Today is the first day of classes of my senior year! Last night my dorm hall had a meeting, and as a question, the RA (or Resident Assistant) asked us to tell what year we were in college. Oddly enough, the whole hall is Sophomores and Seniors. I was one of the seniors, and it was very hard to say "Senior" as my year, because I feel like, not only have I been here for forever, but I also just started. When I started college I felt as if I had forever in front of me. Now I feel like 4 years was almost too short. So I thought (just now) that I would tell anyone five things that I wish I knew as a freshman, or listened to as a freshman, even if I knew them. And these are not in any order, really.

One, always communicate with your roommate. Don't just say "hi" or "bye" or "can I get to my bed, please?" but actually communicate with your roommate. If he or she is doing something you really really don't like, tell them because other than that, how are they supposed to know how to fix it? They can't read your mind!

Two, family is important. Even if your mom or dad is calling you constantly, take the time to talk to them. They're your biggest support line when you don't have friends, and are making them. Plus, they might be helping pay for your bill. It never hurts.

Three, coffee is good in moderation. I don't drink it, but I've seen friends who drink it all the time and it wipes out their meal plans. Also, on the same note, don't pull more all-nighters than you need.

Four, don't procrastinate! Then you really won't have to pull all-nighters! If you look for it, you'll find people and resources to help you with your homework and the stuff you don't understand. I promise. Help is out there.

Five, talk to your professors. If they remember you, chances are your grades will improve, and not necessarily because they know you, but more likely because you know them, and have taken the time to get to know them.

I'm sure I could say more, but I've got class to attend soon, and people to see before that, so enjoy what school you have, and may God bless your coming school year. After all, he's the one who has the master plan in front of him.

The Original

So often we forget that people, humankind, is made in God's image. Even more often we forget that there is even a God behind the image, behind the creating of humankind, a God that demands worship, and we worship, instead the created, the finite, the fallen and broken, finding nothing but finite, fallen, and broken relationships and love.

Now, before you ask what prompted this post, I'll

tell you. I've been reading CS Lewis' The Four Loves and in the last chapter, he talks about Charity, the gift love, the love that is natural only to God. He also talks about how when we turn to God is the only time we'll find infinite, perfect, and whole relationships and love with one another. Here's a paragraph from his book that struck me.

"For the dream of finding our end, the thing we were made for, in a Heaven of purely human love could not be true unless our whole Faith were wrong. We were made for God. Only by being in some respect like Him, only by being a manifestation of His beauty, loving-kindness, wisdom or goodness, has any earthly Beloved excited our love. It is not that we have loved them too much, but that we did not quite understand what we were loving. It is not that we shall be asked to turn from them, so dearly familiar, to a Stranger [upon meeting them in Heaven]. When we see the face of God we shall know that we have always known it. He has been a party to, has made, sustained and moved moment by moment within, all our earthly experiences of innocent love. All that was true love in them, was even on earth, far more His than ours, and ours only because His. In Heaven there will be no anguish and no duty of turning away from our earthly Beloveds. First, because we shall have turned already; from the portraits to the Original, from the rivulets to the Fountain, from the creatures He made lovable to Love Himself. But secondly, because we shall find them all in Him. By loving Him more than them we shall love them more than we now do."

For some reason the last three sentences make me cry, with happiness. God truly is glorious in all he does. Who wouldn't love the original painting more than the portraits, or the copies? Especially if by studying the original you came to love the art work in the copies more? Praise God for His infinite grace and mercy and His gently turning me back towards Him in every little thing.