Despite the fact that I have finished my music minor, I am still having a lot of fun with music so far this summer. I bought a fiddle book, and it has been fun to learn to play “fiddle”! I am also learning to play a little bit of clarinet and flute, thanks to my mom and Rebecca. And my dad keeps asking me if I’m ready for my trumpet lesson yet. haha I guess he feels left out.

This past week I did a lot of preparation for my summer music camps at Maranatha (in June and July), but I still have a lot of planning to do still. I am very excited to be teaching music to kids this summer. After this past year, my focus was starting to turn more towards my Elementary Education major, and I decided that I don’t want to teach music; I want to teach kindergarten. But I don’t think I can say what exactly I want to teach because I have a feeling God has some surprises in store for me.

I brought my bag of all my supplies for my camps (including books, videos, and tapes) in to Maranatha last week to get them approved. You should have seen how excited Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Truesdell got over just looking at all the stuff I have prepared. I’m pretty sure that I want to come back and teach at Maranatha after I get my degree, and as I was standing there showing them everything, I realized that with my talent in music, they will probably want me to do some kind of music there. I don’t know that for sure, but I just have that feeling about it. Mrs. Miller even jokingly asked, “how many years do you have left??”

It’s not like I wasn’t trying to follow God’s will before, but I think I’ve been trying to pinpoint exactly what I want to do too much. I know that I want to teach kids, and I know that I want to teach what’s most important: Jesus Christ. But other than that, I’m going to follow God’s leading and see where He puts me. I would love to teach kindergarten, and you know I would include a lot of music in my classroom, but I also think teaching music would be fun as well. And technically, when I graduate I will be highly qualified to teach music because of my minor.

I’ve often feel inferior to the music majors because I only have a minor. I feel like I’m not as well-equipped as they are, and I feel that they would look down on me if I wanted to teach music. But really, I have just as much talent as they do (I’ve proved that by being in the USO and not being last chair even!), and I have a passion for teaching children. If God leads me to teach music someday, I will, and He will help me to teach it well!

In the past couple of weeks, I completed my second year of college (and reached the halfway point!) and I have been to Spain and back! Spain was an AWESOME experience, especially getting to perform with UNC’s Symphony Orchestra 3 last times! I’m now moving on from music since I completed my music minor this past semester and focusing on my elementary education major. It does make me very sad, though, because I’m not sure what exactly will happen with my music (specifically, violin). I love playing my violin in orchestra, and this will be the first time since I joined the Front Range Youth Symphony orchestra back when I was a sophomore in high school that I won’t be playing in an orchestra. I’m still going to take lessons next year, but already I’ve had trouble motivating myself to play. I even bought a fiddle book, which has helped some. I guess it’s always hard to keep practicing in the summer no matter what. But I guess I shouldn’t worry about the future. And I can’t live in the past either. But Spain was awesome, and I made lots of memories!

Lord, give me love, unfailing love. Without You, I am not capable of loving anyone. I pray that You would help me love, even when it hurts.

Lord, give me joy. Joy is hard to find in difficult situations, but You have told us to be joyful always and to give thanks in all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) I pray that You would fill my heart with joy.

God, help me to have peace. I get so anxious during trials, but You are a God of peace. Calm my heart and help me to know that You are the giver of peace and that You have everything under control. Everything, no matter how bad it seems, happens for a reason, and all things work together for good to those who love You.

Patience. I have struggled with patience ever since I can remember. Patience is something I need now more than ever. Please give me patience, and help me to be joyful during trials and to endure.

Lord Jesus, give me kindness towards others. On my own, I cannot be kind. I pray that You would fill my heart with every kind thought and word so that I can spread it to others.

Lord, You are so good. You alone are worthy of my praise because You are the only good thing. I am so sinful by nature, and I am ashamed when I take things into my own hands. Please forgive me. Help me to be filled with goodness.

“Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?” (Proverbs 20:6) Lord, I have been told that I am a faithful friend, and I have often thought of myself that way. But I know that I am only faithful by Your grace alone. Please help me to be faithful to those I love, even when they hurt me. Lord, help me to remember that You are the only one who can make me a faithful friend.

Lord, my words sound so harsh sometimes when I try to speak in love. Give me gentleness of speech and of character. Speak through me when something must be said, and may my words be spoken with Your gentleness.

God, I do not have self-control on my own. Please help me to control my anger. Give me self-control in my actions and in my words. Help me to turn to You and to trust You with all my heart in every situation.

Lord, so often I feel that I accuse others of their wrongdoing without first examining myself. Please forgive me for my sins, and help me to worry about myself before I turn to accuse others of their sin. I am as sinful as anyone else, and it is only by Your grace that I am saved. Lord, please work in my life. Help me to seek You and to strive to become more and more like You each day that I live. Help me to share Your love, Your joy, Your peace, Your patience, Your kindness, Your goodness, Your faithfulness, Your gentleness, and Your self-control. I love you.

~Amen.