SSSP #14

I have literally tried 6 different times to upload pictures tonight.

Someday. Someday, my friends, blogger will once again let me show you Spring Sing pictures.

Until that day, I'm going to hunker down and try my hardest to survive the ice and snow currently piling up outside my window. (Just kidding. There is no snow. Or ice. I just like to sensationalize.)

SSSP #13

Stocking up for ice storms + being slightly sick + grandparents' birthdays + CD release show + finishing Hunger Games = No Spring Sing picture yesterday.

Oops! (Worth it, though.)

But I did want to share with you some words from an email.

"Gotcha. Thanks Karissa. You're really rocking the club coordinator job ;)"

That's right. I copied and pasted that straight from the email. I am ROCKING the club coordinator job. (Hopefully this is true and this particular person wasn't just trying to suck up. I'm gonna go with the true scenario.)

Expect the pictures to be back on track tonight.

SSSP #12

Well I don't have a picture for you tonight because blogger is being ridiculous.

Really the only major thing Spring Sing-wise today was that I interviewed for a Talon article.

Now if that's not big-time, I don't know what is.

SSSP #11

Gamma Rho learned the Can-Can tonight!

 And was then graced with Kappa's presence as Jacob read a story of the origins of Gamma's theme. 

A Year of Hair

I have always been that girl that measures years 

by things that aren't actual calendar years.

For instance, in high school most of my years were measured by Sooner Youth Camp. When a new camp session would come, it would mark a new year for me. Every. Year.

In college, it's been more of a mixture of things: 

jobs, relationships, classes.

But this past year, it was hair.

A year ago today - I chopped my hair off. 

This might not seem like a big deal to you, but I have also always been the girl (up until college) that gets her hair cut different every single time she gets a hair cut (which is about every six weeks). 

But for some reason, I had decided to grow my hair out and had been working on it for 3 years. 1/7th of my life. 

Until January 27, 2010 rolled around and 

I decided upon waking to cut it off. 

I only told 3 people and went that same day. 

Getting my hair cut changed my life.

(And yes. I'm probably being slightly dramatic. What's new?)

So please, join me in a recap of my last year in hair. 

(Even though it starts in November. 

I had to give you something to compare!)

Idabel Weekend 2009:

 Friends' Thanksgiving 2009:

 New Year's Eve 09-10:

 Dodgeball Tournament

January 2010 (last picture with long hair):

 Spring Sing 2010:

(It's gone!)

 Pi Banquet 2010:

 July 4, 2010:

 Sometime in November 2010:

 Last night, January 26, 2011:

It has been quite a year with short hair. 

I've lived and loved and everything in between. 

And you know what? 

In this moment, I don't think I would trade the past year for anything. 

Because when it all boils down to it, I am more like God on January 27, 2011 than I was on January 27, 2010. 

He certainly knows what He's doing.

Even when I don't. 

SSSP #10

You're right.

This isn't Spring Sing.

My besties came into town tonight so we hit up the Cha.

But the reason I'm showing you this in relation to Spring Sing is in illustration of how Spring Sing never sleeps. 

While at this lovely establishment, I had to take care of some things back on campus via telephone (i.e. (or is it e.g.?) doors being locked). 

It's ok, though. I like the power. 

SSSP #9

This look just demands respect. Right?

So maybe Tuesdays are shower nights. 

And maybe I don't want to do my hair or makeup again 

after I've showered for the night.

And maybe I just want to wear sweats.

And maybe it makes me look insane when I go 

to check on club practices.

And maybe my roommate thinks it's weird that I periodically ask her to take pictures of me purposely cutting off my head. 

And maybe clubs judge me when I walk in.

And maybe I uttered the words today 

"I'm ready for Spring Sing to be over."

But it's ok. Tuesday will be over soon. I will sleep soon. And tomorrow I will wake up loving Spring Sing again. 

Maybe. 

SSSP #8

Lucky you.

3 pictures tonight.

The first: This Unity Eagle has a broken wing.

And I have a date with some Super Glue.

 The next: The lovely executive director and myself.

She's crazier than I am. Just read her blog. 

 And the last: The real Spring Sing Sneak Peek

Every Monday at 8:30 I run a meeting for all the Club Directors. We schedule practice times, pick blurb hosts, talk about practices... basically anything the Directors need to know comes from me. The meetings last anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours. Exhausting, but kind of fun. Sometimes.

Spring Sing Sneak Peek #7

You get two pictures tonight to make up for my "boring" post yesterday.

The top: Pi Zeta Phi.

Really what I want you to notice about this picture is the thing the girl on the far right is holding in her right hand. 

That's right.

A nerf gun.

To shoot people if they talk.

Pi gets things done.

The bottom: self-explanatory.

Sometimes my job consists of taking out trash. 

SSSP #6

That's right. I did almost nothing Spring Sing related today. Literally the only thing I've done for it was take 3 phone calls (actually, I was woken up by those 3 calls) and send one email. I'll take the off-day. It might be my only one until March 7th.

SSSP #5

As you can see, it was a slow Spring Sing day.

But every day I answer anywhere from 1-200 (or it seems like that) emails about everything from practice rooms to themes to ticket sales.

Exciting life. I know.

In other news...

If you have never before watched your shadow dance in perfect sunlight on a cold winter day, you really need to get out more.

Or become friends with this girl.

SSSP #4

I give you... Psi Epsilon.

I think theirs was the most fun practice I've been to so far. 

Spring Sing? Fun? 

I know. Mind-blowing.

In thee, o Lord...

Should I be doing my song sheets for Voice?

Yes.

Am I?

No.

Should I be doing my Spanish or Chemistry or Psych or Western Thought homework?

Yes.

Am I?

No.

Should I be doing something Spring Sing related?

Probably.

Am I?

No.

You get the picture.

But I'm not doing any of those things because I just can't stop thinking about the way the Lord worked in my life yesterday and I just need to share it. The story I'm about to share isn't a big deal. In fact, it's a very small deal in the scheme of things. But if you can't trust Him in the small things - what can you trust  Him in?

So a situation arose yesterday that had me a little anxious. One of those times when you just look up and say, "Really, God? That's how You chose to handle this?"
(And don't I say that all the time? Like I created the universe and know how to work it perfectly? Sheesh.)
Anyway, I wasn't planning on going to Wednesday night Bible class because I was so tired, but the Spirit kept pushing me to go. Upon arrival, the situation that had arisen earlier in the day escalated slightly. Enough to make my stomach hurt. Enough to make me anxious. The panic attack was on its way. Because of this situation, I hadn't been listening to what song I was singing along with everyone else. But I decided to put it out of my mind and just be in the moment.

The first words I sang?

I will trust You. I will trust You alone. 

Trust. My word. My hard, little word. Will I really trust You alone?

Back to the situation (because my hard, little heart sometimes need a breakdown before it listens) - then back to the music.

Next words?

In thee, o Lord, I put my trust.

It happened with like 4 different songs before I finally got His message. (I mean, really? How many times can you sing about trust on a Wednesday night?)

I. Can. Trust. Him.

I can trust Him to fix the mundane situations I put myself in. I can trust Him to fix my broken relationships. I can trust Him to plan my future even when it seems overwhelming to me.

I can trust Him. 

And so today, just like this year, I choose trust.
And tomorrow, I'll choose trust again.
And again and again and again.
Because somehow I keep forgetting.

But how blessed am I to serve a God that never forgets to remind me? 

SSSP #3

1st place, baby! 

Just kidding. The trophies have to be collected each year and... something is done with them. I'm not sure. 

That part's not in my job description. 

(I would be lying if I told you I didn't feel completely awesome holding the 1st place trophy. Hey. A girl can dream.)

Spring Sing Sneak Peek #2

Well tonight I was going to show you a picture of the freshmen practicing, but those little babies were so responsible that they left early AND completely reset the Caf correctly. Hallelujah.

Spring Sing Sneak Peek #1

Last year I didn't do such a great job of documenting Spring Sing.

There are various reasons (ranging from the mundane to the fascinating) for this that I don't care to elaborate on a public website.

However, I have decided to make an effort to better document my involvement in Spring Sing this year.

Therefore, let me welcome you to your Spring Sing Sneak Peek (or SSSP) #1.

Every Monday at 7:00 pm I attend an Executive Meeting with the people you see here. (Plus a few others.)

Definitely fun, sometimes productive times. 

Today I...

• went to New Testament, Spanish, and Chemistry
• loved chapel
• FINALLY sang all of Rotala correctly (a Chorale thing)
• planned a fantastic website
• went to Developmental Psych and Western Thought
• laughed hysterically on the way to Chic-fil-a with new, great friends
• finished a headband
• slept through Masterclass
• played with puppets with 2nd graders
• saw best friends who were up for a visit
• was brave
• watched the Bachelor
• laughed til it hurt with wonderful girls

Today I had an absolutely fantastic day and just needed to write it down so I'll remember. 

Up at 6:30 - check

Practice before classes - check

Know all my class locations - check

I have never been this prepared (nor this cold) on a first day of school. 

What is happening to me?

My Word

Apparently the trend is for New Year's Resolutions to be out. I get that. Resolutions are hard to keep. If they were easy we would already be doing them and we wouldn't need resolutions.

For a couple years, spurred on by a youth minister, I made New Year's Covenants. Sometimes those were awesome, but more often than not they were awful because of the horrible guilt I felt after breaking a Covenant. (Much more serious than a Resolution, apparently.)

Well this year I'm doing the one-word thing. Some blogger some where started this last year and is continuing it this year and I'm jumping on the bandwagon. Instead of making Resolutions, you pick (or God picks for you) one word that will define your year. One word that you strive to achieve. One word that you come back to throughout the year.

So I prayerfully thought for awhile and decided my word was definitely love. How beautiful, right? I'll love everyone around me. God's love will radiate from me. I already love to love in most cases and it's something I enjoy doing. I'll be loved by God and love others in return.

Fantastic word. And probably great for someone else.

But not me. Not this year.  

That was when my Lord whispered to me, "What about trust?"

Well. Peace out, one-word-year. It's the thought that counts, right? There's no way I could dedicate a year to that word.

Trust that God has a plan for me? A good plan?

Trust that He knows what He's doing even when I can't begin to fathom it?

Trust the people in my life who have been there time and again?

Become a trustworthy person?

No thanks. Too hard. Not worth it.

Fortunately, though, my God can be just as stubborn as I am (often more) and thoroughly convinced me that Trust is indeed to be my word for 2011. He will write it on my heart in ways I didn't (and don't) think it can be written. He will convince me daily that I can and should trust in Him. He will make me into a trustworthy person whose yes is yes and no is no.

It will be hard and long and exciting and I'm sure tedious, but I trust that the Lord will be faithful as He always is.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Hicks

It was a beautiful celebration of two lives becoming one.

Thanks, Audrey and Andrew, for letting me be a part of it.

Love you both!