School, etc.

It's been a while since I updated this. Sorry about that. The past few weeks have flown by with a rather scary speed. I can't believe we're already 4 weeks into the school year! I hope the next 3 years don't speed by at this rate.

Anyway, school is going quite well. My classes are good. They're interesting and challenging enough that I have to work but I don't feel like by brain is going to explode. All the professors here go by their first names, which is odd. It took me a week or so to get used to that. I do like how informal and laid back everyone and everything here is though. It's quite nice.
One of the most unique things about Warren Wilson is that everyone gets assigned to a work crew and works 15 hours a week on campus as a form of financial aid. It's cool because every student is really engaged in the school as a whole and not just living here and taking classes. We help this place run. I got assigned to (drumroll please)....RESIDENCE HALL MAINTENANCE! Which means I clean dorms. Bathrooms and common rooms and such. It's not as bad as it sounds though. I kind of enjoy it. Plus our boss, Tom, is really cool, and I really enjoy his perspective on what we do. He says that at most schools the students are privileged members of the upper middle class being cleaned up after by members of the lower class who will likely never have the same opportunity for education as the kids they're cleaning up after, which is very true and makes me glad that the system at our school is more equitable.

On another note, I finally got a roommate! Her name is Kat, and she's a sophomore too. She was living in another building here, but they had a serious mold problem and she couldn't breathe so now she's with me. She's fun and I like her, and I look forward to getting to know her better.

For the last few weeks I've been feeling a little lonely and disconnected, just because I don't really have any close friends here and have really been craving community. Then yesterday I went to a barbecue for all the college kids and my church and met some really great people here, then had a movie night with some friends here, so now I'm starting to feel more connected and rooted here. I'm looking forward to watching my community here develop.

Lately I've been feeling my calling to leave and serve the poor and forgotten in this world much more strongly. I've been aware of my calling to missions for about two years now, but in the last few weeks it's grown into this constant, passionate burning in my heart. I like it. It gives me a very strong sense of purpose and does not allow me to forget why I'm here. It also makes me a little sad though, because I am growing more aware of the fact that one day I will leave behind all the communities I've ever been a part of, and I won't be able to keep in touch with everyone then. I am sad that I know that day will come, but I am not afraid of it, and I am looking forward to being able to live out this passion in my heart.

God revealed and important truth to me today. We were talking in my Lifestyles of Nonviolence Class about the fear and hatred of Muslims that has grown in our country in the last decade, and suddenly it hit me how hypocritical I am and how bad I am at loving those who are intolerant. Those of you who know me (which is probably everyone reading this blog, because I'm not really a big deal at all) know that I am really liberal, and nothing makes me more mad than "Christians" preaching intolerance and hatred in the name of God. But today God told me that I need to check my attitude towards these people, because while they may be misrepresenting Christ in a very tragic way, they are still God's precious creations, my brothers and sisters, and just because I disagree with them STRONGLY doesn't mean I am released from the call to love them as Jesus loves me. I don't get to play favorites, and it is extremely hypocritical of me to feel intolerant and unloving towards those people for being intolerant and unloving towards others.

That is all. Thanks for reading!