mailmen

With all this supposed change coming with the completion of school (woo hoo!!) I've complied a little list of things that are not changing.. at least not in the foreseeable future.

1.Paying for parking. No, it isn't just a UT thing... Parking spots are a prized thing in the Lou... very prized!!

2. and 3. Group Work and Group Evaluations. A good portion of the work done this semester was in a group; but the office on the other hand will be one big group project. The other night I called home to take a break from filling out an eval for a class and mom was doing the same thing for her work. College was just the practice round.

4. ID cards. Oh lovely picture on my UT id. Taken during freshman year, you have been hidden in as many ways possible -glad to be getting rid of you! Oh wait, I have to have one for work?? Ah yes! and bonus- you were taken during that nasty encounter with poison ivy last summer that felt a whole lot more like leprosy. I'm so glad the picture was kept on file for the entire year...

It's too early to think too much more.. feel free to be creative and share your own "unchanging things". And of course, life's a season. So let it change... or not ;)

calling out and coming back

"Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"

When He saw them, He said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked Him- and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then He said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." "

Luke 17:11-19 (emphasis mine)

Often it seems that life is best summarized by the phrase "I get down and He lifts me up". In those times of 'getting down' it's fair to say that I feel less than close to the Lord, I seem to be the one who has become distant in our relationship. Take heart and draw from the parallel in this passage, because from that moment when we are calling out to the Lord at a distance, He will indeed restore us again to a place where we are at His feet praising Him!

Rocky Top (McGee Remix)

This weekend my parents and I got up at 6am, left Knoxville, and had our sites on Rocky Top. These lyrics will take it from there.

Wish that I was on ole Rocky Top,

But I couldn’t find the way

Went down a hill then had to climb up again

Reckon that’s enough for today

Once there was a girl attempting Rocky Top,

Half done at UT, almost a grad

Wild is she ‘cause she dragged her folks along

I still dream about that

Rocky Top you’ll always be

The place where I was meant to be

Good ole Rocky Top,

Lost in Tennessee, I’m lost in Tennessee

Once three Clarksvillians tried to climb Rocky Top,

Lookin’ for the correct trail

Strangers ain’t never reached the top of Rocky Top

Guess they never will

Clear trail signs aren’t found on Rocky Top,

Dirt’s too rocky by far

That’s why all the folks climbing Rocky Top

Should never stray too far

Rocky Top you’ll always be

The place where I was meant to be

Good ole Rocky Top,

Lost in Tennessee, I’m lost in Tennessee

Now I've had years of cramped up city life,

Trapped like a duck in a pen

Now all I know it doesn't get easier

When you're in the wilderness again

Rocky Top you’ll always be

The place where I was meant to be

Good ole Rocky Top,

Lost in Tennessee, I’m lost in Tennessee

lyrics courtesy of Ben Tarver

If you didn't catch it by Ben's creative narative- we took the wrong trail. We hiked downhill this trail 2.5 miles, then realized it wasn't taking us to Rocky Top. So not taking into account the elevation we cost ourselves, the physical wear and tear on our already over-exerted muscles, we lost about 2 hours of time to reach our destination. Long story short, we couldn't complete our final leg (no pun intended, dad and mom) of the journey.

This hike could potentially be symbolic of my years at Rocky Top... jury's still out.