A funny thing happened on the way to the office . . .

Okay, it was actually after I got to the office, but I had to use the title. Anywho, this blog entry will be a little bleary-eyed today, since 8:00 is normally the time I get up to get ready for work and it's just barely that time now. So what am I doing up before my accustomed time? Lemme tell ya . . .

Last Monday, my Songwriting teacher told us that there would be a test review on Friday at 10:00 and another at 11. He also declared that, since we hadn't had time to give oral reports about our "model songs," (songs after which we patterned our original songs) we would instead turn in a short paper on them on Friday, thus making attendance at the review session somewhat obligatory.

10:00 is the time that I normally get to work (thus my normal 8:00 - 8:30 wake up time), so I realized that I had a problem. I couldn't even go to the one at 11:00 because I need to be at the place where I'm taking the GRE before 12:30. Thus, I asked my supervisor's permission to come to work early, and she agreed. I figured I could get my main job done in just a few hours (I usually spend an hour answering emails after I'm done with my reports), so I decided to come in at 7:00.

When I got here, the office downstairs where I usually collect my reports was locked. Turns out it doesn't open until 7:30. So I headed upstairs, booted up my computer and my assorted programs and answered the emails which were in my inbox. At 7:35, I had answered my emails and headed downstairs to get my reports. Which were not on the desk. Thankfully, the guy who prints and sorts them was there and was able to give tthem to me.

So I headed upstairs with my reports, ready to begin and a bit worried that I might not be able to finish in time. I looked over my reports and made a surprising realization. My reports contain all of the lessons which have been submitted to BYU Independent Study over 2 weeks ago. My job involves putting new lessons into the system and emailing instructors about them, which new lessons show up on my list 2 weeks and a day after they are submitted.

Guess what day it was 2 weeks and a day ago . . .
Guess how many people were in the office to process lessons 2 weeks and a day ago . . .
Guess how many lessons were officially submitted 2 weeks and a day ago. . .
Guess how many lessons I have to put into the system today . . .
Guess how many emails I have to send today . . .
Guess how much I can accomplish at work today now that my emails are done . . .
Guess how many hours of sleep I feel as though I got . . .


On a much more pleasant note, though, I took a practice test for the GRE last night and the results are quite favorable. To anybody our there who reads this, I ask for your prayers of support today so that my actual score can be even better.

Wish me luck!

Just a quick one today. It's that time again, Finals Week (bum bum baaaaaaaaaaaaahm) I need all the prayers and good vibes you good folks can send my way. I've got the GRE tomorrow, a final on Monday and another next Friday. I'm doing my best to keep from being stressed, but it's turning into a very busy couple of weeks.
Thankfully, most of the things keeping me busy are pleasant things - the A Capella Jam last night was tons of fun and I think we gave a great performance - more on that to come! There are Christmas parties and plays to attend, trips to go on and families to visit. It will be good to have a break, but in the meantime, nose to the grindstone!

Giving Thanks

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we are instructed "to give thanks in all things” (Mosiah 26:39), as was stressed by Elder Bednar of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles during our last General Conference. As my wife and I emerge somewhat from a period of hardship, I feel it appropriate today to take some time to express my thanks for my blessings.

I am thankful for my wife, for the warmth, peace and joy she brings to our home. Emilee, I thank you for your support, your tender care, your patience, your love, your gentle touch. I thank you for the hard work you do to make our home a happy p

lace where the Spirit of God may dwell. I thank you for your guidance when I feel lost and your fun-loving spirit when I feel down. For this and so much more, I thank you.

I am thankful for my parents, for the support and teachings they have given me. Mom and Dad, I thank you for raising me in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for teaching me correct principles and helping me to explore my talents. I thank you for supporting me financially and emotionally as I complete my schooling. I thank you for praying for me every night for as long as I can remember, praying that I would meet those critical spirit

ual goals. For more than I can possibly express, I thank you.

I am thankful for my brother, for the example he has given me. Derrill, while we are very different from each other, you have always been a firm defense and support to me. You were always the first to extend a hand of friendship and forgiveness after our quarrels. Your quiet spiritual leadership has helped to shape me, to make those critical decisions that have made me who I am. For the music and the joy that we have shared, I thank you.

I am thankful for the gift of music, for its power in my life. I thank God for the talents with which he has blessed me, for ears to hear and a voice with which to sing. I thank Him for the talent of composition which has allowed me to more fully express my devotion, as well as my feelings. My thanks go to Impact Vocal Band, the Santa Barbara Channel City Chorus, the BYU Men's 

Chorus, 

Wild Pitch, The Honor Chord, Sing For Your Sweetheart and various other choirs in which I have participated and which I have directed. For the sweet resonance of the heart, I thank God.

I am thankful for our friends who enrich our lives and help us to extend 

our focus beyond ourselves and our personal needs. Without our friends, life would be a lot more boring. For your generosity, your patience, your eagerness to share, for laughs and love over good eats and weekend sleepovers, for helping us smile through our problems and our pain, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I am thankful for my job, for the security it grants me. The power to pay my bills while maintaining my personal integrity is a tremendous gift, especially in this day and age where so much of business is based on trickery.

I am thankful for the opportunity I have to study at BYU. I am grateful for the chance to learn not only a vocation but also more of the doctrine of the gospel. The chance to associate with so many who are of my same faith and hold my same values is a priceless treasure.

I am thankful for Jesus Christ, for His love and His atoning sacrifice. I am thankful that He was willing to suffer and die so that I can be forgiven of my sins and live forever with my Heavenly Father. I am grateful for His gospel and the life with which I have been blessed through living according to His teachings. I am thankful to be a member of His church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Sants. I am thankful for the scriptures, the Bible and the Book of Mormon, written by ancient prophets who testify of Him. I am thankful for a modern prophet, Thomas S. Monson, for Apostles and other church leaders who lead God's church just as prohets did in ancient times. Within the framework of the restored gospel, I am especially thankful for the temple, for the opportunity to live with my family for all eternity. I am thankful for the power of the priesthood, through which I and my family may be blessed and eternally joined. I testify of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and I give my heartfelt thanks and devotion to Him for it.

Whenever I hear the song of a bird/
or look at the blue, blue sky/
Whenever I feel the rain on my face/
or the wind as it rushes by/
Whenever I touch a velvet rose/
or walk by a lilac tree/
I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world/
Heavenly Father created for me.

He gave me my eyes that I might see/
the color of butterfly wings/
He gave me my ears that I might hear/
the magical sound of things/
He gave me my life, my mind, my heart/
and I thank him reverently/
for all His creations, of which I'm a part/
Yes, I know Heavenly Father loves me.

Thanks for reading.