Feelings of relief

The semester is nearly finished! I have now attended my last class of the semester and all that is left is finals next week. We had our last chapel service of 2006 today and I attended my last Music Theory class ever, or did I?

Hmm, well after my paper was finished this past Monday, and after my composition was played on Tuesday, and after the choir sang at The Grotto on Wednesday, I finally had some time to sit and think. (To be completely honest, I didn't actually sit and think, it was more like thinking and doing unimportant-important stuff at the same time)(I think that last sentence will be understood only by those that know me and how I speak, sorry to the rest). Anyway, my thoughts were along these lines:

• I love Music Theory, even if I am not the greatest at it
• I like writing music even though I don't usually share it with anyone
• I don't want to miss out on all the composition that is taking place next semester in Theory IV
• I am a "vocal" Music major, so Theory IV is not required
• I want to continue to take upper division classes to counter act all the lower division freshman Bible classes I am taking

OK, so these and other random thoughts were all jumbling for attention. The biggest thought was that I am a Music major and am only taking 2 music related classes next semester. So yesterday, as I was thinking about some of these things, my Theory Prof. comes and tells me that he knows that I don't need to take Theory IV next semester, but that I am welcome to come sit in on any of the classes AND that the music department has just added a private lesson for compostition writing! HA! Praise God!!

This got me to thinking some more....what if I was a composition major instead of a vocal major? The more I thought about it, the more excited I became, so I went to talk to the head of the music department and they said that there is currently not a program for composition majors, but that if I was truly interested in that area, to go ahead and take Theory IV and the composition class (if I wanted)(duh! of course I wanted) and they would get the ball rolling so that by the time I am ready to graduate, there will be a program for me!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? Praise the Lord!!

So, to just add to my excitement and happiness (I know you are thinking...can this get even better? YES). I woke up this morning due to an impertinent alarm clock. But it turned out to be a good thing...first of all because it helped me to get to class on time, but secondly because it caught me in the middle of a good dream. Now most times interupting a good dream would be quite the annoyance, but today was different as there was music playing in my dream. It was not really a symphonic piece, but it definately had multiple instruments playing away. When my mind was suddenly brought into consciousness, I said to myself, "Oh! ..... that's not a real song yet!! Where's my staff paper?!" (my first Theory Prof had always told me to carry staff paper around in my pocket 'cause I never knew when I would get an inspiration. I thought he was silly, but now I know better!)

So I scribbled out, as best I could, my newest song motive. Now, this doesn't mean anything, really, it just was neat to see how my lightness of heart and relief led to freedom to create even to the point of creating in my sleep!! ;)

What is it I have been trying to share in all this mess? Well, God is awesome. All this makes me think about how even my earthly father knows how to give a good gift, so why wouldn't God be infinately more able to give the greater gifts? (Matthew 7:11 paraphrased) and He knows how best to give those gifts (timing, abundance, form).

So, to go back to my bullet list:

• I still love Theory, even if I am not the greatest at it
• I like writing music and am breaking out of my shell to share it with people
• I don't have to miss out on all the composition that is going on next semester
• I may get to be a "composition" Music major, which Theory IV is required for (when they develop the program)
• Theory IV is an upper division class

Praise the Lord! He is so completely cool!!!