This summer (and the start of fall) has been a little weird for me. I worked a couple of weeks at a Design Camp (for graphic design) for the first time which was SO MUCH FUN, I wasn’t able to go on a missions trip for the first time in eight years, and now, I am taking my first English-based class (actually three of them, to be exact) in two years.

So even though I am NOT a freshman, this year has been filled with a LOT of “firsts.”
Not going on the missions trip was very sad – unfortunately I am an “adult” now 🙁 – but it was good to be able to help support other people going on the trip. I love being able to give to whoever I can!

But one of the most interesting things (well, at least to me…because I am nerdy!) happened both at Design Camp and one of my English classes.

At Design Camp, I was a teacher’s assistant for the animation studio, which just means that I went around and talked to students about their ideas and helped them through the whole process. As I was talking to the students, I realized just how much over the past couple of years my brain has been trained to think in terms of telling a story visually. It was like, anytime a student had a slight issue, my brain understood what camera angle would work best, what order things should go in…it was strange. I had no idea that my brain was that wired. And it happened again in my English class. It’s not the typical English class, as we are doing just one giant group project and not writing papers. So while I was asking questions about how the structure of the project would go, I asked if there would be an “interim crit”, which in the design school is a critique that happens during the middle of a project, to provide feedback so that you don’t COMPLETELY miss what the project is about/what the teacher wants. The teacher looked at me like I had three heads…and I felt really dumb. I got so caught up with the idea of the project (because as soon as a project gets announced my mind races), that I forgot I wasn’t in a place where people know that term.

Anywho, I say all this because it made me realize just HOW important it is for me to make sure that thoughts are really set on God. If I am so influenced by something like school, how much more should God’s thoughts influence me? I want to be someone whose natural reaction is His Word, His thoughts, His mind.

Here is one scripture that I found on this subject (there are a ton of others, like Romans 8:6) that I love:

2Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. 3Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. 4Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.5Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. Colossians 4:2-6

I especially like the first verse, as I think the Bible says exactly how to have an alert mind – prayer.

So I will leave you with that! Hopefully you have had just as great of a summer as I have!