a new year

It was seventy degrees today, and the past few days have been bathed in sunlight, gratefully welcomed after a week of dreary skies and drizzling rain. Of the few deciduous trees around here, a handful are starting to alight in fire, and so fall is certainly rearing his head and after I dug out my box of winter clothing from the storage locker, I buried all of my shorts at the bottom of the dresser drawer.

I start school on Monday, and I'm actually looking forward to waking up at six next week in order to be on time for my 7:30 class. Really, truly. This summer has been three and a half months long by the school calendar, and gloriously wonderful, too, but it's time I was back to a real schedule and work, and I do believe this quarter will fulfill that need perfectly.

To me, fall has always felt like the start of the new year, because it heralds so many new beginnings. Every year contains new experiences, and some years more than others. This one? Without a doubt one of the biggies, and it's barely even started.

P.S. Give this album a listen. It's a beautiful resetting of traditional hymns worked on primarily by my assistant pastor, and a handful of other deeply talented musicians, one of them a dear friend. So listen up (my favorites are As a Beggar, I Come to Thee / To You, O Lord, I Fly / Jesus, Master, Whose I Am), and if you like it, buy it. Best $7 you'll spend today this week. And 50% of that purchase will "go to Voice of the Martyrs' Families of Prisoners Fund, supporting families of those who have been imprisoned for their Christian witness." Awesome, right?