Free Money!

Tomorrow is the last day of class and finals is next week. I am almost done completing my first year in college. That's a crazy thought.

This has been one ride of a semester. So much has happened and the stress has been piled on week after week, day after day. But today was a good day....correction, today was a great day! Today was our last day to have chapel and normally that's when professors will hand out scholarships to certain individuals who excell in their schoolwork/degree. Today...I was one of those individuals...

Scott Handley, the head of the Music Department here at OCC, gets up on stage and briefly describes the scholarship: how much it's worth, how long it's credited for, and who it applies to. This scholarship is available to one freshman, going to be a sophomore; one sophomore, going to be a junior; and one junior, going to be a senior. Three in all. Nothing is registering in my mind at this point. I'm just hanging out during chapel...until, of course, my name is called. It's then I realize..."I'm a freshman, going to be a sophomore...and Scott just called my name..." (I suppose that at this point I should specify that I'm a music major) I was completely flabbergasted! Never saw it coming. I literally jumped in my seat with confusion on my face and finally stood up, and I'm pretty sure I danced my way up onto stage...well, at least it certainly felt that way!

The scholarship is only worth $400 for the entire year, but who's complaining? I just earned free money for school! And what's so incredible about it is that I was chosen by the music department for this scholarship. I didn't apply for anything and then was chosen based on my financial needs or by a persuasive letter practically begging for help. I was just...chosen...because people saw me deserving. What a blessing! I mean, I am in such financial need that every single penny counts right now. But to know that people notice your hard work and choose to reward you for it...nothing could replace that good feeling.

Upon recieving the scholarship, I was so sweetly reminded of God's provision. A few posts back, I wrote a blog on a passage from Matthew 6. Jesus is telling his listeners (and yes, it's in red letters. Prett legit) not to worry about the day, "for tomorrow will worry about itself." I never doubted God's provision, because He has always....always, always, always been faithful to my family's needs. I still need as much scholarship money as I can possibly recieve, but whose to say I'm not already taken care of? I trust God.

Oh, and also, to top the day off...the sun came out...after several days of rain...and I got to feed a couple baby colts little clovers right out of my hands and take pictures with them. That was pretty rockin-awesome.

I love being able to walk away from this semester with something good, something worth while. Even if I bomb every final...which won't happen...I study way to much for my own good...I still have that scholarship. I still have that small reminder that God's got me covered.