Wow. I can't believe almost a month has whizzed by since my last post. :( Anyway, things are slowly but surely getting better. In the past few weeks, I've started to pray about the frustrations I'm facing, and my mindset is changing. Rather than thinking "I have SO MUCH TO DO!", I'm starting to think of this as the funnest, biggest party of my life, and I get to plan it. It totally changes my perspective. I'm also starting to feel a tad more plugged in at church, which is good. Afterall, I am marrying the pastor's son so....it'd be kinda more than depressing if I continued feeling completely like a jagged puzzle piece.But I'm realizing that a lot of the difficulty is just making time for people. When I don't make time for people when I'm busy, I can't expect them to just pop up when I'm not busy.
I'm really looking forward to being married though. Most of all, I'm looking forward to finally being able to host house parties, and Christmas parties, etc. Joe and I both have a great desire to be extremely hospitable, and I just can't wait to get the opportunity to do so. And even in my registry, all of the gifts are pretty much geared toward being a better, more organized hostess.
Anyway. As of today, I have exactly 3 months and 18 days until the wedding. My wedding. It's so insane. And so awesome. And I finally created a wedding website! Although it's not as cool as the blog, it has some nice pictures of Joe and I. The site is: http://www.weddingwire.com/josephandrachel1.
Later,
Rachel
Monday, June 20, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Wedding overload
Ah, the wedding planning is starting to get to me a bit. It's like, I'm really excited, but I'm starting to feel like a bridezilla. So many choices, so many people not giving me enough time to make up my mind on the choices, and...ugh. It's just frustrating. To make matters worse, yesterday I totally booked a scammy cruise, thinking it would be a legit cruise for a honeymoon, and now I have to go through the trouble of filing scam/fraud papers. Ugh. I don't want to say I'm stressed out, because it's not like I'm not trusting the Lord in everything, or like I'm just so overwhelmed and can't handle it. It's just like, so much is going on at once. And I'm not exactly sure what to think of everything. I really want to be more excited about being engaged, and about the wedding. But with so much chaos, and so much to do and so little time, it's hard. And then, piano. Granted, like I mentioned in my last post, I realize that I basically tossed aside all of my dreams for my wonderful, amazing fiance. But I have to admit, it's hard at points. Like, I feel this longing to play for hours, but I know that I have to make time for him. Or like during the past couple of weeks, I have had more time to practice, and I fall in love with my pieces. I become more aware of how thrilling it is to be able to sightread through a sonata and not have to work at learning it. And then it hits me - oh yeah, I'm not learning this to build my repertoire to try to make it into Juilliard for grad school. And it's just weird - not bad, but weird. And then there's the fear of losing it. Like, what if after I graduate and I stop having lessons, I get pregnant and have kids and completely drop it? Ugh. Fear. I know I'm not supposed to be anxious for anything, but lately, I feel anxious for so many things. I just need to pray for patience, grace, and faith. And then there's the gnawing fear of being alone. I mean, part of the reason I left Wisconsin in the first place is because I felt so disconnected, like I didn't have any friends. And now I'm back. And truth be told, I still don't, other than my fiance. And it's difficult. But then again, maybe it's a good thing. Because I have such a tendency to be self-reliant. And by having to start out my married life without a lot of extra connections, it forces me to cling closer to the Lord, and it will continue to force me to become closer to my wonderful husband-to-be.
Later,
Rachel
Later,
Rachel
Monday, May 16, 2011
Major Life Change
Wow. It's been like 5 months since I last wrote on here. And for good reason. Lots of major life changes have taken place. I've transferred colleges and moved back home. But not because college at Westminster was too hard, or because I was too homesick. I moved back home because I felt like this was where the Lord was leading me. I moved back home for the most wonderful man in the entire world, namely, my new fiance Joe! Yes, I'm engaged! And my wedding is set for October. It's funny because I was reflecting on my last post. I realize that saying "yes" to the proposal meant saying "no" to all of my past dreams. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm looking toward creating a music career with Joe. He's a drummer, and has always had a dream to be a traveling performing musician.
For now, I have to get off. But, over this summer, I will try to keep this blog updated!!!
Later,
Rachel
For now, I have to get off. But, over this summer, I will try to keep this blog updated!!!
Later,
Rachel
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Trusting
Lately, I've had somewhat of a hard time trusting the Lord. I'll be honest - saying I'm going to be SO incredibly confident in what the Lord has given me isn't easy. For me, it's pretty much impossible. I guess that once again, I'm having a hard time not being the pilot of my life. And lately, it seems that not only have I given up piloting my life, but the Lord has also taken away most of my navigation skills too. For one of the first times in my life, I'm unsure of so many things. Example 1.) - there's this guy that's suddenly come into my life out of nowhere. I don't know him all that well, but he seems like everything I've ever prayed for. He's so Christ-like in his conduct, he's hilarious, he's a musician, and he's just generally cool. The only deal is, he's a bit older than me. Okay, more like, 9 years. On top of that, he goes to my church (like, my = Minnesota), and I'm in New Jersey 3/4 of the year. So, I considered transferring schools, thinking that maybe the Lord has a plan for him in my life. In fact, even though I wanted to go to Austria this summer, I held off, hoping that something might click between us if I'm home for three months. And I'm so unsure of what the Lord is doing, and what I'm supposed to do to follow His lead. There seems to be a ton of signs that this guy is IT. But I'm not sure if the Lord is simply using this guy to draw me closer to Him, and maybe this guy isn't for me at all. Example 2 - this summer, I'm staying home. I've had a couple of people come up to me to tell me that they'd love to help promote my music career. Sweet, huh? Like, I know of 3 different people I could go to in order to develop a demo. I know of a couple of people who want to promote me, and get performance opportunities too. And now, I'm unsure again. Unsure of if I should be a songwriter, or a classical pianist. I've come to understand that you know the Lord's will by staying close to Him - by walking with Him, fellowshipping with Him, repenting to Him, and spending time basking in His wondrous love and mercy. Yet, sometimes I feel like there's still this uncertainty. Like maybe my desires are still fleshly, because afterall, I am still human. I'm fallen, and even though I feel close to the Lord, what if I'm deceiving myself into believing that my desires are the Lord's? It's all so confusing to me. And trust. Oh, trust is so hard. I can sometimes understand why Peter sank in the ocean when he tried to walk on water. Yeah, he could see Christ standing right before his very eyes. But then again, so can I. I see Christ working all around me, and yet, I don't trust Him. How wrong of me! To sink into the depths of this world's murky water, and to seriously contemplate taking the dirty/earthly turds of earth instead of the beautiful, priceless heavenly rewards Christ has in store for me? But letting go and letting God is so hard.
I'm honestly not sure why I'm writing this post at 1:30 in the morning. I guess because I've been so sleepless the past few days. Maybe it's the full moon - it's awfully glowy. Or maybe it's my full heart - a heart full of burdens that I'd rather try to figure out than leave up to the Lord. Whatever the reason, I know that I'm harming my Temple by being so worried about everything. It's lead to insomnia, and my thoughts are consumed with these two stressers. Anyway, I'm going to attempt to sleep now.
Later,
Rachel
I'm honestly not sure why I'm writing this post at 1:30 in the morning. I guess because I've been so sleepless the past few days. Maybe it's the full moon - it's awfully glowy. Or maybe it's my full heart - a heart full of burdens that I'd rather try to figure out than leave up to the Lord. Whatever the reason, I know that I'm harming my Temple by being so worried about everything. It's lead to insomnia, and my thoughts are consumed with these two stressers. Anyway, I'm going to attempt to sleep now.
Later,
Rachel
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
New Year!
Wow, it's been a while since I've written on here. College has swamped me with loads of stress and busyness. Working+practicing piano+practicing voice+being chair of the arts management association+Bible studies+classes+homework+calling home to talk to my mom for 2 hours every night = insane amounts of stress, and almost unbearable busyness.
So. New Year. This New Year, I literally forgot it was New Years' Eve until about 4 hours before the ball dropped. I didn't make any resolutions on New Years' night. But on Sunday, I made one. To know who I am as a musical artist, and to be confident in that. So much of my life has been consumed with trying to "beat out" people, or try to do things that are totally beyond my level. And for the first time in my life, I'm realizing, I can't always do it all. This past semester of piano taught me a lot. I decided to play the third movement of Beethoven's moonlight sonata, Bartok's piano sonata, and Chopin's etude in G-flat major, among a few other pieces. Chopin came along just perfectly. But Beethoven and Bartok.....that's another story. See, the note-reading was fine. I had the pieces memorized, but technically, I was unable to play them. Because I'm too weak, too small, and I play too delicately. And on Sunday afternoon, while sitting in my room debating on whether I should play the first or third movement of Ravel's Sonatine, whether I should play the third movement of the moonlight or the first movement of a simpler Beethoven sonata, I decided to stop with the overachieving. For the first time in my life, I'm entering a competition and I won't be "trying" to play pieces. They're easy enough where I'll be confident that I can play them well. And that's not an easy step for me. I feel like the music world has become somewhat of the gymnastics world - you have to be slender, you have to be pretty (or handsome if you're a guy), and it's not enough to play well. You have to push your hands to the extreme, play loud, fast, and have plenty of large chords in between. But I'm not built like that. I don't think that means I can't be a musician. Instead, I consider it a challenge. A challenge to change the way people view classical music. A person shouldn't have to do finger acrobatics to be considered a good musician. I mean, afterall, music is simply "an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color," right?
Later,
Rachel
So. New Year. This New Year, I literally forgot it was New Years' Eve until about 4 hours before the ball dropped. I didn't make any resolutions on New Years' night. But on Sunday, I made one. To know who I am as a musical artist, and to be confident in that. So much of my life has been consumed with trying to "beat out" people, or try to do things that are totally beyond my level. And for the first time in my life, I'm realizing, I can't always do it all. This past semester of piano taught me a lot. I decided to play the third movement of Beethoven's moonlight sonata, Bartok's piano sonata, and Chopin's etude in G-flat major, among a few other pieces. Chopin came along just perfectly. But Beethoven and Bartok.....that's another story. See, the note-reading was fine. I had the pieces memorized, but technically, I was unable to play them. Because I'm too weak, too small, and I play too delicately. And on Sunday afternoon, while sitting in my room debating on whether I should play the first or third movement of Ravel's Sonatine, whether I should play the third movement of the moonlight or the first movement of a simpler Beethoven sonata, I decided to stop with the overachieving. For the first time in my life, I'm entering a competition and I won't be "trying" to play pieces. They're easy enough where I'll be confident that I can play them well. And that's not an easy step for me. I feel like the music world has become somewhat of the gymnastics world - you have to be slender, you have to be pretty (or handsome if you're a guy), and it's not enough to play well. You have to push your hands to the extreme, play loud, fast, and have plenty of large chords in between. But I'm not built like that. I don't think that means I can't be a musician. Instead, I consider it a challenge. A challenge to change the way people view classical music. A person shouldn't have to do finger acrobatics to be considered a good musician. I mean, afterall, music is simply "an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color," right?
Later,
Rachel
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
How to Respond
Sorry I haven't written on here for a while....Stressminster Choir College has taken over my life. I'm taking 17 credits, still have to practice, working towards trying to make it into Aspen Music School this upcoming summer, have a secretarial job at Westminster Conservatory, have joined a Bible Study and a sophomore women's Fellowship group at Princeton University. And to throw a wrench in all of that, this past week, I've had a bout of stomach sickness (which I've concluded to be food poisoning since the doctor's couldn't figure it out, I had stomach pain that felt like death taking its vengeful anger out on me and had to have an ambulance take me to the ER because of it, and I ate cod from the cafeteria less than about 10 hours before). Not all that easy for a 17 year old (who is over 20 hours from home - I've been feeling a bit homesick lately...but more on that later) to handle.
Anyway, getting involved in the fellowship group and Bible study have been such an encouragement to me. And a conviction to me. I guess overall, in the studies we've had there, they all sum up to this - God is everything I need, and He is the ONLY person/thing I should look to for satisfaction in this life (and in the next). Like sure, the Bible studies are going MUCH deeper than that. But that's what I've been feeling the most convicted on lately. And it makes me wonder, why do I do half the things I do? Or even 99% of the things that I do? If I'm totally honest with myself, as much as I might pray that it's to God's glory, it's to His glory and honor but it's also an attempt to get others to say "wow, she's a cool girl" or "hey, she's so smart" or "what a cutie" or "I don't know how she handles it all" or something of such. And that's SO WRONG. It's like I'm saying to God, "Sorry, You aren't enough for me. I appreciate all of the blessings You lavish on me, and I wanna make You happy, but I want to make the rest of the world happy too and I want to impress everyone as well. Only because I'm not satisfied that You are content with who I am in You." And it's wrong. It's not like I shouldn't work towards anything in life; I believe that's just as wrong, because God has planted us on earth for a reason, and that isn't to swarm in our "Christian" circles and live in our "Christian" communities (Christian in parentheses, because a lot of the time, the "Christian" circles and communities are simply "religious" circles and communities where everyone is super involved to fit in the popular status quo). And it isn't to sit at home and bum around with our kids (no slight at stay-at-home moms; a true stay at home mom takes care of her family, and also takes time to get out in the community to share her God-given talents - I believe being a stay at home mom is God's highest call for a woman).
And this all struck me a few weeks ago when I was laying in bed in one of my friends' rooms. We were trying to predict each other's futures based on our personalities. She presumed I would get married before her, but after two of my other girl friends, because I know exactly what I'm looking for in a guy, and my expectations are reasonable, but she knows I won't compromise on the type of guy I'm willing to marry (she thinks her expectations for a husband are too lofty, and no guy will ever meet them...I disagree). She said, "I think you'll hit a crossroad where you'll have a GREAT performance career handed to you, and you'll also have this great guy who wants to marry you, so you'll have to choose between career and family. And I bet you're going to choose family, and you'll end up heading more in the direction of your Arts Administration minor." And it got me thinking, would I really? And what am I making more important in my life right now? My relationships with friends and family and ultimately God, or my future career? And I realized, she's right. She's right because, I wouldn't want to grow old like SO many amazing musicians, look back on my life, and say, "Wow. I'm a millionaire. I'm famous. People love my music. But I don't have a family who loves me. I've made my career my life, and all people will remember me for is my music. Not my impact on their lives." And as I've gotten more and more homesick this year, I've realized, I never want to be REALLY close to my parents (like, not within a 10 minute radius), but I want to be close enough to my family to be able to visit whenever I wish. And I'm starting to realize, granted, I want a great performance career. But I sometimes question whether or not it can coincide with family. Or with God.
Later,
Rachel
Anyway, getting involved in the fellowship group and Bible study have been such an encouragement to me. And a conviction to me. I guess overall, in the studies we've had there, they all sum up to this - God is everything I need, and He is the ONLY person/thing I should look to for satisfaction in this life (and in the next). Like sure, the Bible studies are going MUCH deeper than that. But that's what I've been feeling the most convicted on lately. And it makes me wonder, why do I do half the things I do? Or even 99% of the things that I do? If I'm totally honest with myself, as much as I might pray that it's to God's glory, it's to His glory and honor but it's also an attempt to get others to say "wow, she's a cool girl" or "hey, she's so smart" or "what a cutie" or "I don't know how she handles it all" or something of such. And that's SO WRONG. It's like I'm saying to God, "Sorry, You aren't enough for me. I appreciate all of the blessings You lavish on me, and I wanna make You happy, but I want to make the rest of the world happy too and I want to impress everyone as well. Only because I'm not satisfied that You are content with who I am in You." And it's wrong. It's not like I shouldn't work towards anything in life; I believe that's just as wrong, because God has planted us on earth for a reason, and that isn't to swarm in our "Christian" circles and live in our "Christian" communities (Christian in parentheses, because a lot of the time, the "Christian" circles and communities are simply "religious" circles and communities where everyone is super involved to fit in the popular status quo). And it isn't to sit at home and bum around with our kids (no slight at stay-at-home moms; a true stay at home mom takes care of her family, and also takes time to get out in the community to share her God-given talents - I believe being a stay at home mom is God's highest call for a woman).
And this all struck me a few weeks ago when I was laying in bed in one of my friends' rooms. We were trying to predict each other's futures based on our personalities. She presumed I would get married before her, but after two of my other girl friends, because I know exactly what I'm looking for in a guy, and my expectations are reasonable, but she knows I won't compromise on the type of guy I'm willing to marry (she thinks her expectations for a husband are too lofty, and no guy will ever meet them...I disagree). She said, "I think you'll hit a crossroad where you'll have a GREAT performance career handed to you, and you'll also have this great guy who wants to marry you, so you'll have to choose between career and family. And I bet you're going to choose family, and you'll end up heading more in the direction of your Arts Administration minor." And it got me thinking, would I really? And what am I making more important in my life right now? My relationships with friends and family and ultimately God, or my future career? And I realized, she's right. She's right because, I wouldn't want to grow old like SO many amazing musicians, look back on my life, and say, "Wow. I'm a millionaire. I'm famous. People love my music. But I don't have a family who loves me. I've made my career my life, and all people will remember me for is my music. Not my impact on their lives." And as I've gotten more and more homesick this year, I've realized, I never want to be REALLY close to my parents (like, not within a 10 minute radius), but I want to be close enough to my family to be able to visit whenever I wish. And I'm starting to realize, granted, I want a great performance career. But I sometimes question whether or not it can coincide with family. Or with God.
Later,
Rachel
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