Oh Joy!!!

Well, it has been a hectic weekend and the week is off to another hectic start. You might say that the porch swing has been unoccupied and is now covered with three (or is it four?) days worth of dust. But that’s not the reason it’s been quiet around here. The last three days I’ve been walking in joy/relief-induced daze. Trust me, it’s still difficult to get me focused on this entry. Even more difficult to come up with vocabulary for this thing. I lost my communication skills last Friday and they’re only just slowly resurfacing.

Last Friday, I woke up around noon to find a message on my phone. It was a classmate of mine congratulating me because I qualified for shifting. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and stared at my phone as if it were some alien form I had taken a sudden curiosity to. Was half out of my wits, thinking, Lord, please let this not be a joke or something. Because, duh!, I know I qualify for shifting into Statistics because I got the GWA they require for applicants. So what EXACTLY was my classmate talking about?

I tried texting her back, but I ran out of phone credit. It was 11:30. My class wasn’t until 1:00. But it would have been a simple thing to shower and rush a block away to the Stat building and check if the shifting results were out. But honestly, I was too terrified to do that. I just wasn’t ready. So I opted to procrastinate. And pray.

My classmate sent another message saying “Your name, Kristina H. Mendoza, is on the list!!!”

Still couldn’t believe it.

Took a bath, had lunch (ate really slowly), and headed out to the Stat building.

Made beeline for the Office of the College Secretary and saw my name on the list of accepted shiftees and transferees.

Stared at paper.

Still couldn’t believe it.

Attended class. Two hours later, I checked the list, so sure that I had just imagined the whole thing.

Still couldn’t believe it. But now in a good way. Smiled and giggled. Looked up and giggled.

Got to the dorm. Sat on bed. Bowed my head to praise. Instead, all I could do was smile. Then cry. Then giggle. Then cry again. God knew the words.

I wish I could dance but I’m rooted to the floor in awe. I wish I could sing but I can only be silent before His majesty.

I’m no longer a non-major. I’m staying in UP. I’ll be graduating (God willing) in 2007.

All this is just blowing me away.

“I gaze around me from on higher ground
Filled with wonder and awe
Humbled by Thy great faithfulness
Stilled by Thy steadfast love
Such valleys I have walked through
And yet now I truly find the walk worthwhile.

So I praise Thee for Thy marvelous works,
Thy light and wisdom,
Thy grace and joy,
Thy salvation and peace.

I praise Thee for setting this path before me
For walking this path along me
For being the Light ahead of me.

Yet, Lord, I pray that I do not linger.
Let me not remain longer than I should.
Let my eyes not settle for this view,
Nor my feet rest on this mountain top.

But make me to follow You,
Be the way narrow or wide,
Through valley or mount.
For the highest ground is to stand where You stand.”