Day 1

Chris Rice started singing to me at 5:30 a.m., well before the crickets' nightsong gave way to the twittering of birds. I rolled over to snooze the Mr. Rice alarm and laid back on my pillow to stare at the dark ceiling. Day 1. Lord, help me. It's the first day of school all over again: new schedule, new classes, completely new faces; a stomach full of butterflies and a heart full of anticipation. Jesus, let me be so full of You that I can't hold You in, that You leak out and spill over everything I do. I finally tore my stare off of the ceiling at 6:05 as the girls gathered for dorm worship. May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear wafted through my window. I chose my Day 1 outfit to stand out as a mature staff member rather than to fit in as a student peer. The birds sang songs of confidence as I pattered over to the cafeteria in my light brown, faux suede flats. An anticipated anxiety washed over me as my eyes swept the dining room superficially nonchalantly, looking for a friend to sit with. I sat with the friendly SMs, quietly chewing my cereal and fruit while watching the clock. 3, 2, 1...Day 1 has begun.