in God we trust

Overheard today in Chapel Hill:

In our room
Kathryn: "Whoa, there are dried grapes in here!"
Me: "You mean RAISINS?"
Kathryn: "Wait... raisins are dried grapes??"

Two guys in class
"Dude. Our teacher has a lip ring."
"And that's what makes him awesome."

Professor Armitage, on latecomers
"And here we have some stragglers, slouching towards Greenlaw to be born..."

The guys who wear too much cologne. Constant murmurs of complaint. Girls who chew gum too loudly. The endless stream of vapid girls with heavy mascara and the boys with the half-lidded eyes and slightly open mouths. Taking notes. Reading textbooks. Crossing the Pit. Hundreds of vaguely familiar faces. Welcome back to the University. It is good to be back, though it is profoundly different. People and perceptions have changed, and so it is great solace to remember that God is constant. ("Living in fear will drive you mad...")

Last night, after our first IV large group of the year, Matt, Kathryn, Catherine, and I came to our room for an hour or more of honest prayer and repentance. How boldly God met us there! Our prayers for one another brought such unspeakable joy to my heart. God's peace transcends our inadequate words and the Holy Spirit intercedes for us so faithfully; I know this is true because of last night. Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens, who listens to and answers our cries. Praise Him, also, for friends like this.

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble. Psalm 90:14,15