Week 11 was a really good final week of our marching band season. I decided to include this past Monday of week 12 because that’s the real end to the marching season.
On Monday we had band rehearsal as usual, except there was one big surprise: a practice fighter jet had flown over our practice field, roaring like thunder for a couple of minutes. It was very Top Gun-esque and made everyone feel really cool, of course.
On Wednesday, I had a day off of band and church, so I decided to start working on my Halloween costume: an X-Wing fighter plane. One of my friends was dressing up as the fighter pilot. so we came up with the idea that I could be the plane itself. Here’s the plane in the works:
Throughout all of this, I’m watching World Series games and keeping up with the highs and lows of the Braves as they seek to beat the Astros. Rooting for the Braves is an easy choice because of the Astros cheating scandal only a couple of years back.
Thursday I also had band off and decided to continue my project of writing individual notes to people in my percussion section. Words are a way I express love well, and I wanted to make sure all of them felt loved as this marching band season ended and made sure they knew how awesome and an honor it was to drum with them my senior year.
Friday was our final home football game! Senior Night! We had our final performance in front of the home crowd, and we got to recognize our wonderful Class of 2022 seniors after it. I couldn’t be more blessed and thankful to have the group of seniors around me that I did this year, and I can’t wait to see where we all go in life after high school is over.
Through ups and downs in this whole month, the Lord has been teaching me how to steadfastly love others around me and the friends He has given me. As I continue to pray for gospel-centered friendships and relationships to blossom, God has given me more direction on how to love others around me, show the marks of a Christian through my life (not on my own, but through His grace), and He has allowed me to have fruitful conversations with those around me to help strengthen these friendships. I tend to get in my own head when thinking about people’s intentions and actions towards me, but I have learned to simply love and take them in with grace and truth and sincerity like Jesus did. I don’t have to fake being friendly or nice just because the Bible says to, but instead, Jesus has shown me mercy and allows me HIS righteousness in fruitfully displaying such love and kindness. It’s not an effort of my own heart whatsoever, but the effort of our loving Christ who rescued us from the depths of our sin. Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.
Saturday was our final band competition! Per tradition, I brought a fun hat for one last time (my best hat, of course) and was ready to rock ‘n’ roll with the last show. We sat through a few hours of A and AA Class bands before we had to go warm up on our own, but it was cold, rainy, and windy the entire day. ): Thankfully, it had slowed down quite a bit for our performance! We finished 2nd overall and 2nd in percussion in our class for the day, so a fitting end to our final competition.
Sunday was Halloween! I finished my costume that day and went to a party with many of my friends, getting to show off my EPIC Star Wars pair costume. It was a good day filled with food, laughter, friendship, and photos! I’m glad to have gone and grown in relationship with others and with God through even everyday events like friend gatherings.
Monday (yesterday) was our Knox County Schools marching band exhibition, where we performed our show for all of the other Knox County bands and got to watch the other bands as well. It’s always a fun evening to perform our show a final time and get all the love and support from other KCS bands. Could not be happier with our last performance as a band together. Although it was an emotional night, it was needed and cathartic for all of our seniors to be able to say “it is well with my soul” and get to share a moment together.
Here’s to open doors in the coming months of new free time, and may Christ use me and grow me further in ways I couldn’t see or even imagine before. His sanctification is a work of art, an ongoing masterpiece, and a road that ultimately leads us to forever with God.
