Books I'm Reading
Books I've Read for My 101 List
24 April 2009
A podcast?
That's right. I've taken one of my larger themes from here, Celtic Christianity, and turned it into a podcast. So far, I have made one post, and it is a bit cheesy, but if you stick with me it will get better. Check it out, it should be searchable on iTunes in the next day or so, but until then you can find it here. Check it out and let me know what you think.
16 April 2009
In Cincinnati
Right now, I am sitting in the Hampton Inn in Covington, KY. Soon, I will piling back into a van that I have just spent too much time in already to go eat some excellent pizza. Tomorrow, on the other hand, is another story entirely.
Tomorrow, I get to sit a listen to presentations about the Bible, God and the OT. At about 10:30 tomorrow, I will be getting up in front a group of judges, fellow competitors and peers to present a paper. A paper I labored over and for those who read my twitter, twittered about often. It is a nerve wracking thing, standing in front of a group of men and women much smarter and wiser than you reading them a paper on a general topic about which they know very much. The adrenaline rush I get from experiences like these is equivalent to when I used to play football.
For those who pray, keep me in your prayers, for those who don't keep me in your thoughts (and give praying a try). I'll post more about this tomorrow, after I've presented. This is an exciting time for me. A chance to find out if this academic life is the kind of life I want to live. A moment in time that could alter my life drastically, but might only keep me on my course, I have never encountered.
Tomorrow shall make for an interesting day.
15 April 2009
Holy Living: Future Decisions
This morning I had breakfast with a professor of mine. He and I met, mainly, to talk about my internship. We, however, also spent time talking about my future plans, as conceived by my wife and I. There are many possibilities on the horizon for Lauren and I. One such possibility is that once we are done in Lincoln getting our graduate degrees we would be moving, for a little while anyway, Lampeter, Wales.
There is a division of the University of Wales in Lampeter and there they had a degree in Celtic Christianity. I would not be going for that degree but doing a research degree with some of those professors. As many of you know, I have a deep passion for Celtic Christianity. How some of our early ancestors worshiped God is fascinating, enlightening and above all helpful for the modern day Christian. An opportunity to study in of the very countries they came from and lived in is more than fantastic. It would mean an opportunity to live where they lived; to trod where they've trod; to see, in some ways, what they saw. It is a great longing and tugging at my heart. And yet...
I am not alone in this endeavor. I have a wife. I hope to one day have a large family of at least five children. How can I do this in Lampeter? What about my wife's dreams and ambitions? Just how will I reconcile all of this? And therein lies the answer to all of my questions. I cannot.
But God can. James 4.13-17 addresses this issue, in a way. James reminds those merchants and businessmen who think they can plan for years and not take into account God, that they have no guarantee of another minute, let alone a whole year or more. James reminds us that our lives are but whisper of a breath. A mere mist. That those who know the good they ought to do and don't do it, sin. What does this all have to do with my own future plans? I have to remember that God is the one in control. If he wants my family in Lampeter, we'll be in Lampeter. If London, London. Lincoln, IL then we'll be in Lincoln, IL. That good James talks about, it is this, "'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" James 4.15b.
What are you hopes, dreams, aspirations, plans for the future? Have you committed them to God? If you haven't and are still determined to do them, well, we know what James we have to say about that.
In the meantime, I will pray and look for an occasion where I might be able to visit this college or any other that shows itself prominent, so that I can continue to pray and make informed decisions.
These are just my thoughts, my life situation inextricably mixed with a lesson from God on a how to live a holy life. What are you doing to live a holy life?
06 April 2009
I wonder what cookies at the bottom of a teacup might mean.
These two entries are from a journal I am keeping for my internship. I have put the most effort into these two and have decided to share them with those of you who clamor for more on my personal life (all 1 or 2 of you). Here they are completely unedited.
Week of 3/29
Last week was my last week teaching Jeff. Street. Coming off of that week, it has been difficult to motivate myself to work on other aspects of my internship. Perhaps it is the onset of Week of E for most, and Spring Break for myself, that has caused this lackadaisical attitude within me. Even my prayer life and reading and devotional study with my wife have taken a hit this week. It seems I might have been in need of a bit of break. That, of course, could very easily be my way of rationalizing a major attempt of working.
I still manage to get my hours in, seeing as how I went over the necessary twenty hours when preparing for my last class at Jeff. Street. I have begun to wonder if perhaps I should not have persuaded the church to take me on as well. I love the Greek work I am doing, especially when I am actively working on it. I get so positively excited about it that I more than willingly bore anyone within reach who deems me someone to humor. The idea of creating something new and better for our Greek students simply appeals to me.
I have to understand, however, that more than likely my suggested curriculum will not be accepted and since my internship will be over and I will not even be a Greek TA after this semester, I doubt it will go much farther. Nevertheless, this working in Greek has been a wonderful exercise in self discipline (an exercise I have been failing at) and also in curricula creation. Granted, I truly have very little idea where I stand lately on the tasks that must be accomplished by my internship and have not yet had my meeting with Neal to discuss these issues.
I, of course, make no pretense as to the writing of this entry, it was written after the entry dated week of 4/5 that follows. And I am currently trying to distance myself from the crumbs at the bottom of my teacup (mentioned below) and failing miserably. I mention in the next entry my longing for teaching and how I miss it. It was this week where I first stopped teaching at Jeff. Street. My last class from the week prior went swimmingly. A second grade teacher who attended my class gave me a sticker for keeping us on track and I was given a round of applause and those things were nice. They are not what I miss.
I miss the relationship that forms in the classroom. I miss the students and seeing them start to develop (one night a week for six weeks is not nearly enough time). I miss so desperately spending time researching so I could share my findings with the class. I hope that the church allows me to teach again in autumn and wish that they had classes I could teach over the summer.
A wish of mine that I know will not be fulfilled is the possibility to teach a class that has been offered at the school. Cliff Wheeler will be leaving at the end of the semester and I wish I could take up his class on Lewis and Tolkien. While they are not currently resting on my heart as they once had, I still wish I could teach a proper class that met a few times a week or once for more than an hour. I wish I could teach something I was deeply passionate about. Something I would long to learn more about so that I share with others.
Since I made the transition to a Biblical Exposition major, teaching has always been what I have said I would do. Now that I have done it, however, there seem only two options before me: teach/write or be unhappy and unfinished. God has placed a large burden in me to teach and to write. I long to understand and share my understanding.
I am preoccupied with teaching at the moment, proof that Greek has made its way to the back of my mind, a sad thing since my Field Mentor is here mostly for the Greek side of things. I do not know for sure what I wanted when I proposed the idea for this internship, but this was not it. I am, however, glad it is what I have gotten.
Week of 4/5
Admittedly, I have not kept up as well with this journal as I had initially hoped. Today is April 6th and there will be a few weeks added in that took place before this one, however, today, I was in a contemplative mood and choose to add this to the proper week, rather than attaching it to a previous week. Today begins, for me at any rate, the first day of my second Spring Break. Many of my fellow students are off to different parts of the country and the world doing mission trips for the school. My Field Mentor, Clay, is back at his home in Dallas, spending the week with his wife and trying to sell his Dallasian home. I, on the other hand, am sitting in my kitchen at 4:55 PM, taking Tea (consisting of Twinnings’ Earl Grey and some home baked cookies).
As I sit here sipping my tea, I cannot help but think of the experiences I have had this semester. My internship has been vastly different than I had ever imagined. My whole thought process going in to it was make the Greek program better and perhaps secure a job as an adjunct for next year. Teaching in a church had been far from my mind, as had my continuing duties as a Greek TA. All grammar and Greek was the unconscious mantra to which I had subscribed. That, however, was not to be the case.
Last week (and when I write that journal I will put in more detail) was my first week not teaching at Jeff. Street. It was a strange feeling, knowing that the only teaching I had left to do was that of Wednesdays for Greek. Ironic that the last thing on my mind when it came to my internship was the part I loved most and the part (now that it is finished) I miss most. Not that I have no teaching to do in the near future.
My SFG (which will hopefully count toward my mentoring requirements) will be finishing up their lessons on their thin places. When they are done, I may resume teaching them about the ancient Christian Celts and the profound impact they can have on our lives. Next week is probably the biggest part of my internship after teaching at Jeff. Street and it is something I never imagined really happening. I’ll be presenting my paper and while that is not traditional teaching, I may be bringing new ideas into the heads of men and women and I think that is certainly a part of teaching. Elementary Greek, as well, provides me an opportunity to share my knowledge with students and help them succeed, especially on Wednesdays when we do labs.
This week is for resting, but it is also a time to get some unfettered work done. Both for the school and for my internship. Along with a presentation that I will be making the week after I present at SCJC, I must write an exegetical paper, review Paul’s use of the Old Testament in the letters to Timothy. For the internship, I’m reading The Courage to Teach by Parker J. Palmer, doing some more work on the reading schedule for my proposed Elementary Greek class and translating large portions of the suggested homework and tests.
One trait I have seen in myself now more than ever is that even when I pick the subject, when it comes time to do the work, there is always something I would rather be studying. Church history, particularly Celtic Christianity, has enveloped my mind. I’m even already considering doing my Ph.D. work at the University of Wales in Lampeter.
I have so much on my mind, and I am just thankful that God has given me a mind that can hold so much, let’s pray that I do not burst, or that if I do, whatever stays inside is meant to stay there.
I may write more about this week, I may not. I can tell you this, however, I love writing this and pray someone sees it, I want them to learn from me, even if it is by my good example.
Week of 3/29
Last week was my last week teaching Jeff. Street. Coming off of that week, it has been difficult to motivate myself to work on other aspects of my internship. Perhaps it is the onset of Week of E for most, and Spring Break for myself, that has caused this lackadaisical attitude within me. Even my prayer life and reading and devotional study with my wife have taken a hit this week. It seems I might have been in need of a bit of break. That, of course, could very easily be my way of rationalizing a major attempt of working.
I still manage to get my hours in, seeing as how I went over the necessary twenty hours when preparing for my last class at Jeff. Street. I have begun to wonder if perhaps I should not have persuaded the church to take me on as well. I love the Greek work I am doing, especially when I am actively working on it. I get so positively excited about it that I more than willingly bore anyone within reach who deems me someone to humor. The idea of creating something new and better for our Greek students simply appeals to me.
I have to understand, however, that more than likely my suggested curriculum will not be accepted and since my internship will be over and I will not even be a Greek TA after this semester, I doubt it will go much farther. Nevertheless, this working in Greek has been a wonderful exercise in self discipline (an exercise I have been failing at) and also in curricula creation. Granted, I truly have very little idea where I stand lately on the tasks that must be accomplished by my internship and have not yet had my meeting with Neal to discuss these issues.
I, of course, make no pretense as to the writing of this entry, it was written after the entry dated week of 4/5 that follows. And I am currently trying to distance myself from the crumbs at the bottom of my teacup (mentioned below) and failing miserably. I mention in the next entry my longing for teaching and how I miss it. It was this week where I first stopped teaching at Jeff. Street. My last class from the week prior went swimmingly. A second grade teacher who attended my class gave me a sticker for keeping us on track and I was given a round of applause and those things were nice. They are not what I miss.
I miss the relationship that forms in the classroom. I miss the students and seeing them start to develop (one night a week for six weeks is not nearly enough time). I miss so desperately spending time researching so I could share my findings with the class. I hope that the church allows me to teach again in autumn and wish that they had classes I could teach over the summer.
A wish of mine that I know will not be fulfilled is the possibility to teach a class that has been offered at the school. Cliff Wheeler will be leaving at the end of the semester and I wish I could take up his class on Lewis and Tolkien. While they are not currently resting on my heart as they once had, I still wish I could teach a proper class that met a few times a week or once for more than an hour. I wish I could teach something I was deeply passionate about. Something I would long to learn more about so that I share with others.
Since I made the transition to a Biblical Exposition major, teaching has always been what I have said I would do. Now that I have done it, however, there seem only two options before me: teach/write or be unhappy and unfinished. God has placed a large burden in me to teach and to write. I long to understand and share my understanding.
I am preoccupied with teaching at the moment, proof that Greek has made its way to the back of my mind, a sad thing since my Field Mentor is here mostly for the Greek side of things. I do not know for sure what I wanted when I proposed the idea for this internship, but this was not it. I am, however, glad it is what I have gotten.
Week of 4/5
Admittedly, I have not kept up as well with this journal as I had initially hoped. Today is April 6th and there will be a few weeks added in that took place before this one, however, today, I was in a contemplative mood and choose to add this to the proper week, rather than attaching it to a previous week. Today begins, for me at any rate, the first day of my second Spring Break. Many of my fellow students are off to different parts of the country and the world doing mission trips for the school. My Field Mentor, Clay, is back at his home in Dallas, spending the week with his wife and trying to sell his Dallasian home. I, on the other hand, am sitting in my kitchen at 4:55 PM, taking Tea (consisting of Twinnings’ Earl Grey and some home baked cookies).
As I sit here sipping my tea, I cannot help but think of the experiences I have had this semester. My internship has been vastly different than I had ever imagined. My whole thought process going in to it was make the Greek program better and perhaps secure a job as an adjunct for next year. Teaching in a church had been far from my mind, as had my continuing duties as a Greek TA. All grammar and Greek was the unconscious mantra to which I had subscribed. That, however, was not to be the case.
Last week (and when I write that journal I will put in more detail) was my first week not teaching at Jeff. Street. It was a strange feeling, knowing that the only teaching I had left to do was that of Wednesdays for Greek. Ironic that the last thing on my mind when it came to my internship was the part I loved most and the part (now that it is finished) I miss most. Not that I have no teaching to do in the near future.
My SFG (which will hopefully count toward my mentoring requirements) will be finishing up their lessons on their thin places. When they are done, I may resume teaching them about the ancient Christian Celts and the profound impact they can have on our lives. Next week is probably the biggest part of my internship after teaching at Jeff. Street and it is something I never imagined really happening. I’ll be presenting my paper and while that is not traditional teaching, I may be bringing new ideas into the heads of men and women and I think that is certainly a part of teaching. Elementary Greek, as well, provides me an opportunity to share my knowledge with students and help them succeed, especially on Wednesdays when we do labs.
This week is for resting, but it is also a time to get some unfettered work done. Both for the school and for my internship. Along with a presentation that I will be making the week after I present at SCJC, I must write an exegetical paper, review Paul’s use of the Old Testament in the letters to Timothy. For the internship, I’m reading The Courage to Teach by Parker J. Palmer, doing some more work on the reading schedule for my proposed Elementary Greek class and translating large portions of the suggested homework and tests.
One trait I have seen in myself now more than ever is that even when I pick the subject, when it comes time to do the work, there is always something I would rather be studying. Church history, particularly Celtic Christianity, has enveloped my mind. I’m even already considering doing my Ph.D. work at the University of Wales in Lampeter.
I have so much on my mind, and I am just thankful that God has given me a mind that can hold so much, let’s pray that I do not burst, or that if I do, whatever stays inside is meant to stay there.
I may write more about this week, I may not. I can tell you this, however, I love writing this and pray someone sees it, I want them to learn from me, even if it is by my good example.
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