1 weekend down

Well, the 1st weekend block of my 2 weekend class, Into. to Grad Studies is behind me. The work however, looms above my head...I have a wide range of emotions about the whole thing. It was way more intense than I imagined, but at the same time invigorating because it was intense. I came to an interesting conclusion while at ACU this time. Things have changed, dramatically. And, either I coasted through Undergrad Bible or they have up-ed the anti. Actually, I know I did not coast, so it must be the latter. And here is one reason, I believe. I think with the Association of Theological Schools accreditation came some scholarly improvements. I believe at the time I got the best Undergrad preparation that any of "our" schools had to offer but things have still improved. The library (oops, Learning commons) is a whole new world - one that includes a Starbucks, and amoeba shaped community learning desks with all sorts of technology. The Theology holdings have grown tremendously. The library is actually a fun place to be. The other change I see is a Bible faculty that is more specialized with training from world renowned institutions. No longer is a professor who teaches ministry one semester, also teaching Old Testament another. The GST has gathered together a team of area specialists and so the result is expectations from students that requires research to go deeper and broader. ACU has always had its scholarly legends: Ferguson, John Willis, Osborne, Lightfoot, Humble etc and in later years: Thompson, Foster, Allen. Alongside those have been the ministry legends Wray, Siburt etc. But there is new host of professors that were students while I was studying and working there like Childers, Churchill, Aquino, Flanders etc. It is a fabulous time to be there - even for an old codger like me!

TV Talk

So none of this post really matters, it's just about TV. Nothing heavy today.

Crikey Mate! "The crocodile hunter" Steve Irwin, died in a tragic accident this past weekend and it has really bothered me. Obviously I do not know this man, but from a distance - through the screen, across the ocean and literally halfway around the world - he was able to create intimacy with his viewers so that it felt like you knew him. I think the planet has lost a passionate animal lover, a keen conservationist, fun Dad and good husband.

It is official, Rachel Ray is aiming for world domination. Not only is Miss Super Perky the queen of the 30 minute meal, $40 a day, celebrity food talk, travel, magazines, cook books...now she is hosting a talk show. It makes me smile, because I like Ms. Rachel, she really gets food. Her "yum" is always said with the same intensity of mine.

Now about Survivor. I do not know what to do. I am frustrated that they are dividing the teams by race. Regardless of the outcome, it is just in bad taste. David (who is always so balanced in his views) is encouraging me not to judge before I see it. His advise is to watch, wait and see. I on the other hand feel almost boycott-esque in my view as a protest of the concept regardless of how it plays out. Now you know, the TV execs across the nations are worried about losing my one viewing vote :-) !

Hopefully this stream will run a little deeper tomorrow.

Unity and perhaps History

Today was an awesome day of worship. During the month of August, David and I worked in Kids worship and so we missed out on the corporate experience with our church family for a month. That was hard. I am so moved by the corporate worship experience, and it is my fuel for the week of ministry that without it I feel depleted. So, simply it was just good to be in the service.

But, today was so much more. Our preacher swapped pulpits with the preacher from Washington Avenue Christian church today and their preacher came and preached for us. It was fabulous on so many levels. He is a funny, gifted and engaging speaker as well as an insightful teacher. The lesson was great. But the power of the experience was not in the "quality of the speaker or the message." It was in the actual event. It was unity taken a step further - not just a nice goal that is never acted upon, it became an action before our eyes. At the close of the service our elders embraced Jim and he them and they stood arm in arm as we closed singing, "We are the body of Christ." Powerful. Powerful.

The time of worship in song was full and glorifying and our worship leader was able to create a worship environment that drew me in close to God. I feel like I "did" church in a huge way today which helps me "be" church for the rest of the week.