It's only Tuesday, but I've already been to all of my classes this semester. For the first time since I've been here, I am really excited about all of my classes. This will be a little easier than other semesters, in that I'm only taking two classes plus an independent study. I will have a January short term class on Issues in the Theology of Scripture, which should be great as well. I think what makes this semester a little different is that I really enjoy all the professors I have. I've had one of them before, and the other I've heard nothing but good things. Here are the two classes I'm taking:
Introduction to Prophetic Literature - Jeremy Hutton (had this prof for Hebrew)
Ethics and the Problem of Evil (John Bowlin, has been great so far)
I also have my teaching ministry internship in West Chester, PA, which should also be a great experience. I'll be teaching at least four classes, one on World Religions, and I'll most likely be doing a repeat of my class on Fantasy Literature, with tweaks.
I'm still not quite ready to be out here again, but I'm determined to get things going. You'd think that after two years I'd finally have this transition down, yet I think this has been the hardest year to transition back to school. But, it's one last year, and before I know it, it's going to be over. I am hoping to do quite a bit this year off campus, explore a bit more than I have in previous years, and really take advantage of being on the East Coast as much as possible. We'll see how I do at accomplishing that goal.
More to come later.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Summer must be over...
It must be getting close to school again if I'm back at the Theological Mishaps blog.
It's been a great summer. I don't know if it was quite as good as last summer considering all of the fun nonsense that happened to me this summer, but I think my heart hurts a little more this year than it did last year about this time. I've definitely changed quite a bit over the last few months, and there are quite a few things that have become clearer this summer, particularly concerning my future. Directions seem to be coming more clear, doors are closing, new ones are opening, and I am feeling better about who I am and where I fit.
It's been quite the ride trying to get there. Probably the most exciting part has been my recurring knee nuisance that became a little more serious this summer. Since I was in swim team, both of my knees stiffen up every now and then. Sometimes it lasts for about a day, other times it lasts for about a week. This time, it lasted for a couple months. And there was shooting nervous pain going up my leg to accompany it. So off to the doctor to get myself checked out, and I went through some scary diagnoses. First, it was a torn meniscus; then, it was possibly lymphoma, lupus, arthritis, gout, and a slew of other possibilities; then finally, simple tendinitis. Two MRIs, plenty of blood tests and x-rays later, and with a bottle of Naprosyn, I am back walking, running, and jumping normally again.
I am feeling a bit more clarity on my vocation, though I will save those thoughts for another post. That has been quite a journey on its own and would fill too much space here. Suffice it to say that I feel much more comfortable about where I am being called and the reasons for it.
I am very sad to be leaving CA. I'm not an East Coast Kid, at least not in the area of the East Coast I've been situated for the last two years. There are things I appreciate about Princeton that I will sorely miss, but I realize I am much more satisfied in my West Coast surroundings. That is not how I envisioned my trip to Princeton at all. I was fairly convinced that the East Coast would be the perfect place for me; two years later and about the only worse fit I can think of is Texas. But I would never trade away the opportunity to be surrounded by so much history, so many new and diverse people, and to (pretty much) a different culture. That has shaped me and changed me in great ways, and given me a perspective that I wouldn't trade. I just don't want to prolong the experience.
By this time next week, I'll be back in Princeton, hopefully excited for this things to come. I already have my light at the end of the tunnel, that being my flight back home for Christmas. I'll give details for that closer to the appropriate date. So until next week, I will enjoy my last few days in CA, and be ready to jet off next Wednesday....
It's been a great summer. I don't know if it was quite as good as last summer considering all of the fun nonsense that happened to me this summer, but I think my heart hurts a little more this year than it did last year about this time. I've definitely changed quite a bit over the last few months, and there are quite a few things that have become clearer this summer, particularly concerning my future. Directions seem to be coming more clear, doors are closing, new ones are opening, and I am feeling better about who I am and where I fit.
It's been quite the ride trying to get there. Probably the most exciting part has been my recurring knee nuisance that became a little more serious this summer. Since I was in swim team, both of my knees stiffen up every now and then. Sometimes it lasts for about a day, other times it lasts for about a week. This time, it lasted for a couple months. And there was shooting nervous pain going up my leg to accompany it. So off to the doctor to get myself checked out, and I went through some scary diagnoses. First, it was a torn meniscus; then, it was possibly lymphoma, lupus, arthritis, gout, and a slew of other possibilities; then finally, simple tendinitis. Two MRIs, plenty of blood tests and x-rays later, and with a bottle of Naprosyn, I am back walking, running, and jumping normally again.
I am feeling a bit more clarity on my vocation, though I will save those thoughts for another post. That has been quite a journey on its own and would fill too much space here. Suffice it to say that I feel much more comfortable about where I am being called and the reasons for it.
I am very sad to be leaving CA. I'm not an East Coast Kid, at least not in the area of the East Coast I've been situated for the last two years. There are things I appreciate about Princeton that I will sorely miss, but I realize I am much more satisfied in my West Coast surroundings. That is not how I envisioned my trip to Princeton at all. I was fairly convinced that the East Coast would be the perfect place for me; two years later and about the only worse fit I can think of is Texas. But I would never trade away the opportunity to be surrounded by so much history, so many new and diverse people, and to (pretty much) a different culture. That has shaped me and changed me in great ways, and given me a perspective that I wouldn't trade. I just don't want to prolong the experience.
By this time next week, I'll be back in Princeton, hopefully excited for this things to come. I already have my light at the end of the tunnel, that being my flight back home for Christmas. I'll give details for that closer to the appropriate date. So until next week, I will enjoy my last few days in CA, and be ready to jet off next Wednesday....
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