I almost should call this the last post before school ends because I don't know if I'll write anything next week, but this chapter will soon be closing. I have three finals left, one due next week on Wednesday, and two on Saturday. All papers. I have already completed two of my finals, so two classes (which includes my independent study) is done.
My independent study being done has given me the greatest relief and joy. I have been studying under a professor who is considered one of the leading (if not the leading) theologian on Missional Theology in the world. I turned in my paper to him last week and was able to sit down with him yesterday to discuss my work, and I was incredibly happy to hear his response. He gave me some good criticism and advice moving forward, but overall he was happy with my work and thought I had made some good contributions not only in general but also to some of the work he has been doing. So I was very happy to hear that and to know that I had received an A for my work. The grade is definitely nice, but it was even better to know that my work has been appreciated.
So now the rest seems pretty easy. It's not going to be too easy, but compared to this research paper, the rest is not as stressful. So I'm working diligently on everything, slowly chipping away at each project one at a time. It's been harder to stay motivated knowing that I'm so close to the end. But I want to finish strong, so that is what I'm pushing toward.
In other news, I have a summer job. I'll be working at Forest Home this summer as a staff dean. That means I'll be the pastoral presence for about 200 young adults (17-26 years of age) who work as program or support staff. So I am pretty excited about that. I wish I could be a little closer to home and church this summer, but this will work for the summer. I can come home in the fall and hopefully find something closer to home and family (and Cathy).
Now it's time for me to get going today, so I'll plan on updating once my finals are over.
Showing posts with label Spring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spring. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
For the Last Time?
I keep getting close to saying that I'm coming home for the last time before graduation, but it seems like something always keeps getting in my way before doing that. In this case, it ended up being a whirlwind ride at the airport, a set of unexpected circumstances, and an amazing blessing that came from nowhere. So here's how my ride home went over the weekend.
I arrived at Ontario airport late on Sunday evening, pretty downtrodden. I had to wipe fresh tears from my eyes as I was walking up to the security checkpoint, waving painfully goodbye to my dad and girlfriend as I trudged slowly up to the TSA guard with my boarding pass and driver's license in hand. With all of five people going through the metal detectors, I zipped through security, refilling my emptied pockets and slipping my sandals back onto my feet. With my backpack and suitcase in hand, I sat down in one of the black leather chairs next to my gate, and started reading "Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale." Written by Frederick Buechner, the book is about how in order to fully understand the Gospel's message, we have to realize that it speaks of terrible tragedy, divine comedy, and the fairy tale ending that no one expects and struggles to fully believe. But when we reach that point, we see the Gospel in its wholeness and the truth it speaks is more easily grasped. And at this point, understanding the tragedy of the Gospel was much easier to grasp.
About an hour before our flight was supposed to board, we received the announcement that our flight had been overbooked, and if "a few good men" would be willing to give up their seats, they'd receive a $400 voucher to use on any Delta flight. It wasn't a crazy idea, I thought, to give up my seat on this flight. After all, I'm not planning on going to classes tomorrow (Monday) anyway, so what difference would it make if I arrived later on Monday? So I decided to go up to the gate and at least see if it was a possibility. They said they'd call me back and let me know if it would work out to fly me to Philadelphia later on Monday. So I returned to my seat and called Cathy to let her know to be on standby in case I needed a ride back home. My parents weren't crazy about the idea of me giving up my seat, but for $400, why not give it a shot?
Soon the plane started boarding, and I assumed my seat would still be mine as they had not called me back to the gate. I checked with the gate before boarding, and after reading me my options for flights, they determined that they didn't need anyone to give up their seats anymore and thanked me for volunteering anyway. So I walked into the now long line to board my flight, slightly dejected but resigned to the fact that it would be over two months before seeing my family and girlfriend again. I called Cathy again to let her know that I would be on my way to Princeton shortly. I could hear the disappointment in her voice, and I could feel dampness accumulating below my eyes. But two months is not that long, and we had already done it once. We could to it again.
Then the comedy began. I approached the boarding door, and after scanning my boarding pass, I was informed that I had not been cleared to board the plane. "Please step over to the gate, and the attendants will assign you a new seat," I was kindly told. So back to the gate I went only to find out that no seats remained on my flight. "You were going to voluntarily give up your seat anyway, right?" Yes, that's right, I replied. They told me that I could either wait on standby for a few minutes to see if a new seat would open up or that I could go downstairs and they would book me on a new flight along with giving me the $400 voucher I had been promised before. But before I could answer, the attendant looked at her computer screen and said, "You know what, just head downstairs, I don't think anything will open up." With a wide smile, I thanked her for her assistance and quickly strolled back to the front of the terminal, backpack, suitcase and book about tragedy and comedy in hand. I called Cathy again, not more than 1o minutes after calling her before, to inform her that I indeed needed a ride back home. So down the stairs I quickly went and approached the front desk.
The conversation at the front gate was a long one with many twists and turns through the forest of flight bookings. Apparently this is the popular time of year to go to the East Coast as all of the flights they were looking at out of Ontario and LAX were completely booked. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever make it back to Princeton in time for classes. Then suddenly there was an opening. "I have a flight out of Orange County leaving at 1:00 pm, arriving in Philadelphia at 11:11 pm, with two seats open ... in first class." Well, I thought, it's my only way back to Princeton, so I suppose I have to take it, fully expecting to have to pay the difference. Only the bill never came. Because my situation had changed from a voluntarily no-board to a denied boarding, my options had opened up. Though the attendant had to get clearance from her supervisor to make the change, I was handed my first-class ticket back to Princeton along with a $400 voucher to use on any flight on Delta airlines or one of their partners. I had essentially been paid to not board my flight. Comical, to be sure, but an unexpected blessing with further unexpected (positive) consequences.
Cathy had to circle the airport a few times before I was able to get out to the curb, feeling overjoyed but still in disbelief. And then the fairy tale began. I had not thought about what I could use that voucher for but suddenly it became incredibly clear when discussing it with Cathy. You see, my classes end on April 29, and I don't officially graduate until May 22. That's almost a full month of sitting around at Princeton doing nothing except watching the grass grow. But now, with a $400 voucher in hand, I could come home for those three weeks, something I had not intended to do but desperately desired. And everything began to fall into place. I could either start looking for a job and start a job much earlier than I had anticipated. I would get to see family and friends far sooner than before. I would get to spend quality time with Cathy that I had not expected. And I would still be back to say goodbye to my Princeton friends and receive my degree without the painful wait in between. I remind myself to focus on the small blessings, but I had forgotten that sometimes God can give us huge blessings as well.
So after spending an extra few hours with Cathy I had not anticipated I would have, I was able to sleep soundly, and fly back to Princeton in style. I met three fascinating people on my way back (which I'll share more about later) and felt relaxed and rejuvenated upon arriving in Philadelphia. Tragedy, comedy, and fairy tale.
There is so much more to say, but I have to run to class. More to come later...
I arrived at Ontario airport late on Sunday evening, pretty downtrodden. I had to wipe fresh tears from my eyes as I was walking up to the security checkpoint, waving painfully goodbye to my dad and girlfriend as I trudged slowly up to the TSA guard with my boarding pass and driver's license in hand. With all of five people going through the metal detectors, I zipped through security, refilling my emptied pockets and slipping my sandals back onto my feet. With my backpack and suitcase in hand, I sat down in one of the black leather chairs next to my gate, and started reading "Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale." Written by Frederick Buechner, the book is about how in order to fully understand the Gospel's message, we have to realize that it speaks of terrible tragedy, divine comedy, and the fairy tale ending that no one expects and struggles to fully believe. But when we reach that point, we see the Gospel in its wholeness and the truth it speaks is more easily grasped. And at this point, understanding the tragedy of the Gospel was much easier to grasp.
About an hour before our flight was supposed to board, we received the announcement that our flight had been overbooked, and if "a few good men" would be willing to give up their seats, they'd receive a $400 voucher to use on any Delta flight. It wasn't a crazy idea, I thought, to give up my seat on this flight. After all, I'm not planning on going to classes tomorrow (Monday) anyway, so what difference would it make if I arrived later on Monday? So I decided to go up to the gate and at least see if it was a possibility. They said they'd call me back and let me know if it would work out to fly me to Philadelphia later on Monday. So I returned to my seat and called Cathy to let her know to be on standby in case I needed a ride back home. My parents weren't crazy about the idea of me giving up my seat, but for $400, why not give it a shot?
Soon the plane started boarding, and I assumed my seat would still be mine as they had not called me back to the gate. I checked with the gate before boarding, and after reading me my options for flights, they determined that they didn't need anyone to give up their seats anymore and thanked me for volunteering anyway. So I walked into the now long line to board my flight, slightly dejected but resigned to the fact that it would be over two months before seeing my family and girlfriend again. I called Cathy again to let her know that I would be on my way to Princeton shortly. I could hear the disappointment in her voice, and I could feel dampness accumulating below my eyes. But two months is not that long, and we had already done it once. We could to it again.
Then the comedy began. I approached the boarding door, and after scanning my boarding pass, I was informed that I had not been cleared to board the plane. "Please step over to the gate, and the attendants will assign you a new seat," I was kindly told. So back to the gate I went only to find out that no seats remained on my flight. "You were going to voluntarily give up your seat anyway, right?" Yes, that's right, I replied. They told me that I could either wait on standby for a few minutes to see if a new seat would open up or that I could go downstairs and they would book me on a new flight along with giving me the $400 voucher I had been promised before. But before I could answer, the attendant looked at her computer screen and said, "You know what, just head downstairs, I don't think anything will open up." With a wide smile, I thanked her for her assistance and quickly strolled back to the front of the terminal, backpack, suitcase and book about tragedy and comedy in hand. I called Cathy again, not more than 1o minutes after calling her before, to inform her that I indeed needed a ride back home. So down the stairs I quickly went and approached the front desk.
The conversation at the front gate was a long one with many twists and turns through the forest of flight bookings. Apparently this is the popular time of year to go to the East Coast as all of the flights they were looking at out of Ontario and LAX were completely booked. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever make it back to Princeton in time for classes. Then suddenly there was an opening. "I have a flight out of Orange County leaving at 1:00 pm, arriving in Philadelphia at 11:11 pm, with two seats open ... in first class." Well, I thought, it's my only way back to Princeton, so I suppose I have to take it, fully expecting to have to pay the difference. Only the bill never came. Because my situation had changed from a voluntarily no-board to a denied boarding, my options had opened up. Though the attendant had to get clearance from her supervisor to make the change, I was handed my first-class ticket back to Princeton along with a $400 voucher to use on any flight on Delta airlines or one of their partners. I had essentially been paid to not board my flight. Comical, to be sure, but an unexpected blessing with further unexpected (positive) consequences.
Cathy had to circle the airport a few times before I was able to get out to the curb, feeling overjoyed but still in disbelief. And then the fairy tale began. I had not thought about what I could use that voucher for but suddenly it became incredibly clear when discussing it with Cathy. You see, my classes end on April 29, and I don't officially graduate until May 22. That's almost a full month of sitting around at Princeton doing nothing except watching the grass grow. But now, with a $400 voucher in hand, I could come home for those three weeks, something I had not intended to do but desperately desired. And everything began to fall into place. I could either start looking for a job and start a job much earlier than I had anticipated. I would get to see family and friends far sooner than before. I would get to spend quality time with Cathy that I had not expected. And I would still be back to say goodbye to my Princeton friends and receive my degree without the painful wait in between. I remind myself to focus on the small blessings, but I had forgotten that sometimes God can give us huge blessings as well.
So after spending an extra few hours with Cathy I had not anticipated I would have, I was able to sleep soundly, and fly back to Princeton in style. I met three fascinating people on my way back (which I'll share more about later) and felt relaxed and rejuvenated upon arriving in Philadelphia. Tragedy, comedy, and fairy tale.
There is so much more to say, but I have to run to class. More to come later...
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Moving Along
I always mean to update this more often. Then three weeks go by and I realize that I haven't written anything in awhile. So now seems like the proper time to get everything up to date.
Life has been on cruise control a bit over the last couple weeks. Things haven't necessarily been busy, but everything has been moving along at a steady pace, though there have been some pretty significant interruptions. Classes have been canceled three times already because of snow, and with a possible storm moving in tomorrow, there could be another cancellation (though most likely not, since this storm doesn't seem as bad and the previous ones). But despite that, life seems to be moving along as normal. The tension I was feeling earlier is still there, but now that I'm closer to being home, I certainly feel less tense.
A week away from Princeton can be so rejuvenating. Thankfully, the environment hasn't felt as draining as the past two years. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that all of the seniors now realize that we can't (or don't need to) be in competition with each other anymore. There has been a greater feeling of camaraderie this semester and greater desire to lift each other up rather than tear each other down. Sadly this has taken two years to have this feeling finally, but especially since this is a difficult year, it's certainly welcome.
I am becoming more aware of the fact that I won't be here anymore, and there is nothing sad about it. I will miss the friends I've made here and some of the lunchtime conversation, but I don't feel that I'll need to look over my shoulder has I leave this campus. I will have accomplished what I set out to do, and though the journey was not what I was expecting at all, I think it will have been a good experience, though one I won't be clamoring to repeat anytime soon. That's not to say I don't want to continue my education but I can't foresee it happening at an institution like Princeton. I've come to learn that faculty-student interactions are central to my ability to learn, and it's become apparent over the last three years that research-oriented schools simply don't have the structure in place to foster those types of collegial relationships. Earlier during my time here I think I would have wanted to reject any type of education model like this, but I'm beginning to realize that there is a place for this type of research and this type of school. I've just also become aware that it's not where I want to establish my career or vocation.
I'm looking forward to my family coming out for graduation. I'm looking forward to showing everyone where I've been studying for the last three years and the environment I've been able to enjoy during that time. I can't envision myself living on the East Coast, but I do enjoy aspects of it.
I'm also looking forward to the start of Spring Training games. Following baseball in the off-season has its joys, but especially this off-season, there was so little interaction and drama that the Hot Stove never felt like it got past a slow simmer. So especially this season I'm looking forward to baseball getting back into full swing. Dodger spring training games start Friday!
The last bit of exciting news before I end this post is that I have accomplished something I thought I wouldn't be able to do until after I got my Ph.D. As most of you know, I have been working on a research paper about Lesslie Newbigin, and I turned part of that research paper into an article and submitted it to the Princeton Theological Review. Last Thursday, I received an e-mail informing me that my article will be included in the next issue! It is incredibly exciting news for me, and I'm still in disbelief about it. I've been working on revisions frantically over the past few days and I have to turn in my next draft by Sunday, but I am thrilled and overjoyed. Let me know if you want to get a copy of it, and I will try to get as many as I can.
Next week I'm back at home, so I will update again once I'm back in Princeton. Until then...
Life has been on cruise control a bit over the last couple weeks. Things haven't necessarily been busy, but everything has been moving along at a steady pace, though there have been some pretty significant interruptions. Classes have been canceled three times already because of snow, and with a possible storm moving in tomorrow, there could be another cancellation (though most likely not, since this storm doesn't seem as bad and the previous ones). But despite that, life seems to be moving along as normal. The tension I was feeling earlier is still there, but now that I'm closer to being home, I certainly feel less tense.
A week away from Princeton can be so rejuvenating. Thankfully, the environment hasn't felt as draining as the past two years. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that all of the seniors now realize that we can't (or don't need to) be in competition with each other anymore. There has been a greater feeling of camaraderie this semester and greater desire to lift each other up rather than tear each other down. Sadly this has taken two years to have this feeling finally, but especially since this is a difficult year, it's certainly welcome.
I am becoming more aware of the fact that I won't be here anymore, and there is nothing sad about it. I will miss the friends I've made here and some of the lunchtime conversation, but I don't feel that I'll need to look over my shoulder has I leave this campus. I will have accomplished what I set out to do, and though the journey was not what I was expecting at all, I think it will have been a good experience, though one I won't be clamoring to repeat anytime soon. That's not to say I don't want to continue my education but I can't foresee it happening at an institution like Princeton. I've come to learn that faculty-student interactions are central to my ability to learn, and it's become apparent over the last three years that research-oriented schools simply don't have the structure in place to foster those types of collegial relationships. Earlier during my time here I think I would have wanted to reject any type of education model like this, but I'm beginning to realize that there is a place for this type of research and this type of school. I've just also become aware that it's not where I want to establish my career or vocation.
I'm looking forward to my family coming out for graduation. I'm looking forward to showing everyone where I've been studying for the last three years and the environment I've been able to enjoy during that time. I can't envision myself living on the East Coast, but I do enjoy aspects of it.
I'm also looking forward to the start of Spring Training games. Following baseball in the off-season has its joys, but especially this off-season, there was so little interaction and drama that the Hot Stove never felt like it got past a slow simmer. So especially this season I'm looking forward to baseball getting back into full swing. Dodger spring training games start Friday!
The last bit of exciting news before I end this post is that I have accomplished something I thought I wouldn't be able to do until after I got my Ph.D. As most of you know, I have been working on a research paper about Lesslie Newbigin, and I turned part of that research paper into an article and submitted it to the Princeton Theological Review. Last Thursday, I received an e-mail informing me that my article will be included in the next issue! It is incredibly exciting news for me, and I'm still in disbelief about it. I've been working on revisions frantically over the past few days and I have to turn in my next draft by Sunday, but I am thrilled and overjoyed. Let me know if you want to get a copy of it, and I will try to get as many as I can.
Next week I'm back at home, so I will update again once I'm back in Princeton. Until then...
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
A New Semester, The Beginning of the End
It's officially the beginning of the end, at least for this part of my school career anyway. I have 15 more credits to work through before I finish out my M.Div. and fly back to CA to begin my post-Masters life. It's not as scary as I was anticipating, though there is still that fear of uncertainty, walking into the unknown. Thankfully I have three more months before I really have to take that leap of faith, and hopefully things will work out so I will have a clear idea of where I'm headed and what my job will look like.
As is my custom (unintentionally), my last semester ended up being one of my most intense. I'm not really sure why it ends up that way. I'm taking seven classes, though three of them are only one unit, leaving four that are full 3-credit classes. Two of them are language translation classes, one in Greek and the other in Hebrew. I am taking a couple of the classes pass-fail, which will make the work load a little more bearable so that I can experiment and try some new things I wouldn't necessarily do otherwise. So I'm in for a bit of a crazy semester, but I'm excited about all of my classes. There aren't any of them that I'm particularly dreading or nervous about. It should work out to be a pretty great semester to end out my time at Princeton.
Michael Bruner told me when I left for Princeton in 2007 that my time would go by quickly and that I would walk away from Princeton wishing there was more that I had taken advantage of. When I met with him again over Christmas break, we both sat in wonder and shock at how quickly that time had gone by. It has been an intense, trying, surprising, uplifting, and encouraging three years. So many things about Princeton fell short of my expectations yet so many met them and even exceeded them. It has been very easy to knock on Princeton during my time here (often for different reasons than others might expect) but when it is all said and done, I have come away from this place with a pretty stellar education. I can't say that lightly or flippantly either. There were many points when I wished I had gone to Fuller instead, that I should transfer, even just putting my M.Div on the shelf and pursuing something else. But the perseverance and struggling and wrestling has paid off in ways that I can't really describe. I hope when I have had time to debrief from my time here that I will be able to put my experience into words more clearly. I'm not sure I would want to go through this particular experience again, but I'm grateful that I went through it and came out standing on the other side.
Of course, this talk is all premature. I still have three tough months ahead of me, probably the three toughest months of my entire educational career. I still have a research paper to finish, two books to translate and exegete, 11 films to watch and critique theologically, an entire genre of Biblical literature (Israelite wisdom) that I have to try to comprehend, and a workshop on worship leading to complete. And in case you want to know what classes those correspond to, here is my class schedule for this semester:
Greek Exegesis of Ephesians
Hebrew Exegesis of Samuel
Israel's Wisdom Literature
Faith, Film, and Spiritual Formation in Young Adults
Word and Act: Service in the Lord's Day
Field Education: Teaching Ministry
I am also attending a forum on youth ministry in April (through Princeton's Institute for Youth Ministry), and while that's a class, it's not until April and after I have completed the work for my other classes.
So there is plenty to do and much left to learn (that process never ends) but I'm excited to begin thinking about life after seminary, and all that that entails.
More to come in the coming weeks...
As is my custom (unintentionally), my last semester ended up being one of my most intense. I'm not really sure why it ends up that way. I'm taking seven classes, though three of them are only one unit, leaving four that are full 3-credit classes. Two of them are language translation classes, one in Greek and the other in Hebrew. I am taking a couple of the classes pass-fail, which will make the work load a little more bearable so that I can experiment and try some new things I wouldn't necessarily do otherwise. So I'm in for a bit of a crazy semester, but I'm excited about all of my classes. There aren't any of them that I'm particularly dreading or nervous about. It should work out to be a pretty great semester to end out my time at Princeton.
Michael Bruner told me when I left for Princeton in 2007 that my time would go by quickly and that I would walk away from Princeton wishing there was more that I had taken advantage of. When I met with him again over Christmas break, we both sat in wonder and shock at how quickly that time had gone by. It has been an intense, trying, surprising, uplifting, and encouraging three years. So many things about Princeton fell short of my expectations yet so many met them and even exceeded them. It has been very easy to knock on Princeton during my time here (often for different reasons than others might expect) but when it is all said and done, I have come away from this place with a pretty stellar education. I can't say that lightly or flippantly either. There were many points when I wished I had gone to Fuller instead, that I should transfer, even just putting my M.Div on the shelf and pursuing something else. But the perseverance and struggling and wrestling has paid off in ways that I can't really describe. I hope when I have had time to debrief from my time here that I will be able to put my experience into words more clearly. I'm not sure I would want to go through this particular experience again, but I'm grateful that I went through it and came out standing on the other side.
Of course, this talk is all premature. I still have three tough months ahead of me, probably the three toughest months of my entire educational career. I still have a research paper to finish, two books to translate and exegete, 11 films to watch and critique theologically, an entire genre of Biblical literature (Israelite wisdom) that I have to try to comprehend, and a workshop on worship leading to complete. And in case you want to know what classes those correspond to, here is my class schedule for this semester:
Greek Exegesis of Ephesians
Hebrew Exegesis of Samuel
Israel's Wisdom Literature
Faith, Film, and Spiritual Formation in Young Adults
Word and Act: Service in the Lord's Day
Field Education: Teaching Ministry
I am also attending a forum on youth ministry in April (through Princeton's Institute for Youth Ministry), and while that's a class, it's not until April and after I have completed the work for my other classes.
So there is plenty to do and much left to learn (that process never ends) but I'm excited to begin thinking about life after seminary, and all that that entails.
More to come in the coming weeks...
Sunday, November 29, 2009
An Update At Last
Well, it's taken almost a month and a half to write again, but it's been quite a month and a half. There has been a lot happening, a lot to process, and a lot to struggle with. Now I find myself way behind and most likely needing to request extensions for deadlines and classes.
So where to begin? My sister visited me back in October, and that was a lot of fun. The third family member to come to visit in Princeton (after Paul and uncle John), and it's always exciting to show new people around. Unfortunately, I broke her camera while we were in New York, but thankfully she had mine to use to take pictures. She got to see the fall colors, the Princeton University museum, and most of the city. Pretty exciting.
Then my friend, Cathy, came out to visit. Before that, through numerous phone conversations, I found out that my grandmother was beginning to decline fairly quickly, and probably didn't have much more than three weeks left. That was when my schedule came to a screeching halt. My thoughts and feelings were all at home at that point, and I was just waiting for the point when I could come home physically. Still, I tried to push on (unsuccessfully), and having Cathy come out was definitely uplifting.
We went to New Hope, which is a location I was told I had to see. I can see why it is, but it's definitely a Fall/Spring place. The outdoor entertainment is the draw, but when it's 40* outside, there's not much outdoor entertainment to be had. But, believe it or not, I actually found a decent Mexican restaurant in New Hope. It's still only good by East Coast standards, but still good. Her visit was enjoyable, but unfortunately cut short.
While Cathy was visiting, I received the phone call that my grandmother had passed away. It was right after we had gotten back from New Hope. I was shellshocked from the news, but I had alerted my professors to what was going on, so I was able to leave quickly. Being at home was good, though hard under the circumstances. I was happy to be able to see family and church friends. But my grandmother is also the closest person I've known who has passed away, and dealing with that first close loss is always difficult.
It didn't hit me until the day of the funeral, and a lot of the emotional outpouring happened on that day. It has been difficult since then as well. Being back at school as been a struggle. My mentally and emotionally I'm not here even though I physically am. It's only two weeks until I am back at home again, which sometimes makes me wonder why I came back out here at all. But with final papers due and other obligations, I suppose there's no way it could be avoided. For now, I have to try to focus on what's going on out here, and deal with the rest as it comes.
It's moving toward winter here, though it's still pretty warm (mid 50s most days, down into the high 30s at night). And registration for Spring classes begins on Wednesday. I have no idea what I'm going to take; its been the hardest semester to try to figure it out because none of the classes look all that appealing. No doubt my current emotional state is partly to blame for that.
I'll be home again on December 15. Seems so far away, even though it's only two weeks. Hopefully when I update again, things will be a bit cheerier than they are now.
So where to begin? My sister visited me back in October, and that was a lot of fun. The third family member to come to visit in Princeton (after Paul and uncle John), and it's always exciting to show new people around. Unfortunately, I broke her camera while we were in New York, but thankfully she had mine to use to take pictures. She got to see the fall colors, the Princeton University museum, and most of the city. Pretty exciting.
Then my friend, Cathy, came out to visit. Before that, through numerous phone conversations, I found out that my grandmother was beginning to decline fairly quickly, and probably didn't have much more than three weeks left. That was when my schedule came to a screeching halt. My thoughts and feelings were all at home at that point, and I was just waiting for the point when I could come home physically. Still, I tried to push on (unsuccessfully), and having Cathy come out was definitely uplifting.
We went to New Hope, which is a location I was told I had to see. I can see why it is, but it's definitely a Fall/Spring place. The outdoor entertainment is the draw, but when it's 40* outside, there's not much outdoor entertainment to be had. But, believe it or not, I actually found a decent Mexican restaurant in New Hope. It's still only good by East Coast standards, but still good. Her visit was enjoyable, but unfortunately cut short.
While Cathy was visiting, I received the phone call that my grandmother had passed away. It was right after we had gotten back from New Hope. I was shellshocked from the news, but I had alerted my professors to what was going on, so I was able to leave quickly. Being at home was good, though hard under the circumstances. I was happy to be able to see family and church friends. But my grandmother is also the closest person I've known who has passed away, and dealing with that first close loss is always difficult.
It didn't hit me until the day of the funeral, and a lot of the emotional outpouring happened on that day. It has been difficult since then as well. Being back at school as been a struggle. My mentally and emotionally I'm not here even though I physically am. It's only two weeks until I am back at home again, which sometimes makes me wonder why I came back out here at all. But with final papers due and other obligations, I suppose there's no way it could be avoided. For now, I have to try to focus on what's going on out here, and deal with the rest as it comes.
It's moving toward winter here, though it's still pretty warm (mid 50s most days, down into the high 30s at night). And registration for Spring classes begins on Wednesday. I have no idea what I'm going to take; its been the hardest semester to try to figure it out because none of the classes look all that appealing. No doubt my current emotional state is partly to blame for that.
I'll be home again on December 15. Seems so far away, even though it's only two weeks. Hopefully when I update again, things will be a bit cheerier than they are now.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Almost Done with my Second Year
I officially finished my classes on Thursday, and now all I have left are my finals. Well, my single final on the last day of finals (Friday, April 24). It has definitely been a very interesting second year. A lot of ups and downs, a variety of classes, new challenges, old challenges, and some new perspectives.
There has been plenty that has happened, some of it good, some of it bad, but I am very ready to come home regardless. Amongst my friends, we have agreed that the more time we can get out of Princeton, the better. It's not that we hate it, but there is definitely a culture that develops here that can be detrimental when we're overexposed to it. It is hard to explain, but the point is, it's always good to get away from our institution and to go back into the "normal" world.
I have registered for my classes next year, and I can once again say that, from the outset, I am very excited about them. Here are my classes:
Introduction to Prophetic Literature
Ethics and the Problem of Evil
Education, Evangelism, and Formation in the Missional Church
January Term: Issues in the Theology of Scripture
Teaching Ministry
It should be a really good semester. I have had classes with most of the professors I'm taking from, so it should be a great semester to develop connections with profs.
There seems to be a lot of confusion about what my plans are for summer. I've assumed that I've made it pretty plain as to what I'm doing this summer, and we all know the mantra about assuming. I am coming home to CA (as my first paragraph probably made clear). I am going to be returning to La Crescenta Presbyterian Church, my new church home of which I am now a member, as an intern, though this time not as an official PTS intern. I am really excited about the opportunity to serve there again. I will be staying at my parents' home again, living in my room. And I'll be home for about four and a half months, since school doesn't start until mid-September. So I am looking forward to a very long, productive-but-relaxing summer. Plenty of time to see friends and family.
Here is my flight info on the way home, for those who are interested:
Depart: Saturday, April 25
Leave: PHL @ 9:35 AM
Arrive: LAX @ 2:00 PM
There has been plenty that has happened, some of it good, some of it bad, but I am very ready to come home regardless. Amongst my friends, we have agreed that the more time we can get out of Princeton, the better. It's not that we hate it, but there is definitely a culture that develops here that can be detrimental when we're overexposed to it. It is hard to explain, but the point is, it's always good to get away from our institution and to go back into the "normal" world.
I have registered for my classes next year, and I can once again say that, from the outset, I am very excited about them. Here are my classes:
Introduction to Prophetic Literature
Ethics and the Problem of Evil
Education, Evangelism, and Formation in the Missional Church
January Term: Issues in the Theology of Scripture
Teaching Ministry
It should be a really good semester. I have had classes with most of the professors I'm taking from, so it should be a great semester to develop connections with profs.
There seems to be a lot of confusion about what my plans are for summer. I've assumed that I've made it pretty plain as to what I'm doing this summer, and we all know the mantra about assuming. I am coming home to CA (as my first paragraph probably made clear). I am going to be returning to La Crescenta Presbyterian Church, my new church home of which I am now a member, as an intern, though this time not as an official PTS intern. I am really excited about the opportunity to serve there again. I will be staying at my parents' home again, living in my room. And I'll be home for about four and a half months, since school doesn't start until mid-September. So I am looking forward to a very long, productive-but-relaxing summer. Plenty of time to see friends and family.
Here is my flight info on the way home, for those who are interested:
Depart: Saturday, April 25
Leave: PHL @ 9:35 AM
Arrive: LAX @ 2:00 PM
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Less Than a Month Away
Well, it's hard to believe, but I have three weeks of class left, finals, and then I will be two-thirds of the way toward completing my Master of Divinity. In many ways, I can't wait for that time to pass. I like my classes, but I am ready to go home. Coming home for spring was great, and it just reinforces the feeling that I don't really belong in New Jersey or on the East Coast. I don't talk about that too much, partially because I don't have time, and partially because I don't want anyone to think that I sit around moping all day. But often times I feel like a foreigner out here, that I'm speaking a different language or working with a completely different set of rules from everyone else. It can get difficult sometimes, but I also have a great group of friends who lift me up on a daily basis.
Of course, with the semester coming to a close, it also means that the classwork is beginning to pile up. Thankfully I have been much better about managing my time this semester and getting some projects done earlier in the semester so that my load will be a little lighter. There will still be plenty to do, but it will be much more manageable than last year, when most of my work came all at the very end of the semester.
I have been feeling more of an urge to get out of Princeton and explore around a bit more. I drove up to Bridgewater, NJ, about 30 minutes north of Princeton, to take care of some things, but I enjoyed driving up, just getting to view some of the other parts of the state. In some places, New Jersey really is beautiful.
This evening we had our first lightning storm. It was a pretty amazing display. Crackling arms of lightning stretched across sky, lighting up the whole campus, followed by the low rumbling of thunder. I stood in the doorway of my dorm's entrance just watching for awhile. It wasn't raining very hard, so the soft patter of the rain complemented it all very nicely. A divinely orchestrated concert.
Of course, with the semester coming to a close, it also means that the classwork is beginning to pile up. Thankfully I have been much better about managing my time this semester and getting some projects done earlier in the semester so that my load will be a little lighter. There will still be plenty to do, but it will be much more manageable than last year, when most of my work came all at the very end of the semester.
I have been feeling more of an urge to get out of Princeton and explore around a bit more. I drove up to Bridgewater, NJ, about 30 minutes north of Princeton, to take care of some things, but I enjoyed driving up, just getting to view some of the other parts of the state. In some places, New Jersey really is beautiful.
This evening we had our first lightning storm. It was a pretty amazing display. Crackling arms of lightning stretched across sky, lighting up the whole campus, followed by the low rumbling of thunder. I stood in the doorway of my dorm's entrance just watching for awhile. It wasn't raining very hard, so the soft patter of the rain complemented it all very nicely. A divinely orchestrated concert.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Moving Along
The semester is over half-way done. I have finished my midterms, and now it's the home stretch to get everything done before finals week. Time has certainly been flying by.
My classes have been going well. My Children's Fantasy Literature class continues to be my favorite. Before our Reading Week (aka Spring Break), I was involved in a skit where I got to play J. R. R. Tolkien. It was a lot of fun and well received by the class. Then, in the class after returning from break, a Harry Potter expert, John Granger, came to the class to talk about the Christian symbolism in the Harry Potter series. If you enjoy the Harry Potter books, you need to check out his books. I had to smack myself in the head a couple times thinking, "How could I miss something so obvious?" I have a new respect for J. K. Rowling's writing, and would actually put it pretty close to the quality of Tolkien or C. S. Lewis's writing. Later that night, our class had a Fantasy Ball where we could dress up as our favorite characters from any book in the class. I dressed up as Gandalf the Grey, complete with beard, hair and staff. I won Best Costume and received a copy of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard." Definitely worth the effort. =)
That was the levity for the week. I also had plenty of midterms to work on when I got back to school after being in CA for a week. Thankfully, I think I did well on all of them.
It was good to be home, and I definitely miss it. But in 5 weeks, I will be jetting back to CA again for the summer, which is hard to believe. I think I will be done with school before pretty much anyone else this year, flying back on April 26. And then I will only have one year left at Princeton.
I'm going to push hard to the end. There is still plenty of work to do. It is encouraging that Spring is breaking in and the trees and flowers are starting to blossom. It gives a new found energy to everything on campus.
My classes have been going well. My Children's Fantasy Literature class continues to be my favorite. Before our Reading Week (aka Spring Break), I was involved in a skit where I got to play J. R. R. Tolkien. It was a lot of fun and well received by the class. Then, in the class after returning from break, a Harry Potter expert, John Granger, came to the class to talk about the Christian symbolism in the Harry Potter series. If you enjoy the Harry Potter books, you need to check out his books. I had to smack myself in the head a couple times thinking, "How could I miss something so obvious?" I have a new respect for J. K. Rowling's writing, and would actually put it pretty close to the quality of Tolkien or C. S. Lewis's writing. Later that night, our class had a Fantasy Ball where we could dress up as our favorite characters from any book in the class. I dressed up as Gandalf the Grey, complete with beard, hair and staff. I won Best Costume and received a copy of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard." Definitely worth the effort. =)That was the levity for the week. I also had plenty of midterms to work on when I got back to school after being in CA for a week. Thankfully, I think I did well on all of them.
It was good to be home, and I definitely miss it. But in 5 weeks, I will be jetting back to CA again for the summer, which is hard to believe. I think I will be done with school before pretty much anyone else this year, flying back on April 26. And then I will only have one year left at Princeton.
I'm going to push hard to the end. There is still plenty of work to do. It is encouraging that Spring is breaking in and the trees and flowers are starting to blossom. It gives a new found energy to everything on campus.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Hopeful Outlook
I have finished my first full week of classes, and I am very excited about the opportunities I'm going to have this semester. It is going to be difficult: the only day that I don't have commitments right now is Friday. But I have come to find that I work better under pressure and with a larger work load. Last semester when I had so much time on my hands, I found myself slacking off work and getting things done at the last minute. So with the busier schedule, I think I will be able to find a little better rhythm and get into a groove.
I am especially excited about my class on Children's Fantasy Literature. It is a pass/fail class, so I will have room to experiment with my different curricula without too much risk. But even more, I think the opportunity to take a semester to focus on literature will be a nice break. I will still have plenty of theological reading in my other classes, and I won't be reading this literature lightly or lazily. Still, reading something more imaginative and playful will help keep me sane.
My preaching class also excites me. The professor is tailoring the class to our own needs, even down to the reading. So it will be a personal approach to my preaching style and working to develop it.
There aren't any classes that I am disappointed about. All of my professors are great lecturers but also concerned with their student's growth, so it will be an interactive, challenging, and engaging semester.
I am also working to secure my teaching placement for next semester. I met with the pastor from Westminster whom I would work under and discussed what the placement would like. It's a popular placement, so I'll be in a bit of competition, but I also think our meeting went well. I'm continuing to meet with others at the church, including the current teaching intern there, so hopefully by making that impression, I will be able to assert my interest a little more.
The Winter continues to wear on, but Spring is on the horizon. It's hard to believe that I will be coming home in less than a month and that in less than three months I'll be home for summer again. Time certainly does fly by.
I am especially excited about my class on Children's Fantasy Literature. It is a pass/fail class, so I will have room to experiment with my different curricula without too much risk. But even more, I think the opportunity to take a semester to focus on literature will be a nice break. I will still have plenty of theological reading in my other classes, and I won't be reading this literature lightly or lazily. Still, reading something more imaginative and playful will help keep me sane.
My preaching class also excites me. The professor is tailoring the class to our own needs, even down to the reading. So it will be a personal approach to my preaching style and working to develop it.
There aren't any classes that I am disappointed about. All of my professors are great lecturers but also concerned with their student's growth, so it will be an interactive, challenging, and engaging semester.
I am also working to secure my teaching placement for next semester. I met with the pastor from Westminster whom I would work under and discussed what the placement would like. It's a popular placement, so I'll be in a bit of competition, but I also think our meeting went well. I'm continuing to meet with others at the church, including the current teaching intern there, so hopefully by making that impression, I will be able to assert my interest a little more.
The Winter continues to wear on, but Spring is on the horizon. It's hard to believe that I will be coming home in less than a month and that in less than three months I'll be home for summer again. Time certainly does fly by.
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