Finally...At 10:50 pm on Friday August 27th, I finished school. What does this mean? No, I haven't graduated yet. I only have three quarters left, one quarter I must go up there, and then I graduate. How weird is that? I was talking with a friend today about me graduating on June 11th, 2005 and I realized that almost three years to the day, I will have completed my first master's degree. Yes, eventually I will go back for a second, if not a ph.d (which according to Ross off of "Friends" is just as valuable as an M.D.) It's so nice to be done. I wrote an 8 page paper tonight, and I'll turn it in tomorrow, but then officially I am done. I'm going to Arlington Park on Sunday (my friend DW is teaching me about race horses and tracks...I can't wait) and then on Wednesday I leave for God's country...COLORADO!! I can't believe it. Vacation is all I ever wanted...a road trip, Denver, three people I love dearly. Who could ask for more? I haven't been to Colorado since 1999, which is a long freakin' time for me. I love that state. I truly believe that one day I will live there, and if I could live there and work for Young Life, that would make me the happy. You know what else would make me happy? A paycheck. No news on the front about a job...as soon as I know, you'll know.
My best friend is running a marathon. I can't even run the block and her desire is to run a marathon, in California, in May. Maybe by that point I could run a 10k or half marathon with her...I just need the motivation to do it. There are lots of areas in my life I need motivation, running is just one of them.
Let's see what else has been happening here? The Olympics are almost over, which means the swimmer (Aaron Peirsol) I have loved watching will no longer be on my TV, but it does mean that it's almost time for the fall season to kickoff. Oh please, Joey, please be decent. Keep the "Friends" franchise going. Oh yeah...I have red hair and I've started the trend to have a blog. I can't believe it. Otherwise, you'll just have to wait for pictures from Denver.
Friday, August 27, 2004
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Books I recommend reading...
I love to read...I use to hate it (due to the fact the fact that I was an English major for about 2 minutes and had to read everything under the sun). So, here are some books, both theological and fun to keep in your library...They have changed my life!
How to Read the Bible for All it's Worth by Stuart and Fee
Faces of Forgiveness: Searching for Wholeness and Salvation by F. LeRon Shults and Steven Sandage
The Postfoundationalist Task of Theology by F. LeRon Shults
Boundaries by Henry Cloud
Sacred Romance by John Eldridge
Surrender to Love by David Benner
The Gift of Being Yourself by David Benner
Shattered Dreams by Larry Crabb
Wounded Heart by Dan Allander
The Art of Possibility by Ben Zander and Rosamund Stone Zander
Abba's Child by Brennan Manning
The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
Inner Voice of Love by Henri Nouwen
The Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen
Prayer by Richard Foster
Changes that Heal by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
Cry of the Soul by Dan Allander and Tremper Longman III
21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell
Developing the Leader Within You by John Maxwell
Developing the Leaders Around You by John Maxwell
The Emotionally Healthy Church by Peter Scazzero
I know this much is true by Wally Lamb
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
That should be enough now...let me know if you need more!
How to Read the Bible for All it's Worth by Stuart and Fee
Faces of Forgiveness: Searching for Wholeness and Salvation by F. LeRon Shults and Steven Sandage
The Postfoundationalist Task of Theology by F. LeRon Shults
Boundaries by Henry Cloud
Sacred Romance by John Eldridge
Surrender to Love by David Benner
The Gift of Being Yourself by David Benner
Shattered Dreams by Larry Crabb
Wounded Heart by Dan Allander
The Art of Possibility by Ben Zander and Rosamund Stone Zander
Abba's Child by Brennan Manning
The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
Inner Voice of Love by Henri Nouwen
The Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen
Prayer by Richard Foster
Changes that Heal by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
Cry of the Soul by Dan Allander and Tremper Longman III
21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell
Developing the Leader Within You by John Maxwell
Developing the Leaders Around You by John Maxwell
The Emotionally Healthy Church by Peter Scazzero
I know this much is true by Wally Lamb
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
That should be enough now...let me know if you need more!
Thursday, August 05, 2004
Something I am still processing...
Yesterday, I saw Fahrenheit 9/11, the provocative documentary by Michael Moore. Whether you agree with Bush or not, you should definitely see this movie. Waiting for it to come out on DVD would be fine, but I was fortunate enough to see it at the $5 movie theater here in the suburbs. So what, you may ask, did I think of it?
Well, I need to remember that it is only one side of the story. I walked into the theater almost 90% sure I was going to vote against Bush in November. That's something I have been debating with since probably the end of April. I just didn't know if I could put him back in the directors chair again. But now, I don't know if I could vote for either Bush or Kerry. If the connections are true, and the ties run that deep, then no one deserves to have that seat. I definitely don't think I could do any better, but the idea of someone, anyone, plotting in such a way...yikes...
I did, however, walk away with a greater respect of the military system we have established here in the states. I am proud to support them and the work they are doing. I may not agree that it is necessary, but I support the men and women who have left their families because it is part of their job. My family has a huge background in the military (with my grandfather in World War II and my cousin in the first Gulf War, both my uncles and my father in the National Guard, as well as my brother in the National Guard), so I feel like I should thank them for the service they have done because I know that I could never do it.
So, if you read this and don't agree with me, that's fine, I don't know if I agree with everything that Moore placed in his movie. I almost want to see it again. As for November, I'm still deciding to vote. I know I won't vote for Bush, but I don't know if I'll even vote.
Well, I need to remember that it is only one side of the story. I walked into the theater almost 90% sure I was going to vote against Bush in November. That's something I have been debating with since probably the end of April. I just didn't know if I could put him back in the directors chair again. But now, I don't know if I could vote for either Bush or Kerry. If the connections are true, and the ties run that deep, then no one deserves to have that seat. I definitely don't think I could do any better, but the idea of someone, anyone, plotting in such a way...yikes...
I did, however, walk away with a greater respect of the military system we have established here in the states. I am proud to support them and the work they are doing. I may not agree that it is necessary, but I support the men and women who have left their families because it is part of their job. My family has a huge background in the military (with my grandfather in World War II and my cousin in the first Gulf War, both my uncles and my father in the National Guard, as well as my brother in the National Guard), so I feel like I should thank them for the service they have done because I know that I could never do it.
So, if you read this and don't agree with me, that's fine, I don't know if I agree with everything that Moore placed in his movie. I almost want to see it again. As for November, I'm still deciding to vote. I know I won't vote for Bush, but I don't know if I'll even vote.
Monday, August 02, 2004
What happens up at Bethel, stays at Bethel...
So, I finally made it back from school. No, it didn't take a week to get back, but little did I know that the Willow gods would prevent me from posting on my own blog, so it took a little longer to post than I would like. Now, I am sitting in a Kinko's, using their free internet in order to catch you up on Bethel.
Let's see, what did happen...Theology 3 was good, nothing earth shattering (unlike Theology 1), but still a decent class. I enjoy the adjuct profs. They tend to stray from what the Bethel gods feel like they need to teach on, which is always a nice change of pace. Thanks to internet in class, I was able to catch up with my college roommate, a woman I love dearly and miss, yet even when I am home, I feel like I never get a chance to catch up with. She's wonderful (she's actually the one who encouraged me to cook...thanks Brooklyn). So, she turned me and my dear friend Sara onto the best blog I have ever read. I can only hope that one day, mine could be like her's. Check it out here: http://www.dooce.com/. Trust me, you'll laugh, you'll cry, and if you are anything like Sara and I, you'll want to invite her to a Good Friday here in Chicago. You'll have to ask me about Good Fridays.
Team Leadership, well, it wasn't anything special. I wish I could say something nice, something that I gleaned from the class, yet it's difficult to say. The man is nice, two of the field trips gave me hope for the church and my future applying to them, the other made me want to switch careers quickly. I caught up on my web surfing and had the opportunity to watch U2, which gives me hope that one day I will see them in concert...soon...
Otherwise, when I first arrived there, I was in a sad, lonely, needy spot. This time was different, not because I was new or because my profs were new, but because I was without people I love dearly and who know me deeply. These are people that don't ask me why I am the way I am, but they just let me be. They left, well not left, but graduated and now it is different without them. It was just difficult. I stayed around safe people and didn't really do as much as I thought I would this time. I just didn't have the energy to anything. Grieving is difficult and it just shows me what is to come.
And yes, I did drink Boulevard beer while I was there, and that my friends (along with talks at Old Chicago) was my saving grace.
Oh and by the way, I'm trying to work on my resume...I would love to find a job by the time I graduate in 313 days (not that I am counting down or anything).
Let's see, what did happen...Theology 3 was good, nothing earth shattering (unlike Theology 1), but still a decent class. I enjoy the adjuct profs. They tend to stray from what the Bethel gods feel like they need to teach on, which is always a nice change of pace. Thanks to internet in class, I was able to catch up with my college roommate, a woman I love dearly and miss, yet even when I am home, I feel like I never get a chance to catch up with. She's wonderful (she's actually the one who encouraged me to cook...thanks Brooklyn). So, she turned me and my dear friend Sara onto the best blog I have ever read. I can only hope that one day, mine could be like her's. Check it out here: http://www.dooce.com/. Trust me, you'll laugh, you'll cry, and if you are anything like Sara and I, you'll want to invite her to a Good Friday here in Chicago. You'll have to ask me about Good Fridays.
Team Leadership, well, it wasn't anything special. I wish I could say something nice, something that I gleaned from the class, yet it's difficult to say. The man is nice, two of the field trips gave me hope for the church and my future applying to them, the other made me want to switch careers quickly. I caught up on my web surfing and had the opportunity to watch U2, which gives me hope that one day I will see them in concert...soon...
Otherwise, when I first arrived there, I was in a sad, lonely, needy spot. This time was different, not because I was new or because my profs were new, but because I was without people I love dearly and who know me deeply. These are people that don't ask me why I am the way I am, but they just let me be. They left, well not left, but graduated and now it is different without them. It was just difficult. I stayed around safe people and didn't really do as much as I thought I would this time. I just didn't have the energy to anything. Grieving is difficult and it just shows me what is to come.
And yes, I did drink Boulevard beer while I was there, and that my friends (along with talks at Old Chicago) was my saving grace.
Oh and by the way, I'm trying to work on my resume...I would love to find a job by the time I graduate in 313 days (not that I am counting down or anything).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)