Good Days

Please forgive the long absence of a blog update. An email to a dear friend made me realize how long it'd been since I'd updated. It's good to know we're being remembered. Seminary is definitely tough; had this new template a timestamp, one would see that I'm up rather late. That's pretty standard these days.

The girls are doing well. Still lots of smiles and laughter. They are in church a LOT, due to Audra's working in the mornings and my having to watch them AND be in chapel. Many, many hats to wear.

Studies are good. A's on both midterms, B+ on major paper in another class -- by and large, doing well academically. Enjoying having a "do-able" prayer life, prayer rule in conjunction with a priest here in charge of spiritual life. Ever-present battle to control thoughts, especially on days where fatigue sets in heavy. Very taken aback by the very different emphases put forth by different profs; at times the confusion can reach a bit of a fever pitch. With regards to biblical interpretation, Antioch and Alexandria, it would seem, are both alive and well at SVS. A fellow seminarian from my former stomping grounds of Tulsa, OK and mutual friend of the dear friend w/whom I was corresponding this evening (and whom I think will be an excellent pastor, if God wills and my first impression of the man holds up) had a great analogy regarding what to do when all these seemingly conflicting and, thus, quite confusing, takes on theology come at you all at once; he said a biology prof of his once told him that when things get overwhelming and confusing, "tie a knot" where you know you've got a handle on things, and "hang on" to that. That way you've always got a reference point to go back to. Right now, mine is anchored in simplicity. Pray the Psalms. Read the Gospel. Pray the Gospel. Be regular in your prayers. Do your chores. Do your reading. Touch base with Audra as much as you can (date night is Friday night -- woo hoo!). Tickle your daughters and read to them. And, yes, marry them if they ask...we've had a couple of wedding ceremonies--crowns, processions, two-foot-tall priest and all--in our obscenely small living room area already (see right). These are good days.

Things are beginning to take shape in ways we hadn't anticipated, but regardless, it's been eye-opening. This is a pressure cooker, but there's grace here. Keep us in your prayers.