Holy Week

Of course, Holy Week has started (the busiest time of the years), I am scheduled to preach on Good Friday, and I have come down with the flu. I have absolutely no time to waste being sick and this is the week that it hits. It couldn't wait until Easter week when I am on Spring Break and have time to just lie around feeling like death on a cracker. Oh no! It had to jump on me this week. My Good Friday sermon ought to be interesting, being delivered by someone so high on over the counter flu medications that he can hardly stand up. Pray for me!

It's been months

Well, it has been months since I last posted. Life has been incredibly busy with GOEs, J-Term, and Spring Semester. All this, and trying to find a job also. I find it hard to believe that my seminary days are almost over. I have less than two months until graduation! I often spent some of my first two years wishing that the days would fly by a little faster, but now I wish everything would slow down a little so that I can catch my breath. I will be losing all my friends here at Seabury to places around the nation. If I didn't have so much to do I would spend these last few weeks really enjoying our remaining time together.

A Preaching First

Well, it was bound to happen eventually, and now it has. At my field ed parish, I preach weekly on Saturday mornings as well as about every fifth week on Sunday. I preached two weeks ago on a Sunday (Nov. 11th) and the Gospel reading was on Luke's story of the wife and the seven brothers. (what happens at the last day? To whom is she then married?) Well, the Gospel reading for this coming Saturday, November 24th, is the very same Gospel. I can't believe that I have the same reading so close together. Well, I guess it is time to take a NEW look at this chapter and verse. (or preach on the Epistle this time)

Goodbye Heidi

Well, Reverend Heidi, aka "the Vic" is headed off to Bollingbrook and her new job as vicar of St. Benedict's Episcopal church. I am very happy for her, but will miss her a great deal. Heidi was truly a bright spot at Seabury. God Bless you and the parishioners of St. Benedicts, Heidi.

Wow! I did okay!

I got the results of both timed essay tests that I had to take and did surprisingly well on both of them. I have taken one more since then and was confident going into it. I hope I did as well on that one. Maybe there is hope for the GOEs!

Timed Essay Tests

Apparently, as a way of preparing us for the dreaded GOEs (General Ordination Exams) a few professors have decided that giving us timed essay tests would be helpful. What I have learned from taking two timed essay tests recently is that I AM SO SCREWED! I can't believe how much more difficult it is to write a simple essay under a time limit. For my Worship in the Episcopal Church course I had to write a 3 - 4 page essay on a question about previous BCPs. A simple question about comparing two BCPs and writing specifically about the theology of one of them. Really no big deal. I actually knew the answer, all I had to do was write it down in a semi-coherant way in 3 hours. I analyzed and prepared, and then wrote for three hours. I then printed the paper out and prepared to hand it in. Then I made the mistake of READING it. Uuuugghhhh! It was awful! I sounded like an idiot in my response. Three pages of "random thought - random thought - random thought." The only good thing about it was the intro paragraph and the conclusion. Everything in between is....well....crap! I don't know how I am going to pass the GOEs! Lord, have mercy!

A Surprise Gift

As I don't live "on-the-block," for those unfamiliar with Seabury-Western, I don't live at the seminary, but rather commute daily from my home in the far reaches of suburbia, I don't normally receive outside mail at school. Normally, my mailbox at school contains notices that I am to be a cantor on thus-and-such date or am scheduled to officiate at evensong. Last week, I was suprised to find a small parcel in my mailbox. Inside was a refrigerator magnet featuring St. Drogo, Patron of Coffee.(my fame as a coffe addict has apprently grown beyond the school) This one little gift lightened a very rough week and made me smile. The precious gift now has a place on honor in my study carrell in the library at school. Thanks so much to my wonderful friends, John & Raisin, for providing a ray of sunshine in a dreary week. I miss you both very much and think of you often. I pray that all is going well for you both. (and Maggie too! Much prayer for a healthy puppy!)