the final countdown

Anybody remember that song from the 80s? I loved 80s music. Still do.

So what does 80s music have to do with me coming back to post on this blog for the first time in more than 6 months? Absolutely nothing. Other than the title of the song. It's the final countdown. I know in my last post I said that we had decided to extend our stay an extra semester. But things change. New schedules come out and you realize that you can fit in 3 classes in the summer instead of just 1. To make a long story short, as of 10:01 AM yesterday I officially have less than 100 days until my graduation from seminary.

As I said above I was able to fit in 3 classes this summer, along with my Air Force tour to Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs. I currently taking my final 4 seminary classes and, assuming that I pass everything, I will graduate on December 12. That's when the fun really begins. I still have to get 2 years of pastoral experience before I can go on active duty with the military so we're looking for the place God has prepared for me to serve. Our lease on our apartment is up December 30 and we don't know if we'll still be here or moving elsewhere so we're not sure what to do about it. Oh, and Dee Dee is pregnant with our 4th child, which is due on January 15. Busy, busy, busy.

Speaking of the baby, yesterday was great in many ways. Not only did it mark the crossing of the 100 day plateau but Dee Dee had an ultrasound and we found out that we are having another boy. His name is Tyler Ethan and we are all excited to welcome him into the chaos that is our family.

Well, I know it's been a while, but you'll remember that in my last post I said I would be extremely busy during the Spring semester. Well, it lasted through the Spring and Summer, and into the Fall. I have 19 books assigned this semester, 2 of which I've already finished, 2 more of which must be finished, along with parts of 2 others by Tuesday. So I must bid you all adieu for now as I bury my head in a book for the night. I promise that more will be coming to this website in the future. Good night all.

and then there were 2... (update)

We have decided to reevaluate the timing of my graduation. I got all the syllabi for my classes and loaded everything onto my calendar. It was quite a bit of work but would still have been doable. The key came when sitting at community group on Wednesday. We are going through a series on money and our attitudes toward it. I was convicted by much of what was said and Dee Dee and I talked and looked over things after group. We realized that it will actually end up costing us less money out of pocket if I drop a class now and take an extra semester to finish instead of pushing myself to finish in December. So, I dropped my Personal Evangelism class and graduation has been delayed for an extra 5 months. A little more time and a lot less stress on me and my family is a good thing.

and then there were 2...

As in only 2 semesters remaining in seminary. I can't believe that I will actually (God willing) be graduating in December. The spring semester starts on Monday and I will be taking 15 hours. Before everyone starts telling me how absolutely insane I am, I've already heard it quite a few times. The thing is, I can either take 15 hours this semester, 6 in the summer and 11 in the Fall or I will have to go another semester. Since I'm not keen on putting off active duty with the Air Force for an additional 6 months, I'll just have to take 15 hours. Here's the rundown of my classes for the Spring.

Introduction to Old Testament II
Ministry of Proclamation (the preaching class)
Personal Evangelism
Biblical Worldview and Education Practice
Discipling Adults

So, if the frequency of posting here on the blog does not increase like I promised for the next few months at least you'll know why.

square peg, round hole

Ever been somewhere--church, school, job, wherever--and felt like the proverbial square peg in a round hole. I've been feeling that a lot lately. It's not that I'm trying to force myself, or being forced, into positions that I don't fit. This is occurring in places where once I fit into the slot like a hand into a glove. I just can't tell if I've changed shape or if the hole has altered shape around me. I guess it's a little bit, or possibly even a lot, of both. But regardless of which shape has been altered I know that I no longer fit correctly in some of the places where I am and I need a change. Pray with me that I would make the change that God wants for me to make.

writing again

Since I seem to have developed a small but fairly loyal following (as evidenced from the small but steady numbers on my traffic reports) I suppose I should attempt yet again to return to posting on this site. The end of this past semester left little time for things like blogging. Following almost immediately on the heels of Dee Dee's miscarriage I found myself rapidly coming to the end of the semester with all the book reviews, research papers, projects, and final exams which that entails. I managed to get everything done, with a little grace on the due date of a theological position paper from one professor since that paper was due the day after the misscarriage. It wasn't my best semester but I did pretty well, managing to squeak out an A-, 2 B+'s and a B-. Following finals I spent about three weeks reading nothing but fiction (I finished the Harry Potter series and started a new series about the legend of Robin Hood). Throw in traveling to Atlanta, Nashville, Greenville SC, and Hendersonville NC and my mom visiting with us for 3 weeks in the last month and things have been pretty hectic. Now I have two weeks to prepare for a one week class that I'm taking in January. Things are busy, but I still can't wait until January 1 when I can say "I am graduating THIS year."

Well, that's a brief update on the last couple of months. I would say that I am going to make a New Year's resolution to post more regularly here, but come on, everybody knows that New Year's resolutions only last about 2 weeks anyway. I will however say that I will do my best to post more so keep checking back.

P.S.: Thanks to whoever it was that used the links here on my site to purchase books through Christianbook.com. I get a small percentage back on all sales and that check got here in time to pay for my wife's Christmas present.

joy and sorrow

Several weeks ago we found out that Dee Dee was pregnant with our fourth child. We told the kids, called all the family and friends, and began preparations for the addition to our family. On Monday of this week, Dee Dee and the kids went out to the campground where her parents were staying in their motorhome. When she called me to tell me they were on their way home that evening she said that she had been bleeding slightly during the day and had experienced a little bit of abdominal pain. We called the doctor on Tuesday morning and went to have her checked out. After blood tests and an ultrasound it was determined that the baby was measuring at about 6 weeks development instead of 8 1/2 weeks where it should be. The doctor prescribed some hormones and sent Dee Dee home to rest. At about 4:15 this morning (31 Oct 2007) our baby went home to heaven. We are sad that this has happened but we "know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 ESV)

We may never know, this side of heaven, why God chose to end this pregnancy the way He did. But we know that He is in control and that His plan is perfect, no matter how hard it may seem to us at the time we are going through things such as this. God loves us and we are leaning on that love right now.

The BCS must go

This article from Dan Wetzel pretty much sums up my feelings on the BCS and what it is doing to college football. This thing just needs to die so we can move on to a playoff system like every other normal sport. For the people who are crying and moaning that it will destroy the old traditional bowl system I have a solution. The winner of each conference makes it to the playoffs. That's 11 teams. If you have a 16 team field then you would have 5 wild card teams that would have a shot (there's the chance for the stupid AP, USA Today, and Harris polls to still mean something). Then the remaining teams that are not in the playoffs can still play in the traditional bowl games. There you go, everybody's happy. The fans, players, coaches (and especially the SEC which tends to get messed over most years by the current setup) get an actual national champion crowned with fewer arguments (I would say no arguments, but come on, it is college football after all). The big corporations and the smaller conferences are happy because they get to keep the bowl system which brings in so much money. Of course, maintaining the bowl system and adding a playoff just generates even more money, so everybody is even happier. There, problem solved. Whose desk do I need to jump up and down on top of to get this thing done?