2 More Tests Behind Us

Tuesday night, crash night. Intro to Bible test today and Greek quiz over two chapters after break. I don’t know how I did on the Intro to Bible but I am confident that I passed it. In Greek I got a 100 on my quiz. She was easy on us, we had much more to learn in the two weeks than what she tested us on. Grace abounds! Thank you Lord! I think this calls for a glass of wine. We get our History test back tomorrow. It will be good to see how I did on that. The Intro to Bible was a lot easier to study for and to take in my mind. It was much more straight forward than the History test. Good to get under our belt. Now on to the papers that need to be written over the next two weeks. We might get our Pastoral Care test back tomorrow also. I will let you know on both accounts.


I have to sing the Kyrie this week at church. I have sung the Kyrie many many times, but never this setting. The choir director came over and worked with me this afternoon so I should be pretty good to go I guess.

It looks like the Cross Culture experience I had tried to put together in Sarasota is not going to come through. I had talked with Pastor Steve about it while I was back and he suggested contacting Pastor Levinson Lauvanus in Haiti. I think the experience of going down there for 10 days would be better than what I had planned. Selfishly I was trying to stay near home, but I guess the Lord has other plans for me. I do have the mindset that now is the time to experience as much as I can. I guess I am going to get a chance to put that into practice. Of course I still need to see if this will work with Pastor Lauvanus.

It has been raining all day. About 60-65, kind of cold in the rain. I hope it stops before the ordination tomorrow night. And hopefully I am able to get some in tennis this week.

That is all for tonight. I am pretty brain dead. I am surprised at how much fit into my head this week. The Lord is wonderful! I leave you with “Day after day they met as a group in the Temple, and they had their meals together in their homes, eating with glad hearts, praising God, and enjoying the good will of all the people. And every day the Lord added to their group those that were being saved.” Acts 2:46-47 GNB AMEN! Go in peace to serve the Lord!

It is Sunday and I just got back from my field church. We are celebrating an ordination there on Wednesday evening. One of the members of the church just graduated and got his first call. Everyone is very excited. I am looking forward to going. Everyone was happy to see me back after being home last week for break. They offer out a small scholarship for a seminarian each year and they awarded it to me. That was so great. It is a memorial fund for a young man that got sick and died before he could get to seminary, even though he had been accepted. What a great way for his name to live on. I am so appreciative of their generosity. The great thing is that of all the people I know in the congregation, (remember they don’t wear name tags), I probably know this couple and another couple that are good friends with each other the best. That makes it extra special.


I know at Faith they are dedicating their building this weekend. Deb lets me know that it has been a great Friday evening and Saturday so far. I imagine that Sunday will be nothing less. What a great thing, a blessing that the Lord has given that congregation. Now they need to use it to minister to the community as I know they are working towards. It is a beautiful building with lots of room for youth activities. Open the doors, here they come.

I did get to hit the tennis ball around Friday late afternoon. It felt so good to get out and hit again. I could only manage about 45 minutes, but I did get out and hopefully started working my way back into playing again. I have to tell you though that my hips are so sore! My legs are a little sore, but the hips, whoa. I have been working out for 6 weeks to get to this point. I guess I didn’t realize just how out of shape I had become.

Studying for two tests on Tuesday. Intro to Bible and Greek quiz. Studying for Intro to Bible is coming along pretty well. Greek, I still have some work to do. After these are done things start to get heavy with papers. I did get my first paper back and got an A. This was an easy one as it was our understanding of the world in AD250. No bibliographies, footnotes, etc. They start to get longer from here on out and incorporate all those things I haven’t used in maybe over 30 years. At least I got by with writing my understanding. After having written for business and speaking I was not too sure how academia would look upon my style. So far so good.

I am starting to get just a little hint of a thought that things are going to be ok here. I will get past being on probation since I don’t have my degree and I will be ok going forward. It’s a little hint of a thought that has started to pop up in my head the last week or so. It would be nice to develop it into a full blown thought and from there a concept and a confidence. I will take it as it comes, as the Lord gives it to me.

Beautiful 48 degrees this morning. Should be 72 today. Come on Florida, I saw your high is only supposed to be 82. That is cool for down there. Probably a beautiful day also.

Back to the books, since I just finished lunch. Sermon today was on forgiveness. “Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” Psalm 32:1-2 NRSV Remember to pray for your enemies for you cannot hate someone for whom you pray.

Back to School

Got back to school about 1:00am on Tuesday night.  Kind of late, but we didn't have anything on Wednesday until our CPE interviews starting at 12:50pm.  My interview went fine.  I am trying to get into Tampa General but talked to Wake Forest as a back up.  Both are big programs that should allow me to experience many things.  BOY has it been hard to get my head back on for school.  I slipped back into the world of living at home way to easily and am now struggling to get back to where I was before I left.  We have a mid-term in Pastoral Care tomorrow that everyone is studying for.  Then it is Intro to Bible and Greek on Tuesday. 

Looks like I get to hit the tennis ball around tomorrow afternoon, which I am so looking forward to.  It has been a long time since I played and I miss it.  I hope this leads to a regular group that wants to play doubles every week. 
My pondering question of the week:  Is God happy?  Think about it and I will give you more of my thinking behind the question over the weekend.  For now, I have to get back to studying my Pastoral Care.  May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May His face shine upon you and may the grace and mercy that surpasses all understanding be with you now and forever, Amen.

Back Home!

Got home last night and it feels good to be back and reconnect with the family.  The airport and the planes last night were packed.  Of course this time of year that is not surprising as the snowbirds start heading back down to FL.  I am glad to not be traveing all the time anymore.  Just before I left for the Charlotte airport I found out that I got a 90 on my Greek test.  :):)  I did get 10 chapters of my History of Christianity book read on the plane from Atlanta.  Spent the morning working on the yard.  I can definitley tell I am in much better shape from working out since I was able to do about twice as much work as I was able to do before I left. 

The phallacy about this break is that we have a lot of homework that we need to do while we are on break.  We have a midterm in Pastoral Care on Friday when we get back and a test in Intro to Bible the following Tuesday.  Don't get me wrong.  I will take it even with the tests.  It is sure great to get to see the family.

I have been watching the Gator game today.  As I understand things, Jason got a chance to go to the game.  What a game to get to see in person.  I am sure he is worn out from that game.  Gators 23, Arkansas20.  Toooooooo close!  South Carolina is on against Alabama in about a half an hour. 

It feels good to be home, but I have to admit, trying to do school and live at home or have everyone up there would be very challenging.  I know how much I have to get done this weekend and I can already feel it getting tough to do all the things they want to do and the things I need to get done.  The Lord is providing and it is working.  I am really looking forward to church in the morning.  It will be great to see everyone.  It also worked out that the bloodmobile will be there this weekend so I am able to keep up with that.  From here I think I am back every four weeks.  Thanksgiving and then end of semester for Christmas break. 

One of the things I can see coming back is that we have WAY too much clutter around this house and we need to get it out of here to get the house on the market.  I think we need to just call Goodwill or Salvation Army and have them come tak about half of our stuff away.  It would be great to do a garage sale, but I think emotionally and mentally it would do us mor good to just get this stuff out of here.  I have to admit if I never have to cut grass again or worry about maintenance I will be happy.  This may be the last house we ever own. 

I pray that you are able to see God working in your life as it happens.  That has made such a difference in my life.  I think up until that point God is a head thing, at least I think it was in my life.  I think when I was able to see God working in my life as it was happening I started the coversion to the heart.  Once He gets into your heart, look out.  I just thank Him for loving me and claiming me as worthy to do His will.  Steve

WE ARE OFFICIALLY PAST THE FIRST TESTS!

Boy does it feel good to get these first tests behind us and realize that there is life after tests at seminary.  At the start of our History test a bunch of Middlers came in and calmed us down and said a prayer for us as well has had a bunch of snacks for us when we got done with the test.  That was so cool!  Apparently it is a tradition and I hope to be able to pass it on next year.(that would mean that I passed this year and am back for MY Middler year).  I have awarded myself a glass of wine and the evening off.  We only have Contextual Education in the morning and a workshop in Pastoral Care left this week.  Then it is home for 4 days!!!
When we get back we have our CPE interviews on Wednesday.  I am hopeful to get into the program at Tampa General.  If not probably look into KC to see if there is a site so I can stay with family. 
It poured on us Monday, was incredible Tuesday and back to light rain all day today.  It is only 61 degrees and with the rain it is pretty chilly.  I know Florida, sorry.
I hope to catch up on my TV shows tonight and just take it easy.  I went with pastor for my two visitations today.  They are both close to the church and I was back in an hour and a half.  Pastor still has to go and give communnion once a month as they don't do the pre-consecrated communion here.  Both ladies are in nursing homes.  I don't mind so much going into them but it takes a special kind of person to work there all day long.  That person is not me.  I praise and bless those that do. 
OK, I forgot to tell you that I think I did pretty good on both tests, but probably better on the History test.  The only thing I did not know for sure was the meaning of "bellius".  I must have remembered it wrong because even after looking in the index to our book and googling it I still don't know what it means.  Maybe it was a plant question to see what crazy answer we would put since they stressed do not leave any answer blank.  We also got an extra credit point for giving the teacher a clean joke,  Remember this place is all about grace and getting us through here.  I know you want to know mine so here it is:  How can you tell that a blonde has been making chocolate chip cookies?  There are M&M shells on the floor.  :)
I think that is enough for today.  The Spirit of the Lord rest on you; the spirit of wisdon and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord; and the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Just a quick post today.  We have Greek test tomorrow night and History of Christianity on Wednesday.  Studying is going pretty good especially considering I haven't done it in so many years.  I get my base notes and I just start copying them over and over until I know them.  It seems to be working for me at this point, but the real test will be the grades on these tests.  I have asked for names of people that could give me some tutoring in Greek.  I know it pretty well, but with only one class a week and a new lesson every week with new words and new way rules I can't afford to fall behind.  The structure seems to be that you can never breathe and get comfortable with what you have learned because it i always on to the next.  I lived my life that way for a lot of years.  It is not near as much fun as stopping to smell the flowers once in a while.

I go home on Friday for 4 days.  Looking forward to that.  6 weeks away, but it has flown by for me at least.  Off to chapel and study session for History test.  God bless you and keep you safe!  Steve

Who and Whose am I?

In our Pastoral Care class we have talked about the following: The closer an issue is to your sense of identity, the more PAIN is experienced, the more TIME it takes to work through, (40 days in the Bible means “very long time” (in Dr. Everett language as long as it takes.)), the more COMPLEX it is, and the more you NEED OTHERS, and the more DEPENDENT we are on GOD.


This story, sent to me via e-mail must have hit close to my identity and I can only think in a negative way. I am not this person, yet my brain tells me that I should be more like this. I think the trouble is that the feeling has not traveled the dreaded head to heart hi-way yet. The distance between your head and your heart can be the most difficult distance you will ever experience to travel.

I will let you read the story and see if it has the same effect on you. I was in tears by the end, not for the man, but because I am not the person that would have stopped.

TO MEET SUCH A MAN

I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a quaint restaurant just off the corner of the town-square. The food and the company were both especially good that day.

As we talked, my attention was drawn outside, across the street.. There, walking into town, was a man who appeared to be carrying all his worldly goods on his back. He was carrying, a well-worn sign that read, 'I will work for food.' My heart sank.

I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others around us had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture of sadness and disbelief. We continued with our meal, but his image lingered in my mind. We finished our meal and went our separate ways. I had errands to do and quickly set out to accomplish them. I glanced toward the town square, looking somewhat halfheartedly for the strange visitor. I was fearful, knowing that seeing him again would call some response. I drove through town and saw nothing of him. I made some purchases at a store and got back in my car.

Deep within me, the Spirit of God kept speaking to me: 'Don't go back to the office until you've at least driven once more around the square.'

Then with some hesitancy, I headed back into town. As I turned the square's third corner, I saw him. He was standing on the steps of the store front church, going through his sack. I stopped and looked; feeling both compelled to speak to him, yet wanting to drive on. The empty parking space on the corner seemed to be a sign from God: an invitation to park. I pulled in, got out and approached the town's newest visitor.

'Looking for the pastor?' I asked.
'Not really,' he replied, 'just resting.'
'Have you eaten today?'
'Oh, I ate something early this morning.'
'Would you like to have lunch with me?'
'Do you have some work I could do for you?'
'No work,' I replied. 'I commute here to work from the city, but I would like to take you to lunch.'
'Sure,' he replied with a smile.
As he began to gather his things, I asked some surface questions. Where you headed?'
'St. Louis'
'Where you from?'
'Oh, all over; mostly Florida '
'How long you been walking?'
'Fourteen years,' came the reply.
I knew I had met someone unusual. We sat across from each other in the same restaurant I had left earlier. His face was weathered slightly beyond his 38 years. His eyes were dark yet clear, and he spoke with an eloquence and articulation that was startling. He removed his jacket to reveal a bright red T-shirt that said, 'Jesus is The Never Ending Story.'

Then Daniel's story began to unfold. He had seen rough times early in life. He'd made some wrong choices and reaped the consequences. Fourteen years earlier, while backpacking across the country, he had stopped on the beach in Daytona. He tried to hire on with some men who were putting up a large tent and some equipment. A concert, he thought. He was hired, but the tent would not house a concert but revival services, and in those services he saw life more clearly. He gave his life over to God.

'Nothing's been the same since,' he said, 'I felt the Lord telling me to keep walking, and so I did, some 14 years now.'

'Ever think of stopping?' I asked.

'Oh, once in a while, when it seems to get the best of me But God has given me this calling. I give out Bibles. That's what's in my sack. I work to buy food and Bibles, and I give them out when His Spirit leads.'

I sat amazed. My homeless friend was not homeless. He was on a mission and lived this way by choice. The question burned inside for a moment and then I asked: 'What's it like?'

'What?'

'To walk into a town carrying all your things on your back and to show your sign?'

'Oh, it was humiliating at first. People would stare and make comments. Once someone tossed a piece of half-eaten bread and made a gesture that certainly didn't make me feel welcome. But then it became humbling to realize that God was using me to touch lives and change people's concepts of other folks like me.'

My concept was changing, too. We finished our dessert and gathered his things. Just outside the door, he paused. He turned to me and said, 'Come Ye blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom I've prepared for you. For when I was hungry you gave me food , when I was thirsty you gave me drink, a stranger and you took me in.'

I felt as if we were on holy ground. 'Could you use another Bible?' I asked.

He said he preferred a certain translation. It traveled well and was not too heavy. It was also his personal favorite. 'I've read through it 14 times,' he said.

'I'm not sure we've got one of those, but let's stop by our church and see'. I was able to find my new friend a Bible that would do well, and he seemed very grateful.

'Where are you headed from here?' I asked.

'Well, I found this little map on the back of this amusement park coupon.'

'Are you hoping to hire on there for a while?'

'No, I just figure I should go there. I figure someone under that star right there needs a Bible, so that's where I'm going next.'

He smiled, and the warmth of his spirit radiated the sincerity of his mission. I drove him back to the town-square where we'd met two hours earlier, and as we drove, it started raining. We parked and unloaded his things..

'Would you sign my autograph book?' he asked. 'I like to keep messages from folks I meet.'

I wrote in his little book that his commitment to his calling had touched my life. I encouraged him to stay strong.. And I left him with a verse of scripture from Jeremiah, 'I know the plans I have for you,' declared the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you; Plans to give you a future and a hope.'

'Thanks, man,' he said. 'I know we just met and we're really just strangers, but I love you.'
'I know,' I said, 'I love you, too.' 'The Lord is good!'
'Yes, He is. How long has it been since someone hugged you?' I asked.
'A long time,' he replied
And so on the busy street corner in the drizzling rain, my new friend and I embraced, and I felt deep inside that I had been changed. He put his things on his back, smiled his winning smile and said, 'See you in the New Jerusalem .'
'I'll be there!' was my reply.

He began his journey again. He headed away with his sign dangling from his bedroll and pack of Bibles. He stopped, turned and said, 'When you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?'

'You bet,' I shouted back, 'God bless.'
'God bless.' And that was the last I saw of him.

Late that evening as I left my office, the wind blew strong. The cold front had settled hard upon the town. I bundled up and hurried to my car. As I sat back and reached for the emergency brake, I saw them....a pair of well-worn brown work gloves neatly laid over the length of the handle. I picked them up and thought of my friend and wondered if his hands would stay warm that night without them.

Then I remembered his words: 'If you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?'

Today his gloves lie on my desk in my office. They help me to see the world and its people in a new way, and they help me remember those two hours with my unique friend and to pray for his ministry. 'See you in the New Jerusalem,' he said. Yes, Daniel, I know I will.

'I shall pass this way but once. Therefore, any good that I can do or any kindness that I can show, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again.'

'Father, I ask you to bless my friends, relatives and blog buddies reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask you to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through your grace, In Jesus' precious Name Amen.'

I have been taking Wednesday evening off as kind of my Friday night, since our classes are mostly Mon-Wed. With the test next week in History and getting an e-mail today that I needed to re-write my Biblical paraphrase for Intro to Bible (I interpreted it rather than just summarizing it as required). I have that done and will deliver it in the morning. I have the first round of flash cards for History done and will fine tune over the next couple of days.


Grace appeared in History today. I think after seeing the glassy eyed stares in our eyes the last two classes (the dates, names, events were just too much at one time), she decided to hold off on any new material and made Monday a study session. To get a better idea of what it has been like the last two classes think of trying to catch all the water coming out of a fire hose with a Dixie cup. Yes, the Dixie cup is my brain. I thought I would just beat you to it! This was very good news, because Monday we were responsible for 9 more chapters after having only gone through 16 in 4 weeks.

Grace is obviously following me around as I probably should not be given the chance to re-write my paper for Intro to Bible.

We also have our first Test in Greek next week over lessons 1-5. I have been doing well on our quizzes as it is mostly memorization to this point. However on Tuesday night this week we got Adjectives. They don’t play by simple rules. Restated, they normally play by reasonable rules, but they can just go off the reservation on us. We are on break at the end of the week so we are getting in some mid-term type tests. Thankfully we do not have History and Intro to Bible in the same week. That would be a killer and I think both professors realize it.

We have had rain the last 3 days so it was nice when the sun finally came out this afternoon. We are supposed to be back up to 91 on Friday.

Jason was able to stop at the local Salvation Army location to see about talking to someone about the homeless. Come to find out they are selling their property very soon to build a new location. However, as luck would have it there is a Christian ministry for the homeless right across the street. They are very gracious and have offered to help us anyway that they can and give us access to any of their people to talk. There is another homeless ministry in town that another member of our group, Tom talked to today that has opened their doors to us also. I don’t know where this will lead for our project video, but I am looking forward to it.

Dr. Havens, our History teacher told us about online radio with much old time chanting. Some songs sound like you are in a monastery. I have been listening to it all day. http://www.ancientfaith.com/ is the website. Enjoy as I have been if you like this type of music.

I am into another great book for Pastoral Care. I really like this class. It talks about Christians being aliens in a foreign land. It tackles the fact that we change our beliefs to fit the world around us because we wouldn’t want to offend anyone rather than stay true to our gospel and bring it to the people as someplace that they can seek refuge from the world. As much as the church has changed in the last 50 years it would be hard to argue against their point. It also has a great example of a Pastor that wants to open a daycare at their church to minister to the community around them. One of the members explains that she cannot support a daycare in their area because it will only help people that have enough money to put food on the table every night continue to be materialistic. If the church wanted to open a daycare that would help people that have a hard time putting food on the table each day she fully supported that , but at their location there were no people like that close enough to take advantage of their daycare. She did not see it the church’s responsibility to help the people around them get or keep their vacation home or another car or that Jet Ski. What a fresh approach. It also goes into some issues of Pastoral self care so we don’t get burnt out, setting appropriate boundaries and expectations. I am not finished with it but it has been good so far.

The Cardinals start the baseball playoffs tonight in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. I have to root for the Cardinals since they are the only team with a religious affiliation. I would anyway, but it helps. Dad, if you are reading this I’ll go against my normal and put a $1 on the line that the Cardinals will beat the Dodgers. Let me know if you are up for this high stakes wager. Ok, stop laughing. I am cheap and unemployed remember? If I lose, can I deduct the postage to get you the kitty from the money won?

I opened my quotable Bible and I landed on Rejection, so I am going with someone needing to hear this about rejection.

The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. Isaiah 50:5-6 God bless you, Steve

It is a good thing I like to read!

I always have this great concept on Thursday morning, that I will be able to complete my "to do" list by Saturday evening and I can take Sunday afternoon and evening off and watch some football or do whatever. Maybe some week that will work; but it has not worked yet. We were killed with reading for this week in Intro to Bible and Pastoral Care. I am good in that I have all of the homework for this week done, although Greek is a daily task that needs to be taken daily. We have our first major test coming up next week before we head out for Fall Break. This is a very fact intensive class and study will have to be nonstop during any down time until the test.


I did complete one of the books for Pastoral Care over the weekend. It was Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Here are some of the points that I felt merited a highlight. The theme of the book overall is what it takes to develop a Christian community and live in a Christian Community. Here they are, my Top 13:

1. The more clearly we learn to recognize that the ground and strength and promise of all our fellowship is in Jesus Christ alone, the more serenely shall we think of our fellowship and pray and hope for it.

2. The basis for all spiritual reality is the clear, manifest, Word of God in Jesus Christ. The basis of all human reality is the dark, turbid urges and desires of the human mind.

3. I find no salvation in my life history, but only in the history of Jesus Christ. Only he who allows himself to be found in Jesus Christ, in His incarnation, His cross, and His resurrection, is with God and God with Him.

4. [Referring to Paul’s “Pray without ceasing”(1Thess. 5:17).] Thus the prayer of the Christian reaches beyond its set time and extends into the heart of his work. It includes the whole day, and in doing so, it does not hinder the work; it promotes it, affirms it, and lends it meaning and joy. Thus every word, every work, every labor of the Christian becomes a prayer; not in the unreal sense of a constant turning away from the task that must be done, but in a real breaking through the hard “it” to the gracious Thou.

5. [On forgiveness and hatred of our brothers] I can no longer condemn or hate a brother for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble he causes me.” [AMEN AMEN. This actually works.]

6. Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?

7. Every Christian community must realize that not only do the weak need the strong, but also the strong cannot exist without the weak. The elimination of the weak is the death of fellowship.

8. He who would learn to serve must first learn to think little of himself….Is it not better to serve our neighbor than to have our own way?

9. The desire for one’s own honor hinders faith.

10. [I love this one] What does it matter if I suffer injustice? Would I not have deserved even worse punishment from God, if He has not dealt with me according to His mercy?  [There is a great theological discussion in this statement.]

11. [This is the life of a pastor] God will constantly be crossing our paths and canceling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions. [He did this to me last night and I had a great discussion with someone that is having a very difficult time handing things to God.]

12. The root of all sin is pride, superbia.

13. …and that we do not assume that our schedule is our own to manage, but allow it to be arranged by God.

[comments added by me]

There is quite a bit there to ponder. I will leave you with this. Talk to you in a couple of days. God bless, Steve

You can see that the posts slow down as our homework increases. Demands on time are pretty heavy, but this is not much different than demands at work or the demands we will have when we get into our ministry. You just have to figure out the organizing of this particular type of task and manage it. So far, so good.


A front came through here a couple of days ago and it is picture post card perfect weather here. 75 in the daytime and about 55 at night. Sorry, those of you in FL, I know you are still steaming in the sauna.

Thank you for those of you that contributed prayers for Deb. She did get the job! No benefits, but I trust that the Holy Spirit will work this all out for us. I sent an e-mail letter to the VP of business asking that they offer a more comprehensive plan next year. It was forwarded up to the board that oversees this in Chicago. We will see what happens. Who knows, maybe the government will even pass something that will give us coverage. They require coverage if you want to be a student here.

We had a Spiritual Direction meeting last night. There are two spiritual directors that work with the school and have for the last 10 years. There is individual or group spiritual direction offered. I have done some work with a spiritual director and have become a big fan of this. It really helped me sort some things out in a rather difficult time of discernment. I have signed up for individual sessions and start this afternoon. I would like to experience the group sessions at some point as I think this would be a great tool to have in my ministry. The seminary, through one of its endowments picks up most of the cost for the individual and the group is free as each group is led by a senior student that has been in a group. I am really looking forward to this.

Well the “to do” list is a full page long at this point. They all need to be done by Sunday evening. Should be doable I think. Flu Shots today! With all of the people we come in contact with at school and in our field parish I think a flu shot is a must going forward. Good thing I am not squeamish about needles.

Well, back to the list. Have a blessed day! Steve