Last week was the first week of Spring Semester at seminary.  Compared to last semester it's a lighter load (7 hours vs. 12 hours).  However, one of the classes is a preaching lab which means that I'm going to be preaching 7 times this semester.  Which means a lot of studying and planning.  I also have a class called "Supervised Ministry" in which I have to do such things as practice doing a baptism, officiating a wedding, preaching a funeral service and other assorted things.  My other class is an Old Testament Theology class and is my one "regular" class.  I have one exam and one paper in the class.  The cool thing is that finals week I have 0 exams.  Of course I'll probably using that week to work on summer classwork.

I've been working on where I'm going to be come the fall.  I don't know where I'll be, whether it's staying in KC or moving but it's a lot of phone calls, e-mails, and prayer.  We'll see how things go but I trust God will put me in the right place.  I do hope whereever I end up there's flag football.  I really miss playing flag football.

I'm excited about tomorrow to watch the Super Bowl with friends.  It's fun to watch the game and even more so with friends.

Well, that's all for now.  Until next time, later days...

A lot has happened in the about two week or so since my last time on here.  The seminary went back to blocking Xanga.  I've thought about talking to someone about that but they've had so much turnover with the IT people I wouldn't know who to contact or when or if they would ever get around to fixing that.  So in the meantime, I'll do what I usually do....I'll go to a coffee shop and blog.  Good thing is it gets me off campus.  Bad thing is it reduces blogging to about once a week at best.

A lot has went on.  The snow and cold snap stuck around for about a week or so.  It was the coldest I've ever experienced in my life that I can remember and it was the most snow I had ever seen in my life.  It stuck around so long I tweeted at one point that it felt like I was living on Hoth (Star Wars reference).  It finally warmed up to where now 40s feels like a heat wave.  That's an experience I'd like to chalk up to not having to go through again.

Last week was my two collegiate ministries classes.  Those classes are really enjoyable but really long.  After that week I'm usually completely wore out.  I learn a lot but it just takes a lot out of you.  I'm all finished with the class work for one of them.  I'm 1/4th the way through the classwork for the other class (have to read 2 books and write two 2 page papers).  I hope to have it all done before the start of spring semester in about two weeks.

I had a good meeting last week with my friend and leader of the Bridge, Ryan.  It's encouraging to see how there has been a lot of growth within the young adult ministry at our church, not just numbers but also in depth.  I'm excited to see what happens in the next few months.  It's being involved in a ministry like this that helps recharge the batteries.  Those times that I get annoyed by things or I get frustrated with seminary, I look at the work that we're doing with the Bridge and it encourages me.  It reminds me that I've got a calling and that there will come a time where I'll be back to doing this full time.

A month into this year and I think there's a lot of good stuff in store.  I'm encouraged by what God has in store for me.

Well, that's all for now.  Until next time, later days...

It's 2010, a new year and a new decade.  I'm really excited about this year, probably the most excited I've been in several years and for a number of reasons.  This will be a year I feel of new opportunities and hopefully some real development in key areas of my life.  We'll see how it goes but I trust God with it.

For the new year, I have goals (I don't do resolutions, never really have).  So here are the goals I have....(and yes some are easily attainable and some aren't but that's why they're goals)

1.)  Do more recreational reading and writing

*Last year I had to read so much for seminary that there was a definite lack in recreational reading.  I hope that changes this year and I'll get to read more books that I want to read.  Along with that, I would like to get back to doing more writing for fun as well

2.)  Take everything one day at a time

*Too often I worry about what's ahead instead of taking things as they come.  I hope this year to focus on each day as it comes.  I'll still plan of course but in the end trust God to handle the future and deal with what comes each day that day

3.)  Find a place to settle down and live/do ministry

*I'll be done with classes (for the most part) in June.  All I'll have left for seminary then will be an internship.  I'll start looking next week for places to do it.  I hope to find a place where I can transition the internship into a regular position and be in that place for a good while.  How long that is I don't know but longer than a few years at least.  At this point in my life, I would like to settle down, get married and start a family while doing college/young adult ministry.  Hopefully that'll start to take form this year

4.)  Continue to try and be open and caring for others

*The last few years have reminded me that I shouldn't grow weary in doing good and so I hope this year to try and share that with others. 

5.)  Go on at least one date this year

*This is one goal that is brought over from last year.  I think last year taught me to not give up on relationships and so I won't.  Hopefully this goal will be met and will be the start of something good.

Well, that's all for now.  Hope all of you have a great start to 2010!  Until next time, later days...