Category Archives: Studying

I suppose I should write again

 

But to tell the truth, I don’t know if I have anything interesting to say. Or anything profound.  Or half inspired.

I think the last couple of months have been hard on my bloging skills.  I’ve done lots of writing, mind you, but it has all been for class.  Or in Greek and I don’t suppose you want to see much of that.  (Or me either for awhile)

I understand a bit why people who write for a living – not necessarily authors, but people who have to write briefs and reports on a regular basis, would find blogging tedious and too much like work.

But here I am, down to one on-line class and I feel suddenly free again. 

Now to get some inspiration back and I will return to this space more frequently.

See you around then.

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Whew!

It is done.  And I think ( and fingers are always crossed till the final mark is back) that I did reasonably well.  I have to do well enough to get a transferable credit.  I can’t think of anything much worse than having to repeat Intro to Greek II – although that would be one sure way to really learn it.

And I guess I shouldn’t let the brain go into hibernation just yet.  I have a paper to finish writing today – a comparison of the creation account in Genesis with the ancient Babylonian and Egyptian ones.  I have about 1/3 of it done.  And then on with my theme paper which has much work left to do.

By next Monday I will only be taking a single class.  I won’t know what to do with all my spare time!

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My poor brain

I think my brain is just about full.    Too bad there wasn’t some kind of knowledge compactor to allow a person to cram in just a bit more.  I think it needs some sleep or something.  Maybe Saturday’s test will empty it out so I can put some new stuff in.

Tonight I have had a whole evening to study.  I am so tired besides being a bit sick and tired of studying that it was almost a total waste of time.  I ate popcorn, I drank tea and I wrote out some vocabulary words but my head is too tiredfor much more.

I think it would be best if I just go to bed.

I should work out on the exercise bike first but I am just too tired.  Hope Leo does not get a mid-night call again tonight.  Nothing worse for trying to sleep than having him talking on the phone in bed at about 1:30 am.

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So now I am forever indebted to …

Roger.

He has just finished doing Z’s fillings in the OR.  Sedation did not go  very well the other day.  And since it would be pushing what is considered ethical I could not do him in the OR myself. And I felt the cavities were just too significant to leave for a year or more till Z is big enough to tolerate Grandma working on him. 

He is out of recovery now and it appears to have gone well. 

Z and I will spend the afternoon together so his mom can get back to her studies this afternoon. 

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Filed under Dental, grandchildren, Studying

Still here

Just tired and swamped by demands of study and normal family stuff.  Keeping my head above water – just. Becoming more and more appreciative of the effects of caffeine.

Still haven’t loaded any pictures from the weekend.

But here I am at work, sedating another grandson today. Last one for a long while I hope.

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My head feels fuzzy but I keep plugging away at all this course work.

Maybe the long title is an indication that I can’t think well enough to come up with a catchy title.

But…

Tonight I faxed off my final quiz in Greek.  Yeah!  That feels good.  Of course I still have a few pages of a review section in my workbook to complete and then all those pages need to be packaged up and sent off for marking. 

It feels as if the end is in sight.  In that class at least.

Meanwhile, I am getting geared up for the term paper; reading like crazy. 

The Old Testament class is heavy on reading too and there are constant assignments it seems.  We need to interact on-line at least twice a week and have a Skype connection with a smaller group once a week.  I’m not sure it takes any less time than attending a class full time – just that all the other stuff of life is also going on – and that is where things get complicated.

Of course it would not be bad if I wasn’t working about 45 hours a week on top of studying.

My head feels a bit fuzzy tonight.  I think I’ll go have a glass of wine to clear it.  Then to bed.  Tomorrow promises to be a repeat as far as studying goes.

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A couple of quotes

From Roxburgh and Romanuk (The Missional Leader) on the changes a congregation must undertake to move from church as we know it to becoming a church sent into the world:

God enters among people who don’t get it, who are often compromised beyond hope, and there God calls forth new imagination. Christian imagination is about announcing that God does a new thing by entering into the very real places where we are formed, to transform them. p31 

And this one:

Culture change happens in a congregation when God’s people shift their attention to elements such as listening to Scripture; dialoguing with one another; learning to listen; and becoming aware of and understanding what is happening in their neighbourhood, community, and the places of their everyday lives. Instead of seeing these places and relationships as potential for church growth, they come to be seen as the places where God’s Spirit is present and calling us to enter with listening love. This shift sees God at work in one’s context and seeks to name what God might be up to. It is about seeing the church in, with, and among the people and places where we live, rather than in a specific building with a certain kind of people. p 63,64

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Another week is just about done

Today has been quite a day.  I’ve done pretty much nothing but studying. 

It seems as if this is what my weekends are going to be like for awhile.  But I got two of my readings done for my Old Testament class, pretty much completed my next to last chapter of Greek and finished one of the books that was required reading for the Missional class. 

Good thing it was rather cold outside because I didn’t miss much by not going out. 

And since I am covering call for R who is off to a romantic getaway I am also glad it has bee a quiet day as for emergencies.  Not a one to disturb my working brain.

Just thinking that this is really a pretty lame excuse for a post.  But I am still here.  Just not too much of interest to share with anyone.

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Filed under Day to Day, Studying

I am still here

Things are getting a bit crazy but I am still here – up in my little study.  Studying.

There has not been a lot of time for anything else although I am speaking this morning.  Fortunately when one takes a seminary class, it provides lots of stuff to speak about.  At least in this case when the class is about the missional church.

The class I start tomorrow may not – Old Testament I.  It will be heavy on history and I am not a historian.  However I have my own personal historian on site and I think he will like me asking him all sorts of questions.

I am also working to finish up my Greek class as quickly as possible to get it off my back.  Three classes at once since I am still needing to write my term paper for the class I took in January.  

I may not post very often.  I won’t likely do anything much but study and work I guess.

 

On the bright side, Leo and I booked our flights for Europe this July.  We are going.  Belgium, Portugal, Spain, England.  Hope we can do it all in 6 weeks. Toronto is on the list to visit as well on the way back.

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Filed under Day to Day, Studying, Travels

Solitude

I got this little bit of wisdom from Henri Nouwen this morning:

The Voice in the Garden of Solitude

Solitude is the garden for our hearts, which yearn for love. It is the place where our aloneness can bear fruit. It is the home for our restless bodies and anxious minds. Solitude, whether it is connected with a physical space or not, is essential for our spiritual lives. It is not an easy place to be, since we are so insecure and fearful that we are easily distracted by whatever promises immediate satisfaction. Solitude is not immediately satisfying, because in solitude we meet our demons, our addictions, our feelings of lust and anger, and our immense need for recognition and approval. But if we do not run away, we will meet there also the One who says, "Do not be afraid. I am with you, and I will guide you through the valley of darkness."
Let’s keep returning to our solitude.

This is where I am needing to go again.  Into solitude.

Just seems that no matter where I go these days I take a little Greek voice in my head that repeats constantly, “You should be studying” (subjunctive mood by the way)

I need to finish this course so it will be silenced.

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