New every morning

In Door County for ten days. Ten. Days. A generous friend allowed our family to use their home last week end, and for my husband and I this next week end. So I stayed for the week between. A couple of the kids stayed through Monday, and a friend visited Tuesday overnight to Wednesday, which makes today the first (and only) full day alone. Solitude. Today’s plan is quiet time with God and Baxter. Read, listen, write, nap, walk, knit, repeat.  That’s the plan.

My first read is Lamentations 3:19-26. Meditating on it. Chewing. Listening.

 Jeremiah remembers his own painful story, and reminds God of it too.  It’s so comforting to have a Friend who knows my complete and total backstory: all the details that have brought me to who I am today. (the good, the bad and the ugly) Jeremiah acknowledges that his soul is heavy, BUT THEN... he preaches to himself.  I love this!  Jeremiah reminds himself who God is, and immediately recognizes his reason for hope. Our reason for hope. He writes out the attributes of God which speak to his downcast soul.  Such an example!

In my Bible I use an orange gel highlighter to mark “promises to plead.” (my term) When my soul is “...bowed down within me,...” I can flip though to an orange-streaked passage and “recall to my mind...and have hope.”

THAT my friend is our reason for being... to know Him better, and to share the hope. “The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.”  

Verse 23 speaks of “every morning.” The dailyness of it reminds me of the manna provided to the Israelites in Exodus 16. God provided nourishment day by day, and required a daily harvest. In Lamentations Jeremiah again shows how God’s mercy is a daily sustenance. In John 6:35 Jesus refers to Himself as “the bread of life”- the One who satiates hunger and thirst. Again, bread or food is a daily need. Perhaps the manna was a reminder of our daily dependence on Him... we can’t store enough to sustain us for tomorrow.

“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning.  Great is Your faithfulness.” (Note the change from ‘His’ to ‘Your’...Jeremiah is taken from reciting about God to personal acknowledgement and prayer...)

He is our sustenance.  Have you fed upon His Word today?

Theology

Studying Theology over here. Couple thoughts.

1. My right hand just rubbed against bare wood on the desk as I wrote review notes on an index card. That bare wood is from my father's hand rubbing there as he wrote 50 years of sermons at this desk. That just warms my heart. I've been missing him lately.

2. I wanted to share the definition of Verbal Plenary Inspiration. (the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School view of Scripture) That description is derived from 2 Tim 3:16

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

All = plenary = the whole of Scripture

Scripture = verbal = The words themselves are inspired

God breathed = inspired = exhaled by God.

The Bible is the result of the creative initiative and action of God.

Finally

Last night in history class...it all began to make sense.

I've been studying during every spare minute for the last two weeks. Unfortunately there have not been many spare minutes. Yesterday I left work after a noon time meeting, and set up shop at a table in the Barnes & Noble cafe. For 5 straight hours I read, reread and made index cards from which to study for next week's midterm. Our professor gave us a list of 65 topics to master...so I now have 65 large index cards. As I read and hit a topic, I make notes.

That undivided, concentrated time made such a difference. I started putting events and people in order in my mind, and seeing where different readings covered the same time frame. I had a map and tried to find the origination of the various conquerors.

I've already said...I came into this clueless. I must have slept through geography and history classes in high school and undergrad. I don't know where the modern day countries are, let alone the ones at the time of Constantine. Our professor is so knowledgeable that he doesn't teach to my level - leaving gaps that totally confuse me.

We had a quiz last night, which was the impetus for my feverish review. What a gift that was - a quiz on 2/3 of the material we've learned. I need to keep studying until next Wednesday but the majority of the material is at least on my cards.

On quiz one I learned that Dr. G. likes to quiz you on the reading that he has not yet discussed. So I especially concentrated on new material at B & N. Wow, did THAT make a difference. Class finally made sense. The material was familiar. I knew the names. Yes, yes, I know that I should always have my reading done before class...but really, life gets in the way, and once you're behind it's hard to catch up, and then the reading is dry. Anyhow, I *loved* class last night. I felt so on top of things referencing the index cards I already had made for the material upon which he was lecturing. PLUS, the material is about to turn...the second half of the semester is the Reformation and beyond. I just can't wait to hear about so many names that I know but really know so little about. Last night we learned about Wycliffe. John Wycliffe was so passionate about the Word of God being translated into the language of the people. At that time the only option was hand copying, so copies of Scripture cost months of wages. The church was the only keeper of the Word, and was so corrupt. The political process and the church hierarchy were intertwined, and the common man was plundered. Wycliffe studied at Oxford, and God opened his eyes to the inconsistencies. Luther continued on with so many of the same ideas, but Luther was able to encourage the laity's reading of the Word because the Printing Press with its movable type had been invented in 1450. Wycliffe began the dissension, and once Gutenberg's press was able to churn out Bibles, the wildfire of the Reformation spread.

I'm such a history nerd now that I asked my prof if I could borrow a book for the week. [a week ago I would have laughed in your face at the suggestion of extra reading] It's entitled The 100 Most Important Events in Church History. In chronological order it goes through many of the events on my list of 65. He kept reading from it in class, so I reasoned that a concise summary, with writing from a different perspective, might help jell the material even further. In fact I read a few topics in bed at 10:30 last night.

Ha. Miracles never cease.

History of Christianity

Our first class was amazing. The professor is FABULOUS - personable and knowledgeable and enticing. He described our main textbook as a read as good as any novel. Whew. We summarized 1000 BC to about 180 AD in 3 hours. He talks FAST FASTER and FASTEST. Whew.

I was leery even sitting waiting for class to start. But once the prof entered and started talking he reeled me right in.

I am truly clueless about world history, but I actually knew most of what we covered tonight as far as Old Testament history.

I won't be clueless for long! It's time to buckle up! There's a fast track ahead!

Also [finally] received my Personal Assessment papers back. An A and a lot of insight in his comments. Those papers were likely the hardest assignment I have ever had - recalling life events, good and bad, and looking for the hand of God as He has shaped my life. Amazing questions. Amazing assessment tools. Amazingly painful experience. And yet...it was awe inspiring to trace the threads that God has sewn in - to see how certain experiences have shaped me for now and for what is to come. GREAT class and great process of recalling and writing.

So, so far I have a 4 credit B+ (I missed the final exam due to my dad's death...), a 3 credit A and a 1 credit A. Not so bad for such an old student, eh? History is going to take twice as much effort to read...but...tonight I really caught the bug.

Good night! There's no reading allowed at midnight...

Strengths Finder

Next week end I am taking a one credit class entitled, "Personal Assessment." The course description is "Receive assistance in personal assessment of character, leadership and learning styles, gifts, and ministry and relational skills as it relates to your vocational calling."

I can't wait! It involves writing a life line which makes up 70 percent of the grade. The description is, " Your Life Line assignment summarizes the providential work of God in your life using a process outlined in Life Line: An Exercise in Spiritual Biography. This process
explores your development up until the present. The assignment has a number of components that comprise the total Life Line assignment."

I think I'm going to love this. The class is only Friday night and all day Saturday, but then we have a month to write up all the parts of the life line.

Tonight I did another part of the class - an online StrengthFinder test. There were 170 (?) questions with continuums of answers and you had 20 seconds to mark your spot on the continuum. It took about 30 minutes. The website generates a report on your top five themes which you can then read about in the textbook.

My top five themes, in order, with the descriptors that pop out at me, are:

1. Strategic. The Strategic theme enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. Trust your intuitive insights as often as possible. Even though you might not be able to explain them rationally, your intuitions are created by a brain that instinctively anticipates and projects. Have confidence in these perceptions.

2. Maximizer. Excellence, not average, is your measure. You don't want to spend your time bemoaning what you lack. Rather, you want to capitalize on the gifts with which you are blessed. It's more fun. It's more productive.

3. Belief. You have certain core values that are enduring. Belief theme causes you to be family oriented, altruistic, spiritual and to value responsibility and high ethics - in yourself and others. Core values give your life meaning and satisfaction; in your view, success is more than money and prestige.

4. Responsibility. When assigning new responsibilities, people will look to you first because they know it will get done.

5. Activator. Guided by your Activator theme, you believe that action is the best device for learning. You make a decision, you take action, you look at the result, and you learn. You know you will be judged not by what you say, not by what you think, but by what you get done.

By the way, all 34 themes are positive. That's why it is called STRENGTH finder.

So, do you think the test has me pegged?

Learning

As you might know, I am taking a 4 credit Introduction to New Testament class this spring semester. It's the first 4 credits of 40 plus needed for my Masters Degree.

We are assigned a boatload of homework which we type up and email to the professor.

Since some of my homework assignments are so incredibly rich, I thought some of you might like to read some of them...and yet it's a bit too "heavy" to add them all here - that's not the point of this blog.

So... I have a new blog - just for homework assignments. When they make sense on their own I'll copy and paste my homework questions and answers to www.gracestudies.blogspot.com

The first one is The Passion.

So, feel free to read and grow right alongside me.

My quiet time reflections and photos and life stuff will still be here on gracenotes.

Good night!

Humbled

Do you ever feel used? Or like no one really cares about you, but rather only what you can do for them?

Part of my homework is to read through the Gospel of Mark. So I've been struggling through it. It's a struggle because I am used to chewing on a verse at a time, or maybe a passage, but not on chapters upon chapters. This is very good for me - to see the context - to see it as a whole.

Anyhow, I was just *stung* by some verses in Mark 10. Jesus has chosen 12 disciples, and they have seen Him do amazing things, and He has taught them of God and of God's kingdom. They have the opportunity of the ages - they are walking with the Messiah. Three of them seem especially close to Jesus - James, John and Peter. They get the backstage passes to events like the healing of Jairus' daughter, (Mark 5:37) and the transfiguration. (Mark 9:2) They are the closest of the close. His inner circle.

So here in Chapter 10 Jesus shares with the twelve, as they walk towards Jerusalem, that He is about to be delivered, condemned, handed over, mocked, spit upon, scourged and killed. He must have been agonizing with each step. He was obeying to the point of death, and knowingly walking into the hands of the executioners.

In verse 35, James and John, two of the closest to Him, ask Jesus for a favor. This is DIRECTLY after He has shared His dread. He asks them what they want. And they ask to sit on each side of Him in heaven.

This hit me hard. It stings. Jesus has taught them painstakingly, showed them miracles, given them the power to throw out demons and heal, and now He has shared the sorrow of His heart. And what are they concerned about? Their positions. What's in it for me?!?

And of course, whenever we see stupidity modeled by humans in the Word, we can see how we ourselves might have done the same thing. It's so humbling, isn't it?

Sigh.

Snug as a Bug

Quickie post...I'm studying in a quiet house. My hub left to take our oldest son back to college (80 miles) and our younger son went with them. Anna is in the lower level studying for finals, and getting her room set up for the semester. (She shares a large room with Emily, and Emily left a bit of a mess in her wake...)

I am snug as a bug at the desk. In a morning grocery run to a deep discount grocer (getting back to school groceries for Joe) I bought an oscillating ceramic heater (with auto shut off) and six red roses. So now I'm toasty warm, and there is natural beauty and aroma right here next to me. The heater also provides white noise, as Anna's room (and music) is directly below.

It's all the way up to 19 degrees today, but it's still nice to be toasty here in my quiet place.

Thinking

It feels so good to be thinking.

Class two in Introduction to New Testament tonight. The 2.5 hours just fly by. My pen is going the entire time as I soak it all in through notes. The fellow next to me has an incredible little recorder - no bigger than an ipod - through which he records the lecture, and tonight I was able to instantly transfer it to my laptop from this device. Now I have an audio recording of the lectures for review. Amazing technology. Even with the recording to review, my brain needs pen and paper - it's how I learn. I listen, I write, I learn.

I wondered if I'd regret this new step ...this journey to a Master's Degree. Too much pressure? One more thing on the schedule?

Perhaps it is too soon to evaluate, but I will anyhow. :) I am RIGHT where I need to be. God gave me a mind that needs a challenge. I have an insatiable desire to learn. And I wonder where this degree will lead me...and that excites me. It gives me hope for something new in the future: for what is God preparing me?

You know how I really know I'm in the right place? I got home tonight, put on my jammies, made a hot cup of tea, and here I am curled up under a quilt. Before I go to bed I'm going to read over the homework questions, map out my reading, and read at least a bit of it. There is NO desire for tv, no desire for a magazine or a novel...I just want to get to it! I went from work to class to home...but what I want to do in this half hour before bed is delve right in. (after checking out the blog world, of course...)

I think I'm in the right place.

First Class!

Yeah. I loved it.

We discussed Revelation 3, and then our professor pointed out how we had been spoon fed some of our interpretations. He took us into a Bible Dictionary to study on the history and geography of the city of Laodicea and then went over how to analyze Scripture with the who, what, how, when, kind of questions. (Kay Arthur would have been proud!)

We discussed the importance of context, and he stressed again and again to read the text and study the text and only then, much later, to read the notes in those study Bibles we all have. He wants us to think it through for ourselves. (This is also a mantra of Precepts...the way I've been trained...I think I'm way ahead in that respect!)

Biblical Theology v. Historical Theology v. Systematic Theology v. Practical Theology. Yet another discussion of definitions.

And we ended with the beginning of a two week discussion on the religious backdrop of the New Testament in the first century. He talked a lot about gnosticism.

Homework? Only 3 chapters of one of the books. Plus questions. We have to email him the answers to 5 questions before the next class. That doesn't sound so bad, does it?

Well, here's the first (just the first of five) question:

1. How would you counteract or support the idea that God is transcendent from the Scriptures? How would you counteract or support the idea that God is impassible from the Scriptures? Where do you see either of these two concepts expressed inappropriately in church? Are there any appropriate expressions of these?

WHEW. He said our Question Assignments will be wrestling, thinking kind of assignments...he wants to see that we are thinking, not just reading and memorizing.

Sigh...no flash cards?

Oh...we're also supposed to read Mark. I have the feeling the discussion of the historical context of Mark will require some flashcards.

About 45 students. Most of them are "auditing" the class. I knew two people which amazed me.

I love being back in school! Especially since I'm studying a topic that excites me in a way that no college class ever excited me in my undergrad. I'm ready to do my reading right now...but...I best sleep since I have to work tomorrow...

Friday night will be spent researching Alexander the Great, the Roman Empire, Gnosticism and Koine Greek. Woo hoo.

Good night!

Back to School

Class starts tomorrow. Introduction to the New Testament. It's my FIRST class towards my Master's degree. I am so excited.

The three required texts are stacked, with a notebook, (a fun one, of course) and a brand new pack of Pilot Easy Touch pens in five fabulous colors. The Precepts logo you see is on my Precepts Inductive Bible Study book bag which I'll pack up for class. (this isn't Precepts, but I love the bag!)

I'm ready!

The beginning of a dream fulfilled

I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I am going to begin the courses for my Master's Degree!

For decades I have known that I wanted to get formal Bible School training, but the time and the finances were never right. Recently I went to Elmbrook Church's Christian Study Center website and began to poke around. Today I talked to Dave Seemuth, and it appears that this degree is a perfect fit. I am going to register to get a Master of Arts in Christian Studies, and begin in January with the New Testament Survey class. Honestly, I am SO EXCITED that I want it to start tomorrow.

I'll take a break from teaching for this first semester, to pace myself and to have time to study for this four credit class. The fully accredited degree will be through Trinity Divinity School in Deerfield, IL, but I can take every class at Elmbrook church which is 5 minutes from my work. 42 credits total.

Issues:
Time: I study a lot now. I think it may be a wash.
Money: God has graciously provided through a raise at work. While there are a million other uses for money, this is a good one. Each credit at Elmbrook is $265, while the same class at the seminary is over $600 per credit hour. Such a blessing to have the resource of that church right here.
Home: My husband is all for it, as he knows that study is what fuels me.
Laptop: My work ordered me a brand new lap top today (mine is slow and dying a very colorful death...the screen is swirly pink much of the time...) and it will be my personal as well as my work laptop. It is FAST FAST FAST.
Logos Bible Software: All paid for (did the six months free financing) and I have learned how to really use some of it's features...this will be a big time saver as well as a space saver.

I am feeling total peace about signing up. And SO excited. We went to Elmbrook tonight to look at the text books in the book store, but I can order them at a substantial discount through Amazon.

Woo hoo. I just can't wait!