Waiting

There's a quote from An Affair to Remember (amazingly, I can't seem to find it). Nicky is relaying a fictitious story to the heroine, Terry. He finishes with "and they're waiting, waiting, always waiting.."
"and what is he doing?"
"...waiting."

It's a rough quote, but it is running through my head because I am waiting another day, and have been waiting this last week. You'd think I'd have become very patient during all of this waiting. I have not. I've been very restless.

Earlier this week, I thought I would write this post from the point of hopeful expectation in a sure thing. How I've grown in my spiritual understanding of waiting. Instead, it's from the perspective of worry, nervous prayer and the feeling of futility.

So I BibleGateway'd "wait on the Lord."

Psalm 27:14
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 33:20
We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

Psalm 5:3
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

Psalm 38:15
I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God.

Psalm 40:1
I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.

Psalm 119:166
I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands.

Psalm 130:5
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.

Psalm 130:6
My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Apparently God has something to say about waiting upon him. I must admit, it is hard work. It was much easier to worry and fret this afternoon.

But I'm praying.

No Idea

I realized yesterday, after I had finished my last final of the semester, that I have been in classes since January 2007. "Oh, but what about summer vacation!?" people ask, thinking they've caught me in an exaggeration.

Oh no. I was in class. All summer. I had a class that met once a week for the entire summer, and one that met twice a week for half of the summer. (The second one was really great because Dr. Peterson is a sweet man and a great teacher.)

So here I am, sitting on a Saturday morning, thinking that I really must be missing something. There must be SOME theological book that needs to be read.

I have no idea what to do with myself.

Resist if you can

A Blog for every person who has dreamed about raising a wild animal a la "The Journey of Natty Gann."

Best Moment of the Weekend

Picking up my mother's Bible, and realizing that she has read it for so long and so consistently that the edges of the pages are worn down so that they are soft - like running your fingers over a feather.

That is a legacy.

Thanksgiving Quote

"...and then dealing with the screaming kids..."
"What are you talking about?"
"Walmart."
"Walmart is the best form of contraception."

Family Thanksgiving Catchphrase

"It's hot molten lava! Austin Powers says it really funny!"
(game beeps)
Other side: "MAGMA!"
"No, it was the first word. I didn't get to give the clue for the second."
"So what's the word?
"Magma Carta."


"It's a storm we don't get in Montana and it sounds like a religion."



"When you really want something! 4 Words!"
"Hot for it?"
"That's three."


"You use it! Its a tool!"
"Carson Daly?"

Quote for Montana

"I am in love with Montana...for other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection; but with Montana it is love and it's difficult to analyze love when you are in it."
- John Steinbeck

Identity

This past week I had to write a paper on the book "The Price of Privilege" and diagram my family tree (called a genogram) and write 10 pages about interpersonal relationships within the family.



And as my mom and I talked this afternoon (face to face for the first time in months) these two very different assignments began to make a lot of sense, and I realized that God was teaching me a big lesson.



One of the things that Price of Privilege highlighted was the emotional problems affluent kids have. One contributing factor is that kids are taught to base their identity on unstable 'things' in the world - performance, status, grades. Sometimes I struggled with these things that define, but I realized as I read the book that I hadn't as much as others had struggled. Why? Onto my second assignment.....



My genogram highlighted that my family deals with conflict generally better-than-average. At this moment I'm waiting for Ben, Bekah and Jeremy to get home from school/work. Can't. Wait. to see them. Why?



This afternoon's conversation with my mom really revealed why our family relationships are so encouraging. I was wrestling with some things that have happened during the last week that tried my humility and patience. I was so frustrated for so much of our conversation. But she repeatedly, uniquely, consistantly told me the truth: Be humble. Be a biblical peacemaker. Remember where your strength comes from - NOT. YOU. Remember whose you are. Remember that 'whose you are' isn't performance-based.



And so my two very different papers came to life in a 20 minute conversation with my mom. And on this Thanksgiving eve, I'm really thankful for my family - my mom, dad, Ben, Bekah and Jeremy. They point me to the gospel and help ground my identity in the one person who really defines me - Christ.

Monday Richard Pratt Quote

Last one of it's kind - Next time we meet, it will be Final time!

You don’t really need the Holy Spirit if you’re trying to avoid suffering.

~Richard Pratt

Expectations

My (she just edited "fabulous") roommate said she was sick of looking at my blog and not seeing a new post, so here I am. Posting.

I've been thinking about expectations and failed expectations lately. Last night there was a missed expectation which resulted in the necessary peacemaking this morning. Last week there was hope and refraining from having too high of expectations.

Over the last few years, I've talked with a good friend about expectations. Do you abandon all expectations? Do you have expectations, just to be disappointed?

The longer I'm in seminary, the more I realize life is all about "the tension in between." I'm living in the tension of holding onto good expectations and not holding others to high expectations.

Ultimately expectations are not rooted in us. Even when I'm just looking at today and thinking, "I missed that expectation of _______. I've failed again." The truth is Christ will fill all of our expectations and fulfill the expectations of others that we could have filled, were we perfect.

(And my other roommate just said, "It all goes back to Pratt's class and covenant." THAT is a post for another day.)

Bayer House, otherwise known as a Sitcom

{Previously, in our conversation J tells me that she didn't know about Mark Driscoll until a few weeks ago. }

J:...Then I find out it's concerning Patrick Henry College. {blank look from Hannah}. TELL me you know about Patrick Henry!"

H: I know who Patrick Henry is....But I don't know about the College. {Look from J of dumbfoundment}. Hey, the nation is big! I knew about Mark Driscoll a few years ago!

It's Monday, which means "Richard Pratt Quote Time!"

If you believed your prayers would stop the locusts, you’d be praying.

~Richard Pratt

Irony

Lyrics heard when put on hold by Discovercard:

Dire Striats

"Now look at them yo-yos thats the way you do it
You play the guitar on the mtv
That aint workin thats the way you do it
Money for nothin and chicks for free"

Quote Worthy

I think people are only interested in (a relationship) three times: When you get together, when you break up, and when you have a baby."

Jay-Z

I swore I'd never be that kind of mom

I got a taste of "real" motherhood this morning. For the last year, I've gone grocery shopping on Monday mornings with a dear friend and her twins. And for a year, nooooo problem. One of the twins would always come with me.

Well, the "twos" hit, and both girls want to ONLY be with Mom. Nothing "Cool Aunt Hannah" could do would change the situation - And at this moment, I have to laugh, because at age two, apparently being pushed around in another grocery cart with a person you've known for a year is tantamount to treason against your mom.

So, I decided to kick it up a notch. Old. School. Bribery. In the name of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

You've never seen a child so happy. And yes, I always thought I'd never bribe my own kids in a grocery store (and this isn't QUITE on that level...uh, because they aren't mine) but sometimes you just have to go with what works.

Thank you, Reeses.

Sex Class at Covenant; Article on Sex with Robots

"There has been this trend in marriage where each partner gets to make their own choice of who they want to be with." ~ artificial intelligence researcher David Levy

When I first started reading this article on MSN about the sex with robots in the future, there was a point in which I thought, "Am I being ....Is it April Fools?" Nope. There is a deep part of me that is disturbed at this article. Probably because I recognize how self centered our culture is, so now Americans have categorized attraction and love to the point where we're looking for "exactly what we want" in a robot, booted up with everything we've ever desired in a husband/wife.

"Humans are very unusual creatures," Arkin said. "If you ask me if every human will want to marry a robot, my answer is probably not. But will there be a subset of people?

The ethical questions section of the article is especially challenging. Once again the image of God, the fundamental value of humans, is being challenged, and yet also unbelievers are trying to reduce abuse and crime.

But I think I'd rather recommend Professor Jay Sklar's message during Friday's chapel - titled "What is Sex?" He preached on it as a precursor to Scotty Smith's weekend class "Gospel Centered Sexuality." Dr. Sklar's talk is not up on the student website yet, but I'll try to upload it in a day or two. His message on sex being marital had a perspective I had never considered before, and I'm pretty sure many others had never imagined, either.

Never knew it would be that annoying

I've started the process of getting rid of my MySpace page. While doing so, I changed my password, which of course I promptly forgot. When I tried to log in repeatedly, MySpace prompted me to clear out my cookies, because maybe THAT was my problem. (Nope, just that sometimes I'm not the brightest bulb and my memory has started to go).

For the last two weeks, I've been hitting the "save this login/password/whatever" button.

And today I tried clicking on my Amazon Cart, repeatedly thinking, "NO! I KNOW I put that book in my 'to purchase' cart. I know I did.....
Oh. I'm not logged in."

sigh. They say insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.

Pulling the Trigger

Dear Jennie (and all of the other Internet Explorer users),

Surprise! Here is the new template. I'm off to go to a Ministry Lunch and so I don't have a lot of time to comment, except that whenever I change my template (the old one was in existence for almost 2 years) there are little snags that YOU won't notice, but they'll drive me nuts.

This one should be ok for IE because I just manipulated an existing Blogger template. (The old one didn't, because it was a true template hack job.)

So, this is my capitulation to IE. And you should download Firefox. It's better. Much better!

Friend

It’s easy to say that you have a lot of friends. But what you mean is “I have a lot of people in my life that I am pleasant to, and they are pleasant to me.”

That’s not friendship. It’s nice, but it’s not quite friendship.

There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Prov 18:24

Want to know what that looks like in 2007? It looks like a phone call to a friend, in a city you haven’t lived in for 5 years. A phone call to your pregnant friend at 10:30 at night. “Tones, it’s me. My sister is stranded at the airport.”

Immediate response: “Do you want me to pick her up?”

I think I saw this friend in September 2006. Maybe for a day. I haven’t seen her in a year, and I haven’t talked to her for a few months.

“Do you want me to pick her up” are words of a friend. I don’t even know if my friend and sister had met, really interacted, before last night. After I had made the initial connection, she called me back and we talked while she drove down to the airport.

There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. I’ve always been taught that this Proverb is about Jesus. And it is.

And my friend was reflecting him and his compassion last night. And I am so grateful to my Lord for providing a wonderful sister on one hand and a wonderful friend on the other – a friend who is willing to help me and my family when we needed it.

Thank you, Tones.

Phone Call Overheard at the Bayer House

"Have a good Sunday....Me? No, I have the Peacemaking Class....Yes, The Peace Pipe class. We are Presbyterian after all."

New Blog

One of my favorite persons on the earth has started a blog. Here's to free Advertising...

You'll see the link on my blogroll (unless you use Internet Explorer, to which, I'm not sure what to say - except maybe I'll be able to work on my template around Fall Break?....errrr). Her blog is The Softer Side of Cynical. Man I love that girl!

On the topic of Image of God

“But you know what happens when someone runs a four way stop. You go, "Oh, there goes the Glorious Image of God!”

Richard Pratt

You Belong Here Now

I returned last night to Saint Louis from helping out at the Peacemaker Conference. "How was it?" is a typical question from friends here.

It was good. Typical response. But then the truth comes out:

"Have you ever gone back to somewhere...where you did your undergrad, or maybe home, or something, and everyone is really happy to see you, and they miss you, and you don't doubt that, but..."

But things have changed? People have gone on with life, and you aren't walking with them there anymore?

Maybe the reason I experienced it this now and not earlier is because my immediate family is very steady in our relating to each other. So it took me experiencing my Peacemaker Family to know that things go on.

And that's the way it ought to be. Standing still is never an option in Christ's Kingdom. We are to move forward.

And so, I was instant messaging an acquaintance/new friend this afternoon. He and his girlfriend are always consistent to invite me with them to do things. And when he asked the "how was it" question, and received my answer, he responded:

Yep, I know. That was the story of my summer. You belong here now.

How hard it is to only belong to one place and yet miss a part of your heart.

September

Some of my Minnesota friends think I must be dead.

If you look at my blog on a regular basis, I'm sure you probably think I've keeled over as well.

Ah ha, my September update!

I'm so tired right now. I just got back from my class on Marriage and Family Counseling. This might be one of the most depressing classes, because it's focusing on the Therapy aspect. And if you need Marriage counseling...? ...Then your marriage probably isn't a happy one. Yikes.

That said, she brought the grace and the gospel tonight. Not the way that Anthony Bradley brought it in chapel today, but we can't expect everyone to be Anthony Bradley, can we now? (Go to Covenant's Website and listen to his chapel sermon. Ok, so that was from a while ago, but you can't get his latest. None the less: So encouraging.)

So back to being tired. Lots of reading, and, yes, I'm horrifically behind - three weeks in. I'm trying to keep up in Richard Pratt's (really phenomenal) 'Old Testament Prophetical Books' class, and I was 118 pages behind in reading the moment I stepped into class last week. So some of the reading that isn't required in other classes is DEFINTELY getting put on the "After Seminary reading" list. Yes, I'm being a bit idealistic. I know it and so do you. I refuse to NOT be idealistic.

Genrally I feel like I'm falling behind on keeping up with my friends, but someday (cough, heaven) I think I'll get to that point.

I'm flying out tomorrow for the Peacemaker Conference (yea!) and I'll be the driver for those people flying in and out of Charlotte. I'm so looking forward to seeing the Divine Miss M and others that I miss from Montana.

For those of you interested in our German Meal hosted by my roommate Courtney and our friend Daniel in honor of their fun and loveable elder George, here are photos from last weekend. Also, pictures from our great time at the performance of The Fabulous Motown Revue.




Photos courtesy of Courtney

Menu:
Pork Chops and Sauerkraut
Traditional German Potato Salad
Spaetzle
German Beer; Wine
Apple Crisp
Pumpkin Bread with homemade cream cheese frosting
Death. By. Chocolate. Cake (!) w/ chocolate frosting.
Coffee

(We take dinners seriously down here! ) :)

What I Miss about Montana

It's already in the upper 80s here in MO - add the humidity, and it's not the most pleasant outdoor experience. (Add the pollen and smog, and you have one miserable, asthmatic Hannah.)

I just checked Montana's forecast - and the projected highs are a little lower than Missouri's but the REAL difference is in the lows! I miss Montana mornings because no matter how hot it gets, the nights are cooler by 30 or 40 degrees. Refreshing!

The oppressive heat and humidity just haven't let up lately.

she never posts

I called my friend in Minneapolis today (regarding the collapse of 35 W) and she mentioned that she thought for sure she had looked at the wrong blog because it hadn't been updated in so long. This is the story of my life.

I'm going to change my template, I think, because it's about time and also I'm having difficulties getting posts to show up in Explorer. Not that I use or like Explorer, but I understand the great majority of others do like it. This current template is one I messed with the HTML (I had one class in undergrad) and I know I probably screwed it up.

Last night we threw a great party for Sarah, my roommate - she's a quarter century. She just moved to town in June, and I was praying before the shin-dig that people would show up because I didn't have time to follow up with people after I sent the original email.

We had about 20 people in the house, and being as Sarah doesn't know how to have fun (yeah, rooiight) we ended the evening with a fun dance party, singing "Don't stop believing." Yep, we don't know how to have fun at the Bayer House.

I finished with my Systematic Theology class and am soooo happy to have gotten an A in the class. It was one of the best - when you're repenting of your sins in the middle of your required reading, you know it's doing it's job!

I'm struggling with Allergies today, but other than that, life is a little boring. I'm popping anti-histamines and drinking coffee to dry me out.

Right now I'm going to work on a talk I'm giving in November on Peacemaking, and work on the template as mentioned above. Wes and Sarah are studying Greek, and Sarah just read John 8 from the greek for the first time. It was pretty cool :) .

June

Sadly I noticed that my last post was sometime in May. So, here's a quick and dirty snapshot of life in Saint Lou during the last month:

My friends are outdoorsy and artsy in a really great way. Liz and I've laid in the grass at Forest Park, looking at cloud shapes during dusk, and talking about the heart surgery God's been up to during the last few months.

Jonathan and I have eaten at an Indian restaurant more than once, and I think I'm officially addicted.

Last weekend I went to "Authentic Community at Memorial" (...or something like that title) to begin the process of associate membership. Next up, going before the Elders. (My official membership will still reside at Rocky Mtn Community Church).

I've danced to Motown Review with Liz, Becky and Mel in front of the History Museum -- with a couple hundred other people. Seeing the families have fun was the best! (there was easily 2,000 people there.)

I've been to Monday Nights at Growlers Pub more than a few times, and each time I've consumed more fries than I've wanted.

I drove 8 hours each way to see one of my best friends from college get married. I was honored to read Psalm 36:5-10 in her wedding.

I'm taking classes and reading a ton - I was skeptical of "Group Dynamics" but its a great class and a great group of students. I'm learning a lot about how I naturally act in groups, and what I can do to be a better listener and group conversation facilitator.

God's teaching me, most importantly, that I have idols that need to be more than looked at and acknowledged - I need to fight them. I've once again found that fighting the battle of my thoughts (to take them captive) is hard, hard work, but that God gives us little steps forward so that we know that we're still in his hands and being sanctified.

You know you're in St. Louis

When no one uses their blinker. Ever. Because the little stick next to the steering wheel? Yep, it's just for decoration.

Misc

My blog has been staring at me. Ever have something stare at you? It says things like, "I'm empty. Write something."

Today I actually got real mail - a photo and a letter from one of my favorite people on earth. Her writing is always rooted in a steely-eyed reality, with a bit of sarcasm thrown in. I love it. She, too, has been having a difficult time sitting down and writing, but her writing was actually a letter, and she actually sent it. I figured I could do half as much and post to my blog.

Tonight my friend Liz and I went to Shakespeare in the Park with Liz's roommate, Liz's Roommate's fiance and Dave. We settled in with some wonderfully made pasta salad, uncorked the wine and enjoyed the warm, thankfully-not-muggy air, and listened to the kid's shorter version of Much Ado About Nothing pre-show.

And then we got drenched.

Drenched - not one piece of clothing was dry and the water was running in the streets up to my ankles.

Liz is the kind of girl that makes running in the rain fun and a memory to remember, instead of something to avoid or get out of quickly. I love her for that.

I think the only thing that would have made it better is having a camera, but it was raining so hard that the camera would have most definitely died.

Tomorrow I have a full day of seeing friends and friend's family. Monday I'll be trying to put in some work for my boss. Ironically enough, it's helping compile a manual that I would have overseen if I were still at Peacemakers. I guess once you get in, you never get out!

My classes start this week, and I'll be taking 6 credits. Dr. Peterson is determined to kindly kill us with reading. I'm determined to survive.

Newest residents of Bayer House

For the last month or so, one of my roommates thought that the cat (that lives in the hole in our house's foundation) might have had kittens. When I was home in MT, they found a tiny, tiny kitten under our porch and sent it off to a shelter. I have to admit, I thought perhaps that was it, but last week we found out that, yes, said roommate WAS correct. Little kittens do in fact under the Bayer house. I also think she must have super human hearing to have heard the mewing of little kitties.

The last couple of days we've watched them play (and run away if we got too close), and now, with the help of a lady in the computer lab, the mama cat has been caught. Once again, the computer lady came with mind set, and today she caught one of the little kittens.

So now we have a reason (cough- excuse!) to quit our studying for a bit, and go visit the little guy in the basement. We plan on catching the other two kittens and sending all three + mama to a kitty farm or to a kitten adoption place.


(Thanks to Kristi and Donetta for the photos)

If the caffeine doesn't kill you, the sugar will

The consumption of coffee by me has gone through the roof. It's getting me through, though!

If you'd like to pray for me, my finals will be May 7-14th. Thanks!!

And It's April... A Time line

Right after Spring Break, classes hit pretty hard, because we all realized (including our instructors) that with the Easter Break right on the heels of our Spring Break, we had limited time to read the numbers of books, write the papers and study for the tests.

The week before Easter, Madre and I were talking and found out that there was a very reasonable fare for me to get home. We snatched it up.

I thought about posting on this blog maybe a thousand times, but I wanted to surprise the Barrie Kids and my Sunday School kids with my return, and get big hugs, so I kept my flight plans a secret.

I had a great time seeing "my Kids." (Thanks to Kristin for the photo!)

Easter afternoon, we visited my grandmother in the nursing home. She had surgery a few weeks before, and was not doing well, and did not rouse from sleep when we visited. By Easter Monday, the nurses were telling us (without telling us explicitly) that she wouldn't make it much longer.

I had my return flight on Tuesday morning at 11. At 9:07, my grandmother passed into eternity. I sped up to the airport, and changed my return ticket so I came back to Cov yesterday.

Funerals are a lot - emotionally, physically and work-wise - and I'm very glad that the Lord provided some very incredible situations to allow me to stay home and be with my family during this time. Not the least miracle was the original ticket home, because I planned to visit my college friends in MN and WI during Easter, and had also planned a speaking opportunity that week in MN.

The Lord is Sovereign, indeed.

I'm now back in St. L, and finished a bit of homework. Back to reading.

Spring Break

Spring Break is really good for sleeping in. I'd like to say that I was up with the dawn each day, but I have been up so late (both at night and in the morning), in my former working-at-a-job life, I'd have been ashamed.

Spring break is good for working at a job. A job is good for making money. Money is good because then you can eat!

Spring break is great for finding new music. I realized yesterday that grad students can go exactly 1.5 hours interacting with one another over breakfast before breaking out the laptops to discuss something they found online, talk about music or burn time on Facebook.

Spring Break is not good for getting books read or homework done. If you're me. My friends are doing a better job than I am!

Spring Break is really good for introspection and time with God. He's taught me a lot of hard lessons this week, but he's also provided great friends with which to walk through those lessons.

Spring Break has been really good for the coffee consumption.

And Spring Break will be done in two more days.

You Know it's good

When a scene of Lost makes you cover your mouth - which has dropped open - and utter a muffled "OHMYGOSHHOLYCOW!"

Reconciliation

You would think that, after working for Peacemaker Ministries for 4 years, I would be able to dispatch conflict pretty quickly. This last week showed that I'm just as much of a sinner and conflict troublemaker as I ever was.

This past week was full of stresses. Many, many stresses and I didn't particularly feel like dealing with one of them. That particular stress, or the situation rather, really became the focal point of my bad attitude.

You see, I'm pretty good at dealing with conflict where an actual argument or difference of opinion occurs. The kind of conflict that happens that's more subtle? More about irritation and avoiding? That kind of conflict I am just horrible at dealing with. I'd rather flee, run away, take flight.

Which is what I did. Thankfully, we dealt with it last night, and this morning, I feel SO much better. 1,000 times better. I thought that I was avoiding something that was going to be hard and painful and difficult. Instead, I was putting myself through a HUGE amount of tension and frustration while not dealing with the conflict.

So, once again, the Lord has shown me where I don't have all of my peacemaking ducks in a row. But, he is still faithful still to teach me and walk with me, even when I'm not taking the most spiritually mature attitude.

Lost Quotes

"Let's get this car started...Let's look death in the face and say, 'Whatever, man." Let's make our own luck."

Hurley

The day I changed my mind about Jack Black

Last night, Jack Black and Will Ferrell cracked me up at the 2007 Oscars. And then, when I was looking for their mini-musical from last night, I found this one, from a couple of years ago - when I actually watched the Oscars (surprising that I saw that one, because it's not a yearly thing for me). Enjoy both of them, especially if you like watching a small roast of Hollywood.



"Del Taco"



2007 Medley



And just in case you love this clip like I do...
"And the legend of the Rent was way Hardcore"

New Review: Amazing Grace

It's up over at My Movie Blog.

What a change

One of my classmates just mentioned that he couldn't believe that it was a week ago that classes were cancelled because of the snow and ice. It was 10 degrees, and we were all so happy to stay indoors, studying and having a good time sharing meals and watching a little American Idol that night.

Forward to today - 60 degrees for the high- and I've sat out on the porch since a quarter to 1 (it's now quarter to 5) reading my Gospel of John homework and creating flashcards for my quiz tomorrow.

As I sit here, I can see the rush hour traffic making it's way south, and just through the trees, the freeway sign for South 270 to Tulsa and Memphis is visible. I realized how far from home I was just then. Signs to Tulsa? Memphis? I'm a ways from home.

Tonight we'll catch the rest of Idol and take in a little bit of Lost, which always includes the group of 20 or so yelling at the TV. The amount of TV this night requires studying those previously mentioned flashcards during the commercial breaks.

Otherwise, it's been just about a perfect day - lots of people walking by, lots of reading, while listening to my favorite Molly Routson Collection CD. The sun is starting to dip behind the chapel steeple. Time to go inside!

Tuesday - Class Cancelled

An update for the Montana folk (as well as anyone else not in Missouri):
Well, I don't have classes on Tuesdays, but a major ice/snowstorm blowing through the area has everyone staying at home -- except the few students willing to go sledding (I'll try to snag a few pictures from my housemate).

When I got up this morning, it was raining pretty hard, and soon two of my housemates came back from class. The rain turned to sleet, and then to snow, and we decided it would only be fitting to have a real breakfast - coffee, eggs, bacon, sausage and pancakes! We all chipped in what we had. Don't say the Bayer House Girls don't know how to do breakfast!

Molly and Rebecca from "up on the hill" came over and helped us eat up the rest of the chocolate chip pancakes (mmmm! chocolate in the morning!) and then they went up the row to go sledding with a couple other students.

So, the entire house is here, in the nice warmth (we're hoping the electricity doesn't go out) studying, drinking coffee or tea, and enjoying a nice, relaxing day (we're hoping the electricity doesn't go out). Off I go to study!

Today's Quote

We need to look to God each day ourselves, not assuming that somone else's place is where we should be, or that yesterday's pattern will be tomorrow's rule.

Dick Keyes, Beyond Identity

Hmm, there goes that intention

When I left Billings for StL, I thought I would have a greater drive to blog, mostly to keep people updated.

I still think of blogging things throughout the day, but jumping online and trying to post seems to be harder and harder.

I've also completed reading more books in the last three weeks than I have in the previous 3 months. So every time I'm ready to stop studying, I want to go straight to bed!

So far, I love my professors and my roommates. I was really blessed to be able to meet up with Dave Edling when he came through town. He, once again, was so faithful to spend time, give counsel and be a friend to me.

Here are a few pictures of my living conditions. Not too Shabby, if I do say so myself!

I also got word today that I am still scheduled to do a 3-day Chapel series on Peacemaking at my alma mater. Prayers would be greatly appreciated, since I'm a little fearful.












Front of the House













Back of the House


















Living Room











Edwards Hall. I have my counseling classes here. It was named for a supportive St. Louis family, who donated to the Presbyterian Church. Any connections, Billings Folk, to someone we know in Oregon?

The sadness of not receiving ESPN2

This is a great article - really well written, and funny- and reminds me how much I missed watching the Best Tennis Player Of All Time (there, I said it) take apart another well-meaning, but ineffectual player.

Parlez-vous francais, Monsieur Federer?

My Brother-In-Law definitely gets the hat-tip on this one.

Reading

When DMM was at seminary, I remember her mentioning reading. And reading. And reading some more. While I knew she was reading many books (usually simultaneously), now I think there's really nothing to prepare you for the number of books you'll consume as you're in Seminary.

The thing I've learned is that in grad school, 80 or 90% of the books you'll read, you'll want to read. It's a nice change from the reading hoop-jumping for the sake of the hoop-jumping that occurs in undergrad.

Anyway, I need to go finish another 100 or so pages in my "The Heart of Evangelism" text book (Very good book) and then read the gospel of John for a few hours.

Internet Explorer

I just realized that since the 22nd, (at least) my blog template has been completely off in Internet Explorer. Truth be told, I don't know what exactly to do with it. I'm sure I could figure it out eventually, but for the time being, I think it's easier for people just to download firefox. I'm kind of kidding, but for at least a little bit the Internet Explorer users are a) out of luck and b) probably won't know it, because the postings are all screwed up.

I definitely live with Girls

There are 29 candles lit right now in our home.

If you're wondering, there's a candelabra in the very, very pretty fireplace. It kinda looks like a creative thing from Real Simple.

I'm really, really glad my alternator went out

Last Monday I went to a Billings auto place to have my car looked over before we went on the trip down here to St. Louis. To my consternation, they informed me that the alternator wasn't performing right, and needed to be replaced. So, I dug into my savings that I put away for just this reason, and had it replaced.

Madre and I got on the road, and about two days later, as we were pulling into Rapid City, we heard a strange "Whirring" sound. I tried not to worry about it.

The next day, when it continued, we pulled over for some McDonalds and called the mechanic that replaced the alternator. He assured us that it couldn't be the alternator (not such great reassurance to me, because what else would go wrong?!), but I should have it checked out, and they would stand behind their work.

When we arrived in St. Louis, the first thing we did Saturday afternoon was take the car into Huey's Honda. We didn't tell the very nice guy, Randy, what I suspected (or hoped) it was, instead waiting for his unbiased opinion.

After turning it on, popping the hood, and a few minutes of Randy listening to parts of the car engine and...well, frankly parts I don't know even the names of...

"Did you have some work done on the alternator recently?"

(FLOODED with relief): "Yes."

Pause. "I think it's your alternator. I thought it might have been your water pump, but It's likely your alternator. When did you have the work done?"

"Monday."

"Yup. It's very likely it's the alternator."

We made plans for me to bring the car in on Tuesday and we left the parking lot. And the Battery light went on. I called Randy:

"The battery light just went on...Should I come back?"

"Yes! that means your alternator just went out. Bring it back in, and we'll get it done sooner than Tuesday."

A man of his word, the car was finished this morning at 10:30. I'm extremely grateful that Randy at Huey's Honda was there, that he was such a kind man, and that the Lord had that little alternator run for 3 more days before going out.

Meet me in...Oh, you get the idea

Well, besides utilizing overused cliches in a blog post, we're doing just fine in St. Louis. We arrived around 2:30 this afternoon, and I was in and "unpacked" within an hour or so. I say "unpacked" because I'm a big fan of those Rubbermaid containers, and most of my clothing has lived in some form of Rubbermaid for the last 6 years. Tomorrow, however, we go to Wally's World to get hangers. And other cheap stuff. The Billings contingent will be elated to know that Billings is, in fact, ahead of St. Louis, because we have a Super Wally World.

We had a wonderful dinner with Bruce, Sarah, Rosemary and Lydia Clark, and my (now inner) Sunday School Teacher once again received many hugs. Their kids are great!

Tomorrow I have Orientation and we're going to run some errands. AND try to get some really good barbecue.

Hello from I-o-way

Good morning - its about 7 am or so CST and we're just getting ready for our 3rd day on the road. Madre and I've been watching "24" with alternating delight and frustration. Most of my frustration is due to Jack Bauer refusal to abide by protocol. But, I guess that's the point of 24!

Yesterday was our longest day, logging 6.5 hours in the car - we listened to the entire "Wicked" Soundtrack at one point, but mostly we've been talking, or mom will read an article from World as I stare at the PLAIN states. (Definitely know why they named 'em that.)

We still have an ETA of Friday. To those of you who heard me say repeatedly "PLEASE pray for safe, dry roads," South Dakota was really good, but coming down into Iowa was a little more stressful. According to Weather.com, we only have and hour and a half (Omaha) before the roads clear up again. Please keep praying!

Packing like Mad

The last couple of days have been very busy. I thought I had everything ready to go last weekend, but oh, was I wrong! However, it is amazing how much you can get packed when a) your angelic sister helps (sometimes you just need someone to say, "Are you REALLY going to use that?") b) your brother is a genius at packing a car, and c) you just work really, really hard and clean like a crazy woman.

Madre and I are leaving today at about 10:30 Montana time, and intend on staying in Rapid City or Mitchell, SD.

Thanks to the Mattsons, we are REALLY looking forward to diving into the craze over '24'!

Love to everyone at Rocky, Peacemakers, and the Routson family. Many, Many thanks!

I'm hoping to post along the way, if we get into hotels with free wifi.

Good Quote

To get back my youth I would do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable.
- Oscar Wilde

They make 2000 miles look fun

Ok, maybe not fun, but MORE fun than my upcoming 1300 mile drive. (Except Madre and I are going to bring "24 season 1" with us, and catch up on the craze. What did I do before my computer and iPod?)

So, Here's my friend Naums and his main squeeze Laura; Naumy being the best editor in CA. And Director. And I'm not just saying that.




UPDATE: Hm. I tried watching it, and I guess YouTube or Blogger has a limit on space or length of video. Whatever. Anyway, if you're hooked by the time you got to McDonalds, Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl2gzqpalXI

Congrats, Little Shoe Girl!

Me, Grandpa and LSG















The Bride and Groom
















Maid of Honor (me :) ) and Best Man (BLB)




















Madre and Bride




































LSG and Her Covenant Friends (Without whom, the wedding decorations would NOT have happened, because they were so servant-hearted and worked SO Hard!)

More Wedding Photos

(Obviously, this will be the
"Christmas" Photo -- sent out late!)






























Pinning a corsage onto Joy's sweater

Day 18 - The disaster before the move

1:30 - return home to pack
2:00 - Drag out everything. Put into Box 1 (Staying in Billings) or Box 2 (Going to STL).
3:02 - Overwhelmed
3:05 - "I have TOO MUCH STUFF"
3:14 - Update iTunes
3:30 - Keira Knightly in Pride and Prejudice. Photos in Box
3:52 - Zone out. Email: "How big is the closet?"
4:00 - Clean out Shoes
4:17 - "Mom, what do I do with little pictures Sunday School kids drew for me?" "Save 'em"
5:00 - Clothing will be dealt with tomorrow.
5:37 - Mr. Daaa-rcy
6:00 - The Disaster before the Move

Friday Quote

"Ahhhhgggh! I thrive in chaos - If I'm not living in chaos, I'm creating it!"

Jenn Stranded on a Desert Island

iPod Ignorant

Happy Birthday to Me! Madre, Pops and Big Little Brother chipped in and got me a new iPod -- the cool one that plays video.

Except if you are a blogger named Hannah. Then, not so much video playing.

I think I figured out how to convert Video Podcasts to ...well, whatever format they need to be in to play on my iPod. Except, as much as I love Dr. John Piper, the conversion process is 100! Years! Long!

If anyone knows why this is taking so long, and what I can do to change it, please feel free to post it in the comments.