Monday, September 24

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.

Tuesday, September 18

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! ) :)
With octaves of a mystic depth and height