Weekly post

Oct. 15, 2007

Dear friends,

As promised, more school-related material in this post, possibly so much that you will run away screaming.

I knew at the beginning of the year, when I laid out my syllabi and combined them into a master schedule, that October would be the busiest of the fall semester months. Already I have turned in three papers and done a presentation. Coming up: two presentations, one major and one minor; a major Old Testament exam covering eight books of the Bible; and a 500-word term paper proposal that the professor has said should be a "good running start" to the actual term paper. And, of course, there will be three term papers to turn in. Fortunately, I'm well under way on readings for one of them and, now that I have the beginnings of a topic for a second one, have begun readings for it. Can't start on the third one because the professor hasn't given us parameters.

In the three graded items I've had returned so far, each has gotten a B. I'm okay with that, but my usual work standard is to get A grades. I suspect that the culprit is Old Testament. We're moving very fast with a lot to read between class sessions, whole books of the Bible in a day, plus extensive margin notes, plus auxiliary readings. It's taking a lot more time than I thought it would. On at least one of those B grades, having read over the paper with the professor's comments, I recognized that it was a B paper and not an A paper, and also that I could have done A work on the topic, but again, it's time management. I have to keep reminding myself that as I'm not intending to apply to any Ph.D. programs, a 3.6 average is fine. From some of my classmates I have learned that to apply to a Ph.D. program, at least in theology, you really do have to have all As. But my passion is for the congregation.

Speaking of which, I get to supply this coming Sunday, one of the remnant churches with about a dozen members. I believe I'll speak on the Old Testament reading, which is Jacob wrestling with the angel. "I will not let you go unless you bless me" is one of my favorite Scriptural statements, containing as it does elements of covenant, hope, determination, and an unknown outcome.

My husband tells me that I awoke him this morning by repeating, "Are you the one of whom it is spoken, or should we wait for another?" Evidently I talk in my sleep -- but only occasionally and always at the tail end of the night, right around when the alarm goes off. Being my husband, of course he responded to my discourse from Matthew with a line from Dune, his favorite sci-fi movie, "I am the Quisrat Chadderach." I couldn't begin to tell you what it means, but it was an amusing way to awaken.

Over the weekend, in conversation, I criticized the Carolina Panthers for their acquisition of Vinny Testaverde, my objections being based entirely on Testaverde's age, 44. I humbly and publicly retract my statement and you will hear no further complaints from me about Testaverde. The man completed 20 of 33 passes to help the Panthers defeat the Cardinals. Shutting up now. (On the other hand, the Red Sox lost in 11. Such is October.)

Saw my parents over the weekend. My mother's facial muscles have improved greatly, although the eye is still proving a nuisance. Some corrective steps have been taken, and the doctor expects the corneal damage to be reversed. Meanwhile, however, she must put ointment in her eye every two hours, leaving her with perpetually blurred vision in that eye. She's got goggles and pads that let her close the eye and sleep at night, however. Her nephew, my cousin, is still in Walter Reed. Though doctors couldn't save one knee, they did save the other knee. It's absurd how grateful one becomes for that, in the face of all that's happened to him, but he is astonishingly upbeat.

This Wednesday I will have my first meeting with a new spiritual director. The one I've been seeing was fine, but I sense that I could benefit from some deeper exploration of what's known in the trade as my "growing edges."

Grace and peace,
Beth