Weekly post

February 11, 2008

Dear friends,

Although I haven't been counting, the Web site counts for me, and last week's post was #100. Thanks for hanging in there with me.

The middle of an unusually tightly contested primary season seems to be an odd time for public radio stations to have fund drives. Normally I get around the pesky things by switching between two public radio stations that I mostly sort of get all the way between Elon (work) and Winston-Salem (school). Wouldn't you know it, on this Monday morning, when I was dorkily craving Cokie Roberts' take on the weekend's activity, BOTH stations are having fund drives. I don't want a mug, I don't want a trip to Hawaii, I want my news! This is by far the most interesting primary season that I can remember, seeing as on both sides, a clear winner has not yet been anointed. That means that the time leading to the June conventions will be (ahem) newsworthy instead of dull.

Speaking of dull, the Carolina game wasn't, and I had to watch it between interlaced fingers and the occasional small channel surf to keep calm. I kept telling myself that it's just a game, and remember, I just watched Carolina lose to Duke at home very calmly and without a noticeable rise in the pulse rate. Somehow, this was uglier-enough to get me biting my nails. I'm willing to bet that ol' Roy gives his players quite a workout this week.

What also was not dull was last weekend's 1-credit pastoral preaching course, which finally came off after several reschedules and changes in faculty. The instructor was Claude Alexander, the senior pastor of a large church in Charlotte, and with quite a delivery. His instruction method blended lecture, sermon examples, and in-class exercises, along with references to the textbooks. Two classmates and I -- all having been in the same Homiletics class a year ago -- agreed that the weekend's course was first-rate. We're now required to write two short papers, and the associate dean will arrange a time for us to deliver a sermon that will be recorded and sent to the instructor for analysis.

Meanwhile, the son had a terrific time at a weekend confirmation retreat at Lutheridge, this one emphasizing Communion. He seems to have learned everything I would have hoped for on that score. I believe there is one more retreat, possibly two, between now and June.

Oh, yes -- somehow ... no one seems to know how ... my cell phone made it into the hamper. I did not discover this until after it had been washed. The prognosis is dim. I'll let you know.

As always, much to do.

Grace and peace,
Beth