Done and DONE!

I survived finals surprisingly enough! And, I've been getting back the papers with good marks which is a great surprise. So, I guess it went well enough or better than expected. So, it's summer and I hardly know what to do with myself. I'm working as a server at my normal job and it's been nice to make a little extra money (which is then spent fast) and hang out with my friends there. Plus, I've been reading (I started light with the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) and watching DVDs (the series Firefly and now Numb3rs is also out) and cheering on the Twins despite their dismal season. It's all quite hard to believe that this year has come and gone so quickly. And I know when I come back this place, Luther Seminary will not be the same. The faculty and staff will be mostly the same but it will basically be all new classmates minus my class and that to me is sad. I've made some amazing friends this year in the other two classes and our journeys through ministry are now separating. Thankfully I love my class and am excited to finish this whole thing off with them. It's been quite the ride so far and I hope it only gets better.

Anyway, it's been a great year and it has given me plenty of opportunities to grow and learn quite a bit in class and out of class. I'm finally feeling more at home at seminary and actually speak up in class on a normal basis which is huge considering I was mute in all of my classes first semester. It's fun to think of how far I've come. And the next step is parish ministry for year. Very exciting. So, as I've said before, bring it on I guess.

Next stop: Charlotte, NC for the weekend. Peace out!

Good Quote

15 pages left... only 15 pages left... I am almost done. In the meantime I thought I'd post a great quote from one of my answers in Modern Church History. And I love quotes so you will probably see more of these in the days to come.

"Faith is a marvel, and yet not human being is excluded from it; for that which unites all human life is passion, and faith is a passion."

Soren Kierkegaard

Life moves at the speed of light. I can't believe how fast everything is coming and that's partly a good thing (that means that finals will be over soon) and a bad thing (finals will be over soon, crap! I have so much lef to do!!!). But what caught me really off guard is in two weeks I will be visiting my future internship site. I found this out yesterday. I thought I'd be going sometime in late June/early July, not two weeks after I'm done. So, here we go! I'm excited to check out the place and explore someplace new and see where I'll be doing ministry for the next year. I know I'm not ready but I'm getting there. Not like I'll ever be fully ready for what God throws at me but I like to think with a bit of help I'll find my way. I guess what I'm trying to say is bring it on (because I don't really have a choice). :)

Finals...

I have less than a week to go in the semester and a little over 35 pages left to research for and write. Not fun. But, it's all worth it right? I think the summer is an illustration of that. I'm getting ready for a camping trip up north, a visit to my future internship site, the wedding of two of my good friends from school, a road trip with the boy, two national youth gatherings, and lots of time with friends and family. Plus, time to read books for fun, run, and watch TV. Is it going to be worth it in the end? ABSOLUTELY! This is the hope I live in during finals and during my life. The hope and promise that there is something beyond this because of what God did for us through Jesus Christ. So, while I may not be praising God for finals at this time, I'm certainly praising him for the plans he has for me after they are all done. :)

Ministry

"Ministry is like being nibbled to death by ducks." It's one of those absurd quotes that oddly enough, is or at least can be true. The oddest thing of it all though is that I find encouragement in it. It's like all those little things are worth it because first of all, at least I'm doing ministry. And, it does speak to the idea of costly grace and discipleship in a very offbeat way. And, on those days in worship class when I question whether all these hoops are worth it I can think of this quote, smile, and just keep plugging away because ministry is my call and hey, at least death by nibbling isn't too painful right away. ;)