A New Term.

By midnight tonight I will be back at college, back in Aldis, unpacking.  It's a new term.

Some key events:

-Dissertation due 6 May.

-Exams in early June.

-Continuous job seeking.

-3 Weeks off.

-Graduation.

In 2 1/2 months the LST journey will have settled at it's last port.  

Each term is very different to any other.  This will be no different.  So, ladies and gents, the end is nigh!  Here's to ending honourably....

Easter in Aldis - The Missing Days

With the plan to blog my way through Easter, informing everyone of the ongoing struggle to defeat the dissertation, I began in earnest on Day One (quite naturally), and then on what was Day Four, I wrote about Day Two.

And that was about it.

Essentially, each day ran much as the last.  In the library soon after 9am, working on the Project with as much effort and motivation as I could muster.  Finding food for the evening from somewhere or other, and getting to bed not too late in order to do the same again the next day.

But now I'm home for the weekend.  And have been markedly more productive, which is nice.  It has been a good Good Friday.  The reminder to me being that Christ, his death and resurrection is far, far bigger than my dissertation will ever be.  Ever.

Upper Booth - Peak District

The stream at the bottom of our campsite.

View from the highest point in the Peaks.

View from the edge of the peat bogs. 

 

Steve, Ben, Dave, Tim.  Walking up Jacob's Ladder.

Easter in Aldis - Day Two.

Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hidden form the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God"?  Have you not known?  Have you not heard?  The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He does not faint of grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

From Isaiah 40.

Easter in Aldis - Day One.

It's colder inside Aldis than it is outside, I'm sure of it.  They've turned the heating off - sensible, true, but a slight pain.  The little "Cornwall-heater" is doing pretty well.

I should be in the library, working on the dissertation.  But instead I sit at my desk looking out to a very wet Northwood, knowing that the library is likely colder than it is in Aldis, and I disinclined.

Add to this the increasing mountain the dissertation seems to be, and I'd far rather watch the wit of Toby Ziegler and Josh Lyman.  However, to the library I must go - knowing that it will be a painful start, but knowing equally that I have no choice but to complete it.  We shall see how we end up.......

The end of the proverbial era......

Cast your mind, if you would, back to the 20th March 2008.  On this day, the day after our term at London School of Theology had ended, I flew off to India to the adventure awaiting me.

As I flew I was officially the President of the Student Committee at LST.  I had two thoughts: Firstly, that it would be challenging.  Secondly, that I didn't know how challenging it would be.

But today, the 19th March 2009, I sit at my desk at home and consider the year.  My responsibilities now passed on to another, and being released from them has yet to hit.  My successor is worthy, fresh ideas, new approaches - he will lead well. 

And as I remember the challenges, I also remember the joys.  We've done it all - put on events, raised money, given money, been reconcilers, sat in committee meetings, board meetings, meetings with funny names, been representatives for a variety of people and a variety of needs, been guided by a vision, put our hearts on the line for the SB, seen it's ugly face, seen it's beautiful face, developed friendships, made mistakes, learned from them, listened to the people, informed the people, infiltrated the Moon, been supported by brilliant reps.

There is not anything from the past years experience that I regret happening.  I have enjoyed it all.  Yes... all.  It truly has been a joy to represent a body of students of the stature of the LST Student Body.

And so, to Tom, Helen, Sam, Scott, Emma, Luke, Ruth, James and the whole of the SB... thank you.

It actually happened.

My hoping in the last post was not without some justification - much as even I could not bring myself to think such thoughts beforehand.

Good work, Benitez.

I have not completely disappeared...

...but won't be fully back until the end of next week.

It's been a busy and eventful term.  I am thoroughly exhausted, and need a long rest.  

It's coming up, as is an utter mauling of Manchester United by Liverpool (we hope, in the worldly sense...).

Let's Not Do This, Please?!

The following quote comes from 'Why We Are Not Emergent" by DeYoung and Kluck.

"After going to a Christian college, it seemed as if it was almost a requirement, when meeting with college friends, to serve alcohol..., talk about how newly open-minded we were, and how oppressive our school had been.  Shock value was king.  It was almost an unspoken race to see who could shock whom the most.  Questions were the new answers."

This is one of the biggest and most subtle problem with our college.  To rebel for the sake of rebellion is to turn your face away from Christ.

Rick Warren and His Prayer

At Obama's inauguration today, Rick Warren will pray, and he will invoke the name of Jesus.  He will do this despite threats of lawsuits from atheists.  Let's pray for Warren and that situation.

Gene Robinson, the openly gap Episcopalian Bishop, will also pray at the inauguration, but he will be addressing his prayer to "the god of our many understandings".  I would like to suggest that he does not know the God whom Christ reveals, or is seemingly in open rebellion against the revealed God.  That such people are in our part of the Church of Christ is frighteningly dangerous and immensely sad.  Again, let's pray for Robinson.

The full article is here.