What's up?

Well I actually got to work a little this week, which was kind of weird since I still don't know for sure if I have this job... Today was thoroughly exciting: I staffed a recruiting table for Phoenix Seminary at a Christian Marriage & Family Conference for 6 hours, and talked to (prepare yourself) maybe half a dozen people. Most of the time I spent reading the seminary catalog and a textbook on historical theology, and listening to this maddening, maddening music that was playing through the hotel sound system. For the few hours I was there yesterday afternoon, I was pretty involved in either conversations with Jeff or with the few other people who stopped by the booth; but today I was there on my own and just got to listen to the music which was on a 25 minute loop, repeating itself over, and over, and over. Ahhhhhhh!!!!

It's been kind of neat though, getting to share the story of how God drew me to this particular seminary with people. I am really looking forward to starting classes in a couple of weeks. After reading through the cataloge again today I was struck by the fact that I'd have to get three masters if I took all the classes that I want to take that they offer. I don't think I will do that, though. Even with the 94 credits that comprise my program in M.Div., I want to take every class that's offered, but you just have to focus. This semester I'm taking Principles for Biblical Interpretation, Intermediate Greek, and Living in God's Presence. Maybe I'll even post a syllabus or something so that you can all read along in all of your spare time. :)

Other than that, all I have to share with you right now is a funny anecdote: Becca & I were driving today, and I made some joke about mammon, which was of course hilarious, and she commented on how while it was funny that very few people would get it, as even among Christians a lot of people wouldn't know what the reference was to. Oh, never mind, it's too hard to explain. Wait, no, it's worth it, I'll take the time and explain the whole situation. So, we were driving, and I made this joke, and -- no, it will take to long. Here's the short version of it: Oh, forget it.

Prepare the Monkey-Helmets!

Well, I've had an interesting week of job interviewing, studying for my Greek test, and doing some reading for seminary. I still don't have a definitive answer on the job, but hopefully will find out for sure soon. I can't believe we've been here for two weeks already! It's insane, we miss everyone back home so much. We've got a couple of churches we might go to on Sunday, either the VCF of Scottsdale or another one called Highlands. Hopefully we'll get into a home group soon, and get to know some people down here. It's kinda lonely. Actually, we think even Puppy is lonely, he must miss having all the attention, or at least miss seeing different shoes and getting to eat some of them.

I am actually having a hard time putting down one of my textbooks, it's an overview of theology over the past 2000 years. I just finished the section on the patristic period (up through about 450AD). It was really, really cool. One of the problems I think we have as moderns is that we think the ancients were stupid, so we don't take the effort to read and learn what's already been debated and decided in the church. So many of the heresies which are common today (and some which I think are too common and too tolerated, unfortunately) are really, really old. I'll have some more to write on this, but someone's in line behind me to use the computer, so....

We should have internet access in our apartment starting tuesday, so that'll mean more blogging and other internet communications...

We're here!

So we got into Scottsdale friday night after a white-knuckled drive from Flagstaff.  We seriously drive like maniacs on the mountain roads to get here in time to check into our apartment, because it was better to risk death than to risk having to check in Saturday morning.  :)  But we made it just fine, so I guess it was worth it.  We moved all of our stuff in Saturday morning, and pretty much have been unpacking and getting our bearings here since then.  We dropped off Becca's parents at the airport at like 7:30 this morning--they called and said it took 3.5 hours to get home by air even though it took us like 33 hours to drive!  Wow. 

I don't know what else to write at the moment; the rabbit is surviving the heat ok, so far everything we packed survived the trip.  Trent, we did good with those monitor and tv boxes, btw...maybe we should begin a new company making custom, form-fitting boxes or something.

Well, I'll talk to you all again soon!

Albuquerque!

So we've driven like 3/4 of the way, today through blinding monsoon rains in the desert of all places.  We're staying at my sister's house in Albuquerque, NM.  It's pretty awesome, and so is my little nephew Jackson, and her dogs Schmitty and Stonewall.  Tomorrow we'll get to Scottsdale, and hopefully the next day our stuff will get there.  Oh, also, my cell phone is working again so you can reach me at it, or, you could if i didn't have caller id, but since i do, i'll see that it's you calling, and, well...

I am thoroughly exhausted!  Good night.  Becca and I miss you all so much already, it's crazy.  The Fart Machine just doesn't bring the same laughs when it's just the two of us and Puppy.

Holy crap! A second post on my blog!

So yes, I do have something to write today, not much but just enough to keep my faithful blog audience interested. Really, I'm just stringing you along, and will strictly maintain my one blog entry per six weeks schedule. Well, hopefully I'll do a little better than that once we're settled into Phoenix. I wanted to write and thank all of you: friends, families, loved ones--for your help. Not just with moving and packing and stuff, but with LIFE! Thank you. It is going to be so hard for Becca and I not to see you all constantly. We will try to stay in touch with you all, please try and do the same.

I also feel the necessity to comment on how silly it is that my blog lists the time of the posts of my entries and related comments, but not the date. How useless is that?

Please pray for Gary, Susan, Becca & I to have a safe trip across the country to Phoenix, and that I get this job at the seminary, and that everything else falls into place as well. We're leaving behind so many loved ones, and really everything and everyone we have known for these past 7 or so years. It's terrifying, there's a kind of surrealness about it that is so intense that it makes me use the word surreal even though I'm not entirely sure if I'm spelling it correctly. Becca & I are both feeling really calm about it, maybe it's shock, maybe it's just the peace of Christ which passes all understanding. Let's hope it's the latter.

Again, we will miss all of you, you are in our prayers and in our hearts. You really have become dear to us, and we've shared so much of life together with you that it's scary to think about living life apart from you all now.

Well, that's all for this six weeks. I'll write again mid-September. :)

Lee