Getting back into it...

Since returning from Ireland, I've been trying to figure out exactly what this blog should be-as in, what role it should play in my life and in sharing my life with others. First of all, I have no idea if anyone even reads it. Which doesn't mean I won't update it, but it does make you wonder...Secondly, I suppose that the role of blogs is to keep people up to date on your life, share things about your life, etc, but I'm not all that sure that my life is very interesting in the first place. We don't have kids, we don't do exciting things all that often (Ireland was the highlight of, well, probably our life together aside from the whole marriage/honeymoon thing).

I think what I've come up with is that I really am feeling the need to share a lot of my thoughts on the upcoming year when a lot of potential changes happen for Jon and I as we complete seminary, (hopefully) receive our Master's, graduate, move back to Iowa, become commissioned, and start work in full time ministry in the United Methodist Church. All of this especially in light of the physical distance between many of our friends and all of our families seems to me to highlight the importance of keeping people up to date on the process and our thoughts along the way.

So with that being said, I'm sorry if you find this blog boring :). But to us it's interesting, because it's life.

And now, my recent thoughts...

I am taking a class this semester that I absolutely positively love. It's called Studies in Wesley and it's with the professor who led our trip to Northern Ireland. Basically each class period we read 5 or 6 of Wesley's sermons, someone presents a paper on their analysis of them, and then we talk. It has been a great way to solidify not just my foundations but the reasons why I belong to and desire to uphold the practices of the UMC. And I think it's great timing to take this class when I am because by the end of this year (December 2009) I will be well into the paperwork required to apply for ordination, in which I have to defend, describe, define, etc all aspects of my work in ministry--why I want to do it, the traditions behind it, etc. So as I go through this course I feel like these questions are always on my mind-which makes me wonder, am I ready for this? I am one month in to my final semester of seminary and in a lot of ways I feel like I need to start over again.

So while I'm super stressed about this, I guess all this is to say that I just have been doing a lot of praying lately-for peace, that I am on the right path. For strength-that I can be firm in what I believe and not let institutions cause that to waver. For clarity-both in my call and how I communicate it.

All this on top of everyday life :) So stay posted, because more thoughts and reflection are to come-some positive, a lot of questioning, some negative...and if you've been there before, I gladly welcome feedback. That's all for now.