Happy Autumn to you! We have certainly enjoyed the crisp fall mornings and cooler afternoons down here in Hotlanta. Saturdays are usually our family time and we have been having some fun. Saturday October 4, I was finally able to visit Stone Mountain with Doug and the girls. So many weekends during summer Greek School and early in the fall semester, Doug would take the girls to Stone Mtn. alone to give me extra study time. I was so excited to be a part of the excursion last weekend! Devon and I climbed the rock wall together, which was our very first time. I was very proud of Devon, as she caught on to the necessary agility very quickly.
Last Saturday, October 11 Doug and I took the girls to The Rock Ranch, about an hour south of Atlanta. It is owned by Chik-Fil-A founder, S. Truett Cathy. It was a great trip. We went along with my cousin Amy and her family. Rock Ranch has pony rides, a small petting zoo of sheep, goats, and Shetland ponies, as well as little train that rode around the perimeter of the property. The ranch itself is over 1200 acres. They even had a pumpkin canon, which shot a real pumpkin over half a mile across the ranch. It was a fun outing.
The time has arrived to prepare for mid-term exams. The only class which I will truly be examined is in Old Testament Survey (OT). It is a fascinating course that covers the majority of the OT at a brisk pace. Thus far we have read and discussed the Pentateuch, the first 5 books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, Deuteronomy), the Deuteronomistic History books (Joshua, Judges, I & II Samuel, I & II Kings ), and some of the Former and Latter Prophetic books (Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Malachi). It has been fascinating to learn more about the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) and the Matriarchs (Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Leah), as well as Israel's struggles through antiquity. If you have never truly had an in-depth Bible study of the Old Testament, I would encourage you to take a Disciple Bible study (interdenominational) or Bible Study Fellowship. They are both rich with information and will certainly bless you as you begin to expand your Biblical knowledge.
I continue to use my Greek skills in New Testament Exegesis of Mark. The Greek word for "exegesis" means to "lead out". The process of exegesis is to read the original Biblical scripture of Greek for a particular passage, translate the text, and then to understand what that text meant for the original audience. Once time has been spent understanding the historical aspect of the passage and the purpose for the text itself, the homiletical aspect can begin to apply how this passage relates to our lives today. Mark's gospel is fascinating. Thus far our class has covered chapters 1-8 and the tension is building as to who Jesus really is and where the source of his healing and authority comes from.
My last two and a half classes are Church History, Spiritual Formations in Ministry, and Scripture Reading Practicum. Church History is a fast paced overview of Early Christianity and involves a lot of reading of primary source documents of early Christians. The most fascinating period for me was learning more about the Christian Crusades and the religious tensions between Christians, Jews, and Muslims of the 12th century. While I am at CTS I hope to learn more about the Islamic faith; to better understand the influence which this faith has. It is the fastest growing religious tradition in the world.
Spiritual Formations in Ministry focuses on the disciplines and practices which form us spiritually. We have been learning of the many different ways to pray, fasting coupled with prayer, as well as Lectia Divino, which is the meditating on Scripture and listening for God's word in a time of silence. We have also been learning about the value of silence, which is difficult to practice. The major focus our professor desires for us to embrace is that of journaling. It can be just jotting down ideas that steal your attention during the day, quotes and phrases that you want to remember or think more about, or writing about your feelings during particular times. The beauty of it is there is no wrong way to journal; one must find a way that works for them. I try not to write every day, but more when thoughts invade my mind and I want to record them to think on them later. It has served me well in the past, especially in discerning the way in difficult decisions, writing about particular joys, and how I hear God speaking to my heart.
Scripture Reading Practicum is a course which is not for credit. We practice reading scripture in front of a small group of peers and a teacher's assistant (TA). The past week we memorized and recited Luke 4:1-14 which entailed the temptation of Jesus. My motivation to memorize this passage is a CTS professor who recited 3 chapters of Job in a chapel service on prayer and lament! Three chapters of Job! Can you imagine?!? For me it was very empowering to recite Luke 4:1-14 in an emphatic style. I really enjoyed bringing the passage to life and I am realizing how much I enjoy participating in dramas. We left this section with much to reflect on Jesus' temptations as we prepare ourselves for our ministries.
Doug and I still enjoy being here at Columbia. So far in the semester Doug and I feel we are able to relate to my study schedule as an 8-5 "full time job". There are times when this schedule changes and we are flexible with that.
There are days that we feel we struggle here at CTS as well. I came to the campus thinking that the majority of students would be more of like minds, and many are. But I do struggle with the reality that not all families on campus have similar values and I find myself more protective of my children. I find myself so saddened by this and yet do not have any answers on how to handle this other than being more intentional in my devotional time with my children and how Doug and I raise the girls. I also feel more of a conviction to pray for my family and the community of families here. It is my hope that those who are heavy on my heart this week will truly be led to knowing what a Christian home is and how a husband and wife can have an incredibly strong marriage and family in seeking Christ together. I remember the time that Doug and I were not focused on these things. I am incredibly grateful to know personally how strong marriage and family can be when we do center our lives around Christ. There are so many influences in our world today. As Casting Crowns sings, "It's a slow fade" when we are not centered in Christ. http://www.last.fm/music/Casting+Crowns/+videos/+1-ao927GMhlzI
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Struggles and Strategies
What a month it has been! We enjoyed our Labor Day weekend tremendously in Charlotte. It was so good for our family to go back where home has been for us the past six years. Scott and Kristen Armstrong were gracious to invite us to stay with them; thank you Scott & Kristen! It was a great weekend to visit with some of our closest friends. I regret that the weekend was just not long enough to see all those who are so dear to us, so we hope to make those connections on another visit to Charlotte. Certainly the best part of our weekend was seeing our Jack Russell, Boyd, again. Katie and Jason Robbins are Boyd's new adoptive parents while we are here at CTS. We are very thankful that Boyd has adjusted well to his new surroundings and new "sister-dog" Snowflake. Thank you Katie, Jason, Julia, and Abby for loving on Boyd for us!
Our most special time in Charlotte was going back to our home church, Sardis Presbyterian; we were all so excited about returning to Sardis that we felt like kids at Christmas! It was great to be welcomed home by all of our pastors and friends. I was very honored to be invited to participate in leading worship at one of the worship services. Sardis has a very special place in our hearts and we miss our home church dearly!
Needless to say, it was difficult to return to Georgia after such a great visit in Charlotte. I was not brave enough to drive past our old house in Matthews, for the fear of deep homesickness. It was a teary goodbye as we pulled out of Scott and Kristen Armstrong's driveway Labor Day afternoon. Saying goodbye to dear friends, our church, and Charlotte was not easy. Thank goodness that the next day we hit the floor with our feet running right back into the routine of life!
My fall semester began September 4 with a full course load of four classes; three of my classes are required and one is an elective. I continue to utilize my summer Greek in New Testament Exegesis of the Gospel of Mark. We will progressively work through the book of Mark in translating Greek to English and then trying to interpret what the author's intent was for the intended audience, as well as how the text interprets to our world today. It is a fascinating class. My other required classes are Old Testament Survey and Church History. The elective course I have is Spiritual Formations in Ministry. My class hours are usually 8 or 8:30am through 1pm Monday through Thursday. It is nice to have Fridays to delegate towards reading or errands.
The adjustment from full time mom to full time student has not been as overwhelming as I originally anticipated, however it is not an easy undertaking. A typical day has been walking the girls to school at 7:45am, classes from 8am or 8:30am through 1pm, home for the afternoon with the girls, and lastly studying at night after dinner. Unfortunately this is taking away time from Doug. I am hoping to find a study schedule that allows me to balance study, family time, couple time, and personal time, which is a tall order. This next week Doug and I will approach my schedule as 8-5 business hours with the hopes that our evenings can be spent as a family and as a couple.
Another strategy in this time of new stresses and adjustments has been the formation of a couple's small group which Doug and I are attending. There are four couples who are seeking to focus on our marriages through a short term bible study. We so excited about this new opportunity, as we have been building relationships with these couples since we began summer Greek school. We are all going to the new Christian movie, "Fireproof" next weekend in lieu of our small group meeting. This movie focuses on strengthening marriage and is by the same people who filmed, "Facing the Giants". Check out the movie trailer at http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/.
In closing, I am excited to say we are taking the girls to see Third Day, Jars of Clay, and Switchfoot in concert tonight in Atlanta. Since my decision to recommit my life to Christ in 2004, Third Day's music has been a powerful influence in my life, in addition to exciting bible studies, and formative relationships at Sardis Presbyterian. In this new phase of our journey within the context of seminary, this concert reminds me of how God captured my heart many years ago in Charlotte, NC with the words of Mac Powell, "Do you believe in second chances / or in a love that never fades / put your faith in what you can’t see / just put your hand in mine / and I’ll show you the way.."
Click the link and watch Third Day's performance! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSMKkwGhzSQ
Third Day's new album, Revelation: Check it out....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYK_Bemj29s
We miss you so much and hope you enjoy the coming of Autumn! Thanks for all your prayers and support!
Our most special time in Charlotte was going back to our home church, Sardis Presbyterian; we were all so excited about returning to Sardis that we felt like kids at Christmas! It was great to be welcomed home by all of our pastors and friends. I was very honored to be invited to participate in leading worship at one of the worship services. Sardis has a very special place in our hearts and we miss our home church dearly!
Needless to say, it was difficult to return to Georgia after such a great visit in Charlotte. I was not brave enough to drive past our old house in Matthews, for the fear of deep homesickness. It was a teary goodbye as we pulled out of Scott and Kristen Armstrong's driveway Labor Day afternoon. Saying goodbye to dear friends, our church, and Charlotte was not easy. Thank goodness that the next day we hit the floor with our feet running right back into the routine of life!
My fall semester began September 4 with a full course load of four classes; three of my classes are required and one is an elective. I continue to utilize my summer Greek in New Testament Exegesis of the Gospel of Mark. We will progressively work through the book of Mark in translating Greek to English and then trying to interpret what the author's intent was for the intended audience, as well as how the text interprets to our world today. It is a fascinating class. My other required classes are Old Testament Survey and Church History. The elective course I have is Spiritual Formations in Ministry. My class hours are usually 8 or 8:30am through 1pm Monday through Thursday. It is nice to have Fridays to delegate towards reading or errands.
The adjustment from full time mom to full time student has not been as overwhelming as I originally anticipated, however it is not an easy undertaking. A typical day has been walking the girls to school at 7:45am, classes from 8am or 8:30am through 1pm, home for the afternoon with the girls, and lastly studying at night after dinner. Unfortunately this is taking away time from Doug. I am hoping to find a study schedule that allows me to balance study, family time, couple time, and personal time, which is a tall order. This next week Doug and I will approach my schedule as 8-5 business hours with the hopes that our evenings can be spent as a family and as a couple.
Another strategy in this time of new stresses and adjustments has been the formation of a couple's small group which Doug and I are attending. There are four couples who are seeking to focus on our marriages through a short term bible study. We so excited about this new opportunity, as we have been building relationships with these couples since we began summer Greek school. We are all going to the new Christian movie, "Fireproof" next weekend in lieu of our small group meeting. This movie focuses on strengthening marriage and is by the same people who filmed, "Facing the Giants". Check out the movie trailer at http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/.
In closing, I am excited to say we are taking the girls to see Third Day, Jars of Clay, and Switchfoot in concert tonight in Atlanta. Since my decision to recommit my life to Christ in 2004, Third Day's music has been a powerful influence in my life, in addition to exciting bible studies, and formative relationships at Sardis Presbyterian. In this new phase of our journey within the context of seminary, this concert reminds me of how God captured my heart many years ago in Charlotte, NC with the words of Mac Powell, "Do you believe in second chances / or in a love that never fades / put your faith in what you can’t see / just put your hand in mine / and I’ll show you the way.."
Click the link and watch Third Day's performance! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSMKkwGhzSQ
Third Day's new album, Revelation: Check it out....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYK_Bemj29s
We miss you so much and hope you enjoy the coming of Autumn! Thanks for all your prayers and support!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Grace Comes in Many Flavors
I am thrilled to share with you that Summer Greek School finished today at 12:00 noon! The past 8 weeks of intense study of this New Testament language has challenged me on so many levels. First and foremost, I was forced to use the part of my brain that is not involved with "Mommy-mode". Secondly, there was so much memorization that I should be able to memorize things above and beyond grocery lists now! Our professor would often tell us that the more we do memorize then the more we will be able to memorize. Although I had my doubts holding the 350-something vocabulary flashcards in my hands, I do believe there is a thread of truth in her wisdom. It still was not easy, and there were days that I truly hit the wall feeling I could not learn another thing in Greek. But by the grace of God, my classmates and I continued to endure the challenge before us.
Let it be known that grace comes in many flavors! Grace came to us this summer in the flavor of goodwill as our Greek classmates supported each other in carrying one another's burdens, both academic and personal. Grace came to us this summer by the way of kindness as our Greek professor and teacher assistants had a genuine desire for my colleagues and myself to truly understand New Testament Greek and to have a great sense of humor in doing so. And grace came to us this summer in the flavor of a wonderful gift; that God was able to meet each of my colleagues and myself within our individual limitations and abilities and work through us so that we might read His word in a new way and be drawn closer to Him.
As I left class today with my graded exam in hand, I was jumping for joy like a child. Yes, my stress and anxiety had finally climaxed and was subdued. It was almost like Stress and Anxiety slid down the slide of my spine and ran off to bother someone else! I was elated not only because I received the grade which I was unsure of being in my reach, but that I had a wonderful sense of accomplishment in my very first graduate course. It was a humbling sense of accomplishment because I know I did not do all this work on my own ability. And I am so enriched as I remember Paul's words from Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength". I do need to also mention that it takes an incredible husband to allow accomplishments to happen as well!!!
Needless to say, Doug has been saying he is so glad to have his wife back for 11 days. And I am excited to be just a wife and mom during this next week of rest. We are celebrating the finale of summer school by taking a family weekend trip to Highlands, NC this weekend. We are looking forward to having down time with the girls and time to just relax.
Speaking of relaxing, I am typing and not relaxing. So I am off to do just that!!! Thanks for all your support and prayers. Grace & blessings on your weekend.
ps....What flavor of grace did God show you this summer?
Carson
Let it be known that grace comes in many flavors! Grace came to us this summer in the flavor of goodwill as our Greek classmates supported each other in carrying one another's burdens, both academic and personal. Grace came to us this summer by the way of kindness as our Greek professor and teacher assistants had a genuine desire for my colleagues and myself to truly understand New Testament Greek and to have a great sense of humor in doing so. And grace came to us this summer in the flavor of a wonderful gift; that God was able to meet each of my colleagues and myself within our individual limitations and abilities and work through us so that we might read His word in a new way and be drawn closer to Him.
As I left class today with my graded exam in hand, I was jumping for joy like a child. Yes, my stress and anxiety had finally climaxed and was subdued. It was almost like Stress and Anxiety slid down the slide of my spine and ran off to bother someone else! I was elated not only because I received the grade which I was unsure of being in my reach, but that I had a wonderful sense of accomplishment in my very first graduate course. It was a humbling sense of accomplishment because I know I did not do all this work on my own ability. And I am so enriched as I remember Paul's words from Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength". I do need to also mention that it takes an incredible husband to allow accomplishments to happen as well!!!
Needless to say, Doug has been saying he is so glad to have his wife back for 11 days. And I am excited to be just a wife and mom during this next week of rest. We are celebrating the finale of summer school by taking a family weekend trip to Highlands, NC this weekend. We are looking forward to having down time with the girls and time to just relax.
Speaking of relaxing, I am typing and not relaxing. So I am off to do just that!!! Thanks for all your support and prayers. Grace & blessings on your weekend.
ps....What flavor of grace did God show you this summer?
Carson
Monday, August 11, 2008
Today, Monday August 11, 2008, was a historical day in the Overstreet family; Ashley began kindergarten and Devon began 2nd grade! Go ahead and grab the Kleenex! We had a wonderful morning getting the girls ready for their very first day of school at Winnona Park Elementary (WP). Doug and I walked the girls to school this morning, which we found to be a special moment in time. Devon was thrilled to ride her bike while wearing her backpack to school. What a big girl 2nd grader she is now! And as you can tell by the picture, Ashley looked just so little wearing her My Little Pony back pack. As I walked behind her along the sidewalk, I find myself wondering how could she possibly be old enough and big enough to begin kindergarten?
Once we arrived at WP, all the families were gathered on the front lawn known as Community Circle. The students gathered and sat on large blankets on the grass which sectioned each class, as a woman playing acoustic guitar led everyone in children’s song. It was very sweet. There were so many people in attendance that there was only a zigzagged narrow walking “path” between all the child covered blankets and parents; WP is a primary school of K-3 and about 335 students. And in the midst of all the organized chaos, a woman was passing around a basket filled with small “mommy bags” of Hershey Kisses and Kleenex.
The time came when the children filed in line to enter into their classrooms to begin their exciting day of firsts. Doug and I watched our big girls follow their classmates into school, just amazed by the events of this morning. We were so anxious as the day progressed to hear first hand about their day on the walk home.
Ashley’s first reaction to kindergarten was, “It wasn’t good, it was AWESOME!!!” She loved everything about her day, especially the fact that she never got in trouble! She took me back into the school to show me her chair, which has her name on it, as well as to the cafeteria where she had her big girl lunch. She said she made a lot of new friends, but I think all the excitement took precedence over her ability to remember new names.
Devon was equally as thrilled about her first day of 2nd grade. She told me how she befriended her teacher, Mrs. Peavy, and talked to her about our family moving from Charlotte this summer. The teachers at WP are very understanding of the transient families coming through the seminary. I do think Devon’s most favorite part of today was riding her bike to and from school. Doug talks about that part of his childhood fondly, and I know that this special time here in Decatur is going to build some wonderful childhood memories for Devon and Ashley.
In addition to our historical morning, I managed to take another Greek quiz today, this one on very few hours of sleep and that nauseous feeling it yields after too much coffee! Once the quiz was complete (only 1 quiz and the final to go!), three women from our Greek small group and myself led worship in the chapel. Our 30 minute service today focused on prayer, music, reading the Old lesson as a call to worship and New Testament lesson was portrayed as a drama. We played and sang the songs "Spirit" and "Seek Ye First" which are such beautiful hymns. My part today was leading the corporate Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Pardon, Prayer for Illumination (the prayer in preparation for the scripture reading), and lastly portraying the role of Jesus from John 3:1-21; this passage centers on Nicodemus sneaking around in the night to have a chat with Jesus on being born again.
I have enjoyed all the opportunities I have had participating in the worship service at Sardis Presbyterian and have had a quiet confidence in doing so. But meeting my parts today with little sleep, mounds of anxiety, and the motherhood tugs from the first day of elementary school left me drained and very insecure in public speaking. It is so difficult to lead worship with your peers, especially those who are 2nd year students who have taken the Scripture Reading Practicum and preaching courses.
Needless to say, many of our classmates shared with us how they enjoyed our mini-drama of the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus as told in John 3:1-21. It was a lot of fun for my classmate Rebecca and I to make the text come to life. And our Greek teacher’s assistant shared his ability to read probably the most quoted verse of the Bible, John 3:16, in the ancient Greek. It was very beautiful. Once the morning was over, I was so glad to come home for lunch today and take a nap! I am exhausted….. and looking forward to finishing Greek School Friday August 22. NINE MORE CLASS DAYS!!!!! Yippie! :-)
As we get the girls ready for bed tonight I am reminded of the speed in which life passes. I continue to hear God whisper to my heart to find these moments to drink up the sweetness of my daughters’ childhood and the memories that we are building here on this rich campus of CTS. I am so thankful to be here on this journey, as difficult as it can be on some days…like today. And although I do not feel worthy of the call I have received nor know what this vocation of ministry will look like for me 3 years from now, I do know that God is in the midst of it, using each experience to shape me if I allow myself to remain teachable and not focus on the frustrations that come along in this time of study.
If you have read this to the end, you are an amazing friend of mine! Thank you for being a part of our journey. We miss you dearly and are looking forward to seeing many of you and our home church in Charlotte Labor Day weekend!!! We are counting the days! Well, at least I am!
Grace and Peace,
Carson
Once we arrived at WP, all the families were gathered on the front lawn known as Community Circle. The students gathered and sat on large blankets on the grass which sectioned each class, as a woman playing acoustic guitar led everyone in children’s song. It was very sweet. There were so many people in attendance that there was only a zigzagged narrow walking “path” between all the child covered blankets and parents; WP is a primary school of K-3 and about 335 students. And in the midst of all the organized chaos, a woman was passing around a basket filled with small “mommy bags” of Hershey Kisses and Kleenex.
The time came when the children filed in line to enter into their classrooms to begin their exciting day of firsts. Doug and I watched our big girls follow their classmates into school, just amazed by the events of this morning. We were so anxious as the day progressed to hear first hand about their day on the walk home.
Ashley’s first reaction to kindergarten was, “It wasn’t good, it was AWESOME!!!” She loved everything about her day, especially the fact that she never got in trouble! She took me back into the school to show me her chair, which has her name on it, as well as to the cafeteria where she had her big girl lunch. She said she made a lot of new friends, but I think all the excitement took precedence over her ability to remember new names.
Devon was equally as thrilled about her first day of 2nd grade. She told me how she befriended her teacher, Mrs. Peavy, and talked to her about our family moving from Charlotte this summer. The teachers at WP are very understanding of the transient families coming through the seminary. I do think Devon’s most favorite part of today was riding her bike to and from school. Doug talks about that part of his childhood fondly, and I know that this special time here in Decatur is going to build some wonderful childhood memories for Devon and Ashley.
In addition to our historical morning, I managed to take another Greek quiz today, this one on very few hours of sleep and that nauseous feeling it yields after too much coffee! Once the quiz was complete (only 1 quiz and the final to go!), three women from our Greek small group and myself led worship in the chapel. Our 30 minute service today focused on prayer, music, reading the Old lesson as a call to worship and New Testament lesson was portrayed as a drama. We played and sang the songs "Spirit" and "Seek Ye First" which are such beautiful hymns. My part today was leading the corporate Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Pardon, Prayer for Illumination (the prayer in preparation for the scripture reading), and lastly portraying the role of Jesus from John 3:1-21; this passage centers on Nicodemus sneaking around in the night to have a chat with Jesus on being born again.
I have enjoyed all the opportunities I have had participating in the worship service at Sardis Presbyterian and have had a quiet confidence in doing so. But meeting my parts today with little sleep, mounds of anxiety, and the motherhood tugs from the first day of elementary school left me drained and very insecure in public speaking. It is so difficult to lead worship with your peers, especially those who are 2nd year students who have taken the Scripture Reading Practicum and preaching courses.
Needless to say, many of our classmates shared with us how they enjoyed our mini-drama of the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus as told in John 3:1-21. It was a lot of fun for my classmate Rebecca and I to make the text come to life. And our Greek teacher’s assistant shared his ability to read probably the most quoted verse of the Bible, John 3:16, in the ancient Greek. It was very beautiful. Once the morning was over, I was so glad to come home for lunch today and take a nap! I am exhausted….. and looking forward to finishing Greek School Friday August 22. NINE MORE CLASS DAYS!!!!! Yippie! :-)
As we get the girls ready for bed tonight I am reminded of the speed in which life passes. I continue to hear God whisper to my heart to find these moments to drink up the sweetness of my daughters’ childhood and the memories that we are building here on this rich campus of CTS. I am so thankful to be here on this journey, as difficult as it can be on some days…like today. And although I do not feel worthy of the call I have received nor know what this vocation of ministry will look like for me 3 years from now, I do know that God is in the midst of it, using each experience to shape me if I allow myself to remain teachable and not focus on the frustrations that come along in this time of study.
If you have read this to the end, you are an amazing friend of mine! Thank you for being a part of our journey. We miss you dearly and are looking forward to seeing many of you and our home church in Charlotte Labor Day weekend!!! We are counting the days! Well, at least I am!
Grace and Peace,
Carson
Friday, August 8, 2008
The Countdown Is On!
The countdown is on! Two weeks from today I will be finished with Summer Greek School and preparing myself for 11 days of nothingness!!! Well maybe a few days of nothingness and the rest of the week just enjoying the role of motherhood! Greek School has been good, but very fast paced. Each week my classmates and I struggle to make room in our brains for more memorization...we asked our teacher's assistant what information we could purge (from our brains) to make room for more and he said for us purge all the celebrity gossip! It was funny at the moment, maybe you just had to be there!
Our second count down is to the beginning of school, which for Georgia is Monday August 11; yes this coming Monday! Our new elementary school is Winnona Park Elementary and we had the opportunity to meet the staff and other families and students this past Wednesday night. It was great to see the girls' new school bursting with excited children. Ashley will be in Kindergarten and Devon will be in Second grade. They are both excited, but a little nervous about the newness. Devon and Brianna Hunter will be in the same class, which they are excited about.; Brianna is the daughter of the family also attending CTS from our church Sardis Presbyterian. Although our family will truly miss Elizabeth Traditional back in Charlotte, we are looking forward to the new adventure that awaits us at Winnona Park.
The best thing about this new school is that it is a 5 minute walk from our apartment. Devon and Ashley are thrilled that they can ride a bike or scooter alongside Doug or me to and from school. Rain and yucky weather might yield another story...I'll let you know about that once father winter comes.
We are kicking off this weekend by attending a cook out hosted by our neighbors. SO I am going to keep this post short as I have fresh Georgia peaches just beckoning me to make them into homemade peach cobbler!
Blessings to you and your family. We miss you all!
Our second count down is to the beginning of school, which for Georgia is Monday August 11; yes this coming Monday! Our new elementary school is Winnona Park Elementary and we had the opportunity to meet the staff and other families and students this past Wednesday night. It was great to see the girls' new school bursting with excited children. Ashley will be in Kindergarten and Devon will be in Second grade. They are both excited, but a little nervous about the newness. Devon and Brianna Hunter will be in the same class, which they are excited about.; Brianna is the daughter of the family also attending CTS from our church Sardis Presbyterian. Although our family will truly miss Elizabeth Traditional back in Charlotte, we are looking forward to the new adventure that awaits us at Winnona Park.
The best thing about this new school is that it is a 5 minute walk from our apartment. Devon and Ashley are thrilled that they can ride a bike or scooter alongside Doug or me to and from school. Rain and yucky weather might yield another story...I'll let you know about that once father winter comes.
We are kicking off this weekend by attending a cook out hosted by our neighbors. SO I am going to keep this post short as I have fresh Georgia peaches just beckoning me to make them into homemade peach cobbler!
Blessings to you and your family. We miss you all!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Recent Accomplishments
Well, we are going into our third week here at Columbia and still hanging in there. Greek School is tough, but I am finding ways to understand ancient language and all its patterns, forms, and new vocabulary. So far we have had three quizes and I am making good grades, which I am thankful for. I am discovering I am quite competitive with myself! So I am trying to focus on learning this language the best I can as well as being present with my family. It is a challenge, but God continues to give me the endurance and strength to tackle this task...especially on the difficult days.
Monday night, July 14, the Greek students were invited to the home of Dr. Laura Mendenhall, President of CTS. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk with her and her husband, Chuck Mendenhall. They are wonderful people and so down to earth. The evening was great to talk with my fellow students too. A few of the single and married young women without children decided last night to treat all the married with children students to an evening of free babysitting after our midterm exams July 28! They certainly don't have to twist our arms!!! I believe there are 4 students here in the Village (including myself) who are parents. The student community here is amazing and relationships continue to build in support of this intense time of study.
Doug and I were able to have a date night this past weekend. Our wonderful neighbors, Richard and Shay, had the girls over for dinner with their family of five. So while they were all eating Chik-Fil-A, Doug and I walked down the streets of Oakhurst (a cute little neighborhood in Decatur) and had dinner at a great little Italian / Mediterranean restaurant. I had my first entree of Ratatouille, which was very comforting. I couldn't help but think about the rat who made it in the movie! Doug had his favorite dish, lasagna...it is always a good indicator of a quality restaurant. It was a nice evening.....
The girls had their first day of VBS at Clairmont Presbyterian Church, a church we have been visiting the past two Sundays. The VBS theme is Power Lab, which is science related. Richard and Shay's children are going with Devon and Ashley so that they already have a buddy in their classes. Clairmont is a little like Sardis, as they have a small group ministry and are geared to local and international outreach and missions. We had the opportunity to have Sunday lunch with Clairmont's female pastor, who oversees small group ministry, evangelism, and women's ministry. Megan ans her family were so easy to connect with, it seemed like we had known them for a while!!! I am looking forward to getting to know her and her family and gleaning more about the roles of a mother and pastor.
The biggest accomplishments these past few weeks have been that Devon learned how to ride her new bike without training wheels AND Ashley is now learning to ride her big girl bike without training wheels. The past few weeks Ashley has been riding her Razer scooter as fast as she could make it go, which is nearly the speed of light. And to give her extra kudos, she has only wiped out twice!!! So she was beaming as she rode her bike on her own and was even more happy when Doug told her she needed to ride FAST to keep her balance! It was very funny and Devon was ecstatic for her sister.
In closing, we have begun to finally experience some homesickness the past few days. We miss being a part of Sardis Presbyterian's VBS, as it is this week. And sweet Ashley woke up in tears Monday morning because she had had a dream about Boyd. She just stood at the top of the stairs, all sleepy eyed, with crocodile tears streaming down and saying, "I miss Boyd!!!". So we had a tough day yesterday, but something must have been in the air because many students told me they were really homesick too. I think everything is just sinking in for all of us here.
Thank you for all your support and prayers. Please do keep in touch. We are glad you are sharing this journey with us!!!
Monday night, July 14, the Greek students were invited to the home of Dr. Laura Mendenhall, President of CTS. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk with her and her husband, Chuck Mendenhall. They are wonderful people and so down to earth. The evening was great to talk with my fellow students too. A few of the single and married young women without children decided last night to treat all the married with children students to an evening of free babysitting after our midterm exams July 28! They certainly don't have to twist our arms!!! I believe there are 4 students here in the Village (including myself) who are parents. The student community here is amazing and relationships continue to build in support of this intense time of study.
Doug and I were able to have a date night this past weekend. Our wonderful neighbors, Richard and Shay, had the girls over for dinner with their family of five. So while they were all eating Chik-Fil-A, Doug and I walked down the streets of Oakhurst (a cute little neighborhood in Decatur) and had dinner at a great little Italian / Mediterranean restaurant. I had my first entree of Ratatouille, which was very comforting. I couldn't help but think about the rat who made it in the movie! Doug had his favorite dish, lasagna...it is always a good indicator of a quality restaurant. It was a nice evening.....
The girls had their first day of VBS at Clairmont Presbyterian Church, a church we have been visiting the past two Sundays. The VBS theme is Power Lab, which is science related. Richard and Shay's children are going with Devon and Ashley so that they already have a buddy in their classes. Clairmont is a little like Sardis, as they have a small group ministry and are geared to local and international outreach and missions. We had the opportunity to have Sunday lunch with Clairmont's female pastor, who oversees small group ministry, evangelism, and women's ministry. Megan ans her family were so easy to connect with, it seemed like we had known them for a while!!! I am looking forward to getting to know her and her family and gleaning more about the roles of a mother and pastor.
The biggest accomplishments these past few weeks have been that Devon learned how to ride her new bike without training wheels AND Ashley is now learning to ride her big girl bike without training wheels. The past few weeks Ashley has been riding her Razer scooter as fast as she could make it go, which is nearly the speed of light. And to give her extra kudos, she has only wiped out twice!!! So she was beaming as she rode her bike on her own and was even more happy when Doug told her she needed to ride FAST to keep her balance! It was very funny and Devon was ecstatic for her sister.
In closing, we have begun to finally experience some homesickness the past few days. We miss being a part of Sardis Presbyterian's VBS, as it is this week. And sweet Ashley woke up in tears Monday morning because she had had a dream about Boyd. She just stood at the top of the stairs, all sleepy eyed, with crocodile tears streaming down and saying, "I miss Boyd!!!". So we had a tough day yesterday, but something must have been in the air because many students told me they were really homesick too. I think everything is just sinking in for all of us here.
Thank you for all your support and prayers. Please do keep in touch. We are glad you are sharing this journey with us!!!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Our First Week
We had our first whirlwind week here at Columbia. Doug and I are thankful that we closed on our house in Charlotte and got everything moved in to our seminary apartment with no breakage; we only lost a container of oatmeal on the truck! As soon as Doug brought the moving truck to the Village (our apartment complex name), we had so many seminary neighbors who were willing to help us unload. It was great. We moved furniture until late Friday night (June 27) and all the kids were playing outside in the dark until almost 11:00!!! Needless to say we have gotten a bit off schedule with bedtime routines, but hey, it's summer!!!
There are nearly a dozen children, mostly early elementary age, here at the Village. Devon and Ashley are living a children's fantasy where the playdate can start after breakfast and end late afternoon. They have made great friends and we love living next door to Diane and Charles Hunter and their family; they are the other family from our church attending seminary here at CTS.
There is a good mix of students in our Greek School from twenty-somethings recently out of college to those like myself in the their thirties and forties as a second career student with a family. There are actually a lot of women here on campus in the Master of Divinity program. I have met a good handful of moms and even single women in my class. Everyone is very easy to talk to. Doug and I are enjoying CTS for being a campus that does focus on relationships.
It has been a lot of fun getting back into college mode. I have had many late nights and early mornings, as this first summer class in Greek is a lot of work. But it is what it is and I am enjoying it. It is a lot of fun to begin to translate the New Testament. Only 7 more weeks to go!!!
Doug has relocated his work office to one of our bedrooms and is still getting his equipment set up. We will both be glad when all the boxes in this one room are allocated to a book shelf or cabinet. He has his plate full with his job and taking care of the girls while I am in class. I feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world though....Doug cooked all the dinners last week and just took over. It was an odd feeling switching roles, but we are figuring out how to share our responsibilities and finding time to connect to each other as well.
We had a fun Forth of July. We spent the morning nesting and getting pictures hung to make the apartment look more like home. The Dean of Students, Dr. John White, invited all the Greek students over to his house for a cook out at lunch, so most of the families went. It was a lot of fun. I miss all my colored walls, so my neighbors came over Friday afternoon and helped decorate my living room and kitchen. Friday night we all went to downtown Decatur to see the fireworks and they were fantastic. The girls loved staying up late again and seeing all the excitement.
Today Doug took Devon and Ashley to Stone Mountain for the afternoon so I could study. They had a great time there. Tonight we went to a cookout with the seminary families and just hung out for a while. It was a good weekend. Sunday we will visit another church and then I will be back in the books for my next Greek quiz.
We are thankful for the first of week of transitioning and new friendships.
There are nearly a dozen children, mostly early elementary age, here at the Village. Devon and Ashley are living a children's fantasy where the playdate can start after breakfast and end late afternoon. They have made great friends and we love living next door to Diane and Charles Hunter and their family; they are the other family from our church attending seminary here at CTS.
There is a good mix of students in our Greek School from twenty-somethings recently out of college to those like myself in the their thirties and forties as a second career student with a family. There are actually a lot of women here on campus in the Master of Divinity program. I have met a good handful of moms and even single women in my class. Everyone is very easy to talk to. Doug and I are enjoying CTS for being a campus that does focus on relationships.
It has been a lot of fun getting back into college mode. I have had many late nights and early mornings, as this first summer class in Greek is a lot of work. But it is what it is and I am enjoying it. It is a lot of fun to begin to translate the New Testament. Only 7 more weeks to go!!!
Doug has relocated his work office to one of our bedrooms and is still getting his equipment set up. We will both be glad when all the boxes in this one room are allocated to a book shelf or cabinet. He has his plate full with his job and taking care of the girls while I am in class. I feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world though....Doug cooked all the dinners last week and just took over. It was an odd feeling switching roles, but we are figuring out how to share our responsibilities and finding time to connect to each other as well.
We had a fun Forth of July. We spent the morning nesting and getting pictures hung to make the apartment look more like home. The Dean of Students, Dr. John White, invited all the Greek students over to his house for a cook out at lunch, so most of the families went. It was a lot of fun. I miss all my colored walls, so my neighbors came over Friday afternoon and helped decorate my living room and kitchen. Friday night we all went to downtown Decatur to see the fireworks and they were fantastic. The girls loved staying up late again and seeing all the excitement.
Today Doug took Devon and Ashley to Stone Mountain for the afternoon so I could study. They had a great time there. Tonight we went to a cookout with the seminary families and just hung out for a while. It was a good weekend. Sunday we will visit another church and then I will be back in the books for my next Greek quiz.
We are thankful for the first of week of transitioning and new friendships.
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