Here it is

NOTE: The streaming player works better in Internet Explorer than Firefox. Sorry:)

Yesterday I said I would give you a secret link today.

Last night I was invited to come to the HC Women's Basketball game, and be interviewed at halftime. It was a lot of fun! They try to interview someone connected to the college at every halftime. Hopefully you can see the audio bar here:



Or you can use this link Halftime interview to download the file for listening in media player.

I also made a single file of the interview which I can email to you. If you would prefer that, email me and I will send it to you.

Coming soon

I might have a link to share with you here, in the next post. I might, I hope... If I don't then I am sorry. If I do, then you will get to enjoy it. Anybody curious? I am:)

Classes are going well. I will have my first 3 exams Thursday and Friday. We have our first big inductive Bible Study due on Thursday. It is over 2 Samuel 13; a very intriguing passage. It gets more interesting as you dig behind the scenes and look at the Cultural-Historical context (what did it mean to the original readers/hearers of the story?) and the literary context (what happened before and after this story?). The stories come alive with new meaning when I take off my white, male, born in the 70's, Mennonite, American "glasses", and try to see things from the Biblical times perspective. This can be hard to do, but it is rewarding as we remember that a passage cannot say something to us today, that it didn't say to the original audience.

Something to think about.

Weekend specials

In my last post you probably saw me breathing a little. However, it took me almost a week to write this post. That is the way it goes here:) We had a good weekend as a family. We took the girls swimming at a local hotel pool here on Saturday morning. It was a fun time to kick back, forget about school, and enjoy each others spice for life. We then had a relaxing day at home for the most part.

Later in the evening a mix of PM students and families went to a church called Venue 302. It is an awesome story. This church really gets what it means to be actively engaging the communities needs. Their website says the last thing Hutchison needs is another church, but the irony in that is that it did need another church. One that came at church from a different angle and meets the needs of those who aren't having their needs met by the traditional churches. This church is very contemporary, thriving and growing. I really appreciated the pastors ability to speak very biblically, and yet very authentically with humor.

Sunday morning found us visiting the Mennonite Brethern Church in Hesston. The Sunday School time was probably the most refreshing and invigorating of the churches that we have visited so far. As we have visited 4 churches so far, we realize that it is hard to really "get" a church during one visit. But yet this is some of what we have to do...

A moment to breath

Last night I went to bed early, it was 11:45pm:) And that was even after having been at Campus worship for over an hour. I think my schedule of reading in every free moment that I had paid off. It is a little deceiving however. There is still reading to do, and a few assignments are coming up in the next couple days. So, I will need to remain diligent.
We were at campus worship last night. The PM students were in charge. We put on a short skit about a guy struggling with image, trying to figure out who he was. One of the Sophomores shared a devotional based on Genesis 1:26,27, where we are told that we are made in God's image. Wow! That is an awesome thought. How is it possible? I so often fall short of who I see God as. Pray for me. I need to change.

Integrated, but confusing at times

I feel swamped. This will be short. Just wanted to say that we are still alive. We're not ignoring you. Keep trying. Pray hard. And often:)
I've read more in a week, than I often do in a month.
I've read more in a day, than I often do in a week.
The trick will be to keep it all straight, and retain at least a percentage of it.
Speaking of keeping it straight... It is both good and bad that my classes are all running together.
The good is that things are integrating and building on one another.
The bad is that I can't remember which class I read what in.

Love ya'll, sleep good, everybody else here is, I will be too in about an hour.

Non-class learning

We have other non-class learning opportunities as well. Thursday nights we will be eating supper as families with all the other (8 students) PM students and their families. The PM students also enjoy lunch together once a week. There are numerous wonderful conversations that take place in the library, after class, or wherever we meet. We have had well over a dozen people just stop by our house to say hello.
All these encounters and more, are pieces of the great puzzle that is becoming our lives. We are so thankful to those of you that have shared your hearts, your life experiences, your resources, and your time with us. May God bless you in ways you can't even ask or imagine, and may you give him all the glory for it. Ephesians 3:20-21

Let the classes begin

Whew! My head is full. Classes finally started on Tuesday, and I have spent a good deal of my day today reading. It is taking a bit of reorienting my brain to take on the school experience again. I am enjoying my classes and have also enjoyed the reading. There is just a lot to absorb right now. For those of you that are interested, here are my current classes for this semester:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Psalms and Epistles with Michele Hershberger
Biblical Literature with Michele Hershberger and Marion Bontrager
Tuesday, Thursday
Evangelism and Church Growth with Marion Bontrager
Christian Education with Michele Hershberger
Monday Evening
Preaching with David Greiser
Thursday
Introduction to Theology with David Greiser
Thursday Evening
Formation class with Marion Bontrager

This comes out to 17 credit hours, a very full load. But that's why I'm here, to get the full load:)

Visiting Churches

So far, we have only been here 2 Sundays. We have enjoyed visiting 2 churches so far. The last Sunday of 2007, we visited South Hutchinson Mennonite Church. Eric and Karmen are there. Eric is the associate pastor; he graduated from the PM program at Hesston 1 year ago. If I understood correctly, the church is about 50-50 between people with Mennonite background and those that aren't.
This Sunday, we went to Hesston Mennonite Church or this link. This church is much more traditional in it's members Mennonite backgrounds.

As we visit churches, we are looking for a couple things:
-We are looking for a church that can be "home" for us and our girls while in Hesston
-We are looking to experience how other Churches do "church"
-We are looking for a church where I can do a Supervised Ministry Experience (SME)

Please pray that we will sense God leading as we visit several churches.

Orientation Day

It's almost finally here! I have been so anxious to get classes started, and I have to wait one more day. This morning we are doing some shopping and other stuff. This afternoon is new student orientation, check-in, and getting my books. Woohoo!, I can start reading.
Maybe more later.

CPE Interview

This afternoon I drove to Wichita for an interview for a summer educational experience. I am hoping to be in the CPE program this coming summer. It is an intensive 11 week program, where you learn alot about ministry, and even more about yourself. A couple weeks ago, I put a couple page document together on who I am and who I have become. Today, I had the interview. I felt like it went well, with some reservations. I know that there are more people applying for the class than there are places. It is out of my hands, as many things are. I would be disappointed in not making the class this summer. I really look forward to the chances I have to learn and grow while here in Hesston. We'll let you know when I know.
After my interview, I had a tour of the hospital by a person I knew, but wasn't expecting to see. It was a pleasant surprise. A previous pastor's wife at Chestnut Ridge, Luann. She gave me a good tour of the large facility, and we are looking forward to getting together with her and Robert soon.

We are family

This morning rather early, my parents headed back to Ohio. We have been so thankful for letting us stay at their house during the Holidays, driving out with us during the move, and staying with us during the first number of days of our new life in Kansas. If you read this Mom and Dad, "I love you!".
It is just us now. The girls did some extra acting up today- pushing the limits, being extra demanding. Suzanne and I have been counseled to expect this and we have been expecting it. We love our girls, and they have done very good despite a long move and disrupted schedule.
Today was Alyssa's second day of school here, and she wanted me to take her. After dropping her off, I dropped my computer off at the college to have it prepared for campus access. Then, I went home to play "candyland", "memory", "pick-up-sticks", and "strawberry short cake old maid" with Courtney and Emberlynn. Suzanne went to the wellness center to exercise and spend some time in a water aerobics class. She is hoping to teach a class or two a week for some small income and a welcome time of adult interaction.
I met with the college IT staff this morning just to see what kind of work is available on campus, if I have any extra time. It looks like they could give me all the work I could want. However, they and I realize the main reason I am here is to be in the PM program. So, time priority during the normal 8am to 5pm day will go something like this:

Classes, Reading, Writing
Giving Suzanne work time and Sanity
Family time
Working in IT

I think that looks right. If you are offended by this order, you probably misunderstood me.

Happy New Year

It's that time of year again. 365 days have passed since we celebrated this time. Suzanne and I didn't see ourselves in Hesston Kansas last year at this time. Who would have thought that we would be leaving behind all that is familiar and comfortable for the unknown? Not us. But ever since we made the decision to come, it has felt so right. Many things have fallen in place to help us feel like this is the place for this time. God has blessed us in 2007, and we seek to know him more in 2008.
We celebrated the new year with a supper of pork, sour kraut, and hot dogs. We had the blessing of sharing it with our girls, my parents, and friends- Todd and Julie. Later, we watched the New York Times Square ball drop, with none other than Dick Clark. Of course, that happened at 11pm CST. So for us it was still an hour away from the new year. At about 11:40 we called Suzanne's parents and wished them a belated new year, and then met up with friends that invited us to a New Year's 2 mile run up and down Main St. Hesston. It was 24 degrees on the main sign in Hesston, but a block away it said 16 degrees. According to our thermometer, 24 is more accurate. After a couple funny photo ops, we were off on a relaxing but invigorating jog. It felt good for both of us to get out and get some much needed exercise. Suzanne commented that it felt good to start the new year off with a calorie deficit. Now I am wide awake, I guess it is time to sleep.
May you find God's blessings this year.