Wednesday, November 17, 2010

retirement

I was an unlikely quarterback. It was my sophomore year and I was supposed to be the center. Our quarterback, however, was in band and was always gone. So, I stepped in... Sure, I can throw, but I'm slow and I don't always see the field perfectly. What I didn't know then was that I'd be playing quarterback and captaining each successive year, barring my year as a student missionary.

Now, after four years, it's over. After the game I was sitting down, taking a breather and realizing just how sore my legs were (I played both sides in a triple overtime game...) when I fully grasped that that was my last football game at Walla Walla University. I'm really going to miss it. A lot. So many memories. Winning B-League in 08-09. Playing with some of my best friends in the world. I am a blessed man.

Now I get to look forward to my last year of softball intramurals. It won't be the same though. I'll keep playing softball in city leagues post-college but I doubt I'll ever play quarterback again. It's over... I'm retired...

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

sola scriptura

The Seventh-day Adventist Church claims to be a church that follows sola scriptura, meaning the Bible only. I've written here about the doubts I've wrestled with and my means of addressing them. I've talked with respectable individuals, read commentaries and "inspirational" works while not removing myself from the Adventist community.

None of this is bad. However, as I sat in my Issues of God and Faith class, listening to Dr. Thomas lecture about different spiritually foundational works for different religions/denominations I was hit by the fact that I have never read the entire Bible. Sure, I've read Genesis, Proverbs and the Gospels at minimum five times, but have I read Zephaniah, 2 Thessalonians or Ezekiel? Nope.

I feel inspired. I say I'm searching and I have been. However, the most logical place to begin should be the foundational book with which it's all based because everything else is secondary, right?
Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make A Difference
So, this means consistent study. Every day. I need to know this thing. I need to come at it from a different perspective. I need to analyze it. I need to use commentaries for parts I don't understand. I need to read books which criticize the Bible too, because I need to know all sides of the argument. This excites me. I feel like this may give me some further direction. It'll be good.

I'm also ecstatic about beginning Max Lucado's new book Outlive Your Life for my small group. It'll be good to be focusing on life goals and who I want to be long-term while I'm searching. Perspective is crucial.

Now to begin...

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

the future

The past 24 hours have been a whirlwind. Principals and Superintendents from the North Pacific Union Conference visited Walla Walla for a "banquet" last night and interviews this morning. The banquet was mainly a chance to say hello to potential employers while grabbing a surprisingly decent Sodexho-catered meal. The interviews, while understandably informal for interviews (job openings won't be known till February), still kept me occupied continuously from 8 a.m. till noon. By the end, I was drained, as I am while I type this.

Throughout the course of the interview, I was asked many questions. The most consistent were "Tell me about yourself..." and "Where do you see yourself in five to ten years?" The latter really made me think. Where do I see myself in five to ten years...?

I hadn't thought too much about that answer previously, but I'm happy with my answer. I stated that I want to be settled. That means in a consistent job. I'd like to at least be moving in the direction of a family. I'd like to be finished with graduate school.

It's had me thinking a lot this afternoon. It's definitely becoming real that I'm graduating. That means grad school, teaching jobs, the real world. I'm ready and excited, though this day has always seemed so far away... It also became that much real when I was elected the Executive Vice President of my senior class. I hadn't thought about my graduation day much specifically... It's so real. I'm thrilled.

My future has more question marks than sureties right now. But that doesn't worry me. I know that if I work hard and get my foot in enough doors that one is bound to open... It'll be good.