Updates

Someone has prodded me to post again. Sorry for the long delay inbetween posts. It has been a very hectic time. I am carrying a heavy school load - my doctoral seminar (8 hours), a Masters level class to complete my language requirements (4 hours), TA for a Homiletics class of 49 students (4 hours), I am teaching a Preaching Practicum (2 hours), I just finished a 30+ page research paper for my Fall Quarter Seminar, I am beginning to meet with professors to talk about my Comprehensive Exam questions for next quarter, I am in the process of preparing lectures for the Summer Quarter when I will be co-teaching the main Homiletics course with the new Communications professor here at Fuller, I continue to be the Interim Pastor for Church of the Foothills and will continue to do that for the next couple of years, and I am attempting to remain in relationship to my wife and kids. Pretty busy. Not much time to sin. (LOL)

I will say that the challenge of this quarter has been to try and integrate all that I am learning on the Ph.D level with what is being taught by the professor on the Masters level. The course in Ethnicities and Churches, which is helping to fulfill my Statistics requirement without having to take Statistics (thank God) is a helpful but difficult integrative class. The issues of power and ethnicity are hard to read and integrate into my own cultural and ethnic models. I think it will be a class that will continue to impact me and may end up being something that I teach in the future (or team teach with someone of color).

Joanie continues to do an amazing job juggling all her tasks. She just spent a day at Fuller at a conference for Ministers of Music. She had a great time. She is doing a great job at Foothills as the Minister of Music. I remain amazed at her hour commute across LA and how she handles it and her job teaching Music at Crossroads Academy. The Boys are all doing great. Jonathan is into his studies at Seminary; Joel is working hard at an exhausting job and being an attentive and loving father and husband; I am looking forward to being with Doug and Susan this summer when I will be their Camp Meeting Evangelist for the NE Ohio Camp Meeting.

OK, that's enough for now. I will try and do better. Actually, I will just try and keep my head above water. God Bless.