Exams are over what is done is done.
It has been an interesting time at varsity and although I am fairly sure I will pass the majority of the courses I am now working on the whole area of refining. Coming down from exams has been odd all the hype to stay focused in study with varying success for four weeks has left me now not sure what on earth to do with my time. This week the majority of college is heading off for a week long retreat which although sounds great I have deferred as Shawn has surgery this week to have his gal bladder removed.
At first I wondered why on earth college would offer retreats now of all times, yet looking at how we are all dealing with the come down from exams it actually makes total sense. So in light of me not going on retreat I have put myself on a self imposed retreat for the next three days to write an icon. I am surprised that the icon I have begun is one of John the Baptist this is a figure that I never envisaged doing so together in prayer ,painting and study we will investigate each other.
This is also an odd time for students as we have people all round the country undergoing discernment to come as students to seminary next year and we have people hearing about ordination and placements at the other end. Several people I was on the discernment weekend are soon to be ordained and although I know this is because they finished their theological education before applying for priesthood there is a wee part of me that feels a little left behind. I knew that by switching training and moving up here I would putting off ordination by a year or two I also knew that this was the best option if I was to receive a quality education that would best equip me for the future. In saying all that I still feel a little left behind.
Ah it is way it is, week after next I will be on a week long preaching course then back into varsity. I have just had my courses confirmed they include:
Jesus the Christ a Christology paper
History of the church in Aotearoa New Zealand
The Bible in Popular Culture
and my out of faculty paper a Teaching Education paper.
And at Seminary my papers include:
A Preaching intensive
Conflict Resolution and a
Spirituality for Ministry paper.
You know through all this I think I am missing home. It has been nearly 8 months since I left home. It is my hope that the other Christchurch Ordinand here will be ordained in September. If so we are booked in to take a 'Care of the Soul' retreat then I will go back home with her to her ordination. It will be good to put my feet in home soil again.
There you go all this pontification to realise that my manic space filling is actually about the big unwind, and missing home.
Please pray for Shawn and his surgery this Thursday and for baby Samuel Davy who has been in intensive care since his birth here in Auckland pray that the swine flu that is now in the hospital keeps away from him .
thanks Peace Megan
