Watch out below...

It's a bird. It's a plane. No, it's a giant asteroid hurling toward earth to destroy sinful cities! According to a story on FoxNews, " a clay tablet that has baffled scientists for 150 years has been identified as a witness' account of the asteroid suspected of being behind the destruction of Sodom and Gomorah."

This is actually a pretty cool story. Whatever you make of it, it is a good reminder that the entire universe is at the command of the Lord!

Happy butts make for happy people...

I guess Saturdays really are made for adventure. Our mission: go and pick up our new cushion inserts for our couch. Now this isn't just any couch. This is the first new couch that I had ever owned. It's a La-z-boy and it's about 7 years old. Needless to say, the cushions were getting a little flat and our butts weren't as happy as we would like them to be. Given that the couch is still in excellent condition we just ordered new inserts for those flat, lifeless, and tired cushions. Thanks Uncle Sam!

Well, the mission is accomplished. No one lost their life or their patience, and even Gracie enjoys the end result (look up there, she loves it!). The whole time we worked on this endeavor, Megan kept reminding me how much it was just like putting on pantie hose - the seams had to be perfectly straight. Now its been several years since I had that problem...wait...never mind. Below are some pictures from our mission. Now we're going to go sit on it for awhile!





I know that there are weird bubbles on this pic, but looking past that, isn't it amazing the difference a new cushion makes!!!!

Highway to the comfort zone...

This may come as a surprise to those of you who know me...I'm one of those weird extroverted introverts, but going to last night's community dinner was a bit of a stretch for me or at the very least out of my comfort zone. I enjoy meeting new people, but only a few at a time and even on the first meeting I'm a little quiet. I need to assess the group before I step out there and show my true colors. Of course, let me say that once I do get to know you, it is very hard to shut me up!! So for some, they would probably never really want to open the dam to my thoughts. The rush of water can be very overwhelming.

Last night's community dinner was a very good time. The ladies that were grouped with me had a hodge podge of backgrounds and were at different life stages. That is always fun. Not to mention that it was a group of about 8. Eight is a good number. Not too overwhelming... So in all, I got to know them a little bit better, and I think they got to know me. The dam was breeched, but not yet spewing forth. One of the neatest God things is that when I got the list of ladies attending I knew none of the names and once I got out our church's picture directory I didn't recognize anyone's face either (a couple weren't pictured). So needless to say...here I step out thinking 3 hours with a group of people I don't know at all. Oh, to stay home with my husband and cat and watch basketball. Then when I get there, the two other ladies already there I had previously met and one that I knew, but wasn't on the previous list.. Yea!!! God definitely knows what I can bare. It was a delicious meal and lots of fun. I will look forward to next quarter's mealtime.

~Megan

Study habits...

Even Gracie likes Newcastle!

So, it was an absolutely beautiful day here in Charlotte: sunny and in the high 70s. I got to enjoy a little bit of it but unfortunately that was while I was pacing around the back parking lot at RTS stuffing my brain with knowledge for my Hebrews-Revelation midterm. Man am I glad that is finally over with!

So, I have really strange study habits. For this particular exam, I had about 60 pages of notes (typed) covering the books of Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, and some of 2 Peter. What I did in the past couple of weeks was: 1) read those notes through 3 times; 2) Write out my own shorter outlines with key ideas based on those notes (~12 pages - writing helps the memory); 3) from those shorter outlines I then condense each section even more into short lists of key words; 4) then I pace around the RTS parking lot (or wherever) and memorize those short lists of key words. When it comes to the exam, I pretty much have everything memorized and can pull together those short lists into whatever the exam requires - short answers or long essays. I know some of my classmates must think I am crazy but that is how I study. My short term memory isn't as great as some (must be my old age) so this is the best system for me. What's even more fun is that I have a friend (yo, Matt!) who studies similar to me and we make up all kinds of silly phrases to help us remember those short lists of key words. For example while trying to remember the evidence against a known Pseudonymous work being accepted into the canon we memorize the phrase, "Ben Affleck Pees Sideways". What in the world is that, you ask? Each of the first letters stands for something: B=the book's own claim; A=authorship was a central concern to the early church; P=Paul himself cautioned against Pseudonymity (2 Thess 2.2); S=Serapion condemned the Gospel of Peter. Yeah, it doesn't work for everybody. I realize that...

So here I sit tonight, chillin' with the cat, drinking Newcastle, and watching basketball while Meg is at a women's community dinner. I am exhausted and look forward to sleeping in tomorrow. That will be a wonderful thing...

Some funny book titles I found...

Sometimes I search for random stuff in google and I am amazed at what I find. (Warning: this should always be done with 'safe search' on!) Well tonight I searched for funny book titles and here are some that I found:





Sometimes I just need a good laugh. Anybody else seen any other ones lately?

Finally, a poem worth reading...

So, I am not much of a fan of poetry. But I came across this one recently and I was surprisingly pleased. In fact, if all poetry could be this profound, engaging, and inspiring, then I might become a bigger fan. I am definitely lighting the pipe tonight!

Smoking Spiritualized by Ralph Erskine

Was this small plant for thee cut down?
So was the plant of great renown;
Which mercy sends
For nobler ends.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

Doth juice medicinal proceed
From such a naughty foreign weed?
Then what's the pow'r
Of Jesse's flow'r?
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

The promise, like the pipe, inlays,
And by the mouth of faith conveys
What virtue flows
From Sharon's rose.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

In vain th' unlighted pipe you blow;
Your pains in inward means are so,
'Till heav'nly fire
Thy heart inspire.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

The smoke, like burning incense tow'rs
So should a praying heart of yours,
With ardent cries,
Surmount the skies.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

I am so nerdy...

Welcome to Dan's world of seminary nerdiness! To the left is a picture of a mid-second century (~150 AD) manuscript of the gospel of John (1:1-14) that I just finished translating for my New Testament Canon class. For those of you not familiar, the language is Greek and this is a fragment that was copied by a scribe.

For those of you who have studied New Testament Greek, you'll notice that it is written in scriptio continua which means that there are no spaces between words and that all of the text is in capital letters. Needless to say this makes it a little more difficult that reading from a regular Greek New Testament.

However, it was fun doing it...and it is a lot of fun being such a nerd!

He is risen indeed!

Happy Resurrection Sunday everyone! Dan and I are very excited to have his parents visiting with us! We had a good service at church this morning and we're getting ready to feast on some turkey! We hope you all are filled with joy as you celebrate what Jesus accomplished for our great salvation! Here are some pics from this weekend:

Look at those trees! Aren't they beautiful! I love Spring! :-)











These are the pretty flowers that Dan bought me on Saturday!
















Here is a picture of us after church. Dan and his dad surprised his mom and I with corsages!

Lights out...

The look on Saluki forward Matt Shaw's face shown to the left at senior night last month pretty much sums up how all SIU fans felt during this year's basketball season. In fact, as I watched the Salukis play a zone defense for the first time in at least five years last night against Arizona State last night, I wanted to cry too.

Our run of six straight NCAA tourney appearances came to a halt. We lost three times on our home floor (to Indiana, Butler, and Illinois State - Meg and I were there for the Butler game, ouch). ESPN College Game Day came to SIU and, although we beat Creighton, we played one of the most boring games in the history of basketball. Matt Shaw and Randal Falker were supposed to be the senior leaders of this preseason nationally ranked team and they struggled immensely at embracing that role. I could go on and on, but it just hurts too much.

Well, the beauty of being a sports fan is that there is always next year. I am proud of the way the team this year overcame adversity, but we must do better. We have a top-25 recruiting class coming in and our younger players got some good experience this year. Let's hope we can turn things around and return to the form that so many of us have come to expect.

Nothing to sniff at...

I took the annual drive to Walgreens today to pick up my Allegra prescription. Oh joy! Don't get me wrong, I love springtime and I am glad to see everything coming alive. But I can't say that I enjoy waking up unable to breathe.

Speaking of spring, Meg and I took a look at the garden this afternoon and let me tell you, it needs help. The problem is that it gets so bloomin' hot here in the summer that we can't keep anything alive! So we're torn. Do we spend money on flowers that we know will look good for a couple of months and then wither away and die? Or do we just enjoy the jasmine, the rose bush, and the azalea plant that survived from last year? Maybe I can talk Meg into some silk plants...

My next move...

It has been a good week so far. I miss Megan -- this is the fourth night in row that she has worked. What that means is that I haven't seen her a whole lot so I am looking forward to the next several days.

Several things are going on right now...

* I am studying for a midterm for my Hebrews to Revelation class. Ugh...
* I am doing some Greek translation from a photograph of a 2nd century New Testament manuscript for my Canon class.
* I am working on a sermon I am preaching at our home church on April 13.
* I am co-teaching a Sunday school class on the Reformation at Uptown church and I am discussing Calvin and Zwingli this week so those notes need to get finished up.
*Then there is that pesky Hebrew grammar and vocab to go over. BTW, I think I am starting to really like Hebrew and that is kind of scary.
*We're getting the place ready for my parents' visit this weekend. We are really excited to see them!

So, life continues to be a juggling act, but God gives us the grace to get through. Plus he gives us really amazing gifts like the NCAA tournament which starts tomorrow. Now if only I can turn away from the TV long enough to get some of these things done...

A New Addict

I am officially addicted to facebook. It has sucked away over one hour of my day today.

Will you be my friend?

I Stand Corrected...

Sometimes, I really don't mind being wrong:

SIU 69 OSU 53

Up next: Arizona State in Tempe. Too bad this game is on at midnight ET tomorrow night. I am getting way too old to stay up for that...

First Impressions...

So, the night is halfway over and I managed to watch Mount Saint Mary's (again, an unfortunate name) win as well as the 11 minutes of meaningful American Idol coverage - thanks to my amazing remote control skills. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to play my favorite childhood game with the performers tonight: first impressions. You know that game - you say the first thing that comes to mind when you hear or see something. Here are my first impressions from tonights Idol performances:

Amanda: reminds me of a female Meatloaf.
Kristy Lee: a young Sarah Evans; both should quit singing.
David A: a nervous schoolboy serenading his prom date
Michael: Bono, but Michael can actually sing
Brooke: amazing singer, needs to flash the peace sign more often
David C: the world doesn't need another Eddie Vedder; thanks for trying, though
Carly: really bad Irish piano bar singer
Jason: awkward and phony; should be wearing a polyester suit and selling used scooters
Syesha: for the love of everything, please QUIT WHINING! sounds like a sick cat in heat
Chikezie: smooth; what it would be like if Emmit Smith could sing
Ramiele: boring; personality of a sock puppet; will have a nice career singing at senior citizen birthday parties

Alright. That was fun. Back to the Saluki game - they are up seven at half-time.

Empty Promises and the NIT

I could take a moment and talk about how I have meant to post more but haven't and whine about how busy we have been and BLAH BLAH BLAH...but I won't. But I am back (seriously...I am)!

I am really torn about what to watch on TV tonight. Here are my options:

1) American Idol - I mean, come on, besides "Dancing with the Stars" how many other shows actually have 11 minutes of actual meaningful television in a ninety minute time slot? This is quite a compelling option...

2) Coppin State vs. Mount Saint Mary's in the NCAA tourney play-in game. This game has so much going for it - a below .500 team playing for a chance to get slaughtered by UNC and a team with a most unfortunate school name going head to head in the most meaningless game of the year. Also quite compelling...

3) My own Southern Illinois Salukis playing a first round game at home against Oklahoma State on ESPN2 in the first round of the NIT (i.e. Not-good-enough-to-be In (the real) Tournament). You would think I was excited, right? No! I want the bleeding to stop and we're going without our starting point guard who has a stress fracture in his leg. My guess is the first team to 40 points wins. My prediction: OSU 44 SIU 41 in 2OT. This is about as compelling as watching the latest Alyssa Milano Lifetime channel movie. I will only watch this intently if I can secure some Newcastle.

Writing all of that reminds me how much I love Spring break. It's nice to not have class and so many other things on my mind that I can actually deliberate what I want to watch on TV. The glass is half full indeed...