Ethics, Weddings, and Harry Potter

so my first seminary class was, as promised, like drinking from a fire hydrant. most of the days were spent 8ish hours in class and the rest of the time trying to recover - an entire three-hour class in one week is kinda insane. it's utterly exhausting.

the class was great though - mark ross, a professor visiting from erskine theological seminary, is hilarious and effective as a lecturer, particularly notable given the length of the class each day. he reminded me alot of some bizarre cross between jack mccoy and dick van dyke. it was a blast.

so one of my best friends is married as of this time last week, and another is marrying my cousin a week from today... i'm in the midst of a very wedding-saturated summer. crazy, but true.

i'm rereading Harry Potter again to be prepared for book 7, which i await with baited breath. it's been a great break from all the reading i've been doing for class - john murray in particular is nigh impossible to read straight through.

other things that have happened of note include -
the viewing of pirates of the caribbean 3 twice, both times evoking tears. i LOVED it on a number of levels. maybe i'll post a big long review of it sometime soon, but i'd rather wait a wee bit longer so that i can make sure everyone has seen it who's going to. really, in the end, i'd rather not spoil it - it's great. : )
adjusting to the new roommates and new house and new city and hanging pictures and decorating and doing plenty of other fun things, from visiting churches to trying new restaurants. all of these are going great. it's like yay. : )
i have DVR and can record as much law and order and without a trace and such as i want. tv on my schedule, which is quite bizarre. (do i sound enough like a commercial?)

ok, so that's it for now. not much deep thought ready to spill out onto the pages yet.

The 5 Interview Questions

Thanks to Micah, here's a short interview of me. If you care to play, follow the directions at the bottom.

1. What person, living or dead, whom you have never met, do you identify with most? Why?
Hmm, that's a toughie. I don't know if I really understand the question, but I think maybe Elisabeth Elliot or Tzipporah (Moses' wife). EE because we have similar writing styles, very similar theological tendencies, and somewhat similar hearts (if you can tell that sort of thing from her books and talks - and the fact that she is much more mature than me does not escape me); Tzipporah because of her urgency to please and satisfy God's righteous requirements during that whole circumcision escapade (which is something I guess we all want to do - be justified before God). But I'm sure the fact that I spent 8 hours in class today has something to do with my inability to think of anything else but Margaret Thatcher, of whom I know very little.

2. What book, other than the Bible, has had the biggest impact on your life?
That is a really hard question. It's like asking which math book I ever used taught me the most about math. I think there are probably 3 decent answers to that question: Redeeming Love was instrumental in demonstrating to me the extremely dysfunctional attitude I had toward God; God's Passion for His Glory, my first introduction to Christian hedonism; and Holiness by Grace.

3. What is your fondest childhood memory?
I'm going to be arbitrary and pick the day after my parents told me and my sister that we were going to have a baby sibling, because it had finally sunken in and I was thrilled to plan and prepare for the new baby that I had wanted and prayed for soooo long.

4. What is your worst habit?
Undoubtedly picking dead skin off my fingers. If you think it's not a big deal, you try quitting.

5. What actress should play you in the movie based on your life?
Hahaha... if we're going by similarity to my appearance, voice, and mannerisms, there's no contest: Julia Stiles. But if she's busy, you could cast Kirsten Dunst (think Elizabethtown) as long as everyone else is short to make her look tall, as I am rather tall indeed.

Directions:
1. Leave me a comment that says "Interview me."
2. I respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you ask them five questions.

Still Kicking...

let's see, since i wrote last, i have...

gone to RUF summer conference

moved into my apartment in Charlotte

graduated from college

hung out with my sister in my new town

gone to Chicago to attend a cousin's wedding

family vacation, including a drive from Chicago to Myrtle Beach, stopping off in Pennsylvania to visit my grandfather en route

tomorrow is my first day in seminary.

whoohoo, eh?

i'll be back more now that my life has settled down a bit, and i'll keep you posted.

first class up: pastoral and social ethics. should be fun.