escapingbabylon.com

Regionals is InterVarsity’s North Central region’s staff conference where they review the direction the region’s been going over the past year, and set the vision for next year. The fact that I’m not there this year again is significant in a couple of ways.

Firstly (and firstly mostly because I wanted to get this point out of the way) it means I’m still not on staff with InterVarsity.

Secondly it has also meant that I’ve had time to spend with students over the past week without Emily. I’m totally into Hamline right now, it’s sort of scary. I’m at the point where I prefer to be on campus than talking about regional stuff.

Thirdly, it sadly means that I’m not in as close contact with other staff in the region as I could be. There is part of me that wants a closer knit community of staff and other college ministers to support each other, and/or hang out and talk shop. I think with our region so small(staff-wise), it’s hard sometimes. Part of it is that a lot of my close friends and partners in ministry graduated/moved away this year, so I’m definitely feeling the void. On the other hand, there is a part of me that should really just make more effort to form/find a new community of folks.

Enough whining though, the other part of this is to ask folks to pray for Regionals. This conference can and does affect what InterVarsity’s ministry looks like within this region over the next year or so. I’d like to ask you to pray for wisdom for all staff there, for patience, understanding and forgiveness in case of any conflict or other tense moments, and overall, for God’s will to be done.

Shopping at the Mall of America. I found this poster to be objectifying. It says be the gift they wont forget.

Picture 211

Originally uploaded by richiedaleyphoto.

So for those who are interested, here is the new car.

I thought this was the funniest thing ever. Then I read the comments on the video.There seems to be a split between those who think this is funny and those who think that this is disrespectful. I’m not dismissing the possibility that it may be both.

The thing that is problematic in my mind is that this was definitely an attention-seeking maneuver. It makes me wonder about the kid’s motivations for baptism in the first place. There’s a lot I can say, but I’d like to hear what you think.

Well, the car is all but purchased. It’s going to be a red (not my first color choice) 2007 Toyota Corolla. Probably the only good thing about procrastinating this long to get my license is that I had a lot more saved up than I had originally planned, which ( in addition to some help from my father. Thanks, Daddy) allows me to get something that would hopefully be more reliable than I would have been able to get previously. I’m hoping to be able to pick it up by the end of the week. I’ll share pictures.

Also in the category of things costing money, I just bought blankets and sleeping bags in preparation for my sisters and friends coming up for thanksgiving. It’s going to be fun trying to fit everyone in my apartment. I’m really looking forward to seeing them, and also to have them over in my “home”.

Here’s something that hit me today. In that passage about putting on the whole armor of God, you it’s not simply having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, but having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of shalom (well to be specific the Greek equivalent to shalom, eirene). It makes me want to rethink that passage, or at least the meaning of that section of it.

About a year ago I wrote a post titled Surviving Year Two. Recently I’ve realized how many things in my life have lasted more or less two years. I directed the Gospel Choir at Mac for two years before it died/I killed it/it went into hibernation, I volunteered with InterVarsity for two years before deciding to go on staff, I led mime for about 2 years (or at least 2 years willingly). Right now I’ve been working at my current job for about two years. I guess in adding to my thoughts on surviving year two is the idea that at the end of the second year seems to be a good time for determining whether something is a fit for you or not. I’m wondering if statistically college students tend to transfer after 2 years.

My current Area/Regional director used to say (and probably still does) that one of his goals is to have students who wreck their lives for Jesus. It’s a good sentiment that I endorse. Jesus should affect them so profoundly that their lives can no longer be lived in the same way. It’s a little bit scary when it actually happens to someone you could consider “your student”.

I stopped off at Macalester for a bit tonight, and a certain Philly junior told me that he has dropped his math major and has taken up a music major because God is calling him to use music programs to reach inner city kids (his vision is more detailed than that, but I haven’t had a chance to talk to him in depth). It’s an awesome idea, but it also seems to be very much a change of direction in his life, and seems to have happened pretty suddenly. I’m not particularly sure what to think, right now I’m oscillating between happiness and worry. More on this as it develops.