For good things: my stepson and his wife, parents of grandbaby Bryce, have told us they are expecting again. Since grandparenthood is just about the best thing since chocolate, I am very happy. May God grant them a good pregnancy and smooth delivery in the springtime.
For scary things: I'm taking GREs for seminary on Thursday. How is it that StrongOpinions, who is retaking the SATs next month, gets to bring a graphing calculator to the test and I, an ancient crone with a 29 year old master's degree in music for heaven's sake, get to bring...
(wait for it)
...2 number two pencils? Life isn't fair. Dear Lord, bring me inner calm so I can use the intellectual gifts you have given me - such as they are - to perform decently on the test.
For unknown things: tomorrow will be my first session with my parish discernment committee. A couple of hours of conversation about who I am and how I got here. How do I answer when I am still figuring that one out myself? Jesus, let me be willing to be vulnerable in this process so I can most honestly figure out what it is You want me to do for You.
I'm stepping out in faith and trying really hard not to trip over my own feet.
And my last prayer for the day:
For all those who have been affected by the hurricanes,
our thanks, Lord, for those who were unharmed,
your healing grace, Lord, for those who were hurt in ways physical, psychological or material,
your loving arms of welcome, Lord, for those who died.
Amen.
Remind me why you need to take the GRE...? I didn't have to for my MDiv--and to be honest, it's a major strike against a future PhD--I mean really, what IS the point.
ReplyDeleteThe seminary I'll be attending - you know the one in Alexandria - insists on it for us poor beknighted souls who don't have a terminal degree (PhD, MD, JD, etc). The good news is that they don't really pay much attention to the math scores, and I know I'll do well on the verbal and written sections. Funny that Yale doesn't require it (just a writing sample indicative of one's ability to do analytical writing) but this school does.
ReplyDeleteThe likelihood that I'll go for a PhD is pretty slim. I'll be 57 when I get my MDiv, and although I'd love to do a PhD for the sheer joy of studying, I doubt I'll be pursuing an academic career. I may well do a DMin once I'm out working in a parish for a couple of years, though.
I'm curious, though. Why do you say the GRE is a major strike against a future PhD?
Oops, I meant that when I think about getting a PhD, which has been on my radar for a long time, one of the aspects of it that makes me groan is having to take the *&^%! GRE. I just have a thing about those tests. So I was talking about me there! I realize it was unclear.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new grandbaby! I hope the pregnancy is smooth and uneventful.
ReplyDelete