So I finished my first seminary class this past Saturday. One down, 11 to go. Of course, I thought I had to take 13 classes altogether, so I guess it's not so bad. The class didn't get much more coherent after the last entry I wrote. By Thursday, though, I understood a good chunk of it, so I'm assuming that's what my paper will be on...But there were still conversations during class on things like "thisness" and "whatness," and by Friday night, I was just ready to come home, relax and treat myself to some "Triscuitness."
That's not to say that the entire class was a bore or that I regret taking it. Not so. I know it will be helpful for future classes and we had some quite interesting discussions. For example, we briefly brought up the point that God doesn't have arms. Let me explain...
We were talking about God's spirit and how he does not have a "body." Now, Aquinas goes into elaborate detail about this, and it's quite possible that he defines a body differently from how you or I would. But anyway, some people in the class had come to the conclusion that God doesn't have arms, for example, or any other part that would be considered of the body. I don't know. When I think of God, I have this vision in my head of a huge Bible my family used to keep on the coffee table when I was little that had a picture of God on it. I think He had a goatee. But there are also several passages in the Bible about how His light is so bright, we can't look upon Him. So then my mind goes to a vision of God as some ginormous Tinkerbell ball.
I told Pete about this discussion and he brought up the point that we were created in God's image. I knew that, but hadn't thought of it during class, so it bugged me til the next day when I asked a guy in class about it. No one was arguing that we aren't created in His image, but this is the way my classmate described it in a nutshell: God created us to have similar characteristics as Himself, and in doing so, we have bodies to express or embody those characteristics...Or something like that.
Of course, he explained it much better than I did...(He was one of those I mentioned earlier who's read every author under the sun). I'm still thinking on it, though. Obviously, when Jesus was born, it was God in human form, and the Bible also talks about us having perfect bodies when we are in Heaven, so I don't know whether I agree with some of my classmates...However, as a sidenote, I think it would be great if I could have a perfect body sans the present elbow scars from bike wrecks.
In the end, some of the information at least clipped my forehead as it passed over, so I suppose something stuck. I also found out from a guy in that class that I don't have to write a thesis! Niiiice.
Yesterday, I started my second class. This one is on the New Testament. There are two classes on the New Testament, but I'm taking the second one. It should still make sense, though, because I asked.
Now I just have to figure out how to pay for everything. Before class yesterday, I met with the Dean of Women and came to the conclusion that I would be stupid to try to take more than two classes per semester. That means it's going to take me two years to get my master's and I really just want to be done with school. I know that there's not much difference between a year and a half and two years, but I was a little down after she explained all the work involved and I sat there wondering how I'm going to balance class with work.
But then we went to chapel during class. Chapel is like a half-hour long devotional plus announcements. It's once a week and this week it happened to fall on Monday. Alex, the president of the school, was the speaker and I needed to hear what he had to say.
He said that a lot of us sitting there were new students and we may be thinking one of three things:
"Oh, I'm not smart enough to be here. Everyone else is so ahead of me..." or
"I'm not as spiritual as the rest of the people here. I don't belong." or
"What am I doing at SES? I have rent to pay and two jobs to juggle. This isn't worth it."
Which is funny because the last thing was exactly what was on my mind after meeting with the Dean of Women.
But Alex went on to say that we have to remember God WILL provide. We are at SES for a reason; God has called us to be there. And if we're doing God's will, there's nothing to stop us.
Which I knew, but it certainly doesn't hurt to be reminded.
In my class last week, the professor was talking about how he became a teacher at SES. Years ago, a girl shared her faith with a friend, who later became the professor's roommate. One day, the professor was looking for a book in his roommate's room and ran across a book on Christian philosophy. He eventually came to know Christ, became a professor at SES and has had many opportunities to share his faith. The roommate went on to hold a high position for a Christian organization. Just from the one girl sharing her faith, countless lives have been affected, and she has no idea.
Regardless of how tough things may be now, if this is where I am supposed to be, I can't argue. It would just be nice if things were simpler sometimes. I need one of those Easy buttons. Take me back to the days when the only things to worry about were whether I would have time to ride my bike when I got home or whether the lady at the entrance to Wal-Mart would remember to give me a smiley face sticker.
In other news, I was looking for a birthday card for my brother a couple days ago and got annoyed. Ninety percent of birthday cards are about all the "terrible" things that come with age, or say, "it's ok to be old; we love you anyway." Why are birthdays such a horrible thing? I hope no one ever gets me a card like that. Birthdays should be fun. Of course, I did just buy Dad one that said something like, "Age is only in your mind...The trick is to keep it from creeping down the rest of your body." But I thought it was funny.
Ok, I'm finally up to date now. Today, I had a dentist appointment, and I remember them being a lot more fun when I was little. Back then, I got to use bubble gum fluoride and pick something out of the "treasure chest." Today, the hygienist poked and prodded at my gums and then told me behind her paper mask, "Ohp, that one's bleeding!" Ya think? Stop poking me! She was nice enough, but then told me that I don't floss well enough.
My least favorite part was the X-rays. Why in the world do they insist on sticking hard, plastic squares in your mouth that have the roughest edges ever, then ask you to smile while they take a picture? It doesn't help that the dentist office I go to has windows in all the rooms so anyone can walk by and see you in a reclining chair with plastic in your jaw, smiling at the wall.
When the actual dentist came in, the hygienist told her that I said I floss everyday, but I don't seem to be doing it well enough. Tattletale.
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