An Open Door...

Eating my way through the day...

Last night I met with a former professor of mine, Dr. Don Joy, to discuss possible topics for a dissertation. I took Christian Education classes with him. He introduced me to in-depth studies of moral development in humans, learning styles, teaching methodologies, and curriculum development. He gave me good guidance. I just have to figure out what I'll do. We, also, caught up with each other's lives.

Today was my last full day in Wilmore. I took my friend, Jean Bell, to lunch at a place called 'The Glitz'. It is housed in an antique store in a town called Non-Such.  Wonderful place in a oddly named town! They have a dessert called 'The Kiss.'  The 'Kiss' is chocolate ice cream on top of baked meringue. Whip cream, hot fudge and a cherry top off the 'Kiss'.  Jean and I both had one.  It was so good we almost licked our plates! I enjoyed another good visit with her.

When I returned to my town house, I kidnapped my roommate, Jane, and took her to an ice cream place called Bruster's (sounds like Brewster's). We had a good visit as well. Since I leave tomorrow/Thursday to return home, we thought we'd play a bit.  The ice cream is made there and was wonderful! I've eaten my way through the day!

My brain hurts most of the time. I'm trying to relax for a couple of days, and then I will begin work on the 3 papers I have to do to finish up the two classes we've had so far. I also, just want to sleep one morning with no alarm clock set...sleep until I wake up...a perfect way to start a day in my opinion!

The month has been good. I've made new friends with the pastors involved with the program. I've learned new things and have been reminded of other things. I'm sure I've been changed through this time here...I'm guessing I'll need to wait and see what the changes are once we're back together continuing to serve in Jesus' name...

A change of pace...

Whew! Funny the changes a day can make in our lives.  Sometimes the changes can be tragic and sometimes they are for the good and sometimes they are for fun!  I've rented a car so that I could come up here to Ohio and work the Darke County Fair with my family.  Amanda has been here all summer with my family.

I left after class yesterday.  We are more than halfway through the current class, Theology of Ministry, with Dr. Steve Seamands.  The pace has been grueling...mainly because I'm not used to academic stuff! Yet, both Steve Seamands and Randy Jessen have been clear that before anything in our lives, we need to know that we know...we are God's beloved children.  Having the focus be on our relationship with God makes a Doctor of Ministry program unique in the professional world.  As pastors, we can become so busy with God's work that we lose touch with being God's child...I appreciate that reminder.

I've posted new photos of class and lemonade for you.  I'll post again on Monday...we tear down tonight at Darke County and get home in the middle of the e-a-r-l-y morning hours.  Then, tomorrow, Sunday, we take the trailers up to Van Wert, Ohio for the fair that starts next week.  I head back to Wilmore, KY tomorrow night and need to be bright-eyed for class Monday.

Know that I'll be remembering you and praying for you all as you gather together to worship tomorrow...

Another beginning...

Today we began our second class called Theology of Ministry. I finished the paper for it last night (Tuesday) which also means all 17 books have been read! P-A-R-T-Y!! (Which means I can get to sleep earlier tonight!)

Yesterday, all the Beeson pastors put on our really cool 'Beeson polo shirts' and experienced what for most of us was probably our first photo shoot.  We had group photos taken and then some posed-but-candid shots of some of us in the library and some of us in the coffee break room...I bet you don't have to guess which group I was in...right...break time!!  I decided that I don't want to be a model and have to do that for a living...it is hard work!

We had some photos taken around the John Wesley statue which is here on campus.  I've put a picture of John in the photo album.  (Because I just added him, he is in the middle of the album because I took the picture the same time I was taking pictures of the town houses.  I don't know how to get him at the end of the list so you can easily find him!)  The statue is life-sized.  He was a little guy standing 5'3".  He makes me feel huge!  But, everytime I pass him, I remember the time we shared in worship with Methodism 101 a couple of years ago and think of us!

I took a walk tonight.  The sky was overcast and holding in all of the humidity from the day.  As I walked another phrase from a Lion's Gate song came to mind:  "Alleluia!  Grace like rain falls down on me."  I needed grace to rain down.  I watched the news tonight for the first time in a long time.  Russia is still not leaving the Republic of Georgia.  Since we joined with the elementary school at Christmas to raise the money to put new windows in the school over in Georgia, my ears have perked up about the happenings in that country.  Lannis Haldeman has emailed me about the situation.  The village where 'our' school is located is quite remote from the invasion areas.  One of the first families Lannis' daughter, Lyssa, stayed with has had to flee their home when their town was burned.  We know from what Lannis has shared with us that Georgia is a poor and struggling country.  I couldn't imagine what they had that Russia could want.  I understand that the only oil pipeline not controlled by Russia goes through Georgia and the Russians wants it in order to control all the oil from the middle East and central Asia.  I pray for Georgia.  I pray for God's grace and love to rain down on the people and the situation there in spite of what is happening to them.  I KNOW that prayer is more powerful than tanks and guns.  I'm sure the situation has been in your prayers...I just wanted you know that I'm adding mine to yours...

...Missing you and needing to get my 'homework' done!  (Who ever thought that at 50 years old I'd be saying that?!?)

Sunday away from home...

Yesterday started out at the Cliffview Retreat Center for breakfast.  We traveled in the Beeson van to Centenary UMC in Danville, KY to worship with them in their contemporary service. I sat in the back where I could see everything.  They used a CD for the instrumental part of the music and several people from the church sang in front of us like Lion's Gate does, but, believe me, they were NOT Lion's Gate.  I enjoyed the children's packet...Old Testament story was about Elijah with the widow and her son during the drought and the New Testament lesson was about the Canaanite woman's daughter being healed by Jesus.  I found a 'heart' sticker in the packet and put it in my Bible. :)

We ate lunch at Applebee's and went to the Abbey of Gethsemani.  The Abbey and the other acreage owned by the Abbey is a combination of fields on small rolling Kentucky hills and wooded areas.  We were with them for three of their worship times.  They sing/chant the Psalms at each service.  Every two weeks they complete the singing of all 150 Psalms.  They pray and work their way through each day starting at 3:15 a.m.

They have three dining halls.  One is for those who want to talk.  One is for those who want silence and no talking.  And, one for those who want music played in the silence of no talking.  I chose to eat supper with the music playing while we ate silently.  My table looked out over the garden.  The silence was wonderful...I needed more than I got.  We have been having wonderful experiences, readings, classes and times together, but I'm used to alot of quiet once I go home...I miss the silence.

I appreciated our time at the Abbey.  Some of us felt as I did.  Others didn't find it helpful.  The monks have taken vows to live in community together, to observe silence, to pray together by using the Psalms and to do the work assigned to them by the Abbot who heads up the Abbey.  I found incredible comfort and peace in knowing that they are praying for us out here in the "world" twenty-fours hours a day.  They have other Abbeys in other time zones around the world.  Therefore, they are praying 24/7.  I hope to live in the power of those prayers more faithfully.  I believe they have life harder living in such close proximity to the other monks and in the silence in such close proximity to their very own self...being with oneself can be the most difficult person to be around!!

A huge harvest moon led the way back to Wilmore...God's blessing and benediction to the day.

On Retreat...

We are at Cliffview Retreat Center outside of Danville, Kentucky.  We arrived for dinner on Friday.  We have had a relaxing time.  I've managed to finish book 16 of 17...yea!  One more to go, and it's a short one!

Our 'chef' for the evening meals is superb!  She is from Bosnia and has been a cook here for 10 years.  She makes even lettuce salad heavenly!  We've enjoyed fish last night and chicken tonight.  She made a special dessert for us tonight and told us that she was leaving it for us to snack on later...I joined four others to have more!

This evening we were taken on a pontoon ride on Herrington Lake.  When a dam was put in years ago, the lake was formed.  It is long and filled with curves.  Homes are built along the cliffs above it's shores.  The homes have various kinds of stairways down to the lake.  Something about water is always soothing to my soul.

I'll be praying for you all tomorrow morning.  I will be worshiping at Centenary UMC in Danville, KY.  Then, we go to the Abbey of Gethsemani to worship with them during their afternoon and evening prayer times.  Some of you may be familiar with Thomas Merton and his writings.  Gethsemani was where he took his vows to be a monk and from where he wrote.  I look forward to being there.

My battery is getting low and the signal makes posting go quite slowly so I'll say good night and hold you in my prayers... 

P.S.  I've also posted new photos!

 

Step by step...

Funny what runs through my head at times...as I walked to classes today a song that Lion's Gate, our praise team, plays kept running through my head.  "Step by step you lead me, and I will follow you all of my days."  Realizing that it was a song from Lion's Gates repertoire brought all of you close to me as the day began...pretty cool I thought!

I've posted quite a few photos tonight.  Pics of where I'm living, classrooms and other stuff.  They are over in "See for Yourself".  Just double click the photo to see info about it and to enlarge it.

We looked at St. Benedict and the 'rule' he founded in class today.  The 'rules' are the rules the monks of his order follow in order to be faithful to Christ and to their promises to each other.  When I return home, one of the papers I will be working on will be forming a rule of life for my own life.

We had a communal meal tonight with all the Non-Resident Beesons.  Sabrina Tu from Florida cooked Cuban for us.  It was heavenly!  Rice, beans, baked chicken were wonderfully done.  She cooks without a recipe!!  Go figure...I almost have to get a recipe out to make my toast in the morning!  We had a good time together.

Later, I went for a walk...the moon is getting fuller and the sky was at my favorite colors of sunset blues.  As I rounded a corner around the area where Asbury College is, I came upon three deer in the middle of the road, in the middle of town!  One was big (a momma probably) and two smaller deer.  They didn't trust me, so they ran away.  But, they were a blessing while they were there.

I then found a playground.  My favorite kind of swing was there, so I had to try it out.  It squeaked and moaned noisily, but 'flew' wonderfully as I went higher and higher.

I don't have words yet for all that has been going on inside of me these past days.  Most times I'm overwhelmed and running at Mach 50...hard to ponder when going that fast!  I hold onto the words from the song, "Step by step you (God) lead me."  Piece by piece and day by day I follow what God is bringing into my life so that I may continue to follow all of my life.

Thinking of y'all and missing you as well...

Moving right along...

    Yesterday seems far away now.  I thought of you all often as the morning progressed.  I worshipped at Wilmore United Methodist Church with my friend Jean Bell, Amanda's grandma.  I was glad to be with her again and to worship together was special for me.

    After worship Jean and I went to Nicholasville for lunch.  And, yes, I did see John Michael Montgomery...or at least his restaurant and huge guitar signage!

    I spent the afternoon and evening reading another of the books and finished it before bedtime...yea!

    This morning started with worship together with a pastor from the other Residential group preaching.   We shared joys and concerns.  We sang a couple of hymns.

    We then had a class helping us to interpret a couple of personality-type tests we had taken prior to coming to campus.  It is always unnerving how those tests can figure out who I am!!

    The afternoon was free so I started writing the paper for the second course I will take next week.  Mostly, I'm overwhelmed with the work I've yet to do.  I've read 15 of the 17 books.  The two left are for next week's class.  I've done about all I can for now (my brain is shutting down!) so I decided to update our connnection with each other through the blog.

    Randy, Sue and Ana Jessen had us over for dinner at their home tonight along with the whole Beeson staff and family.  Sue made homemade apple pie and topped it off with ice cream...yum!

    Pictures of Jean, the restaurant and the guitar are in the picture folder if you want to see them.

    Know that I miss 'us' and am grateful for each and everyone of you.  All my love...

At the Top of the Summit...

   Wow!  What a good day!  The Leadership Summit started this morning with Craig Groeschel speaking.  He is senior pastor of LIFECHURCH.TV which has a multi-site campus.  Thirteen churches in six states with over 23,000 people weekly make up the 'congregation' he serves.  He spoke about 'it'.  some churches have 'it' and you know they do when you're with them.  Other churches don't have 'it' and you know they don't.  'It' is the intangible work of God that can't be manufactured and that transforms lives.

     Another excellent speaker was Catherine Rohr founder and CEO of the Prisoner Entrepreneurship Program (PEP), the only program of its type nationally recruiting more than 1,000 senior business executives and 400 MBA students from 24 programs, including Harvard and Stanford.  PEP constructively redirects inmates' talents by equipping them with values-based entrepreneurial training enabling them to productively re-enter society.  PEP has a 98% employment rate and a less than 5% return-to-prison rate.  370  inmates have graduated and 43 businesses have been launched since its start in 2004.  She was passionate about the call of God in her life with the inmates.  Several of those who had graduated from the program were with her and several more were on video.  The program she started has been richly anointed by God and has truly changed the lives of those in it.

     We had a lunch break.  Several of us took our lunches out to one of the ponds surrounding the Willow Creek Church complex.  Part of my Hersey bar melted so I'm licking off all that wonderful chocolate...didn't want to miss a bit of it!   (Double click on photo to enlarge it.)

     After lunch we heard from the CEO of Best Buy, Brad Anderson.  He was such an example of a business man who loves Jesus, living his beliefs in appropriate ways in the workplace...putting actions to his faith commitments.  He was a seemingly ordinary guy with an extraordinary heart.

     The summit ended with the pastor of Willow Creek Church, Bill Hybels, giving the final talk.  He spoke of Mother Theresa and her faith-filled life.  As he researched her life, one quote seemed to stick out to him.  During one of the stretches when she didn't feel God's presence with her, she wrote, "Even though I don't feel God's presence, I will seek to love Him as He has never been love."  In the dry stretch of many years, she hung in there loving God without a sense of His presence with her.  She remained faithful to God's call in her life to Calcutta and ministry with the poor and dying.    Bill concluded with a time of re-commitment for us to God's call in our lives.

     We returned to the motel.  I went to dinner with a group to "Ted's Montana Grill".  We all thought we had had the best burger we'd ever had...mine was a mushroom & swiss with sour cream on top!  Many of us had bison burgers while 'Mr. Bison' looked down upon us! 

Thursday, August 7th

    I'm in Chicago.  We were to fly here yesterday evening, but our flight was canceled.  We ended up on an early morning flight today which meant we got up at 3am to get ready and travel to the Lexington, KY airport.  We are at the Leadership Summit at Willow Creek Church outside of Chicago.  The Summit is 'live' where we are and via satellite around the country.  Later, the DVD of the Summit will be translated into other languages to be viewed around the world.

     We listened to 5 speakers today.  One was attorney, Gary Haugen, who has founded International Justice Mission which is an international human rights agency that rescues victims from violent forms of oppressions, including slavery, sexual exploitation, trafficking, police brutality and illegal property seizure.  The work this group does is incredible in helping those caught up in unjust situations and slavery.

     Another speaker, Wendy Kopp, is the CEO and founder of Teach for America which is an organization dedicated to eliminating educational inequity in our nation by enlisting the most promising future leaders in the effort. She leads a national corps of outstanding recent college graduates of all academic majors, who commit to teach two years in urban and rural public schools to help the children increase their academic abilities.

     We also heard from young pastors who have created innovative and effective ministry with people.  I enjoy hearing what God has been doing with them as they have sought to be relevant to the people in their community as well as in the churches where they serve.

   I've posted a few more pictures in the "See for Yourself" photo section.  Simply click the "See for Yourself" on the right hand column.  Then, double click any photo to see the details about it.

    I'm quite tired at this point and will simply say, nighty-night!  Keeping you in my prayers...

Day Two - August 5th...

     Today has been more than full! We started out the day learning about how the Doctor of Ministry works in general.  Then, we started working on our new laptop computers with a couple of computer guys from the seminary.  Jared helped those of us who chose Dell computers with Microsoft software.  He was quite patient and helpful as we learned about Vista and some of the changes with Office 2007.

     We gathered with the 10 other Beeson pastors for lunch.  The other Beeson pastors are on site at the seminary for a full year taking classes and prepping their thesis for their dissertation.  They have left their churches and have come to Wilmore, Kentucky with their families for the year.  They have been here since July.  We will have a class with them later in the month.  We had pizza...yum!

     We spent the afternoon on a ropes course.  A man named Bill was our fearless leader.  We worked together on several tasks as a team.  Some of the tasks were easy and others required planning and adjusting of the plans as we went on.  Bill would lead us in discussions after each task.  We would share what we learned or saw happening as the group worked on the task.  He would relate it to our service in the local church and how we, too, work together in church.  And, we'd look at the main lesson that we could take with us from the accomplishment of the task.  The grand finale of the ropes course was a zip line.  We climbed up about 30 feet and 'launched' ourselves from a platform.  The line was about 300 feet long.  If you've ever seen the movie The Medicine Man with Sean Connery, you'll remember him zipping through the rain forest on lines.  What we did was like that.  I loved it!  We finished off our time at the ropes course with a barbecue.

     I've posted a couple of pictures from the day in the "See for Yourself" area of this blog.  Simply click on it and then click on the individual pictures for the 'scoop' on that picture.

     Praying for you all...experiencing a lot...learning a lot, too.  Take care...