Four Years in *brief* Review: or, “How Seminary has Shaped Me…”

In no particular order (ok there may be bits of order here)

Things I’ve changed my mind on:

-Hunting

-Farming/rural life

-Missionaries

-(some, dare I even say most?) Evangelicals

-Being a full-on pastor instead of “just” a youth minister

-(some, dare I even say most?) weird food- like fish and Indian…well it is weird if you’re from where I am!

-How the Holy Spirit acts…to a certain extent

Things I haven’t changed my mind on:

-Loving being with people 24/7

-The excitement of city life

-The dread of suburban complacency

-Narrow-minded and judgmental people (especially Christian ones!)

-Being Pro-Life (as in ALL LIFE, plants, animals, people old and young, unborn and on death row)

-How the Holy Spirit acts…to a certain extent

-being liturgical!

Things I’m *trying* to give up:

-Being narrow-minded and judgmental

-The need to be with people 24/7

-Fear of failure

-Seeking my own plans and good over God’s plans and neighbor’s good

Things I haven’t given up on:

-Truth

-The power of music

-Humanity

-The power of creativity

-God

-The power of story

-Love

How about you? How has/is God shaping you?

Sept 25, Hamburg

Sept 23- Amsterdam!

Sept 22- Brussels and U2...

Sept 21- Eating our way through Antwerp!

oh Belgium...how I loved your food...and how glad I am that I don't live there for the sake of my waistline!


and here is the hallowed youtube clip of the Sound of Music flashmob!

I have more than a few days of catch up to do, but I couldn't skip any of Prague! So here are three of my favorite videos from Prague...

Finally Auschwitz...and crepes in the Czech Republic!

Sept. 16th

Auschwitz. Terrible, aweful, overwhelming Auschwitz. I spent most of the day in stunned silence, and managed to only cry once. In a building filled with "evidence" of what the Nazis did (read piles of stuff they took from the Jews and others they killed), I became completely overwhelmed in a room where both sides up to the ceiling were piles of shoes. The sheer amount made me hyperventilate into tears, and it was only a small fraction in reality. This place is a big burden on Poland, but one borne proudly because of they way they fought so bravely against the Nazi occupation the entire war. It meant that many of their cities and infrastructure were destroyed by the Nazis, and then somewhat suppressed during communism. Now Poland is quickly catching up to the rest of Europe!!

Sept. 17th
We took it easier on Friday, but did go to a lovely French restaurant for some excellent crepes, and then for an evening stroll to the highest point in Ostrava- created by digging for coal! It was a beautiful evening all together- a fitting end to a "down" day.