Happy Spring to you!
I am sitting here on a balmy 25 degree Saturday, there are pink blooms on the bushes and the big tree outside has green buds on it. People are happy here that ‘the worst’ is behind them. I still can’t get over the fact that I’ve never worn a winter jacket here and I can wear shorts almost daily now.
Although I still miss my family, scattered around the globe as they are, and my old friends, Karin (as ‘her’ half of our mailing list knows) is back home in Ottawa until Wednesday. Besides her cousins wedding, she has been quilting away these past 2 weeks at her Aunt Mary’s house. She is very keen on meeting a big goal; I told her yesterday not to worry if she couldn’t get 14 quilts quilted on her trip! She really wants to get the most out of the quilting machine because there really is no way to finish what she starts here in Dallas. Well, “Ora et labora” (pray and work) I like to say. As we try to be faithful together to the “labora,” I “ora” each morning early that God might bless Karin’s hand, and all that we do here, so that we might continue here being built up in the knowledge and grace of God, that we may in turn share our faith in ministry to build up others and make Christ known. Sounds kind of biblical, but I am pleased that that’s the whole point. DTS is equal to the challenge of equipping insignificant people like me for just such a mission.
Nothing much has happened here that’s exciting in the last 5 weeks. I just began a two week break so the last month has been all about getting reading and assignments finished/underway, to finish over “break,” which is really just a lull with no classes. I have been tired. In the past month I have: gained a new appreciation and love for Leviticus, learned about the importance of the inter-testamental period as the backdrop for what’s going on in the New Testament, the importance of the Council of Chalcedon in 451 to formulate Trinitarian doctrine – the foundational doctrine of Christian belief, started a paper on homosexuality and studied the history of missions.
We are also gearing up for our World Evangelization Conference this coming week. We suspend regular class for a week to learn all manner of aspects of mission: biblical, historical, cultural and strategic. There is a plenary speaker and oodles of workshop classes, ministry booths, fun events, etc., all designed to get more future pastors, religious educators and counselors who are studying at DTS to think about how they might be a blessing to the nations. I’m proud of my school for shutting down for a week for the sole purpose of promoting mission and I’m happy to be helping out as a volunteer in my own small way.
We are meeting with a professor here in late March who trains people on biblical support raising methods. He has shared with us numerous times in class his 30 years of experience in this matter and understands the challenges and the blessings in undertaking building a team of people up for prayer, financial and emotional support. We are looking forward to the guidance, and pray with thanksgiving that God has already provided for next year, just as we are so thankful for all of you who were so supportive this year.
I am looking forward to getting my wife back *sniffle* (check out my ‘no wife’ pic) and also my parents for a week three days after Karin gets back, from March 14-21. It will be nice to socialize more than study for a little while.
It’s time to get back to those books! I hope this update finds you healthy and happy.
Dan
