At Marquand Chapel yesterday, the first of the new year and of the semester, we were asked to share with a neighbor where we have felt or seen the Holy Spirit moving in our lives recently, whether in the love of another person or a new sense of direction or whatever it might be. My seat-neighbor said he most experienced the spirit's presence when he thought of his wife and how he knew he could never do what he's doing without her. She's already talking about throwing him a party when he graduates, but what he wants to do is to throw her a party! I thought that was so wonderful, and it's certainly something with which I resonate. I think Tim and I will just throw a party for each other, and we might even invite some friends...
Having said that, where I clearly sensed that abiding and encouraging spirit was in my drive back to New Haven on Sunday. I was excited about coming back, so looking forward to seeing all of my new friends and curious about my new classes. As one of my friends here said, it's like being a giddy schoolgirl all over again! Some might believe that it's just excitement over the newness or the challenge, but when one views one's life through the lens of faith and vocation, it's hard not to see confirmation and affirmation of the call that I believe that I have to serve God in the church in the enthusiasm and joy that I feel as I return to school for the second semester. It's a far sight better that dreading the work or the challenges that surely lie ahead, and the beautiful thing about it is that it's all done in the community of Berkeley and YDS and with the love and prayers of my St. James and St. Peter's communities. It doesn't get much better than that.
So for those of you dying to know, this semester I will be taking part two of Hebrew (yes, I passed, so am returning for more!), the second half of Old Testament (for which the professor, John J. Collins, is the author of our textbook so I need not take notes if I'm not so inclined, and he has a marvelous Irish brogue, an added benefit!) and the second half of Transitional Moments (church history, this time covering the church in America), Ministry and the Disinherited taught by Frederick (Jerry) Streets whose specialty is trauma in global areas of conflict, and, finally, Introduction to Pastoral Care which will help prepare me for Clinical Pastoral Education next summer (CPE). I've been accepted into a CPE program with Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries and, although I don't yet have my placement, will probably will be working in a hospice or nursing home facility for 11 weeks during the summer. There is no summer resting for the weary seminarian!
So on this second auspiciously-dated day of this new year, the game's afoot. Carpe diem!
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