Thanks for holding, folks. It's been a while, but my semester is over and I have a few spare minutes for some much needed blog upkeep. The weeds have grown tall, even though I have posted periodically with SNL videos, etc. However, there have been no thoughts. It's the unneeded, trivial, random thoughts that make this blog what it is--and I have had many. Here's is some recap of the past few months:1 - Took 3 classes this semester: Marriage and Family Counseling, Christian Preaching, and Elementary Greek. It was a good semester. Learned a lot, mostly in my preaching class. Greek was good, but right now I know about as much Greek as an ancient, Greco-Roman 1st grader. But, hey, it's a start. I'll take the second half next semester!
2 - Been thinking about future ministry. I have 2 semesters left, Lord willing (Spring '10 & Fall '10). Unless the Lord changes our plans, I will graduate December 2010! Dag. I'm not ready to be done! Seminary has been great on so many levels! Nevertheless, seminary is a spring board to real ministry. I have been considering my options, but we'll see.
3 - Good books have been read. One of which was not even required reading for any classes: I Told Me So: Self-Deception and the Christian Life,
by Gregg TenElshof. I read this book for my in-class sermon for my preaching class, which was on, of course, self-deception from 1 Samuel 15. It was great--the book that is. I probably won't review it extensively, but a few words of praise are necessary. Self-deception shows up in so many ways, and most often when strong emotions or one's personal image are involved. For instance, with sin, we will procrastinate dealing with our sin (hiding, hoping it will just go away with time), we will justify ourselves, we will blame others or our situation, or we will acquit ourselves of guilt by altogether redefining the definition of the sin we are committing. We find crafty ways to avoid realities that make us uncomfortable. Another example is pride. When we are prideful, or think too highly of ourselves, we are really constructing a false reality of ourselves because we don't want to come face-to-face with who or what we really are. I Told Me So is a great little primer on the sin of self-deception. It walks through the various schemes (procrastination, rationalization, etc.) that our sinful heart will craft in order to evade repentance. The book is philosophical in nature, because, well, self-deception is philosophical in nature. Pulling from numerous examples of those who were self-deceived in Scripture--both believers and unbelievers--this book has helped me see how prevalent self-deception is in my own life everyday. So, consider this one.4 - The Horns are going back to the National Championship! Sorry Slade, Laura, Myles, the state of Oklahoma, and any one else who now has hoof prints on their forehead. Props to Nebraska for sure, but Texas was not themselves. If that game were to happen again, it wouldn't even be close. Hook em.
That's it for now.
I'll get some book reviews up soon. Got a good line-up for the break, ranging from secular sociologists to American history to a theology of the Holy Spirit. We'll see you then.
Peace.
Plev
