Academic Day!

Early last week my school gave us a day off. However, we still were given plenty to do instead of going to classes. We were required to attend at least two different sessions of an academic conference. Now, before last week I was not certain to what an academic conference was or what was in store for me. With that said, I still signed up for the conferences that I assumed would be best fit for me. After going to them, I believe I made the right decisions. Out of about the ten or so congruent sessions that were offered I attended two. The first session I went to was called "Doubt: What to do with our Uncertainties". Although, I do wish I got a little more out of this session then I did, I still found it to be wildly worthwhile. The next session I went to, and the one I felt suited me well, was "Success in the Purchase Driven Life". The past year or so, I have been truly trying to limit my spending. Not necessarily to save money, although one could argue that saving money is a great reason to limit spending, but I did it more for myself. I like to think of myself as a low-maintenance person; I don't need all that much to get by. At the same time, I look at all the "stuff" I own and I wonder why I have so much. As a college student there are certain things that I need. I need a cell phone to call home every now and again, I need a laptop to complete homework on time and to email professors, and of course I need a coffee maker so I can have to energy to stay up late and wake up early to finish all that said homework. However, do I need an i-Phone, a Mac Book Pro, and a Keurig coffee maker? No, of course I don't, but I own those things nonetheless. After listening to a lecture about how rich we, as Americans, all really are; it truly makes me think. How lucky are we to be born where we were, to have the life we do now, to be able to go to school, drive in cars, have health care, and be literate? I have been blessed, and it is something I take for granted every single day. I hate myself for it.

Dead Sea Scrolls

Do you know what the Dead Sea Scrolls are? Well, you should by now if you are a student at RWC. Simply, they are scrolls of all books of the Bible (excluding Ester). In, fact the are the oldest copy yet to be discovered. They were found in the 1950's in multiple caves in Qumran.

Okay, by now you probably think I am trying to bore you to death but I promise this will get interesting. These scrolls weren't originally found by some archeologist or anything, the first one was found by some random kid! Cool huh? Imagine yourself as a ten year old child discovering something hidden in a cave. He didn't originally know what it was, but honestly, I probably wouldn't either. This kid takes the piece of leather to a shoe maker to try to get some shoes out of the deal. Luckily, this shoe maker also knows his antiques and he could tell that this wasn't something he should be making a pair of sneakers out of. Good for him, right? This shoemaker apparently knew all the right people to call and eventually the rest of the scrolls were discovered.

I learned this in New Testament last week. We learned about the Dead Sea Scrolls in Old Testament too, so my original reaction when I saw it on the syllabus was "great... this again?"But I was completely different. The way my New Testament Professor lectured on this topic kept me (and my classmates?) so intrigued. Granted, my Old Testament Professor did teach us well, I just guess I didn't retain as much information on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Even though in the long run it is the same information, it doesn't always seem as such. Isn't funny how two teachers can teach the same thing so differently? 

I don't know how I found this but I was reading through some blogs and I found an art blog with an entry on the Dead Sea Scrolls... I thought that was rather cool because I have never really stopped to think and realize that I guess that is what they could be considered not only historical and Biblical pieces but also- art. 

Another "fun fact"-

Not only were the scrolls in an ancient language, but all of the words were connected. There were no spaces between words, no line breaks, and no punctuation. SOCOULDYOUIMAGINEREADINGANINTIREBOOK THATWASWRITENLIKETHIS Oh yeah, it was all in caps too 

P.S. Nicole- You did an amazing job on your Dead Sea Scroll presentation last semester  :)

Slang is going to be the death of me...

I don't know about you... but when I hear something said over and over again I begin to pick up on it. I try to speak proper English as often as I can but sometimes it just doesn't work. As I have mentioned in previous blog entries, I am taking a Shakespeare on Film course.  On top of that I am attempting to read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte' (attempting being the key word). So, recently I have found myself thinking in this old time English.

If you have known me long enough you will remember me going through my Dukes of Hazard faze. Guess what, I may be going through that again. This weekend I watched 4 hours of the second season. And enjoyed every second of it! Writing an essay right after that was not a good idea to say the least. I was re-reading it the next day...and I realized that I had written the entire paper in southern slang. I had fun translating what I wrote.

Adding on to this mess, today was my first day of OPE's. Now, don't take any of what I am about to say the wrong way because I have a feeling I am going to fall in love with my placement. But, my placement is to an inner-city school. And well, we all know the slang that students use in city schools. Frankly, people use slang everywhere, but it is particularly noticeable in city schools.

To sum this up: Sometime soon I may seem like I just stepped out of southern slum in the late 1500's. Just saying...

Someone isn't Having a Good Week...

That someone may or may not be me...

I discovered something new about myself on Monday. I am not supposed to be writing papers in APA. My major calls for MLA. Somewhere last semester I am positive I was told that all of my work should be handed in APA format, which, by the way was completely new to me. I had never even heard of APA before last semester. So, I had a blast teaching myself how to properly write APA. Well, I handed in two papers in on Monday...

My first professor (Principles of Speech) decided it would be fun (for him) to separate the class into goats and sheep. Sheep being the students who did what they were supposed to, goats being the students who were completely off track. Guess which farm animal I was...

My second professor (Writing and Research) was nice about it and told me it was a mistake that people with my major make often. She told me that it was fine as is and from this point on write all of my papers in MLA.

And oh yeah, that first professor who made the Biblical reference to Sheep and goats... handed the goats back their papers. I had a good Monday. And to add to the stress of my week we were told about an impromptu speech that we will have to have ready for Wednesday (today). It isn't really an impromptu though, at least I don't consider it to be. We can write about whatever we want- it is supposed to be a speech to amuse. It is an impromptu in the matter that our professor chooses people to deliver their speech at random. However, word on the street was that he asks for volunteers on the first day.

So, Tuesday night I got cracking on this speech. I wrote, edited, and prepared for what could and should have been the best speech ever delivered. Well, in my opinion at least. I was pumped for class. Legit, I don't think I have ever been this excited to go to a class. Guess who didn't give their speech today...

I am a master at complaining. It is a talent a have practiced often the past few years. In fact, I am so good at it that even if I had the best day of my life, there would be something I could complain about. With that said, I am going to start looking on the bright side of things.

Reasons to Look on the "Bright Side":
1: My Speech Professor is giving me a second chance to make the paper better
2: Only one student in Principles of speech actually did what they were supposed to
3: MLA is easier then APA- it was 1 semester, there are at least 7 more
4: No one gave their speech today- more time to prepare? Ehh... Probably not.
5: Only 1 more day! No Friday classes for Megan this week :)

Christmas Eve 2009

I was excited this year when my Youth Minister asked me to be her liturgist for Christmas Eve. I figured because I was going off to college that it would be time to pass the torch on. I believe that this was my fourth time saying the Christmas Eve prayers for the 5:00 service. And I felt honored that I got to write and read the prayer...

"Dear Lord,

As we sit in this meetinghouse, as we bow our heads, as we fold our hands, we are remembering your Son, our savior, Jesus Christ. Who on this day was born, giving us a new beginning and a fresh start.

We are remembering baby Jesus tonight, like we ought to every night and everyday. However, help us to continue this remembrance all the way to next Christmas instead of just until tomorrow. Please help us to forget, for just a moment, all of the chaos that will be happening in the morning and to simply focus on your grace.

Be with us in the morning, oh Lord, as we open gifts, and as we watch others open the gifts we gave them. Shine a light on us that will remind us of the best gift ever given. The birth of your son Jesus.

The way we celebrate Christmas has changed over the years. We get into the Christmas sprit by shopping, decorating the tree, the house, the car, and well everything. We celebrate Christmas by trying to find that perfect gift. But deep down, Lord, we all know that that perfect gift has already been given. Your son gave Himself, to us.

As we drive home tonight, let us all keep in our prayers those who will not be spending this holiday season with their loved ones. To those overseas fighting for our country, to the lonely, to the sick, to the hungry, to the thirsty, to the poor. Those are the people who Jesus came for; those are the people he was born for.

As we leave here tonight give us the realization that consumerism is not Christmas and that Christ is Christmas.

Dear Lord, thank you for all and everything you have given to us, for your son Jesus Christ who taught us to pray…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.

Amen."

On Christmas Eve my mother, grandmother and I all went to the 9:00 Service together. And at the 11:00 service my mother and I lit the advent candles together. My mother has always been involved in the church. For the past ten years she has been volunteering in the baby nursery. It seems a bit strange to me- but as soon as a left for school she has became even more and more involved. It is almost like she is making up for me not being there...? She is great.

Starting Over.

I am not quite sure where I have been the past couple of months. Well, yes I do but everyone else may not. However, I will try to get things up to speed.

Things that have happened since 11.06.2009:

- I got a new MacBook Pro... I love it!

- Thanksgiving. I got to go home and see people I haven't seen in a while

- Raised money for mission trip to Mexico thanks

- Christmas Break:

- Worked (a lot)

- Got my grades back

- Foundations of Education B+

- Philosophy an Ethical Issues A

- Old Testament A

- Principles of Writing A-

- First Year Seminar A

- Sorry I thought I deserved bragging rights :)

-Those who knew me in high school know why

- Christmas Eve Church Services

- I was liturgist at the 5:00 service again!

- Christmas

- I got really amazing gifts from my mom. Even after I told her that I didn't need any new things- she had already given me enough :)

- Spent time with my family and all my little cousins

- Cracked the screen of my iPhone

- Favorite part of break was hanging out with all my friends again!

- Back to school

- Found out I got off of "Provisional Status" and could take a full course schedule

My Classes:

- Exception People- EDU 190

- Principles of Speech- CMC 102

- New Testament- BIB 102

- Writing & Research- CMP 102

- Principles of Education- EDU 302

- Shakespeare on Film- LIT 312

- Notified that I made the Deans list last semester! Woot woot!

So... that is the summary of my life for the past two months or so. My game plan is to do just as well as I did last semester. Maybe better? Part of this plan means staying on top of this blog. As you can tell, I really like lists. I make "to-do" lists like it is my job. In fact, I have them posted all across my desk and in all the corners of my room. I can finally cross something off a list.

I can't say much about the other things though...

Strange Feeling...

I grew up in a public school system. Coming from this sort of setting I am used to my peers being from different faith backgrounds. Many of my friends from back home have views separate from mine. I have friends who are atheists, family members who are Buddhist, and a very good friend who is Jewish. Their religion, beliefs, and their customs do not change how I think of them in any way. Excluding the few kids in my youth group, all of my friends are Catholic.

Roberts Wesleyan likes to say that they accept people of all faith backgrounds here. However, I have not met many non-Christians that go to this school. During one of the first weeks of school one of my new friends said that they have never met a Jewish person. I was in shock, complete shock. I could not comprehend how she could live in this country, go to a public school, and never meet a Jewish person. I have noticed that many people here are quite open with their faith, others tend to shy away from it. 

I am not used to being around people who are so intense about their faith. In my group of friends I was always considered the "church girl". Although I am strong in my faith, being around the people here makes me feel a little out of place. It isn’t in anyway steering me away from being a Christian. I like to think that this school is strengthening it. However, even though it is towards the end of the first semester it still seems a little strange.