Delinquency

Alas, I've failed to follow through on the once-a-week blog pace set at the top of the year. I guess that goes for Lauren, also (Dennis, too?). We've all failed. We apologize. We can't say we feel totally sorry, but do understand any disappointment you might have felt as you enthusiastically surfed your way to the flanclan blogspot to find nothing but a stale entry. With the summer coming quickly, the school quickly coming to a close (with a week-long trip to NYC in between), and preparations for our journey back home in May being made, time is of the essence (what a phrase! 'time is of the essence'; Actually, to go on a tangent, essence is the word for gasoline in French. Only such a beautiful language could call gas 'essence'. Eh-um). So, yes, we have been busy. One detail worth mentioning is that I'm taking a few online pre-requisite courses in order to be accepted into the Christian Spirituality program at Creighton. These are introduction to the New Testament and to the Old Testament. It's taking a lot of time, but really is quite fascinating so far. To actually sit down and really study a text, the Bible, that has been so central to my entire life, let alone all of the Western world, is an amazing privelege. I was telling a friend earlier today that it's like having heard a certain song over and over again without ever knowing who it was written by or why it was written, and then finally having access to the story behind the song: the whos, the wheres, the whats, the hows, etc. Love it.

Creighton!

As March Madness gets underway, I'm sad to say that my future alma mater, Creighton University, will not be participating this year. Well, if all goes well, it will be my future alma mater, meaning if I get accepted into this program and get enough loans to pay for it. After doing a little research I discovered that Creighton (one of those small universities you've never heard of until you have to decide if they could upset Kentucky or Kansas) has not been in the NCAA basketball tourney since '06-'07. I guess we're going through a little dry spell. Maybe I'll try out. Anyway, to get to the point, I've recently applied for a Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality, which is a program that runs for two-months each of the three summers it takes to complete it. That means we're planning on spending two months (June and July) in Omaha, Nebraska for the next three summers! It's hard to imagine what that will be like. Nonetheless, this program is really unique, and I really feel it will be a great experience for me. It combines rigorous academic study of different spirituality movements within Christianity along with the spiritual formation of its students, meaning that the students not only absorb lots of information but are also required to further establish their own spiritual life through retreats, spiritual direction, etc. It's been a long time coming that I've been hoping to begin some sort of official masters program in order to start working towards something more career-oriented. This program, because of its unique nature, does not lead to any one specific job or career path. Still, there are plenty of directions one could head afterwards: teacher, coach, campus chaplain, hospital chaplain, retreat director, any non-profit work, etc. At least those are the options that interest me. So, we're making plans and doing our typical thing of making life way too exciting and, thus, a bit stressful at times. Still, Lauren and I are on board together for these new adventures (her doula school and my masters program) and Dennis is right there beside us being as cute and funny as ever.

Internet

So, I've been sabotaged by the faulty library internet again! That's the second time that I've just polished off a new blog when the connection cut out and all was lost! That's part of the reason why Lauren and I have decided to give in and get internet at our place. We held out for about five months, partly because it would be one extra expense, but mainly because we wanted to try and live internet free (at least in our home). However, it really took a toll on communication (out here in Montreal and with people back home), and it was not at all convenient to go out to a cafe to use the internet (Why? 1. You have to buy something each time 2. The internet isn't always working at these places 3. Sometimes there's not an outlet free, and when you have a laptop battery from way back when that is a must 4. You have to go out in the cold winter weather each time just to get online!) So, we've been enjoying increased communication and connection ever since. Here's to online community!