School is back in session!

The above 5 words create quite the opposite reactions in our household. Where I await school with eager anticipation, my wife dreads the first day as if she is trying to avoid the Bubonic plague. I love the atmosphere of higher education, cracking open the books and walking on campus everyday. (It sure beats working a full-time job; for now anyways).

Summer is gone and the rain is here (did it ever leave?). I glance over at my assignment list and I wonder how am I going to get everything done on time? I love graduate studies but it comes with a hefty price - pages and pages of writing, presentations and research. The end is approaching but not quite yet.

The Pool is Down!

Well the pool was set up wrong. We set it up so that it was leaning to the left and now it was leaning about 4 inches off of vertical. Multiply that with thousands of gallons of water = recipe for disaster. So now it drains and after I put a weeks worth of chemicals in it. Go figure!
Life is good at the Starbucks and I'm still enjoying my free pound of coffee a week!

The pool is up!

I love this time of the year. Its getting hotter, summer time is near and I get to put up the pool. I think nothing beats sitting in the pool when its 25 degrees outside, and it's too hot in the house to think.
Yesterday I received my first publishing company rejection letter for work I submitted about a month ago. I'll have the slip scanned and put into my blog. I didn't take it to hard, but its easy to doubt yourself because someone doesn't accept your work. Is my writing lame? What's wrong with it? These type of questions ring through my head, but I have to put them aside and continue writing less they overwhelm and deter me from what I love doing. Also, I do realize that there is a 2-4% acceptance rate in the publishing world, so I have a small chance. That just means I have to keep sending the material out there. Eventually a market will take notice.

NO major updates

NOthing super going on at the moment for J and I. School is beginning to wind down for her and she is looking forward to summer holidays. I'm just working at Starbucks, getting hours and hanging out at home. Today I mail out the first batch of material to publishers throughout Canada. I have a small hope that a magazine will consider my work - actually about a 2% chance, but you have to try.

Go 'Nucks

I thought that I would catch a quick, good game of hockey two nights ago. Two hours of hockey, then back to my last school assignment. But nooooo, the Canucks have to play in the 6th longest NHL game ever. 5.5 hours later I'm crawling into bed. phew! what an exciting game and an even more exciting win!

I can't waitfor my my paper to be done and the spring semester to finally be over so I can rest my brain for a month. (Since I'm a sucker for punishment i'm taking a class in June for a week. It looks like a fairly intense course. - BIE 734A Exposition of Ephesians). Go Canucks Go!!!

Starbucks, School and Running

So far working at Starbucks is great. I'm enjoying the free coffee, the partners and time to catch up on my studies.

School is almost done for the semester (finally), though I do have 2 more assignments. A 5 page response paper and a 12-15 page theology paper. Then I have a few weeks off before my modular course in June. (Exegesis of the Book of Ephesians).

On a different note, I ran a 5km race in Mission on April 1 (Spring Ahead Run). I was surprised to find out that I got third place in my age category (30-34) for my time of 31.04 minutes. Woo Hoo.

The first picture is me getting a thermal blanket because it was super cold standing around for the prize draw and medal's. The second photo is me getting my first ever running medal (a nice shiny bronze!). To put everything into perspective though; a 20 yr old ran the 5K in 16:44 minutes and a 50-54 yr old man ran it in 16:30 minutes. SO if I think I'm all that, I'm not. However, I did o.k. for myself.

Too Long....

Wow! I cannot believe where the time has gone and neither of us has written in the blog. So much has happened since our last post. E has quit his job and was going to work for a large grocery chain but things just weren't quite right so he is now going to be working for a famous coffee chain and in fact he starts tomorrow!! He continues to be busy with school and will be able to take more courses and graduate like responsibilities. He is going to be a Collegium assistant and hopefully will start to TA in the fall. Our lives are solely school and work based!! We need to seek God for his guidance in so many areas of our lives right now. I have trust issues with finances and E needs his guidance for school issues. We are deeply blessed and quite content for the moment. I am excited for Spring Break and a change of pace even if I do have to work...it is still different and I enjoy my other job:) Eric has been published again in the school Mosaic. I would scan it and let you all read it if only I new what a scanner was and how to use it. Let's be honest...my gifts and talents do not lie withing the computer realm!! Until such time as I figure out how to use the blog again, I shall sign off for now,
J

My whining rant!

As I sit here writing report cards yet again I am reminded of the compassion that Jesus has on us when we fail. I find it so hard to understand how our society has become so corrupt. Where is the family unit, the sense of belonging and security rather than being bought by parents. Why do children not have to be accountable any more? Why is everything someone else's fault and nobody needs to take ownership and responsibility....Alas, my rant is finished and I go back to the wonderful world of "fair assessment".

where does the time go...

Man I have been so bad writing in my blog. I should be doing homework right now...nothing super interesting to note. There is some stuff coming down the pipe soon, but its top secret, so i'll let everyone know then.

I am looking forward to the movie 300 that's coming out March 9th. The trailers look sweet. I think its cool that a movie about the Battle of Thermopylae and King Leonidas's last stand.

E.

Super Bowl Sunday - What's that?

Here I am at 5:17 PM on Super Bowl Sunday sitting at my computer having finally completed my course assignments due this Tuesday. I was supposed to be at my friend Jay's house with about ten other friends watching the game, eating pizza and having an all around good time. Problem is I did not get my work done. It is difficult to work a full time job and do Graduate studies. No one could have ever prepared me for this. One assignment (worth about 9.5% of my total grade) takes me over twenty hours to complete. (and there are six of these not including journaling and a huge paper due in March). I know I'm a little slow but the first assignment took over 30 hours. (This is for an assignment where the finished product is about 7-8 pages long. Give it up for Greek exegesis!)Well I made my choice to attend seminary. Hopefully, next year I will finish my work so I don't miss the Super Bowl. If the Canucks go to the playoffs I will have bust my chops so I don't miss any games!!

Finally!

Well it seems that I (E) have finally published an article in my Seminary student paper. Although it is a small publication of 12 pages, it is still a moment of joy for me. One must start somewhere with writing, etc.

There is one note to make concerning the article. The editor did not footnote my quote and it looks like I made the quote. I am not trying to plagarize material on my first ever published article! (I have emailed the editor and hopefully he will make a note on the next issue of Mosaic.) The quote is from Henri J.M. Nouwen and Donald P. McNeil and Douglas A. Morrison. "Compassion. A Reflection on the Christian Life." (New York: Double Day): 2005. pg. 14.

Next issue I will submit a Book Review on Craig Evans book: "Fabricating Jesus: How Modern Scholars Distort the Gospels."

E.

laptop world....

God works in mysterious ways. I have tried my hardest to stay back in the 1800's but somehow it just isn't working. The class I have this year is part of the district writing initiative with laptops. Each student has one. Today I went to a workshop and was completely blown away by what these things can do!! I think my friend DL and E are the ones who should have been there not me. A fun day though.

Life's Little Lessons

It never ceases to amaze me how much you can learn if you want to. I had a day of life's lessons. I guess it is God humbling me to my knees to seek Him in all things!

Extracurricular activities

Just thought I'd blog while I was at work. Stuck in Guildford watching the traffic go by and staring at a computer all day processing insurance renewals. Oh how fun. Oh and talking to the odd customer on the phone. Well that's all my processed brain is going to write at the moment. Gotta get back to work.

J gets Published in the News!

Please read the scanned copy of the Saturday edition of the Maple Ridge News. J wrote a nice complaint letter to the editor concerning the snow storm on Wednesday and having to drive to school. I'm so proud!

E.

Well,
Some of us are not so lucky as to get the day off because of the snow. The roads were just awful last night trying to get home from work and worse yet the police had to escort the bus to the school because all routes were closed due to accidents. I thought I was going to be stuck at school!!! Horrible thought! Please keep an eye in the Maple Ridge News for my letter of complaint!! School Board needs to use their education a little more effectively and maybe listen to their health and SAFETY committees!! My gripe is over. I love this weather and am truly thankful for the snow as it is a rare commodity in Maple Ridge!! That's all from me for now....keep warm and play safe! Hey, do you smell carrot?

Weird Weather

You have to like the snow..Lucky for me I can take the day off and stay at home. There is no way I'm trying to drive to Surrey in this snow. Last night it took me 98 minutes to driev 30KM and all because one light was out on the Mary Hill by-pass. Vancouver and the lower mainland is the worst place to be in Canada when it comes to driving in bad weather. It'll be storming outside and everyone thinks they can still drive 80-100KPH like it's summer time.
No wonder ICBC rates go up. Just listen to News1130 every morning and afternoon to hear all the accidents everyday.

Well I guess it's a day to do chores and study and drink latte's from my new Espresso machine from Starbucks.

Sun Run Training Begins

Well I managed to get rooked into being the Sun Run Team Captain for my place of employment. Not just the office, but the entire company of 22 offices. Though I think only 15 people will sign up. (Which is quite low when the company takes care of the expenses).

and thus begins 13 meeks of training to run for 10 KM. Woo hoo.

All I have to say today is: "What's the deal with Lululemon?" WHy do 40 something's and 20 year olds all walk around in yoga clothing and act like they're the greatest thing to walk on the planet? Gym clothes are for the gym. It would be like a pro swimmer walking around in a speedo.

Wow I can't believe 2006 is gone and 2007 is here. I wish I had more holidays!
Nothing to note today. If anyone's interested..I am currently reading "Fabricating Jesus: How Modern Scholars Distort the Gospels" by Dr. Craig A. Evans. It's a very good read written by a Professor of New Testament Theology. (He taught at Trinity Western University for 21 yrs and I was privileged to take a Greek course with him in 1994 - we read through the Gospel of Joh n.)

The book examines various scholars distorted theories, views, and ideas about Jesus in the New Testament and in history. I believe there is a section that discuses the fantasy ideas created by Dan Brown in the "Da Vinci Code."

Way to go Canucks on 4 straight and Canada in the World juniors!

P.S. Stay away from Red Robins..J and I had lunch there today and now I'm listening to her get sick in the bathroom. (I don't think she intended to enjoy the burger twice).