Greetings from the Ray Family!
DR: This post officially marks our longest "blog dry spell" of 17 days without a new post...thanks for your patience!
We are safely back in St. Louis after a wonderful trip and visit with many family and friends in California, thank the Lord.
We are just about ready to begin the second week of our Spring quarter at the seminary. My schedule is absolutely nuts, and Stacye is a fantastic support for our girls and me as we continue to march on this journey together in Christ.
I estimate 14-hour days M-F and 4- to 5-hour days Sat-Sun, for the next 9 weeks. That's about 80 hours/week, if my math is right. And I don't think that's much of an exaggeration, really. It's just plain crazy.
I frankly don't always agree with how much the seminary throws at us, but it is what it is. I think an unfortunate consequence of having this much "stuff" given to us is that it implicitly teaches future pastors that < insane busyness = "productivity" >. But I'm not at all convinced Jesus wants us to run around like frantic rats. As Lily Tomlin once said, "The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat."
But what do I know? I'm just a first-year seminary student who isn't supposed to know anything. Rats!
Enough lamenting, I wanted to share with you a really powerful 2-3 minute clip I recently came across called "That's My King!" I tried to upload the video from our computer to this site but it wouldn't work. So instead, here is the link to the site where I got it from. Just click on the words "click here to preview" underneath the video box and it will play.
It is an audio excerpt from a sermon delivered by the late Rev. S.M. Lockridge. You'll just have to watch it and listen to it--I pray God's Spirit moving through Pastor Lockridge moves and touches you as it has me. Frankly, I watch it often when the stress, busyness, and minutae of seminary nags at me. It reminds me of the God who loves us and whom we serve. He is awesome, He is everything, He is our all in all!!!
Be blessed this week. Christ does indeed loves you, even when it may not feel like it. And we love you too. Hope to talk and visit with you soon.
Don and the girls
Hello Don, Stacye and girls. I was so looking forward to seeing you when you were here, but I had come down with that horrible flu and getting out of bed was not in my near future. Subsequently, Sarah and Jessica thought it a family activity, and they were both sick the next weekend, Sarah recovering just in time for her first communion. I did, however, see Stacye just for a moment at bible study Tues. night and it was nice being able to give her a hug. I'm noticing what you are reading. . .Don, so what do you read for pleasure? Ha! Hope all is well, give the babies a hug for me (I know Elizabeth isn't a baby, I'm just always a mom!). Blessings, Lynda Merante
ReplyDeleteI just realized I made an error. . .Elizabeth is still considered a baby. . .it's Hannah that's grown up now!! Sorry for the mix up. I thought that sentence sounded a little strange when I read it!!!Lynda
ReplyDeleteHi Lynda,
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear you and your girls were sick. It was great seeing you at Bible study when we were in town.
Actually, Don is looking forward to taking the day "off" on Sunday and reading "The Faiths of the Founding Fathers." So this (and stewardship books) is really what he reads for pleasure! Go figure. :-)
The girls are doing well - and even though you meant to say Hannah, Elizabeth will be one in 20 days! I can hardly believe that she's almost one already. Where does the time go?
Praise God none of us brought any nasty bugs home with us from CA. Aside for minor colds, all are healthy and looking forward to celebrating Easter. I pray your Easter is blessed as well. Thanks for checking in!
--Stacye
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