My Lighthouse

Special Thanks to Dr. Evertt Huffard, Dr. Dave Bland, Preston Cottrell and Dr. Richard Oster.

Summer is an exciting time for students at HUGSR.  There are students doing summer long ministry efforts.  Some are taking vacations.  There are students doing short-term mission trips.  Some are spending the summer in their “home town”.  Another exciting part of the summer are classes.  Although sitting in class all week long while it is sunny and nice outside can be a drag, it is a good opportunity to get to know other students.  The intensive setting allows for bonding as you are all “fighting the same fight”.  There are a number of out of town students that come in for the week.  This gives an opportunity for those students to experience the culture of HUGSR, something on-campus students get used to.  Summer provides a time for students to break out of the rut the weekly schedule can create.  So, enjoy the summer.  Do the readings and enjoy class.

Also, check out the love we got from the Christian Chronicle in this months edition. You can check out the article electronically here.

It is mid April. That means crunch time. Papers are due soon, not to mention studying for exams. Even in this I try to not neglect other important aspects of my life. For example, my wife. This relationship is going to exceed any education I ever acquire. So, for those of you with spouses, continue to make them a higher priority than school. Even during crunch time.   This actually isn’t that difficult.  My wife is much more fun than papers. I teach a bible class on Sundays. I shouldn’t shortchange the class because of my schedule. Substitutes are needed possibly, but don’t shortchange the class because of your schedule. Most of all continue to glorify God and pay attention to your spiritual life. Our purpose is service to him, and Christian service calls for sacrifices. Even grades.

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Student Association elections are underway. There is a hotly contested race for secretary/treasurer. I encourage everyone to get out and “rock the vote”!

Friday afternoon it snowed in Memphis. Some guys (and gals) got out and had a snowball fight and built this snowman. Unfortunately our snowman did not last long, we attribute it to the wind. Nothing like 4 inches of snow on your last day of spring break.

With the danger of sounding cliche and too much of a walking advertisement for HUGSR and on-campus living I want to spend a little time discussing my favorite aspect of my experience here.  The community aspect of HUGSR is great.  I have met some lifelong friends during my two years here.  I enjoy being able to have the opportunity to meet people so easily.  I will probably never have an opportunity in which I am able to meet so many people with my interests after I finish my time here.

There are memorable times, such as an unofficial official ice cream social in the courtyard that will make me remember the relationships formed.  Picnics with other friends and going out to experience Memphis are also things I have been able to do with the good friends I have made here.  The community has also made the transition for my wife easier as she was able to have some friends who know the pains of having a husband in grad school.

So, when I am asked what the best part of school is, I answer community.  The ads may seem cliche but they are very true.

Graduate school education is a good opportunity to broaden your horizons. I have been able to do this through my readings and professors. This semester I am going to have the opportunity to have my horizons broadened because of the diverse cultural make-up of my Survey of the Old Testament class. There are six members in the class and they all come from different backgrounds and vary differently in the life spectrum. Among those in class are African Americans in different life stages and students straight from Poland and Korea. I am the only white American student in class. I look forward to learning with students who have experienced Christianity in vastly different contexts than I have.