Yes, I am back

It has been very quiet on my blog for the last 2 weeks. Sorry. I have been knee deep in homework for a class I am taking called Spiritual Leadership Foundations. (I am currently working on my masters). I am loving this class. I am reading some amazing books. The problem is I am reading a LOT and having to write critical essays, which is WAY more than just a book report. I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed honestly. So I have not felt like I have had time to blog or thought that was the best use of my time. School is also back in session for the rest of my family and it is football season for my son. That takes up TONS of time!

I have just a bit over 1 week left and have a 10 page paper due at the end of it all. I have to write a Bible study on the book of Nehemiah. Do you know a lot about that book? Yeah, me neither, but I am about too. Well, I have been reading through it and listening to it on my way to work every day. So, I have no idea how much time I will be on between now and then end, but I am not done blogging. That is for sure. The 40 Days of Blogging "experiment" was a great one for me. I loved it! I love blogging. I love writing. So, I will be on and off.

What is taking up much of your time these days?

Going Back to School

Two years ago I started working on my Master's degree. I am taking classes online through Crown which is one of our denominational schools. I love to learn. I am the kind of person who looks at life and wants to soak it all in. I took a class 2 years ago as a "trial" and found I really enjoyed it. All the classes are online and I never thought I could do it. If online classes had been available when I was in college I would never have had the discipline to do it. I proved that when I did an independent study during my senior year and did EVERYTHING during the last week it was due. Somehow, I have moved beyond hat to some level to actually be able to do this.

Since that first class I have also taken several classes at Western Seminary on coaching. (The life kind, not the sports kind) I am now taking my second class and I am super excited about it. It's called Spiritual Foundations Leadership. There are some great books to read and interact with that I am really pumped about. I am not the most academic person in the world, but I do consider myself I life long learner. Anything that will move me forward in who I am as a person and follower of Jesus is something that I am a fan of. If it makes me a better pastor, worker, husband, father, son, brother, Christ follower, etc. I am in!

I never really thought I would get my Masters. It seemed to academic for me. When I graduated from college all I wanted to do was to be a youth pastor. I had some friends that went straight to seminary to get their Masters and I thought they were crazy. I love actually DOING the work of God and not just reading about it. I had also been to school most all of my life at the time and I just needed to be done. Now that I have been "doing" for 16 years or so I am glad I am back to reading and learning in n "official" way.

So here we go. Back to school. The timing may not be the best, but then it probably never really is. Where can I get a cool new back pack and a neat trapper keeper?

Almost Done...and I got Canker Sores

As you may be aware, I have started my Master's through Crown. My first class is Leadership & Culture. I am absolutely loving it. I am also almost done. I have to watch 4 video clips from Remember the Titans and then respond to some questions about it. The last two weeks I have been working feverishly on my final project. I had to do an ethnographic study on a people group of my choice. I decided to do my study on youth pastors in churches of 1,000 people or more. We had to do a survey, do a bunch of interviews and over 10 hours of observation.

This was a tough group to do all this with, as they don't all work together. I got 37 to respond to my survey. That was HUGE! Thank you for all who were part of this. I then had to write a 5,000+ word paper on my findings. Then, part way through the class we were given a new option that has never been offered for this class. We could do the paper with only 2,500 words and then do a PowerPoint presentation and an audio file to go along with it. I was in!

I ran into a problem. My hard drive fried. I had to get it replaced and lost files, etc. It was gone for a week. I fell behind on getting it all done. I was up till all sorts of hours of the night. I fell wayyyy behind in my TV viewing. haha. I got 3 canker sores. I haven't had one in quite some time. I usually get them when I am stressed. Of course, lack of sleep is a kind of stress on the body. So lack of sleep and really wanting to get this in on time and done well I was stressed. I got it done. I GOT IT DONE! I actually did over 4,000 words! The only problem was the audio file wouldn't upload. Still won't. Working on it.

I am tired, but this has been really good. I have learned a ton and am looking forward to keep going.