On the First Day of Systematic Theology

The clicking of keys

The scrapping of pen on paper

The turning of notebook pages

The rustling of fabric

The shadow of the professor’s head on the projector screen

These are a handful of things gaining my attention

There are six stage lights, three bald heads, two hats, one head wrap

Like bouncing up and down

The professor makes wild gesticulations, which I see, understand, but do not truly comprehend

 I have spent the last ten minutes wondering how a stain got onto the ceiling

Today I need to: phone interview, appointment with the shrink, and,

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity This is Going to be a Tough Semester Disorder

It's Been Four Years

It's been four years since you've been gone, but it feels like just yesterday.
You left entirely way too soon.
                   You didn't get to see my college graduation
                   You won't get to see me finish seminary.
                   Who's going to walk me down the aisle when I wear the white dress?
I know it's been four year but the pain is like it was just yesterday.
                  I know it was for the best
                  Your pain ended and you got to rest
But I need you and miss you!
I miss your corny jokes
I miss the racing lobsters down the hall with you
I miss our trips to the aquarium and watching the penguins while holding your hand
I miss your awful beef soup
I miss your chicken soup with half a bag of mozzarella cheese
I miss muting the TV and turning on the radio to have the best Red Sox commentary
I miss you embarrassing me in church and wish I could have appreciated it more
I miss standing in front of the polling places on cold November nights
I miss the sounds of Billy Joel, Elton John, and Tom Petty 24/7.
I miss your horrendously off-key version of "Big Shot"
I miss making blueberry muffins with you
I miss throwing a baseball back and forth because we have nothing better to do
I miss your horrible rhythm and inability to follow along singing hymns
I miss the Peanut Butter and Fluff sandwiches  even after you developed an allergy
I miss sitting on the end of your bed watching caucus results come in.
I miss all of these things, but most of all, Daddy, I miss you!

Resolutions I Can Stick To!

Year after year people decide upon their New Year resolution. But how many people actually stick to their resolutions? There are those that decide that they will lose 50 pounds, but by the second week of January, how many people throw that out the window, when the chocolate cake because just too appealing? I have known many people with the resolution to quit smoking...but once they become stressed, well one cigarette doesn't count. 

I usually neglect to make New Year resolutions because I know myself and I know I will forget to stick to them. This year, however, I have decided that I will make some. My resolutions will be realistic ones and ones that I believe I can actually keep. 

• Become more organized- I've purchased a planner and written down all of the events for the year that I already know about. I've enlisted the help of a friend who is a fantastic organizer. A huge factor of my current disorganization is my Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) so I'm headed off to a counselor to talk about that and figure out new coping mechanisms. 
• Become more financially responsible- I've altered my schedule to increase the number of hours I am working and I am being more conscious about my purchases and the way in which I spend my money. The biggest part has to do with organization and being aware of how much I have in my bank account (which means I will need to write down all of my transactions).
• Develop my prayer life- When I sat down with my CPM (Committee on Preparation for Ministry) this was something I decided that I need to work towards, but since then I haven't really made any progress. I'm searching for a devotional that captures my attention and one that I will stick with. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
• Become healthier- Like so many other people there is the underlying desire to lose weight. I would love to have the pounds just melt away, but more than anything else it is simply a desire to feel healthier. So that will include eating healthier (tonight it was spinach salad instead of the mashed potatoes and deep fried chicken patty), increased physical exercise (not necessarily hitting the gym hard but other things as well, today it was a walk around the graduate college's campus and the Institute for Advanced Study), and simply making smarter health decisions. 
• Sleep- I get a lot of it. I don't get sleep at the appropriate times. I need to move away from the going to bed at 3 AM and catching up on sleep on the weekends and move towards the getting 8 hours of sleep, even if that involves social sacrifices. Appropriate sleep schedules need to be a priority. 

5 resolutions. All of them are things that I will have to be conscious about. Some will be easier than others. Some will require a lot of help from other people. Some I simply need to make a priority in my life. Many of them will require sacrifice. I think I can do it. I think they will help to make me a better person physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally, in all the ways that matter. 

Words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated as I try to stick to these.