Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Final Approach

We’re on the final approach now toward the end of the semester.

1. Had a neat Thanksgiving with both sons & Families home. We had a real turkey one day and a giant ham the other. We exchanged gifts and I got a bonus gift of a whopping head cold from my granddaughter Karina.

2. I finished grading all the “Drury books” for Church Leadership today—tried a new thing (having them due before Thanksgiving). Really makes for a softer landing.

3. The head honcho of the theological Accrediting association is here today to chat about a potential seminary – still at the “unofficial chatting” point.

4. That’s about it around here… I’ll be buried in papers the next two weeks….

Sunday, November 12, 2006

The book will happen!

I sent in my sample chapter of the book on the Apostle’s Creed and my publisher went for it. OK what this means now:

1. Now I must schedule the entire book writing and rewriting between now and August 15 when final copy is due. That must allow for writing 12-15 chapters and then the arduous task of about ten rewrites.

2. I have to put finishing the “Trail of Death” walk manuscript on hold for a while—OR I might work on the final “sidebar essays” for that as recreation—we’ll see.

3. I have to eliminate 300 hours of other stuff in order to add this book—I’m making a list now.

……… I’ll keep you up to date-not that you are waiting with bated breath ;-)

IN OTHER NEWS…

1. The semester is in its final mode… flaps are down, and the runway is in sight. Students are requesting prayer for being “so overloaded” and believe they will never again be this busy (heh heh heh… if they only knew….;-)

2. Steve Lennox is preaching almost every week in chapel—and he is getting even better—I’ve only missed one so far this year.

3. The religion division is working on hiring two or perhaps three additional professors next year along with anticipating Bud Bence coming back to the division.

4. We are seriously talking about founding a seminary at IWU… while it is still at the exploration stage, it is exciting to see the new ideas that will change “seminary as we know it” and make everyone who has not gone to seminary yet want to go.

5. Dave and John & families are coming here for “Thanksmas” our every-other-year family celebration (we do a family Christmas-at-a-cabin the other years.

6. I am looking forward to going on vacation “toward” Key West with Sharon Christmas week, then “coming back through Houghton, New York where Sharon is speaking.

7. I got next semester’s schedule: Intro to pastoral Ministries (again!) along with leadership, LCE and curriculum class.—sounds great!

8. I am gearing up to read a mile high stack of “papers” (AKA “Drury books”) coming in starting Thanksgiving week.

9. Everything else in Marion is ordinary.

Today I am missing Mark & Jess, Paul and Brooke, Josh, Cece, Steve, Kaylee, Jeremy, Andrea, Jared, Rudy, Marcelo, Kevin, and Sam...

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?
--1 Thessalonians 2:19