Jan Term is done!

That's right faithful readers- I am done with my Hebrew class. It's amazing to think I have learned (the fundamentals of atleast) a whole new- well technically pretty old- language in less than four weeks... Going bowling with some people tonight to celebrate... and then tomorrow and Friday morning it's all about Bible Content (we have an ordination exam Friday morning) and then a glorious two whole days off with out thinking about school! Monday of course is the start of the new semester...
I see that Durham might get some "wintry mix" tomorrow afternoon- fun stuff- we (here in Austin) have rain in the forecast starting this weekend and staying around pretty much all of next week.
There really isn't that much else to tell. I am glad to have January behind me... according to one of my professors, it's all downhill from here- I don't know about that but it is nice to have completed another 8 hours...
All the best- Carrie

Living...

Hi all-
At chapel this morning we sang the hymn "Live Into Hope" (in the blue hymnal, #332 I think) and for some reason, that hymn struck a chord with me... (yes there is an obvious pun in there)... Anyways, I started to think about what that would look like, what it means to live into hope... to live the hope that we as Christians believe. Would that be transformative? Cindy Rigby in Sys 1. quoted often the text of that eschalotogical belief that when Jesus comes, he will wipe away every tear and every knee would bow. So, if we were to live that hope into reality (which is how I understand the lyrics) then how would that change how we live. Would we do all we can to wipe away every tear (by helping the oppressed, the hungry, the poor, the afflicted, etc.) and to help every knee to bow (by sharing the Gospel to the world)? How do we do that in a world (or at least in a country) where every where we turn and look we are surrounded by consumerism and greed- where we are encouraged to put self above others- to live this American dream-lift ourselves up by our own bootstraps- the me me me of it all- perhaps we do that by trying... trying to give a little bit more- to do a little more- to work towards living hope into reality so that perhaps, one day, every knee will bow and every tear shall be wiped away. We just have to start caring a little more I think...

oh- and on a much different note just to let you all know- ONE WEEK LEFT IN HEBREW!!!
!הלל האדני

Take care- and thanks for reading the latest ramblings of thoughts...
Carrie

A couple of pics...

Hi all-

Well, we are going back to school tomorrow- on a two hour delay, but still back to school- YAY! I have been trying to study my Hebrew on my own- but I kind of was getting into the routine of January. Anyways- I took a couple of pictures today of some of the remnants of the ice storm. So here they are: the tree I thought was pretty cool looking... and it took me a good half hour to forty-five minutes to knock the quarter inch sheet of ice off my car (and I didn't get it all)!

That's it, for today... nothing really interesting going on when your stuck walking everywhere...

weather or not???

All right so when one moves further south, one presumes that he or she will be in a warmer climate then the one he or she moved from to begin with...
So what the blazes is going on??? Durham's temps were in the 70s yesterday and today and here in Austin we are in the low 30s and there is sleet and ice and possibly even snow coming our way in the next 24 hours... very weird stuff.
Now that I am a student though, the one benefit/blessing is that school is canceled for tomorrow!!! Another day to work on learning Hebrew and to chill out (both literally and figuratively) before our next test this week. I certainly hope that this ice storm that's coming is minor in comparison of the one that hit Durham in Nov 02.

We didn't have school today in observance of the MLK holiday. So in honor of King Jr. I thought I would post a few of his words to close this here blog entry.
"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has it's place. But I am not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, thast we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seent he glory of the coming of the Lord." (from his speech, "I've seen the promised land" April 3, 1968).

I hope we all strive to live in a way that echoes Mr. King's sentiment, that we just want to God's will. I pray tonight for those throughout the world in need of freedom, of hope, of food, of shelter, of love.

Blessings to you all.

just checking in...

Hi all-
Almost two weeks in to learning Hebrew and we are now learning weak verbs in the perfect tense. My friend Melissa and I have also started hitting the school's gym after our study group, so in other words, January is becomming routine... which is something different for me. There really is not all that much else to report for me. Although- there was a high speed car chase right outside the building when we were studying, and a few of my friends actually got to see it (they were doing lunch at the Crown)... ohh and it might get cold this weekend and we might see "winter percipitation" aka sleet... No school Monday YAY!
Peace out and GO CANES!

final 06 highlights and what not

Howdy-

Thought I would procrastinate the studying for a bit and finish up my

RANDOM HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2006!

• In May, I was invited to be the speaker at Garner High School's Baccalaurreate service. That was pretty neat to be able to return to my alma matta like that. I also was invited to keynote New Hope Presbyterian's Middle School retreat last March at Camp Don Lee. It was sort of a nice way to close out my time with the youth council.
• During Reading Week, I took a few days and headed down to Mississippi and helped rebuild a home with a few people from TAPC- it was great to spend time with them and to get away from campus for a few days.
• In Jan 06 my best buddy, Katurah Wright, passed away- while her death was not/ is not a highlight in the traditional sense, the 7 months that I was buddied with her leading up to this was very meaningful to me, and since the one year anniversary is approaching, I jus wanted to take a moment and remember her as someone who made me smile and had such a gentle spirit.
• Also in 2006, I turned 30, saw the Alamo (and San Antonio, Lukenbach, the Texas Capitol), kyacked on the Colorado River, got to walk on the Durham Bulls baseball field, left a job and a city that I felt at home in, made some new friends and learned a lot more about theology and the history of the church. It has been, in other words, a very eventful year- that seems, upon reflection, to have flown by.

Thanks everyone for helping make last year so special and meaningful to/for me. There are so many other things that could have made the list- and I am grateful for all of it.

Tomorrow is my first test in Hebrew-already through 10 chapters of material and so far, it seems to be sticking... who knew that I could get up at 7am everyday???

Take care, more later.

continuing on...

Hi all-
ש'לום אל-אתם

so I can't do vowel placements with this font, but perhaps, you get the drift...

Anyways- I thought I would go ahead and do my

RANDOM HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2006 (Installment #2)

• I started seminary in August of 2006! I bet you were wondering why this wasn't on the first list, like I said, it's random... I packed up my belongings and moved half way across the country to begin the three year process in becoming a minister. It was very exciting, scary, sad and wonderful to take the plunge and (as you can read in earlier posts) have assimilated fairly well here.
• My going away party (also in August) was pretty sweet too! It was so great to have so many of my friends all at the same place at the same time chilling out on the deck having a good time.
• Riding the Superman Roller Coaster and the Goliath at Six Flags in Georgia was pretty sweet (that one is for Brendan)... that whole weekend was pretty fun... (Memorial Day, 3rd or 4th annual Badgers. Lobaugh, Finch theme park excursion)...
• The tail end of December, being back home in NC and getting down to Flordia to see my grandma rates pretty high on my personal highlight reel as well. It was great seeing so many people again, seeing the Monet exhibit, watching the Canes beat the Ducks with Kenny, Ruth and Jared, looking for manatee with my mom, and just chilling out after my first semester...

There are a few more highlights that I will save until next time, but for now, it's back to Hebrew and then to bed and then back to Hebrew again. That is January for me....

Take care and *peace to you*

Carrie

New Year's Resoloutions and Old Year's Memories...

Greetings-
My new year started off with me traveling back to Austin to begin school again. Today I had my first day of Hebrew class. It is pretty exciting and overwhelming at the same time. We have already covered the letters, the vowels and sylables, not to mention the dhagesh lenes and fortes and the shewa... or in other words, three chapters of material by lunch time... yep... good stuff... I think this year I am resolving to be a better student and to work on wholistically bettering myself. I also have to start getting up earlier, because in addition to class- which starts at 8:30, Chris (the other Jr AV person) and I have to cover AV stuff for the D-Min classes and Chapel- so I will be working the max. hours allowed this month. I also hope to do a little bit of traveling- back home as well as to Colorado and maybe Vermont and Iowa- that's some of my hopes/ resolutions for '07. ohh.... i just thought of one more... I resolve to get Erik Cole's autograph on my Hurricane's sweater....

Over the next couple of days I am going to post some of my personal highlights from '06. It was a pretty eventful year for me and lots of things happened that are worthy of mentioning, but alas, I probably won't get them all down here, and surely won't do justice to them...
but, with out further explanation, and with out much order, I present

RANDOM HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2006 (Installment #1)

• The Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup!!! Now, while it is true that I don't play or work for the organization, and that I was actually out of the country whilst the winning game was played, last year's post season was a blast for me, hanging out with various friends, creating traditions (3rd period glass of red wine with Brad and Adam for example) and watching the Canes just play their style of hockey was a great way to spend time for me.
• Since I am on the summer, I would be remiss if I didn't also include the 10 day mission trip to Belize with 21 youth and four other adults from Trinity Ave. Pres. Outside of the stress that came with being responsible for all those people- it was so good to be in another part of the world, learning and sharing in their culture, helping out in some small way, not to mention spending quality time with my [youth group] kids. The little zoo there is really something to see and I highly recommend it as well as Xanatunich.
• At the end of February/ beginning of March I spent a week down in the New Orleans/ Homa area of Louisiana- working with people from TAPC helping with rebuilding post Katrina. We got to see a parade, meet a very sweet woman whose house we gutted- see New Orleans on Fat Tuesday (not too clean normally- this year was much worse), built a platform for a camp, I learned how to use a nail gun!, and played some serious games of spaids and just hung out with some good people- my tent always was the end of the day hang out area... but I think that had to do with the fact that I had a cooler in there- hmmmm......
• In July, (on the 11th specifically) I moved up to being a candidate in the process to becoming a minister of the Word and Sacrament, and that was a pretty special day for me. It was also the day we left to head up to Massanetta for the Middle School Conference.

I think that is where I will stop for now. I need to take care of a few things before my review session tonight (Bible Content Exam ord is in one month)... so I will write some more in a day or two. I hope you all have a blessed, safe, wonderful, happy new year.

Take care,

Carrie