The Power, The Glory, and the Greek

Here's my recommendation of the week (note: it has nothing to do with Jane Austen).

A mysterious novel set in 1930's Mexico, this book follows a nameless "whiskey priest" on the run from the government and explores huge themes like redemption, atonement, and the meaning of the Eucharist, in a tense and exciting way. I don't read a lot of novels - this is the only book that I have ever read where the term "theological thriller" would not be an oxymoron.

The book costs $0.36 on amazon.com

Even a grad student can handle that.

In other news, seminary itself is going well. In a couple of my classes (Systematic Theology and Spiritual Formation) I often feel like I am a step ahead of many of my classmates. Then in Greek class, many of them (probably religion majors in undergrad) are clearly a leg up on me. Over half of my real study time is going towards Greek.

To paraphrase a good friend of mine, "It turns out that getting an M.Div is a lot of trouble."

Becoming Jane and Becoming a Bank Teller

Laurel:

This week I have to give huge props to my husband. This past Friday night I subjected him to the movie Becoming Jane- the movie portrayal of Jane Austen’s love story. I give him props for:

a. watching the movie at all (a movie his wife would love and he would not)

b. going to see it in the theater (a public place! *gasp!*)

c. being the ONLY man in the entire theater! (it’s true!)

He’s my hero.

Laurel's rating: (out of 5)

Laurel’s review:

Becoming Jane is charming yet disappointing. Though Anne Hathaway does an
admirable job portraying the beloved author, her fellow characters bore great resemblance to other Jane Austen personas (Jane Bennet, Elizabeth Bennet, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh among others). One is left to wonder whether the movie is being true to the life of Jane Austen or whether the director just sought to make it Austenesque enough to satisfy the ongoing demands of Austen diehards. Though the beginning is slow and confusing and the romance starts abruptly, still present are the battles between love and grief and passion and righteousness. It is these battles which draw the audience into the story, causing roller coaster emotions that continue until the bittersweet end. Though lacking the wit that the clever Austen is known for and the happy resolution that fans have come to love, it does make the audience crave to know more of the novelist and to experience their own personal love story.

On another note, I also give props to the Georgetown Savings Bank for recently hiring a new employee (who happened to be in dire need of a job). I am now to be known as Laurel Moran, bank teller.

It is a fine bank- providing me with a very enjoyable first day of orientation. Not only did I sample the delicious grilled salmon from Joe Fish (on the bank’s tab no less), but I also learned that our bank gives out not just DumDum lollipops (reminiscent of Oklahoma days!) but also dog treats for all those dog lovers out there. Don’t you wish GSB could be your bank?!

Lobsters & A Sad Tune @ The Harp

Saturday was a scorcher. It was above 90 degrees. GCTS was holding their annual 5K all-seminary run, but I eschewed that opportunity and instead we went to the beach. We are about two miles from the coast, and apparently there are 15-20 ocean beaches within easy driving distance.

Saturday evening was the all-seminary clambake. It was quite the scene at the top of the hill as hundreds of students, spouses, professors, staff, and little kids gathered on top of the hill, while a local youth band sang off-key in the background.

Our idyllic New England experience was marred by two things:

1. Our lobsters seemed to have relieved themselves shortly before being boiled.

2. Almost as soon as we sat down, an incredible downpour broke loose, leaving everyone to scatter for cover holding their sagging paper trays.

Sunday afternoon after church we took the train into Boston and found The Harp, a Bills hangout for Western NY expatriates. A lot of fun - about 400 people wearing Buffalo gear from the last two decades crammed in there - but the agonizing Opening Day loss seems to becoming a yearly tradition.

Laurel: To those in ignorance, the term "rotary" in NE refers to a traffic circle (not the local Rotary club that gives scholarships each year).

We prefer to define it as "a place where mass confusion regularly occurs as all participating drivers believe they have the right of way." Drivers here seem to have an innate sense of whose turn it is (in strict opposition to all formal driving rules and common sense).

This week we also discovered "Nick's Famous Roast Beef" considered to be one of the North Shore's 'hidden jewels'. After devouring our sandwiches we declare that it is indeed a hidden jewel. We welcome all to visit and partake.

We're Here!!

I don't like to complain. But anytime Moving Day includes a combination of projectile vomit, a broken down car, tow trucks, and an encounter with the Massachusetts police, I think it's fair to call that day "bad."

But we made it, albeit without power steering. Neither Laurel or I need to work out any more. We just drive the car.

Now that we are moved in, courtesy of the longsuffering Dad and Chris, we both like the apartment and the area. South Hamilton is woodsy and beautiful and the apartment is almost embarrassingly large compared to The Palace on Sunset.

Greek starts Friday morning. So far we've been busy unpacking and attending the array of orientation activities. Yesterday's worship/welcome service was exciting and inspiring, although I lost focus around the 2-hr mark, when the entire staff and faculty seemed to be introducing themselves. I started paying attention again when our Greek professor said that he "treats exams like the end of the world."

Apparently the famed New England reserve does not apply at Gordon Conwell. Today, at another orientation meeting, the new seminary students were broken into small groups, as a woman reminded us of the importance of campus community. "Share the state of your soul," she said, leaving the four of us to spill our guts, after first introducing ourselves.

The accents, howevah, ahh no joke.

More forthcoming. Laurel and I will both be blogging. She will probably take the most pictures.