I'm sick. I almost never get sick, but this week I definitely am. I took a sick day yesterday -- which is the first one I've taken since beginning this job more than three years ago.
Being sick apparently means being home. Without much to do. For a much larger chunk of the week than when you're not sick. So I read The Hunger Games the other day, which we borrowed from a friend. It was good (although I was expecting at least a little competitive eating to be involved). Now Elizabeth's reading it. Which means I have plenty of time to write this blog post.
We're moving. Kinda. Sorta. But not really. But maybe.
A little over a month ago I found out that I passed my comprehensive exams for my MA program. That was a huge relief. After taking the exams I did not feel confident that I had performed well enough to pass. Thankfully, the Biblical studies faculty at Denver Seminary disagreed with me.* So now I'm completely done with all course work and all exams. Literally the only thing left for me to do before they'll give me a degree is write a thesis. I know, I know, writing a thesis is no small task. But here's the thing: it can be done in evenings and on weekends and it can be done from anywhere that's somewhat near a decent theological library (technically, it could probably be done from a mud hut in the Gobi Desert, but it'd take longer and be much more difficult). So, Elizabeth and I have started the job search process which we hope will lead at least one of us to full time employment in our area of interest. We also hope that this employment will be somewhere in the midwest closer to some family. We've both applied for numerous positions in numerous locations and although we have our own preferences, we will be following God's call and we'll go wherever he wants us to (but I really hope it's not a mud hut in the Gobi Desert).
I'm currently in phase 2 of the selection process for a job at a Christian high school here in Denver, so it's certainly possible that we'll remain here at least another year. I've also submitted applications for jobs in the Quad Cities, Des Moines, and the Twin Cities. Elizabeth has applied in some of those places too, but also has the option of staying at her current position for the next school year if we stick around.
SO, we could be moving as soon as a job shows up, or we could be remaining here. Both of us have a fairly strong desire to be back in the midwest. It's an exciting time for us, but it can also be very frustrating when we get rejected from jobs we've applied for, and it's a little tough not knowing how much longer before we'll be heading into something different.
And there you have it. I figured if I'm not good enough to post something regularly here, the least I could do was give both of my faithful readers an update on the lives of Jake & Elizabeth.
*Though I can't shake this nagging feeling that the Seminary's Biblical studies department just wants to finally be rid of me, and they knew that passing me was their only hope...
