Explaining things.

I like to explain things too much.

For example, I often find myself wanting to add pages to this blog, so I'll start creating an "About Me" page or something like that. I begin typing and before I know it I've provided so much detail, and so many disclaimers about my blog that any reader would just think I was insane.

Or, how about another example: Not long ago I ventured the idea of starting a West Wing blog (from where I would blog my way through the television series, episode by episode). Since then, I've been working on setting one up. I keep adding pages to it so that I can describe the exact process I will be using, or writing disclaimers about my lack of political expertise, or explaining how at first I was going to write one type of blog, but now I've decided to do it a different way... All kinds of information that is simply evident to anyone who reads the blog itself.

It's as if I don't believe in the phrase "it goes without saying." I just want to say everything by way of explanation.

(I mean, look at this post, for crying out loud! I'm even explaining details about how I explain too many details!)

Exhausted

I'm tired. I slept for one hour last night. It was really not last night. It was from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. this morning. Why didn't I sleep more? I had to finish my exegetical paper on James 4:1-12. It's a 30-40 page beast that requires a pretty solid knowledge of New Testament Greek, and advanced exegetical and interpretive skill. I don't really have those things. Therefore, this super difficult paper was even harder.

I've been working on it nonstop for more than a week. Haven't hardly seen my wife (who's been a complete saint through it all). Haven't hardly slept. Haven't hardly eaten.

But it's over now. I turned it in this morning. I do not have a good feeling about it. But it's over. Now I can sleep. And eat. And see my wife (except she's been working all evening tonight, and goes back again at 8:30 tomorrow morning).

And yes, I can blog again.

P.S. Does anyone think it's totally awesome that if you hover your mouse over the scripture passages on my blog you can read the verses they reference? I do.

IBS (No, it's not that disease you might be thinking of)

Every student at Denver Seminary is required to take a class on the Epistles and Revelation, and every student at Denver Seminary while taking that class must write what's called an Inductive Bible Study. It focuses on a Bible passage (usually 8-12ish verses) and it consists of the following components: Literary context of the passage, Historical-cultural background, Word studies, Grammar studies, Major interpretive problems, Analytical Outline, Interpretive Summary, and Application. Many students dread the "IBS" not because of it's length (15ish pages), but because of the depth and intensity of the work required.

I wrote on 1 Peter 5:1-11. The following is the scoresheet that my professor, Dr. Klein, used to grade my paper. I hope it's big enough for you to read, because I'm trying to brag about how well I did, and if you can't see what scores I received it won't do any good at all (I think if you click on it it'll get bigger).

If anyone's interested in reading my paper (you know, if you're nerdy like that), I'd be happy to let you. (I'll be honest, I've not often been truly proud of papers I've written either in college or seminary, but I really did put the effort into this one, and it was very rewarding not just because of the grade but because of everything I learned about this passage in the process! Hopefully I'll feel this good about my thesis once I write one.)

Um, it's late (early?)

I just finished a paper. For Dr. Blomberg. I have to present for five minutes on it in class tomorrow (today?) afternoon. I'm not sure I'm going to be awake for five minutes in class.

It's 4:04 a.m.

I don't think my paper is very good, but it seriously jazzed me about Easter. Expect an Easter/resurrection-related post soon...

But for now... bed.

A Terrifying moment

Today I turned in one of two papers I will write for Dr. Blomberg this semester. The paper itself wasn't so bad (other than the fact that yesterday I arrived at the library on campus when it opened at 7:30 a.m. and left it when it closed at 10:30 p.m.), but the fact that I had to give a 5-minute presentation to the class on the major themes from my paper was. It was quite honestly one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. There were 24 people in the room.  A few were auditing the class. Many were M.Div. students who are used to presenting things in front of people. Many were other MA New Testament students who are all light years ahead of me in the intelligence department and more intimidating than you might think. And the 24th person? Dr. Blomberg. One of the smartest people I've ever been around, and he certainly knew more about my topic than I did (because somehow decades of research and study of the NT prepares you a bit more fully than a week or two putting together a 14-page paper).

As my turn drew closer I felt increasingly nervous. My stomach started to hurt. I felt physically sick. I'd been dreading this moment since I first got the syllabus for the class almost two months ago and read about having to do it.

Then I got up, spoke for a few minutes about the topic on which I'd written, answered a couple of questions, and sat down. Afterwards one of the really smart guys in class told me I'd done a good job, and he sounded like he meant it.

No big deal.

(except I have to do it again in about a month)