summer conference

I just got back from a week at the beach for RUF summer conference. We took 6 students and had a wonderful time!

Here we are on Wednesday night. We went out to Cantina Laredo by San Destin, then hung out in San Destin for a little while.

KatieMac and me!

The rest of the pictures are from the dance party...there is really no explanation.

The week really was amazing. We got to hear Jeffrey Lancaster speak at night. As soon as they put the talks online, I will put a link up. I got to hear some great morning seminars as well. I went to a 4 day seminar by the RUF guy at Emory, Hunter Bailey, on why people don't believe. I went to a two day about discipleship by Paul Boyd (I think he might be from MTSU), and a 2 day one called "Designed for Dignity" by Kevin Teasley (Wake Forest RUF).

The talks were amazing, but one of the best parts was the music. We sang about 3 to 4 songs every morning and 5 to 6 songs every evening. When you have that many people singing, its going to be incredible. We sang a lot of new songs. My new favorites are "Father Long Before Creation," "King of Saints," "All Must be Well," and "Come Boldly." I was happy to known that "King of Saints" was on a cd I already owned (I must have just been skipping over it), "The Gadsby Project." But I picked up Indelible Grace 4 and 5 so I could have the rest on cd.

It was a really good time with the students...I got to spend good quality time with the girls. And I get to do this again this July, for RYM. I am chaperoning Faith Pres' youth group. Richie Sessions is the main speaker and I cannot wait!

ansley's birthday dinner...

I never upload pictures, so I thought I would add some. This is from Ansley's 17th birthday dinner.

I have been very bad about posting lately! I do have some fun (albeit unbelievable) pictures to post, but that will have to be in the next few days. I guess I'll just give a random list of things going on:

1) I am going to ruf summer conference next week...I am so excited! A whole week at the beach? Um, yes please! It will be wonderful!

2) I am currently obsessed with this show:

I hold Courtney at fault completely! But really, how can you not love Booth and Bones? Just for the record, Courtney, if you will let me pretend to be Veronica Mars, you can be Bones. Okay?

3) My Plato class is done! Yay! Now, as far as schoolwork is concerned, this summer I am going to finish reviewing Latin (Thank goodness for Wheelocks) and maybe learn French.

For my PhD., I have to know both French and German. I can learn one while getting my masters, and one while getting my PhD. But I also can go ahead and learn French, test out of it, and start working on German next fall. So I would like to do that...not sure if I'll be able to?

By the way, any French speakers out there got any textbook suggestions? I have it narrowed down to Vis a Vis and Contacts.

4) We are moving to Vermont in less than 3 months...that is insane!!! I am getting really nervous, but I think it will be great.

Okay, that's about all I have to add today. But really, good pictures soon!

Jennifer Knapp

A girl Bech works with told us about Jennifer Knapp on Larry King Live. Jennifer Knapp, who was a former Christian recording artist, recently came out as being homosexual. She says she is still "a woman of faith." We decided to watch the episode, and I had a few comments to share.

Here are the links:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Comments:

1. This makes me really sad, as it does Bob Botsford.

2. Bech and I know Bob Botsford! Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration. Bob came to ABC Malawi to do the graduation speech. We met him then and we got to go out to eat with him afterword. I actually sat next to him. So we really do know him.

3. Larry King is really really antagonistic to Bob, which is really frustrating.

4. Jennifer Knapp is really really antagonistic as well. She wants to believe what she wants, view the Bible how she wants to, but Bob is not allowed to. Bob is not allowed to merely (and kindly) say that he is praying for her, he loves her, he will continue to pray for her, etc. She is allowed to have her own opinion, but goodness forbid he does!

5. Jennifer Knapp is really upset that Bob made a blog post talking about how this saddens him. But she is the one who came out. She put herself out in the public. And she is a public figure. He didn't trash her or say lies about her.

6. Bob did a pretty good job under pressure. The only thing I had problems with was when he used the phrase "God changed his mind" twice. Now granted, he only had a short amount of time, so he couldn't totally explain that. But God doesn't change his mind, and we shouldn't use that phrase to describe him. It humanizes God too much.

7. Ted drives me insane! He never commits, he never states an actual fact. He wants the Bible to be open to interpretation. Plus, he insists on calling Bob, "the pastor."

Anyway, I would love to hear your thoughts on this show...

New post with pictures coming soon, but first I need to take the pictures (of Bech and my arms!)...

leaving the south...

I realized last week that the next 3 months may be the last time I live in the South. My masters will take 2 years, Bech's MFA will take three, and my PhD. will take another 3 (or 4 or 5...I'm going to try for the 3 year route!). None of the programs Bech is looking at are in the South, and I don't think any of my PhD. programs will be either.

So we are leaving the south for at least 8 years. And then, when it comes time to getting a job, we will take jobs wherever we get them! Of course, we will apply to places in the South, I am sure, but its hard to get jobs in the academic world, so we can't be too picky!

I love the south. I am not one of those die hard southern people. I fully supported the new chancellor of Ole Miss who made the students stop singing, "The South will rise again," at the end of "Dixie."

But I do love living in the south, in Mississippi. I love the seasons here, especially Spring (I say especially Spring, mostly because its Spring right now and I am enjoying it...in a few months, I will say especially Summer). I love the grove. I love the Junior League and Mistletoe Marketplace. I love Belhaven and Fondren. I love Oxford.

I like what Kathryn Stockett says at the end of "The Help":

"Mississippi is like my mother. I am allowed to complain about her all I want, but God help the person that raises an ill word about her around me, unless she is their mother too."

I feel like that too...I can complain about issues in Mississippi, but I do NOT like to hear people from other states say things about my state or my region.

I am trying to make a list of everything I want to redo or do for the first time while I am still in the South. Here's what I have so far:

1. Go to Double Decker in Oxford. Double Decker is a huge outdoor arts festival. Tons of local artist set up booths around the square. All of the restaurants have food in booths, and bands play. I am going this weekend! It's usually on a Saturday, but this year (because of rain) they moved it to this Sunday.

2. Go to New Orleans. Eat at Cafe du Monde (beignets!) and a nice restaurant (maybe Clancys or Commanders Palace?). Also, I want a shrimp poboy from Johnny's Poboys.

Here are beignets. They are kind of like funnel cakes except not as greasy and ten times better. I haven't been to New Orleans since my freshman year of college. Well I've been to the airport, but not to visit. I want to go sometime this summer for at least a day trip. It's only 2 hours from my parents house.

3. Go to Does in Greenville. We used to have a Does in Oxford, but it closed. It is a total whole in wall restaurant. They have the best steaks and lobster, but you're in a kind of rundown sort of restaurant...amazing!

4. Eat tons of snow cones! Brookhaven has the BEST snowcones, and mom and I go get them everytime I am down there.

5. 4 words: Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka! I am pretty sure only Southerners could make a sweet tea flavored vodka. I am bringing some of this and some grits up to Vermont so I can share it with those Yankees.

6. Picnic at the Lookout on the Reservoir

7. Pepsi Pops...I haven't been in forever, but this year we are going to be on Bech's parents sailboat in the water during it...I can't wait!

8. A drive up the Natchez Trace, even if its just for 30 miles or so.

I can't think of anymore things to add...Any suggestions? Any favorite things to do/visit in or around Mississippi?