LTPS

Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary is my top choice right now.  Louisville is the epicenter of the PC USA, which I appreciate.  I think my wife and I will find an outstanding community there. And the academics appear to be superb.

Fire by night, cloud by day

What can one say about God's providence?  What can one say about His plan?

In the past, I have often been commended for being a liturgist - proclaiming the first Scripture.  I do take pride in my clear, enunciating, even somewhat dramatic readings of the first Scripture reading.  I feel that Scripture deserves this type of reading - a reading that is comprehensible and relevant to today's audience, not dry, overly-familiar, easy to be ignored.  At my current church, the liturgist even has the responsibility of praying the Prayer of Illumination and for the offering/tithes.  These are responsibilities that I take seriously.  

It is a time, I feel, to really proclaim the good news.  What comes natural to me - that is, selecting the best translation of a passage and culling prayers from the Revised Common Lectionary and other sources - is one of my spiritual gifts.  

And so, yesterday, my mother-in-law, the Director of Christian Education at my church, turns to my wife during the service, and offers her opinion that I should go to seminary.  Not that this hadn't ever occurred to me.  Quite the opposite, actually.  Deep within my soul, I have longed to live in service of the church in some fashion.  I never thought to actually pursue such a passion, though, due certain fears of inadequacy and economic feasibility.  However, when my wife turned to me later on the drive to lunch, and mentioned that she wanted me to pursue a seminary education, those fears no longer matter because I knew that I have the support of my family.

And thus begins a new stage of my journey.  I cannot exactly say that the future is definite.  It never is.  What is important is the trust involved.  Silently but surely the Lord does answer prayers.  I have no idea what lies ahead from this point going forward, but this small act helps me to keep focused on the fire by night, cloud by day.