A Simple Disciple's Life

In general, this week has been focused a lot on finishing that paper for publication. Its a "rush and wait" kind of environment, when you scramble to make something good, and wait for comments...

Our team project in my ethics class has made some progress (yay!), and I found some good references for my personal project. Its due in a week... and its far from being done. I'll have to put some focus on that this week.

On entertainment news, I found a funny animated cartoon: Swiss Trick... its hard to be more stereotypes than that!
Also on the Archive, I found recordings of University of Chicago Symphony Orchestra , and the offering sounded really great! I just listened to the Ride of the Valkyries to convince myself! Most of the stuff is in Vorbis format, which meets my purist desires :D I do have to mention, however, that I do not have a very refined hear... so that I could be wrong in my judgment. So, go try it yourselves, hint hint :)

On Tuesday, I was blessed by meeting a sister on Skype, and she was needing encouragement. I was eager to answer that need :D It really breaks the "my life s---s" mood that I can get sometimes. The church is definitely the best morale booster around.

On Wednesday, we had the special collect evening, and everybody had a godo time. We had some humour, a few performances, etc. The karaoke did not pick up, sadly. I danced on the stage too! I had a GREAT conversation with a sister, who really encouraged me. I felt I was going crazy, and she told me how inspired she was that I was accomplishing all those things I did. Work, study, ministry, personal growth... only God's mighty hand can make this work!

On Friday morning, I spent time with a brother and two Bible students for a breakfast, and I was really glad that I did that. It is nice to be building frienships like that. In the early evening, we finished our paper, and I left my colleagues with the responsibility of sumitting it. I guess its done now! So its my first academic paper. My first REAL publication... hehehe, that is sweet!
I left my colleagues in order to go to a soccer game with someone I know, who used to be studying the Bible, with whom I keep a friendship. The Impact was facing the team from Toronto. It finished 0-0, but it was a good agressive game and I enjoyed that moment a lot.

This Saturday, after working a little bit on my Ethics class, I went to our Bible Jubilee. We started sudying the letter of Hebrews, and we finished on Sunday. The guest teacher was Kelly Petre from Boston... and he's AMAIIIIZIN! The depth of knowledge he transmitted is beyond my capability to fully absorb. I'll have to review the notes and so on :) I really loved the analysis on the "beyond recovery level" that is implied. This is when you are beyond your capability to repent after rejecting Jesus.

So, for Sunday, I spent all day studying Hebrews. During lunch, we were a few brothers leading Bible talks that met with him and he gave us advice on how to be more effective.
As a summary I share to you all:
a) Make sure to start with a good question to involve the guests
b) Make sure that the talk is lead by the questions instead of the narration
c) All passages should be explained
d) Illustrations should be used when needed
e) Everyone should leave with a feeling of how to apply Scripture in their lives

He also reminded us that sharing about our struggles and sins was very powerful, as powerful as the victories that God gives us.
The Campus leader also proposed a new schedule for the activities of our ministry, which will allow us to build better frienships with both the brothers and sisters and the folks studying the Bible. I love the idea... after all, our love for one another is what will distinguish us :D

Right now, as I'm typing this, I'm watching The Pianist, the story of a great Polish musician during WW2. So far, I find the story well told, even though I feel that the theme (jews suffering under the nazis) has been done quite a lot. The intesting part is how this man becomes a witness of the Polish resistance. I wonder if all those movies will not banalize those events, creating a sense of "whatever, enough of this" in the general public. I hope that I don't develop that kind of feeling.

Even though my sleep has not been that good during the weekend, I'm feeling well... something rare in this context :D