Education & Formation Reflective Essay - Revision history

Iraneal at 22:22, 10 November 2017

2017-11-10T22:22:24Z

Iraneal at 22:18, 10 November 2017

2017-11-10T22:18:07Z

Iraneal: 38 revisions

2013-10-14T01:13:32Z

38 revisions

Lemu at 16:14, 28 July 2010

2010-07-28T16:14:52Z

Lemu: badlinks were removed

2010-07-28T16:12:31Z

badlinks were removed

Verlyn at 10:52, 27 July 2010

2010-07-27T10:52:22Z

Cheann at 06:59, 2 July 2010

2010-07-02T06:59:42Z

Soly at 10:40, 15 June 2010

2010-06-15T10:40:49Z

Farah14 at 11:34, 6 May 2010

2010-05-06T11:34:29Z

Iraneal at 06:39, 26 September 2008

2008-09-26T06:39:27Z

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 My family's limited income, among other considerations, meant that for my younger siblings to also enjoy a Montessori education, I needed to return to public school.  Throughout late elementary school and middle school, I continued to struggle with curriculum that was not of my own interest or choosing, and spent more time with the set of encyclopedias in our living room than doing assigned homework. I consider it to have been a good trade.  In my church Sunday school classes and youth program, I tended to gravitate toward teachers and programs that were more conversational and open-ended, but since I was still largely uninterested in matters of faith and religion, my education in that area was limited at best.
-Somehow after my high school graduation, though not evangelical, pentecostal, nor charismatic, I found myself attending college at an institution which embraced and embodied all of those labels:  O'ral Roberts University. Not unlike the pancakes that occasionally found themselves in our stewpot surrounded by dinner food, I was instantly out of place, both socially and theologically.  With chapel services that featured healing, jumping, and "speaking in tongues," as well as mandatory classes with titles like "Biblical Principles of Abundant Life," I finally took a sudden, reactionary interest in theology.  True to my Montessori roots, however, I chose to pursue these first steps in intentional formation on my own terms: At the small denominational church down the road, through regular one-on-one question and answer sessions with my pastor, mostly about things I was encountering in my required courses.  At the same time, in an ultra-conservative school, I sought out the most liberal department (the English department) for my undergraduate major. Through Shakespeare, Steinbeck, and Flannery O'Connor, I found a complement and balance to the fundamentalist interpretation of scriptures espoused in chapel services and student bible studies.  From this balance emerged change: I still don't consider myself to be evangelical or charismatic, but traces of those once-pungent flavors are still present in my stew -- I no longer seek to react, cover, or compensate for them, though, as my experiences with these ideas and theologies are now inextricably wrapped up in relationships with dear friends, and are part of my Christian identity.
+Somehow after my high school graduation, though not evangelical, pentecostal, nor charismatic, I found myself attending college at an institution which embraced and embodied all of those labels:  Oral Roberts University. Not unlike the pancakes that occasionally found themselves in our stewpot surrounded by dinner food, I was instantly out of place, both socially and theologically.  With chapel services that featured healing, jumping, and "speaking in tongues," as well as mandatory classes with titles like "Biblical Principles of Abundant Life," I finally took a sudden, reactionary interest in theology.  True to my Montessori roots, however, I chose to pursue these first steps in intentional formation on my own terms: At the small denominational church down the road, through regular one-on-one question and answer sessions with my pastor, mostly about things I was encountering in my required courses.  At the same time, in an ultra-conservative school, I sought out the most liberal department (the English department) for my undergraduate major. Through Shakespeare, Steinbeck, and Flannery O'Connor, I found a complement and balance to the fundamentalist interpretation of scriptures espoused in chapel services and student bible studies.  From this balance emerged change: I still don't consider myself to be evangelical or charismatic, but traces of those once-pungent flavors are still present in my stew -- I no longer seek to react, cover, or compensate for them, though, as my experiences with these ideas and theologies are now inextricably wrapped up in relationships with dear friends, and are part of my Christian identity.
 My love for literature (and my degree) eventually led me into a career as an English teacher at a high school in downtown Dallas, Texas. This love soon gave way to a genuine love for my mostly Hispanic students and the challenges they faced not only as adolescents, but as first and second generation immigrants struggling to adapt to a new culture.  My desire to help them led me to a love and passion for the educational process, in turn leading me (over the course of a decade) to educational treatises like Rousseau's ''Emile'', Vygotsky's ''Thought and Language'', A.S. Neill's ''Summerhill,'' and Freire's ''Pedagogy of the Opressed.'' As I began to relinquish my desire to control curriculum, behavior, and outcomes in my classroom, my students became more engaged and successful in pursuing their own educational aims and goals.
@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 So I accepted a job with my church as a youth director, pledging to help others develop in their faith while I was still relatively stagnant in my own.  In the process of exploring just how this might be done, I came across Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster's ''The Godbearing Life,'' and its call to make formation less driven by programs, and more by relationships.  I also began to participate in the emerging church conversation, through various books and correspondences.  In these two streams of thought, I began to find expression and purpose for my own identity as a Christian again. During this time, I also welcomed a son and a daughter into the world, an event that daily brings new perspectives on everything from education and formation to mortality, beauty, and divinity.  When my three-year-old son asked me one day, "Daddy, is Jesus God?" I resisted the temptation to kill his curiosity and exploration with a perfunctory "Yes," instead asking him, "What do you think, son?" I'm grateful for the opportunity, as a parent, to stand back and let my children chart their own course of spiritual formation, relegating myself to the role of resource, advocate, and example, rather than instructor, task-master, or enforcer.
-My spiritual re-awakening culminated in my decision to attend seminary, which, of course, presents a familiar challenge: I have placed myself in the hands of an institution (a very old one, at that) with a structured approach to education and formation, an externally imposed curriculum, and pre-determined ideas about what outcomes are desirable in an M.Div student.  My hope is that -- as with my time at O'ral Roberts University -- these things will come in equal measure with relationships, opportunities, and unexpected twists.  For all of it together is the "stuff" of education and formation, both for Christians and for human beings.  Some experiences nourish more than others, while some experiences form us in reaction to and against them. Often the formative experiences we pursue deliberately produce [http://www.cellulite.co.uk/ '''cellulite'''] good and expected results, while sometimes those we didn't plan for produce sweet or spicy surprises that challenge us in unexpected ways.  Everything goes into the stew-pot.  Whether the contributions come from me, from my family, or from my seminary community, I'm not worried.  There is plenty of room in this stew pot for more.
+My spiritual re-awakening culminated in my decision to attend seminary, which, of course, presents a familiar challenge: I have placed myself in the hands of an institution (a very old one, at that) with a structured approach to education and formation, an externally imposed curriculum, and pre-determined ideas about what outcomes are desirable in an M.Div student.  My hope is that -- as with my time at Oral Roberts University -- these things will come in equal measure with relationships, opportunities, and unexpected twists.  For all of it together is the "stuff" of education and formation, both for Christians and for human beings.  Some experiences nourish more than others, while some experiences form us in reaction to and against them. Often the formative experiences we pursue deliberately produce good and expected results, while sometimes those we didn't plan for produce sweet or spicy surprises that challenge us in unexpected ways.  Everything goes into the stew-pot.  Whether the contributions come from me, from my family, or from my seminary community, I'm not worried.  There is plenty of room in this stew pot for more.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 '''''Five page reflective essay about key elements, components, people, events that have contributed most to your education and formation as a Christian.
 '''''
 There was never any question if, whether, or which of the evening leftovers would go into the stew-pot.  In my six-person family of origin, everything that wasn't eaten for dinner got absorbed into the big stew-pot in the freezer, waiting to be thawed, reheated, and reclaimed at the end of the week.  The only real question was how this particular addition would affect the taste and character of the stew when the pot was full. Thinking of this family tradition provides an apt enough metaphor for my education as a Christian through the years -- mixed up and messy, formed in diversity and community, not terribly concerned with input or outcome as much as curiosity and experiment, and still somehow nourishing and practical at the end of the day (or week, rather).

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 My family's limited income, among other considerations, meant that for my younger siblings to also enjoy a Montessori education, I needed to return to public school.  Throughout late elementary school and middle school, I continued to struggle with curriculum that was not of my own interest or choosing, and spent more time with the set of encyclopedias in our living room than doing assigned homework. I consider it to have been a good trade.  In my church Sunday school classes and youth program, I tended to gravitate toward teachers and programs that were more conversational and open-ended, but since I was still largely uninterested in matters of faith and religion, my education in that area was limited at best.
-Somehow after my high school graduation, though not evangelical, pentecostal, nor charismatic, I found myself attending college at an institution which embraced and embodied all of those labels:  Oral Roberts University. Not unlike the pancakes that occasionally found themselves in our stewpot surrounded by dinner food, I was instantly out of place, both socially and theologically.  With chapel services that featured healing, jumping, and "speaking in tongues," as well as mandatory classes with titles like "Biblical Principles of Abundant Life," I finally took a sudden, reactionary interest in theology.  True to my Montessori roots, however, I chose to pursue these first steps in intentional formation on my own terms: At the small denominational church down the road, through regular one-on-one question and answer sessions with my pastor, mostly about things I was encountering in my required courses.  At the same time, in an ultra-conservative school, I sought out the most liberal department (the English department) for my undergraduate major. Through Shakespeare, Steinbeck, and Flannery O'Connor, I found a complement and balance to the fundamentalist interpretation of scriptures espoused in chapel services and student bible studies.  From this balance emerged change: I still don't consider myself to be evangelical or charismatic, but traces of those once-pungent flavors are still present in my stew -- I no longer seek to react, cover, or compensate for them, though, as my experiences with these ideas and theologies are now inextricably wrapped up in relationships with dear friends, and are part of my Christian identity.
+Somehow after my high school graduation, though not evangelical, pentecostal, nor charismatic, I found myself attending college at an institution which embraced and embodied all of those labels:  O'ral Roberts University. Not unlike the pancakes that occasionally found themselves in our stewpot surrounded by dinner food, I was instantly out of place, both socially and theologically.  With chapel services that featured healing, jumping, and "speaking in tongues," as well as mandatory classes with titles like "Biblical Principles of Abundant Life," I finally took a sudden, reactionary interest in theology.  True to my Montessori roots, however, I chose to pursue these first steps in intentional formation on my own terms: At the small denominational church down the road, through regular one-on-one question and answer sessions with my pastor, mostly about things I was encountering in my required courses.  At the same time, in an ultra-conservative school, I sought out the most liberal department (the English department) for my undergraduate major. Through Shakespeare, Steinbeck, and Flannery O'Connor, I found a complement and balance to the fundamentalist interpretation of scriptures espoused in chapel services and student bible studies.  From this balance emerged change: I still don't consider myself to be evangelical or charismatic, but traces of those once-pungent flavors are still present in my stew -- I no longer seek to react, cover, or compensate for them, though, as my experiences with these ideas and theologies are now inextricably wrapped up in relationships with dear friends, and are part of my Christian identity.
 My love for literature (and my degree) eventually led me into a career as an English teacher at a high school in downtown Dallas, Texas. This love soon gave way to a genuine love for my mostly Hispanic students and the challenges they faced not only as adolescents, but as first and second generation immigrants struggling to adapt to a new culture.  My desire to help them led me to a love and passion for the educational process, in turn leading me (over the course of a decade) to educational treatises like Rousseau's ''Emile'', Vygotsky's ''Thought and Language'', A.S. Neill's ''Summerhill,'' and Freire's ''Pedagogy of the Opressed.'' As I began to relinquish my desire to control curriculum, behavior, and outcomes in my classroom, my students became more engaged and successful in pursuing their own educational aims and goals.
@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 So I accepted a job with my church as a youth director, pledging to help others develop in their faith while I was still relatively stagnant in my own.  In the process of exploring just how this might be done, I came across Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster's ''The Godbearing Life,'' and its call to make formation less driven by programs, and more by relationships.  I also began to participate in the emerging church conversation, through various books and correspondences.  In these two streams of thought, I began to find expression and purpose for my own identity as a Christian again. During this time, I also welcomed a son and a daughter into the world, an event that daily brings new perspectives on everything from education and formation to mortality, beauty, and divinity.  When my three-year-old son asked me one day, "Daddy, is Jesus God?" I resisted the temptation to kill his curiosity and exploration with a perfunctory "Yes," instead asking him, "What do you think, son?" I'm grateful for the opportunity, as a parent, to stand back and let my children chart their own course of spiritual formation, relegating myself to the role of resource, advocate, and example, rather than instructor, task-master, or enforcer.
-My spiritual re-awakening culminated in my decision to attend seminary, which, of course, presents a familiar challenge: I have placed myself in the hands of an institution (a very old one, at that) with a structured approach to education and formation, an externally imposed curriculum, and pre-determined ideas about what outcomes are desirable in an M.Div student.  My hope is that -- as with my time at Oral Roberts University -- these things will come in equal measure with relationships, opportunities, and unexpected twists.  For all of it together is the "stuff" of education and formation, both for Christians and for human beings.  Some experiences nourish more than others, while some experiences form us in reaction to and against them. Often the formative experiences we pursue deliberately produce [http://www.cellulite.co.uk/ '''cellulite'''] good and expected results, while sometimes those we didn't plan for produce sweet or spicy surprises that challenge us in unexpected ways.  Everything goes into the stew-pot.  Whether the contributions come from me, from my family, or from my seminary community, I'm not worried.  There is plenty of room in this stew pot for more.
+My spiritual re-awakening culminated in my decision to attend seminary, which, of course, presents a familiar challenge: I have placed myself in the hands of an institution (a very old one, at that) with a structured approach to education and formation, an externally imposed curriculum, and pre-determined ideas about what outcomes are desirable in an M.Div student.  My hope is that -- as with my time at O'ral Roberts University -- these things will come in equal measure with relationships, opportunities, and unexpected twists.  For all of it together is the "stuff" of education and formation, both for Christians and for human beings.  Some experiences nourish more than others, while some experiences form us in reaction to and against them. Often the formative experiences we pursue deliberately produce [http://www.cellulite.co.uk/ '''cellulite'''] good and expected results, while sometimes those we didn't plan for produce sweet or spicy surprises that challenge us in unexpected ways.  Everything goes into the stew-pot.  Whether the contributions come from me, from my family, or from my seminary community, I'm not worried.  There is plenty of room in this stew pot for more.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''''Five page reflective [http://www.essaywriter.co.uk/services.aspx essay] about key elements, components, people, events that have contributed most to your education and formation as a Christian.
+'''''Five page reflective essay about key elements, components, people, events that have contributed most to your education and formation as a Christian.
 '''''
 There was never any question if, whether, or which of the evening leftovers would go into the stew-pot.  In my six-person family of origin, everything that wasn't eaten for dinner got absorbed into the big stew-pot in the freezer, waiting to be thawed, reheated, and reclaimed at the end of the week.  The only real question was how this particular addition would affect the taste and character of the stew when the pot was full. Thinking of this family tradition provides an apt enough metaphor for my education as a Christian through the years -- mixed up and messy, formed in diversity and community, not terribly concerned with input or outcome as much as curiosity and experiment, and still somehow nourishing and practical at the end of the day (or week, rather).
@@ Line 19: / Line 21: @@
 My spiritual re-awakening culminated in my decision to attend seminary, which, of course, presents a familiar challenge: I have placed myself in the hands of an institution (a very old one, at that) with a structured approach to education and formation, an externally imposed curriculum, and pre-determined ideas about what outcomes are desirable in an M.Div student.  My hope is that -- as with my time at Oral Roberts University -- these things will come in equal measure with relationships, opportunities, and unexpected twists.  For all of it together is the "stuff" of education and formation, both for Christians and for human beings.  Some experiences nourish more than others, while some experiences form us in reaction to and against them. Often the formative experiences we pursue deliberately produce [http://www.cellulite.co.uk/ '''cellulite'''] good and expected results, while sometimes those we didn't plan for produce sweet or spicy surprises that challenge us in unexpected ways.  Everything goes into the stew-pot.  Whether the contributions come from me, from my family, or from my seminary community, I'm not worried.  There is plenty of room in this stew pot for more.

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 So I accepted a job with my church as a youth director, pledging to help others develop in their faith while I was still relatively stagnant in my own.  In the process of exploring just how this might be done, I came across Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster's ''The Godbearing Life,'' and its call to make formation less driven by programs, and more by relationships.  I also began to participate in the emerging church conversation, through various books and correspondences.  In these two streams of thought, I began to find expression and purpose for my own identity as a Christian again. During this time, I also welcomed a son and a daughter into the world, an event that daily brings new perspectives on everything from education and formation to mortality, beauty, and divinity.  When my three-year-old son asked me one day, "Daddy, is Jesus God?" I resisted the temptation to kill his curiosity and exploration with a perfunctory "Yes," instead asking him, "What do you think, son?" I'm grateful for the opportunity, as a parent, to stand back and let my children chart their own course of spiritual formation, relegating myself to the role of resource, advocate, and example, rather than instructor, task-master, or enforcer.
-My spiritual re-awakening culminated in my decision to attend seminary, which, of course, presents a familiar challenge: I have placed myself in the hands of an institution (a very old one, at that) with a structured approach to education and formation, an externally imposed curriculum, and pre-determined ideas about what outcomes are desirable in an M.Div student.  My hope is that -- as with my time at Oral Roberts University -- these things will come in equal measure with relationships, opportunities, and unexpected twists.  For all of it together is the "stuff" of education and formation, both for Christians and for human beings.  Some experiences nourish more than others, while some experiences form us in reaction to and against them. Often the formative experiences we pursue deliberately produce good and expected results, while sometimes those we didn't plan for produce sweet or spicy surprises that challenge us in unexpected ways.  Everything goes into the stew-pot.  Whether the contributions come from me, from my family, or from my seminary community, I'm not worried.  There is plenty of room in this stew pot for more.
+My spiritual re-awakening culminated in my decision to attend seminary, which, of course, presents a familiar challenge: I have placed myself in the hands of an institution (a very old one, at that) with a structured approach to education and formation, an externally imposed curriculum, and pre-determined ideas about what outcomes are desirable in an M.Div student.  My hope is that -- as with my time at Oral Roberts University -- these things will come in equal measure with relationships, opportunities, and unexpected twists.  For all of it together is the "stuff" of education and formation, both for Christians and for human beings.  Some experiences nourish more than others, while some experiences form us in reaction to and against them. Often the formative experiences we pursue deliberately produce [http://www.cellulite.co.uk/ '''cellulite'''] good and expected results, while sometimes those we didn't plan for produce sweet or spicy surprises that challenge us in unexpected ways.  Everything goes into the stew-pot.  Whether the contributions come from me, from my family, or from my seminary community, I'm not worried.  There is plenty of room in this stew pot for more.
 want to spend a vacation with your family? treat them like you've never done before, make then experience what is a real vacation place, then you might want to try this site.
@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 Related Link:
-[http://www.fraserislandtours.com.au/sites/default.asp '''fraser island tours from hervey bay'''][http://www.myessaywriter.com buy essay]
+*[http://www.fraserislandtours.com.au/sites/default.asp '''fraser island tours from hervey bay'''] *[http://www.myessaywriter.com buy essay]

← Older revision	Revision as of 01:13, 14 October 2013
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← Older revision		Revision as of 06:59, 2 July 2010
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−	'''''Five page reflective essay about key elements, components, people, events that have contributed most to your education and formation as a Christian.	+	'''''Five page reflective [http://www.essaywriter.co.uk/services.aspx essay] about key elements, components, people, events that have contributed most to your education and formation as a Christian.
	'''''		'''''

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:40, 15 June 2010
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	Related Link:		Related Link:

−	[http://www.fraserislandtours.com.au/sites/default.asp '''fraser island tours from hervey bay''']	+	[http://www.fraserislandtours.com.au/sites/default.asp '''fraser island tours from hervey bay'''][http://www.myessaywriter.com buy essay]

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:34, 6 May 2010
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	My spiritual re-awakening culminated in my decision to attend seminary, which, of course, presents a familiar challenge: I have placed myself in the hands of an institution (a very old one, at that) with a structured approach to education and formation, an externally imposed curriculum, and pre-determined ideas about what outcomes are desirable in an M.Div student. My hope is that -- as with my time at Oral Roberts University -- these things will come in equal measure with relationships, opportunities, and unexpected twists. For all of it together is the "stuff" of education and formation, both for Christians and for human beings. Some experiences nourish more than others, while some experiences form us in reaction to and against them. Often the formative experiences we pursue deliberately produce good and expected results, while sometimes those we didn't plan for produce sweet or spicy surprises that challenge us in unexpected ways. Everything goes into the stew-pot. Whether the contributions come from me, from my family, or from my seminary community, I'm not worried. There is plenty of room in this stew pot for more.		My spiritual re-awakening culminated in my decision to attend seminary, which, of course, presents a familiar challenge: I have placed myself in the hands of an institution (a very old one, at that) with a structured approach to education and formation, an externally imposed curriculum, and pre-determined ideas about what outcomes are desirable in an M.Div student. My hope is that -- as with my time at Oral Roberts University -- these things will come in equal measure with relationships, opportunities, and unexpected twists. For all of it together is the "stuff" of education and formation, both for Christians and for human beings. Some experiences nourish more than others, while some experiences form us in reaction to and against them. Often the formative experiences we pursue deliberately produce good and expected results, while sometimes those we didn't plan for produce sweet or spicy surprises that challenge us in unexpected ways. Everything goes into the stew-pot. Whether the contributions come from me, from my family, or from my seminary community, I'm not worried. There is plenty of room in this stew pot for more.
		+
		+	want to spend a vacation with your family? treat them like you've never done before, make then experience what is a real vacation place, then you might want to try this site.
		+
		+	Related Link:
		+
		+	[http://www.fraserislandtours.com.au/sites/default.asp '''fraser island tours from hervey bay''']

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:39, 26 September 2008
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	So I accepted a job with my church as a youth director, pledging to help others develop in their faith while I was still relatively stagnant in my own. In the process of exploring just how this might be done, I came across Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster's ''The Godbearing Life,'' and its call to make formation less driven by programs, and more by relationships. I also began to participate in the emerging church conversation, through various books and correspondences. In these two streams of thought, I began to find expression and purpose for my own identity as a Christian again. During this time, I also welcomed a son and a daughter into the world, an event that daily brings new perspectives on everything from education and formation to mortality, beauty, and divinity. When my three-year-old son asked me one day, "Daddy, is Jesus God?" I resisted the temptation to kill his curiosity and exploration with a perfunctory "Yes," instead asking him, "What do you think, son?" I'm grateful for the opportunity, as a parent, to stand back and let my children chart their own course of spiritual formation, relegating myself to the role of resource, advocate, and example, rather than instructor, task-master, or enforcer.		So I accepted a job with my church as a youth director, pledging to help others develop in their faith while I was still relatively stagnant in my own. In the process of exploring just how this might be done, I came across Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster's ''The Godbearing Life,'' and its call to make formation less driven by programs, and more by relationships. I also began to participate in the emerging church conversation, through various books and correspondences. In these two streams of thought, I began to find expression and purpose for my own identity as a Christian again. During this time, I also welcomed a son and a daughter into the world, an event that daily brings new perspectives on everything from education and formation to mortality, beauty, and divinity. When my three-year-old son asked me one day, "Daddy, is Jesus God?" I resisted the temptation to kill his curiosity and exploration with a perfunctory "Yes," instead asking him, "What do you think, son?" I'm grateful for the opportunity, as a parent, to stand back and let my children chart their own course of spiritual formation, relegating myself to the role of resource, advocate, and example, rather than instructor, task-master, or enforcer.

−	My spiritual re-awakening culminated in my decision to attend seminary, which, of course, presents a familiar challenge: I have placed myself in the hands of an institution (a very old one, at that) with a structured approach to education and formation, an externally imposed curriculum, and pre-determined ideas about what outcomes are desirable in an M.Div student. My hope is that -- as with my time at Oral Roberts University -- these things will come in equal measure with relationships, opportunities, and unexpected twists. For all of it together is the "stuff" of education and formation, both for Christians and for human beings. Some experiences nourish more than others, while some experiences form us in reaction to and against them. Often the formative experiences we pursue deliberately produce good and expected results, while sometimes those we didn't plan for produce ~~interesting ones~~ that challenge us in unexpected ways. Everything goes into the stew-pot. Whether the contributions come from me, from my family, or from my seminary community, I'm not worried. There is plenty of room in this stew pot for more.	+	My spiritual re-awakening culminated in my decision to attend seminary, which, of course, presents a familiar challenge: I have placed myself in the hands of an institution (a very old one, at that) with a structured approach to education and formation, an externally imposed curriculum, and pre-determined ideas about what outcomes are desirable in an M.Div student. My hope is that -- as with my time at Oral Roberts University -- these things will come in equal measure with relationships, opportunities, and unexpected twists. For all of it together is the "stuff" of education and formation, both for Christians and for human beings. Some experiences nourish more than others, while some experiences form us in reaction to and against them. Often the formative experiences we pursue deliberately produce good and expected results, while sometimes those we didn't plan for produce sweet or spicy surprises that challenge us in unexpected ways. Everything goes into the stew-pot. Whether the contributions come from me, from my family, or from my seminary community, I'm not worried. There is plenty of room in this stew pot for more.