Also at Starbucks...

The Starbucks I usually go to is connected to a Barnes and Noble. Last night after studying, I decided to take a few minutes to stroll around the store and clear my mind looking at books, such as everybody's childhood favorite (that I somehow missed out on) Where The Wild Things Are.

Upon re-entering Starbucks, a short, round, grey-haired man in a yamaka was teaching the barista Spanish by saying things like "fat" and "ugly", pointing to himself.

He was speaking Spanish! How could I possibly resist the urge to talk to him??

Well I couldn't, so I did talk to him. :)

It turns out he's from Argentina, and a Rabbi. He made me laugh incessantly and asked me, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" ("Que quieres ser cuando seas grande?"), something nobody has asked me since I was a kid.

I told him that I'm a Christian and he said that when he gets back from his trip (he was on his way to the airport at that moment) we should meet for a cup of coffee and talk about spiritual things.

Before leaving we traded phone numbers and he asked what he should save as my last name.

"Gorda? No no no, no puede ser"
"Fat? No no no, that can't be."
"Flaca? No no, eso tampoco esta bien"
"Skinny? No no, that's not right either."
"Te dije que soy bueno? Porque si te lo dije, fue mentira."
"Did I tell you that I'm good? Because if I did, it was a lie."

If he weren't an Argentinian Rabbi, I might have had to slap the man! But Argentines have a way of making you laugh no matter what they say. It's impossible to stay mad an Argentine because he'll make you laugh so much you forgot why you were mad in the first place.

And of course, you can't slap a Rabbi. That would just be wrong.

Welcome To Texas

A guy just walked into Starbucks with a buckle on his belt and spurs on his boots.

Real spurs.

His one year old son is wearing cowboy boots as well.

I'm officially back in Texas.

Be Wise

"Make your ear attentive to wisdom,

Incline your heart to understanding;

For if you cry for discernment,

Lift your voice for understanding;

If you seek her as silver

And search for her as for hidden treasures;

Then you will discern the fear of the Lord

And discover the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives wisdom;

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding."



Proverbs 2:2-6 NASB

Midterms

Three down.

One to go.

In case you forgot, I'm in seminary.

And somehow I managed to sign up for four of the most challenging professors in the school, all in one semester.

BUT I'm thankful. I came here to be challenged. I came here to learn. And I'm learning a whole stinkin' lot!!

My schedule this semester is:

Church History 1 (New Testament church through...the Reformation? I'm not sure at what point in history the class ends)

Old Testament 1

Hermeneutics (that means "the art or science of interpreting texts")

Elementary Greek 1 (I'll take a a total of four semesters of Greek, and two of Hebrew)

and Spiritual Formation, a class that deals with yourpersonal spiritual life.

Last week I had three midterms...so far I only know the grade for Church History. I made an A. :)

Thursday I have Old Testament. Those who have taken the class before me have given their advice for doing well on this exam, which covers The Pentateuch (Genesis - Deuteronomy). They say, "basically, just memorize the Pentateuch."

Awesome.

I think I'll be satisfied if I can memorize the three Scripture passages we're required to write from memory, complete all the readings (Gen-Deut twice, two text books, Justin's Dialogue w/ Trypho, and something else which I haven't even started...), and still remember my own name.

It's hard work, but it's totally worth it.

"Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9