"Spontaneous Freedom Lack-of-Planning Thing"

I'm on a break from school. I fully realized this when I was bored and had time to take an afternoon nap! Naps = awesome! I have an incredible amount of built up energy and am definitely ready to go back to school. In the meantime, however, here are a few things I've been doing to treat my insane amounts of boredom:

Winter Classic. It's hockey time! Now... the real Winter Classic isn't until January 2 at 1:00pm EST, but our winter classic took place yesterday. A number of my hockey friends and I thought it would be a wonderful idea to play roller hockey in 30 degree temperature, steady rain, and a soaked hockey rink. Surprisingly I only had only one bad wipe out. 5 goals and 4 assists on 11 total goals plus a great afternoon with friends made up for the slight shoulder discomfort experienced from my wipe out. We were all frozen to the core within two hours, but it was a wonderful time filled with laughter.

Family Dinner. It's a rare event that my entire family is in the same place at the same time. My younger brother and I are both away at school most of the year, my older brother works night shift, my half-sister has a full time job and a husband, and Kim is busy with her first family. Last night, we managed to all be available at the same time! Yay! So we went out to hibachi for my mom's birthday and some family time. It was a BLAST!

Doctor's Appointments. The interesting thing about being in this nomad portion of my life is that I have this terrible habit of ignoring doctors' checkups.This week home, though, I made an appointment with my good old orthopedic surgeon. And it's a good thing I did... apparently, I dislocated the kneecap on my bad knee and now it's kinda out of place. Long story short: I need to go back to physical therapy, and hopefully that will remedy the issue. 

Reading. Hebrew! I'm trying to get a running head-start for intensive Hebrew II in the J-term. I've also been catching up on blogs (I love blogs), watching ted.com videos, and I started reading the Chronicles of Narnia series! I am also thinking about tackling the Bible in another translation this year (NIV, NRSV--done), perhaps the NKJV or ESV. 

I can't wait to be back at school and into my routine again. This "spontaneous freedom lack-of-planning thing" is weird for me. I hope all is well with each of you! God's blessings! =)

P.S. I wish I could wake up to this every morning:

Xena at 9:00am 

Christmas Pt. II: The Holiday

Merry Christmas! Oh, by the way, I am going to be saying that until New Years-ish! Joy joy joy! Well, I hope each of you had a fantastic Christmas filled with peace, hope, joy, and love! Mine was pretty darn cool! I got home around noon and then the fun began!

Gifts. I got so caught up in the awesome side of Christmas (church, Jesus, light, salvation) that I forgot that the holiday also includes gift giving and gift receiving. We all opened gifts--even the dogs...

Xena (left) and Dixie (right)

Game time. On holidays, my family typically plays many fun, fun games. Game time usually consists of taboo or charades, but this year, I threw a monkey wrench into that plan. I set up guitar hero in the living room, and we all took turns on different instruments rocking out (awkwardly enough, I play lefty flip despite my regular playing of a real guitar). Then, I introduced them all to a new game--telephone pictionary! 

Three Blind Mice = success

We ended the day by watching movies-another typical Christmas activity. It was such a great day, filled with laughter and fun! It seems like it takes so long for Christmas to get here, and then when it is here, it goes by so darn quick. I guess that what a 364 to 1 ratio would feel like, eh? Maybe next year my Christmas will involve more mixing of the holy with the holiday. Here's to hoping...

Thank you CCR!

Merry Christmas again, dear friends, and may the peace of Christ be with each of you!

Christmas Pt. I: The Holy

Merry Christmas! The past two days have been so astonishing; it is going to be difficult to put into words, but I certainly intend on trying. Also, I am going to break it down into two parts to keep each post short. Part I will deal with the "holy," and Part II will deal with the "holiday." So, Christmas Eve at First Pres was all that it promised to be and more. But before I go into great detail:

My Christmas Eve Tradition 3 years running: Chinese and Wawa coffee!

FPCWC. Take Christmas Eve awesomeness in one hand and worship variety in the other hand... now clap your hands together. That's what First Pres managed to do yesterday, and do wonderfully!

     Pageant. children + costumes + advent/christmas hymns + manger + scripture = cutest thing ever!

     Praise Band. Family service with a contemporary twist on traditional songs. The praise band and the youth choirs were incredible!

     Traditional. From an acoustics perspective, you can't beat a packed 177-year-old sanctuary. It was a candlelit service with a message from Dr. Stovell about light--absolutely wonderful.
     Communion Service. A more intimate service with communion after a long, joyful day!

"Down to Earth." I really, really enjoyed the 10:30pm Communion service for several reasons. It is, in my opinion, the most spiritual service of the year. This year, it lived up to all of my expectations and then some. Rev. Hartwell preached from the gospel of Luke, and her message (entitled "Down to Earth") was outstanding! It hit close to home--like a spiritual blindside. It got to me. Now, I'm in seminary--I listen to A LOT of sermons--and not many "get to me" in such a profound way. I'm affected by every sermon I hear and learn from each one, no doubt, but this was different. I wish I could articulate it better, but it's the kind of message that preoccupies your thoughts and emotions, that hinders you from singing the final hymn, that overwhelms your mind and your soul for a while, and that makes falling asleep just a little bit more difficult. I hear from a good source that it will be available on the website soon: http://www.firstpreswc.com/listen. It's definitely worth twenty minutes of your time!

Christmas morning. My Christmas morning involved a magnificent sermon from Rev. Pickett (I love when he preaches about the Kingdom), packing my car, grabbing a Wawa coffee, and hitting the road for home! 

Next up will be the "holiday" portion of my Christmas: family, friends, games, food, movies, etc. Merry Christmas everyone and God bless you!

Glory to God in the Highest

Greetings! Less than one day until Christmas Eve, and I am overly excited! It is going to be a wonderful day! I'm definitely ready! All of this waiting during Advent has all led up to tomorrow evening! It is by far my favorite day of the year--the most holy night with the best news in the world:

"And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy for all the people: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased." Luke 2:10-14

Praying the "O Antiphons." I got a lovely email on Monday inviting me into a week of specialized prayer with other members of the Presbytery. Considering my particular love for advent, I especially appreciate this time of prayer. The "O Antiphons" are seven titles for Jesus, originally in Latin: Sapientia (Wisdom), Adonai (Lord), Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse), Clavis David (Key of David), Oriens (Dayspring), Rex Gentium (King of Nations), and Emmanuel. The emails are complete devotions with art, examples, thoughts, prayers, and questions for reflection. I have really enjoyed it thus far and plan on saving the emails to return to this time next year. If you'd like a copy, I'd be glad to forward them to you.

Christmas Eve. Tomorrow is going to be incredible, I can feel it! I love celebrating Christmas and am blessed enough to spend it at my wonderful church. The schedule is full, but it's going to be something else! 

     3:00pm Unrehearsed Christmas Pageant

     5:00pm Family Service

     7:00pm Traditional Service

     9:00pm Traditional Service

     10:30pm Communion Service

The 5:00pm Family Service is looking especially exciting this year. Our praise band is playing in the sanctuary! I am looking forward to it.

When one sound board won't do it... bring the other one over! My prime seat for the 5:00pm service!

This Christmas Eve should have a nice mix of little children running around, contemporary music, traditional hymns, and spiritual moments. There is nothing like the communion service--you really feel God's presence! Anyway, I'll be there for all services, and I sure hope to see you there! First Pres WC knows what Christmas is all about. =) Glory to God in the highest! Merry Christmas!

Presbyterians Love Acronyms: YAAD

Before you read any further, I promise this post will not be as long-winded as the last few. I dare not test your patience any more, especially when it may have been all used up after sitting in traffic, or shopping, or waiting for commercials to be over, or whatever.

YAAD. We Presbyterians l-o-v-e acronyms! We love 'em! If it's important, chances are it has an acronym. So here's another: YAAD, which stands for Young Adult Advisory Delegate (for PC(USA) GA, which stands for Presbyterian Church United States of America General Assembly). Last night I had the privilege of going before my home church's session to ask for an endorsement to become one of these YAADs! I also gave them a  very brief update on how seminary is going (i.e. wonderful!). They decided to endorse me, so now my application will be sent to the Presbytery, and they will vote on the matter in January. Wish me luck!

Dining Hall: Closed. Students remaining in Princeton: starving.... ahem, oh, I mean "fasting." We got notification Friday afternoon that the dining hall would be closing Saturday after lunch. It was very nice of them to give us any notification. I guess all the upperclassmen knew, so that leaves us juniors to fend for ourselves. Several methods to addressing this situation include: skipping meals, eating unsafe amounts of Ramen, spending ungodly amounts of money on really spicy Chinese takeout, Wawa trips, eating Twizzlers for breakfast, et al.

I wish I was kidding. ...haha, it is kinda funny though--Twizzlers for breakfast: only in college.

The Worst Christmas Shopper Ever. <--that's me. I don't know what happened! Last year I was done before December; this year, I just started yesterday! Oi vey! And of all people, I am well aware the time of year and how many days until Christmas (4 and an hour, if you were wondering). It also doesn't help that I have NO IDEA what to get anyone! I'm doomed... doomed! Haha, just kidding. I'll figure things out! As my good friend just said, "We can have a wrapping party in my room. And that will pretty much consist of you wrapping presents on my floor [because he's done already]."

Well friends, without classes to keep me busy, I'm sure this blog will be rather up to date until January 2nd. So I'll try to keep 'em short. God's blessings!

2011: An Awesome Year

Today I have been given the special gift of time! Yay, so what do I do? I go to the West Chester University Library! Typical me. Honestly, I think I have a broken "relaxer." That and I get bored with doing nothing. So here I am, working on Hebrew and reflecting on the past year. I have decided to be intentional about both of these things. I really enjoy Hebrew, so I do not want to fall behind when I could be getting ahead. As for the reflection, it just seems to keep popping up everywhere I look: you need to be reflecting on the past year. I think this is a great idea, so it has moved to the forefront of my agenda. Oftentimes, we 'get through' the Christmas season and then spend the week between Christmas and New Years devising a New Year's Resolution with no critical analysis of our past year. I strongly recommend caution against concerning this. Here are some of my reflections thus far:

Big Events. 2011 has be a 'big event' year for me. Chronologically (not necessarily in order of importance):
     (1) last December around this time: I decided to go to seminary over pursuing Ph.D in psychology.
     (2) January: I came under care of my session as an inquirer, making my decision 'official.'
     (3) February: I visited PTS and loved every minute of it. I applied.
     (4) March: I got accepted to PTS!
     (5) May: I graduated WCU!
     (6) June: I came under care of my Presbytery as an inquirer!
     (7) August: I won my first HSHL championship as a coach making me the first woman to run the gauntlet!*
     (8) September: started my 1st semester at PTS!
     (9) December: completed my 1st semester at PTS!

Priorities. During a bible study last Wednesday, my pastor recommended looking back on 2011 and listing your top 5 priorities. I would echo what he said and suggest that you all do the same. This is what I've come up with:
     (1) God.**
     (2) Family/friends.
     (3) Church.
     (4) Academics.
     (5) Spiritual, Mental, & Physical Health.

Small things. If you think about the big things, you must think about the 'small things.' I call them 'small' because to an outsider they may seem insignificant or unimportant in the grand scheme of things. "Blessings that are easily overlooked," if you will:
     (1) Board games. One of the best ways to guard your mental health at seminary!
     (2) Unnecessairly long Skype dates. I usually have a purpose of contact that would take about five minutes to discuss. Yet, these Skype dates tend to be well over an hour long and involve talking about nothing.
     (3) Walks. Alone or with a buddy. It's awesome to just leave things and go for a walk admiring the simple things in God's creation.

People. In my opinion, the most significant impact on everyone's life. People.
     (1) Friends. I've alluded to just how important friends are in several of my previous posts, but I just want to emphasize how much of a blessing friends really are to someone. I mean, personally, I'm too boring to want to hang out by myself all day. Plus, they're always there when you need 'em!

     (2) Best Buddy. I am lucky enough to have the best buddy in the whole wide world. She's super cool, understands me better than even I do (which is saying something), gives great advice, and is always there. She has had a monumental impact upon my life, and for that, I am eternally in debt!

     (3) Mentor. If you don't have one, find one! If you have one, thank them! Unfortunately for you, I have the greatest one in all of existence! Sorry ;). A woman from my church who has influenced my life in such a noticeable way. She has become like a mother to me in so many ways, and my faith journey very well may have looked significantly different without her influence and help every step of the way.

     (4) [Oh] Brothers. Lucky for me, I have two of these that I love very much. Now that we're all 'adults' we get along much better and provide such a sure foundation for each other.

     (5) Parents. They made me who I am today, no doubt. I find myself turning into them in so many ways. For instance, just the other day I said, "What is this garbage music that kids are listening to these days!" and a vivid memory of each of my parents saying the same thing some years ago popped into my head. Oi vey!

     (6) Pastors. They have the best job on the planet in my estimation! It can be a tough job at times, but the rewards are second to none. Several pastors have had serious impacts on my faith and life journeys. Their counsel has made me a better person, especially over the last year!
     (7) Kids. This is just a general category, but kids are awesome. They bring joy and laughter into all situations, and I think its a shame that they all grow up. Kids are definitely my favorite kind of people to have a lunch conversation with!

Well, I have written far more than I intended (sorry if your eyes hurt), but remember--today, I have time! =) Keep in mind that none of these lists are meant to be exhaustive--add et al to every single one of them. Anyway, chances are if you are reading this blog that you have made an impact on my life, and for that I thank you. I am very grateful for all of these blessings! Overall, I would say 2011 was an extremely good year for me. It has changed and formed me in ways far beyond my wildest dreams. To this I say, "Thanks be to God!"

*Winning a championship as a JV player, a Varsity player, an adult league player, and a JV/Varsity coach.
**I like to thing of God as the my center of gravity instead of first on a list. Kind of like the thing that everything else is affected by and revolves around.

What I've Really Learned

Happy Saturday to all of you! Since it's the end of the semester I've been thinking about all that I have learned, and how much I grew after 15 weeks at seminary. It's quite astonishing to think about. According to PTS standards, I am 1/6 (about 17%) done with mastering divinity. Pft, yeah right, as if one could master divinity. As one of my good friends points out, "It is quite the pretentiously titled degree." I could go on and bore you with the vast amounts of factual knowledge I've learned this semester, but I certainly don't wish to bore anyone who takes precious time out of their day to read these blogs (sidenote: I am always willing to have that conversation in person, though). So, instead I will share with you things I've learned (or reaffirmed my knowledge of) outside the realm of academia over these weeks:

Building Vocational Relationships. This is super, super important--being intentional about friendships. Really, this is true even outside of vocations, but it's especially true for future ministers. We are an... umm... 'interesting' group of people--rather specialized in our day to day experiences. And in this community, it seems like there is a common understanding about things. This understanding increases relate-ability, sympathy, and depth of relationships. I cherish these relationships very much, and I am convinced that they will be enduring friendships after seminary.

Authenticity and Transparency. This is hard because it involves vulnerability. It's about being your true self and being comfortable about who you are. Oftentimes, we get caught up in a 'tyranny of shoulds' as a culture, and lose sight of the person we actually are as an individual. Here specifically, there is talk about the Imposter Syndrome. This causes many to worry endlessly. I've learned to embrace my quirkiness and to just be who God created me to be.

Live out your Prayers. I find this to be good advice for everyone. I could explain to you what I mean, but I think I'll just give a few examples of what I'm talking about and you can draw your own conclusions. (1) asking God for patience then practicing road rage; (2) asking God for understanding while being satisfied with ignorance;  (3) [This is the one I used to do before I realized] asking God for discernment but not listening for his word. You can't ask God for something that you aren't willing to live out. I've once heard it put thus, "God has no hands but our own." Also--the book of Ruth is a several good examples of this concept.

Attitude of Gratitude. Be grateful. Ditch any sense of entitlement and "deserving" concepts that you may have embraced. Chances are that you are abundantly blessed--as am I, so take a minute to recognize that, really, this is not of your own doing. You are blessed because of God, because of others, and because of circumstance. It really has nothing to do with your own merit, or hard work, or dedication. And also keep in mind that the "things" that we are blessed with are temporary. Don't get overly invested in "things." Invest yourself in people. Center yourself on God.

Kingdom is here. Concern yourself with the here and now. Look for glimpses of the Kingdom. If you are too caught up in looking for something in the future, you are going to miss what's going on around you. And you can quote Revelation all you want about "...is to come," and that's true, but that doesn't mean that we don't have a job to do here and now. If we're all just waiting for God to fix things, what do you think God's first question is going to be when God comes again? We are the hands and feet of Christ. Let us worry more about the here and now and less about the there and then.

Grace & Love. In my estimation, the two most influential terms when these words become action. They are incredibly important. We are given this amazing gift of grace, and I think that we should also extend this grace on to one another. Favor... even when someone doesn't "deserve" it. And love. This is the greatest commandment, and I can quote Scripture up and down to prove it to you. Love holds people together in the most intimate way. It has an unmatched impact on one's life. From Paul: faith, hope, and love--and the greatest is love.

A note from lunch today. I love kids!

Discipline. This can be hard, but I have found it quite refreshing these last few weeks. Being intentional about things and getting into a nice routine with disciplined activities has been such a blessing. I strive on routine. I do not strive on changing routine. BUT I have changed up things to include more daily activities. For instance, I started a prayer journal this semester (such a wonderful way to unwind your thoughts and concerns). I've also been intentional about praying, devotionals, the gym, sleep, and leisure activities (to balance my studies). Discipline has been extremely helpful for me, and it could be for you also!

Like I've said, I've learned so much this semester! It's been nothing short of marvelous! Perhaps as an end-of-the-year activity, you can also reflect on things you've learned this year! It can put things into perspective before setting goals for next year or making new year's resolutions!

I also want to thank all of you that read my blog! My stats tell me that we just went over the 1,000 pageview mark! Woo Hoo! I am very glad that some of you seem to like it because I truly enjoy writing it! 4th Sunday of Advent tomorrow! Yay!

So, happy advent! (Soon I'll be able to say Merry Christmas!) God Bless!

Final(s)ly Finished!

HOOOORAY! Hooray for finished finals! Boo yah, finals! So, I finished my finals about... oh, 9 minutes ago! And first thing on my agenda--tell all of you! Well that, and I have time to kill before dinner, so what the heck?!

Old Testament. The test and studying for it were like reading from Genesis through Malachi--just a matter of endurance. It was a lot of information--39 books worth! I'm feeling pretty good about it though, and I am very satisfied with the amount of knowledge I learned from this class! Wow!

Hebrew. This was largely reproduction of verbs, different forms, and translation. I already got my grade back because my preceptor is awesome, and I did really well! Man, I love Hebrew.

Theology. Oh Calvin, why do your Institutes need to be so lengthy and theological? I'm convinced that Calvin was trying to be the death of me... but oh no, not this day, no sir! Also, I wrote about Enlightenment theology for my other essay. Systematic (really, Liberation) theology--done!

Speech. Easy peasy--finished last week.

...so now that I am done with finals, I have two weeks off! Sounds great, right? Well, HECK YES, but I have been a tad overwhelmed with studying that I have not yet:
done my laundry
cleaned my car
cleaned my room
went Christmas shopping
deposited three checks
stocked up on food for next week
answered several emails
 Plus, I have intensive Hebrew II in the J-term, beginning January 2, which will make me a busy bee over break!

BUT, I am super looking forward to Christmas Eve and a chance to see all of my wonderful friends and family! And I'm still wearing my advent colors! Yippee! Now, I'm off to dinner and celebratory games and fun with  friends! What a great day! =)

Messiah

Behold! I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
Luke 2:10-11

Good day to each of you! I hope this post finds you not swarming in piles of notes, and not reading until your eyes hurt, and not falling asleep with a Bible on your face. That would be really weird because that's what I've been doing! I pumped though, ready to go and rock some tests. Rumor has it, that the tests are actually afraid of the students around here! Who knew! Anyway, I'm sure you're not interested in my study stories, but you may be interested in my study break stories:

Messiah. I went to a performance of Handel's Messiah last night at UChapel! The place was packed, and they had us sit according to the part we sing. We didn't go through the whole thing--that would have taken two and a half hours, but we went through a lot of it (an hour and a half's worth, at least). It was super fun and there were some amazing soloists. And I don't know how much you know about the music itself, but it's hard:

I did my best to keep up and not lose my spot. Pft, bad night to wear my five year old glasses and not contacts. We ended on the well known Hallelujah! chorus. My favorite was For Unto Us a Child is Born chorus. What a wonderful study break with some fantastic friends!

Saving sanity. Speaking of music, I have been proactive about keeping my sanity during this week. I mean this in jest, of course, but some people do get a little loopy (including myself) after a long study session with no break. So, I have been taking snip-it breaks to solidify the information I've studied to have five or ten minutes of quick fun. I'd like to introduce you to Electra and [unnamed guitar]:

Electra (left) and [unnamed guitar] right.

If you have guitar name suggestions for [unnamed guitar], I would be happy to hear them! My old acoustic's name was Laura, so don't recommend that. So, either comment below or email me: ashley.reimold@gmail.com. Music has been such a wonderful gift for me during this season of advent! The church really has some good gems for this season. Well, I should probably get back to my studying! 

Shalom, friends! 

Finals Preview & Sunday Review

Greetings dear friends! So guess what I just realized? I am done with classes for this semester! Oh yeah! Go me! Trouble is, I still have these 'finals' to get through before I can say that I successfully completed my first semester of seminary! I am feeling rather confident. But I don't know how I feel about my feelings of confidence. I hope I haven't fell into a a unsafe sense of control and preparedness. I guess we'll see! =)

Hebrew.  or "the Hebs" as I have come to call it. I have been intentional about keeping up with my vocabulary and grammar, so I am feeling pretty good about this test. Plus, I also enjoy studying it in a really geeky way because now I can read my favorite OT passages in their original language and actually understand what it means (for the most part). It is quite incredible how much progress we as a class have made this semester. I am especially grateful for my preceptor--he is truly amazing.

Old Testament. So I don't know if you are aware how long the Hebrew Bible is, but it's pretty long. 39 books as a matter of fact! This means that there is a lot of material to cover. Besides the essay prompts, I am required to know outlines of many of the books, summaries of Ruth, Esther, and Jonah, significance of many OT characters, prophets & their associated kings, significant years, ten commandments, order of the OT, and several other facts.

Theology. This is the final that I am least looking forward to for several reasons. After today, however, I am feeling pretty confident that I am good with more than half of the final--Calvin and theological terms. I still have some reading up to do on the topics of Barth, the Enlightenment, and evangelical theology.

Well, I am feeling good about these finals, but I am still planning on studying my brains out the first half of this week! The second half is devoted to the finals themselves. On another note, I had quite a wonderful Sunday! I went to church with a very good friend of mine, and I really like this church I have been attending while out here in Princeton. Allentown Presbyterian Church (NJ).

Allentown Pres. This church has some similarities with my own church, but also a number of differences. Considering it as a whole, I really like it. They sing a wide variety of songs, both contemporary and traditional. They use a keyboard, guitars, and drums as well as the organ. It's all very well balanced out. The service also has a very nice flow to it, and this is something I can appreciate. The pastor is also a really cool guy and a great preacher. He's a walker and really doesn't use the pulpit. His messages are very good, thought provoking, and they have a academia component to them.

Handel's Messiah. What a wonderful advent Sunday school taught by the pastor. We talked a lot about the history of this genius piece of music and the compiling of scripture. It was pretty awesome. We listened to clips of the performance, soloists, and talked about the structure of the piece itself. I always appreciate going into more detail about the music behind advent (Messiah was originally intended for lent).


How Great is Our God. If you like Chris Tomlin. advent-themed songs, or guitar/piano (or all three like me), you should check out this alternative Verse 1 for Tomlin's song How Great is Our God:

The splendor of the babe

In the manger hay

A new way has begun, a new way has begun

Through darkness comes our light

Messiah born this night

O listen to his voice, his tender gentle voice

Wish me luck during my last week of my first semester at seminary! It has been a great beginning to what is going to be a long week. I hope to see you, whoever you are, very soon! Happy Advent and God bless! 

Exegetical Tools

Whoa! Let me shift+tab back to my title and give a little clarification. I understand that some people may not recognize the word "exegetical." It's not a common, everyday word, so let me give an informal definition. Exegetical comes from the greek word "exegesis" meaning to interpret. It is usually used in the context of interpreting a text, and in this respect, I mean it to refer to an essential part of a pastor's sermon prep. Think of it as a critical analysis of a Bible text. So what do I mean by exegetical tools? We'll get to that in just a little bit, but first I'd like to tell you all of a wonderful event that I attended last night.

Oratorical Society Debate. That's right. I went to debate #2 last night! The proposition: Systematic Theology at PTS should be taught primarily through the lens of Liberation Theology. I am very good friends with each of the debaters, so I was even more excited! Plus, I'm in the current Systematic Theology class that is being taught through a Liberation Theology lens, so I was also interested in it from this perspective. I must admit, however, that this week has been exceptionally busy with extracurricular activities, so it kind of snuck up on me. Anyway, the debate was really good. Both sides articulated their points very well and both of the arguments were very intriguing. Also, the Q&A section was really thought provoking. The proposition ended up winning--flipping 14 votes to the affirmative. Impressive. Events like this remind me how incredibly blessed I am to be a part of such a wonderful academic and faith community. =)

Exegtical Tools. Ok, good job with the patience! Back to my main point of this blog. If you are ever interested in the process of exegesis, feel free to talk to me or shoot me and email, or even better yet... go bug your pastor! Anyway, for OT we were required to do two formal assignments involving this process and several informal activities during group precepts. Well, during precept the past two weeks, we got to use very professional, serious, big-time pastor, Ph.D student, tenured professor, secretive exegetical tools! Colored pencils! Whooo Hooo! ...wait, what? You mean these exegetical tools are available for everyone to use? Interesting. =) So, yes, we got to use colored pencils during precept. This is actually a simple device that is exponentially helpful when exegeting a passage. You color code things to keep everything straight in your head! So... why would I get so excited about colored pencils (other than the coincidental advent timing where I am always excited)? Well, let me answer this question with a question... have you ever tried interpreting the book of Daniel, Chapter 7? .....go ahead, whip those Bibles out, or simply go to:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel%207&version=NIV.

Yeah, talk about weird and hard to envision. Colored pencils come in handy. Or, if you are having trouble tracking everything through the text, you could always improvise:

Daniel 7 by yours truly

We all drew our very own version, in a fun last-precept-of-the-semester activity. Who says we don't do very professional things in OT precept or at Seminary? Although, I must say, maybe this horrendous picture might need some exegeting of its own. Feel free to have at it! If nothing else, I hope it gives you all a laugh! 

Well, I had better get back to studying for these darn finals! Or, better yet, I can go "study" at Starbucks while I read awesome Christmas cards from my church & wonderful session liaison! I am incredibly blessed to have an awesome church family! Check this out--package! =)

Blessings and peace to each of you!

Light(s) of the World

As some of you may or may not know, I have quite a sketchy memory. My brain decides to remember and forget things according to its own will. Therefore, I apologize that I forgot to mention something for about the past two weeks. Here at the seminary, we publish something called "Testament." It is basically a small biyearly journal of different student submissions. This semester's Testament includes sermons, poems, reflections, prayers, and pictures. I highly recommend checking it out: http://ptsem.edu/

Carols of Many Nations. Wow. What a wonderful concert! This included all three choirs and about a bazillion different languages! It was all Christmas music, and there were a few hymns where everyone got to sing (which I particularly appreciated)! Some Anthems were sung completely in other languages! AWESOME! Oh, and I forgot about the descants in some of these hymns--can you say goosebumps and tingles! Yay! We definitely were in full Christmas mode last night. The concert ended with the passing of light, Silent Night, and Joy to the World. I am totally ready for Christmas Eve! The concert was really awesome and uplifting! Go choir friends, you rock!

 
Christmas Lights. Let me just tell you all how difficult it is to make ropelight (or lightrope or whatever it is called) look good anywhere except a porch. It's ridiculous! It's my only source of real Christmas decoration in my room, and it won't even stay put. Stupid lights. I have to go get some real lights--you know, the ones that don't weigh a ton and will easily stay up with thumbtacks or tape. Anyway, moving on--a very dear friend of mine made a suggestion the other day that we should simply drive around looking for Christmas lights! I love love love this idea! I used to do it when I was younger, except we always went to Bethlehem, PA because they have the best lights around (that I know of). So, hopefully, maybe sometime this weekend (for a study break), some of us can just jump in a car and go light-seeing (haha, like "sightseeing"). It should be fun fun fun! =)

Oh, but check out this awesome picture I stumbled upon:

I am one day away from the end of classes for the semester! And then onto finals week! AND THEN ONTO CHRISTMAS EVE WEEK! YAY!

"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."

 Matthew 5:14-16

May the peace of Christ Jesus be with you all!

"I hate it when my snakes fall off!"

So I am just going to admit right off the bat that I need a break in studying! It seems like my answer to every Whatcha up to? or What are your plans for later? is always... well, I'm studying. I might just go a little crazy before finals are over. But I'm definitely not stressing, it's advent and there is a wonderful Christmas concert here this afternoon/ evening. Anyway, recap on the past few days:

Sermon on Hell. How many of these have you heard in your lifetime? I'm not just talking about sermons that reference hell, but sermons fully devoted to the topic of hell. How many? Well, I can answer this question without thinking too much: none. In my life, I have never heard a sermon completely dedicated to hell. Yesterday, that changed. It was an interesting sermon. One of the professors here was the preacher for the chapel service and decided to tackle this not-so-popular topic with no script. Good on ya, I say. Anyway, he spoke mostly about repentance, and did a very good job relating it all to gospel themes and even to advent. It was very interesting, very well thought out, and overall very good. We sang the Battle Hymn of the Republic as the final hymn--very fitting.

Seminary Basketball. Why on earth would basketball be on my mind or in my schedule so close to finals week?! That's outrageous, right?! Wrong. First and foremost I would like to point out that physical activity boosts mental activity for up to eight hours. Cha ching! AND, in my opinion, basketball provides a needed break to the academia around here. I must say, seminary basketball is the right kind of basketball. What do I mean by this? Well, in high school and undergrad, basketball was centered around competition, rivalry, and pride. At seminary, however, it's different. The goal isn't necessarily to win, it's to have fun. There aren't really any rivalries because no one can force themselves to dislike another person over a simple, trivial game. And pride? --we don't even have school colors and are playing under the same institution. Pft, the heck with intramural pride. Everyone is very honest about fouls, very complimentary to both teams, very conversational, and overall--it is the fairest game of basketball you will ever see. We're just doing pickup games for now, but the season begins in February, and I can't wait!

Olivia's Advent Calendar. You should check this out. It is a series of videos recorded by a girl from my friend's church. She makes a creative video everyday when she opens that day's door of her advent calendar. These are pretty hilarious! They are posted on youtube daily and will certainly give you a few good laughs as well as a number of witty phrases to throw around. Ex: "I hate when my snakes fall off!" and "Dad, is that enough twitching?!" A group of us watch them everyday! =)

Anyway, I might want to get back to work. These finals aren't going to study for themselves! I hope all is well with each of you! All the best, until next time! =)

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

It's still ADVENT TIME!

Compliments to KO

O Come, O Come Emmanuel. So, some of you may be thinking: what is up with Ashley's obsession with Advent and especially with O Come, O Come Emmanuel? To you I would say--that's a fair question. First and foremost, I love love love advent! It's the most awesome time of the year for me, and when I feel closest to God (I'm sure it helps that the term "God with us" is thrown around all of the time during this season). As for the hymn, it's by far my favorite--although, I must admit that I am slightly disappointed that the Presbyterian Hymnal only includes three of eight verses. I am convinced this hymn it will never ever ever get old, and the words are very deep and meaningful! Read parts of Isaiah or Psalm 74 and then sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel--you'll get some goosebumps. =) ...well at least I do. 

Wait. You know, I'm starting to get pretty good at this waiting stuff. I get the vibe that many people do not particularly enjoy waiting, but I am usually not too antsy or impatient about things. I am one of those "savor-the-journey" kind of people, and not a "get-to-the-destination" person. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with the latter. Quite on the contrary, I would argue that I am the weird one. This is probably another reason I love advent. If, however, you cannot relate to me... you may be able to relate to many Psalmist who proclaim, "How long, O Lord..." So, crack open those Bibles right to the middle and check out what some of the psalmists have to say about waiting!

Candlelight Christmas Concert. You know what else I love? My church! Uh huh, that's right--best church in the world if you ask me! =) This is why I was oober excited about today! I went to Sunday school, Worship, and then.... to the Candlelight Christmas Concert where there was SINGING and MUSIC and HYMNS and SINGING and O COME, O COME EMMANUEL and AWESOMENESS and ADVENT EVERYWHERE and DECORATIONS and PEOPLE and FELLOWSHIP and COOKIES! Oh what a wonderful day! And my brother even joined me for the concert! I am so grateful for how ridiculously blessed I am! I hope and pray that I am blessed to be a blessing unto others!

CPE. And finally, as if this amazing second Sunday of advent could not get any better, I got an acceptance email from a Clinical Pastoral Education center in North Dakota! Whooo! I'm gonna see what God has to say about this before I dive in headfirst, and I ask, if you're feeling up to it, that you pray for it too! =)

Well, that is certainly enough rambling for one night! I hope all of your advents are going well! All the best and God bless!

Bert Reynolds Day

I'm am going to apologize in advance for the lack of pictures on this blog. I had no device to allow me to take any pictures when I was pleasantly surprised during my lunch with the end of a month long mustache competition.

I had heard of the competition in passing at the end of October, but I didn't realize just how serious the men of this seminary take this competition. Some of them had very interesting and creative "moooose-staches" (as they pronounce the word). We had three lovely judges to guide us through the competition: a church history professor, a student, and our Aramark representative. It was very interesting. Also, a classmate of mine commentated the whole thing.

So basically, there were four categories: best incoming mustache, most creative mustache, best attempt mustache and best overall mustache. The rules were simple. Start clean shaven November 1st, and let it grow throughout the month. On December 1st, shave it how you please (usually in some kind of design). Each contestant introduced himself in each category and then gave the name of his mustache. There were quite humorous names. The ones that stuck in my memory: money's tail, chaps, white lightning, Saturday morning hangover. There were a lot more, but I have an awful memory.

It was a great way to ease some tension that was floating around in the shadows of upcoming finals. It really is an awesome tradition!

Just a quick update. All the best!

Cheese Tag

Oh, it's one of those weeks! You know... the ones when you remember the insane amounts of work that need to get done in spite of the incredibly infinitesimal chunks of free time in your schedule. And it is going to be a Christmas miracle if I find time to go shopping for everyone. Despite all of this, I am in great spirits! Hmm, can anyone guess why? Anyone? Oh right, it's Advent! Whoooo! Also, here are a few other happenings that make my life a wonderful one:

Cheese Tag. Just last night I got to the dining hall a little late (I was coming from the gym) and found new, fun people to sit with. It just so happened that half of these people were little people... people in training... kids, if you will. I love kids! They are simply wonderful. Our conversations were filled will kindergarten jokes, why one would dip pizza crust in ginger ale, and how to finger-spell our names. Then, the little girl tagged me on the shoulder, said, "Cheese tag!", and crossed as many body parts as humanly possible (making her "safe"). Slightly bewildered, I asked her what I should do. She told me to simply tag someone else who didn't have their fingers crossed, and say, "Cheese tag!" So I did. And then they did. And then that person did... and so on and so forth until literally the WHOLE SEMINARY CAFETERIA was playing cheese tag and chasing one another around tables. It was a ridiculous amount of fun! It got me to thinking: it's a darn shame that we are ever forced to grow up.

Yoga. Don't knock it if you've never tried it. That's what I used to do, but it is really awesome. Awesome to the point that today, every time I inhale, my shoulders sear with pain. It was really relaxing and definitely worth it, though. I know what I'll be doing on Wednesday evenings from now on. =)

Letters to God. In our speech classes, we are required to read a psalm and children's letters to God for our final. These are absolutely the cutest things ever. It makes me think that sometimes we make prayer a little too complicated. Perhaps we could take lessons from children in simplicity during this time of waiting and anticipation. Maybe it would be a better theme during lent, who knows?

Advent Colors. So, in case you didn't know, Advent is my favorite time of the year. Truly, my favorite. This year, I am attempting to match the liturgical colors of the season every day during this four week period. Presbyterians use purple and Lutherans use blue, so I am going to stick to these two colors for the first three weeks and see how creative I can get without being redundant with my wardrobe. For the final week, I am going to try to do all pink... which may prove to be difficult because I only have 3 pink shirts, and 2 of them are t-shirts. We'll see how it works out. Wish me luck!

Oh and I will be singing O Come, O Come Emmanuel every single day this week. Thanks chapel! =)

Peace be with you.

Kingdom Quotes Pt. II

Get the sticky notes ready! Here are some more thought provoking things I've heard/read/said in recent week(s):

We might not how what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.


Too often we talk to our God about how big our mountains are instead of talking to our mountains about how big our God is.


When you get no credit, remember: you don't work under people, you work under God.


The world needs Christians who don't tolerate the complacency of their own lives.


Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers.


People will come miles and miles to hear the Word of God, but they won't cross the street to hear what you have to say. Remember that.


Never let good enough be good enough.


It seems like every time we try to bring heaven down to earth, we bring hell up from below.


God doesn't call the equipped; God equips the called.


You have to go as far as you can see to see how far you can go.


We must live simply so others may simply live.


It's not hard. It's heart.


I hope you are all enjoying advent! =)

It's Advent!

My first day back made me realize two things: (1) I really missed this place; (2) I really needed that break! Phew! I had quite a wonderful break thanks to many, many people! It was very much filled with joy and fun:

TV. I haven't watched tv in 3 months (not kidding), and the first thing I see when I turn on the tube... black friday commericals. Good job America. I got to watch some football, and the Ellen DeGeneres show! Yay!

Food. I am in no place to scrutinize any food served at any institution, so I will just say that it was good to have some home cooked meals. It's been awhile.

Hockey. Both watched and played. WBS Penguins lost to Hershey in a shootout, but we went with a fun crowd (and I got to eat dippin dots with my best buddy)! Then, the pickup roller game was quite competitive.

Soreness. I practiced with my high school basketball team, worked out more than usual (running, situps, and pushups), played with my dogs, and played a three hour roller hockey game. Results: I will be sore for the rest of the week.

Church. Guess what? It's Advent! WHOOOOOOOOOO! I love advent! Love it! L-O-V-E it! Oh, it's simply wonderful! Best hymns of the year, if you ask me! And liturgical purple! And candles! And Jesus! And joy! And waiting... oh, I am eager for the waiting. Plus, it really highlights some of the best parts of scripture! Oh joy! I'm really excited! Anyway, I got to spend the first Sunday of advent in West Chester! What a blessing, indeed! Boy, do I love my church family. What wonderful people! =) It's really an excellent place! And... in case anyone was wondering... we sang O Come O Come Emmanuel in chapel this morning--my FAVORITE! Eeeek, I am ridiculously happy!

Well, I'm back in the bubble! What an excellent break! I very grateful to have wonderful friends to come back to, too! Now, if only the weather will catch up with us... hello, it's advent! Where's the snow, and frosty weather?! I'm not complaining, though, it makes travel easier when it is 60 degree outside! Be seeing you again soon, FPCWC family! Until then, the Lord be with each and every one of you! =)

Thanks-living Brake

**Deep exhale** Phew, finally time for Thanksgiving break (or brake...if you, like me, want things to slow down for a bit)! So now I have some time to sit down and reflect on the past week, and it was quite the week!

Teaching Ministry Interview. So, firstly the thing I am second most excited about (the first being Advent)--teaching ministry. Here at PTSem we have a program under the field education department called "Teaching Ministry." It is basically a church placement with an emphasis on education--usually in the form of a Bible/book study. I applied about two weeks ago, and I got selected for an interview! Yay! They only select ten people for each year's cohort, so I still have to make it through the interview. One of the coolest things about Teaching Ministry is that you get to choose a faculty adviser to help guide you along the way! Princeton Seminary is pretty awesome!

CPE Interviews. I am about to be swamped with interviews! Ahh! As soon as I return from Thanksgiving break, I have two interviews with CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) sites (plus the Teaching Ministry interview)! One of them is very near to my home--Geisinger, and the other is in North Dakota! I am also hoping to hear from a hospital outside of Norfolk, VA. Whatever happens, I fully plan on doing my CPE this summer! Who knows where it will be at this point?!

Hebrew Test. If you've been loosely following this blog, you probably know that I am in a Biblical Hebrew class. It is probably my most challenging class, but at the same time, it is easily my favorite class! Anyway, I had another Midterm on Monday and spent much of the weekend preparing for it! Turns out, I did pretty darn well! Yay! ...oh and special thanks to all of those wonderful people back at First Pres WC that ensured I was riding a sugar high all weekend while studying (haha)!

Thanksgiving. Finally, onto turkey day! I am sorry to say that I am going to miss West Chester's interfaith service tomorrow night (good luck David Pickett and all else who are involved); I really enjoyed it last year. Unfortunately, my car broke, so I am relying on my dear brother for transportation! The week should be fun, though. I am a little nervous about leaving this Christian bubble, but I am anticipating that it will actually be refreshing! Plus, I get to see a lot of amazing people that I have not seen in a long while, including: my parents, my brothers, my best buddy, my church family, my high school basketball coach, my hockey friends, and my pets!

So, today I depart for a bit of a rest and a deep breath before the last two weeks of the semester and Advent! I am super excited for Advent and Christmas! I am planning on doing some kind of Advent study, probably this one: http://www.journeythischristmas.com/chapter.html. Last year, I did a devotional series that could be found here: http://www.d365.org/followingthestar/ (I highly recommend it). Finally, I would suggest that all of you watch this, it is a very thought provoking video about Advent/Christmas in our American culture: http://adventconspiracy.org/ (video top right).

All the best to each of you! May your Thanksgiving also be a time of thanks-living.

Surprise! A care package!

Two things stand between me and Advent: Hebrew midterm (Monday) and Thanksgiving (Thursday). I intend on spending a good portion of the weekend wrestling Hebrew, and then the beginning parts of next week waiting for Advent (which is kinda funny, in a way-- I'm waiting to wait). Anyway, I did not anticipate these study sessions to be filled with snacks, candy, sticky notes, new pens, and encouraging letters... BUT I was surprised to receive a package confirming that, in all actuality, they will be filled with such wonderful things:

Care package from good 'ol First Pres WC!

Thank you First Pres West Chester! I miss you all so much! I am very grateful to have such a wonderful church! God willing, I will see you all the first Sunday of Advent (27 November)! I can't wait! =) In the meantime, have a marvelous Christ the King Sunday! 

And now with joyful gladness, I wait all the more eagerly for Advent.

"I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you all as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power."  

Paul's Letter to the Church in Ephesus Chapter 1:15-19

Kingdom Quotes Pt. I

This post has been in the works for quite some time now. It is simply a list of things that I've thought of, read, or heard somewhere. Many of them are now on sticky notes around my room. I hope some of these statements are thought provoking to you and may become sticky notes on your wall:

This is the kingdom: loving your neighbor as yourself.


Christians are people who are completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble.


God's Word gets things done.


You can come through my door but Your presence is in the way. You can come into my church, just don't move any of the furniture.


Sometimes God just has to say, "I love you too much to answer that prayer!"


Last time I checked, the death rate of the world is still at 100%.


Lord, we come before you as humble as we know how...


The more you acquire the more you desire.


We have met the enemy, and they are us.


In the call there is a promise, and it won't quiet down.


People will not care about how much you know until they know about how much you care.


If God has done it, I cannot undo it. I am not holding onto God, God is holding onto me.

Keep in mind that many of these quotations are context dependent, so if any of them rub you the wrong way, I encourage you to inquire about the context before losing sleep over it.

Peace be with you all!

Torah Day!

You're never going to believe what I did! I touched a Torah scroll! That's right, the first five books of the Bible, handwritten on calf skin with a quill and ink and over 90 years old! Now, to be fair, I touched it through my sleeve, for you're not supposed to touch something so holy with your grimy, greasy fingers... but it still counts!

Plus I met a really cool rabbi. He's been a rabbi for over 25 years, and he taught us a lot about Jewish culture and worship services. It's all very interesting. All of the things I learned that day in just 50 minutes is incredible, so if you want some details, you're going to have to ask me in person or email me. It would be a very looooong blog post if I explained it all here.

Anyway, here are some pictures!

Nelson and Katie were by Levitical Laws about Leprosy (left)! It's a very long scroll (right)!

The offset text in Exodus indicates Miriam's song in Chapter 15.

I held the part of the scrolls that contains the story of the golden calf in Exodus 32 (ref Golden Calf, Really?)... coincidence?

Five books, handwritten. Wow!

One interesting fact that I will take a minute to share with you is this: if one (just one) letter on this entire scroll, which wrapped itself all the way around a PTSem classroom, becomes illegible or defected, the scroll is not longer used. In Judaism, it is tradition to bury the scroll in a graveyard. They do not just throw it out, for it is a holy document.

I'll be checking this off my bucket list! What a wonderful experience! 

The Weeping Prophet

Jeremiah. Hmm. Jeremiah. If you have ever engaged in any kind of non-specific, overall general Bible discussions with me, you are probably well aware that I am absolutely fascinated with the book of Jeremiah. In my opinion, it's difficult not to be. I can go on for ages and ages about the different kinds of features this book has to offer. Now, before I scare too many readers off, I shall restrain myself from doing so, and talk just a little bit about a few of my favorite passages.

Chapter 1: Jeremiah's Call and Commission--I'm just a sucker for call stories. It very closely follows the "typical" structure for a call story in the Bible. Compare to Moses (Exodus 3) and Isaiah (Isaiah 6). 

Chapter 4:23 "I looked on the earth, and lo, it was waste and void." Reference to Genesis 1 and the creation story. Hebrew for "waste and void" is to-hu va-vo-hu ( וָבֹהוּ תֹהוּ ). If I remember correctly, it only shows up together as a clause three times in the entire Old Testament, and quite frankly, we have no idea what it means. It does get translated as "waste and void," though.

Chapter 7:16 "As for you, do not pray for this people, do not raise a cry or prayer on their behalf, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you." This passage tells me several things: 1. God was really angry. 2. Jeremiah had a deep love for his country, Judah. 3. The people really screwed up this time. Also: compare to Chapter 11:14.

Chapter 20--holy moley, what a lament! Some argue that this passage is even blasphemous. I, for one, think it's truly authentic. It shows the true humanity, vulnerability, anger, and anguish of Jeremiah. Not to mention, it is terribly beautiful poetry! "...within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones..." He ends with saying that he wished he had never been born. **I just wrote a paper on this particular passage... and loved every minute of it (nerdy, I know).

Chapter 29:10-12 "I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me."

Chapter 31--very important part of Jeremiah. Here, he speaks of the eventual return of the exiles and the new covenant. Some say it is a prophecy referring to the new covenant in the NT, but others would be slightly offended by such a statement. Read it and see what you think, paying special attention to vv. 31-34.

Chapter 32--buy a field? What? Why? The Babylonians and their mighty king Nebuchadrezzar are literally besieging Jerusalem as this is going on! I couldn't think of a worse time to buy a field. BUT, it's what the LORD said to do. So he did it. Faithfully.

Jeremiah isn't organized in complete chronological order, so you may find yourself getting lost within it, and that's fine. Try to keep track of the kings (I know some of them have veeery similar names i.e. Jehoiachin and Jehoiakim) and you'll be fine. 

This book is great. Throughout, you can see the struggles that Jeremiah and God (via Jeremiah) are going through. Jeremiah preaches judgment & repentance, submission, and eventually hope to people who really don't want to hear what he or the LORD have to say. Overall, very enthralling and exciting book, and really important to Israel/Judah's history. Easily my favorite to read in the OT. I would love love love to do a Bible study on it one day.

Stay tuned for my next blog concerning my real-life interaction with a rabbi, Jewish tradition, and a Torah scroll! =)

All the best, friends. 15 days til Advent... yay!!!