Perplexed?

Maimonides, Louis Goldberg, Norman Finkelstein...Millard Erickson, Moishe Rosen, Rabbi Shammai.  On the first snow day of this school year, I caught up on forsaken studying from the weekend.  These authors, sages, philosophers all remind me of why I love seminary, school, learning!  My favorite for today was definitely Maimonides.

My projects this semester consist of some ditties (one page answers to theology questions), an annotated bibliography on journal articles for the books from Psalms to Malachi, an Expository Study Notebook covering the same span, and a paper about the backgrounds and links to the Lord's Supper throughout scripture.  There will be other projects for my Educational Administration class.

I definitely have my work cut out for this semester...

26

Sarah's birthday is almost here! And then I go home to celebrate w/ her...& see Nichole & Stephanie! Only a little more than two weeks until the great reunions...& BACE! It will be my first time in Dallas--so we'll see what I think upon the return.

Happy Birthday lil' sis! :)

Ready Yet?

My third full semester at MBTS begins Monday (well, Tuesday for me). I'm not sure I'm ready...well, I've been studying already, so I just hope what I've done so far sticks with me! Theology II, Old Testament II, and (eventually) Educational Administration--the schedule of scholars!

So what can I look forward to this semester? A busy work schedule, papers, committee meetings, "moving on up"??, the first Passover since Spring was published (check out the link!), BACE in Dallas after a birthday trip to NC (where I'll see Nichole and Stephanie!), and training in New York in April.

And getting ready for my first trip to Israel with my family in June. I think I'll stay busy. :)

And Then There Was Brooklyn

With the wedding over and our goodbyes said to cousins and new friends, Sarah & I boarded the Megabus--New York bound! (Our parents went to Denver to see our uncle.) Six months after my last visit, it was good to be back in the neighborhood with my favorite Park Slope friends. A quick visit to my old office after eating lunch with Stacey reminded me how much fun my coworkers were! That was followed with meetings with more friends & dinner with Juliana at Miriam.

Sarah & I headed out the next morning for breakfast with Lance, visits at Graffiti, & LES fun with Niki & Mr. Coffey. We had Katz's, the best egg creams in the city, & visited the Cooper Union. Then we borrowed the hanukkiah and tree at StuyTown for pictures. Then it was time for Zaytoon's & a Chanumas movie & PRESENTS!!!

And that was the end of our short visit. After Gorilla Coffee on the way to the airport, we actually had to wait in airports for quite a while due to a schedule change...but I was glad to have a sister to wait with!

It's always hard to say goodbye to the East Coast. :(

Jewish Heaven

Another semester down, and it was once again time for a break. The Simon/Krawcheck family gathered in Philadelphia, PA to celebrate the wedding of my cousin Matt. It had been two & a half years since the last Simon wedding--and that was the first time ALL the younger set of cousins had been together. Everyone had arrived by Saturday night, in time for the "rehearsal" dinner. My dad's cousin, Matt's mother, and the rest of their family did a superb job putting together the dinner (as well as brunch the next morning). The Middle Eastern appetizers, dinner, & visiting was set up well, and the presentations by the families made everyone laugh!

The next morning we convened again in Jewish Heaven--or brunch. Lox, capers, onions, whitefish, Charleston style grits, omelets, fresh fruit...needless to say, no one needed lunch later! My family sat with some friends of the bride, who had so many stories. It was yet another reason I wanted that wedding to last for days!

The wedding reception was the best I've ever been to. The dancing was beyond fun, and that first dance, with chairs lifted and the hora in full force, lasted half an hour! There was more Middle Eastern food, the "kid's table" for the cousins, and time spent talking to family we don't see often.

We're not sure who the next cousin to get married is, but I'll be ready for the next event that brings us all together!

Mazel Tov!

Swimming Upstream

It's been a long day of working on papers due Friday for my Foundations of Education class. This is my study break...

This weekend has been interesting, at least. My family found out yesterday that one of my mom's uncles has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer that has already spread to the bones. [Please pray for him and his family!] Despite other doctor visits, etc., it hadn't been caught. This threw all of us off in my family. He is the youngest of his siblings, and has led a fairly healthy lifestyle.

While I know we are all sad about this and praying for his family, it really encouraged us to realize that not only does my great-uncle have a close, strong, supportive blood-related family, but he is a Christian and active in his church, so he also has a church family to support him. I am so thankful that he and his family will not go through this alone, but that other believers will be there to encourage them. It makes me thankful, and I praise God that he has given them this.

Each of us have hardships and trials that affect us EACH AND EVERY DAY, even those we may not voice because they seem "normal" or "minute." Sometimes it takes a more obvious event to make us think about our support systems, and how God provides for us through those in the simple and complex issues we face.

I am also thankful to be a part of my family and have the privilege and opportunity to be a support to them and be supported by them during this time. Across all our generations and smaller family units, we have been very fortunate to get to know each other well and spend time with each other. Among those of us who are Christians, we have been able to go to church together and talk about God's work in our lives. This has become an important part of who each of us are.

This week, with a lot of hard work and hard news, is reminding me of what I am thankful for and how God has provided and keeps providing for me even when I don't take the time to ask or thank him.

Psalm 16

Bagels & Blogs: Imported

I don't know what's going on with pictures from before, but this signals to me now is a good time to restart, maybe...life is changing anyway, as usual, and doesn't slow down for me to catch up! A second semester of grad school almost completely finished, with close to six months on my new job, and I'm reminded of how quickly time can move. But luckily, I was able to let Sarah see what every day looks like now, along with our friend Rick.

And Sarah started it off right by bringing me fresh bagels from New York Bagels, our favorite shop near where our parents live! We went out that night so I could get lox spread, tomatoes, onions, and capers, and I had two perfect bagels the next day...hopefully that holds me over until my next real one in December!

Suffice it to say that after a road trip to Topeka for Qdoba, seeing Footloose and dancing through the credits, eating real KC BBQ, finding a nice Mediterranean restaurant, and being exposed to Rick's rapping talents, I was sad to see my company leave after a day spent in Halloween mode in Independence. But I had to watch my college cowboy and hippie Pocahontas leave me, board a plane, and go back to the land of tar and tobacco. :( The good times will just have to hold me over, I suppose. And they, at least, were able to witness KC's supreme up-to-dateness through their own travels and adventures. Just ask them!

Now I'm in seriously amped-up stress mode the rest of the semester, but the East Coast awaits me with open arms after I finish my work and school projects. It can't come fast enough...but until then, I'll be bringing the Yankee charm to the good people of the Midwest with as much style as possible.

Who knows, maybe someone will give me real bagels for Channukah...you never know!