My Week

I was having a pretty average week this past week.  But as it progressed on, I had 24 hours that made it a great week.

First, I had a good conversation with my friend Justin about the Old Testament and the New Testament.  It was really refreshing to be able to have this conversation with such a poetic person after weeks of class with sophomore, B list BTS majors that need to talk through every thought in their head.  Anyway, read below:

me: what were the jobs you applied for?

2:36 PM Justin: haven't applied anywhere yet. In fact, the schools I've identified as being ideal are not hiring. My plan is to send a package with my resume, business card and a note to all such schools; but I have to make sure it gets past human resources and that requires a little extra reconnaissance

2:37 PM me: I see.

  If you got to choose what to teach, what would it be?

 Justin: Old testament

2:38 PM you can't just teach one biblical subject at the high school level however

2:39 PM what happens is you'll get things like biblical ethics, spiritual formation, christ in culture, new testament survey, ot survey etc.

  Although the Lutherans have some pretty interesting classes sometimes

2:40 PM me: I think you would do well at a survey of the ot class and a worship and leadership class.

2:41 PM Justin: thanks. perhaps.

2:42 PM me: But you don't want to teach NT at all?

2:44 PM Justin: of course I would

  It's just not nearly as interesting

 me: You don't think so?

2:46 PM Justin: NT is certainly a vital part of the redemptive story.

2:47 PM just not as enthralling

2:48 PM me: You don't think Paul's letters and the gospel message are as enthralling as the OT?

 Justin: no I do not

2:49 PM me: What is so interesting about the OT that keeps you coming back to it?

6 minutes

2:55 PM Justin: it's two trees in a garden and the wisdom of nakedness. it's God becoming a man so that Jacob can wrestle him for it. It's regretting creation and starting over again. It's Morally reprehensible commandments and divine sanctions (e.g. killing entire tribes). It's the double meaning in everything, every word. It's the reuse of themes, names, places and promises. It's God always doing a new thing with and for us when we fuck up. It's people including profanity and profane suggestions in their holy book. It's God losing his cool. It's the beautiful disaster of a story that unfolds when God meets his own image.

2:56 PM those are a few that fume at the moment.

2:57 PM also Ruth's seduction is pretty cool too

13 minutes

3:11 PM me: First-I love how you say this whoel poetic thought and then end with the Ruth comment.

3:12 PM Second-I'm not sure if that compares to the awesomeness that is Jesus commissioning chosen people to spread love to everyone they meet.

  If you will allow my naive heart to believe that.

3:15 PM Justin: that too is pretty extraordinary

3:16 PM me: cop out.

 Justin: but let's be honest

  there is nothing (conceptually) that Jesus does that is not done or begun in the Tanakh

3:18 PM me: It's true. But it all that is talked about in the Tanakh coming to life. People start to understand it all. It is the completion of all they learned as youth and the continuation of that as they live for Jesus.

3:19 PM Justin: Erin I love your passion for Jesus. We need more people like you who actually like him.

 me: We need more people like you that see the connection of the entire Bible.

3:22 PM Justin: I don't think I would describe myself as such but your encouragement is noted.

Also, I received a box this week from my church in Red Wing.  It had lots of goodies in it that were highly appreciated.  Especially the mint chocolate.  Nothing is better than those two combined.  In the box were two cards colored by kids at the church.  This was them and they continue to make me smile.

The "Merry Christmas" one still makes me laugh everytime.

So, that was my week.  I also had a youth event on Saturday that consisted of broomball and bruises.  It was worth it and they kids loved it!  It's just encouraging to see something you work on appreciated.