2. A lazy morning over breakfast and then some time spent back at the school doing some organizing. We spent the afternoon working our way through the Apartheid Museum. We learned much, but walked away with more questions.

3. We made the long drive to Pilanesburg National Game Park to go on safari! After checking into our chalet (read: split level cabin), we explored our hotel which was essentially a South African KOA.

4. SAFARI! After waking up at 4am to see giraffes (mission accomplished), we made our way (accidentally) to Pilanesburg Las Vegas and laughed our way through the afternoon at the pervasiveness of commercialism.

5. We did our own drive-through-safari (during which Amy was the best driver ever) and saw RHINOS! Then we drove back to Pretoria and settled into Pure Joy Lodge, our home for the duration of the conference.

6. The International Association of the Study of Youth Ministry (IASYM) Bi-Annual Conference officially began with a keynote speech on the barriers between South Africa and reconciliation.

7. Best paper of the day was about the role of the Dutch Reformed Church in the continuing cycle of racism within white, Afrikaner society.

8. Second time through the apartheid museum meant some questions answered and even more to ask. Also had the privilege of listening to a wise Afrikaner man talk about the sins of his fathers in a way that brought me hope for the future of his country and mine.

9. The last keynote of the conference was on the global forces threatening the potential of adolescents worldwide and it presented ideas I’ll be chewing on for a while to come. That evening, the epic journey back to Waco began with standing in line for 3 hours in Johannesburg to find out we would eventually be stranded in Atlanta.

10. Landed in ATL at 7:30 to stand in line for 3 hours to see when we could leave. After being told that flights would not leave for Philly until the 11th or 12th, we found seats on an Amtrak train to Trenton. To get to the Amtrak station from the airport, we took the MARTA and then walked 1.5 miles (wearing flip-flops and TOMS across solid ice) to catch the train.

11. 16 hours later, we arrived in Trenton and I was rarely so happy to take a shower. We thought our flight to Waco would leave on the 12th at 8am, but Snowpocalypse Part 2 had different ideas. Flight canceled and we got bumped to the 13th at 7am.

12. Spent the surprise snow day with Brother-in-Law catching up on television we missed during our adventure and spending extra time with my precious parents.

13. After the typical ridiculousness it requires to fly from Philly to Waco, I sat in my living room so glad to be in one place.

14. My last first day of class, ever. Strange.

15. At 2:45 in the afternoon, I pressed ‘send’ on my PhD application and my hernia began to develop. We then went to go see The Fighter, for which Christian Bale deserves every award he is given.

16. The afternoon was spent seeing The King’s Speech, for which Colin Firth deserves every award he is given and it may also be one of my favorite movies of all time. Seriously.

17. Celebrated MLK Day by visiting the dentist. I also started my morning with my annual reading of Letters from a Birmingham Jail and ended the day with the first Onion gathering of 2011.

18. Watched television, read books, drank coffee, laughed with favorites. Rhythms of the semester.

19. Talked about Erasmus and satire in class. One of the reasons I will enduringly love Truett will be the fact that my professor referenced Colbert Report during a class on Reformation theology.

20. I taught my very first class – well, proctored. It was a strange and humbling experience.

21. We spent T&T2 watching Luther, the movie with Joseph Fiennes. I left with two thoughts: 1) I wanted to watch Shakespeare in Love and 2) Luther needed a social worker

22. Saturdays in grad school seem to be constantly spent doing homework. With the exception of a lovely walk in the morning, this Saturday was no exception.

23. Lunch with a favorite and homework in the afternoon. Watched a documentary that evening that made me feel horrible about life, so followed it up with Big Bang Theory.

24. Had the privilege of having a great lunch with a professor-turned-friend who helped me dream about my future and make plans for it. Then spent the rest of the day reading about religious violence and spent the evening with the Onion.

25. I had a life-giving conversation with a mentor, once again about my future and how he has committed to help me prepare for it. I spent my afternoon watching The People Speak, a live-stage performance piece based on Howard Zinn’s The People’s History of the United States.

26. Mom arrived for a brief visit and there was much rejoicing in the land!

27. Spent the morning running errands with Mom and the afternoon hanging with Bucket.

28. Was reminded yet again that my people are unbelievably fantastic.

29. Spent the day ignoring work and watching Doctor Who. There are worse ways to spend an afternoon.

30. Had some great phone calls with favorites and found out my application to Queen’s was put through to the second round and all further communication would come via mail. Therefore I am watching my mail like a slightly crazy person.

31. Read Luther and actually chuckled a few times. This is a version of a victory.

1. Cold weather clothing! I love bundling in hats and scarves and gloves. I think it’s from all those years in the Northeast, but I am just a happier person when it is below 70 degrees. By the way, anything below 70 is winter in Texas and since it so rarely actually achieves legitimate winter temperatures, I simply keep my house cold and pretend I’m somewhere with appropriate weather. Also – as a side note – this image is tagged on Google Image as “how to avoid hypothermia”. So head’s up.

2. Loose leaf tea. I became a tea junkie during my life in Northern Ireland, but was afraid to dive into the land of loose leaf until this past year. Since making the transition I do not want to go back! It’s the same when I made the transition between ground and whole bean coffee and I know this makes me even more of an elitist than I already am. Loose leaf has a fuller flavor and it’s just better. Done.

3. The Civil Wars. I discovered these guys on NoiseTrade.com where if you agree to post about them on Facebook or Twitter or email a few friends you can download an album for free. NoiseTrade could be it’s own favorite category because I have gotten so many fabulous new bands through them. If you like Avett Brothers, Mumford and Sons or the like, you MUST experience the Civil Wars.

4. Truett, or more specifically, being a graduate assistant at Truett. I realized again this week how much I love being involved in this place. I love conversations about Oscar nominations in the hallway before I head into to a class discussing the Reformation and how much Erasmus and Colbert have in common. I love being a graduate assistant for a truly fantastic professor and how she’s allowing me to participate in the process really exciting ways. Both of those elements are favorites this week.

5. Big Bang Theory. Bazinga! I love introducing people to favorite shows and having them love them as much as I do. Over Christmas, I got a favorite hooked on Modern Family and in the past week have gotten Sister and Brother-in-Law hooked on Big Bang Theory, which has meant quite a lot of time with Leonard, Sheldon, Penny, Raj and Wolowitz. Time highly enjoyed, of course.

the below image is a ethos statement for Holtsee, a company committed to providing sustainable products. my friend jess posted it on her blog with a question about the personal ethos statements of her readers and if they have any. i pose the same.

do you have a credo or a statement of purpose?

+ After studying the Reformation for a little bit and Martin Luther in particular, I’m beginning to wonder what our world and theology would look like if Martin had access to the Prozac he so clearly needed. Poor, tortured man.

+ I forget how much I rely on Skype until it misbehaves itself and I am unable to talk to far-away favorites.

+ Applying for schools is one of the most hateful processes ever. Job interviews are horrific as well, but I’m particularly loathing applying for my PhD. I have no timeline and thus no peace of mind.

+ I really only care about football when a game in on in front of me or a team I’m invested in is playing. For example, if I didn’t have facebook friends who are following, I’d have no idea who was playing today.

+ I am not someone who should live alone in a non-structured schedule. I ran into this the first semester at Truett and I’m running into it again. Too much quiet is not fantastic for my psyche.

+ I would like to thank Wonka Candy Makers for Kazoozles, my newest favorite movie snack. They’re seriously fantastic. And for the record, the cherry punch variety is vastly superior to the pink lemonade. I also love that in googling Kazoozles, I discovered that there are such things as candy rating blogs!

+ Reading about religious violence for hours everyday is making me wonder how we can create new language for faith systems vs. institutionalized religion.

In light of that possible future step and the idea of spending the next three years in a library cubicle, I have decided to “train” for a PhD. Thankfully, I have professors and friends who are well acquainted with the specific form of sadomasicism higher education entails and they’ve given me some guidelines. I’m reading more this semester than I’ve read in the past and I’m writing specific exercises to get me used the rhythms of what I’m about to encounter.

I only have one formal class this semester and then two independent studies where the ‘training’ is contained. I’m asking questions about the nature of religiously based violence for one class and discussing adolescent faith development for the other. Look for future blogs to ask questions about those topics.

Books recommended are in bold. If I wrote a separate entry, the link is embedded.

January

1. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson (pleasure reading on the ship)
2. Girl Next Door by Elizabeth Noble (pleasure reading on the ship)
3. Strength in What Remains by Tracey Kidder (‘pleasure’ reading on the ship)
4. Voice of the Irish: The Story of Christian Ireland by Michael Staunton (preparation for a paper)
5. Plenty by Alisa Smith (pleasure reading)
6. Dublin 24 by Maeve Binchy (pleasure reading)
7. Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson (pleasure reading)
8. God and the Gun: The Church and Irish Terrorism by Martin Dillon (preparation for a paper)
9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (pleasure reading on the ship)

February

10. Encountering The West: Christianity and the Global Cultural Process: The African Dimension by Lamin Sanneh (read for Cross-Cultural Living)
11. The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries by Rodney Stark (read for Story of Christian Mission)
12. Mohammed: Biography of the Prophet by Karen Armstrong (read for Religion & Worldview)
13. The Myth of Religious Violence by William Cavanaugh (read for Scriptures 2)
14. In The Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor’s Journey into the Saudi Kingdom by Qanta Ahmed (read for Religion & Worldview)
15. Swimsuit by James Patterson (read for pleasure)
16. Torture and Eucharist by William Cavanaugh (read for Scriptures 2)

March

17. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann (read for pleasure)
18. To the Golden Shore by Courtney Anderson (read for Story)
19. Hope Against History by Jack Holland (preparation for a paper)
20. Between Vengeance and Forgiveness by Martha Minnow (preparation for a paper/Scriptures 2)
21. Jesus Freak by Sara Miles (read for pleasure)
22. Northern Ireland After the Troubles edited by Colin Coulter and Michael Murray (preparation for a paper)
23. Scripture, Culture & Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible by Ellen F. Davis (read for Scriptures 2)
24. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (read for pleasure)
25. Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark (read for pleasure)
26. The Heart of Islam by Seyyed Nasr (read for Religion & Worldviews)
27. Greater Love by Robert Wicklow (read for Thomas Nelson Publishers)

April

28. House Rules by Jodi Piccoult (read for pleasure)
29. Hinduism by H.L. Richards (read for the trip to India)
30. Northern Ireland After the Troubles edited by Coulter (read for Story paper)
31. Young People’s Opinions on Northern Ireland (read for Story Paper)
32. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (read for pleasure)
33. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Steig Larsson (read for pleasure)
34. Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber (read for pleasure)
35. The Church and Cultures by Louis Luzebetak (read for Cross-Cultural)
36. Christian Mission: How Christianity Became a World Religion by Dana L. Robert (read for Story)
37. The Missionary Movement in Christian History: Studies in the Transmission of Faith by Andrew F. Walls (read for Story)
38. The Story of Christian Missions by Stephen Neill (read for Story)

May

39. Understanding Hinduism by Dayananad Bharati (read for India)
40. The Traveler’s Guide to India by Sinharaja Tammita-Delgoda (read for India)
41. India: From Midnight to Millennium by Shashi Tharoor (read for India)
42. Gora by R. Tagore (read for India)
43. Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Patrillo (read for pleasure)
44. Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Patrillo (read for pleasure)
45. Going Bovine by Libba Bray (read for pleasure)
46. Walk Like You’ve Got Somewhere To Go by Lucille O’Neill (read for Thomas Nelson publishers)
47. I, Alex Cross by James Patterson (read for pleasure)
48. Still the One by Robin Wells (read for pleasure)
49. One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell (read for pleasure on the plane from LA to Hong Kong)
50. In Spite of the Gods: The Rise of Modern India by Edward Luce (read for pleasure in India)
51. Living Water, Indian Bowl by Swami Dayananad Bharati (read for India)

June

52. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (read for pleasure in Calcutta and Jaipur)
53. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham (read for pleasure in Calcutta Train Station)
54. The Way We Were by Elizabeth Noble (read for pleasure in Calcutta)
55. One Day by David Nicholls (read for pleasure on flight from SFO to DFW)
56. How to be Single by Liz Tuccillo (read for pleasure / jet lag fighter)

July

57. Just Like Me, Only Better by Carol Snow (read for pleasure / jet lag fighter)
58. The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly (read for pleasure)
59. She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell (read for Bethany House Publishers)
60. The Hole in Our Gospel by Rich Sterns (read for Thomas Nelson Publishers)
61. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (read for pleasure and because I’m the best sister ever)
62. A History of God by Karen Armstrong (read for pleasure/academic excercise)
63. Second Chance by Davis Bunn (read for pleasure and because Mom thought I’d like it)
64. Summer at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs (read while laying next to the pool, embracing summer)
65. The Winter’s Lodge by Susan Wiggs (also read while laying next to the pool)
66. Dockside by Susan Wiggs (once again, pool reading)
67. Earth Democracy by Vendana Shiva (read in Colombia)
68. An Unbroken Agony by Randall Robinson (read in Colombia)
69. We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (read on the plane to Colombia)
70. Oh My God Just Went By! by Ben Pearson (read for research in Colombia)

August

71. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (read for pleasure)
72. South of Broad by Pat Conroy (read for pleasure)
73. At the King’s Command by Susan Wiggs (beach reading)
74. The Open Secret by Lesslie Newbigin (read for BTT)
75. The Maiden’s Hand by Susan Wiggs (beach reading)
76. At the Queen’s Command by Susan Wiggs (beach reading)
77. Snowfall at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs (beach reading)
78. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (beach reading)
79. The Thirteenth Tale by Dianne Setterfield (read for pleasure)
80. Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt (beach reading)
81. Africa United by Steve Bloomfield (read for pleasure)
82. The Horsemaster’s Daughter by Susan Wiggs (beach reading)
83. The Drifter by Susan Wiggs (beach reading)
84. A Summer Affair by Susan Wiggs (beach reading)
85. Halfway to Heaven by Susan Wiggs (beach reading)
86. Fireside by Susan Wiggs (beach reading)
87. Summer Hideaway by Susan Wiggs (beach reading)
88. Lakeside Cottage by Susan Wiggs (beach reading)
89. The Mistress by Susan Wiggs (beach reading)
90. To Conquer Mr. Darcy by Abigail Reynolds (beach reading)

September

91. Paul Unbound edited by Mark Given (read for Scriptures 4)
92. The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta (pleasure reading)
93. The Pysick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe (pleasure reading)
94. Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours? by Roland Allen (read for Principles, Methods and Strategies)
95.  A Broad Place by Jurgen Moltmann (read for Missional Church)
96. The Borrowed Bride by Susan Wiggs (pleasure reading)
97. A Bridge to Dreams by Sharryl Woods (pleasure reading)
98. Sister of the Bride by Susan Mallery (pleasure reading)
99. Arise! Sun of Righteousness! by Jurgen Moltmann (read for Missional Church)
100. Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn (read for Principles, Methods and Strategies)
101. Missions and Money by Jonathan Bonk (read for Principles, Methods and Strategies)
102. The Man Who Loved Jane Austen by Sally Smith O’Rourke (read for pleasure)

October

103. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (read for pleasure)
104. Spontaneous Expansion of the Church by Rolland Allen (read for Principles, Methods and Strategies)
105. Lip Service by Susan Mallery (read for pleasure)
106. Colossians: Remixed by Brian Walsh and Sylvia Keesmat (read for Biblical and Theological Themes)
107. Missions After Christendom by David Smith (read for Biblical and Theological Themes)
108. Graceling by Kristen Cashore (read for pleasure)
109. Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (read for pleasure)
110. Summer Island by Kristin Hannah (read for pleasure)
111. Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan (read for pleasure)
112. To Change the World by James Davison Hunter (read for Principles, Methods and Strategies)
113. Church and the Power of the Holy Spirit by Jurgen Moltmann (read for Missional Church)

November

114. Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (read for fun)
115. Is Religion Killing Us? by Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer (read for BTT paper)
116. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan (read for fun)
117. Transforming the Powers: Peace, Justice and the Domination System edited by Ray Gingerich (read for BTT paper)
118. Dance of Seduction by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun)
119. After the Abduction by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun)
120. Married to the Viscount by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun)
121. Trinity and the Kingdom by Jurgen Moltmann (read for Missional Church)
122. My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Olivera (read for fun)
123. Hope for the Church by Jurgen Moltmann (read for Missional Church)
124. Experiences in Theology by Jurgen Moltmann (read for Missional Church)
125. Must There Be Scapegoats? by Raymond Schwager (read for BTT paper)
126. The Bible, Violence and the Sacred by James G. Williams (read for BTT paper)
124. Accidentally Yours by Susan Mallery (read for fun)
125. Curse of Cain: The Violent Legacy of Monotheism by Regina M. Schwartz (read for BTT paper)

December

126. Lakeshore Christmas by Susan Wiggs (read for fun)
127. Fire by Kristin Cahsore (read for fun)
128. Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin (read for fun)
129. Mockingbird by Suzanne Collins (read for fun back in August, re-read for fun this month)
130. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (read for fun)
131. The Truth about Lord Stoneville by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun)
132. Enchanted Afternoon by Susan Wiggs (read for fun)
133. Fallen by Lauren Kate (read for fun)
134. Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly (read for fun)
135. Hellion in Her Bed by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun)
136. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood (read for fun)
137. A Lakeshore Christmas by Susan Wiggs (read for fun)
138. Home Before Dark by Susan Wiggs (read for fun)
139. Ocean Between Us by Susan Wiggs (read for fun)
140. Beware a Scot’s Revenge by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun)

Five (Belated) Friday Favorites for the Past Two Weeks:

1. Being finished.

2. Cliff came home.

3. Dreaming. I made some significant strides towards applying for my PhD over these past few weeks. No, I haven’t applied yet (they’re not accepting applications until most likely after Christmas), but more people have read my proposal and haven’t told me to stop the process. In addition, I’ve begun to “train” for the program and will attempt to treat my two independent studies next semester as PhD seminars as much as I can. I know I am in over my head, but I want to try to bridge the gap as much as possible.

4. Packing to spend New Year’s here:

5. My guest series about advent. It’s been so fascinating (read: nerdy) to hear different people’s understanding of advent and christmas and tradition and all the trappings of this month. I love that many of them are different and yet have so many similar thoughts. The friends I asked – those who have posted and those who haven’t yet submitted their thoughts – are diverse and I was intentional about that. Next year, I hope to do a series where I expand outside of people of faith.

2. This one is double-edged, because I am thankful for the last day of classes today, but it does also mean that I have completed my concentration. I am going to miss sitting around the table and discussing missions, purpose and eccelsiology so, so much. And yes, I have the honor of doing an independent study with Dr. Stroope next semester, but it will not be the same. An era has ended.

3. Glee previews! Specifically, the one for “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”. Chris Colfer and Darren Criss’ version of this fantastic song has been on constant repeat since I first heard it a few weeks ago and so when they leaked the video clips, well, I got pretty excited.

4. Lucas’ definition of mission, discipleship and purpose on his blog.

5. The BBC’s brilliant update of the residents of 221B Baker Street, Sherlock, is possibly the best thing they’ve produced in a while. So well done and culturally updated. Thank you, Netflix, for this little gift via the mail.

If you would like to contribute, but I have been short sighted and have forgotten to ask you, please comment below and we can get in touch. I’d love lots of voices to be heard in this small space since this season means so many things to so many different people.

I’ll be posting original material as well during this time, but everyone else’s voices will inevitably be more worth your time.

So, here’s to Advent, to leaning in and to community.

I want to continue the discipline and so look for more incessant posting (apologize ahead of time) because I think it was good for me.

All of that to say – I won a prize for posting every day! Yay for rewards for perseverance! Thanks to  Kara for providing some lovely handmade Christmas cards I am to receive as my prize.