Autumn in Seminary

Some of you know that I applied last spring to go to seminary/divinity school for an MDiv degree. I was fairly ambivalent about it, but thought to give it a try. I was a bit relieved when I was not accepted, and decided that God must have other plans for me. I turned my sights away from seminary, and focused in on my work, my own heart and soul, and tried to stay open to any hint of a vocation.

Over the summer, as some areas of my life became clearer, I did indeed feel a sense of call developing...what I think might be a call to combine theology and psychology in addressing the suffering of others. This is not a call I would have chosen for myself, but a call that seemed to be emerging in spite of myself. With the encouragement of many others, I took a look around at local seminaries to see if I could take a class or two this autumn, and...long story short...right now I am enrolled at Seminary as a non-degree student and currently carrying a more-than-full-time course load.

How did this happen? As I sat on stage last Wednesday during the opening process for the school year, receiving the wisdom and blessing of the new President (a woman, hurray!), and looking around in wonder at my new class-mates, most of who had been planning to attend for the past 6 months at least, as opposed to my two-weeks notice, I felt a great deal of awe and not a little terror. I could only look up at the chapel ceiling and wonder if God had known all along what She was doing.

I hope God stills knows what God is doing, because I certainly do not.

That being said, it has been wonderful so far. I have never been in a community so devoted to thought and care of the deepest and most precious things of life. All are welcome, all are engaged, no belief treated cruelly, but few going unchallenged as well. It seems to be a place of strengthening and deepening, a place to ask questions, perhaps find answers, perhaps not, but always be supported in the process. I truly have no idea where this will lead, but it has been a blessing so far and I hope it will continue to be fruitful.

And as for this blog, I will try to use it to share with you all some of what I am learning, and a lot of what I am reading. And I'll try to remember to try some cookie recipes out now and again as well.....

I wish you all a wonderful autumn!