Christmas break sum up so far

I've been really bad this year. Last year, I was blogging regularly during the break, had even changed the music on my blog to fit the season. This is... what, the first time I've updated my blog in over a month? And how many posts this year?
Oh well. I'm sure my faithful few followers will survive. :-)

To sum up my break: Moved out of my apartment on campus and put all my stuff in storage. Am staying at a friend's house until February, and then I will move into a house with five other girls. *eek!* I'll admit I have a little apprehension about my new living situations, but the old place simply wasn't working any more for several reasons. So I moved out. I had packed up a bookshelf's worth, but my boyfriend and his dad came up one saturday and we blitzed the apartment and got the whole thing packed, loaded, moved, and unloaded. God bless men!
Visited Ohio for Thanksgiving, finished situating things around Louisville and beyond as far as storage, and somehow didn't drive Amber (my friend I'm staying with) Kyle or his parents crazy. Or if I did, they graciously kept it to themselves. Kyle took Amber and I to Nashville to meet his grandparents, (Pap worked building Ford car's engines for several decades, and likes to play with whoever's car is acting funny. Mine was IT, so he got it for the break) for lunch, see the new Muppet Movie (which was SOOOO good! And funny!) and then go to the Opryland Hotel Christmas Light display. Fun. Fun. Fun.


Then I flew to South Dakota to visit family. The weather was mercifully, gloriously, and amazingly not the frigid arctic blast that I've come to expect, but rather quite mild! Its been in the high 30's to 50's the entire time I've been here. The wind has blasted on occasion, but not as often as usual. Everyone is surprised and I am not complaining one whit. :-) Kendra and Derek are working at a farm close by where the farmer raises 200 culled bull calves to sell for meat once they've grown. So I've been getting up with them to help so they can get done faster. They do get paid by the hour, but they had to work Christmas day and on the day we thought Ethan had a birthday party, so I went to help them get done earlier.

Apart from working and getting sore and too tired, Christmas was really fun. It was one of our more frugal Christmases (as in there weren't piles and piles of packages under the tree this year) but it was still really nice. Mom cooked an AMAZING meal (again) and she and Dad bought me the "John Adams" mini-series and we started watching that together. Well acted, well written, amazing soundtrack, etc. Happy happy happy.

My dear boyfriend was supposed to arrive on the 28th but he got a nassssty 24-hour flu that kept him from flying out that day. Thanks to heroic effort to his dad and no thanks to the airlines or travelocity who charged them another arm and a leg, he was able to fly out the next day. He was smiling but a little drained. Despite all setbacks, we had a nice visit. I've never 'brought a boy home' before, so there was absolutely NO precedent for anyone to follow. Add to that he had been sick and in a part of the country that was as foreign to him as another country, I'd say he did pretty well. He even let Hannah decorate him, as you can see ;-)

He and Ethan bonded over lego's, history, and similar personalities. So the little's vote is very favorable towards him, and Ethan keeps telling me how much he misses Kyle and how fun he was. He DID however inform me that I was 'sappy' with my boyfriend. He determined this to be neither good nor bad, but familiar. I think that's okay... seeing as we've been dating for eight months now!
Many a comment and hopeful question was voiced by friends back at school as to whether or not I would return to school with an engagement ring. I knew I wasn't, but nobody believed me. I turned out to be right and am fine with that. I've enough stuff to figure out this final semester without having to plan a wedding and remain sane and pleasurable company to anyone within a ten-mile radius or phone-conversation with me :-)

Mom and Dad have done an amazing job in rebuilding the house. The contractor is no longer in the picture and they are doing all of the second floor, basement, (attic?) and final touches of the first floor by themselves. The house looks amazing but very very different from when I lived there. Its still the same house, just completely different while still similar.
In the same way, the family has changed. Still the same people and same family, but different. Figuring out how dynamics are supposed to work now that I'm an adult but still their child has been challenging. I don't live at home yet while I'm at home I ought to contribute to the family but at the same time things are completely different. Its been an internal war with myself of not knowing how to jump in or not thinking of ways to jump in soon enough or simply not wanting to jump in as once I go back to Louisville I'll have to hit the ground running again.
Oh well. Sanctification is never a bad thing. I will confess, however, that once I graduate my goal is to be able to get my own place with absolutely. no. room -mates. Selfish? Maybe. Ambitious? Probably, as I just haven't been able to work enough hours to afford it while still taking five classes. But we'll see what God does and where He takes me. I'll also confess I really need to work on some New Year's resolutions: like praying and seeking God more, getting much more disciplined about managing things better, scheduling my time more wisely, etc.
Alright I'm lapsing into musing and therefore rambling. Sorry :-)
I'm flying into Chicago on the 12th and staying with my dear Great-Grandma for a few days before Kyle drives up and gets me. We're still trying to decide how visited-out we will be, and if we want to try and bum around Chicago for a while and then stop in Ohio to see relatives there, or simply zip back to Kentucky. My preference would be to bum and visitate a little more, but will see. :-) Logistics aren't always conducive to idealism. ;-)


~Princess Ouch~

Keurig, good friends, Graduation, oh my!

It's one of life's guilty little (expensive) pleasures. I was first introduced to it in Alabama, where my boyfriend's uncle had just purchased one. At first we didn't understand the hype about it. My boyfriend still doesn't understand the hype about it, but then again he just isn't one to drink hot beverages (well, so far. Lets see how long he makes it in South Dakota later on this month without changing his ways!). However, my friend bought one last week, and... well... let me put it this way: she bought about four different drink singles packages, and... we need to replenish our stores.
In our defense, we are still reconciling ourselves to the fact that we are now adults, and there just aren't that many toys out there that are inexpensive and edifying. A keurig is... well, neither cheap nor healthy, but its cheapER and healthyER. And its just fun. You get the thrill of a little child playing with the simple toys at the science museum, but if anyone asks what you are doing, you have a mature, reasonable answer: I'm simply making myself a cup of coffee/tea/hot chocolate/chai.
Not just because of the Keurig (although it definitely helped) but for other amazing, valid reasons as well, this friend gets the award for the best friend of the month. She's been helpful, cheerful, welcoming, entertaining, and just plain awesome. She's been one of the few peers who hasn't either grilled my boyfriend on his stance on Calvinism or some other bastion of our school OR plotted a way to get him to start attending Seminary. She has made absolutely NO disparaging comments or minded us being a couple with normal ups and downs; in fact, she's welcomed him with open arms, plopped him down on her couch and introduced him to the world of "Independence Day' and "The Big Bang Theory' TV series.

(side note:I don't need all my friends to like my boyfriend, and if they have valid reasons for not liking him then I'll listen with open ears, heart and mind. But if the main reason he's off the list is simply because he doesn't go to my school or church and may not conform to all of the nuances the collective student body has determined 'correct' or 'correct-er' then please save it for someone who cares. Plus, all of my older friends, such as professors or mentor-figures in my life love him. Its just the younger people who are acting quirky)

Anyway back to my friend. The dear girl has been going through a rather hard time, so its been a great balance of us being there for each other the last few months. The awesome thing is she doesn't gripe for the sake of griping; she takes in feedback and implements it! She's trying to get more disciplined and organized in life. While I think I'm the last - or next to last - person one could ask to help out in THOSE areas, she's taken what I've had to offer and its been so encouraging. She got back from Thanksgiving break and I personally thought she looked more fit and slimmer so I said so. People, you have NO idea the power of an encouraging word. She keeps mentioning it, blogged about it, and used it to help her stay on track on her new weight loss routine. Gee whiz, a simple compliment and she's been floating for days! That was so encouraging to ME, because I've felt really discouraged with one or two really important people in my life recently; just not knowing how on earth to encourage. The one because encouragement seems to slide of their back like water on a ducks back. The other because it seems as though they want validation through me doing what they want the way they want when they want and if I don't then I'm not taken seriously. I've wanted to just throw in the towel but have been convicted recently of ways that I can do better on things personally, and... I don't know. We'll see how things turn out.
Alright well I need to go make myself presentable. The Seminary has its graduation today and a few good friends are graduating and then off to start amazing ministries and make names for themselves that will go down in the annals of Christian Great Minds ;-) I'm bad; I'm waiting until the actual ceremony is over, then I'm going to arrive when everyone is taking pictures outside and laughing and glad its over. Sorry, but there's just not enough room in the chapel, and I just don't want to sit through all the pomp and ceremony. ;-) Cheerio.

Final exam - case study

Well, not to get all controversial at the end of the semester. But being controversial is sort of my mode of operation anyway. The following is the case study that served as our final exam for my Ethics class. It was a BEAR to answer, let me tell you! I had to think about it for a few days, talk with a few people, and do lots of research online regarding the subject - as well as pray of course!! Here is what the case study said:

Joane, a woman in the local community near your church, has been visiting the church and has requested to join the church. She presents a letter of recommendation from her previous church stating she is a member in good standing. Through some discussions with her, you determine her to be an orthodox, believing Christian and present her to the church for membership. After being voted in and attending faithfully for some time, she approaches the Minister to Children about working in the children's ministry. As is normal practice at your church, the staff performs a background check on Joane. Upon receiving the results of the background check, your staff immediately informs you that Joane was born Joe. You call Joane in for discussion and she informs you that the results are true and that she was born male. Joane said she felt like she was born in the wrong body and desperately wanted to become female. She traveled to Europe, had gender reassignment surgery, and is currently taking hormone therapy drugs to complete the physical transformation from male to female.

How would you counsel Joane? What would you suggest Joane do in light of Scripture? Make sure to include any relevant biblical passages in your answer.

My response when reading this for the first time:

augh!

However, this is what my response was after the prayer, research, and asking others opinions on the topic:

I would tell ‘Joan’ that our discussion must take a rather intense turn, but that we would conduct it as respectfully and gently as possible. I would continue to call the individual Joan as that is the current legal name.

First I would inform “Joan” that the church cannot in any way accept ‘her’ application for any leadership roles while ‘she’ is a transgender. The church has a strong commitment to the belief that God is sovereign and knows each person He creates and has a purpose for them in the way He has created them – specifically male or female. Those who reject this belief and take matters into their own hands are in essence telling God that He does not know what He is doing, He is not in control, and the individual knows better. One’s gender is a fundamental part of one’s birthright. It is one of the few things we enter and leave the world with. The Bible clearly condemns those who reject God’s birthright to them (Hebrews 12:14-17).

Secondly, I would ask Joan to read with me 1 Corinthians 6:17-20. Even though intense surgery has been done upon Joan, in God’s eyes she is not a she but rather a he who has committed very intense atrocities against his body. Presenting oneself as a women when one is a man goes against God’s law (Deuteronomy 22:5). God loves ‘Joan’ but still sees Joe.

In light of this, any relationship ‘she’ pursues at this point would in essence be a homosexual relationship, which goes against 1 Corinthians 6:9. However, there is always hope in Christ, which is clearly pointed out in 1 Timothy 1:9-11.

Joan may not be willing to even consider stopping hormone treatments and seeking reversal surgery. However, I would still offer the services of the church and also inform Joan of www.pfox.org. Specifically the article found under http://pfox.org/Former_Transgender_Tells_His_Story.html.

If Joan wants to remain in the church, there must be some strict guidelines. First, as pointed out, it is the view of this church that by pursuing life as a female when God created ‘her’ as a male, ‘she’ is living in rebellion against God and His plan. Now, she will not be shunned from the community. However, ‘she’ will not be able to step into positions of leadership or teaching while remaining as ‘she’ is. Not unless Joan repents of these decisions, asks for God’s forgiveness, takes clear, obvious steps of reversing the process, and undergoes biblical counseling within the church will leadership be on the table.

Second, while the church at large will not be informed of Joan’s past, the church leadership will be. Joan’s private affairs will remain as such but the staff needs to know for future reference.

If any man in the church wishes to pursue a relationship, Joan is not to entertain the pursuit but to clearly forbid the man to continue. If he is persistent, she must tell him why. Failure to do this will result in the church stepping in and informing the man of her past and discipline on Joan. This is because the relationship would in effect be homosexual which the church can not in any way endorse.

The church will not offer Joan any recommendations to other churches without informing them of her past in case she is ever considered for positions of leadership.

The church will not take a position of ostracizing Joan. However by presenting the identity as female when Gods intent was male, this is a kind of deception to the church. It is difficult for trust to continue when this fundamental misrepresentation of identity occurs.

Having said all of this, I would ask Joan what ‘her’ response is. I would not wish to say any of this with an air of judgment, condemnation, or bigotry. Joan has professed faith in Jesus Christ and seems to be an orthodox Christian. Therefore, past actions do not make sense given a professed belief in the validity, accuracy and authority of Scripture. It is my hope that by explaining these things gently, if Joan is not repentant at the time of the meeting, future discussion will lead Joe to realize what he has done and repent, and allow the church to come alongside him in reconciling his physical and spiritual self with God’s plan and purpose for his life.

Thoughts? Comments? How would you have responded differently or the same?

~Princess Ouch~