Mín Englisc Blog

Just back from Geneva's theater, where I watched an adaptation of Molière's The Misanthrope — well done, and the small size of the theater (seating fewer than 50 people) meant that we were close to everything. I had never before gone to a Geneva play (or one anywhere else, to my memory), so I thought I'd best go to one before graduation. It didn't hurt that several guys from my house were in it, including the star.
After leaving the play, however, I was disappointed; I wish that I'd gone to other Geneva plays. At least there should be plenty of time in my life remaining :-)

Another bit of funny wording: "malfunctioning temple". While working through volumes of the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society for the library today, I passed a study of the tearing of the temple veil at Christ's crucifixion, in which the author looked at Talmudic stories about unusual things happening at the temple perhaps forty years before its destruction. Overall, the author characterised these accounts as being those of the temple "malfunctioning" :-)

A funny phrase from Fielding's Tom Jones, which I'm going over again in preparation for a test:

Now there was a certain Office in the Gift of Mr. Fitzpatrick at that Time vacant, namely, that of a Wife; for the Lady who had lately filled that Office had resigned, or at least deserted her Duty.

Given that it's a fictional situation, I don't mind laughing at Fielding's interesting wording :-)

"Are you giving up class for Lent?"

Joking quote from Bill just now :-)

Yesterday we had a surprise at church: due to illness, Micah wasn't able to preach, so we had Lic. Noah Bailey, who is currently an intern at First Beaver Falls. Preaching from Psalm 29, Noah looked at the power of God as expressed in many different ways in the psalm. I'd not seen the Baileys in some time, so it was a welcome time to chat :-)
This morning I wasn't too excited, for I knew that I had a short paper to write for my Evangelism class...thankfully that went well, and I'm now done :-)

Last night, we heard that Paul Brace has announced his acceptance of a call from Hazleton Area congregation (eastern Pennsylvania), meaning that he'll be resigning the Rimersburg (western Pennsylvania) pastorate. I wonder if this may be the end of Rimersburg: 200 years old, it was once the largest congregation in the Associate Presbyterian Church (which merged with us in 1969) and the location of its theological seminary. I find it interesting how, even if this is the end of Rimersburg, all four congregations that remained of the Associate Synod in 1969 are yet organised after forty years, even though all have always been rather small since the merger. Not that I disapprove of Pastor Brace's action: who am I to say that he is wrong to believe that God wants him at Hazleton Area? Sad news for Rimersburg, but joy for Hazleton; and in a sinful world, nearly all good things must come to an end. May God bless the new pastorate at Hazleton Area, and even now may God renew Rimersburg: may those that sow their seed in tears reap with joy once more as they see God revive them as streams revive the Negev.

These last few days have been somewhat busier, although overall better: I've been spending much time reading for my novels class, but I'm still somewhat behind. I received a paper back in "Reformed Tradition" (Protestant, especially Reformed, church history) today, with a good grade; I was surprised how well the professor appreciated my American literature anecdone. I never expected to be able to work Tom Sawyer into a paper about a rather obscure associate of John Calvin!

This morning, we worshipped as normal; there were, I believe, 47 people present, despite an illness that kept three people at home. Today was the last week that one of our members will be with us, as he's moving a significant distance away for work reasons. The move is temporary; he should be back before graduation in May.
As usual, it was good to be with the people of God to worship today: indeed I was glad to hear them saying, "To the LORD's house let us go". Even if the singing isn't the best quality (which it wasn't today), all of us who are faithful servants of the LORD indeed give blessing with one accord, and this is a sweet-smelling aroma in the nostrils of our God.

Today was the feast day of St. Valentine the Martyr.

Maiorem dedisti laetitiam in corde meo quam cum multiplicantur frumentum et vinum eorum in pace in id ipsum dormiam et requiescam quoniam tu Domine singulariter in spe constituisti me

Psalmus IV

De Profundis

Today was a bit more off-campus than normal. I was at the nursing home today because I missed my Monday time (as did the rest of my group, due to an event going on for their people); the time went well (better than last time), especially being able to talk more with people than I have in the evenings.



After returning from downtown, I realised that I had plenty of free time, more than I had expected. Consequently, I decided to take a bike ride: the first time I'd been astride a bicycle since last summer. My destination: the Merrick Art Gallery in New Brighton, just downriver of Beaver Falls. Other than for going to church, this was almost the first time that I'd cycled outside of Beaver Falls in my 7½ semesters at Geneva. My goal (which clearly succeeded) was to get a decent picture of the place, rather than to go there: I visited the place for a HUM303 requirement in my sophomore year, but I'd not paid attention to the building itself, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. And due to today's weather, I remained dry and warm despite wearing a T-shirt the entire way :-)
Tonight, as I go through my reading for my Novels class, it's been rather lonely, despite the presence of the other guys in the house...I was told that such would be quite a likely result of the surgery (after all, the brain must get used to having a little bit of itself missing), so I'm not worried, but I'm still somewhat uncomfortable, and without a doubt am I eager to be healed fully.
In this situation, I appreciate recordings that I've made since sophomore year of small-group singing: although sometimes the quality isn't good (some are rather horrid), it reminds me of friends, and the words indeed speak to me, uncomfortable though I am. As I've said to some people, I don't know how the ending to the book of my life, but I know that the conclusion is glorious in Christ. And I hope and pray that I may not need to wait until heaven for longterm excitement :-)

O LORD, I will exalt You,
For You have lifted me;
My foes You have allowed not
To glory over me.
O LORD my God, I pleaded
That You might heal and save;
LORD, You from death have ransomed
And kept me from the grave.
His saints, O praise Jehovah
And thank His holy name.
His anger lasts a moment,
His grace a whole life time.
For sorrow, like a pilgrim,
May tarry all the night,
But then a shout of joy comes
When dawns the morning light.
In prosperous days I boasted,
'Unmoved I shall remain'.
O LORD You by Your favor
My mount in strength maintain;
For when Your face was hidden,
I soon was troubled sore.
I'll cry to You, Jehovah;
The LORD I will implore.
Is there in my blood profit
When in the grave I dwell?
Will dust proclaim Your praises,
Your truth and glory tell?
O hear me now, Jehovah!
Be gracious unto me!
To You I cry, Jehovah!
O now my helper be!
You now have turned my sorrow
To dancing full of joy;
You loosened all my sack-cloth
And girded me with joy.
To You sing psalms, my glory,
And never silent be!
O LORD my God, I'll thank You
Through all eternity.

To this, Psalm 30, and to other promises do I cling.

I know it's rather late to post, but I've just felt like staying up and relaxing. I have a paper due in the afternoon, a significant (although only five pages) research paper, which isn't completed yet; however, seeing that I only need to add half a page of information, I don't think it's critical enough that I should have been working for the last few minutes. Much of my day I spent writing the paper: although I've been able to get myself to do smaller schoolwork, this was harder. I was really not looking forward to it: having selected a rather obscure subject, I was surprised to see (even though the professor had already told me of such) how little information was available on him. Thankfully, the professor had advised me of a related course that I might pursue in this paper, and I've been able to write everything that I need, except for a conclusion. Since I have no classes until after lunch, and there's even a break after that one before this is due, I believe that it should be safe to postpone this a little :-)

This afternoon was unusual: as the recovery process continues, I often experience days when I feel depressed, weary, or just plain "weird" in such a way that I can't describe. Normally, it goes the length of the day, unless something happens later in the day — especially if it's depression and I can participate with other people. Today, however, I felt better earlier and weird this afternoon, and this evening I mostly sat in my room.
I rejoice tonight — "all my heart this night rejoices" — for the reason that I feel different: not that it's an amazing thing that the last while has been different, but for that which has helped me feel better tonight. With little going on and silence dominating my floor, I decided to play Messiah, to which I'd not listened in quite a while. It's always a great reminder of the wondrous truths of our faith.
Late tonight, many of us discussed grave illness and death. This evening, at least one of the guys living here watched Wit, a film that follows the cancer death of a fictional character; required for Geneva's first-level humanities course, the movie is seen by most students, but many (including me when I watched it three years ago) find it greatly difficult to watch. In this context, our conversations turned over and over on the same points, giving me reason to give thanks that our words were all of agreement: the only points on which we did not share equally are those of our experience, such as when one of us spoke of his grandfather, who died during finals week two years ago, and another obviously had not experienced that. Tonight I am altogether thankful for being able to be in this house, rather than in a dorm: we truly have a close community here, rather than the randomly-assembled community of a dorm floor that may or may not coalesce. We indeed can be brothers in Christ in a way more closely than I have experienced in the dorms.
As I mentioned already, I rejoice in my reminder of Messiah, but it also contributed tonight. As we spoke of God's plans for us, and of the events of life in his providence, I remember the words of Job repeated by the soprano near the end of the oratorio: "And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." As we spoke tonight of degeneration, whether sudden or gradual, this indeed gave (and gives) hope and reason for praise, as reason exists to remember that Christ's resurrection is indeed the "firstfruits of them that sleep", that we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, from corruptible to incorruptible, as death is swallowed up in victory and loses its sting. Yes, indeed, let thanks be given to God, who gives us the victory in our Lord Jesus Christ!

Tonight was the ordination service for our new deacons!