It feels like a long time since I've had a relatively free week-end. I still go to preach on Sunday, which involves a 2 hour drive on either side, so Sunday isn't free. And I still have grading, but once the semester gets underway, I always have grading. Similarly, I have seminary work, but once the semester is underway, I will always have long term projects and short term readings.
Part of what makes this week-end feel different is that next week is Reading Week at seminary, so I don't have classes. It's a great week not to have classes, as I'm attending and helping with the Southeastern Synod Convocation, which is like a continuing ed/spiritual renewal event for ministers and pastors.
I am also entering into this week-end with a sense of peace that I haven't had before. Yesterday, my seminary released the course list for Spring. I had been worried that some of my required classes would be offered at the same time I was teaching my face to face classes. Happily, that's not the case. And the class that I hope to take, the one that explores teaching and digital media, that's offered this semester in a virtual modality--hurrah!
I let my department chair at Spartanburg Methodist College know that my spring seminary courses wouldn't conflict with my teaching, and I asked if the final Spring schedule had been approved by the dean. The last e-mail I got made me think we were still waiting on approval. But happily, we've all been approved. My chair said, "As far as I'm concerned, you'll be in front of those classes when we get to January."
I went through the rest of the afternoon with a sense of joy: I get to keep teaching AND take seminary classes. My afternoon face-to-face classes went well, which kept my sense of joy intact. The mountains are so beautiful this time of year, so the drive kept my joy buoyant.
That buoyant joy is also influencing my sense of expansiveness as the week-end begins. Now let me go for a walk and enjoy the autumnal weather and views.
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