First Venture into the buildings.

Well, we've lived here for a couple weeks.  Our apartment is feeling more and more like home.  And I'm beginning to feel like I am able to get around a bit easier (which is basically getting to Costco and Walmart).  

So today I completed another first.  I went inside the buildings on campus.  Up to today, I've only been in the apartments area, and then we strolled around the backside of the classroom-type buildings on campus.  How far away are they?  Less than 100 yards.  Why haven't I ventured into them prior to today?  I was trying to figure that out as I walked back from my meeting with my academic advisor this morning.  I guess I'm still processing the move, grieving our departure from Moline, and settling in to life here.  

I'm not happy-go-lucky abour our move and excitedly anticipating all that God has in store for me/us over these next years.  Frankly, I feel a bit numb.  Don't get me wrong, I don't question our move to St Louis and to Covenant at all.  I know it's God's timing.  I am excited about beginning this process towards my master's of divinity.  It's just going to take some time to rest from 13 years of running at 100 miles an hour constantly.  And I think it's going to take some time to heal from all that happened runing up to, during, and immediately following Pastor Ed's departure.  

But that's beside the point.  The point is that I had a meeting with my academic advisor about some changes to the MDiv that impact me (basically since Covenant has cut 10 credit hours from the degree, they have moved classes around in the past couple weeks to make the degree flow better).  So I walked in to One Stop (which houses the business office, academic advisors, and I'm not sure what else) and had the problem solved in less than 10 minutes.  

It seemed wierd to be walking on an academic campus (I passed two people my age with book bags), and it still hasn't set in that in another month and a half, I'll be taking classes and quickly moving towards completely my degree.  

As a side, busting my butt taking classes from a distrance over the past couple years has already paid HUGE dividends!  Three or four times during my meeting with Brian today, he said things like, "since you've already taken x-amount of credit hours, this will keep you right in line with graduating on time, etc, etc."  Twice now, I have gone in to an academic setting, having credits completed before I ever sat in the institution's classroom, and it has helped immensely.  Not an articulated strategy, but an attempt to be a good steward of FUPC's money they invested in me for continuing education.  It's great to see God's unexpected blessings when I aim at being faithful to Him.  

Sorry I'm rambling.  I'll cut this off here and post again soon.  Good night.