Ah, yes...Zepheniah 3:17...LOVE that verse.

So says my overly-anal, yet somewhat liberlike psalms and wisdom lit professor.

In context, I'm in my Psalms and Wisdom Lit. class and we're talking about anthropomorphism (God poetically given humanistic characterics) among a great VAST of awesome topics and revealing subjects. We are talking about Psalms 2:4 and debating if God possesses a rumpus in order to "sit" or if God is right handed. A young gentleman next to me raises his hand with a comment that he feels would add to the thoughts we are having about anthropomorphism. The young lad is called upon and he says, "so is this like in Zephaniah 3:17 when God is dipicted as quieting with love and rejoicing with us by singing?" Immediately, Dr. Youngblood (weird right?) starts thrusting his head in agreement as the room hushs. "Ah, yes...Zepheniah 3:17...LOVE that verse. Ok, is it just me, or did the professor just reflect and create a sense of exhuberation over a book many do not even know is in the Bible? A few of us chuckled...I was happy for the moment.

I'm really impressed by the newly dubbed Bible faculty member. Students rumor him as the "walking" commentator and I fancy the visual. Every class is so packed with knowledge, I really am like a Compaq printer screaming for mercy as he moves from thought to another. I now pack ice in my backpack so I can occasionally stick my over worked phlanges for relief and healing as my other hand continues to write vigorously. However, don't ask me to share any powerpoint presentations before I can write a bibliography about the guy on every slide. Why you ask? Oh, lets just say that the first day of class, we spent a good five minutes in a little chat about how these powerpoints are his intellectual property and he doesn't want to walk in a church and see his powerpoint flicking away in the middle of a sermon... atleast without giving the Dr. credit for doing so. Oh, by the way, do this and it is a sin. In any case, I do not mock. I merely find it humorous because I really like the guy. We're buds. We're a newly founded posse. Maybe I should call him.

Oh but no, I'm loving my Bible classes this semester. I suddenly realized this may be the last chance that I have to take advantage of Bible academia. I decided it would be in my best interest to audit a few Bible classes since this is my last semester. I am taking Lev/Num/Deut, Paul's Prison Epistles, Contemporary Concerns, and Psalms/Wisdom Lit. My second favorite teacher is Dr Powell. He is such a genuine, compassionate guy who is always wanting to serve. In his opening, syllabus speech-day thing, he talks about how his phone number is on the syllabus so any student in trouble can call him and he'll come and pick them up if need be. Ok, so it impressed me. Dr. Terry Edwards, so knowledgeable about Biblical history! UH, LOVE IT. And Dr. Gilmore...I am such a Gilmore groupy... I love it when he does open forum during lectureships. I really do think he is the smartest, philosohpical person I know. There are two people whom I want as a mentor, and he is defintely one of them.

Um, woah! So, going on a tangent about Bible teachers, right?

Because of Our Sympathetic High Priest,
Potter

So I'm pretty sure it's E. Claude Gardner Day!!...

Who is E.Claude Gardner prey tell?

He is the ex-presidente of that which was and is Freed. Ten years ago, this man occupied the majestic presidential office and he has returned, in all his glory in chapel today. Why did he return? It's his 80th birthday, which clearly predetermines that chapel will turn into another "old person reflection day." The stage and first 3 rows of chapel are decored gloriously with greyness and wrinkles as students patiently, yet typically roll their eyes throughout the entire chapel process. It begins with the speech of the current president and all seems to be fairly well and safe from senseless talking. However, a woman then hobbles up to the stage; who other than the ex-presidents second wife. She proceeds to tell a rather disturbing, taboo-like story describing her relationship to brother Gardner. She first met him when he hired her as his presidential secretary back in the 50's. Just a few years ago both E. Claude Gardners and this woman's spouses die. A year later, they get together and get married. All of this is in a nutshell which really took 40 minutes to explain, but I couldn't get the imagery of a president married to his secretary after his wife died and her husband died.
Anyways, afterward, the city of Henderson and Chester County (both prestigiously manned by church of Christ officials mind you) decide to declare January 19th "E. Claude Gardner Day." Why? Who knows. However he is know for quotes such as "Let all things be done decently and in order" at the beginning of chapel and "Let's get outta here" when chapel is over... I'm pretty sure that's it.
After chapel, I ran vigorously to the bookstore to purchase the first "Happy E. Claude Gardner Day" greeting cards, but clearly the bookstore remained in the dark regarding this infamous holiday and all marketing tactics regarding this holiday remained void and nonavail. For shame. All this to say... Happy "E. Claude Gardner Day" and let all things be done decently and in order... rrright.

Other than this, God has answered a lot of prayers for me over the past few days. It seems like the environment of Freed has changed for me. So far I've been experiencing an unshakeable joy that I've been asking for during the remaining days here at Freed. Thanks God!!!

Because of Our Savior,
Potter

How Was Your Break?...

UGH!!!! If I hear that one more time, I am going to snap someone's head off!!!

Ok, Ok... I know its a courteous question to ask someone whom you haven't seen in 5 weeks... but it's so cliche to me. So empty! I've made my way back to Freed as you might can tell. One more semester, then it's over. You know I get very cranky when I move about the country...does it show?

Ya'll I'm soooo tired of moving from place to place!!! I'm ready to settle down. No more "Oh, lets go to school in TN," or "Oh lets go home to Houston," "Lets go back to school!," "Lets go see some friends," "Oh, lets fly home," "Oh, lets go to Tulsa to see dad and then fly home" AHHHHH. I promise, I am not leaving my house for a year once I graduate (which is a good thing since my job will lock me in until vacation time, right?) I'm all asunder and fluxed!!!!!

I arrived on campus today. Greeted roommates and dormmates alike with the same hollow "Hey how's it going" as I walk about aimlessly. You know, I really don't know what it is about this place. Over three years, it has been so difficult to create a deep, meaningful relationship here at school. I use to shuffle blame between the school and myself until I went crazy. However, I think I am just on a different social plain... meaning sarcasim, jokes, and thought process. I met someone else on campus who is pratically my TWIN! and she is facing the same difficulty adapting to Freed. Alas.... There is difinitely something in the air. I went to a devo tonight at 10:30... and it just made me miss my church family even more. I have been cast in sorrow!!! Remember me when you talk to God tonight. Thanks :-D

Because of Our Sympathetic High Priest,
Potter

Jonestown....the morning after

Thanks Hotel Night Auditor man for keeping drunks at bay while the hotel tries to slumber.

So I work at Hampton Inn & Suites right? Last night, I had worked the 2-10pm shift in order to welcome 50 arriving guests to our property. To my dismay, the hotel engaged in a marketing scheme to bring in more business during our slow hotel season. The scheme? Form a contract with 2 bars in the area saying that we will provide a room, shuttle to the bar and back, and late breakfast and checkout all for the price of 45-60 bucks. Fine and dandy right? Well I had no problems checking in 50 guests, (well, besides psycho women in tears throughout the entire checkin process because she hates men and I was one of them. Schitzomaniacs...right?). The shuttle bus left promptly and all was honky dory. I left the hotel at 11 pm to join festivities at ACOC and came back to the hotel to sleep at 2:30.

I arrive at the front desk approximately 8am to greet a very disgruntled Hampton Inn & Suites Night Auditor. "Whats up?" ~~ the flood gates open, the dam has broken wide open and I go through a 1/2 hour debriefing ending with my screams of disbelief and yelling "STOP...STOP IT I SAY!" What happened? Well, the 5th floor was designated the drunk guest section for the bar sojourners and/or barhoppers. Suites 510 and 512 become the official party room with kegs...thats right...kegs of beer. DJS, radios, loudness, drunks, untimely sexual conduct, trash, cans...you got it all at the newly harloted Hampton Inn & Suites @ NASA clearlake. I had to bring forth what little comforting words I knew in spanish to tell our tired, discontent housekeepers as they waded through the cans, trash, and puke in the 5th floor hallway. The rooms? Yeah, trashed as well. But thats not the best part. At 4:30am, the party was raging. Multiple guests called to complain, not to mention a family staying on the floor with twin babies trying to sleep through the night. After 5 calls to keep things quiet, the infantry was sent in. Houston cops on the call to extinguish the New Years party and to save what was left of the floor. How many times did they come. Oh...just twice. They believed that they paid for the floor (although it was a miniscule rate almost half the normal cost of a room) and they were going to be quiet for noone. After several cop appearances, the crowds settled down and began to pass out one by one.

This morning, the family upstairs with the drunks chewed us out pretty good, but rightly so. Not only did they have the worse night ever, but they are now going to bury their grandmother. I was cast into deep sorrow. I wanted to make things better, but alas, God did not hand over the spiritual gifts needed to do so. I'm a loser, what can I say? All I have the authority to do is remove charges, i wish i could do more. I hope the hotel made the profit they hoped to have made, because cleaning, paying the shuttle guy, and all the extra stuff is going to cost 'em.

As for me, I had a humble New Years. I went to the church, hung out, played a few games, joined a small devo, and called up a few friends on the tele. I made it back to the hotel at 2:30 and went to sleep in which I enjoyed the comfort of the hotel exuberantly! No, really! I'm not just saying that because it is my duty, but the hotel really is one of the best places one could sleep and work. What a suck up, I should be stoned and exiled.

Patiently waiting for Christ to come to free us from drunken-infested hotels,
Potter