The Final Hurdle

This afternoon I completed the final hurdle in this race I have been running since 2003, the oral exam of my Philosophy of Ministry paper. This is a paper that I started in January and when I turned it in last month it was 50 pages. It was a great process and it reminded me of where I have come from and hopefully will guide and encourage me into the future.

It was really hard to prepare for today. I knew I would be facing 3 faculty members and my professor from class. Two of the faculty members I knew well the third I did not. I had no idea what they might ask so I went into the meeting with a copy of my paper, my Bible and a prayer.

Of course, I had the nightmare last night. It seems before any big event I have this horrible dream of how things go wrong. Last Christmas before Christmas Sunday it was the musicians were late and I didn't know any of them and I couldn't find my music. Just a few weeks ago the night before Easter my dream was when I arrived at church Easter morning the trustees were remodeling the stage and building this choir loft that was on the sides of the wall. Last night's dream was equally as far fetched but unnerving none the less. I was helping someone with their computer far from campus. In the dream it was almost like a mountain cabin. I couldn't get back in time for my defense so I was trying to set up Skype to do it that way. Crazy huh?

Anyway, the session went well, I felt good about it. I received wonderful encouragement from my panel. After they told me they were passing me, I gave each of them a thank you card and a bottle of Welch's sparkling grape juice!

Tomorrow night is the Graduate School of Theology's Hooding ceremony. No idea what what it is exactly, but I know it is not them putting hoods over our heads and beating us with a stick! Saturday morning is graduation. It is weird to think I am not in school anymore... Of course, there just might be something down the line!