I haven’t blogged in a while.  This isn’t because I haven’t had anything to say, but because I have had a flurry of events take place and the task of recounting them here on the blog has loomed overhead as a daunting task.  I will nevertheless make an attempt.

1) My ability to study during work and thus my productivity has greatly diminished.  Due to a sequence of events and an impromptu, but necessary, reorganization of my company I have had to take on the role of Operations Manager on top of my duties as a file clerk, receptionist and courier.  This means that I have little free time during the day.

2) What little free time I have had has been spent preparing for Brooke and Andrew’s wedding.  The rehearsal and the wedding went off without a hitch (ha…ha…ha…yeah…it was a pun…I know), but there were a few bumps along the way.  I have one take away for ministers who perform their first wedding…DON’T LET THAT DETAIL BE KNOWN TO THE WEDDING DIRECTOR.  There are few things worse in the world than being told “I’m sure you will do fine,” but treated as if the couple made a bad decision when choosing you.  Do your research, come in with confidence, and be humble when you are corrected.

3) The “Young Adults” crowd at Cary Alliance celebrated our annual Christmas Party.  This happened to coincide with two other occasions: our decision to leave Cary Alliance and my birthday.  Scott Hess took this opportunity to make us (and me in particular) feel loved by celebrating my birthday at the party.  Thank you Scott and thank you Cary Alliance for understanding our departure and for being adamant about maintaining fellowship with us.  You truly understand what it means to be a part of the universal body of Christ.

4) Mary Beth and I attended Cary Alliance in order to hear my mother-in-law perform Rejoice Greatly from Handel’s Messiah.  This was an indescribable experience.  Yet, the thing I keep coming back to is the fact that it is a glorious thing when the form matches the message.

5) Yesterday my side of the family celebrated my birthday and showered me with Accordance gift certificates.  Part of that money has already been spent on NT-MSS Images (facsimiles of Alexandrinus, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Washingtonensis, and the original Codex 2882).  This will be a real joy to learn how to read Greek without spaces, punctuation and in Uncial (all-caps) script.