Tell Me You're Kidding...

A few weeks ago I was catching up with some friends. We were discussing our latest endeavors. My good friend -- well best friend but when I say it like that I feel like I'm on the playground making declarations, -- Susan, was telling everyone about how she's going to go back to school for library science. Yes, that means when she grows up she wants to be a librarian. She says it's because of her love and appreciation for books and knowledge. I think it has something to do with telling kids to be quiet and stop running. We're off topic. When a couple of people snickered at her aspirations, she deflected by telling them to ask me my plans. Well, my plans are to move to Denver, Colorado this fall. I'm going to go to school at Iliff School of Theology for a Masters of Divinity. Ultimately, I want to become an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church. One of our friends turned to me with what can only be described as horror in her eyes and said, "tell me you're kidding."

I'm not.

I have a lot of beliefs, morals and value structures. Most I'm sure I share with many other people. Some, I'm just as confident don't line up with as many people. At the end of the day though, I've always been this person. I'd like to expand more on my beliefs, morals and value structures in my other blog. Maybe sometimes they'll overflow here. But, that's not what this blog is for. On the other hand, I want each and every person I've ever known to know that I'm not leaving who I am for another person.

I know there are a lot of people out there with different religious views from me. I know that denominations aside, there are agnostics and atheists out there. I'm friends with a number of them. I'm not going to the dark side by becoming a minister. I'm not becoming closed-minded and an elitist by becoming a minister. I'm following what I believe to be a calling. As Martin Luther King Jr said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." My next step is school. I think ordainment will follow, but I'm open to other options as well.

In the end I want to assure people that I will still be me. If nothing else I hope to gain a stronger faith as my knowledge of the bible and religion increases. Perhaps some day we can talk about religion. Perhaps we never will. I'm okay with whatever you're most comfortable. If you have questions or concerns about this endeavor, talk to me about it. I'm cool with apprehension; trust me, I'm full of it all the time.

No matter what, I'm not kidding.

What to write about...

I don't post on here any more. I'm not sure why not. I think part of it is, I don't know what to write. I think another part is that I don't think any one reads this. I know I don't have time to maintain driving traffic here. Maybe I should go back to my original goal...writing for me. :) How profound!

Life is good. Life is complex and difficult. I think that says enough for now. I think this blog has gotten complicated because people I know have the web address. I thought that's what I wanted initially. Now I'm not so sure. Perhaps I should use it in the more general sense to track what I'm doing day to day. That is something to consider.

Right now I'm addicted to Facebook. I just signed up. I'm not exactly sure what the appeal is. I've refused MySpace, Facebook and so forth up til now. Christine convinced me that because I've been accepted back to school, that Facebook is acceptable. I think it's a little twisted and trendy. Trendy is not usually my thing. We'll see.