Deep Breath

The most common response to this blog, I suspect, is a shaking of the head and an astonished comment that while it’s not impossible to be so ignorant, it’s hard to believe that one could be so old and with the opportunities that I have had and still be so behind.  The wisest thing for me would be to shut down this blog and desist from further demonstrating this sad reality.  But we ‘ve already established that I am not wise.  So on we press.

I am in the midst of that blessed, but brief, interval that occurs immediately after one finishes a large task and feels that the weight of the world has been lifted.  Soon enough I ‘ll realize everything that I failed to complete when the “large task” took over all waking hours and again be plunged into the abyss of hopeless “behindedness.”  But for the moment, all responsible living is cast off.

Yesterday I drove over to my professor’s apartment and turned in my last paper of the semester.  My major accomplishments this semester seem rather wimpy:

• A 30-page paper on the identity and significance of Armageddon, largely written in 7 days.  Anything but a masterpiece, but it has photos.
• A book review of John Walton, Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament
• A book review of Richard Hess, Israelite Religions

In addition to that, I attempted to answer some of the most difficult interpretive questions for Hebrews, James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude, and Revelation.  I read a lot of ancient texts by lost Sumerians, Egyptians, Ugaritans, and Assyrians.  And I’m still married and my kids don’t hate or ignore me. 

I learned a lot, but it wasn’t always what the teacher wanted me to learn.

April was the worst computer month of my life.  The solution to getting rid of whatever I was infected with was pretty easy for the guy who knew what he was doing; I just had to wait three weeks in line.  My backup computer decided that this was the right time of its short life to quit working.  I lost more than the $25 memory chip replacement, but thankfully, no data.

I spent my day today as a volunteer of “Watch D.O.G.S.” (Dads of Great Students) at our kids ‘ elementary school.  I played (educational) math games with students, watched some of the workings of the school, talked to various teachers, carried a walkie-talkie, and ate lunch with my children.  They have a great school with a first-rate principal and teachers who care.

On Monday I start a course in Reading Theological German.  In 11 class sessions over 29 days, I will master the subject.  More cynically minded might suppose that this is just an academic hoop intended to impress others that I’m in a credible academic program.  I won’t tell you which category I’m in.

I have a contract to write a chapter on 1-2 Chronicles for an OT survey textbook, due on June 30.  One of these days I’m going to start by reading the book; I’ve heard it’s good.  I may afflict you with an observation or two along the way.

I would love to write an article on Khirbet Qeiyafa.  I had a lot of ideas for that about 5 months ago, but I haven’t thought about it since.

My real dream for the summer is to finish the American Colony and Eric Matson Collection of photos.  Yes, I fully expected to finish that last summer.  A consulting job got in the way and I’ve made only minor progress since school started.  I am very, very pleased with the collection, even though I know too few people will really appreciate it.

Tonight I am going to watch a movie.  Yes, a Jane Austen one.  Tomorrow I’m going to go and vote against all of the bond measures.  Sunday I will teach on 1 Samuel 29.  I think now I ‘ll call my parents and inform them that their assumption that I am dead is false.

I think I exceeded the 140-character limit.