Faster Than a Speeding Bullet

I've written half a dozen posts in my head, and then... well, I've stumbled to my desk and the dining room chair and into bed.  Not a whole lot of leftover energy right now.  SO, that means it's bullet time!

• We've done all the flood cleaning we can.  The ugly couch is officially HISTORY!  But so are a couple bookshelves (books were OK, whew).  Rugs are gone, as are a few other pieces of furniture.  So be it.  We were all OK.
• Nothing's been done to clean the building itself yet, so the basement/crawl space still has a distinctive Flood Stink.  That emanates into the apartment.  This is not OK.
• The mess has increased neighborliness.  The woman next door had dinner with us last night!  Love it.
  
• I'm so, so grateful that I started on some of the reading before classes started.  Because of the chaos at home, that might be the only thing that's...well... kept me afloat, as it were.
• I still love reading.  I'm a completely and totally promiscuous reader.  It's all awesome.
• My preference for small groups over large ones is pretty strong.  No kidding chaplaincy feels better than parish ministry.  How did I overlook this in The Process?
• Holy Crap, I'm still working on all the stuff that goes along with being denominationally homeless.  I somehow thought that would be parenthetical here, because there are students from so many different traditions (as well as a few others who are undeclared, like me).  Nope.  Comes up again and again.  Ouch.  Clearly an invitation to prayer, as it's just a big mess in my heart.
• I'm taking:  Women & the Old Testament, Intro to Theology, Intro to Old Testament, Addiction & Recovery, and Church History (plus the weekly formation group that's mandatory for all MDivs).  My expectations about which classes I'd like best were exactly wrong.
• I feel deeply at home in libraries.  And very few other places.
• Edith Piaf is perfect library music.
• People hug here.  Which makes it an anomaly in Central PA. I think maybe I used to hug people?
• Dave and I had a fairly normal Sunday morning, and that was the best thing that's happened to me in weeks.  So nice to just run, and have breakfast, and enjoy shared stillness.
• I miss my bloggy friends.  
• My affection for Denison is unabated.  Being a commuter student is just not the same as being right in the middle of school all the time.  It's right for this season in my life, but I'm so grateful that I had 4 undergrad years that were ridiculous and wonderful and full.  Also, I miss the diversity of majors.  (Why were so many of my favorite people in totally different disciplines?  I dunno, but I loved that.)

I clearly have the verbosity of the sleep deprived, so I'd better sign off before I get even nuttier.  One last thing, though, and this is important:

I realized last week that so many of you have been with me for years, encouraging me and supporting me, weeping when I weep, and rejoicing when I rejoice.  I'm so grateful.  I hate to imagine formation, discernment, and friendship without you.  There's a strong Texas contingent, a healthy Ohio delegation, and remarkable others without whom I can't imagine having started seminary.  Thank you.  Really.  You've been a tremendous gift.