Following Up After a Banner Easter service
Previously, I mentioned that during the Easter morning service and at the end of the sermon, the pastor invited those with other mother tongues to write “Jesus is risen!” in their language on a small banner. The banners were posted on the entry doors after the service.
Last Bible School Lesson Takes the Cake
On Thursday, I had my last session with the Bible school students. We were looking at apocalyptic literature and the Book of Daniel. I played a little bit on the theme. I had just over-viewed chapter 1, where Daniel and his 3 friends refuse to defile themselves with rich food, and instead asked for vegetables. Then at the break time, I brought out a chocolate cake and some celery and carrot sticks. I didn’t do a guilt trip, but I just playfully mentioned the rich food or veggies motif. I wondered if any would feel that the cake would not be appropriate then. It turns out that all the students, except the gluten intolerant student, took the cake. And while the veggies weren’t special, at least there was something for him. Then, I commended them all on their interpretive ability to understand that eating chocolate cake in 21st century Sweden is not defiling!
Friday was Full
After a morning workout at the gym (and reading interpretive issues for how the New Testament uses the Old Testament while on the exercise bike), I biked off to my Swedish lesson with Lennart. He is helping me check the rough draft of a message I’ll give at an upcoming speaking engagement. I’m seeing again how Google translate is far from perfect! I’m hoping to prepare and internalize the message in Swedish enough to speak it (not just read it) in Swedish. We’ll see how this goes, but at least Lennart is encouraging me on the topic, saying that this is a message that needs to be heard (theology of the cross versus the theology of glory).
In Lennart’s neighborhood, they are spring cleaning the streets to sweep up all the fine gravel left from sanding the icy roads at winter time. This is serious cleaning! There were some temporary no parking signs, and many cars had been removed by their owners, but the cars that remained were moved a bit down the block so the street sweepers could clean the entire street. This was the best street sweeping I have ever seen with both machine and men with brooms.
After my Swedish lesson, I met Maria for lunch. We are both part-time, so we arranged our time to take a long lunch with a walk. She is a great blessing to me.
We got back for me to meet a student, Rebecka, to discuss a class that she is taking with me called, “Case Studies in African Exegetical Theology.” Anya can’t imagine a course like this, but Rebecka is really engaging it well. She is a very bright student with very insightful questions and critique. These are the kind of conversations that bring great joy to a teacher.
While Anya was off at youth group, I streamed the sequel movie to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It was just a nice little escape, though I did turn on and read the Swedish sub-titles.
Saturday Chores
“Chores” is a word that Swedes don’t have in their English vocabulary. Today, it meant Anya did the laundry, while I did computer work and emailing to plan for travels. I am invited to Tanzania in June for a conference related to my PhD adviser’s research group on Maasai biblical interpretation. So, I get to go with travel expenses paid for by Norwegian tax payers.
It also means that I need to get a new passport here in Sweden; I’m running out of pages! We will be in Minnesota and Wisconsin this summer, but I won’t have enough time to process a passport without the expedited costs. I’m just a bit concerned that the guy at the post office desk in the grocery store didn’t put enough postage on the return envelope, though I specified that it needed to cover 250 grams on the secure mail return. One more little thing to worry about.
One chore was collecting Anya’s bike. After youth group last night, she found a rack of bikes that were vandalized with bent rims. She walked home last evening, and this morning, I claimed it and rolled it home on its back tire . Then I made an appointment for some repairs and getting the studded tires off for the spring.
There was some grocery shopping and other shopping as part of the chores that continued after lunch.
The rest of the day has been working on my dissertation to get it ready for publishing. I learned today that my 1191 footnotes will have to be turned into endnotes at the end of each chapter. UGH! I originally wrote the dissertation in a research software called NotaBene, but it is not formatting friendly. So, I’ve been working in an exported copy in Word. I’m wondering if I can import it back into NotaBene and have it automatically switch from footnotes to endnotes with some changed settings. Perhaps I’m dreaming!
Off to dreamland–after some a little Swedish lesson.
With blessings,
Beth