Another Semester Begins

Well, I am back in Nebraska, safe and sound. My travels actually went really smoothly, which was a blessing. I enjoyed my time with family, and the math conference was ok, but not overwhelming (positively or negatively). I think that 3 weeks on the road is about my limit. Its good to be back home.

I had a great time at my roommate Rob's wedding Saturday. There were tons of old friends there that I hadn't seen for a while. It was good to catch up a bit with most of them, but there is never as much time as one would like for things like that. It was a beautiful and God-honoring ceremony, and a fun-filled dinner and reception. I'll miss having Rob for a roommate, but my guess is that he will like his new roommate better than his old ones.

As most of you already know, classes started today. I taught my first session, but am off tomorrow as I am teaching Calc 3, which is a 4 credit class, so it only meets 4 times a week. I am hoping to make Tuesdays a major day for research this semester. I'm a bit behind on my prepping since the conference ran so close to the start of the semester. I should be able to get caught up over the three day weekend. I hope so, as I really want to get things started on the right foot. Life is a bit chaotic after being gone for so long.

I also wanted to mention that I have been reading a book by Sinclair Ferguson called A Heart for God. I'm four chapters in, and it has been a great read so far. I thought I would close this post with an excerpt from the book:

"Since I was a little boy nothing has fascinated me more than the knowledge of God: Who is God? Can God be known? If He can be known, how do we discover Him? Now, in later years, I realize that these are not merely the questions of childhood; they are the most important questions in the universe. Moreover, they lie at the heart of the Christian faith. Christians do not always see that as clearly as they should. Perhaps that explains why we are not all we ought to be, either in our worship in the church or in our witness to the world. My hope is that these pages will contribute, in some way, to more God-centered living.
For this reason, A Heart for God is oriented towards biblical exposition. It is only as Christ's words remain in us and we remain in Him that we will be delivered from the rootless Christianity so characteristic of our times. As His Word influences us, we begin to bear fruit and prove to be His disciples (John 15:5-8). Only as God's Word impacts the way we think, live, and feel will we develop hearts that are characterized by obedience to God and filled with love for Him."

JJ