Tuesday, August 09, 2011

home again, home again jiggidy-jig

So we have definitely turned home and are back to the swing of things at work and home.  It’s nice to be home, and we had a really great time in Vancouver.  I’m working on my papers for my Lewis class.  I have to come up with a topic for my major paper…not quite sure what I’ll do yet.

100_7786Regent was really good.  My class was fun, though it wasn’t totally what I expected.  But the college itself is fantastic.  In so many ways it reminded us of being in Eston.  The chapels at Regent were great; they were of the same spirit and fellowship that I can recall from our days at school. 

I’m also really excited about their programs, ‘cause they have a lot of variety and some really cool classes and concentrations.  We’re kind of thinking about the Interdisciplinary studies which is a part of the MCS program (Master of Christian Studies), but there is also a Christianity and the Arts concentration and a Spiritual Theology concentration which look really interesting.  When we met Eugene Peterson in Eston at Dean Pinter’s ordination he said that the Spiritual Theology program at Regent was one of the best in the world.  “The only other place you could take something like that would be in Singapore,” I remember him saying.

Peek a boo!
The Arts concentration is pretty cool, too.  They were saying that they’ve attracted a lot of arts students in the past few years.  Even though it’s still a part of the MCS degree, and not a MFA (Master of Fine Arts), students are able to explore the intersections of their faith with their art.  The program is really flexible too.  Instead of writing a thesis, a lot of students do a major project instead: like writing, performing and producing their own albums, or growing, preparing and hosting a culinary feast, to writing a fiction novel, to choreographing and dancing a flamenco routine (yes, you read that right)—and then reflecting on music, food, words and movement respectively. 

Yes, please, says I.

Anyway!  We’re still thinking through it all.  But it’s good.  I’m so glad we went and checked it out.  We met some really great people too, like Dan and Fran who we stayed with…and Luke and Mary-Grace who lived downstairs in the basement suite.  And Mike the heavy machinery construction worker who flies out to Regent from Nova Scotia to take classes whenever he can cause he “just loves it here”.  I knew it was an international grad school, but I really hadn’t realized what that meant.  There were Asians everywhere!  Or maybe that was just because we were in Vancouver…?  Yeah, probably.

So that’s the story for now.  Sarah is playing piano.  Thanks for sending us the chords for “There is a River”, Julie!  It’s so nice to hear her sing that song again.

Also.  Thank you Kathy and Beth for letting us borrow “Pushing Daisies”!  So good.  If I ever get to make my childhood Detective Agency days a reality, I’m totally becoming Emerson Cod.

Have a good one, and be well.


Oh, Pushing Daisies, why did you have to end after two seasons?? Why!?!

5 comments:

  1. It all sounds so good! So happy for you that you were able to go!

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  2. So good to hear you are continuing to invest in your academic gifts Nik! I am certain you will please the Lord by pursuing this direction.

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  3. Thanks, Rob! Yes, we'll certainly see how it all turns out--I'm so thankful for the encouragement I received from you and other faculty at college. You helped to foster a love for learning that has deeply enriched my life and my faith. I hope in some way I can turn around and do the same for someone else down the road. Who knows! (As Mom would say, "You never know!")

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  4. Simply adore Pushing Daisies - totally chuffed that it had such a short life (le sigh)

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  5. Yes, so sad. It was so unique! I love Emerson Cod.

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