Update pour le Job de Professeur

So many of you have asked so kindly about things with Geoff's work.  While nothing has come down in an official way, I can report that we are more confident that things will go in his favor.  We had the first summer where we had to imagine a life after teaching animation.  The tension of living ars gratia artis and trying to step out boldly for studio work, wherever that might be and then the other pull to be solid, stable citizens right here in the home we are poured into, into the community into which we are wholeheartedly staked.  Even so, Geoff said it first, that we had our best summer yet.  So clearly, he wasn't existentially shaken by the employment ambiguity.

Then the start of school came and the Personnel Committee (his colleagues in neighboring and similar departments) came out of the woodwork to personally write on his behalf.  Some pointed out that he almost had his Master's.  Some pointed out that he built the program with his own two hands.  My favorite one (She is in her sixties and teaches fashion.  Picture Ellyn Burstyn in Eileen Fisher.) wrote about his character  as a father of four and a warm and loving husband.  A kind insider assures us that fairly soon, this will be sorted out and at the end of it will be a tidy contract that assures us some level of stability.  

little things to note

A few things that tickle me:

On Grandparent's Day last week, I was driving my parents and Mema to the school.  My Dad said I drove like a cab-driver.  This made me feel competent and urbane.  Kinda tough.

I overheard our precocious friend who's 11 say, "I really like the illustrator but he just doesn't get it quite right here."

Advice my supervisor got when he was at seminary: " Just love your wife and get C's."

Calliope had grown petulant at the discussion of her running for Student Council (I know, right!?) and she shouted, "Alright, alright but just tell me the MAIN IDEA of what you have to do!"

During my midday walk with Millie, she always stops at the bottom of the step because she knows I'm going to dial the phone.Once I put the phone up to my ear, then she walks. As if waiting for me.

We just watched a film called Damsels in Distress.  It scratched my magical-realism, self-suspicious of psychology, whimsical and articulate banter itch.

Been wearing great boots I found here. I have been loving my haircut by my homegirl.

from reading

"With his feet planted firmly on the ground, he raises his head aloft and casts his eye up in a vertical look.  He has knowledge of things that are visible and temporal, but he is also aware of things that are invisible and eternal.  His desire goes out to the earthly, sensuous, and transient, but it goes out also to heavenly, spiritual, and everlasting goods."

--Herman Bavinck

In Turn Ship

It's been about a month since I posted.  I have logged 35 hours of counseling-related activities, which include phone-intake, trainings and orientations, supervision meetings, setting up an extern site.  Also reading books, listening to lectures and conference talks.  On a more basic level, I get dressed in business-casual clothes and drive to CCEF almost every day.  I will say that again:  Almost every week day, I dress in church clothes and drive a half hour and work.  This hasn't been so in so very long.  

The days have passed in caffeinated and high-emotion register, where I am so very busy and yet so very jazzed to be doing this work.  

Things I have been thinking about:

Psalm 36:9  "For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave you or forsake you."  

that our sinfulness, not how we've been sinned against, is our biggest problem; that forgiveness, not wholeness, is our greatest need; that repentance, not insight, is the dynamic in all real change.” 
― Dan B. Allender

-The way the mornings have an unusual light and chill.  The light seems to start over our back windows first and raise our awareness slowly, like the volume slowly increasing ever so slightly to hear the morning's first music.