I have rediscovered oatmeal. I used to eat it growing up, especially in elementary school, but only recently have I begun to switch from cereal back to this healthful alternative. It's a lot healthier than a lot of different kinds of cereal, and when you're like me, and are trying to eat better, anything that cuts your calories will help. I have been eating the Quaker instant kind, which is as easy as it gets to make-just pour on some milk and stick it in the microwave for one minute. Obviously, I can't eat it every day, but I have a feeling that eating oatmeal for breakfast several times a week is going to help a great deal with losing weight.
I have also rediscovered the fitness center in my apartment building. Normally I go to RPAC (Ohio State's Recreation and Physical Activity Center) to work out, but the high today was about 17 degrees, meaning I would have frozen to death somewhere on Neil Avenue. So I worked out in the building instead. It was nice-it's just a small room, and there was no one else in there. I could be alone with my thoughts for a while, instead of listening to the din of 100 people jogging and TV's playing afternoon episodes of Oprah or SportsCenter.
To complete the trifecta...I have rediscovered the value of silence. Honestly, how much silence do we have in our lives these days? Not nearly enough. Let me explain.
I first figured this out on my way to work about a week and a half ago. It was about 7:30 in the morning, and I was doing my usual fiddling with the dial at a red light, trying to find a good station. Finally, not being able to find one among the dozen or so I listen to regularly, I turned the radio off. I drove the rest of the way to work in total silence, with nothing but the noise of traffic to disturb this tranquility. It was the most gratifying simple pleasure that I had experienced in a long time, and all I had to do was push a button. I did the same thing on the way home from work that day, not even turning the radio on, except for a few brief minutes to hear the local news.
I have begun to realize that there is a spiritual dimension to this as well. When I turn off the radio, or the TV, or seek out silence when I can get it, it is akin to letting God's presence into my life, in that small way. He is always there, but I was never able to hear Him over country, or talk radio, or whatever it was that was playing in the background. One of the things I have learned in this brief year so far is that sometimes, God speaks in what we think are the dead spots between point A and point B in the car, or the times we are sitting in our apartment without the TV on or a law book in our hands (as rare as those times are nowadays). If you're paying attention, sometimes you can really feel God's presence-it seems to have its own form of quiet reassurance, an unspoken "I'm here" that you feel when you need it the most.
This is why I am going to try and seek out more silence in my life, as a way of working toward my goals in 2007 (a stronger walk with the Lord, and better stress management). The less I have to listen to background noise, the better off I will be.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Pressing Forward
From now on, in keeping with my desire to better learn and internalize Scripture, and apply its principles to my life, I am going to start listing a few verses in these dispatches that are especially relevant to my life at the moment. So, here goes:
"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?...Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (Matthew 6:25, 30 KJV).
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. (emphasis added)" (Proverbs 23:7 KJV)
"And he said, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV)
"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?...Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (Matthew 6:25, 30 KJV).
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. (emphasis added)" (Proverbs 23:7 KJV)
"And he said, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV)
Newark, New Jersey
I got some great news this past week-I finished fourth overall in the Herman selection argument, which means I made one of the traveling teams. Being on a traveling team is a great honor, especially for second-year students, so I am excited, and grateful for the opportunity.
The selection argument was pretty tough-we had to argue in front of two professors, one of whom I had this past semester for Appellate Advocacy. I was struck at how the selection argument resembled an actual Supreme Court oral argument-very little time to make your own points, because the judges (or justices, if you're up before SCOTUS) are constantly asking questions. I was very fortunate to have survived this session and advanced to the traveling team-at the beginning of the year, my goal was to compete in Herman, so the fact that I was able to surpass that says volumes about God's providence and love, since I will get to visit New Jersey and New York City for the first time (and that I am proud of my accomplishment).
I will be on the Criminal Procedure team, so that means I will be headed to the Seton Hall School of Law in Newark, New Jersey in March. It's right across the river from New York City, so I will definitely want to do a little sight-seeing if we have time. I'm still not sure how exactly the competition will work-I will have to wait to hear from the Moot Court Governing Board to find out more of the details. I will probably have more about this in a later post, when the competition dates get closer, compete with pictures.
This will be a great opportunity to get experience that will serve me well as a trial lawyer. I imagine that with Criminal Procedure, this will be a chance to get more acquainted with the rules of evidence, with the quickness of trial-making motions, objections, and the like-that will be so important later on, whether I go into litigation, criminal prosecution, or another field.
Praise God for this opportunity.
The selection argument was pretty tough-we had to argue in front of two professors, one of whom I had this past semester for Appellate Advocacy. I was struck at how the selection argument resembled an actual Supreme Court oral argument-very little time to make your own points, because the judges (or justices, if you're up before SCOTUS) are constantly asking questions. I was very fortunate to have survived this session and advanced to the traveling team-at the beginning of the year, my goal was to compete in Herman, so the fact that I was able to surpass that says volumes about God's providence and love, since I will get to visit New Jersey and New York City for the first time (and that I am proud of my accomplishment).
I will be on the Criminal Procedure team, so that means I will be headed to the Seton Hall School of Law in Newark, New Jersey in March. It's right across the river from New York City, so I will definitely want to do a little sight-seeing if we have time. I'm still not sure how exactly the competition will work-I will have to wait to hear from the Moot Court Governing Board to find out more of the details. I will probably have more about this in a later post, when the competition dates get closer, compete with pictures.
This will be a great opportunity to get experience that will serve me well as a trial lawyer. I imagine that with Criminal Procedure, this will be a chance to get more acquainted with the rules of evidence, with the quickness of trial-making motions, objections, and the like-that will be so important later on, whether I go into litigation, criminal prosecution, or another field.
Praise God for this opportunity.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace!
This will be the new theme of my search for a job this summer-boldness, boldness, in all things boldness. This was the quote of the Prussian king Frederick the Great in one of his military journals, and this is the approach I need to take to looking for a job in the new year.
Here is where I found the quote: http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=120666
Don't misunderstand me-boldness does not mean pestering potential employers, or going beyond the bounds of civility and decorum expected of members of the legal profession. But it does mean that persistence is what I need to prevail. The repeated phone calls, multiple faxing of resumes and cover letters, and increased networking opportunities is what is going to get me noticed-and this means taking an approach with more initiative and energy than ever before.
Ultimately, this is going to be the first test of my ability to argue persuasively and effectively on behalf of a cause-my own employment. And I need to be able to do the job better than the other dozen or so individuals who are likely gunning for the same job.
But there is one thing that has changed the equation. Two days ago, I felt despondent over my job search-that I wasn't hired after interviewing with several big firms through OCI (on-campus interviewing), and that while I have received at least one job offer, I am still pursuing employment in Akron and Columbus. In the midst of this, I prayed about the situation. I asked God to take over and bless my job search, that I was putting it in His hands where He chose to have me work this summer. And while I still have to work at times to keep a positive attitude, the Lord has responded. I know now that while I have to search vigorously, and leave no stone unturned, that He will lead me where I need to go.
So while I could have been bold all along in seeking out a clerkship for next summer, with each phone call, each job interview, each resume that is sent out, my attitude will be one of boldness in going forward in Him, and, ultimately, approaching His throne for the job that I need to sustain myself this summer. I am no longer being guided by my own feelings of pride, consternation, or uncertainty about the future, but by the feeling that God is going to take care of my needs before they come to pass about four months from now.
Here is where I found the quote: http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=120666
Don't misunderstand me-boldness does not mean pestering potential employers, or going beyond the bounds of civility and decorum expected of members of the legal profession. But it does mean that persistence is what I need to prevail. The repeated phone calls, multiple faxing of resumes and cover letters, and increased networking opportunities is what is going to get me noticed-and this means taking an approach with more initiative and energy than ever before.
Ultimately, this is going to be the first test of my ability to argue persuasively and effectively on behalf of a cause-my own employment. And I need to be able to do the job better than the other dozen or so individuals who are likely gunning for the same job.
But there is one thing that has changed the equation. Two days ago, I felt despondent over my job search-that I wasn't hired after interviewing with several big firms through OCI (on-campus interviewing), and that while I have received at least one job offer, I am still pursuing employment in Akron and Columbus. In the midst of this, I prayed about the situation. I asked God to take over and bless my job search, that I was putting it in His hands where He chose to have me work this summer. And while I still have to work at times to keep a positive attitude, the Lord has responded. I know now that while I have to search vigorously, and leave no stone unturned, that He will lead me where I need to go.
So while I could have been bold all along in seeking out a clerkship for next summer, with each phone call, each job interview, each resume that is sent out, my attitude will be one of boldness in going forward in Him, and, ultimately, approaching His throne for the job that I need to sustain myself this summer. I am no longer being guided by my own feelings of pride, consternation, or uncertainty about the future, but by the feeling that God is going to take care of my needs before they come to pass about four months from now.
Blackstone Deadline Reminder
For my law student friends who are applying for the Blackstone-don't forget, the deadline is January 22. Good luck-it is an amazing experience.
3 Days To Go....
Until the start of the spring semester. And also the national championship game. I have been in Columbus since Tuesday night, buying my books, making daily trips to RPAC to work out, and researching my note in time to hand in the first draft on the 16th. Thoughts on the day:
- The warm weather is absolutely amazing. It got up to 61 here today, and instead of having the usual snow and bitterly cold winds that blow through Columbus this time of year, all we have had is some light rain. It was overcast today, but when it's in the 50's and 60's in January, you can't complain at all. It's nice not having to keep the heat on all the time, too-the less I have to flip the notch on that thermostat, the cheaper my electric bill is at the end of the month.
- Bowling starts up again next Wednesday-our team is going to make the playoffs this semester, I am sure. I have been petitioning our illustrious captain, the Bee Girl, to see if we can coordinate our colors this semester, if not order shirts with our names on them. So far, no definite answer-my vote is for scarlet this week, in honor of the Buckeyes.
Every semester, I tell myself that I am going to practice, and at the same alley we bowl at for our league, but my workload and schedule prevents it. It would be even better if we could get the whole team to go. But in law school, we are all so busy that getting together for league bowling on Wednesdays is enough of a challenge. Plus, open bowling is at least $5.00 a game, and I am always trying to save my money. My goal this semester is no less than a 130 average-I am sure I will get it, come Wednesday. I am going to keep using the 12 pound ball, and with the weightlifting I am doing as a part of my diet, I am hoping to get some more power behind the ball, for more spares and strikes.
- As for RPAC, I have a feeling I am going to get very familiar with that place before the end of this summer. My goal for this year is to lose about 100 pounds (98, to be exact) and I will be spending as much time as I can there this semester. It is amazingly busy right now-I have not even been able to get a treadmill the last two days I have been there, so I have been playing basketball in the gym instead. I started out with just shooting around yesterday, and today I joined in a pickup game with a couple of other guys. I got up and down the floor, but I was clearly a couple of steps behind them-I will need to pick up the pace as the weeks pass by, and I start to take off some of the excess weight that is slowing me down.
My exercise plan involves trying to combine aerobic exercise, such as basketball, with some weightlifting. I started lifting today-nothing that strenuous, just a few arm curls, lifting the dumbbell behind my head to work the triceps, and then a few sets on the bench press. I also got in a little bit of leg lifting and work on the calf muscles, when the machines were open. I will probably hold off on more weights for the rest of the week, since I don't want to be sore when we go bowling Wednesday.
- Also, I will be heading back to New England this summer, to attend the Acton Institute conference in West Cornwall, Connecticut this August. The theme will be "Toward a Free and Virtuous Society." The details still have to be ironed out (such as whether I'll go, since I need to be accepted to receive the travel fellowship), but I am definitely looking forward to going, if it can be arranged. More on that in a later post.
- The warm weather is absolutely amazing. It got up to 61 here today, and instead of having the usual snow and bitterly cold winds that blow through Columbus this time of year, all we have had is some light rain. It was overcast today, but when it's in the 50's and 60's in January, you can't complain at all. It's nice not having to keep the heat on all the time, too-the less I have to flip the notch on that thermostat, the cheaper my electric bill is at the end of the month.
- Bowling starts up again next Wednesday-our team is going to make the playoffs this semester, I am sure. I have been petitioning our illustrious captain, the Bee Girl, to see if we can coordinate our colors this semester, if not order shirts with our names on them. So far, no definite answer-my vote is for scarlet this week, in honor of the Buckeyes.
Every semester, I tell myself that I am going to practice, and at the same alley we bowl at for our league, but my workload and schedule prevents it. It would be even better if we could get the whole team to go. But in law school, we are all so busy that getting together for league bowling on Wednesdays is enough of a challenge. Plus, open bowling is at least $5.00 a game, and I am always trying to save my money. My goal this semester is no less than a 130 average-I am sure I will get it, come Wednesday. I am going to keep using the 12 pound ball, and with the weightlifting I am doing as a part of my diet, I am hoping to get some more power behind the ball, for more spares and strikes.
- As for RPAC, I have a feeling I am going to get very familiar with that place before the end of this summer. My goal for this year is to lose about 100 pounds (98, to be exact) and I will be spending as much time as I can there this semester. It is amazingly busy right now-I have not even been able to get a treadmill the last two days I have been there, so I have been playing basketball in the gym instead. I started out with just shooting around yesterday, and today I joined in a pickup game with a couple of other guys. I got up and down the floor, but I was clearly a couple of steps behind them-I will need to pick up the pace as the weeks pass by, and I start to take off some of the excess weight that is slowing me down.
My exercise plan involves trying to combine aerobic exercise, such as basketball, with some weightlifting. I started lifting today-nothing that strenuous, just a few arm curls, lifting the dumbbell behind my head to work the triceps, and then a few sets on the bench press. I also got in a little bit of leg lifting and work on the calf muscles, when the machines were open. I will probably hold off on more weights for the rest of the week, since I don't want to be sore when we go bowling Wednesday.
- Also, I will be heading back to New England this summer, to attend the Acton Institute conference in West Cornwall, Connecticut this August. The theme will be "Toward a Free and Virtuous Society." The details still have to be ironed out (such as whether I'll go, since I need to be accepted to receive the travel fellowship), but I am definitely looking forward to going, if it can be arranged. More on that in a later post.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Brian Agonistes
I got the title of this post from my Word a Day emails-"agonistes" means someone who is involved in a struggle, which pretty much describes my life right now, in the midst of the second year of law school.
But first, the Christmas season. I had a pretty good holiday season-got interrupted by some work at school that couldn't wait, but other than that, it was a real blessing to be home with family. We went to church Christmas Eve, as usual, and the service was beautiful. My favorite part comes at the end, where the congregation sings "Silent Night" by candlelight. This, more than anything captured the Christmas season for me-it's not about a break from exams or presents or any of the other distractions of this world, but the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord.
New Year's was fun also-I went to see "Night at the Museum" with my mom and dad (which wasn't a bad movie-I like anything with a history theme and featuring my favorite president, Teddy Roosevelt), then came home and watched the ball drop at midnight. Overall, I had a few days off around New Year's before coming back to Columbus Tuesday night.
So what lies ahead this semester? Writing my note for the Ohio State Law Journal, finding a job for the summer, the Legislation Clinic (where I go work at the Statehouse and see the inner workings of the Ohio General Assembly-more in a later post), and oh yeah, 13 credits' worth of classes and a work-study job. I move forward into 2007 prayerful and with a good attitude-I believe that good days lie ahead, come what may.
But first, the Christmas season. I had a pretty good holiday season-got interrupted by some work at school that couldn't wait, but other than that, it was a real blessing to be home with family. We went to church Christmas Eve, as usual, and the service was beautiful. My favorite part comes at the end, where the congregation sings "Silent Night" by candlelight. This, more than anything captured the Christmas season for me-it's not about a break from exams or presents or any of the other distractions of this world, but the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord.
New Year's was fun also-I went to see "Night at the Museum" with my mom and dad (which wasn't a bad movie-I like anything with a history theme and featuring my favorite president, Teddy Roosevelt), then came home and watched the ball drop at midnight. Overall, I had a few days off around New Year's before coming back to Columbus Tuesday night.
So what lies ahead this semester? Writing my note for the Ohio State Law Journal, finding a job for the summer, the Legislation Clinic (where I go work at the Statehouse and see the inner workings of the Ohio General Assembly-more in a later post), and oh yeah, 13 credits' worth of classes and a work-study job. I move forward into 2007 prayerful and with a good attitude-I believe that good days lie ahead, come what may.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Almost Christmas
This is a milestone-my first back to back posts in quite a while.
I heard today that Chicago has decided to allow advertisements for "The Nativity Story" today, nearly three weeks after its December 1 release date. Of course, now that the movie has been out a few weeks, the advertising can't have the same impact in getting people to go see the movie about the birth of Christ, but I guess that's what the people in charge wanted all along.
On a more positive note, a praise....I got word today that I have been selected to compete in my school's Herman moot court competition, where I will be preparing an appellate brief and delivering an oral argument to a panel of judges. I will also be competing for a spot on one of my school's traveling teams. If I get selected, I won't be doing Herman, but I will be traveling to some far-off corner of the country (perhaps New York City or New Orleans) for an interschool competition sometime this coming semester. So I'll have to keep my fingers crossed for one of these four slots, and if I don't get one, I still get to compete in Herman. I am excited about the opportunity-I enjoy doing appellate argument, and any chance I can get to hone my skills will serve me well as a litigator, regardless of the court or type of case I am arguing.
Exams are nearing completion as well-not much further to go. I get to go home tomorrow for Christmas, and I cannot wait. Nothing makes you appreciate your home, and your family, and your hometown, as much as being away at school. I am lucky that I get to go home every couple of weekends throughout the semester, because I am only 2 hours away from Akron when I am in Columbus, but sometimes it feels like 20. Besides getting to see my family, I am looking forward to attending my home church again on Christmas Eve, eating some good food, and not having to listen to High Street serenade me to sleep every night.
No rest for the weary though...after exams are over, it's time to dig into my note, begin preparing for my tryout for the travel team (luckily, we just do the same oral argument from Appellate Advocacy, so I don't need to prepare a new brief), and start getting ready for next semester. As a wise man once said, you can sleep when you're dead, and it looks like I'm taking that to heart.
I heard today that Chicago has decided to allow advertisements for "The Nativity Story" today, nearly three weeks after its December 1 release date. Of course, now that the movie has been out a few weeks, the advertising can't have the same impact in getting people to go see the movie about the birth of Christ, but I guess that's what the people in charge wanted all along.
On a more positive note, a praise....I got word today that I have been selected to compete in my school's Herman moot court competition, where I will be preparing an appellate brief and delivering an oral argument to a panel of judges. I will also be competing for a spot on one of my school's traveling teams. If I get selected, I won't be doing Herman, but I will be traveling to some far-off corner of the country (perhaps New York City or New Orleans) for an interschool competition sometime this coming semester. So I'll have to keep my fingers crossed for one of these four slots, and if I don't get one, I still get to compete in Herman. I am excited about the opportunity-I enjoy doing appellate argument, and any chance I can get to hone my skills will serve me well as a litigator, regardless of the court or type of case I am arguing.
Exams are nearing completion as well-not much further to go. I get to go home tomorrow for Christmas, and I cannot wait. Nothing makes you appreciate your home, and your family, and your hometown, as much as being away at school. I am lucky that I get to go home every couple of weekends throughout the semester, because I am only 2 hours away from Akron when I am in Columbus, but sometimes it feels like 20. Besides getting to see my family, I am looking forward to attending my home church again on Christmas Eve, eating some good food, and not having to listen to High Street serenade me to sleep every night.
No rest for the weary though...after exams are over, it's time to dig into my note, begin preparing for my tryout for the travel team (luckily, we just do the same oral argument from Appellate Advocacy, so I don't need to prepare a new brief), and start getting ready for next semester. As a wise man once said, you can sleep when you're dead, and it looks like I'm taking that to heart.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Legal News: Christmas-Itis?
More on the Chicago Christmas (er, winter solstice) display, as I break from studying for the night. There doesn't seem to be much else to report on, other than the fact that this whole business about banning Christmas symbols has gotten way out of hand.
Just a thought: has anyone advocating the removal of anything and everything remotely "religious" from public property ever stopped to consider the fact that by doing so, they might be undermining their own cause? Consider this reasoning.
One of the reasons commonly cited for purging public property of nativity scenes or any other mention of Christmas is that passersby will conflate their presence with government "endorsement" or "sponsorship" of the ideas or viewpoints being expressed. This is roughly parallel to the recent Supreme Court cases involving courthouse displays of the Ten Commandments. In one of these recent decisions, Van Orden v. Perry, the Court upheld the display of a Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of the Texas state capital building, but not before Justice Stevens noted the risk of "'offend[ing] nonmembers of the faith being advertised as well as adherents who consider the particular advertisement disrespectful.'" (Stevens, J., dissenting), quoting Allegheny County, 492 U.S. at 651 (Stevens, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part). The basic idea is that there has to be "neutrality" between religion and what the members of the Court refer to as "irreligion." If a nonbeliever walks by a Ten Commandments monument or nativity scene outside the courthouse, it is implicit in the "offensiveness" that the government is preferring one point of view over another.
Source: http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/03-1500.ZD.html
The problem comes when you consider the amount of media attention these Establishment Clause cases have received, and the measures that have been taken in granting a remedy to plaintiffs who sue over nativity scenes and displays of the Ten Commandments (which, incidentally, is displayed in frieze at the U.S. Supreme Court). After former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore lost his battle to keep the Decalogue displayed in his courthouse, workers came and carted off the 1,500-lb granite monument, in the presence of a large crowd who had gathered outside the courthouse to pray and show their support. Several years ago, after the ACLU challenged the city seal of Stow, Ohio, city officials were forced to use electrical tape to cover up the portions of the city seal deemed to be a violation of the "separation of church and state." Time and again, these stories make national headlines because they are so dramatically out of step with what the vast majority of Americans believe: acknowledging a belief in a higher power is important to our culture and legal system, and consistent with our national heritage.
Does anyone really believe that a nativity scene puts us on the verge of ushering in a theocracy? I think it's worth considering that those who oppose the display of Christmas symbols and traditions (and seek to banish them from public schools) are ultimately doing more harm than good to their cause by bringing this issue to the forefront of the cultural discourse. It's not just that it is making headlines on so many different occasions, but that the manner in which it is being done is so flagrant, and so obnoxious to the beliefs of so many, that the more that cities, towns, school districts, and airports in Seattle give in, the less opponents of public displays of Christmas can plausibly cry foul. How can anyone say we are "establishing religion" when so many concessions are made? And unless they can get help from groups like the Alliance Defense Fund, individuals are going to be less and less willing (and financially able) to stand up to the ACLU and others.
So when it comes to being offended and excluded, the shoe is now being worn on the other foot-yours and mine.
Just a thought: has anyone advocating the removal of anything and everything remotely "religious" from public property ever stopped to consider the fact that by doing so, they might be undermining their own cause? Consider this reasoning.
One of the reasons commonly cited for purging public property of nativity scenes or any other mention of Christmas is that passersby will conflate their presence with government "endorsement" or "sponsorship" of the ideas or viewpoints being expressed. This is roughly parallel to the recent Supreme Court cases involving courthouse displays of the Ten Commandments. In one of these recent decisions, Van Orden v. Perry, the Court upheld the display of a Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of the Texas state capital building, but not before Justice Stevens noted the risk of "'offend[ing] nonmembers of the faith being advertised as well as adherents who consider the particular advertisement disrespectful.'" (Stevens, J., dissenting), quoting Allegheny County, 492 U.S. at 651 (Stevens, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part). The basic idea is that there has to be "neutrality" between religion and what the members of the Court refer to as "irreligion." If a nonbeliever walks by a Ten Commandments monument or nativity scene outside the courthouse, it is implicit in the "offensiveness" that the government is preferring one point of view over another.
Source: http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/03-1500.ZD.html
The problem comes when you consider the amount of media attention these Establishment Clause cases have received, and the measures that have been taken in granting a remedy to plaintiffs who sue over nativity scenes and displays of the Ten Commandments (which, incidentally, is displayed in frieze at the U.S. Supreme Court). After former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore lost his battle to keep the Decalogue displayed in his courthouse, workers came and carted off the 1,500-lb granite monument, in the presence of a large crowd who had gathered outside the courthouse to pray and show their support. Several years ago, after the ACLU challenged the city seal of Stow, Ohio, city officials were forced to use electrical tape to cover up the portions of the city seal deemed to be a violation of the "separation of church and state." Time and again, these stories make national headlines because they are so dramatically out of step with what the vast majority of Americans believe: acknowledging a belief in a higher power is important to our culture and legal system, and consistent with our national heritage.
Does anyone really believe that a nativity scene puts us on the verge of ushering in a theocracy? I think it's worth considering that those who oppose the display of Christmas symbols and traditions (and seek to banish them from public schools) are ultimately doing more harm than good to their cause by bringing this issue to the forefront of the cultural discourse. It's not just that it is making headlines on so many different occasions, but that the manner in which it is being done is so flagrant, and so obnoxious to the beliefs of so many, that the more that cities, towns, school districts, and airports in Seattle give in, the less opponents of public displays of Christmas can plausibly cry foul. How can anyone say we are "establishing religion" when so many concessions are made? And unless they can get help from groups like the Alliance Defense Fund, individuals are going to be less and less willing (and financially able) to stand up to the ACLU and others.
So when it comes to being offended and excluded, the shoe is now being worn on the other foot-yours and mine.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
The Two Years' War (So Far)
News from the 2L front:
1) I am glad to report that I will be starting on my note soon for publication in the Ohio State Law Journal. Unfortunately, I can't mention the title or topic, since this post might be read by the editors who will be reviewing it for publication, but I am definitely looking forward to the experience. When I do legal research, I am awed by the sheer amount of published material that is available, and truly humbled by the chance to leave my own mark, albeit a small one, on the body of knowledge that is American law. In a way, it is like having a connection to the Founders, just by participating in the Judeo-Christian legal system that they helped to foster, and by engaging the culture in such a profound way.
2) I am also looking forward to the Herman competition, which is about six weeks away and closing fast. Herman is a moot court competition in which students compete in mock appellate argument before the Supreme Court, so participating would definitely be a great chance to hone my skills, even more so than Appellate Advocacy. We are having a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the particulars, so it will be interesting to see what percentage of the class shows up (I'm guessing either 98% or 99%-I bet lots of people will want in on the action). If I don't get to compete, I may be able to clerk, so we will have to see how that goes.
3) When it comes to sports, two out of three ain't bad, I guess. It looks as though the Bucks will be playing USC for the national championship, barring an upset from UCLA, and as of this post, the Cavs are 9-5, and tied for first place in the Central Division. But right now, it seems as though the Browns don't have anywhere to go but up-I actually turned the game off at halftime last week, because I couldn't take watching Charlie Frye get pounded into the turf anymore without experiencing secondhand joint pain. Hopefully, they can salvage at least an improvement over last year's 4-12 mark, and bump up their record to 5-11 by beating Pittsburgh and Baltimore. It's pretty unlikely, but as I always say, any given Sunday.
4) I will have some more on this later, but apparently it didn't take long for Scrooge (read: people who are allergic to public Christmas displays) to start spreading Christmas cheer (read: subpoenas, lawsuits, and threats and intimidation). See for yourself.
5) Even though I have been busy, I have been able to get in some personal reading. Check out my last post, in which I review Edward Welch's "When People Are Big and God Is Small." There are lots of books in the reading queue, but right now, I am reading "Discplines of a Godly Man" by R. Kent Hughes. After this, I plan to get back to some history, maybe reading "Washington's God" by Michael and Jana Novak, depending on my schedule.
1) I am glad to report that I will be starting on my note soon for publication in the Ohio State Law Journal. Unfortunately, I can't mention the title or topic, since this post might be read by the editors who will be reviewing it for publication, but I am definitely looking forward to the experience. When I do legal research, I am awed by the sheer amount of published material that is available, and truly humbled by the chance to leave my own mark, albeit a small one, on the body of knowledge that is American law. In a way, it is like having a connection to the Founders, just by participating in the Judeo-Christian legal system that they helped to foster, and by engaging the culture in such a profound way.
2) I am also looking forward to the Herman competition, which is about six weeks away and closing fast. Herman is a moot court competition in which students compete in mock appellate argument before the Supreme Court, so participating would definitely be a great chance to hone my skills, even more so than Appellate Advocacy. We are having a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the particulars, so it will be interesting to see what percentage of the class shows up (I'm guessing either 98% or 99%-I bet lots of people will want in on the action). If I don't get to compete, I may be able to clerk, so we will have to see how that goes.
3) When it comes to sports, two out of three ain't bad, I guess. It looks as though the Bucks will be playing USC for the national championship, barring an upset from UCLA, and as of this post, the Cavs are 9-5, and tied for first place in the Central Division. But right now, it seems as though the Browns don't have anywhere to go but up-I actually turned the game off at halftime last week, because I couldn't take watching Charlie Frye get pounded into the turf anymore without experiencing secondhand joint pain. Hopefully, they can salvage at least an improvement over last year's 4-12 mark, and bump up their record to 5-11 by beating Pittsburgh and Baltimore. It's pretty unlikely, but as I always say, any given Sunday.
4) I will have some more on this later, but apparently it didn't take long for Scrooge (read: people who are allergic to public Christmas displays) to start spreading Christmas cheer (read: subpoenas, lawsuits, and threats and intimidation). See for yourself.
5) Even though I have been busy, I have been able to get in some personal reading. Check out my last post, in which I review Edward Welch's "When People Are Big and God Is Small." There are lots of books in the reading queue, but right now, I am reading "Discplines of a Godly Man" by R. Kent Hughes. After this, I plan to get back to some history, maybe reading "Washington's God" by Michael and Jana Novak, depending on my schedule.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Reading: "When People Are Big and God Is Small"
Edward Welch's "When People Are Big and God Is Small" attempts to get at the root of a problem we all face at one time or another: what do we do when we encounter situations where we fear people more than God? This book caught my eye at the CLS conference, and I decided to read this one first-I am currently reading J. Kent Hughes' "Disciplines of a Godly Man," and hopefully will have a review for that soon.
The first part of Welch's book looks at different manifestations of the same problem-the fear of man. According to Welch, this takes on different names, such as "codependency" and "peer pleasure," but the result is the same-we order our lives around what other people think of us. To get at different aspects of the problem, Part I looks at the fear of being seen (the problems of sin-shame and victimization-shame), the fear of being rejected (where people become an idol that replaces the fear of God), the fear of being physically hurt (situations such as past physical abuse), and the idea that the world encourages the fear of man (through its emphasis on self-esteem and radical individualism). Part II runs through the solutions to this spiritual and emotional problem, such as growing in the fear of the Lord, knowing your real needs, and loving enemies and neighbors. Some thoughts on the book in general:
1) One of the passages that had the most impact on me is the section dealing with the difference between faith and feelings, on page 83. Welch points out that "[t]oo often, if our faith is weak, we don't see it as a serious problem. It is only when our feelings are distressing that we decide to ask others for help and prayer."
Reading this made me realize that perhaps sometimes, we stop too soon in seeking out God. Perhaps we are satisfied only with feeling faithful, instead of actually being faithful. I know that many times, it is easy to get discouraged when I pray and seek out God, only to be missing that "feeling" I get when I experience the presence of the Holy Spirit. I'm not sure how many other believers struggle with this same issue, but it gets to the heart of what Welch is saying-we are using the wrong barometer, the wrong scale, to measure God's presence in our lives. Even though we often experience a feeling of His presence and calm during times of prayer, it is important not to commit the Pavlovian error of salivating for food based on the ringing bell.
The deeper spiritual issue behind confusing faith and feelings is that it really boils down to trusting ourselves, not the promises of the Word, for when God is moving in our lives. The Scriptural principle of "ask and ye shall receive" from John 16:24 has been boiled down to "ask and you have received if you feel like it." Our feelings, like our thoughts, are inevitably tainted by our own sinful nature, and thus cannot be reliable in comparison to Scripture. When we base our perceived spiritual well-being upon them, we do so at our own peril.
2) Of the solutions the author discusses to overcome the codependency problem, I was most struck by his call to "delight in the God who fills us." Of all of the stories in Scripture the author could have chosen to illustrate this point, to show the lengths to which God will go to pursue us in His great love, the story of Hosea stands out as one of the best. God commanded Hosea to marry Gomer, an adulteress. Before and during the marriage, she continued her adulterous ways, eventually leaving the marriage to continue her life of prostitution. But Hosea continued to provide her with provisions, never giving up on his commitment to his bride. Eventually, after a nightmarish life of adultery and abuse, Gomer was sold into slavery. But Hosea remained faithful, purchasing her out of slavery and reaffirming the marriage covenant. It is an amazing story reflecting the love God has for us-how He was willing to purchase us from the dead, even at the cost of his Son, because of His love for us.
What stood out to me here is the simple reminder that God is the only One who can fill our need for love and acceptance. Like Gomer, we will stray, and try and find it in a hundred other places, but eventually we will be in bondage to our wayward passions. Yet God is always there, waiting to buy our freedom from what enslaves us, whether it's a physical addiction or a mental pattern of sin in trying too hard to please other people. It was a real encouragement to read the story of Hosea, and be reminded of the sufficiency of God's love and grace.
Overall...I would recommend this book as a practical guide if you are struggling with any issues of being too dependent on others for love, acceptance, and support. It was easy to read because it ran through a list of specific solutions, depending on the form of the problem you are facing. This is especially relevant for us Christians who are in law school, because of the minefield we face in trying to get ahead without trying too hard to please others at God's expense.
The first part of Welch's book looks at different manifestations of the same problem-the fear of man. According to Welch, this takes on different names, such as "codependency" and "peer pleasure," but the result is the same-we order our lives around what other people think of us. To get at different aspects of the problem, Part I looks at the fear of being seen (the problems of sin-shame and victimization-shame), the fear of being rejected (where people become an idol that replaces the fear of God), the fear of being physically hurt (situations such as past physical abuse), and the idea that the world encourages the fear of man (through its emphasis on self-esteem and radical individualism). Part II runs through the solutions to this spiritual and emotional problem, such as growing in the fear of the Lord, knowing your real needs, and loving enemies and neighbors. Some thoughts on the book in general:
1) One of the passages that had the most impact on me is the section dealing with the difference between faith and feelings, on page 83. Welch points out that "[t]oo often, if our faith is weak, we don't see it as a serious problem. It is only when our feelings are distressing that we decide to ask others for help and prayer."
Reading this made me realize that perhaps sometimes, we stop too soon in seeking out God. Perhaps we are satisfied only with feeling faithful, instead of actually being faithful. I know that many times, it is easy to get discouraged when I pray and seek out God, only to be missing that "feeling" I get when I experience the presence of the Holy Spirit. I'm not sure how many other believers struggle with this same issue, but it gets to the heart of what Welch is saying-we are using the wrong barometer, the wrong scale, to measure God's presence in our lives. Even though we often experience a feeling of His presence and calm during times of prayer, it is important not to commit the Pavlovian error of salivating for food based on the ringing bell.
The deeper spiritual issue behind confusing faith and feelings is that it really boils down to trusting ourselves, not the promises of the Word, for when God is moving in our lives. The Scriptural principle of "ask and ye shall receive" from John 16:24 has been boiled down to "ask and you have received if you feel like it." Our feelings, like our thoughts, are inevitably tainted by our own sinful nature, and thus cannot be reliable in comparison to Scripture. When we base our perceived spiritual well-being upon them, we do so at our own peril.
2) Of the solutions the author discusses to overcome the codependency problem, I was most struck by his call to "delight in the God who fills us." Of all of the stories in Scripture the author could have chosen to illustrate this point, to show the lengths to which God will go to pursue us in His great love, the story of Hosea stands out as one of the best. God commanded Hosea to marry Gomer, an adulteress. Before and during the marriage, she continued her adulterous ways, eventually leaving the marriage to continue her life of prostitution. But Hosea continued to provide her with provisions, never giving up on his commitment to his bride. Eventually, after a nightmarish life of adultery and abuse, Gomer was sold into slavery. But Hosea remained faithful, purchasing her out of slavery and reaffirming the marriage covenant. It is an amazing story reflecting the love God has for us-how He was willing to purchase us from the dead, even at the cost of his Son, because of His love for us.
What stood out to me here is the simple reminder that God is the only One who can fill our need for love and acceptance. Like Gomer, we will stray, and try and find it in a hundred other places, but eventually we will be in bondage to our wayward passions. Yet God is always there, waiting to buy our freedom from what enslaves us, whether it's a physical addiction or a mental pattern of sin in trying too hard to please other people. It was a real encouragement to read the story of Hosea, and be reminded of the sufficiency of God's love and grace.
Overall...I would recommend this book as a practical guide if you are struggling with any issues of being too dependent on others for love, acceptance, and support. It was easy to read because it ran through a list of specific solutions, depending on the form of the problem you are facing. This is especially relevant for us Christians who are in law school, because of the minefield we face in trying to get ahead without trying too hard to please others at God's expense.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
On Being Thankful...For Law School
God truly sustained me with my visit home this weekend. It is the night after Thanksgiving, November 24th, and I am in the middle of a relaxing weekend at home. Some of the little things I have noticed:
1) The beautiful weather this week. It was sunny and 50 degrees on Wednesday for my trip home, and the traffic wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Last year, heading home the day before Thanksgiving was an ordeal-it took me 4 hours to get home to Akron from Columbus, when it normally takes about an hour and 45 minutes. But compared to last year, the trip went well-no heavy traffic beyond Delaware County, and no bad weather like last year, when I ran into a snowstorm from Mansfield to Akron. Even the bad weather has worked out-the fog this morning drove people away from the stores, making Christmas shopping a lot easier.
2) Getting to go shopping with my brother this morning-our annual tradition. I woke up at 4:30, and we caught the early sales at Best Buy and Wal-Mart, and managed to get to about a half dozen other stores before finishing around 11:00.
3) Spending time with the family, the first significant time in over a month. Last night, we went to the light display at Blossom Music Center, and tonight, to see the windows on Main Street. This was the first Thanksgiving in a few years that the windows were decorated for Christmas, and it was nice to see everything again. Each window has a theme-one is decorated with characters from "The Wizard of Oz," "Peter Pan," and so on. My personal favorite is a display showing the evolution of Santa through the centuries, in different cultures. Where else can you find out about the pioneer Santa in a buckskin coat?
4) Good food-I couldn't take one more night of Pesto or Panera. Thanksgiving dinner was delicious, cooked by my brother and sister-in-law, and there were plenty of leftovers for tonight. I always eat better at home than I do in Columbus, and this weekend was a case in point.
These are the little reasons about why I am so refreshed by coming home, and why it gets harder every week to head back to Columbus.
But of all the manifold blessings in my life right now, I am thankful for the most difficult experience of my life-law school. Here's why:
First of all, the tougher things get, the closer the whole experience brings me to God. Every day I am ignored, and mistreated, and derided for the cause in which I fervently believe, serving God through the legal profession, it brings me a little closer to the Truth. The longer I have remained in Columbus, the bleaker the secular landscape appears, and it is seeing these diversions of money, power, and indulgence for what they are that is giving me the great spiritual awakening that I will need for the years ahead.
It is impossible to describe all of the undercurrents taking place to this effect, but I credit the positive influences in my life (my family, Christian and non-Christian friends who are supportive, other Blackstone Fellows), juxtaposed with the experiences I have had and people I have encountered in law school, for leading me closer to Christ than I ever could have gone in a safer environment, such as going to school while living at home. I lived that life during college, and even though I was challenged in some respects, I was never able to experience the spiritual growth I have while on my own. Somehow, I received just enough success, got thrown just enough scraps from the world's table, that I never needed to stretch myself and realize that God cannot be kept in a box-that there is something more to grab on to.
I wish I could say that this is a finished work, a three-step program under which I could claim that the first step is complete, and that I am ready to move on to the second. But God's work on my heart will never be complete until the day I die, or He calls me home.
Second, I am thankful for law school because the closer I get to God, the more I thirst for righteousness. Even as elusive as this is in my life, even with all my shortcomings, I am seeing more and more that this, not grades, money, power or prestige, is what matters. It is as though all my old idols are being left behind, and what is left is something that captivates, challenges, and dares me to rise above my own imagination. Even though I don't always achieve this in my actions, the desire is there, and I am bound to act on it.
One aspect of my desire of Him is that in law school, now that I don't have the old academic and achievement idols to hide behind, I am coming to realize more and more my own sinfulness and depravity. I compare my sinful nature to the God I serve, and it becomes all the more amazing that I am not left to rot in hell where I belong.
This is still a work a progress, however; as I continue to grow spiritually, I must enthrone God so that He can work on my heart and I can develop godliness in my life. And this is one more reason I am thankful for law school: the more I move toward God, the more I enthrone Him in my life and exercise my free will to let Him lead me where I need to go, the more He can accomplish His plan for my life.
So yes, I am thankful for the trials I have faced since last August, and for the Lord who sustains me with the rising sun each day. "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." -Rom. 8:37 (KJV)
Saturday, November 11, 2006
More on the CLS Conference
I just realized, after I published the last post, that I have hit the big 5-0. Not 50 years old, but "Thoughts From Texas" was the 50th post on Standing in the Gap. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to express my thoughts through this venue, and for anyone who stops by to read what I have to say-thanks for your support.
So now that I have had almost a week to cogitate over my experiences at the conference, here are two things that have come to mind:
1) Probably the biggest realization I have had this week is that I allow other people too much sway over my thoughts, feelings, and generally, how I live my life. I have prayed about this problem before, and recognized it as such during my first year of law school, but it is only in the last few months that I have begun to combat it effectively. Right now, I am reading a book by Edward Welch, entitled "When People Are Big and God Is Small," that discusses this in more detail. But in my situation, the problem is twofold: a) minimizing the power of the Holy Spirit and God's Providence in my life, and b) putting these Godlike expectations on other people, whether or not they are willing to try to meet them.
Admittedly, this gets back to a theme that runs through most of my posts. Law school is an enormous challenge, both physically, in the number of hours spent studying and preparing for class, and spiritually, in that I must do my best to represent Christ to my peers and to others I encounter while I am in Columbus. But there is an antidote to the poison I face from other people, from the weight of the work, from the feelings of isolation that often surface. It is a message I need to meditate on from the time I wake up in the morning, as I sit in class, as I eat my dinner, as I drive to the store, and until I lay my head on the pillow at night.
God is good, and God is strong.
What makes law school so difficult lately is that I don't think about that enough, and it doesn't have the impact on me that it should. I found a site online that talks about the various names of God mentioned in the Bible, and the etymology of the Lord is amazing. So thinking about the names of God, which pertain to His qualities, I need to keep some of these in mind the next time I face trouble:
- My Eyaluth (strength) in the morning, when I go to class and need to remember what I have studied. This is why I said a quick prayer before Evidence on Tuesday, knowing that I would be called on and have to respond (Psa. 22:19).
- My Shaphat (judge) when I wrong someone during the course of my day, and I am convicted of my sin to apologize and repent on my knees (Gen. 18:25).
- My Jehovah-Nissi ("The Lord Our Banner") when I am called to engage the culture on the law school battlefield and defend my beliefs (Ex: 17:15; Psa. 4:6).
- My Jehovah-M'Kaddesh ("The Lord Who Sanctifies") when the Holy Spirit reaches into the dark corners of my heart to sanctify my life and lead me to increase in holiness in conformity with the call of Christ (Lev. 20:8).
Here is the site where I got these, if you want to check it out: http://www.ldolphin.org/Names.html
If God is for us, who can stand against us? One of my ongoing spiritual weaknesses is that while I love God, I minimize the extent of His power in my life. When I get bogged down in the busyness of a typical day, I forget who I work for. It is God I should be trying to please and emulate, not the people around me. So probably the best lesson or realization I had while in Texas is that I need to work on making God bigger and people smaller, and developing a healthier fear of, and respect for, Jehovah-Jireh.
What does this name mean in Hebrew? "The Lord Will Provide."
2) The other spiritual lesson I took away from the conference is that I need to work on developing the various spiritual disciplines to a greater extent. I have a decent prayer life, often taking the time to converse with God during the day, but to develop a regular devotional and worship time. The more regularity I have in my interactions with God, the less opportunity I will have to become discouraged and slip into common patterns of sin. At the conference, I purchased a book by R. Kent Hughes, entitled "Disciplines of a Godly Man," that should speak to this. I am going to read this book, then post later on specific ways I can help develop these disciplines in my life, around the law school schedule.
So now that I have had almost a week to cogitate over my experiences at the conference, here are two things that have come to mind:
1) Probably the biggest realization I have had this week is that I allow other people too much sway over my thoughts, feelings, and generally, how I live my life. I have prayed about this problem before, and recognized it as such during my first year of law school, but it is only in the last few months that I have begun to combat it effectively. Right now, I am reading a book by Edward Welch, entitled "When People Are Big and God Is Small," that discusses this in more detail. But in my situation, the problem is twofold: a) minimizing the power of the Holy Spirit and God's Providence in my life, and b) putting these Godlike expectations on other people, whether or not they are willing to try to meet them.
Admittedly, this gets back to a theme that runs through most of my posts. Law school is an enormous challenge, both physically, in the number of hours spent studying and preparing for class, and spiritually, in that I must do my best to represent Christ to my peers and to others I encounter while I am in Columbus. But there is an antidote to the poison I face from other people, from the weight of the work, from the feelings of isolation that often surface. It is a message I need to meditate on from the time I wake up in the morning, as I sit in class, as I eat my dinner, as I drive to the store, and until I lay my head on the pillow at night.
God is good, and God is strong.
What makes law school so difficult lately is that I don't think about that enough, and it doesn't have the impact on me that it should. I found a site online that talks about the various names of God mentioned in the Bible, and the etymology of the Lord is amazing. So thinking about the names of God, which pertain to His qualities, I need to keep some of these in mind the next time I face trouble:
- My Eyaluth (strength) in the morning, when I go to class and need to remember what I have studied. This is why I said a quick prayer before Evidence on Tuesday, knowing that I would be called on and have to respond (Psa. 22:19).
- My Shaphat (judge) when I wrong someone during the course of my day, and I am convicted of my sin to apologize and repent on my knees (Gen. 18:25).
- My Jehovah-Nissi ("The Lord Our Banner") when I am called to engage the culture on the law school battlefield and defend my beliefs (Ex: 17:15; Psa. 4:6).
- My Jehovah-M'Kaddesh ("The Lord Who Sanctifies") when the Holy Spirit reaches into the dark corners of my heart to sanctify my life and lead me to increase in holiness in conformity with the call of Christ (Lev. 20:8).
Here is the site where I got these, if you want to check it out: http://www.ldolphin.org/Names.html
If God is for us, who can stand against us? One of my ongoing spiritual weaknesses is that while I love God, I minimize the extent of His power in my life. When I get bogged down in the busyness of a typical day, I forget who I work for. It is God I should be trying to please and emulate, not the people around me. So probably the best lesson or realization I had while in Texas is that I need to work on making God bigger and people smaller, and developing a healthier fear of, and respect for, Jehovah-Jireh.
What does this name mean in Hebrew? "The Lord Will Provide."
2) The other spiritual lesson I took away from the conference is that I need to work on developing the various spiritual disciplines to a greater extent. I have a decent prayer life, often taking the time to converse with God during the day, but to develop a regular devotional and worship time. The more regularity I have in my interactions with God, the less opportunity I will have to become discouraged and slip into common patterns of sin. At the conference, I purchased a book by R. Kent Hughes, entitled "Disciplines of a Godly Man," that should speak to this. I am going to read this book, then post later on specific ways I can help develop these disciplines in my life, around the law school schedule.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Thoughts From Texas
As I am writing this, I am sitting in the San Antonio airport, waiting to catch a plane back to Columbus that, unfortunately, won't leave for about two and a half more hours. Luckily, this allows me some time for reflection:
- I have had a great time in San Antonio, coming down for the weekend to attend the Christian Legal Society convention. The theme this year was "Walking the Walk: Following Christ in Law and Life", and featured several great speakers. It was nice to hear from Alan Sears again, since I was very impressed and inspired by his addresses at the Blackstone. We also heard from Jhan Moskowitz, from the organization Jews for Jesus, and Alan Andrews, from Navigators.
Another one of my favorite speakers was Jaime Lash, who spoke on the judgment seat of Christ. In particular, he told a story about a dream in which those who were in heaven were simultaneously weeping and rejoicing, depending upon whether their works in life had withstood the test of fire, the final judgment of one's life by the torch of the Lord. He juxtaposed the pile of gold, silver, and jewels in front of Christ's most faithful servants with the barren circle of earth in front of one who had spent his life building his own kingdom.
This had a real impact on me, and it made me question what I am doing and where I am going in law school. Am I more concerned with service and doing what God wants me to do (storing treasures in heaven) or with building my resume and impressing the person sitting on the opposite side of the interview table (treasures in earth)? When I get back to Columbus, I plan to do some deep self-examination, and take a long look at my priorities and time commitments. Some changes may be in order.
- Praise-I got a work-study job. On Friday, I start working at OCLC, the Online Computer Library Center, in Dublin. I will be working in the Legal Department, doing research, writing, and performing other legal tasks for the attorneys there. My hours this semester will be pretty limited, mostly on Fridays, but I am hoping to get in some more work in the spring, depending on what my schedule looks like. I am excited, since this will get me some more legal experience, and some extra money to help out with spending and groceries.
- We also got to do some sight-seeing while in San Antonio. On Friday afternoon, we walked to the Alamo, about a half-mile from the hotel. It was inspiring for me, as someone who loves history, to walk through the old chapel and see where the fighting occurred. There were also lots of historical artifacts, including the original Bowie knife, and one of David Crockett's law books, which was inscribed with the date-1828. There were also models of a cannon that was used, and the original wall was still standing. It was a sunny day, so the pictures should turn out well-I will post some on here once they are developed.
On the way back from the Alamo, and on Saturday night, we went through the Riverwalk. This is a river that runs through San Antonio, with all sorts of shops and restaurants along the side. There are boat tours you can take to see the city-we didn't have time for a tour, but we got to see everything just the same. The food was great-on Thursday night, we ate at a place called Mexican Manhattan, right along the river, and Saturday night, we went to a restaurant/bar called Rita's Ice House. I ordered the steak fajitas, and they were delicious-the best I have ever tasted. I definitely plan to eat there when I visit again.
I will have some more spiritual reflection in the next post. I have a plane to catch.
- I have had a great time in San Antonio, coming down for the weekend to attend the Christian Legal Society convention. The theme this year was "Walking the Walk: Following Christ in Law and Life", and featured several great speakers. It was nice to hear from Alan Sears again, since I was very impressed and inspired by his addresses at the Blackstone. We also heard from Jhan Moskowitz, from the organization Jews for Jesus, and Alan Andrews, from Navigators.
Another one of my favorite speakers was Jaime Lash, who spoke on the judgment seat of Christ. In particular, he told a story about a dream in which those who were in heaven were simultaneously weeping and rejoicing, depending upon whether their works in life had withstood the test of fire, the final judgment of one's life by the torch of the Lord. He juxtaposed the pile of gold, silver, and jewels in front of Christ's most faithful servants with the barren circle of earth in front of one who had spent his life building his own kingdom.
This had a real impact on me, and it made me question what I am doing and where I am going in law school. Am I more concerned with service and doing what God wants me to do (storing treasures in heaven) or with building my resume and impressing the person sitting on the opposite side of the interview table (treasures in earth)? When I get back to Columbus, I plan to do some deep self-examination, and take a long look at my priorities and time commitments. Some changes may be in order.
- Praise-I got a work-study job. On Friday, I start working at OCLC, the Online Computer Library Center, in Dublin. I will be working in the Legal Department, doing research, writing, and performing other legal tasks for the attorneys there. My hours this semester will be pretty limited, mostly on Fridays, but I am hoping to get in some more work in the spring, depending on what my schedule looks like. I am excited, since this will get me some more legal experience, and some extra money to help out with spending and groceries.
- We also got to do some sight-seeing while in San Antonio. On Friday afternoon, we walked to the Alamo, about a half-mile from the hotel. It was inspiring for me, as someone who loves history, to walk through the old chapel and see where the fighting occurred. There were also lots of historical artifacts, including the original Bowie knife, and one of David Crockett's law books, which was inscribed with the date-1828. There were also models of a cannon that was used, and the original wall was still standing. It was a sunny day, so the pictures should turn out well-I will post some on here once they are developed.
On the way back from the Alamo, and on Saturday night, we went through the Riverwalk. This is a river that runs through San Antonio, with all sorts of shops and restaurants along the side. There are boat tours you can take to see the city-we didn't have time for a tour, but we got to see everything just the same. The food was great-on Thursday night, we ate at a place called Mexican Manhattan, right along the river, and Saturday night, we went to a restaurant/bar called Rita's Ice House. I ordered the steak fajitas, and they were delicious-the best I have ever tasted. I definitely plan to eat there when I visit again.
I will have some more spiritual reflection in the next post. I have a plane to catch.
Monday, October 16, 2006
On October
October is here, and the wind is blowing a little bit colder each day. The leaves are changing colors, even here on High Street, a brilliant red and gold. And it is the heart of football season.
But this is a tough time right now, going through the onslaught that is the second year of law school. I actually had a moment tonight where I looked at my to-do list for tomorrow, and realized that I literally do not have enough hours in the day, or week, to get everything turned in that is due. I will try to do it, but it will be an awful tme crunch, alleviated only when Friday night comes along.
I don't mean to sound melodramatic in saying all this; I have a good life. But every day, I want to see the Savior in what I do, and it's just so difficult to see much of anything beyond a to-do list and the next deadline. I am just tired of being ground into powder-the endless procession of reading, deadlines, acc-checks, all of it. I am laboring for the Lord, but some days the workload can be crushing.
I just got done reading a book called "The Sacred Romance", by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge. It is an excellent book, and I highly recommend it as a companion to "Wild at Heart", by Eldredge. It talks about the journey of having communion with God and becoming synchronized with His purpose in our lives-this is the Sacred Romance to which the author refers.
Overall, the message has caused me to have mixed feelings about what I am doing with my life right now. On the one hand, the part of me that feels called to participate in the defense of Christianity and traditional values in the culture is gratified that God has chosen me to at least receive the requisite education. I am proud that I have gotten to attend a first-tier law school, watch the Massachusetts constitutional convention, work to His glory this past summer in Cincinnati, and that I will soon get to have another adventure when I travel to San Antonio. There are countless times when I get lonely in my apartment, or discouraged, or feel like I have let God down somehow, when the Holy Spirit shows up just in time to give me the strength to keep going. I think that this is part of the Sacred Romance, that alluring path which I have managed to stay on these past several years.
Yet I also get this nagging feeling that I could do more. This takes two forms: it is either self-doubt, in which case it comes from my own sinful nature or from the Enemy, and should be discarded, or it is God calling me elsewhere. If it is from God, He either wants me to leave law school behind and pursue another calling, or reorder my priorities at Moritz.
I have come to the conclusion that it is a combination of the former and the latter. I have prayed dozens, scores of times for God's guidance on whether to stay here, and each time, the gut feeling is the same: stay. Don't give up.
And here I stay.
But this is a tough time right now, going through the onslaught that is the second year of law school. I actually had a moment tonight where I looked at my to-do list for tomorrow, and realized that I literally do not have enough hours in the day, or week, to get everything turned in that is due. I will try to do it, but it will be an awful tme crunch, alleviated only when Friday night comes along.
I don't mean to sound melodramatic in saying all this; I have a good life. But every day, I want to see the Savior in what I do, and it's just so difficult to see much of anything beyond a to-do list and the next deadline. I am just tired of being ground into powder-the endless procession of reading, deadlines, acc-checks, all of it. I am laboring for the Lord, but some days the workload can be crushing.
I just got done reading a book called "The Sacred Romance", by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge. It is an excellent book, and I highly recommend it as a companion to "Wild at Heart", by Eldredge. It talks about the journey of having communion with God and becoming synchronized with His purpose in our lives-this is the Sacred Romance to which the author refers.
Overall, the message has caused me to have mixed feelings about what I am doing with my life right now. On the one hand, the part of me that feels called to participate in the defense of Christianity and traditional values in the culture is gratified that God has chosen me to at least receive the requisite education. I am proud that I have gotten to attend a first-tier law school, watch the Massachusetts constitutional convention, work to His glory this past summer in Cincinnati, and that I will soon get to have another adventure when I travel to San Antonio. There are countless times when I get lonely in my apartment, or discouraged, or feel like I have let God down somehow, when the Holy Spirit shows up just in time to give me the strength to keep going. I think that this is part of the Sacred Romance, that alluring path which I have managed to stay on these past several years.
Yet I also get this nagging feeling that I could do more. This takes two forms: it is either self-doubt, in which case it comes from my own sinful nature or from the Enemy, and should be discarded, or it is God calling me elsewhere. If it is from God, He either wants me to leave law school behind and pursue another calling, or reorder my priorities at Moritz.
I have come to the conclusion that it is a combination of the former and the latter. I have prayed dozens, scores of times for God's guidance on whether to stay here, and each time, the gut feeling is the same: stay. Don't give up.
And here I stay.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Breaking for Fall
So it is Fall Break now, and I am back at home in Akron. Some thoughts on the week:
- Despite my best efforts, I have actually managed to get some work done. I have outlined for my First Amendment class, completed part of my optional acc-check for the law journal (won't have to do one in the spring now), and will send out some more cover letters and resumes while I am in town this week. I have had a chance to do some relaxing this week, and catch up on sleep too-no noise from High Street to keep me awake here.
- It is now official: I have booked my flight for the CLS conference next month (Nov. 2-5). I will be flying roundtrip out of Port Columbus to San Antonio, with a layover in Memphis. I have a good flight schedule; I will actually be able to go to my first class, Evidence, on the morning of the 2nd before I have to go to the airport. And I will get into Columbus on Sunday night, in time to go to class the next day.
I will have more about it in a later post.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
A Weekend in the Country
I spent a good bit of this weekend in Licking County, east of Columbus. On Saturday, I went apple picking with some other people from the Christian Grad Student Fellowship at OSU, to a farm nearby. We were supposed to drive right up to the orchard, but the weather did not cooperate. It had rained earlier in the morning, making the paths muddy, and causing lots of cars to get stuck. So we cut our losses, bought some apples by the basket, and went on home.
On Sunday, I got to meet my friend Megan at her church, and afterward, we went out to breakfast and drove around the countryside to check out the foliage. Today was absolutely gorgeous-a perfect, sunny fall day, with a temperature around 60-65 degrees. I got to see quite a bit of the area-we drove as far north as Johnstown, Alexandria, and Sunbury, and as far south as Fairfield County. Not a huge distance, but for taking back roads, it takes a while. But it was worth it-the scenery was wonderful, and I had a good time.
It's going to be a "grindstone" kind of week-our micro draft, or second draft, of the brief is due for Appellate Advocacy on Thursday, and my goal this week is to get as much outlining done as I can going into Fall Break. I don't plan to do a huge amount of work over the break, except for maybe some acc-checking for the law journal, and a few other things.
On another note, both of my teams won this weekend. The #1 Buckeyes of The Ohio State University rolled over the #13 Iowa Hawkeyes 38-17, and the Browns finally got a win too, beating the Raiders 24-21. I was disappointed that I didn't get to witness the victory, though, since the Bengals were on here in Columbus. I will get to watch them next week, though, when they go to Carolina. That will be a tough one-don't expect them to win, but you never know with the Browns. With Ohio State, though, I am glad I will get to go to a game this year-one of my friends is going to sell me a ticket to the Indiana game, so that will be nice.
On Sunday, I got to meet my friend Megan at her church, and afterward, we went out to breakfast and drove around the countryside to check out the foliage. Today was absolutely gorgeous-a perfect, sunny fall day, with a temperature around 60-65 degrees. I got to see quite a bit of the area-we drove as far north as Johnstown, Alexandria, and Sunbury, and as far south as Fairfield County. Not a huge distance, but for taking back roads, it takes a while. But it was worth it-the scenery was wonderful, and I had a good time.
It's going to be a "grindstone" kind of week-our micro draft, or second draft, of the brief is due for Appellate Advocacy on Thursday, and my goal this week is to get as much outlining done as I can going into Fall Break. I don't plan to do a huge amount of work over the break, except for maybe some acc-checking for the law journal, and a few other things.
On another note, both of my teams won this weekend. The #1 Buckeyes of The Ohio State University rolled over the #13 Iowa Hawkeyes 38-17, and the Browns finally got a win too, beating the Raiders 24-21. I was disappointed that I didn't get to witness the victory, though, since the Bengals were on here in Columbus. I will get to watch them next week, though, when they go to Carolina. That will be a tough one-don't expect them to win, but you never know with the Browns. With Ohio State, though, I am glad I will get to go to a game this year-one of my friends is going to sell me a ticket to the Indiana game, so that will be nice.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Welcome "The Mercied"
I have added to the list of linked sites "The Mercied", a blog maintained by fellow Blackstoner Rebecca Phillips and friends. Check it out if you get a chance, it is definitely a good read.
Reaping the Whirlwind
So it is September, and things are getting busier all the time. I could go on and on about all the thoughts swimming around in my head right now, and the activities that consume my days, but I will focus on them one at a time.
- Classes/App Ad: App Ad, or Appellate Advocacy for those not enrolled in it, is time-consuming, but probably one of the more practically useful classes I will take here. We just had our conferences this week to go over the first draft of the brief, and I was glad that I didn't have any points taken off the final grade. The next step is to submit our "micro draft", the second of the three drafts, and the last chance we will have to get feedback before we submit the final copy on November 6. The oral arguments will follow about two weeks later.
My classes are interesting-a diverse group of Evidence, Business Associations (Corporations), First Amendment, Federal Courts, and App Ad. They are all supplying valuable knowledge (BA is tough because I don't specifically have a business background) but First Amendment is especially interesting because of my passion for constitutional law. Federal Courts is also a good class, delving into the jurisprudential theory behind sovereign immunity, federal vs. state jurisdiction, and a lot of the procedural constitutional law topics. I am glad I signed up for it, since it will prepare me well for Civil Procedure II in the spring.
- Bowling: I had a bad night at the lanes last night, bowling only a 100 and 95 in the two games (I had a 138 average going into last night). I will definitely have to pick things up starting next week. At least my handicap will be higher next time.
- Fantasy football: I have a pretty good team put together, with Michael Vick as my quarterback, Donte Stallworth and Larry Fitzgerald as two of my receivers, and Tony Gonzalez from the Chiefs as my tight end. My title chances were hurt when Shaun Alexander, my star running back, broke his foot, but I will adjust. I have Warrick Dunn as my backup running back, and I will try and trade for someone else (if I could just figure out how, if I can, to rework my "can't cut" list).
If only I could trade for Ray Lewis and A.J. Hawk on defense, and Ladanian (sp?) Tomlinson as my fill-in running back....I guess we can't always have what we want.
- CLS conference: more to come on this soon, but it looks as though the pieces are falling into place to attend the Christian Legal Society national conference in San Antonio, Texas in November. It is looking like a great event, with Alan Sears as one of the speakers, so I am really looking forward to hearing from him and the other presenters. I am going along with one other person from our chapter, so it will be nice to have someone there representing Ohio State. Plus, it will be fantastic to see some of my Blackstone friends again; I know of about 5-6 people who are planning on going.
This is indicative of a larger desire I have to travel. I thought that maybe I would get some of it out of system after this summer, having been to Cincinnati, Boston and Phoenix, among other places, but all that flying and traversing time zones has made me want to travel even more. I am not sure yet if we will get to sightsee while in San Antonio, but I definitely want to see the Alamo if I get a chance. Next year, I plan to visit Los Angeles when I go to the Blackstone reunion in June-should be a great time. I figure this is the time to travel, while I am young, single, and have the means to get on a plane and go. Other places I want to see include the Mountain West (Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana), Alaska, and Hawaii.
- Classes/App Ad: App Ad, or Appellate Advocacy for those not enrolled in it, is time-consuming, but probably one of the more practically useful classes I will take here. We just had our conferences this week to go over the first draft of the brief, and I was glad that I didn't have any points taken off the final grade. The next step is to submit our "micro draft", the second of the three drafts, and the last chance we will have to get feedback before we submit the final copy on November 6. The oral arguments will follow about two weeks later.
My classes are interesting-a diverse group of Evidence, Business Associations (Corporations), First Amendment, Federal Courts, and App Ad. They are all supplying valuable knowledge (BA is tough because I don't specifically have a business background) but First Amendment is especially interesting because of my passion for constitutional law. Federal Courts is also a good class, delving into the jurisprudential theory behind sovereign immunity, federal vs. state jurisdiction, and a lot of the procedural constitutional law topics. I am glad I signed up for it, since it will prepare me well for Civil Procedure II in the spring.
- Bowling: I had a bad night at the lanes last night, bowling only a 100 and 95 in the two games (I had a 138 average going into last night). I will definitely have to pick things up starting next week. At least my handicap will be higher next time.
- Fantasy football: I have a pretty good team put together, with Michael Vick as my quarterback, Donte Stallworth and Larry Fitzgerald as two of my receivers, and Tony Gonzalez from the Chiefs as my tight end. My title chances were hurt when Shaun Alexander, my star running back, broke his foot, but I will adjust. I have Warrick Dunn as my backup running back, and I will try and trade for someone else (if I could just figure out how, if I can, to rework my "can't cut" list).
If only I could trade for Ray Lewis and A.J. Hawk on defense, and Ladanian (sp?) Tomlinson as my fill-in running back....I guess we can't always have what we want.
- CLS conference: more to come on this soon, but it looks as though the pieces are falling into place to attend the Christian Legal Society national conference in San Antonio, Texas in November. It is looking like a great event, with Alan Sears as one of the speakers, so I am really looking forward to hearing from him and the other presenters. I am going along with one other person from our chapter, so it will be nice to have someone there representing Ohio State. Plus, it will be fantastic to see some of my Blackstone friends again; I know of about 5-6 people who are planning on going.
This is indicative of a larger desire I have to travel. I thought that maybe I would get some of it out of system after this summer, having been to Cincinnati, Boston and Phoenix, among other places, but all that flying and traversing time zones has made me want to travel even more. I am not sure yet if we will get to sightsee while in San Antonio, but I definitely want to see the Alamo if I get a chance. Next year, I plan to visit Los Angeles when I go to the Blackstone reunion in June-should be a great time. I figure this is the time to travel, while I am young, single, and have the means to get on a plane and go. Other places I want to see include the Mountain West (Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana), Alaska, and Hawaii.
Friday, September 15, 2006
September Swing
In case you couldn't tell from the dearth of posts, things have been pretty crazy down here in Columbus the last couple of weeks. A lot of my promised posts have fallen by the wayside, including the story about Rev. Boyd up in Minnesota, an update of last week's events, and a bunch of other things. I will do my best to try and keep up.
Overall, it has been a very busy but very rewarding 2L year so far. I just finished writing a 16-page brief for my Appellate Advocacy course, and being a staff member on one of the school's law journals has kept me busy. We have found time for fun too-last night we started bowling, and we did really well. I bowled a 121 and 145 in our two games, which is excellent for me; I switched to a 12-pound ball instead of 13, and it has significantly raised my average.
That old saw about how in "the second year, they work you to death" has a ring of truth to it. Our workload is intense right now, with a combination of journal, App Ad, and a full course load, in addition to the little thing about finding a job for next summer. I am working to try and keep the faith right now, that everything will work out. The important thing is to keep my eyes on God above, and trust Him, and He will lead me where I need to go.
Overall, it has been a very busy but very rewarding 2L year so far. I just finished writing a 16-page brief for my Appellate Advocacy course, and being a staff member on one of the school's law journals has kept me busy. We have found time for fun too-last night we started bowling, and we did really well. I bowled a 121 and 145 in our two games, which is excellent for me; I switched to a 12-pound ball instead of 13, and it has significantly raised my average.
That old saw about how in "the second year, they work you to death" has a ring of truth to it. Our workload is intense right now, with a combination of journal, App Ad, and a full course load, in addition to the little thing about finding a job for next summer. I am working to try and keep the faith right now, that everything will work out. The important thing is to keep my eyes on God above, and trust Him, and He will lead me where I need to go.
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