Lisa Hensley

Seminary is reminding me to lean into being a beginner. It’s been long enough since I’ve officially been in school that I have to remember how to keep up with a syllabus, email a professor, portion out assignments. This week I’m writing an interpretative paper and I’ve never done that, specifically with these instructions, before.

Since I’m counting the wins where they come it, reading so much over the past years has proved useful. I’m used to reading and underlining. I’ve spent time talking through passages with friends and that has helped with discussion posts. I love the subject matter.

More good news is that I have practiced writing. I have read widely and distilled information and then written some conclusions. I can look at the instruction for this paper and think, “1200 words? Piece of cake.” It doesn’t mean that my writing will be what the professor wants from this type of work, but it does mean that I can write it, get feedback, and grow.

If it’s not what the professor wants, guess what? I’ve never done it before. This is a great learning experience that will only help my time in school and my writing.

Be a beginner. You don’t have to have it all figured out.

I started seminary at Fuller Theological in their spring quarter. In other words, for three whole weeks, I’ve been reading reading and doing assignments and checking syllabi just like it were 2003. I’m going to start a tiny project where I share little glimpses into seminary life for two reasons. One, because Future Lisa will be glad I did this. It will be amazing to look back over this journey when I’m finished and remember things that I’ve forgotten. Two, because I want there to be perspectives of grown women with lives and kids going back to graduate school.

I expect that each of these will look different and honestly, that’s really what I’m hoping for.

Seminary has looked like:

-a stack of books on my desk with pencils stuck in all of them
-23 tabs open on my computer (really- I counted)
-trying to think through 3 assignments simultaneously
-doing a light weights workout while listening to lectures
-deciding I needed to write a weekly blog post; possibly because I’m crazy

Will I be back with a weekly blog post? I don’t know. I would like to be. I wrapped up the last season of the podcast before classes started and I haven’t regretted that once. Time only stretches so far. But it’s possible that I could write a post in my morning writing. Then pandemic has made everything in life strange and a regular order of assignments and due dates has almost been a relief in the midst of work that cycles, seemingly coming undone every night.

I hope you are well!