Intellectuelle

I found the Poisonwood Bible to be very beautifully written and very evocative emotionally, but also soooooo depressing with the extremely negative portrayal of the missionary.

Oh, and how do you kill conversations?

Oh, I know. I felt very similar frustration watching Saved! a while back - have you seen it or heard of it? The parody (of teenagers realllly steeped in "Christian" subculture) in itself is hilarious; the fact that such a parody exists is extremely sobering, if not surprising.

I should have qualified that bit about conversation-killing: I mean I don't do well at the polite, casual conversation. I kill them by failing to think of anything remotely interesting to say or ask. Quite simple. :-/

Are you planning to take any classes from Beckwith at Baylor? I would really get a kick out of that. I agree with you on the authentic mexican, but I hear you don't get a lot of that in Texas. Is that true?

Great childhood memory.

Have you seen Hero? Because "Crouching" prepped me for the fake flying, I was more receptive to it in Hero. Hero is one of my favorites, based on a true story.

So, do you actually get up at 6 am? I like being up that time of day, I just don't like getting up at that time of day. :)

Nice denominational irony there.

Thanks for sharing.

Deciduous and exegete are quite satisfying - but phatic and kerygma lead me to the dictionary.

What influences caused your change from So. Baptist to Calvanism? That's quite a swing.

Laura, I can read Quenya too! A rare skill! Glad I've found a "kindred spirit" in that respect.

Sarah - I'd really like to sometime, but not this semester. :( I freaked out when I found out someone from Right Reason was at Baylor, though!

Lexie - Yeeees, Hero is high up on my list, too. And though some days I do like getting up at 6, I'm with you - mostly I just enjoy being up then. ;)

Melissa - And isn't "kerygma" one of the most unfortunately neglected words?! For the short version of the SBC>Presbyterian switch, you can see my bio/intro. Partly it was the influence of an anti-Calvinist youth minister, but mostly it was reading (message boards and books).

Jennifer - Nice! I once knew a girl who would translate things into Quenya. Haven't quite gotten there yet.

I really liked Gilead. Would I like Poisonwood Bible? Have you read Acts of Faith by Philip Caputo? I know you like nonfiction, while I prefer fiction. However, I think you might be interested in Acts of Faith.

Sherry, by all means, pick up Poisonwood Bible sometime. It's heartbreaking, but beautiful. I've not read Acts of Faith - I'll look into it.

Dwi’n hoff o Quenya, ond mae’n well gen i Sindarin, achos ei bod hi’n debycach i Gymraeg. Neis iawn i cwrdd â ‘Chambroffeil’ ac ieithegydd arall!

Sori.... Neis iawn i gwrdd â chi...

Ahh, mae'n ddrug gen i - dw i'n dysgu Cymraeg. So I can't quite engage in conversation yet. :( But are you saying something like "I like Quenya, but Sindarin is better, because it is like Welsh"? The last part...? Good to meet you...?

Da iawn! "I'm fond of Quenya, but I prefer Sindarin because it is more like Welsh. [It's] very nice to meet another Cambrophile and philologist!"

I wouldn't even know what a philologist is except for having read C.S. Lewis' sci-fi trilogy, but I'm in awe of your skills...and I am a quarter Welsh :)

Welcome to the PCA! Actually, the first PCA church I ever attended has been informally dubbed "the biggest Baptist church in the PCA." Then, without noting the irony, I went on to attend the most Biblically-based, evangelical church around, a wonderful little Baptist church on the edge of campus. I have since made my way back to the PCA (that *was* over 15 years ago!).

I admire your language skills, particularly since I gave Koine Greek a try last summer and had to drop it mid-way through the class because I couldn't sustain the pace. I hope to try again someday when my kids are older!

I'm enjoying Intellectuelle!

Another SBC turned Presbyterian!

I too graduated from an SBC college and my sister-in-law attends Baylor now. Glad to say God brought me from the untruths of SBC Arminianism, but my sister-in-law and her faimly remain die-hard (for reasons lacking apologetic). Maybe you can talk to her! :)

Best of providence at Baylor!

Laura,

Are you going to Baylor? Would a more conervative school be more conducive to the preservation and strengthening of your Reformed faith?

You seem unlikely to find a tall, dark Reformed man at Baylor. But I know some tall, light-skinned Calvinists and Amyraldians at Bob Jones Seminary.

Mark
Intellectu-ole (?)

Atlantic - I have a dream of studying Welsh in a good UK university. Mmmmmm. Any programs you might recommend?
Renae - On the edge of what campus? Are you a Baylor alumna? I've had to drop Greek for now, too. :( Here's to picking it up again soon, both of us.
MJ - Ahh. I'm finding a lot of that (and beyond) here so far. I appreciate the theologically accurate regards! ;)
Mark - Yes, I'm at Baylor now, and don't tell anybody, but yes, I think it would be. We shall see. Hehe, thanks for the Bob Jones plug. I'm not really familiar with it...I'll have to look around at their website.

If you go to the following link, you can search on the keyword "Welsh" and get a listing of all the undergrad Welsh degree courses in the UK. Personally, I would go for University of Wales, Aberystwyth first, or possibly U of W Bangor or U of W Lampeter.

http://www.ucas.com/search/index06.html

You could also stick your toes in by coming over for an short, intensive Wlpan-style course - there are quite a few, including University of Wales, Lampeter and Nant Gwytheyrn.

http://welsh.lamp.ac.uk/Department/English/prospectus/hols.php

http://nantgwrtheyrn.org/