Week Two Overview

Saturday, September 22, 2012

            This week was filled with great experiences. Monday and Tuesday, Dr. Jeff Myers was here and lecturing us on how to cultivate relationships. He made some amazing points over the course of his 4 lectures. These include: "To grow wise is not to move away from trouble, but to move towards it", "To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society"(Teddy Roosevelt), "You can always do more things than you think you can", "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, kisses from an enemy can be deadly", and "Advice is a dangerous gift, even from a friend to a friend." He was very positive on how we, as a class

            After Dr. Myers left for Manitou Springs, Colorado on Wednesday morning, we hiked part of the national forest that is around Snow Wolf Lodge. The three and half mile hike was absolutely amazing. We saw some amazing sights(see pictures on Facebook).  Tony(the Maintenance/ Guide) and David(the Property Manager) led the hike, so we didn't have the opportunity to get lost.(Darn!) The incline up the mountain was tolling- by the end of the day, I was sore all over. By 10:45, we reached the cross(that had been placed on top of the mountain-ish hill) by the first Summit Semester group. Then we had the awesome experience of literally running down the mountain- you should all try it sometime. Isaac, Matthew, and I took off in front of the rest of the group.  In retrospect, I probably should have worn sunscreen instead of merely thinking that I would be alright. My face ended up severely sunburned. Whoops! :P

            Dr. Bauman arrived late Wednesday night. Being the most anticipated part of the week, we were all super scared, nervous, excited, and serious when he arrived. The first week of classes under Bauman was definitely a lot different than I anticipated. Coming into the week, I thought that the majority of the class time would be Bauman grilling us over our beliefs on various subjects. However, this first week of classes was quite different.  There was a great deal of teaching within class time. I would say about 2/3 of the time in the classroom was dedicated to him teaching us about the history of the church, political theory(which I LOVED), and English literature. Now, the other 1/3 of class time was strictly speaking a time of interrogation. It has been a learning experience thus far, but I am really excited for the remainder of the semester- Its going to be amazing to see how his tutelage will change my thoughts and thought processes. I foresee his teaching style having an immense effect on me.

            Throughout the semester, Dr. Bauman has promised us that we will be studying  four questions(among others in depth). These questions are "What's a good life, and what good is life?", "What's a good death, and what good is death?", "What's a good love, and what good is love?", and "What's a Human Being?" These questions are excellent in nature. I cannot wait to see how we discuss and persuade each other over the semester.
            One of the main thoughts that I took away from the first night of class was that "most of what happens inside a human mind is not thought. Most people will not think a thought(their brains are active, just not with thought, but with conversation, etc).  We must stop parenting but thinking." While I thought that a majority of people don't think often, it was interesting to hear him claim that the majority of people don't think at all. Thinking about that is quite scary. Do you think?

            Secondly, I re-learned that an "education is not what you are given it is what you get." We must work to attain the knowledge and wisdom like those who have come before us have done. It is not merely going to be the result of mindless schooling. Going through the motions of learning is not learning. As Dr. Myers would say, Wisdom is not gained by merely doing, but doing and acting well and hitting difficulties hard- instead of going with the flow. Are you actively pursuing wisdom and an education or are you letting the system tell you what to do with your mind?

            Work crews this week consisted of trench digging and sanding. I had been on the trench crew three times out of three times come Friday, so I was over joyed when I was put on the sanding crew. We had been digging ditches in order to keep the rain from washing out the driveway and from eroding the ground. Sanding, to me, was so much more enjoyable. We are sanding the old stain off of Echo Canyon- the girls' dorm and the classroom. We likely won't complete it before winter hits, as most locals have been saying that we will have an early and rough winter. Some say we will have snowfall as early as the first week of October.

            The question of the week is: Can you die a good death if you haven't lived a good life? (what is a good death?)

Thank you Lord for keeping me safe this week and for sustaining me when I felt down and out.

 

Week One Overview

Monday September 9th

            Wow. One week in to my experience at Summit Semester, I have come to live a remarkably different lifestyle than I am normally accustomed to living. The normal schedule of my days(Tuesday through Saturday) are as follows:

6:00 - 7:30       -- Rise, Shower, Devotions, and Reading Time

8:00 - 8:30       -- Breakfast

9:00 - 12:00     -- Class (Under the tutelage of the visiting scholar, which varies by week)

12:15 - 12:45   -- Lunch

1:30 - 4:30       -- M-W-Th-S -- Sports Time/Free Time/Study Time

                        -- T-F              -- Work Crews

5:00 - 5:30       -- Dinner

7:00 - 9:00       -- Class (Again, under the tutelage of the visiting scholar)

9:00 -               -- Free Time/Study Time

On Sundays:

8:15-9:00         -- Breakfast/Pack Lunch

9:15                 -- Leave for Church

10:00 - 12:00   --Church at Grace(EV-Free) Church in Pagosa

12:15 - 4:30     -- Lunch/Internet/Sports Time/Shopping Time in Pagosa Springs

5:30                 -- Dinner at Snow Wolf Lodge

7:00 - 10:00     -- Movie Night

Mondays are generally our "Saturday" in the fact that we are able to lounge without having to do much hard work. While these days are for the most part open, we will on occasion have group trips to various locations(More on those later). Suffice it to say that Monday is our most lax day when it comes to tasks we must complete.

With this basic knowledge of what my schedule has looked like for the past week, and what it will look like for the coming 11 weeks, I can now explain some of the nuances of it.

Work Crews - This time is set apart twice a week by the staff of Snow Wolf Lodge for maintenance work-such as digging ditches, staining log siding, painting, and random tasks(To date, I have worked on running electrical lines-Not live, don't worry Dad- and plumbing). We also do a variety of weekly chores, such as cleaning the duplex(where the guest speakers stay while teaching), deep cleaning the kitchen, and general cleanup inside both lodges(Echo Canyon and Snow Wolf Lodge).

Movie Night - While this activity is optional, the purpose of the watching a movie is not merely to keep us sane while in the middle of nowhere without a great deal of modern conveniences(ahhem- internet) and cell phone service. While it is nice to see a form of entertainment on a weekly basis, the main purpose of watching a movie is to critically engage in the messages received from the film. After the movie, there is a discussion that takes place for 30-45 minutes.

Throughout the semester, we will have a variety of professors from all over the country travel to Pagosa Springs to teach us for the week. Generally, they will arrive Monday, teach Tuesday through Saturday, and then fly out/drive back the following Sunday.

This past week we were honored and blessed to have Eric Smith come out and invest his time our learning experience. This was the first of two weeks that Eric will be with us in Pagosa. His insight into the scriptures as well as prompting questions served as a great reminder and source of new insight into the areas of my faith and worldview that I need to study more in depth(or need to start studying in a few cases). While I can't fully disclose what occurred during the week, you should know that there was a great deal of reading assigned- somewhere along the lines of 4 books of the bible with numerous articles(and these aren't short articles) on the side. The biggest thing that I took out of the first week of Eric's teaching is that often we can elevate the Bible in our minds to the point that it becomes a god. Often times, the act of reading our Bibles takes precedence over truly living out the gospel or growing further in a different area. Don't take what I say out and distort it. This isn't to say that the reading of the Bible isn't worthwhile, or shouldn't be done on a  regular basis- it should. I just see it as a problem when an individual is putting the reading of the Bible over praying, or helping those around them the true spirit of Christ likeness.

A second point that I found very convicting that Eric made was the this: "We as Christians should know what we are for, not only what we are against." I found it convicting primarily because I enjoy shooting holes in others arguments. I need to know the weaknesses and strengths of Christianity, not only the weaknesses of conflicting worldviews.

In closing, the most exciting thing that has occurred this week would be the sightings, activities, and unwanted visits made to us on numerous occasions by bears. We first saw a bear the second night I was here. The baby cub was up on the porch looking for food before Josh, Gunnar, and I scared it off. It proceeded to come back 2 more that night before finally leaving the premises. This past Sunday however, the situation got a whole lot worse. When we returned to the lodge from church, we discovered that the bear had gotten in through an errantly open window. It made a huge(but luckily not too huge) mess of the kitchen and left two "presents" for us on the floor. Since then we have seen it numerous times attempting to get back into the kitchen via the back door. While at first it was scared off by human voices, it now will not leave until rocks are thrown in its direction. The Rangers have been out today to take care of that matter, so it will likely be resolved in due time. However, the cub that we once thought was an orphan has now brought his mother back with him to the lodge, which is even greater cause for concern. Please be praying for safety and for the situation to be taken care of in a timely manner.

Thank you Lord for a good first week of immersion. Please help me to grow more like you daily and to seek after the things that you would have me seek. Thank you for the protection thus far, and for the great friends I am making, please bless this coming week. Thank you for Dr. Bauman and for his willingness to be your tool in equipping the next generation of Christians with indispensible tact.

 

Book Review: Week One

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

            This first week of reading has been a hard week of reading, as it should have been. After completing orientation on Wednesday of last week, we were given the assignment of reading C.S. Lewis' An Experiment in Criticism and Dr. Jeff Myers' Cultivate. As the week ensued, we were given various assignments from Eric Smith. This blog post will vary from my other entries in that it will primarily concern the books and articles that we have read, instead of the various activities and updates.

            An Experiment in Criticism was by far one the hardest reads that I have had within recent times. I cannot remember a book, which I have read, that was written with a harder lexicon. As I read the book over the period of 4-5 days, I had to re-read a number(about 4) of chapters in order to ensure that I understood what Lewis was saying within the text. Having never had to re-read much of anything, this was a very humbling experience and it put a proper perspective on what I need to work on over the coming months and years. I would greatly recommend this book to be put on your reading list, even though it may be a bit hard to understand at points.

            Cultivate is a book that has been set up as a reference book for mentors and mentors-to-be. It discusses what my generation lacks and desires within mature relationships. It caused me to think about how I can affect those around me(here and when I return home to Michigan) in a more full and godly way. While I have been attempting to help others, I feel like this book has helped clarify what I can do and how to do it in a better manner. Its organization makes it an excellent resource for youth leaders, adults, and anyone who plans to mentor within the near future.

            The Books of the Bible NIV: Covenant History and The Books of the Bible: New Testament ,both of which are printed by Biblica, are the bible written without the chapter and verses so as to encourage longer reading and greater understanding with the full story in mind. I have found reading the Bible in such a way very helpful as I am not caught up in how many chapters I have read or how far I need to go, it keeps my interest peaked. I would highly recommend that you buy a copy of each(I think it's a set of three books for the whole Bible) for your library/home.

First Sunday in Pagosa

Today was our first experience at the Grace Church in Pagosa. I really enjoyed the service and the welcome of the pastoral staff as well as the congregation. While it's not BCBC, I really do like how the church is set up and the genuineness of those who were in attendance. The remainder of the day was spent playing volleyball, speed, Frisbee, and walking around Pagosa with Steven and Isaac. It has been so cool interacting with people of various upbringings and to see how they respond to conflict, awkward situations, and the depth of small group study time. I was able to continue reading C.S. Lewis' book entitled "An Experiment in Criticism". I am not going to lie, it has been one of the most difficult reads that I can remember. The almost foreign version of the English language that Lewis uses makes comprehension dramatically hard. I can't remember the last time I have had to re-read almost the entire chapter because I was not fully focused on what I was actually reading. Dustin has said that it is going to be one of the hardest reads that we will have to complete over the duration of S2, but I hope that the challenge of reading it does not start of a chain reaction within my confidence that goes downhill. At this point, that would be my biggest fear.

 

            Thank you Lord for the opportunity and time that I have to be at Summit Semester. Please help me within the study to rely on you and your strength...it's a new thing for me that I really need to work on. Please help me to know when to share such fear and  ask for help in keeping my eyes on you, and not rely on my own strength.

Arriving: Anything But Easy

            Friday was an adventure to say the least. After getting up around 3 am and having gone to bed the night before around 11:30, I was glad that I would be getting to Durango before 1pm. I hoped that I would be able to nap/rest from the time I arrived until orientation started(at 5). Unfortunately, my plans for the day were drastically changed in Chicago. After getting to O'Hare by 5 am CST, I had about a three hour layover before my flight was scheduled to leave at 7:59 am. However, after boarding the plane and seemingly being ready to embark for Denver, we were notified that the plane needed maintenance, which would result in half hour delay. From this point onward, my flying experience for the day only went downhill.  Following the first delay we were again told that we would be delayed for another hour. At this point, many of the passengers began to disembark the plane to return to the terminal. However, since I was naive of such complications that arise at O'Hare, remained on the plane hoping that we would be able to leave after the end of the hour. Not twenty minutes later we were told to gather our carry-on baggage and other belongings and return to the terminal so that when the maintenance was complete that we could board in an orderly fashion. Needless to say the plane was never deemed fit to fly and the flight was cancelled 25-30 minutes later due to continued complications. (Come to find out, the "necessary maintenance" was really a broken door. The door between the cabin and the flight deck would not lock properly, thus we were not cleared to leave the airport.) After finally having my worst fear concerning the flight realized, I let dad know what was up to see if he could figure out anything on his end. I was able to discover that the two flights to Denver that left within 2 hours of my flight's cancellation were totally booked with massive waiting lists. Thankfully, dad was able to rebook me on a flight to Colorado Springs at noon. At this point, I wasn't particularly glad that I would be stuck at airports all day, but I was glad that I was able to get a seat to the springs within two hours of the cancellation. Due to the fact that some 150-200 people were trying to get to Denver, I count it a small miracle that I was able to get a seat(the last one) to the springs so quickly. The remainder of my day was spent in airports. I had a 45 minute layover in Colorado Springs and then a 15 minute flight to Denver before waiting nearly 4 hours in Denver before my 45 minute flight to Durango.  I arrived in Durango at around 9pm, only 8-9 hours after originally planned.

            Although my day did not go as planned, I do think there was a divine message behind the madness that happened as a result of the cancelled flight. First of all, I believe God wanted to slow me down, to be patient with those around me, and to make the most of my time. Sometimes I can get so caught up in the daily hubbub of life that I often overlook the fact that we really shouldn't be solely driven to complete our tasks. We should not be so focused on the task at hand that we totally dismiss those who are with us as we strive to complete those tasks. It's not that we shouldn't be focused on the task-we should-, but we should be always looking to do a work in another's life that could have eternal consequence.

            Secondly, I feel like God was telling me(and in a sense helping me) take a step back from the big picture to more fully grasp our world. An example would be just watching various members of the masses as they conduct themselves. To really start to glean from their actions what's important to them and what makes them go. In all of the "people watching", I noticed that the vast majority of people were really complacent and not really looking to change the culture around them. What I took away from this time was that while I have been really striving to stand up within my youth group and within political issues, I have not been doing nearly enough on the personal level within my daily life/business. 

            After arriving in Durango, I was luckily able to retrieve my baggage as well as connect with the Summit liaison who had driven to pick up the three of us who had been delay due to various reasons. The ride from the airport to Snow Wolf Lodge lasted roughly 95 minutes, as we got turned around a few times on the way home. ;) I gladly ate up the remnants of lasagna that had been for dinner, quickly unpacked, and found my bed by midnight. All in all it was a really stressful, and trying time to kick off what will likely be the three most influential months of my life within the areas of theology, philosophy, and thought formation. I definitely did not see the beginning of this journey starting off in the manner that it did, but God saw better. Praise be unto Him.

A Blog for a New Season.

Welcome!

                Over the next few months, I will be posting about the happenings and experiences that I will be blessed to be a part of while studying  in the middle of the Colorado wilderness.  I hope to be an encouragement to you, but also I hope to give you an insight into what I'm doing while secluded from the rest of the world and many of the "conveniences" that is has to offer.

                For those of you who are not familiar with Summit Semester, I will briefly take a moment to explain the program that I will be attending. Summit Semester is a three-month long worldview intensive that takes place in Snow Wolf Lodge in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The term lasts 12 weeks, running from September to early December. Typically, the students range in age from 18-22, ranging from "fresh" high school graduates to those who have accomplished a significant amount of college work. It is a time to learn how to think critically, and to formulate one's beliefs on a variety of issues while in a close knit community of Christian scholars.

                 As I prepare to leave on Friday, I would like to ask you to pray for safe travels and for the first week of orientation to go well as we become acclimated to the environment, schedule, and work load of the Summit Semester experience.

Peace,
Samuel Prahlow