I have my 1st major Greek test out of the way.  The only thing I can say is that I need to work harder.  It is not my favorite subject, but it is kind of cool to be able to look at a Greek New Testament and see it in its original language and understand some of the words.  And it is kinda cool knowing that in the early church, the gospel spread throughout the Roman empire in the very same language.  Another cool thing is that we are only learning the words that are in the New Testament.  If it doesn't appear in the New Testament, then we won't learn it.  So I don't have to learn to say "where is the bathroom" and other things you would normally learn.  Our exercises are taken directly from New Testament passages so we are in God's word every lesson.   Learning the grammar and the vocabulary is not so much fun - its grueling and drudgery and miserable, but once that is done, I think it will have been worth the effort.

As for my other classes, I am enjoying them immensely.  In Church History, we are talking about the first councils that were called in the 4th and 5th centuries out of which came our creeds of faith.  Very interesting.  In Introduction to the OT, we are talking about the Ancient Near East and the culture in which the Scriptures came about - learning about the similarities and the differences.  We will start discussing the Law next time we meet.  Again very interesting.

Next week there will be no classes as it is a reading week.  And I WILL be spending most of it catching up on reading.  I have to say this school work is the hardest thing I have done school wise.  Its not that the material is too difficult, its just that there is so MUCH of it.  I also have two 20 page papers to write, so hopefully I can at least get started on those next week too.  We'll have another reading week next month.  I am glad we are getting those - they are really helpful. 

I am enjoying the weather still.  It has not been to warm or too cool - just a little bit cool.  The trees are beginning to change color a little bit.  I am just amazed at the view I am blessed with every day when I am walking to and from classes.  There is a paved path through a little bit  of woods that I walk through when I can and I have made friends with a chipmunk.  I have named him Alvin.  We cross paths every couple of days or so.  He is so cute and is working very hard to stash his stuff for the winter. 

As for other things, Massachusetts has a state fair similar to what we have in Texas.  It is in Topsfield.  We were planning to go next week, and we still might go later on, but Robert had his toe cut on at the doctors office to fix his ingrown toenail.  We won't be walking much for a while until that gets better.  The fair lasts until the 22nd I think.  What we might do though is just take a drive up the highway into Maine just to see the fall colors in the trees.  On the local news they have been showing pictures of the trees up there that have already begun to change.  It will be nice to get out for a while and take in some of the sights around.

Gotto go now.  Talk to you again soon
Blessings
Mel