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Our family took a whirlwind trip to our alma mater Sunday and Monday of this week. Josh had been asked to speak at BJU's Business Association Meeting on the topic of A Business Person's Involvement in a Church Plant. There are so many things I would like to say and I know I won't have time if I'm too verbose, so I should probably cover this post in bullet format (only without the bullets. I really can't stand the bullet software on this blog):

The first is a confession of sorts: I love Bob Jones University. You may or may not agree, but I promise the air is cleaner there somehow. I walk on campus and am flooded with sweet memories of my roommates, college life, dating, memorable chapel messages, springtime, classes I took... I just can't help myself or my irrepressible nostalgia. College was such a wonderful time in my life.

I cannot believe it has been 9 years since we left! Josh and I both began scanning students' faces the moment we drove on campus, looking for people we knew. Then we looked at each other, at our 30-year-old (ahem, 31-year-old in Josh's case) faces, and asked "What are we doing? We don't know anyone here!" All our peers are our age. Many are married and have children. They're not here anymore. Sad reality check.

Campus life as I knew it is already obsolete: Everyone has cell phones. The girls don't have to wear stockings anymore (!!!). Everything is electronic. There are buildings where there weren't buildings before. The faces of some of the buildings have been remodeled. There are other examples, but I'm blanking right now...

And yet, though so much has changed, the students--the life of the campus--are still the same even though almost 10 years have passed. I still saw girls whose skirts almost checked but not quite, walking and simultaneously trying to pull the skirt down to a checkable length. I still saw sappy-eyed dating couples sitting on the same side of the table in the dining common, oblivious to everyone but themselves. Gross. I saw the trendy kids and the "weird" ones; knew immediately which were which. Times don't change I guess. That was oddly comforting to me. I wondered if I looked 30 years old to these students, or if I could pass as one of them. I still feel the same age as they are, I've just added a couple gray hairs. And a husband. And a child. Minor details. Ahem.

Josh did a great job speaking at the UBA meeting. I know it was strange for him to be speaking to a few of his former teachers, plus over 50 students. He was talking about how business people can be involved in a church plant: how he became interested in it, and what kinds of things he is able to do. It was a great honor to have been asked, and we're glad we could all go as a family and attend the meeting!

And just like that, I'm out of time. I'll have to finish my thoughts some other time!


Comments

Carrie said…
Did you get tagged? My brother is there! Glad you had a good time. I liked my college years too!
March 3, 2011 at 1:31 PM
cj and family said…
Hi Joanna! You got some beautiful pictures of campus! I was SO glad to see you while you were here!
March 3, 2011 at 5:31 PM
Grampy and Grammie said…
Wow, signs of spring! We only have snow on the ground--had it since January.
March 3, 2011 at 6:23 PM
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