Seminary Cat Tales  

                             Note: If you'd like to skip to Bonnie's Update, click here.

November 2004 Update (what can I say, I've been busy!)

by Prince, the Seminary Cat

Communication

  September Update

Confrontation!

  I have met a new cat, and it is not me! Not only that, but it doesn't act like me. It is not friendly, playful, entertaining, etc. Instead, it is confrontational and hisses whenever one (two or four legged) gets too close.

  Unfortunately, it belongs to the house I now live in. Fortunately, I own the attic, where my human has a lovely living space with a large skylight. Unfortunately, she thinks she owns the second floor of the house, so I am somewhat restrained. Fortunately, I look like the owner's previous cat, so I am beloved. (As I should be.)

  The local cat is named Schmidt, and she has an awful temper. She often guards the back door when I want to go out to play in the garden. I often decide to stay indoors where it is safe rather than risk her wrath. I have a rubber band that I have conquered, and several balls that give me a hard time. As you can see below, my human has recovered a picture of me. More later. I am busy. There is an interesting smell in this new closet. So many closets, so little time (before my next nap).

This is a picture of me cuddling the blouse 
my human wears to pick berries.

August 2004  Update

The day promised to be another violently stormy one, but I'm still not sure how or why it happened. My mistress (Hmmm, wish I had a cat mistress, but then, I'm neutered, so I only do consulting now. Still, a cat can dream.) left the back door open for long periods while moving the piano to another location. Seminary students often do not get to bring their instruments to school, especially if they are pianos. Sure enough, it rained hard all afternoon and through the night, but we were snuggled in her bed upstairs.

However, she came home from work the next day and discovered that I had left the day's treasures in the wrong place: the pellets being upstairs, where she should have been, rather than downstairs, where the cat box is. She has told me repeatedly not to ever think outside the box!

So, the next morning before she left for work, she took it upon herself to show me where the cat box is. (Duh! As if I needed a reminder.) She led me downstairs, walked into the storage room, flipped on the light, and stepped back, gasping, "There's a cat in there!" 

Lying placidly beside the cat box was a large, gray cat. It had been hanging around on the patio for several days, and we guess that it decided to come into the basement on piano moving day because it is quiet and dry.

She had to run off to work, but that night she left some food for the gray ghost, although it would not move or make a sound. It only began speaking to her this morning when she approached it gently. It has a deep, resonating purr.

I'm thinking it may be my Mom. Of course, I haven't seen Mom for more than two years, so I can't be sure, but it sure acts like Mom. All quiet and regal like. Wow! I'm not sure I want Mom in the house, but what's a cat to do?

More later, and maybe I'll have a picture for you. Of me, of course.

The picture at the top is Baby, the cat belonging (?) to my human's friend. I've never met Baby, so she holds no interest for me.

Update on the Gray Ghost: She is a lovely gray cat with little white mittens. She is smart enough to come out of the rain and find a loving house in which to have her kittens (due sometime this month). Bonnie took her to the Fairfax Animal Shelter where she will be cared for until the kittens are weaned. Then she and the kittens will be available for adoption.

The Seminary Adventure Begins!

The Seminary Adventures of Bonnie Stephens

What a delight this campus is! The seminary is surrounded on three sides by parkland—so big that people get lost in them. Within the grounds there is a labyrinth and several private places for an outdoor quiet time. I feel like I’m going to spend three years in a garden with God. I’ll be busy, but the face of God will be always before me.

I’m making some new friends, and the professors and administrators are wonderfully helpful. Last week I got turned around while driving through the city of Louisville. After a while I entered the Cherokee Park and thought to myself, "I can get lost in this park like so many people do because I don’t know where I am." I finally stopped a jogger and said, "If I wanted to leave the park, what would you suggest?"

Believe it or not, traffic is worse here than in the DC area. Auto insurance is about 1/3 higher, too. You’ll know why after a couple of cars miss you by inches. Had two answers to prayer before I got to class the other morning. It’s a delightful place, though, mountains to the east and the Ohio River to the west. Lots of interesting restaurants and sweet people.

Classes started here at Louisville Presbyterian Seminary on Thursday, Sep 9, and a paper was due the following day covering the intro to a book about all the theologians.

Feeling a little overwhelmed just at first. Have to read portions of the "Confessions" of St. Augustine this weekend and a bit more.

Things are working out well with school and my living arrangements. Lots to read (about 250 pages a night, plus reflection and papers). One of my professors is a real corker (although she's older than I am). She's an expert in Hebrew and is teaching us the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. She's originally from the Netherlands, and remembers the Nazi occupation. She says that the Church owes some apologies to the world at large for allowing Hitler to do so much damage.

Thoughts for the week:

Did you realize that the word "love" does not appear in the Book of Acts?

Did you know that the word "sin" does not appear in the story of the fall of man in Genesis?

Did you know that the serpent is not identified as Satan?

Something to think about.

Our new seminary president says, "When I saw a turtle on a fence post, I knew he hadn't gotten here by himself. Neither have any of us! Someone is always helping us to get where we are today." If you are reading this, you have helped me in a very significant way to get where I am today. THANK YOU!!!

Beginning students (like me) are required to take a two-semester course called Christian History And Theological Studies. We're beginning with Christian History and dipping into the theological writers. In Old Testament we're studying the Torah (the first five books) and how the Bible was pasted together. Very interesting.

Do you know what group of people is mentioned most often in the Old Testament with special commands for the covenant people?

I'm taking a class on Jonathan Edwards, well known American preacher in 1750, and we're doing a drama with several people central to his life. Should be fun! Our professor is an expert and is helping Yale publish all of his writings (25 volumes so far).

The Bible we are required to use in Scripture 1 includes the Apocrypha—a set of books that were not included in the canon that the Protestants use. Canonizing scripture sets it aside as the "authentic word of God" and there has been some dispute about which documents and text deserve that designation through the years. We're reading everything so we'll be acquainted with it. There are examples in the Bible itself, such as II Kings 22-23 and Exodus 24. Check it out.

Good News! The seminary was able to award me a Presbyterian study grant after all! Yea! Everything will really help. Things are going well financially, but I've still had to borrow about $8,500. Hope to have better results from the scholarship requests this year: they'll already be acquainted with me, and I'll have something to show for my work.

I started my Jonathan Edwards class yesterday. He's one of the earliest, foremost American preachers. You've probably read "A Sinner in the Hand's of an Angry God," but he loved nature and wrote lots of gentler things, too. We're going to have a little drama with important people in his life in a town hall meeting. I'm going to play Jonathan Edwards! Should be fun with my lengthy experience with revival preachers!

I really appreciate all that the CPM committee does. Presbyterians have to get on fire with this if they want to fill our pulpits for the next 20 years. I see several retired people on the seminary campuses because there are so few young people to take their places, and Presbyterians like to have all the offices filled with former seminary students, so there are few for the pulpits. All of them are performing wonderful services for the rest of us!

I agree that the studies are a bit overwhelming, but God keeps telling me to keep my focus on Him. Keep me in your prayers. At my age I have the good sense to "just go to bed" and not worry overly much about stuff.

My favorite quote for the day:

My discussion group was talking about how welcoming this campus is, and especially

happy that pets are allowed in the rooms. Finally someone remarked, "This school

welcomes dogs, cats and evangelicals!"

I'm going to put our new president's first sermon on my web site soon. I'll let you know. Plugging in my machine is a bit of a hassle.

The stranger, "ger" in Hebrew, is the group of people mentioned most often in the scriptures. We are commanded, not only avoid abuse, but to care for the stranger and provide for them in every way as if they were our kin. The woman who is sharing her house with me has welcomed me and continues to treat me with kindness even though I am a stranger. Thank God for Jeanne Heberle; she is a gift from God.

Isn't it amazing what benefits we can bring to one another when we simply do what God would have us do?

I have so much appreciation for all those who have helped me get to this seminary campus and train for the purpose God has designed me for.

I'm learning about all kinds of "men and women of God," and that experience alone is inspiring and challenging. We're turning in more than one paper a week, and tomorrow a 5 page paper on Jonathan Edwards is due. Challenging! But they have so much information to cram into our heads before we can begin interesting discussions.

Our seminary choir is tiny, only about 10 people, but well rounded. Only choir I've ever sung in with too few sopranos! We sing a small anthem every Friday morning for chapel. Still haven't found a group singing Handel’s "Messiah" this year. Hope I don't miss a year. That's the highlight for me.

Let us see what the Lord can do with each of us as we follow His leading.

My favorite quote of the day—from the main desk at the seminary library:

Do not wait for divine intervention:

Ring Bell for Service.

You won't believe what happened to me yesterday. I've been praying about how to tithe the donations I'm getting. I want to be responsible toward God and toward those who are supporting this work through me.

I'm going to write up a paper on what God has been teaching me, and I'll send it later but I'll give you the short version now. On Friday I got my first paycheck from the seminary (I man the switchboard for the regular person's 15 minute break every day): $6.50. As is my custom, I give a first fruits offering for special work, so I added $20 to the amount and wrote a check to the seminary for $27.

I didn't know how to give it, so I asked someone during our phonathon (to Alumni) for the Annual Fund. We had a good discussion, and she pointed out that though it is an individual decision, I am devoted to God, so using the money donated to me may be the best use. I contributed my little check to the Annual Fund marked "for seminary students."

Since I had already written the donation check, God saw my heart. The wonderful gifts from my church to help with my seminary funding arrived in the mail that day. I'll be writing a thank you note this weekend. But that wasn't all.

I got a letter from my mother, and I expected a little note responding to my thank you for her donation to my seminary fund. But it was a cashier's check from the recent sale of her house (she also sent a check to my brothers)—to put into savings. I was praying about how to tithe it. Praying about it all night, I resolved to ask God to show me what to do through my scripture reading (thinking, I'll be reading Leviticus tomorrow, what message can I get out of Leviticus?). And sure enough, the next morning there is was! Can you guess what answer I got? It's in Leviticus 2.

God's word to me about my gifts to Him while I'm in seminary was found in Leviticus 2. The grain offering "shows honor and respect to God" and "acknowledges that all we have belongs to God,"

according to the notes in my Bible. People were instructed to bring 1/10 of a bushel of flour mixed with olive oil and incense to the priest, and a handful of it was to be burned on the altar. The rest was used as food for the priest, but all of it was considered holy and a gift to God. Also, it was to contain no yeast.

So, I'll be giving a "handful" (about 1%) to the seminary as a "grain offering" and use the rest to pay seminary expenses. The olive oil and incense are the other gifts that I give to the seminary (like I brought mugs to all those who had helped me here and volunteered time for the phonathon), and I'm not to contaminate the gift by using any of the money for other things, like investing it in another project. And all of the gifts--to the seminary, to my children, and to the seminary student living in my body—will be a gift to the Lord, thanking God and recognizing that all I have belongs to God.

Learned today that there is no Hebrew word for "obey." When you read the word "obey" in the Old Testament, it can be best translated "listen" or "harken."

Interesting, isn't it! God is still talking. All we have to do is listen, really listen.

The almost daily chapel services here are really inspiring. On September 16, one of the OT professors gave a sermon about understanding the vindictive language of the Psalms. Earlier our new president, Dean Thompson, presented a wonderful sermon about how our friends provide for us. Look for his sermon soon on my web site: www.Network4Singles.com. Then, last week the new Moderator for the General Assembly gave a talk letting us know what his community in New Mexico is doing to help those who might die crossing the border. What an opportunity! Coming soon to a web site near you!

I'll be in Virginia a day or so after Christmas for a couple of days but don't know if I'll be there much after that. In January I'll be taking Greek, and in the spring I'll do the NT and Greek

exegesis. I have Clinical Pastoral Education this summer: 40 hours a week working as a hospital chaplain all summer. Should be a full schedule.

This week we are learning about sin and social justice. Reading some of the writings of Martin Luther King, Jr., Delores Williams and others. We’re planning a Teach-In the end of this month on ending violence.

I'm reading lots and lots about lots and lots of people’s histories and writings.

Read Augustine, Luther, Wesley and Calvin last week.

This week is Tillich, Channing, Thurman, Williams, Ray.

Also the Pentateuch.

Busy times.

Hope I don't get wet because it would all run together.

If anyone wants to know more about Ezra 1, just let me know.

I wrote a paper on it for Scripture 1 (after reading Daniel, II Kings, II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and large portions of many other books).

And here’s the question for the week: What passage in Jeremiah was Ezra forgetting in his decision about the people in Ezra 9-10?

12 Oct 2004 Special Messages:

11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

13 Share with God's people who are in need.

Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:11-13, NIV)

Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2, WEB)

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4, NIV)

Pray continually. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NIV)

'Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.' -Mark 11:24

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24-25, NIV)

September 1, 2004

Things are beginning well. I have signed in at the seminary and applied for a driver's license. I have a new bank account, but little money in it. I have emptied my new mailbox. I ordered several books about Hebrew from Alibris on-line. My favorite is a workbook for adults who are learning Hebrew: Aleph Isn't Tough. 

I am learning to use my new cell phone. Ahhh. The saga begins. More later!

Here's the verse that I feel is meant for me this semester: "Remember your leaders who have taught you the Word of God. think of all the good that has come from their lives, and try to trust the Lord as they do. Jesus Chrust is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your spiritual strength comes as a gift from God, not from ceremonial rules about eating certain foods...don't forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need... Obey your spiritual leaders and be willing to do what they say. For their work is to watch over your souls, and God will judge them on how well they do this. Give them reason to report joyfully about you to the Lord and not with sorrow, for then you will suffer for it too." Hebrews 13: 7-8, 16-17

August 20, 2004

Well, I'm off! Or soon will be. Right now my house is full of boxes in various states of fulfillment. (Question: do boxes experience fulfillment when they are filled and fully utilized? Too philosophical for me.)  Moving day is August 25, 2004.

All my friend's are invited to a Reception on August 15, 2004 at my friend Marnie's house. Please come if you can. Just call me for directions.

Here's my inspiration for this week: "Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine?...For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little..." (Isaiah 28: 9-10) 

I have a lot to learn, and every little bit counts. Please keep me in your prayers.

Bonnie will be attending Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary for the next three years in preparation for her ministry as a pastor. Her address is as follows:

LPTS Box 23
1044 Alta Vista Rd.
Louisville, KY 40205

Bonnie Stephens
LPTS Box 23
1044 Alta Vista Rd., Louisville, KY 40205
email: talk2bonnie at network4singles.com
Copyright © 2004 Network 4 Singles/Allegro Multimedia
All Rights Reserved
Webmaster: A. Harms