After a few years of only doing guest lectures at different colleges I am back in the academic saddle!! I am set to teach a few classes at a local college and maybe be involved with starting something new at one of the universities in town. It is nice to get involved in this aspect of life again. SouthGate is at a place where my teaching is okay and may even be a healthy thing as it will leave some space for people to move into.

I have always connected with the story of Eric Liddell - my own grandfather spent time in an "international Settlement" in China (the term for prison camps). One of the greatest lines in Chariots of Fire (the movie about Liddell's life) is "I believe God made me for a purpose--for China. But He also made me fast! And when I run, I feel His pleasure." I feel the same way. I feel that God has created me (and joined me with my wife who shares the calling) to be a church planter; but God also made me a teacher and when I enter into discussions of 'allophonic environments' or 'first language interference' I truly feel God's pleasure (most other people just feel a little drowsy).

On an entirely unrelated note on Monday night my daughter was dancing like a princess until she dropped like a rock and hit her head (not all princesses are graceful I guess). The end result was 6 hours at the "urgent care" facility and four stitches. I don't mean to slag the people working there - I know its not their fault - but I think that the term 'urgent care' is destined to join 'jumbo shrimp' 'military intelligence' and 'government organization' as an example of oxymorons. There was nothing particularly 'urgent' or 'caring' in the servicing of a three year old with a facial laceration (and she's a princess to boot).