Back By Popular Demand

“Why don’t you blog anymore?” I was asked way too much last semester. Normally when I am hit with this question I am in a public place waiting for coffee or fresh out of a government class and the only response I can pull from my brain is the truth – “I am just too busy.”

Being too busy to write is being too busy to think – too busy to eat, too busy to sleep. Eek. Good thing last semester is over. Here I rest, a brand spanking new 23 year-old (as of January 1) descending into graduation and back to writing my blog because people have requested it. That feels good! Its nice to know at least some people read my stuff!

This year at Regent has been entirely different than last year with new experiences editing the Daily Runner. I have learned an incredible amount about people and industry and what careers I am likely to never enter.

Life changes. As my friend Kristen tells me, “It doesn’t get any better after you graduate. From here on out, things just continue to constantly change.” This golden nugget of truth divulged over ceasar salad at Panera Bread did not particularly calm my inexperienced self, but none the less confirmed what I have learned living in four different states and two different countries in the last four years – things change.

Instead of quoting some consoling bible verse that eases the sting and anticipation of change, I would rather leave this blog open ended, as if change is worth allowing. It is wave worth riding. I don’t know if I am ready for this next phase of life, but I didn't think I was ready for Regent. Regent was ready for me.

And I think that is the perspective I will choose when searching for jobs – the world is with opportunity for the one who is open to finding it. Opportunity exists for the man who looks for God's will as he searches for that one open parking space at a packed amphitheatre 20 minutes after the concert has started.

I am so excited for what God has in store.

Sneak Peak: May RUN

So here is a sneak peak at my article in the May edition of the Regent Undergraduate Newsletter (RUN).

Thank Goodness for Mom

For a split second, and I really mean a split second, I thought I was going to be an RA in the Regent Commons next year. For those of you who do not know what the Regent Commons is, it is the undergraduate/graduate student housing Regent provides to its on-campus students. The few moments I thought I was going to be an RA were exciting. Of course, they were followed by an unexpected afterthought of anxiety as I realized that for nine months I would be playing activity planner, hall-monitor, confidant and friend to about 15-20 girls. This requires a great deal of maturity; it is sort of like being a mom.

I thought a good way to begin being mature would be to ask the girls I knew what they would like to do for fun activities next year. A number of ideas came up – ugly sweater Christmas parties, weekly bible studies and door decorating parties. The list of fun things to do was endless. I had my list nearly complete and highly professional written in orange colored pencil on piece of paper I tore from a notebook when someone said to me, “It would be nice if you would do something to recognize good deeds, like give awards or gift certificates somewhere for people who do nice things for each other.” The same girl followed up with a comment suggesting that sometimes she felt like no one ever recognized her or saw her.

A part of my heart sunk to my intestines. No one should feel invisible, especially not at Regent where there are so many opportunities to be noticed. Another part of me, the cynical part, cynically thought, Isn’t this life? Meaning, we all have to try hard to engage and get noticed and yes sometimes it is hard. It is not an RA’s job to make sure everyone feels secure and plugged into their individual niche where they will be appreciated for who they are – that is like asking them to play God.

After this conversation I sulked back to my room. I knew the feeling the girl was talking about and I think a lot of people know how it feels to be invisible. It is hard to feel unique when everyone shops at SuperTarget and works in a state-of-the-art, grey cubicle. I have felt invisible before but never did I extend myself past my own self-centered bubble to realize that a lot of other people feel this way too. The invisible feeling is an isolating one; it makes you think no one feels the same way you do.

This week I was not invisible. I won an essay contest. I got to read my essay in front of 20-30 people in the Regent University library and then sit on a panel of professors to discuss the essay topic. Things like that make you feel like life is moving forward and the invisible feeling fades for a moment. No one person has stood by me as I have developed my writing talent as much as my mother. She knew me when I was a squirrely seventeen year-old emitting teenage emotion all over MySpace in blogs. She knew me when I had my first journalism course at college that I nearly dropped because my grades were so bad. She is there now, when my writing is beginning to develop into something good, something that I can use.

The morning I won the contest, she was the first person I called. On the phone she said, “Julie, you have a gift here, but no one said it would be easy.” The wise words were a little searing to my ears. No one did say it would be easy. Now I understand what that means. It means working day and night towards your goal, being secure in both failure and success. It means staying with things when there is no recognition for your efforts and learning to wait when you have done all you can and there is no indication that anyone will ever see you.

When I become a mother, I will tell my children that no one said life would be easy. If my split second as an RA would have lasted nine months, maybe I would have said this to some girls, not as their mother, but as someone who was trying to conjure up enough maturity to act like a mother. I am lucky I have a mother to say this to me. My mom is really good at what she does, if she wasn’t I would have quit writing a long time ago. Thank-goodness for mom, right?

Regent University National Library Week: April 11-17

Regent University celebrated National Library Week last week and I won the university-wide student essay contest. The essay addressed the question,what is the role of Wikipedia in scholarly education? Here is a copy of my essay, what is your opinion on Wikipedia in higher education?

Starting Points

When a student enters the Regent University Library website and clicks into the databases icon, they have the option to begin with “starting points.” What is a starting point? It is a place to begin. New media technologies are re-creating the academic environment and Wikipedia is a leader in this online learning. There is no resisting the change that new media is bringing to academia and technology will continue to change academia’s environment. In the online world of articles, books, blogs and wikis, a place to begin is crucial. Wikipedia is that place to begin.

The historic Socratic method teaches that discussion, including question and answer, is the method that best highlights new ideas and brings greater understanding to an audience. This kind of learning occurs through the sharing and discussing of ideas. Wikipedia serves as a communication technology that allows for the sharing and critiquing of information about various topics. It is a place where all can come to edit, share, gain and critique information. Wikis have made the goals of post-modernity possible by allowing for the voices of many people, educated or not, to be heard. Culture is an influential and ever-changing factor in academic study and Wikipedia’s open environment allows for a more culturally influenced perspective. It does not limit information sharing to a particular group, educated or not. The presentation and critique of various ideas is a cornerstone in higher education, and technologies like Wikipedia help make new ideas and perspectives available.

Still, Wikipedia is not peer-reviewed or mediated. The only mediation is the editing available to everyone at the click of a mouse. No standard specifies what can or cannot be written or what topics are appropriate for discussion. Therefore, a Wikipedia user accepts the risk that information found on Wikipedia is possibly erroneous. It is not appropriate to cite Wikipedia information as bona fide knowledge or as a primary source in research. Even Jimmy Wales, creator of Wikipedia, did not create Wikipedia to be used as a scholarly source. He claimed, “The goal is to give people a free encyclopedia to every person in the world, in their own language. Not just in a 'free beer' kind of way, but also in the free speech kind of way.” The goal of Wikipedia is to provide information to everyone as an avenue of free speech, not necessarily a scholarly source. A student who relies on Wikipedia as a primary source in their research is not being scholarly but instead lazy.

Wikipedia is not a qualified scholarly source, but is best used as a place to begin. Today, research occurs more often at a computer than in rows of books at a library. Wikipedia is an excellent place to begin. It allows for a broad perspective on information sharing for a student to define a niche and begin research. It is a starting point, not an end point.

Whales, Jimmy. “Encyclopedia Quotes.” Brainyquote.com 2010. BrainyMedia.com 09 April 2010. .

Lady's Night Regent Style

Meet Dr. A.

Excuse me, Dr. Attanasi, Associate Professor of Religion and Philosophy in Regent's Undergraduate Religious Studies program, for those who like ornate titles.

Dr. A is on the left-hand side of the table, one person away from the wall. Just to be vain and let everyone know, I am the one sitting directly to Dr. A's left (which would technically be her right) in the white sweater.

The female students who have had Dr. A in class were all invited to dinner at CiCi's Pizza, off of Kempsville Road and Centerville Turnpike and this night was ladies night. There was no particular reason for the event, just for some good conversation outside of Regent's own four walls. We discussed future plans, academics, everyone held the baby in the stroller and ate as much pizza as an all-you-can eat buffet will supply for just over $7.

Girls from all academic studies attended, anything from English to Communications to Religion majors attended. I might add it was a good night of discussion and fellowship and good food! Good food seems to accompany all good Regent Events. It is nice when you are a broke and starving college student.

Dr. Attanasi is a Harvard grad finished her Ph. D. at Vanderbuilt University in Tennessee. She has travelled extensively and spent one year working as a journalist. I think this explains why I enjoyed her teaching style so much, I can identify with her stress on strict observations from the texts we would read. Learning (and good journalism) is all about learning to observe, and in Dr. A's class observations of all kinds were welcome.

It was a good night and I think just about everyone in the picture could agree.

Easter with a Ph.D.

I am a tele-counselor in the Regent University Undergraduate department. Basically, I call 17 and 18 year old kids and try to convince them that Regent University should be in their future and then I talk with them a little bit about what they want to major in and generally do with their lives. Most of the time I get the apathetic student who would rather talk to the wall in their bedroom than discuss their academic future.

Occasionally I do get an interested student who likes to talk. What do they ask me? They ask, "Why do you like Regent?" As my superiors teach me to do, I have about five stories lined up to share about why the Regent experience is the best experience.

I do love Regent; it has been a God-send to me as it has been to many others. What I love most is when I am here on Easter Sunday in Virginia Beach hundreds of miles away from home and a fellow student invites me have Easter dinner with their family. They invite me into their home, give me food, laugh and let me hold their children. They treat me like family when my my family is far away. It then that I am remember that I am surrounded by people at Regent are nothing ordinary and actually quite unique.

I am reminded of this when the famous undergrad professor, Dr. William Lyons, Ph.D., invites me over to his house on Easter Sunday to have chai tea with him and his wife and other students. We talked religion, school and food. Then, of course, we ate dinner and talked more. . I believe this is the definition of going above and beyond. This is something Regent asks of all her students in their individual studies, so it is nice to see our faculty lead by example.

Each moment I am at Regent, despite the times when school is hard and it feels like a fishbowl because of the small size, I am reminded on days like this that choosing Regent has made a difference in the direction of my life and I am so glad I did.

Dr. Robertson Turns 80

Regent University's Chancellor and Founder turns 80 on March 22. To celebrate, Regent is doing nothing less than the elegance of true regent style - white tents and fried chicken.

Early last week party trucks lined up in front of Regent University's communications building to set up a big white tent for our Chancellor's, birthday celebration. All students have been invited to the luncheon and a birthday card has been passed around the university so all who wish to may sign it.

Pat Robertson's wish for the event is personal donations provided on a monthly basis or a one time gift of $80. This money will go towards building Regent's own Chapel and School for Divinity. Dr. Robertson's vision for this building is that it may stand as a reminder of to all of what Regent University has done and will do in the world with its graduates. For more information on this birthday wish or if you would like to make a donation, click here.

I am sorry to say that I will miss this celebration as I will be in Philadelphia supporting another Regent on-campus group, Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), the university's own business and community outreach group. For everyone here on campus, by all means show up have some good old fried chicken with our founder. These days with President Robertson are few and far between as his presidency will end in July 2010. Pat Robertson only turns 80 once, though I am sure 85 will be an even grander celebration, hopefully none of us students will be here that long.

Happy Spring.

Spring Break in the Dorm?

Regent University just finished Spring Break 2010. Students arrived back on campus after a much needed 10-day break before another eight weeks of grueling coursework ending with everyone's favorite finale - summer.

I found myself on a plane flying home to Denver to recoup from January and February's class load which was particularly challenging and included terrors such as British and American literature classes. I am sure someday when I am a 40-year-old deep in a riveting career it will be British literature that I look back on and realize it changed my life. Just kidding, as my mother used to say, there are somethings that if you don't laugh about you will probably cry about. I am sure that deep analyzations of "Porphyria's Lover" and other British poems are most definitely what she was referring to.

Denver was happy to receive me for a few days where surprisingly, the weather was much better than it was in Virginia Beach over Spring Break. What was even better was that when I left Denver I was happy and rested and full of new ideas about life. Some of these ideas were crazy like "I should try to finish 36 credits this year to graduate in May of 2011" and yet others were a little bit more rational like "I think I want to go to law school."

I don't know about you, but I have the next twelve months carved out for me. More than I like to admit, in college this is a really good feeling. One that is rare and should be treasured because personally, I don't think I have felt in four years. On toward the LSAT! And happy spring break to you whether you have had yours yet or not.

World Religions and the Great Commission Symposium

On February 27, 2010, I attended the World Religions and the Great Commission Symposium. Regent University's own, Katy Attanasi Ph.D., undergraduate professor of religious studies, moderated the morning presentation of papers. The papers presented discussed the question, how should charismatic Christianity respond to other word religions? and included four speakers.

The first presenter was Dr. Tony Richie, pastor of Church of God in Knoxville, Tennessee and Adjunct Professor at Pentecostal Theological seminary. He discussed inclusivism and the responding perspectives. He mentioned that the Spirit, or the move of the Holy Spirit as evidenced at Pentecost, should never be limited by the Word and is exhibited by “a close work between the Spirit’s work in our hearts and the Spirit’s work in creation.” In closing, he left the audience with the acronym NEWS which suggests that Christianity should (N) nuance our understanding of humanity’s spiritual experience, (E) emphasize evangelism and proclamation dialogue, (W) welcome fresh visionary venues and be open to what God is doing today.

Following Dr. Richie was Dr. Stevens Studebaker, Assistant professor of Systematic and Historical Theology and Howard and Shirley Bentall Chair in Evangelical Thought at McMaster Divinity College. He discussed the problem that Pentecostal theology often maintains a negative theology of other religions in its commitment to missionary ventures. He said that it is natural for humans to want to segregate the Holy Spirit is into residing in one location but not another. He also mentioned that religion is a “mixed bag” of the work of the Holy Spirit (as exhibited at Pentecost) and the way human response to the move of the Spirit.

Kirsteen Kim, lecturer at Leeds Trinity University College, spoke on theologies of religious pluralism. She discussed a case study of the Dalit in India who are stratified at the bottom of the Indian caste system as they pursue jobs in sweeping and tanning leather. Among the Dalit, a new religion is developing which academics are studying. Kim discussed that India has been the main scenery for inter-religious dialogue and the classification of “spirits” or spiritual forces has been a topic of much discussion. Kim argued that Christians must affirm “life” as a spiritual force as emerging from a Christological nature. She also discussed how Pentecostalism has the flexibility to embrace plurality but not necessarily pluralism. A pluralist correctly understands each and every manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

The final morning presenter was Veli-Matti Karkkainen, who discussed notions of suffering in Buddhism and Christianity. The conclusion was that suffering between these two religions differ. One such difference is that in Buddhism suffering is a result of individual activity. In Christianity, suffering can be a result of the wrong doing of others. Another difference is that Buddhists often refrain from intervening in human suffering whereas Christians are urged to intervene. Karkkainen also mentioned that Pentecostalism fails to often communicate the loving-kindness and compassionate picture of Jesus Christ and should improve in this area.

The symposium was enjoyable and dense. The approach to Pentecostal Christianity in the 21^st century is different than ever before. As Kristeen Kim said, “Uniformity is imperialist.” The attempt to conform the world to Christianity is becoming out-dated. A mutual respect of similarities and differences among world religions is necessary and the best attitude possible. This was a unique discussion to attend especially considering the religious roots and pentecostal nature of Pat Robertson, the founder of Regent University.

NYC: A Picture Story

Ok, my secret is out. Maybe I went to NYC on New Years Day this year. I turned 22.

And maybe it was wonderful. The best birthday I have had yet. (And this above was the Metropolitan Museum of Art).

New York City is a very special place. If you have not been, I sincerely encourage you to go. It makes you think and feel a little bit like anything is possible. Who knows? Maybe anything is possible.

21

So it is New Years Eve and I am stuck in Nashville. Eww... this was not what I had planned at all.....

They are taking us to Baltimore now? What? I think the fog should clear.

It actually makes absolutely no sense that they are taking us to Baltimore. I think they just want to waste gas in the plane and make everyone in this enormous room move (with their children in hand) over towards another door. Instead of moving with the massive herd of agitated passengers, I am getting on Facebook.

The Nashville airport reminds me of the Los Angeles airport, except I don't feel like I am going to get mugged or have my purse stolen. It sort of reminds me of the Hong Kong airport too, but that is mostly because when I left Hong Kong, the terminal looked alot like the terminal I am in right now.

And I will be 22 in five hours. 21 was good.


Hmmm....Happy New Years:)

Happy Endings

I hope that your Christmas season is incredibly happy.

Merry Christmas friends.

‘Til Next Year.

I've Got a Feeling

I've got a feeling....that tonights gonna be a good night.

The hot Black Eyed Peas song blared over the speakers at around 10 p.m. and people headed out dance on the marble floor of Robertson Hall.

It was a good night. Last night, December 5, 2009 was Regent University’s 2009 Christmas Ball. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Christmas ball, it is an annual dance held for Regent’s students both graduate and undergraduate.

Some people have been preparing for the ball since September when the ballroom dance lessons began. Regent offered a series of ten dance lessons for $25 hosted at a local dance studio.

The dance started at 8p.m. and was hosted in the lobby and three floors of Robertson Hall, a.k.a. the law building. There were a few waltzes, a few swing dances and much to my dismay – not many rumba dances. Then 9 p.m. rolled around and the crowds were pouring in the door. Everyone knows it is best to show up fashionably late.

The event’s theme was “Old Hollywood” but dresses of all kinds rustled on the floor and there were even a few glimpses of a tux or two – a very prestigious event.

Before coming to the ball I heard from my roommate there was a special dessert planned. Much to the wisdom of the party-planners, this special dessert was located on the third floor of the building right by the elevators.

It was a chocolate mouse-filled decadent cake. I could only eat ¼ of a slice and my friend had to finish the other ¼. Good thing we only took a half-slice. The cake was even decorated with flowers.

At 10p.m. the Regent dance team did a performance. It was a swing dance. I watched from the second floor, oohing and ahhing with the rest of the crowd as the boys swung the girls every which way around the floor - very exciting. Then the real dancing broke out. All the hip-hop you could imagine. There was an electric slide thrown in the mix too.

We have some talented break dancers at Regent. Unfortunately I did not get a picture, but they were bold enough to part the crowd into a small circle around them as they “broke it down.”

You definitely get a fair share of dancing culture at Regent. It is not a typical Christian college in the sense that they shy away from dancing or even hip-hop dancing for that matter. It makes for quite a varied crowd.

The Christmas ball was great. The only thing missing was champagne. This was a champagne kind of event. Then I remember we are a Christian university and don’t drink champagne - at least not on campus.

Anyways, it was a great night. If you went to the ball, you know what I mean. If you did not go to the ball, I suggest you go next year. It is definitely a defining moment of Regent culture and the Regent experience. ‘Til next year.

And for now, Merry Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving all!

I sincerely hope that if you are reading this you had a delicious Thanksgiving, ate way too much, got your fill of family and are ready to finish up the semester....and of course go to the Christmas Ball!

Yey! See you there!

Cheap Gifts for Starving Students

I am a starving college student this year, as I was last year. Maybe even the year before. Having been in school now for awhile, I know what it means when the Christmas season rolls around and it is time to choose between buying the little brother a gift or buying milk.

Decisions, Decisions. I still see no reason why college students cannot give great gifts, though. I say, why not share the love with everyone this year? Just because you are a poor student trying hard to get by, does not mean that you cannot come up with some killer gifts for the fam or your beautiful, wonderful, oh-so-worth-it girlfriend, right?

Here are some great gifts that can be purchased for under $10

1. Bottle of Sparkling Cider. This can be purchased just about anywhere. Just make sure you complete the item with a tied red ribbon.

2. $5 Movies. If you are not yet aware of what I am talking about, then shame on you! Go check out any Walmart, Target, K-Mart or even grocery store and they will be there.

3. Magnets. Do you have a lot of gifts you need to give to the family for Christmas? Please, go find your best photo and put it on a magnet. Google photo magnets and see what happens.

4. Candy. You can buy candy. You can make candy. You can sell candy. Personally, I will be making white-chocolate dipped peppermint sticks this year. Yum.

5. Hand-made Cards. If you are a handy, dandy crafter, you might already have the scrap-book supplies to make these. All it really requires is a little bit of creative thought, some great paper, pens and pretty handwriting. Create-away! (You can also buy $4 packages of gift cards at Ross)

6. Magazines. Either buy someone a subscription or visit the closest thrift store and find some old magazines and wrap them up in a pretty ribbon. No one hates the gift of knowledge.

7. T-shirt. Three words: Walmart Photo Center. Check it out. (Maybe your younger brother’s secret wish is to have a t-shirt with your face on it)

8. Family Photos. Its always great to get everyone together and take a family photo. Being the one to initiate the event (call the photographer, make an appointment, pick the outfits) is a gift in and of itself.

9. Frankencense and Myrrh. If you are feeling traditional, wanting to remind people that Jesus is the reason for the season, Frankincense and Myrrh can be found at organic grocery stores. But please! Make sure you burn incense at least in a bowl, away from a fire extinguisher – it can get messy and smoky, though it makes a great satchel for someone.

10. Ross. One word: Ross. Check them out. They have aisles upon aisles of marked-down, home accessories from department stores. You can find almost anything, and it is likely to be a name brand like Calvin Klein too.

Happy Gift Buying! I hope you steal some deals on Black Friday! Rest assured, I will probably be nestled in my apartment writing papers instead of racing to get a toaster oven first.

Ida: A Picture Story

Hello Ida!

Hurricane Ida hit Virginia Beach this week. It went a little bit like on Monday I was warned a storm was coming. On Tuesday I figured it would just be torrential rain. On Wednesday I tried to walk through this storm to class and my umbrella was completely torn inside out and I got wet. On Thursday class was cancelled and I stayed home. And on Friday I drove in the pouring rain to Harris Teeter and ate free salami, cheese and cake samples.

The storm was more than expected. It involved rain, killer wind and broken trees. Unless the Regent University lawn crew has recently decided to tear down well-established trees for no apparent reason, then Hurricane Ida is left her mark. Eek. She even blew a kiss to Walmart.

Good thing for Walmart that kiss is easily fixed. In Colorado we call these kinds of things flash floods but they don't have the wind. I tried to leave the Regent Commons on Thursday but the foot-deep puddle of water on Centerville Turnpike was a little bit disheartening. I asked my little Honda Civic if she was up for an adventure through the puddle. Partly due to the instructions of my Old Testament professor not to drive through standing puddles but mostly due to common sense, she said "Absolutely not."

As much fun as it would be to spend all my Christmas gift money on getting towed two blocks back to the Regent Commons and having my engine saturated with water, I opted to go back home and watch television instead of dropping off my passport application at the Post Office. It is a good thing that I decided this because when I made it to the Post Office on Friday, there was a paper sign with orange magic marker scribbles saying, "Closed due to Power Outage." Darn for my passport.

When I woke up on Friday morning, there were little leaves like this one plastered all over my car. Best of all, though, was that my car was not a victim of the tree pictured at the top of this post. That would have been a dilemna slightly larger than getting stuck in the Centerville Turnpike puddle.

Life is still good, even with Ida.

I Won't Even Charge 25 Cents...

I made it late on Thursday night and it simmered until Friday morning. All the white beans, chicken, cilantro, cloves, green chilis and cumin rubbed off on each other all night long. Then only a few hours before dropping my chili off at the table with the twelve other chilis, I added a heaping 4 oz. of jalapenos and the result was a biting heat that hit your tongue a few seconds after a a tiny spoonful of the green chili goodness.

My chili at Regent’s 2009 Chili Cook-Off did not win any prizes, but in my opinion it was it was good, downright delicious. I did get a few compliments too. I even had a request that I post the recipe on my blog. So here is my not-so-winning, aromatic and innovative green chili recipe. I won't even charge you 25 cents for it like the last year's winners were charging for their recipes. Beware though, I did have one chili-taster tell me that he could not finish his sample because it was too spicy. Luckily, it was a one time comment. Otherwise the response to my recipe was quite positive.

The initial recipe for this white chili came from simplyrecipes.com. Just to put my own edge on the chili and make it a little personal, I had to improvise the recipe a little. Give it my own western, Tex-Mex touch. Green chili is nothing new to my family and now it does not have to be new to yours. Enjoy.

Hot Green Chili

6 cups chicken broth

1 can great northern beans

1 can cannelloni beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can navy beans

1 lb. chicken breast or boneless thigh meat

1/4 stick of butter

1 garlic clove, minced

2 medium onions, chopped (divided)

2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 can diced tomatoes

1 4-oz. can of diced jalapenos

1 bunch of fresh cilantro

3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

1. Dice chicken into dime-sized pieces. Believe me, this will take a little while. Peel garlic clove, crush and mince into small pieces. Then sauté the chicken in a non-stick saucepan with ¼ stick of butter and minced garlic. Dice both onions and add to the chicken and sauté. After about five minutes add both cans of green chilis to the chicken mixture, then add cumin, oregano, cloves and pepper. Mix thorough and cover. Allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes.

2. In a large crock pot combine chicken broth and beans on high and allow to boil. Add chicken mixture from the skillet and allow to simmer overnight. Allowing the chili to simmer overnight will soften the beans and thicken the broth. In the morning the whole mixture should look more like chili than stew. Add the can of tomatoes and jalapenos and salt to taste. If necessary add more red pepper flakes, cloves or oregano.

Add the cheese and any remaining cilantro. Both items will enhance the taste as you eat the chili! Enjoy! You will have lots of chili!

The Titans Clashed

Yesterday, October 30, 2009, I went and saw the Clash of the Titans political debate. Yes, I splurged, decided to go without Starbucks for a while and buy the $30 ticket. It was money well splurged.

The four big prominent political figures Arianna Huffington, Howard Dean, Dick Armey and John Kasich showed up on Regent University’s campus to discuss the future of America. Joe Scarborough, the host of Morning Joe and The Joe Scarborough Show, mediated the debate.

Even when Pat Robertson waddled to the front of the stage to introduce the event, everyone already knew what they would hear for two hours. Capitalism will survive. It must survive. Still, it is much more fun to pay $30 and see important people in suits, ties and a black skirt say this for national television from our little, private campus. It makes it a little more nostalgic. It makes us feel a little more pre-eminent as we are inspired in the classroom to attack politics and all other spheres of society upon graduation.

In the meantime, I am still fascinated with all the speakers that come to campus. David Jeremiah, Vern Clark, the list this year goes on and on. It was a pleasure to see Arianna Huffington too. I first made my way onto the Huffington Post this last summer and realized it is no conservative hot-bed. Being the writer I am, I like to track popular blogs and I am sure that her blog is beyond the popular realm. It is more into the culture-shaping realm. It is definitely worth a minute of your time if you want to know where modern media is going.

To all the other debate attendees, what did you think of the event?

15 Cool Secrets For Regent Students

Let me start off by saying, if you have survived the last eight weeks of your life and you are a Regent student, I commend you. Whether it by the seat of your pants or not, you made it to fall break! Congratulations! You are a truly accomplished person.

Now that all the newbie’s, like myself, have been here for a full eight weeks there are some neat-o things we have found out about. This is the kind of stuff that makes Regent unique and not all of it is located on the website. Take a look at these 15 findings, maybe there are a few things you did not know:

1. There are free movies for rent in the library! The Communications school here at Regent has a running collection of Academy Award collections, cartoons and religious titles available for check-out in the library. Next time you are there check it out – 2^nd floor, S Room.

2. RU Ready? Luncheons. I personally found this to be a lovely surprise. Basically, these are free pizza lunches available to all Regent students that discuss life on campus, features of Regent and surviving at Regent. The information is helpful; the food is free - like class with free pizza.

3. Christmas Ball. The Christmas Ball is Regent’s one annual gala where all the girls and guys come out dressed up in their best formal wear to do one age old, forgotten past-time – dancing.

4. Ballroom dance lessons for the Christmas Ball. Because everyone wants to go to the Christmas ball, many people spend the three months leading up to the even in December attending dance class. Regent provides pro-rated ballroom dance lessons so students can learn to rumba, cha cha, salsa, swing, foxtrot and waltz. I believe it is $25 for 10 lessons.

5. Almost every event involves free food. There has been virtually no event I have attended on campus that does not involve a free lunch with some delicious hand-made items by the university’s chefs. They take feeding their students seriously.

6. Movies on the Lawn. Just a few weeks ago Regent students and their families gathered to watch Night at the Museum 2 on a projected screen in front of the library. It’s a good thing to do on a Friday night under the stars.

7. For Commons residents, free laundry. Let me say this one more time, FREE LAUNDRY. I believe if you do your laundry once a week, that would save you somewhere between $3-6. That means $12 – 24 dollars a month can be saved or recklessly spent on an impulsive item you most likely don’t need.

8. Carpenter’s Apprentice. This is a great online resource available to students that helps them manage their studies. It is designed to help students with goal-making, planning, and studying. With so many online courses at Regent, it helps to have a resource that helps a student manage all the work. And it is all FREE!

9. Free on-campus counseling from the Psychology grad students. I wish I this was a feature of all my schools in the past. Sometimes, school will make you loose your mind. If you haven’t lost your mind, you will want to loose your mind. It is much better to go and talk about it than to do other things with that feeling and at Regent it is free. You don’t have to spend $60 every time you want a buddy to bounce things off of.

10. Clash of the Titans. This is a debate event coming up at the end of October. Though it costs $25-30 for the Regent student, this is a once in a lifetime event to see key societal leaders debate all the hot issues.

11. Intramural football and the Chili Bowl. Nearly every time I turn around I hear someone ask about the football team. Unfortunately, Regent does not have one. The next best thing is intramurals. All the guys come out and if I am right, we even have a bowl game called the Chili bowl where they all duke it out coming in November.

12. An exclusive relationship with Bank of America. Regent has an exclusive relationship with Bank of America regarding student accounts. The small bank down the road at the Kempsville Shopping Center offers packages specifically designed for Regent students. This saved me a lot of worry time.

13. Visiting Speakers. It is not often that schools will see speakers like David Jeremiah, John Ashcroft, Rheinhard Bonke, American Idol contestants and many prominent people speak on campus.

14. King’s Pantry Food Bank. Created for students in need, this is a supplement for anyone at Regent who doesn’t have enough money to buy food. It is a very helpful resource if you are in need.

15. The fountain has special meaning. I did not find this out until my second or third week of school. The fountain students pass everyday on their way to class has special meaning. In one of the RU Ready? Lunches led by Joel Ladd, I found out that the way the water arches inward toward the center of the fountain is supposed to be a daily reminder of submission. This act of submission is intended to remind the student to continually submit to the will of God and his plan while learning to be at soulish peace during the time spent at Regent.

If you know of any additions to the list above, leave a comment :)

Pre-Conceived Notions: Lessons from Samoa

Many of you have heard about the Tsunami that hit the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific two weeks ago. If you haven’t then you can read about it here. In the Fall of 2006 I spent three months in Western Samoa doing missionary work. Three years ago today I was down in the South Pacific living with native islanders, visiting their homes, eating their roasted pigs, dancing island dances in their church services and wearing their traditional long wraps. Now, some of those people are hard to imagine. Some of them are dead.

No one I personally knew died but as I read my facebook feed, sad stories of family members and loved ones of the people I knew are rolling down my screen. If this thing would have happened three years ago, I could have been a casualty myself. My loved Samoans and YWAM companions could have been the casualties. Life would no longer be about pursuing youthful dreams. It would be about coming back home to the United States in one piece.

Samoa was a place of peace and beauty. Samoa destroyed my pre-conceived notion that God is only in the functional, the highly-spiritual and the overtly religious. God is in the deepest and furthest points of life too. He resides in midnight conversations under palm trees. He resides in the kitchen where people are making food. He stirs hurricanes and tsunamis from the depths of the ocean. He is in Samoa which is now cleaning up watery ash. More than ever when my ideas about the world are being challenged and re-aligned, I am reminded that I am not in as much control as I thought. In a time like this, when the aftermath of Samoa is staring at me in pictures I am reminded that the world is not in line with my pre-conceived notions. I am more on a puppet's string than I ever thought.

Inspiration: Fall

I attended Regent's fall Harvest Fest yesterday and it was great!

Harvest Fest, planned by Regent Undergraduate Council, is one huge let's-celebrate-fall party. There were pie-eating contests, bobbing for apples and free food. The only activity I participated in was bobbing for apples. There was even a costume-judging contest for everyone who came dressed up in fall attire. I went bobbing for apples. I got my hair, face and shirt wet. It took about twice as long as it should have for me to bite an apple. I bet I licked or gnawed on nearly every apple in the pail, it was not my most glamorous moment. Oh well. At least I hope I never see any of the photos on the Regent website!

Anyways, I hope this coming of fall is treating you well. Happy October!