World Mission Workshop and Homework

Campus is a bit quiet right now because we have a ton of students attending World Mission Workshop. I think it’s cool that students are interested in this event — that they care about the world around them and find ways to share God’s word with those who don’t know Him.

On a completely random note, I sometimes wonder whether students realize that teachers have homework too. And I don’t mean grading papers, I mean homework — reading the textbook, analyzing the material, and preparing for class discussion. No matter how well you know the material, it’s still important to read the text again and think about all the possible questions that may be raised in class discussion. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it when a student “gets it.”

Speaking of homework, I still have some to do for tomorrow’s class, so I’m going to “sign-off” for tonight. Whatever you’re doing with your weekend, have fun and be careful.

Becky

Mid-Term

Mid-term grades are due tomorrow and, hopefully, that will relieve some of the stress that students have been experiencing. This part of the semester is difficult. It’s been quite a while since a holiday, and several more weeks before Thanksgiving break, which typically means that students are getting a bit tired. Plus, campus activities have increased over the last few weeks, and many students are struggling to find the proper balance between academics and social life. If you’re a student that’s having trouble, stop by the Student Life office and talk to us. We want to help with any struggle that you might experience at OVU. And, if you’re a relative or friend, how about giving your college student a call to make sure that he/she is doing okay?

Have a great day!
Becky

Golf

I enjoyed two rounds of golf this weekend. The first came on Friday afternoon at the Golf Club of West Virginia with two colleagues and Jeff. The second came on Saturday afternoon at Woodridge Plantation with Jeff. I played well both rounds, and enjoyed my time with friends, family, and God’s creation.

I love to golf for a variety of reasons. For instance, I’ve never seen a golf course that wasn’t beautiful, and I really enjoy that aspect of the game. And, I can’t get enough of watching a small, white sphere flying into a bright blue sky and landing on a manicured, green surface — even if I wasn’t the person who hit the shot. And if that’s not enough, it’s a competition against yourself — unless you’re in a tournament, there’s no need to worry about how your playing partner is doing, you just need to focus on improving upon your last round or your best round or some single aspect of your game.

If you’ve never taken up the game, I suggest giving it a try. Maybe we can play together some time.

Have a great Sunday afternoon!
Becky

I Hate it When the Mountaineers Lose

The game is over and I HATE it when the Mountaineers lose. I’d been worried about the USF game since the beginning of the season, but Jeff kept telling me it would be okay. Normally, the defense is the issue, but tonight, the offense looked miserable and we had a ton of turnovers and you can’t win that way. But, we still have 7 games on the schedule that we need to win, and I’ll show up to all of them to cheer for the ‘Eers despite tonight’s very disappointing outcome.

An ‘Eers fan through thick and thin,
Becky

Sick Day…Sneaking Out

Today is my second sick day in a row. I’ve been feeling very “iffy” with some stomach thing. Not cool. I am getting very bored at home. I can’t subject myself to much more day-time television. It’s awful! And, even though ”Doc Jeffy” (aka, my husband) has agreed to allow me to check email and take one whole phone call today, it’s just not enough to keep my mind stimulated. To top it all off, it appears that I am on Injured Reserve (IR) for tonight’s first Staff Infection game in the 2007-2008 season of the OVFL. It can’t get much worse. Well, okay, it was much worse for me over the last 48 hours or so, but now that I’m capable of keeping food in me, I want to play!

Perhaps I can sneak out of the house for a while.

HMMMM. Probably shouldn’t be writing a post about it if I’m going to do it — “Doc Jeffy” is sure to find out!

SHHHH! Don’t tell! And let’s hope that the OVFL’ers get to see me tonight!

Becky

Dedication of the Drennan Science Center

I’m very excited about the upcoming dedication of the Drennan Science Center on Thursday. First, it will be great to see my friends, Don and Rudith. Second, it will be fitting to honor their dedication to Ohio Valley University by dedicating the Science Center. Don and Rudith have been very important to the development of OVU in recent years, and those of us who have known them personally during this time have been blessed by their friendship. I will miss them as they return to Texas, but I feel a debt of gratitude to them for all they’ve done to support Christian education.

Becky

Football…Sunburn…A Day Off Work

Yesterday, I watched the West Virginia Mountaineers defeat Western Michigan in sunny Morgantown, WV. Steve Slaton and Pat White looked great as usual, and I was pleasantly surprised by Noel Devine and Jock Sanders who had an opportunity to play in the fourth quarter. While the offense looks poised for a good run, I am a bit concerned about the defense. They looked great against the run, but anemic against the pass. And while many fans are jumping on the bandwagon complaining about the secondary, I’m more concerned with the inability to get pressure on the QB. I think that’s where good pass defense starts, so I hope that Coach Rod bellows about that in practice this week.

Did I mention that Morgantown was sunny yesterday? The red hot skin on my arms, face, and neck are a testament to the dangers of tailgating all day. But, it’s better than sitting in the rain, so I’m not complaining.

Tomorrow brings a much-appreciated day off work. I have no plans, which is GREAT! Whatever you are doing on Labor Day, I hope you enjoy it.

Becky

Move-In Day

As I write this post from my office, I hear the sounds of new students moving into the dorms on the campus of Ohio Valley University, and the buzz is exciting! I’ve met some very cool people already, and look forward to knowing them better as they progress in their time at OVU.

While Move-In Day is an exciting time for most students and all of the employees at OVU, it’s a bit difficult for many of the parents. Whether it’s their first child out of the nest or their last to leave, parents seem to struggle with leaving them. So, if you’re one of our students, please give your mom and dad a call and check on them sometime early next week. They might need it!

Becky

Sunday Afternoon

It’s about 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon as I begin writing this post. I was supposed to be helping Jeff with a home project this afternoon, but my father-in-law decided that it was more of a two-MAN job and came over to help. Of course, if my father-in-law was stopping to help, my mother-in-law needed to be in the action as well. So, as I sit at our dining room table, the three of them are upstairs in a very small bathroom putting in a new toilet. Well, more likely, my father-in-law is directing Jeff to provide various tools at various times and my mother-in-law is managing the action from the door. And for those who are wondering how I could possibly choose to miss all this action, let’s just say that I don’t want to risk destroying the peace and tranquility of my Sunday afternoon. Please understand that my in-laws are the coolest people that I could imagine having as a second family, but I know better than to get in the way. It’s something that you learn after 7 years of marriage and various home renovation efforts.

Besides, Sunday afternoons are important to me. As I was growing up, we’d come home from church and mom would cook a fantastic meal (fried chicken and pot roast were two of my favorites) and we’d sit around the table and talk throughout our meal. We’d spend some bit of time critiquing the sermon (which was cool ’cause my dad preached it) and another portion of conversation centered on the upcoming week. After a hearty meal and mouth-watering dessert, we’d all help clear the table and do the dishes. Then, my parents would take a much-deserved nap while my brother and I played games or watched sports on TV. After their nap, my parents would join my brother and me in some type of activity and we’d play until it was time to go to church again.

As I reflect on Sunday afternoons, it’s obvious their enjoyment is attached to family. A family that I miss because we live 8 hours away and are separated from by more than that distance right now as my dad is visiting Africa on a work-related trip. My family wasn’t perfect. It was tough being a preacher’s kid and I was rebellious, so that made life even tougher. But, my family spent time together and loved each other, which makes the tough memories fade into thoughts of fried chicken and Sunday afternoon checkers.

And, today, to thoughts of bathroom renovations going on just one floor above my head with my second family. I’ll write again soon, but for now I better join in the fun, even if it’s just for the last few minutes of the job!

Becky

Less Than a Month…Where’s Summer?…Time Moves Quickly

I realized today that it’s less than a month before the fall semester begins. I’m excited about all our students returning…and I can’t wait to meet the new students too! I think it’s going to be a great year at OVU.

But all the thoughts of the upcoming semester made me wonder…where’s summer? It seems like only yesterday that graduation exercises ended and everyone was talking excitedly about summer jobs, vacation plans, etc. And now, the summer is almost over.

And that made me think about all those days when I was a kid that I thought time moved so slowly. I can’t even recall the number of times that I complained about being bored and repeatedly watched the clock just to see if the second hand even moved. Now, I sit down at my desk and the next thing I know, it’s time to go home for dinner. I’d love to re-visit those days that seemed to stretch forever. I could use them at the office, and it would be even better to experience a few during a weekend! But, time moves quickly for me now.

Here’s hoping that time is moving at the pace that you prefer!

Becky