News Articles about Covenant College

Here are the links to the 2 articles I read about the faculty changes at Covenant:

Chattanooga Time article

Inside Higher Ed article

Of course, these are the views of the news institutions, but direct quotes are given from the college administration as well. And the best way to hear their views is to have direct dialogue with the administration, which is what some folks are attempting to do with the alumni letter being sent.

If you love Covenant College,

Then you might be concerned to find out that the college is going to lay off 10-15% of its faculty. These are hard economic times. However, the college isn't doing it because of a money crunch. They are "right-sizing" -- compensating for having TOO GOOD of a student/teacher ratio in the past, I suppose. The funds that are saved from this change will go partially to boost the athletic program and hire more coaches, that is, if they get the new student-athletes to play these sports.

At least, from reading 2 articles on these changes, this is what I gather.

If you're a Covenant alumna, and want to contribute to the conversation with the administration on this issue, go to this site.


There's a gracious letter there that you may sign, directed to the administration, board of trustees, and faculty. I've very concerned for long-time faculty who will find out in a few days that their teaching days at Covenant are over.

A little conversation with God

I had one of these this morning. Driving alone in the car is a good time to talk with God. And right now, we have a lot to talk about.

The deafening silence of NO NEWS on the job front for Adam, is worrying. We both plod from day to day at school, aware that our days there are very numbered. And then the summer stretches ahead, uncertain. How long do we stay here? When do we put the house up for sale? When should we start packing? And where should we go? These are questions that swirl around in my mind ceaselessly.

I did decide a while back to inform my boss at the school that I would not be returning next year to teach. This may come as a shock to some of you -- why would ANYONE give up a perfectly good (well, that's debatable) job right now!? There were many contributing factors that played into the decision. But in the final assessment, one teaching job at our school could in NO WAY provide for our family, and would only tend to tie us down to a location where Adam has little hope of finding work. But the larger consideration is Adam's call to be a pastor. It is a strong call, a persistent call, and one that he does not want to ignore. He wants to pursue this calling doggedly and see what the Lord does. And that means (as has always been true) that Adam's work and ministry is more important that any career I might pursue. My calling in life is to assist and help him, period. And I'm not helping his calling to a pastorate by slogging it out in a grueling job next year, while he puts his call on hold.

Which is what I talked with God about this morning. After all, the call is God's. He's the one doing the calling -- "Hey Adam! Come and pastor my sheep!" The call on Adam has been so plain: it's within him, it's demonstrated in his service in the church, in preaching and visitation and teaching, it's verified by many Christians around us who clearly see his calling to be a pastor.

So I told the Lord, "You've called the man. Be honest - be a truthful God - finish what you've started! If you don't validate this call, then you will look like a liar, and that You cannot be."

And I took a deep breath and wondered if I'd overstepped my bounds a bit. Except that many of God's dearly-loved saints in Scripture have said similar things to him.

And I think it is more than an honest, blunt statement; I think it's a true one. If God isn't true, and truthful, then he isn't God. He must, by definition, defend his character, and I believe he will. We've always known that he will do this in his own time, and in his own way. His definition of the call that is eventually completed for Adam may not look like what we expect.

But it will use his gifts, and serve the kingdom. And my prayer is that God will use the acting out of that call for the support of our family.

I wanted you to know where we are. We are waiting. I am both worrying and hopeful. I identify with the man in Scripture: "Lord, I believe! Help thou mine unbelief!"

The Flower Child

Julia's been designing flowers again this year:

"And why is she not blogging?" you ask...

Because there's so little to say!

Take yesterday, for instance:
-at school at 7:30
-If you really want to know everything I've ever thought about T.S. Eliot's "Murder in the Cathedral," please leave a message :)
-leave school at 3:00
-dash home, brush teeth, and drive in a hurry to the doctor's office
-(you know, THAT doctor, ladies)
-and sit in the doctor's office for 2 hours and 20 minutes. I'm Not Kidding.
-that is nothing you want to write about, because it's nothing anybody wants to do!
-quick dinner which Adam had to cook
-grocery shopping because we were down to NO MEAT
-fold and put away the laundry that's been sitting downstairs on the ironing board for 3 days
-fall into bed

And if anything MORE exciting than that happens this week, I'll be sure to let you know!

Prom Night

Philip with Amanda, his lovely date.

We took LOTS of pictures at the home of friend who lives nearby - their daughter and her date are also going. Here's a little closer shot of my handsome son!

Philip with Smitty and Charles, one of his best friends. Note the boys nervously holding those corsages, "What do we do with these things?"

The whole group that met for picture-taking. I've been teaching these great kids for 3 years and really love them. I hope they have a fabulous time tonight! And I hope Philip doesn't step on Amanda's toes!

Dogsitting

Here is Tasha, my parents' dog. She's a Welsh Corgi, and about 10 or 11 years old. She's spending the week with us.


She and Lacey have been good buddies for many years and are perfectly comfortable with each other.

If Lacey looks a little different, it's because I gave her a haircut. The kids had lost her dog brush, her fur was OUT OF CONTROL, and she was VERY hot in the weather. So, I took out my hair-cutting scissors and went for it. It's a pretty ugly job, but she is much cooler and happier.

We've had to teach Tasha that she can NOT rush out the door when she wants to, cannot come into the dining room while we're eating, and cannot hang out in the kitchen. She's not used to these rules, but she's learning! Adam showed her that he is the head dog of our pack by "crowding her out" of her path to the door. It was funny to watch. But she sure got the message!