Hangin' In There

Last night I attended the yearly Saint Louis University Department of American Studies Graduate Student Orientation. I had a great time hearing the departmental overview and meeting all the new students. About half way through I realized that I only recognized about 3 or 4 of the 100 students in the meeting. As I surveyed the room I noticed that there was only 1 student that has been in the program longer than I have. Not all of the students were at the orientation, so I know there are others that have had to be around longer, but I appear to be one of the definite old timers in the PhD program. It was very humbling. I have just started my dissertation, so I will be around another year or two before I'm done. Needless to say, I am not moving very fast.

Another sad fact: I also noticed last night that there is only 1 faculty member left from the department when I entered the PhD program in 1999. There has been an almost universal swap oout of older faculty with newer faculty. Who knows, I may end up outlasting them all!

The first 2 years of the program consisted of classroom work. I was excited to get that complete, but the last 3 years I have only managed to complete my written exams, oral exams, my foreign language requirement, and my dissertation proposal. Althoug I spent a year living in Korea I haven't completed that much in the last 3 years. Anyhow, I feel a little more excited about completing the program and actually see light at the end of the tunnel.

It kind of reminds me of our Christian walk. When we first come to know the Lord we are excited and feel like nothing can hold us down. But, as the time goes by it is easy to get into a routine and lose a little of that excitement. It takes revival in our lives for us to remember what life was like the moment we first trusted Jesus. And, it takes commitment each and every day for us to complete the task of spreading His gospel to every corner of the world.