Journey - Take a Risk

Saturday, August 23rd

Friday morning, we continued to move/rearrange/change stuff at Fischer Dorm (SJ) and Terrace Apartments (HJ) which, as always, included several Target runs. We had lunch at Panera and then met with all the Freshman parents and students in Edman chapel for the opening worship session for orientation.

The theme for this year's Freshmen is "Overflow" and the theme verse is from Romans 15:13

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

For those at The Journey, you'll recall that this is the verse Pat asked us all to remember right after she was diagnosed with lymphoma in the Fall of 2006 --- when we had taken another Freshman to Wheaton College ......

The upper classmen in the OC (Orientation Committee) composed and performed a song based around the theme verse. As a continued 20-30 year old tradition, Sara's class (2012) will learn that song next week and sing it to the entire student body during "All School" worship and communion next Tuesday night .... the first time the entire "new" student body worships together. This will be "their" class song. Four years later, this very class of 2012 will sing this same song to all the underclassmen in their final chapel together.

Several professors also spoke that afternoon including Dr. Christine Gardner (Communications) who challenged the students to "take a risk" -- initially something pretty scary to parents leaving their 18 year-olds a long way from home! But she challenged them to take a risk with their minds - to use their time at Wheaton to truly worship God with their heart, soul, strength .... AND mind. To take a risk to grow academically as an avenue of worship to God .... not solely as a way to make grades, pass tests, get a degree, graduate, or get into professional school. To unburden your heart of expectations (yours or your parents) to perform for their own glory and be freed to learn for the purpose of glorifying the God of heaven! Pretty good advice .... for all of us .....

That evening, Pat & I attended a Parents' dinner .... we sat with a couple from Michigan named Grace and Jeff who were bringing their first child to Wheaton. Both, especially the mom, had the concerns about leaving their "baby", not being able to talk with him much, not being able to take care of him .... the usuals .... but still all new and all scary for parents .... whether the first time or the fifth time. We really enjoyed sharing with each other about our "Wheaton family" experiences and also enjoyed talking to Dr. Litfin ....

We picked up Sara after all of her "stuff" was finished and hung out at Heather's apartment for a while.

Letting Go service tomorrow ......

Pat and Paul ...... Heather ...... & Sara