Tori Schultz

            On Thursday, August 30^th, the annual Festival of Beginnings was held at Concordia University St. Paul. New student leaders, faculty, and staff processed in after the student body had been seated. Dr. Chatman and President Ries gave sermons on this year's theme, "Our Refuge and Strength". After the sermons, all new leaders, faculty, and staff members were inducted in front of the student body present.

            The processional hymn was "A Mighty Fortress". This hymn was chosen due to the theme. It connected with the sermon and theme for the year. The professors all processed in after all the returning students had taken their seats. Psalm 46 was read, followed by Isaiah 41 and Matthew 11. These three readings all connected to President Ries's sermon. He began by telling the meaning behind the word refuge in different languages. They all shaped the meaning perfectly and added meaning. For example, the Spanish version represents strength and protection whereas, another language, such as Greek, represented comfort and shelter. This year at Concordia, the faculty and staff want students to be aware that they have God to serve as a protector and refuge when things start to get tough. The beginning of the year can be a difficult time, especially for new students, and it's hard to adjust. For many, they are the first to go to college and everything is new and scary. It's nice to know that there are people here at the university to help, as well as God, who will always be there. It's so great to have students participate in these convocations because it helps other students connect to what is going on. Seeing peers involved with the ministry or just in the convocation helps make the occasion more welcoming, as well as relaxing. It shows that this university wants to incorporate their students, faculty, and staff together to make it a well-rounded place to be.

            I love the Festival of Beginnings. It's so inviting and helpful for new students. I remember going in last year and thinking, "oh my gosh, this is crazy". This year, I got to participate and carry one of the banners on stage. I felt so special just to be chosen as part of the convocation. Last year, I thought it was so neat to watch the student leaders be inducted by President Ries. It's so wonderful to watch them be recognized for their contribution to the university. This year, I was one of those student leaders. I felt completely honored being able to stand up in front of the students of this university and show them that I am there for them during this school year. Another portion of the Festival of Beginnings that I really love is when four students are chosen to go on stage and speak in between the verses of a certain hymn. They say certain things that new students feel such as, "how will I survive being so far away from home?". Last year I taped this hymn up in my dorm room to remind me that no matter how difficult my first year would be, God would be there. This year, hearing that again brought a huge smile to my face. It reminded me that I made it! I got through an entire year of college and my future is bright. I am so happy with who I am and that I have gotten through so much. Praise God!

When I first glanced at this book, I worried it would just tell me all the things I was doing wrong in my faith life. After reading a few chapters, I appreciate how the authors studied and surveyed people, as well as took the time to sit down and have a conversation with them. This book is very well written and I am impressed.

            As Christians, we are not portraying the love of God correctly. We are so prejudice and judgmental towards those who do not attend our church. We need to accept people as they are and make relationships with them. Only then can we witness to them. People find us hypocrites because we preach about accepting others as they are and forgiveness, but we refuse to socialize with anyone outside our social groups. One of the worst of these cases are homosexuals. The Bible states that this lifestyle is clearly a sin, however, God also says that all sins are equal in His eyes. God forgives all sins and shows grace to everyone. No one is exempt from his unconditional love. Instead of criticizing others and telling them how wrong their lives are, we should be showing them grace and acceptance. God doesn't expect us to convert every single person we meet. Wouldn't it be better to show God's love and grace, rather than the law? I know that personally, I would rather be given a second chance than get a lecture. Also, we do not have the authority to decide the sin and final judgment of our peers. We cannot play God. The New Testament describes the life of Jesus and how he ate with sinners and outsiders. He showed love to those who never got acceptance and they turned to Him and were blessed by the Holy Spirit. Why can't we, as Christians, follow in His footsteps and accept people of all race, age, and lifestyle choice?

            God loves all people, not just those who attend church. Follow in Christ's footsteps by showing love to everyone. Don't judge people by their lifestyle choices. Make relationships with as many people as possible. We have been given the gift of grace, so share it with everyone!

            This blog is about the discussion from Honors about our vocation in life and how we are to use it for His glory. Walter Rauschenbusch was a Baptist pastor and theologian who spent eleven years teaching in a rough neighborhood in New York City. This blog is about a section of his published book where he reflects on the impact individualism makes. He discusses how a person's occupation can change their outlook on their calling from God. He focuses especially on those in occupations where they feel no worth.

            Rauschenbusch starts off by discussing how those who take part in their work and enjoy their profession find satisfaction and believe that they have found their calling from God. Those working in poor occupations, however, feel useless, as if they missed their callings from God. The most common occupation that this takes place in is manufacturing. Those that work in manufacturing feel dishonest, due to the quality of product, and don't serve a purpose. As Rauschenbusch states on page 378, "The finest work is done only by free minds who put love into their work because it is their own". In America today, the social system separates those in highly paid and better off jobs than those in conditions that only satisfy other's needs. This gap causes a large amount of problems in lower classes because they feel like they have not reached their full potential. Rauschenbusch then goes on to discuss the conflicts of industry and commerce. While the two are good and serve the needs of the people, they also cause a variety of problems. They cause competition which only leads to death, according to Rauschenbusch. There is still hope, however, that "all human life can be with divine purposes". This hope may become a reality through the power of God and His people of faith. The jobs people do not take joy in could be reorganized to serve humanity and give its workers desire to do their work.

            I chose this reading because I hate seeing people work in jobs they do not enjoy. I know I would have a difficult time seeing it as my calling from God. I do my best, however, to imagine God has a bigger plan for my life and He will use me to do His will. It's also so nice to know that there is still hope for society and a change. I also hope that in my vocation I am happy. I will accept wherever God puts me because it is His will and I am forever thankful for the amazing things He has done in my life. After all, as Rauschenbusch says, we have not "tasted the powers of the coming age".

            On Tuesday the 24^th of April, the 11^th annual Poehler Lecture took place in the Buetow Auditorium. The Poehler Lecture series is designed to explore how the faculty at Concordia University, St. Paul connect the Christian faith to academic disciplines. This year's speakers were brothers, Dr. Dale Trapp and Rev. Dr. Thomas Trapp. The lecture began with the Trapp family background. They focused on family, graduation, and church. The two professors then took turns describing how they combine faith and learning in a classroom setting. Dr. Dale Trapp discussed how he teaches science and is able to combine that with the Christian faith. Dr. Tom Trapp discussed how he teaches the faith and what it means to be people who live eternally.

            Dr. Dale Trapp discussed how he teaches his class. He talked about how faith and learning can go hand in hand through science. God created the universe and everything in it. He shows His wisdom and power through science and discoveries. The Bible talks about miracles, that is, something that takes place outside of common experiences. Science explains the mysteries of the universe, attempting to prove them. By combining these two subjects, it is probable to explain when, how, what, and where through science, as well as why through religion. Trapp discussed how God is 100% involved in science. By using them both in education, the subjects enrich each other and enforce the other. Dr. Rev. Tom Trapp discussed how his teachings reflect on life, death, and eternal life. The meaning of title of the lecture, Head to Head and Heart to Heart, explained how the Trapps teach. They have to get what they know from their head to the students' heads. In order to get them to love the subject, it is helpful to express how they feel so that the students will begin to love it. Dr. Rev. Tom Trapp tries to arrange his teachings to reflect how the world is wrapped up in God's love. God goes "looking for the lost" to bring all His people to salvation. He then went on to talk about how some people see the Bible as a book of rules. It is not! Along with God, we work together in this world, as opposed to salvation. We are justified; it has been done for us. Christ took away all our sin. There is nothing anyone can do to achieve eternal life; it is a gift. Dr. Trapp loves analogies. He describes how the world is "crosseyed", meaning God sees the world through the cross, through which Christ has died and rose for the sins of the world. We have "tombvision", meaning we see the world through sanctified eyes. Finally, everyone has "HolyBlindspots", through which we can block out the sins and see the good in people. The final topic of the professors was to continue to discover and develop one's skills. Expand the heart and the mind and see value in all teachers. Finally, never be ashamed of the Christian faith.

            The Trapp brothers are amazing professors, as well as amazing speakers. They did a great job with the annual Poehler Lecture. I really enjoyed hearing them speak about their experiences and what they have learned over the course of their teaching. Something that really caught my attention was how they described their three births - birth into the world, birth into the church (Baptism), and someday the birth into eternal life. The first birth is not as important but the other two mean a great deal to the Christian. They even look forward to their birth into eternal life. It's so great to see that as a student. I love getting to know my professors and their life. I really enjoyed that this lecture was on science and faith. Since Biology is my major, this subject means the utmost importance to me. I love that Dr. Dale Trapp discussed how science and faith can be combined and used to explain the other. In Biology right now we are discussing evolution and this is a topic that can cause many problems, especially in an LCMS college. It's nice to finally hear that my major has everything to do with faith, and that it does not have to be separated to make sense. This lecture really opened my eyes to see that my calling from God can be science based and I can still be a strong Christian. My experiences as a scientist will not affect the way I see my Lord and Savior. I will continue to learn and work hard every day.

            On Wednesday the eighteenth of April, three science students, Dr. Shellie Kieke, and I drove to Duluth to hear Rebecca Skloot talk about her experiences writing The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. This book was the book of the year at Concordia University, St. Paul. The Honors class read it over the summer then discussed it when classes started up in the fall. We also made youtube videos to advertise the book to other Concordia students. At the convention in Duluth, Skloot sat down with the host of Minnesota Public Radio, Kerri Miller to discuss her experiences with the Lacks family and how the ten year journey of writing her book happened.

            Skloot first discussed what it was like to write the book. She felt like her life from an early age was preparing her to write this novel. One of her first struggles was getting in touch with the Lacks family. They distrusted almost everyone that asked about their mother or HeLa. They had been betrayed so many times that they didn't doubt for a minute someone else would. Skloot was different, however. She was patient and she was honest. Miller asked how she had decided to fit the entire ten year journey together. Skloot discussed how she wanted to flip from different years and different subjects so that readers would get the entire picture of science, the family's struggle, and even her struggles. At first she refused to put herself in the book. "It's not my story", she said. She didn't want to bring any attention to herself. After taking Deborah to the home where Elsie was sent, Skloot began to realize that she had to be part of the story. She had to explain to readers how the family first shut her out, how much determination it took to get them to realize she wanted the whole story, and how Deborah's mood swing affected her. Deborah was constantly fighting with Skloot. One day she was her best friend, then the next she didn't trust her at all and hid any information she had from Skloot. For ten years Skloot had been a part of the story but it wasn't until later in those years that she found out she was part of the Henrietta Lacks story. Skloot then went on to talk about what life was like today. She began by discussing what happened the months before the book was published. She gave a few copies to the Lacks family and had them read it over. They were amazed and so proud to finally be able to show people the story behind HeLa. Skloot then made a plan to ensure their personal information was protected in case anyone tried to use it. At first the family thought she was being crazy. "Why would anyone want to know any of our information?", was their first response. After the book came out...they understood. Finally, the family had to decide whether they wanted to allow emails or let people contact them. They decided to set up a website with an email address that any family member could check and read. Today they absolutely love the emails they get. Most are from families where HeLa cells have changed their lives and how thankful they are for Henrietta's contribution to society. The book has made a lasting impact on the family. Skloot fulfilled her promise to the family and set up a college fund for all of the children so that the Lacks kids could go to school and get a proper education.

            This lecture opened my eyes and made me see just how amazing this book truly is. Skloot put her entire future on the line to write it. She never disobeyed the Lacks family trust or hid information from them. She never could have imagined just how much of an impact this book would make. Today she travels the world discussing her book. She's like a member of the family to the entire Lacks clan. The one thing that really opened my eyes, however, was when Miller asked her to discuss the day Skloot took Deborah and Zachariah to the lab at Hopkins. Skloot expressed her gratitude for the scientist willing to spend time with Henrietta's children and explain to them all he knew about HeLa. It is amazing how one act of kindness can change a person's entire life. From that day on Deborah began to understand why her mother was such an amazing woman and how her cells had truly changed the world. In Honors right now we are discussing vocation. After listening to Skloot talk about her work on the book, I have realized that the occupation I choose may cause me to struggle and fall along the way but in the end, there is always a silver lining. When things get rough and it feels like I have hit rock bottom, I hope that I can pick myself right back up and keep going, knowing that soon I will be able to see where I am going. I know I will never change the world like Skloot has with her dedication to Henrietta's story but just knowing I can change one person's life is enough for me. I hope that one day someone can look to me like Deborah looked to Skloot. I hope to be the best role model I can be in my vocation.

                In Honors this week we are discussing the life of a Christian today and how it should be lived. Many people confuse God's calling with their occupation. Our vocation is divided into many callings. God calls us to an occupation, but He also calls us to be a sister, brother, mother, friend, and more. The reading I chose to blog on this week is written by Horace Bushnell, a pastor from Connecticut dedicated to educating congregations on finding their calling. He writes about how God has a plan set aside for each and every person in the world, as well as everything else in the universe. As Bushnell states, each star has its place, each flower its time, just as each of us have a path that God has made especially for us.

            Bushnell's thesis is "that God has a definite life-plan for every human person, girding him, visibly or invisibly, for some exact thing, which it will be the true significance and glory of his life to have accomplished".  God knows what everyone's calling is even before they are born. He picks the best calling for their life and leads them on that path. If the individual chooses to ignore the path God set aside for him or her then He will lead them on the second best path and so on until all the options have been shown to the individual. If the individual still refuses to walk the path, then God will use their life for the good of others. God never forgets about anyone. If people refuse to accept their calling, God will still use them for His good. No matter where we go in our life, God will always use us. Bushnell also gives advice as to how people should find God's calling. It takes reflection, guidance from friends, reading the word, and prayer to find the path that God has prepared for us. It is also important to know that the struggles we conquer every day are best for our lives and the path we are on. Bushnell then goes on to say that since the calling we are put into is right and the best for us, we should continually rejoice. "If God is really preparing us all to become that which is the very highest and best thing possible, there ought never to be a discouraged or uncheerful being in the world..."

            I chose this reading because it fits in with my life right now. For a while I struggled with where I was in life and where God was putting me. This blog helps put my struggles into perspective and helps me to see that whatever I am going through, especially in college, will benefit me in the long run as a person and in my future calling. I believe that wherever I go God will use me and Bushnell helped me see that even more. Sometimes I need to just take a step back and thank God for all the things He has done for me rather than dwelling on the bad. I also really liked that Bushnell talked about nature because in Biology right now we are discussing evolution and it takes a great amount of effort to combine science and religion. I have finally realized that it can be done. I am so happy to be where I am in my life. I continue to learn things every day and I enjoy the people God has put in my life.

            The instrumental music ensemble took place at Concordia University, St. Paul on Friday the 30^th of March. This is an enrichment blog for the Honors class. The percussion ensemble performed first and played two songs. They were upbeat and very entertaining. The band director even took part in the first song. The concert band played second. The first piece was a combination of different songs. The second was an opera song and the third was a faster paced, dramatic song. The fourth piece was upbeat and fast. When they finished an encore was given of Beethoven's Dervish Chorus. The audience kindly gave the director and instrumentalists a standing ovation.

            Band is a great extracurricular activity that many students participate in to get away from the stress of other credits. It's great to relieve stress listening and playing music. For other students, it is a required class for their major. The best thing about band, however, is that almost everyone loves band. It's a class where everyone can be themselves and enjoy making music. One of the great things I saw at the concert helped me relate the experience of band to one's calling. The band director, Professor Isaackson, took part in the first song of the concert. It was great to see a professional in their occupation enjoying every minute of it with a proud smile on his face. It's easy to see that he enjoys his job and knows that this is the calling God gave him. That's incredible!

            I thoroughly enjoyed the band concert. It was so much fun to have a solo in a college band. For me, band is a de-stresser. I don't have to worry about homework, just playing my instrument and enjoying the company of my fellow band members. Professor Isaackson thoroughly enjoys his job and it's great to have someone to look up to and see that he truly found his calling and still loves it.

            The fourth International Conference on Hmong Studies took place March 31 at Concordia University, St. Paul. This is a political blog for the Honors class. A Tale of Two Peoples: An Overview of the Hmong and Laotian in the United States was a session done by Kou Yang, a professor in the Department of Anthropology, as well as Geography and Ethnic Studies at California State University. Yang discussed how the Hmong and Laotian people came to the United States as refugees. They had very little education and were unprepared to speak the English language. Today they are still the minority and have difficulty adapting with the little amount of education they have.

            According to Yang, the Hmong culture is made up of one ethnic group while the Laotian culture is made up of many ethnic groups, such as Tai Dam and the Lao Chinese. The immigration of these two cultures occurred mostly from the 1990s to the 2000s. From 2000 to 2010 this immigration has decreased drastically. The immigration status of Hmong people is normally from a younger age like their 20s, whereas the Laotian people migrated at around the age of 50. These immigrants were uneducated and were forced to take low paying jobs in America. It is very unfortunate that they didn't get much choice in their callings. Many were forced to take any job available in order to support their families. Today these two groups have set up a few places in the United States in order to continue their traditions and culture. While these places are not very diverse or large in number it is at least a start for them to continue practicing their way of life.

            This conference was very informational. I learned a lot about the Hmong culture and how it came to the United States. I find it sad that they cannot choose their jobs. I feel very blessed to be born and raised in this country. I know that I can choose my profession and continue my education as far as I want. I hope that the Hmong and Laotian cultures are able to further their education and extend their culture to more parts of America.

            The convocation on Wednesday the 28^th was hosted by Concordia students who took part in Internships. Each speaker discussed their experience and the knowledge they gained from their organizations. The first speaker, Hassan, discussed his internship at the Mayo Clinic. The program he took part in was a week long and it offered shadowing of physicians, networking for the future, personal connections, professionalism sessions, and strategies in medicine. The internship was completely free in order to get college students interested in entering the medical field. Hassan also discussed how he earned honors through research on smoking at the University of Minnesota. The second speakers partook in an internship at 3M where they studied adhesive material and were able to apply techniques in class to work in the lab. This was a paid internship and was a huge help when they applied to future medical programs. The third speaker, Kaolee took an internship at Children's Dental Services (CDS), just as I did.

            This convocation fit perfectly into the discussion of Honors. "Callings" is the main theme this semester. The internships that these students took part in helped them prepare for their futures. Internships are one of the best ways to gain experience and knowledge on the topic of one's future occupation. Internships are also a great way to find out what career one would like to become a part of. Many internships lead to future jobs. This is especially true for the interns at 3M. This company pays their interns and is completely willing to work around their schedule. They stay in touch with interns after they leave and offer them a job when all of their schooling is finished. Internships can open so many doors for students. They help build connections. Internships, such as the one at CDS, are volunteer and serve the community. They are purely for learning and helping out neighbors around us. They are great when it comes to applying for future jobs and finalizing one's resume. Overall, internships are a great way to get one's foot in the door and prepare for future occupations or schooling.

            This seminar was really interesting. I was so excited to have another intern from CDS speak. My service project this year is at CDS and I am loving it. Working in a dentist office is so fun and I have learned so much from my experience. I hope to continue learning and serving the community. 3M also sounded like an amazing opportunity and I would consider looking into it. I completely respect the students that are able to take time out of their busy school schedule to take part in internships. It definitely made me think more about continuing my internship after this year in honors.

            In Honors this week we discussed the Reformation period. One of the writers is George Herbert. He was a pastor in a small church. In his essay, Herbert discusses the duties of a pastor and how they are supposed to live their lives. Herbert believes that pastors are supposed to live as perfect a life as possible. Drinking, swearing, and taking part in luxury should be impermissible by all willing to take the pastoral vow. Idleness is also a forbidden characteristic that pastors are to avoid. Herbert then goes on to discuss the callings of men. Married men have two affairs: the improvement of their family and bringing them up in the fear of the Lord.

            Herbert is a very opinionated writer. He wants to be sure that pastors set a positive example for their congregations. Some people consider him to be self-righteous on the issue. While this is somewhat revealed through his choice of words, his overall goal is to get pastors to see that they are to try to be as perfect as they can, yet know that they can never be completely perfect. Herbert has a strong view on the Christian vocation of ministry. His essay reflects some of the monastic values. Drinking is a huge sin in his eyes because it affects one's judgment and can prove deceptive. Luxury should be ignored by those in the ministry because they only create idols and take away from the focus on God. One of Herbert's largest arguments is against idleness. Pastors are to go out into their community and serve as models of the Christian vocation. They should work hard and encourage others to follow in their example. Finally, Herbert discusses how men are supposed to find their callings. Marriage is a sacred institution that they should be willing to commit to. It takes a lot of work to bring up a household in the fear of the Lord. Those that do not wish to take part in this institution should consider furthering their education and become professors. If these are not appealing to him then he should think about joining his country in battle. Finally, if this does not sound beneficial to him, he should busy himself on plantations or think about a religious employment.

            I found Herbert to be very interesting. I did not view him as self-righteous but very opinionated on the subject. I understand why he thinks that those choosing to become pastors should try to live as perfect a life as they can. If pastors went around swearing, drinking, and breaking laws then what would become of their congregations? The religious profession is a difficult one and should not be taken lightly. I agree that in any profession, it is important to do one's best and strive for perfection. I disagree with Herbert somewhat here because I believe that perfection should not be the soul desire. People should enjoy the callings they choose and want to perform their best. Want vs. Need makes all the difference. I choose dentistry for my future profession because I believe I will love it and want to do the very best I can just because I sincerely enjoy it.