My Ejimacation...

I so appreciate all of my education:
    The Seymour Family Altar: that's a whole other post;
    Boarding School in Tari, PNG, @ 8 years old, while Mama and Daddy were in Goroka, PNG for the birth of Davey;
    Calvert Correspondance School (curriculum Mama used for my homeschooling, grades 1 - 7);
    Public School, Stoutsville, Ohio, 5th grade: elected "Penny Queen" for the school carnival;
    One Room School Haus, Kar Station, PNG, 8th grade, with an amazing missionary teacher Ruth McClain;
    Mt. Carmel High School, Vancleve, Kentucky, 9th - 12 th grades;
   Circleville Bible College, '76 - '79, graduated with Bible Diploma, major Christian Education;
   Circleville Bible College, '91 - '93, graduated with BA in Christian Ministries;
   Life with Rev. Richard Oliver, '79 - '91, pastor's wife, mom of Stephanie & MaryAnn;
   Life as a widow, single-mom, dating-&-married-again-in-my-late-30's;
   Life with Stephanie & MaryAnn, now 31 & 25: they have taught me the most about being a real person;
   Life with Paulie and Ashlee, our now 12 year old, special needs daughter.
   Life as a pastor that is female; and...
   Two failed attempts to start my Master's in Leadership &/or Spiritual Formation.

So this week I began an Online Orientation Class to prepare me for History & Polity of The Church of The Nazarene.  This is the only course I need to have my ordination credentials from CCCU recognized and transferred to The Nazarene's.  Online education, a virtual classroom, daily assignment posts...ah, nothing but diagramming Scripture verses in Miss Reed's English class at MCHS could have prepared me for this!

As a third generation preacher, I am most grateful to be continually a student in The School of The Holy Spirit.  "But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ." I John 2:27

Rev. Glen Seymour(grandpa) and Daddy(Rev. Don Seymour), you are my heroes!  Thank you for modeling a hunger and thirst for righteousnes.  Mama, thank you for never giving up on me till I learned to love reading as much as you do!  Dr. Case and Dr. McQuire, thank you for teaching me to dig in and pull out the deep truths of the Word.  Dr. John Maxwell, thank you for always recognizing me and helping me believe that God has great plans for my life.

Father, thank you for allowing me to be born in a time of optimal educational opportunity.  Please keep my computer working till I get through this latest learning endeavor.  Amen!

  

The Sunday Afternoon Nap

Keeping the Sabbath day holy always included an afternoon nap.  Mama and Daddy would be in their bedroom...sleeping!  Sissy(Deborah Jane Seymour MacKay) and I would be in our bedroom.  Rather, we were supposed to be...in the bed.

One Sunday afternoon, Daddy was roused from his nap by a loud knock at the door.  "Rev., do you have a missing child?" the stranger asked.  "There's a naked one on the roof!"

Sissy  had opened the window and gone out on the roof in her underwear.  I was, of course, beckoning her from the open window.  We both were in big trouble.

When you're 4 and 5 years old, naps feel like punishment.  Now they are a luxury.  Sunday is definitely not holy if I don't get a nap.

Something More about This Blog

With all that we have been through as a family, my faith has, at times, been on shakey ground.  Completely walking away from God, however, has not been a serious option. My journey has been to understand His "sozo" - redemption and healing grace. Sozo is the Greek word for "save" which contains the deeper meaning of wholeness, holiness or complete healing (I Thess. 5:23: "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ).

"I am a wounded healer and I will not leave the fight
Because the Great Physician is healing me.
I will stand in the battle with the armor of His Light
Because His mighty power is real in me.
I am loved, I am accepted by the Savior of my soul.
I am loved, I am accepted and my wounds shall be made whole."

Unknown

Hello World! from Oct. 10

Welcome to Rev.  Mother Sister Sozo.  After you read this, you may wonder how you found me.  It was no accident.  Maybe you share some of my questions.  Maybe you’re alot like me.  Just needing someone to hold your hand and walk a ways with you.

• Who cares what I think?
• Would anyone want to know what is in my heart?
• Who am I?
• Do I matter?

These questions have called out to me, from a mirror, since adolesence. Many times I didn’t even recognize the face.

Addiction

 

This is definitely going to be my new addiction.  Haven’t written or journaled regularly for several years.  Don’t think I’m going to be able to shut up for quite a while.  Thank you, Jesus, for all the people out there who do accept me for the person You made me to be.  Please watch over my family tonight…let them know how deeply I love them