Last weekend I went to Chicago for the annual Midwest Nuclear Theory Get-Together. It is an informal meeting, and it is partly designed to give graduate students practice giving presentations. I gave a presentation, and I felt much more confident than in previous presentations I had given. My adviser was not able to go because he was in Texas, but my office mate, Mark, came, along with his girlfriend Jen. Mark said that my delivery improved dramatically.
There were talks on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, so afterwards Mark and Jen and I went downtown Chicago. We went to the Shedd Aquarium. I didn’t think it was any better than the aquarium in Chattanooga, but afterwards I found out that they have dolphin shows and beluga whales. I wish I had known! After the aquarium we went to the Navy Pier. I went on a large ferris wheel there. I took some pictures from the top, but I had to take them with my phone because my camera decided not to work while I was up there. As soon as I figure out how to transfer pictures from my phone to the computer I will post them to the blog.
We left on Sunday morning. Since it was Sunday, I asked Mark and Jen if they would be interested in reading a Bible passage together. Mark is an atheist, and Jen says she is “spiritual” but that she mostly prays for animals. Both of them come from Christian backgrounds, but they now both believe that organized religion is bad for society (although individually it is ok to believe whatever you want). However, they don’t mind talking about religion, and in fact, we had already discussed some of what I believe and what they believe on the way up. Anyway, they agreed to listen, so I read Jeremiah 7, which the pastor at the church I’ve been going to preached through the previous Sunday.
Jen fell asleep while I read, and Mark thought that the passage was not very enriching and that it actually sounded fake; although, he did admit that he is biased. I was able to explain something about the passage, but eventually the discussion turned to the topic of evolution and natural selection.
Mark and Jen are actually quite friendly, but I have noticed that being with for extended periods of time is wearying to my soul. A life without God is so depressing.
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Thanks for sharing.
I’m glad you had positive feedback on your speaking. Also, you never know what seeds have been planted in them.
I’m glad you were able to give a good presentation. That’s interesting that Mark realized that he was biased.
God’s Word never goes out empty, but accomplishes the purpose for which He sent it.