**Random**

So as you know, I am now attending David Lipscomb University for graduate school. Let me tell you...I'm lovin it so far as far as school goes. I mean, who can really love reading textbooks and taking tests, but aside from that, the school itself is pretty cool.

I was in my Research and Statistics class last Thursday bored out of my mind, so what do I do when I'm too bored to pay attend to important information that will be on the test??? Yup, I journal. So I'm sitting in the very front row where the prof. can see everything I'm doing and I pull out my bright pink journal. I don't think that bothered him much because prior to that I was just drawing random pictures on the syllabus he handed out about 60 minutes earlier. This is my Stats class journal entry:



I am going to a tiny tiny tiny Christian school in a tucked away section of Nashville, TN. I know what you're thinking. How close minded and conservative. #1. It's a Christian school. What kind of freedom can you have attending a Christian school? #2. Your high school was bigger and this college right? I know I know. But I love doing something different. I mean, I went from a high school class of 42, to a college of 23,000 students, back to a cohort of like...IDK...less than 100. I'm all over the map here.

I'm doodling in my journal, then a conversation catches my attention and peaks my interest. The prof is talking about how we have to not only pay attention to techniques in counseling and theory, but also be aware of the fact that people are more than physical beings. We have souls and minds and spirits that continuously impact our lives and others. This makes me think about how different Lipscomb is than MTSU (my Alma mater). MTSU is considered to be quite a liberal college. You can protest and picket any time you feel like it. You can play explicit music outside the very buildings in which you attend class. Your professor will cuss you out if you step outta line. Let me paint a picture of the MTSU Psychology dept. for you. After 4 years in that environment I think I've come across maybe 2 Christians...MAYBE. I can only think of one but I'm giving a bit of grace thinking maybe I'm forgetting someone. How do I know this? My Psychology professors at MTSU made it clear to their class their views on Christianity. Basically, it's silly. My professors proclaimed and shouted their Atheistic views and wore them proud like it was an American flag. I've seen professors single out Christian students and ask them crazy questions like "why would an all knowing God create someone who He knew would torture and kill numerous people?" How can you answer a question to which only God knows that answer? Right, you can't. So I witnessed professors attacking God for years, and of course back then I didn't want to speak up or anything because #1. Professors don't make good enemies. #2. I couldn't answer their "God" questions.

Fast forward some years to Lipscomb. We can freely talk about how we do or do not believe in God. We can talk about the statistics that back up the biological ideas of Psychology and then follow up. We can talk about how our relationship with God affects who we are as counselors.

So now which school is close minded? The one where professors either don't care and denounce God or tip toe around the issue because it's a thin line between opinion and getting a premature review with the dean of the Psych dept. Or is it the one where you are free to believe what you want, and even encouraged to seek answers outside what can be physically measured.

hmmm.....