More From Arkansas

We had a great day at Harding University last Thursday and Friday. Much has changed on campus since I last visited almost 20 years ago. One of the dorms has been converted into a hotel and a brand new administration building has been built with an amazing, what did they call it? ‘foey-yur’. It looks like a foyer to me but nobody knew what I was talking about. 🙂

We arrived for C-Harmony and I was given a table in a large conference room with 38 other churches. After a great lunch that the University provided each church had multiple 30 minute interviews from 1pm – 5pm. Just as one ends the other one starts. I would say that four of the eight guys that I saw would be excellent for the Summer Intern Position. We have a tough choice to make in the next few weeks.

While all this is going on Jim is getting the Executive treatment. He had a private suite provided by the Career Services Department where he did four interviews. Afterward Jim and I scheduled second interviews with four of the applicants we really liked so that each of us had a chance to get to know the applicants. It was a busy first day.

We stayed in the Heritage Inn on campus and after breakfast, headed over the Benson Auditorium for chapel. We sat in the guest chairs and I had hardly spoken a word when a girl in the front row whirls around and says, “You’re from Canada aren’t you!?” Shen explained that she was from Michigan State and missed hearing Canadians. It reminded her of home. I thought it was funny. Then we went back to the Career Services Department and had four more interviews (one new one and three repeats)

When it became clear that we were having trouble fitting them in the Career Services folks offered to get us some lunch so we could eat and meet at the same time. We were just slayed by kindness. After all the interviews were done Jim  mentioned that we were going to take a walk around campus and see what has changed.  The director of the program then offered to give us a tour of campus on a golf cart. Oh, yeah, and we got hats for being group from the furthest away. Sweet!

We were so lucky that the ice storm stayed north of us. There are more than a million people in Arkansas that are likely going to be without power for a week. We were graciously spared and I pray that those who remain without power will have it restored soon.

One final random thought on air travel.  I have observed that in air travel two things will suddenly make people devoutly religious. The plane suddenly losing cabin pressure and beginning a rapid decent is one way. People who moments before couldn’t care less about God or righteous living will suddenly begin praying fervently for deliverance.

I have now seen another.  Sitting in a departure lounge we were joined by a new mother and her infant son. Suddenly you can see people sitting in the lounge fervently praying, “Please, don’t let that kids sit near me!” Having a seat at the back of the plane, I was one of the last to board the flight to Buffalo and got to see a hilarious sight.  Mom and baby settling into an aisle seat in the third row with defeated, despairing faces on either side.  Priceless!

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