Falling In Love During Winter Intensive

Falling in love during Winter Intensive is much like falling in love on a mission trip (Sup, Jon Acuff?) or on a cruise. The thing about a Winter Intensive class is that, much like a cruise, people fly from all over for one week of glory. Although in this case, instead of spending their time drinking margaritas or swimming with dolphins they get to spend five days of 8-5 class studying smart sounding seminary-ish things (Not going to lie... I've had to google a few class titles, just to know what they meant before the first day.) But back to the original point, I feel that it almost goes without saying that at the end of the week people don't waste any time in getting back to their hometowns. 

Now, Winter Intensive love has a few good things about it:

1. It's a nice distraction. I know, I know... studying things like Soteriology and Old Testament Law for a week straight is a complete blast. But believe it or not, it can become a bit of a beat down and anything to give the class a little pep is quite welcome. 

2. Much like mission trip love-- you spend all day err'day talking about Jesus with each other. "Hey, remember that one time that we sat in class for eight hours learning about the inerrancy of the Bible? Well that wasn't quite enough for me, so I'd love to go get a seminary approved beverage with you and study some more. Then maybe later we can practice speaking in tongues."

3. Much like cruise love-- you only have to be on your best behavior for five days. Then you can feel free to head home and catch up on all those Law & Order: SVU reruns and getting dressed in the dark.

Lastly...

4. You get the first hand experience of the awkward seminary dating world without being stuck in it like those of us that are on campus year round. Winter Intensive love doesn't have the normal pressure that seminary dating holds. No one expects a ring by the end of the week. And when both of you fly home on Friday evening, you're void of any further responsibility. 

Maybe you will find lasting love during Winter Intensive, although I wouldn't put all your eggs in that basket. Or all of your prayers in that hymnal, as it were.