The Cost of Being Qualified

I started looking at graduate school information again today.

I'm not going to lie that when I start looking at this stuff its like I hear a buzz in my head and I can't process anything clearly. I'm not sure why that is.... is it because I don't know what I want to do for my life? Is it because of the exhorbitant cost of graduate school? Is it because I'm out of debt and would prefer to stay that way..... which would mean that I take approximately one class per year for the next 14 years (an unattractive option)?

I ask myself the following questions:
1) is it worth going to grad school full-time in order to finish in a shorter amount of time, thereby starting a new career path sooner?
2) is it worth taking on-line courses in order that I can work full-time and reduce the burden of debt I may accrue, though taking longer?
3) could I simply "start" a program and that would be enough for me to get a job that I love in ministry and I could "chip-away" as I had time/money/desire.
4) is it better to be "unqualified" in the world's eyes?

Now some of you know that my answer to #4 has historically been "yes". I say the less we can do to make our work look more like "us" the better. But there is an element of being responsible to be educated and prepared for the work you are going to do.

This weekend I spoke at a women's retreat. I think the Lord enabled me to be prepared and educated. And the things I said (i think...) were sound and not heretical, they were personal and yet biblical. Is experience (i.e. speaking engagements) enough to beget experience? Will this experience qualify me to speak at the next retreat? Will THAT experience qualify me for the next? Is this how it works? What IS my calling? What DO I want to do?

Well, thats the deal for the day. I am babysitting my pal Elijah this afternoon (hopefully some pics to come later this week of this experience!), and will print some grad school stuff and look through it at that point.

Step one: see if any catch my fancy.
Step two: apply (because "what the heck")
Step three: find out about $$
Step four: cry in my pillow (just kidding) - who knows at this point.

Wish me luck, pray that I would have wisdom.

Love, TR