Hey friends.
I breathe a deep sigh of relief as I begin this post. It feels so good to know that I can continue to communicate with you. Praise the Lord for the highly controversial blessings of the internet.
I'll just begin with the most important things and move my way down.
Or over. Or whatever.
We are done moving things from point A to point B. We are at the "Fix up the old flat, and try to avoid going insane from unpacking boxes" phase. This is much better than the "Moving and organizing only God knows what and try not going insane from not having anything handy" phase, which we just got through.
I think the most subtle beauty of this whole time has been the reality of it. Everyone has been at their worst. But we are still able to love. For me, it's particularly beautiful, because I have been grafted in to this family, and there is nothing but Christ that makes this work. Atleast, that's what I'm thinking, and needing to be much more thankful for. It's NOT comfortable...but neither are high heels, and those things make women look much more beautiful...so must reality.
Haha. I'm just rambling. That's dangerous. Forgive me. I thought I'd share some of my reality with you all.
I'll just begin with the most important things and move my way down.
Or over. Or whatever.
We are done moving things from point A to point B. We are at the "Fix up the old flat, and try to avoid going insane from unpacking boxes" phase. This is much better than the "Moving and organizing only God knows what and try not going insane from not having anything handy" phase, which we just got through.
I think the most subtle beauty of this whole time has been the reality of it. Everyone has been at their worst. But we are still able to love. For me, it's particularly beautiful, because I have been grafted in to this family, and there is nothing but Christ that makes this work. Atleast, that's what I'm thinking, and needing to be much more thankful for. It's NOT comfortable...but neither are high heels, and those things make women look much more beautiful...so must reality.
Haha. I'm just rambling. That's dangerous. Forgive me. I thought I'd share some of my reality with you all.
Another big thing is my Deutsch for Foreigners class! Ecki and Nadine's friend Iris did some research and found that this class was a short bike ride away and met three times a week for two and a half hours. The class had begun just one day before I found out about it. To live in such a small town, it really is unheard of that a class would be so close. ON TOP OF THAT! when I got there the teacher sat me next to a girl from Romania named Violeta and she could speak English very well. I HAVE A FRIEND!!!!! YAY!!! She is 20 years old and came to Germany to live with her boyfriend who flies helicopters here. (??) She didn't know anyone for 3 months while she's been here, except her boyfriend. She says she spends a lot of time watching tv, cleaning, talking on the internet, taking walks. But now we can chat. As Jenny would say "Sounds like an opportunity to share Christ." Pray for this friendship. I have been able to share my faith with her a little bit, but I pray that she and I will have a conversation. She is a really sweet girl. She speaks 4 languages (Romanian, English, French and Spanish) and now she's working on Deutsch. She loves kids, so I'm trying to set up a way for her to come over and meet the boys. Anyways. Simply having a friend is a huge answer to prayer, and so yay to Jesus.
My time here is over halfway done, and things have been bittersweet lately. Last week Ecki and I were sick, and that gave me some time to just reflect on what a blessing it is to be here with the B-mosers. Usually I'm running around Jackson like a chicken with my head cut off...but here I'm with the same people day in and day out. I go to my room, I go to the kitchen, I take a bike ride. Simple. There is not a lot to distract me, except flies from the garden (is it ok to enjoy the death of flies? I do.) No phone. No car. It is a good life. I took the boys to the playground the other day, and while they were on the teeter totter (Noah vs. Samy and Elia) they just laughed and laughed. I thought Elia might accidentally stop breathing. Noah would do some silent movie worthy comedy, trying to make his little brothers think it was incredibly hard for him to make his side of the teeter totter go down. He would rub his hands together and scrunch his face and push down with all his might, and fall down. Then, when he'd finally just sit on the other side and make them fly into their air, they would scream and laugh all together with such delight. No worries in the world. I am going to miss these boys. They are so great. I wish you all could see them.
Then, that night, I had the great joy of sitting with Ecki and Nadine over ice cream and just chatting with them. They have been so patient with me. I feel so blessed to have a family here. Once again, I think about these things, and need to be much more thankful than I am.
Ecki and I have been watching this documentary called "They Sold their Souls for Rock and Roll" and it is very interesting. I'm not sure if I agree with everything they are trying to communicate, but they are basically pointing out the huge emphasis music has on people and what musicians are really communicating about Satan that we may not know. For instance, I had no idea that Led Zeppelin, one of my favorite bands, was so influenced by Satanist Aleister Crowley. I assumed Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Marilyn Manson would be on this video...but some of the musicians were just really heartbreaking for me. It has been great that Ecki has such a love for music like me, because not a lot of people would be so passionate about discussing a sound Biblical view on what music should be and what it should not be. We watched this 10 hour documentary (yeah. We watched in 2 hour increments...don't worry) and I felt much more convicted about some of the music I have been listening to with ease. I would really like to talk more about this, but I won't use this avenue. If anyone wants to discuss this, I would really like to.
My time here is over halfway done, and things have been bittersweet lately. Last week Ecki and I were sick, and that gave me some time to just reflect on what a blessing it is to be here with the B-mosers. Usually I'm running around Jackson like a chicken with my head cut off...but here I'm with the same people day in and day out. I go to my room, I go to the kitchen, I take a bike ride. Simple. There is not a lot to distract me, except flies from the garden (is it ok to enjoy the death of flies? I do.) No phone. No car. It is a good life. I took the boys to the playground the other day, and while they were on the teeter totter (Noah vs. Samy and Elia) they just laughed and laughed. I thought Elia might accidentally stop breathing. Noah would do some silent movie worthy comedy, trying to make his little brothers think it was incredibly hard for him to make his side of the teeter totter go down. He would rub his hands together and scrunch his face and push down with all his might, and fall down. Then, when he'd finally just sit on the other side and make them fly into their air, they would scream and laugh all together with such delight. No worries in the world. I am going to miss these boys. They are so great. I wish you all could see them.
Then, that night, I had the great joy of sitting with Ecki and Nadine over ice cream and just chatting with them. They have been so patient with me. I feel so blessed to have a family here. Once again, I think about these things, and need to be much more thankful than I am.
Ecki and I have been watching this documentary called "They Sold their Souls for Rock and Roll" and it is very interesting. I'm not sure if I agree with everything they are trying to communicate, but they are basically pointing out the huge emphasis music has on people and what musicians are really communicating about Satan that we may not know. For instance, I had no idea that Led Zeppelin, one of my favorite bands, was so influenced by Satanist Aleister Crowley. I assumed Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Marilyn Manson would be on this video...but some of the musicians were just really heartbreaking for me. It has been great that Ecki has such a love for music like me, because not a lot of people would be so passionate about discussing a sound Biblical view on what music should be and what it should not be. We watched this 10 hour documentary (yeah. We watched in 2 hour increments...don't worry) and I felt much more convicted about some of the music I have been listening to with ease. I would really like to talk more about this, but I won't use this avenue. If anyone wants to discuss this, I would really like to.
Ok. Well that's enough for today. I will be going to Hamburg next weekend to spend some time with Nadine's dad and step mom. I have been praying about this for a month now. Please pray that it goes well and that I would not fear men, but God. And that I would have fun!
Love you all. Peace of Christ to you!
UPDATE: (within an update)
I am in Hamburg writing this now...I meant to send this post, but it did not post.
So, I just wanted to add a few things very quickly.
1) Ecki and Nadine and I had a really special evening the other night. First, Ecki and Nadine had a board meeting for the Seamen's Christian Friend Society (SCFS) at the house, and it was very encouraging for them to look back on the year and see all the ways the Lord has provided for them. It was really great to hear about how God has been taking the weak and little things we have and making them into great and beautiful things. After the meeting, we, as a family, took a walk around the countryside. It is really beautiful here. We stopped to watch two young horses frollick through a field on our way back. Then when we got back, Ecki and Nadine and I got to spend some time in the word and even took communion together. I share this to say that God has continually blessed us with unity. I came here feeling guaranteed of service and sightseeing...but God keeps blessing me with deepened relationships in the Lord.
I am in Hamburg writing this now...I meant to send this post, but it did not post.
So, I just wanted to add a few things very quickly.
1) Ecki and Nadine and I had a really special evening the other night. First, Ecki and Nadine had a board meeting for the Seamen's Christian Friend Society (SCFS) at the house, and it was very encouraging for them to look back on the year and see all the ways the Lord has provided for them. It was really great to hear about how God has been taking the weak and little things we have and making them into great and beautiful things. After the meeting, we, as a family, took a walk around the countryside. It is really beautiful here. We stopped to watch two young horses frollick through a field on our way back. Then when we got back, Ecki and Nadine and I got to spend some time in the word and even took communion together. I share this to say that God has continually blessed us with unity. I came here feeling guaranteed of service and sightseeing...but God keeps blessing me with deepened relationships in the Lord.
2) I found out that I LOVE TO WORK IN THE GARDEN! Yes. Pulling up weeds is so satisfying. I hope that everyone gets to do it once in their life. Wowee.
We have a great garden here. I would post pictures...but once again, I am unable.
I miss you all, but I am so happy here.
We have a great garden here. I would post pictures...but once again, I am unable.
I miss you all, but I am so happy here.
Love you.
Alice
Alice
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