You may not know this about me but I get very excited about any thing that is miniature; so you can only imagine my joy at getting to prepare a meal like this.
Miniature veggies with paprika, fresh garlic and green onions stemed on the grill. Finger potatoes with garlic salt and pepper than roasted. Lamb chop loins marinated in red wine, fresh garlic and shallots.
A bottle of Happiness Syrah and loved ones makes for a perfect evening.
Here are some things which Paul and I need prayer for as we continue to prep to move to Germany:
1. Communication: please pray that Paul and I are able to continue to communicate clearly as we handle the very many tasks which need to be completed for our move.
2. Money: God has been blessing us in awesome ways, please pray that we would continue to be good stewards and our efforts to fundraise would be fruitful.
3. Paperwork: we have lots of paperwork. Lots and lots of paperwork. Prayer for processes to go smoothly would be very helpful.
Thank you for your continued suport!
Man! Would you look at that kid? It’s hard to believe these pictures were taken over ten years ago. These are all pictures of me in my choir dresses from Jr. High and High school. In the red dress I am 12 years old, 13 in the blue and sweet 16 in the black ren-faire dress.
Mensch! Sehen Sie das kind? Es ist schwer zu glauben, seit sehn Jahre waren diese Bilde gemacht. Die sind alle Bilde von mir, in die ich meine Chorkleide von Hockschule tragen waren. In die rote Kleide war ich 12 jahre alt, 13 in die blaue Kleid, und susse 16 in die schwarze Kleid.
I loved these dresses. Choir was always my happy place in school. I’ve hung onto them this long, but I couldn’t justify taking them with me to Germany. They didn’t have a function, so I decided to give them one!
Ich hatte diese Kleider verliebt. Im Schule war Chor meine glücklische Platz. Ich hatte die so lange gehalten, aber könnte ich nicht begrunden die nach Deutschland mir mitbringen. Sie hatten keine Funktion, so habe ich mich entscheiden die Kleide eine zugeben.
First, I took all the dresses apart. I used a seam ripper to undo each seam. Second, I fitted them together so that they had a somewhat square shape. Next, each piece got sewn together. I first sewed each seam and then went over it again with an orange zig-zag stitch for effect. I used the same process when I sewed the dresses to the orange fabric which I used for the backing
Erste, ich hatte alle die Kleide auseinandernehmen. Ich nutze ein Trennmesser entweder ich jeder Naht aufmachen könnte. Zweite, ich lag jeder Stück an damit sie ein Quadrat machen. Nächste, ich nähe alles zusammen. Erste nähe ich jeder Naht, dennoch nähe ich mit einer orange Zig-Zag Masche. Es hat eine hübsch Effeckt. Ich nutze die gleiche Process als ich die Kleider an die orange Stöff nähte, die ich also Grundgewebe machen.
Lastly, I used a thick black ribbon to make bows. These aren’t just for a pretty effect, they also keep the two layers of fabric from moving too much.
Zum Ende mache ich Zopfband aus dicke schwarzen Bänder. Die Zopfband sind nicht nur schön, sie die zwei lagen Stöff zusammen halten.
Here is the finished product! I have to say I am quite in love with the quilt. It is beautiful, unique, super soft and warm! So tell me friends, what will you do with those beloved clothes you just can’t get rid of?
Heir ist das Endprodukt! Ich muss sagen, bin ich ein bißchen mit die Decke Verleibt. Sie ist schön, einzig, sehr sanft un warm! Sagt mir Freundinnen, was will sie mit ihrem verleibten kleide machen?
So some writers in my community whose brilliance you can read here. Have now started to ask one another to write on certain topics.
The question posed to me was: How does multiculturalism affect our relationships (friendships, family, marriage, etc)?
I would say the more easily answered question would be how doesn’t multiculrutalism affect our relationships; our integration and contact with other cultures within our community affects all of our relationships in multifaceted ways.
Lets begin by defining what we mean when we use the term “multiculralism”. For the purpose of this discussion, multiculturalism refers only to the influence of more than one culture exsisting in the same space, for example in a marriage or friendship. It does not refer to an ideal of this interaction plays out, or have any positive or negative connotations or political agenda. I believe in order to answer a complexe question it is best to begin with the most simple building blocks.
When we strip away the political jabber, the historical prejudice and our media’s influences from our perspective of multiculturalism we can then examine the affect of more than one culture tried to occupy the same space. There are three options when this happens, the first is that the interaction is benign. Culture A has a custom, habit or beliefe which does not challenge the custom, habits or beliefes of Culture B, but Culture B also does not see any need to adapt to it. The two can interact without conflict. The second option is that the interaction is enhancing. Culture A may have a custom, habit or beliefe which is different from Culture B, but Culture B finds it preferable to theirs and adaptes. The two are somewhat blended and both parties feel elevated because of it. The third option is there is conflit. Culture A has a custom, habit or beliefe which directly challenges a custom, habit, or beliefe of Culture B. In this instance, there is tension and both parties must work out which is more important, their ability to coexsist or their previously held customs, beliefe and habits.
It should also be noted that there is no hard and fast rule about how elements of cultures interact or that interactions stay the same. For example, lets say Adam is dating Bethany. During their courtship, Betheney may not find Adam’s view on child rearing confrontational or enhancing, in all likelihood she may not be thinking about it very much. During this phase of their relationship, the issue of child rearing is benign; however, if they get married and have children they will most likely have to renegoiate their views on childrearing as it is now at the forefront of their minds and this element will now have a new category.
So what do we do when we get to the point of negotiation? How do we interact with those we care about and love when we find our culture in conflict with theirs?
The first step is to identify the issue as a cultural issue. Have you and another person been going round and round for months about the same issue? I would take a look at where your cultures may be in conflict. If it is a cultural issue, move onto to step two. Just remember culture is not the only component in play, we are all designed with different purposes and when we don’t fully understand these designs, it can put us in conflict with others. Figuring out our design and how to work well with others is another topic.
Once you have discovered it really is a cultural issue, the next step is to bring the conflict under biblical authority. You have to understand, not all cultures are created equal or are perfect. Some excel in one area, such as respecting elders and parents, but may not be as good at compassion for the needy. Another culture may be excellent at finding solutions to the problems of the needy, but may not be very good at having a life of joy. Everyone has their blind spots and it is only by bringing our diversity and strangths under the authority of Jesus that we can hope to reconcile these differences and learn from one another.
God never designed us to be the same, he scattered the peoples of the world and one day He will bring us back together again; not to be a homeogenous blob rather to live in peace under His authority.
Continuing the adventure,
Jessica
You may have noticed that the posts have been a little sparce lately.
The truth is that I have just been out of words.
Don’t get me wrong. I love words; I love reading them, writing them, doodling them into my journal, and stringing them together into splendidly symphonic sounding things.
I love German words and English words. My favorite are the always telling made up words.
So you're wondering if I love words so much, why can't I send a few in the direction of my badly neglected blog?
They've all been used up!
As an introvert I claim a word bank handicap, plus I have a job which uses about 80% of said word bank each day (in two languages). Once I get off work I have precious few words to distribute between Paul, family, friends and my own pursuits such as writing or blogging. Add to this situation the fact that Paul and I have literally been out with or had over someone (often multiple someones) every night fir the last four weeks and you can see how I have been overspending my word account. The fees of stress, exhaustion, and shear inability to think were racking up.
Poor Paul.
Last night he asked what what I wanted to do about dinner.
"IdontcareIjustdontwanttohavetoseeanyonetalktoanyoneorsayanyhing!"
I had to string it together into one word: it was all I had left.
Luckily for me, Paul knows this. He may not understand it, but he knows that when I become monosyllabic we're in trouble.
So last night we sat on the couch and watched many an episode of Numb3rs. It was pure bless. This morning I woke up refreshed and ready to take on the problems of the world one word at a time.
Continuing the adventure,
Jessi
Ever since Paul and I decided to go to Germany I have been waiting for a sign of confirmation. A halo of light or snippet of verse written on my wall, maybe a church leader’s vision or a gypsy lady knocking on my door to tell me the future; these would all serve well as grand signs that Paul and I are going in the right direction.
Alas, my walls are still bare and my palm unread.
Yet we move forward.
So last night, after trying to practice ruthlessness in parring down my mementos and belongings (How many scraps of paper with Oma’s handwriting do I really need anyways?) I laid in bed and whined to God. I cried about the difficulty of living in two spaces, I lamented the difficulty of having to get rid of so much and demanded to know why I hadn’t been giving a TRULY clear sign.
In the darkness of my bedroom, God whispered to me. He asked me why the calling of His voice wasn’t sign enough.
As I have been thinking over His whispers today I realize the sign I wanted wasn’t for His glory, it was for my security. I wanted a tanigable moment in time to look at and point other’s too when doubt attacks. I wanted something to prove to them I wasn’t a fool building a boat.
“27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.”
1st Corinthians 1:27-30
So I will continue to trust the whispers, and if I am a fool, well, there’s my sign.
Jess Boctor 