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Paul and I live with a certain amount of dirt in our house. We live 100 yards from a huge construction site, a train runs through our back yard, our house is 75 years old and it is summer time when I like to leave the doors open. Dirt is going to get in the house. Lots of it.

So, between our busy lives, our general dislike of cleaning, trying to spend as much time with friends and family before we leave as possible, and the fact that if we clean the dirt up today it is just going to be back tomorrow (like literally tomorrow), the battle isn’t very high on our priority list. We kind of just live with it.

Until Thursday night.

Thursday night I found out that my landlord would be coming by the house the next morning. I panicked. Literal stomach tightening physical shame and panic ran through my body. You see it’s okay for Paul and I to see the dirt, because we have decided that we are okay with it. I had intended to show the house to our landlord in a different condition.

So as I was trying to sort through my emotions, laundry and clean the floors I started asking myself why I was feeling this way. Paul and I are going to leave the house spotless and repair any wear and tear from the three years we lived here; so why does it bother me so much for my landlord to be coming on such short notice when there is no way for me to check off my to-do list?

God started whispering to me, and He showed me that I have been treating the house however I want and not really paying attention to what the owner might think. Now that I know he is coming though; I am very concerned with what the owner thinks. I realized I have been living in the house like it is mine and slacking off like it’s mine, but the reality is I should have been treating it better because it isn’t mine and I should have more respect for other people’s belongings.

That’s when God convicted me of the real lesson: it goes way beyond a house. I live with a certain level of dirt in my life, because it doesn’t bother me or I am too busy and lazy to clean it out. I tolerate these areas of dirt and mistakenly think it’s okay because its my life.

The truth is it isn’t my life; just the same way I don’t own this house. My life belongs to God. He created me. He is the provider and redeemer of all things in me and I need to treat my life better because it belongs to a king.

Continuing the adventure,

Jess

 

I have an invisible checklist floating in front of my face all the time.

Don’t be fooled, it isn’t a well planned, full sentence thought out checklist. It doesn’t have neat boxes to cross out or even complete meanings behind the items scribbled across my minds eye. Really, it is just the culmination of everything I feel needs to get done before we move. Believe me, I feel it all.

Lately though, I have been trying to change my perspective. I read a tweet the other day which struck a chord with me, “Change your have to’s into get to’s.”

You see, I don’t want to give anyone the idea moving to Germany is a punishment. Some of the things I am and will go through are difficult, but they are all part of the privelege of participating in God’s greater story. I am reveling in the pure adventure of it. The sensation of having a repeatedly given up dream almost within in my grasp is a glorius feeling.

The checklist isn’t.

The checklist is what makes me sigh and look slightly terrified whenever someone asks, “So you’re moving to Germany?”

The checklist is work.

The checklist is an overwhleming lurking pile of undefined “have to’s”.

So I am changing my thinking.

I don’t have to sell all my possesions, I get to sell minimize my life and responsibilities.

I don’t have to divide my belongings among my friends, I get to let them enjoy it while I am away.

I don’t have to get up and go to work everyday, I get to have a job to help provide for our move.

I don’t have to leave my security, family and friends, I get to go on a great adventure.

What do you GET to do?

 

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