because I just need to get it off my chest

NDAMUKONG SUH is the best player in NCAAF this season.  

if only defensive stats were as impressive to hear as the offensive.

secrets of nightfall?

Up late or up early?  No matter the perspective, I'm simply up.  I couldn't sleep last night and at this point in the battle, I'm beginning to lose ideas of how to make good use of the time.  After exercising my more disciplined routines, I am resolving to a well overdue blog entry and a sunrise run.  Okay, so maybe not with the sunrise, seeing as that won't happen for nearly 1.5 hours.  

We had our first snow of December on Sunday.  It's how a first snow should be.  Gentle, light, yet confidently taking its place.  Our FIRST, first snow was at the beginning of November.  The flakes were big, fat, heavy and wet.  Convinced they were leaving me with a minor concussion, I did my best to stay out of the falling globs- I took a bus to Croatia.  This time, though, I cuddled inside with My Savior, watching Him delicately lay His grace across the hills.  All the while, I asked Him for a new impression of who He is.  I encourage you to anticipate the script of our dialogue, though I'm certain you've lost faith in my consistency as a blogger.  

You might wonder why on Earth I'd consider running before sunrise after a snowfall.  My answer is practical; why not?  The below freezing temp considered, I've decided to take advantage of the Alpine Winter.  I no longer live in fear that the wind-chill will freeze my eyes open, leaving me blind and unaware of where that wind-power is actually carrying me.  No, there is no place like Nebraska, but this morning, I am oh-so-warmly-grateful to not be there.  Now, off to stir up those endorphins and get this Monday started on a good, cheerful note (or, wear-out my body and take a quick nap before class)!!

...and to all a good night!

Halfurkey in Koinonia

Thanksgiving tradition--

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the living God.  I am grateful that I know Him, hear His voice, and by His grace I can be near to Him.  I am grateful for eternal salvation with assurance of promise, hope, and a future.  I am grateful.

Soaking this afternoon, while eating left over pumpkin pie, I am enjoying the glory of Abba.  Before I serve you any more pabulum (for you, Jo), I just HAVE to say- Kady makes AMAZING pie!  When possible, grind fresh ginger into the pumpkin pie rather than the powder.  THANK YOU KADY K! 

Koinonia is an incomparable cohesion.  Explicitly, the blessing of community with people of a shared vision, a shared heart, a shared PASSION is exactly what I am grateful for this afternoon.  Thanksgiving day is full of potential for frenzied hecticness.  My Thanksgiving was the opposite.  Easy, enjoyable and enchanting would be precise adjectives.  The morning started out with a final breakfast with my delightful Croatian sisters at about 8:45 a.m.  After 2 cups of Croatian coffee, I was ready to attack the biggest obstacle of the day - a 15.74kg (35lbs) fresh-from-the-farm-turkey to roast.  Testing the gas stove, I nervously struck my first match.  No flames.  Trying a second time, with very little hope, we testing the gas source in the oven.  No flames.  Alright, no problem.  I still have the electric oven that I can use.  Only difficulty is that this oven is approximately 18" x 18" x 18".  There is no way a 35lb bird is going to fit in this small oven.  So what did I do?  The only logical thing that anyone could do- I cut my turkey in half.  Ljubica, a great woman, assisted me in the dissection.  Really, it was more of an aggressive hacking, chopping, sawing; than a "cutting."  For the sake of remaining PG, we'll call it cutting.  Okay, bird cut in half and lying pan.  Next problem- fat birds have fat legs.  Off comes the drumstick.  Perfectly snug fit.  Tucked into his nest of foil, the halfurkey went into the oven at exactly 10:00 a.m.

An hour or so later, the Wolfsbergers arrived, arms full of Thanksgiving necessities.  Kady and Dylan had already baked 2 pies (an apple and a peanut butter), which quenched my nerves regarding the oven situation.  In we went, preparing food for 20 people.  We had no real plan of action, but we just moved right along from one dish to the next (and back to the first).  There was no angst nor stress.  We just laughed our way through and experimented.  I am not one to be proud nor boastful, but I am going to say- we made an EXCELLENT team and everything was palatable.  We cooked nearly everything without a recipe, naturally leading to many unavoidable taste tests.  Jesus had His hands in our cooking.  How often is it that you cook with 4 other people, for the first time, all having nearly the same taste for food?  We prepared deviled eggs, stuffing, gravy, a pumpkin pie, a veggie tray with fresh onion dip, and of course, the turkey.  Our guests brought the remaining side dished- green beans, corn, a fruit salad, cole slaw, and mashed potatoes (prepared in the same kitchen we were working).  I know, the list of what we actually cooked doesn't sound so impressive, but please keep in mind, 3 small burners on the stove range, a tiny oven, and cooking for 20 people.  

There is no real pressure for preparing the "perfect" Thanksgiving meal in a foreign country, right?  We Americans are the only "sound" judges of the meal, right?  WRONG.  For the last 2 weeks, Franz has been sharing his excitement for the holiday with me.  His first Thanksgiving meal, during his first visit to the States back in 1980, saved his opinion of the American kitchen; he reminded me of the story at least twice a day, every day for the last week.  Not to mention, Julia who'd also experienced a real Thanksgiving in America.  As far as Franz was concerned, it was ALL about "the bird" and how great "the bird" had to be.  Made me sweat a little.  This was my second experience roasting a turkey, and I think I have a gift for it- Bradley was delicious.  Yes, I named him.  When working with such a GINORMOUS beast of a bird, I couldn't help but name him.  And yes, I am pretty certain it was a him.  

We had delicious prosecco/sekt to start the meal with a movie-traditional toast, followed by Jason carving the halfurkey.  We all really enjoyed ourselves with a nice stress-free environment from start to finish.  It was a nice way to introduce the LCMI-ers to Franz and some of the other Grazers with whom they'll be interacting this next year (or so).  Clean up Thursday night was minimal- refrigerating all the perishables.  When the guests left, we Americans (and Josef), watched Elf with the projector.  Around 2:30 a.m. we made it to bed with an agreement to take our time in the morning.  By 11:30 Friday morning, we were finishing breakfast and got in gear to clean-up.  Again, we made a really great team, with no stress.  

It comes down to two large points.  1. Jesus had His hands in our cooking and in our entire celebration.  2. Koinonia.  I am blessed with truly the greatest friends in all the world.  Though we have different purposes, we have a shared vision of renewal and advancement of the Kingdom.  Sadly, not all of them(you) are here in Austria with me, thus, I treasure those who are nearby.  Kady and I joke that because we are from the same small town region of New York, we are practically family and, after Thanksgiving, we are definitely at LEAST cousins now.  It's just such a gift to be with people of the same natural culture aiming to live the Kingdom culture within an entirely foreign culture.  Thanks for coming up, guys!  

What happened to the other half of the turkey?  It's in the deep freezer with that remaining leg, waiting for Christmas dinner.  ;-D

Taken Seriously Enough pt. 1

In the last couple of weeks, I've had a revelation about the fear of the Lord.  I don't think we take Him seriously enough.  I've been reminded of our call to a righteous lifestyle and the power of repentance.  The latter of which, I will address in a later installment.  

"I just can't press through any more... " is a common concern and theme I've heard in the last weeks.  Well, WHY can't you press through?  What are you doing to counter the "issue"?  Yes, we DO have desert seasons, but even in the desert, we have sustenance.  We have promise.  We have hope.  We have a future.  We have a decision to be made.  

I do not pretend to be a master of a pure life.  I don't sit in a judgement seat, but from a mercy perspective, I encourage you that our response in righteous is easier than we complain.

Scripture tells us from start to finish, that we are a "good", "wonderful", "free" creation, destined for "priesthood."  We are reminded in Corinthians that we are "a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come."  Not to mention, Jesus Himself prayed that we would experience He and the Father in us just as He and the Father are within one another (see Writer's Block for further explanation).  

We have a decision to be made.  So much of our freedom and experiencing the Truth is a matter of setting our will and choosing such a lifestyle.  For example, scriptures tell me I am free- so I choose to be free.  In the moments when circumstance, feelings and emotions lead me to think otherwise, I choose all over again, to trust and believe- I am free.  Often times, speaking this out loud.  

When we see the lurking lies, we often get caught up in determining the "source" of the lie and trying to figure out "why we struggle with _____ over and over again."  I am a firm believer in the need to cut out sources from the roots... I am a firm believer in Inner Healing and what the Holy Spirit can do when we give Him such freedom to renew our hearts and set our spirits into a whole new level of freedom.  However, instead of looking for roots all the time, we need to look for the truth that contradicts that lie.  When I hear that I am "filthy" and "unworthy," then I need to seek scriptures that speak of my clean heart and how the Lord has handpicked me.  I need to eat and devour these verses until they take control in my heart like a natural reaction- "Duh, of course I am chosen!"  When I am overcome with exhaustion, I return to verses of the Lord's strength within me.  When temptation and lust are in front of us, purity and righteousness are just around the corner.   

Is it a quick fix?  Sometimes.  Mostly, no.

When we rearrange our focus and make the choice to set our WILL to the Truth, our souls will follow.  I am talking about a real choice, though.  This is no, "yeah yeah, ok, you say I'm free.. so I guess, I think I'm free" sort of decision.  This is a "In  faith, by the strength of Jesus Christ, I choose YOU Holy Spirit and where YOU are there is freedom.  Therefore, I choose to trust that I am free just as you have promised." type of decision.  Like I said to a good friend last week, then it is a matter of taking our vitamins.  We don't become spiritually healthy by tending to our souls first; it is the opposite.  Our spirit is head over our soul and body and therefore, filling our spirit with verses of Truth is what will bring this experience of freedom.  This could mean reading the appropriate verses applying to the given lie 20 times-an-hour, posting them all over your house, listening to them from an audio Bible while you sleep, or any other method the Spirit shows you.... just get the truth in there.  Don't worry about your soul taking time to get the hint; I assure you that your soul WILL catch up with the Spirit of Truth.