Procession of Process to be Processed

Oh how great is our God?

It is just shy of 9:30pm and the sky looks like this behind me:

I am sitting on the patio to the rear the house, enjoying a red Zinf and my evening meal, while sifting through some notes.  I'm on a quest for the "perfect" message for the youth meeting I am teaching on Saturday.  It's been a LONG time since I've taught like this- it feels good to do this sort of lesson planning.  

A lot has been on my mind recently, but the following things have weighed most heavily in the last few weeks.  

• During a spectacle of thunderstorm one May-Monday night, Cle and I shared some great memories and conversation with Sula.  The question had been posed earlier in the evening, "So, what are you passionate about?"  Some hours later, during our storm watching time, the answers to the question continued.  I am asking you, this time, what are YOU passionate about?  What do you plan to do about those passions?  How will you realize dream-turned passions into reality?
  

• Another small nugget- praise.  For about 45% of my college career, the Lord spoke to me about being a "Praise Warrior" and some how, during the last 10 months, I've nearly forgotten the entire lesson series.  Just recently has the Lord so graciously been reminding me of the truth behind battles won through an attitude and lifestyle of praise.  Psalm 103 has been my heart's song.  Praise the Lord, oh my soul, praise the Lord.  May all that is in me remember what He has done and who He is... May all creatures of Heaven and Earth give Him the praise He is due.  May every centimeter and fiber within me be a Holy praise offering to the most high King.
  

**disclaimer: the following point is much different from the previous two.

• I really miss my precious friend and sister, Astiana.  It's been 7 years, today actually, since she finished the race on this side of the Heavenlies.  Missing her ebbs and ways.  Some times, it comes like a high tide and washes me over more than one would expect after so many years.  Other seasons, it's only a thought here and there.  A memory provoked by a smell, a song, a sound, a Verse, or a photo.  Recently, though, I've been missing her more than usual.  I've had a number of dreams about her... I awake feeling as if we've actually been together.  It is more than confusing to process.  Typically, I'll take some minutes to let myself deal with the emotions and then I will pray for her family.  It's been a long time since I have seen them, also- sheer distance is the perpetrator of this felony.  This was just something that I needed to say.  

Cle Time!

Having Cle here has been amazing and painful all at the same time.  I think his visit is killing me slowly via exhaustion.  ugh... but so worth the lack of sleep!

Let's see... so far we've had some GREAT adventures.  Here's a day-by-day run down of why I think I might not live past June 2nd....

Cle arrived on the 14th ...

15th: I introduced Cle to Graz, Temmel Ice Cream, and his hosts for his stay.  Later, we introduced him to the Schlossberg and Kebap!  yummy!

16th: we introduced him to Exousia!  Whooohoooo!!!

17th: we went to Wien (Vienna) for the day and had DELICIOUS Ice Cream!

18th: Sula and I introduced Cle to SAX Ice Cream, the Mur Insel, and Tribeka.  We spent a lot of time just chilling in the girls apartment waiting for such nasty weather to pass.  It was, by far, one of the best days I've ever had in Graz.

19th: Julia introduced Cle to palatschinken....mmmmmm....

20th: we visited Uschi at the Kindergarten!  We went to Verdi's Nabucco at the Graz Opera House!

21st: we had a big lunch with many good friends then had house group!

22nd: we spent the day in upper Styria!  We visited Eisenerz and the Leopoldsteiner See.  We introduced Cle to Tötdling Ice Cream.  We went to Denise and Nevena's jazz recital thing.

23rd: we hiked with Didi and Karina, had a classic Austrian lunch, then went to church.  

24th: we went to Salzburg and Doris joined us!  Of course, we had ice cream there, too.

25th: we slept in.  :-)

26th: we relaxed in the evening, then had our worship thingo.

27th (today): Cle's running errands with Julia and I'll entertain him for a short time this evening.

28th (tomorrow): Julia will take Cle to Zotter while I spend the day working my butt off.

29th: Cle comes to my house for lunch, I'll introduce him to Blast Hill, and he'll probably meet Yahoo for a walk.  Sula and I've planned a "crazy, fun jumping, no stress worship meeting" for Friday night.

30th: Pfingsten (Pentecost) service for church.

31-1st: Budapest

2nd: the Ami's host the Austrians for lunch.

3rd: Cle leaves us.  :-(

I'm not sure if it is all the traveling, walking, staying up late, or ice cream eating that is going to kill me first.  Surely, it's not the ice cream!

means for a break

Every Monday and Tuesday, I leave my house just before 6am and travel into the city, where I waste 30 mins waiting for the next bus that takes me back OUT of the city, in the opposite direction of where I live.  During those 30 mins, I usually eat my breakfast, drink some coffee, and read my Bible.  This Tuesday, I was in my own zone with my iPod running my thoughts when, all the sudden, THWACK, something hit the back of the bus-stop-hut.  I turned in time to see it was an eager pigeon trying to be first in line for a dropped piece of bread.  Well, he didn't win.  

I did so well with writing here for the last week and now I am writing to defend why posts will likely be scarce over the next weeks.  Clearthur arrives tomorrow evening!  I am sure that I will have PLENTY to blog about, but I am not so sure how much time I will have to do so.  Cle and I will be hosting a Mexican dinner/lunch party at some point (in honor of my birthday).  Mostly, he will be witnessing our normal, day-to-day lives here, but we've also planned some great excursions.  I'm sure that between all of us, SOMEONE will remember to take pictures.  You can look forward to those.  So, what's on the docket for May?

-Wien

-Opera (Nabucco, Verdi)

-Parschlug/Kapfenberg

-MAYBE Salzburg

-Budapest, Hungary

Das Einfache Leben

Just a couple of pics from some great times here in Graz!  The whole album is on Facebook.

Samoel invited a group to Blast Hill for lunch a couple of Sunday's ago.  We had a GREAT meal and shared a lot of laughs.  The work on Blast and with BLAST Ministries is truly very multi-national. . . 

Sula(Ostrich) and Frannie(English) dancing.

Sandra(Serbisch), Sula(Ostrich), and me(Amish).

Everything at Blast Hill is a bit... different.  :-0  We speak something of a mix of languages and somehow still call it "English."  We also have circulating nicknames and jokes floating through the whole team of us.  When we are all together and feeling patriotic, we address one another by our "nationality'- Serbisch, English, Ostrich, and Amish.  When Sula and I are working hard in the office or for one of the schools, they call us both Sveznalica (wise-guy/boss).  Other times, we teach each other rather useless words and phrases in our respective languages and the funniest of those words becomes a nickname.    For example, most often they call me Vel(i)ka (big).