Mission-Possible: Christmas Highlights

The Frauenkirche near the Christmas Market in Nürnberg

I am really grateful to God for the time He gave me during the holidays. Although I did miss my family, God really enabled me to have some very unique and delightful experiences. I had the privilege of staying with my pastors family here in Nürnberg, and well, we had so much fun (pics below)!

Even before Christmas actually started God really was . . . good. Just walking downtown amid the smell of freshly cut trees, piping hot Gluwein (hot wine), and Nürnberger Lebkuchen (kind of between a cookie and a cake) that melts in the mouth, was enough to give one the sense that God likes to bless us.

Then, when Maria, my good friend in Innsbruck, sent me a text message one day saying that she and Karla, another friend, had decided to drive up (3.5 hours) on the only day they had free (which meant they had to drive all the way back again that night) just to see me, my heart soared! We had such a special day of talking and laughing and catching up. And greatest of all, I knew that God was the instigator . . .

And then I was off to our pastors, the Konschewitz's house, where God was, well, abundantly good. It was a deep time, with lots of deep and good conversations, lots of prayer, as well as lots of playing time. We played lots and lots of wii. Played a game similar to Balderdash in German (which I won :-). Played cards (in which I most definitely did not win but was rather repeatedly tricked by Lenny and Tim who delighted in taking advantage of my gullibility :-). And of course, we made it through the entire 4th season of 24 until we were all dreaming about going on some mission with Jack Bauer.

God even met one of my deepest little heart wishes by giving me the opportunity to go skating on a lake for the first time in my life. How I managed not to have skated on a lake before this, after 15 years of competitive figure skating, I have no idea, but somehow I managed it . . . making my first time on a lake all the sweeter somehow. It was a large surface and glimmering in the sunshine, and although a bit bumpier than I am used to, it was lovely. Of course, the worry that comes to mind is that of falling through .. . and I have to admit, I wasn't feelling all that safe on the second day that we went when you could literally hear and see the cracks trailing along the surface. But, well, it didn't seem to bother anyone else and I knew that it was not a deep lake, so, one just keeps on skating!

Another first for me was on New Years. Our students and youth were all invited to the Konschewitz's where we ate and played games and watched . . .well, 24. And then at about 11:45 everyone went outside to do what, of course, everyone does . . . that is, light firecrackers. In fact, since that is not exactly our tradition on New Years, they allowed me to be the first to send a firecracker shooting into the sky . . . exploding into reds and purples and oranges. We were standing on a hill overlooking a valley that filled very quickly with exploding lights, from everyone, young and old. It was quite a sight, that is . . . until the smoke made everything opaque. Walking back to the house was somehow eery, with limited vision and the sound of popping going off everywhere. It made our return to 24 even more heart-stopping :-)

And then, after all of that fun and refreshment, God sent even more goodness. The sister, Gina, of twin dancers whom I worked with at SMU (who will visit me in two days!), a girl whom I have met only a few times, came to visit me on her way home to Nevada after a semester in France. I knew before she came that it was somehow from God, but when she came I realized what a gift it was. We connected in a very deep way and I think that God really granted us both the ability through Him to have overflowing rivers of living water that blessed each other. What a gift!

And all of those gifts combined added up not only to a great holiday, but also to getting re-stirred up for the vision at hand . . . to transform a generation, and therefore a nation, with the love of Jesus Christ. God told Abraham that He would bless him so that he would be a blessing . . . and that is what I hope and pray I will take from this great time that God granted me--blessed to be a blessing that a nation, Germany, might know Christ.

I truly hope that you too had such a delightful holiday season as I did!

On the Way to the Christkindlmarkt

Hot Bratwurst for a Cold Day

A Children's Choir Downtown

Maria and I on their Day-Long visit

Karla and I

The Three of Us

Ines on Christmas . . . Celebrated here on the 24th

Brother and Sister Konschewitz--Tim and Ines, Christmas snuggles

Lenny's Happy with His Presents!

A Special Gift for our Pastor Bärbel

Table decorated for Ines's Birthday Party--the 25th of December

Her Cake

Sergej from our Leadership Team and his son Dennis at Ines' B-Day Party

Sergej's wife, Ludmilla, and baby Sophi Marie

Their daughter, Karolin

Dennis, a gift musician and leader of a Bible Study in His School

This is what Tim Looks Like when He's Trying to Trick Me at Cards

This is what Lenny looks like when He Wins a Wii Game :-)

Me Surprised By the Picture