Home

SO we are finally HOME. Whatever home really means; I suppose for us at this point home is truely only where the heart is. Our family and friends and various homes of the last three years are all so widespread, we believe finally now we will be here for a period of time longer than one year. It is a good feeling, yet as on the plane I listened to the ironic lyrics of Michael Buble's hit "Home," I found it nastalgically bringing me mixed thoughts as we returned "home." Home was where we lived in Germany, but home is also where friends and family are here in the states. The lyrics even mention places like Paris and Rome, and while we went to Paris and were only kept from going to Rome due to the recently cancelled flights, I resonate that it is great to travel, but home is by far the greatest place to be. I always read the life of the apostle Paul as seemingly exciting, and feel privileged to have been a part of now so many churches, ministries, and different people's lives. I guess that's why God's allowed us to do so.

And as we all know, our real home dosn't settle in till we are gone from this earth, and if we find Heaven our resting place. That will be our real home. Yet for now, it is good to say, we are finally "home!"

Vanity

So we thoroughly enjoyed our recent nine hour flight filled with reading, relaxing and watching movies. From speculating on the lives of those in movie documentaries from the editor of Vogue, to the drug worn Rolling Stones. Oh how I do not desire the spotlight of vanity they enjoy- as it has brought them somewhat into hints of artificial realities of life. Touching the greatness of love and adoration, yet being in their overly elevated and improper positions, their lives are in bondage to outperform even themselves- a burden too heavy for any human being. Their professions in and of themselves can be fun, creative, and produce a life full of joy I believe, but IF a soul source of satisfaction- seem to prove empty, and ever changing. Fasion changes, rotating decades in between, and people, driven by the luxuries that only accessorize their egocentrically adorned bodies only for their own glory, are never a fun bunch to mingle with.

I realize that my fascination in watching them though, is proven by my own habits of watching reality movies and shows, and only reading non fiction and biographies. I do so because I love meeting new people, learning their lives, and understanding why they do what they do. I cannot even put down my pen when I watch them or read, as I am fascinated by the similarities in all people; the need for the basic loves, etc., and also continuous results in the lives of most people, whether different by culture or custom; seeking to enhance their current state of happiness by deriving it from false and boastful sources.

I rarely finish a movie, or a book- without a long lapse in between. I am always eager to meet the next character, and can't deal with too slowly drawn out plots. I tend to get lost in day dreaming, and need a purpose to my step. I'm sure there is some error to this, but I also see it as something that is ingrained in me for a reason, and I intend to try to use it.
I like to read a little, watch a little, and then write a lot.

Rich and I love to watch movies and see parallels into life, and even the Gospel, as far as the need for a Savior's love that is so everpresent. I also love to do the same as I write, and reflect on the lives of those who I in the moment surmise to be ever so short of this love. All I know is people's stories drive me, and I long to make them even more impactful by drawing these points out of them to show a world who needs to hear current testimonies of what we've already seen and heard written in God's Word. It's a wonder that when we read it we can actually prevent the chaotic lives that we too often produce by our ignorance. Let's take heed, and watch for our lives not to be caught in the same tread.

Flug, Zug, und Autobahn

So this week we have spent more time in transit than anything else. Whether that be on a plane, a train, an automobile, or just our own two feet- we have have the privilege of enjoying many memories with many people whom we could only meet if caught in the circumstances we have been in.

Germany has a little system they like to call 'mitfahrgelegenheit,' meaning- the opportunity to ride 'with' someone else. It is a more organized way of hitchhiking to put it simply. We pitched in a very reasonable price to ride with a van full of the most collectic group of people you could imagine, for 5 straight hours. In the US we are afraid of getting a gun pulled, while to Germans- well this is just simply- a cheaper way to go, no worries about it.

Then we, by mishap of a wrong way ticket by one I wont name, (thought not myself:), we had to rent a car to leave Berlin- of which ended up bumping us to a C class Mercedes which Rich took the liberty of 'flying' us in, to Frankfurt just an hour short of our destined time:)

And last but not least, as the infamous Volcano blew, we were stranded one extra day in Vienna with friends for an enjoyable longer weekend than originally planned as well.

We then proceeded to spend 9 hours traveling shoulder to shoulder with foreigners from all over the EU, interspursed with a few hours of sitting. We met marathoners from the day before in Vienna, missionary anthropologists to Holland, a really tall law student from Lithuania (who informed me a bit on their ever shrinking population), and last but not least, a lady who literally talked our ears off for almost two hours straight! It's one thing to listen to German- another to engage in a conversation in German, and a whole other thing to engage in German with an 80 year old woman with a dialect from who knows where, and who humored not just us, but herself quite as well.

Needless to say, our long and stuffy journey ended up being a great experience that will, for our memorable circumstances, go down in history for life:)