The Reason for the Season

So it’s been awhile since we updated the blog. As I’m sure is the case for most this time of year, we have been pretty busy.  Our weeknights have been filled with Drama Club, Worldview Club, English speaking partners, and Bible Study. It’s kind of weird that last year it seemed like we couldn’t get anything going regularly and this year we never seem to have enough time to do everything we want to do. 

I was having a conversation about God recently with my speaking partner. During the conversation we started talking about how some people say that they don’t believe in anything and how that was hard to believe. We all have a measure of faith in someone or something even if it’s just ourselves.

During this Christmas season I think I’ve realized more than ever how much of a privilege it is that I do believe in God. It’s disheartening to think about the hopelessness of living without the hope of a Savior. I can’t imagine celebrating Christmas without recognizing and appreciating the whole purpose for the holiday. 

It’s hard to imagine not having faith in something greater than myself. It’s hard to imagine not believing in Jesus’ payment for my sins and the peace that it brings. It’s hard to imagine not having a personal relationship with God. But I have to try to imagine it because it’s how most people around me live their lives.

The whole “Jesus is the reason for the season” saying has come alive all around me because I’m one of few who truly believes that here. 

We will be taking a break from the blog for the rest of December. We will be doing a lot of traveling and will hopefully have lots to write about in January, including our upcoming trip to the USA!

Wanting the Unwanted

This past week we were able to gather together with our fellow teachers from all over Central Europe to celebrate Thanksgiving in a very small town about ninety minutes southeast of Prague. It was a great time to decompress from the tensions of teaching and being so far from home for the holiday. Typically when we do this type of thing, our group is the only one there and we have the run of the place. This time though, there was a group sharing our retreat center. It was a group called Hands of Hope and they were here with a group of about twenty-five or thirty orphans.

The kids arrived around 4pm on Friday and we knew instantly by the stark change in the volume level of the retreat center. We heard the high pitched sound of little voices bouncing off the walls. It is always adorable to hear little ones speak in a different language.

I got my first look at them at dinner that evening. They were various ages and sizes, and were all eager to get something to eat. I was instantly touched at the sight. So many little children that society does not want, yet they seemed so happy just to be there. I have always been amazed at the resiliency of the spirit of a child. As I watched them heap too much food on their plates, I was stricken with a heavy sadness as I thought to myself, "Why does no one want them?" It burdened me for the rest of the evening.

Later that night, Tonya and I were sitting in the lobby and a little boy walked in with a whistle. "Look," he said proudly, "I have a whistle." He proceeded to blow out an impossibly bad song. "Wow!" we said, being supportive. He smiled and ran away. It was one of the sweetest things I have ever seen.

As I got up this morning, a thought occurred to me. Someone does want them. Though they may never have an earthly mother or father, there is a Heavenly Father who wants to know them desperately and has not forgotten them. It gave me another reason to be thankful this holiday season. God, in his infinite wisdom, mercy, and love, did not leave me as an orphan, when I was fatherless in my sin. To Him be the glory.

As some of you know, Tonya and I have applied to adopt from China. We continue to wait patiently for God's perfect timing to be completed. I wish we had more news to share about that, but the wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly.

Lastly, I want to wish everyone back home a very Happy Thanksgiving! We love you and miss you.

Who Do You Think to Thank?

It's November again, a time when everyone in the USA remembers to be thankful for at least a little while. Not that we aren't thankful at other points of the year, but this month gives us a chance to specifically focus on our blessings. That will be my focus this week.


1. My wife. Tonya has been a source of strength for me for our entire marriage (eleven years for those who are curious). During our time here in Prague, she has consistently provided with with support and encouragement, along with godly counsel. She is one in six billion.

2. Our teammates. We have a special group of young women who also work with us here in Prague. They are funny, reliable, dedicated, quirky, humble, and generally remarkable in every way. They don't get a tenth of the credit they deserve, and they don't ask for it.

3. Our friends and supporters back home. We get emails, Facebook messages, financial support, Words With Friends games, packages, and most importantly, prayers from all of our friends back home and we are eternally grateful for it. Without that support, we would not be able to do this. We love you all.

4. Our family. You all have loved and supported us through the entire process of deciding to come overseas. All of our old stuff is cluttering your houses and you don't even care. We are so blessed to be the recipients of your love and support through cards and packages. We know you pray for us daily and we feel your prayers and are encouraged to continue forward by them.

5. Our former basketball players. The young women you have turned out to be and are becoming has blessed our hearts beyond measure. We know that God has a perfect plan for all of you. Being your coaches was the most fun we ever had. Know that we pray for you and that we are here if you need us in any capacity.

6. Above all, Christ. His extended hand is never out of our reach. He is our rock and our fortress. May our lives be a blessing and a testimony to Him whose grace is sufficient for our weaknesses. Thank you Lord for choosing us to play this small part in your Kingdom.

We have many other things to be thankful for, some of which have not yet been finalized. I hope to bring more good news to you in the coming weeks.

Be careful what you answer...

A saying hangs in our flat in Prague as a reminder to trust, yet how quickly things are forgotten in a moment of panic or desperation.  The saying goes, "Sometimes God answers prayers the way we would pray them if we knew what He knows."

While in Italy for Fall break, we were often forced to stop and ask for help. We needed help from strangers for directions, from bus drivers (for getting off at the correct stop since they are often not labeled), or help with communication in general.

The last night that we were there, we we found ourselves in yet another one of these situations… Our hotel was a good hour outside of Milan so by the time we caught the train, we were way too late to get the last bus to take us to our hotel. It was around 11:00p.m. and we were quickly running out of time, patience, and options.

We considered walking, but we had no map and no way to figure out exactly where we were in the dark. After about thirty minutes of trying this or that, we finally decided a taxi was our only option (easier said than done). We headed toward the centre of town looking for a familiar car with a lit up sign on top. At this point we were willing to pay the overpriced fare.

Cars were indeed everywhere and we were on a busy street, but no familiar yellow taxi was to be found. We finally asked a police officer where to go and he suggested the train station (back where we had started).  By this time, we were sure that our hotel booking had been canceled (considering check-in was between 3 and 10p.m. and it was now hitting midnight). The situation was looking grim and I was praying for a cab (any cab) to pass by. After back tracking to the train station expecting a line of yellow cabs, we were sorely disappointed to find a very quiet street. The only sign of life was a group of "scary" men standing near the bus stop that was no longer an option.

I don't remember how it happened exactly but somehow (maybe because we looked confused) we began talking to the group of "scary looking" men. We were trying to ask them which direction we needed to go. They kept asking us where we were trying to get to, what our hotel street was, what the phone number was. We even tried calling the hotel to get better directions to help with our explanation but there was no answer. No one seemed to know where the hotel was and we were beginning to think it wasn't a real place. We knew the general area that the hotel was in (near the arena), so finally one of the guys told us that he'd take us to the area and ask if anyone knew the hotel.

We were now in the hands of a stranger from Ghana named Ben. Ben was a funny guy, that had we seen under different circumstances, at a very different hour of the day, we'd probably never even have met him or spoken to him. But at this point, we were desperate. Getting in an unmarked car at midnight with a "shady homeless looking" man you just met doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Again, we were desperate.

What I'd asked for in my prayer was a taxi and in my mind the answer was a little yellow car with a lit up sign on top and a driver that would know all about our hotel and we'd be there in five to ten minutes tops. What I got was a small, dark, messy car (no sign on top) with a driver named Ben that had no idea where we needed to go. We must have stopped five different times to get out of the car or yell at passerbys asking directions from anyone and everyone. Once we even picked up a drunk man at a bar who was sure to take us directly to the place, only to find out that it was the wrong place.

We finally convinced Ben to go back to the landmark that we were sure our hotel was near. In the end, we spotted the street name ourselves. Ben insisted on staying with us until we contacted the hotel owner because he didn't want us to be stranded. When we finally arrived around 2a.m. we asked Ben how much he wanted for hauling us around and he just said,"Whatever you want to give me."

I wouldn't always recommend getting into a car with a random stranger, but on this particular night I learned an important lesson. I was willing to pay some yellow cab stranger whatever he wanted in order to find our hotel but God answered my prayer with an unmarked car and an unofficial taxi driver that didn't even ask for a specific amount of money.

I had answered God's prayer for Him in my own mind and I'd judged the answer that He gave me when it didn't match mine. I still don't know much about Ben other than he left Ghana because of the conflicts there but I do know that he was an answer to prayer.

…maybe Ben needed the money that we ended up paying him (sounded like he'd been out of work for awhile); maybe we just needed a reminder to trust God; or maybe this was another example of why you shouldn't judge others based on preconceived notions. Whatever the reason, thank God for the kindness of strangers.

Romeo and Juliet

It has been a while! We had the blessing of a full week of fall break. We took advantage of it! Here is a highlight.

We spent the week in Italy. I think one moment really stood out to me more than any other. Among all the beautiful locations, among the churches and weathered remains of castles, we met an old man as he was walking up a hill towards the Castle of St. Peter in Verona. He was walking slowly but purposefully. He was pumping his arms the way a soldier would as he marched in a parade, if the marching was done at an impossibly slow pace. As he spotted us sitting there catching our breaths from our long walk, he smiled and offered us a "bonjourno." We reciprocated, causing him to rattle off some indecipherable Italian. We smiled and offered our apologies, as we don't speak Italian. He gestured toward the window overhead and said what I am pretty sure amounted to "watch this" and then called out. He put his hand to his ear and then waited. After a moment, a woman came to the window and answered. They talked for a bit and then he walked to the door of the building and left us with an "arrividerci." It was like we had just watched Romeo call to his Juliet (after all we were in Verona). It was romantic and beautiful and the thought of having someone to answer your call at that age warmed our hearts.

Then I was reminded of the God who is always there to answer our call, even if we don't realize we are calling out to Him at the time. It is the peace that comes with that thought that confirms in me why I trust in Christ for salvation. He is both Romeo and Juliet. Calling to us to come to Him to free us from ourselves, and answering us when we realize this and call out to Him for that freedom. I am often amazed at the moments that God chooses to speak to me. I thought I was simply going on vacation.

The German Experience

Stop me if you've heard this one: "Five Americans and a Canadian get on a train to Germany..."

This past weekend we decided to travel to Cheb, Czech Republic to visit some other English teachers who live there. On Saturday, we took a train from Cheb to Nuremberg, Germany. (I'll get some pictures up of that soon, I promise.) We spent the day enjoying the town, looking at old Nazi historical sites and enjoying butter filled pretzels. An old lady even tried to convert us to a strange, nameless religion. I found that ironic.

We stayed all day and into the evening. We then decided it was time to return to Cheb. We boarded the train and relaxed a bit because we had over an hour to kill in between locations.

Finally we came to a stop in a town called Bayreuth. It was not our final stop so we paid no attention to it. After sitting there for longer than normal, a man came through the train and spoke to us in German.  "Do you speak English?" One of us asked. He did. "This is the final stop," he said. That was not possible because we were still thirty minutes from our transfer train, so we asked him to elaborate. According to the driver (Engineer? Pilot?) the train we were riding had split into two trains and the train we needed to be on was long gone. To make matters worse, there was not going to be another train for nearly two hours, which meant we were going to miss the connection to Cheb, which meant that we were stuck there (there being Germany) for the night.

The girls we were staying with sent a few text messages to some Cheb locals to see if they could help us out. Since it was 9:30 at night, I think none of us really thought we were going to make it back to their flat that night. Thankfully, we were wrong.

As we sat in the train station we had the privilege of interacting with some of the more colorful parts of German society. There was a man who only made peculiar noises and a few other people who looked as if they were there on "business." The German Police were even nice enough to ask us why we were there and to encourage us to avoid taking drug and speed, which is apparently not a drug to them.

There was one of those electronic signs that periodically changes ads to keep us company, so that was comforting. Especially when it projected an ad that read "$#% Happens." I thought that it perfectly summed up our night.

We knew we could make it one more stop, but it looked like that would be it for the night. Someone began to sing songs from "Les Miserables," which was also appropriate.

Then, a text message came through. It was from one of the English club students the girls had contacted. He had arranged for two cars to pick us up at the next stop and take us back to Cheb. The day was saved. No buses needed to be rebooked, no money lost, no tears shed.

The beauty of this is that one of the drivers was the pastor of a Czech church in Cheb. I was reminded of the verses that say "Do not be afraid...for I am with you and no one will harm you, because I have many people in this city." (Acts 18:9-10 paraphrased a bit.) So I thank God that He watches over us,even in our foolishness, and that He has many people here in the Czech Republic that want to share the Good News of His great love with their fellow countrymen.

A Ministry Update

Hello and welcome back! I have a question for you: what are you doing? It seems like such a simple question with a simple answer, but that is a question we are constantly trying to answer here in Prague. What are we doing? Or more specifically, what are we doing for God here in the Czech Republic?

The one thing that really bothered us last year is that we never really felt plugged in to doing some sort of ministry here, other than teaching. We wanted to do something that allowed us to not only reflect the love of God in our lives, but give us the actual opportunity speak the truth of God's great love to those around us. We had moments of that with individuals, but not really any consistency.

This year we are very pleased that we have found a church to attend that offers some unique ministry activities. Here are a few:

Volunteering at a local university as an English speaking partner, using the Bible.

Assisting an organization that relocates victims of human trafficking.

Working with YoungLife Praha. (Not connected with our church but an opportunity nonetheless)

There is a ministry fair at our church on October 20 that should help give us some clarity on what it is we need to to this year. Please pray that we would have ample opportunities to serve The Lord this year and that we would take advantage of them.

Split Decision

First of all, I have great news to report! We are bringing a group of students to the states (New York and North Carolina!) in late January and early February. Be in prayer for all of the logistical hurdles that we now have to jump to complete the process!  

And now, for the moment you've been waiting for all week: our latest blog!

I've been having a mild case of clumsiness lately. An occasional stumble here, a walk into a door there, no big deal.

This week, clumsiness met circumstance in a very inopportune way.

Everyday when we enter the school building, we have to use our ID cards to scan in and proceed through a turnstile. As I did that this Wednesday, the card slipped out of my hand and hit the floor. Thinking nothing of it, I quickly bent over to retrieve it. I heard a sound that no one who speaks in front of people for a living wants to hear: the subtle ripping of trousers. I popped up quickly and notified my lovely wife of the incident. She inspected and assured me it was not noticeable.

I taught my first class with no problems. Then, I went to sit in a chair in my second class as we watched a video clip. This time the sound was not so subtle. Thankfully, the video was playing so no one but me heard it: the tearing. I quickly exited the room after class to assess the damage. To my horror, the pants had split from the belt loop down. Noticeable? Very much so. I ran to my office to get my coat. I put it on, but it wasn't long enough to cover the tear. I decided to try my bookbag. I released the straps so that the bag hung low enough to cover the area. I looked ridiculous, like some teenaged boy getting his "sag on."

Ultimately, I decided to tie my coat around my waist to teach my last class. I looked like someone from a skate park in the 90s that listened to Pearl Jam and Nirvana. I hated how it looked so much that I told my class what happened. It was better to have split pants than to have them think I purposely dressed like that. They laughed, I laughed, and then I went home with my coat around my waist. At home, the pants were laid to rest. They were beyond saving.


Tune in next week for some very exciting news about some new ministries we are joining.

Going for a Drive

As I've written before, getting a visa can be complicated here. What I did not mention is that it can also be very, very entertaining. Let me explain.

To get a long term resident card here in the Czech Republic, we had to go to a government office and get our pictures and fingerprints taken. This allows us to stay in the country for the length of our employment contract (one year).

Since we still struggle with communication in adult sentences via the Czech Language, we were escorted to our appointment by the assistant principal in his car.

Did I mention he was a Driver's Ed instructor?

We got into the car and were informed that a student would be doing his driving lesson by taking us to the visa office. What followed was a series of starts and stops, engine stalls and near misses, accompanied with a healthy dose of car sickness. On a positive note, I learned the Czech word for "clutch" and "brake." I think they may have learned the American face for "terrified."

After all that, it only took fifteen minutes to get our pictures taken and our fingerprints done.

So to make a long story short, (or a short story long, or a medium story medium) all is well that ends well. At least for us anyway. I am not sure the student will be a licensed driver anytime soon.

FEAR OR FAITH?

I have to admit that I used to be terrified of talking about death. Even after I became a Christian, talking about the things in Revelation or death in general was a topic I wanted to avoid at all costs. I don't know if it was the actual event of my death, the fear of the unknown, or missing "life" that bothered me the most. To be honest, it wasn't until the last three years or so that I became perfectly peaceful about the the whole topic of death.

I guess it should have come as no surprise then, that my English lesson on leaving a legacy and writing your own epitaph made people uncomfortable.  No, uncomfortable doesn't seem strong enough to describe the atmosphere. You would have thought that I had just announced that we were going to go out back and dig our own graves as a class project. The looks of confusion, horror, and "Are you serious?" abounded.

Of course I understood their concern (to an extent). After all, I used to avoid the topic myself. It wasn't as though I wasn't sympathetic to their plight. The assignment was simply to write what you want your legacy to be (in at least three sentences) and what you'd like as your epitaph. I read several examples of serious epitaphs (He was always a gentlemen) and several humorous examples (I told you I was sick).
I was expecting some humorous excerpts and maybe a few sweet ones. So I was surprised at the number of students that said/wrote "I don't know" or "I don't want to talk about this".

After finishing my last lesson of the day on this topic, I had time to reflect on my own past fears and the very real fears of those around me in the present.

Here are my thoughts:
It seems that there are two types of people in regard to death (and everything, really):
1. Those whose fear overcomes their faith.
2. Those whose faith overcomes their fear; even if that faith is a belief in something other than God.

As a Christian, I look to the Bible to give me wisdom on fear, faith, and death. Here are some examples:

Do you fear missing out on life (marriage, children, etc)? Find out what God has to say on the subject.
-Philippians 1:21  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

-I John 4:18  There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

-Matthew 6:27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span?

If you are a Christian, then whether you're dead or alive, you have Christ. He is sufficient for all your needs.  (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Do you fear the actual event of your death?
-Psalms 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
                                          whom shall I fear?
                     The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
                                         of whom shall I be afraid?

-Psalm 112:7 They will have no fear of bad news;

    their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

If you are a Christian then you have nothing to fear because you have given the Lord control of your life. 

Do you fear the unknown? 

-Psalms 34:4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.

-Proverbs 1:33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety
    and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

If you are a Christian then seek the Lord and trust that what He says is true. 

I realize now that my fear of talking about death existed because my fear was greater than my faith. My fear overcame my faith in the One who brings life.  I was focused on the singular event (death) or my feelings regarding death instead of the promise of life to come. Knowing that God is with me in life or death brings a peace that consistently surpasses my fears. I can't say that I don't fear anything or that I want to be put in a martyr's position. I can say that I know who my Redeemer is, no matter what life or death brings.

The truth is that life is only found in death. Death to selfish desires,thoughts, ideas, etc. allows God to create a new purpose in us which makes us feel more alive. Will you have the faith to put these things to death, or will you let fear win?

If you find death a difficult topic to discuss because of fear, I would challenge you to examine why that is. 

Sardines in a Bus

Do you remember those old Dial Soap commercials that went something like, "Aren't you glad you use dial? Don't you wish everybody did?" They gave you the assurance that if you had used said soap product, that things would turn out okay for you, at least smell-wise. I often think of those old commercials when I ride the public transportation through town.

Currently, here in Prague, the public transit is undergoing a major overhaul. That means that the buses have taken place of the trams while the tracks are redone. Passengers now all have to ride the bus to get to the destination that they could formerly get to by tram. A couple of new buses have been added to take the burden of the passenger load, which helps, but it is very similar to how a squirt gun would help to put out a five alarm fire. That is, not much.

The other day, Tonya and I were waiting on the 119 bus to get home. As it pulled up, we noticed that everyone that was standing in front of us on the side walk was also getting on that bus. We noticed how crowded it was and decided to wait for the X26 bus that was coming right behind (The X26 was one of the aforementioned replacement buses). Somehow, if possible, this bus was MORE crowded. Nevertheless, we piled into the bus and headed for home. It was standing room only at this point.

As the bus came to its first stop, I hoped that a few people would step off. Instead, three more people hopped on, pushing us closer into the bus. I stepped up on a ledge that is right beside a seat to allow myself a little more room. This gave me a nice view of the crowd, and a break from the close quarters. It was only a temporary break, however.

At the next stop, a flood of passengers got on the bus. They pushed their way on, forcing everyone to crowd together. The bus was so full that the doors had trouble closing. Even after they closed, people pushed us all closer together still. I was pushed into the lap of an unsuspecting woman about my age. I looked at her and simply said, "Pardon" and shook my head in shame. She seemed to be okay with it, and we continued down the road uncomfortably close to everyone. I finally managed to get out of her lap, but this led me directly into the back of a much older, plus sized woman. So I was stuck between a lap and an awkward place. Thankfully, the bus ride was almost over.

When we came to a stop, I don't think I have ever been so happy to get out of a vehicle before. Between the reek of international funk (yes I am glad I use Dial) aboard the bus and the impromptu "Santa's Lap" moment, I was done with the public transit that day. Unfortunately, construction lasts another month.

Here is a picture I took while perched on the lap of a stranger:

There and Back Again, or What Did Summer Teach Us?

The two short months that we spent at home this summer taught us a few things. I think I will do them in bullet point format to shake things up a bit. Here is what we learned, in no particular order:

• Chick Fil-A is the most delicious place to eat on the earth.
• There is no European equivalent of good Mexican food.
• There is no limit on how much Mexican food we can eat. 
• Pizza Hut signs make me happy.
• Walking for four hours on the beach to find wild horses is completely worth it. 
• Never underestimate the value of a free refill and a to-go cup.
• After not playing for one year I have the exact same amount of skill at golf: none.
• Family isn't limited to blood relation.
• Home is people, not a place. 
• Basketball is a part of our heart, as are the people we've met because of it.
• God's Grace is Sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9) for any occasion.

So now we are back again. We don't know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future. And that is a very comforting thought. 

Tune in next time, same Czech-Time, same Czech-Channel.

The Wonder of Worship

Hello There!

I took the summer off from writing to enjoy some time with friends and family. Many exciting things happened over the summer that I will be sharing with you all starting now!


THE WONDER OF WORSHIP

As you probably know, Europe is very different from the United States. There is really not a single aspect of life that is not at least a little bit different. One of the main differences that we found here in Prague was church; both in the amount of churches and in the type of services available.

So it comes as no surprise that one of the things we were looking forward to most about returning home was a chance to visit our home church again (#SummitRDU). We did not realize how much we missed it until the music started. Before I get into that, let me back up a bit and lay out the whole scene for you.

We got home on Saturday afternoon and had a chance to see our family and catch up. After Heaven on Earth in the form of a Spicy Chicken Sandwich from Chick Fil-A, we went to bed early to win the fight versus jet lag.

The next morning jet lag hit us hard, so we had to go to the later service (of two on Sunday morning at The Summit Church). When we got there, we were late, so we were escorted to the front row as the music began. Our church is quite large, so being on the front row is something akin to being at a rock concert, minus the beer and pot smoking. The music began and we began to sing, but before I could get out the first line of the song, a strange feeling came over me. All of these emotions flooded me at once. I began to weep as we sang. I felt so awkward, because I have never burst into tears in a church service before. I glanced at Tonya and she too was in tears. I put my arm around her and we just let the wonder of worship fill our hearts. It was like God was saying, "Welcome Home."

We traveled a lot this summer so we did not get to be at every single service, but when we were there, we wept. We wept for joy at the voices lifted in praise to The Savior who loves us so much.

The Miracle at the Ministry of the Interior

Getting a visa in any country is not something that should be taken lightly. Our experience here certainly proves that. 

Our initial visa that we got in the U. S. lasted for six months. That meant in February, we needed to get our visa renewed so that we could continue living here. Well, the deadline in February came and went. We were given a piece of paper that said our paperwork was "in process." That was good enough to give us permission to stay in the country, but not enough to let us travel anywhere outside of the country. 

The consequences of not getting a renewal meant having to stay in the US for 90 days before returning. That meant that we would have to miss the first month of school or more in the fall. In short, very serious. 

There was always one thing or another getting in the way of getting an appointment to get our visa renewed. We tried not to worry about it, since we could not control it. We were preparing ourselves for all scenarios. 

Now we were here in our final week, four days from leaving the country. We got up early and arrived at the immigration office at 7:40 am. We took a ticket and sat down to wait. Approximately three hours later, our ticket number was called and we walked to the counter with our translator. 

After a heated exchange with the person behind the counter, it was clear we were not going to get our visas at this place. Our translator explained to us that they only wanted to validate the visa for two weeks. That meant we could leave the country, but not re-enter for ninety days. That was not a path we wanted to take. 

We left that office to go to another immigration office. On the way there our translator said, "It will probably be too crowded to get seen today, but I can show you where it is and you can go there tomorrow BY YOURSELF." (I added the emphasis there.) This was not going to work for us, because if we were even asked one question by the official we would not be able to answer it because we don't speak Czech. 

The building was very small on the outside, with a few people waiting at the entrance, finishing their cigarettes. I thought, "This might work out, thank God!" Then, we climbed the stairs and entered the lobby. The tiny building on the outside belied the long, crowded waiting room. There were 130 people waiting ahead of us. It takes about twenty minutes  to get processed if things are going smoothly. Multiply twenty by 130. We were not getting seen that day. I began to pray something like this, "God please help us to remember how to get here tomorrow and to make it on time. Please help the process to go smoothly tomorrow." 

Then, I got a text message on my phone. It was from God. No, just kidding. It was from Shara, our friend who works with us here in the Czech Republic. "What time are u going to immigration today?" it read. "We are currently there. The first place we went to would only renew for a couple of weeks. We just arrived at another place," is what I replied. I assumed that Shara was curious and wanted to pray for us or something like that. I looked at Tonya and told her that this was not going to work out today, and that we should be ready to get up early tomorrow. Then, the magic began to happen. 

In about two minutes, Shara walked around the corner. My first thought was, "How did she get here so fast?" If you know public transit, then you know that she could not have gotten there in less than an hour. 

"My administrator made an appointment for 11:30 and I am about to be seen. I had a gut feeling that you were standing here in the lobby. I am sure they will see us all at once," she said. I got goosebumps. I had this moment where I felt like I heard God say,"How about we get this done TODAY, My way?" All of my plans for working things out "tomorrow" were joyfully crushed before my eyes. I stood in awe of Him. 

We finally got our visa approved at 12:19 pm on June 25, 2013, in the only way that could give God the appropriate amount of glory and honor He deserved. I thank Him for his great love and provision for our needs. 

The ironic part of it all, is that our friend who made the appointment, was not able to get her visa that day. (She got it the next day.) Clearly, this appointment was for Tonya and me, even though it was made by the administrator of another school for another teacher. It was nothing short of a modern day miracle. 

The apostle Paul said it best in Philippians 4:19, "And my God will supply all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus." Tonya and I are living proof of this verse. We have seen it happen more than once while living in Prague.  We are simply in awe of the work of The Lord in our lives. 

The Champion Awards

When I was in college, my roommate and I had a term for when someone did something stupid. We called it, "Being a champion." Well, I have had some championship caliber moments while I have been overseas. These are just some of the lowlights.

The last weeks of February will go down some of the strangest weeks here so far. On the 28th of February our visa was going to expire so we had to have some passport photos taken. We went to the metro station where there is an instant photo booth that also takes passport pictures. I was very excited because the instructions were in English! I put in the coins and waited for my photo to be taken. The computer told me that my face was not fitting in the screen so I had to move forward. I moved forward and waited. Nothing happened. I looked down at the screen to see if I needed to press a button or something. As I did that, the photo was taken. So my first passport picture was of the top of my head. I tried again. I placed my face within the frame and then waited. Tonya counted down for me as she peered into the booth. The computer told me to move my head forward to fit into the frame again. I did and sat and waited. This time the picture took. The photo was zoomed so close to my face that it bordered on ridiculous. The deputy principal commented on the photo: "I thought this was supposed to be a picture of you." Classic.

The next day I was walking out of our flat and was carrying a large box. It was cold but appeared to be dry outside so I gave it no thought as I walked down the steps. The steps were covered in black ice so I slipped, sending the box high into the sky and me crashing down on the steps. The pain, oh the pain! I just laid there for a moment, hoping that I had not broken my rear end. I didn't, thank The Lord. But as I write this, I can't exactly sit properly. Amazing.

The next day was cold. So cold that I put on a light coat and a heavy coat. I was walking to the bus trying to zip up my coat. It was a struggle, which made no sense, because I learned to zip a coat many, many years ago. After getting off the bus, I stopped to assess what the problem was. To my humiliation, I had zipped the two separate coats together. Legendary. 

To begin the week, I received a certified letter from the post office that my beef jerky was being confiscated. That has received its own blog. The Champion Award goes to...me.

There's No Incident Like an International Incident

So I got my sister to send me some beef jerky from the USA a couple of weeks ago. The package took a long time to get here and it made me wonder what was happening. As it turns out, jerky cannot be mailed into the country. I violated the import laws of the European Union. The entire EU vs my beef jerky. Needless to say, my jerky lost. What's more, I have to pay 996 crowns to have them destroy my jerky and deliver the rest of the package to me. How in the world does it cost fifty US dollars to throw beef jerky in a trash can?

Who would have thought that beef jerky would cause an international incident?

I can just see in my head the Czech postal workers sitting back with their feet up in the desk eating my beef jerky. "Vyborna!" (Excellent) they exclaim as they steadily devour the tasty meat snack intended for me and a couple of students.

The really scary part? Another friend just mailed us some Girl Scout cookies. I shudder to think of the ramifications of importing Samoas or Tagalongs could be. Maybe I'll just run across the Charles Bridge like Tom Cruise did in Mission:Impossible on my way to
Finding sanctuary at the US embassy.

This will be the cause of world war three. In the history books, years from now, school children will refer to this day as the Jerky Incident or the Beef Jerky Contra Affair. Who needs to assassinate an archduke or bomb a military base to start a war? Certainly not me. I'll just use beef jerky.

Top Changes of 2012 Part Two

Here is the finale of our Top Changes of 2012. These are the real hard ones to get through, so bare with me.

Leaving GRACE and Teaching in Another Culture: This was very difficult for a few reasons. GRACE had been our home for the past nine years. We knew everyone and were very comfortable to just continue on there. As a teacher, I had a great rapport with my students and Tonya and I were involved in so many different aspects of the school. Fast forward to September: We don't know the language, We speak differently than the last speakers did so the students struggle to understand us (some of them anyway), and everything is different. The Grading Scale is different. The computers are different. I didn't know how to erase emails because I did not know the Czech word for "delete." There were just so many differences all at once. I would go more into them here, but I'll save that for later. Look at it this way: take everything you are used to, turn it upside down and backwards and then make it black and white instead of color. That is almost close to what we experienced in the first two months here.


Leaving Family: I have always been very close to my family. Living only forty-five minutes from where I grew up certainly helped. My parents, my sister, and my brother would come to our team's basketball games. We would go out and eat every couple of weeks. My dad always helped me with things that need to be fixed in our house. My mom always wanted to make sure we had enough of anything and everything we needed/wanted. We even lived with my sister and brother in law for the last month of our stay in the USA. The last day we were all together, we ate breakfast at the Atlantis Restaurant in North Myrtle Beach, SC. There were tears and long held hugs just before we pulled away. It is a hard thing, leaving a piece your heart behind. We look forward to the day when we will all be together again.

Leaving Basketball Behind: This is where it gets really difficult. We coached basketball together for ten years. One year at a school in Chattanooga, TN, and nine years in Raleigh.

Basketball became more than a chance to win championships or trophies. We had the opportunity to be around some of the most amazing girls that anyone could ever meet. We were coaches and we were friends. Sometimes we were the bad guys, and sometimes we were the heroes. 

We coached middle school for a few years and then were blessed with the opportunity to move up to high school. I'll never forget our first year when we did not win a game until the last two weeks of the season (we won a total of three that year). The thing that really stood out to us that year was our lone senior captain. A girl who almost did not play at all, but decided to give a young couple a chance to make her better. She was our cornerstone. Thank you #55, we are always grateful for that. 

Years past, and we went from bad to good to great. We won championships, shared family heartbreak, and became a family ourselves. The team became "Our Girls". 

Then, in January 2012, we knew it was time to go. The Lord had called us to do something else for Him, and we were going to. All that was left was to tell our girls goodbye. We knew we were leaving for about one month before we told them. On the night of our first and only JV Championship we knew we had to tell them. Our varsity girls had just lost their championship game and we knew the whole group would not be together again for a long while. It was the hardest thing that we have ever done. If you have ever had to break the hearts of twelve teenage girls all at once, then you understand how we felt. My wife, I think felt it the hardest. Basketball has always been a huge part of her life, and saying goodbye was painful. It was clear that it was God's time though, because she had such peace about it. So with 83 wins and 58 losses, three varsity championships,(two tournament and one regular season)  two 1,000 point scorers, and one girl playing in college, Coach Tonya Taylor left the building. Here's to hoping she will get the chance again one day, God willing.

If you ever played for us, thank you. You all impacted our lives more than you will ever know. 

I am sure 2013 will be a year of change as well. I could do with a little less than 2012:) 

The Top Life Changes of 2012, Part One

Hello Again!

The topic this time is the Top Life Changes of 2012. I know this type of thing is usually done around the end of December, but it took a while to narrow it down. Here we go:

Selling our House: This event was huge because we needed to sell our home quickly, and we would totally have to rely on God to sell it in a timely manner. "You can't sell a house like yours in this economy," was a common sentiment among friends and relatives. Many people thought it would still be ours when we left for Prague in August. I think lots of people simply did not believe that it could be sold in just three to four months, which was a reasonable thing to think, based on the housing market at the time.  We were connected by GRACE parent to a wonderful realtor. She was a Godsend, because she understood our urgency in needing to sell our home. Our house went on the market on April 1st, 2012. It sold on April 14th, 2012. What a mighty God we serve! We knew it was His way of showing us that we made the right choice.

Giving Away Our Car: This was a big change because it continued a trend of getting rid of our reliance on self. We spent the final month in the US without a car, which was very strange. The best part, though, was that we got to bless my sister Laura with a vehicle that she needed.

Training in Pasadena: Here we learned about our ministry and how to do it effectively. We faced emotional hardships and were tested and tried in many different ways. We also made a few close friends, for which I will always be grateful.

Christmas away from home: This would have been so much more difficult if my sister Jennifer and my brother in law Travis had not come to visit. They really helped ease the sting of Christmas away from the rest of our family. As an added bonus, just a few days prior to Christmas, the Brown family went out of their way (literally) to come to Prague to visit us and brought us some wonderful treats from home. They were a huge blessing to us at the exact time we needed to see some familiar faces.

Christmas in the CZ

One of the more peculiar things about the Czech Republic is its often contradictory way of doing  things. Take Christmas, for example. Ask anyone here and they will tell you that this is a predominantly atheist country. Yet, Christmas is still held as a sacred time.

Old Town is lit brightly with a larger than life Christmas tree. It is packed daily with shoppers perusing the Christmas markets looking for a perfect gift to give their loved ones. Nativity Scenes decorate store fronts and smaller squares throughout the city.

Families gather on the twenty-fourth of December and decorate their Christmas tree and enjoy fried carp for dinner, accompanied with a type of carp soup. Potato salad is also served, and is considered a special treat.

Instead of Santa Claus, on the night of the 24th, the Baby Jesus pays each family a visit and leaves presents. There is even a church here that has a Baby Jesus doll that has its outfits regularly changed. Whose job is that?

The Christmas tree and The Cathedral in Old Town. 

As you can see, Prague was truly beautiful at Christmastime. Soon I will have more pictures up on Facebook!