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.