Changing, Growing, Learning, Seeking

Worship...

2010-08-05T04:33:00.004-05:00

So God has had a hold of my heart since about 4 am. It's now 5:30 am, and my stubborn self finally decided to relent and let God work something in me. I've been mulling over some concepts in worship lately, and I wanted to share them with people who are also worship leaders and those who just love to worship.

The Bible talks about there being a time when the true worshipers will arise, and that they will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. I can't get this verse out of my head. I know when that happens, God is pleading with me to just listen to Him. I'm only 28 years old, but I've been in church practically my whole life. I've never observed a time in our history where there were more worship songs, worship bands, worship leaders, etc. God is raising up a generation of people who love Him and love to sing to Him. This thrills my heart! We have more creativity than ever before in the Church. We are able to create atmospheres of worship with our lights, our instrumentation, and our other media stuff, and it's awesome. We make it our job to make it easy for others to have worship experiences with God.

But what happens if we strip it all away? What if there are no lights and no cool graphics? What happens when we stand alone on a stage, stripped of all the stuff that helps us create this atmosphere of worship, and we just sing to Him? Are we creating a generation of people who will be unable to worship Him without all of the stuff? Maybe we make it too complex when it's really something very simple: showing our love to our God.

I have a crazy vision for worship in my church. It burns so intensely inside of me that sometimes I cannot even contain it. But I want to genuinely worship God, my Creator, my Friend, my EVERYTHING without needing all of the stuff. As long as He is there (and He is every time we enter His presence), I need nothing else.

On Sunday, when we enter the house of God to worship Him, let's turn our hearts and our minds towards Christ. Let all of the stuff fade into the background, and think about how awesome our God is. Worship, I believe, requires a sacrifice of our own pride. When we approach God, it's humbling, because He is so holy. We are not. My prayer is that God would be able to speak to us what He wants and that He will not have to take a backseat to our own agendas.

Beth

Love Stories

2010-02-06T11:17:00.003-05:00

Danny and I have been so blessed in our marriage, but lately it seems like I hear more and more of things not going so well in people's marriages. So as an encouragement to me and others, I want to hear your loves stories!! How is it that God brought you together? What keeps those sparks flying? Thanks for sharing!

Beth

Thoughts

2009-09-23T06:02:00.006-05:00

I've not been so good at keeping this blog going, huh? I took a long break, b/c I didn't really have anything that interesting to say. Now that I've become a mom, I have some interesting things to talk about, and her name is Adelynn Cecelia.

Adelynn (Adie) was born July 4. She came into the world with a bang, let me tell ya. I was in labor for 16 hours. My epidural didn't really take, so I felt all 16 of those hours, and Pitocin is a killer. God was so gracious, though, because my little girl came out with such a gentle curiosity about her. She didn't even cry. She just looked around as if to say, "Hello world! Here I am!" She was (and still is) the picture of perfection.

Bonding with her was so easy. I'd heard how some women really struggle with this, but thankfully I did not. I did have some postpartum blues, but that only lasted about 2-3 weeks. After that, I was able to relax and enjoy Adie in every way.

People told me that when we had a baby, everything would change, but I just had no idea! Things that used to really bother me don't anymore. If I haven't eaten all day, I don't really care, because that just means I've been playing really hard with my little sweetie. I value time at home more. The list could go on and on.

So this is what I was thinking about this morning that I really wanted to share:

When I was younger, I never fantasized about being a mother. I'd never really even thought about it much even after I'd been married a few years. And now I can't imagine anything in life being greater than this. To watch her grow, learn to laugh and play, and just be with her means everything to me now. Life always had a lot of meaning to me, but now it takes on a whole new one. I am a mom!

So now I'm faced with the daunting task of going back to work. Some may want to criticize me here, but just don't. I've wrestled with this for 3 months, and I know that it's what God wants for me. My job isn't just a job. For me, it's something I feel called to do. However, I am also called to be Adie's mom, so somehow, I have to find the balance. I know I will, but it doesn't make the ache in my heart go away. I am so going to miss my little girl, but I think that the time I have with her from now on will be total quality time. It won't seem wasted. Does that make sense?

These last 3 months that I've had with my little girl mean everything to me. I've gotten to know her like no one else could possibly know her. I am tearfully excited about what's to come. I can't believe that God has blessed me so much as to put me in charge of this wonderful little person.

Here's a photo of one of her first smiles:

2009-04-26T18:44:00.009-05:00

Today has been such an amazing day, so I thought I'd take some time to share how awesome my Father is. I've been such a slacker for the last couple of months in keeping up with this blog, so I sincerely apologize to the (maybe) one person who actually reads this.

God has been changing me over the last year, and I don't think it could have come at a better time. I used to be the most legalistic, self-righteous Christian you would have ever met. Now, don't think that I was just hard on others because of what they were doing wrong. I was doubly hard on myself for everything I did wrong. I was an equal opportunity legalist!

This may sound really strange and crazy to some people, but the beginning of my transformation began when God sang to me. (I wrote about this briefly in an earlier blog). I had gotten so burned out striving and trying so hard to be who I thought God and everyone else REQUIRED me to be. I was ready to throw in the towel...to say the heck with organized religion period. Don't misunderstand me. I loved God more than anything, but I was constantly feeling like I could never measure up or follow all the rules well enough. It was horrible.

I was in my car one day while we were living in Germany, and this song came on through my Ipod. The chorus goes something like this: "I am captivated by you, Captivated by you. May my life be one unbroken gaze, fixed upon the beauty of your face." Awww...so pretty, right? I thought so, but it didn't really touch my heart until later that night. I couldn't get the song out of my head all day, and that night when I went to bed, it was still there. I just allowed it to play in my head, hoping that I'd just drift off to sleep. God wouldn't let me got to sleep, however. He had something to say before I decided to quit Him altogether. I began to talk to Him, something I'd not done much of lately. I felt sort of crushed by Him and didn't realize it. God basically just said, "Hush and listen, woman!" Then the song began to play in my head again..."I am captivated by you..." In that moment, all of my walls came crashing down. He was singing to me! He was captivated by me!!! What? I was nothing...filthy rags, on a good day. I'd never heard God like this before. I didn't know what to do, what to think. But as soon as I started to analyze what I'd just heard, I drifted off to the most peaceful sleep I'd had in a long time.

The next morning, I woke up thinking, "Did this really happen? Am I just being crazy ridiculous?" There was no way around it. My heart was changed, softened. I realized that all of the striving to earn God's acceptance and love was futile. He already loved me so much that there was nothing I could do to reverse it. It's like Pastor Mark said this morning at church, "We didn't choose God; He chose us." How unworthy am I that He would do such a thing?!

So, now it's over a year later, and I feel like I'm still trying to wrap my head around grace and mercy. I feel like in everything I do and say, I want God's grace to be evident. I look at people so differently now, too, and I feel like I need to apologize to anyone that I may have judged harshly. I am so sorry for making anyone feel like less than a precious jewel in God's eyes. I guess you can take solace in the fact that I made myself as miserable (if not more miserable) as I made you...haha!

My internal struggle now is not being angry at the people in my younger life who made me feel like God could only love me if I was completely blameless; that if I did anything wrong, I was essentially condemned to hell. I mean, I seriously believed that if I did ANYTHING wrong, God would be angry at me and would literally throw me into the fiery pit. I had it so wrong!!! Today, I feel free to live for Him. My walk feels more pure. I don't try so hard to follow all the rules, but the rules are somehow followed because I'm truly so in love with Him.

Pastor Mark talked about following our dreams this morning, and I wanted to share mine with the whoever reads this. My dream is that when I worship through singing that people feel the way I felt that day when He sang to me. I want you to hear God's voice telling you how much He loves you and how proud He is to be your Father. If I never have an opportunity to sing in front of thousands of people, that's more than ok, but if one person comes to the realization that Jesus is real and His love is unconditional, I will have fulfilled what I was put on this earth to do.

Here's a video for you that I just love...kinda sums it all up, I think.

20 Week Ultrasound Pictures!

2009-03-31T19:04:00.004-05:00

Her precious little profile!

I love her little feet!

24 Week Belly

THE BABY IS...

2009-03-04T17:12:00.003-05:00

...A GIRL!!! YIPPPPEEEE!!! Danny and I are so happy. We would have been either way, but we're just so happy to finally know! She is perfect and healthy. She has the cutest little nose and lips I've ever seen in my life. She weighs 1 lb now and is over 10 inches long!!

I've tried to journal all of her little milestones, but there are a few things I really want to remember:

1. I started feeling the first "flutter" kicks on January 21 while I was sitting in nursing orientation at GHS.

2. I started feeling her first really strong kicks on Valentine's Day morning. That was the first time Danny was able to feel her kick too.

3. Early last week, I had my first real freak out moment when I hadn't felt her kicking for the entire morning. I was ready to doppler her or go and get an ultrasound just to make sure she was ok. I've never been more scared in my life.

4. Over the last week, her kicking has gotten so frequent that I don't even want to imagine what it will feel like without it. Now she kicks so hard that I can actually see my tummy moving. It's kinda creepy.

5. After Danny, Tiffany Tucker was the next person to be able to feel her. And then, Mirjam, Danny's sister, was able to feel her. It was special. Hopefully Mom and Inge will have an opportunity soon.

6. Last Thursday, we had our 20 week ultrasound (at 21 weeks), and it was such a happy moment. My mom and my mother-in-law were both able to be there, and it was incredible to watch them and share that experience with them. I am so lucky to have such incredible supporters in my life. We have their reactions on video, and it makes me cry every time we watch it (which is quite often...hehe).

I cannot even tell you how blessed life is right now. I've never been so happy, scared, petrified, or thrilled (all at the same time). My prayer for our baby girl is that she is healthy and strong. I pray everyday that she is able to hear the voice of her Father at an early age and that she will grow up knowing His unconditional love and grace. I pray that Danny and I will be examples of that for her. If you want to help us and support us in this endeavor, please pray those same things for her.

Valentine's Day 2009

2009-02-14T09:03:00.004-05:00

Danny and I have never really celebrated Valentine's Day to a great extent. I kinda think it's a stupid, retail-inspired holiday, and I don't think there's a guy out there that would mind having an excuse to get out of the whole thing. Danny and I believe that you shouldn't just take one day a year to be romantic and sweet to your significant other. It's something we strive to do daily. We don't always get it right, but we try.

This Valentine's Day has been a little different for me, though. I am starting to put on weight and feel like a huge heifer, and last night it was just a nice to get some flowers and go out on the town. My husband has been amazing since I've been pregnant; telling me how sexy I am and how much he loves me. But I can't help but feel a little icky when I can't button up my pants or my shirt won't fit over my belly. So this year I appreciate having this holiday to really celebrate the love Danny and I share. For one day, we've just been able to concentrate on each other. (And it's the last Valentine's Day we'll have with just the two of us, so we're trying to soak it all up).

I hope everyone has had a great day today! Love is amazing when you find it with someone who is as awesome as Danny!! Love ya, honey!! xoxo

Little History lesson:
Emperor Claudius II ordered all Romans to worship twelve gods, and he made it a crime punishable by death to associate with Christians. Valentinus was a dedicated Christian and continued practicing his beliefs. He was arrested and imprisoned. The jailer noticed that Valentinus was an educated man so he brought his blind daughter, Julia to him so he could tutor and teach her. Valentinus taught her stories of Rome’s history, he taught her about nature, arithmetic and told her about God. One day, Julius asked if God hears our prayers. “Yes, my child, He hears each one,” he replied. Julia expressed her belief that God could heal her blindness. Julia received her sight that day in the prison cell as they knelt and prayed. On the eve of his death, Valentinus wrote a last note to Julia, urging her to stay close to God, and he signed it “from your Valentine.” His sentence was carried out the next day, February 14, 270 A.D. near a gate that was later named Porta Valentini in his memory. He was buried at what is now the Church of Praxedes in Rome. It is said that Julia herself planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near his grave. Today, the almond tree remains a symbol of abiding love and friendship. On each February 14, St. Valentine’s Day, messages of affection, love and devotion are exchanged around the world.
(quoted from http://destinychristian.com/wordpress/?p=726)

Belly Pics!!

2009-02-07T09:15:00.001-05:00

This was yesterday: 18 weeks, 1 day.

The bare (very white) belly.

1st Week of Work

2009-02-06T16:49:00.003-05:00

Ok, so this week was my first week in about a year and a half that I've worked 40+ hours. I am working in the CV operating room (open heart surgery), and so far, I'm loving it. I'm completely and utterly pooped, but I think that has a lot to do with the growing baby in my belly too. =)

There's just one thing that I wanted to share from my experiences. This week, I've been knocked off my feet by God. To look into a person's chest and see their beating heart has to be about the coolest thing ever. How can anyone deny that God exists when they see this? I mean, I get the science behind it, and I love that. But to see how everything is formed so perfectly; all the nerves and blood vessels are in just the right place, etc; I just don't get how anyone can deny God. He truly is amazing, and He is such an amazing architect!!

Busy, Busy

2009-01-31T08:36:00.002-05:00

I've been very lax over the last month with my blogging. We've had a ton of stuff going on that we are very excited about, so let me give you the updates.

Baby update:
I am a little over 17 weeks now, and my belly is starting to really poke out. I love it! Being that I used to really struggle with weight issues, it's amazing to see that my expanding belly makes me feel incredible...not fat! I have a doctor appointment on Monday, but we won't find out the sex until February 26. We can't wait to know.

New job (finally):
I started my new job on January 19. I'm working in the cardiovascular operating room, and I am so excited about it. When I first started as a nurse in the CCU, I asked to see an open heart surgery while I was on orientation, and they let me watch one. It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen!! I knew from that day on that I wanted to work there someday. I just had no idea that God would allow me to work there already. God really did a miracle in getting me this job. I could go on and tell you the whole story, but I'll spare you for today. One of the really great things about this job is that I don't just circulate (meaning running around grabbing equipment), but I also get to scrub in with the doctor seeing everything firsthand. It's really intense. One day, I'll try and get some photos of the OR itself, so you can see how it's all set up. It's absolutely crazy!!

Anyway, that's the life update. I'm going to try to update this more often. God is amazing and has shared lots with me over the last few months. I want to share, but sometimes I just can't find all the words.

Have a great day!!

Today's QT

2009-01-07T10:50:00.003-05:00

I read this in Reflections for Ragamuffins by Brennan Manning this morning, and I just thought I'd share it with you.

"If the question were put to you, 'Do you honestly believe that God likes you?'--not loves you because theologically he must--how would you answer? God loves by necessity of his nature; without the eternal, interior generation of love, he would cease to be God. But if you could answer, 'The Father is very fond of me,' there would come a relaxedness, a serenity, and a compassionate attitude toward yourself that is a reflection of God's own tenderness. In Isaiah 49:15, God says: 'Does a woman forget her baby at her breast, or fail to cherish the son of her womb? Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you'"

"No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5

I don't really think I need to add to this. Anything I would add would only take away from what's being said...haha. But I'm going to think about what this really means today.

Life Updates...

2009-01-05T17:02:00.002-05:00

I don't really know if anyone really cares, but here we go anyway:

1. Danny and I had a fabulous Christmas. It was so good to be able to celebrate with my family this year. I missed my mom last year. =(

2. New Years was great. We were able to go to Atlanta, GA with our College and Career home group. We went to the Aquarium, Danny and everyone else ice skated, and then we had a party at the Votaw house. It was great to celebrate with some new friends. Plus, while we were in Atlanta, I ran into one of my old childhood friends who is, by the way, 8 months preggers. Very exciting!! Very random!!

3. On Saturday, January 3rd, Danny and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. On Christmas day, we had officially been together for 7 years. I am truly married to the best guy in the whole world. I never thought 7 years ago that I would be able to love him more than I did then, but I do! I've never known a love (other than Christ's) that's more unconditional than with Danny.

4. I have a doctor appointment tomorrow to check on everything with the baby. I'm not having an ultrasound, but I'll try to keep you posted on things with the little one. I've been using babycenter.com to track the progress and growth of the baby, and as of Friday, the baby was supposedly about the size of a lemon. I think that's kinda cool. I've gained all of 2 lbs, but I'm only 14 weeks. I'm anxious and excited about feeling the first flutters in there. I am also excited about finally being big enough that I look pregnant. (I know I may regret that statement later). I am just ready for it to be more tangible. Does that make sense?

Ok, that's all for now. Have a great week!!

Fröhliche Weihnachten!!

2008-12-25T18:38:00.003-05:00

Well, Christmas is essentially over. It's usually at this time of the day that I get a little sad. All of the hype and anticipation are over. This year, as we were driving home from my mom's house, I had some time to reflect on my favorite part(s) of Christmas.

#1. My mom goes way out of her way to try and make Christmas special for everyone in some way. That's something I hope to pass along to my children someday.

#2. I love to watch others open their presents. I want to see the look on their faces when they get that one special Christmas wish.

#3. Danny and I started officially dating on Christmas day 7 years ago. We've made it a tradition to write each other a letter reflecting on the year and the things we've learned and the ways we've grown in our love for one another. More than any other gift, I look forward to this one from him the most. I have a drawer packed full of letters and notes from him that I'll cherish forever. My hope and prayer is that we will continue this Christmas tradition for the rest of our lives despite the hustle and bustle of children and other things.

Finally, I hope that everyone had an amazing Christmas. I hope that you are blessed in the coming year and that your faith in Christ will deepen and blossom.

1+1=3

2008-12-16T06:55:00.004-05:00

It's been a bit of a secret until now (even though so many people knew...haha), but now the cat is completely out of the bag. We'll be having our first little baby around July 10th, and we are so extremely excited.

We had our first doctor visit December 3rd, and it was incredible!! I was so nervous. I don't really know why. A part of me was scared that there would be nothing there or something would be wrong, but at the first glimpse of our little baby, we were totally in love. We were able to see the heart beating. It was so fast...185bpm. We sat there and watched the baby move for a little while. It was kicking its little leg buds and moving its hands. I couldn't believe how much like a baby it already looked.

Here's the baby's first picture:

Why I Hate Cleaning...

2008-12-05T08:09:00.003-05:00

Most of the people of my generation were addicted to the sitcom, Friends, on tv. Those of you who know Monica know that she is the stereotypical Type A personality and clean freak. I can truly identify with Monica the most except for in one area...CLEANING! While I am a serious Type A personality, when it comes to cleaning I cringe! I don't tend to be a complainer but here are the top reasons I hate cleaning:

1. I clean, and in two days, it's back to the way it was before I cleaned.

2. Cleaning, for the most part, is mindless activity. There's no life or death problem to try and figure out. I'm not stretching my brain in any way.

3. I think that time spent making my house emaculate could be better spent making my husband happy and spending quality time with him.

Ha! So now when I invite you over to our house, you will probably think we live in filth, and that's not the case at all. It's not that I don't clean, it's just that I'm not too happy about it...lol.

I leave you with this quote that I find incredibly satisfying:

"A clean house is a sign of a wasted life."

I Know, I Know...

2008-11-22T08:23:00.004-05:00

I totally need to update this thing, but there's a lot going on right now that I'm not quite ready to talk about publically. So be patient, and check back often to see what we're up to.

Oh, one more thing: Congrats Chris, Beth, and Carrie on the birth of their daughter/sister, Hannah!! She looks just like Carrie when she was teenie tiny. We are super excited for you guys.

The Results Are In...

2008-11-05T07:51:00.003-05:00

Barack Obama is set to be our next president!! While he may not have been my first choice, I am so proud to be an American right now. Whether you voted for Obama or not, you should be so proud of our democracy!! When I think about all of the oppression going on in other countries...people being murdered for making their voices heard, I cannot help but be so happy that my voice was heard (and I lived to tell about it).

I see that many Christians are really concerned about Obama becoming president, and I would just like to say (truly in love) that we cannot put our God in a box. God has been using people we wouldn't expect for centuries!! We have nothing to fear, because God has our past, present, and future in His awesome hands. I am truly looking forward to how God dumbfounds us all through Obama's presidency. I am looking forward to seeing Obama moving in such ways that could only be explained by him hearing the small whisper of God's voice. And I'm looking forward to God proving that He is good once again. Don't let fear and worry cloud your vision during the next four years! Watch and see!! God is going to do great things!!

Instead of berating Obama, let's start praying for him now as the leader of our country. My prayer is that we can come together as a country, and that this nation will change for the better despite who our president is.

I would love to hear your opinions on this subject.

Beth

Weekend Trip to the Mountains

2008-11-05T07:47:00.005-05:00

So this past weekend, we went up to the N.C. mountains with the Tuckers. It was so much fun and oh, so relaxing. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

So many beautiful colors!

Worthy of a frame, I think

Kinda looks like an album cover

Facebook and Grace

2008-10-24T17:45:00.006-05:00

Facebook is an amazing tool. With it, you can get in touch with people who once loved you, hated you, or just felt indifferent towards you. You can look in awe at people you that you went to high school with who have really made their lives great, who have overcome struggles, or who have failed miserably and may need a helping hand. It's honestly like a constant high school/college reunion!

Recently, I re-met an old friend on facebook who has been touched tremendously by the grace of God. She is an amazing woman of God, even though she may not know that yet, but she, like most of us, didn't come to know God the easy way. She rebelled against religion, church, and anything to do with Christianity, but God met her where she was and lifted her out of a life that was nothing but destructive. I had the pleasure of hanging out with her for the whole day today, and it was amazing to hear her testimony of grace. I feel blessed to know her!

One of the things I found really interesting in our meeting today was that she had, at one time, googled the word grace. The first website that pops up, if you want to do it is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_grace. In this website grace is defined as:

"enabling power sufficient for progression. Grace divine is an indispensable gift from God for development, improvement, and character expansion. Without God's grace, there are certain limitations, weaknesses, flaws, impurities, and faults (i.e. carnality) humankind cannot overcome. Therefore, it is necessary to increase in God's grace for added perfection, completeness, and flawlessness."

The wikipedia entry goes on to say that grace is God's gift to humankind!! Ha! I love it!! Grace is a gift that you don't have to earn. As a matter of fact, there's nothing in this world you could do to earn the measure of grace given to us by our Father. Isn't it amazing that He loves us so much?! Well, it just makes me freakin' excited...that's all I have to say.

So my challenge is for everyone to think about and write out your testimony of grace. I've felt that I've needed to do this for long time, but I've never had the time. It would be a novel; I can tell you that with certainty. It will be interesting for us all to see what God has done for us...to be able to quantify it. Let me know your thoughts.

Beth

Wanted!!

2008-10-21T09:36:00.001-05:00

Hey,
I'm looking for a great left handed acoustic guitar. Send me a message if you have one you're willing to sell or give away!! Thanks!!

Random Thoughts for the Week

2008-10-19T14:46:00.002-05:00

1. If something ever happens to my husband, I'll never be able to watch television again. He's the only one who knows how he wired up our sound system.

2. Watching a friend go through hard times is rough, but knowing that someone is intentionally hurting them is torture.

3. Coffee should only be prepared using a coffee press. Everyone, throw out your coffee machines and make real coffee!!

4. I go to the greatest church on the planet, and I am lucky to be a part of what's going on there.

5. Everyone (well, maybe just women) should indulge themselves in reading a love story involving vampires and werewolves. It's just awesome! Thanks Twilight Series...I'm hooked.

6. Being employed is entirely overrated.

7. My husband is a stud!!

8. My cat makes me smile. She's cuddling with me as I type. How sweet!

9. I want to be used by God not because I want people to look at me and say, "Oh, look! She's being used by God." I want to be used, b/c there's a lot of work that needs to be done. It's not about me!!

10. I just ate a hot cheesecake brownie with Rocky Road ice cream on it, and it was almost better than sex.

Pure and Faultless Religion

2008-10-08T06:36:00.003-05:00

James 1:27: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

With everything that is going on economically in the world today, I am reminded of this verse. There are those who are sick and tired of paying for the health care and other costs of those who are less fortunate and those who are just too lazy to get a job. I understand this being part of the highly taxed middle class, but consider this verse. Our job as genuine Christians is to take care of those less fortunate than us. It is not an option. James says that it is the "religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless..." Nothing else matters in this world other than us taking care of others...showing the love and mercy to others that was so freely given us.

"Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All of the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'" (Matthew 22:37-40)

So who is our neighbor? Our neighbors are ALL of those around us...good or bad...genuinely unfortunate or not...who need Christ. I firmly believe that if we show the love of Christ to everyone, whether they are taking advantage or not, Christ is glorified, and that is all I want to do. It is not my job to judge whether someone is worthy of my help or not. It is simply my job to help and wait for Christ to do His work. When we love without conditions (something the world doesn't expect) and give without regulations, His Word is brought forth, and His love is shown. Jesus loved me without conditions and regulations. Who am I to not love others the way He loves and takes care of me?

Sunday Refections-October 5, 2008

2008-10-06T06:48:00.005-05:00

This Sunday's Communion message was, for me, exactly what I needed. During the message Pastor Mark said that there are 3 things that Communion encourages us to do. Those include:
1. To look within ourselves and examine our own lives
2. To look back at how God has delivered us from things in our lives
3. To look ahead to the time when we will see Him face to face.

Pastor Mark also asked us 3 questions related to these 3 concepts:
1. What do you see when you look within yourself?
2. What "God-memory" is most special to you?
3. What are you looking forward to with God?

It's the answer to the 3rd question that I wanted to talk about in this blog. When I was about 2-3 years old, my biological father committed suicide. I never got to know my real father, and that has truly affected me over the years. I ask myself questions like, "Why was I not worth him living?" This was a constant battle in my mind as I was growing up and even now, at times. I was adopted by my mom's next husband, but I never felt like I was good enough for him. I grew up feeling like a major burden in his life. So, for me, when I think about the answer to this 3rd question, my eyes fill with tears, because I can just picture it in my mind...when I see Him face to face. I picture myself running as fast as I can to Him, laughing the whole way, and He's running full-on towards me. Then He grabs me up and twirls me around, and we just laugh and play like this for hours. (Ha...you REALLY don't want to be behind me in line to meet Him. Prepare to wait). Then He speaks to me and tells me how much He's always loved me and cared about me. I sit there completely dumbfounded that it's even possible to feel such amazing love and grace. And then I fold my head into His chest, and I just stay there for a really long time listening to His heart beat...His arms engulf me without a hint of Him ever wanting to let go. I never want to move from this position. Just let me stay like this for all of eternity. I am with my Daddy...

God is so real and so full of love. When I think about all of the things we must endure in life, I think about how all of that will just fade away when we see Him face to face. All of the hurt, frustration, and anger that we carry around will melt at the very sight of Him. But the amazing thing is that we don't even have to wait that long to let all of these issues go. If we surrender to Christ right now, even in this very moment, He floods our hearts with His grace and mercy, and everything else just falls away. He is good and faithful. If we seek Him, He will not hide Himself from us. That's a promise that we can count on.

Update...

2008-10-04T06:16:00.002-05:00

This week has been such a stressful week for me. Here's the situation: Before we decided to take an amazing assignment in Germany, I had such a great job. The call back part was a little difficult at times, but in all, it was a good job. I was financially well taken care of. I was able to schedule things in my life and therefore actually have a life. Not many nurses can brag about that. Yes, the doctors would occasionally fly off the handle, and you'd want to quit just because of the amount of emotional abuse you'd have to take from them on a daily basis. But I worked with a great group of people, and we really had a lot of fun.

So we take off and have such an amazing time in Germany. We are just so blessed. Meanwhile, my boss in the cath lab is doing all that she can to hold my job for me for the year I'm gone. I checked the job postings on the St. Francis website every month or so just to see if my position was still there. After 11 months in Germany, my position was still there, but I wasn't sure if I even wanted the job back. God was really speaking to my heart about some things. I just wasn't sure where He wanted me to be. After talking to the director of the cath lab about a month before I came home, I thought the position was, at any rate, still mine for the taking. Two weeks before leaving Germany, the position is still there. Three days before leaving Germany, the job is suddenly gone! I thought, "Ok, God has a way of closing doors and opening others. It's ok." I wasn't all that upset about it.

So now we come to this last week. I've had 4 interviews at 3 different hospitals and only one job in which I'm actually interested. The one job I'm interested in would be a HUGE HUGE HUGE (get the point) pay cut, but I don't do nursing just for the money. I'd rather be happy and have less money than miserable in a job that pays great. Anyway, so the nurse manager in the job that I really wanted absolutely loved me, and I thought that it was just a perfect fit for me. All week, I've been waiting to hear the definite, for sure, job offer, and I've only gotten the run-around. I am the ONLY person they've interviewed for this position, so I'm knew that there was something else going on. Finally, I get a clear answer...budget. Apparently, they posted this dream job without actually having the money in the budget to pay for it. Hmmm...not good, and yesterday it got even better (note sarcasm).

Yesterday, I had my fourth interview. I was set up on an interview in PACU, an area I know little about. The CV OR people set it up, because according to them, this is where the greatest need lies. Ok, I'm open minded, so I go to the interview. PACU seems like a really great area. The job seems like it's challenging and rewarding. So far, so good. Then I ask about hours, and they are stinking nuts...third shift call, working sometimes 8:30am-11pm, days off spent recovering from third shift call, working every other weekend, etc. So, I'm thinking this job doesn't provide much along the lines of being able to have a life. Then I have a meeting with the boss of the nurse manager of the CV OR. He wanted to clear things up with me and explain why the CV OR position is not actually available even tough it's been posted since July. He asks me if I am at all interested in the PACU position, and I told him that it was not a dream job like the CV OR. I went on to really try and sell it to this guy that I would be awesome in CV OR. I could tell he was disappointed that he could not pacify me with the PACU job. I asked him, straight up, if the position was completely off the table, and he told me that he'd really have to think about it. So, I left that meeting with no answers, and after 4 interviews this week, I still have no job.

I do, however, have an amazing amount of peace. I know that God has something for me. I know that He called me to be a nurse, and I know that He's called me to be a worship leader. He has the perfect job out there that will allow me to do both wholeheartedly, and I'll wait until He provides it. God really spoke to my heart over this last year in Germany. (It's amazing how much He talks to you when you're listening). I know that I'm not supposed to settle, and that I am supposed to wait for Him no matter what the cost. Right now, financially, the cost is pretty high, but I have to wait, obey, and trust that God will always provide.

So that's what I've been doing this week. What have you been up to? I'd love to hear your stories. What has God spoken in your heart?

Change of Focus

2008-09-28T17:16:00.003-05:00

Since we aren't in Germany anymore, I can no longer tell you about the amazing places we get to see, so I've decided to change my blog up a bit to talk to you more about my relationship with Christ, my husband, and maybe Lilly, the cat. I am incredibly open to your ideas and opinions, so leave comments! Also, if you have a particular topic you'd like for me to discuss, bring it on. I love the opportunies to learn about things I may not know anything about! Email me your suggestions: mrsehl@gmail.com.

Beth

Job Hunting

2008-09-24T12:33:00.002-05:00

So I've been looking for a job now for about 1.5 weeks. It is quite frustrating work! I came to this realization while I was in Germany that I was sick and tired of working ALL the time, and even when I wasn't working, if I was on call, I was still kinda working. Granted, the money is great, but life isn't all about that. I want to live!! So I've been searching for a fulfilling job that meets several qualifications.

1.) No weekends...haha...yeah right
2.) Day shift only...I did nights for a year, and I'll never do it again
3.) Something that is challenging and something from which I can really grow

Ok, so right now there's not a single nursing job in the Anderson/Greenville area that 100% meets those specifications...not even 85%...haha. It must be unreasonable to think that I can have a career, hopefully a family someday soon, and a reasonably fulfilling life. Hmmm...there's just gotta be more, you know?

Thoughts? Comment? Further Observations?

One Week Later...Reflections

2008-09-22T15:05:00.004-05:00

Well, we've been home now for one week. (It was really strange to drive home from Atlanta and see all of the gigantic cars). We had a fabulous surprise party waiting for us at our house. Andrea Evans probably spent hours cleaning everything up for us. God bless her!! It was great to go home and everything be there almost exactly how we left it. We felt so loved having so many people there waiting on us. We are truly blessed individuals...no doubt.

So our first few days were quite nice actually. All the unpacking and organizing went very smoothly thanks to my husband...such a diligent guy.

I had band practice for the first time in a year. It was great to sing again. In all, leading worship was the hardest thing I had to give up this past year, and I think God has some great things in store.

I've been applying for various nursing positions. This morning, in fact, I've had three calls for interviews. That's pretty exciting. Maybe I'll have options! Pray for clarity.

It's nice to have all of our friends again. Kenny and Tiffany are literally a phone call away. Playing Wii boxing was freakin' awesome!!! Watching Kenny play Wii Boxing was priceless.

So here are my reflections from Sunday: I was so nervous singing. I was thinking maybe they remember me as something I'm not...haha. You always kind of inflate a person in your mind when they've been gone for a while. I was really humbled and thankful for the warm reception. It's hard coming back after not having sung in an entire year. I think there is a very warm chemistry between Jeff, Becky, and I, and I think that God is going to do amazing things. It was just incredible to see everyone again and to see all the new faces. Hope is a great church, and I can't imagine being anywhere else. It's a church that truly desires to reach its community and to fulfill the great commission. It's just awesome to be a part of such a ministry! Danny and I are both ready and willing to be contributors, as Pastor Mark talked about, and not consumers.

Question of the Day...9/11/2001

2008-09-11T08:08:00.001-05:00

Where were you and what were you doing when the terrorist attacks occurred? What was your initial reaction?

I am going to answer this myself first. It was a huge turning point in my life, I think. I was living in the garage apartment at the Parkinson's house. I woke up, turned on the television to watch the news, and that's when I saw the first building in flames. I watched for several minutes in complete disbelief, and then when I thought it couldn't get any worse, a second plane crashed into the second building. I saw it on Live tv. I remember one reporter in the background had been debating whether it was an accident or a terrorist attack, but after that second one happened, she began to panic. Then I began to panic. I ran downstairs to try and wake up the Parkinsons. I really thought we were under attack or something. I remember thinking that life as I know it will never be the same, and I was right.

Seven years later, terrorism is still a major problem in the world, and it will probably always be. Not long after we moved here to Germany, there was an attempted terrorist attack at the Frankfurt Airport. They traced the terrorists back to the town of Ulm...about 1.5 hours away from where we live in Reutlingen. Recently, it was uncovered that these men had plans of attacking about 5 other German airports. These were all attempts to target Americans. One of these 5 airports is the one we are flying out of on Sunday. It's kinda scary, but my trust and faith is in Jesus. Ok, enough of that. What are your thoughts?

Why So Serious?

2008-09-03T03:08:00.003-05:00

Ok, so my last few posts have been too serious, so I wanted to write you and tell you what's going on. We are in our last two weeks here in Germany. It's kinda surreal to us right now. We have been so blessed this year. We've had many opportunities to share our faith, and we've made so many life-long friends here. Now, we're already having to say goodbye to some of them...so sad. We do, however, have the best friends in the world to come home to, and we are SOOOOO excited about that. I can't wait to start singing again on the worship team, and we both are so excited about having our church family again. I'm not looking forward to the whole job hunting process, but apart from that, things couldn't be better.

Tomorrow the packers are coming to take away the majority of our things, and then we'll be living out of suitcases for the next 9 or so days. My mom and step-dad are picking us up at the airport, and Danny's family is going to meet us at our house when we get home. It's going to be so nice to sleep in my own bed, cook in my own kitchen with my own kitchen stuff...hehe, and chill on my own couch. We need to have a party when we get back, but I am not sure when we'll do it. We need to get settled first.

We also have to buy another car...yikes! I sold my little red machine before we left, and I think we are looking into buying a hybrid Ford Escape. We aren't sure, however, how available those cars are. If we weren't looking to start a family soon, I'd want one of those Smart cars. Have you seen them? They are so cute. Lots of people have them here in Germany, and they are incredibly convenient. You can park those things perpendicular in a parallel parking space. It's amazing!

I heard that hurricane Fay brought some rain to Anderson, and that the lake is a bit higher now. That's great, b/c we've gone a year without wakeboarding and that's just unacceptable. I am also hoping to get to the beach soon. We are so landlocked here, and it's no fun. Unfortunately, it looks like there are about 3 more hurricanes brewing in the Atlantic, so we may have to take in some people in our house rather than them taking us in. I MISS YOU, BETH,CHRIS, AND CARRIE!! You are welcome anytime at our house...lol.

Alright, enough of my rambling. We love you all so much, and we are looking forward to seeing you again really soon!!

Beth

What I Believe

2008-09-03T01:48:00.010-05:00

I've had people who have questioned my morals and values over the last few weeks just for simply evaluating both presidential candidates fairly and without bias. I think that it's easy for people who don't really know me to judge me in such a harsh way. So I'd like to clear up some things.

I believe:

1. Most importantly, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that the Bible is the infallible Word of God. I believe that my life must, in every way, reflect the mercy and grace that was given to me so freely in that I show the same grace and mercy to others.

2. Abortion and especially partial birth abortion are definitely the most hideous practices that we have in the U.S. I was talking to a German friend here, and he absolutely could not believe that in some states in the U.S. the practice of partial birth abortion is legal and acceptable. For people who say that life doesn't begin until such and such a time, I say, "How do you know?" Are you willing to take a chance on such an assumption? I am not. Life begins when Jesus breathes life into a child, and that happens at conception. Who are we as mere mortals to decide who lives and dies? We are not God, and we should not pretend to be.

3. The war in Iraq is an illegal and unethical war which is responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people: our soldiers and innocent civilians. However, I believe that our soldiers are brave and are doing a noble thing by fulfilling the duty in which they were assigned. I think our soldiers' votes in this election should count twice!

4. The genocide that is going on in Zimbabwe and in other parts of Africa is one of the worst in our lifetime, and I think if they had oil, we'd be "liberating" them as well. Unfortunately, they have no one to fight for them, so women are being castrated and raped, children are being brutally murdered, and people are literally starving to death. No one is there to help them, and it grieves my heart more than you can imagine.

5. It is the church's job to provide the majority of the social services that the U.S. so desperately needs. How much money do we put into social activities and various programs in our churches that could be used to feed families in our communities who have no food? Why don't we have more orphanages that are church supported so that women who want to have an abortion have an alternative? The Bible says in James that true religion is taking care of the widows and orphans, and I think that many churches in America have missed the mark. Please note that I am not trying to dis the church, but I think that most of us can agree that for some churches the priorities just aren't in the right place. I can also say that there are many churches who are doing the right thing, but I just want to appeal to the ones who may not be.

6. Insurance companies in America are the bane of our existence. Because of insurance companies and their deals with doctors and hospitals, people are paying unbelievable prices for healthcare. There needs to be radical reforms here. I don't know if universal healthcare is the answer, but I think we can all agree that something has got to give.

7. Many people in America misuse their 2nd Ammendment rights, and as a result we have too many incredibly dangerous weapons on our streets. Why does a person need a semi-automatic or an automatic weapon? There is absolutely no reason! These types of guns are polluting our streets and causing the deaths of too many Americans. The laws need to be more strict, not less. Many would say, "Guns don't kill people; people kill people." And to that I say, if the person with the gun didn't have a gun, maybe that person on the other end would still be alive. Why are we so blah see when it comes to human life?

8. Racism in America and all over the world is completely unacceptable. To discriminate against someone based on religion or color is atrocious. We can all agree that people are people. Everyone has a vital role to play in this life, and how dare we suggest that one race is inferior to another. Our differences should be things we celebrate and respect. Some of the racial things that I've heard about Obama from people who live in my community have embarrassed me so much. I love the south and America, but I am ashamed of the racial prejudices we have in our country. I don't know how we bridge the gap, but we have to find a way.

9. Americans are some of the most wasteful people in the world, and we have to take responsibility for our actions and the damage our actions have caused to the environment. How many Americans drive gas-guzzling cars for no reason other than vanity? How many Americans drive around in F250s or 350s, and they don't even have a farm. Oil is not a renewable resource and America with its 300 million people uses 1/3 of the world's yearly oil supply. That is preposterous. On top of that, we don't recycle, and therefore, our landfills are overflowing and pollution is at an all time high. For the record, in Germany it is unacceptable for a person not to recycle. It is mandated here as it should be in America. I applaud Gov. Schwarzenegger for leading the way in these good practices in America.

Ok, so I think that's enough for now. I beg you, before you judge me, get to know me. If you have a question about what I say, ask, but don't attack me. You have your own opinions, and they are valid just like mine. I've been crushed by people this week who have even questioned my commitment to Christ. Please know that I weigh everything I believe against what the Bible says and the example that Jesus Himself left for us. I am changing and growing and learning (the reason for the title of this entire blog), and I am very opened to others' opinions as I continue on this journey of knowing Christ and following Him wholeheartedly. I welcome your thoughts and opinions, but I do not welcome personal attacks against me. I am willing to accept that I am wrong about certain issues, and I would hope that anyone who reads my blog is also open to the fact that they may also be wrong. We are all learning here. No one has all the answers, and we need to listen to one another rather than arguing. I hope this helps clear up some doubts that people have had about me. =)

Question of the Day

2008-08-31T16:13:00.002-05:00

Why should Americans be FORCED to vote for the "lesser of two evils" come election day? I really wish someone would run for president who represents all of the issues that I and most Christians are passionate about!!

The Issues

2008-08-21T01:32:00.013-05:00

Today, I've decided (since I'm still sick) to make a very comprehensive list of the the issues of both candidates. This goes beyond my list from yesterday. How many Americans have honestly gone to BOTH candidates' websites to read about where they (supposedly) stand on issues? Not a whole lot of people; I can pretty much guarantee that!

So here goes:

McCain:

*Energy
-Believes in breaking our dependence on foreign oil by utilizing our oil reserves at home and promotes off shore drilling as a short term solution until more efficient fuel methods are discovered. (How long is that going to actually take?)
-Wants to give a $5000 tax credit to those who buy a car with zero carbon emissions
-Wants to construct 45 nuclear power plants by 2030 with an ultimate goal of 100 total
-Wants to "encourage" the market in producing more wind, hydro, and solar energy sources

*National Security
-Believes in a stronger military and giving them all of the tools they need to combat terrorism and any threat to American soil.
-Believes in "shoring up our alliances".
-Wants to ensure "quality intelligence necessary to uncover plots before they take root, the resources to protect critical infrastructure and our borders against attack, and the capability to respond and recover from a terrorist incident swiftly."
-Supports a national missile defense system "to reduce the possibility of strategic blackmail by rogue regimes and to secure our homeland from the very real prospect of missile attack by present or future adversaries."
-Wants to make the military larger, give it all of the necessary tools it needs and increase funding, and decrease the frivolous and wasteful spending in the military

*Health Care
-Believes that health care is too expensive (yeah...duh).
-Believes that every citizen should have a right to healthcare.
-Want's to give every family $2500-5000 to offset the costs of insurance (that's really not that much...sorry).
-Wants to make insurance more portable. Say if you leave your job and go to another one, your insurance should go with you if you want.
-Encourages the use of Health Savings Accounts (HSA's), because there is more autonomy in health care choices. (Bosch just went to this form of insurance. Some people aren't sure how they feel about it yet.)
-Wants to help ensure those with pre-existing conditions
-Wants to "establish a nonprofit corporation that would contract with insurers to cover patients who have been denied insurance and could join with other state plans to enlarge pools and lower overhead costs. There would be reasonable limits on premiums, and assistance would be available for Americans below a certain income level."
-Wants to reform Medicaid and Medicare
-Supports tort reform that would basically not allow a doctor to be sued if he technically followed the correct protocols in his practice. This would, in theory, put an end to frivolous lawsuits.

*Iraq (I'm just going to paste the three paragraphs from McCain's website).
"John McCain believes it is strategically and morally essential for the United States to support the Government of Iraq to become capable of governing itself and safeguarding its people. He strongly disagrees with those who advocate withdrawing American troops before that has occurred.

It would be a grave mistake to leave before Al Qaeda in Iraq is defeated and before a competent, trained, and capable Iraqi security force is in place and operating effectively. We must help the Government of Iraq battle those who provoke sectarian tensions and promote a civil war that could destabilize the Middle East. Iraq must not become a failed state, a haven for terrorists, or a pawn of Iran. These likely consequences of America's failure in Iraq almost certainly would either require us to return or draw us into a wider and far costlier war.

The best way to secure long-term peace and security is to establish a stable, prosperous, and democratic state in Iraq that poses no threat to its neighbors and contributes to the defeat of terrorists. When Iraqi forces can safeguard their own country, American troops can return home."

*Climate Change
-Believes that "climate policy should be built on scientifically-sound, mandatory emission reduction targets and timetables."
-"climate policy should utilize a market-based cap and trade system."
-"Climate Policy Must Include Mechanisms To Minimize Costs And Work Effectively With Other Markets."
-"Climate Policy Must Spur The Development And Deployment Of Advanced Technology."
-"Climate Policy Must Facilitate International Efforts To Solve The Problem."

*Veteran's Issues
-Believes in supporting and adequately funding the needs of service men, veterans, and those who become disabled serving our country
-Believes in providing great quality health care to our service men and women.
-Believes that it is our job to take care of our military as they have taken care of us.

*Immigration
-Wants to secure our borders, he has a comprehensive plan on how to go about doing that.
-Once borders are secure, he wants to initiate several measures that keep the nation secure: prosecute employers who employ illegal immigrants, ensure that we meet America's labor need (comprehensive plan for that too), ensure that undocumented aliens in the country go through the proper steps to become documented, perform background checks on aliens and deport those who have criminal records.
-Wants to ensure that all illegal, undocumented aliens either leave or follow correct paths in becoming legal residents.
-"Will commit to clearing out the backlog of individuals that are waiting legally outside of the country, some for up to 20 years, for their green card number to become available."

*Education (to summarize)
-Believes that student of any school that does not meet the standards of the No Child Left Behind policy should be able to change schools and attend one that does meet these standards.

*2nd Ammendment (The Right to Bear Arms)
-Strong supporter of the right of innocent civilians having and using guns
-Opposes legislation that holds gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed by third parties using firearms.
-Opposes restrictions on so called "assault rifles".
-Supports legislation in requiring gun manufacturers to install gun locks on firearms.
-Supports the use of instant background checks on individuals buy guns.
-Opposes waiting periods for purchasing guns.
-Wants stiffer penalties for people who use firearms in a crime.

*Santity of Life
-Supports overturning Roe v. Wade
-Does not support abortion, but believes in encouraging adoption and creating social services for women who "have the courage" to keep their babies.
-Does not support "fetal farming," or creating embryos in order to perform stem cell research, but he agrees with using other means (i.e. amniotic fluid, umbilical cord, etc) for research.
-Defines marriage as between one man and one woman.
-Opposes human cloning

Note: all quotes come directly from http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/. This is as concise as I could possibly be on the issues that I personally really care about. To view more, you can obviously go to John McCain's Website yourself and read everything.

On to Barack Obama:

*Health Care
-Supports Universal Healthcare
-No one will be turned away due to a pre-existing condition.
-Federal subsidies to help those who cannot afford the plan.
-It will be mandatory for all children to have health insurance.
-He will expand eligibility criteria for those needing Medicaid.
-Wants to lower costs by ensuring more competition in the insurance and drug markets.

*Taxes
-Wants to take tax breaks away from companies who are moving their businesses overseas.
-Wants to raise the minimum wage whenever necessary.
-Increase workers' ability to organize unions.
-Wants to double funding for afterschool programs, and expand the Family Medical Leave Act.

*Social Security
-Wants to preserve it and protect it from those who would want to privatize it.
-Wants to ensure that companies don't neglect their pension obligations.

*Education
-Wants to create a "Zero to Five" Early education program.
-Wants to reform the No Child Left Behind mandate.
-Wants to increase compensation for teacher who really excel at what they do
-Wants to decrease the dropout rate by investing in "proven intervention stategies."
-"Will create a new American Opportunity Tax Credit that will make tuition at the nation’s community colleges completely free and will cover up to two-thirds the cost of tuition at the nation’s public colleges and universities. This $4,000 tax credit will be fully refundable and available at the time of enrollment in college – when families need the money."

*Clean Energy Solutions
-Wants to implement the "cap and trade" program to reduce green house gas emissions (same as McCain)
-Wants to invest $150 billion over the next 10 years to deploy cleaner technologies
-Wants to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

*Women's Issues
-Supports legislation for equal pay for women, fight discrimination, and increase child care options.
-Will require that employers much provide for 7 paid sick days.
-Encourage states to promote paid leave of absenses
-Supports women's rights to choose whether or not to abort their babies; upholds Roe vs. Wade.
-"Obama will work to reduce unintended pregnancy by guaranteeing equity in contraceptive coverage, providing sex education, and offering rape victims accurate information about emergency contraception."
-"Obama will appoint a special advisor who will report to him regularly on issues related to violence against women. Obama will also pass legislation that provides job security to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault."

*Immigration
-Wants to secure the borders
-Remove incentives for people who enter the US illegally by cracking down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants
-"Supports a system that allows undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens." (One note: The line for coming into the US legally is about 20 years long).
-"Believes we need to do more to promote economic development in Mexico to decrease illegal immigration."

*Iraq
-Did not support the war in the first place.
-Wants to bring the troops home within 16 months.
-Wants to engage in diplomatic measures to help Iraq become a stable country.

*Terrorism
-Wants to finish the fight in Afghanistan.
-Wants to crack down on Al-Qaeda in it's safe haven of Pakistan.

*Iran
-Does not support a war with Iran
-Wants strong diplomacy to "offer Iran the choice of increased international pressure or incentives if it stops its disturbing behavior."

*Military
-Also wants to increase the military and its technology.

Note: All quotes and information come from Barack Obama's, "The Blueprint for Change," which can be downloaded directly from his website: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/.

I hope that, for some people, this really helps clear up any misinformation that may have been received. You know, I really find it amazing that people will spend hours watching television or playing on the internet, but they hardly take time to find out the truth about their potential new president. This election is very important for America, as all elections are. How many of us take it for granted that we can actually vote? Remember that it wasn't so long ago that women and African Americans were not allowed to vote, and there are countries all over the world that are being oppressed by their governments. We are FREE!! Never take this for granted.

Wondering...

2008-08-20T10:08:00.004-05:00

I am really struggling with who to vote for in this election. Honestly, I think both candidates are pretty full of crap...haha...sorry but that's just how it is. My faith in politicians isn't so high, as you can see.

McCain Pros:
Good military record and lots of experience
Seems to have a good energy idea (notice I didn't say plan)
Doesn't agree with EMBRYONIC stem cell research
Is not for abortion
Seems like a strong leader
Doesn't necessarily believe in bringing out our troops from Iraq until we clean up the mess we've made.
Strong reaction to the Russia/Georgia conflict

McCain Cons:
I don't really understand how someone can be pro-life but pro-war.
Off shore drilling is not a good idea...maybe a short term fix but not a solution
He's republican, and i am tired of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. There is, frankly no middle class anymore.
Possibly another George W. Bush, and frankly, the entire world is ready for that to be over.

Obama Pros:
Wants to ultimately get the troops out of Iraq
Seems to have good rapport with the rest of the world, so he may be able to restore a bit of our image.
Young and charasmatic
Wants a lot more funding for schools and education

Obama Cons:
Speaks really well, but I'm not sure he can honestly back up what he says.
Very wishy washy when it comes to matters of faith
Supports a woman's right to an abortion. What about the kid's rights? Or the dad's?
I'm not quite sure I'm for Universal health care...not completely sold on it yet. Do you know that Germans pay over $700 per month out of their paychecks to pay for their heathcare? How many Americans could honestly afford something like that?
He's democrat...I don't like them either...haha

This is just a preliminary list. I need some feedback from people who are actually in America. Give me your arguments. If you don't want to post them on the comments, you can email me (so that no one else will see) at mrsehl@gmail.com. Please, please give me some feedback!!

Beth

More Fun Trips

2008-08-14T07:36:00.008-05:00

This past weekend, we traveled to Nürnberg and Rothenburg ober der Tauber. I'll tell you a little about Nürnberg first. (Man, Rick Steves should hook me up with a job)!!

Nürnberg is really old. There's even a house dating back to 1338 and a pharmacy dating back to 1486. So obviously, people have been hanging out here for a long time. Adolf Hilter also liked the place, and his aim was to make it the capital of the National Socialist Party (Nazis). An architect was hired to plan everything, and everything was set to go until America came to save the day. Haha...that's not exactly how it happened, but I just wanted to say that. Anyway, all the plans were in place. Laborers were working day and night to complete the plans. A capital building was partly built. A huge stadium that could hold 400,000 people was planned, and the sight of many of Hilter's speeches was completed. It was quite eerie to see all of this, because we were able to walk on the actual platform where Hilter gave so many of his speeches. You could imagine all of the hundreds of thousands of people standing there listening to these false promises thinking that this man was going to change Germany to make it a wonderful place. So many empty promises; so many lives lost, and for what? It made me really sad. Even the architecture that the Nazis used was very concrete and bland, but it was also so big; larger than life. You could see that it was truly Hilter's aim to take over the entire world removing the Jews, the Christians, and any other religion that exhalted itself above the power of the Nazi party. Sound like a story you've heard before from the Bible? It reminds me of when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to Pharoah, and they were tossed into the fire. God ultimately received the glory in that situation, so sometimes I wonder why so many had to die in the Holocaust. I know I can't see the broad scheme of things, but it is just plain sad. I know that God saved and protected so many of the Jews, but I wonder what His purpose was or is in so much persecution taking place. Don't think I am doubting God. I know that if anything good happened from the Holocaust it would have to be our awareness to the dangers of the persecution of one religious group by another. I really do believe that in such a horrible situation that God was revealed to so many, and that His purposes, while they are unknown to us, were made known to many. Maybe the world is a better place because of the sacrifice. What do you think? Let's think about this for a minute. Sorry I am on a bit of a tangent right now. Can you imagine being a Christian during this time period? People had to honestly think that Hilter was THE antichrist and that Jesus was coming back on his chariot of fire at any minute. I wonder how many people found Jesus during that time. I mean, even during the cold war, there were so many Americans who honestly thought that they could be nuked at any time. I wonder where their hearts stood with Jesus. Maybe we have to go through things such as war so that we are reminded who is ultimately in control. It sure isn't us, and thank God for that!! Anyway, these are just some things I have been thinking about. Here's some pictures of Nürnberg:

On the River

I love all of the flowers on the houses and buildings in Germany.

Really old Pharmacy (1486). Just remember that America wasn't discovered by Columbus until 1492!

This house dates back to 1338. How do I know? Well, there's a plaque on the wall in front of it that tells me. haha.

Rothenburg ober der Tauber is honestly a place I know nothing about. All I know is that it's old, and a lot of tourists go there. There is, however, a really cool medieval wall that surrounds the town that you can actually walk in and circle most of the town. We did get to put our heads into the stocks which was kinda cool in a weird sort of way. Here are some photos:

Taken from inside the wall around the city.

Part of the city square

I am supposed to look like I am dying. Yeah, I can sing a little, but I surely can't act. haha.

Danny's the happiest guy you'll ever see in the stocks.

Fun Trips

2008-08-13T01:19:00.013-05:00

We've been on some really fun trips over the last two weeks. We are trying to use all of our remaining weekends here for traveling to places around southern Germany that we haven't seen yet.

Our first visit was to Salzburg, Austria (not quite in Germany, I know). This is the place that The Sound of Music takes place and was filmed. By the way, I just saw that movie for the first time about 4-5 months ago, and I fell in love. It's funny, because most people in Germany and Austria have never even heard of this movie much less seen it. Anyway, back to Salzburg. So after driving for about 6 hours (it was only supposed to take 3 hours), we finally found our hotel and had some time to tour the city. There was something going on in every nook and cranny of this town...a concert here, people walking on stilts there. We actually came across this orchestra and choir...yes a full orchestra and choir...playing in front this big church. They actually played a medley of songs from The Sound of Music. I was on cloud nine, to say the least.

The next day, we went to the Königsee (the Lake of the King). This place is absolutely my favorite place in all of Germany. You literally ride in a boat down the lake surrounded by enormous mountains with waterfalls everywhere. I took so many great pictures, but even the photos don't do the place justice. So we hiked most of this day all around the mountains. We stopped at this little farm house to have a little lunch. It was so cute. They served fresh buttermilk and cheese and ham on bread. Kenny Tucker would have appreciated the cheese here. (It was stinky cheese, and everyone knows that the best tasting cheese is the kind that stinks the most...hehe).

I'll post some pictures here of the two locations, but to see all of them go to: http://mrsehl.picasaweb.com.

Salzburg:

Street in Salzburg

The famous glockenspiel

Where Mozart was born

Beautiful ladies on stilts

We thought this guy looked an awful lot like Kenny Tucker...hehe.

Königsee:

St. Bartolomä

The lake and the mountains

Mirror effect

The perky old witch

By the way...

2008-07-30T10:31:00.002-05:00

I AM SO EXCITED THAT WE ARE COMING HOME!!

September 14th at 3:20pm. YIPPEEEEE!!

My 26th Birthday

2008-07-29T02:23:00.007-05:00

Danny did an amazing job in throwing a great party for my birthday. We went to one of my favorite restaurants here in Reutlingen. It was my first birthday completely in German which was pretty cool. Danny invited some of our closest friends here. My speech partner, Barbara, was able to come. Our friend, Thorsten, who we met hiking the Achalm was also there. Also, our good friends, Michael and Claudia, we able to make it. I felt so completely overwhelmed with love the entire day. I probably received 30 emails or messages wishing me happy birthday...from people in America and here in Germany. I think I am just so blessed to have such great friends and family.

Here are some photos from the evening:

This is my Bavarian dress. Danny got it for me at the Königsee for my birthday. He convinced me to wear it for my birthday, and I'll tell you, I felt like a little Bavarian princess...haha!

Some of our friends here in the Deutschland: We met Thorsten while hiking the Achalm in our first two or so weeks here in Germany. We have been friends ever since. Barbara is my speech partner. She helps me speak German like a German which is not so easy. God bless her!

This is Michael and Claudia. They are awesome people, and we are hoping that they'll soon get an opportunity to take an assignment in the States.

My fabulously delicious cake: It made me so glad that I ran my booty off earlier that morning.

Me and my Danny...and the awesome cake...hehe.

Pics from the Erbacher Wiesenmarkt

2008-07-23T08:42:00.007-05:00

This is Benjamin, my favorite little buddy!

Danny's uncle and cousin create these masterpieces.

Martin making a bird bath

Our arms were so sore after doing this for only 30 minutes or so. I don't know how the Fussmanns do it!!

Practice makes perfect!

One Week...

2008-07-22T01:26:00.000-05:00

Until MY BIRTHDAY!!! YIPEEE!!!!

Erbacher Wiesenmarkt

2008-07-21T02:03:00.002-05:00

We now have only 6 weekends left to travel and do things here in Germany. We are trying to take lot of that time to spend with the family about 2.5 hours north of where we live. This past weekend, we stayed with Danny's aunt and uncle in Erbach which is the town that Danny lived in as a kiddo. Every year they have this huge festival. It's like a fair, a home exposition, and a market all together. It's quite fun. Every year, Danny's uncle has a huge plot of land that he shows off his stone work and fountains. They are really amazing pieces of artwork. This year was great, because we were able to spend some time with Danny's cousins. I was actually able to carry on conversations with them. YIPEE!! Overall, it was a great weekend, and it made me realize how much we are going to miss it here when we leave. I'll post come pictures soon. Right now, I'm meeting with a friend to do some much needed clothes shopping!!

Some fun pictures...

2008-07-15T06:09:00.005-05:00

This is me, Danny, Thorsten Geyer, and Kyle Dresback about to ride a really fun ride at the Spring Festival in Stuttgart

Yummy Bratwurst!!

Us with the Tuckers in Neuschwanstein...love those guys!!

Have you ever...

2008-07-15T05:38:00.003-05:00

...had people in your life who claimed to be great friends but did nothing but hurt you or bring you down?

This is something that's been bothering me for a long time; something I just cannot wrap my brain around. I have some of the best friends in the world...people I know would be there for me in a second if I needed them, and I would do the same for them. Then there are "friends" who are only there when it makes them look good in front of others. These are people that come up and hug you and love you only when others are around. Ugh!!! I hate this!!

For me, a friend is simply a family member that you choose to have in your life. It's a mutually beneficial thing. When they are down, you help to pick them back up. When you are down, they carry the load with you. Also, when things are going great in your life (i.e. a really great opportunity to live in another country for a year), they celebrate that with you instead of trying to make you feel guilty.

One of the greatest things I have learned here being away from it all for a year is to focus on the people in my life who are loving and real. I will never again censor myself just to gain the acceptance of people who simply just do not care at all. And I will not associate with people who pretend anymore. I would rather have no relationship at all with these people than a hollow shell of a friendship that means absolutely nothing.

With that being said, I really want to thank my friends who have supported Danny and I in all that we've done. You know who you are, and you know how special you are to us. You made the decision to come home in September an easy one. We really love you guys!!

A Few Canary Island Pics

2008-07-07T02:04:00.008-05:00

Fun night shot

On the crater of the volcano

That's my man.

Yeah, I'm rockin' the shirt thingy.

Why I Have No Fear

2008-07-06T05:36:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, Danny and I had the pleasure of celebrating the 4th of July with a bunch of people from the military. Many of them expressed some deep concerns about the fate of our country and their fears about where the U.S. is headed. With the economy spiraling out of control, continual rises in oil prices, and a war that seems to be never ending, I can completely understand their worries. I've heard many people say that they fear that as soon as the U.S. removes its support from Israel, God will remove His hand from our country, and I think many people believe that it is a distinct possibility that with the next presidency, our support will waver. I hear all of this, and I think to myself, "Peace be still". Israel is God's chosen people, but so are the gentiles who love Him and are devoted to Him. Do you think that God will remove His hand from those who truly seek Him and who are in fellowship with Him? While it may be true that He will remove His hand from our country, He will never remove His hand from me. This is what I gives me peace, and this is what causes me to have no fear. He has never, ever turned His back on me. He's shown me some tough love, but He still loves me nonetheless. For that, I will never stop praising Him. I will love Him and worship Him no matter what the state of our country is, because it's His gentle voice that I hear daily guiding me in all areas of my life. He is the source of my life, and while I love my country, it has nothing to offer me in comparison to what Jesus has already given me.

Just When You Think You've Seen It All...

2008-06-23T04:42:00.005-05:00

I am so proud of my husband for running his first half marathon yesterday. He ran 21 kilometers in 2.5 hours. Then we went home, and Danny slept for rest of the day...haha.

So now to the reason for the title of this blog: I completely understand that one of the first things you want to do when you finish a race is strip down and cool off. But seriously, do you have to strip down to pure nakedness in the parking lot, especially considering there were changing rooms? I don't think so. Between Danny and I, we saw enough naked people running around to last us a lifetime!!

Now on a completely different note, we are really thanking God for His protection last night. At about 1:30am, there was a really, really bad storm here. You have to keep in mind that Germany doesn't really have terrible lightning storms or anything, so this was a bit different. I can honestly say that for the first 8 months here, we hadn't had a storm at all; a lot of rain, but no lightning. Well, last night was awful...truly one of the worst storms I've ever been in (even by SC standards). The wind was blowing so hard, and it was so loud that I was sure a tornado was coming. The lightening was non-stop and definitely hit some things. After the worst was over, you could hear fire engine sirens everywhere. I seriously had an escape route all planned out in my head...haha.

For the Brannons

2008-06-19T11:33:00.004-05:00

My heart goes out to Cheryl, Jeff, Brady, Karley, Abbey, and Jesse who are dealing with the loss of their Nana. I cannot even imagine what you must be going through. I hope that it brings you comfort that she is laughing, running, and smiling with Jesus. I hope that it helps you to know that she's in no more pain and that she can now talk to and touch the very One who saved her soul...the One that she put all of her faith in. I know that it's difficult to rejoice in her death, being that you are left on earth to feel the pain, but I hope that Jesus Himself will comfort you and give you a peace that only He can give. I love you guys, and I wish I could be there for you. My prayer is that you will rejoice in all of the memories and cherish the fabulous relationship you had with one another. It's an amazing thing to love and be loved in return in such a selfless way.

I love you guys so much!!

Wie ein einziger Tag

2008-06-17T08:53:00.005-05:00

Leider, schreibe ich nicht ganz auf Deutch.

One of my goals when we first moved to Germany was to be able to read a book in German from cover to cover (and understand it). Recently, I've begun reading Wie ein einziger Tag by Nicholas Sparks. I found this book at a flea market here in Germany, and I paid about 50 cents for it. Obviously, Nicholas Sparks is not a German author, but an American one. As I skimmed through the book, I thought to myself, "I can read this!" The German didn't look too complicated or anything, so I decided to try it. Well, as I am reading the first chapter, I am thinking, "Man, this story seems somehow familiar." And it is!! Wie ein einziger Tag basically means: Like a single day. However, when one translates titles, they are usually tweaked at bit so that they make sense in German. The book that I am reading is The Notebook. I was so excited. Not only do I understand the book well enough that I know that, but I also really like this story. I am excited to see how it's translated.

On a completely different topic: We are leaving for the Canary Islands, off the coast of Spain, next week. We found a fabulous deal on an all inclusive resort for a week, so we decided to take it. We are so ready for some relaxation. All of our other "vacations" have been very busy with sightseeing and running around and such (not that we are complaining at all!!), so we are ready to just lay on the beach (which we haven't seen in ages, it seems) and do absolutely nothing. I know some of you may think that chilling and relaxing are all I do all day, right? But it's really not. I have figured out a lot of ways to keep myself busy these days. For one, I am helping a few teenie boppers learn English. Also, I am meeting now regularly with a lady who is helping me with my German speech. I also workout for a few hours a day/4-5 days per week. I spend several hours per day studying and learning too. I am quite the self-motivated little bee...haha.

Anyway, I hope to hear from some people here soon. We miss you all, and we are anxious and excited to be coming home in just under three months.

Beth

Crazy Dreams

2008-06-11T01:09:00.002-05:00

Ok, so for the last 2 nights, I've had these really crazy dreams, and then I can't go back to sleep. On the first night, I was killed (yes, I actually died in my dream...yikes!) in a freak volcano eruption. We (meaning me and some people I don't remember) were trying to keep the lava from overtaking our small town when I remember kicking the dirt and lava just started shooting up from the ground. I then died. Freaky!! Then, last night, I dreamed that I was riding my bike. I was in a subway tunnel with tons of people, and this guy just started shooting a gun. He shot me first in my right lung, and I flew off my bike. On the way down, he shot me again in my other lung. Then he came over to me to make sure I was dead. I am no interpreter of dreams or anything, but dude, I'm freaking out a little. I don't think I am going to ride my bike today, though...just in case.

Things I Appreciate About Deutschland

2008-06-06T01:25:00.004-05:00

When we first moved here, I was so not a happy camper. It was always cold and rainy. I mean, come on, September in SC is still incredibly hot and humid. I didn't think it would be that much different here in Germany. Not being able to speak the language or understand very much was also incredibly challenging for such a talkative person as myself. Soon, the holiday season was upon us, and it was so difficult not being able to come home and see my family and friends.

Everything started to change for me after the holidays, though. I had taken several intensive German language classes, so my understanding was getting better and better by the day. I also met some really great people who helped me fill my days with great coffee and fantastic conversation. (Thanks Amanda and Karen)!! Rather than seeing all of the things I missed about America, I began to appreciate Germany a bit more, and I realized how narrow my view of the world was. So, I'm compiling a list of all the things I love about Deutschland...things I may have found a little annoying when I first moved here but now I don't know how I'll live without them.

*Having 5 different trash receptacles. The funny thing is that my very first German lesson when we moved here was to read and know all of the items that go into the Gelbasack (if you're in Germany, you know). Danny and I have been recycling since we were first married, but Germans take it to the extreme, and it's mandated. You HAVE to do it. I love that. Americans get such a bad rap, because we are consumers and wasters. I think we all should make an effort to recycle everything. I mean, why not? The only outcome is good things, so why wouldn't we do it?

*Dining Out. When you go to a German restaurant, you basically seat yourself. It's great, because if you don't want to be crammed next another table, you just pick a different one. On top of that, the waiters and waitresses don't bug you every two minutes. When you're ready to order, you close your menu, and they usually come right away. When you're ready to pay, you ask for the check. Other than that, you're left alone. And you can sit for hours if you want. I've never felt rushed out of a restaurant here. The difference is that the servers get paid more, but don't make as much in tips. When you tip here, you just round up or give an extra Euro or two if the the service was stellar. Since the waiters aren't paid based on how many customers they can get in and out, it makes the entire experience more enjoyable.

*No free refills. I HATED this when I first came here, because I can down several glasses of water in one meal in the States. I find that when I drink slower, I eat slower, and that just makes for a more enjoyable and relaxed experience. Also, how many times have you left a restaurant right after you had your glass refilled? You end up leaving an entire glass of whatever on on the table, and it gets thrown away. Do you realize how much is being wasted? Consider how many people go out everyday, and think about how often that happens. We deserve to be called spoiled and wasteful. (Please don't be offended. I still LOVE America).

*Having my German corrected ALL the time. This used to annoy the daylights out of me. I just wanted to be able say what I had to say, no matter how bad I butchered the language, without being interrupted. Every day when I'd go to the bakery, she'd correct my pronunciation, and it didn't seem like she was being very nice about it. The cool thing is that over the last several months, I've been corrected less and less, which has made me feel like I've accomplished something!! It's funny when you start speaking in German, and the person automatically starts speaking in English. They know you're obviously not from Germany. Now, that happens less and less. When mom was here, I had to translate A LOT!! It was great. For the first time, I felt like, "Yay, I know this. I've got this down"!! It was awesome.

*The fact that it costs about 2000 Euros to get your drivers license. Bear with me on this one. I know that as Americans, we want a deal all the time...something for nothing. As a German, you're required to have so many hours with a driving instructor. It's a lot, from what I hear. Then you have to take a pretty tough test, and if you fail, it's another thousand Euros or so for the training to take the test again. This is great, because if you aren't serious about driving, you take a bus or a train. Only people who NEED to drive do it. And then, the drivers who are on the roads are more well-trained. I've only seen one wreck the entire time I've lived here, even with all the snow. And there's no speed limit on a lot of road. People drive so fast!! But everyone knows the rules, and they actually follow them. You don't see drivers just riding in the left lane, EVER!! It's a huge no-no.

Ok, so I think this is enough for now. I plan to add to this list, so look for updates. There's so much more I want to share.

Beth

My Heart is Sad (Click here to find out why).

2008-06-05T02:02:00.002-05:00

I couldn't believe it when I saw the pictures on CNN. The town of Hechingen, where Hohenzollern is located, has been completely devastated by flooding and high winds. It literally looks like a tornado has gone through. Keep in mind that this town is only about 15-20 minutes away from Reutlingen, where we live. There are cars completely flipped upside down, huge trees totally uprooted, and 3 people have died. It's a really sad time for the close knit community, so please keep them in your prayers. It's still raining a good bit, but hopefully that will be over soon.

Beth

I love this!!

2008-06-04T05:41:00.002-05:00

I love theological debate with Christians and non-Christians alike. When I was younger, I used to sit in coffee shops and engage in friendly debate with friends and people I didn't even know. It strengthened my faith so much during that time in my life. I really miss those days. I have always thought that Jesus smiles on us when we debate each other about things in His Word. I think that's why He left us some mysteries to try to figure out. While I am no theologian, I can't help but really get into deep conversations about God, our origins, etc. I found this blog today that I think is super interesting. Everyone should take a look.

http://gospeloffrank.blogspot.com

Leave comments and think about how you REALLY feel on topics that are really relevant to our Christian faith.

Beth

Mom's Visit

2008-06-04T04:02:00.003-05:00

So my mom left on Monday to go back to the States. She was here for almost 2 weeks. I think she got to see a great deal in that time. We went to Paris again which was great. It rained the ENTIRE time, but we made some great memories. I was finally able to buy a painting from Montmartre, and I am so excited about it. I regretted so much not getting one last time I was there, so I knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity if I ever got another.

We also traveled all over Germany. She saw Ulm (big church), Hohenzollern (castle of the Prussian kings), Heidelberg, Dachau (concentration camp), and most of the family in Bad König, Michelstadt, and Erbach. We didn't give my mom a break!!

Now the time is coming where we have to think about leaving Germany to go back to America. I am feeling very ambivalent about it really. At first, I didn't think this year could be over soon enough, but now I am truly starting to love it here. I am sure being able to understand and speak the language helps a great deal. But there's so many things about Germany I am going to miss. A lot of the things that I used to think were so inconvenient, like having 5 different trash receptacles, I now truly appreciate. I love being able to go to a restaurant and just sit where I want. The waiters don't stand over you and bug you every five seconds. You can sit for hours, and no one sets a bill in front of you trying to hurry you out the door. It's great, really!! I've made some lasting friendships here too. Danny's family has also become very dear to me. They are the most non-judgmental people I've ever met. They don't wear the masks that so many in my family wear. They've been very accepting of me. They've never made me feel stupid in spite of my complete and total butchering of their language. I don't know. I just love them a lot.

Now we're face with a big decision. There's a possibility that we can stay another year (everyone gasp!!). At first, I was dead against it, but now I am thinking more seriously about it. But, as I was telling a friend, I don't want to stay here only because I dread going back to the drama and craziness that is the reality that I live in at home. I don't want to be a coward. I do, however, miss my great friends, and I honestly think my mom might have a cow if we stay for another year. We'd probably put off having kids for another year, b/c my mom would, for sure, kill me if I had kids here. There's a whole lot to think and pray about. The positive about staying here is that I would really be able to master the language. In just the last 2-3 months, my German has gotten SOOOOO much better. So, if anyone actually reads this, please pray for us that we make the decision that God wants for us. That's the ultimate questions really. Where does God want us to be?

I guess we'll see.

Nadia und ich...so süß!

2008-06-03T13:42:00.001-05:00

So Thankful

2008-06-03T05:40:00.002-05:00

On this day 27 years ago, my hubby came into the world. I am so thankful for him. He's such an amazing man. I am thankful for his parents who raised him so well. I know they are proud of the man he's become!! I would have never in my life thought marriage could be so fun and effortless. It's such a joy to walk with him through life and to experience so much together. I am proud to be his wife, and I want to make him as happy as he deserves.

Love ya, baby!!!

WHAT THE...?!?! (Click Here)

2008-05-19T02:03:00.006-05:00

Since when is THIS a plus-sized model?!?!? She looks really slim and fit to me. What in the heck is this world coming to when we label normal sized (or even slim women) as plus sized just because you can't see their ribs or their spine sticking out of their backs? The modeling industry should be ashamed of itself!! No wonder young girls starve themselves to fulfill this supposed "norm" in society. Who gave them the right to determine what's normal and not? UGH!!!!!!!!!

Our Worldwind Tour in Italy

2008-05-15T04:59:00.014-05:00

We had so much fun on our trip in Italy. We decided to just drive our car and be spontaneous. We didn't even have hotel reservations for every night, which ended up working in our favor!!

We left on Wednesday, April 30, and in one day, we drove through 5 countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Italy)!!! Instead of taking interstates/autobahns, we took the long route to our first stop in Como in the north of Italy. We saw such amazing things on this part of the trip. From spring and summer temperatures to 3 meters of snow in the Swiss Alps, we had such an adventure driving to our destination. We stayed one night in Como (just a pit stop), and then we set out for Cinque Terra.

Cinque Terra is one of the coolest group of towns I've ever been to or seen. It's 5 towns connected by hiking trails, and it's on the Ligurian Sea. We had some of the best pizza, croissants, and cappuccino there. Plus, the views from everywhere were like postcard photos. We were able to relax and lay out on the beach. We hiked 4 of the 5 towns. The weather was gorgeous. In all, it's one of my favorite places on earth.

Our next stop was Florence. Initially, we weren't going to go here, but we had a few friends convince us that it was worth a night or two. Booking a room here took some time and effort, though. Thankfully, we had this room booked before we left. Anyway, we were able to get tickets to Accademia, which is where Michaelangelo's David is located. Holy moly!! It was truly the most amazing sculpture I've ever seen. I am no art buff, but I was just captivated by Dave. Michaelangelo was literally given this huge slab of marble and told to create something fabulous out of it. I mean, the veins in his arms, feet, and hands were dead on. His face and his eyes were mesmerizing. I so wish I would have broken the rules and gotten a photo, but it still wouldn't have captured the sheer magnitude of this work. This alone was worth the trip to Florence. Other than that, we walked a lot, ate a ton of gelato, and I found out that there's a crazy bug to which I am incredibly allergic (still don't know what that bug is, unfortunately). After 2 nights in Florence, we were pretty ready to get on the road to Rome.

Rome is pretty much the coolest city on earth. It even beats Paris!! Maybe it was because I knew so much more about Rome, but this place was truly like taking a walk through time. But, unlike Florence, it felt like Rome was still a very modern city. It seemed like Florence had just stopped somewhere in the 1700s or something. I couldn't believe we were able to walk where so many early Christians, who died for their faith, had walked. Even Peter, the Apostle, was here and was martyred here. I realized how blessed I am to live in a country (even in Germany) where I can worship Christ with all that I am whenever I want and not be afraid of the consequences. How blessed are we?! We went to the ancient Forum, where people like Julius Caesar strolled the streets, made laws, conducted all sorts of business, and was eventually murdered and cremated. We saw temples to the gods that the Romans worshiped, and I was thankful that the One, True God decided to make His temple in me (and you).

We also saw the Colosseum, which was pretty cool, but for some reason, Danny and I both said that we thought it would be bigger. I guess it really is pretty huge, but with all of the other really huge buildings around, it just doesn't look so large. A few months ago I read The Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers in which many scenes take place in the Colosseum. Even though the books are fiction, I could still imagine the real life horrors that some Christian martyrs faced being sent into face lions and other wild animals. After Rome defeated the Jews in Jerusalem, they took over 50,000 prisoners, and many were forced to either fight (the men) or be fed to the animals when the crowd got especially bored. Can you imagine looking into the eyes of a hungry wild animal, praying to God that He takes you fast enough that you don't feel anything? It was heart breaking!! And then I think about the day that may come where I am tested in my faith, and I pray that I have the strength to stand in the face of the worst possible death.

We also visited one of the catacombs on the Appian Way (remember the movie Spartacus?...ewww gross). I was so impressed by our tour guide. He was Slovakian, and he spoke very good English. We could tell that he was truly passionate about teaching the people about everything including the symbols early Christians used to identify themselves and Christians. He told us stories of the people who were buried here. One that struck me was the story of Cecilia (beautiful name!!) She was a martyr, and over her tomb was a sculpture of her lying on her side, face down. In one had she held up 2 fingers, and in the other, she held up 1 finger signifying the trinity, yet one God!! There was an area down in the catacombs where people could have communion and small memorial services. As we were down there, a group of people were having such a service, and they were singing Praise to the Lord...the Almighty, the King of Creation...in Latin (I think). It was so incredible. I felt so much more close to Jesus than I ever could have in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City (more on that later). It was just such a powerful experience that we'll never forget.

So now on to happier subjects....

My absolute favorite thing in Rome was the Pantheon. We both just thought there was something special about it. The columns were so incredibly huge. I cannot even explain it. There's a huge opening in the dome, so when it rains, the church is totally exposed. But there are drains in the floor, and the floor naturally slants to allow the water to flow out. Ok, this is the thing...this church is soooooo old!!! So old, in fact, that it sits 15 feet below street level. In other words, Rome has literally grown or risen around the Pantheon. Maybe you just have to see it for yourself, but it's incredible.

We spent one day in Vatican City, which was pretty cool. We visited the Vatican museum where we saw the Sistine Chapel and many ancient Christian pieces of art. We saw entire rooms painted by Raphael. It was such an incredibly huge museum. I think Danny and I were a little overwhelmed. After the museum, we went to St. Peter's Basilica...the largest church on earth...I believe. There are markings on the ground where the next largest church would fit inside St. Peter's...crazy. The Apostle, Peter's remains are here under this crazy huge canopy. I wonder if he would actually like all that attention being that he lived only to serve and promote Christ. I don't know. What do you think? I know I don't really understand all of the seemingly saint worship that takes place in the Catholic church, but then again, maybe there's something that I'm missing. Feel free to comment and let me know. On a kind of funny note, there was a painting, The Transfiguration, by Raphael that really made me laugh. (I hope I am not being sac religious). So, Jesus is busy transfiguring, and the people who are observing this are really hysterical. There's one boy or teenager in the painting who looks like he's fainting, and the other people on the ground are so busy looking and tending to him that they fail to really see Jesus transfiguring. I think maybe Raphael was trying to say something...think about it.

Two minute Soapbox (sorry): While we were in St. Peter's Basilica, I overheard a woman saying, "Man, this is the closest to God you can possibly be." That really knocked the wind out of me. Among all of the decor and gold, bronze, and silver, I can honestly say that the one thing that I didn't feel or see was the Spirit of God. I found myself feeling really sad in the Basilica. I felt the presence of the God so strongly while we were many feet underground in the catacombs. I felt His presence as we were driving through the amazing, God-made mountains in Switzerland and Italy. I feel His presence everyday when I pray and worship. His Spirit cannot be contained is such an earthly container. How dare we think that we can put Him within 4 (really decorated) walls!! Jesus didn't die so that we would make incredibly elaborate temples to saints. He died to SAVE the lost!! How is it that we have missed the mark in such a huge way? I have really wrestled with this since we got back. I just don't understand it. I have a lot of respect for the Pope even though I am not Catholic (He was educated in the university town next to Reutlingen). Why is it that someone whose entire life is dedicated to learning and knowing Christ doesn't get it that it's all wrong?!? Am I the one who is wrong? Ok, end of soapbox...

We left Rome pretty early on Friday morning, and I MUST say that I am so proud of my husband for having the patience to drive in Rome. It's absolutely nuts!! We are so used to Germany where there's so much order and structure. Well, in Italy, as soon as you cross the border, it's utter CHAOS!!! Danny did great, though!!

Our next destination: Bolzano/Bozen to see the Ice Man. That's right, the Ice Man. Let me tell you a little about Bolzano/Bozen first. It has two names, because one is Italian and one Austrian. In WWI, a war in which Austria started and lost, Bozen was given to Italy as payment of war damages. So that meant that lots of people were suddenly not Austrian citizens anymore. They became Italians, even though the spoke German, ate Austrian food, built Austrian-style houses, and had blond hair and blue eyes. Over the years, more real Italians moved to the area, and were a little upset that everything was still so Austrian, and the Austrians have tried many times to break away from Italy and rejoin Austria with no success. So you have a entire section of Italy that is truly more German/Austrian than Italy. Most of the people are pretty much forced to speak both languages. The tv is in German and Italian. Menus are in German and Italian. It's just crazy. We had NO idea what language to speak. It was fun, though, trying to figure it out.

Ok, so back to the Ice Man. He was found by German hikers in 1991. The hikers just thought that he was one of the many non-ancient people who lose their lives in the Alp/Dolomites every year, but as it turns out, he was from about 5000 b.C. His clothes and equipment were still in pretty good shape. Apparently, the ice preserved him and his stuff very well. Scientists could even tell what color his eyes were...blue. Pretty cool stuff. He was pretty gross looking, though, and this is coming from a NURSE and one who has dissected cadavers before...ewwww.

Our final destination was back in our temporary "heimatland"...the Bodensee (Lake Konstanz) in southern Germany. We met our friends, Kyle and Karen Dresback, there to spend some time with them before they left Germany for good. (They left yesterday...booo). It was really nice to have structure and order again. I didn't realize how much I took that for granted in the Deutschland!! Anyway, we had a great time relaxing, eating great fish, and drinking coffee. On top of that, I had the joy of riding a ferry (with the car) for the first time!! It wasn't quite as exciting as I wanted it to be, but it got us to the other side of the lake in a timely manner. In all, we had a really great time.

We drove home on Monday, and I must say that I was really ready to be home and not living out of a suitcase. I really missed Germany while we were in Italy. It was strange. For the first 4 months here, I was so homesick, but now I can honestly say that I feel comfortable here. I am not so scared to talk and just be myself. I think Germany will always be a second home to me, even when we are back in the U.S.

Finally Home

2008-05-12T12:44:00.001-05:00

We just got home about one hour ago from our long trip in Italy. It was absolutely amazing. We are, however, very pooped, so look for a blog and pictures here in the next day or two. I journaled everyday, so I'll try to share something interesting from all of the places we saw. I cannot believe we only have 4 more months here in Germany. It's actually not cold anymore, and everything is green and in bloom...just breathtaking. I will really miss this place when we leave. ;)

What's New?

2008-04-14T04:20:00.004-05:00

Let's see....

The food here in Germany is very rich...lots of fatty meat with creamy sauces served with starchy potatoes or noodles. Oh, and let's not forget the incredible sugary pastries and breads that fill your senses every time you walk anywhere near a bakery. (They're EVERYWHERE!!!) I had set some goals for myself when we first moved here...even put them in writing...such a dork, I know. After being here for about 6 months, I realized that I hadn't even started working on some of them. Not good!! So, about one month and a half ago I started an amazing new journey in getting myself in shape and eating healthy. I completely changed the way I was eating. Not only did I start feeling so much better and having more energy, I have also started losing a good bit of extra weight that I've put on over the years. Danny's not really participating that much in eating better. He loves his sugar too much!! But, he's lost weight too just from eating healthier dinners, I guess. We both feel tons better, and that's the most important thing. Losing weight should only be a side effect.

One of Danny's and my friends came to visit while on business from Bosch. We had dinner in Tübingen on Thursday night, and it was hilarious. Travis, our friend, brought another guy with him, Michael. I so wish I could tell you some of the stories we heard over that dinner, but you wouldn't get the full effect just by reading it. All I've got to say is, "Sprechen Sie Deutsch!!" Only a few know of what I am speaking, and you should be laughing your head off.

Yesterday, Sunday, was a strange day. It was actually sunny outside, so Danny and I really wanted to take advantage of it. We decided to meet up with a friend and go to this place where some meteor hit. Well, needless to say, after about 1.5 hours of driving around the booming metropolis of Metzingen (note sarcasm), we had no clue where to find the parking lot where our friend was waiting. Apparently, stores are only open on Sundays 1-2 times per year, and EVERYONE decides to go shopping whether they really need to or not. After being yelled and honked at for not pulling out into speeding traffic, we decided it was time to tuck our tails between our legs and find another activity for the day. I got the bright idea of going for a bike ride around where we live. It was a marvelous idea, honest!! We retrieve our bikes from the cellar downstairs, and Danny notices that his back tire needs a little air. So we walk the bike down the street to the gas station where Danny proceeds to pump up his tire. He checks my bike again, just to make sure, and he decides that my tire needs air also. What he doesn't realize is that my tire has a different nozzle and cannot be pumped up by just an ordinary pump. He then tries to figure out a way to pump it up anyway. (It's the engineer in him that won't let him just leave well enough alone. I do love that about him, though). In the end, Danny had a perfectly ridable bike, and I had a tire that had absolutely no air in it at all. Then, I decided that, for some reason, God just really didn't want us to be outside. It was such a strange day, full of folly!!

My mom is coming to visit mid-May. Yay!!!! She finally booked her flight a few weeks ago. I was so hoping that she would take this opportunity to visit a foreign country. I think we're going to Paris again, because Paris is awesome. I hope that she is impressed by my German skills...haha. And for the record, the only French I can speak is counting to about 13, so we may be in trouble in Paris. Who knows. (Tiffany used her French skills while we were there before).

On April 30, we are going on our 2 week trip to Italy!! I still don't know where all we are going, but I plan on figuring all of that out this week. I got my new Rick Steve's Italy book, so I should be set.

My birthday isn't for a while. It's in July, but I think I am at the age where I don't really want to tell you how old I am anymore...booo. Anyway, we're going to go to the Canary Islands for a week in July. There's a black sand beach on one of the islands, and we're really hoping to stay there, lay on the beach, and drink pina coladas!! I can't wait to see the ocean again!!!

Well, I think that's about all that's new here. We'd love to hear about what's going on back home. Feel free to leave a comment or email me.

That is the Question

2008-04-08T00:44:00.002-05:00

What would you attempt for God if you knew you could not fail?

Figuring Out My Purpose

2008-04-03T09:12:00.002-05:00

Having been here in Germany for almost 7 months, I have had a lot of time to think and pray and figure out what's truly important in my life. I've been doing a lot of God seeking about what He wants me to be. I feel kind of like a teenager wondering what I want to be when I grow up, even though I've had a pretty successful career so far in nursing.

Today, God used one of my best friends to show me that for basically all of my life, I have been living in incredible fear of being rejected. I've feared actually stepping out and doing what I know God has truly called me and gifted me to do. I've settled for things in my life, because I was scared to truly go after and pursue certain things.

So, today I've made a decision to put an end to the fear in my life. I've decided to go after my dreams and passions and understand that if I get rejected, it's ok. My life is my Jesus' hands, and if I am going after His will, then He'll open the doors that need to opened and close the doors that need to close. You have to understand that this is a little intimidating and scary for me. I've never really faced the types of rejections that I may face here in the near future. So pray for me, that God will guide and instruct me on this new journey in my life. Ooooo...I am actually really excited about this!!

Beth

Dachau

2008-03-27T01:30:00.017-05:00

For over a week I've been contemplating what I experienced at Dachau, the first concentration camp here in Germany. It's just really hard to put into words how emotional the whole experience was. Here's some historical background on the place:

1. It was the first concentration camp; all the other concentration camps/death camps were designed from this one.

2. The camp started in 1933 as a "work camp." The Nazi's believed that hard work would rehabilitate Jews, Christians, homosexuals, and really anyone who didn't subscribe to their way of thinking.

3. The camp was designed to house 6,000 prisoners, but in the end, it held over 32,000!!

4. Every morning and evening, the prisoners were forced to do a "roll call" where they literally had to stand at attention and not move until all the prisoners were accounted for.

5. There were three barracks that were used for medical experimentation. Humans were used as guinea pigs to try new medications, new surgeries, etc.

6. There was an electrical fence around the perimeter of the camp, and many prisoners would purposely run into it to end their lives.

7. American soldiers freed the camp on April 29, 1945, and they turned the camp into a prison for the Nazis.

So this is my experience:

We walked into the camp, and our audio guide had us walk the path that the prisoners would have walked at their arrival to the camp. We could still see remnants of the road that was taken into the camp and the railroad tracks that brought the prisoners from all over Europe. As we walked through the front gate, we could read the iron door...Arbeit Macht Frei, which means Work Sets One Free. It was the motto of this "work camp." We then walked out onto the huge courtyard, where the prisoners were forced to stand at attention for hours until all the prisoners were accounted for. We could imagine the electrical fence running along the perimeter that was an escape for so many of the prisoners. And there were watch towers all over with snipers ready to kill anyone not doing their work. Here, I could imagine men of pride and valor being reduced to garbage as their bodies gave out from lack of food and the strenuous work conditions. These were men who stood up to the regime and paid with their lives.

We then viewed a few of the memorials at the camp. The first stated: "May the example of those who were exterminated here between 1933-1945 because they resisted Nazism help to unite the living for the defense of peace and freedom an in respect for their fellow men".

Another memorial was actually constructed by a freed prisoner from this camp. It showed men who were starved tangled in a web of barbed wire. I can't even imagine having the ability to construct that after such a horrific experience.

Another memorial was a symbol of the different nationalities, religious groups, and countries who had prisoners in this camp. The memorial contained triangles of various colors depicting these groups. (When prisoners were brought to the camp, they were stripped of their clothes and their name and given only a uniform with a triangle patched that contained their i.d. number. Thus, the significance of the triangles in the memorial).

Next, we saw the memorial of the Unknown Soldier. It contained an inscription that said, "Never Again".

Next, we walked through one of the two barracks. They had been restored, because they were originally torn down. The bunks that men, probably 6 feet tall or more, had to sleep in were incredibly small. And I am sure that some men had to sleep on the floor, simply because there was just no room. Cleanliness was something that was highly regarded by the Nazis, so imagine 32,000 men in tiny barracks but with not a speck of dirt or dust on the floors.

Finally, we made our way to the crematoriums. Originally there was only one, but the death toll had become so high that they had to build another. When I say "they," I mean the prisoners had to build another one. The soldiers did none of the work in the camp. So with this second crematorium, there was also built a gas chamber where, in 15-20 minutes, 150 prisoners could have been exterminated at a time using prussic acid poison gas. This gas chamber was never used, however, there were other means of extreme torture used in killing the prisoners. At times, the soldiers would bring live prisoners to the crematorium and hang them in front of the burning ovens.

By the end of our journey through the camp, we were mostly speechless and stunned. It's easy to think, "Well, this happened in an uncivilized time, and people are smarter now. It will never happen again." But that is simply not true. This happened only about 60 years ago. The Germans were not uncivilized at all. WWI had imposed some really harsh things on the Germans, and Hitler came promising great things. It was easy for a people so discouraged to believe. Hitler had become their ray of hope, and frankly many of the Germans didn't know exactly what was happening. Everything that the Third Reich did was very secretive. I believe that we came out of this experience knowing that it could happen again, and that we must be mindful of who/what we believe. Just because someone makes great claims and promises doesn't mean that it will happen. And as long as our "ray of hope" is not in man but in Christ alone, we can make it through anything. The Bible speaks of men who will come and, with great speeches and great manipulation, will talk people out of their faiths. Hitler was one, but I believe that there will be a time when we are all tested. And I believe that God has His hands on us, and will give us grace to stand in that day.

I would really appreciate any comments on this post. I'd like to know what you think regarding this time, and perhaps the time that will come.

Thanks,
Beth

HELP!!

2008-03-26T02:29:00.003-05:00

On April 30, we are going on a bit of an adventure. We're going to get in our car and drive through Switzerland to Italy. If anyone has been to these places, let us know!! We need to know some great places to visit/stay/eat. We are planning on staying in Rome for a 3-4 days, and we'll hopefully get to attend a Papal Mass. That's really the only thing we have planned that's concrete. I have an Italy travel guide, but I would like some input from people I know who have been there. Thanks so much!!

A White Easter?

2008-03-23T12:48:00.002-05:00

This weekend the weather has been really bad. It's been cold, windy, and rainy. This morning, we woke up thinking the weather would be no different, but it was!! It was white!! We were having the Easter blizzard. Nevertheless, we decided to brave the weather and drive 45 minutes to our church for Easter service. (In South Carolina, even church would have been canceled due to the snow). Church was awesome. It was completely packed out. The first song they played was, "Oh, Happy Day" by Steve Fee, and it was in English (a double bonus). A good time was had by all.

The entire day, I've been thinking about what this day really means and how the Easter bunny come into the mix. This the day we commemorate Jesus' resurrection!! Not only did He die for my sins, He defied death by rising again. I would have loved to have seen the faces of the people to whom He appeared. Can you imaging seeing Him and thinking that it just can't be true? But then He shows you His hands, and you have no doubt that this is God in the flesh standing in front of you. Can you imagine His mother? She has seen her Son die such a brutal death, but then He goes to her and says, "Hey mom, Guess what? I'm Alive!!". I can imagine what the disciples thought? It had to have become crystal clear to them that He had told them all of this was going to happen, but they just didn't understand before. They must have felt so dumb, yet so happy at the same time.

Anyway, this has been a great day. I am so hoping that God will reveal Himself to lots of people today. My challenge to anyone who doesn't know Christ is to simply begin to search for Him. Ask Jesus to show you that He is God. It's really that simple. The Bible says that when we seek, we find, and I believe with all of my heart that He will reveal Himself to you if you only ask. That's what He did for me. Trust me, I am about as stubborn and hard-headed as they come, but He has shown Himself to me over and over again.

Happy Easter!!!

Eiffel Tower at Night

2008-03-16T01:32:00.001-05:00

Wonderful Adventures

2008-03-15T01:42:00.010-05:00

I haven't blogged in a few weeks. We've been all over the place. Our best friends from the States flew to Paris for a business trip, so we decided to make it both a business trip and a vacation. We took a fast train to Paris on March 5. They met us at the train station, and I cannot tell you how excited we were to see such familiar, loving faces!! We then took the subway to the hotel, and went to sleep.

The next day, on our first sightseeing day, Tiffany took us to the Notre Dame. It was breathtaking, inside and out. I even learned what a "flying buttress" is! As we were walking, we came across a movie or tv production on the streets of Paris. We waited for a little while to catch a glimpse of a movie star or something. No luck. We walked down the river for a few kilometers, just enjoying the Parisian lifestyle and culture. We made it to the Louvre, where we only toured the outside. It's the largest museum I've ever seen. In the middle of the courtyard is a giant glass pyramid that, when the suns shines at a certain angle, makes prisms on the ground. We walked down the huge garden in front of the Louvre. There we encountered all kinds of art, sculptures from the classical era and from the modern. It was an interesting conglomeration. We then made it to the Arc de Triomphe, a huge arch in the middle of a round-a-bout that serves as a WWI memorial. About 6 or 7 streets converge at this round-a-bout, and there are no lines on the road for lanes. You can imagine the chaos of driving in Paris. We then started walking towards the Eiffel Tower. It was mesmerizing. It's ten times larger than you think, really. I don't think a photo can really capture the enormity of the the structure at all. I took about two dozen pictures of it in all, but it's just something you have to see with your own eyes. We walked a bit more, and then took the subway back to the hotel. Our feet were so tired that we ordered room service for dinner. Kenny was still working at this point, so we decided not to go out and have too much fun without him.

The next morning we woke up, and had a breakfast of fresh croissants with butter and boiled eggs. It was yummy. Our journey on this particular day began with a subway ride to Montmartre. There is a huge basilica there called Sacré-Cœur. This place is interesting, because it's actually fairly modern. There is someone inside the church 24/7 praying for the sins of Paris. Several bombs actually hit this basilica during WWII, but no one was killed or hurt. The people here believe this is because of the faithful prayers. We walked inside where there is complete silence. No one is allowed to talk; to disrupt the prayers going on inside. This church is different from many of the other churches I've seen in France and Germany where the images are dark and gloomy and a little morbid. This church is full of light, depicting Christ as having great love for people. There's a huge structure of Christ in the front of the church, and rather than being on the cross, dying, He's bearing His heart in love for His people. It's really amazing. Once back outside, we could look out on all of Paris. Wonderful!! We then walked down the street to a little square where artists like Pablo Picasso, Renior, and Van Gogh painted. There were amazing pieces of artwork here, created by modern artists. Tiffany and I really wanted to buy one, but the price was a little too high. We continued on and saw Renoir's home. We passed a memorial of St. Denis, who was a martyred Christian bishop during the Roman era. He actually walked down this street to his execution. Interestingly, it was a pretty long walk, and the Roman soldiers got tired. They decided to behead him before he even got to the execution site. The story goes that St. Denis, after being beheaded, got up, picked up his own head, washed it off in a fountain, and walked the remaining 3 miles to the execution site, where he collapsed and died. We continued walking around the city. We passed Van Gogh's home, and then around the corner was the reason I wanted to come to Montmartre in the first place, The Moulin Rouge. The Moulin Rouge is my favorite movie of all time. I can sing and quote the entire thing. I often cry before anything happens, because I know what's about to happen. I'm a sap...i know.

The next thing on our list to see was the Louvre. We had already explored the outside. On this day, we were going to attempt to see a good portion of the inside. The first room we entered into was the ancient Roman room. Interestingly, the sculptures and other items looked very Egyptian. We saw the famous Venus de Milo and Winged Victory of Samothrace. We saw some famous paintings like the Marriage at Cana and the Mona Lisa. There was just so much. I can't even tell you all of it. We spent hours inside the Louvre, and we didn't even scratch the surface.

Later in the evening, we got all dressed up for our dinner cruise down the river. I don't think I've ever had so much fun. The food was great, but the friends and conversation were ten times better. We got to see many of the sights we'd seen only in daytime at night. At the top of every hour, the Eiffel Tower begins to sparkle for 15 minutes. It's really beautiful. It is true that Paris is the "City of Lights."

The next morning, we took one final small tour of the city, and then headed for the train station to head to Germany. Kenny and Tiffany spent about a week with us in Germany. We went to Neuschwanstein, saw the Austrian Alps, then snowboarded down them. We ate great Bayerish and Swabian food. We traveled to Munich, where we saw the Olympic stadium and the new BMW museum. We then drove to Dachau, Germany's first concentration camp, the camp that all the other camps were designed after. I am going to write about that in a separate blog. It just doesn't seem right to talk about it in this one. Plus, I am still processing some of the things I saw and read.

Kenny and Tiffany left yesterday, Friday, and we are so sad that they are gone. It was great to share such an amazing time with them. You can go and visit all of these cool places on your own, and you'll probably have a great time. But great friends make everything so much better. We love the Tuckers!!!

Check out all the photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/mrsehl.

Open Discussion

2008-02-29T04:22:00.004-05:00

Confession time...

I have always had self-image issues. From a really young age, I never really felt girly enough or pretty enough. My biological father committed suicide when I was a baby, so I never really felt like I was worth him living. Feeling that kind of rejection my whole life was just not good!! My adoptive father, whom many of you know (sorry if this offends you, but it's the truth), was very hurtful to me when I was young. He told me so many times that I was fat and stupid. It may have been a joke to him, but I didn't take it that way. When I was in high school, I set out to lose weight, and I ended up losing about 50lbs (23 kg for my European friends). Essentially, I had developed an eating disorder, and it was tearing my life apart. Thankfully, Jesus picked me up out of that place, and I can honestly say, that I don't struggle with that anymore at all. (I am making a long story short, so if you want to know exactly how Jesus did it, I'm more than willing to tell you. Just shoot me an email: mrsehl@gmail.com). Over the last few years, God has blessed me with a wonderful husband who always makes me feel beautiful and never puts me down. God has taught me how to love the person He's made me.

But in a world where physical "beauty" reigns supreme, I can understand how women can sometimes feel ugly; like they just don't fit the mold. How absurd!! Think about this. God created the heavens and the earth; the stars in the sky. All of these things add so much beauty to our lives. God is such a magnificent artist!! He created all of this, and then He created mankind (ending with women...saving the best for last...haha). Man was so beautiful to Him that He chose to take a break (on Sunday) just to admire what He created. He wasn't satisfied with the heavens, the earth, the animals, or anything He created until He created mankind. What I think this tells us is that our view of what beauty is totally corrupted and contorted. God is the embodiment of beauty, and He created us in His own image!!!

So this is the discussion: I want to know what in your life makes you feel beautiful, physical or otherwise. How has God shown you that you are beautiful when society may say otherwise? With all of our physical flaws, there are things we all admire about our bodies. What are those things to you?

Challenge: We need to try to undo our thinking about how we define beauty. Try to see something beautiful in someone else this week. The fact is that when you try to find things about others that you think are beautiful, you start to see those same things in yourself. Also, try to see something beautiful in your enemy or someone you just don't like. It's not as easy, and it really reveals the state of our hearts.

Sorry if this seems more geared toward women, fellas. But I think guys deal with the same issues...maybe just not as outwardly as women. So guys can participate too!!

I Love This!!

2008-02-28T10:23:00.002-05:00

"Some people think they can imagine a creature which was free but had no possibility of going wrong; I cannot. If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. A world of automata--of creatures that worked like machines--would hardly be worth creating. The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each other in an ecstasy of love and delight compared with which the most rapturous love between a man and a woman on this earth is mere milk and water. And for that they must be free."
C.S. Lewis

This is a quote from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. He is amazing. I've never had much time to read things I want. Well, now I have a ton of time, so I get the opportunity to do lots of things I've always wanted. I encourage everyone to read Lewis' books, whether you're Christian or not.

My Journal

2008-02-20T04:09:00.005-05:00

I've never much been one for keeping a journal. I guess all those years in school where I was forced to keep one just didn't sit too well with me. Anyway, I have been keeping a blog for quite a while. I guess I feel like with a blog, I don't have to write every single day. I can just write when I have something on my heart. So I was reading some of my old blogs (not located on this page), and I am just so thankful for everything God has done in my life.

One year ago, I was struggling a great deal, because we were leaving Cornerstone, the church I'd been going to since I was a baby. I remember crying so much over that decision, but having such peace that we were doing what God wanted. I remember thinking I didn't know where to go or what to do, because there was just no place in this world like Cornerstone. I mean, I met and married my incredible husband there. Cornerstone was a shield for me when I was a kid. When things in my family were tough, it was my place of refuge. Pastor Rick taught me how to love and trust in God with all of my heart. It was also really hard to leave some of our dear friends. That was the hardest thing of all, considering Pastor Rick had been gone for years. It's amazing how people put God in a box, and they see the world only in the four walls of their own church. We lost so many friends, because they just could not see how they could remain friends with us if we didn't go to the same church. For crying out loud; it wasn't like we were joining a crazy sect or something. We were still part of the Church...God's church. But Danny and I learned how to be content with just the two of us, and God showed us what true friendship is all about through that situation. Sometimes I wish He didn't have to use such painful trials to teach us things, but I guess if it weren't so painful, it wouldn't leave such an impression.

Last year I was also having a really tough time sleeping at night. Until you've had insomnia, you can't even imagine how important sleep is. I had all these doctors wanting to put me on anti-depressants and stuff like that, but I just didn't have a peace about that. It's not that I think taking them is wrong. I just had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach about it. I prayed, prescription in hand, for what God wanted me to do, and He said flat out that I needed to just trust Him. (That's the one area that I struggle with the most...Type A personality and all). The Lord promised me that He would take care of me, and I believed it. I decided not to take the medication (because I wasn't depressed!!), and amazingly I started sleeping really well. I believe that God completely healed me, and I am so grateful for that. God took something that was completely out of my control (yep control freak right here), and He showed me how to trust Him and not myself for everything.

So now my opinion of journaling has changed a little. I can now look back on the last year and see how God has worked in my life. There are so many little things He does for us each day that we don't even see. I can't wait until I can talk with Jesus face to face, and He can show all of the things He did that I didn't even know!! Maybe He keeps a journal on all of us. Maybe He writes things like: Yay, Beth trusted me today...finally!!! I guess we'll find out.

Beth

The Tuckers Are Coming!!!

2008-02-19T04:06:00.002-05:00

They are finally coming. Our best friends from home are leaving for Paris on Feb. 28. We are going to take a train to meet them on the 5th of March, and we'll say for the rest of the week!! Then they are coming to Germany to visit our home here. There's so much we want to show them. I've got to figure out how to narrow it down!! Yay for English speaking friends!!!

It's Valentine's Day, and I Don't Care

2008-02-14T15:03:00.003-05:00

Call me unsentimental or unromantic all you want; I think Valentine's Day is kinda dumb. My husband thinks he is the luckiest man in the world that he doesn't have to go and spend tons of money on flowers and candy just for this one holiday!! He buys me flowers all year round, and it makes me so happy to get them when I least expect it. It means more to me to receive something just because he is thinking about me than for him to have to do on this one particular day. So I don't think we are unromantic at all. We are just romantic with each other for the entire year.

Friendship

2008-02-12T08:11:00.000-05:00

The older I've gotten, the more I've come to understand the value and importance of true friendship. And I am not talking about the superficial relationships with people who never come to understand the true you. Personally, I've never understood how a person can say, "Hey these are my 20 best friends!!" Really? Do you really know them? Do they really know you? Can you be yourself 100% of the time, even if that self is wrong, dumb, self-conscious, or disgusting? Do you find yourself trying to be someone you're not when you're around them? Would those friends give you the very coat off their back to help you, and would you do the same for them? How would you feel if they were in trouble or sick? Would you take their burden on as your own? Those types of friendships take a long time to develop, and I think you have to go through trials in order to find them. A friend chooses to be there, whereas family almost has to be there. So the challenge is to not care about the quantity of your friendships but the quality.

A Little Perspective

2008-02-07T03:12:00.000-05:00

I am totally copying this from one of my "friends" on myspace, but I loved it. I wanted everyone to read it, and let me know what you think.

"The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true, given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed, and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence, 2/3's of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ''What are we so unhappy about?''

- Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

- Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

- Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

- Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time, and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

- Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?

- Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe hotels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

- I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough.

- Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provides services to help all, and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

- Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings.

- Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

**Maybe that is what has 67 percent of people unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens . They see us for what we are. The MOST BLESSED people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have , and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the LORD that we live here.

- I know, I know. What about the President who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The President who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same President who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The President that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?

- The Commander-In Chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

- Think about it...are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the"Media" told you he was failing .
Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go.

- They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds, it leads; and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells,and when criticized, try to defend their actions by "justifying" them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about "how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way" ...Insane!

Stop buying into the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad. God has blessed us and we complain :(

We are among the most blessed people on Earth, and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.

"With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Snowboarding Photos

2008-02-06T11:12:00.000-05:00

God is Beautiful!!

2008-02-06T02:31:00.001-05:00

We woke up this morning after a rainy and windy night to a beautiful rainbow. I tried to get a picture of it, but by the time I found the camera, the rainbow was fading. It was just a little reminder of how faithful, wonderful, and beautiful our God is!!!

Presidential Election

2008-02-04T09:48:00.000-05:00

Hey,
To the right of the page is a poll. I just want to see who the you are leaning towards voting for in the Presidential election. The results are anonymous, so don't be shy. Thanks for the help.

Go Eli Manning!!

2008-02-03T20:01:00.000-05:00

So it's 2am, and we're watching the Super Bowl!! Could we BE anymore American?!?!

The Bunny Slope Is Important!!!

2008-01-27T13:17:00.000-05:00

On December 29, 2007, I had my first experience with snowboarding. I've never skied or snowboarded, but I thought it was a fine time to learn. So after spending half the day on the bunny slope, I think to myself, "Ok, I'm ready to master something more difficult." And I did...quite successfully I might add.

So yesterday, we went to the same slope in the Austrian Alps with our Scottish friends, Amanda and Robbie. At this point I am pretty confident in my snowboarding skills, so we skip the bunny slope and head up to the top of the mountain. It is then that I realize that my snowboarding skills aren't really skills at all. (Keep in mind that this is my second time EVER doing anything on snow). I had totally forgotten everything. On top of that, I had a different board that I think was a little too large for my size, and subsequently was harder to control. Needless to say, I have more bruises than I've ever had at one time, and at one point during the excursion I landed face...or rather, nose first...and had my first nose bleed in many years!! OUCH!!

Lesson of the Day: Spend time on the bunny slope before venturing out into the narrow and steep slopes. The bunny slope should be looked upon as a great friend that should not be denied or rejected.

By the way, my husband rocks!!! He picks up on everything so quickly. He's probably snowboarded 4 times in his life, and he looks like a pro. It makes me incredibly jealous!! But on the other hand, he looks incredibly hot when he's on the snowboard!!

Thoughts, Opinions, Ramblings

2008-01-25T05:42:00.000-05:00

Today I was wasting time by searching for interesting blogs to read. As I was doing this, these are some of the things I thought:

1. People try too hard to be artsy fartsy and/or philosophical. Just be yourself, and stop trying so hard to use big words and witty statements so that people will think you're a genius. Hahaha.

2. Most people who have "Jesus" as one of their interests live in Texas. Just interesting.

3. People need Jesus really bad. There are a lot of really screwed up people (like me!!) out there, that need to know that Christ died for them and loves them so stinkin' much.

4. The Church needs to do a better job at not being so separate from the rest of the world. The Church needs to be more inviting, but the message needs to remain: Jesus, Son of God, died for the sins of the world, full of mercy and grace, etc.

5. There are some really talented musicians out there that sing and play just for the Lord. That makes me so happy!!

6. No matter what our opinions, political stances, or world view, God is God and it is awesome to know Him.

That's all for now. I'll be thinking more on these things and let you know what else I come up with.

Beth

What's Going On?

2008-01-24T03:01:00.000-05:00

We've had an interesting week. Yesterday was my last German class, and it was a little sad for me. I've met some really nice people there who are all from different cultures. It was really a great dynamic to have in the class. I have a friend, Amanda, from Scotland, who I think I'll still hang out with from time to time. Then, there's Maria from Italy, who is just the sweetest person. There's Reshad from Iran, who is one of the smartest and hardest working people I know. There's Curt and Nelson, my fellow Americans, of whom I am so thankful. I am hoping that all of us will still get together every other week or so for lunch. Actually, Amanda and her boyfriend are going snowboarding with us this Saturday in the Austrian Alps. (FYI: You've not really snowboarded or skied until you've done it in the Alps).

So my job with Vivat Lingua fell through, unfortunately. I guess the people wanting to take the class didn't want to start a medical terminology class until January of 2009 (and I am sooooo not coming back for that). Thankfully, I met a woman at my school this week who works on an American military base nearby, and she's trying to help me find a job there as a nurse, substitute teacher, or whatever. There's not a military hospital there, so the nursing positions are slim to none. I guess many of you don't know my struggle with trying to find a job on a base, but I've tried for months to get in touch with people. So far, no one has even answered the phone. I think maybe they've just really increased security on the bases, so unless you know someone, it's incredibly difficult to find anything. Finding this person at my school is a God-send. I'll let you know if something comes from it.

Our friends, Kenny and Tiffany Tucker, are coming to visit soon; probably the end of February. We are so excited about that. Kenny has a business trip in Paris, so we are going to go there for a few days, and then, when Kenny is finished with business, they are going to come stay with us for a little while. We were hoping to be in Paris for Valentine's Day, but I am not sure that they'll be here early enough.

On January 3, Danny and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary. We didn't really do much. It was on a work day, and we were still a little pooped from having Mark and Mirjam over for the holidays. Next year, however, I will get a new wedding band. =)

We haven't been able to travel as much lately, because the weather is pretty cold and rainy. Also, it gets dark here now around 4:30pm. It's really strange and a little depressing. Danny really enjoys his job, and his co-workers are really nice. I think his job here is a lot less stressful than his job in the US. I've had a bit of a hard time lately. It's difficult for me here sometimes, because it seems like all I hear about America is negative. I would never say anything negative about Italy, for instance, to someone who is Italian. But here, they don't really care who you are. They'll bash America or President Bush, because you're there. I don't think Danny experiences this as much as I. Because I am constantly surrounded by people from all over the world, people tend to want to always talk about foreign affairs. It makes me really sad that the image of America to the rest of the world comes from what people see from Hollywood and stupid MTV. I try to tell people that that's only one tiny part America, but unfortunately, their minds are made up. The media here is so biased (CNN, BBC, etc), so it's no wonder that America's image is so tainted here. I wish that these networks that produce terrible television shows that give America a bad name could see what they are doing and take some responsibility for their actions. I guess it's just so much more entertaining to see smut than good things. So that's my soapbox for the day. Sorry about that.

So that's about all that we've been up to. We covet your prayers, and I can't tell you how much we love to receive letters and pictures from home. Also, we'd love to hear from the people who actually read this blog, so shoot me an email sometime: mrsehl@gmail.com.

We love ya and miss you so much!!! 7.5 more months!!!!!!

Fasching

2008-01-21T07:52:00.000-05:00

So they have this celebration here right now called Fasching. It's basically Mardi Gras in Deutschland. It's the celebration of the 40 days prior to Lent. People dress up in really elaborate costumes, and there's a 4 hour (or longer) parade through various cities. It's not like any parade I've ever seen in America. There aren't floats, just people walking. Often, they grab members of the crowd; they may carry them over their shoulders down the parade route. They may throw you in a device that spins you around until you vomit.

We visited one such parade (umzug) in Pfullingen last weekend. I found the costumes to be quite scary, actually, especially for the little children. But it seemed like the little children must have been warned beforehand. Some of the characters give candy or bon bons. Some of them throw confetti all over you. Some smear paint or grease on your face. It's really interesting. The different groups of characters called out something in German, and the audience shouted something else back. I didn't really understand what they were saying, but it seemed like fun. By the end, I had green paint all over my face. There's a really big celebration in the city of Rottenburg next weekend, and I think we'll visit that one too. Until then, I've posted photos on the "Photos from Deutschland" site. Please visit.

Oh, How I Appreciate the Good Ole South

2008-01-15T13:10:00.000-05:00

I really hope the south (in the USA) never changes. I don't think there is another place in the entire world where children say, "Yes ma'am" or "No ma'am." There's no other place where people smile at you as they walk by or say "Excuse me." I know that I will never take that for granted ever again in my life, and I will try to show the same courtesy to everyone I meet.

As of today, we have now been here 4 months, and I thought that my homesickness would get better. Unfortunately, I find things everyday that I miss. Don't get me wrong...we've been able to see and do things most people never get to see or do, but it's the people in my life that make things fun and exciting. What is so great about seeing the Eiffel Tower if you don't have friends to share it with? (Luckily, Kenny and Tiffany are coming in a month, and we'll see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre together). I am reminded of the motto of Hope Fellowship: "Loving God; Loving People." I love all the family and friends in my life, and I can't wait to be together with you all again in 8 months!!

My New Favorite Song

2008-01-08T08:15:00.000-05:00

Download it from I-tunes...it's really awesome. Look for Everybody Worship, and you'll find it.

Break Through

Verse 1:
I sing all the songs.
I read all about You
I know right from wrong.
What does it amount to
If my life doesn’t show
How much I love you?

Chorus
I need you to break through
To tear down the walls.
Let everything fall.
Cuz I want to praise You
With nothing between
You and me.
I need you to break through.

Verse 2:
I know there is more
I've left to discover.
So many things, yeah
You want to uncover.
I’ve been scratching the surface.
I want to go deeper.

Bridge:
Break through the pride.
Break through the shame.
I’ve had enough of staying the same.
Break through the fear.
Open the gates.
I’m getting tired of playing it safe.

Long Time, No Post

2008-01-02T04:32:00.000-05:00

I am sorry I haven't written in a while. We've been busy with Mark and Mirjam being here in Germany for Christmas. We had so much fun. I have posted tons of pictures. Just click on the link to the right of the page. Christmas was a lot different this year. It was strange being away from home. I have always loved Christmas in my family. I did get to talk to my family on Christmas which was a blessing. I could have talked for hours, I think. I think the highlight of Christmas this year was actually the day after Christmas. It snowed so much...my first almost white Christmas. That day, we went to Danny's uncles' and aunt's house. It was so much fun. Good wine, good German beer (not too much, I can assure you), and fantastic food. Then, on the 29th, we went to Austria to go skiing/snowboarding in the Alps. It was the most beautiful landscape I've ever seen in my life. I have never seen such beautiful mountains covered in snow...just magnificent. I really don't understand how someone could not believe in God after seeing this. Anyway, I'll write more about it later. I have got to start cleaning the house up and doing the tons of laundry in the floor right now.

Clemson People Are AWESOME!! / Clemson Leute sind ausgeziechnet!!

2007-12-16T08:12:00.000-05:00

Ok, so we've been here now for 3 months, and we've met some really great people. Well, we'd been here only for about 2 weeks when we decided to go hiking on a mountain here in Reutlingen. Danny and I both wore Clemson hats, and I think Danny was also wearing a Clemson t-shirt. When we finally hiked to the top, we were looking out on the beautiful landscape when someone shouted, "Go Tigers!!" Of course, we were like "no way," but sure enough, someone in Germany recognized the Clemson logo. We started talking, and we've become pretty good friends over the last few months.

Then, last week, we were at the Weihnactsmarkt in Esslingen. Of course, Danny wore his brightly colored orange Clemson hat. Again, someone shouted, "GO TIGERS!!" This time we were really taken aback. Ok, so it's a fluke when you meet one person who has heard of Clemson, but now we've met two families!!! Crazy!! The second group of people that we met actually live in Anderson. One is a professor at AU, and had graduated from Clemson in 1968. It really is a small world.

German:

Ok, wir sind heir jetzt seit 3 Monate, und wir haben wirklich nette leute kennen gelernt. Als wir 2 Wochen hier waren, sind wir auf der Achalm gewandert. Danny und ich haben Clemson Hüte getragen, und Danny hat auch ein Clemson T-shirt getragen. Als wir auf der Spitze waren, und uns die schöne Landschaft angeschaut haben, hat jemand "Go Tigers!!" geruft. Natürlich haben wir uns gedacht, dass darf doch nicht war sein. Wir haben uns unterhaltet, und seit dem haben wir uns öfters mal wieder gesehen.

Letzte Woche haben wir den Weihnachtsmarkt in Esslingling besucht. Danny hat seine helle orange Clemson Mütze getragen. Noch mal ruft jemand, "Go Tigers!!" Dieses mal waren wir wirklich erstaunt. Diese Leute wohne in Anderson, und ein Mann arbeitet bei Anderson Universität als Professor. Er hat von Clemson in 1968 graduiert. Es ist eine kleine Welt!!

My Dad

2007-12-15T06:23:00.000-05:00

The other day, I was in a really dark place. I turned on my I tunes and just started singing, praying, and listening. I heard nothing; no words of encouragement; no peace. My husband arrived home a few minutes later, and I vented my frustration to him, but still no peace. Later that night, after we'd gone to bed, this song just filled my heart, suddenly, yet quietly.

Your laughter it echoes like a joyous thunder
Your whisper it warms me like a summer breeze
Your anger is fiercer than the sun in its splendour
You’re close and yet full of mystery
Ever since the day that I saw Your face
Try as I may, I cannot look away, I cannot look away…

Captivated by You
I am captivated by You
May my life be one unbroken gaze
Fixed upon the beauty of Your face

Beholding is becoming, so as You fill my gaze
I become more like You and my heart is changed
Beholding is becoming, so as You fill my view
Transform me into the likeness of You

This is what I ask, for all my days
That I may, never look away, never look away…
No other could ever be as beautiful
No other could ever steal my heart away
I just can’t look away…

Lyrics by Vicky Beeching

The crazy thing is that it wasn't me singing this to the Father. It was the Father singing this to me!! It was the thing I didn't know I needed; to hear from my one and only Father how He feels about me. I felt so happy, yet so unworthy at the same time. Now when I am here in the apartment alone, I can sing this song, and just feel my Dad's warm arms around me. I can sing it knowing that I feel the same exact way about Him.

Jesus, let every aspect of my life worship you; to be worthy of being called Your daughter; to make you, and only you, proud of me.

This verse has really been on my mind, and I also want to share it with you:

Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." John 4:21-24

It's a reminder that no matter where we are, we must worship Him in spirit and in truth; with our entire lives; all that we have. I want to be the type of worshiper my Dad seeks; proclaiming Him in every aspect of my life. I want to be someone who makes Him smile and laugh.

*German translation to follow. Ich bin in eile jetzt. Ich müss eine Deutsche Bibel kaufen, so ich kann genau übersetzen. Tschüß.

My Goal

2007-12-13T06:53:00.000-05:00

My goal for all upcoming posts is to write them in German and English, so everyone can easily understand them. We'll see how that goes. lol!!

Ich habe ein Ziel für die Zukunft. Ich möchte gern alle "Blogs" auf Englisch und Deutsch schreiben. Wenn jemand einen Fehler findet, bitte sagen Sie. Ich muss mehr Deutsch lernen, und ich denke das ist eine gute Übung. Was denken Sie?

New Job!!

2007-12-12T12:41:00.001-05:00

So most likely, my job will start in March. I know that's a long time away, but we need to prepare for it. I have looked through the text book, and it's pretty intensive. That will be an awesome challenge for me!!

Job Possibility

2007-12-05T10:40:00.000-05:00

Whoo hooo! I may have a job!! The manager of the language institute that I go to came to me today and asked if I'd be interested in teaching medical terminology to students learning English. This is a wonderful opportunity to use the knowledge that I have to teach others, which is what I've always wanted to do. So please pray that everything will work out according to His plan. If all goes well, I'll start in the beginning of the year.

Kinda Funny

2007-12-02T03:10:00.000-05:00

I've learned to rely on Danny a lot here in Germany. He speaks fluent German with no difficulty. Yesterday, we went to the town of Esslingen with an American friend (who speaks NO German). There were so many people!! We all kept getting a little separated. I saw Ryan, our American friend, looking at some items, and I walked over to him. Danny was wearing his brightly colored orange Clemson stocking cap, so I knew I'd find him pretty easily. As Ryan is looking at things on this vendors table, he says to me, "Ask him how much this is." Without thinking, I ask the man how much the trinket cost, and then I translate the price into English. I had to translate the entire transaction. It was so cool!! We found Danny a minute later, and just as quickly we lost him again. So we went through the same thing a few more times. It was really interesting to see someone relying on me to translate, because I've been relying on Danny so much.

I am so happy that I can now understand and speak so much. Danny and I speak to each other for several hours per day in German. It's great to see that it's all paying off!!

Unconditional

2007-11-29T08:49:00.000-05:00

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres".

I've been reminded a lot lately of the the importance of love and the command we have to love one another without condition...the way that Christ loves us (in that while we were still sinners, He died for us). While Jesus was in Jerusalem, the Pharisees and Sadducees were trying to prove that Christ was not who He claimed to be. They asked Him in Matthew 22:36, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" To this Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matt 22:37-40). Nowhere in that command does Jesus say to love your neighbor only if they are nice to you and do everything you want them to do. That wouldn't be much of a commandment or sacrifice. Rather, He says to love your neighbor, who may be your greatest enemy, as yourself. God knows that we are a self-centered people. I think that why He wants us to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves. With that same attitude we are to love our enemies, with a love that is sacrificial, true and pure.

Recently as situation has arisen that has reminded me of this. We were put on this earth to love wholeheartedly, and not to judge. I think that the only way to get someone to see the err of their ways is to love them unconditionally no matter what their sin is. Is their sin greater than my sin? NO!! We are all sinners saved only by grace. Someone's sin of adultery is no greater than my sin of cursing the salesperson who takes too long to check me out. So why do we act like the person who has committed such a sin openly is unclean? We are ALL unclean...only made clean through the blood of Christ. Just because our sin is more private doesn't make it less of a sin. This goes back to my previous blog about wearing a mask so people will think we have it all together. We can act like there is no sin in our lives and condemn others of their open sin. Or we can choose to show the kindness and love of the Father to His children and realize that we all struggle with sin. Rather than cutting each other down, maybe we can help each other out and hold each other accountable in love.

The choice is ours.

Women

2007-11-27T09:51:00.000-05:00

I've been reading a book series by Francine Rivers called, "The Mark of the Lion," and that is what has inspired this blog.

I think women feel that in everything they do, they must be perfect and look perfect while doing it. I've never understood this, but I am guilty of falling into the trap. I find myself admiring women who can cook, keep the house clean, and keep up with their families all while looking like a million bucks. In their own hearts, however, they are dying. They feel like they are drowning, and they are tired of keeping the façade going. We paint our faces and hide our hearts. We want people to think we have it all together, when in actuality, we want to rip our hair out.

As I was reading the books by Francine Rivers, I found my heart was turning to what the ideal woman is in God's eyes. She is one who prays fervently, constantly. She is a servant in all that she does. She is utterly devoted to her family and friends, and equally, she loves her enemies as Christ loves them. She is one who sees beauty in all things even though she may be scared and disfigured physically. She doesn't hide behind a ton of makeup, but rather, she reveals her true self so that she can grow in Christ and in love. She strives for a different kind of perfection...perfection in Christ, and not in the eyes of men or women.

My personal experience with women has been that they can be very vicious to one another. We feel like we must be in constant competition with one another, and this is not right. We feel like we must be dressed to kill, in the best name brands and with the perfect makeup. But all of this is vanity. What is the heart of the woman? Why do we try so hard to hide it?

The point I'm trying to make, quite unsuccessfully, I think is that it's time for women to take off the "makeup," and let the real person come out. I cannot stand phonies, even though I can be guilty of it as well. Why can't we just be the people God created us to be? He didn't make us robots, so that we would all be the same. He made us individual and different, with different strengths and weaknesses. Rather than dwell on our weaknesses, I pray that we cherish our strengths. What we are weak in, another may be strong, so why don't we work together more?

Just a though. What are your opinions?

Lovis Marie

2007-11-27T09:49:00.000-05:00

Lovis Marie

2007-11-27T09:45:00.001-05:00

We have a new addition to the family. Danny's cousin, Michael, and his wife, Manuela had their first child about a week ago. We had the opportunity to see her on Saturday, and she is the most beautiful little baby girl I've ever seen. It's amazing how little babies are. I'll post a picture in just a second.

Happy Turkey Day

2007-11-22T06:48:00.000-05:00

Today is Thanksgiving, so I thought I would write about some things that we're thankful for, especially since my last blog was kind of a downer. (Sorry about that)!

1. I am thankful that I have such a wonderful God, and that He forgives me when I don't deserve it. Faith by grace, not works!!

2. I am thankful that I have a husband who constantly encourages me and builds me up rather than tearing me down.

3. I am thankful that my relationship with my mom and step dad is so good now. I love them so much!!

4. I am thankful that I have two awesome pastors, Mark and Jeff, who teach Danny and I so much, and encourage us in our faith.

5. I am thankful for friends like Tiffany, who send reminders of home when I feel homesick. (Just when I needed it, thanks)!!

6. I am thankful for my brothers and their significant others.

7. I am thankful for Greyson, b/c he blows me kisses and high fives me on the computer.

8. I am thankful that a computer program like Skype was created, so we can still feel close to family and friends even though we are thousands of miles away.

9. I am thankful that we have this opportunity in Germany, and that I can get to know Danny's family here.

There are so many other things we are thankful for, but these are the ones that are the dearest at this time in our lives. We hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!!

I've Got the Blues

2007-11-20T06:45:00.000-05:00

This has been a really tough week for me so far. Maybe it's because Thanksgiving is this week or something, but I just feel really conflicted. I am so happy to be here in Germany, but I feel like I am missing out on so many things in America. I miss my family and my friends so much. I miss singing at church on Sundays. I miss working. I miss being able to have conversations with people and it not hurt my brain. I miss having get-togethers on Friday and Saturday nights. I miss eating Mexican food after church on Sundays. We've been here for 2 months, and I feel like it's already been 6. I am so tired of listening in on conversations, and by the time I think of what to contribute to the conversation, we're no longer talking about it. I've always been a perfectionist, and it's so hard for me to feel dumb or stupid. But it seems like that's how I feel the majority of the time.

I am trying to keep looking on the bright side, but this week, my emotions have just over taken me. Sorry for such a depressing blog. I'll write soon when I am in a better mood.

Various Ramblings

2007-11-15T09:15:00.000-05:00

I haven't written in a while, so I thought I'd just write to tell you what we've been doing, in general.

Last week, I started my intensive Deutsch course. This course is 5 days per week for 3 hours per day. On top of that, I have about 2 hours of homework per night. It has really been amazing!! I can now understand almost everything. Especially when we go up to Hessen to see Danny's family, I can understand. They don't speak with a strong dialect like people do here in Reutlingen.

Last weekend, we went to visit Danny's grandmother. She lives about 2.5 hours north from here. We had so much fun even though the weather was not so nice. One evening we got together with Danny's cousins Andi and Martin and their significant others. We had cake and coffee at Omi's house and then we just sat and talked for a while. Later, we went into Frankfurt. I think this is a fairly large city in Germany, almost as big as Atlanta. It seems like there's a lot to do there. We shopped there, and then we went to Darmstadt for dinner. We ate at a Mexican restaurant, which is really funny if you think about it. Mexico is nowhere near here, and trust me, it's not like the Mexican food in America. It's really good, but it is not nearly as spicy or as authentic, I think. Just different.

This week, we've been enjoying all the snow. Every evening and night, it has snowed. This is very interesting considering we live in South Carolina in the US. I have absolutely no clue how to drive in the snow. But with traction control and winter tires, I've done ok so far. The car and I are still in one piece. Always a good thing.

Today I got a call from Michael, one of Danny's cousins. His wife just had her baby last night. We are looking forward to going back to Omi's this weekend, so we can visit with them and see the baby. It's such and exciting time, because three of Danny's cousins' wives are pregnant (well, now one has had their baby). All of them are due this month or next. We are happy to be here this year to see it all unfold.

Anyway, that's about all that's been going on. We continue to meet more people and pray for opportunities to make friends and just get out there, I guess. Thanks for all of you who read this and keep us in your prayers. We really appreciate it. We love you all so much!!

Beth

Neuschwanstein November 1-3

2007-11-07T09:43:00.000-05:00

Hallo!!

This past weekend was a holiday weekend for Danny. November 1st is All Saints Day, and people actually don't have to work!! Amazing!! So we decided to go to Baveria...close to Austria in Southeast Germany. We stayed in this nice little hotel...very quaint and cute. (There was no phone or television...not a bad thing, really). Anyway, we started our trip on Thursday. On the way to Neuschwanstein, we stopped in Ulm (Albert Einstein was born here) for lunch and to climb 700+ steps to the top of the tallest church in the world. For lunch, I had "kirbis suppe," which is pumpkin soup. Sound gross? Well, it is freakin AMAZING!!! Take my word for it, not Danny's. At about 7pm or so we arrived in Neuschwanstein. They had the castles all lit up there. It was very pretty, and the mountains were so gorgeous. I took a lot of pictures, but they don't do justice to the beautiful sights we saw.

On Friday, we toured Neuschwanstein castle. It has a sad history really. King Ludwig II set into motion the construction of the castle. He lived in a fantasy world, so he constructed this castle to suit his fantasy of God-like royalty. It took close to 20 years to build, and unfortunately, King Ludwig II died mysteriously after only living there for half a year. (Wie shade!) The castle was not even finished on the inside. I took lots of pictures of the outside, but of course, we couldn't take pictures of the inside. It was so elaborate. The king's bed, for instance, took about 14 wood workers 4 years to carve. It was so detailed. I've never seen anything like it. It was like the Biltmore House times 10.

On Saturday, we decided to take our new to us bicycles around the lake at the base of the Alps near the castle. It was such a beautiful day...probably my favorite day. Danny and I laughed and played. We felt so good. We rode for several hours, up the mountain and down. I really didn't like the uphill so much. My heart was beating so fast. When we started to flatten out, Danny asked me if I like this kind of mountain biking better. I said, "Yes, and I also like to go downhill." Flat or downhill...that's the mountain biking for me. When we were going downhill, we were going so fast. I can't even describe the rush. It was awesome!! It made me wish, however, that we'd brought our helmets. (Don't worry. We were trying to be cautious. Mark and Mirjam are bringing our helmets when they come here in December).

Anyway, after our bike excursion, we decided to drive down the German Alpine Road. This is where we got some of our best pictures of the mountains. By the time dusk came around, the mountains were just magnificent to look at. I told Danny that you see this stuff on the Discovery Channel or in books, but to actually see it for yourself makes you realize how small you are and how big God is.

So hopefully, if you all look at the pictures, you'll really really want to come to Germany to visit us. That's the true motivation for taking all the photos!!

There is a link to the photos on the left side of the page. Check them out, and leave a comment or two.

Schönen Tag und Jesus segne euch!!
(Have a great day, and may Jesus bless you)!!

2007-10-29T04:07:00.000-05:00

Even Lilly gets cold when it snows. She loves to get under the covers!!

It Feels Like We're Kids Again

2007-10-29T02:33:00.001-05:00

We were so fortunate the past two weeks to find bicycles for both of us for a really good deal. Bicycles here a super expensive, like 1000€ for a good one. If you aren't aware of the terribly weak dollar right now, that's a little over $1400. (We still get paid in dollars). I found a website for a place that sells used ones for 70-80€, and then you can sell them back to the guy to get some of your money back when you leave Germany. This place was such a hole in the wall, but he had some really nice used bikes. He sold us Danny's bike for 80€ and I got mine for 63€. Mine has a great basket on the back and a loud bell, so I won't run anyone over.

So on Saturday, we spent the day riding around on our bikes. We went into the Stadtmitte of Reutlingen to find the salon that where I am going to attempt to get my first haircut since we've been here. I am really nervous about getting my hair cut. But I know if I can't speak about exactly what I want, I have tons of photos of the hair cut, so we should be ok, I think.

This coming week is going to be a short one for Danny. Thursday is All Saints Day, so he doesn't have to work. He also took off for Friday, and we are going to spend the weekend in Swabia. We are going to Neuschwanstein. This is a magnificent castle; the one that Walt Disney based the Cinderella castle on. I think we'll take our bikes and ride around some of the mountains in the Swabian Alps. Anyway, that's what we're up to. We'd love to hear about what is going on back home, so feel free to email us or leave a comment.

Die Brüdergemeinde

2007-10-22T03:15:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, we went to a church in the town of Krontal. This is about 1 hour away from where we live. I have a friend from high school who went to seminary near the area, and he told us about the place. He said that they are very missions oriented and very friendly. He was so right!! We just happened to go to the church on Missions Sunday. There were displays from all of the missionaries they support, and most of them, I think have come from the church. One of the missionaries works in Brazil and is married to a Brazilian woman. He speaks German, Portuguese, Dutch, English, and French. WOW!!

When we arrived at the church, we were a little late. One thing about German churches is that they start promptly at 10 am. The church bell rings and service begins. Even though we were late, we were ushered to the second row, which was a little intimidating with the HUGE projection screen right in front of us. They began to sing some worship tunes. They actually had drums, guitars, a bass, piano (as opposed to the organ), and several singers. It was refreshing. The first song they sang was an American song, but translated into German. So I quietly sang the song with the words I knew. The next few songs were German worship tunes, so I read the words and tried to keep up. The words were so encouraging, so God focused instead of "me" focused. So I'm thinking this is good. Then, they did a presentation of several of the missionaries, and one of the missionaries to Africa gave the message for the day. I was surprised at how much I understood.

When the service ended, people kind of hung around to look at the missionary displays. There were little bistro tables set up with some juice and mineral water. People gathered around them and fellowshipped with each other. I was so happy that people didn't just leave right after service. There is a connection between these people. In the meantime, we met Jarrit Andersen. What a gift from God!! We began talking with him, and he invited us to his home for lunch. Jarrit is a 20 year old student who is the drummer for the church. So we decided to join him and his family for lunch. We met Elka and Klaus, his parents, and many other people who came to lunch there. We ended up spending the entire afternoon at their house talking about God, life, German culture, work, and everything under the sun. The love of Jesus was just so evident in these people.

They invited us to attend the evening service (Gottesdienst). Klaus, himself, had really pushed for about 2 years to have an evening service that was more contemporary and upbeat. They have this service once per month. The service was amazing. People stood up and talked about what God had done in their lives. One lady, who works in one of the orphanages that the church runs, stood up and said that 2 of the children in the orphanage had gotten saved!! This just blessed my socks off.

Afterwards, there was fellowship, food, and drinks. We met so many people, many of whom spoke very good English. It was just such a blessing to be around people with the same heart for missions and outreach, and the same heart for Christ. We haven't seen this here in Germany at all. We got numbers and email addresses from people we met, and hopefully we can build lasting friendships with many of these people while we are here. It's a beautiful thing to have uplifting people in your life. You don't realize how important it is until all of them are thousands of miles away!!

So I feel that a prayer has been answered, and my heart is full.