We're Not in Kansas Anymore

This blog is for my friend, Alice, who just this week moved to Poland and is grieving the loss of her precious Starbucks, and for those of you who have been asking me how life is different for me in Spain.

In actuality, it's really not very different except that milk comes in cartons that don't need to be refrigerated, hamburger and hot dog buns aren't presliced, people double-park (sometimes in the middle of the street) and park on the sidewalk, there are no mailboxes on the street (you have to go to the post office to mail your letters), they pick up the trash at 1 a.m., the banks are closed in the afternoon (except on Thursdays, but not in the summer) and almost everyone lives in an apartment or "townhouse" with very few "single family homes." I've gotten used to doing my laundry in the kitchen, having to "buzz in" the mail carrier (or anyone else who comes to visit), not having wall-to-wall carpeting, lowering heavy metal "shades" over my windows at night and probably a few other things that I'm so used to now that I can't remember them.

People here have two last names (their father's last name and their mother's last name) and the women don't change their names when they marry, so it's a little hard to keep track of who belongs to who when you're looking at a list of names. I'm no longer tempted by bookstores because I'm not good enough with the language to read in Spanish yet. Of course, office supply stores are still a temptation. I don't know what it is about all that wonderfully clean paper and those brand new pens. And post-it notes -- don't get me started about my weakness for those, especially the ones is fun colors and shapes. What can I say? I'm a secretary and I love all the "stuff" that goes with my job.

But as time goes by, I think I can truly say that I don't notice so many of the differences any more. So, Alice, hang in there. You can live without Starbucks, at least for awhile, and when we're both back in the States, or if you come visit me in Spain, I'll treat you to a latte!

January Update

Christmas
The kids and I spent Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day with the Haleys. My daughter loves to cook (unlike her mother) and enjoyed helping Kathy prepare a lot of the side dishes for our Christmas meal. This was my first Christmas in 34 years, and the kids’ first Christmas ever, not celebrating with Alan’s family. You get used to being in a house of 30+ people with children running everywhere and it doesn’t feel quite the same without them. However, being with the Haleys helped fill in the empty space in our hearts. I also enjoyed the Christmas cards, letters and photos that many of you sent. Thank you for helping me stay connected!

Granada
We enjoyed Granada very much, but decided we would like to go back some time in the spring or fall when the weather is a little warmer and the flowers are blooming. The Alhambra is an amazing place and we took tons of photos. On the way home, we stopped in Toledo and took more pictures, walked around, shopped and enjoyed churros and chocolate for the first time. We highly recommend it! Jon and Kathy were able to join us on our trip, and Jon did all the driving, so that added greatly to our enjoyment and ability to get around easily.

This month’s quote:
In this race called life, when the pressing demands of time are upon us, we need to stop and get oriented. We need to discover that the Lord is God. He will be exalted; He is with us; He is our stronghold...Remember during your growing up years how your mother had a specially designed wall with some pencil marks on it where she marked where your head reached?...God uses an infinite number of vehicles in the process of helping us grow...It’s a painstaking process that God takes us through, and it includes such things as waiting, failing, losing, and being misunderstood--each one calling for extra doses of perseverance. In your own spiritual growth, where are the marks on the wall of your life? Where do you stand in light of last year?
-- Charles Swindoll, Day by Day

Praises:
1. My kids and I had a wonderful 10 days together and enjoyed our trip to southern Spain.
2. I passed the theory part of my driving test and will take the practicum part this Thursday.
3. My car was broken into the first night of the kids’ visit, but we were able to leave the car here and have the repairs made while we were on our trip to Granada with the Haleys.
4. Many of you have asked about my foot. It is much better. There are days when it doesn’t bother me at all, although it is hurting a little now, probably because of all the walking we did on our trip.

Prayer Requests:
1. Pray that I will be able to finish driving classes and pass the final test this week.
2. Pray for diligence in language study. I have not done very well in the last couple of months but will be returning to language school soon.
3. Pray for the necessary funds for me to attend a WorldVenture Leadership Conference in South Africa, March 12-19. I will be traveling with our field leaders and their family.

Driving School

You'd think that after driving for 30+ years, driving school would be a piece of cake. Not quite. They do things a little differently here and undoing 30 years of habits is not always easy. Not to mention learning to drive someone else's car. And learning that they will fail you if you shift into the wrong gear, if you don't make sure you can see clearly before you enter an intersection, and a myriad of other little details makes me more than a little insecure. Not to mention parallel parking. I've never liked it and I'm not very good at it and I think we've spent more time practicing that particular skill than anything else. And there's no avoiding it here, like I can in the States, where parking lots are abundant. I thought I could do this after 4 or 5 lessons, but today will be my 10th lesson! I'm hoping I will be ready to take the driving test either next week or the week after. Then I will be very glad to tell you that I have my Spanish driver's license and this part of my Spanish education is over.

A Different Kind of Christmas

I stole the title from my friend Tim's blog. His wife's parents came from Poland to spend Christmas in the States with their married daughters. My children came to Spain to spend Christmas with me. So both of us had a "different kind of Christmas" this year. For my children, it was the first time they had not spent Christmas with their cousins in California. We missed what has become "normal" for us, but we enjoyed our time with the Haleys and then two days later we all headed to the south of Spain to see Granada, the Alhambra, and Toledo.

Courtyard of the Lions at the Alhambra in Granada.

Arrayane's Courtyard

My kids at the Alhambra

We were even able to stop on the way to Granada and see some of the windmills that are famous from the story of Don Quijote.

On the way home, we stopped in Toledo and did some sightseeing and shopping.

We had a good time together and as expected, the time went by much too quickly. But it was a fun time of making memories and enjoying being together.

The Crime of Living Cautiously

From the beginning of this adventure that God has called me to in Spain, I have had people tell me how much of an inspiration I am, how brave I am, how my husband would be proud of me and assorted other things to that effect. Normally, I tell people that I'm not really brave, I'm just doing what I think God has called me to do. And I've had doubts about even that from time to time. Most of the time I am convinced that I am here because this is where God wants me right now. But there are moments when I wonder if I've made it all up. Not very many, but there are some.

Because of other books I have purchased from Amazon.com, this popped up on my recommended list one day. The title was too compelling for me to pass it up. The inside of the book jacket says "Luci Shaw has learned to act with discernment in regard to motivation and calling. She has discovered a path of deep joy and fulfillment by risking the unknown in partnership with God."

I'll share with you a couple of my favorite excerpts from the book and encourage you to get a copy and read it for yourself.

"If I fear failure and the possibility of looking foolish, I cut myself off from reward. Paul wouldn't have pressed "toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:14) if he'd been afraid of looking foolish. But if God is calling me into his service, I will be acting under his authority. My obedience to him makes him responsible for my destiny."

"The life we hoard, clutch, protect, safeguard out of fear or timidity ends up being of little use to us or anyone else, least of all to God and his kingdom. The kind of life Jesus lived would appear to be foolishness to any uninformed onlooker (he had no money, no home, no car, no organizational support). His close friends proved unreliable (with the exception of a few women), and his death was a scandal, a scandal that turned the world around forever.

The cliff edge of our anxiety about the future may indicate that God is calling us to a new and different level of faith. When we walk, praying for guidance, to the edge of all the light we have and breathlessly take that first step into the foggy mystery of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen: either God will provide us with something rock-solid to land on and stand on, or he will teach us how to fly."

What is it that you think God might be asking you to do? Don't cast it aside because it feels too risky or you're afraid your friends and family will think you're crazy or because you're simply afraid. Believe that the God who loves you, more than you know, will go with you into the unknown.