Just Watch.

If you are feeling bored, then I have the best cure for you! Below is a link to experience my Halloween: European Style :) Enjoy my friends!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqbNzxaxgo8&feature=plcp

18 Days and Counting

Tonight I had a talk with the cutest kid known to walk this Earth. Seriously. Above would be the most adorable, blonde, curly headed, blue eyed boy you will ever meet. He goes by the name Remy, and he is my nephew. As you can tell I am not partial at all to this mischievous munchkin. Ah, who am I kidding? This kid has got us all wrapped around his finger. We had a conversation that consisted of Tarzan, Orange Leaf, and my friend Hannah's house. Honestly, it was the most we have talked since I have been gone and the kid almost made me cry for the second time since being here. The first time was when he sent me this:

First of all, that is probably one of the worst faces I could make, but the picture is priceless because that poster is now hanging on my hall, and has been for the past two months, since the day I got it. The second time was almost tonight when he asked if I could take him to my friend's house tonight. I think I about died because if I could, I would in a heartbeat. I miss that kid so much. I told my mom that I may miss Europe when I get home, but that will hold no comparison to how much I have missed Remy these last few months. I have 18 days left on this continent and while I do not want to rush past them, I am EXTREMELY excited about going home to see my sugar muffin. (Yes, I know that it sounds like a cute dog name, but I called him that one day, and it just stuck. He even knows that is my name for him, and he will tell you that when you ask him what Aunt Hannah calls him.) Like I said the kid is not spoiled at all :) My winter break will be filled with work, and hopefully lots of Remy and Aunt Hannah time because I have got lots of Batman and Transformer and movie/cuddle time to catch up on! After Rome, bud, and then I will be home, and we can go wherever you want to!!! Til Next Time. 

A Night to Remember

Saturday night was the first annual Autumn Banquet or at least I think it will be an annual thing. When our group came back from Taizé, France we all had invitations in our mailboxes inviting us to this banquet, and we were told nothing. Absolutely nothing. I had no idea what to expect, the invitation told us to dress formal, so obviously my first thought was of distress because all of my super cute dresses are back at home. Alas, I had a problem on my hands, and not only were my dresses there, but all of my heels as well. Now if you know me, you know that shoes are just one teeny tiny obsession that I have. Especially heels. And why I did not think to even bring at least one pair with me, I shall never know. Bad decision on my part. But anyways, the night had come, and I had found an outfit, my makeup was done, and I straightened my hair for the first time since Paris (which by the way reminded me of why I love my straightener so much and of how much I miss it not working here) There was excitement buzzing around the girls' dorms because it had been FOREVER since any of us had really gotten dressed up or anything, so this was a big deal.

Finally, 7pm hit and Erin and I were the only ones ready, so we headed over and when we walked in the doors it was like classroom one did not even exist anymore. They had completely transformed the classroom into this beautiful, candlelit room of amazingness. Serious props go out to Megan, Katie, and Linda. My pictures won't do it justice because of the flash, but let me just give all of you a little tour!

 Above is my table which was Megan, me, Bryce, and then the Swatzky family or half of them at least. They were wonderful table companions. For dinner we had a Swiss specialty called Raclette. Around the table there are lots of different toppings like meat, corn, cucumbers, mushrooms, etc. Then what you do is take your little tray and put whatever toppings you want and then you put a piece of cheese over it and stick it in the special cooker that is just for Raclette. You wait until the cheese is melted, and then you pour it on your baked potato. It's actually way better than I was expecting it to be. However, I did just stick with meat and cheese pretty much. Sorry, Mom! To drink we had non-alcoholic rose and white wine, which was delicious. For dessert, we had Swiss delicacies that are just for the winter time. I really didn't like any of them, but I gave them all a shot at least!

 After dinner we all hung around and talked with one another, and it was a lot more fun because they had invited other people from the Nazarene offices to have dinner with us, which practically doubled our group. On a sad note, it was the last time our whole group was together because some of the boys leave this week, so we took one last group picture!

 Overall, I had a great night, and it was so fun to get all dressed up and have a nice dinner, instead of just cereal for a change. There was delicious apple cider, friends, and laughter that made it one of the most memorables nights I have had during this semester. My days in Europe are dwindling down quickly, and while I am excited and ready to be home I know that I do not want to rush through these next 3 weeks either. Til Next Time.

'Merica!

I have been in love with Europe since before I even first stepped foot onto this beautiful continent. Almost 5 years ago, I came here for the first time, and from the moment I left I just knew that I had to come back. Now, I am living here and have been for the past 2 months, and all that remains is 22 days. I didn't think that I would be as ready as I am, but I miss America. Let me tell you 9 reasons why:

1. I miss my family. And I am super thankful for Skype because that made being halfway across the globe that much easier. I mean it's Europe, so it's not like I was really that worried about being homesick over here because like I said, it's Europe. However, spending Christmas with my family is definitely something I am looking forward to!

2. I REALLY miss free water. Almost 7 years ago I decided to stop drinking soda, and since then I have had a few sips here and there, but I pretty much hate the stuff. My point is whilst in America I was accustomed to drinking water 24/7, but here I drink it only on occasion because I am stubborn and refuse to pay for it. I cannot wait to get home and drink all the water I want to without paying a dime for it.

3. I also REALLY miss not having to pay to use the bathroom. Ok, so if I am being honest it really is not the expensive over here and not every business makes you, but still. The most I have ever had to pay was maybe .40 cents, but I will definitely enjoy free, public restrooms when I get home. I will say though that 80% of the public bathrooms here are tons nicer than the ones back home. So maybe in the end paying for them is worth it... Nah. My momma taught me how to squat ;)

4. I miss cheap things. I am sure all of you already know this, but living in Switzerland is NOT cheap in the slightest. It is literally a night and day difference in prices when I travel from Switzerland to Germany and especially France. I am so going to be broke by the time I make it home. No doubt. That's the conversion rate. It gives the illusion that Switzerland is really good to the US because the exchange rate is actually pretty good, but a H&M shirt from Switzerland is normally double the price it is just across the border in Germany. It's kind of ridiculous.

5. I miss IHOP. Erin and I were discussing this today on the bus, and I cannot wait to get back to the states and have some delicious pancakes at whatever time in the morning that I want to. Fo Real. Just look at how tasty those look! I have no syrup or the correct ingredients to even make homemade pancakes. I have been deprived these last 2 months.

6. Speaking of food, I miss restaurants and businesses that are open past 6pm. Granted, we live in a super small town, so that's not really a Europe thing just a little town thing. But it will be nice to get back to America and be in almost any city where you can go to just about any store or restaurant in the evenings.

7. I miss my clothes, but most of all my shoes. Now, I know that sounds really superficial, but I only have limited options here, and even though I have gotten creative, and I have survived I cannot wait to get back home and have my full wardrobe back. Honestly, I probably could have even brought less and been fine, which goes to show and prove my mother's point that I probably have too much stuff to begin with, but still. I didn't bring a single pair of heels with me, and I so regret that decision. Coming home will just be that much sweeter because I will have so much more to wear :)

8. I miss everything being in English. I know that sounds super self centered, and I hate that it does, but German is not sticking with me. I am more than ready to go into stores and restaurants where I can not only read the signs, but I can successfully converse with the people there. In Europe's defense I have been slightly surprised at how many people know English, and honestly their English is always better than my German. But it will be wonderful when I go back home being able to understand everything. I know the basics, but even that only gets you so far!

9. I miss having my car. It stinks to ride the bus for 45 minutes when the place you are headed is literally less than 10 minutes away, but when you are at the mercy of public transportation you don't really have a choice as to how long it takes. It will be glorious to have my car back, and I will be able to drive anywhere that my little heart desires, however fast or slow I want to. Oh the freedom!

The thing is I have really, absolutely LOVED Europe, and I would not trade this experience for anything in the world, but it has made me realized how much I love my home. I have no idea when or if I will be back to this beautiful place, but I know that I want to soak up and enjoy the most that I can in these next 22 days that I have left. I will be ready to come to America when the time comes, but I don't need that time to be now. Besides I still have to experience Rome before I go home, and everyone has been telling me that Rome will be my favorite place yet. Needless to say, I CANNOT wait for that trip :) Til Next Time.

Wide Awake!

About a month ago, our group was told that our mission trip for the semester was no longer going to take place in Romania. Instead, we were going to Frankfurt, Germany to help out a group there, but none of us knew what we were to be doing. To say I was disappointed about the change was an understatement because I had really been looking forward to going to Romania, but it was no longer going to work out. However, we were told there would be a small chance that we would go to London after Frankfurt, so I was not completely devastated. But then we learned that going to London would not help out our visa situation any, so that short lived trip idea was scrapped as well. So not only am I now going to come home a week early, but I did not get to go to Romania or London.

For the past week I have spent time in Frankfurt, and I now understand exactly why the change happened. I can only say that God wanted our group in Frankfurt because it was the most fun, most impactful week of my life. I absolutely loved every minute that I spent there, and I fell in love with this adorable coffee shop and group of people who are so lost in the love and mission of Christ. The man in charge is named Cris, and he got fed up with the stagnant churches in Frankfurt and decided to do something about it. His focus became the missional church and out of that grew a ministry in a pub, a hospital, and a coffee shop. We spent the majority of the time at the coffee shop, and I fell in love with the place. I mean it was literally the best coffee shop I had ever seen, and if I lived in Frankfurt I would go there ALL the time. Just take a look for yourself!

Do you see what I mean? If I wanted to ever own a coffee shop I would want it to look exactly like this one. Seriously, it was the most adorable/comfortable place ever. Definitely a nice place to visit everyday we were in Frankfurt. Below is the outside of it, and it sits beneath a tall skyscraper.

This is our fearless leader Kathleen! She was beyond sweet and super helpful. She volunteered to guide our group around Frankfurt, and she did a wonderful job! We all loved her, and I really enjoyed getting to know her as well! She helped keep us informed with what we would be doing during our stay in Frankfurt. Most of the time I didn't feel like I was accomplishing much, and the most manual labor we did was deep clean the coffee shop. On our last night there we went around the hospital inviting patients to come and attend the concert service, and it was exciting to see so many show up to it. 

The first night that we were there Cris spoke to us about what missional church was, and what he has been doing the past 2 years. I was very skeptical that first night because it was very different than anything I had been taught before about church. It intrigued me, but I was still unsure about how I felt about the whole thing. Basically, they have this coffee shop that is not tied into the church at all, and they don't put anything in the coffee shop for people to think that they are. There are no subliminal messages to trick people. The people that work in the coffee shop are all Christians who all work together with the idea that they are bringing Heaven on Earth.They focus on building relationships and loving people. The same thing happens at the pub. Every wednesday night a small group of them go to the pub and hang out with the people there. They do mission projects that do not directly tie to the church, but they do explain their mission. The people in the pub whether christian or non-christian normally help out. For example, when we were there we spent our wednesday night at the pub, and the project was collecting money to send care packages to Romania through Helping Hands. People in the pub had given money in order to buy the supplies and the night we were there, they got to pack the care packages. It was really cool to see everyone working together for the same cause. There were Christians and non Christians working together for the Kingdom of God. Something that simple was already planting seeds in the minds of those that were helping without even having to bring up the Gospel right away. The thing that really stood out to me that night was that to me it was obvious who felt the love of Christ and who quote on quote was "still lost." Everyone was super nice, and I had a blast meeting new people, but I could tell by their actions and the things they said who was filled with a joy that could only come from Jesus himself. At first when Cris explained to our group what their mission is, he presented their mission as if they were hiding who they really were and that bothered me, but that was not the best way to explain it. When they are talking with others and people ask about their personal life and as they get to know that other person they are more than willing to talk about themselves and their love for Christ. It is a part of them, and they do not go out of their way to hide it, but neither do they go out of their way to throw that knowledge on someone. They want to love the people just like Jesus did when He came to this Earth. I think that what they are doing is remarkable.

The thing that I struggled the most with is that they were very clear that their mission was not to bring people to church. Their end goal was not to help people find a church, however if that's what they wanted then they were happy to help them. To Cris his mission is his church. That was a new concept for me because I was raised to be at church every Sunday morning, night, and Wednesday evening. Now, I am not saying that church is not important or that people don't need to go, but I see where Cris is coming from. He says that he people of Frankfurt are not searching for a church or for a religion, but they are looking to be loved and to be accepted. And Cris and his team accomplish that by spending time with them. By showing them God's love and listening to them when they need someone to. One of the success stories Cris shared with us was about a girl named Jenny. She is a student at the nearby university who needed a job. Now, the only workers at coffee shop are Christians because they do have a mission to reach others, and they want to achieve that through the service at the Awake. But they needed workers, so they decided to hire her on. Jenny spent time with the other workers and Cris, and she saw in them something different, something that she wanted to have. She saw Christ in their lives, and she decided that she wanted that too. Cris invited her on a retreat and while she was their she accepted Christ as her savior. This might seem like an unconventional method to some, but it works. I think so many times people want to go in, help the person open their eyes to God, and then leave, but it's not a wham, bam, done process. It takes time and sometimes it takes more for some and less for others. But the reason we were put on this Earth is to 1. Love our God with all our hearts and have a right relationship with him and 2. Help reach others and show them the love of God, so that their eyes too can be opened by Him. We need to put our whole focus on God and make sure that that focus remains on Him.

One morning Cris' father, Hans, shared a story with us during devotion time, and it went something like this:
The hill billy went into a church that was very nice and sophisticated and everyone was dressed fancy. The church and pastor were disturbed by the hill billy's attire and so the pastor went to him after church and asked him how he liked the service. The hill billy responded that he thought it was okay and he enjoyed it. The pastor then asked if he would be coming back. The hill billy said yes that he would like to come back again. The pastor went on to say okay well for next time how about you talk to Jesus and ask him about how you should dress when you come to church here next time. The hill billy said that he would. - The next Sunday the hill billy showed up at the church and he was wearing the same clothes as last time. The pastor and church were very upset about this and so the pastor approached the hill billy and said I thought last Sunday we talked about your clothes and you said you were going to talk to Jesus and ask him what you should wear and look like when coming to church here. The hill billy said that he did talk to Jesus and he asked him how he should dress. The pastor said well what did he say? The hill billy then responded "Jesus said that he has never been to your church so he doesn't know how I should dress or look like when coming here." 

I found this story to be so true for some churches. I am not saying all churches are this way, but there are some people who are so concerned about the way people dress or if the pastor is wearing a suit and tie on the platform when he or she preaches. I don't mean to be offensive to anyone, but I find that to be slightly ridiculous. Since when does eternal life and a relationship with God become dependent upon what you wear to church? I do think that you should wear your best for God on a Sunday, and I understand that concept because I was raised that way, but that should be no one else's concern, but our own for our own wardrobe. It is no one else's job to judge how nice or how not nice we dress for service. If that's what our focus is on then we have completely lost sight of the true mission of the Kingdom of God. Cris and his group are in the world trying to reach out to others to draw them in, but they are not of the world. There is a difference. 

Cris shared 4 points with us in our devotion time, and I want to share them with all of you now:

1. Choosing a sub culture brings/opens up a huge harvest. 
We have become so static. Expecting people to come to us. But the great commission is to GO. 
2. Action teaches more than teaching does. 
Don't be limited to Sunday morning fellowship and service. 
3. Erect symbols of the kingdom of God and people will be drawn to it. 
* rent out a theatre and pass out movie tickets to the homeless. Then have food and talking afterwards. 
* throw a party for the sick children. 
4. Don't wait on the  Lord before you enter into foreign territory. You will be praying as you step into it. 
* apply to career- why keep waiting for this big epiphany? Pick something that you have a passion for and go all in...then start praying. 
When you are drowning you will pray. You pray when you're walking on water but there's no need when you're sitting in the boat. If you're not satisfied with your prayer life then get out of your comfort zone and it will intensify. 
Stop praying abstract prayers asking for God to bring people to church. Get off your butt and go to where those people are. 
* Don't do something with intentions to step on toes. But don't not do it because you're stepping on toes. 
* You need an inner conviction or you will give up and not be determined and persevere during troubles. 
* Am I  living out Gods vision and call as radically as I can? 

I do not claim to know everything about this idea of the missional church now, but I do know that many of the things that Cris shared with the group really resonated with me, and it really challenged me to take a closer look at my life and my relationship with God. He made me question if I am really doing everything that I can for the Kingdom of God. You will never get yesterday, today, or tomorrow back. Are you doing everything in your power to reach others for the Kingdom of Heaven? Just some food for thought. Til Next Time.

Cris, me, and Anemone