When God Steps In

Sometimes in life we are frustrated because God doesn't seem to care about what we are going through. We pray about something, wanting to hear a clear yes or no from Him, and all we here in response is.... silence. When we truly reflect back on incidences like this in our life, we often do see (with 20/20 hindsight) that God did in fact step in. He did answer. We just either were not willing to listen to the answer He gave. Usually in my own life that has been the case. When I looked back and saw how God lead in the times when I thought he wasn't "caring" I see that He really was and He really did. Often it takes a step back and reflection to realize it.

There are other times in life, when God steps in, in a most obvious and miraculous way. There is no denying it, your heart is rejoicing and you just can't help from telling others about it. These experiences with God are most helpful because it deepens our faith and gives strength in times where we are desperately waiting for Him to step in and he apparently doesn't. Often remembering the past experiences with God gives strength through the difficult times.

I would like to share with you all an experience where God stepped in for me a couple of weeks ago. My husband (Marc), his parents, Mira (marc's sister) and her boyfriend (Johannes), were on vacation together. It had been a long time since the family had gone vacationing together and we looked forward to the experience with joy. It was a total of 10 days of close quarter living for Marc and I with my in-laws on a beautiful Canary Island (Tenerife). Every morning was a great way to start the day by swimming in the pool, catching some rays and eating breakfast with an ocean view. Near the end of our time there, Marc, Mira, Johannes and I decided to conquer the biggest mountain in Spain: Mt. Teide - 3.718 meters high. This mountain mesmerized me as we were flying in for the landing and I remember saying to Marc, "we gotta conquer this mountain!"

After getting special permission to make it to the crater (peak), we started our adventure early Monday morning. Driving from sea level to 2.200 meters, where the trailhead began, the temperature was dramatically different. We brought the few warm clothing we had with us and began the long journey to the top. With magnificent views of the unusual landscape, we enjoyed it immensely. When reaching the refuge shelter at 3.260 meters, Marc decided, he would enjoy the trip by staying there and spending time enjoying the surroundings. The rest of us decided to continue to the top, exchanging backpacks and items, including my passport and the permission to reach the top, into Mira's backpack. We eventually made it to the top (Johannes and I, Mira returned to the refuge station because the altitude sickness was really affecting her), taking pictures to commemorate the ordeal - freezing and trying not to be blown of the peak with 80 km winds. After a total of 10 hours we made the round trip enjoying the fact we could be back at sea level's 28C degrees!

Mira and Johannes returned to Germany the next day and my parents-in-law, Marc and I enjoyed the last two days together. Three hours before our flight out, as we finished up packing and cleaning out the apartment we were staying in, I suddenly realized that I couldn't find my passport. I asked Marc if he had seen it...he hadn't. We looked through the bags, my purse, backpacks, and tried to retrace to the last moment when I knew for sure I had it - on Mt. Teide, refuge shelter, 3.260 m. I asked Marc if he kept his backpack in his sight the whole time while he waited for us, since I had given him mine as well when we continued to the top. It was near Him, most of the time. Suddenly I remembered. It's in Mira's backpack! I had switched it over so that if the national park workers were to ask to see our permission we could show them as well as identification. Marc quickly turned on his cell phone to call Mira back in Germany, when his phone made a noise: incoming message from two days before - "Marc, I unfortunately found Wendy's passport in my backpack!?! What should I do?" - Mira.

With less than an hour that we needed to be at the airport there weren't many options! It was too late for her to send it through overnight mail!

"Let's pray" I said to Marc.

We prayed.

And now?

"I wished we had a copy of my passport," I exclaimed, thinking, how most other times before we traveled internationally I would do that...but this time we didn't.

"Wait a minute," Marc responded as he searched through his toiletry bag, "Here's a copy of your passport! It must have been from our trip two years ago!

Praise the Lord we had a copy!

But it here is where it gets crazy complicated.

First, I hadn't changed my passport to my married name since I still had a couple of years before expiration. I thought, I’d wait until it’s about to expire and then renew and change my name simultaneously. Inside my passport is my visa for Germany stating that my married last name is different than the name stated on the front of the passport. Secondly, since you book your flights with the last name on the front of the passport, the only other form of identification I had on me was my German drivers license with my married last name and my American drivers license with my maiden last name. But these other forms of identification mean almost nothing to the Europeans outside of the police stopping you and asking for your license. Where in the U.S. a driver’s license is proof of identification, it is not use like that in Germany.

The next best thing is to call the airline company and ask what steps we needed to do in order for me to fly out! We made our way to an Internet café to find the phone number of the company. Frustration started to mount as each number we called was either no longer in service or no one was picking up. I even tried calling the U.S. embassy with only a busy signal to comfort me. Finally we thought, “We’ve prayed about it, we just need to go to the airport and try.

AND TRY!?! You might be thinking…are you crazy. This is not like waltzing in to pick up your laundry; this is post 9-11, post carrying liquids hyper-sensitive airport world we are living in! I kept thinking, “well Lord, if worse comes to worse, I know Spanish, perhaps there is someone here you are wanting me to stay back and share about you if I don’t fly out today. I just get my passport a couple of days later and in the meantime, you know what’s best. On the other hand, Marc was thinking, “Lord, I am not leaving my wife here alone! We’ve been apart for the last three months while she was doing schooling in Switzerland. There’s no way I’m leaving her behind now!”

We got to the airport, stood in line and finally started our explanation at the check in counter. The man looked at us and said, “Um, I’m sorry, I can’t let you check in with a driver’s license or a copy of your passport. You will need to go to the main office and talk to them.”

Ok Lord. Here we go! You’re on now. We know you can step in and do something where it is completely impossible for us to do!

We headed to the main office. I pulled out the copy of my passport and began my explanation – in English.
The lady looked at me.
She looked at her boss.
They looked at me.
She explained in Spanish to him.
He looked at me.
Finally he said in Spanish.
She translated, “I’m sorry. We can’t let you fly with a copy. That’s just not possible.”

I pulled out my German drivers license in which I needed to explain why the last names were different and pulled out my American drivers license so that they could see I am the same person.

She looked at them.
Looked at me.
Spoke to her boss.
Then quickly said, “Your American drivers license is expired, we can’t accept it.”

Marc, standing next to me, continued to silently pray.

She looked at the papers again, and then said to me, “You speak Spanish right?”

I quickly switched to Spanish looking directly in the eyes of the boss, explaining about the hike, the exchanging of backpacks, my sister-in-law flying back earlier and how my passport was with her. They asked if I flew with the same airline to the island and we showed them our itinerary as proof that we had. I knew it was important to explain all the details without hesitation and without breaking eye contact. I knew they had all the reason in the world to say no, to look at me suspiciously, in effect not to believe me. But I had to try.

He looked at my passport copy.
My driver’s licenses’.
They spoke to each other.
He looked at me again.

Hesitation.

Finally he broke the silence. “You know, normally you need to have your passport. A copy doesn’t mean anything and is worth nothing. But this time we will make an exception.”

I stood there speechless. Marc was clueless since this all took place in Spanish. I quickly translated for Marc what the boss had said and that they would allow me to fly using my German driver’s license as identification.

We repeatedly thanked them and headed back to the check in counter where they had radioed to let them know of the situation. We came to the same man at the counter whom we had first tried to check in with and he said to us, “You are very lucky!”

Marc quickly responded, “No, not lucky. We prayed.”

God stepped in. We thanked Him continuously because we knew, it was impossible for us, and it was solely Him. To God be the glory. So my friends, I share this experience with you, to remind you. To bring to your remembrance when you are smack dab in the middle of difficulties, to remember when God stepped in your life in the past. The hold fast to these and to move forward trusting regardless what the outcome is, that God is faithful and in time you can look back and praise Him for how he lead in that difficult situation.

So. That’s the end of my sharing for now, but would love to hear from you how God has stepped in to your life. Feel free to share so that we can rejoice together.




***I took this picture while descending Mt. Teide

Calling All Wisdom Teeth Victims

Well, we did it. We finally did it.

We got our wisdom teeth pulled last Wednesday.

Yup.

Never thought this day would come in my life. I always thought I had enough room in my mouth (no comments from the peanut gallery!!), but after I found out I had FIVE (that's right, FIVE) wisdom teeth and the fifth one growing in horizontal.....well....that was finally the end of them. So Marc and I, after much debating, decided to get all of our wisdom teeth pulled (Marc 4, me FIVE), on the same day. One after another. No time to think, change our minds or run away.

So the fateful day finally came. I was nervous for days and threatened to get the full narcotics and just be knocked out during the whole experience, but Marc convinced me not to (I had a bad dental experience with a cavity filling when I was 11 yrs. old). We arranged it that Marc would go first, so that I wouldn't have to wait around for them to finish with him. BUT did it work that way?! No, no, no. The Dr knew I was pretty nervous, so he must have switched it on purpose otherwise I would have bolted once I heard the drilling from the 'other room.'

So I was first. I was really glad they let us use our mp3 player to try to drown out the noise (or at least have relaxing music in my ears). The Dr was kind, explained everything to me, stuck needles in my mouth and then asked me a lot of questions. You know I always wondered why dentists always ask you these open ended questions while they have all these tools in your mouth. I guess it gives them a good laugh as you sit there slobbering and struggling to sound intelligible as you are answering. Of course once you have been poked and full of local anesthesia, it makes it even more of an interesting situation (add language difference on top of that and its the sequel to Lost in Translation!).

Actually, the whole process wasn't too bad (besides hearing the teeth cracking, the drilling and my jaw at times feeling like it was going to break). I had my devotionals that morning and asked Jesus to be with me, and I gotta say (in all seriousness), I felt he was there holding my hand. It was a real comfort and helped me to relax, almost fall asleep while they were taking my FIVE teeth out (I was even able to joke with the Dr that he had a bonus [tooth] with me....it took him a while to understand....that whole narcotic translation problem). Finally, they were finished, and thanks to God I survived.

Then I waited for Marc.

I gotta say, I didn't really enjoy that hour waiting. I had given the mp3 player to Marc (through the assistant since they already started poking him with needles in the other room before I was finished). With gauze in my mouth soaking up the blood, ice packs on my cheeks, and feeling like I had contracted the facial version of elephantitis, I was embarrassed to sit in the waiting room. I kept feeling like they were all staring at me (ok, so they weren't staring, and it was just ONE other patient other than me and my cousin, but man it sure felt like it). My greatest consolation was the receptionist. She was EXTREMELY kind and so helpful (My hat off to all the wonderful receptionists out there).

Well...they finally finished with Marc (I heard even more drilling in there than with me) and we were able to say goodbye until next week. They even let us have a souvenir (some white rooted things formerly known as our wisdom teeth). We made it home and have been in hiding since then. We did take a ridiculous picture of us with ice packs contained by us wrapping our scarves around our heads (like sumo wrestlers hair). Fortunately, the picture is too large for me to post it here. :)

Now, you may be wondering, "Wendy, you categorized this under food and restaurants! What does wisdom teeth have to do with the price of eggs in China?!" Well, I don't know what wisdom teeth have to do with eggs in China and their prices, if you ever figure it out, let me know. BUT, wisdom teeth have a LOT to do with food and restaurants because it's the worst torture of all.....

Eating....

You know the worst part of getting your wisdom teeth pulled (especially all at the same time)? It's not the drilling, the anxiety, the cracking, the extreme temperatures (ice packs on your cheeks for two/three days), and not even about the pain. It's the inability to eat. Now, of course you managed to slide something down your throat during the aftermath, but I am talking about pizza, lasagna, salads, whole crunchy fruits and veggies, and all the wonderful foods you can chomp on. No, no, no. None of that. Only mush. Mush potatoes, mush apples, mush bananas (kind of reminds me of Bubba's a hundred and one ways of preparing shrimp in the film Forrest Gump). I was ALMOST tempted to blend the pizza. Then we could at least have some Mush pizza.

Well, my friends. Isn't that what it's all about? About overcoming?

Someday soon (Hopefully by the end of next week and at LEAST by next month...will be having Raclette* at our cousin's 70th B-day celebration), we can eat freely again. We will have overcome. We will be overcomers! One day we can reminisce about this experience, maybe even have some good laughs about it (some aspects at least).

Until then.

Until then we will have to move forward with our Mush.

MUSH.

Hm...I wonder how this lesson applies to other parts of my life....





*Raclette is a really great cheese melting meal, eaten best in a group and with lots of extras to "grill" with the cheese. If any of you have never tried this and want to, well just come and visit us. =)

Light of the World, thirst-quenching water

With a heavy heart, I read, I hear, I perceive a difficult struggle that many friends and acquaintances are going through. It reminds me of a not so far in the distant past struggle I went through myself. The struggle of belief. The struggle with my own faith community. It was a struggle for many years, some days were stronger than others. Some days were more skeptic filled than others. I realized the struggle was much of an internal one, and an outgrowth of needing to understand and accept for myself. I am greatful for the many friends who openly discussed with me and didnt necessarily agree with me. They were faithful companions during this struggle, but the struggle had to be overcome not by my friends, not by their thoughts, but with my Creator and me. I remember the words from my Creators book, I am the Light of the World...and Whoever drinks from the water I have will never thirst. It is a life-giving water. Nothing that I can do can add to that light or to that life-giving water. It cannot make it taste better or shine brighter. I cannot add to it or take away from it. So can I say therefore since I cannot add to it or take away from it it doesnt affect me? I used to think that way. I used to think that I could still be refreshed without drinking daily or find the way without the constant need of light. I used to think I could analyze the properties of the water and light and come with a very nifty way (through my intellectual prowess) to explain the light and water, its functions and purposes, which I can extract and which I can leave behind, in reality leaving me without either water or light. *sigh*

I am grateful for my Creator's faithfulness. Because once he helped me to understand there was nothing I can add or take away from the light or water, he also helped me to understand that when I am accepting both and partaking of both as he intended, that I would also trust and desire to follow him where he leads and to obey him. Once you realize this precious gift of light and water and partake continually, obedience is a love response.

Though I have a heavy heart when I hear of friends or acquaintances going through this struggle, I am reminded of my own struggle, and how my Creator was (is) loving, faithful and patient with me. I take courage in that for my friends and acquaintances, my Creator is also your Creator and is lovingly, patiently, leading you as you allow him through your struggle. I pray that your struggle experience will draw you deeper and more connected to him, the Light of the World and the Thirst-quenching (life-giving) water.

Sweden 06

Time Out

Time out. Usually that phrase brings about quite a different mix of imagery. Time out for some could bring up times when they were in trouble as a child and their parents made them go stand in a corner or sit in a chair or go to your room because you are in "Time Out". For others, time out reminds you of playgrounds and recess. Playing baseball or more likely kickball - the preferred game of k-3 graders. Or it reminds you of playing hide and seek or tag in which someone got hurt or someone else had a question or needed to go to the bathroom (or sometimes you just needed a pause to catch your breath).

I had a time out recently - two days ago to be exact. But it was a different kind of time out. It was a time out from the usual. Time out from the chaoticness and hurrying about. It was a wonderful time out, because I got to spend it with my sister-in-law. It was also a time out for her. A time out from the stressfulness of her job. A time out to just get away. We spent out time out reflecting, sharing, and enjoying the wonders of creation. Cycling through the forests, passing fields and fields of grain, stopping to talk with a farmer about his cows. Thinking about the goodness of the one who created us.

Yes, it was a wonderful time out. The best part of it all is that we get to experience a time out not just once in a blue moon, or once in a while. Neither once a year or once a month. We get to experience it once a week! A Whole day, just for time out! It is a gift for us. A gift from one who has such a great capactiy for love. He gave it to us, cause he knew how much we would need it. He even gave it to us, when we didn't even realize THAT we needed one.

Sometimes I see others rushing around trying to get things done while I am enjoying my time out and I wonder. I feel sad for them actually. Sometimes they choose not to have the time out. They actually feel its not relevant or it doesnt matter when you take your time out. I thinks its quite sad, because it is a gift and well, unfortunately many dont appreciate it. So, when I get a chance, I'll try to share my time out experience with others. Its a great thing, a positive thing, cause like I said it is a gift from a great one. One who gave us life and wants to help us continue in a good life with Him.

So, I hope the next time you hear time out, it brings about a positive imagery. A smile to your face. A wonderful time out with Creator, with friends and family, with those who are down and out. A wonderful time out in nature or contemplating life in general, sharing wisdom passed on to you. Enjoy your time out. Find out from the one who gave it what it is all about. He hasn't changed. Neither has his Time out.

Random Thoughts

Have you ever wondered why being famous seems to be on a lot of people's minds. Perhaps its the idea of getting a lot of attention or just the idea that with attention comes the opportunity of making money or receiving money. What is it about being famous or wanting to be famous that makes so many people a bit crazier than normal. A news channel camera is on someone and suddenly they act different or they wave or make funny faces as they walk by. Some will even try things that they probably thought they would never do before just for a few minutes of fame. Would we be content with our lives if we never got those "minutes of fame" or chances of winning millions. I guess pride has something to do with it. Pride would want to be noticed and have others acknowledge that you have done something or have achieved something, even if that achieving was exposing yourself on national tv (whichever way that might be) or screaming and jumping and yelling into the cameras of your favorite musical concert, rushing to the front, pushing over people in order to be recognized, noticed, even have the musician make a comment about you over their microphone. Suddenly we are someone (even though it lasts 10 seconds) but we grin as we walk out of the stadium and another fan walking by says, "Hey! You were the one that got on stage or the artist talked about over the mic or blah blah blah- fill in the blank-!" And in smugness we think "Yeah I did and YOU didn't!"
What if we spent our time thinking about how we could do something for someone else even though we would never get noticed (something good that is!). Would we do it? Without any thanks or without any recognition, pat on the back or whatever? Could we put down our pride (and that is a whole in depth issue that is beyond the scope of today's random thought except for this particular angle) and just do without fame or the desire of it (big or small scale, with or without money and glam involved). What if we would put aside our need for others understanding our expression of self and selflessly seek out to help another (in our homes, across the street, across the town, the world). Would we do this joyfully without expectations? Thoughts to ponder on for today....until next time...over and out from over yonder!


P.S. this photo was taken at Yellowstone National Park at the Upper Falls....a great reminder for a long ago promise.

All is Well

You know that feeling that you get when you have accomplished something and you can lean back and say, "ah, this is good, all is well." Well I havent yet experienced that at this present moment in the sense that I have completed some major task and feel self-satisfaction that all is well (I still have invitations to mail, 1000 piece puzzle to finish, language learning to master and of course the rest of the checklist that seems to grow longer and longer everyday). But even with this sometimes overwhelming sensation of all these things that need to be accomplished, I still feel that All is Well. Now, i am not ignorant to the fact that all is not well for many people who are suffering in varying degrees: ie, they lost their home, their job, their spouse, their children, their moral sense of courage and justice, or just their own morality. Others have lost a sense of purpose, a focal point, a silver lining. And yet, my sense of All is Well is not based on my ignorance of the massive pain that is happening to those around me, whether it be the apartment next door or the suffering person on the otherside of the world. There is still that urgency that is in me to strive to be a light, to share, to bring hope to those that feel at the depths that all is not well. And that is what I mean. All is Well doesn't boil down to an accomplishment that I've made, or that life is just perfect and peachy keen and that i am in the midst of no storms. No, by no means is this the type of All is Well that I am refering to. But the All is Well that i am refering to is that despite the storms, despite the tragedy, despite the struggle (whether that is intellectual, spiritual, emotional, physical) that at this moment I feel that All is Well, and that peace regardless of my surroundings is sure for me. Now, you made read this and think, "that isn't nice! How can you boast in such a way?!" It's not boasting, but an assurance that does not leave me ignorant to the surrounding and even internal suffering and does not leave me inactive or unwilling to help. But the All is Well is through a different perspective, in the depths of me, not that this comes from me but that is given to me by a daily audience with the Almighty. Then and only then can I truly say that All is Well.

So those are my thoughts for now. Until next time, Over and out from Over Yonder.


P.S. this picture is one of my favorites, though i didn't take it. My fiance took this photo as four of us were visiting Yellowstone National Park. A great reminder of no matter how bad we may look (or others may think that way of us) we always have one or two friends we can hang with.