IrishOboe

There is a lot I don’t understand.  What exactly does it mean to “mourn as if you were not mourning”?  What does “don’t worry, for the Lord knows you need these things” mean?  One thing is for sure, it doesn’t mean you will never go hungry.  For reasons I don’t understand God has blessed me beyond (my feeble) believe and keeps blessing me in so many big and small ways.  I don’t understand what I’ve “done” to “deserve” this other than I don’t deserve it at all.  Yet I will rejoice and thank my God for everything he does and IS.  I know there will be a season where I don’t find myself to be blessed, and maybe that’s the meaning of “be happy as if you were not”:  simply realizing in our rejoicing that our circumstances are temporary and beyond our control.  I rest in the knowledge that God has the very best, most amazing plan for me, even though (because?) it will include times of struggle and trial.  Given all he’s done so far I wait excitedly to see what he’s going to do next!  His imagination is infinitely better than mine and no matter what I dream up he’ll always surprise me with something more beautiful!

German!  I had a wonderful German day today.  Class was alright (I actually picked up the grammar point sooner rather than later), but I went to an improvisation class at the Schola and while introducing myself to the teachers and students and chit-chatting I could hold my own just find.  In fact, I held it a little too well because at least a few of them are convinced that I really understand German.  It is one thing to be decent at introductory conversations (how often have I had them?) and another to understand a class.  Still, their flattering misperception means they speak in German to me, which is the only way to actually learn it!  Just in case my ego was inflated too much with those German complements ringing in my ears, when I tried to make my needs known to the lady at the flower shop on the way home and she asked me to speak English because she hadn’t a clue what I said.  I think it was something like “Do you have something . . . not real plant but . . . a little other flowers . . . nice.”  Yeah.  Guess I better keep going to German class.  Oh, but and did I mention that I was playing Baroque oboe in an improvisation class at the Schola Cantorum in Basel, Switzerland???!!  Is that me in Europe?!  I know my proud relatives and friends find it natural, but I find it mind-boggling! 

 
I apologize for the completely random nature of my blog these days.  We’ll return to our regularly scheduled blather – I mean, well, here’s a thanks to all my readers out there and a special bear hug to all who comment.  Okay, you get a bear hug too if you email or write or if I see you when I return to America . . . speaking of writing, I got a letter from one of the dear families from Hippo Family Club in Japan today.  It was even on pretty handmade Japanese paper and contained PICTURES!  Life is good. :)