Safe and Sound in Amsterdam!!

I seem to remember a certain promise I made to some certain amazing roomates of mine... about updating. Well, I am safe in Amsterdam for 3 days now. I doubted my safety on my first bike ride yesterday. European bikes don't have our kind of brakes and I definitely ran into a poor dutch man. I feel so blessed to be here- though I definitely miss you all. Here at the Shelter so far I have met Dutch friends, Germans, Americans, and yesterday I went shopping with a South Korean friend of mine who has a friend who works at Handong. Small world!!!! I just got my new roomate today. She is from minnesota and is a photographer. I am excited because she is very different from me. I find that even the Americans are very different from each other. We had a fild discussion the other day in the Shelter (where we show a film, invite guests, and then try to pull out Gospel themes in a discussion afterwards). The movie was Batman begins, and it was pretty good. I was sitting next to a cool kid from CA, who doesn't shower often. He is kind of a hippie, but he loves everyone and thinks out of the box. He had been having issues with bed bugs( he thought - turned out to be chicken pox) and he turned and asked me if I would scratch his back.... Well, of course.
It's just very funny how liberal people are here. I am learning. Not necessarily changing my beliefs, but trying to see why they believe the way they do. I can be WAY too close minded and judgmental. So, that is the lesson right now. That and vanity- because I didn't bring very many clothes-at Dr. Mays suggestion. And everyone in europe dresses incredibly fashionable. But God is trying to teach me to not care so much. Good stuff.
Every night after dinner, we read something from the Bible and last night one of the managers read a portion from 2 Chron. She also talked about how the things in front of the temple were symbolic and have meaning for our lives today. One of the things that stood out to me was the bowl, I am not sure if it was for ceremonial cleansing. But it was made up of mirrors. The mirrors are normally used to reflect our own image, but there they helped point believers to focus on God. How cool is that. So, as Christians we should be pointing people to God, not ourselves. How many times do I shy away from telling it like it is (in love of course) because I am too afraid of what someone will think of me. Yuck. So that if lesson 2 that God is teaching at the moment.
Anyways. I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will be posting the exciting story of my travel here on the newspaper blog soon.
www.news-journal.com/amsterdam
ps: Laura, I am learning some German from the people around me. Yay:) Thanks for giving me a head start.

Song for a Cold Day

So, I get songs stuck in my head randomly, and here is the one for this afternoon:

Lord Have Mercy

Jesus, I've forgotten the words that You have spoken
Promises that burned within my heart have now grown dim
With a doubting heart I follow the paths of earthly wisdom
Forgive me for my unbelief
Renew the fire again

Chorus
Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on me

I have built an altar where I worship things of men
I have taken journeys that have drawn me far from You
Now I am returning to Your mercies ever flowing
Pardon my transgressions
Help me love You again

I have longed to know You and Your tender mercies
Like a river of forgiveness ever flowing without end
I bow my heart before You in the goodness of Your presence
Your grace forever shining
Like a beacon in the night

- Michael W. Smith

Saturday night

I like feeling like a secret agent for a good cause. ^_^

Happy New Year!!

Welcome to 2008! ^_^


So, I've been experiencing culture shock of late......I'm not sure how that can happen in a country I've lived in my whole life.....is it just me? or do other people ever experience this?