Alice In Poland !

Here I am in Poland. Notice the new hair color! I decided to go Polish! Yes! I died my hair! It came out a bit darker than I wanted. Thank you European hair coloring products!

I was having a sleepy, gloomy day and ran across Connie Patty's blog and she had a great animated pict of herself! So I decided to put a smile on my face and do the same. I just wish I had the cowboy boots that I put on my animated self!

If you haven't guessed, I am downtown Katowice, drinking a cup of Starbucks. . . . well, I wish! :)

Darkness in the Morning, But Sunny Days Ahead!

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

This Psalm came to me this morning as it has been the 3rd in which I have woken up to soupy fog and darkness. I am getting a taste of what winter will be like here. I am trying to put together a strategy to function in physical darkness for the next 5 months. Last night it got dark at about 4:30 and I am told that it gets even darker sooner. I am a Colorado girl used to about 325 days of sunshine and now, my first winter in Poland (I was in Colorado last winter) looks to be a new challenge to me.

Even as the challenge "looms", I am confident in my Lord's provision and help. He will be by my side as I walk this unknown road of physical "darkness". This morning, I found it VERY difficult to get up just because of the game that the weather played with me. I honestly thought it was still 4 in the morning when it was 8.

My light bill will be a little higher this winter as I combat the darkness. Now I wish I had gotten a daylight lamp! :) My desire is that God's Light will continue to shine through the darkness, even the physical darkness in which I am now encountering.

Tomorrow I embark on a wonderful mini-vacation! My friend, Krista and I are going on a photography road trip to Germany!!!!!!

The destination is the fairytale castle of King Ludwig II, Neuschwanstein!

We are going to try to hit 8 romantic era villages in 5 days and take as many pictures as possible! We are hoping to hit a Starbucks in Dresden! Awe Starbucks, what do you taste like? I forget! :) I will be posting picts when we get back. Mountains! Lovely mountains! I can not wait! The sky will not be blue, but there will be mountains!!! Yippee! I will be back around the 6th.

My Polish Teacher

I would like to introduce you to one of my Polish teachers. Her name is Marylka. She is a teacher at the University and now, since I decided to go with private lessons is my grammar teacher.

I really enjoy our time together! She is fun and teaches me much. I owe much of my language to the way she teaches and how she is patient with me. When other teachers have just given up on me and tell me the answer that I have forgotten or can not pronounce, she keeps at me until I get it right or remember the word. I am now learning my 5th of 7 cases. Once again, my world of Polish is all jumbled up! This happens every time I add a case. Good thing there is only one more!!! May after that, I can speak a little better than what I am speaking now!

Thank you, Marylka!

The Future of Poland - Yes, the Building is REAL!

Every time I go to Krakow, I pass this fulwypas (full-vee-pawss meaning: really cool), building! I found out what it is, but do not want to tell you right now. It is a building that celebrates the future and captures the minds of Polish youth!

As I pass it, it gets me thinking about where this next generation will go. Will they go beyond others, or will they be left in the dust of other EU countries? Quite honestly, I don't much care what happens economically as long as learn to follow Jesus!

My desire of this and the next generations, is that Jesus becomes much more than an icon of a national religion. I want them to experience the Grace, Mercy and Love that only Jesus can provide. I have been blessed in that most of my Polish contacts do not know Jesus this way. I am wanting one thing even more than learning Polish, that those around me learn the language of love from Jesus!

I was reading the other day in Romans 10 (one of my favorite chapters) where it talks about how can the lost call upon the name of Jesus if they do not know it and how can they know it if they do not hear it and how can they hear it if there is no one to tell them. My time now and for the next year is to study Polish so that I will able to be one who can share the good news of Jesus' love to Poles in their heart language! It is what keeps me going when I have a tough day in language learning.


Well, I found out what it is. It is the home of one of the most popular radio stations in Poland, RFM FM.

What Was Once Lost is Now Found!

I was really bummed last spring when I thought I lost my Spring conference pictures. Why? We had and old fashion Western Family Hoe Down! There is a Czech Bluegrass band and square dance caller that we found! It was so much fun! I thought I lost this great memory!

Well, I FOUND IT!!! So without further adu . . . . Blue Grass Czech style!

Are You Convinced?

This weekend I had the privilege of speaking at a Jr. High retreat. There really is no Jr. High group in most churches. They are the "lost" group of the church. Not children, yet not fully high school. Because of this, my friend Łukaś runs a Jr. High retreat called El Dorado four times a year. It is held in the beautiful mountain town of Wisła.

I spoke about the difference between reading a bible verse and FEELING a bible verse and how that can be applied to how we live our lives following Christ.

Romans 8:38-39 was my example. I had one young woman read it, and it was the typical reading of the bible, straight and with no emotion. Then I had her read it with passion! The other girls sat up a bit and started to listen. I then talked about how our lives as followers of Jesus can be the same: just religious reading and mumbling or filled with PASSION and meaning! Are we living our lives mumbling, "for I am convinced", or are we experiencing it with passion? For I AM CONVINCED!" (read passage) I talked about how I "do" AND "experience" in order to follow Christ everyday, not to check thing off of a spiritual "to do" list.

I forgot to take a picture of the time, but these two beautiful young women came up to me later and asked to talk more deeply about what was said. They are not Jr. High, but were helping out. Still, it was incredible to have the discussion! God is working!

We even sang Chris Tomlin's "Blessed Be Your Name" IN POLISH!!! It was wonderful!

Even today in church, there was a spirit of hope and freshness that many felt! I am not sure what is going on.

Today I also announced that I am starting an English conversation bible study. I have 6 young Polish women who want to join!

I am NOW Officially Official!

Yes, yes, thank you . . . thank you! I would like to thank the Polish government for all of it's hard work to make me legal! It was a long process, but not as painful as I was ready for. I know what it is like to get a driver's license in Colorado for a teenager! :)

Well, I am not good until next July, which means that I need to start my process in March!

Reality Hits Hard Sometimes!

It is a typical fall day here in Poland . . . gray, depressing and getting colder everyday. Yesterday, I had a GREAT brunch with a few of my fellow team members. We had a great time of catching up and as they were all sharing about what they will do when they all go home for Christmas, it struck me. This will be my first Christmas alone, really alone. I have never done this before!

The whole Katowice team will be in North America and I will be here. I will be going to the Carlson's (my country leader) for Christmas, but the reality hit me yesterday and it put me in a mood of sadness. I am also fighting a head cold, so that does not help my mood. I am not sure what I will do or how I will react being alone this winter. . . I will keep you posted.

PS if anyone wants to come visit. . . . I have an extra bed! :)

New Website, New Look

I changed up my website! Check out some of the new picts!


www.aliceinpoland.com

The End of My Lost Luggage!

The other day I received a letter.  I NEVER receive them, so it was a big deal.  When I saw that it was a United envelope, I was prepared for a stupid apology letter.  As I opened it, I readied my blood pressure.  What was in there . . . .  A check. . . .  Yes!  A check filled out in my name with the full amount that I asked for!  Wow!!  I was amazed!  I guess my letter worked!

I think my case was the blue one in the middle of the pile!  :)