IT'S SNOWING!

Choose

Let me be in love with what You love

Let me be most satisfied in You

Forsaking what this world has offered me

I choose to be in love with You

I will choose to be in love with You

Let me know the peace that's mine in You

Let me know the joy my heart can sing

For I have nothing Lord apart from You

I choose to call on Christ in me

I will choose to call on Christ in me

For in the fullness of who You are

I can rest in this place

And giving over this, my journey Lord

I see nothing but Your face

Let me know that You have loved me first

Let me know the weight of my response

For You have long pursued my wandering heart

I choose to glory in Your cross

I will choose to glory in Your cross

And I bow down...Humbly, I bow down...

Humbly, I bow down...I bow down...

I bow down, I bow downmy beloved- here I am

I bow down, I bow down to You...

-Christy Nockles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFg_EG4p8Q0&p=517F501D57BBCD69&playnext=1&index=2

Last night I was having a moment of... for lack of a better word, of indecision. Pure and simple.

I'm so thankful for my ipod and the random shuffle setting... for Lisa F. who indirectly got me to download it... and thankful for the words that spoke into my wavering heart.

Choir!!

Yesterday I tried out for the choir.
Yup.
Oh the lengths I will go to sing!
I have been loving singing along with the choruses and things in the local Body that I've decided to join in addition to the English house group that I go to regularly- not only do I get surprised by the fact that I've heard a few of the songs in English before, but I also get to praise Him in song with other believers!! It's great! (And it might be the main reason I joined this body... yup, the singing :) )

So- when my friend told me that there were going to be try-outs for a choir... I was like, why not?!

I'm not sure what I expected. But being called into a room, by myself, with a pianist and the director, and being asked to sing... well... a song of my choice... Hmmm.

Pretty much didn't think that one through. Who knew I would have to sing NOT IN ENGLISH!

I mean- I've sung in other languages before. Ones that I've understood, and quite a few that I haven't. (Hello opera voice lessons with the mandatory Italian repetoire of songs a few years ago!) But- to have to sing... here... unprepared... no music in front of me... hm. Yup. Didn't think that one through.
However... the pianist in front of me had also given the sermon that morning and had used a sermon illustration... that he could have only used if he knew some English. (Bingo! for me A) understanding a sermon illustration, no matter how small B) figuring out he had to know at least a smattering of English to give said illustration)
So- I said simply, in my best accent [and probably mixing up the verb 'to sing' with the verb 'to drink' since they sound pretty much the same to me in the present tense in this new language] , "I can sing, "Breathe" in English for you." (We had sung it that morning in worship- of course- not in English. But, I knew that they knew the song!)
Ta-da!
Nobody had music. I sang in English in front of strangers.
When I finished, piano player man complimented me on my voice (in English! he he... he does know English!) The director-lady looked at me... and said, "But, you are going to be singing in ... not English." To which I replied, "I can read not English. And I want to sing." That was the extent of my pleading. (oh... SARCASM ALERT... Don't you wish you were this fluent in another language!?!?!?!?!? )
In the end... I was told to write my name and my phone number on a list.
I think I got in. I think.
And I also now think that practices are on Wednesday nights... Unfortunately, I have a previous commitment... aka: my job.
Seriously?! ?!

this last week...

I've re-learned a few things this week... it's kinda like "aha" moments all over again...
- don't give cold juice to children. Really. Don't. ... You might harm them or something! (It's a cultural taboo here... and I almost accidentally broke it by giving some new students a snack with juice from the refrigerator even though I know better.) I'm glad that my co-teacher caught the cups before the harmful substance made it to their lips :/
- too many layers... or not enough. It's like I'm five again, and learning how to dress myself! I never know how thick a jacket to put on from one day to another... two days ago it was -2 C... today? Well, the high is supposed to be 5 C. So, we'll see! But I always, always wear a scarf!
- I do love the language. I keep forgetting that love though, as I wade through grammar rules about prefixes and suffixes and cases that seem tailored to confuse even the smartest most detailed oriented linguist. (of which, I am not. Sadly. I miss Spanish. And I miss "just talking")
-my roommate rules! (Yes, my love can be bought with pumpkin spice coffee creamer.)

new wedding party ideas!

Yesterday morning I was really woken up (I mean, I had already had my coffee... but was still sleepily thinking through my to-do list) by LOUD honking outside my window. So, even though it was probably only about 1 deg Celcius outside... I opened my window all the way, and leaned as far as I could so I could see what was making the commotion!
It was a line of cars!
There were about five or six of them, all with bouquets of tulle and fake flowers tied to the handles of the doors. The lead car also had little boutonnieres lining the shiny, ultra-buffed black hood.
And... after a wait that had my snoopy nose slightly frostbitten... out came the bride!!
Everybody (there was a large group that was dressed to the nines along with the bride and groom- complete with girls in teeny-tiny skirts that defy the cold weather and the men in silver and black suits), clapped for the bride as she walked out and up to the lead car. :D
She was wearing such a large poofy white dress that after her groom had helped her inside the car and then stuffed the rest of her skirt in, he kind of had to wiggle to get into the back seat alongside her dress. :D
Then the whole calvalcade trooped off after another loud blast on the horns.
Oh yeah!