Embracing Culture

       In my first few days venturing around the countryside of Estonia, I found myself thinking about how my time here compares to last summer’s internship in Kauai and my recent European venture to Greece.  As these comparisons arose, I tried to block them thinking that I would enjoy this experience more if I let it stand on its own.  Being a cross-cultural experience, I thought that it was the chance to find out more about myself and God through being surrounded by a new setting, which comparisons to previous experiences could potentially hinder.

On my third night in Estonia, I walked around Old Town Tallinn for the first time.  As we followed his energetic kids up the cobblestoned streets, which were still lit by natural daylight despite being 9 pm at night, the pastor described what the Old Town used to look like when he first moved to Estonia over 15 years ago.  Over the past several years, the structures have been maintained and strengthened and their exteriors have been painted over with vibrant and varied colors to attract more tourists.  Despite these recent changes, the history of the Old Town still plays a defining role in how the site functions today.

After taking in the mesmerizing view from one of the lookouts near the highest point in Old Town, I turned to follow the kids to the other lookout.  As I turned, I looked up and laughed aloud.  The tree that shaded me had leaves that were strikingly similar to a tree that I had spent a great deal of time under in Kauai.  It was like God was inviting me to go ahead and reflect on how the adventures I had in Kauai shaped me and let that be a part of who I am here in Estonia.  As I continued to ponder this on the way to the next lookout, I followed the pastor down a side street that wasn’t the right way to the next lookout, but led us to an open air concert featuring a group of musicians with violins and cellos.  As we stood in the back of the crowded venue, I realized that the song they were playing was Mama Mia.  The last time I remember hearing Mama Mia was during the last night of the Greece trip, watching several of my friends sing and dance to the song.  Again I felt invited to let the memories of Greece come flooding back.

        As I looked out over Old Town Tallinn from the second viewpoint, I thought of how its function had changed over the years.  Once needing to provide the necessities of life for those who lived in it, its focus is now on inviting tourists to learn more about the history and indulge themselves in the many cafes and souvenir shops that line the streets.  Despite the change in its purpose, the defining features shaped by the history of the city remained.  Like this site, as I encounter new tasks and adventures in Estonia, my daily life will surely not look the exact same as it did in the past.  Comparing my new adventures in Estonia to past experiences in Greece, Kauai, Gig Harbor, or Whitworth may not always be helpful.  However, viewing such experiences as a context and framework for my present time helps me to be myself while also allowing myself to continue to grow into who I already am in Christ.

Dents in a Hydroflask

The dent, pictured below, represents one of the most treasured aspects of my Whitworth experience, namely the relationships formed there.

During my last finals week as an undergraduate student, I met with a professor for lunch.  While the professor has one of the greatest intellects I've encountered, he also has a tremendous amount of playfulness.  Thus, when another student instigated a water fight, he quickly joined in, disappearing from sight as he proceeded to chase the student around the building.  I and another friend, hoping to assist the other student, waited for the professor to return and approach our seemingly innocent conversation before tossing our water bottle contents at him.  During my first unsuccessful attempt at this I dropped my Hydroflask on the sidewalk.  I later redeemed the honor of my water bottle by successfully soaking the professor, only after I acted involuntarily as a successful shield for the professor against another student as they emptied the contents of their water bottle.  From water fights to snowballs in the Cascade mountains, from classrooms to cafes in Greece, from the living rooms of professor's homes to the late nights in the library concluded by singing the doxology, I will cherish the relationships I formed at Whitworth.

As I begin to embark on new adventures, I'm certain my poor Hydroflask will receive a few more dents.  I'm eager to know what stories lie behind those upcoming dents and discover the stories that hidden in the dents in the unfortunate Hydroflasks of others.

As with dots on a fork (see the previous post), what are the details in life that make it so precious to us?
Also, what would it look like to care about learning the stories behind the details of others' lives?

Dots on a Fork

  

The row of dots on this fork is a design which, in this case, I find visually appealing.  Together, the dots provide me with a picture, that no one dot could accomplish on its own.  Yet if all of the dots simply blended together, the fork would seem rather plain.

As graduation draws ever closer, I continue to reflect on my time in college.  Like the fork, my college experience has many unique aspects to it which stand distinct from one another, yet at the same time, they are all linked together, like the dots are to this fork.  

One of the highlights of my college experience has been learning Koine Greek (Biblical Greek).  There are many dots, if you will, on this Greek fork.  Dot one was meeting with the Greek professor at the end of my freshman year and being persuaded to take the class the following fall.  The dots that followed included experiences of laughter both in the classroom and working through Greek homework with others, in class debates at the start of every 8 am class (which had nothing to do with Greek oddly enough), observing classmates show up to the final in togas, two games of Grabble (Greek Scrabble), and even a backpacking trip.  The dots are continuing to be added on daily too as I TA the first year Greek course where the students and professor surprise me by how much laughter they can bring to an 8 am class four days a week.  Together, theses experiences make a personal inscription on the Greek fork, which make it a joy for me to behold, or in this case reflect upon.

What are the details of the things in our life that make them precious to us?  

The Jesus Train

As I was about 3/4 of the way through a walk around Chambers Bay, I heard a train approaching.  Since I was near to the tracks at that point, I thought it could be fun to wait and take a picture of it as it went by.  Despite the sounds seeming to indicate that it was just around the corner at several times, it took several minutes for the train to pull into sight.  As it rushed along its track, its wheels made their terrible screeching noise against the rails.  It was an unpleasant noise, but necessary for the train to accomplish its purpose.  Once the train passed, the view looked almost exactly like it had before, and I continued my walk.

Yesterday was Good Friday, the day the Lord died to restore us into right relationship with God.  

So, how does this relate to the train?

Period of waiting: B.C., especially as described in the Old Testament.  A time filled with longing for God to make Himself known and redeem the world.

The train: Jesus life on earth.

The unbearable noise of the train: the torture and crucifixion on the day the Church remembers during Good Friday.

After it passes: Continuation.  Christians, like the people of God in the Old Testament, are eager for God to reveal more of Himself and redeem the world.  However, now there is a sense of hope.  Whereas several people in the Old Testament could hear the train approaching, we have now seen the train.  We’ve heard the awful noise, and yet through that, we know that Jesus accomplished what He came to do.  

Imagine experiencing the train and having an experience of awe to the extent that it inspires you to do something, such as a little kid wanting to grow up to be a train conductor or engineer.  The sense of awe in the whole Jesus train, including his birth, teachings, miracles, and the sound of his death signaling the fulfillment of his purpose in coming, inspire me to live in such a way that reflects that state of awe.  Easter to me is a celebration of the fact that through his death and resurrection, the tracks have been laid enabling me to live in that state of awe and be in right relationship with God.

Happy Easter indeed

Rest

Half-way through a semester with 8 am classes four days a week, I am currently relishing the ability to sleep in during spring break.  As I take my time getting out of bed in the morning, I am reminded of the time in January when I wished to stay in bed a bit longer...

I had arrived in Greece less than 48 hours before, and we had a full day of touring the city ahead.  A few of my overly ambitious travel companions got up for their morning run around the city.  Meanwhile, I pulled myself out of bed (barely) and made my way into the hotel hallway to meet with a two like-minded travel companions who preferred walking over running.  We made our way out into the quiet streets of Athens and started walking towards Mars Hill.  We passed stray dogs scrounging for breakfast, street cleaners still tidying up yesterday's mess, construction workers beginning their day's work, and a few Orthodox churches with worshipers inside listening to the pre-dawn liturgy.  We mounted the hill as the sun began to turn the grey clouds into an array of vibrant colors.  The birds sang the morning song and shortly thereafter the bells of the churches began to ring out across the city.  One of my companions accurately entitled the moment as 'the battle of the bells.' We sat in a state of awe observing the Sunday dawn for twenty minutes then headed back to our hotel to join the rest of our group for breakfast.

I had wished to stay in bed that very morning to enjoy an extra hour of sleep.  Knowing that a busy day laid ahead, I thought I needed the rest.  I've never regretted losing that hour of sleep though for that hill top experience, for that experience provided with a sense of rest that an extra hour of sleep could never match.  

Where does one's soul find rest?  

Matthew 11:28

The Influence of Hebrew ...

I went to the eye doctor yesterday and when it came time to read the chart of English letters, I read it from right to left.  I didn't realize what I had done until the doctor started laughing and called me a diagnosed dyslexic.  Fortunately, he knew enough about Hebrew to understand why I made the mistake when I mentioned I study Hebrew, which is read from right to left.

Slow Down

If you asked my housemates when I got home whether or not I was taking things slow, the answer most assuredly would have been 'no.'  On the way home from school, I felt the urge to take the next few moments slowly.  I took it slowly enough to get this picture of the beginning of the sunset, reflected in a muddy pothole.  

The sky kept turning more vibrant as I entered through my home's front door.  I slung off my backpack and ran into the back yard, yelling at those who were being studious to come join in the marvel.  They laughed as I pranced about the yard for the next ten minutes, arms lifted high in praise.  What more can one do when met with such beauty?  

Despite the lack of physical slowness in those precious moments, I was still slow.  I was not ignoring the moment for the sake of preparing for the next, nor was I oblivious to the present as if I were still caught in the past.  As I praised God in that moment, I thought of what had past and what may lie ahead, but both within the context and full awareness of the present moment.  

This week, the question of how to balance pondering the present, future, and past, has been on my mind.  Tonight I received a partial answer: slow down.  Slow down and take in the present moment.  Use the sights and sounds, smells and feels, as stimuli to help you process and pray.  

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18