Loving Life!
To love life is a gift. I have been given that gift. I seem to be reminded through various people that this is the year that I will turn 50 years old. I love that. I am tearing up writing this as I think over those 50 years and the love that I have for each year. True, I dont remember each one but those that I do...I do love. My childhood was amazing growing up in a tiny little town in Eastern Oregon. I had pretty strict parents that expected much but oh what joy we had in living life! My parents are still enjoying and loving life. Even through Mom's cancer and her month of radiation that started Jan. 13th...they love life! My siblings? Well - I'm the youngest and that is the best place to be. My oldest sister (Phyllis) I dont really remember much until she left for college and then it was like we were instant soul sisters and really has been that way since then. I love that. My brother (Bob) - beyond words really. He let me hang out with he and his friends, took me everywhere, used me as a sled (literally) on our 'snow' hill, taught me how to drive and took me on adventures untold. A true model for me. My sister Susan is only a year older than me and we shared a bedroom for many years of our childhood. As I stated in other posts - we shared hospital experiences, we shared many experiences...there is a bond there that is beyond description really. We never fought, that is until my Junior year in high school and then I'm not sure what happened but now that I look back it was probably me deciding selfishly that it was time for her to go; this was my high school and my time :). Oh so many great memories...love each one!
Then we all grew up, my siblings got married and had kids. That was more than I could take really. The love they must have with and for their children is beyond me...because I am the Aunt to those kids and the love is so strong I'm sitting here in tears just thinking about each one. I have several Aunts and Uncles...and really a different kind of bond with each one - each one precious. My Aunt Sue is the closest to me - geographically because of California and the bond that I feel with her has a very tight weave. I truly believe she would do anything with me and for me; and absolutely vice versa. She is amazing. But my other Aunts and Uncles are just as precious; we have a reunion coming up this summer and I am truly just longing to see each one again and literally 'feel' the love flow around. My 18 cousins and their kids will hopefully be at the reunion as well - again, just amazing family to be a part of and I can hardly wait.
So loving life continues here in Poland. Truly it has been an indescribable dream. I have met some amazingly Godly people that are leaders in my new work, seen countries and cities that are so beautiful that I still pinch myself when I look through pictures and realize that I was actually in Turkey, Hungary, Poland and Austria all within a 2 month period! Yes, I have been overseas for two months now. I left my job on November 1st and have missed my friends and co-workers terribly but also enjoy seeing them on FaceBook or sending e-mails back and forth. I love that!
Work in the coffee shop is excellent. I work in the kitchen preparing food for the shop - desserts, soup, sandwiches when ordered etc. I also am working at the bar making coffee drinks - that is just beyond loveable to me. Making coffee for work! Ha:)....good stuff. I do the laundry for the coffee shop; that is easy and I am even enjoying folding that laundry (as my personal laundry does not get folded quickly at all:). I do some accounting tasks...not really though. There is a gal that is coming back next week who is the expert and has been doing a lot from America so she is the 'real' person. Language school has been a great experience as well...3 days a week for 2 1/2 hours each time. Coming home and doing homework, trying to re-type words, rules etc to get it into this 49 year old brain! Again...love it. I will love it more when I can naturally form a sentence but...hopefully that will come. Small steps I guess.
Beginning a youth night at the coffee shop with games, dancing, food, music, crazy kids...that even and those kids are easy to love! Such good times and hanging out with the adult organizers is just a kick - fun people. So that is work too...right?! We are starting a worship night in early February...I call that work too...awesome! Having a prayer group meet on Tuesdays that started this week...also my work here and yet so easy to call loveable. All these things I enjoy and love doing!
And the most loveable and enjoyable part of all this 'work' as it is for me now are the people. Getting to know people more each time I spend a moment working, playing, learning, praying, whatever with them. THAT is the most important goal of this new life for me. It is more intentional that I knew at my previous work. Before it was getting to know an employee so we coudl work on a computer together. I would glean their background and their experiences so that I could try to relate to them easier as we went through learning this crazy software together. Some hated it from the get go and it was my goal to help them learn to at least like it, but really I wanted them to love it! Others were fairly accepting of it and it was my goal to show them how they could really use that software to get info for their jobs so that they would love it! I made some great friendships through those steps...no doubt about that in my mind.
Now my intentionality is not hidden behind a computer or a software program. It is truly a one on one relationship and perhaps there are 'tasks' that need to be completed but making myself vulnerable to that person at each moment is newer to me. I don't tend to be a real 'vulnerable' person. I do love life; and I enjoy sharing the joy I have from life but being vulnerable and all that entails? Not so often and to be honest not quite sure what that does entail at this point in my life. How do I make myself vulnerable to my Polish language teacher that I have such respect for...or the office manager at the Polish school that tells me after reading my blog that she prays when she hears sirens as well? Or how about being vulnerable to the gal I met my first day here in the mobile carrier shop at the mall? All three of these ladies' names are Joanna...which I find fascinating but how am I vulnerable to them? I don't think I have a clear answer but I know I can pray, I know I can enjoy their company, laugh with them, talk with them, give them a gift of chocolate and a note to join me at church...but it doesn't seem quite enough or maybe vulnerable enough?! I'm just not sure but I will continue to work at it.
All that to say...I love life. I love life here in Krakow, Poland and am learning a new way of working and living. Yes, this is the year that I will turn 50 and I love the fact that I have started in a new direction at this point in my life. Some have told me I am brave, adventurous, and even crazy but I love it all. I love the tears that have been on my face while writing this because that makes me vulnerable. I want to be more vulnerable....I need to be more vulnerable. That scares me a bit but that is how I see it. Life is good but God IS way better. And to add even more to that...knowing and loving God is even way, way, way better!
Then we all grew up, my siblings got married and had kids. That was more than I could take really. The love they must have with and for their children is beyond me...because I am the Aunt to those kids and the love is so strong I'm sitting here in tears just thinking about each one. I have several Aunts and Uncles...and really a different kind of bond with each one - each one precious. My Aunt Sue is the closest to me - geographically because of California and the bond that I feel with her has a very tight weave. I truly believe she would do anything with me and for me; and absolutely vice versa. She is amazing. But my other Aunts and Uncles are just as precious; we have a reunion coming up this summer and I am truly just longing to see each one again and literally 'feel' the love flow around. My 18 cousins and their kids will hopefully be at the reunion as well - again, just amazing family to be a part of and I can hardly wait.
So loving life continues here in Poland. Truly it has been an indescribable dream. I have met some amazingly Godly people that are leaders in my new work, seen countries and cities that are so beautiful that I still pinch myself when I look through pictures and realize that I was actually in Turkey, Hungary, Poland and Austria all within a 2 month period! Yes, I have been overseas for two months now. I left my job on November 1st and have missed my friends and co-workers terribly but also enjoy seeing them on FaceBook or sending e-mails back and forth. I love that!
Work in the coffee shop is excellent. I work in the kitchen preparing food for the shop - desserts, soup, sandwiches when ordered etc. I also am working at the bar making coffee drinks - that is just beyond loveable to me. Making coffee for work! Ha:)....good stuff. I do the laundry for the coffee shop; that is easy and I am even enjoying folding that laundry (as my personal laundry does not get folded quickly at all:). I do some accounting tasks...not really though. There is a gal that is coming back next week who is the expert and has been doing a lot from America so she is the 'real' person. Language school has been a great experience as well...3 days a week for 2 1/2 hours each time. Coming home and doing homework, trying to re-type words, rules etc to get it into this 49 year old brain! Again...love it. I will love it more when I can naturally form a sentence but...hopefully that will come. Small steps I guess.
Beginning a youth night at the coffee shop with games, dancing, food, music, crazy kids...that even and those kids are easy to love! Such good times and hanging out with the adult organizers is just a kick - fun people. So that is work too...right?! We are starting a worship night in early February...I call that work too...awesome! Having a prayer group meet on Tuesdays that started this week...also my work here and yet so easy to call loveable. All these things I enjoy and love doing!
And the most loveable and enjoyable part of all this 'work' as it is for me now are the people. Getting to know people more each time I spend a moment working, playing, learning, praying, whatever with them. THAT is the most important goal of this new life for me. It is more intentional that I knew at my previous work. Before it was getting to know an employee so we coudl work on a computer together. I would glean their background and their experiences so that I could try to relate to them easier as we went through learning this crazy software together. Some hated it from the get go and it was my goal to help them learn to at least like it, but really I wanted them to love it! Others were fairly accepting of it and it was my goal to show them how they could really use that software to get info for their jobs so that they would love it! I made some great friendships through those steps...no doubt about that in my mind.
Now my intentionality is not hidden behind a computer or a software program. It is truly a one on one relationship and perhaps there are 'tasks' that need to be completed but making myself vulnerable to that person at each moment is newer to me. I don't tend to be a real 'vulnerable' person. I do love life; and I enjoy sharing the joy I have from life but being vulnerable and all that entails? Not so often and to be honest not quite sure what that does entail at this point in my life. How do I make myself vulnerable to my Polish language teacher that I have such respect for...or the office manager at the Polish school that tells me after reading my blog that she prays when she hears sirens as well? Or how about being vulnerable to the gal I met my first day here in the mobile carrier shop at the mall? All three of these ladies' names are Joanna...which I find fascinating but how am I vulnerable to them? I don't think I have a clear answer but I know I can pray, I know I can enjoy their company, laugh with them, talk with them, give them a gift of chocolate and a note to join me at church...but it doesn't seem quite enough or maybe vulnerable enough?! I'm just not sure but I will continue to work at it.
All that to say...I love life. I love life here in Krakow, Poland and am learning a new way of working and living. Yes, this is the year that I will turn 50 and I love the fact that I have started in a new direction at this point in my life. Some have told me I am brave, adventurous, and even crazy but I love it all. I love the tears that have been on my face while writing this because that makes me vulnerable. I want to be more vulnerable....I need to be more vulnerable. That scares me a bit but that is how I see it. Life is good but God IS way better. And to add even more to that...knowing and loving God is even way, way, way better!
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