gelukkig nieuwe jaar!

My second new year with oliebollen! My first experience with it was pleasant, but this time was better due to the fact that I'm not feeling sick. And also, I'm actually in the Netherlands.
So, now that I've feasted on some oliebollen, and given Elke (the Dutch one) a new haircut for the new year, I'm going to venture out in the "war zone" (aka fireworks) to the Shelters and Dam Square and all that other new yearsish stuff. Also, I work morning shift tomorrow again...so it should be fun...

het sneeuwt!

Hey ya'll. k, so there are some Texans currently staying with us. There has also been some visiting snow! Hooray! and of course, some snowball fights (the Canadian is ashamedly not so great. got showed up by some Dutchies) and the adventure of scraping off bikes before cycling...interesting (but much faster than scraping a car). Unfortunately, on the subject of fiets (bikes) mine is currently malfunctioning. Freek's fix didn't really fix, and now he's in Spain. BUT Harmen has graciously offered to fix my bike, and he's using part of Dreamy (Rala's old bike) to do it. So that will be fun.
Last night we had a birthday/goodbye party for Marco. It was an 80s theme. Good times dancing...haha. Dave and I were King and Queen and had one of those hilarious stiff-armed jr high slow dances with awkward conversation and such. Tina thinks I should go back to the 80s (scary thought!) because of my totally tubular outfit and dance moves. Don't worry, I will be posting pictures very soon on my other blog. We also played games (sorry, no twister) like four on a couch (the guys won) and watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off. So it was good fun, and thanks to Marco for having a birthday!
Tonight Tina and I (and probably others) are going to the Awaken conference at De Poort so that should be great. Ricardo can't go, but there is a possibility he'll be getting a really good job soon! So that's cool at least...meets the physical needs if not the spiritual ones. But if he gets the job he'll be in Amsterdam and should be able to get to Zolder more and such. So...keep him in your prayers!

Christmas?

It does not feel like Christmas.
Last night Tina and I were talking about the unchristmasy feel this season seems to have this year, and she said, "well, a stable with animals pooping isn't very please. I don't think that was a very 'comfortable' Christmas. Our traditional Christmas celebrations are all manmade." And you know, she's right. It doesn't matter if there's no snow and it doesn't feel like Christmas time at all. We can still be in awe and celebrate the miraculous birth of our Saviour!

The YWAM group from Canada (and Barbados) has been such an encouragement to me...they are fun to be around (freestyle!) and they reach out to the guests. I appreciate their welcoming, outgoing attitudes...it seems like they're fitting in as part of the staff almost. It is also encouraging for me to hear that they find me bubbly and shining because lately I haven't been feeling myself, and it is good to know that God is still working through me even when I'm tired and don't always feel up to it. Praise the Lord for his mercy and grace and strength and power! Oh man, I am in awe. We serve an amazing God!

Christmas rush

So my dear sis has been getting after me for not blogging, but she has not commented on my blog even once. I'd just like to point that out before continuing with the rest of my blog.
Ok, moving on.
These last few days have been so busy, but I don't quite know why. Craziness...
Today I got up and thought, "Hey, I'll finally do my Christmas cards!" (sorry everyone, you probably won't get anything until January with the mail system and my tardiness) and as I was gathering my supplies together there was a knock at my door. Nynke and Katja came to remind me of small group. Oops! but it's ok, everyone was late this morning, and we had a fun small group anyways. I'm not sure why, but we seemed to laugh quite a bit.
Also, I forgot that tonight is the White Elephant Gift Exchange and have yet to buy my gift. This is bad, because I'm the one organizing it. Thankfully, Tina will be getting something for me to give.
So far this afternoon I have done one Christmas card. I think there may be a lot of people this year going without a card from me. HAPPY CHRISTMAS IN GENERAL TO EVERYONE. There, that oughta do it.

snow

So it snowed the other day. Actually two days. Didn't stay on the ground though. But that's ok, it was still snow. So Freek...look out, my prayers might beat yours this Christmas. Also, it was Ryan's first time to see it snow...but his reaction wasn't as fun as I'd expected. Nicole, on the other hand, was awesome! She was dancing around, hopping out the window (but not falling to the street below, thankfully) and it was very fun.
A group came today that's with YWAM and they're staying for about 5 weeks and they're from Canada! And guess what else? One of them was like, "Hey, are you from Owen Sound?" which is the most random question ever, and I was like, "yeah"and he's like, "Danny Blank says hi." Dang! Totally made my day. So fun...so that's really cool that we have a mutual friend...the family of God makes the world so small. Cool beans. Also, Nora and I disovered that I know her pastor in Indonesia. And a while ago Marco and I discovered that he went to school and Korea with Dave Marshall.
Now I'm going to cut Elke's, Nynke's, and Cecilia's hairs. (teehee, I love how they say hairs instead of hair here!)

Today Ewout said some really wise things I needed to hear. Thanks for saying them Ewout!

It's officially Christmas soon!

So a while ago we discussed that it wouldn't really feel like Christmas time until we heard the song that goes, "Last Christmas I gave you my heart and the very next day you gave it away..." and today after my shower I turned on the radio to a non-Christmas station and that song was playing! 10 more days...wow!
I did a little Christmas shopping today...but discovered that the gift I'd picked out for my sister was a different colour than the one I had pointed to, but I was not paying attention to what they actually put in the bag so they gave me the wrong one...I'm going to see if they let you exhange items at a market...otherwise...sorry Meil!
I'm at my first evening reception shift. Peet wants me to play the top part of "heart and soul" on the piano with him and I'm working really hard (aka blogging, haha) instead. Mean, perhaps, but the bass part doesn't even really sound like it's supposed to and I don't feel like encouraging this noise and making the others in the cafe suffer more than they already are...
Already in this shift the stupid computer in the cafe has stopped working and previously a guest yelled at me for not giving her adequate warning of her time being up (which is counted down on her computer screen) and losing her email. Perhaps it would be helpful if we put a sign there.
Well, it's still early and I'm feeling slightly drowsy...probably from just sitting here after walking and cycling all afternoon...oh yeah! I had the sweetest sandwich this evening at Dwaze Zaken...so lekker. and it was huge too! I was so proud of myself for finishing it (Tina was proud too) and then I ate a few of her tortillas. and now that I'm talking about food again...maybe I'll eat the cookie from Guido.

Handel's Messiah

so tonight Ryan and I went to see Handel's Messiah at the Concertgebouw.
Before leaving I checked the website and calledonly to discover that the show was sold out.
We decided to go anyways, praying for a miracle.
After hopping off our tram one stop too late, we ran to the concertgebouw (and surprisingly did not get lost!) and got in line for tickets...
there were some women there with two extra tickets they were trying to sell because their friends couldn't make it. But they wanted full price for them (27 something euros). We waited in line to see if there were any 7 euro 50 tickets left. There were two together...behind a pillar. So I asked if there were any separate not behind pillars, which there were.
Ryan took the balcony seat and I took the ground level seat for the first half of the concert. I was sort of behind a pillar, but it didn't restrict my view too much and I greatly enjoyed the first half. Ryan was seated in the front row of the balcony dead centre...the "Queen's seat" as he called it. Really, it was certainly one of the best seats in the house.
So I got to be in the great seat or the second half, which included the Hallelujah chorus. And, I admit, it brought me to tears...man, the whole thing is so powerful! (and they did the whole thing...not just parts of it! three hours long)
I am so excited that God worked a miracle for us to be able to go!

I love Tina

So God knew what He was doing when he put Tina Ermke and Meghan Thomson together as roommates.
Short version of the story: Tina and I are going through a lot of the same things spiritually, and it's been so good to be able to talk to and share with and encourage each other. Such a blessing.
Today during her morning shift, Tina was reading "My Utmost for His Highest" and when she returned to the room she read it for me. The first line of it is "Personality is the unique, limitless part of our life that makes us distinct from everyone else. It is too vast for us even to comprehend." That's about as far as she got before I interrupted through my laughter saying "Just let me laugh for a minute, and then you can keep going." After a few minutes of laughing so hard I cried, I was finally able to explain to her that her pronounciation of "unique" was Eunuch, and I then proceeded to explain to her what that was...oh my. Laughter is good for the soul.
ps, the devo for today was really good. You should read it.

random moment

the phone just rang and Pauline answered it. It was for Marco, so she started calling "Marco!" and I couldn't resist...I called back "Polo!" and she was like "oh, is Marco here?" and I said "no" and then realized that no one understands the Marco Polo game. the end.

grossness

so the last day or two have been super crazy...
Well, the other day Adrian (one of our cleaners) quit, but God provided with a new cleaner to start the next day. and that was actually a blessing because it saved us from having to fire Adrian, and the new cleaner is such a hard worker and cheery and all that good jazz.
Then last night Dezso, another cleaner, and the new cleaner, Barry, were caught smoking pot in their dorm. First of all there are signs everywehre that say no smoking except in the garden, and second of all it is well known that we are a drug free hostel. Also, Dezso had been caught smoking pot the day before and had been warned not to do it again or he'd be kicked out. So that lovely task fell to...me. Yup, I had to kick him out and he and Barry made excuses for at least 15 minutes...I had to call Marco in for backup. And also I had to call Ewout at home (which I really didn't want to do because he has a baby and it was late) and then once I told him that the manager said he had to leave, he decided he should talk to Ewout personally and plead his case. I did not allow this, but Rala and I looked up a bunch of homeless shelters and gave him their phone numbers and addresses. About an hour after the pot smoking took place, Dezso finally left.
This morning he came back apparently...because I had to kick him out of "his" bed. He didn't go, so Rose had to do it. This is not a fun aspect of the job. I hate it.
Also today...George (our other cleaner) quit. So we're currently down to one cleaner. absolutely nuts. so please pray that we get new cleaners who will work hard and abide by the rules because it's very unpleasant to force them to leave...yeah.

I'm the man

yup, it's true. According to Ian. Harald thought I'd be offended at the title. au contraire! I am proud to have been given the name "The Man" and beat out all those males vying for the title. all because I have slender hands, wrists, and arms and was able to squeeze them into a small hole and pull through a light. quite the feat, I know.
so ok...last night I did Melissa's hair in rags and it turned out super curly. I like it. It got a little bigger than expected, but it's calming down.
lalala. I'm just about finished my gift for the suprisen sinterklaas gift exchange (sorry for my horrible dutch spelling) and I'm quite pleased with it. Especially considering I am not artistic or creative...so woohoo! My poem is ok...I might revamp it a bit. we shall see.
Ok, that's all for now folks. check out my other blog for pics and such.

christmas time!

So we've just passed Sinterklaas and gotten mouse traps and pepernoten in our shoes, and today I embarked on the shortbread adventure. Ok, it wasn't much of an adventure, but they turned out really well (thanks to conversion charts online) I think.
The only Christmas cd we had around here was the relient k one, so it kinda works and helps get me in the mood.
and you know what else gets me excited about Christmas?
the fact that today I received in the mail a HUGE package from my family full of Christmas presents (which are still wrapped and will stay that way until Christmas day...hopefully) which is super exciting!
Thanks everyone! and ps, I still haven't sent yours so you'll probably get it in February seeing as I got yours today and you sent it in October. sorry bout that.
so everyone...enjoying a Christmasy day and pray that we get snow on the 25th!
oh yeah, happy birthday Ian!

joy

it's so interesting how Satan tries to get you down in any way possible.
one thing happens and you're feeling kinda bummed, yet determined not to let it spoil your day. Then little frustrations begin popping up because he knows you're already a little down or annoyed or whatever. That happened to me today, but sometimes I found myself laughing at his attempts. I chose joy today, and God has blessed me.
I can laugh (and I would anyways probably) at the recycling lid falling on my head. I can smile at the cleaners who do not do what they're told and do an inadequate job. I can encourage them to do better, and praise them for their hard work. I can look past petty things.
Today had potential to be a kinda blah day. Instead, I am enjoying it and praising God.
Praise Him for never giving up on me and working in my heart to continue to make me a new creation!
He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Amen.