Banquet, Birthday Blessings, and some Blues

What’s been going on? It seems something all of the time!  I’m sure there were equally busy times in my life, but then I was younger and had more stamina.  It seems keeping up is about all I’m able to do, and sometimes not event that!

This past weekend was the BFA Christmas banquet.  What does that mean?  In USA terms think of prom and homecoming combined in the fall.  Herbstmesse, the Basel fair you saw from October 31st pictures, initiates the asking...an art in itself.  The girl being asked is presented with flowers at the time of asking which can be done in quite an elaborate ways.  On young man got into a box, which he then “mailed” via his dorm van to a young lady at Wittlingen dorm...and there were several others. Of course for weeks squeals in the hall, friends celebration, and giggles accompanied each newly asked person.  Then the Sunday before there is a fashion show in the girls’ dorms, to share in the excitement and make sure clothing is appropriate.  

Then came the big night: Saturday.  The boys gathered at school and shortly the girls arrived, and before long the area was awash of suits, boutonnières, corsages, and gowns. The evening festivities included not only dinner, but photos, roasted chestnuts outside, line dancing lessons in the gym, and a program of homegrown talent and some not so talented fun, plus a “wish list” fulfilled with fun stuff:  A lock of one boy’s dreads, a girl being serenaded by one of the dorms where her parents used to be dorm parents, the principle doing a Korean dance, and anything else that can have special meaning with fun.

All of this I watched from the wings as I, along with a large crew, served and cleaned until 11:30 in the evening.   It was fun serving the students and seeing them have fun, but imagine how special to have the student council students return after their evening of fun to finish up the cleaning, and in addition, to have one say, “Thank you for helping.”  Needless to say “tired” was an understatement, but the sleep that night and Sunday afternoon was delightful!

Since I last wrote many other things have happened.  November 12th, Monday morning, Lynda’s husband, David, who flew over to visit his brother in the Netherlands and  landed in Zurich. He then took a train east to Basel, from there boarded a bus up here to Kandern!  He made a special trip to say “HI” and tour “greater” Kandern in the rain, have dinner, only to go to his B&B, and leave the next morning!   He returned to Zurich for a few days and then take a train to finish out his time with his brother.  Wow, talk about being touched. What a blessing.  Home never felt closer, and of course Lynda always has her special touch.  She works full-time and still manages to make gifts for her grandchildren’s teachers each year.  I received the teacher gift as well! :) hand delivered!

Also, thank you for all the birthday wishes, and if you did not know...that’s as I would prefer.  I planned to keep it under wraps, but two days ahead, one of the other new teachers commented about a “special day.”  From him I learned that our school home-base website lists birthdays, something I’d not seen.  That evening Pat called and said that she and Julia and Rich (the other neighbors) wanted to take me our to supper Friday.  That night I planned to go to the music recital and have a quite, relaxing evening... something that now seemed lost amid all the new plans.  Laura and Brant, our hosts, couldn’t come because of starting their substitution at the Sanctuary (TeachBeyond’s B&B) that afternoon and couldn’t leave, so they invited us over for cake after.  

The day came, and while talking with Julia during the day, I found that she too wanted to listen to the students.  After calling Laura, it turned out to be fine to go to the recital after dinner and then go over to the B&B.  Super.  I really did not want to miss some really talented young people--just an example, Ben, who plays the violin beautifully, is applying to Juilliard, a believable outcome--and he was playing that evening!  After a delightful dinner and the last half of the music, we headed to the B&B.  Once we arrived Laura told me of secretly contacting Ruth on Facebook to learn which cake I would like best. Subterfuge!  Without hesitation Ruth replied: “banana bread,” something she would make for me with the extra Sam’s bananas that went into the freezer.   

The kids were in contact throughout the week, Ruth waiting on the edge of her proverbial seat for me to tell her about what happened.  It’s so hard for her to keep a secret!  She was tickled with that, but in addition, she had sent a package and was antsy to know when it arrived.  This meant as much to her as if she were receiving a gift!  She has a talent at selecting such timely or appropriately suited things.  Now I have fleece leggings and pink flannel p.j.s for cold, gloomy days plus some other goodies. :)

After all of these things, I felt like Mary when the scripture said, “She pondered these things in her heart.”  Here in a strange place, with new people, and friends thousands of miles away, I felt just like He was filling in all the gaps, making this a very special time with all of the well-wishers in many and varied ways.  

These times are needed.  The trips, the events, the special moments blogged--some of which remain uncovered, are not the routine daily grind, only highlights.  With all of the blessings involved, in many ways these months here have also been some of the most challenging months I’ve faced:  Not having a rhythm because all is new--Not having the confidence in the content area--Spending endless hours reading and preparing daily and then searching for ways to present a lackluster content area effectively and meaningfully--Not yet connected with the students as in the past--Attending German classes myself and scrambling to keep up instead of being on top all the time, all of this and more is new to me.    

Would I change any of it?  Never.  Knowing this is where I’m supposed to be and what I’m supposed to do, what would be the fulfillment is doing anything less?  It, instead, has become a lesson to me in understanding needs of others that may have been less clear to me before.  Some lessons in life just “stick.”  One of those times occurred when I lost my dad

only a couple of years into our marriage.  It was at that time I first learned the truth of II Corinthians 1:3-4, “...the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”  It has helped me through all the “big” events that followed, and will continue even now.

Back home I’m so glad to have the Friday prayer group, my small group and other friends who pray and support me.  This update will help know more how to focus those prayers. Without sounding totally facetious--I would really like to ask that you include with that prayers that will ask for instant understanding and insight to all I read related to class preparation and planning.  If that were accomplished, everything else would be falling into place!  Christmas break, which begins in a few weeks, is greatly anticipated:  No classes daily and time for other things like painting, sewing a couple of things, and just relaxing.  Hopefully and prayerfully I’m asking for more balance in my life next semester, a necessity.

There is always more to say, but not the time--plus who would read endlessly?  Thank you again for your encouragement and participation.  Each and every personal note is a connection to home that is greatly appreciated, and some of them help me know how to pray for you, too.  Love you in Christ.