Eine Ausfuehrung in Barcelona

A Realization In Barcelona. I traveled to Barcelona Spain, the weekend of June 8th. We had yet another long weekend, 4 days - I love Germany!! So I decided to check out Barcelona, and I'm so glad I did. It was so beautiful, 80 degrees and sunny everyday. I ended up being there for three days, and two nights. I would say it was one of the most beautiful cities I've seen so far, and the whole trip itself was wonderful. I've been traveling so much that I new I didn't want to stress myself out with trying to "see everything". So I did the bus tour on Thursday and saw all of Barcelona. I saw the Sagrada Familia (bottom right and the crucifixion sculpter is from the front entrance), the Olympic Stadium (from the 1992 games), the Barcelona Football Stadium (soccer), and much much more. I went to a Southern Spainish Gypsy show in a dinner theater restaurant. That was really interesting. They do kind of an improv, stomp-tap dance thing with accoustic guitares. It was very passionate. Then I crashed early that night. Friday I decided was my Beach day. Barcelona lies on the Meditarranean Sea and I put a picture in above. It was gorgeous, and hot, although with the breeze it didn't feel as hot as it was. Needless to say I got entirely too much sun that day. I listened to the iPod and just hung out, it was sehr entspannend (relaxing). I had a nice Sea Bass dinner and some Tapas and the best chocolate mousse with a hint of orange!! It was kinda funny, I had a reservation at this nice restaurant ( when you don't drink you can spend some money on other things like food:), and the reservation was for Mr. White. So, not thinking , I wore all white, cause I had the meditarranean sun and all. And I don't know it just struck me as funny because when I got there I was like, I have a reservation, and the guy kinda smiled and said, for Mr. White, right:) I've come to the conclusion that my whole like is "kinda funny", thanks God for humour, and silliness.

Like I was saying I've done a lot of traveling, and this time I did everything pretty well. I had enough time, I actually researched the hotel (top left) the Olivia Plaza Hotel, which was right in the main plaza Plaza Catalunya. So everything was in walking distance or a short subway ride. It's kinda funny traveling by yourself to all these favorite honeymoon spots - lol. I see and meet a lot of honymooners (not like the old show, well some of them). But it was in this frame of mind that I felt God gave me a realization. I was on the bus tour, and I just felt so relaxed and happy, and blessed to have this opportunity. I was on the top of the double-decker, with no roof, looking at all the beautiful sites. Then I really felt God's presence and I felt like he was saying that these last few months of being in Europe and all the traveling has been kind of like a honeymoon with God for me. I mean don't get me wrong I've definitely gone through the spiritual ups and downs of life, but overall it has been a time of peace and lower stress. I mean I have a lot of stress at work, but I have no problem leaving work at work. And compared with the stress of barely making rent and working til 3am, waiting tables, it's lower over all I'd say. Then I felt like God was telling me that there is a reason for this time. That He will be calling on me soon to give up a lot of these pleasures and I will go into a time of sacrifice for Him. Because, He said, "Josh there's so much work for you to do." And I feel like He is telling a lot of you this right now.

It's been a wonderful honeymoon (when I'm not working, well work's not been too bad too, and it's interesting enough). But I just found out that I'll be coming home to the US sooner than I thought. And actually I feel ready and excited to be back State-side. I've missed all my friends and family and all the small subtleties that make home, home. The verse that really spoke to me this week was Hebrews 12:1-3

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Und auf Deutsch: Hebraeer 12:1-3 (Hoffnung für Alle)1 [a]Da wir nun so viele Zeugen des Glaubens um uns haben, lasst uns alles ablegen, was uns in dem Wettkampf behindert, den wir begonnen haben — auch die Sünde, die uns immer wieder fesseln will. Mit zäher Ausdauer wollen wir auch noch das letzte Stück bis zum Ziel durchhalten. 2 [b]Dabei wollen wir nicht nach links oder rechts schauen, sondern allein auf Jesus. Er hat uns den Glauben geschenkt und wird ihn bewahren, bis wir am Ziel sind. Weil große Freude auf ihn wartete, erduldete Jesus den verachteten Tod am Kreuz. Jetzt hat er als Sieger den Platz an der rechten Seite Gottes eingenommen. 3 [c]Vergesst nicht, wie viel Hass und Anfeindung er von gottlosen Menschen ertragen musste, damit auch ihr in Zeiten der Verfolgung nicht den Mut verliert und aufgebt.

Well God bless you all wherever you are, and remember we are all always at different spots along the spectrum of (in the trenches to on the mountain), but no matter where we are Jesus is there with us, loving us.

Bis Dann,

Mr. White lol - Joshua David

Rom Ist Sehr Schoen!!

( Basillica of St. Paul)Well Hellooooooooo Everyone!! I'm sorry I've been so bad at keeping up with the blog lately. I really don't have a great excuse either. I've been traveling a lot, but there's been time to blog I just haven't gotten to it. St. Paul's Basillica was massive. None of my pictures inside came out because the lighting wasn't too good, and the ceiling was soo high. In this Basillica there are portrait paintings of all the Popes, including the present Frederick.
( The Basillica of St. Paul - the Mosaic)So I went to Rome, the weekend of the 13th of May, sort of right after my Birthday. I really can't put into words how beautiful of a town it is. It's amazing to me to think that the Apostle Paul walked the same streets, almost 2,000 years ago. And I guess the unofficial age of the city is like 3600 years old - pretty crazy. This mosaic was re-made in 1850 because the original was destroyed in a fire. One thing I didn't know about mosaics, is that they are made entirely from pieces of different color stone, so they are almost eternal in the keeping of their color because the pieces of stone are in and of themselves the color they possess.

(The Colosseum)Sorry about having the wording jump all over the page, but BlogSpot has gotta update there software, this is just not too user friendly. So the pictures don't do Rome justice either. I took many more, but it would have been too much. Basically you have to go to Rome someday. The Colosseum, was no exception. My tour that I took the first day, ended at the Colosseum, and I think one of the ladies on the tour said it best - "It doesn't look real". Das Stimmt, it really was like some had placed drops behind and in front of us. Sitting in the Colosseum was incredible and sobering to think of how many of our brothers and sisters have been mardered there.
(Most of Rome from St. Peter's Basillica)

This was from St. Peter's square. It was so awesome to be here, in the same square where so much Christian History has taken place. Also inside the Bascilica, are all the Pope tombs, and these were absolutely crazy ornate. I mean each Pope ( or at least many of them) were barried here, and each tomb is unbelievably ornate. Sculptures, gold, paintings, massive entrances - it is crazy!! It was neat to see this, but I had to think that if I wasn't a Christian, seeing this would not have made me want to become one. I mean I can appreciate the tribute they are paying to God and Jesus, but I don't know it's not the most comforable place.

So anyway I ended up just being in Rome two full days - no where near enough. But like I've said after every major city I've visited - it was enough to want to come back someday. Well God bless you all. I'm running out of energy just yet. I'll try to turn out a better blog on the next city - Berlin.

Tschuess:-)

Schlechte Aufarbeitung und Gruene Irland

Shinanigan's and Saurabh on the Atlantic Coast.

Me trying to be cool - you know Donald Miller wrote a good chapter on the problem with cool - probably good blog material for me in the future. And then to the right, what looks like a commercial for something uncomfortable like diarrhoea supplements or something. That's me actually contemplating God's faithfulness and blessing in my life. I'm listening to 'You Raise Me Up' by that other Josh, and that was probably my best moment on this trip. Thank you Jesus not only saving me, but then lavishing your favor on me. Below is an Irish concert we stumbled across in Dublin, there was Irish tap dancing and music. Notice the beer-holders on the mic stands - gotta love the Irish:)

Glendalough Field where Braveheart was filmed.

So our taxi driver, a crazy 80-year old Irish leprechaun, suggested we check out 'Temple Bar', a stretch of about 50 bars - the Irish, by the way, like to drink - I was definitely unique there.

***WARNING LONG BLOG***Es tut mir leid.
Okay, so I haven't figured out how to strategically place pics and comments. So that was about as organized as our trip. My colleague, Saurabh and I decided 2 days before our trip, that we were going to go to Ireland and London - not a good idea. We were gonna go to Rome, but there seriously were no tix left on Ryanair - the poor mans airline. We were supposed to fly out of 'Frankfurt Hahn' Airport at 10pm on Friday night. But we had to work late, and were deceived by the name of the airport, and the website so we headed in the direction of Frankfurt. This was entirely the wrong way. Long story short, we missed our first flight, which totally negated the "good deal" of 10 Euros. So we luckily were able to get on a standby flight on Saturday morning. Oh yeah the translation of the title: Bad Planning and Green Ireland - understatement on both accounts. So we get to the Dublin airport, and we decide to "save money" and try to take the bus to our hotel. Two problems: 1) Our last minute reservation for a hotel, landed us in a brand new hotel, in ..F okay the middle of no where, that no one from Ireland knew about or where it was (somewhere at the end of the rainbow) 2) Irish people, although extremely welcoming, kind, and wonderful, will give you bad directions or wrong directions rather than not give you anything or say they don't know. So with my gift of "sense of direction" - LOL - we got on wrong bus after wrong bus, and finally got to a hotel we were pretty sure was within 10 minutes of our hotel (after about 2 hours of acting out the hit TV show on ABC that ends in O-S-T). We ate some Irish food for lunch and then finally got to our hotel - via a taxi - and passed out. So we ended up spending the evening in Dublin. We actually had a wonderful time. We stumbled across this Irish 'private' show, literally through the back door, and nobody seemed to care. It was an amazing show. The Riverdancers were amazing, and the Celtic singers made reference to Elvis which I've notice I see Elvis signs everywhere I go - oh yeah could be because he was one of the most famous people ever, but don't tell Jedd that. So we went to Temple Bar and did some dancing and met some friendly people. Then we headed out for the green countryside. Did you know that Ireland is the only evergreen country in Europe?

It was beautiful, wunderschoen!! We went to Glendalough, where the fight scenes in Braveheart was filmed, and ran on the field like idiots. The air is so sweet over there, and at 2 in the afternoon it felt like 9 in the morning because of the cool, wet air. We took 8 billion green pictures, which you can ask me to show you sometime. We made it all the way to the Irish Atlantic Coast and that was probably my favorite time. It had been such a horribly planned trip that it was nice to just be with my Lord, sitting on the coast and knowing that those I love so much were right on the other side of that ocean. I think the older I get - and I'm 30 by the way, lordy - the more I appreciate things in God's amazing, extraordinary world. Like the ocean, I am seriously awe-struck by the wonder of the ocean. I think it's like, to me it's the same ocean since God created the depths, and it's like another universe down there - I don't know. God - you're the...God! If you've read this long, I apologize for the length, but it's been too long since I wrote last. Why is it that we as humans, or at least me, procrastinate on things that are good for us and that in the end we enjoy doing? It's like this human resistance again all that is good, healthy, and pleasing to God - not all the time. But take reading the Bible, for example. These last couple weeks, I've been feeling just not too spiritual and not really connected to the Spirit. And low and behold a friend of mine goes how's your Bible reading going? And I'm like, scheisse - sorry - come to think of it I can't remember the last Bible reading. And then when we're in the throws of being in tune with the King and His word, we are like how did I ever go through that period where I felt distance from God. Anyway just trying to stay transparent. So I did get back in the Word, and what a difference. Here's a scripture verse that really spoke to me: Hebrews 5:11-14 11We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Well I love you all very much and miss you. You are in my prayers and thoughts. I gotta go and do my Elvis hair for a karaoke contest in Frankfurt, and I'll blog about London soon.

Bis Dann,

Joshua

PS - Isn't that a cool way to say goodbye - until then ? Which could totally mean until our Lord Returns - kuehl:)

Was Ist Ein Globaler Verbindung?

"What Is A Global Liaison?"

I've been asked this by so many friends and family that I decided this was worthy of a blog in and of itself. For those of you published writers, I apologize for my somewhat free-form style of writing, and understanding of English grammar - which has been slipping lately. Okay, yes I'm stalling a little.

First, I would say I have no clue, really, but since I am one that doesn't quite get me off the hook. I am sure a global liaison differs greatly by what job they are presently doing, for whom, and where they are located. All three of these play a big role in my understanding of my job. Here is the definition of liaison from http://www.dictionary.com/ : Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source
li·ai·son /ˌlieɪˈzɔ̃, ˈliəˌzɒn, -zən or, often, ˈleɪ-; liˈeɪzən, -zɒn; Fr. lyɛˈzɔ̃/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[lee-ey-zawn, lee-uh-zon, -zuhn or, often, ley-; lee-ey-zuhn, -zon; Fr. lye-zawn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -sons /-ˈzɔ̃z, -ˌzɒnz, -zənz, -zɒnz; Fr. -ˈzɔ̃/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[-zawnz, -zonz, -zuhnz, -zonz; Fr. -zawn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation.
1.
the contact or connection maintained by communications between units of the armed forces or of any other organization in order to ensure concerted action, cooperation, etc.
2.
a person who initiates and maintains such a contact or connection.

I was originally only going to use these first 2 definitions, but I think the third gets more to the point I'm making or the answer I'm clumsily eluding.

3.
an illicit sexual relationship. (Mom, sorry, but it's in the dictionary.) Here's the thing. See the grass is eternally always gruener an der anderen Seite. We, as humans, insist on seeing the other bipeds in the greatest light, and we leave ourselves in the light left over behind the steam on a mirror - trying to be clever - you know like you can barely see yourself behind the steam - okay never mind.

When you use a word like "liaison", it does envoke this kind of romantic(philosophically speaking), french film or something european. Actually, I like the word in german much better - Verbindung. This is their own word, and not a borrowed french word. For us, I think most of the readers are american, although I know there's a couple germans - please accept my apologies, using a french word is so intangible, and vague - ja? Well the same website, under encyclopedia, said, Liaison job, a job that links two or more specialties. I think this better describes what I do.

I am the communicator, binding (Verbindung) between a global computer programing team, and all of the functional leaders in a large global firm. I would say more like a consultant. These functional leaders happen to be all over europe, so I have to travel, and train them, and communicate change. I really can't go into much detail here. So, sorry, to remain vague.

No, but actually in my job the liaison is more like the "whipping boy" - lol:] No, jk, I feel very blessed to have this opportunity. Basically, God and his son Jesus are the only reason someone like me ended up here. Ein Suender und Alkoholiker. Oh yeah so the pics above. I had to sneak a camera in to take those( in the words of Jim Carrey "breaking the law"), but that's the gate I go through everyday in Ruesselsheim Germany( I know it looks like a prison), and my building (the oldest in our company), and the walkway I go across twice a day. I know it's ugly, but I guess it's not the look of the building that counts - or at least I hope so - LOL!! Sorry for the long entry. I'll leave you with a verse that stood out for me this week. Hebrews 2:1-3, or auf deutsch, Hebraeer 2,1-3:

1We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

1 [a]Deshalb müssen wir umso mehr auf das achten, was wir gehört haben. Sonst verfehlen wir noch das Ziel! 2 [b]Denn schon das Gesetz, das die Engel Mose überbrachten, war für alle verbindlich; und jeder, der diese Gebote Gottes übertrat, erhielt seine gerechte Strafe. 3 [c]Wie viel weniger werden wir der Strafe entkommen, wenn wir Gottes unvergleichliches Rettungsangebot ausschlagen! Jesus Christus selbst hat es zuerst bekannt gemacht, und es wurde uns von Zeugen bestätigt, die unseren Herrn mit eigenen Ohren gehört haben. 4 [d]Darüber hinaus hat Gott diese Botschaft beglaubigt durch Zeichen und Wunder, durch seine machtvollen Taten und durch die Gaben des Heiligen Geistes, die er nach seinem Willen austeilt.

I like it because it encourages us to remember how great the our salvation is in Jesus and not to forget how TRUE it is. We must never forget because if we forget we drift away. And in verse 3, this was the salvation that was first announced by our Lord and confirmed by those who heard him. For me, it just kind of brings together the importance of spiritual disciplines: reading the Bible (the witness from these witnesses), going to church etc. Also in the german version you see the word "Verbindung" - das die Engel Mose überbrachten, war für alle verbindlich. Well thanks for letting me ramble. God bless you all! Lob Gott! Praise God!

Dein Bruder und Sohn

Viele Segenswünsche

"Many Blessings"-
To the right is a picture of the magnolia tree right outside my terrace in Mainz that bloomed Saturday morning. This is my favorite tree, and I felt like God placed that tree there for me. God speaks to me often through signs and things I see throughout my days. It has been a beautiful weekend here in Germany. Spring really comes quite early here. The temperature is in the 40s now. I mainly rested this weekend because last week was my European whirlwind tour. Tuesday night I flew to London for a training in Luton, England (not so beautiful of a city), this was with the car company Vauxhall. Then we flew to Sweden Wednesday night and returned Friday evening about 11pm. So it was a tiring week. I did get to see a little of Trollhaetten, Sweden, though. It is a nice peaceful little town. Myself, my colleague Angela, and two of my bosses had a nice gourmet dinner at a restaurant on a river in Trollhaetten. It was delicious! It feels good to be back where I'm calling "home" away from home - Mainz. It has been sunny everyday this weekend. I'm so thankful for that. All in all a very successful week for work though. I've started using my time on the planes during take-off as a time to pray for everyone I know and love. Please send me your prayer requests. I can't tell you how close it makes me feel to all of you, when I lift you up in prayer. On one of the planes last week - I can't remember which one, they all fly together - I was praying and really felt the Lord's presence. And I noticed that the Indian lady next to me - who was sleeping and I had the sense that she had some illness - kept gravitating closer to me. It was like she felt the Lord's presence as well. At one point she actually accidentally laid on my shoulder (while I was praying) and then realized it and moved back. Being here, has really made me realize the importance of leaning into God. We have to make a conscious decision daily, at the cross-section of each decision, to choose God, and to choose life, which is Christ. In Christ is freedom! There are always many temptations to choose "bondage wrapped in freedom paper". When you're in a foreign land it's easy to forget wisdom. But the truth is, that true wisdom is the same at home and abroad. And the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God. May the Lord speak to you this week, "in mazes, and colors, and dismays and rainbows, and flight and fall, and despairs and big seas of [your] dreams" - 'Under Milkwood' Dylan Thomas.

Tschuess,
Josh

Kastelln und Gute Begleitung

This is also quite late. I went to a castle in St. Goar, which is about 1 hour north of Mainz, on the same river, the Rhein. This castle was huge! The view of the village below was breathtaking. The Dueiks are the family of one of pastors here at EnChristo, Eddy. His wife is Laura, and they have two sons, Tailor - 3 and Elliot - around 10months. I was invited by Eddy to join his family and their friend (shoot forgot her name, you see you have to write these things right away). Anyway I also invited my co-worker Angela. I'm so thankful for the Dueiks, they have been so heaven sent. Eddy's wife Laura is originally from the states, and they love Jesus so much. There son Tailor is so cute and speaks very well in both german and english. He's kinda funny too. The picture of us walking over the bridge, with me holding him; I had just asked him, after holding him for like 20 minutes, "Tailor do you want me to let you walk now?" To which he replied in an innocent and thoughtful manner, "no".

Elvis in Deutschland

Well if a picture's worth a 1000 words here's like 7000 for ya. This blog is a little late. This was during "Carnival" or Marty Graw in Mainz. It was crazy, but it didn't have the fear factor of mob scenes in the US. Everyone was having a good time, but we didn't run into any of the party poopers you usually get, and I didn't see one fight. I did the best I could to dress like Elvis, but all I had was some hair gel and my Elvis Glasses. I went around with Taejune and Angela - two korean co-workers of mine here in Germany. It's amazing the freedom God has given me from drinking. The fact that I could be there and not feel like drinking is still pretty surreal for me. I sang a couple songs in the streets of Mainz for a few interested people. I think, if I'm still here next year, I'll do it up big!! Maybe even line up a gig at pub or something. Tschau fuer nau.

In der Naehe von mir

Here's some pics from the area right around me. That's my present car (which changes every month because I'm not an Opel employee only a little ole' contractor), my landlord Joerg (he's been such a blessing, he really knows the area so well, and has helped me get settled), some churches and buildings in the AlteStadt in Mainz (old city, there beautiful but seem a little empty), and then some more pics off my balcony, and my morning commute and my own street. The one right above is exciting every morning because it's two-way and people drive right up on the sidewalk. So I don't know if I'll be riding a bike around anytime soon - lol!! I guess I need to write more because really so much has happened in the last two weeks. I joined a gym (and worked out), and a german men's group with my church - EnChristo. And that's good, but very difficult to follow. They're having debates in german on "once saved, always saved etc.". But I'm amazed at how much I do understand. It's great if you're a little familiar with the Bible you can usually follow along quite well with the conversation and I think God is working on my humility. Usually I talk too much and now I can hardly put two thoughts together. I feel like tongue-tied Moses probably felt. Also I finally went to a german AA-meeting, and the average age was 67( which I expected), and it was two dang hours long. Naw, but it felt good to go, and I got a list of all the meetings in the area, so I'll find a home group. Oh I forgot to mention, I celebrated 4 years sober yesterday - praise God!! It's so overwhelming to think where God has taken me in the last 4 years. I feel so blessed, in fact there isn't a word to describe the level of gratitude, mixed with unworthiness, Joy, Love and being so loved, Peace, strength, and overwhelmingness (there's a new one). Work has been a lot better. I think I'm over the initial hump with the job I'm doing here. Next week I fly to Sweden to give a training, and the week after it's the whirlwind tour, Tuesday night Heathrow, England, Wednesday night Sweden, and then Friday back to Germany. Oh the life of the Liaison, it sounds fun, but it's work, a cramped 6'2" body, not sleeping much, and pressure. But I'm happy we are staying over in London (actually Luton - the Flint of England) and I should be able to carve out an afternoon in Gothenberg Sweden on Friday. Well I know this is long. I miss and love you all so much! Even Ypsitucky - okay maybe just miss a little or maybe just karaoke:)

Verse of the Week: Titus 3:3 - 8 - We are heirs baby!!

Geh' Immer Mit Unserem Gott,

Josh

Endlich Mal Schreibe Ich

Hello Everyone,

I'm sorry it's taken me sooooo long to finally start blogging. I've been just trying to get my bearings here in Germany. I am in Mainz, Germany which is just west of Frankfurt am Main. Mainz is a picturesque german town on the Rhein river. I praise God everyday for this opportunity to be here. The pictures above are my view from my apartment, me eating at a restaurant, me in front of the hote in Wiesbaden(a town just east of Mainz) I stayed at, a local ice skating rink in Wiesbaden. For those of you I know, I miss you all very much and love you so much. I'm amazed at how much I miss Michigan, already. I'm kind of rambling right now because I'm ein bischen muede - I'm a little tired. Which during this transition period has been the norm. The job is difficult, but then I have to concentrate in my down time just understand people etc. But I love it here. I have a nice view, which I will try to upload.

God is sooo good though. I really believe I'm here for more than just paying of student loans and work. I found a nice church - EnChristo. It's a four square church and all in german. I really wanted to challenge myself while I'm here to learn sehr gut Deutsch. Well I will make a longer entry next week, but I just wanted to get the ball rolling, so to speak. God bless you all!

In Christ,

Josh