Šiauliai, Lithuania

Sun Dial - it works!

A view of the Hill of Crosses

I preferred looking at them in an artistic and creative way. Here are some of my favorite views.

The whole Hill

Last Thursday I went with Graeme, Zoe, Sian and Zoe's parents to Lithuania for the day. Our primary purpose was to visit the Hill of Crosses (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_of_Crosses). We also visited a pretty little town and had a great meal at a cafe along the road.

The Hill of Crosses was unsettling for me. My initial reaction when I started to walk into it was disturbing. I felt a little 'creeped out' like there was something not quite right about the place. It's supposed to be a place of hope for the people of Lithuania who have experienced, like Latvia, oppression and lack of peace for so many years. I think it's the current purpose, which seems much more like a tourist attraction that is so disturbing. You can buy crosses in the parking lot and leave them amongst the meaningful and historic crosses left by sincere people in the past. I know that sounds harsh, but Dana said it well. She said it's like people are simply saying "I was here". I didn't have a sense that people understand the real meaning of the cross. Thank God we can find hope and peace and it's not dependent on a place or an icon but on the true and living God, Jesus Christ.

(I'm having trouble uploading pictures so I'll try to post them later. )

Perspective

Today I was reading about Erin Swan's (http://www.xanga.com/anotheroutsourcedamerican) life in Sri Lanka. We had lunch together in Chicago this summer, just before she left for her year long adventure there. Some of her experience with first things reminds me of mine. But, Latvia is not Sri Lanka and she is much more courageous than I. It's such a blessing to read how God is teaching her and how open she is to be taught. I want to always be like that and maybe become a little more brave, as well!

I've been reading another inspiring book (so watch out - more quotes coming! Although, I think they are more for my benefit than expect that anyone actually reads them.) I'm reading Intimate Intercession by Tricia Rhodes(http://christianmusic.about.com/od/bookreviews/fr/intimateinterce.htm). It is such a simple yet powerful book. I always try (well, for 2 years anyway) to read a book about prayer before our Prayer Conference. I've had this one for a while, but as usual, now is the perfect time for me to read it. I have been way too introspective this summer and this is getting me away from thinking - and praying - about myself and on to praying for others in a new and amazing way. I can only read one chapter every few days because, well, that's all I can handle at one time. Perhaps the most powerful part for me is the exercise at the end of the chapter. It is very simple - a well chosen passage of scripture and then a written prayer from some other source. But, something happens to me when I read them (out loud, which is new for me.) I'm always struck by some key phrase that directs me to pray that Scripture for someone or some event happening in the world. I can't describe it adequately, but I've been led to pray specifically for the events in the Middle East (thanks, General Clifton for additional inspiration on that topic) from Daniel 9, to pray around our region for each of the leaders with some very specific themes and to pray Jesus' prayer in John 17 for the cadets. There are only 7 chapters in the book, so I should be finished soon. I'm sure I'll have more to say.

I missed writing about a milestone in my Life in Latvia. The first week of August was my second anniversary of living here and I got my 3rd residence permit. So, I'm set for another year. Getting the residence permit is such a hassle and I get very tense about it. But, the day I got it was so anticlimactic. No 'congratulations', 'we're glad you're here' or even flowers or chocolate. Simply, sit down, take a very bad picture and wait until they call your name. 'Diaz' - yes!? - 'here'. The end! Welcome to Latvia!

The Life and Death of a Computer

Yesterday my computer died, through no fault of her own. This laptop has been with me since I was the TYS in Chicago. She traveled all over the United States with me and faithfully fulfilled her responsibilities. When I moved to Latvia, because of the generousity of my home territory IT dept., she came with me. She has served me well here, even getting to travel throughout Europe. Only a motherboard problem or two has kept her from her task. (Sure, blame the parents!) But with her warranty updated, even those problems have been resolved and back to work she went. She's run hundreds of power point presentations, helped me plan lessons, kept me in communication with home and friends around the world, downloaded, edited and filed all of my pictures of my adventure in Latvia and acted as my personal movie theater. Yesterday I was moving her from one room in my flat to the next and out of my hands she went, right on to the lovely and very hard, wood floor. If she had crashed through one of the pathetic bags I've used to carry her running through airports, I would have understood. If she had dropped out of my hand while walking on the irregular, though beautiful, cobblestone streets of Riga, I would have understood. But, no - in my own house she came to her end. Just in case there is something to salvage, I'll take her to the computer shop on Monday, but I'm not holding my breath. This is not the end of my world, as you can tell I do have access to a computer at the office. Most of my work is saved to a server. Most of my files I brought from Chicago are either on disks or on the server. But, I had not yet found the best way to save my photo files. Thankfully, some photos are on my AOL Picture It files or here in my blog. The rest will be just a memory.

Sympathy will be graciously accepted! (when I get my new life without laptop configured, I'll share some pictures of a fun day I had with the Smiths and parents in Lithuania.)

THE CALL

Check this out! I’ve been listening to excellent pod casts of Rob Bell and Erwin McManus interviews from this very cool online magazine: Catalyst Monthly

Today’s Proverb:  Those who trust in their own wits are fools;...(insert long pause)
But those who walk in wisdom come through safely. (Provs. 29:26 NRSV)

Here are some of my favorite quotes from The Call (see posting below for link.)  They are a bit random out of context and only a small percentage of the lines which I highlighted as I read.  Maybe they will draw you to actually reading this book! Emphasis is mine.

Call it the greatest good, the ultimate end, the meaning of life, or whatever you choose. Negotiating the changes feels longer and worse than the changes themselves because transition challenges our sense of personal meaning.

Only when we respond to Christ and follow his call do we become our real selves and come to have personalities of our own.  Unsure of ourselves, we are sure of God.

…our jobs come to define us and give us our identities.  We become what we do. (! BUT…) Calling reverses such thinking. Instead of, “You are what you do,” calling says: “Do what you are.”  The truth is not that God is finding us a place for our gifts but that God has created us and our gifts for a place of his choosing-and we will only be ourselves when we are finally there.

…a clear sense of calling comes only through a time of searching, including trial and error…God’s complete designs for us are never fully understood, let alone fulfilled, in this life.

(The disciples) simply heard and obeyed.  The call is all. Jesus is the reason.  Disciples are not so much those who follow as those who must follow.

Our calling is the sphere of our responsibility. But we are not responsible to our calling. We are responsible to God, and our calling is where we exercise that responsibility.

Keep alive an appreciation of the corporatness of the life of faith and we remain true not only to our calling but also to the full reality of humanness.

…calling reminds us that to be a ‘follower of the way’ is to see life as a journey; which, while we are still alive on the earth, is an incomplete journey that cannot be finally assessed.  

The reverse side of calling is the temptation of conceit.   But, what we really need is a daily challenge to ourselves, a reminder as regular as looking in the mirror.  Do we feel the wonder of being called?  It is all a gift and all of grace.  

Challenged, inspired, rebuked, and encouraged by God’s call, we cannot for a moment settle down to the comfortable, the mediocre, the banal, and the boring. God has called us, and we are never more ourselves than when we are fully stretched in answering. There is no yawning in response to this call. (!)

There is no god but God and no rest for anyone who has any god but God.  God is on the move.  Faith therefore means restlessness.

If you made it all the way through, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Lovely Night

Tonight was, dare I say, a 'lovely' night. (That word always reminds me of Edith Rose) I went to observe Ilona leading a small group, one of the cadets' assignments for the summer. Dana went with me to translate. We went to Zaiga's flat. It's in a typical big apartment building, Soviet style. They remind me of the projects in Chicago. Most apartment buildings have one thing in common - the stairways and halls are dark and have not been well-cared for. But, as is often the case, when we went into Zaiga's flat, it was bright and clean and comfortable. Zaiga is one of my favorite ladies. She faithfully attends the Riga 2 corps and while we don't speak the same language we have a special relationship. We have extended conversations almost everytime I see her, with her saying almost 100% and me getting about 60% of it. She always tells me she loves me and prays for me - that's what I need! Sanita was there, too. Another wonderful member of Riga 2. And they have a fun little group, sharing, laughing and learning together. And of course, we ended with teja un kukas (tea and cakes.)

Dana (pronounced Donna ) is helping me because Solveiga is on vacation this month. Before she left, Solveiga told me she is taking another job. I'm not sure how I'll replace her as I've really grown to rely on her not just for translation but for insight. She's been with me since the beginning and understands our purpose and she understands me! (Hopefully, that's not why she's leaving...) Dana may be able to fill in some of that role. I have to trust the Lord to provide the answer for this one. I don't have any of my own great wisdom. Speaking of that, I've been reading Proverbs and here's what struck me today: By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all pleasant and precious riches. Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, you will find a future, and your hope will not be cut off. (Proverbs 24:3, 4,14) What I have learned throughout this book is that it's not my wisdom but only God's that can be trusted. I definitely need wisdom for what's ahead of me and I'm glad I don't have to rely on my own.

Last night, Zoe and I had a girls' night out - we didn't go very far but it was really good for me and I think, for her, too. We had coffee and sweets at one coffee shop, walked a while and then had tea in another! And in between, lot and lots of talking. We hadn't caught up from our vacations. and both of us have some serious things to think about. It is nice to have someone to 'process' with. By the way, we really did test mattresses last Saturday. I'm trying to live simply here but have decided I need a new bed. I've been sleeping on one that feels to me like a toddler bed. Yes, I'm spoiled by having queen sized beds most of my adult life. I won't go that far, but I am getting something bigger. And I'm buying a decent mattress. Sleep is a priority with me!

Simple Pleasures

“I adore simple pleasures. They are the last refuge of the complex.”
Oscar Wilde
(quoted in Franklin Covey February 2006)

SUMMER PLEASURES

Iced coffee with 2% not skim milk

A walk in the park with my friend, Olesja


New restaurant in Riga, Ham & Cheese, run by Gary from St. Louis

'Old Navy' t-shirts that actually fit

Lots of new DVDs from home to watch instead of Latvian TV (thanks to Winters, Steve, Chris and Blockbuster)


'The West Wing' DVDs provided by Peggy and enjoyed by Evie, Smiths and Ilsters

A Saturday drive in the country

Sian yelling “Evie” in the stairwell

Testing mattresses with Graeme and Zoe (more later)

Staying up all night to read a good summer book or two:

The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and Labyrinth by Kate Mosse


Finishing a serious book

The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life by Os Guinness

(quotes and thoughts to be posted later)

A line from a song that just hits you:

“Your love has figured me out”
Glorious King by Marty Mikles

All your anxiety, all your care,
Bring to the mercy seat, leave it there,
Never a burden he cannot bear,
Never a friend like Jesus.

Written by Edward Henry Joy (1871-1949), recorded by The Singing Company, Red Book Sessions CD