Alive Again

This week the entire Ami Ecke (American Corner) was sick! It was pathetic actually lol. But alas we are all alive again. A week of rest was good for us all, and I got some reading done! I was able to finish Max Lucado's new book Out Live Your Life- it was good! I enjoyed some chapters more than others, but over all it was a good book!

I also got a run of 20 perfect suduko's on my touch- thats an accomplishment! And finished Jodi Picoti or however you spell it, The Pact. That was alright, not one of my favorite books, I like My Sisters Keeper Better. I just started a new one today, Now And Not Yet. I am thinking about doing a study with one of the young adults here next with that one. Only on chapter 2 thus far, but seems interesting. Its about being content where we are when we aren't where we thought we would be in life. We'll see!

I finally finished my resume and cover letter- I gave it to a few people to review before I send it in next week. I'm not really sure what to do as far as address, should I put my address here or where it will be when I get back? Do I put that i'm not in the country yet or just leave that out and mention it if they inquire? What is protocol? I don't have a clue!!!!

I am planning a trip to Hamburg in a few weeks. Last year I went to Munich and loved it! I love traveling! I have booked a hostel for 2 nights in Hamburg and I will get in late afternoon on Tuesday. Then Thursday night I have a hostel booked in Lubeck which is about 45 minutes away and is supposed to be a medieval city. Ive heard lots of neat things about each city, im excited to go explore! I found really cheap tickets for 30 euro there and back, how do you pass that up?

Its exciting getting ready to go though, a lot of my readers have been so its neat asking people what to see and where to go! I'm excited!

Thats all the news I have on this end! Just meeting with readers and trying to get things lined up on this end.

In the next few weeks I will be making calls to the volunteer places I was given a few months ago at the volunteer office. Since we are going to have a lot of visitors this summer, the Sullivans thought it would be a good idea if they had some free time to do some volunteer work in town somewhere so I am going to scope out each place and see what each one is and how many people can go and help and what not! So thats what this next week will be full of, getting those appointments set up for this week and next!

P.S. I was listening to country music today and it just feels like a normal day in OK with the sun and music and what not and it made me miss my dog Lady. Lady is an old white bird dog and she loves to walk up right. When I was younger (and occasionally still...) I would put on country music and we would walk around the room. Snickers isn't quite tall enough for that.... that is all.

Thats all folks! Be good and do good!

Sarah B

This time ya'll get some of my favorite one liners from Out Live Your Life:

Poverty is not the lack of charity, but the lack of justice.
Save one life. Save the world!
God outfits his followers to cross cultures and touch hearts.
Courage comes as we live with Jesus.
I am not his body; you are not his body. We-together-are his body.
Your hospitality can be their hospital.
There is something fundamentally good about taking time to see a person. (AMEN)
First, kind eyes meet desperate ones. Next, strong hands help weak ones. Then, the miracle of God. We do our small part, he does the big part!
Scripture endorses not forced communism, but Spirit-led volunteerism among God's people.
We think we're shaking up the world when actually we're just along for the ride.
Stay strong. Call him brother.
He is still listening. Are we still praying?
That's Jesus playing that fiddle.

Busy Busy

Hey folks! Things here are going well, keeping busy! Today is my "down day" of the week so I thought I would update on here.

LST at Karen's school is going really well. I was able to spend a little more time just chatting with my readers this week which was nice! I finished my newsletter for this month I just need to proof it before i send it out! I have also been looking at jobs for when I get back to the states.

I found 2 that I will send out resumes for, we'll see what happens! I have redrafted my resume this week as well, I lost it when my computer crashed this summer and my other digital copies are in a box somewhere in Oklahoma lol. Just as easy to redraft it!

Tuesday I went and visited all of our older ladies in the church, that was fun! I didn't stay for long just dropped off some flowers and said hello!

Yesterday I spent the day with Steffi in Dresden. We had lunch together at her apartment and then walked around the Neustadt for a little bit. We went to a little english shop that Steffi had been to before and had afternoon tea! That was fun! Then back to Chemnitz for an LST appointment with Ralf which went well!

Thats been the week! Today im working on some things around here, laundry, reading ect. All is good! Tomorrow I hit the ground running again! with have English Bible Study tomorrow night and then Saturday Ladies Breakfast and then lunch and coffee with the older ladies. Sunday is Leipzig day!

Its snowing again. It snowed yesterday but it all melted (awww shucks!) however today it seems to be sticking! Luckily its not that much yet!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves! ~Thomas Edison

Folks Visit

Just a few pics from my parents visit! We had a good time! Got to see and do a lot of things! It was a fun week! That is all!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

The undertaking of a new action brings new strength. ~Evenius

Back to Life

Happy New Year everyone! Things here are going really well! We had our new years eve party at church last night and it went really well! We had around 30 people (give take a few) that came! We all had a great night! Played a lot of Uno and Nertz which always makes for a good time! We even got Valdemar, one of the older gentlemen, to play some Uno with us!

Not much new news around here. It was kind of surreal this Christmas knowing that this is my last year in Chemnitz. Part of me wants to take advantage of every opportunity but then another part is telling me to relax and just enjoy the moment and stop thinking about it. Its a tough line.

Its still snowing. It warmed up yesterday and melted a little, but don't be fooled, there are still 2-3 foot high piles everywhere. Its not bad snowing though, it snows then warms up and turns to rain then gets colder and turns back to snow. Its pretty, thats for sure!

This week Im going to take a visit to Gesila and have coffee with her. I'm also going to try and get back in contact with Ursula, the cousin of one of the guys that goes to church with dad. I called her when I got back from the states and she was sick and told me to try back next month but that was right around Thanksgiving and things have been crazy with constant guests from November until now. Things are slowing down again so hopefully I can start visiting Ursula each week too!

Last Sunday the Pietche's invited all of the singles from church over for lunch,it was nice to be able to spend time with everyone. We all played and talked for a little bit, then everyone left and it was Karen, Sven, myself and the Pietches. It was great to be able to just spend time and relax and have fun.

Monday is movie night, we are watching the Guardian this month. I need to watch it and get my questions, maybe this afternoon or tomorrow afternoon. Last time I had way to many questions, going for 4 this time!

Wednesday we are meeting Stephan and Cindy, they invited us out for Greek so we will go have supper with them. This is Cindy's last week off (she just joined the military and finished her basic training) so she will head back on Sunday night. Not sure what is next for her!

Whoa that was a long post, sorry about that! Anyways, happy new year everyone!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

We all have the extraordinary coded within us, waiting to be released. ~Jean Houston

Leipzig Coffee

Coffee time is serious business in Germany. You don't mess with people's coffee time! Advent Sundays are even more special than regular coffee times, you invite over friends or family and spend time with them, generally on the Advent (4 sundays leading up to Christmas) Sundays.

Yesterday Leipzig hosted their Christmas Coffee. Unfortunately, Pam was sick and was not able to attend, but the Abercrombies, Larry and I were there. We had a great turn out, at least in my opinion, with around 13 people I think! An old contact from the missionaries who used to be in Leipzig came, a few current contacts came, a girl that came during LST this summer and a german who married an american that was in the area for Christmas came with her son! It was great!

I was thinking on the train ride back last night how neat it really is to see the transition going on with the churches here! Chemnitz is such a thriving church that is constantly growing and I would consider it to be a shining star in European churches. Chemnitz is in the process of being a complete church plant success! All of the leadership is now native, there are still Americans here, but not in major positions! In the next year it will be even more with Chemnitz able to stand with out any American missionary help!

At the same time, Leipzig is just beginning! Its neat to see believers coming together each week and others who are visiting to see what it is all about! Its such a blessing to be able to witness both churches taking off in their own ways!

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Be good and do good!

Sarah B

Dum spiro, spero. ~Latin Proverb

Christmas Party

Less than a week and my parents get here!!!!

Things are starting to slow down a bit now, The Everhearts should be on a plane back to the states as we speak, all of Pam's family is home now. Roy's folks are still here til Tuesday.

Tonight I am hosting our Christmas party. We baked cookies last year and it was a blast! This year, we are starting earlier and baking cookies for those who are in the baking mood, but then we are playing dirty santa and watching a christmas movie of some sort.

Snow is still falling, daily. It warms up enough to start melting and then freezes in the afternoon and evenings and becomes ice and snow!

Thats really all the news here!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

Those who don't know how to weep with their whole heart, don't know how to laugh either. ~Golda Meir

This Has Got To Be A Good Life

Things have been a whirlwind around here lately! Since I got back from furlough we worked hard to get the sullivans house finished for thanksgiving and all the guests. Thanksgiving has passed and we are halfway through the guests thus far.

The first advent Sunday we had a group over, Marion, one of the young adults at church wanted a coworker over to meet some of the folks from church. It went really well. Last week the snow hit and we got crazy amounts of snow! Last Friday I went to a christmas market in Schneberg with the Everhearts and Karen. That was a blast! Then Friday night we had a great turn out at EBS. Greta, one of the members of the LST team that came the year before I came came through for a weekend visit in Chemnitz.

This week things have slowed down a bit. Next week my parents come in on Thursday! I'm excited!!!

Oh, this weekend I also watched some of the kids from church! We went sledding Saturday with Roy and his folks, that was also my first time to go sledding! It was a bit terrifying, but also fun I do have to admit!

I think thats all the news updates I have for now. Things are going well, Christmas is rapidly approaching!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B


If you can't do what you want to, do what you can! ~Lois McMaster Bujold

Thanksgiving Blessings

With the thanksgiving holiday here I was thinking about some of my favorite holiday memories. Of course the typical sense rushed to mind: everyone gathered around the table, chatting in the kitchen, playing with the kids outside in the leaves. Those of course always top the list.

My junior year we were planning our friend thanksgiving before we left. It was set up for Monday. Friday I got a call saying that my uncle charlie had been in a really bad accident. He was on his way to a recording (he is a children's minister who travels and does kids rallies google him! Uncle Charlie is his stage name too!). I spent the rest of the time at the OU Medical hospital (the accident was south of ardmore and they flew him to OU for the surgeries). Anyways, Monday rolled around and I went to classes and was up at the hospital when I wasn't in class. Monday night while I was sitting in the ICU room with uncle charlie my mom and my uncles best friend Montie, my phone started to buzz. I looked down and it was my roommate. I went out in the hall to answer and she said they were in the waiting room. I went out to see her and when I walked in there was the entire group of my friends, everyone who was supposed to be at thanksgiving there in the ICU waiting room with all kinds of food. I was nearly in tears. They pushed tables together and not only shared their thanksgiving meal with my family, but also with all the other families there in the ICU.

That is an extreme act of generosity and Christian love. That helped me see what a blessing those around me can be. What a blessing friends and family can be.

Give someone a hug today, or even just a high-five, and tell them you appreciate them being in your life. Trust me, they will appreciate that you did it.

Christmas Markets open tomorrow, look for pictures soon!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. ~Epicurus

Prayer and Repentance Day

Wednesday was Prayer and Repentance day here in Saxony, I believe that is one of the holidays that Saxony recognizes and no one else does. That happens a lot. Anyways, it means everyone had the day off wednesday because it was a holiday. Last week was Linda's 30th birthday so to celebrate, she invited everyone out to a nice restaurant for brunch. Brunch in germany means both breakfast and lunch, 2 separate meals at the same time. Just to clarify. Anyways there was a large group of us, 15 maybe.

I had a wonderful time and got to chat with folks which of course was nice! That afternoon I came home and made my first homemade bread! I had the free time and figured why not! They came out delicious in case you were wondering!

Everyone is working hard to get the Sullivans apartment back in functioning condition. Pam's family comes in on Tuesday and Larry and the rest of the guys come back from Bulgaria on Monday night. Everything is almost done, its just a lot of last minute things. Lots of cleaning and getting things back where they are supposed to go!

Today I have Ursula in a little over an hour, and then Isabell this afternoon for coffee. Tonight is English Bible Study and then we are going out to a restaurant around the corner with a group from EBS for supper and to hang out. Tomorrow is low key, nothing really planned other than working around the house(s). Sunday we are meeting with Cindy and Stephan for coffee at the train station again so it will be nice to see them!

Thats all from my side of the world! Have a wonderful weekend! Be good and do good!

Sarah B

For he who sees a need but waits to be asked is already set on a cruel refusal. ~Dante Alighieri

Pictures

Just some photos of the retreat!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out of it alive. ~Elbert Hubbard