taryn's in germany!

more pics

2009-09-08T01:19:00.002+01:00

you can go to my flickr account for more pics of the trip. see over there on the right part of the screen? click there.

it's official.

2009-09-02T22:29:00.004+01:00

my jeans don't fit. it's time to come home to america...

my flight leaves at 11am germany time tomorrow. i have said my goodbyes and now i will pack and pray i wake up to my 4:15 alarm and that i make all of my trains and connections and all that jazz. i am refreshed and renewed and have remembered how god has made me unique and how he talks to me uniquely. he gives GOOD gifts and he likes to spoil me. i have been loved on and encouraged and challenged over and over here. i can't believe it's over.
how will this trip flesh out back home? how will this redemption story unfold in kc? how can i get others to pray with me about what god has stirred in my gut? i am reminded that it's time to lay down some things and pick up others. i look toward what is next and banding together with others to draw out his Holy Spirit in me/us. he is good. i want to trust him.

see ya'll real soon!

this was the sidewalk chalk welcoming i received from my creative and thoughtful roomie, beth.

hmmmm

2009-09-02T22:27:00.004+01:00

god talks to me all the time every day. i just need to continue to fine-tune my hearing so i know when to act.

he has a redemption plan for my life. he can turn all the crazy stuff into good beautiful gifts.

he believes in community and the body of christ needing each other deeply; not consumeristic churches and friends.

it's not about me. so i can stop worrying and trying and figuring it all out. he's done pretty well so far.

i am hungry for more. and more. and more.

fun fun fun

2009-09-02T08:45:00.002+01:00

the thorogoods

hendersons + michael

the adams

the millars

stitches out.

2009-09-02T08:41:00.003+01:00

the best part of the removal was the fake fainting to psych michael and matt out.

kudos to meghan's mad acting skills.

and the pain level is going down. the limp noodle handshake is still in effect, but i at least have two working hands for everyday use.

did i seriously live here?

2009-09-02T00:58:00.000+01:00

starnberg. it's fabulously beautiful and theraputic and wonderful and i love it.

the mystery that is trash day

2009-09-02T00:00:00.000+01:00

here's the deal; you have to be a regular sleuth to know when and what trash to put out in order to move it from your apartment to the highly sought-after dump/recycling center. i've heard that the #1 crime people are fined for in germany is illegal trash dumping, starting at rates of 10,000 euros. for fun we have to scout for dumpsters or trash cans to drop off our various plastics, paper, or regular trash a.k.a. restmull under the cover of darkness. this is serious, people.
see if you can make heads or tails of this intricate pickup schedule:

or you notice that others have yellow bags sitting out, which you determine to mean that plastic trash must certainly come that day or the following, so you rush back home to gather all of yours together and get it to the curb ASAP. and naturally, you hope and pray that you didn't in fact wrongly deduce what was happening in this mysterious guessing game and find yourself fined or being yelled at by your german landlord for being an idiot or that you're above the law. as if...?

starnberg lake

2009-09-01T01:14:00.001+01:00

my friend, little miss adams

baby buns, which are only G rated. count yourself lucky- this is germany, afterall...

how to eat your face off in munich:

2009-08-28T13:48:00.009+01:00

-doner (similar to a gyro only WAY better) done 28.8
-marzipan chocolate (bought it to eat on the train/plane/automobile)
-brats done
-lots and lots o pastries yup. oh man...
-maultaschen
-spaetzle today - the 2nd. perhaps the best EVER.
-dampfnudle today - for sure the best ever.
-hot spiced nuts done 28.8
-turkish basil creme spread done 28.8
-all i can eat sushi
-fresh handmade noodles check.
-this little thai joint around the corner from my old place (closed for remodeling)
-and if it was spargel (refer to an earlier post) season i would be ill from way way way too much white asparagus. that i guarantee.
-schnitzel with johannisbeer and fries today again - delightful.
-gelatto done and done 25.8, 28.8

-rahmspeck(?) miracle of all miracles YES! today. (didn't think that one would happen)

-and lambrusco at the lake - there are some good stories with that one... (they don't sell it there anymore)

-bier uh-huh. nummy.

emotional memory

2009-08-28T13:13:00.004+01:00

they say scent is the sense most closely related to memory. more powerful than sight or sound. crazy-huh? you know how grandma's house smells or your favorite meal or your mom or boyfriend or different countries? yeah, different countries smell well... different. i love how hawaii smells like magnolia and plumeria and colorado smells like fresh crisp air, and when i think of mexico i think of laundry detergent (don't ask), germany smells like this one specific tree that i think is in the beer gardens. when i smell it, germany jumps out at me-pop.
when i lived here, my mom and tom and the grandparents visited one september. i came back from work and i opened the door of my apartment to a wall of the most mouth-watering meatloaf smell. it encompassed me and i nearly fell over. home.
there needs to be a way to capture these smells and keep them in a jar for necessary moments. when you need a little mom tlc you just crack open the meatloaf jar; when it's dark and depressing, you need your favorite beach in hawaii - you know? i know they have apple pie candles, but i'm talking personal real life smells. until then, i'll just go around like a looney-tune deeply sniffing everything to take it all in, every morsel. the pictures are of my fav florist at the viktualienmarkt (city market). it smells heavenly.

oh yeah, that reminds me of the shack once again. (which i finished and definitely recommend. and we're 4 for 4 of houses i've stayed in with this very book. quite the phenomenon.) they refer to seeing things as god/jesus/holy spirit see them in full color and then they bring up a good point - imagine if you could also feel, hear, and smell heaven. i like to think about that. that's a new one for me. i like that god's world is living and 3D and there are many ways to experience it. what would that smell like for you all?

without a hitch

2009-08-28T11:26:00.005+01:00

can i just say how impressed and thankful i am that this whole trip has gone off so easily? i've never been so free and mobile all on my own and it's therapy at it's finest. since i've lived here there is no pressure to do all these things that i normally would try to squeeze in (addictionary.com refers to this as sightsee sick, of which i can be known to fall prey to). i don't care if i'm wasting an entire day of prague to just sit with barb in the apartment and watch movies or blog. it's so restful. maybe i'll learn the art of sitting and just being. can i bring this euro-rest back home with me? i remember this feeling of just walking around munich when i lived here or going to a cafe all by myself and loving it. i would lay by starnberg lake for hours - reading or preparing for a yl thing or writing thank you letters, or not. it's so different here. it's not so fast paced and it's good. there's more relationship time. like college. remember that? when you would just hang out and not have anywhere else or four other parties you were supposed to go to? when you would slumber party and wake up whenever you felt like it and then grab some breakfast? that's what i'm talking about. that's how i am meant to live. also, i remembered that i am not a morning person so much. i love the nightlife baby.
this is a nice reminder of some things god brought about in me while i lived here.

ssshhhh! don't tell anyone but a nice ego boost is that everyone is unashamedly trying to recruit me to move back. i will admit that part of me comes alive over here. but that's all just for the prayer request list for now. who knows what god will do. for now, he's redeeming me and possibly helping me to forgive myself for beating myself up so bad while i lived here. bring it.

my picnic in munich one fine evening

2009-08-28T00:51:00.001+01:00

just a few thing i picked up from the market for dinner - bread, salami, turkish basil creme, figs, and spiced nuts

the shack

2009-08-27T13:58:00.003+01:00

has anyone read it?

beautiful timing for this trip. it's all about redemption. one of my personal favorite verbs.

god is here today. i need to stop looking for him in the past or figuring out the future. he's here and i am leaning into that today. here. redeeming me and both my time here and using it for His purpose.

i also really like how books coincide with my life or my trips or even crazy specifics going on while i am reading. while on this trip, several of the houses i have stayed at have this very book in it. i hadn't heard of it before and now i'm surrounded by it. huh...

the trifecta

2009-08-27T13:54:00.002+01:00

salty cured meats

really fresh creamy cheese

killer bread

now you know why i heart european food

all my innermost secrets are laid bare before you

baby powder.

2009-08-27T13:52:00.003+01:00

a traveler's best friend. it covers a multitude of sins.

and i will sing its praises evermore

hang on

2009-08-27T00:24:00.000+01:00

how crazy fast and steep and long are thy escalators, o prague.

street performers

2009-08-26T11:43:00.001+01:00

i may have written about this when i lived here, but i'll say it again - they make a city come alive.
who doesn't like live music outdoors? what a superb way to spend a day. barb and i sat by the st. charles bridge at a beer garden listening to this guy and when we emerged, it felt like the world had gone on around us and we were suspended in time. i love the power that music has. it is entrancing and other. i just don't get people who aren't moved by this.

p.s. if you noticed her water bottle tucked into her "cumberbun" then i like you.

which leads me to prague

2009-08-26T11:10:00.004+01:00

everytime i told someone where i was going they ooohhhed and aaahhhhed over prague. it never failed. apparently everyone loves it. i am biased. i love my friend barb who lives there, so it's a no-brainer for me. her home is this magical land of art, literature, food, and culture and i am sucked in. we stay up late, we sleep in, we play trivia at the czechinn hostel, we cook, we watch movies, we thoroughly enjoy each other. it's genius. seriously, tell me these pictures don't look inviting and ready to host people at any given moment...

here's why i love barb:(origami in bed)

so, i decided to stay two days longer than "planned"
barb - you rule

stag party

2009-08-25T00:49:00.000+01:00

these are my new british boyfriends. aren't they dreamy? i caught them mid-stag party all gussied up.

emo euro taryn

2009-08-24T00:48:00.000+01:00

a proper stone

2009-08-23T14:14:00.002+01:00

i'll probably gain a proper stone (~10 lbs.) on this trip. and that's okay by me.

so there's this dessert (aka pudding - i just rolled my eyes) called eve's pudding. good lord, people. i will be making this delight.

hurts so good. if loving this dessert is wrong, i don't wanna be right.

pudding = dessert

2009-08-23T13:20:00.003+01:00

and you don't use prepositions. it's not "our honeymoon" or "in the hospital", but "on honeymoon" and "in hospital".
graham is two syllables
your statements are followed by a two word sentence to summarize your point.

example: he's fine; that one.
or refer back to our customs officer. he's a smug one, isn't he?

you're meant to do something, not supposed to
the real deal = proper. as in "she had a proper mullet."
it's never awesome, it's always brilliant.
you don't go to college, you are in uni.
you're not really _____, you're dead ______. ex: you're dead pretty. (i like that one)

for further research on this topic, read here.

the browns

2009-08-23T13:05:00.002+01:00

phil + liz = love. and my they are wonderful. their house was a refuge to me for the next 4(?) days. it was exactly what the dr. ordered. i needed to just lay low for a while. for any of you that know me well, i am a verbal processor. i need people to talk to in order to know what i am thinking and feeling. so there's a lot of verbal vomit that happens when i get together with people. and it's good. and it makes me feel normal. it's a lot to revisit living in germany and all of those emotions, so i was plumb tuckered out.

i love houses that are a home. liz and phil have one of those in this little flat in hillingdon, uk. people are in and out of that little home constantly. it is so warm and cozy, so i just decided to stay longer. it's great to not really have anywhere to have to be, or any particular time to be up, so i just hung out. i talked and laughed and showered (or didn't), and watched movies, and slept, and really didn't leave the flat much. yay! easy, no pressure friendships. i even felt more at home there than i sometimes do in kc. that's strange.

and then, there's their church. i haven't been to church in months. i went on sunday with the browns and it was good. the church community is welcoming and intimate and real. people were singing and praising and crying and hugging. i couldn't pretend to be "good". it was humbling. and god penetrated my facade. i need people, i need them to ask me how i am. i need them to just sit with. i like to be known. this church made me feel that as a visitor. god bless it. i love the body of christ. god's smart.

give a shout out

2009-08-22T10:11:00.002+01:00

to all the jane austen fans out there in the world. liz took me to winchester cathedral for the day. can i say again how very lovely the weather has been in england - day after day of sun and 70-ish degree weather.

i'll leave you with a few fitting quotes from the late ms. austen:

They are much to be pitied who have not been given a taste for nature early in life.

Nobody minds having what is too good for them.

Oh! do not attack me with your watch. A watch is always too fast or too slow. I cannot be dictated to by a watch.

One does not love a place the less for having suffered in it, unless it has been all suffering, nothing but suffering.

food eaten: one large, dense, traditional pasty. i gotta say, though, it was not my fav. they have a whole repertoire of pasties though. of particular interest to me was the spicy chickpea and potato; or curried parsnip; or west country pork, apple, and cornish cider. funny how we turn a workingman's sandwich into a more proper fandangled masterpiece. really, it's just a pasty.

a schoolchild playground rhyme from the 1940's:

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,

ate a pasty five feet long,

Ate it once, ate it twice,

Oh my Lord, it's full of mice

dream come true

2009-08-22T03:16:00.002+01:00

i bet you were hoping and praying that you could eat meat flavored potato chips. now you now longer have to wait until "one day..."
the wait is over:

plus, i've also seen prawn and roasted chicken flavors if that's more down your alley!

zsa zsa

2009-08-21T12:53:00.000+01:00

fancy name for a fancy girl. she's my friend from yl staff as well. she showed us around her town of devon that she had been waxing poetic over ever since i first met her. i just had to see it for myself.

and she was right. it's a little tourist destination, given the name "heaven's waiting room" for all of the elderly residents. we did our best to avoid the masses by taking a teeny tiny road up to a little outdoor cafe and had yummy tomato (long a sound there - remember we're in england) soup with wholemeal and granary breads - those europeans know their bread.

did we stop there? no. it was then time for dessert. so back down the teensy weensy road with the teensy weensy cars to another cafe with a stunning view of the red cliffs. there i continued to eat my way through europe with a huge slice of lemon cake and coffee. it was hard to decide between the scones with clotted cream (which were the best i have ever had - my friends had some and gave me a bite or two), the ginger orange cake, the apple cake, or the cheesecake. i was pleased with my choice and then i felt entirely too full and quite happy.

customs

2009-08-21T00:29:00.001+01:00

so um, customs in england - not to be taken lightly my friends. it's happened before and i remembered that as i was walking up to the counter, in other words, too late. when entering england you're gonna need some things 1. a name and address of where you're staying and 2. an exit date. without these, you can't enter. period. of which, i had neither. oopsie.

so after haggling with a very smug young customs officer (and i use haggling very loosely. really, i just smiled and answered his questions as politely as i could). which brings me to my next lesson learned: YOU CAN'T OUT-WIT A BRIT. don't even try it. especially if they are annoyed with all things american and you, an american, want to get into their country. i don't know if it's the accent or the patronizing questions, "you could call them now, couldn't you?" or "the blank is there for you to fill out, now isn't it?" or "if you're visiting a country, you should know the rules, shouldn't you?", or what but i don't recommend trying to enter without these crucial items.

btw - i did make it through after he called my friend and ripped her a new one.

england - here i come!

oh yeah, stonehenge...

2009-08-20T10:05:00.002+01:00

...the biggest henge of them all...

kinda fun that we just happened to drive by this mysterious ancient attraction, because everyone always told me it's so far out of the way and for what? so, there you go. stonehenge was right off the highway. it's so weird how that happens. like michaelangelo's david being in some alley in italy. just there. by itself. no big whoop.

sara and steven

2009-08-19T00:19:00.001+01:00

newlyweds. i am staying with three different newlyweds while in london. sara and steven are the first of them. i worked with sara while on yl staff and she remains on staff still with a new british hubby. it's so wonderful to see people's worlds and their people. steven is perfect for sara and it's so fun to watch and get to now be steven's friend as well. i like that.

sara and i hung out that night, made a yummy stir fry and i was a big girl and stayed up until 10:30. seriously, who am i? jet lag - please...

the next morning, we... scratch that, i mean the next afternoon. that's right, i slept for a solid 12 hours. it was awesome. so the next afternoon, we headed off to cambridge. (did i mention british boys are cute? well, they are.) in cambridge we punted. which is to say, a british university fella steered us around in a boat thingy whilst we lounged with some proper british ladies. (i LOVE people watching/eavesdropping). hilarious. they referred to oxford as "that other place".

there was more strolling, more sitting by the river and talking, and fish and chips enjoyed that day with my friend sara. lovely. and thank you.

a "common schoolboy error"

day 1 - frankfurt

2009-08-18T23:51:00.001+01:00

i had to kill a day in frankfurt before flying to london. why? you ask. well, i got a stinkin good deal, that's why. so me in my jetlagged state had to walk around frankfurt for 9 hours alone with bags in hand. not so bad, actually. i was impressed with myself to be honest. i am a big girl now and i like coffee, so i think that helped. i never sat down too long - also helpful. and it was a gorgeous day. i bought a day ticket for the train and upon closer inspection noticed that i couldn't find frankfurt hahn airport on it. hmm, curious. so i got in line at the info desk along with 30 other stinky foreigners to ask how i can get to this airport to fly to london (note that it's a different one than i flew into, which was frankfurt main airport). oh, she says, frankfurt hahn is an hour and a half away by bus and that's 12 euros. lesson 1: FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING BEFORE YOU DO IT. oh, so i just wasted 9 euros on a train ticket. excellent. i don't need that one. so i just chalked it up to "that's what happens when traveling". "don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it" my brain is telling me. so what do i do? just walk around. it's seriously unbelieveably remarkable weather and i'm in germany. and guess what? i remember my german!

there was a german mom sitting next to me on the plane over with her cute (and well-behaved) 1 year old girl and she spoke baby german the whole time to her. "auto, ja. da ist ein auto. gut" etc. etc. etc. while it sounds annoying, she was lovely and i believe she was my german language angel. it all came back in a flood. "oh yeah, 'du bist muede', i remember that." and, "moechten sie etwas mehr?" i got it, on and on and on. yay! so german it is (at least for today). i walked out of the train terminal and promptly purchased a nutella and pear crepe. god bless it. i was made for this.

i just meandered through the square and along the main river, sitting once (but not too long) for a capuccino, another time in the grass in the sun (had to get up and keep moving lest i fell asleep), and walked -in germany. there were german people leisurely strolling along the river, german bikers with their short shorts on, german scents filling the air, german, german, german. love it!

then on to frankfurt hahn airport, which i mentioned was an hour and a half away. sweet.

so, in review:

LESSON 1: FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING BEFORE YOU DO IT

LESSON 2: FRANKFURT HAHN AIRPORT IS NOT IN FRANKFURT. it's like telling someone to fly into kansas city's other airport in manhattan, ks.

money wasted: 9 euros.

food eaten: crepe, capuccino, schinken kaese bagel, apple, croissant with jam.

good day. guten tag.

german mannequins

2009-08-18T03:28:00.000+01:00

the happy hands club

domo arigato, mr. roboto

something stinks

2009-08-17T23:36:00.002+01:00

just yesterday i was getting ready and i smelled something ... off... i had just showered and i couldn't quite place it, although i have been traveling... and then it occurred to me that it could very well be my stitches or the bandaid. yes, friends, i am a genius and decided to stick my hand into an open can and slice the very skin that 12 years previous i got stitched up for doing THE EXACT SAME THING. this time, four things were different - 1. it was on work time, so i don't have to pay - bonus for workman's comp. (other than the sketchy guy in the waiting room yelling "i have to pee in a cup! pee - you know, in a cup" over over again on the phone at the place) 2. i sliced it good and proper and now have nerve damage in my finger so that when i shake hands i am the one giving the lame dead fish handshake and wincing when others go in for the kill. 3. there's no cute boy to hold my hand and dote on me. and 4. i wasn't going to europe for 3 weeks immediately following the accident - bad, bad, bad timing.

yup - surprise! i'm in europe again. this time it's only for a trip. seeing friends and places i have missed for two whole years now. and i'm gonna invite you to join me and my day to day experiences here. the plan is london, prague, then munich. the sad part is that i didn't bring my camera cord to show pics, that will just have to come later.

can i give a shout out to my lovely friend, nicole, who packed me and my bags up right? if anyone has seen the movie french kiss and noticed that meg ryan has on the same outfit every day, just mixed and matched, that is what i am talking about. she's a genius, people. i, taryn dawn glidewell, despise packing and nicole did me up right. minimal clothing and maximum style. score.

hello yummy food, way too much time with great friends, lots and lots of walking around really old buildings and streets, sitting in cafes and chatting, and people watching. goodbye personal space, work, and the same ol' same ol'.

oh, and the stitches will be coming out in munich...

can't get enough of me - can ya?

2007-11-30T21:12:00.000Z

so i am wondering just exactly what the response might be if i should decide to continue with my blog in kc. any takers?

by the way...

2007-10-10T18:38:00.001+01:00

i wanted to let everyone know that i have moved back to kansas city, mo as of july. so if you are in the neighborhood, give me a ring... thank you so much for stopping by my site to keep up with all of my overseas adventures!

crockett and tubbs

2007-05-31T13:12:00.000+01:00

if you knew german, you would know that this is pronounced "miami vice", but it means miami white. it's an advertisement for kitchen supplies with a mediterranean look. the little nuances.

oh, those silly germans...

tis the season

2007-05-31T13:06:00.000+01:00

SPARGEL!!! every spring these stands can be seen at least every mile on every road. you wouldn't want to be caught offguard without fresh white asparagus. when i say germans like asparagus, i mean they LOVE it. they celebrate it. they have entire menus dedicated to the stuff. you want soup? we have spargel soup. you want salad, spargel salad. entree - yup. i haven't yet seen a spargel dessert, but i wouldn't put it past them.

p.s. it's delicious! but you have to say it in a loud voice, as all of the signs have at least one, if not three exclamations pointing you in the direction of the stand. my favorite is the spargel cartoon people they use to advertise or the spargel shaped stands.

a little courtesy, please...

2007-05-31T12:59:00.001+01:00

so, you know that unspoken rule in the states that all radio dj's adhere to? the one where no one speaks over words in songs? well, apparently that doesn't exist here. they will start a song in the middle of their conversation, which often sounds like the peanuts teacher, and you get all excited, even sing a few of the first lines in anticipation. and then... they are still talking... grr. or on that same note, they will seriously just cut the song off, right in the middle of it. leaving out entire verses... what kind of closure is that? come on, people...

not just for kids anymore

2007-05-31T12:42:00.000+01:00

this tasty little delight is 100% normal. average adults can be seen enjoying this in public. no shame. and no, it's not spaghetti, it's ice cream. what we as americans would only eat at our kids' birthday parties, is just another dessert here in germany. after years of making fun of it, i decided to concede and try it. can i just say - yum.

there's something to be said for being 10 again...

in prague

2007-03-07T20:58:00.000Z

a perk of the job: living so very close to other rad countries. i was able to take one of my high school girls on an overnight to prague just to hang out more with her. simply marvelous to be able to stay at a good friend's home (Barb who is on YL staff), see the local sites, get quality + quantity time with a great kid, and see prague. it's a win win win win win. in kansas city, that would be like hopping over to springfield for a night - no brainer!

here is a really cool church with four distinctly different architectural buildings surrounding it. i don't remember them all, but apparantly prague is known for the variety of architecture and how nothing was destroyed by the war. also, prague has a massive amount of jewish memorabilia that hitler sent there to make a museum to the "lost race". so there is plenty of jewish history there if you're in the neighborhood... not to mention we are standing right on the prime meridian.

barb and alina.... awww...

the dancing building. the straight one is supposed to be fred astaire and the bent one is ginger roberts dancing together with him. pretty righteous.

fat tuesday; a la germany

2007-03-07T15:36:00.000Z

notice how many heads you see in the background. outta control i tell you...

so on tuesday, feb 20 we celebrated fasching along with the rest of the world. a day to party it up pre-lent. call it what you like, mardi gras, fasching, carnival; regardless it was f-u-n. i went with my german language class.

and here's some of the colorful aftermath... confetti!

my amicus girls

2007-03-07T15:20:00.000Z

since i have been here, i have seen 4 of my amicus girls: noemie, bernadette, magda, and johanna (sorry jo, i couldn't find a pic... send me one!) what a fantastic blessing to see these girls who inspire me. this was one of the reasons i wanted to be here - to see amicus girls and remind them of god's amazing love for them. i am so thankful.

i done went skiin'...

2007-02-27T15:35:00.000Z

so, last saturday i went skiing for FREE with the school as a chaperone. a miracle because i haven't been for 7-9 years. i only bit it twice, unfortunately for me, one of those i think i broke my dang thumb... but i am just ignoring it for now... sound advice- right? also a miracle because we haven't had snow here really at all this year. which is drastically different from last year when i arrived to 4 feet of snow that did not melt until late april. so, here i am with my friend, colleen, in the austrian alps enjoying god's beautiful creation. jealous?

dumb tree takers...

2007-02-08T17:40:00.000Z

so i was put off when they cut down the cute shade and privacy tree by my balcony and now i have to stare at a lame half tree/the street, but i am completely thrown off by the total deforestation going on behind my house. see pics below (p.s. this is the last time i saw some of these beauties, may they rest in peace):

i loved the view out the back of my house, wonderful big trees blocking the wall for the autobahn (yes, directly behind me), when one day they cleared out the crap. okay, fine. clear it away. but no, the next day and the next and the next they took out 90% of the trees covering this wall, so now what do i see out the window? stupid white-ish nothing. why? i thought germans embraced nature and all that comes with that . this does not fit in my "this makes sense in germany, this is what they do" box. they still have their diggers and special deforestation machines out there, maybe i should hijack them or yank a cord or write a really really mean note or something. seriously folks, why?

deutsches bundesliga

2007-02-08T17:23:00.000Z

i am not sure if you are aware of this or not, but to germans futball is not just a sport, it is a religion, it is life. so, here we are in front of their temple, the alliance arena, colored red for the FC bayern muenchen team's game that night. this was just an ordinary game, tuesday night, and the place is packed out. even in the frigid outdoor seats, the steam from the screaming fans and the gluewein heated us from head to toe. we were enraptured by the chanting, expecially when they replaced the words of "oh, susanna, don't you cry for me", to "fc bayern, blah blah blah blah blah blah." (it was all german, what do you expect?) how can you live in germany and not go see a futball game? the whopping score of 0-0 was the straw that broke the camel's back, however, and our coach was promptly fired. these germans won't stand for scores like to this to keep happening, so ex-nay on the oach-cay... you live you learn or so they say...

advent; prepare ye the way!

2006-12-17T22:18:00.000Z

God's love overwhelms us and breaks into our lives leaving our human good will behind. it was never Christ's purpose to bring about self-improvement. he became poor not to offer us a moral toning up, however good this may be. the Word became flesh so that the same amazing life that broke into the world when Jesus Christ was born actually becomes realized in our own lives here and now.

-philip britts

from a book i have been looking forward to reading for a year now: watch for the light, readings for advent and christmas. i am trying to prepare the way for Christ in my own heart to take up residence. i started celebrating the liturgical calendar sometime in university, and i really appreciate how it sets my focus and prayer life to be more in tune with the ebb and flow of the seasons and holidays. i am quieted and ready for these times to meet the risen Christ.

first ever yl european women's conference

2006-12-17T20:58:00.000Z

these are the 4 other women i work alongside here in munich; kristy, donna, tara, and meghan.

card playing ensued every evening until the wee hours of the morn. these are some of my cute friends; barb in prague, kathy in paris, and zsa zsa in london.

dinner out with all 35 ladies. christmas pudding wasn't all i had hoped it would be, but you have to try it just once!

hallelujah! that's all i have to say. these women are amazing! for real. wow, they are following jesus and taking him at his word that he is faithful. what a healing moment when we can all be real and wounded at the feet of the cross, and when jesus tells us he loves his little girls so tenderly and completely. words can never express what sweetness these ladies hold for me.

jesus, you are praying for me

day and night you are interceding

jesus, you are praying for me

day and night you are speaking words of life

my priest

you know how i get weak

all of my wanderings

and the places i hide when i just can't find

my faith

and you say

father, pour out your grace

this one is seeking your face

you know why i died

father, you love this child

look at my hands and feet

grant mercy

-laura woodley

god bless krispy kreme!

2006-12-17T20:54:00.000Z

so we found krispy kreme here in london... we all made ourselves sick on the gooey glazed deliciousness. look at our sugar induced delerium taking hold! glorious... we couldn't hide the fact that we were loud american dorks very long in the face of these delectible treats.

intern training in london nov. 27-dec. 3

2006-12-17T20:45:00.000Z

these are some of the other interns from around europe. we get together four times a year to learn more about how to do young life and learn from each other. these are blessed times to walk alongside others who know what it is like to do ministry in another culture with various obstacles and amazing people. they are really pioneering young life in new territories. i am so humbled to be a part of this team of folks. every time i walk away from our training times more in love with jesus and young life. wow! beautiful!

we were able to walk around downtown london on the last night after training. it was all decorated for christmas and so cute. here is the london bridge for your viewing pleasure.

thanksgiving goodies

2006-12-17T20:39:00.000Z

i cooked my first official thanksgiving meal (or parts thereof). my friend, karen, and i cooked for about 5 or 6 hours making a turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, mac & cheese, and more. then we took them over to my boss' house for a young life thanksgiving meal with volunteers, staff, and family.
what a beautiful smell. and what a blessing to have family here to be a part of the body of christ.

advent poem

2006-12-17T20:29:00.000Z

no one can celebrate

a genuine christmas

with being truly poor.

the self-sufficient, the proud,

those who, because they have

everything, look down on others,

those who have no need

even of God - for them there

will be no christmas.

only the poor, the hungry,

those who need someone

to come on their behalf,

will have that someone.

that someone is God.

Emmanuel. God-with-us.

without poverty of spirit

there can be no abundance of God.

-oscar romero

christmas is here!

2006-12-17T20:18:00.000Z

i am still recovering from the fact that it snowed in kc before we got anything here, but nonetheless, christmas is in full germanic swing here. christkindkmarkts, gluewein (mulled spiced hot wine), roasted chestnuts, and carolers are abundant. the other day in the coffeshop, i was surprised to realize that the reason i was so elated was the american christmas music on the radio. aparantly, we americans kicked out some seriously good christmas music so they didn't feel the need to make their own. i am not sure how to feel about that. on one hand, maybe german traditional christmas music would be nice and unique, on the other there is nothing like bing crosby to make you feel all warm and cozy and nostalgic inside.
here they celebrate christmas on the 24th with a dinner, presents, and maybe even a church service. the houses are all decorated, similar to the states, but less clark griswold-esque... their trees are much more natural and some even put real candles on their trees (just on christmas day when they are all home)! i have heard of some pickle game where a pickle is hidden in the tree and whoever finds it gets a special gift?... don't really know about that one... my personal fav is the random santas. i guess santa can't get down the non-existent chimneys, so he climbs into windows. a little scary/amusing. see for yourself:

do i look any older?

2006-11-26T21:44:00.000Z

so, i'm 30. so what? i had a grand weekend celebrating my third decade of life with my new munich friends. i can't wait to see what happens next...

i will have to admit, though, that a few weeks ago i realized i only had a short time left to legitimately say i was twenty - something, so i used and abused that priveledge.

Prost!

2006-10-25T14:35:00.000+01:00

Oktoberfest, what can i say??? much to my surprise, it was quite fun. i have always been a sucker for state fairs and amusement parks. well, this place has it all, livestock shows right alongside 100,000 seater beer tents and literally 100's of a-ma-zing, overpriced rides. i am sure these would not be legal in the states. and it's bizarre to me that wasted people think it's still a good idea to put themselves on these spinny rides when they can't even stand up... nonetheless, it wasn't too crazy busy and i enjoyed my three visits to the world's largest beer fest.
this particular evening, (sorry the picture won't work) my mom and stepdad went with me. we were outside at the hofbrauhaus tent for hours, talking with complete strangers and having a grand time. we sat by a couple from england and australia, next to german boys, and the guys next to me are a group of spaniards who make an annual trip here. way too many languages all over the place, much laughing and prosting!
Cheers!

God Bless Technology!

2006-10-24T14:21:00.000+01:00

i have a Kansas City phone number you can reach me on.
913.871.4444
note: we are 7 hours ahead of kansas city time. i.e. don't call after 5pm KC time... i love you all, but not that much.. he he
i don't know how i would survive over here without technology. seriously, i can watch tv online free (as i don't get any tv here in english), cook from recipes online, do all ministry homework and get ideas online, and now talk to you all. marvelous, wonderful, glorious.
thank you to my stepdad, tommy, who made this possible...

Germany 101: Auto Art

2006-10-24T14:13:00.000+01:00

oh, how they love bon jovi over here!

dig it!

my friend, adam's, rolling stones-mobile...

weirdos...

Germany 101: Yin and Yang

2006-10-19T11:19:00.000+01:00

Germany has its' dichotomys. Very extreme people, they are...
Example #1 - They have a separate radiator in every room so that you don't waste any energy if you aren't in there. They turn off every light that they don't use. They even have two buttons on the toilet so that you don't use more water than you need. And then there's this thing called Oktoberfest... ever heard of it? Right... 3 straight weeks of lights, music, whirly death machines, and debauchery. Maybe it's opposite week?

Example #2 - If you get tired and want to put your feet up whilst on the public trains, think again. These seats are sacred. And the Germans aren't afraid to tell you, either. Then you have people peeing in bushes, barfing all over the place at the biergartens and littering up the whole city... hmmm....

Example #3 - They smoke like chimneys while shopping at the whole foods market. They are very conscious of preservatives and added sugars, but appear to turn a blind eye to the layers of black tar lining the walls of their lungs...

Example #4 - The Autobahn. One minute you will have absolutely no speed limit, the next you could be down to 60 km/hour, which roughly translates to 35/40 miles and hour. Plus the speed limit in town is either 30 or 50 km/hour (18 or 30 m/hr.)! It kills me! The Autobahn is great and all, but any other place is a turtle's pace...

Germany 101: Street Musicians

2006-10-18T16:51:00.000+01:00

one of the things i most enjoy about this place is the abundance and the talent of the street musicians here. i often am walking about in the city, when i come across music that i technically should be paying big bucks for. these people are amazing. they come with pianos, accordions, violins, cellos, bass(i) - plural for bass???, and more. how they get these things on the trains i'll never know. regardless, the other day i heard a four piece string ensemble entertaining the masses all for pennies. they captivated the crowds. i think i stood there about a half an hour. wow, how magically music can change your outlook and lift your spirits. you can't stand there and not smile or move. and how intriguing to watch my stoic german friends relax and interact with the performers. music breaks down our walls and lets us escape the ho-hum of now. i love it!!!
my other favorite evening i heard the accordion playing from far away and i followed the sounds to this man playing his heart out - rockin that thing. it reverberated off the walls of the plaza. he was so vulnerable. some people danced, some smiled, some sat and closed their eyes, some laughed and mocked, but there he was giving us everything he had. beautiful. beautiful. beautiful. i dig that guy. he transformed my evening.
another day while walking through our englischer garten (bigger than central park) another accordion player sweetly played classical while couples danced under the shell-decorated rotunda. i'm in a movie...

my first traditional bavarian breakfast

2006-09-01T21:00:00.000+01:00

the other day i had my very first traditional bavarian weisswurst fruestueck. two boiled white sausages, pretzels, and a beer. guten apetit!
i was not even hungry for another 6 hours or so!! it will be a while before i do that again.

Germany 101: Sport

2006-09-01T20:04:00.000+01:00

the germans love the outdoors. i cannot underestimate how many sports and activities i see daily. they are out there swimming in the freezing alpine runoff first thing in the morning, running, biking, canoeing, sailing, rafting, unicycling (seriously), hangliding, hiking, windsurfing, toboganning, boating, hot air ballooning, and then the winter ones; skiing, sledding, ice skating, snowboarding, snow shoeing, etc. when my sister came, she was blown away by the incredible numbers of bikers, it is uncanny. it is so refreshing to get out and enjoy nature here. everyone is out, taking in their vitamin D and smiling. if you want a sport, we seem to have it. perhaps my favorite is surfing. that's right, here in the middle of the continent in a big city, some die hards found that perfect spot for catching waves. you can see videos ">here.
then of course they have just about every game you could imagine: tennis, golf, volleyball, soccer, american football, rugby, australian footy, ultimate frisbee, and then there is badminton... you will see just about anything i tell you. they just want to be out there.

name that produce

2006-08-29T01:28:00.000+01:00

is time for one of my favorite games, called "name that produce". fun game to play while at the market, grocery store, or out to dinner. curious...

MIS Back to School BBQ

2006-08-29T00:10:00.000+01:00

our school, Munich International School, had its annual Back to School BBQ last weekend. this was such a great way to meet new parents and students as well as reconnect with old students i haven't seen all summer. the international expat community is a travelin' bunch, so in the summer, families migrate elsewhere and come back just in time for school to begin. we start our weekly meetings with high school and middle school kiddos friday, sept. 8 and from then on we are in full swing with weekly meetings, monthly acvitities, sporting events, spending time with kids, weekly Bible studies, and more. I had a great summer of refocusing and remembering the greater vision. please pray for our hearts and minds and bodies, that we will overflow with God's big big love and grace. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that.
"What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagent generosity of God." Acts 20:24

my bizarro site

2006-08-28T23:04:00.000+01:00

so i have a seinfeldian bizarro blog site: www.tarynglidewell.blogpsot.com. weird-o. this is not me. i don't even know what all they say on this site, but i wonder if people have gone there accidentally and thought i wrote it... what are the odds?

"A mega-site of Bible, Christian and religious information and studies; including, audio and written KJV Bible, churches, doctrine, links, news, prayer, prophecy, sermons, spiritual warfare, statistics & tracts. Features Chronological 4 Gospels, Prayer Book, Prophecy Bible, and a photo
tour of Israel. By God's mercy, one of the largest Bible-centered sites on the web (app. 6000 pgs). If it's in the Bible, it should be on this site."

Germany 101: Holidays

2006-08-14T23:16:00.000+01:00

funny thing about germany, it completely shuts down in august. i was on my way into the city the other day and was doing some planning. i called my chiropractor to find out he was on vacation until september. then i called my haircutter, and guess what? also on vacation or "urlaub". germans are serious about their vacations. they automatically get 6 weeks a year - 6! this doesn't even count the many holidays sprinkled generously throughout the year. once school gets out in july, these people take their families on month-long excursions anywhere but germany. that's why they're everywhere. can i repeat, 6 weeks?! many companies simply do not operate in august. when my friend, tara, ordered her funiture from IKEA they told her it would be 2 months before she would get her furniture because it was august and there was no one to deliver it. crazy.
this all makes shopping a whole different experience. all shops are closed on sundays - period. quite a few shops close early on saturday. and all shops are definitely closed on holidays. the twist here is that, seeing as how i am not german, these holidays creep up on you and you don't even know it's a holiday and you are stuck at home with nothing. shopping must be a planned event. do not expect to drop by the price chopper for your dinner that night. and don't expect to do anything last minute because all stores will be closed by 8pm for sure, if not earlier; no 24 hour anything... you have to plan ahead so that you can go to the 3 or 4 different grocery stores that will have that one thing that no other store has in order to make your master creation. or some weeks we have speciality foods at the store so you have to capitalize that week on "asian foods" or "grilling". you may not see these items for another year. no pressure...
i will have to say, however, that germans know how to vacation. they are off. they are not so concerned with having everything so accesible or that the world will stop spinning if they don't go to work. it is okay to put it aside and breathe. ahh...

these boots weren't made for walkin...

2006-08-13T11:39:00.000+01:00

so, feet and their appropriate coverings differ depending on where you reside. if you live in hawaii your standard flipflops will suffice, in russia a good pair of boots is a smart investment, and out to a club for a few hours cute heels will do... perhaps you might assume that we walk a lot here in europe, none of this straight from automobile to building business. and i was already a shoe weakling back home. i enjoy being comfortable. i couldn't do heels for very long before i wanted to throw them across the room. here, you could easily be out all day and comfort is key, thereby rendering many of my cute shoes useless... apparantly i do not have said appropriate coverings. case in point: i went to a street fair a few weeks ago and bore a few holes into my heels from the shoes i was wearing. awesome. these weren't your usual, "oh, poor baby" blisters. literally, holes and my heels are just now healing about one month later. so i walked around with bloody heels all over munich because i wore straight through several "plasters" as the brits refer to them (better known as bandaids). here is the culprit and the proof: (keeping in mind that this does not even look bad, i am slightly upset that you aren't getting the whole picture here)

second case in point: you take your shoes off when you go to someone's house here, so i forget and love to wear my favorite all-occasion shoes which stink to high heaven - it is embarrasing people - and i have to ask the host/ess if i can wash my feet in their tub everywhere i go when i arrive at their house. it's either that or evacuate the room... maybe one day i will remember that they don't do things the way we do them in the states...

Munich is mucho expensivo!

2006-08-13T11:36:00.000+01:00

"It's official. Munich is the most expensive German city to live in. Frankfurt is the second most expensive city to live in. According to the UBS 2006 "Prices and Earnings" Study , Munich ranks top of Germany and on position 18 globally. The study took the price of a basket of 122 goods and services European consumers would favour as a base for their index. The figures do not include rent. If rent were included, Munich would probably be on position 10 or something. According to the study, Oslo is the most expensive city to live in. "

yummy!

2006-07-03T14:57:00.000+01:00

ok, i give up, give me the sugar. give me the preservatives. i shall not tell a lie, i like american food. is that so wrong? being as that it is the 4th of july tomorrow, some of the grocery stores here have decided to import "american foods" and yes, the quotation marks are there for a reason. anyone ever heard of blueberry juice, or hot dogs in a jar, or red relish? according to the packaging, these folks would believe that we americans would snag these up in a second. silly germans. enough with the poo poo-ing, i am thrilled to have honey mustard, ranch, marshmallows, and bagels, and in their very own "american" packaging no less... he he. it's the little things...
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY, AMERICA!

back to school...

2006-06-29T14:17:00.000+01:00

today was my first day of school all over again. my mom always took a picture of my sister and i on our first day, so here it is - aren't i cute? i finally started german classes. whahoo! and now i know, "hallo, mein name ist taryn glidewell. ich komme aus den usa, und ich wohne in starnberg. ich bin neun und zwanzig jahre alt." or somethin like that... the teacher even said i was, and i quote, "advanced". yes. so, i am well on my way to vocalisin' with the locals. it's crazy how international it is here, there are 2 girls from kenya, 1 from poland, 1 from the ukraine, and 1 from bolivia in my class. i can't underestimate how blessed i am to have english as my first language, german is so similar in structure and most people speak it (english) over here.
i think i will have to do quite a bit of studying on my own however as this is only a short summer class and then next semester i will not have time to take another. perhaps i will in the spring - hopefully. it's slow going and i don't want to lose what i (will) have already learned. the best part of all is that it started completely pouring down rain afterwards and i had to ride my bike home in the lightning storm. i looked like a drowned rat.

Psalm 23

2006-06-28T10:17:00.000+01:00

God, my shepherd!
I don't need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word, you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.
Even when the way goes through
Death Valley
I'm not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd's crook
makes me feel secure.
You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.
Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I'm back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.

taryn in action

2006-06-22T21:00:00.000+01:00

this is what i do - a brief glimpse into mein welt here. this weekend i am helping out with the high musical doing hair and makeup. scary thought, i know. but it is so fun to have kids see you and yell out your name in exitement and fight over who gets to have me do their hair. but that is not the point, i am here to yell out their name and cheer them on. i want them to know they are supported and someone can't wait to talk with them and see them. at young life, we think kids are great. i spend my time trying to get into their world and walk through life with them. what a joy!

"soccer is our life"

2006-06-06T20:44:00.000+01:00

need i say more? this is a store window all soccered out. a turf living room complete with tv screen so all good germans can catch up on the latest scores.
along with the influx of new foreigners here in munich, i have also noticed even more soccer paraphanelia: soccer toilet paper, soccer diamond jewelry, soccer chapstick, soccer soap, soccer shaving kits, aaaaahhhhhh!
i am hoping we can take some of the high schoolers down to the old olympic arena where they have a gigantor screen set up to watch the game friday.
am i nuts?!

dogs dogs dogs!

2006-06-06T11:02:00.000+01:00

can i get a health inspector over here? completely normal that a massive saint bernard is helping out in the kitchen, right? i tell ya, these people LOVE their dogs. it's obsessive. you can take them a-n-y-w-h-e-r-e, for real. i will say that they are a lot better behaved than our american wild willy-nilly pups. so do not be surprised when you come here that there just might be a dog under your feet inside the restaurant.

church retreat in mittersil, austria

2006-06-06T10:48:00.000+01:00

after it snowed on us on the drive there and i almost packed my bags and went home, the weekend was so refreshing and inviting. our pastor does a great job creating community when the congregation is so transient and in flux. we had a speaker from the states remind us of the bigger picture of god's grace and power (and he reminded me of my uncle who is a pastor and his wife, so i lived vicariously for a minute). it is so good to get to know these people i see every week at church so it feels like home and i think i am officially no longer a visitor. yes. every night we hung out in the "cellar" and talked and prayed into the wee hours of the night over a beer. not to mention the castle we stayed in has a crazy history of witch hunts in the 1500's and nazi experiments in the 1940's to name a couple. it is so very good to be in the company of others who are also aliens in this world with a shared goal in life. not that we are all the same, no sir. that's what makes it even more flavorful - this community is from the whole world, accents are flying, laughter is bubbling, and hearts are uniting. praise the lord.

German 101: Theft

2006-05-30T12:52:00.000+01:00

luckily, i have no horrible story of theft to share with you, in fact, quite the opposite - it almost doesn't exist here. for real. these are people of their word and germany, especially munich, doesn't have a theft problem. case in point: 1 - small kids take the train to school or the city all by themselves 2 - when you leave something behind, germans will simply hang it up so that when you are looking for it, it's right there. i have seen jackets hanging on these lion's hands, a bike lock on a street sign, this shoe, and more 3 - you don't have the newspaper stands where you put the money in and the door unlocks, it's always open and just put your money in the slot on a trust basis 4 - when my boss' car was stolen the german insurance company didn't even have papers for that, so they had to fill out an accident report. in the 20 something years their agent worked there, she had never heard of a stolen car (by the way it happened in prague)!!!
crazy, huh?

world cup fever

2006-05-30T12:36:00.000+01:00

no, i don't have it. sorry. but the germans do. the other night myself and my fellow passenger were assaulted by about 12 german inebriated teenagers running around the train chanting "auf die knee" and proceeding to hang like monkeys from the train handles and yell through their bullhorn. there is still much construction yet to be finished before millions of people crowd in here, but that isn't stopping all of the advertising: we have soccer grills, soccer shower heads, soccer sausages - you've gotta see these!, bedspreads, couches, placemats, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. i will try to post some pics of these amusements.
the first game in munich is june 9, germany v. costa rica. go deutschland!
by the way, did anyone notice that budweiser was the official beer of the world cup? is anyone else confused by this?

Romania service project

2006-05-15T17:17:00.000+01:00

ever seen the movie children of the corn? that is how to best understand how many kids were running around at all hours of the day, doing whatever they dang well please in romania. crazy, man. no adults would tell them they should stop harrassing the girls, quit asking for money or food, clawing at us for any sort of attention they could get. this country has been wrecked by communism like no other i have seen. these people are poor with no hope of that ever changing. if something is broke, it stays broken, if a lightbulb goes out, they just plain don't have one, if you litter, it doesn't get picked up. i don't think we can comprehend this world that many romanians live in every day. they believe the only way to get ahead in life is to steal, cheat, and lie even when it comes to family members. doctors lie to pregnant mothers telling them that their baby will die unless they perform a certain surgery just to get more money. there is blood on the hospital walls, kids pee and spit on their school hallways, you have to carry toilet paper with you because if you leave it, it will be stolen - toilet paper! that's why dana and brandi bates moved there 7 years ago with Young Life to try to begin rebuilding hope and trust in the local community of Lupeni. it has taken years for the people there to even begin to trust them, in fact many businesses there have cheated and stolen from the bates. that is why we come - to help wherever we can and build trust. this year we built a ditch, taught english classes, put together playgrounds, and loved on kids. we were on the news, the mayor and many residents were very grateful, and young life romania shared Christ in service and deed.

May Day a la Germany

2006-05-15T17:10:00.000+01:00

perhaps May Day is a German holiday that we just decided to absorb into the American goo, but here they do it up right. i remember as a kid making paper flower baskets and hanging them on doors, then ringing the bell and running. so simple, so cute. well take that times 500 and then you will get german "maidult". a good way to picture it is oktoberfest smaller scale meets the sound of music. tents, beer, lederhosen, dancing round the maypole, what have you... there was no more room for us in the tent, so we just went to a nearby restaurant and watched the young lederhosen clad men (with their adidas shoes) chase the dirndled ladies (plus purple hair). a little generational clash perhaps for our amusement. i am loving learning about this place!

my sweet ride

2006-05-15T17:03:00.000+01:00

so here she is, i went from a white caddy with tinted windows care of ebay in kansas city to a bmw in munich! who am i? mind you, it is a bit different here in the land of bmw's, they are a dime a dozen - the taxi's are beemers! i bought her from a guy at our church moving back to the states in great condition and at an amazing price. the lord provides is again my motto. i even have young life plates. i shamelessly advertise.

the evolution of an ikea kitchen

2006-05-03T15:03:00.000+01:00

at ikea they have every kitchen version with all moveable counters, hinges, shelves, doors, knobs... overwhelming, exausting, and let's face it - beautiful!

my bare-bones kitchen with a donated big fridge!

the kitchen has arrived in boxes for me to put together - who do they think i am?

actually, not to shabby...

time for the reinforcements

TAAADAAA! ain't she a beaut?

call me for free online!

2006-03-27T22:31:00.000+01:00

you can call me for free anytime anywhere... ish. you can download skype to your computer and we can talk. totally free! remember though, that i am 7 hours ahead of central time...
go to the "call me" green bubble on the right side of the blog and click on it.

Fresh milk anyone?

2006-03-26T11:22:00.000+01:00

well, i am turning out to be quite the bavarian (much to the dismay of my berliner friends)! the farm down the road has fresh cow milk where you just bring your bottles and fill them up from the container dealy and leave your 50 cent in the change jar... you have to be sure to drink it fast though as it has no preservatives. so we went ahead and embraced the perfect moment to make brownies and enjoy our fresh cold milk, coffee with milk, and even hot chocolate made with milk. i am dairied out!

Germany 101: Rolladens

2006-03-22T14:54:00.000Z

eh? germans don't play when it comes to sleeping. they put the house on virtual "lock-down". most houses have these built-in outdoor blinds for lack of a better term. when these bad boys are closed, your room is now batcave-esque. no light is getting in. when you wake up, it could very well be next tuesday as you have no clue what time it really is and you just have to try to make out your clock (assuming it is a light-up one, which mine is not) to figure out whether it's time to join the rest of the world and it's goings on, or roll back over for another hour or three. i have to crack them a little or i would NEVER get up. i tell you, these people have their priorities straight...

Germany 101: Recycling

2006-03-19T20:19:00.000Z

this is the part of the blog where i will share with you all as i learn the joys of recycling as a lifestyle. it is not an option and there are slightly more rules than when i lived in brookside and you simply threw all plastic, paper, and aluminum into a bin. no sir, there are specific days when you dispose of your plastic, other days for paper, another for "garbage" and the fun part is that they aren't the same from week to week or month to month. there are so many dang holidays around here so that messes up the whole schedule - one week it's on friday, then the next monday... who knows. it's all some big conspiracy filled with unspoken rules and loopholes so that when confronted by a four-holed trash container on the street, and i can't even read the words of what to put where, i just wait until i can safely assume no one is looking, and cram my bread wrapper into whatever hole is closest to me. the fine art of recycling is overwhelming and even with all of my visits here, i am still learning. some of your recycling is picked up, the glass you take yourself, beer bottles and plastic bottles you take back to the store where you purchased it for a refund, the food waste is separated into liquidy flushables and solid biodegradables (which stink up the kitchen) as they have no disposals... yes, this is normal and there is a very intricate system and i am silly for not knowing what goes where. if any of you happen to have any other tips on recycling here, please share them with me as i discover how to make the most of the limited resources and care for the environment. germans are very conscientious of this and i rather enjoy it, however dumbfounding it is to me currently...

Wilkommen aus Deutschland!

2006-03-11T15:30:00.000Z

Hallo! i have now been here one week and two days - and it has snowed every one of those... but that's ok, i am adapting and becoming more and more german everyday. strolling around the frozen lake, enjoying the midday wine with lunch (outdoors), and opening wide the windows for the fresh air are a way of life here. and quite refreshing to be honest. i even have an apartment waiting for me in april, so in the meantime i am collecting furniture donations from generous people in the church and then, one glorious day i will head off to the one and only IKEA for all the rest of my stuff - including a kitchen! yes, you read correctly, i have to buy the whole deal: cabinets, sink, oven, stove, fridge, everything. there are hookups all ready. the germans just take it all with them when they move. homes do not even include closets, you have to purchase the wardrobe, or "shrank". wednesday is magic day, when i will be hopefully obtaining the all-important visa. my key to germany and what basically makes life here possible. i am especially enjoying the slower simpler pace before ministry comes in full force. i look forward to all that germany has in store for me.
"... if you run for God - you won't regret it" Psalm 2:11

March 1 - destination: Munich

2006-02-13T18:27:00.000Z

we have a date! i am boarding the plane on the afternoon of wednesday march 1st. i will arrive in munich on the morning of the 2nd. my friendly staff will pick myself and the other intern, micheal, up about the same time. what a blessing to start this new position with someone else. it's rare that international interns start at the same time, as we are all fundraising and you never know when all of the funds will be in. so this is great news for both of us. i will be staying at my boss's apartment until i find my own apartment. i do have a car that has been donated awaiting my arrival there in munich - praise the lord. in the last two weeks i am packing and shipping a lot of my stuff, meeting with a few churches still, getting all of the paperwork finished off, and saying my goodbyes. thank you for doing this with me. the lord has gone before me and is preparing a place for me. i am a flurry of emotions, but i know this is so right. next time i write, i'll be in germania - the fulfillment of years of preparation. god is good, my friends.

80% and growing!

2006-01-20T22:59:00.000Z

the latest update on the finances is that i have raised 80% of my first year's budget. i still need $1000 a month before i can leave. this is great, my friends. i have still been traveling around, talking to churches and missions boards hoping to get the last of it raised in the next couple weeks. it has been my pleasure to get to meet so many folks along the way who breathe new life and encouragement into me and this ministry. and to see how God has orchestrated every nuance of my life to get me to where i am now and how the whole big picture fits together.
i want you to know by giving, we are giving back to god his resources and he is using them to give kids hope and value. thank you immensely for this. i know that there are so many other wonderful organizations asking for help and there are many demands on you all. this is such a life-changing investment, that will not return void. you are a part of speaking love and truth into kids who have been hurt and overlooked. i couldn't want anything more. blessings.

thee committee

2006-01-19T05:51:00.000Z

the committee. wow. what an amazing crew of supporters and servers. these are my people. they have been the backbone to this whole operation and will continue to do so while i am away in germania. since i have no one church that is backing me, i have a committee of committed friends and peers to send me off and help me in this process. if you think my brochures are super rad or that i have raised the funds all by myself or i know how to figure out all of the finances or just coasted through this, it is a great facade. it's all them. they have walked with me in this whole fundraising extravaganza and done everything they could to make this possible. they believe in this mission and these kids and that we are changing lives and giving hope to kids. i am honored to have them beside me and praying over me. with you all and them, together we are a mighty force for god's great kingdom. i am not alone and He goes before me.

fellow München-ers

2006-01-18T05:47:00.000Z

these boys are my new friends and soon to be new young life staffers in munich. they are also in the fundraising process to move over and be interns like me. both michael and adam are amazing and i think we will be a great team. however, they have a small leg-up over myself, they both sprechen deutsch. lucky! god willing, i too will someday be able to carry on a decent german conversation. until then, i blubber and blunder through and they just appreciate the effort. pray for them as well and that we can be a great team full of grace and love for each other. god is setting things up and getting everything in its' place. amen.

new staff training in colorado

2006-01-12T21:05:00.000Z

i am here at Frontier Ranch Young Life camp. all of us young, green staffers are gettin' real smart. i have the great privelege of learning about the life of christ, the ins and outs of young life, cross cultural issues, the history of young life, and adolescent culture. i have only been here three days, and already i have experienced so much. i would wager a guess that no matter how old and "mature" i get, i will always feel a little insecure, less capable, unstimulating, and just plain dumb sometimes. i am stretching and growing in areas i feel both weak and strong in. that's a good thing. sometimes i wonder, what am i getting myself into and then i think, what else would i rather do? what else is so life-giving as to remind me, kids, and everyone involved that all that matters is god and his great love for us? i am confronted with how wonderful and refreshing the Gospel is and how i pale in comparison. but that's also a beautiful thing to be in complete awe and wonder of the God of the Universe who created all of this and still wants to use me, broken and fragile. thank you to all who are investing in the lives of young people and who bring their resources to God's table, where we all will be filled to overflowing with God's goodness and sweet grace. you are making this journey possible and i pray that through my willingness to be a fool, kids will know of a whole, forgiven, and joyful life both here on earth and in heaven. you have chosen wisely and i am eternally grateful for this opportunity.

my new digs

2005-12-30T01:42:00.000Z

here it is, my new cozy domicile. pretty average really, for germany. he-he. actually many folks have asked just what the living situation will be when i arrive to Munich (and i really will live in a smaller town 20 minutes outside called Starnberg). although there is no "right" way to do this, i will probably live by myself in an apartment. i could look for a family or a roommate, but the chances of finding one who readily accepts kids running through it at all hours of the day are slim, and since i won't be inside munich, there are even fewer odds. so, i will keep my eyes peeled for a rommie so that my living will be as cheap, yet as accesible to kids as possible.
and here's my sweet ride... as far as transportation goes, i will have a car. although i wanted to be uber-cool euroTaryn and just catch a train or bus everywhere, they want me to have my own tranportation. while we can ride the subway to and from munich, in the village i will be hauling students around and picking them up and the usual youth minister activities. it will be hard to get around within the town without one. we'll see how it goes. naturally, the germans think this is crazy american talk, since they are so environmentally conscientious. and you will be proud to know, taryn will be re-mounting what is known as a bike. hang with me now, these ancient forms of transportation are familiar to those children usually 10 and younger, and a few brave adults living in larger cities. you actually ride these to and from places and it not only saves the environment, but also gives you a nice workout. it will be a nice change of pace. and most likely a safer one, since i am not yet adept at manual transmission in cars... silly american.

giving to young life: a how-to

2005-12-22T04:43:00.000Z

CHECK: Make all checks payable to Young Life and put x299 in the memo line. You can send this to me at 23970 131st Street Leavenworth, KS 66048 or the Young Life Service Center P.O. Box 2920 Colorado Springs, CO 80901.

ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER (EFT): Giving this way allows your donations to be automatically withdrawn from your bank account. In order to set this up, you can contact me or you can retrieve a form from the website at http://www.younglife.org/. Click on the “Giving” tab, and click on the “Give a one-time or monthly gift” link. Then there will be a link for the Electronic Funds Transfer Form on the lower right. You will need to indicate X299 in the “Area/destination” blank.

CREDIT CARD: Giving by credit card also allows your gifts to be automatically charged monthly, or for a one-time donation and you may receive money back at the end of the year or frequent flyer miles! In order to set this up, you can contact me, or you can set up your giving online at http://www.younglife.org/. Click on the “Giving” tab and you will be walked through 3 easy steps. At Step 2, indicate “Other destinations” and put X299 in the text box. You will receive a confirmation of the donation via e-mail and a receipt in the mail.

GOODS and SERVICES will be handled separately so we would need to talk to work out the details for such a donation.

PLANNED GIVING: See http://www.younglife.org/ and click on “giving” tab to see options. This includes Gifts of Stock, Gifts of Will, Life Income Gifts, Charitable Lead Trusts, etc.

MATCHING GIFT COMPANIES: Check to see if your company matches what you give to non-profits. This is an easy way to double your donation!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE LIVES OF KIDS!

what i have learned...

2005-12-22T03:38:00.000Z

i have learned a lot especially in the past few months of fundraising and i wanted to share a few highlights with you.
i learned:
-i am better for the wait.
-some people give more than they spend on themselves
-it's not about me. there are more worthy people out there - spiritually, financially, intellectually
-god uses broken people to bring about His kingdom, we are not spectators, nor are we perfect
-becoming more like god isn't reading more or doing "spiritual" things, but probably a lot more of doing things you don't particularly want to do
-in order to step out in faith, you have to have a "faith" baby-step past, then you can take the bigger jumps
-it's crazy how god has a purpose for everything, i didn't realize he had five or 6 purposes
-he makes all things new and works everything out for His glory

"i'm so gratedful to Christ Jesus for making me adequate to do this work. he went out on a limb, you know, in trusting me with this ministry. the only credentials i brought to it were invective and ..arrogance. but i was treated mercifully because i didn't know what i was doing...grace mixed with faith and love poured over me and into me. and all because of jesus." 1 timothy 1:14

a day in the life

2005-12-14T00:12:00.000Z

waitress by day, fundraiser extraordinaire by night... many people have asked me what exactly it is that i do when i say that i am "fundraising". good question. at the lunchhour, you can find me working at Houlihan's Restaurant in Fairway, KS so that i can continue to pay for life and all that comes with it. but when the black and hyper-color green uni comes off (ah, sweet humility), it's time to kick germany into full gear. i am fundraising relationally; which means that i call people i know and spread the word far and wide by mouth. i don't cold call people and i have yet to approach any organizations (although that is not unheard of). so far, i just send letters to people in all kinds of crazy circles of life and ask them to join me in this venture. i have loved it. what a beautiful way to cement this calling and really let God and people affirm it over and over again. it is so humbling and very appropriate to ask people to give of their resources and time to God through me. i could not have imagined a better way to prepare me to enter a life of ministry. if you saw me at Houli's with nothing else to do, i would be addressing letters and making calls. sometimes my co-black-and-green-workers even helped out. i have had fundraising desserts where my friends and loved ones invite their aquaintances to a fun evening of me just sharing my story and where i am going next and what the heck God is up to in germany. i have a committee of very amazing and talented people who are my backbone and major supporters, since i am not going with any local church. my commitee has had fundraisers, designed my brochures, printed them, made magnets, helped me figure out my plan and timeline, kept me on track with money, prayed with me, encouraged me and walked intimately alongside me through this whole thing. they are the life of this operation. i am currently filling out church missions boards applications and meeting with pastors and missions committees. i sit down with people or talk with them over the phone, just sharing stories of how God has changed me and used me in this ministry. storytelling, that is fundraising, just as Christ told stories and we the church have been incorporating our story into God's big story for centuries. reminding us all that we are not alone, and that God uses all of us to do His work here on earth; bringing to light that still quiet voice that we can so easily tune out or run over. Sharing Christ's hope and love is so life-giving when all the world wants to do is isolate and destroy us. i am not alone. i have never felt so prayed for and affirmed and surounded by a great cloud of witnesses. this is right!

how's the fundraising going, you might ask...

2005-12-06T00:31:00.000Z

well. quite well. right on track. there are three ways to look at it and i don't want to confuse you. so pledged: there is my monthly salary, and my one-time start up fees, and then what is actually in the bank right now.
monthly, i need $3665 and i have $2511 pledged (everyday i get closer). one time start up expenses are $12,934 and i have all of it! praise the lord.
actually in the bank i need $23,929 and i have $11,000.
in order for me to leave, i need to have 100% of my monthly salary pledged and all of the $24,000 in the bank. so... i just need a little more pledged and then about $13,000 in the bank.
very do-able, my friends. i am thinking late january for the departure date, as i have young life training for all new staff january 9-23 in colorado. so, we will see how the holidays are. i am loving fundraising and watching God bring people and resources together for His will. it is crazy humbling. thank you to everyone who has made this possible! i am excited to do this with you and love kids for you and our merciful Father. have a blessed advent.

For the Second Sunday of Advent
C. F. Blumhardt

It is Advent again. We call this time Advent because it reminds us of what comes from God for the creation of his kingdom on earth. There are many today who sigh to heaven, “Savior, come now!” But they are not sighing for the sake of God’s kingdom. They cry out like this only when they are in trouble and want God to help them. And they don’t know of any help that is more effective than to have a Savior come and put a quick end to their troubles.
When it comes to the things of God, however, we must not be concerned for what is ours, but only for what belongs to Christ. We should do this not merely for our own edification; we must become workers for God. This leads us to God’s vineyard, a place where there is not a great deal of talk, but where everyone is intent on deeds.

things i like about germany

2005-11-28T21:32:00.000Z

nutella, duh. ok, something more creative... the way they embrace nature, as opposed to the way we embrace plastic. hmmmmm, nature, plastic, nature, plastic.... tough one. spiced peanuts in the little stands. crepes, glorious crepes, with sugar and cinnamon, nutella, applesauce, even ham and cheese. (different crepe though). bakeries and butchers. tea. mounds and mounds of tea, all flavors, all scents, all colors. people walking everywhere. you actually see people when you look out the window. cobblestone roads. the ones where you turn an ankle when you are all dolled up and lookin cute with your stiletto heels on. yeah, those cobblestone roads. people with good fashion sense, and then those without any... history. not as in "this church was built before i was even born!" but as in this church was built before this millennium. that people still drive on the right side of the road - praise the lord! the type A public transportation system. i never really wonder if the train is coming or not - it will be there, at the right time, in the right place, period. the ever creative use of scarves as fashion or defense against the cold. no crazy annoying salespeople in stores. in fact, you might have to hunt one down. if it's 10 degrees below freezing, there are still people outside. they do that. they turn off the car when sitting at a stoplight. it saves the ecosystem. there are four different recycling containers where we would have one trash can. i still can't figure out the complexities of where it all goes. they open their windows in the winter for fresh air... ahhh... germany...

crazy stoic germans (silent headshake)

2005-10-05T00:33:00.000+01:00

check out this article. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1625575,00.html
"Germans aren't known as the most lighthearted folks around: Getting one to laugh can seem like pulling teeth. An entrepreneur in Berlin wants to change that and wants to educate his countrymen about the joy of laughing.
Chortling, chuckling, giggling and busting a gut are words not often associated with Germans, whose spectrum of facial expressions generally ranges from dour to, if you're lucky, neutral..."

will they get me? will they think i am loony? ah, we will see...

the first

2005-08-09T23:00:00.000+01:00

and we are a go. i am off to pursue the next adventure - germany! you can check out www.younglife.org and www.munich.younglife.org for more info on younglife. the plan is to move to munich in january after raising all of my funds. ta ta for now