Body language

Don't swing you arms when you're greeting Koreans!

I was walking back from the Dutch bakery today with my Korean friends today and asked how to say "How are you" in their language. They told me, and I tried it out--and they burst out laughing uproariously! Why???

"You can't say it like this!" one explained when she recovered, and pumped her arms like a marching soldier.

Aha!

This is a respect-oriented culture, and you must stand still, respectfully with your hands in front of you (not crossed arms) in order to greet each other. I need to think more about how my body language is communicating.

Yikes. I also showed the bottom of my foot to a north African by accident the other day, and that's definitely not good . . . *cringe*

I know why the small infant sleeps . . .

It's because their little brains are frying trying to translate NOISE into meaning . . .

I went to a German church this morning. Cool that I could understand a lot--but I think I need a nap!

reflection on Ephesians 1:10

Jesus Christ

every perfect fleeting musical nuance--

NEVER ENDING

every act of kindness and gentleness and chivalry, 

fully expressed with no ulterior motives

every color, every shade of bright or muted, 

every TeXtUrE smooth and rough,

all in Him are joined by exquisite artistry

every spontaneous hug from a little child,

the searching light in the eyes of the beloved One, 

the joyful satisfaction of a father's strong embrace--

love in all her many tones

Is HIM!

Fragile first flower appearing fresh out of winter,

boastful

                threatening

                                    unconquerable 

                                                                  MOUNTAINS

vast dry winds sweeping dry prairie grasses,

the tyranny of cold and the sweetness of warmth,

unsearchable  S P A C E

size beyond imagination!

ENERGY and POWER of his limitless creation!

Those--things of heaven,

         these--things of earth,

                    and I (at last)

shall be one with all the things I love, which worship him too, and together 

we shall be his Glory.

And then I shall be satisfied

ONE 

with him.

You might not believe it . . .

 . . . But I experienced a real live earthquake last night!

It was 4.5 on the Richter . . . Enough to shake the foundations of the building, rattle all the furniture and freak everybody out for ten seconds! Read about it here.

I was reading alone in the lounge on the ground floor. I thought at first the wind was knocking something around outside, but the trees were perfectly still. Amazing how many thoughts can run through your head in a very short time! Is it getting worse? Where do I go? What am I supposed to do? What if people get killed?

Crazy and cool! The Power of God over the earth--you don't often feel your own helplessness quite like that!