Snow

I had a really hard time getting myself to go to college yesterday. It was snowing, and I just wanted to play in the snow. As I drove to town I took some of the back roads and looked at the hills and fields covered in a blanket of white. At one point I passed by three highland cows that were covered in snow. It would have made a wonderful photo, but unfortunately I had left my camera in the boot of my mother's car last time I was in America! Oh well. You'll just have to take my word for it that it was quite the sight! Then when I was in the college I had the hardest time listening to lectures because I just kept looking out the window at the falling snow. I love the snow. However, as I write this I realise that there's always a reason to want to be lazy in this country, and that reason is always the weather. When it snows, you want to go out and enjoy it. When its raining and cloudy, its just so gloomy that it makes it hard to want to do anything. And then on the rare occasions when the sun is shining and the weather's beautiful, the last thing in the world anyone wants to do is stay inside and work! All that being said, though, I love Scotland. There's something enchanting about waking up with the sight of the hills out my bedroom window, the sound of the bagpipes as I walk down the streets of the city, the little curvy roads that run through the country, and the dramatic landscapes that greet me as I drive across the land. I have to admit I even like the rain most of the time! I'm not sure what that says about me psychologically, but I tend to enjoy the gloomy weather! What I love most, though, is the people. God has blessed me with so many wonderful friends here that I know my life will always be richer because of them. I may not be living here anymore a year from now as God seems to be preparing me for the next thing after I finish my time at the college here, but I do intend to make the best of the time I have left here with these wonderful people in this wonderful land! Anyhow, I guess that's enough rambling for now. I'd better get back to work. Though maybe, before I do, I'll just go on a wee walk in the snow.

I COULD tell you, but then I'd have to kill you..

A lot of incredible things have been happening lately, but unfortunately most of them are confidential so I can't write about them! That's one thing about the kind of work I'm doing at the church here in Kirkintilloch. A lot of what happens has to do with people's personal lives, so I can't write about the wonderful victories that I'm seeing people experience. I can say that I'm very excited about the things I've seen God doing in a number of people's lives and am very thankful for the many people around the world who are praying for the work here in Scotland! But what can I write about? Hmm. I was on the radio on Sunday. It was interesting. I used to do a lot of radio, but it had been a long time since I've done much radio, so it was kind of fun being back in the studio again.

Let's see...what else? I had a birthday on the 13th and had four birthday parties! It was great! First, on Saturday the 12th the youth group had a get together, and we watched Shrek 2 and ate cake. Then on Sunday afternoon, my actual birthday, several of my friends from church took me to a Mexican restaurant in the afternoon. The food was very good, and the company was great! Then in the evening I had a lovely quiet evening with a couple of my friends from college, and on Tuesday evening a big group of us students from the college went out for pizza to celebrate my birthday and the birthday of my fellow student, Elaine. After all that good food, I may need to go on a diet, but it was worth it! I am very thankful for all the wonderful friends God has blessed me with here in Scotland!

Well, not much more to write at the moment. I'm busy with college, teaching the Iranian singles' group and teaching and preaching here at the church in Kirkintilloch. Its a very busy time, but I'm loving it. And, like I said, some really good stuff is happening in people's lives! That makes all the hard work worth the effort.

Into the swing of things..

I could potentially have burned by apartment down again, though this time it would have happened in my absence. My landlord has given me the message that I left my electric blanket on when I went to America. He was not happy. Oh well. I must be more careful in the future.

I had real trouble adjusting back to my schedule here after my return. For over a week I kept oversleeping, but I have now gotten back into the swing of things and am busy again with college and church work. I would love to write a very interesting entry here about the exciting things that have been happening, but I don't have a lot of material to work with this week if I am to write honestly about my life. I've been getting up, going to Glasgow, studying, stopping at Starbucks for coffee at 6, then going home. I'm teaching the Iranian singles' group on Mondays, starting up a Bible study at the church here on Thursdays, visiting with people from the church and of course I'm at church on Sundays. I also spoke to a wild group of 50 plus youth at our church's youth club on Friday. It went well as they actually listened to me. That's pretty much it.

It's all going very well though and I'm having a great time.