blogging the bible

for all of you dts students (and staff) that are reading this... you should be reading your Bible instead of checking blogs! but if you are just taking a break from reading, you should check out The Complete Blogging of the Bible by David Plotz, "a proud, but nonobservant Jew." he is reading through the Bible chapter by chapter and blogging as he goes. good to read and hear an outside perspective.

sitting at sitt ned, my favorite (one of the only) cafe in skien. i am spending the day here, reading "In the Beginning" by Chaim Potok. i began reading Mr. Potok's books in high school, at the prompting of my English teacher and still love them. they talk of the different aspects of Jewish life - great stories.
it's finally that Christmas feeling here. i never really, truly get into the Christmas spirit here. maybe that's because i still have a little love for the american Christmas - decorations up before Thanksgiving, lots of lights, Christmas music everywhere. and I love having the tree up all through December. this year i am getting my first Christmas tree as an adult. we don't get them until the week before Christmas, but the presents are wrapped and decorations bought.
... i'm going to india in march! i'm quite excited. i'll be leading a team there (Einar - coleader, Adrian, Sindre, Lise, Laila - all Norwegian, and Melissa and Katie - American) for two months. we will travel a bit and hopefully end the trip with an 8 day trek in the Himalayas. i look forward to wearing a sari, eating Indian food, being in hot weather. lots of expectations. before that, i will be leading a team to Scotland for 2 weeks. i'm really looking forward to leading the trip because i will be leading alone and the team is small. the main focus is evangelism, which is quite a stretch for me, but i'm really excited about it. and yes, there is a starbucks near where we will be. i really got a love for the uk during my first year here, when i spent Christmas in London. i've been back several times since and always enjoy it. i look forward to being in another part of the uk.
that's all for now. back to the Christmas music, chicken curry soup, and a good book.

i had to post a second blog today because of this sad looking group. my family missed me on thanksgiving (brother-in-law caleb, dad, sister erin, and mom). i'm also sad because my camera is broken. sigh.

spiritual and not-so-spiritual musings on thanksgiving

I am thankful for:
* my week off
* the good norwegian/american thanksgiving day i've had so far: shopping and coffee with my good friend-hild mari, a good movie, november issue of "real simple," phone call from my family, a norwegian take on thanksgiving dinner
* the capacity to make my own decisions
* that i found boots today!
* that my new contacts came in yesterday
* untrodden opportunities
* ability to begin anew
* the library here in skien (love free books and dvds!)
* the gift of contentment and adapting
* wireless internet
* solitude
* creativity
* the realization that Christmas is almost here!

just a few more pictures from london (to prove i'm still alive):