Day 82: There and Back Again: A Traveler's Tail by Jason Haggard

Wow, it is warming up nicely here in beautiful Heidelberg, Germany. I couldn't tell you the exact temperature since my internal thermometer has never quite worked correctly after Iraq. I would guess it is in the eighties. It is a little warmer inside. I am using the Swope's computer up in their son's room, Keenan. I think that is how you spell it, but I can't say for sure; I have ever seen it written down, doesn't matter anyway.

There is a lot to say. I am obviously back from the British Islands. These last few days have been a whirlwind of activity as I try to settle in for another two-month stay. The Swope's have graciously put me up for this time. They are a wonderful family, very hospitable and generous. The hardest part about living here is my own personal inability to be served. I love serving others, but when someone serves me, I can't handle it. At least not real well.

I flew back to Germany and immediately jumped into MCYM. Club was last Wednesday. Seeing all the students who I met while in Slovakia was a great. MCYM is heading to Italy next month and I hope that I will be able to meet some new kids while there and also strength the previous relationships. We will see.

OK, this is really starting to bore me. I am in a bind because I do have a lot to say. I almost have too much to say and so I don't even know where to begin. It is like trying to sleep last night. After a day of hanging out in Trier and having a most enjoyable day with Jen and Megan, I got back a little late and was so tired I couldn't sleep. How does that happen? How can you be so tired that even sleeping takes to much energy?

Speaking of Trier, I will start there and hopefully work backwards. Yesterday was spent walking around the tourist city of Trier. It is an old walled city that the French, Romans, Germans, and probably Americans have had their hands in. The architecture has a very eclectic feel because of all the different influences. There is one old building, a protester's church, which has an obvious French addition. (I would should you pictures, but my camera is shot. The other day I had placed my man purse on a counter top and gravity did its thing. The bag with said camera inside came crashing to the tiled floor. I was more concerned about my computer that did the same and didn't even think about the camera until yesterday. I pulled it out to snap some photos and it wasn't working properly. The light sensor was out of whack because all the pictures came out really bright. I used my engineering background and proceeded to undue what the fall had apparently done. I figured that since a fall from about chest high to a tile floor caused the camera to break, maybe a fall from about chest high to a stone floor would fix it. It didn't. In fact, now the camera does not even turn on. It was time for a new camera anyway.) You can tell it is French because of the bright pink color and white trim. (I had some deprecating humor that I was going to add here, but I have chosen not to. Enough jokes have been made about the poor French bastards that they don't need me making any about their spines, or lack there of, their government, or as we call it, their patsy, or their…)

A lot of yesterday was spent shopping. Remember I went with two girls and you know how girls are. (Hey, I would deny it so don’t even try to tell anyone.) We also ate at this great Italian place and listened to some Native Americans playing beautiful music on the street.

I’m back. What? What do you mean, “Where did I go?” Oh yeah, you all can’t tell that everything written before this was done yesterday. I mentioned that I am using someone else’s computer. In the middle of typing out this blog, the screen went blank. Luckily, I was able to save that part of the blog and come back today to finish it. The large break in time between beginning and end reminds me of C.S. Lewis’s description of God and time.

He was describing how God is “outside” of time. Sort of like an author is in relation to a book they write. An author, like me, will sit down and pen a scene about a particular character. The scene may be written over a period of days, but the time in the story could be minutes. When the author stops writing, the character would appear to freeze until the next words are written. The story when complete, flows naturally, and the character never knows the breaks in the author’s day. Lewis describes God in a similar fashion. He is outside of time, which is why there is no beginning and end with God. It is also why He knows everything that we will do before we do it, because for God, every time is now. There is no past, just like there is no future. God does not travel from day to day as we do; He is everywhere all the time.

I have been gone, enjoyed the warm weather, an evening with some kids, and even The Return of the King, but to you, I never left. Because I did leave, I am not in the same writing mood as before. I will try my best to continue, but actually I won’t. Yesterday’s writing was boring even to me. Today too, I’m not feeling it, but I do want to get a few things out.

First is about prayer. Adam, thank you for your kind words about my life. I am glad that you see me like that because if you didn’t then there would be some serious issues in my life that I would need to deal with. There are anyway, but most people don’t see them. When I ask someone to pray for me, it isn’t because I feel their prayers are necessary for my peace or prosperity, or even to keep me from the offense the prayer is directed towards. Their prayers are however comforting. It means a lot to me to know that others are thinking about me and concerned for my well being. Also, I don’t exactly understand why, I have some guesses, but God calls us to pray. It is therefore beneficial to do so. I don’t completely get it. I was saying earlier about God being every where all the time, so it does, in one sense, seem pointless to talk to God and make requests of Him because He already knows what I am going to say and has probably figured out a solution before I even know a problem exists. Regardless, He still calls me to pray. One of my guesses in answering the why is because prayer may have something to do with benefiting me and others in that God uses it changes us, maybe?

Other note worthy events have been with teenagers. If I didn’t mention it before, this next two months will be spent volunteering with MCYM. (I did mention it, in this blog in fact.) Because my time will be spent with them, most of what you will be hearing from me will concern them. I went to see Star Wars III with kids. It is sooooo much better than the first two; it almost makes up for those sad films. The part I enjoyed the most was how Lucas began to transform everything so that you can see how “A New Hope” becomes. The characterizations, Vader and all that are one thing, but I was really concerned about all the aircraft and machinery. I am sure that everyone watched Episode I and said, “Those ships are so sleek and smooth, they seem to me that they shouldn’t precede the X-wing and Tie fighter.” Me too. The yellow fighter craft from Naboo are the best example. I was worried that Lucas wouldn’t do anything about that. But he did. You could look at the ships in “Revenge of the Sith” and see how they began the transformation to the X-wing, Y-wing, Tie fighter, and blockade runners of my youth. Major peeps out to George for doing a good job.

I got to run and I want to get this out so I am going to have to cut it short. I want anyone to know that you can call me if you would like. My cell phone is: 011 49 160 9272 6262. Dial all those numbers and you should reach me. I won’t talk for long, but we can chat a bit.

I just thought of a couple things I want to mention, they are about the Heidelberg Castle and the German culture. Not today though.

Until then and tomorrow.

Jason