Mirë se vini!

Mirë se vini!

Posted by Christoph

Ich weiß, ich weiß...
Wir haben lange nichts mehr von einander gehört (oder gelesen), nicht wahr?
Das könnte sich wieder ändern.
Lass mich erklären:


WAS BISHER GESCHAH

In den letzten Monaten rückte für mich der Abschluss meines Studiums immer näher.
Damit musste auch entschieden werden, wie es in Zukunft weiter geht.
Während ich letzten Dezember also überlege, wo ich denn meiner Leidenschaft Menschenrechte nachgehen könnte, bekomm ich die Möglichkeit zur Hochzeit meiner Freunde im Kosovo zu fliegen.

Dabei ist etwas anderes passiert: Ich hab mich verliebt.
Ich hab nicht nur genossen, wieder im Kosovo zu sein sondern mich auch noch dort verliebt.
Das ist alles jetzt sehr verkürzt, aber von "Eine meiner Möglichkeiten" stieg Kosovo in kurzer Zeit zu meinem Ziel auf. Jobsuche Kosovo beginnt.

Während ich mich hier ziemlich verkürzt halte, hat sich alles natürlich über einen gewissen Zeitraum entwicklet und ist nicht von heute auf morgen passiert.
Aber nun bin ich hier.

Seit mittlerweile bald 2 Monaten wohne ich jetzt im Kosovo.
Seit genau einem Monat hab ich meine Arbeit begonnen.
Seit ungefähr 3 Wochen besuch ich einen Sprachkurs.
Ich genieß absolut alles davon.

Ich würd gern so viel mehr von meinen Eindrücken hier lassen, aber es is schwierig das alles nachzuholen.


Fürs erste sei so viel genug gesagt:
Ich hab eine kleine feine Wohnung, die sauber zu halten ich ganz schön schwierig finde! 
Ich hab eine gute Arbeitsstelle mit sehr netten Kollegen.
Ich fang langsam an die Sprache besser zu verstehen und auch ein bisschen zu sprechen.

Gott sei Dank :)

Bis bald

Christoph


Ein paar Fotoeindrücke möcht ich hier lassen. Übrigens is unten noch ein großartiges Gebet/Gedicht in Englisch, wen's interessiert!

 




 Hi..
Now I know we haven't seen or heard (or read) much of each other these last couple of months. But let me explain:

At the end of 2013, finishing university and actually graduating started to come close, which is why I started to think about my opportunities for a job.
So while I'm pondering the possibilities of working with human rights and where, I get the opportunity to go to my friends' wedding in Kosovo.

Something happened there: I fell in love.
So now I wasn't only back to visit a country I loved, I finally also fell in love there.
To cut things short, Kosovo quickly upgraded from "one of my possibilities" to "my heart's choice" for the future. The job hunt was on!

They say Rome wasn't built in a day, and the story is not as simple and not as fast as it seems, but it's the choice I make how to tell it, bear with me.

So for about 2 months now, I've been living in Kosovo.
About a month ago, I started working.
3 weeks ago, I started an Albanian language course.
Pretty recently, I started understanding and speaking a bit more :)

I am doing well.
I found a nice little flat, right next to work and I am shocked by how hard it is, to keep it clean.
I do like my job and my teammates.
I get to spend time with friends and discover independence. 
I am enjoying every bit of it.

Thank God :)
 
See above pictures for a small glimpse of what life is like here!
And if you'd like, enjoy this poem/prayer:



The Valley of Vision

Lord, thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to posess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine,
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty,
thy glory in my valley.

Enough said: Love

Enough said: Love

Posted by Christoph

I've been incredibly bad at playing my part in this giant game we call the Internet.

Here's a little something to make it up. 

Nothing to be added. Nothing at all.

 

A simple Prayer

A simple Prayer

Posted by Christoph

"O God, if Thou art a God: I do not love Thee; I do not want Thee; 
 I do not believe there is any happiness in Thee: but I am miserable as I am.  
Give me what I do not seek; give me what I do not want. If Thou canst, make me happy. I am miserable as I am. I am tired of this world; if there is anything better, give it me."


"Oh Gott, wenn du bist - ich liebe dich nicht; Ich wünsche dich nicht;
Ich glaube nicht, dass in dir Glückseligkeit zu finden ist. Aber ich bin so elend.
Gib mir, was ich nicht suche. Gib mir, was ich nicht wünsche. 
Wenn du kannst, so mache mich glücklich.
Ich bin so unglücklich, wie es nur sein kann. Ich bin dieser Welt müde.
Wenn es irgend etwas besseres gibt, so gib es mir."


This a prayer of Caroline Frey, taken from the book "Kneeling Christian".
Dies ist ein Gebet von Caroline Frey, gefunden in dem Buch "Der kniende Christ".
 

One Word Poems

One Word Poems

Posted by Christoph

Applican't.

Time-manage-well-meant.

 Law-full.

 To be continued...

Urime Urime!!

Urime Urime!!

Posted by Christoph

Urime dita e pavarësise Kosovë!

Happy Independence Day Kosova!
Today marks six years of independence for that small country that has made a home in my heart (or made my heart feel at home, I'm never quite sure which is true).
I am certainly not claiming to understand any of the history, nor the culture that has led to what has happened, I'm nowhere near smart enough for that. I don't know what to think of it.

However, today means something: It means six years of relatively well-kept peace. It means six years of baby steps towards good governance. It means six years of democracy and reconstruction. It means six years of (hopefully) less discrimination and more diversity. Today marks the realization that there's always a chance of change, it celebrates people clinging onto hope. That is, what I will be promoting today.

I want to remember this: Life is complex. The whole Kosova issue is complex. Life belongs to everyone, and we're in this together. I'm sorry for the wounds inflicted on all sides of the conflict. I'm sorry for lives devastated. I'm sorry for my ignorance. I invite you today, to look past the dark clouds in your head. As long as you're living, life is yours to grab! As long as you're breathing there's forgiveness and reconciliation. It's never too late to look up and see the blue sky..

Urime dita e pavarësise Kosovë!

Frohen Unabhängigkeitstag Kosovo!
Heute ist bereits der sechste Jahrestag der Unabhängigkeit dieses kleinen Landes, dass sich in meinem Herzen heimisch gemacht hat (oder meinem Herzen Heimat geboten hat, ich bin mir nie sicher was stimmt).
Ich will nicht behaupten, die Geschehnisse der Vergangenheit auch nur annähernd zu verstehen. Dafür bin ich nicht schlau genug. Ich weiß nicht, was ich darüber denken soll.


Trotzdem, heute bedeutet etwas besonderes: Es bedeutet sechs Jahre eines (wenn auch wackeligen) Friedens. Es bedeutet sechs Jahre erster Schritte in Richtung guter Verwaltung. Es bedeutet sechs Jahre Demokratie und Wiederaufbau. Es bedeutet (hoffentlich) sechs Jahre weniger Diskriminierung und Förderung von Vielfalt. 
Heute erinnert man sich an die Tatsache, dass es immer eine Chance auf Veränderung gibt. Wir erinnern uns an Menschen, die an Hoffnung festhalten. Das möchte ich heute feiern.

Ich möchte mich daran erinnern, dass das Leben komplex ist. Der ganze Kosovo-Konflikt ist komplex. Das Leben gehört uns allen und wir sind alle miteinander verbunden. Es tut mir Leid, für die Wunden die geschlagen und die Leben die zerstört wurden, auf allen Seiten des Konflikts. Es tut mir Leid für meine Ignoranz und Gleichgültigkeit. Ich möchte dich einladen, über die dunklen Wolken in deinem Kopf hinaus zu schauen. Solange du lebst, kannst du das Leben am Schopf packen! Solange du atmest, gibt es Vergebung und Versöhnung. Es ist niemals zu spät, den Kopf zu heben und den blauen Himmel zu sehen..

Pray more, worry less

Pray more, worry less

Posted by Christoph

I really wish I had more time for blogging that is actually worth your while. It's been a while after all. This however, might just be worth looking at it. For as short as the while may be :)

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."
Matthew 6:34

"And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way."
Ephesians 6:10-11

Realization: Every so often, I feel like a worrier, not a warrior.  
Resultion: Let's start the week strong :)
Pray more, worry less.
Pray more -> worry less.
Pray more = worry less.


Ich würde mir echt wünschen, ich hätte mehr Gelegenheit für ausgedehnte Blogposts. Trotzdem ist das hier eine gute Gelegenheit, ausgedehnt nachzudenken. 
"Bete mehr, mach dir weniger Sorgen".

"Deshalb sorgt euch nicht um morgen, denn jeder Tag bringt seine eigenen Belastungen. Die Sorgen von heute sind für heute genug."
Matthäus 6:34

"Noch ein Wort zum Schluss: Werdet stark durch den Herrn und durch die mächtige Kraft seiner Stärke! Legt die komplette Waffenrüstung Gottes an, damit ihr allen hinterhältigen Angriffen des Teufels widerstehen könnt."
Epheser 6,10-11

Entdeckt: Viel zu oft kämpf ich nicht, sondern kämpf mich sinnlos ab.
Lösung: Die Woche stark beginnen :)

Bete mehr, mach dir weniger Sorgen.
Bete mehr -> mach dir weniger Sorgen.
Bete mehr = mach dir weniger Sorgen!





 

People like These

People like These

Posted by Christoph

Picture by Icy and Sot  

www.icyandsot.com

Tehran, Iran.

 

 

 

One day children were brought to Jesus in the hope that he would lay hands on them and pray over them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus intervened: “Let the children alone, don’t prevent them from coming to me. 

 

God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.”

Matthew 19

Damals wollten einige Leute ihre Kinder zu Jesus bringen, damit er ihnen die Hände auflege und für sie bete; aber die Jünger fuhren sie an und wollten sie wegschicken.

Da sagte Jesus: »Lasst doch die Kinder! Hindert sie nicht, zu mir zu kommen; 

 

denn für Menschen wie sie steht Gottes neue Welt offen.«

Matthäus 19

Two Poems

Two Poems

Posted by Christoph

Nach einer etwas längeren Abwesenheit, melde ich mich zurück mit 2 Gedichten. Leider sind beide nur auf Englisch. Das erste werd ich mal übersetzen denk ich. Die Kreativität kommt einfach, wie sie kommt. Tut mir Leid! :)

What If

What if I did this or that and then?
This means I better don't do that, then.
Should cause no problems for me, then.

Yes and no life for me, then.


Progression

God, I'm so tired!
So tired of myself.
Self-centered efforts, trying to be better.
Wouldn't it be best if all this just stopped?
Stop the lies, the injustice, the greed.
Greedily I jump through hoops for any kind of attention.
My attention is soon on anything, 
but often on not anything of importance.
Important things are often left undone.
Undone is how I feel, but not in a good sense.
Too clear I sense the chafing of my chains.
Chain reactions of stupidity ensue.
Sue me if you want, I'm utterly defenseless.
Never quite able to defend myself less.
Less and less I feel a much-needed certainty,
that hope will come, come so certainly.
hope, hope-full and hope-lessly I wait,
waiting is hard when your sky is all grey,
grey is the blanket that covers my eyes.
Eye for an eye it takes away my sight,
sightless I wander in the darkness and night,
but it is at my darkest that I feel a fresh air.
Airless I'm shaking in anticipation,
as light starts to shake of the shadow.
Shadows flee in the presence of light,
light are my burdens, mere vapors my fears,
fearful I fall to my knees and cry out:
"Who are you, liberator, say it out loud!"
Loudly, he whispers the answer to me:
"I am who I am, and forever will be,
forever and ever, my child come with me."
says
"I am who I am and forever will be,
 for now and for always, my child you will be."

Happy New Year! :)

Happy New Year! :)

Posted by Christoph

I wish you a happy and blessed year 2014 - may it be a great one!
Ich wünsche dir ein glückliches und gesegnetes Jahr 2014 - auf ein wunderbares Jahr!


„I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.
Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.
So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.
Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”
― Neil Gaiman


"Ich hoffe, in diesem neuen Jahr wirst du Fehler machen.
Denn wenn du Fehler machst, dann machst du neue Dinge, du probierst Dinge, du lernst, du lebst, du bringst dich über deine Grenzen, du änderst dich, du änderst deine Welt. Du tust Dinge, die du noch nie zuvor getan hast und am allerwichtigsten: Du TUST ETWAS!
Das ist mein Wunsch für dich, für uns alle, für mich selbst. Mach neue Fehler!
Mach herrliche, fantastische Fehler! Mach Fehler die zuvor nie jemand begangen hat. Bleib nicht starr, hör nicht auf. Mach dir keine Sorgen, dass was du tust nicht gut genug oder nicht perfekt ist, was auch immer es ist. Kunst, die Liebe, Arbeit, Familie oder das Leben.

Wovor auch immer du Angst hast: Tu es!
Mach deine Fehler, kommendes Jahr und für immer."
Neil Gaiman

About Feelings of Inadequacy

About Feelings of Inadequacy

Posted by Christoph

So I've been thinking a bit today. The result of my extensive (almost caught you with that one, didn't I? Extensive.. hilarious!) thinking is that I want to write about feelings of inadequacy. So here goes:

Absolutely everbody on the planet has such feelings every once in a while, I'm sure! Some more than others and maybe me more than you (or you more than me, I could never know).
Another true story is that usually, we don't really go out of line and talk about them. It's hurtful and embarassing and even though it would actually do us good, we just don't get our insecurities out in the open. Well, in many cases that is probably good. I won't advocate for being vulnerable to everyone, EVERYTIME. That wouldn't be very wise.

What I want us to think about today, is change. Change is tough!
Just about every time in my life when I thought that certain things have changed or were actually close to changing, reality has tightened its grip and thrown me back.
What I was (and am!) left with, is the seemingly unshakeable feeling that things will never ever change. That I would never ever change. Whatever bugs me, you name it. I might make nice experiences, but sooner than later I seem to slip back into the same old stuff, struggling, seemingly unsuccessful to change my life, as much as it felt like it a moment ago. Something is trying to snatch that winning, conquering mindset from me.

A lot of my own insecurity comes from my handicap. It really depends, but let me just say that every once in a while it bugs me. It bugs me, when I can't climb a flight of stairs because there's no handrail. It bugs me, when I see father's picking up their kids. It bugs me when I need help carrying my suitcase. It bugs me when I fall.
This of course, has a lot to do with pride. I struggle with preconceived ideas of what a man should be, what a man should do and what makes a man manly. 
Some of these ideas that I have may even be valid, even though I really should let them go. Some of them are downright stupid. None of them should make me feel bad, but darn it, sometimes they just do.  

I could strech this post now and e more specific, be more vulnerable. I don't think I need to. I want you to listen to this instead:

Abraham was first named “father” and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing. When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do. Romans 4:17-18

Isn't that amazing???!!
From one second to the other, the whole picture changes! Why?
Because I no longer look to my own imperfections and "dis-abilities".
In the blink of an eye I'm face to face with hope. 
You see, I may not be able to do many things. I may do a lot of stupid things as I try to figure out life. I may make wrong decisions.
Yet God is infinitely and definitely more able than I will ever be, even were I the closest to perfect human being on earth.
And you know what? This verse doesn't even talk about what God says he could do, but about what he would do!
Do you get it? This is not a "if I feel like it", "if I feel you deserve it", "if I have spare time and energy" kind of situation. This is the maker of life, creating-life-out-of-nothing, wonderful loving God, DOING THINGS because HE SAID HE WOULD.
If that's not encouraging, I don't know what is!

Well maybe this is:

“I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives.” — R.J. Palacio

If you feel insecure, or scared or hopeless, remember this!
From my very soul, I promise I'll root for you!

Unconditionally

Unconditionally

Posted by Christoph

Had someone asked me a while ago, which way I would like to be loved, I'd probably have said: "Well RIGHT NOW, and passionately!"
Love is a tricky thing - almost every time I think I got it all figured out, I realize how little I know at all. Anyone who's gone through the agony of heartbreak can probably testify to this. Especially to one's blindness to one's own incapacity to love.

The thing is not that I did not love. The thing is not even that I did not love much. The thing is I did not know how to love WELL!
I absolutely love Philippians 1:9, especially in The Message translation where it reads:

"So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well."

I think this is so so true! It continues to say that our love should be circumspect, not sentimental gush. Other translations read:

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,"

The thing with love is, I didn't know how to love well and wisely. I didn't know how relationships worked. I was little child, handed a grown-ups thing. Well, I guess I wasn't handed it, I guess I took it. Different story.
I was selfish, I was insecure, I was unforgiving, I loved being right, I had sin in my life...
The list of my shortcomings is long - I was to busy blaming someone else.

I feel that each day I'm learning a little more what true love really is. I'm still far from where I think I should be. But I hope that one day, I'll be able to love well. In fact, I have many people around me, and I can already start to love them. My family, my friends. 
If you ask me now how I want to be loved, I'd say: First I want to love. If then I should get loved back in return, that's great! I'd say that first and foremost I want to love my family and friends, the people closest to me. I want to love Jesus wholeheartedly. I want to love myself. I'd say that I'd rather prepare for the day that there might be room for a special someone.
If you asked me today, I'd say I'd like to love unconditionally. And that's the way I'd like to be loved.

How wonderful is the fact that I'm already loved like that?
The Bible tells me that God himself loves me like that! 
We're celebrating the proof of his love these days: He became human to be close to us! To open up the way for a relationship with himself. He paid for our shortcomings, if we let him.
In that way, he subsequently made a way for any other relationship as well.
In the forgiveness of our sins, we find the strength and possibility to forgive others. 
Thank you Jesus, for loving me unconditionally!
Thank for for coming anyway, even though you knew we wouldn't love you back.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16

Christmas Poem

Christmas Poem

Posted by Christoph

Christmas poem

There are a million bright lights illuminating the night sky,

as people shuffle through crowded streets into their crowded homes,

when will we realize that happiness is not in what we buy,

be it new T-Shirts, new TVs or new phones.

There are a million bright lights illuminating the night sky,

as people shuffle through crowded streets into their lonely homes,

There is no one there to sing „Angels We Have Heard on High“

As the cold spreads into their hearts and into their bones.

There are a million bright lights illuminating the night sky,

as the family gathers to sing those traditional songs,

and no one has heard the mother’s desperate cry,

after he hit and hit again to tell her where she belongs.

There was only one bright light illuminating the night sky,

leading both wise men and shepherds to a throne of hay,

what began there that night is the life that saved my life,

yes in that deep darkness dawned the brightest day.

There are a million bright lights illuminating the night sky,

as people shuffle through crowded streets into their crowded homes,

but there has never been a brighter light in any sky

the day that God himself on earth was born.

Advent: Churches & Bars

Advent: Churches & Bars

Posted by Christoph

What if I told you, there is absolutely no difference between a church and a bar?
What if I told you, I want you to go to a bar as much as I want you to go to church?
There's just no difference. 

I want you to listen to this wonderful song called "An Introduction" by David Ramirez, before we explore together what on earth I am talking about. Enjoy, it's brilliant music! 
Listen to the lyrics, of course!

Here's the part that I want you to pay special attention to:

"Tell me where to find

Tell me where to find the Lord

How the hell am I supposed to knock on Heaven if I can't even see the door

Tell me where to find the Lord

So I traded in my pew for a bar stool

Trying to find redemption in the mind of the youth

We'd sit tall with our cigarettes and disheveled uniforms

Oh I never, no I never saw the Lord."

You know, my first reaction would be very evangelical on this one. Honestly, a tiny part of me wants to throw Matthew 7:7 at this guy and be like "Knock and it will be opened to you". Thank God that part of me is only very tiny, cause I don't think that would help at all.
The question these lyrics make me ask is: Where did we go wrong?
Where was it that we turned away from a living vibrant relationship with Christ, so it happens that people don't meet him when they come to our churches? The Bible tells us that the church is the bride of Christ. We've become a lonely couple, only one half of the deal, a wife without a husband.
That could be one part of the problem, but in reality, there's more.
What really bugs me is that you should be just as fine to meet Jesus in a bar. 
When we look at the Jesus of the Bible, he was being critisized by the religious folk because he was "eating with the sinners". It seems not logical to me, that we've confined him now to live in a nice and holy building, where everybody can meet him each Sunday at around 11 am. No, he'd be out there, finding people where they are, just as he did 2000 years ago. That is how a church and a bar are exactly the same thing.
Maybe this is a good start to preparing for Christmas: Remembering that it is not about us finding God, but God coming down into our mess to find us. What a story :)

"Still, we belong to a God who never stops seeking us, and my experience has been that faith is not so much Lost then found as it is being found again and again and again."
~ Addie Zierman

Quotes once more :)

Quotes once more :)

Posted by Christoph

I simply love quotes! I love learning what people have to say about life.
I love spreading wisdom and with quotes, it's so much easier, because I don't have to come up with it ;)
I have several posts in draft, please be patient! 
By the way, since I'm not on Facebook right now, I'm gonna need you to share and spread this, please - I count on you! :)


"I strongly believe that my gift from God for His glory isn’t photography or even another outlet like design, but it is to love the humans. That is the ultimate art. That is what we were created for. To be vulnerable. To not care about “awkward” situations, showing direct eye contact, expressing deep feelings; when was it that the world told you to be afraid of speaking life into others? To love God and to love people. To let Christ use you for His divine plans. What an honor that is. What a gift we’ve been given." 
Keaton Webb 


"It’s like, it doesn’t honor God to pretend like everything is OK. That’s the beauty of Jesus that so many people miss. The beauty is that he died on the cross for our sins, but also that he existed the way we exist. He understands what it’s like to lose a friend. He’s not unfamiliar with those emotions. He’s not unfamiliar with the difficulty of human life. To me that’s what makes Jesus as God beautiful. He totally understands. He went out of his way to prove to us that he understands our situation. So when he has something to say, it’s not coming from this high and lofty standpoint. It’s coming from this person who understands intricately the perils of human existence." 
John Mark McMillan  


"Still, we belong to a God who never stops seeking us, and my experience has been that faith is not so much Lost then found as it is being found again and again and again. And to become more like Jesus is to learn the holy work of finding each other."
Addie Zierman


“Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid.”
Frederick Buechner 


“Turn around and believe that the good news that we are loved is better than we ever dared hope, and that to believe in that good news, to live out of it and toward it, to be in love with that good news, is of all glad things in this world the gladdest thing of all. Amen, and come Lord Jesus.”
Frederick Buechner

Repost: Vous êtes très courageux!

Repost: Vous êtes très courageux!

Posted by Christoph

Zufälligerweise bringe ich diesen Post genau an dem Tag nochmal, der auch albanischer Unabhängigkeitstag ist, den die ethnischen Albaner im Kosovo ebenfalls feiern :)
Incidentally, I reposted this story on the same day as the Albanian independence day, that many ethnic Albanians in Kosovo celebrate :) 
Happy celebrations, Albanians everywhere!


Das wird wieder ein ziemlich kurzer Blog-Post werden, aber manchmal haben die kleinsten Erlebnisse des Alltags einen Platz an der Sonne verdient. 
Ich hoff euch allen geht's gut! Während mir hier immer mehr bewusst wird, samt allen Vor- und Nachteilen, wie bald meine Zeit hier vorbei sein und dieser Blog einen neuen Namen bekommen wird, hatte ich zwei Erlebnisse die ich mit euch teilen will:

Vor kurzem geh ich eines Morgens in unseren Denner (das Lebensmittelgeschäft, das sich glücklicherweise im Nachbargebäude befindet!). Die Sonne scheint, meine Großeltern sind zu Besuch und ich möchte ein paar kleinere Dinge fürs Frühstück kaufen.
Ich trage mein I love Kosovo T-Shirt. Wobei eigentlich nur Kenner erkennen können (lustige Alliteration!), dass es sich um ein I love Kosovo T-Shirt handelt:

  
Ich spazier also in den Denner wie immer, manchmal hat man eine nette aber oberflächliche Unterhaltung mit den Angestellten oder dem Chef, manchmal auch nicht. Als ich so an der Kasse stehe, strahlt mich die junge Frau auf einmal an und sagt: "Ich komme aus dem Kosovo!" und freut sich WIRKLICH. Viel mehr ist aus der Unterhaltung nicht geworden, ich hab noch kurz erzählt, dass ich im Juli dort war und es richtig schön fand. Allerdings bin ich an dem Tag hüpfenden Schrittes und mit einem riesen Lächeln auf den Lippen zurück in die Wohnung spaziert. Und seitdem grüßen wir uns immer recht fröhlich. Albanisch hab ich noch nicht mit ihr gesprochen, das nächste Mal vielleicht.
Manche Dinge sind wirklich klein und auch ihre Auswirkungen sind nicht weltbewegend. Aber diese Situation erfreut mich immer noch, wenn ich drüber schreibe :)

Die zweite Situation ist erst heute passiert:
Ich geh wieder vom Denner mit dem Einkauf zurück und wie immer, hab ich die Tasche zu voll gemacht - mir ist übrigens erst heute bewusst geworden, warum Leute gern zwei Taschen nehmen um Gleichgewicht zu haben und dass das der Grund ist, warum ich eine schwere Tasche gern VOR mir trage :) Manche Erkenntnis kommt spät.
Jedenfalls seh ich einen älteren unbekannten Herrn und während ich so vorbeigehen will sagt er kräftig und bestimmt:
H: "Bonjour Monsieur!" (Guten Tag)
C: "Bonjour!"
H: "Vous êtes très courageux!" (Sie sind sehr mutig!)
C: "Pourquoi?" (Warum?)
H: "Parce que vous êtes handicapé mais vous luttez quand même!" (Weil Sie eine Behinderung haben und trotzdem kämpfen!)
C: Ahh.. Merci bien (Vielen Dank!) 
Christoph geht verdattert und ohne ein weiteres Wort weiter.
Der Mann geht ebenfalls seines Weges. Im Augenwinkel seh ich noch, dass auch er nicht ganz rund geht - auch wenn ich nicht sagen könnte, was das Problem ist.

Leider hab ich nicht noch mehr mit diesem Mann geredet - oder mich etwas überschwänglicher bedankt. Erst im Nachhinein hab ich bemerkt, wie genial diese kleine Ermutigung eigentlich ist. Und wieviel besser sie ankam, weil wir nicht noch länger darüber geredet haben - macht das Sinn? 
In gewisser Weise haben wir das Gespräch beendet, bevor es komisch werden konnte. Was mir bleibt, ist diesem Mann für die Erinnerung zu danken, dankbar zu sein und ihm das Beste zu wünschen.  
Erinnert hat er mich daran:

"Nachdem Mose, der Diener des Herrn, gestorben war, sprach der Herr mit Josua. Dieser war ein Mitarbeiter von Mose und ein Sohn Nuns. »Mein Diener Mose ist jetzt tot. Geh nun zusammen mit meinem Volk über den Jordan in das Land, das ich den Israeliten gebe. (...)

Sei stark und mutig. Gehorche gewissenhaft den Gesetzen, die dir mein Diener Mose gab. Weiche nicht von ihnen ab, damit du Erfolg hast, wohin du auch gehst.

Die Worte des Gesetzes sollen immer in deinem Mund sein. Denke Tag und Nacht über das Gesetz nach, damit du allem, was darin geschrieben steht, Folge leisten kannst, denn nur dann wirst du erfolgreich sein.

Ich sage dir: Sei stark und mutig! Hab keine Angst und verzweifle nicht. Denn ich, der Herr, dein Gott, bin bei dir, wohin du auch gehst.«"  

Josua Kapitel 1

Regelmäßige Leser des Blogs sollten diese Stelle schon kennen :) Sie ist für mich für den ganzen Aufenthalt hier zum Leitspruch geworden. Danke Jesus.



This will be a rather short blog-post, but sometimes it's the little things that deserve the most attention. I hope all is well with you. Each day I keep realizing more and more how my time here is running out, with all advantages and disadvantages. This blog will get a new name soon. However, there's two situations that I want to share today:

A week ago I go down to Denner (the friendly, wonderfully perfect store right outside of our house!) The sun was shining, my grandparents were visiting me and I wanted to get some nice stuff for breakfast. I'm wearing my I love Kosovo T-Shirt.

  
So I'm walking into Denner, much like on any other given day. Often, you get to have a nice and superficial conversation with some of the employees, sometimes not. Today is different: As I get ready to pay, the young woman's face lights up and she says in a sweet voice: I'm from Kosovo! and she is genuinely happy about me wearing that shirt! We didn't talk much more about it than that, I only tell her that I've been to Kosovo in summer and loved it! She smiles some more and we each continue our day. The only diffeence is, I have a skip in my step and a big smile on my face and the day is off to a great start! Ever since then, when we greet each other,you can tell that we mean it :)
Some things are small - even their implications. But everytime I think about that story, I can't help but smile. It made my day.

The second situation happened only today:
I'm walking back home from Denner (again!) and as always, my bag is a little too full. I never learn.
At the corner of the street I see an elderly man looking at me. I didn't want to talk or anything when, in passing by, he adresses me loudly and confidently:
M: "Bonjour Monsieur!" (Hello/Good day)
C: "Bonjour!"
M: "Vous êtes très courageux!" (You are very courageous!)
C: "Pourquoi?" (Why?)
M: "Parce que vous êtes handicapé mais vous luttez quand même!" (Because you are handicapped but you keep on fighting)
C: Ahh.. Merci bien (Thanks so much) 
Christoph continues on his way, a little confused and surprised.
The man walks away as well, out of the corner of my eye I can see that he too has difficulties walking, even though I couldn't tell of what kind they were.

I'm a bit sorry to have left that man that quickly and without thanking him properly. Only afterwards I realized how amazing that little conversation we had was. And how much more it encouraged me, because we didn't talk too much about it. Does that make sense? We ended the talk before it could become awkward. What's left is to be thankful and wish him the best! He reminded me of this:

"After the death of Moses the servant of God, God spoke to Joshua, Moses’ assistant:
“Moses my servant is dead. Get going. Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people. (...) In the same way I was with Moses, I’ll be with you. I won’t give up on you; I won’t leave you. Strength! Courage! You are going to lead this people to inherit the land that I promised to give their ancestors. Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it. Don’t get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you’re going. And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed. Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take.”

Joshua 1

Frequent readers of my blog should already be familiar with that Scripture. It has become a sort of motto to my whole stay and life. Thank you, Jesus.

Go on and make someone's day :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 x 2 + 1 = Wisdom

5 x 2 + 1 = Wisdom

Posted by Christoph

Heute wird ein vergleichsweise kurzer Blog-Post. Ich schick mal wieder ein paar Zitate durch, die mir aufgefallen sind. Such deinen Favoriten raus :)

Today is going to be a relatively short blog-post. I'll be sharing some new great quotes, pick your favorite! Enjoy :)

“What we have before us are some breathtaking opportunities disguised as insoluble problems.” — John Gardner

 

"Was wir vor uns haben sind atemberaubende Möglichkeiten, getarnt als unlösbare Probleme!" - John Gardner

 

 

"What is to give light must endure burning."
Viktor Frankl

“Was Licht spenden soll, muss brennen.” 
Viktor Frankl

"What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step. It is always the same step, but you have to take it." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

 

"Was einen Menschen rettet, ist ein einfacher Schritt. Dann noch ein Schritt. Es ist immer derselbe Schritt, aber du musst ihn machen." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

 

 

"Character is simply long habit continued. Sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap character. Sow character, and reap a destiny." -Greg Laurie

 

"Charakterstärke ist einfach fortgesetzte gute Angewohnheit. Säe einen Gedanken, ernte eine Tat. Säe eine Tat, ernte Gewohnheit. Säe Gewohnheit, ernte Charakter. Säe Charakter, ernte eine Bestimmung." -Greg Laurie

 

 

"When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it."
-Maya Angelou

 

"Wenn ich sage ich bin Christ,

dann meine ich nicht, perfekt zu sein.

Meine Fehler sind viel zu offensichtlich,

aber Gott glaubt, dass ich es wert bin."

-Maya Angelou