254 days in a shoe

254 days in a shoe, in a shoe, in a plastic bin, in a box, in a crate, on a boat, in the middle of the sea...The story of one sock's journey to serbia

This is my story. I am a sock...one of the roughly 542 socks purchased by the Israel family to prepare for their journey to their new home.
I was packed on New Year's Eve, 2009. I was put in a shoe that was (quite ingeniously) placed inside another shoe and packed tightly into a plastic storage box that was put into a cardboard box along with some of the following things...700 packets of taco seasoning mix, 2000 zip-lock bags, a crock pot, an electric keyboard, some light sabers, some photographs, a few holiday decorations, some knives, some games, some books and too many clothes. (plus some)

Trey and Randi packed me away on December 31, 2009.

I was picked up by a storage company in Carrollton on January 20th.

Trey, Randi, and a very nice man from Equatorial Guinea packed me along with all these other things into a 5'x 5'x 4' crate in Irving, Texas, where I waited for a very, very, very long time.

Finally, on June 1st I was released for shipment across the Atlantic.

I spent a little time in Houston and then boarded a boat bound for the Balkans.

Sometime in late July I ended up on dry land again in Slovenia. This is an interesting fact because...Slovenia only has 25 total miles of coastline; so who would have thought that would be my point of entry?

My owners were contacted and asked to pay for my continued transport. Trey went to four banks and the post office. He finally got some help from some wonderful people in London who helped get it all paid for.

I then very slowly traveled from the port city of Koper to Belgrade, Serbia, where I arrived some time in the middle of August.

The Israels had their hopes up...thinking that they would see me very soon now that we were finally in the same country.

But alas, it took another three and a half weeks, 242 phone calls (most of these phone calls were in broken half Serbian and half English), and more money than Randi cares to talk about before...

Trey and his friend packed me and all the other junk into the van and brought us home on September 11th.

I am now happily here on Randi's foot, enjoying my new life.

I hope you enjoy the video.

Why...

This morning that is the question on my mind.  
Why?  
Why do I fail at so many things?


I'm drawn to Paul's letter to the church in Rome.  In chapter 7 he says, 
"¹⁵I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ¹⁶And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
 ²¹So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²²For in my inner being I delight in God's law; ²³but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. ²⁴What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? ²⁵Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! "


I was writing in my journal this morning about all the things that I wish I was doing a better job at...treasuring my husband and kids, learning a new language, managing the things of our household, passionately loving my Lord, memorizing scripture, sharing with those around me, touching lives, hearing His voice and obeying.  


I then read Galatians 3 and was convicted by verse 3:  "Are you so foolish?  After beginning with the spirit are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?"


Ummm....yes, I think we've found the problem friends.  I am so foolish.  I am trying to attain my goal by human effort.  No wonder I'm not measuring up to what I want to be...I'm trying to do it in Randi's strength and Randi's wisdom...neither of which are as great as I often allow myself to believe they are.  


There is encouragement though...I didn't stop reading at the end of chapter 7 of Romans...I kept on reading into chapter 8.


If you too struggle with what I'm describing here you should take the time to read all of Romans 8.  It is so rich:  "there is therefore no condemnation", "the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you", "we share in his sufferings in order to also share in his glory", "the spirit helps us in our weakness"...


Paul concludes the passage with these words, "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[m]neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."


Did you hear that...NOTHING can separate us from the love of God!  Not our own failures, not actions of those around us...NOTHING!


I wish I had the secret to always walking in the spirit...to everyday allowing Him to do the work as I simply believe like Abraham did...to feeling the love that He has promised we will never be separated from, but I do not...there is no secret formula...that is the struggle.


Pray for me as I learn to walk in the spirit and allow me to pray for you too as you learn to walk "as more than a conqueror".  Do you struggle with this too?  How are you learning to remain in the spirit?

Први дан школе...First Day of School

September 1, 2010


Not only is it my dad's birthday...it is also the first day of school in Serbia.
Here are a few photos and some quick reactions to the day...

We are ready to head out the door.  Kyle is thrilled to pose (as always).
Connor 7th grade, Brooke 3rd grade and Kyle 1st grade

Here are Trey, Kyle and Brooke posing outside the front door to the school.  Connor will pose inside our home, but is clearly too cool to take the photo-op in front of all his friends.  By the way, the cool must be working for him.  He was elected class president today.  We were wondering if this is a good thing, or some cruel joke.  As we were discussing what it could mean Trey shared his fear that the class president's parents might be financially responsible for all class parties.  We'll see.  He said a very smart and responsible girl was elected vice president.  She speaks great English and will let him know all he needs to do to fulfill his duties as president.  

Here is Kyle with his new teacher.  She seems very nice.  She speaks English and is clearly a great artist.  (Notice the chalkboard drawing in the background.)  Kyle said he sits by a boy names Boris who also speaks some English.  When I told him about some the messages I'd received about people praying for him on his first day he said, "Well, you should tell them is sort of worked.  It wasn't too bad."  Which, if you know my son very well, is a glowing report. 

Brooke and her teacher are posing outside her classroom.  Her teacher is wonderful.  She is so kind and a good educator.  She does not speak much English, which is really a blessing.  Brooke will be forced to communicate in her new language more and more.  Brooke said it was a good day.  She got to sit by a nice quiet friend, and already has a play date planned for tomorrow after school.  

A new friend from the school helped me fill out the papers for Kyle to be registered and then Trey and I headed off to our own school.  It may not be the first day, but we felt compelled to post some pictures with our teacher.  Trey is clearly the star student, standing there proudly, like a super-hero; while I am the trouble maker.  This is what happens when I use the wrong case.  Keep Praying!!!

Meet the Teacher...Serbian Style

August 31st, 2010

First Grade Meet the Teacher...

Sadly, I do not have photos from this overwhelming event.  Someday I will learn to always have the camera with me.  

I thought Kyle and I would run to the school, we'd see his name on a list, run by his classroom and say hello and that would be that...oh, how I was wrong.  Thinking I knew what to expect...clearly, my first mistake...I should know better by now.

Kyle and I ran in the door right at 10:00...the time I'd been told the event was starting.  

Let me just say I'm pretty sure that everyone in Novi Sad minus Trey, Brooke, Connor, a couple of bus drivers and an e.r. doctor were all there.  

It was 60 degrees outside and 125 degrees inside!  

Kyle's teacher from last year saw us and took him to sit with his class.  

I was then told, "Сви родитељи морају да иду негде другде. Не можете да стојим."

If you're thinking, "Huh, what is she saying?" Then you know just how I felt right then.  I politely told these smiling yet very firm people that I was learning Serbian and had no idea what they were saying to me.  They then nicely told me to go somplace else...parent's can't stand here.  

So, I obediently moved on...where I was going I had no idea.

I found a small spot by the railing and watched as the program began.

Here is a brief synopsis...

Two kids about Connor's age, both on roller blades, skated onto the stage.  I'm pretty sure they were the DJ's for the event.  They skated on and off the stage making comments between each "act".

Act I...little girls with pink suits and green shirts lip-syncing some song I did not understand.

Act II...four big kids doing some sort of workout...no music, no explanation...just silently doing calisthenics

Act III...20 or so little girls singing a song that had been choreographed with umbrellas...This had kind of a half-time drill team routine feel to it.

Act IV...10-12 little boys dressed as pirates passing the microphone down the row and each saying something that was very muffled.  I don't think even their parents knew what they were saying.

Act V...All the entering second graders sang the Serbian version of "If You're Happy and You Know It."  This is the only part that Kyle and I both completely followed.  It was like a breath of fresh air.

Act VI...One more song...honestly, I can't even remember anything about it...I still hadn't seen Kyle since his teacher swept him up as we walked in the door and was a little concerned about the fact that eventually this thing would end and I would have to find him again.

Now, the school director speaks for a few minutes.  I said politely in Serbian to the people next to me, "I'm sorry, I'm learning Serbian and I didn't understand all of what he just said.  Do you speak English?"  To which they replied "Yes, of course we speak a little English." and then proceded to explain everything to me in Serbian.  Very helpful, thank you.

At this point I decide to try and place myself in closer proximity to where I think Kyle may be.  As I'm trying to navigate through the throngs of people...many generations have come to witness the proceedings...there is a woman on the stage reading lists of names and the kids are going up on the stage for a class photo.  

I get to the kids about the time Kyle's class is called and we make eye contact for just a second...It was comforting to both of us.  

After all five classes have been called, they crowd them all (I'm not exaggerating when I say it was at least 125 kids) onto the stage and then someone says something else to the parents and the kids are paraded away.  No adults move.  Everyone just stands there as they take our children away .  

I almost forgot...about this time is when we hear the gunshots!!!  Okay, there weren't really gunshots, but I wasn't sure for a couple of seconds...then I saw the confetti flying everywhere and knew...no school celebration would be complete without either smoke bombs or confetti.  

At this point I ask another woman to please explain to me where my child has gone and how I can reclaim him.  She was very kind, found her husband and together, half in English and half in Serbian they explained to me that the children would be in their classrooms with their teachers for a while and we were to wait outside in the school yard.  

They did not, however,  know where that was.  I was thrilled to be able to show them the way...it was the first time in over an hour that I had a clue about anything.

A few minutes later Trey arrives from language school and we wait for the children to re-appear.  They eventually do.  Each one is carrying a bag of supplies, an apple, a hat and a balloon.  

Kyle seems happy and we all head home...just a day in the life.  

Sixteen Years and Two Weeks

For a change, this will have very little to do with our life here in our new home, but a lot to do with the man who is my home.

Sixteen years and two weeks ago, on August 13th, 1994, I got to marry my best friend.  We were so young (24 and 21) and skinny and naive.  We had no idea where these last sixteen years would lead us...11 different mailing addresses,  8 full-time (and countless part-time) jobs between the two of us,  and 7 churches.  We've been to 7 different countries and 21 states together.  We've ridden just about every type of transportation know to man...except maybe a helicopter and a rickshaw.  We've seen hundreds of movies, and eaten enough guacamole and ice cream to kill us at an early age.  We've been blessed with three amazing children and more *"heart-friends" than anyone deserves in a lifetime.  When we got married Trey, of course, picked the music.  At the last minute he added a song that was sung while we lit the unity candle.  Here are the lyrics:

We lift our voices, we lift our hands.

We lift our lives; they are yours.  We are an offering.

Lord, use our voices, Lord, use our hands.

Lord, use our lives; they are yours.  We are an offering.

All that we have, all that we are, all that we hope to be...we give to you.

Lord, use our voices, Lord, use our hands.

Lord, use our lives...they are yours.  We are an offering.  We are an offering.

I've thought of that song a lot over the last few months.  It is still true.  Although we've both failed numerous times and in many ways our hearts' desire is still the same.  We are His.  He is the reason for all the blessings over the last sixteen years.  He deserves all the glory.  We would have completely ruined the whole thing.  I don't know why we have been so blessed, but I do know that we are humbled by it and want to be faithful with what has been entrusted to us.  We are an offering.

*This is a term I'm stealing from my friend Bonnie.  Your heart language is the language you talk about the things closest to your heart in.  It is almost always your mother tongue.  We are struggling through learning Serbian so we can talk to people here about "heart" matters.  Bonnie said some friends are like that...you just speak the same "language" and you can talk about the most important and intimate things with them.

Buses, Trains and Automobiles...our trip to Bulgaria

Our journey began about 5 o'clock one Friday afternoon in July.  We left our apartment in Novi Sad with 2 rather large suitcases, 5 backpacks 2 purses, a computer bag, and a few other random items...and...

• took a city bus to the bus station 
• took another bus to Belgrade 
• walked a few blocks 
• took the overnight train you see above to Sofia, Bulgaria 
• took a different train to Plovdiv, Bulgaria where we got to hang with the Grozevs!!! 
• took a bus to the Hissaria bus station 
• took a cab to the hotel 
• took a very large van with some great friends through Bulgaria and all the way back to Belgrade 
• !!!Connor and I took a bonus ride in a Bulgarian ambulance, but that is another story!!! 
• took a bus from Belgrade back to Novi Sad and... finally 
• took a cab from the station in Novi Sad back to our apartment 

And there you go...

• 11 vehicles 
• 10 days 
• 9 worship times
• 8 new t-shirts 
• 7 other youth for Connor to "hang" with 
• 6 days with co-laborers 
• 5 US fast food chains (Burger King, McDonald's Subway, KFC and Dunkin Donuts) 
• 4 (at least) babies for Brooke to hug on 
• 3 days at the beach 
• 2 foreign languages 
• 1 great trip 

 I couldn't get Kyle to keep his head in the train...He loved watching everything pass by.

Connor and Trey standing outside our sleeper car and enjoying the fact that the VERY HOT train had started moving...the view and the breeze were very nice.

Brooke and Kyle in the sleeper compartment on the overnight train...the lady that sold us the tickets was very sure that the three bed compartment would be plenty big for our family.  (She lied).  Connor slept on the top bed (where Brooke is in the picture), Trey and Connor slept in the middle bunk (where you see Kyle here) and Brooke and I slept on the bottom one.  She also said the three bed sleepers were much nicer than the 6 bed compartments...well... 

Brooke and I enjoying a peach tea about 17 hours into the journey on the train 

between Sofia and Plovdiv.

The boys on the train...we couldn't wait to hang with the Grozevs in Grozio's homeland.  They were already waiting for us a the train station.  We were late because our first train was late and we missed the early train to Plovdiv...they were looking for us all over the Bulgarian countryside, afraid we'd gotten off in the wrong city.  They were awesome hosts!

This one's for you Kyle Stevens...Oh, the posts that will never be...

This picture really has nothing to do with this post...other than the fact that Kyle Stevens allowed his children to bury him first and then Trey was obligated to do the same.  I guess too, that this is one of the things I "thought" a blog post about...notice the strategically placed shovel in front of the baby in the background...I could have done a whole post on the way people dress (or maybe I should say don't dress) on the beaches of Eastern Europe.

Okay, okay, I know I said I would post every Sunday and I've failed miserably...I could list some excuses, but I will spare you all my sad stories of my blogging short comings...I know you...all 17 of you who follow this post don't want to hear excuses you want to see posts!
My dear friend named in the title of this post has shamed me into getting back on the blogging bandwagon.  And in his honor I decided to make a post listing all the ideas I could have blogged about...many of which I even "thought" the post, but never got around to typing...so here we go:

• What it must have been like to take the train from Yugoslavia to Bulgaria in 1953...pretty much the  same as in 2010, only the border crossing at 5am would have taken a lot more than an hour and a half.
• How it messes with your mind when in Bulgaria a nod means "no" and a shake means "yes"...very confusing my friends...very confusing!
• How a bird can be flying overhead in the rain and miraculously poop through the very small slit in the canvas covering over our table to hit Trey in the head. 
• Burger King in the middle of no where...is it real or is it a mirage to these tired eyes? (Seriously, the middle of nowhere...on a road in the middle of sunflower fields, many kilometers from the nearest city...a brand new, clean and modern place to have it your way!)
• Never get into an ambulance with a man you don't know.  It could cost you 65 Euro.
• The "Ambassador Club" isn't just in Chicago.
• Care packages ROCK...all the love we've received in the last six weeks has been AMAZING!!!
• "No, I don't know the names of the people who just took my son out of the country for ten days to a place I really don't know the name of and no, I don't know exactly when they will return, but that doesn't really bother me like it would have a few months ago."
• How many people can you feed and get out the door by 8 am without water, and what will your house look like after the fact?
• The importance of carrying a driver's license with you when you are driving in Serbia...I really can't state this strongly enough...it is; as we have found VITALLY important.
• How a very powerful God can change the mind of a very angry police officer at the very last minute.
• The best way to strengthen your prayer life is to drive on the country roads of Eastern Europe...just WOW!
• There are a lot of things that just don't get done when your days are limited to 24 hours.
• How blessed we are to have people who still love us and lift us up even though I am doing a lousy job of updating them on our lives.  
• Sesame seeds are big in Serbia...just ask Jackie.
• I work with some amazing people who really love God and others!
• Klima is really a good thing.
• 42 reasons I miss dependable internet

And that is all I've got for today.  Thanks for bearing with this back-sliding blogger.