Ob la di, Ob la da

The other day I came across the title on a web page Whole Apartment Building Covers 'Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da' 

 The person who posted the blog explained this video by saying “They're unfortunately not a bunch of real-life neighbors, though. This is a promo video for the 2011 Rock & Worship Roadshow, featuring Jars of Clay and some other bands you haven't heard of.”

As I started watching the video I thought to myself “wait a minute!...this isn’t just jars, this is mercy me, and thousand foot crutch…and is that Lecrae?! I just thought it was funy that the author of this eintertainment blog would assume that no one would know these people.

Needless to say it’s a great video..

Enjoy

ps. I’m also guessing that this is no where near an apartment building but rather a church hallway.

normal pizza

In Nepal Pizza Hut is considered a fancy restaurant. People go there for special occasions and when they go they look their best. The service is some of the best in the country and my friends and I go there for special holidays such as New Years and Valentines Day.

The menu is a little different from the American Menu. At the Nepal Pizza Hut you can order chicken tikka pizza or fiery chargrilled chicken with corn. If you are a fan of dipping your pizza in sauce you will most likely be given the spicy mustard.

I myself have become a fan of the spicy mustard and request it upon arrival of my pizza…this has become normal. 

"normal"

In hopes of trying to be a regular blogger I decided to start “normal Friday”. It will just be a snippet of what is “normal” in my life but at home in the states it might not be so normal.

Right now Nepal is up to 16 hrs a day without power. We have a schedule to let us know when we will actually have power. For example on Saturday I have electricity from the hours of 10am to 1pm. Then it will come back on again from 10pm to 1am.

This lifestyle leads to a few strange things that are normal to me

Reading at night with a flash light.

Carrying a flashlight in my purse

Candle light dinners

Watching movies on my laptop

Leaving meetings early because the power is on and I need to do laundry

Rumor has it that the power will start to improve in May…this is normal in my world. 

a few things

A few things that I’ve recently learned/ realized about myself…

Winter here in Nepal tends to put me in a bit of a funk. Between the homesickness during the holidays, lack of indoor heating, and 16 hr a day power-outages my positive spirit takes a hit. This is a large reason for me not blogging. I just can’t bring myself to write about much of anything.

I’ve also recently learned that I have friends and family that actually read my blogg and keep up with me through this form of communication. I just sort of assumed that my Mom, Cousin Beau, and Andrea were the only ones that read this. My old friends Jamie and Fiona, in different ways, brought to my attention that indeed others do read my snippets of life brought to you by blogging.

For those that actually have taken some sort of interest in my life let me just say thanks. It’s a nice feeling knowing that there are people out there that care. I also apologize for not keeping up with this blog. I won’t make any promises about being a regular blogger but I will try my best.

Here are a few things that you may want to know….

Christmas was nice. I missed my family but my friends here were a blessing. Please note that my Charlie Brown tree looks better in the dark

New Years Eve was celebrated at Pizza Hut and with a box of apple juice. (there is a wine glass on the box so it seems classy and appropriate)

Valentines day was nice as well. I baked cookies for my friends, received some pretty awesome cards, and received flowers from a friend.

Talk to ya soon

homesickness

I’ve always loved Christmas. If you are not sure how much I love this holiday and it’s traditions then feel free to ask Angela or Beckie Bruhn. My slightly obsessive need for tradition led to all sorts of Christmas shenanigans such as the blood star and removing the tree top first.

As I am far away from my family this year I am constantly feeling the pangs of homesickness and the traditions of “home”. Nothing makes one appreciate their family more than being on the other side of the world.  Here are a few of the things that I find myself daydreaming about this holiday season.

Eggnog * Beth’s bunko party * The Blood Star * Picking out a tree with Ang & Beau * Christmas carols at church * neighborhood lights * Zillah’s downtown Christmas decorations * Christmas service with Mom & Dad * ABC family Christmas movies * Seeing old friends in my home town * Hot Chocolate at my Sisters * Nephews opening gifts * Christmas sweets * Christmas dinner with my entire family * fire places * The Christmas lights from my parent’s house * snow * cozy coffee shops * going to the movies with my Sister and Cousins * sledding * the complete silence at Mom& Dad’s as I lay my head down on the soft pillow Christmas Eve *

As you celebrate the holidays this year with your friends and family don’t take it for granted. Take some time out to enjoy the people around you…and while your at it tell them how much you love and appreciate them.

Merry Christmas! 

Christmas Music

If you know me then you know I love me some Christmas music. When I worked in an office I would tune my radio to the 24hr Christmas music radio station…yes, I’m that girl. To be honest with you, I question the character of someone who claims to hate Christmas music. 

Living overseas I do not have the luxury of having a 24hr Christmas radio station…and before you suggest listening to something over the internet please note that my parents dial up 9 years ago was faster than Nepal’s internet today. I have had to rely on CDs sent from home and the music that friends have shared with me.

Because I love Christmas music I have learned a thing or two about these seasonal tunes that I would like to share.

*Mary Did You Know should NOT be sung as a group worship song…it’s a solo song people!

* When leading a group in Christmas Hymns you must provide words. I guarantee that although the majority of people assume they know the words, they actually have no clue as to how the second verse of Angles We Have Heard on High goes.

*U-tube videos of a worship band playing Christmas music on their iPads does not seem to co-inside with the fact that Jesus was born in a manger.

*There is something about Mariah Caries “All I Want For Christmas” that makes me dance and sing at the top of my lungs.  Don’t judge me for loving Mariah’s Merry Christmas album. Her songs “Jesus Born On This Day” and “Jesus Oh What A Wonderful Child” are as clear of a Christmas message that you can get.

*O Holy Night can move one to tears. The line “fall on your knees” should be sung with reverence and emotion.

This season, I would like to introduce you to a few of my new favorites…

Joy To The World by Sojourn-

I’ve always loved the classic Christmas hymns. I loves Sojourn’s take on this song. Sojourn has a Christmas album called Advent. If you were looking for some classics with a harmonious twist I would highly recommend this album.

 

Another great Christmas album would be Chris Tomlin’s “Glory In The Highest.” Right now my favorite song on this album is called Winter Snow. Here are a few words from the song that have captured me

“ You came like a winter snow

Quiet and soft and slow

Falling from the sky in the night

To the earth below”

And just incase you were wondering…the song I hate the most is “Christmas in the Northwest.” The best thing about spending Christmas in Nepal is that I don’t have to listen to this song! 

Thanksgiving 2010

 I’m not sure how I ended up volunteering to host Thanksgiving…but I’m pretty sure my friend Kristin played a role in it. Before I knew it I had sent out an e-mail to all of my friends in Kathamandu inviting them over to my house.

A week before Thanksgiving I had confirmation of 18 people coming. Just days before the big event the guest list shot up to 30 people. I have to admit that I was pretty nervous about having enough food. A friend and I even sent up a “loaves and fish” prayer i.e., at the end of the meal everyone would be full and there would still be a ton of food left over.

God answered this prayer.

As friends started coming so did the food. By the time it was time to eat my kitchen counters were full of food! It was amazing.  It was a great day of good food and great friends.

For the first time in my life I cooked a whole chicken and a ham. My friend Becca took on the turkey and stuffing. Everyone else…well everyone else brought a ton of delectable goodness.

Living overseas constantly teaches me how to be grateful in a way that I never understood living in the states. I am grateful for things such as electricity, hot water, and an indoor toilet. I am grateful for skype , long distance phone calls, and care packages.

I am grateful for my family and the fact that they support my working here in Nepal.

Most of all I am grateful for the salvation I have through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  For I serve the one true God who loves me and has a plan for my life.  That plan thus far has included some pretty amazing adventures and pretty amazing friends along the way.

As we are currently in the midst of this holiday season how fitting is it that we should kick it off with being Thankful.