Transition / Change Cycle

So, way back when I heard about the change cycle, what everyone normal goes through when there is big transition. My team here is all leaving over the next few months and most of them leave in 3-4 weeks. Crazy.

So today I was talking to Bekah, who is one of those leaving and also a good good friend (who is leaving because she's getting married). Anyway, she was looking through a copy of the change cycle and rightly diagnosed me in the second phase, where I am no longer avoiding the inevitable but where my emotions are a bit exaggerated and all I want is structure (something I generally don't need much of). There is more, but all that to say that I'm normal. Thank God. Recently I've noticed I feel like my emotions can be all over the place. Yes, the Lord reminds me of what is true and I eventually get back to normal, but in the meantime I freak out a bit, probably replaying and over-evaluating everything. I love understanding things, which doesn't justify my psycho behavior or mood swings, but puts things back into perspective and helps me to know what to expect and helps me to respond better. I'll have to find a copy of it and put it up for any others going through the craziness that is BIG change and transition.

Rey de Justicia

"Rey de Justicia" - En Espiritu y Verdad

Rey de Justicia, Rey de Verdad
Rey de Salvación, Rey de Salvación

Yo quiero subir al monte del sol
Contigo habitar por la eternidad
Tu abriste camino que llevas al Padre
Entregaste tu vida, derramaste tu sangre

Rey de Justicia, Rey de Verdad
Rey de Salvación, Rey de Salvación

Marcaste la historia con tu salvación
Quitando el pecado que no se parro
Abriste camino y llevaste al Padre
Entregaste tu vida, derramaste tu sangre

Rey de Justicia, Rey de Verdad
Rey de Salvación, Rey de Salvación

Extienda tu reina en nuestras vidas
Ascienta tu trono en nuestros corazones
Extienda tu reina en nuestras vidas
Ascienta tu trono en nuestros corazones

Abriste camino que llevas al Padre
Entregaste tu vida, derramaste tu sangre
Abriste camino que llevas al Padre
Entregaste tu vida, derramaste tu sangre

Rey de Justicia, Rey de Verdad
Rey de Salvación, Rey de Salvación

I love this song. I think it's probably originally by Hillsong, but En Espíritu y Verdad sings it in Spanish. I love it because it reminds me of God's greatness and the security found in him alone. :-)

the black eyed peas

Somehow all day I've had "I've Got A Feeling" in my head, which is one of the great songs of the year, in my book. And you've gotta love the Black Eyed Peas. Somehow I love the mix of rap and dance music. I love the beat and the evolution of their music.

Harps / el Arpa

Harps. Lately they seem to be popping up all over the place. Joanna Newsom plays one (although someone recently told me that her new album doesn't have much harp). When my dear friend Karen was here, we saw a man playing one in Plaza Mayor here in Madrid. And he was not a harp-playing type. He looked more likely to be in some sort of death metal band. Although with the celtic influence from NW Spain / Galicia, it made a bit more sense. As he fixed a broken string a three year old little boy stood by extremely attentive. It was the event of the year. He watched every move and despite the kids playing around him, he stood glued to the harpsist. Soon after a small following of little kids joined him in awe of this man in his twenties playing this celestial sounding instrument. If it weren't for the fact that Karen was exhausted with jetlag we would have probably stayed around even longer.

my amiable mechanic

Unfortunately I've had to take my car into the shop WAY too frequently in the past couple weeks. Probably because I feel a bit ignorant about cars and have heard too many stories of shady mechanics AND because it tends to cost money that I'd rather spend on other things, I'm not the hugest fan of going to the mechanic. First it was for the water pump (every time I drove it I had to fill up the antifreeze thing with water at least once or this light that said STOP would come on) and the timing belt. Then I got the car back and it was making a weird noise, which I assumed was the engine, since they had just changed the timing belt inside, but no. It was the bearings in one of the wheels. (My spanish mechanical vocabulary is quickly growing.) Way too much money, but what can you do.

I found this mechanic from my portera (the lady that cleans the apt building, gets our packages, takes care of our apt building stuff, and who also happens to be a friend) who said he was honest and such. And it just happens that his last name is AMABLE, similar to amiable or nice. And he is just that. After getting my oil changed the first time I wasn't so sure, but after the fiasco with the water pump I started to like the guy who showed me the pieces he took out and explained what had happened and why and such. Big points. And since I was going to have to replace the timing belt soon anyway, kept trying to reassure me that I had actually SAVED a ton of money in labor by doing both things together. Then I went back because of the weird noise and he went with me in the car to hear it. I loved that he actually treated me not like I was completely ignorant about car stuff.

So today I went to pick up my car and got talking to Mr. Amable. I mentioned that it seemed a lot quieter today in the shop (since i was just there yesterday when it was packed). He said that it had been a bit too quiet, in terms of work, and that it was a shame that he couldn't just leave and go to the countryside instead of waiting 'til tomorrow. I asked him where usually went and he said anywhere but then told me about this beautiful valley between Avila and Cáceres (NW from here, Madrid, i think) that is fully in bloom right now - poppies, tons of cherry trees, almond trees, other flowers,... and he described how beautiful it is and that i should check it out sometime. And it did sound amazing! Plus the fact that I love the spring and nature and pretty things. But it also made me smile because who would have thought that my mechanic would be telling me about the beauty of the pink, purple, red and white cherry trees. Only in spain. :-)

feliz pascua!!!

"El ángel dijo a las mujeres: 'No os asustéis. Sé que estáis buscando a Jesús, el crucificado, pero no está aquí; ha resucitado, como dijo.'" Mateo 28.5 Jesús ha resucitado! Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed! Happy Easter!