evermeg (with the evermeg blue moth)

WRITING > journal

Merry Christmas

To those I love and those that I don’t even know… I wish you the merriest Christmas. May Christ who came to earth to be with us shine his love and light on you. May you start the new year fresh looking ahead with hope. May you enjoy peace and friendships and at least know for a moment that God is there with you.

- Peace friends, Megan

written with lub from megan to you on 12.22.2008 | look! 1 comment

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WRITING > journal

Frohe Ostern

I’m in Germany over Easter. On Friday I attended a Seder Dinner with a family from Cadence. It was very enjoyable and helped me remember our small group’s Seder dinner last year. I think we should do it again or something similar. It is such a testament to the need of remembering. The looking back and understanding how God delivers us — in so many circumstances.

Then on Saturday I took a very eventful drive and train ride to Osnabrück to meet Britta and stay with her family. In Germany, Easter is bigger as far as holidays go. Everyone greets everyone else with “Frohe Ostern” the whole week before and after Easter. Eggs, bunnies, and very cute decorations are everywhere. It’s almost similar to Christmas as far as all the hoopla goes.

I went with Britta’s family to a big, old, historic church in downtown Osnabrück on Easter morning (after a big Easter breakfast including special breads, soft eggs, hard-boiled eggs, cheeses, coffee, meats, and chocolates…. mmmm…)
I didn’t understand much, really, while at the church, but I watched the pastor intently. Up in front of this glorious church, he stood at the large wooden lectern and spoke for about 20 minutes. His hands and body language gave me the impression that he really believed and felt and wanted to over his words. He seemed a gentle man with this loving story to tell. Britta told me later the sermon was about the women who went to find Jesus and he wasn’t there. But overall I could feel how special that particular story was… that Jesus wasn’t there. And I too was reminded of how special it is.

I did picked out some phrases in some of the hymns we sang. One being “Jesus bringt Leben” or Jesus brings life. Isn’t that the best message on Easter?

This has been a good trip (although at times a bit testing—dealing with jetlag, missing and transferring trains, driving on the Autobahn, trying to speak German and failing quite often to get out the right words). But it has been great to meet new people, to see Britta and her family again, and to have a little bit of rest. But I can’t wait to return home and get back to my “normal” life and I miss people terribly (especially Adam).

So… from here in Germany I continue wishing you a Happy Easter!

written with lub from megan to you on 3.25.2008 | look! 4 comments

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WRITING > collected thoughts

Be still, my soul

This hymn meant a lot to me when we sang it at church last week. It’s taken from Psalm 46. Its melody has been with me for over a week now, and its words also really resonated with me. Here are the words below. But you can also see them on a blank page here. It’s interesting how these words Catharina von Schlegel wrote over 150 years are still so immensely applicable to my heart.

And if you want to listen to it, go here to open an iTunes 30 second snippet. Be still…

“Be Still, My Soul”
by Catharina von Schlegel, 1697-?
Translated by Jane Borthwick, 1813-1897

1. Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2. Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

3. Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.
Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fulness all He takes away.

4. Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Hymn #651
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Psalm 46:10
Author: Catharine Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel, 1752, cento
Translated by: Jane Borthwick, 1855
Titled: “Stille, mein Wille”
Composer: Jean Sibelius, b. 1865, arr.
Tune: “Finlandia”

written with lub from megan to you on 2.24.2008 | look! 2 comments

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