January Joy

January is a hard month. Days are short. Much darkness (although there are now twinges of daylight left at 5. Hurrah!)  Much coldness. (There were maybe one or two days this month that the temperature got above freezing. Barely.) And not much going on out of the routine.

And yet in the midst of this, I can choose how to approach my day.

Last month I was talking with a Czech friend and she commented that in some pictures I had posted I looked so happy. And then she added, "Because often you seem kind of sad." It was a bit surprising to hear. A bit humbling. I don't think I'm generally sad, but as I thought about it, she's probably right that my mood comes across that way.  I have to focus intently on language. I become anxious about new situations. About finding someone to talk to. About what's being said and about how I should respond. About whether or not I'm engaging well or doing enough. I take myself too seriously.  I forget to laugh. And I lose just being me. I lose the joy of being with people and the joy of relationship.

So using this friend, God gently asks, "Where is your joy? Where is your freedom to enjoy the days, your life, me, and release the anxieties of the moment?"

I can CHOOSE joy in the days and in the moments. I can be intentional to give thanks, to rejoice in God's love and acceptance, which surpasses any approval and love I look for from others.

Two verses struck me from a Bible study on prayer that I participated in recently:

 Psalm  5:3

 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

and Psalm 63:5-6

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed and meditate on you in the watches of the night.

These are becoming bookends to my day.

Instead of waking with my to-do list in my head, dreading (maybe that's a bit strong... not looking forward to) that certain lesson, wondering what I'll eat for lunch (sometimes a real problem) or how I'll make it through listening to Czech I don't understand for 2 hours that night, create a new discipline. Acknowledge Him before I even get out of bed. That he is my strength, laying the day before him and expecting that he will be faithful throughout the day.

And as I lay down at night, instead of distracting my mind with "research" about medicinal mushrooms, how many people have liked my picture on Instagram, Solitaire, the weather and how cold it will be tomorrow, create another discipline.  Reflect on the day, notice the spaces where he was faithful and give thanks.  That conversation. Being able to enjoy the moments. The friendly postal worker. The amazingly beautiful frost.

I'm a work in progress. But I'm finding joy in this discipline: to celebrate His love in the morning and his faithfulness at night. (Psalm 92:1-2)

Czech Christmas

I enjoyed a Czech Christmas with friends this year. One couple invited me to spend Christmas with them at her mother's flat in another town. On the 24th (the day on which Czechs celebrate), I experienced what is probably fairly typical. The celebration itself is in the evening, but the rest of the day was spent in preparation and drinking tea and eating cookies. Lots of tea and lots of cookies. So while we spent the day cutting vegetables for dinner, preparing the potato salad, putting up and decorating the tree and wrapping gifts, every couple of hours we sat down and had our tea and cookies. It was great - all the preparations and yet it felt relaxing. At least for me... but then, I was the guest and maybe didn't do as much as the others. :) 

And it was great to experience some of the traditions. What I experienced this year (and much of this is typical) was this: Right when it started to get dark we took a walk. In this family, the father took the kids out and looked for Christmas trees in windows and played with sparklers. Meanwhile, the mother set up and decorated the tree (although we did that ourselves this year). When they returned home, the tree was all ready to go and dinner was about ready. We had fish soup (I didn't understand completely, but something about girl and boy fish parts in the soup), followed by potato salad (slightly different than our US version - lots of vegetables!) and fried carp (I still don't understand why carp. Historically, it was a sign of wealth but also more available in the Czech because it's a fresh-water fish and they can raise it. But in terms of a great meal... let's just say, I would never buy it.). After we sat down to dinner, no one could get up until everyone was finished. Something about it being bad luck... And then a bell rang, which meant that Ježiček (little Jesus) had put the gifts under the tree (usually parents have to distract children during this). And then gifts were opened, more tea was drunk and more cookies were eaten. 

mushrooms are a part of this Christmas tree :)

My friends Anna and Jason and Anna's mother

 There are so many traditions/superstitions around Christmas, that Czechs believe may predict the following year. I may have shared some of these before, but these are a few I experienced or heard about this year:

 With their backs to the house door, single girls throw one of their shoes over their shoulder. If the shoe lands with the heel towards the door, she will stay single for another year, while if the front of the shoe points towards the door, it means she will move out of her parents house and she should start making wedding preparations. (and no, I didn't experience this one! I think it's an older one that not so many practice anymore)

A dried carp scale put in your wallet will ensure a prosperous year. (I was given one :) )

When you cut an apple in half and the seeds inside form a five-pointed star, everyone sitting at the table will remain healthy. But if there are less than five seeds, someone will fall ill. (Many friends told me they do this, although if you get apples from the store, they always have the 5 pointed star)

According to another custom, you should stick a candle in a half of a nutshell and place it on water (you can use the basin). If your “boat” sails away from the edge, it means you can expect to do some travelling in the next year. Another version is that everyone in the family puts the nutshell in the water and if they float together, the family will have good relationship/stay together.