H's Feet on High Places

Like the top of the stairs.

"I went to Kansas City on a Sunday
By Monday I learned a thing or two
But up 'till then I didn't have an idea
Of what the mod'rn world was comin' to...

Everything's up to date in Kansas City
They gone about as fer as they can go
They went an' built a skyscraper seven stories high
About as high as a buildin' orta grow.
Everything's like a dream in Kansas City
It's better than a magic lantern show...

They've gone about as fer as they can go.
They've gone about as fer as they can go!"

~from Oklahoma! (slightly modified)


Yessir, that's right. Here I sit, in that very up-to-date city, properly having visited KC, since I've eaten BBQ twice. And yes, it was KC style BBQ that made me do a double take, it was so sweet. But that hasn't been the sweetest thing in this half-week...

Where do I begin
To tell the story of how great a love can be?
The sweet love story that is older than the sea
The simple truth about the love He brings to me
Where do I start?

~From Love Story (also slightly modified)

Yes, I'm at Candidate Orientation, and yes, it's amazing. I keep meeting people who know people I know. And all of them know my Father, because He's their Father, too! These people are thoroughly passionate about God, and committed to the concept that if we believe Christianity is real, it's going to affect the way we think and talk and plan and live!

So far, we're studying cultural differences, and interpersonal communications, and writing prayer letters. I'm realizing how many things I take for granted that are really only part of our culture, and aren't exactly normal in a different culture, and how helplessly American I am. For example, one question we had was: what irritates you most? My answers really reflected American values: "lack of honest communication, laziness." In other places, politeness is often more important than honesty, and people might not be so open to telling you everything about themselves. And what I see as laziness, a lot of other cultures would just see as being relaxed and enjoying life. So, I'll have some growing to do. We also talked about some of the things we will miss, and a lot of those make me think too: independence, the ability to be smart (how stupid am I going to look trying to speak Italian?!), being in a position of importance.

But I'm going to Italy!!!! This is starting to hit me. People who have been there keep telling me how much I am going to love It (coffee! chocolate! art! music! history!) and how much It is going to love me (warm, smiling people; as opposed to Germans and Czechs, who don't like smiling or making eye contact). They're making plans for getting my visa (pray about that please; it can be hit-or-miss)! I'm going to Italy!!! And they won the World Cup. Viva Italia (or something to that effect)!

God's grace is amazing.