they have monkeys in Sweden (SWE)

today was our first hands-on training day on the ropes course.  it snowed an inch or so last night so the whole course took on a unique challenge on top of being a challenge course itself.  Josh and I are no experts up in the trees, but we both did very well doing about 10 legs of the circuit.  there were a couple time of flutter-heart, but for the most part, we were just a couple monkeys learning the ropes ;)  the platforms on the trees are about 35 ft. above the ground and are significantly smaller than the platforms we used at the course on Mt. Hood... you could almost lay a sleeping bag out and have a night of it at the latter while the former allows you a couple of inches of play in front of your toes if your heels are neatly backed up to the tree.  at some of the outlying stations in the trees, you can look out over the forest and feel like you are floating in one place since it takes quite a bit of purpose to notice the platform under your feet... a very surreal experience.  

this weekend, Josh and I will get a couple days to relax and hopefully more fully adjust to the time difference.  sleep is still scattered at best and we would appreciate prayer for that adjustment.  you know that frame of mind you're in when it's about three hours past your bedtime and anything you say makes you sound about 10 years developmentally more immature than you really are??  well, that has been our reality as it were, sometimes talking to each other in our room and then having to break mid-sentence out of the realization that we were the one sharing the words that were floating around in the air.  ok, maybe not that bad, but that actually did happen earlier today as we were trying to brainstorm what we want the training to look for the interns that will be assisting us with the Spring adventure teams; our brainstorm sessions are more like a light mist that floats away the moment you move your hand towards it.  all this to say, may the Lord see fit that we trade in the mist for the storm here soon :)

with our time off this weekend, Josh and I will probably ride the community bicycles into Vetlanda, probably a 45 minute ride.  Vetlanda has a population of 14,000 or so and not a whole lot to see, but we heard today from a fellow staff that they do have an H&M (a rare and favored apparel provider in our eyes), it being Sweden and all, so we are stoked to pedal into town and explore!

we spent a good amount of time today learning the staff privileges, responsibilities, and conduct today... it is refreshing to be getting a better idea of how we ought to relate to the Holsby community; the people are good natured and there are many opportunities to encourage one another and grow together rapidly.  we hope that we can be men who are patient listeners and eager students of the culturally-diverse community in which we now live.  

I hope you are all doing remarkably well in the states (or wherever you may be) and recognize the possibility for this day to be a significant opportunity to live for the glory of the Lord.  don't drift through this day in quiet desperation as we are so accustomed to... stoke the vital fire that makes you human and live in the wild presence of your Maker... feel His warm hands around you, molding and shaping you into something designed for His purposes and His glory!

but be warned: He is not a timid Potter.

with love, from a fellow lump of clay:

patrick