Look, there's Big Ben
Sunday, February 12, 2006
driving differences in Europe
One aspect of life overseas has been trying to learn to drive here in Spain. I am not speaking of the 6 times it took for me to pass the drivers test. I am not talking about the one year time in which it took me 6 tries to pass the test. I am actually talking about driving here.
In Europe they have what is called "roundabouts" or "glorietas". The classic visual example of this is in the movie European Vacation with Chevy Chase as his family drives around and around a glorietta in London and keeps saying "Looks kids there's Big Ben" everytime they go around the big traffic circle.
We have these all over the place in Madrid and actually they are very nice. There is a sort of competition that evolves as you enter one and you are always trying to get in the inside of the circle where you will have the right a way. So the game begins when you try to beat the other person coming into the circle and the winner gets the right a way until of course someone else takes the right a way from you. I guess you lose if you wreck as well. Luckily up til now that has not happened for us.
I like gloriettas because it creates a feeling that at least you are moving. You are at least going somewhere even if it is in a big circle. You do have options though. As you go around you simply take the exit or road that you need. This is much different than our cross roads in the states where you usually have a stop sign or red light. At the crossroads you seem to have to stop or atleast that is the idea. I have gotten tickets before for running red lights or "rolling through" a stop sign but I think it is the idea fo actually having to stop that bugs me. I like to keep moving, to keep rolling. Once you stop you lose the momentum and then you have to decide from being still which way you should go - left, right or straight.
But with "roundabouts" you can actually make the decision as you go around and you do not have to stop.
I think life is like that at times as well. We find ourselves at a crossroads and then we stop and reflect what turn we should make. What decision needs to be made? What adjustments in our life we need to make?
I think the "crossroad" metaphor where you must stop and think about the direction you need to go makes a lot more sense from the perspective of "being still" and "listening" but atleast for us we find ourselves on a "roundabout. Our life keeps going around but we see some roads that must take. The problem for me is that I like being on the roundabout and I do not want to get off and make that turn that seems so obvious to others and even to me.
I like having options.
I like choices.
So I have been giving some thought and attention to how we make a decision and I have decided that too often in life I have looked only at the roads of opportunity and the circumstances that we are in instead of some other things.
I need to return to my "Old Experiencing God" book by Henry Blackaby. I need to have a recommitment to his teaching on this for I believe he is right on. He says that our circumstances are only one part of the decision making process. We must first seek the Lord's will in the scriptures and in prayer (both talking and listening) and then we look at our circumstances and then we listen to what other Christians in our "community/church" have to say. The trouble too often for me is that I listen more to my friends than I do to God. I look at the circumstances far more than I look at the scriptures.
So I am trying to turn off the radio while I am driving around the traffic circle. I am trying to spend more time in prayer and reflection and looking at God's call on our life and for our family.
Come to Europe and experience driving in a glorietta/roundabout.
In Europe they have what is called "roundabouts" or "glorietas". The classic visual example of this is in the movie European Vacation with Chevy Chase as his family drives around and around a glorietta in London and keeps saying "Looks kids there's Big Ben" everytime they go around the big traffic circle.
We have these all over the place in Madrid and actually they are very nice. There is a sort of competition that evolves as you enter one and you are always trying to get in the inside of the circle where you will have the right a way. So the game begins when you try to beat the other person coming into the circle and the winner gets the right a way until of course someone else takes the right a way from you. I guess you lose if you wreck as well. Luckily up til now that has not happened for us.
I like gloriettas because it creates a feeling that at least you are moving. You are at least going somewhere even if it is in a big circle. You do have options though. As you go around you simply take the exit or road that you need. This is much different than our cross roads in the states where you usually have a stop sign or red light. At the crossroads you seem to have to stop or atleast that is the idea. I have gotten tickets before for running red lights or "rolling through" a stop sign but I think it is the idea fo actually having to stop that bugs me. I like to keep moving, to keep rolling. Once you stop you lose the momentum and then you have to decide from being still which way you should go - left, right or straight.
But with "roundabouts" you can actually make the decision as you go around and you do not have to stop.
I think life is like that at times as well. We find ourselves at a crossroads and then we stop and reflect what turn we should make. What decision needs to be made? What adjustments in our life we need to make?
I think the "crossroad" metaphor where you must stop and think about the direction you need to go makes a lot more sense from the perspective of "being still" and "listening" but atleast for us we find ourselves on a "roundabout. Our life keeps going around but we see some roads that must take. The problem for me is that I like being on the roundabout and I do not want to get off and make that turn that seems so obvious to others and even to me.
I like having options.
I like choices.
So I have been giving some thought and attention to how we make a decision and I have decided that too often in life I have looked only at the roads of opportunity and the circumstances that we are in instead of some other things.
I need to return to my "Old Experiencing God" book by Henry Blackaby. I need to have a recommitment to his teaching on this for I believe he is right on. He says that our circumstances are only one part of the decision making process. We must first seek the Lord's will in the scriptures and in prayer (both talking and listening) and then we look at our circumstances and then we listen to what other Christians in our "community/church" have to say. The trouble too often for me is that I listen more to my friends than I do to God. I look at the circumstances far more than I look at the scriptures.
So I am trying to turn off the radio while I am driving around the traffic circle. I am trying to spend more time in prayer and reflection and looking at God's call on our life and for our family.
Come to Europe and experience driving in a glorietta/roundabout.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
fogged in
This past New Years we took a ski trip with some friends here to Switzerland. I am not a good skier but I love the mountains and the love the views and the best way to see a great view is to take the lift up to the top. I found that sking down the mountain is the quickest way down so I have learned a little about skiiing. There is this spot at the top of the mountain in Adelboden Switzerland that is just incredible. I was telling my friends of the view and how excited we were to get to the top and see it. The day that we arrived there it was snowing alot and the next day our first day of skiing it was still very foggy and cloudy. We went skiiing and took off on the lift to the top of the mountain all the time I was telling them of the beauty. We got to the top and you could not see anything in front of you. It was so "whited out". I was disappointed and a little ungrateful. We skied all day and then the next day we went to the same spot and the fog was gone and the view was incredible. See another blog entry for the view. It was / is awesome. What changed? The mountains were the same yesterday and today. The change was the fog. The fog lifted and we could see the view.
It dawned on me the next day as I was thinking about my rather ungrateful attitude. I should be thankful for the unseen things as well. God's beauty. His awesome works were there but I let the fog "fog" me in and I became ungrateful. It dawned on me that I need to be thankful for things even when I do not always see them clearly. I have a lot to be thankful for: I have a great wife, kids, good job, etc.... God has truly blessed my life but sometimes I let the circumstances fog me in to where I become ungrateful for the things that are always there but I cannot see them or in my mine be thankful for them due to the fog.
I ran across this verse.
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thes. 5:16-18
I really think the key for me in being thankful always and in having a joyful spirit is to be in constant comunion with God. I think my prayer life affects my thankfulness and when I go through my day doing my thing and doing it my way and doing by myself then I get fogged in and I lose my gratefulness and joy.
Take a look at the scenery and be thankful.
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