It's All Grace

a journey with the Thomason family

Slowing Down

There’s something about Saturdays here in Czech that have been much different than the ones I remember in the States. I realize we’ve only been here just under six months, but more than ever I am finding that Saturdays here really cause us to slow down. Oh sure, we’re still working around the house and getting things done, and maybe it’s mostly in my head, but I feel like today especially got to just take in the day and enjoy my family.

The photo above is proof positive of what I’m talking about. The weather was strangely warm today (high 40s). Oh sure we were still bundled up, but in comparison to freezing rain temps it’s like a heatwave. We walked to the little grocery store near our place as a family and on the way we were passing a little restaurant that we like. It was actually around lunch time and even though Bethany and I weren’t that hungry we decided to go in and have the kids split a pizza while us parents ordered just soup. Normally we don’t just stop what we’re doing and go eat at a restaurant like this, but I think we were just walking, enjoy each other, and thought, “Hey, why not?” I guess for that’s slowing down for us. Anyways, I just love Bethany’s face as she’s looking at Titus while he searches the menu for the pizza he thinks he wants.

Maybe it’s the walking? Czechs walk everywhere and when it’s all so close it makes it really easy. Walking makes you slow down. You have to be patient to get to your destination. You don’t have to stress out about finding a parking place. Walking makes you move slower by default and forces you to take in things at a slower pace. Maybe that’s what I really liked about today? Even as we walked by the church we see ten times every day, I took this photo of the kids (above). Bethany said, “I don’t know what it is about that church, but I think it’s pretty.” That’s what slowing down does. Even when you’ve seen something a thousand times, you might see it in a different light when you’re just slowing down and enjoying it.

I think the church is pretty too. I love when the golden sun shines on it. I don’t know how many photos I have taken of it out of our kitchen window, but I found myself grabbing my iPhone and shooting another oner today (below).

We’re going to be doing a little more slowing down the next few days which will be really nice. Bethany and I have some planned time away and thanks to some friends it’ll just be us two for about a day and a half. But I’ll save all that for another blog.

December 13, 2014
We’re Coming to America

That’s right. Amazingly, on Christmas Eve we are flying to Washington state for just a few weeks. We really weren’t expecting to be returning this soon, but Bethany’s brother is getting married and our family is part of the ceremony. Since we’re flying all that way we decided to spend the holiday there with Bethany’s family and flights out of Prague were much more reasonably priced on Christmas eve. We’ll be there for about two-and-a-half weeks and coming back in January.

I don’t know how all missionaries do trips home, but we’ve been keeping a list of things we want to bring back with us from the States. You know, things like: ranch dressing mix, salsa, green chilis, coffee beans, and even hand soap! Oh sure, you can get hand soap here in Czech, but we’re just used to the smells of the kinds we would buy in America. It’s so funny how you miss the little things you have grown up with your entire life. We just got done video chatting with Bethany’s parents about the trip and we were dreaming about American food that we might be able to enjoy. Call us silly, but sometimes you just miss that good ole’ Tillamook cheddar cheese.

With the help of Bethany’s parents we’re also going to be able to get our annual letter out in the mail this year. We worked hard on it the past few weeks and it’s all printed and ready to be shipped. Bethany’s family is going to help get all the envelopes stuff and shipped out which is a huge blessing! Hopefully you’re on our mailing list because something special is on it’s way very soon!

Finally, please pray for us as we travel in less than two weeks. It’s a long way to go and it’ll literally take planes, trains, and automobiles!

December 12, 2014
Small Fridge, Small Post

I walked with a few teammates to lunch today and while we were on the path there were some older Czechs pushing a small refrigerator down the street. Often we’ll see these little carts being pushed around of even tiny trailers hitched to the back of little two door cars. I snuck the photo below as we walked by, but I’m realizing more and more that I see this stuff a lot and am starting not to think about it much. Maybe what used to be new and different is starting to become normal? I think that’s bittersweet.

There’s a lot of different projects coming to a head at Josiah Venture as we get close to the end of the year. Our team has been working hard on a lot of different things, one of them being a book that I am personally taking the reigns on. It’s a 20th anniversary photo book that celebrates the many things God has done and continues to do in the lives of young people across Central and Eastern Europe. Even though I have seen the book many times as I have been working on it, I continue to be struck by the quotes and photos inside from young people who have heard the Gospel because of the ministry of Josiah Venture and our missionaries. It caused me to worship the Lord today and reminded me of where I once stood before Him until I heard the truth of Christ. Praise the Lord for His kindness!

December 11, 2014
Language and Lower Temps

We have been having regular Czech lessons on Wednesday mornings which are going great. Tamara (our teacher) has been very gracious and helpful, especially this morning when I couldn’t pronounce the Czech word that basically means “middle” in English. Above is a photo of our books out on the table and below is a photo of us studying direction words in relation to the town square or center of town. As a bonus, it’s nice to know how to say “hospital” just in case we need it!

It was much colder this morning than most mornings. I’m not quite sure, but I believe the fog was freezing and falling to the ground. All around it was white, but I don’t believe it was snowing. I saw nothing but white as I drove this morning as well. Below are a few photos of the white, along with a photo of the car telling me it’s -2.5 degrees Celsius (or 27 degrees).

Later in the afternoon the sun broke through the clouds and fog and it was very beautiful outside. Even though it doesn’t last long, it’s always a joy to see the sun. You kind of forget how many days it’s been since the sun was shining, but you definitely feel it when it does. I walked to the window today at the JV office and looked out at streaky clouds and took the photo below.

This evening we enjoyed a dinner with our friends Jenny, Landen, and Martina who all serve with Josiah Venture. Jenny and Landen moved here from Santa Clarita (where we moved from) and Martina is from Czech (well, to be clear, Jenny is Czech but has been living in the States for about many years). Bethany made a family favorite, Cheddar Corn Chowder Soup and we had a fun time laughing and talking about our new lives here. It’s great to serve with all of these wonderful people and are so thankful for their friendship.

December 10, 2014
Who Would Have Dreamed

Back in September, I wrote about about Sovereign Grace Music’s newest Christmas album called Prepare Him Room. Since then I’ve probably only listened to the entire album a few times through, but I have listened to one song at least a dozen times. The song is called “Who Would Have Dreamed” and as I listened to the chorus the other night I was struck by the depth of the words. It says,

And who would have dreamed or ever foreseen
That we could hold God in our hands?
The Giver of Life is born in the night
Revealing God’s glorious plan
To save the world

The entire song is worth a listen. Here’s a more unplugged version that they posted to YouTube, but I recommend buying the entire album on their site.

Tonight we had our friend Misa over for dinner. She’s a young Czech girl who’s part of the youth ministry at our church and who we have gotten to know better. Misa has been a blessing to us many times when we needed the help of a translator and evening helping us around our house. Tonight over dinner she was filling us in on a lot of Czech culture as she is learning our American culture. In March it looks like she’ll be going to the States to begin to study in English in Pennsylvania so she was excited to share that news with us.

Misa was also a big help tonight as she talked with our landlord about some paperwork that we have been unable to find. We had to change our rental agreement last week in order to apply for our long term visas and our landlord wanted us to return the original. Bethany and scoured the house last weekend trying to find it to no avail. As Misa was explaining this to our landlord, Bethany went back to the very first place we checked (where we thought we had filed it) and found it! Thankfully we got it all straightened out and were thankful for Misa’s help in communicating for us.

After dinner we made a quick trip to the store with the whole family to get ready for tomorrow. We’re having a few other friends tomorrow and just wanted to get all the shopping done tonight to save Bethany a little time. Above is a photo of Avery pushing our cart all the way out the store and to our car by herself! She was very focused and did a great job. These kids crack us up…what a joy.

December 9, 2014