Moving Musings 2014 - Driving in a whole new way

Once again, we looked at our check-in schedule and realized that we would be taking our Army Driving Test within 24 hours of arriving in Germany. Why the class, you ask? There are definite rules for the road when driving here, and it's a real benefit to understand what's expected for you on the road.

We got the study manual online, and downloaded to our tablets. We took the online practice tests, sometimes sitting together, reading the rules and looking at pictures to figure out what was required of us in different situations.

In short, we had to think about driving in a whole new way.

It's not just that you're negotiating the road in a new language, it's that people think differently about driving here. For the most part, when you are on the road in Germany, it is assumed that everyone knows the rules, and that you will follow them.

There are three concepts that are quite logical:
1 - right before left,
2 - wave and wait, and
3 - the zipper.

The "right before left rule" means that the driver on the right has the "right of way" unless there is a sign that says differently.  So when you come to an intersection and you're not sure who should go first, it's the car furthest to the right that gets to go first - I guess that's why it's called "right of way".

If you're unsure you can safely make your move, you can relinquish your right by waving the next person to go, and then waiting until it is your turn again... the "wave and wait."

And when merging two lanes of traffic into one, a person from each lane goes forward one after another... just like a zipper going up or down.

I have seen all of these things at work in my first week here, and the orderliness of it all makes it a little less stressful by knowing what to expect, from yourself or others.

I will also say that I love that there are a lot of signs  - over 300 - to help point people in the right direction. If you know the rules and what the signs are telling you to do, then you won't have any problems, as long as everyone is following the rules... or if you are prepared to keep everyone safe.

At the beginning of our class, the instructor opened with this quote. "Your first job as a driver is to look out for other people, assume they will make a mistake, and then compensate so that everyone is as safe as possible."

And I thought, "That sounds a lot like what a life of faith should look like."

It's quite easy to fall into the habit of placing ourselves at the front of the line... to assume that our appointments or needs are ideas or more important or correct than others. Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, reminding them that their call by God set them apart - in the ways they thought and acted.

"Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature. Because of the grace that God gave me, I can say to each one of you: don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Instead, be reasonable since God has measured out a portion of faith to each one of you." (Romans 12:2-3 Common English Bible)

The news today is filled with stories of war and strife from almost every corner of the world. We develop the habit of thinking in terms of "them versus us," rather than being in this thing called life together. Maybe we have to start thinking about life in a whole new way, get out of our comfort zones, and pay attention to the needs of others around us. Only then, will the world have the chance to become that which God created it to be - a haven for God's creation, and a small piece of heaven on earth.

Peace, Deb

“It seemed to me that the people who made the rules of the road had figured out everything that would help a person drive safely right down to having a sign that tells you you're passing through a place where deer cross. Somebody should stick up some signs on the highway of life.

* CAUTION: JERKS CROSSING.
* Blinking yellow lights when you're about to to something stupid.
* Stop signs in front of people who could hurt you.
* Green lights shining when you're doing the right thing. 

It would make the whole experience easier.”     
                                   ― Joan Bauer, Rules of the Road (2005)

Moving Musings 2014 - The Problem with Change...

It seems that an inordinate number of my friends are in moving mode this year, and it's a little unsettling, to say the least. No one is where I expect them to be. Some are in transit, like we are. Others are in transition, finding and moving into homes, looking for dentists and hairdressers, seeking a new favorite marker, making new friends. And some have been left behind, adjusting their old lives to new realities, welcoming new friends (I hope) and seeking a new normal.

Many people along our journey have said, "I don't know how you do it," when they hear this is our 11th move as a family in almost 20 years. But just because you stay in one town or house for a long time doesn't mean you don't have to deal with change.

I've found a lot of good quotes about change - here are some of my favorites:
"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new." Socrates
"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance." Allan W. Watts
“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”  Mahatma Gandhi
"Progress is impossible without changes, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." George Bernard Shaw
"All great changes are preceded by chaos." Deepak Chopra

But in the midst of the change - upheaval - uncertainty - crisis, it is easy to forget this kind of wisdom. Our comfort levels are upset, the security blanket of friends and/or family is slightly tattered, and we are unsure which way to turn.

I was just thinking this week about all of the challenges I encountered in the last two years. They were not necessarily bad things, but in hindsight, they helped me to grow in amazing ways. And now I miss them! And the good stuff looks almost even better than it did when I was in the middle of it. The difficulties of the past have faded away, and even before I arrive at my new home, I cannot imagine that it could be any better than what I experienced before.

Which is silly, and a little short-sighted, even though it doesn't feel that way to the time.

Here's what I keep reminding myself, and maybe it will be of help to you, no matter what kind of change you are going through.

God has a plan. And this is what that plan looks like.

1 - There are new friends waiting in your new situation. Going to a new place? There are people who want to be your friend. Staying behind? There are people who are coming in who are looking for someone to show them the ropes. Do you have expectations about the way things are "supposed to be"? Put those expectations aside and be open to new friendships in new places. When my spouse was stationed at the Pentagon, it was really hard to make friends. So I ended up teaching a few friends to crochet and we met once a month to share ideas, patterns and conversation. Those women have at the same time become my closest prayer warriors, even though we have lived in four different time zones.

2 - There is work to be done. And I'm not just talking about the unpacking kind of work. Some of my best experiences have come when I got outside my house (and my head) and went to find something to do. In military communities, it often comes in volunteering at the Thrift Shop or working on a committee. In churches, it could be teaching or helping with a mission project or supporting an activity that a church group is sponsoring. At our Spokane church, I volunteered as an overnight host when the Family Promise shelter used our facilities four times a year. Not only did I have an opportunity to help families in need, but made several new church friends in the process. And it might the thing I miss the most right now.

3 - God is in it all. In the midst of change, it often feels that God is missing in action. But that could not be further from the truth. God is always there, even when it feels like things are falling apart. I remember the TV series, Joan of Arcadia, about a
teen girl who hears God speak to her on a regular basis. But it's not a booming or ethereal voice... it's the voice of a boy in her class, and the guy who drives a garbage truck, and a telephone lineman. Joan experiences God in many of the people she meets, and even though many people think she's a little crazy, it totally changes the way she lives her life. And gives her live a meaning that she never knew before.

Different doesn't always mean worse, but it does mean that we will be asked to recognize that everyone has different gifts and graces, and that we might be called to grow in ways we never expected. Getting out of our comfort zones seems to be a part of this bargain - we are not bound to our pasts and can go into the future knowing that with faith and trust, all things can be new again.

For me as a person of faith, the best news is this - whatever the change that is happening in my life - I can count on this great truth:

"Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday and today and forever!" Hebrews 13:8

When I was preparing for ordination in 1993, I was asked this question at my interview in preparation for final approval: "Where do you see yourself in ministry in ten years?" I thought for a minute and then spoke from the heart a truth I knew could well keep me on the bench for another year, because it was not the standard answer. I said, "I have spent a lot of time in my life tell God what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go, and he just laughs. 'Go ahead,' God says, 'make your plans, but be ready to make a detour when I find something I need you to do.' So in ten years, I just want to be faithful, listening and going wherever I'm called."

Little did we know....

Peace, Deb

Moving Musings 2014 - Random Thoughts

We had my spouse's change of command last Tuesday... not ready to talk about that yet, but maybe soon.

But after the ceremony, we went back to our room, played 3-D Tertris with the rest of our belongings, and hit the road. Our goal, to make it from Spokane, WA to Detroit, MI in four days, a total of 2440 miles. As we drove along, we had a lot of time to talk and to think. Here's some of the random thoughts that crossed my mind as we put miles behind us.

• The Wyoming state landmark must be the snow fence.
• In Nebraska, I found myself driving 80 mph on Interstate 80 listening to "80's on 8"... neat!
• West of the Mississippi River, 99.9% of the people are thoughtful, considerate, and obey the rules of the road. The other 0.1% make it not that much fun anymore.  Once we got into Illinois and Michigan, all bets were off. Honestly, it just wasn't fun at all that last 400 miles.
• Times goes faster when you're the driver and not the passenger.
• When we listen to Piano Puzzler on NPR, I am better at naming the tune, my spouse is better with naming the composer style.
• Cracker Barrel - check. Chick-Fil-A - check. Culver's Custard - check. Still waiting for my first Waffle House sighting.
• Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me is still very funny, even though Carl Kasell has retired.
• Podcasts and satellite radio have made this a good trip so far.

Even so, "Are we there yet?"

Peace, Deb