grace in motion

I'm just going to miss all the bikes everywhere!

 so that phrase (saying?) is just a "quote" on my scrapbooked journal, but I do think it describes my life.  No, I am not exactly the graceful type, just watch me eat pizza or count how many times I trip in a day (I dare you to try, it's too many!).  But I think I am able to live in the moment when I submit to the grace I've been given.  And when I live in surrender to that grace, it overwhelms me and is all of me, and yeah, that becomes "grace in motion."  Anyways, really, I couldn't think of a title for this blog, so I picked the first thing my eyes caught- that quote on the back of my journal.

Okay.  Right.  So.  It's May 13.  I love the number 13.  It's great.  It's lucky.  It's...five days before I go back to the U.S.A.?!?! Mannnn.  

Christiania entrance

I am super scatterbrained right now, and I've thought a million times about just forgetting about blogging and going and being in this place, but not blogging isn't going to take away my scatterbrained-ness, and plus, I'm going to want to remember this feeling.  

I have literally spent a couple of hours in total, here and there, recapping every possible memory I can from my months in København.  The rule?  ONLY things that have taken place in Denmark.  Why? Because I want a just Danish list!  I have this wonderful thing called a gratitude journal that my friend suggested I keep this semester, and that has a great recap of all my travels, as well as another of my journals (yes, I've become quite the journal feign).  But, I have spent the semester in DENMARK.  And I wanted to think back over all my favorite parts of this semester, all of the things that brought me smiles and laughs, all of the things that I am going to miss.  That turned into 8 pages of bullet points.  So if anyone was once in doubt, there is no need to be.  I LOVE this place, and am going to miss it.  

Michelle + Mural

 A couple of times this semester (only a few, but still, worth a quick mention!), I felt stagnant- unchanging, stuck in the same old same old, and not really living.  I felt like I was watching my life, and not really living in it.  It was a strange thing to feel.  But looking back through my journals and skimming all that I wrote, I am pretty sure that wasn't true, but rather that those were the times when the deepest transformations were happening, and I was too stuck in the mud to see it.  Weird, right?

art :)

I am so grateful for these four months in Denmark, in Europe.  For the Rønsholt's, my wonderful host family.  For my professors, the conversations and life challenges they posed to us.  For my bike, the ridiculous adventures we have had and its faithfulness to keeping me safe (it really was a question sometimes haha).  For the strangers I'd pass on the streets, smiles and nods.  For the people I've met, going from strangers to real friends.  For the journey God has taken me on, awakening my heart to more of His plans, more of His beauty, and more of His love in the world around me, and well, IN me.

What am I going to miss from this country?  From these four months?  The simple answer, is, everything.  I'll miss the things I love about Denmark, and I'll miss the things I hate about it, because both have stirred a deeper passion and realization of Truths in me, and both have changed me for the better.

 Today, while I was visiting Christiania for the last time (insert suggestive tone saying I was there to smoke hash...note-that's not what I did), Michelle and I ran into a man who was rather high.  He said something that made me smile a lot though, and well, he had a darn good point.

my job is to make 10 people smile today.  And if they go and make 10 people smile, well, we just might get somewhere in the world.

spray painted in Christiania

Yes, I do believe you are correct sir.  For the record, he said this right before he proceeded to ask us for some kroner for more hash.  Even still, he made us smile, made us think, and made me hope I make 10 people smile tomorrow :)