Living History

As some of you may have already heard, Drew and I were lucky enough to get two free tickets to the U2 concert in Berlin that celebrated the 20 year anniversary of the Berlin wall coming down. Not only did we get to experience a band that has spanned the decades creating meaningful, beautiful, and inspiring music, but we were also part of the crowd feeling the history reflected by the Brandenburg Gate. The celebration of freedom, of choice, of unity. It was impossible to ignore the lively atmosphere that Berlin exudes because it has lived without the basic rights of life that it now promotes openly.

Despite being at the concert, I couldn't truly grasp the history of Berlin until the next day. Drew and I had met up with some friends from Berlin to have lunch, and upon their request we headed toward the nearest Subway. The city was going to celebrate the anniversary with a falling of a giant dominoe-wall over the former site of the Berlin wall. It was already being set-up on Friday with protective barriers so that no one could cross. We were on the wrong side of the wall, and could not get to the other side. My stomach growled in protest, and I had a slight sense of what the Berliners may have felt standing on one side of the wall seeing what the other side offered, but not being allowed to pass through the wall.

Good morning star-shine

You know when you wake up a little too early in the morning, and are sleep-walking through the motions of getting yourself ready for the day? Every thought that goes through your head as you check and recheck the clock is, "Please let me have set my clock wrong; please let me be able to go back to sleep." Of course, it never happens because everyone is always so careful to set their alarm to the right time.

Au contraire. Yesterday I was completely ready and about to leave for the train at 7:15am when I looked at the computer which said 6:15am. At first it took me awhile to realize, but that night was the "fall back" time change. WAHOO!!! I jumped back into bed for an entire extra hour. That morning I woke up on the right side of the bed twice, and it was the best day ever!

I think I may....

Walking home from the train yesterday, a thought began to form in my head. The beautiful fall colors are all around the countryside. Friendly people have consistently been striking up conversations with me. Delicious new German-meals have found their way into our kitchen. The girls on my soccer team actually make me laugh, and enjoy going to soccer. There are a few ski trips in the works. Work is a challenge that pushes me to learn new things, and to become a better designer.

I may actually like Germany!

Think pink.

Apparently, in the design world, pink is in. Last year it was purple, so the only natural color to follow would be pink. I was subtly informed of this by a designer friend last weekend, and have been trying to think of ways to incorporate pink into my designs for customers. A pink toilette? A pink sink? Even as I think of these trendy possibilities, I cringe at the thought of plaguing one of my customers with a 1970's repeat of colored bathroom fixtures.

As we have been talking about worship at youth group this year, I have been answering questions about how I can worship God with my work. As a designer I want to improve people's lives through design. This may mean a pink toilette for someone who needs some color in their life to cheer them up, or it may mean a simplistic design of a kitchen to improve someone's efficiency and ease while cooking.

The worship comes in enriching peoples' lives through design; making their life easier and

hopefully reflecting God's design for joyful living.

(Thus, the creative and simple pink bathroom below.)

Trendir, laufen interiors, googleimages.com 2009

Just for the record...

I wanted to blog just now, but once again I don't have enough time to write anything of substance. Sorry.

I finally did it...

For almost nine months I have been avoiding it, but I finally got up the courage.  I went to the doctor, and spoke to him in German.  (Well, at least until he asked me if I really pronounce my name 'Nason' in perfect English.)

I have been so afraid to go to a German doctor because I didn't think I would understand, or that he wouldn't understand me.   

Despite all of my worrying the experience we so easy!  I even learned several new things.  So, do one thing that scares you everyday...

Some of my favorite memories of the last month...

The view outside our window in Salzburg...

Drew's parents and I in Schwäbisch Hall, where Drew proposed, after my soccer game.

We found this picture frame on the side of the road...then had so much fun taking random pictures with it.

We had Mexican with Andi and Ivan in Luzern...