Christmas in Amsterdam

Our first Christmas in Amsterdam was such a beautiful surprise. We threw a little Christmas party in our apartment and invited everyone we've met so far. I didn't think anyone would come! But we had a good crowd of around 35 come by. There were people from all nations here (most of them people John has met in his language class) and lots of our new dutch friends, as well as most of our neighbors. It was so sweet meeting neighbors and seeing everyone connect.

We experienced so much love from our church in the states. We received 4 huge packages, all our christmas ornaments from home (some friends here for a wedding brought them along) and a pile of christmas cards from Joshua House. It has felt so amazing to know that people from home are thinking of us and praying for us. We also experienced so much love here. On Christmas Eve, some of our new dutch friends had us over for a candlelight dinner. We were blown away by their hospitality. We felt like we were family. I am reminded of a passage that I read a couple nights ago in one of Paul's letters: "Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well." That captures the welcome we've felt this Christmas.

We were also able to "Skype" often with our family in the states - we even got to watch some of our family open presents! That certainly took the edge off of not being with them this season. But even beyond that, my sister Emilee came to stay with us for a week. It helped me see the city anew taking her around and showing her this place that is starting to really feel like home. We have so much to be thankful for.

All in all, Christmas in Amsterdam has been a joy. Yes, we dearly miss family and friends, but at every turn we have felt the presence of God with us. There is something about being stripped away from all of your comforts and traditions that forces you to go to the meaning of Christmas: the coming of God into the world - the beginning of all our hopes and dreams come true.

Sinterklaas.

Amanda's Sinterklaas gift was inside this homemade treasure chest; it is now Grayson's favorite toy
Well, our first "Sinterklaas" has come and gone. Here in Holland they have a separate holiday apart from Christmas to celebrate St. Nicholas - the 4th century Turkish bishop known for his kindness to children & the poor. Today was his birthday, and it is the big gift-giving festival here, with a lot of unique and fun traditions. Amanda and I were fortunate enough to celebrate Sinterklaas with some Dutch friends, who taught us the traditions.

Many Dutch folks will celebrate on the evening of the 5th, the day before Sinterklaas's birthday. You get together with family or close friends, eat pea soup & peppernoten, sing songs, and of course exchange gifts. The gift giving is fun - but there are rules:

• You exchange names, so you're only responsible for one person. That way you can really spend a lot of time and creativity on the gift.
  
• You wrap the gift in a unique or silly or over-the-top kind of way, typically either reflecting the person's personality or going along with the them of the gift inside.
  
• Then you write a poem for the person - it is supposed to make fun of the person (in a kind way, of course!), while at the same time giving hints as to what the gift is.
• Then going in turn, each person first reads out loud the poem written for them, then opens their gift.
• You're not allowed to tell anyone who you had - sortof like "secret santa" - even after the person opens the gift!

The entire process is so much fun. And we had a blast last night, giving and receiving gifts, laughing at the poems (and in my case, people laughing at me as I had to read mine in Dutch!), and always saying, "Dankje, Sinterklaas" after each present. I think that everyone should implement part or all of the Sinterklaas tradition into their Christmas gift-giving!

All of that though - the wrapping, the writing of poems, etc. - is mostly for adults. The kids get to celebrate in another way. On the evening of the 5th, they put their shoes out (nowdays by the radiator) with treats for Sinterklaas's horse stuffed inside. Come the morning of the 6th, their shoes will be filled with cookies/candies/gifts...sortof like our stocking tradition. So for kids in Holland, it is the morning of the 6th, not the morning of the 25th, that is exciting. They wake up early and run to find what Sint has left for them.

We couldn't resist - even though Grayson is way too young to remember, understand, or even care, we set out one of his little shoes. So this morning he had his favorite teething-cookie and a little present from Sinterklaas waiting for him underneath the radiator. He got his first train set; Great-grandpa Gemeinhart will be happy. He hasn't quite figured out that the trains are meant to ride on the tracks, or for that matter that the tracks aren't merely handy teething toys.



So now we are officially Sinterklaas veterans. I feel more dutch having experienced it.

If you're interested in the evolution from the Dutch Sinterklaas to the American Santa Clause, or even just the Sinterklaas tradition in general, go here or here.

Tot ziens!
John

Biggabeckuhbemma

Some notes from the low countries:

• Grayson's new favorite word is "biggabeckuhbemma." Last week it was "buh." He's advancing fast - he's already learned the Dutch art of compounding smaller words into endlessly long ones. Here are some great examples.
• Amanda took Grayson to the pool today for his first swimming lesson! They had a great time, and he even successfully went all the way under the water.
  
• My brain is fried from trying to learn almost 200 Dutch words a week. Two weeks down, five years to go.
• Check out Brooke's blog post, "re-creating a holiday in holland" for an account of our Thanksgiving here in Amsterdam.
  
• Sinterklaas is this weekend, and the whole city is going crazy for it. The "Sint" and two zwarte Pieten even came into our class today, handing out peppernoten. Yum!
  
• Eric preached at the Utrecht Vineyard this past weekend, and just hit the ball out of the park! I'm so glad to be a part of this team...
• Yesterday was the first Sunday in Advent - the anticipation and hope of the coming of Jesus into the world. Here is the prayer for the day (slightly revised by me), from the Common Book of Prayer:

Almighty God, give us grase that we may cast away the works of darkness and put upon us the armor of light - now in the time of this mortal life, in which your son Jesus the Messiah came to visit us in great humility - that in the last day, when he shall come again in glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to immortal life. Through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

The Reason...

So today I (Amanda) was contemplating the question we get a million times here. “Why are you here?” It’s a simple question that can be answered in so many ways…but today I was thinking about a reason I haven’t really gone into.My favorite lake - minus the snow I remembered that day in the snow by a lake at one of my favorite places in the world where I decided I wanted to get to know this person Jesus. It seemed like a harmless experiment at the time. I picked up a bible at the nearest Christian bookstore when I got home and started reading about the life of this person Jesus. I wasn’t prepared for what would happen after that. I met him…

I felt like I had finally come home after a long long time in a foreign country. I felt like I was finally myself. I felt hope that things were going to be made right…that Evil would not have the final say. I felt passion like I never had before. I felt that I found what I had always been looking for…even though I didn’t know I was lacking anything. I remembered the first time that I felt the thrill of emotions well up in my heart that I didn’t know I could feel. I remember feeling the shame of who I was when compared with this person I loved…so amazing, so beautiful, kind, full of grace and truth…the embodiment of everything right and good. And I remembered the feelings of shame wash away in His love and how overwhelmed I was as I contemplated the terrible and glorious sacrifice He made…for me…so I could know Him. And I realized today…that was my reason for being here. I have experienced something so amazing – and I cannot keep from connecting Jesus’ people back to Himself.

Paul writes in a letter to the church in Rome, "Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ?" His answer: "I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us."

I pray that we can be instruments of God’s love here. That we can share with people “the incredibly appealing person of Jesus”…that we can help the Church be who she was meant to be. With the grace of this God we follow…I have all the hope in the world.

Moving into Stage Two

Amanda, Grayson and I have been in Amsterdam now for a little over six weeks. While we are certainly still in a bit of a "honeymoon" phase, enjoying all of the little quirks of a different culture and city, the first official stage of our life here is coming to a close.

I would call this first stage, "settling in." Getting settled has involved:

• becoming comfortable moving around the city (bikes, trams, metros, etc.)
• making our apartment a home
• learning how to live every day life, such as buying groceries

Though our learning curve will continue, there is only so long one can spend merely getting settled. It is time to move on to Stage Two.

Let's call stage two, "language learning." Similar to settling in, language learning will be something that takes quite a while - it will actually take our entire time here. But, these next few months will be devoted to spending the vast majority of time to the process of language acquisition.

Here is a brief description of what (we expect) our lives will be like. I will be in class four days a week, for four to five hours a day. Amanda will spend that time with Grayson (as he is doing some language acquisition of his own!), and will potentially be able to develop some friendships that she's made so far. I'm expected to put in as much time studying per week as I am in class, so Amanda and I will do a fair bit of studying together. That way not only will we get to spend time together, but she'll be able to get a head start for when she starts classes next quarter. For the most part, the only other things that we will be able to give our time to is our team, small group, and church.

Please be praying for us, because we're about to enter into a very busy and diffucult time! But we are incredibly grateful, because without the Lord's provision this certainly wouldn't have been possible. About a week ago we thought that we would both have to wait until February to start language school...but here we are.

And God has been so good to have blessed us with an incredible weekend as we are ending Stage One. We got to spend time with our team: eating homemade Chipotle burritos together, talking about church, and laughing a lot.

We also got to visit a great bookstore in town, Amsterdam's version of "Barnes & Noble." Grayson loved the Kinderboeken section. We even bought him his first Dutch book. On the way home from the bookstore, the little guy fell asleep in the bike seat for the first time! In a proud parenting moment, Amanda even got him all the way upstairs and into his crib still sleeping.

But the highlight of the weekend by far was the arrival to the Netherlands of Sinterklaas. Yes, today is the day that the "Sint's" steamboat from Spain docked in Amsterdam. He, along with his helpers, paraded through the streets to much joy of all the children - most of whom were dressed for the occasion. Grayson will never remember this, of course, but we got plenty of pictures to prove to him that he saw Sinterklaas when he was a baby.

All I have to say is, I feel sorry for those of you in America waiting until Thanksgiving day to see Santa ride his over-sized sleigh through the streets of NYC. We've got the real guy here in Amsterdam! And yes, this is a picture that we took of Sinterklaas as he rode by...

Be sure to check out our facebook pages over the next couple days, as we're sure to upload a ton of more pictures from the last week or so. You're not gonna want to miss some of the Grayson pics - way too cute!

UPDATE: For a great description of my first day in language school, along with the very philosophical question, "what would you say," please read Julia's blog entry for the day.

Movie, Map & More

Movie

For those of you who know me and Amanda well, you know that one of our great joys in life is to watch a movie at the cinema. Well, after more than five weeks here in Holland, we were finally able to make it out last Saturday night. Rachel Baransi came over to our flat to watch Grayson as we made it out to see the new James Bond film. Here's a quick recap of our adventure:

• 8pm - Leave Grayson & Rachel; bike to the metro station
• 8:15 - Hop on the metro
• 8:25 - Arrive at our stop & walk to the Pathe' movie theater
• 8:35 - After waiting in line for almost 10 minutes, we find out that the two showings of Bond in our time range are sold out...sort of. Apparently there is an online reservation system, and so all of the seats were accounted for. However, if you reserve a seat online you have to arrive at the theater at least 20 minutes beforehand to buy your ticket - if you don't, the ticket is up for grabs!
• 8:36 - Wander around outside trying to kill time until 8:55 (20 minutes before the showing we wanted)
• 8:45 - Impatient, we get back in line
• 8:55 - Buy two tickets that were left unclaimed!
• 8:56 - Wait in line 20 minutes for popcorn & soda
• 9:16 - One minute late, we enter the theater and find our seats (Row 7, Seats 17 & 18...they are assigned)
• 11:30 - Leave the theater fat and happy, and make the metro/bike ride home.

It's a bit of a different experience than back home. Plus, there are Dutch subtitles during the film. That makes it sort of difficult when the actors on screen speak a language other than English - yet another reason to learn Dutch!

All in all, though, we had a great time, and were so happy to finally get to see a movie. And now that we've had our first movie-going experience, I think the next time will be much smoother.

Map
For some reason, Grayson loves maps. Here's some evidence:
Too stinking cute. If you keep reading, there is a link down below to a video of the little guy crawling around on the map. Why was he crawling on the map? He just loves Amsterdam so much.

More

• Language School Update: I got in to the class this quarter! One spot opened up, and I just got an email today inviting me in. So I start this coming Monday (the 17th). Very exciting, and very scary at the same time. Please be praying that I'd be able to absorb it all quickly. Amanda will be waiting until February to jump in, but I'm sure that she will help me study until then. Julia is still sorting through her options.
  
• The Netherlands football (soccer) team is newly ranked 4th in world! The USA comes in at 24; down a few slots from the last rankings.
• Along with the video referred to above, I have uploaded several more videos (mostly of Grayson) onto youtube. Check them out.
  

Exodus 33:15

As we enter into this new era of American politics, it is clear that hope in some is mingled with anxiety & fear in others. This dividing line is seen almost as starkly in the Church as it is among party lines.

I'd like to share an open letter to President-elect Obama by my pastor back home in Columbus, Rich Nathan (though I know many of you have already read it...likely on Facebook). It is a very gracious letter while at the same time calling President Obama into a Christ-like model of leadership.

His encouragement to the future President, as well as reminder to us who are followers of Jesus, that "whithout God's help we cannot succeed," and "with God's help we cannot fail," should be written on our hearts...no matter who holds the highest office of our nation.

It reminds me of the beautiful passage in Exodus, when Moses pleads with God: "If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here..." Let that prayer unite us, Christians. Let's place our hopes squarely on the throne of Jesus, and lay our fears at his feat.

President Obama, on behalf of the Vineyard Church of Columbus, I offer our sincerest congratulations and encouragement as you assume the awesome task of providing leadership for our country and our world. As a Jewish-Christian pastor of a congregation that includes blacks and whites, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans, the able-bodied and the disabled, old and young, rich and poor, Republican and Democrat, we come together now to support you as our president. We pledge to pray for you. Without God’s help we cannot succeed; with God’s help we cannot fail.

The greatness of our nation will continue to be measured by our treatment of the least and the last. In our country the least and the last surely include the unborn and their mothers, immigrants, the medically uninsured, and those who still go to bed hungry in this land of abundance. Our congregation urges you to fulfill your commitment to reduce the number of abortions in our nation. Around the world, America is our brothers’ keeper of those suffering in the Darfur and the Congo. Please work on behalf of those enslaved by global sex trafficking, the billion people who live on less than $2 a day, and those who are the victims of religious persecution. As you lead, remember Jesus’ words: “As you have done to the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me.”

America has an extraordinary capacity to reinvent herself, rarely more so than in this election. We remain the screen upon which the world projects its greatest hopes and its most noble aspirations. Live a life worthy of our hopes. Be a reconciler. Be a peacemaker. May God bless you and your family. And may America bless God and the world.

As we continue to pursue the Kingdom of God and his righteousness in our nation and abroad, we should all commit - with Rich - to pray blessing on the President and his family, no matter our political affiliation or ideology.

St. Martin's Day

On a much lighter note, tomorrow is St. Martin's day! Time to make your paper lantern and go from door to door singing songs and collecting candy...oh wait, we don't do that in the States. Did you even know there was such a thing as St. Martin's day? Did you even know there was a Saint called Martin? There is so much I have missed out on in life because a) I'm American and b) I'm not Catholic. But now as an American Protestant living in Amsterdam I get to enjoy it all!

Love from across the Sea,
John

President v Prime Minister

If you haven't heard by now, the entire WORLD was very interested in the little event that took place this past Tuesday in the States that we like to call the Presidential election. Gor the past couple of weeks, when folks here in Amsterdam find out we are American, that is all they have wanted to talk about.

Not only are they interested because the results would inevitably have a global impact, but also (I think) because the system works so much differently here in the Netherlands. They are intrigued by the campaign process & how much money is spent along the way. The are intrigued by the electoral system. They are also intrigued because, well, they don't vote for a president here.

The Netherlands is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy (i.e. they have a queen, citizens have rights based upon a constitution, and they vote for a representational parliament). Allow me to be technical for a moment or two. The Dutch vote for their parliament based upon a "proportional representation" system...and they vote for parties, not candidates. So hypothetically, if one party got 80% of the votes, they get 80 members of parliament, 10% would get 10 members of parliament, and so on. This is overly simplified of the actual system, but that is the basic idea.

To the point. The Dutch only indirectly elect their Prime Minister. The party which receives the most seats in Parliament (based on elections) is given the power to form a coalition government with two other parties. And the leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister once the government is formed. The current Prime Minister of the Netherlands is Jan Peter Balkenende of the Christian Democratic party.

We elect our President through the system of the electoral college...which is only slightly less indirect. At least we have the illusion of voting for a person when we're really just voting for a vote. I leave it to you to decide which system is better.

So there you go. Your cultural lesson for the day. I suppose, of course that there are a few other differences between the US President and the Netherlands Prime Minister besides the election process (for example, a Dutchman I chatted with yesterday said that ours is "basically the President of the world," not just the States), but those are just details.

Until next time,
John

Language School

Just a quick update/prayer request. Julia, Amanda and I have all hit a slight road-block for language learning. The three of us were trying to get into the Winter quarter at a university here in Amsterdam for a Dutch as a Second Language program - but we have all been wait listed! Please pray that we would either somehow sneak into the course, or find something else soon...

With language learning in mind, I thought I'd pass along a blog I just found called Dutch Word of the Day. Check it out, and learn some Dutch with us!

Month One

Today marks the Nash family's one month anniversary of living in Amsterdam (and also Grayson's nine month birthday)! I thought it would be an appropriate time to recall some of the things we've experienced in this new city/country/time zone/continent. We have:

• traveled across the Atlantic Ocean with an eight month old baby and 16 pieces of luggage
• attended a national Vineyard conference one day after entering the country
• spent two weeks as roomates with Brooke & Allie
• figured out the difference between a 1 and 2 Euro coin
• rented an apartment
• already begun to feel at home in our new place
  
• bought bikes
• thought our bikes were stolen
• found out that they were really just confiscated by the "bike police"
  
• ridden bikes in the rain
• bought rain gear
• also ridden on trams, trains, buses, metros
• posted a lot of videos of Grayson on Youtube
  
• made dutch pancakes, aka crepes, for the first time
• made apple turnovers (almost) from scratch
• shopped at a few different outdoor markets
• attempted to use what little Dutch we know at appropriate times (e.g. "Een zone, alstublieft." Translation: "One zone, please," when getting our ticket stamped on the tram. Easy, yes...but also a confidence builder!)
• learned how to work our oven/microwave
  
• read a lot of instruction manuals that are written in Dutch
• become familiar with the layout of our street's Albert Heijn supermarket
• found a place to watch soccer
• became experts at "skyping"
• checked our facebook pages way too often for news back home
• avoided most of the election mudslinging
• bought a pumpkin for Grayson the day after halloween
• worshiped in Dutch
• registered for language school
• continued to build relationships with our friends here in Holland
• written more blog entries than I ever could have imagined

It is obviously difficult to put into words everything we've experienced thus far. But in everything, we have felt the grace and love of God - that is the most important experience of our time here so far.

I'd like to quote a short passage from the book My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. In the October 27th entry he says, "the challenge of the missionary does not come on the line that people are difficult to get saved...the one great challenge is - Do I know my Risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit?"

Even in our first month here, we have the deep realization that that is the great challenge. Not how successful we are at navigating a new culture, but how connected we are to Jesus. So hopefully, at the end of month two we can add to the bullet-point list: "have known our risen Lord and the power of His indwelling Spirit in a deeper way."

Thank you for your continued prayers and support from across the pond. We truly could not do this without you...

Tot ziens,
John

This One's All About Grayson

OK, this post is mostly for the grandparents...but I hope you will all enjoy. Pictures and videos galore.

First for the pics:

At the North Sea

On the way home from the North Sea

Grayson playing with an American football in Vondel Park

In the leaves at Vondel Park

The fam at Vondel Park

Enjoying his new home

Grayson being ornery

Getting a bath in the kitchen sink

First time in his new crib

Loving his crib

Still having fun in the crib

Enjoying his broccoli

With Gloria Grace

Brushing the teefers

And a few videos:
I've decided to remove the videos because they were taking up so much space! But you can still see them at my youtube page. There will probably be more coming, so why not just subscribe to our page while you're there!

If you made it all the way to the end, congratulations - you must really love Grayson! We'll try to keep more pics and videos coming. In the mean time, check our Facebook profiles, because there are probably a lot more pictures there...

Tot ziens,
John

And now, the rest of the story...

If you read the previous post before I updated it, you didn't hear the end of the story: we made it to AFAC yesterday afternoon, and they had our bikes! I don't think I realized how much I missed my bike until I got it back...we're SO EXCITED!

I took a few pictures with Brooke's mobile, which she had lent to us for our trip, but unfortunately I must not have pushed the right button, because only a couple of them came out. Here is one after we reclaimed our bikes:Behind us is the lot where AFAC stores all of the confiscated bikes. It had at least a couple thousand bikes there...unreal.

So there ya go. This story had a happy ending.

AFAC

"What is AFAC?" you might be asking yourself. That is a good question. Until this past Friday, Amanda and I didn't know what AFAC was either. It stands for De Amsterdamse Fiets Afhandel Centrale - or, basically, the Amsterdam bike police. They haul away bikes when they don't like where the bikes are parked.

It turns our that our bikes are likely in the possession of AFAC, not a bike thief. We'll find out for sure this afternoon when we head down to their headquarters with our bikes' serial numbers and our passports in hand.

Amsterdam is an interesting place. People leave their bikes everywhere; chained up to anything. Often I'll pass a bike chained in a random place and wonder, "are they allowed to just leave their bike there?"

So this past Monday, when Amanda and I left our bikes at the metro station chained to sign along with a moped (because there were no bike racks left), I wondered, "are we allowed to leave our bikes here?" But then I brushed the fear aside because, after all, people chain their bikes to everything in the city. When we returned to find our bikes gone, we just assumed they were stolen.

On Friday, however, Amanda got into a conversation with a Dutch girl at Julia's birthday party (which was amazing, by the way!), who mentioned that our circumstances sounded more like a confiscation by AFAC rather than a theft by a junkie. After talking to a couple other of our Dutch friends, they agreed. So we're off to AFAC in a couple hours to hopefully reclaim our bikes (and praying that Grayson's bike seat is still attached).

I guess we can chalk this one up as a learning experience. What did we learn? Don't mess with AFAC. The only problem is, I still don't know where I can't park my bike!

For more interesting tidbits on the bike culture of Amsterdam, along with some amusing pictures, click here.

UPDATE: We made our way out to AFAC and they had our bikes! We were so happy to have them back, that we didn't mind the 1.5 hour ride back home...all is right in the world.

8% Sounds Like a Small Number...

Until you fall into that category. Which Amanda and I (and Grayson too, in a way) did just yesterday. You see, Amsterdam is a city of bikes. Almost everyone in the city cycles as their normal mode of transportation. And, in a city that is relatively low in crime, bike theft is uncommonly high. The website iamsterdam.com says that in 2007, 8% of the bikes in the city were stolen (down from 16% in 2001). Count the Nash bikes into that statistic for 2008.

We've had our bikes for a little over a week, and were just becoming comfy. Grayson's little bike seat fit him perfectly...and he loved to ride! (see the picture in the sidebar) But, as of yesterday, someone else in the city has our bikes and Grayson's bike seat.

It went down like this: We were headed to a suburb in the south of the city to do some shopping for our new apartment. It is quite a ways, so we biked to the metro station, and chained our bikes up along with a couple hundred others. To make it easier on ourselves, we chained our bikes together (with two chains, of course!) against a pole. Well, when we got back from our shopping trip later that afternoon, all that was left were a few hacked-off chain links. It was a two-for-one deal. These guys must have been PROS.

It was a bummer. But we have so much to be thankful for:

• We're here in an amazing city doing life with a team that we adore
• The Lord really provided us with the perfect apartment...that is beginning to feel like home already
• Today our internet service was connected in our flat, so we are able to connect with friends and family back home
• Grayson is healthy and adjusting well to his new environment
• And most importantly, I'm reminded of the last sermon we heard at Vineyard Columbus before we left, when Rich encouraged us that the only thing in life that would truly be devestating to lose is Jesus. But God is on his throne, and that is our greatest hope in life.

So, we'll just have to get new (used) bikes - and maybe better locks - and hope that 8% really is a small number.

Also - we're excited to show you our apartment, but are still settling in. We promise that once the dust settles, we'll take a bunch of pictures and post them here for all to see.

Moving Day

Exactly two weeks ago today Amanda, Grayson and I hopped on a plane that brought us to Amsterdam. We've been so graciously hosted for these 14 days by Brooke and Allie, living in Allie's loft bedroom. It has been wonderful...but now it is time to move into our own home! This afternoon at 6pm (or, for you eastern time-zoners, 12pm) we sign the contracts on our first apartment here in the city.

This whole process seems to have been simply guided by the Grace of Jesus. We found an apartment quickly, it is in a great neighborhood, the price is perfect for our budget, and it has everything that we need. Plus it is geographically situated en route from the Pickerill's apartment to Brooke & Allie's. We are only a short bike ride from a great outdoor market, the center of the city is about 10 minutes away, and all of the shops we would need for everyday living are on our block. What more could we have asked for?

The neighborhood that we are moving to is called the "Rivierenbuurt," and it has its own distinct feel, as each neighborhood does in Amsterdam. Feel free to read about it here or here.

Because we are just moving in today, we will be sans internet for a couple days; though getting our modem is high on the priority list. Once we get settled, we'll be sure to post pictures of the apartment.

If you are interested in our mailing address, contact us and we'll be sure to get it to you!

Love and miss you all.

A New Video, and some Football (European Style)

I know that most of you were sad that weren't able to watch the Netherlands World Cup qualifying match yesterday against Iceland. For some reason, obscure European football matches don't make it to the major television networks in the states. Well, to soothe your fears, our Dutch boys beat Iceland last night 2-0, to remain on top of their qualifying group. On Oranje! To find out more about why the Dutch team wears orange, and what "KNVB" means, click here. And yes, I did watch the match. Eric, Connor & I biked around for a bit and found a little corner restaurant with the game on. We got to eat some Dutch style hamburgers, too...which I was surprised to learn are served without buns. Tasty, though!

In other news, Grayson is cute. Here's the proof:

One last thing. Check out Brooke's latest blog post about our trip to the beach this weekend, and a few of her great polaroids documenting it all. Here is a more technologically advanced (i.e. digital) version of the group @ the beach:

Tot Ziens,
John

A Big Day

Well, this was quite a big day for us. We found out in the morning that the owner accepted our bid for the apartment - so we now have a home in Amsterdam! Right after finding that out, we went down and bought our bike at a nearby shop. We even got a seat for Grayson. Man, I wish I would have gone on some Tour de Highs. That would have prepared me a little for the bike culture here. Anyone planning on visiting should start riding with the crew from Joshua House now!

We rode the bikes home on back roads and Grayson absolutely LOVED it. He couldn't stop laughing and smiling. Even before we had the bikes out of the shop, he was reaching for the handlebars wanting to ride. We then came home, and the whole Nash clan took a nap. It was the first really good nap we've had yet. Gray slept over 2 hours! Prayer after prayer being answered...man you guys really are praying for us aren't you?

When we woke up, we rode our bikes with Brooke down to the Rijks Museum and looked at some Rembrants for about 1/2 hour till Gray got tired. Amazing. Then we rode home...in the DARK! All went well, and Grayson went to sleep like a champ. Wow. What an overwhelming day of blessing from God. We are so grateful - I can hardly express. Thank you so much those of you praying for us...we feel it loud and clear.

-Amanda

Finally IN Amsterdam

Amanda, Grayson and I arrived to Amsterdam Thursday morning, October 2nd at 6:50 local time (that would be 12:50am eastern standard time). It was a moment of joy after a teary goodbye in the airport the day before and a somewhat stressful plane flight with tons of luggage and a screaming baby! Well, ok, Grayson didn't scream the whole way, but he did for a while which was stressful enough.

As we were waiting for our luggage at customs, we saw our first friendly faces in Amsterdam: Julia & Gigi Pickerill waving to us from behind a glass wall. After three trips through the customs gate with our 11 checked bags and a cartfull of carry-ons, we could finally give big hugs to all of our friends who were waiting to pick us up.

So now we've been in the city for almost three full days, and it has been a surreal experience in many ways. The first thing that we did after we arrived (after taking a nap, of course!) was to go out with a broker to look at two apartments. One of them is a possibility, but we are going to look at a few more next week.

Later that evening we had a little party with all of us Americans who are here so far: the Pickerills, Brooke, Allie Klein (who is attending University of Amsterdam), and Rachel Baransi (who will be the Pickerill's nanny for the next six months). It was great to talk, eat and laugh together.

The last couple days have been a joy as well. I have had the privilige of attending a conference in Utrecht for the Benelux Vineyards, at which one of my favorite preachers, Don Williams, was teaching. I've had the great opportunity at the conference to reconnect with my Dutch friends, as well as meet so many wonderful people from all over Netherlands and Belguim, as well as a few from the UK, Sweden and the Baltic states (look it up on wikipedia). It is just an awesome feeling already being a part of this little slice of the Vineyard family in the world.

Amanda has also had a great time these last couple days. She has stayed back with Grayson to help him continue to adjust to the time difference, and they have just been exploring all over the neighborhood where we are staying. She's been able to walk along a canal and go into shops and hang out with Julia. This weekend has genuinely been such a blessing from the Lord.

We can hardly begin to express how much we are thankful for you who have made it possible for us to be here. It just seems like an overwhelming gift from God. No doubt, though, we will continually miss all of you - so stay in touch! We need our family back home as much as we need our family here.

Only one thing left to say for now: GO CATS! BEAT THE TIDE!

Saying Goodbye

Well, the time has finally come. Everything we own is either stored away or packed in a suitcase. Saying goodbye is a funny thing...we've said goodbye to our dearest friends and family and now are ready to leave. We are overwhelmed by the generosity of God shown us by everyone. We are blessed with incredible parents who are sending us off with love even though they are so sad to see us go; and we are blessed by our siblings who have served us so well. We have had so much prayer and encourgement from people at VCC. We have had treasued last moments with our dearest friends who are 100% behind us as we leave. We could not ask for more. Thanks to each and every one of you. We love you more than we can say.

Garage Sale

We had a pretty successful garage sale today, trying to get rid of all the odds & ends that we've collected over the years. It is just amazing the amount of junk that finds its way into our lives! Of course, we couldn't get rid of everything (would have had to pay people to take some of the stuff off of our hands!), but what wasn't sold found a good home at a nearby goodwill.

What was more incredible than people actually buying some of the things they did was how much our friends chipped in to help. We could have never pulled this thing off without people like Andrea Tiballi, who coordinated the whole deal, and countless others who helped by dropping off their stuff to sell, pricing items, baking brownies, organizing tables, answering questions, hauling away the leftovers, cleaning up, etc.

We are unbelievably blessed to be a part of such a giving community. While our heads are spinning with all the details that need to be taken care of before we leave, our friends are faithfully walking beside us actually making sure those things get done.

So thanks to EVERYONE who helped out today. We are one step closer to Amsterdam because of you!

The Calm Before the Storm

20 days until we move across the Atlantic.

Our last 14 days will be insane.

But for now we get to hang out in sunny Florida with family. Throwing kids around in a warm pool. Playing wii (guitar hero, mario cart, etc.). Taking naps. Eating amazing meals. Staying up late with my sister & brother-in-law talking politics and messing with our facebook pages together.

I'm incredibly grateful not only that we get a week to relax and have fun, but also that I got a chance to see my sister & her fam before we leave. We usually only get to see each other twice a year, which isn't a lot, but I can't imagine being apart from them for at least the next two years.

So until Tuesday when we fly home to Columbus, I'm just going to pretend that we don't have to say our goodbyes...

We're going to soak this up, because we have a load to do when we get home.

The Final Weeks

We are starting to feel the crunch now. (As if we weren't before!) We have had several of you asking what you can do to help, so we wanted to post some of our needs for these last weeks. If you feel you can help, just email us at NashAmsterdam@gmail.com. Here are some of our needs:

• Someone to detail the inside of our car that we're selling to our dear friend Sara Carlisle! We want it in sweet condition for her.
• People to help with our garage sale, sorting, pricing, selling on the day and hauling the stuff we don't sell to Goodwill. (Sorting and pricing on Friday the 19th and the garage sale on Saturday the 20th.)
• Someone to pick up books to sell at Half-Price Books
• Someone to pick up nice clothes to sell at a resale shop
• People to help us clean the house on Friday the 26th and finish moving stuff to storage. Someone with a truck would rock!
• We need someone to help install baseboard heating in our two back rooms and update the electric box to handle it.
  

Our prayer sendoff is Sunday September 28th at 4pm. Come out to the church to pray for us. We need all your prayers now as we rush to our launch!

Everything Must Go!!!

It doesn't seem like too long ago that Brooke was selling her stuff on craigslist and getting organized to move across the Atlantic. Now she's already getting settled in Amsterdam, and we are the ones selling our stuff and getting organized to move. Time flies.

We've already sold a lot of our furniture (couches, tv stand, computer desk, etc.). I'm personally amazed at how easy craigslist works. This was my first time using the website, and I was a bit skeptical...but it works like a charm.

We have a lot of other things that we need to sell - we're going to have a big yard sale next month - but I thought it would be cool to give you, our faithful blog readers, first dibs on some of the items. Below is a list of what we're selling. If you're interested, email us; I'll even send you a picture if you'd like! First come, first serve.

Carpet from Pier One $80 (originally $300 - 3 years old in great shape!)
2 newer lamps $10 a piece
Bedroom Suite $150 for the set (2 dressers & 1 bedside table - from the 50s solid wood art deco style)
Kitchen Cabinet $25
Microwave $25
Toaster oven $10
Blender (w/ food processor) $50
Coffee Maker $50 (carafe holds 12 cups)
2 small book shelves $10 a piece
Crock pot $20
Bed head board $20
Shredder $10

Some of these items we need to keep for a little bit longer, so we'll hold them for you if you're interested.

Happy shopping!

The Pershing Camp Picnic

Well, we just got back from another amazing annual Pershing Camp Picnic. Every year, since I (Amanda) was a kid, I've gone to this little rustic cabin in northeast Pennsylvania with all my family. When I was a kid, I'd spend my time jumping in the creek, catching crayfish (with my bare hands) and eating a LOT of candy. Now I don't jump in the creek, and I think I've turned into a total wimp cause I can't seem to catch a crayfish anymore, but I still ate a LOT of candy!

My family is a total blast. It has been amazing to go from being one of the little kids waiting for Grandma Ruth to bring the water guns to being one of the "grown ups". Now a new generation has arrived and it was such a sweet thing to see them enjoying the fun of the Camp Picnic with the amazement that I once had. Every year is so packed with precious moments. This year did not disappoint...we had lots of stories, crazy loud songs till 4am, 12 year olds learning to chop wood, Nancy's homemade whoopie pies, one great walk, 3 new babies, totally illegal fireworks, and I think we burned an entire cord of wood with our blazing campfire!

Best of all, I got to say goodbye to some of my dear family who are all wishing us well on our way to Amsterdam. I know it is a rare thing to stay connected with such extended family. I thank God for it. I can't wait to come back in two years and hopefully bring a few good stories to tell round the fire! Here's a few pictures to paint the picture. Enjoy.

Thirty, Skype & Soccer

I (john) just turned 30 on Sunday. Everyone keeps asking me what it feels like to be in my thirties now...but I just don't have an answer. I guess that becoming a father this year on top of moving to another country to plant a church in a month and a half sort of makes my age seem insignificant. I just hope that everything I was "supposed" to learn in my twenties sticks, so that I don't have to go through the same lessons again in my thirties! We'll see...

Amanda and I were able to connect with Eric & Julia yesterday over Skype, which was pretty fun. (If you haven't downloaded Skype yet, get on it!) It was good to see their faces and hear how things are going in Amsterdam. God is so good. They have already had opportunities to talk to people about Jesus, and I could just tell how energized they were from that. They have also secured an apartment, which is another gift from God. Not only is it located pretty close to where we were hoping, but they got a great deal on it. And it only took little over a week; they move in this coming Friday.

One last thing: the US and Dutch soccer teams drew on Sunday at the Olympics, 2-2. A bummer for everyone in the States and in Holland, as a win for either team would've been significant, but a pretty good deal for me! Seems like a perfect result for an American moving to Holland. Plus I think those Orange jerseys are pretty sweet.

Grayson Lewis

Thought it would be good to update you on the youngest missionary in our family, Grayson.

• He turned 6 months on August 2nd
• He's been eating solid foods for about two weeks now - rice cereal, bananas, avocados & pears. Bananas seem to be his favorite!
• He's just started sitting up on his own (mostly) about a week ago; seems determined to start crawling soon.
• He is incredibly active - is almost never content to sit still. He's very curious, always looking around and checking out his surroundings. Look out when he starts crawling!
• He is sleeping GREAT. Will usually fall asleep around 7:30pm without too much fuss, and typically sleeps straight through until about 7am...with the occasional wake-up around 4. Much much nicer than every two hours! And it seems as though he's starting to get a nap time routine too.
• He got to play in a pool for the first time at Joshua House's Breathe Festival...and LOVED it!
  
• He just had his very last check-up with an American pediatrician on Monday. Next scheduled visit is in Amsterdam!

Well there ya go. A snapshot of our little guy's development. It is amazing how each stage seems to have been our "favorite." God surprises us every day with a new and increased capacity to love Grayson. Please continue to pray for him that he will continue to develop well, that he will take this major transition of moving to a completely different time zone in stride, and that he would early in his life respond to the love and grace of Jesus.

In the pool with Mommy

With cousins Camden, Aleigh & Chloe

Eating Avocado

A Couple Fun Pictures

Thought it would be fun to post these two pictures: Eric & Julia's last teaching to Joshua House at Breathe. I love the picture of Julia - people's heads are turned because she just called out Connor for not having sunblock on. Illustrates how they have led for all these years, naturally-supernatural. There is no pretension in Eric and Julia. They are genuine followers of Jesus which is why I am so excited to follow them to Amsterdam.

If you get a chance, head over to their blog and drop an encouraging comment. And continue to pray that God would sovereignly direct them as they look for an apartment.

The Pickerills (already) in Amsterdam

It has begun! Our team is on the move. We've heard from the Pickerill fam, and after an eventful day of cancelled flights and driving to Detriot, Julia, Lucas & Gloria have arrived safely in Amsterdam. It is quite surreal to know that the last words I spoke to the Pickerill family were: "I'll see you in two months in Amsterdam!"

As for the rest of us who are still in Columbus, I have a suspicion that the next few weeks (for Brooke) and months (for me, Amanda & the Larsens) are going to pass with the blink of an eye. I just hope that it is enough time to do everything that we need to do.

Our good friend Andy Hopkins, who has been an invaluable help to the entire Amsterdam team, made up a "moving timeline" list for us. Here are his suggestions for 2 months prior to departure date (which is where we happen to be):

1. Start to panic if you haven’t started planning yet.

2. Schedule any doctor, dentist, optometrist appointments prior to current insurance policy expiration.
3. Refine list of items you plan to move.
4. Begin list of items you need to purchase in Amsterdam.
5. Finalize health insurance policy for U.S. and International coverage.
6. List current and future banking routing and account numbers.
7. Purchase moving and packing supplies.

Fortunately, we're not in panic mode (yet). But there is a lot to do!

SUPPORT UPDATE: We have reached 100% of our needed monthly support for the first year on the field! Praise God, and thank you all so much who have sacrificed to make this mission possible. We're still accepting commitments (both one-time and monthly), as support will likely fall off over time, but no longer have to actively raise funds. We are so grateful that our last two months in the States can be focused on moving and connecting w/ friends & family!

Article in the Dispatch

You know you've made it big when the Columbus Dispatch runs a story on you. Next thing you know, the AP has picked up the lead and Vineyard Amsterdam is all over the New York Times, CNN & the BBC.

Even bigger, perhaps, is the write-up in The Mix (click on the "August 2008" cover for the pdf file), Vineyard Columbus's monthly publication. Be sure to check them both out!

Team Update: Eric and Connor have arrived safely in Holland, and are probably looking for an apartment as we speak. It is odd to think that the next time I see the Pickerill family will be in Amsterdam in two months.

John 15:12,13

12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

I was minding my own business in Starbucks last night, innocently reading my Bible (because I'm an amazing Christian like that), when I was rudely interrupted by these two verses. Don't you hate it when that happens? All I wanted was to pound through a few chapters so that I could catch up in my "Bible-in-a-year" reading plan (a hopeless prospect)...but no.

I think that I'll let the verses speak for themselves. I was about to unpack why I felt like the Lord highlighted them to me, but I won't bore you - suffice it to say that they are now a part of a growing library of verses that God has used to speak directly to me in preparation for Amsterdam.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Jesus, for loving me...

More memories

On Sunday Amanda and I had a support raising "dessert" with some old friends from Otterbein College. It was a special time for us, getting to share our Amsterdam vision with these particular people, for many reasons. Here are a few:

• The Otterbein kinship was my first taste of church Vineyard style
• It was at Otterbein that the Lord really started teaching both me and Amanda to be (and how to be) missional
• We learned the joy of passionate worship with these people
• We learned how to fail with these people
• We learned how to be bold with these people
  
• We learned how to pray with these people
• They were around when Amanda and I started our relationship (and rooted us on the whole way)
• They have remained close and faithful friends for nearly a decade
  
• The Otterbein kinship was the best community I've ever experienced (even though we had our issues!)

I think that Amanda and I both realized, as we were sharing our story and vision with them, that these friends of ours are as significant a reason of why we are going to Amsterdam that I can think of. They are so much a part of our story, so much a part of our calling, that it fills me to overflowing with joy to know that they will be loving on us and praying for us from across the ocean.

I pray - with all sincerity - that God's grace will be on Vineyard Amsterdam as abundantly as it was on the old Otterbein kinship. He was so good to us!

Plane Tickets

Our flight has just been booked! I think that means we are officially leaving. We depart Columbus at 3pm October 1st and arrive in Amsterdam 7am October 2nd. For those of you keeping track at home, that is only 84 days away (or a little over 2.5 months). CRAZY.

Third Culture Kids

Last Wednesday the Amsterdam team had the opportunity to spend the entire day with Dr. Jerry Reddix - a psychologist who has dedicated his life to working with and building up cross-cultural teams. It was a great day as we learned a lot about each other: how we deal with stress, how we problem solve, what our needs will be when we're oversees, what our favorite Starbucks drink is (useless info in the Netherlands), etc. I believe that our time with the good doctor will genuinely bare fruit when we're in Amsterdam.

The most enlightening part of the day for Amanda and I, though, was in the evening when we had a more casual conversation with Dr. Reddix in our home. We began talking about the impact that moving to another country/culture has on children. The term that has been coined for children in this circumstance is "third culture kids." (TCKs) I wondered, "why 'third', why not 'second'?" Grayson will be American and Dutch...that's two! But the concept is that Grayson won't be quite fully American and he won't be quite fully Dutch; he will be a blend of the two...a third culture that is unique to him. It is said that third culture kids have more in common with other TCKs than they do with kids from whatever country they've lived in. Amazing.

There are a couple interesting aspects of TCKs that Dr. Reddix shared with us (and our very own Adult third culture kid, Brooke, confirmed). TCKs often have a hard time answering the question: "where are you from?" It isn't as simple as merely responding, "I'm from Columbus," or "I'm from Amsterdam." There is a whole story behind where they are from. Do you want to know the 20 second version or the 20 minute version? Do you even really care? Those are questions that will go through every TCKs head when asked where they are from. That can be tough for kids, something that only someone who has had a similar experience can understand.

Another aspect of TCKs is that when they grow up there is a high likelihood that the will move internationally (again, I would refer you to Brooke who grew up in Morocco). So basically Amanda and I have sealed our fate - Grayson will probably move away - far away - from us someday. We're only now beginning to understand how difficult it is for our families to lose us across the Atlantic.

So please pray for Connor, Lucas, Gloria and Grayson. Pray that their time spent in Amsterdam would draw them close to Jesus. That they would catch a glimpse of what living on the edge of the Kingdom is all about. That they could develop deep and long lasting relationships with kids there, and that they could feel connected to family here in the states. That they would develop healthy and mature adaptation and relational skills. Pray also that they would from their young ages hear the voice of God calling them into his mission in this world - even if that means leaving their families some day and moving to all corners of the world!

Pray also for us as parents that we would always be aware of our kids' needs; that they would never take second place to the business of ministry; that we could develop deep and long-lasting family traditions that provide our children with comfort and continuity in these years of transition; that we would be faithful to pray for them.