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.

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