I believe that cats typically do not like vacuum cleaners. In my context, they are not related. Perhaps I should write “Vacuuming. Herding Cats.”
Vacuuming: With just me here, I clean before guest arrive. On Friday, Emily arrived. Her grandmother is a good friend of my Aunt Donna (by marriage). Emily is a junior at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota and spending a year in Mora, Sweden, as part of a study abroad program. Emily fell in love with Swedish through her Kirsten, American Girl doll, and spent 10 summers at the Swedish language camp in Bemidji, Minnesota. Last fall, I let Emily know that she would be welcome here if she was out and about in Sweden. So, she joined stayed here for the weekend.
I arranged for Emily to hang out with some Bible school students on Friday night, as I had been invited over to a women’s tea at the home of my friend, Donna. On Saturday, she met a Swedish friend from the language camp who studies at Uppsala University. They explored the city together. This morning, Emily took of for the next leg of her journey toward Gothenberg.
Because of a bit of helping Emily out last minute, I missed morning church. I figured that I could head to the afternoon service at the English-speaking international congregation. I’ve always wanted to visit, and now I had a reason to.
The church has a good fellowship for English-speakers, but I’m not sure it will be a regular place for me.
I’m really encouraged that Anya has found good place for Christian community at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB), the epicenter of the Alpha Movement. Providentially, HTB in pretty close to her housing facility. This next weekend, she joins a HTB college group for a weekend retreat on the coast somewhere. It sounds like a great opportunity to nurture some community connections.
This past week, Anya shared that good news that her calculus exam went really well. She earned a strong A. So, her diligent study and hard work is seeing results.
The herding cats metaphor is used in academia. Academic deans usually describe their job as herding cats, as all the members of the faculty seem to have independent thinking and ways of doing things. For me, the metaphor is for my co-editing role for a book project. The deadline is Thursday. This is an extended deadline, due to some of the cats missing the first deadline. I still have 2 chapters from 2 authors that I haven’t seen yet! I’m in waiting mode. So, I’m not looking forward to the next 4 days.
The other project that is due on or before Thursday is a book review for the Swedish Exegetical Yearbook. I hope to finish it up tonight. The 406 page book, The Decalogue and its Cultural Influence, is quite interesting. However, with 22 chapters by different authors, there will be no way to present this book review well. I wonder if I got the leftover book, because no one wanted to write a review for 400 pages and 22 chapters! At least, I’m enjoying the book and learning aspects of the Decalogue (The 10 Commandments) that are related to it history of interpretation and use, such as in Anglo Saxon literature, in catechisms, pre-1501 woodcuts, an award winning 1980s Polish TV series, Dekalog, and more, much more! I’m really fascinated with the TV series, and I hope to find these in some streaming form to view.
In other news, I submitted my written notification that I will be ending my renting here. I have to give 3 months notice. I am planning to buy a condo from German friends who are moving back to Germany. Curiously, the loan amount requested was not approved with my Johannelund salary. So, I added my USA rental home income, and it was approved. However, there was no requirement of validating my additional source of income. There is a Swedish sense that most people do the right thing. So, things that need documentation in the USA don’t need that scrutiny here–I guess.
With blessings
Beth
