November 29, 2010 - Monday

So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

2 Corinthians 5:9 NIV

After sending a near coffin-sized box of personal belongings by air shipment and bidding family* and friends sad goodbyes, along with four huge jam-packed suitcases and one smaller one, we boarded a plane for Karlstad to begin our new life for the next one-to-two years.  This time instead of flying into Oslo, we flew into Stockholm, because it was outside of Stockholm where we would pick up our loaner car until the one special-ordered (I got to choose the colors in and outside) for us was to be delivered sometime in February. 

The first problem of this move we encountered (that is, on this side of the ocean…) was that none of those four huge suitcases joined us on the flight and were held up some place on the other side.  KLM/Delta were on top of it before we even realized it.  We heard our names paged and they shared this latest development with us while handing us each a little personal bag of toiletries.

A cab driver holding up a card with our name waited for us and took us to the GE Healthcare site in Uppsala. We realized it was probably a good thing the luggage didn’t arrive with us as it would have never fit in his vehicle.  At the GE site we met a delightful man, Oskar, who among other responsibilities handles the fleet cars.  In his office he handed over the keys to a Volvo SUV.  After saying goodbye, we headed down the highway toward Karlstad. 

We checked back into the same Scandic hotel and were again almost relieved those suitcases had not accompanied us.  This particular room was a deluxe room that Gary had earned after all his stays.  However, deluxe meant the room had a coffee pot and two thick white bath robes, but it was small.  There was not enough wall space to hold all of our suitcases.  The next day we requested a handicapped room.  A handicapped room is one with no glass walls to the shower and lots of bars in the bathroom.  The best part is that it has a small living area and a long entry way that held all those suitcases once they arrived – which they did the very next day.  First one, then two, and then the last one all at different times.

                    

*When I think back to this day when we left, my heart is heavy for the burden our daughter, Annie, must have felt.  Not only would she miss her parents but she carried a heavy load that entire month of December handling the house, the pets, and our mail, while trying to take finals and even decorate the house for Christmas and a party she threw for her special group of Resonate friends just days before flying over here to join us for Christmas.  She has done a beautiful job and I don’t think she will ever realize how thankful we are and proud we are of her - especially as we see God’s hand at work in her. 3 John 4 says:  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth.  We see this evidenced in Annie’s life, and we are most grateful.

December 1, 2010 - Wednesday

We were only half-way into the first week and already I found myself struggling.  If this city was to be my new home for a time, more than ever, I wanted to make a human connection with someone other than my precious husband.  Ideally, if there was just one – maybe two Americans – that would be best, but if not, and they were people who spoke English and smiled, I knew I’d make it.  Although I consider myself friendly, I am also shy by nature (I know that’s hard to believe) until I get to know someone.   So, when I looked into faces that came toward me in various places, it was and is my normal instinct to look and smile.  It was quite difficult for me when they looked away or just dead-panned.  I found it to be very isolating and, of course, it was something I had to deal with over time, which now, thankfully I can say I have.  I have also come to realize that in the dead of winter people don't want to be out in the cold any more than I do, and sometimes you find yourself focused in just getting from Point A to Point B.

On this particular day, we awoke and had the traditional hotel breakfast before accomplishing two major pieces of business, one of which was to travel to the city of Orebro to get our passports stamped.  This would make us legal immigrants and allow Gary to become “official” and receive a Swedish GE paycheck.  Once the passports were stamped, next on the agenda was to meet Karolina and go to the Swedish Social Security office (which happens to be in the same building the GE business is in in Karlstad) for each of us to obtain SS numbers.  It is impossible to do any business without such a number. 

On our way out back to Karlstad, before meeting Karolina, we were both hungry and decided that we would stop at a McDonald’s for a burger – more out of curiosity than anything.   We each ordered a “Big and Tasty” and it was more like “Big and Yucky.”  The meat had a phony smoked taste that added nothing to the burger.  I couldn’t eat half before throwing it away.  (Since, we have had a normal burger at the McDonalds down the street from our apartment, but we’ll stay away from the Big and Tasty, thank you very much.)

December 3, 2010 - Friday

Today I was excited to receive an email from a gentleman from Stockholm who referred us to a local church and even passed along names of some locals in the church.  This all came about when I shared with Trenton Stokes back at Southside Fellowship in Greenville that we wanted to find an English speaking church but knew it might be difficult from what we had seen thus far.  Trenton did some scouting around and passed along a website that I wrote to and was grateful to hear back so soon. 

December 6, 2010 -  Monday

“Be strong and courageous and do the work.  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, My God is with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.  1 Chronicles 28:20 

In addition to finding a local church, I had hoped I might find a prayer group meeting to start up a Bible Study Fellowship International Bible study since I already knew no class existed and we have been studying the Book of Isaiah.  I wrote to the BSF headquarters in San Antonio prior to leaving, and they responded by email and provided me with the name and email of the area advisor, Holly Holmquist, of the UK, whom I wrote to immediately.  Within hours I received a response from Holly that, sadly, there were no prayer groups to start a BSF class in all the Scandinavian area.  She passed along the steps to starting up a class and, as far as I could tell, I had accomplished the first three, but now was at a standstill.  Nevertheless, I trust that God has not brought me here away from my home, those I love, and a study I adore, to do nothing…so I wait and remember the passage of Scripture above.

December 8, 2010 - Wednesday

Gary’s boss is in town and he brought with him some important papers that Annie had forwarded on to us.  It was good to see a familiar face – he smiled and he spoke English.  This particular evening was the “office Christmas party” and it was also where I would meet many of those who work with Gary. 

The party was at a venue that reminded me of a big “entertainment palace”.  By that, I mean that it housed may different activities such as arcade games, bowling, a play area, and then there was this huge room where we would all meet.  It was an auditorium and inside it were rows and rows of red-draped tables and on each table was a silver candelabra with white candles all aglow.  Once we found a seat with the GE group, we stepped into another room where the Julbord was – this is the traditional Christmas feast-buffet and was it a feast!  There were different types of salmon (smoked, gravlax, pickled - I'm not sure what the difference is or if there is any but they all looked different), and cod with assorted sauces, there were at least two to three types of ham, one being a traditional “Christmas ham” and of course, meatballs.  Assorted salads including one our family at home always liked – cut up fruit mixed with a dollop of whipped cream – were offered.  They served brown beans that looked like baked beans and boiled potatoes.  There were assorted pickled herrings in varied sauces.  I have one particular one I like but can’t remember what the sauce is; I just know it has a yellow color to it, so it must be some type of mustard sauce.  For dessert they had crisp Rosettes dusted in powder sugar, a creamy rice pudding and this strawberry-type mousse (at least that’s what it looked like).  Also, there were assorted traditional Christmas candies.  Beforehand they served a small cup of Christmas grog which is a mulled spice red wine. 

Everyone was very kind and greeted me very warmly (they spoke English and smiled too!!).  After dinner we all enjoyed a fabulous show put on by this group of at least five musicians.  They sang, danced, and entertained us wearing different costumes. We could actually understand them as they sang many English songs and only a few were actually Christmas songs.  We just didn’t understand their jokes as they were usually spoken in Swedish.  It was like a mini-Vegas-style show, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.