Christmas, Advent and Hope

There is something so beautiful about seasons. About rhythms. In a new country and culture these look a little different - I don't hear Christmas songs every time I turn on the radio and I don't watch local TV so I don't see the ads. Instead we have special Christmas cookies and things like Saint Mikuláš. 

But some things don't change. There are still Christmas trees and decorations. I love pulling out my decorations each year because they remind me of different places and people. The star on my tree and one of my nativity sets come from Cardiff. Another nativity group is from Northern Ireland, a beautiful handmade gift from one of my favourite people.

And regardless of the decorations, songs and traditions there is still this period of advent. This season of waiting and re-entering the story. The greatest story. 

For the last number of years I've used the same book in this season. It has daily readings from 1st December right up to Epiphany on 6th January. The book now feels like an old friend with different parts highlights in different years.

I bought this nativity set during my very first trip to the Czech Republic and now it is on my fridge in this country.

This week the readings were mostly about Zechariah. And the words that I can't get out of my head this week? The words Gabriel spoke to Zechariah as he brought the news of a baby to be born to an old, barren couple.

"Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard"

Can you imagine being an old man and hearing those words? Zechariah and Elizabeth had probably prayed those prayers many times - over and over, whispering, crying, longing. They had maybe even stopped saying them over the many years because no answer seemed to come.

Your prayer has been heard. 

As the first candle of advent is lit we remember it signifies hope. We remember the hope of the people of Israel, waiting on their long prophesied Messiah. 

And as I re-enter this story again I am grateful for the hope we have in the baby born at Christmas, and the hope that comes from knowing God hears my prayers.

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." Isaiah 9:2

Photo Friday - 5th December

What my coffee table looks like after small group. We talked about Jesus calming the storm and what we can learn from that story as we encounter fears and worries. I am so thankful for this group!

Advent started on Sunday. I adore advent.

Oh the ice storm. Because there's nothing like it taking six hours to get home.

On Tuesday the ice remained. It felt like skating rather than walking. I only left my house to go to the post office.

Czech homework. The hardest part about learning a new language is sometimes the language you speak - the rules of English have been in my head for twenty-six years so it's hard to adjust when Czech rules make no sense in my English-speaking head.

On Thursday I finally went to "rescue" my car from the office. Weirdly the train wasn't running from my town so it started with a replacement bus service, followed by two trains. I'm glad my little car is back nearby again.

On Friday the Christmas lights were switched on! Alongside the traditional Czech festivities. 

Good old Saint Nicholas

Tonight my little town switched on its Christmas tree lights! Today is the 5th December which means it's Saint Nicholas' day, or Saint Mikuláš here in Czech.

In the run up to today there are angel, demon and Saint Nicholas figures around - including special sweets and breads baked into their shapes. As I drove back from my Czech teacher's home this morning I saw the trio walking outside a primary school. The bad photo above has the trio and a little kid singing.

Why an angel, devil and Saint Nicholas? Why singing?

Well, you should watch this short video to find out! It was shared by the wonderful Petra and it will tell you about these traditions. Tip: it involves threatening little children that they might be dragged off to hell. 

Josef's Terror: St. Nicholas Day in the Czech Republic from Amy Hadley on Vimeo.

Funnily enough there was a nativity set up on the main square today too. It's just accepted as part of the fairy tales surrounding Christmas. 

One of the stalls on the main square had a "Jesus postbox" - a postbox for you to post your letter to Jesus in, because it's baby Jesus who brings the presents on 24th December.

I'm glad the Christmas lights have been switched on, and it was a lot of fun to spend time with the Thomason family tonight, and I'm praying that this Christmas many in this country would come to know the true joy of Immanuel, God with us. 

Frozen for six hours with half a kinder egg.

This morning I woke up a little late and was in a rush to leave the house. As I walked to my car I realised that I’d probably need to clear some ice off it. Just before I did I snapped the above picture and planned to post it online with a caption of “Well, at least -4 degrees is pretty.”

I’m sitting at 10.09pm in a car, 10 kilometres from home, and I have changed my mind about it being pretty.

Shortly after 4pm my colleague, whom I brought to work this morning, came into my office and said that her dad had called saying the roads were really bad, like glass, and she decided to sleep in the office building (there’s a little flat in the attic).

I decided to head home but didn’t even leave the town the office is in before I was turned around by an accident (I wasn't involved - it had just closed the bridge) and experienced my car’s ABS.

Oh and getting into my car was an adventure in and of itself – it was literally an ice sheet. Freezing rain and a high of -2 today led to just one big ice sheet over the car.

I headed back to the office and got a lift with Shay, who lives in the same town as me. I'm so grateful I could jump in his car - for the first ten minutes or so me leaving my car at the office didn't seem really justified. It normally takes 30-40 minutes to do the 35km route and we were making good time.

We’ve now been in the car five hours… We have moved less than 0.5km in the last three hours. We’re 10km from home and have heard the road will be closed for another two hours.

We’ve had six police cars, two salting/gritting trucks, two tow trucks, an ambulance, and two fire engines pass us! And by pass us I mean navigate through the two lanes of traffic. It has been crazy.

We also spent time texting Daniel, who was stuck for around five hours on another nearby road. He had two labradoodles in the car! 

We've also all started planning the snacks we're going to keep in our cars... In Shay's car we had a kinder egg that had been smashed already. My car has a few emergency cereal bars but I'm definitely going to throw in another warm jumper.

I think this part is my favourite of the journey - for a long time we were beside a guy with a trailer filled with live fish. After we'd been stopped around an hour he got out and on top of the trailer, opening it and pushing a brush in there to break the ice. 

And, yes, we're writing blog posts in the car.

Our friend Martina is also keeping us updated - the photo above shows a Czech news website and we are the story along the top!

Always an adventure! And welcome December!

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At 11.20pm, over six hours after Shay and I left the office, I walked in through my door! They opened up the road and we got home. Many prayers were answered and we are safe! I'm so very glad I decided to turn back and drive with Shay. 

It doesn't look like it'll get above freezing tomorrow, and our usual Tuesday morning meeting had been cancelled when we'd only been stuck in the car two hours. So it'll be a day of working from home (and my boss has already approved a late start!) and hopefully I'll be able to pick up my car later this week!