Reverse Cycling, God's Justice and a False Alarm

Yesterday, Sunday the 9th(?) our junkie-raver-owl-vampire-coqui-baby habit of sleeping through the day and coming to life at night ended.  It happened subtly. I was laying in bed half asleep at 7am when I heard the most beautiful words in humankind's vocabulary whispered faintly in my ear: "Let's go to McDonald's for breakfast." This ever so angelic voice promised me a Sausage and Egg McMuffin, I thought I was dreaming. It was no dream. In a Benny Hill second we got ready and were on our way to the Haupbanhauf Train Station. Once we got there, the anticipation seemed to stump us. Where to start? What to get? I want that and this and this and that and don't forget that with this...When we were about to order finally, Micah said in a low but obviously audible voice: "Oh, not this guy again," referring to the cashier taking our order, a turkish, pakistani looking dude. He heard but, "pichó bien duro" (pretended not hear) he just rolled his eyes. I don't understand what kind of beef Micah could possibly have with this guy.  We sat down to eat and smiled at eachother while chewing.  

EPIC GERMAN FAIL: No hashbrowns at McDonald's. Seriously. Why?
(Yeah. That's the Epic German Fail, no hashbrowns at McDonald's).

After we ate, we watched people board the regional and international trains and finished our coffee. We went home and slept several hours. We woke up at about 11.30 and shared a cinnamon bun and sipped coffee. We each worked a little bit and I was about to put my earphones on to listen to music and Micah asked: "Are you going to listen to Christian music?" I replied with a whiney fit: "Why do you always have to call it that?? Its just music!!! You always have to set boundaries on my music!!" We both chuckeled about it. So after that  I felt uninspired to listen to "En las alturas" and crept around my music library and found some songs I hadn't heard in too long. Something sparked inside me when I heard these songs. I am about to take up an offer that has been collecting dust on the shelf. More on that in a later post.

For now, let me tell you about church! We went to church yesterday night and it was glorious! The choir was spectacular, and the pastor who pronounced the sermon was a Ghanain Pentecostal Pastor and we were reflecting on Philippians 3, pressing towards the future, not looking back, recognizing the strength of the Lord in all one's efforts and deeds, setting goals and realizing them through and for Christ, overcoming adversity and oppresion wether it'd be structural, collective opression or self oppression.  I noticed the service was completly cohesive.  The songs and the sermon responded to the concerns of a community of international minorities. Before the sermon, we were incited to discuss among ourselves a goal in which this Biblical passage would apply.  We were debating for several minutes wether or not to join a Ghanian group. Ultimately we did not. Next time. Micah asked me about my goals. I shared with him that one of my major goals is to do justice to God's justice everyday. He asked for a concrete example. I nurture my relationship with the Lord and grow in God's wisdom by nurturing my relationship with others and helping others do the same. Creating awareness of everyday inconsiderations, disrespects and imbalances and considering, honoring and creating a peaceful, loving environment at work, in the family, etc. steadily brings about God's justice.  He asked me how he did justice to God's justice. The sermon was about to start and I answered him with a general response involving agency and repeated it twice.

At the beginning of the sermon the pastor said that he was excited because he felt that the sermon he was about to share was going to plant a seed that would grow.  During the sermon, he stressed various words that resonated in my head: consciousness, oppression, move forward, strength.

I was hoping that Micah heard what I was hearing. Micah's work, his interests, his ideas, his energy, his option and commitment to this community are an act of justice to God's justice.  His research and writing locates in the center those who have been subjugated to the periphery. His study literally amplifies the voices that have been silenced or not even considered ever; it eliminates the category of "other" and plants the fruitful seed of ONENESS.  That, Micah, is how.  Your life as you know it is a statement of  God's justice. And the work is inexhaustible.

We broke out early because my stomach decided to suck.  My leggings were tight against my waist and I felt I had to vomit. It'd be the second time this week that I would've hurled chunks. We sat on a nearby bench in the cold and I took off my scarf and tried coughing it up but nothing happened.  Micah asked if I was pregnant and in an instant I said YES, but then I said no, not really. It was just my leggings bothering my stomach. We went home, cooked and ate some burgers and fell asleep at a considerably decent time.

Corazón de nieve

The title of this blog translates to "Heart of Snow" from Spanish to English.  I was a Spanish/English Simultaneous Interpeter up to several weeks ago. Although, I still am really.  I think in English and speak in Spanish or think in Spanish and speak in English. So, I never really stopped being an Interpreter, I just stopped getting paid to think and speak.   What's that you ask? Why am I no longer an employed Interpreter?  I quit my work-at-home job to move to Germany!  My husband (I'm a newlywed. Here's an unofficial picture of us on our wedding day, July 31st, 2010:

...yes, thank you, thank you) is a brilliant linguist.  The University of Hamburg got a wiff of his work and said: "We NEED you to come work for us." He's a genius.  I'm not exaggerating or idealizing my husband because I'm in love with him, ney, Micah is really outstanding.  And so, goodbye working in pajamas, hello world! However,  the thought of unemployment, not being productive, not generating income made me lose sleep and was driving me to Taco Bell almost everyday.  I submitted my resume to different sites requesting a Free Lance Spanish Translator, but none have contacted me back still.  I submitted my resume to a company named Morningside Partners and they contracted me as a work-at-home News Transcriber.  I transcribe verbatim news reports.  The funny thing is that, I was contracted 2 months ago, I contacted them twice they answered once, but I still haven't received any assignments.  It's all kind of sketchy.  In any case, I signed with them as "occasional", meaning work whenever possible. I can't right now. I'm trying to spend as much time as I can with Micah while that I'm in Hamburg. I'm going back to Puerto Rico (I'm from Puerto Rico) in a week.  I'm completing a master's degree in World Religions and Theology.  This past December I finished my coursework and now I'm writing my thesis and taking my comprehensive exams in February.  In between, waking up at 4pm, cuddling, experiencing cold, snowy Hamburg and now blogging, I do my reading, critical reflection and writing.

I feel so thankful to God for this time in our lives together.  Getting the nights and days mixed up plays with your head a little bit, but none the less, I'm savoring every minute with him like it's the last for another 2 months.   

As the Germans say: "Tchuss."