Just two more weeks before I head back to Germany! I'm glad. I miss it. I listened to Pastor Nick, along with Miri's translation, on the CC Siegen podcast today, and it felt like home.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, things are plugging away. I'm working at the restaurant, leading worship at church, preparing for my class, and hanging out with my family. This weekend our church is hosting a "Day of Encouragement," for which I'll be leading worship. It should be a real blessing; ministry in the Midwest is often quite discouraging. So, we look to the Lord to be our strength and joy, and shall gather together in His name to see what His Word has to say to us!

Next week I'm going to a performance of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra with my mom and grandma! I've been hoping for months that we'd be able to do this, and finally, we are. Morning concert at the Ordway, followed by a lovely lunch of popovers at a downtown department store's restaurant, and a day of shopping. We did the same sort of thing two years ago in January, and it was quite a delight. I still love classical music!! Lately I've taken full advantage of having a piano in the house, and have nearly every day spent some time revisiting my old friends Johann, Wolfgang, and Edvard! [Bach, Mozart, and Grieg]

Next weekend I'll be hosting an open house for an afternoon, to share with people about the ministry in Germany. It's kind of tricky being away for so much of the year to keep people updated; hopefully this will get people excited about what's going on and also inspire them to pray for us!

Now it's time for the Weekly Johnson Sibling Wii Party. Bis später, und Gott segne euch! xo.