My Wonderful Parents

So, my mom turned 80 yesterday and we're so thankful that she's around to celebrate! I was longing like crazy to be home with her but that big 'ol ocean and a couple of continents kept us separated. We had some nice phone conversations and I was happy to encourage her on this special day. As most know, my mom's been fighting ovarian cancer for 3 years. In fact, she started chemotherapy on her birthday 3 years ago. It's been a rough road but she's done remarkably well. After a year of remission, the cancer came back and so she went back on chemotherapy about a month ago. This time her Dr. is trying an oral chemo that is having a good effect on the cancer activity and not wiping my mom out quite so much. Still...you live with cancer in such a delicate and precarious way. My dad has been a trooper, continuing to care for her needs and hang in there through the ups and the downs. Being the partner is not such an easy role either and he handles the hard stuff with amazing grace. I deeply admire the way they continue to care for one another and share in life no matter the twists and turns. With my 16th wedding anniversary looming later this month, I can only hope that Doug and I will be able to love one another and stick by one another with such grace, hope and love. They are remarkable and I so deeply admire the way they are truly living into the wedding vows they took 52.5 years ago.
Now, because of the chemo, my mom has lost her hair again. She's a remarkably good looking bald woman and an inspiration to all who suffer from this side effect. She has like zero vanity issues and just lives into her appearance. It makes her all the more beautiful and I have great respect and admiration for the way she handles the tough stuff that cancer brings into their lives My father has been, shall we say, hair-impaired for many years now. He has a great sense of humor and has always made good jokes about my mom joining him on the hair loss front. So, you can imagine how amused I was to receive this photograph this morning with the title "Twins! and the caption, "AND THE MULLEN TWINS CELEBRATE 80TH BIRTHDAY TOGETHER!" I just love that in spite of the challenges that cancer brings, they are still figuring out a way to love one another faithfully as well as laugh when the other laughs and cry when the other cries. I love them both for who they are and the ways in which they encourage others with their joy, care and hope.

At Last, Spring...sort of.

We've had plenty of sunshine but not so much warmth. The flowers, trees, grass and bushes are trying to spring forth with life but it's a slow bloom this year. It does happen rather quickly however when it happens.
On Monday we walked through the city center. I had heard that the cherry blossoms in Kungsträdgården were out and experiencing that is one my of favorite things to do in the spring here in Stockholm. As you can see, they were trying like crazy to pop, but they just weren't quite there. I did hear from someone yesterday that they are now in full bloom. Guess I'll have to walk down there later today!

Also, the tulips are standing tall but not quite out in all of their glorious beauty. The daffodils however have popped open in all of their golden glory! I love the daffodil as to me, it appears as though they are great golden horns announcing to the world that spring is finally here! It's Spring! It's Spring! Let's celebrate in a loud and festive way!I went to a lunch yesterday on the Kaknästornet, a very large TV tower out near the island of Djurgården. This photo is not mine. I took it off of a website. It also wasn't that clear yesterday!

It has spectacular views and good food. I must remember that this is a really good place for a fika and get out there. It is stunning to see the world from far above. My photos aren't so great. The glass reflection against a sunny background wasn't such a great combination for my amateur photography. But even high above the city I began to see that things had "greened up" since Monday. I love how fast it turns, once it decides to turn. More flowers were in bloom, tress were waking up, and all in all, I felt like spring had sprung. But alas, on my evening walk with Doug and Tanner I also realized that there are still pockets around the city where the trees still look quite barren and the flowers need to be kissed a bit longer by the warmth of the sun in order to open up. But let's face it, who doesn't need to kissed a bit longer sometimes?And it's cold outside! I felt like I could've worn gloves on our walk and I was happy for the layers of a sweater, scarf and reasonably warm jacket. At least my winter coat is in the closet and I haven't had to wear boots for a very long time!
This time of year makes walking the dog quite a treat as you wander through the city looking to see what new life has come into being on any given day. You don't want to miss a day as so much is metamorphosing right this very minute. I couldn't resist this little planter with a friendly reminder to canine owners! Tanner likes "watering" the flowers so I guess it's a note that is necessary!The fact that it's written in English makes me wonder if they are directing their comments to us?! Actually, I know the owner of the restaurant and he speaks English all the time, but it's still kind of funny given that we speak English to Tanner!
It's beautiful and lovely even though it's still chilly. I know we'll get some rain, but for now, in spite of the chill, I'm thankful for the sunshine and all the blooms that surround me.

International Pastors and Spouses Conference

I haven't been on the blog lately because we have been hosting the Association of International Churches in Europe and the Middle East (AICEME) pastor and spouse conference here in Stockholm. This is a great group and Doug and I have looked forward to and enjoyed every single conference we've been to. The list is long and amazing:
1999: Cairo, Egypt; 2000: Paris, France; 2001: We hosted in Stockholm; 2002: Antalya, Turkey; 2003: Nairobi, Kenya; 2004: Frankfurt and Wittenburg, Germany; 2005: London, England; 2006: Zurich, Switzerland; 2007: Budapest, Hungary; 2008: Istanbul, Turkey; 2010: Back in Stockholm.
Not only have we enjoyed traveling to amazing places and seeing other international ministries in action, we've had the rich privilege of building deep and abiding friendships with ministry colleagues that have sustained us through the years. This year proved to be the same once again. We did a lot of fun stuff but also had time for reflection, learning, and sharing. Some of our friends are coming off difficult and conflicted years, bringing with them the burden that change is imminent in their lives. Others are settling into a spot that once felt foreign but now feels like home. We are the old-timers of the group. Us and one other couple are the only ones who are in the same ministry spots that we were 12 years ago when we first met. Some of our most beloved colleagues are moving on and that means limited chances to see one another. Even so, these conferences and our shared place in International ministry provides a bond that is not easily broken.We began the week with a reception in our home that featured Swedish ciders and a few nibbles. The week unfolded with a beautiful day at Stensnäs, our retreat center, where we listened to Dr. Runar Eldebo share his sage wisdom and perspective on Christianity in the European context. We were reminded once again that Europe is not America and things are quite different here. It was inspiring and insightful.
We taught the group how to play Kubb, an old Viking game that was invented on Gotland and we enjoyed laughing and playing together. Sharing in small groups allowed us time to gain insight into what was happening in each of our ministry contexts and the closing worship was one of the most powerful times of worship I've ever experienced.
Wednesday gave us an opportunity to hear from former member Sam Nweze. Sam is now an ordained Covenant pastor, working hard in an immigrant church plant south of Stockholm. What a thrill to listen to him talk of his journey to the pastorate through the ministry of Immanuel International. He is doing a great work and needs our prayers and support.
Of course, we had fika (coffee and a little something) often.We were also lucky enough to catch the changing of the guard on a day when they brought in the horses.We took the group to Helsinki, Finland on the Silja Line Ferry and this provided hours of relaxed conversation and fun meals. Experiencing the Swedish smörgåsbord with all manner of fish is something that needs to done at least once...maybe only once...but we all had a great time lingering over dinner together.
We visited 3 different churches in Helsinki: The Orthodox Church, The Lutheran Church and The Rock church where The International Church in Helsinki meets. All 3 are so distinct and tell an important story of the religious history of Finland.

The exterior and interior of the Orthodox Church.

The Lutheran Cathedral and the pulpit.

The interior of the Rock Church

The International church of Helsinki were our hosts for the day Thursday and in spite of temperatures that hovered around zero C and icy rain, the warmth and joy of the church and all that is happening there warmed us from the inside out. What a great ministry Helsinki has going with amazing outreach to immigrants and pathways from society into the church. We were inspired by our colleague Timo and will continue to pray that he can execute his vision for that ministry fruitfully.
The weekend brought us back to Stockholm to take care of the business of the association, eat Korean food and learn how to play innebandy, Swedish indoor floor hockey. Playing together solidifies relationships and opens up pathways to friendship. What fun to run around and be silly together.
Saturday was a day to enjoy our beautiful city and a trip to the Vasa Museum and Skansen, the open air museum filled with Swedish history did not disappoint. One of the brown bears was putting on quite a show by climbing a tree and enjoying his perch on top. Welcoming this group to our Sunday worship celebration was a joy. The out-going president of the group preaches on Sunday morning and Carol Simpson from Strasbourg, France gave a great message on opening wide the doors of the church that many in our congregation deeply appreciated.
The closing banquet is a time to goof off, show how untalented we can be and enjoy a warm laugh before we say our good-byes. Our banquet host, Michael Simpson is the President of the International Space Institute in Strasbourg, France. He's looking mighty presidential in this photo.

We took part in an ABBA lipsync that was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Even so, it was good fun and reminds us that we really can be ourselves with this group.
We were encouraged by the worship and prayer. We were inspired by the stories of how God is using the International Church in so many different ways across Europe. We were filled up by the love of good friends and ministry colleagues. It was a privilege and a joy to host this conference and we are so happy that our friends had such a good time here. Now we all look forward to being in Paris, France next year and the anticipate with joy the rich and abiding time we know it be.

Iceland's Volcanic Spew

Europe's been grounded since last Thursday. We had a friend fly into town last Thursday morning and had arranged to meet for coffee since he had a "long" layover...about 5 hours. His flight was late and we later learned that it was diverted due to a volcanic eruption in Iceland. We thought it was noteworthy but didn't give it a second thought as he headed back out to the airport to catch his flight to Barcelona. As the day unfolded, we learned that the airports all over northern Europe were closing. At 6.00 p.m. we got a call from our friend who with a smile in his voice announced that he was now checked into the Hotel Birger Jarl, the hotel that our church owns and is right down the street. He had decided to scrap his meeting in Spain and spend the weekend in Stockholm, having confidently re-booked his seat for Sunday. We made plans to have dinner on Saturday.
Well, of course this mess has turned out to be much more difficult than expected. Today our friend left on a 6.00 a.m. train to Copenhagen as he had a confirmed flight to Chicago in the afternoon. Problem was that the airline made a change in the middle of the night and diverted all traffic to Oslo, Norway which meant that by the time our friend got to Copenhagen, he had missed the chance to get out of Norway. When we spoke with him this afternoon the smile had disappeared from his voice since the next flight they could promise him was a week from tomorrow, April 27. And now he was in Copenhagen. ugh. His 5 hour layover is turning into a traumatizing ordeal.
Since we just arrived home last Tuesday, I have felt utterly thankful that we are home. Then it dawned on me that this could've happened the week we were supposed to leave for Augusta. How disappointing would that have been...that after all my scheming, we would've been grounded in Europe?! I thank God that we have traveled so much this year with no incident.
The ripple effect of European airports being closed is staggering. Food is rotting in African airports because it cannot be exported. All trade is just halting. This whole crisis reminds me of two important things. We are not ultimately in charge. A natural disaster has thwarted many plans. More importantly, it reveals how deeply interconnected the globe really is. To think that the fruit industry in Kenya is being affected by the shut-down of European airports is really something to ponder.
Ultimately, I feel awful for people who are stranded and separated from loved ones. I feel terrible for our friend Jay who is now wondering what the next step for him should be. Last I heard he was taking a train to Jönköping and hoping to get a flight out of Stockholm to anywhere in the US within the next couple of days. The director of World Mission in Sweden is now working on this for him and should he land back in Stockholm, he will likely move in with us for his own comfort. I wish we could do more but there's really little that can be done except pray for people's safety and sanity. As much as we need to get the air traffic moving again, we also don't want to put people in harm's way by flying into unsafe skies.
The big wrinkle for us is that we are hosting the International Pastors' Conference that is scheduled to start one week from today. I cannot begin to think that this event won't happen. It would be so disappointing for us...so we keep hoping and praying that people will be able to get to Stockholm one way or another next Monday.
In the meantime, I am very grateful to be home in Stockholm in my lovely surroundings with my husband by my side. For those who find yourself in a more stressful situation...you have my empathy and my prayers. Especially Jay tonight...wherever you.
One last thought...we do deal with stress with humor in many situations and this one is no different. Iceland went bankrupt last year so the big joke has been Iceland, we said cash, not ash! The other noteworthy crack was that Iceland's last wish was to have her ashes spread over Europe. Laugh or cry, right?
And by the way...there has been no evidence of the ash in the air here in Stockholm. We've actually had quite nice weather with blue, blue skies. So we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Tanner's Big Day on Djurgården

Signs of spring in Stockholm are finally starting to become obvious. The first wildflowers have made their way above ground. My favorite are the blue ones...They blanket the ground with the most lovely hue...a true reminder that change is on its way and soon our world will be strewn with color. Another sign of spring are the numerous outdoor seating places that all restaurants in town are now putting up. Down on the water it is so great to see people facing the sun, soaking it all in.I found a new statue today and had to laugh. Swedes are notorious for sitting or standing with their faces careening upwards towards the sun like sunflowers who have been deprived of sunlight for months on end. Well, I guess we have been! I find myself cranking my head upwards as well. When you've lived without the warmth or light of the sun for months on end, the instinct to tilt your head towards the sun happens without thought! This little guy is called Soltice in Stockholm!

It's warm enough now to walk around without a hat or a big jacket. A down vest and a cotton scarf feel good. Truth be told, gloves would still be nice too, but I refuse to wear them anymore!
Instead of our usual route through town, we decide to venture out to Djurgården to enjoy the waterways and experience the wide open spaces of the King's former hunting grounds. It was glorious.Tanner cannot be off the leash out there but he loves to snort along, rolling around in the dirt and slowly sprouting grass. Our good friend and co-worker Chris joined us today and it was great because it has been ages since we all hung out together. It was so refreshing! We walked all around the island and finally ventured up to Rosendal's Garden for a fika. Closed. But they had a water fountain, complete with one close to the ground for dogs. We headed up to the restaurant, but it was also closed. Sure signs that the season hasn't yet quite come to life. But, we did see signs for the Doggy Bar reminding us that when they do open, Tanner is most welcome. We eventually found a lovely spot that was serving coffee and to our surprise, they even had a hund meny: A dog menu! We ordered our coffee and the girl waiting on us was quick to say that she'd be right out with some water for the dog. Of course, we had to carry our own coffee to the our chairs, but Tanner got served! The view was stunning.It was so wonderful to sit outside and not shiver. The conversation was as warm and inviting as the setting. I was reminded once again of what a fantastically beautiful city I'm living in. Hope it's not long before we can explore these waterways with our boat.

Augusta

After months of scheming to surprise Doug and making plans for a magical week at the Masters, the day had finally arrived. We got up at 5.00 a.m. and left for the course at 6.10. We had about an hour and a half drive down to Augusta from Columbia, South Carolina. As we pulled into the parking area, I glanced over at Doug and he was grinning from ear from ear. Then out of the blue he said, "I'm thrilled!" I got a little teary thinking that this moment meant so much to him. We parked the car and headed towards the main gate.
Augusta has a strict no cell phones, no cameras rule so it was all about taking it all in mentally and locking the memories into your mind. As we approached the entrance, we were both in a 'pinch me is this real' state of mind. And then all of the sudden, we were on the hallowed grounds of Augusta National Golf Course! We had gotten a tip to set our chairs down by the 18th green and then start walking around. Augusta has this great tradition of allowing people to set down their specially designed green Masters chairs anywhere on the course and they will be there any time of the day for you to sit and enjoy the action. Amazing.
Before we proceeded to walk the course, we indulged in a Masters tradition of grabbing a cup of coffee and a sausage biscuit. The biscuits in the south are so yummy you just can't believe how they melt in your mouth! The most surprising thing of all was the bill as we checked out: $5.00. We had heard that the food at the Masters was reasonable, but seriously, nothing on the menu was more than $2.50 with most items ranging from $1.00-$1.50. Beer was a bit more at $2.75 a pint! So much fun to be a part of such a neat happening.
We were eager to walk the course and as we did we, like all others before us, stood in awe at the immaculate nature of the set up, the beauty of the trees and flowers and grass and the contours of the course.
What I noticed right away was my husband's amazing knowledge of the game of golf, grass, and Augusta National. He knew which holes were which, what their par was, what the issues were for each shot. He was telling me about the grass, why a certain strain wasn't so good for the course, how the they mow, why they use certain machines to do certain things, etc. It was so neat for me to see this and listen to him pontificate about this sport and this place that he loves so much.
Walking the course was amazing. So many more hills than you see on TV and the toughness of the course becomes clear in how narrow the landing areas are and how hilly the greens are. When we arrived in Amen Corner, the beauty of hole 13 just takes your breath away. It is truly one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, golf holes in the world.
After getting a feel for the course, we decided to try and get a glimpse of some of the golf. Phil Mickelson was my favorite from the beginning and he had a morning tee time. We stood on hole 6, a beautiful par 3 with a difficult putting surface. Eventually we found our way to our green side chairs on 18 and began to watch the morning groups finish up their rounds. We were present when Tom Watson hit an amazing approach to about 2 feet from the pin on 18 and subsequently make birdie for the low round of the day. It was a thrill to sit there and watch the leaderboard and listen for the roars going up around the course that signaled something incredible was going on somewhere!
Augusta is great because they have maintained so much tradition around this tournament. No electronic scoreboards, no big screen TV's perched around the course. If you wanted to see what was going on, you had to walk to the area where the action was! The atmosphere on the course is electric, especially around hole number 1 and Amen Corner, where many golfing dreams have been shattered by the challenge of holes 11, 12 and 13. We were on 11 for awhile and watched as Anthony Kim, another favorite, hit what we thought was an impossible shot through the trees to just shy of the green! The putting surface at 11 is so fast that it boggles the mind how anyone ever makes a putt. The players were barely tapping the ball and it was flying across the green. 12 looks so harmless...at 156 par 3 and yet there are so many ways to get in trouble and such a delicate area in which you can land your ball, that it's easy to see why the water comes into play. The beauty of the course along with the mental and physical challenges that Augusta creates for the best in the world just make it one of the greatest golf venues in the world.
The first day we left at 4.00 p.m. as threatening thunder storms were lurking. They never materialized but we were happy to watch the last few holes on TV and rest up for Friday. Friday we arrived at 7.30 a.m. and didn't leave until 7.30 p.m.! We sat on holes 4, 5, 11-12, 7, and 18. Great fun to watch the players approach and then set up their putts. These greens are crazy man! We saw every golfer at least once and were thrilled to be on 18 as Phil Mickelson came through looking like a real contender for victory. It was a bit sad to think that soon our presence at Augusta National would be ending, but we treasured the memories that we had built over these 2 days.
Stunning highlights include:
1. Seeing the course, of course! Far more beautiful and far more hilly than television reveals, it was a treat to walk along the fairways and sit on the greens and tees.
2. The atmosphere. Being on the course in key places is very cool. You have to pick your spot as following a group is really hard to do. The galleries are quite large in the prime spots so you are better off finding a good perch and watching several groups come through. What is totally awesome is to be on the course when a loud roar goes up somewhere else on the course. You try to figure out on what hole the amazing shot occurred and then you check the leader board to see what's being posted to reveal what happened! This is where the old school leader boards and non-electronic communication is just so cool. You're looking at this old fashioned board and there are guys sitting up on them, putting in the numbers and the names and then flipping them around and when it goes up, it's just such a thrill to see what's happening around the course.
3. Generally speaking, white pants are not my favorite. There are few who pull the look off well and often, it just doesn't look that great!
4. The young golfers care about fashion and their appearance! They are dressed to the nines in high fashion attire and the skinny, fit ones look, well fabulous. This is a big industry in golf and the handsome young men who are wearing the goods look great on the course!
5. Doug knows golf. It was so much fun asking him questions to which he knew every answer! He always knew what fairway, which green or tee was lurking nearby and he understood what the issues were for each shot. Fun, fun, fun to cash in on his knowledge and love of the game.
6. The dogwood is more beautiful than I could ever believe. It is a delicate thing. This I never knew. I always thought dogwoods were big, blooming trees like Hazelnuts, but they are not...they have delicate branches with sweet little white or pink blossoms. Lovely to see them dotting the course.
7. Here in the southeast, the folks consider the Masters a local sporting event. Just about everyone we met through our friends Charlie and Anita, the ones who helped us get our tickets, have either been to the Masters or know people who go regularly. The ticket is hard to get unless you live in the area. Then it seems that a sub-culture around the tickets emerges and stumbling upon the lucky star of getting a ticket is far more likely for the local folk than anyone else. It was fun being here where everyone was talking golf and wondering about what was going to happen. Masters Sunday is a big deal here in the southeast!
8. Watching the Masters live does not improve your own golf game. Too bad. We played on Saturday at Musgrove Mills Golf Course outside of Greenville and I was as terrible as ever. I need lessons on the short game or I'll just never learn to enjoy the game as much as I could. I did manage to crack a few drives however and that always feels good. The greens were elevated however and that is just death for me. I lost many, many balls as well. At least it was sunny!
9. Watching the pros is truly stunning. They swing so fast, they pull off shots that we would never even think of let alone execute, they find putting lines and sink putts that look like they are heading for another realm and they love the thrill of victory and suffer the agony of defeat. It is fun cheering for them all.
10. Augusta just leaves no stone unturned. The food wrappers are green in case one is blowing around the course. It'll blend. The bleachers, the chairs, the umbrellas, etc. are green. The course is green. The jacket is green. It is so immaculate and so well planned that being a patron is just pure joy. Every staff worker was pleasant and helpful and just gave you the impression that they wanted you to have the time of your life.
And we did.
We watched part of Saturday and all of Sunday on TV at our friend's house and especially on Sunday I paid close attention to each and every hole sealing the view in my mind's eye. I was thrilled that Phil Mickelson won the tournament that we attended. What a great moment for him and his family.
And this week was a great moment for me and my family too! Doug and I will forever cherish the memories of these special days here in the southeast at Augusta National.
It's funny. I always thought that if we could go once, I'd be satisfied, but truth be told, I'd definitely go again if the possibility arose!