Thursday, April 12, 2007

Peeping Tomasso

When I picked Jacob and his friend, Giordano, up from school today, I stopped to pay a 'field trip fee' to his teacher, Chiara. While she got change, I walked over to the large windows that looked out over the city of Ancona and commented on how great the view was. She started laughing and told me, "We saw some naked women today." I turned to face her with a puzzled look, thinking to myself, naked women...we? She kept laughing and said that a couple of women had decided to sunbathe alla italiana on the roof DIRECTLY ACROSS, AND 50 FEET FROM THE SCHOOL!!! She noticed all the kids laughing (in other classrooms too) at the ladies and she hollered at them out of the window, "What are you doing!? This is a school!". The girls moved behind a wall, out of sight. Chiara kept laughing as she told me...ah, spring in Italy...

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

75 degrees + iPod + Scooter = : )

Even when things are crazy or stressful or discouraging, I always get a boost when I get on my little, 50 cc Piaggio scooter, nicknamed, the 'Chili'. During the winter months it is only somewhat of a blessing as I don't ride it when it rains and the cold makes it sometimes uncomfortable. But as Spring arrives on the scene and coats and scarves get changed for shorts and sandals, the scooter experience jumps up a notch or two in its enjoyment level. When you add into the mix, my wife's little iPod Nano, with the right mix of songs, what would be a boring drive to the office turns into a magical, rhythmic, adventure.

Today, I jammed to 'The Slam' as I drove to Cafe Giuliani to meet the guys for breakfast. Then I listened to Jem while I dropped by the office to drop some things off and then by Matt's to help him record a podcast about the new church plant in Northern Italy. While driving home, I listened to Alan Hawkshaw's "Move, Move, Move". Later today, as I rode back to the office for our weekly "Open English", where we offer free English conversation to our friends, I listened to "Life is for Rent".

Three hours later, after having really gone deeper with a couple of our students and sharing with them about Jesus, I got back on the 'Chili' and rode home happy. Didn't really need the weather or the musical technology. It feels good when you know God nudges you and you respond, when you do that dance with Him where He leads and you follow, where He whispers the words to the song and you just sing along. Happy, but still, the scooter is fun.