Soundtracks

We have a running soundtrack for our adventure here in Russia.  It started with Jen's getting-lost experience on the train.  Now, someone only needs to hum a few bars of "Strangers in the Night" and the whole team cracks up. 

Hopefully, you've already read " A Locked Gate" about Anatoly showing us the church property. As he was trying to get the lock open, he sent someone to get a hammer from the car.  Someone joked, "It's Hammer Time!"  We assumed our American song reference would get lost on our Russian translators, but Misha piped up in his dry tone and Russian accent, "Don't touch this!"  We all cracked up, because of course the real lyrics are, "Can't touch this!"  But we all agree that "Don't touch this!" is much better, and it's now Track 2 on our soundtrack.

Of course, Track 3 would have to be "Tee Ha Ya Noach."  God is so good! We kind of looked at each other in shock after we sang this song for the first time here in Russia.  God blended our voices in a beautiful way...a God-given way.  The Russian youth group were "backstage" getting ready to put on their Christmas performance. They are all gifted musicians, yet they came to the door and just stared with their mouths agape.  Anya said they heard us from the hall and said, "Who's singing?"  (They were surprised because all the musicians were backstage.) Anya told them, "It's the Americans!"  They know how pathetic we are at their language, and they couldn't believe that it was us singing.  "The Americans?" they said in disbelief.  They were incredulous that we could pull off that song.  Thank you, Lord!

Track 4 is a catchy tune that the youth choir sings at the conclusion of their Christmas play. "Look to the skies, it's a celebration!" It gets stuck in our head every single day, so we finally asked Anya to help us find the music in English, so we'd at least know what they're saying. It's a British composer, and we hope to have Dirk help us all learn it in English. It's beautiful!

Track 5 just occurred this morning. I (Megan) have this strange allergy that appears on a random basis. While I am asleep, my eye swells shut. (It's always a surprise which eye it is.  Or sometimes it's my cheek or my lip.) So, I woke up looking like I got punched out. (God has humbled me enough during this trip that I can share this photo with the public.) Anya couldn't look at me without laughing. Jen went outside and made me a zip loc bag of snow to put on my eye.  Anya joked that it looked like I have a pirate eye. Jen thought she said "Private Eye."  So, from across the hall we hear Rader singing, "Private eyes, are watching you." Then Jen joins in the song, and alas, the next song of our soundtrack is born.

Jen and I listen to our itunes almost every night, and it seems that every song has taken on a new meaning. We take turns trading headphones and listening to worship songs that set our hearts aflight and bring tears to our eyes.  Here's another soundtrack:

In Christ alone will I glory,
Though I could pride myself in battles won.
For I've been blessed beyond measure,
And by His strength alone I overcome.

Oh, I could stop and count successes,
Like diamonds in my hand,
But those trophies could not equal,
To the grace by which I stand.
Chorus:
In Christ alone,
I place my trust,
And find my glory in the power of the cross.
In every victory,
let it be said of me,
My source of strength,
My source of hope,
Is Christ alone.

In Christ alone, may I glory,
For only by His grace I am redeemed.
And only His tender mercy
Could reach beyond my weakness to my need.

And now, I seek no greater honor,
Than just to know Him more.
To count my gains as losses,
To the glory of my Lord!