Settling in..

Well I'm settling in pretty nicely into Bible College now,the weekends gone and today I had my first class,but I'll get to that in a while.I'll start with friday..

After enjoying a great and needed nights sleep after that long plane ride,I awoke,with my towel and got a very needed shower..I walk downstairs and the next thing I know I'm on a train ride back to Cologne,luckily this time God wasn't sending me to the website,but to see the city.After about an hour or so on the DOUBLE DECKER train,that's right,DOUBLE DECKER TRAIN,my new classmates and I arrived at Cologne trainstation,compared to say Heuston station in Dublin,its huge! Now as I make my way out of the station I'm hit by something I was not expecting.My head was sent in an upward direction as my draw dropped and I gazed upon perhaps what is the biggest Cathedral my young eyes have ever seen.A beautifully crafted building,addorned with statues and frescos and the works,with two bell towers that seemed to peirce the sky itself.We couldn't help but go inside and see if the interior would compare to the exterior,it did.I wanted to go up into the tower and look at the city from up there,but the church insisted on making people pay,typical..Now the interior is amazing,a huge hall,full of stained glass images of biblical saints,statues, and huge organs,a true piece of art.Unfortunatly the reality of what kind of place I was in kicked in,in the end of the hall locked in a cage behind an alter was a solid gold metal box,where they claim lay the bodies of the 'five' wise men who visited Jesus Christ at his birth.Now something clicked and I looked around and I noticed statue after statue of 'Jesus' and many more boxes and tombs where people venerated and prayed to the bones of dead bishops,and of course the 5 euro to light a candle and pray to Mary.All I could think of was the idolatry,and just so many things that were wrong,and I got upset to be honest.But luckily God gave me whatmust have been a nudge in my heart,to remind me that he delivered me and saved me from this way of life.I am afraid that I will never be able to find a way to truely thank God,with my words,for showing me that He is real, and that is more than a big empty all full of statues and gold boxes with dead people,that he is something much more,he is a personal loving God who's desire is to know us and for us to know him in a deep,personal way.After that my mind and my heart brought me back to Ireland,and as much as I'm going to love my time here in bible college,I cannot wait to return home and to tell people how real He is and how much he loves us.I think He will have me settling in Ireland forever,and I'm quite happy with that.After that I left,took lots of pictures,ate fallofell(?) for the first time and visited the Lindt chocolate factory and a mustard shop. :)

Now Saturday was Orientation day,I'll try keep this short.Basicly we got introduced to the teachers and were told about there classes.After hearing them all I was so excited to choose my classes.I went through the registration process,got my photo taken,chose my classes and showed them to the head of the school.All in all im doing Matthew,Revelation,Romans,Men's Discipleship,Biblical Anthropology,The Reformation,and a block class on some weekend,its a discipleship class.So along with the rest of the stuff it came to 24 credits,you can only have 25 credits,so I may have overdone it for my first term.They suggested maybe dropping a class,I'm gonna go through this week and see how it is,if its too much I'll drop one class,but I think it will be fine.Later on that evening we went to the church,land began our term with worshiping our God.After that we took communion in an interesting way,we all ate the bread at the same time,and then we had to take a cup of juice/blood, and give it to someone of the same sex,say something referring to the washing our our sins by Jesus' blood and pray for that person.,it was amazing.Then we had a tour of the college,during this I found out they have a gym,which made me very happy,I can keep my weight down now and still eat kebabs.That night a group of us played a game called settlers,it was very fun.I went up to my dorm and headed to bed.I really think the classes I chose will really help me get a better understanding of God,and draw me close to him,and he'll no doubt use my knowledge in the future.

Now Sunday was a fun active day.The church service in English doesn't start until 5 pm so that means a sleep in on sunday,woohoo.So Sunday morning we decided to go for a hike up the mountains.A group of about ten of us went,again I took pictures,this country is beautiful.I couldn't find any wild boars up there though,this saddened me,but I made a walking stick,which lifted my spirits up.After a good while we made it up onto a tower and we could see miles away from where we were,and it was some sight,magical even as the sun came out and Siegen turned from a grey to a golden green tone,only obstructed by the bright yellow and blue Ikea.Sunday evening we had our church service and it was on the transfiguration of Christ,and I got the message of who Christ really is,in his true glory,and not just the handsome,beared white man in rich robes that we always picture.So basicly I was reminded by the Holy Spirit of who Christ really is and how he is the creator of all.I also did Chuck Tracks,and yknow I really really love them,I might be the only person in the nearest 10 miles that enjoys them that much,but its so full of knowledge and what not,cant help but love it.I also had a yummy kebab,worked out,had mexican food for dinner,and played an awsome game called zombies.I also took a bike ride through the town.One thing I noticed was the pride people took in their houses.They were all beautifully done up and each garden was personal to the owner.It made me think of my home estate and how much people let the things God gives them fall into ruin and give up caring about it.I myself am guilty of this too.I want to be able to take care of the things and responsabilitys God has given me and see them out faithfully,and hopefully with his help I will.

Right,last paragraph I promise,today I had my first class,it was Revelation and I think im going to love this class.It will be amazing to draw closer to Christ by reading this and gaining a knowledge of the end time events.We were shown our essays,we have to do 11 by the end of the term,but looking at an example of an A grade paper,and it was only an A4 page long,I couldn't believe it,this should have nothing on the leaving cert,but I wont get cocky.Then we had lunch,yummy cabbage soup,and then  I began my first chore,washing dished,and I must say I actually enjoyed it,,not the washing and drying part,although drying is fun,but for what where doing it for.We're doing it in order to keep the college running,it makes you truely a part of the college,and most importantly were doing it for God.I hope I can keep this in mind with everything I will be doing this semester and remember that the goal isn't about me,its about serving the Lord.Now faithful readers I am off to get personal with some more Chuck Tracks and have some mint tea.Keep on praying for me while I'm here,and pray for Calvary Waterford as they continue working on the new building,I can't wait to see it.

God Bless People,

Danny.