So I thought it is time I should write a long overdue blog update, I am not sure where all the time really goes, but it is going quick! Miska's first semester will be over before we know it and it will be Christmas :-)
We have been here in America just over four months now, in some ways it feels longer than that, we definitely feel a lot more settled here now and like this is our home for now.
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| At the annual TMS banquet - Novemeber 2014 |
Miska has been busy with his studies, which he is still very much enjoying, it is getting towards crunch time as he has many assignments due at the end of the semester and although he has been trying to work on them throughout the course of the semester, time seems to have flown by and there seems to be a lot to do in a short period of time. By all accounts, talking to other seminarians and their wives this is normal seminary life. Prayer would be appreciated for Miska over the next month that he would be able to work diligently and get all the assignments done to the best of his ability.
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| Some of Miska's Hebrew flash cards |
We are also so thankful to God for the provision of a job for Miska at the seminary library, Miska was working in the church events department serving at weddings and memorials and although he very much enjoyed this work, the hours were not regular or for as many as he would like to get enough fincancial income. The library job gives a secure 20 hours a week (the maximum Miska can do on international student visa), he is very much enjoying being there, it is a great opportunity for Miska to meet many people and he loves being around the books. There is also an opportunity to buy second hand books from the library, so as you can imagine, Miska comes back most weeks with a few books in tow, this always makes my heart sink a little as I imagine the number of books we will be taking back to Finland, but the prices are very cheap and it's a great opportunity to build up his personal library, especially when you think there is not exactly a huge abundance of good resources in Finland, and if there are they are so much more expensive.
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| TMS Library leaflet |
We have joined as members of Grace Community Church and also settled in a fellowship group called FaithBuilders. FaithBuilders meets between 8.30am and 10.00am, then we have main service at 10.30 and an evening service at 6.30pm. With three sermons on a Sunday it can be a lot to take in and digest, but we are thoroughly enjoying our time at Grace Community Church. We have become involved with the FaithBuilders fellowship group, Miska has volunteered to help with sound on Sunday mornings every now and then, so is currently being trained up. We also attend a local small group Bible study two Friday's a month, which is very conveniently held in out apartment block, Miska will also start teaching in the Bible study come the new year as we start on the book of Ephesians. Faithbuilder's also has a men's and women's Bible study once a month, both groups have been reading through Tim Challies' book 'The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment', we have both found the book very helpful so far, it is a nice easy read but also challenging and I would certainly recommend it. We have been building up good friendships in the church and within the fellowship group, we even house/cat sat for a couple of weeks for a couple in the group, it was nice to have a garden to sit out in and enjoy the cooler sunny weather. Miska has been out once with the evangelism team on a Sunday afternoon and would like to go again, but as yet the timing has not been right. I must admit, when you first go to Grace Community Church you can be overwhelmed by the huge size of the church, but I must say, when you plug yourself in and get to know people, it soon feels a lot smaller in a good way :-)
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| Harvest pot-luck dinner with our church fellowship group |
Baby Wilhelmsson is doing well. A huge answer to prayer came in the result of my medi-cal (government provided insurance) coming through. This means I am fully covered for my pregnancy and delivery at no cost. It is a huge weight of our shoulders and we are both so thankful for this provision. My pregnancy is developing well and he is growing on target. I feel very blessed to be having a straightforward pregnancy so far. Every so often I get the anxious attack and start worrying that he is not moving around in there, but then he soon gives me a reassuring kick :-) Miska has been able to feel him move a couple of times also. All being well, he is due on February 19th 2015. A good friend of mine here is also due on exactly the same day, we are both having boys and are under the same doctor, who knows we may be in the hospital at the same time :-) My Mum and Sister have booked flights for a few weeks after due date, which I am very excited about and also Miska's Mum will come out soon after they have left, so it will be great to have family around us here in L.A. when the baby comes.
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| Proverbs class with Dr. John Street |
I've been enjoying going to the Seminary Wives group mettings and have a lovely group of ladies with whom I share a table with. The teaching has been great, as well as the book we are reading through - 'One with the Shepherd' by Mary Sommerville. The meetings have just ended this week for the Thanksgiving and Christmas break and I am already looking forward to starting up again in the new year. I have also been doing a 6 week Logos Institute course with Dr. John Street on the book of Proverbs and especially how the book can be used for biblical counseling purposes, this has been great, I only wish it could continue, though God willing I will also undertake a biblical counseling course at some point in the future while I am here. I'm also very much enjoy going to a knitting group that occurs on a Friday afternoon at the local library, I have learnt there is a whole world to knitting and crochet I never knew exisisted! The ladies are so talented and friendly, also so patient to teach me new knitting skills, I have successfully knitted my first sock... now I just have to knit the other one!
On another note, I passed my driving test, and now have a Californian driving liscence, makes me feel a little bit American! I am also having to adapt to using American phrases, I tried my best to stay strong and use my British terms, but have to concede to American terms, quite simply because otherwise people do not have a clue what I am talking about!
I am also very excited as my best friend Miriam will be arriving here tomorrow :-) It will be so lovely to have her here for two and a half weeks, we have a few exciting things planned but to be honest it will be just great to hang out together properly.
So, things on the whole are going very well. Financially, we have learnt that things are a little more costly than we first though but we are learning to budget our money as best we can. The use of coupons here is something I am getting used to as well as shopping around at different stores to find the best deals. This does mean at times doing my food shopping at three different stores but the savings are worth it. One thing we would value prayer about is our apartment living, we realised we could save some money in this area by dropping to a smaller apartment - pray for wisdom in this, potentially we could move within our apartment block or more likely it would be when our contract ends next July. We love living where we are and have a lovely home, but we are trying to be wise with finances, so we would value prayer in regards to housing situation and saving money.
We have had a little bit of downtime too and have enjoyed getting to know the area in which we live in a little better. I still maintain that Wales and Finland are more beautiful than here in the desert but there is still natural beauty to be seen certainly. We have enjoyed exploring some of the local canyons for short walks, many of which have been seen on film sets and this past week Miska and I had a whole date day where we went to Santa Barbara Zoo and also the city centre, it was a lovely place and I enjoyed my day there and know it is somewhere to bring visitors. At the Zoo I got to fulfill a life long dream to feed a giraffe :-)
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| Having a 'zooper' day at Sanata Barbara Zoo :-) |
I do hope all is well with everyone who reads this, wherever you are in the world. Remember you can always contact us at either of our email addresses or at thewilhelmssons@gmail.com we would love to hear from you and also let us know if there is anything we can be praying for you. I do miss the UK and Finland, though also thankful I am now feeling settled here in L.A.
In summary here are some things you can pray for us:
Praise God for answered prayers:
- Miska has a job in the library
- We feel more settled here in L.A.
- We feel settled in Grace Community Church
- Baby Wilhelmsson is growing well and my pregnancy so far has been nice and straightforward.
Current prayer requests:
- For Miska and his studies, especially getting all his assignments in the next few weeks
- For wisdom on our housing situation as an opportunity to save money
- For myself not to be anxious about the baby at times and learn to trust God in all things
- That I (Alison) will be able to put into practice the things I am learning in Seminary Wives and the Logos class and other Bible studies into practice.
Until the next post (or video),
Alison (and Miska)
