Planning, Punting, and Poison

Hola todos! I hope that this finds everyone in good health! I am doing well myself, though getting a little tired from running. So, a quick update on what's going on here in Sevilla.

-Half marathon training: My week is divided up between running days, stretch & strengthen, cross training, run some more, rest, and run some more. The big runs are once a week when I try to take my distance to the next level. These happen on Sundays. This past Sunday I ran 5 miles. And was about to collapse. It's rough. Today I ran 4, which I will do again on Thursday. Can't wait to see some improvement.

-I went to a Sevilla FC soccer game with some of my friends and tens of thousands of other Spanish punters. It was against Valencia CF, so a game between 2 of the top 7 teams in Spanish League. Sevilla won 2-1, and the game was fun to watch. The atmosphere was unbelievable, with flags waving and people chanting almost incessantly. The best part was undoubtedly the beginning, when the entire stadium full of Sevilla fans began singing (more like yelling) the team anthem at the top of their lungs in perfect unison. It was phenomenal.

-Still working on planning trips. Travelling is somewhat expensive, so I'm trying to prioritize. Between Paris, Rome, Athens, London, and Dublin, I can probably choose 3 to visit over spring break, and the flights will be very cheap if I book ahead of time.

-My roommate went to Morocco this past weekend and came back with bad food poisoning. He threw up like 20 times. It was BAD. I don't know if I'll go to Morocco or not.

-There are free dance classes during February here, and I actually (surprisingly) enjoyed the first one. Not normally my thing, but we'll see. Watch out, ladies. Just kidding. But not really. Maybe.

-Class takes up too much time and is pretty easy. I'm sort of looking forward to classes in la Universidad de Sevilla. I do miss friends and family, but I'm more adjusted to life here, and things have really been great. Sevilla is a magnificent city.

-Spanish is improving, but some people (like my Senora) are just REALLY FAST TALKERS. I can understand all of my teachers just fine, but there are just some people that have more horsepower in their vocal cords.

So, a brief word to think about. Look over the beginning of John 15. Jesus says he is the vine and we are the branches and tells us to abide in him and he in us. I don't think I really ever got this, and there are probably things we are still missing. When describing the gospel, people always take about Jesus' sacrifice and his sustitution for us by his death, saving us from our Romans 3:23 and giving us eternal life. All well and good, but I want to ask the question: Can there be substitution without union? John 15:6, "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned." God doesn't look at Christ as a substitution for us unless we ourselves have committed to hurling ourselves into oneness with Christ. Oswald Chambers says, "It is not Christ for me unless I am determined to have Christ formed in Me (Substitution- 10/29). Thus our salvation is not only through Christ's death, but also through his resurrection. Since we are one with him, we share in his perfect life (which should have been us), his death (which should have been our punishment), and his new life (unmerited grace). Praise God!

Gracias por leer y que Dios te bendiga!