Joy to the World!

This has been a different Christmas for us. Didn't put up a tree or any decorations (sold them). Living in temporary housing, having Christmas in a borrowed home, didn't do my usual bake/cook-and-freeze since we sold our chest freezer... feeling a bit in limbo. I've thought often this season of Mary and Joseph packing up the donkey and heading to Bethlehem (although no baby on board for us:); with no room at the inn they borrowed a bed of hay from the barn animals.

We packed up "Christmas" last night and we're on our way to Indy where all the kids will be rolling in at various times in the next week. We'll have three full days when the whole Jackson gang will be together. My family update with pictures will come after Christmas this year.

Dennis and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

We celebrate the fact that Jesus came in grace and truth.

May that same grace and truth be yours this Christmas!

The Seasons of the Lake

Dennis and I have a little spot in Grand Haven we have deemed as D/G Point, and although the public has access to this spot we claim it as our own when we want to get a good view of the lake.

Saturday was such a beautiful sunny day; a rarity in winter for West Michigan. We sat at D/G Point overlooking the lake as the sun glistened off the lighthouse and the waves rolled up over the pier. It won't be long until the lighthouse has it's new winter look frosted in layers of thick white ice. Snow fences line the beach in preparation for the snow and winds to come. With the mild temperatures the water has maintained it's flow, but before winter's end the nature of the lake will create its own icy formations.

I found myself pondering that day how the seasons make their transitions into the next. A picture of life itself. Thought of an old song - Turn, Turn, Turn - sung by The Byrds (anybody remember that one?) taken from the book of Ecclesiastes.

To everything there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under heaven.

Waiting out the Countdown...

I wonder if God and the angelic beings had a countdown to Christmas... well, not "Christmas" back then, but a countdown as they anticipated the delivery of the long-awaited Messiah, the one they knew would be the Savior of the world.

Christmas calls for a countdown.

Countdowns require waiting.

Waiting creates anticipation (perhaps patience!).

Kids anticipate opening gifts on Christmas morning. Relatives anticipate family gatherings, a chance to be together for the holidays. Churches participate in the Advent by lighting the candles as they count down the weeks until Christmas. Decorating the tree, putting up lights, baking cookies, listening to Christmas music... it's all about creating the atmosphere of anticipation.

Maybe the most important aspect of countdowns is the waiting, because it's in the waiting that we get ready, we expect something to happen, and we take action in order to be prepared for what is to come. God certainly created an atmosphere in which people were looking for a Messiah. His timing is perfect. He sent Jesus at just the "right time" according to Galatians 4:4.

Dennis and I are in our own countdowns.

Counting down the days till we meet up with all our kids and grandkids in Indianapolis for Christmas. It'll be the first time we have Evee, Stella, and Miles all at once! Talk about anticipation:). Everybody is making plans to come. In fact, Josh and Kari even now are making their way across the U.S. in Stella's first ever road trip. We can't wait to be together!

Then, we are in the final countdown weeks in raising the remainder of our support needs so we can head to Europe. It was so good to see our pie chart go beyond the half way mark two weeks ago. We know that God owns all the resources in the world, and so we trust Him to provide full funding at just the "right time."

Countdowns require waiting... it is in the waiting that our faith grows to trust God for that which we do not yet see. It is in the waiting that we gain hope for what is to come. It is in the waiting that He sharpens our focus and vision for Europe. It is in the waiting that he readies us for what lies ahead. And, it is in the waiting that anticipation grows in making Europe a reality.

In the midst of this Christmas season we are reminded of the countdown that took place over 2,000 years ago. One that produced the greatest gift of all - a Savior for all mankind. And it is with anticipation that we live life because of the life we have in Jesus.

Not thinkin' much...

Well, I am thinking as usual. My mind never seems to stop. But, you wouldn't know it by my blog posts. I could share several reasons why I haven't been in creative mode to write... maybe time factor is the biggest. Dennis and I are in the countdown weeks to finish raising our prayer/financial partnerships in order to move to Europe. God has been and continues to be faithful to provide. We sense a deep urgency to get to the Europe field.

It's Thanksgiving eve. We have so much to be thankful for!

• We are visiting Dennis' parents right now - so thankful for both sets of parents - upbringing, their love and support, their expressions of love - and how they exemplify a marriage of commitment, loyalty, and love for the long haul.
• Four beautiful grown children, plus three amazing spouses
  
• Evee, Stella, and Miles :)
• We all get to be together at Christmas!
• Friends
• God's provisions in this transition of life and ministry
• Life and health
  
• Inner peace
• A God who makes Himself known to us and who loves us in spite of ourselves
• Last, but not least, the greatest husband in the world!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

A Mild November Day

The weekend was so beautiful in West Michigan... for November, that is. It almost felt like summer! We loved having Julie and a friend for a short weekend visit. Walking the pier just before sunset with only sweaters is a rarity at this time of year.

Facebook...

A couple weeks ago I officially joined most of the world on Facebook. I now have 151 "friends."

Love to get feedback on a couple things:

• If you are a FB fan, tell me why you like it. What are the positive sides to FB?
• How do you manage FB so you aren't consumed by it?
• Which page do you read the most - home page or personal page?
  
• How often do you check FB and do you read all the feeds?

Just wondering...

Neil and Audrey...

Dennis and I arrived back in town Friday evening after three weeks of travel. I've been in and out, but Dennis was gone the full three weeks, so it was good to be back "home" together. A Panera breakfast seemed to be a good way to start a mid-morning Saturday. We both had a few things to work on - Dennis a sermon, me finances - so we grabbed our computers to get some things done while sipping on our coffee.

Still feeling hungry after eating a breakfast sandwich that was a bit smaller in size than the usual, I revisited the line to order a pumpkin muffin to finish out the remainder of my hazelnut coffee. Still standing in line a voice from behind caught my attention. It was Neil greeting me with a hug and his usual smile. I use to run into Neil and Audrey every so often in Panera. It was always a delight. It was such a shock when Audrey passed away eight months ago. Now my heart always droops a bit when I see Neil out and about alone. I know how much he loved Audrey.

I loved watching Neil and Audrey. After 57 years of marriage they were still in love. In fact, one time while I was in Panera the same time they were, a man in one of the booths stopped me as I was passing by and asked me if I knew the "cute little couple" as he motioned toward Neil and Audrey. I affirmed that I did. He explained how he had been watching them interact and how meaningful it was to him. He then handed me a Panera gift card and asked if I would give it to them after he left. Of course I said I would. Audrey opened the card giving a little giggle as she read "to a cute little couple."

I returned to the booth with Dennis after purchasing my muffin and I watched Neil find a table to read the paper and eat his toast alone. Dennis saw my look of empathy. With a knowing smile he said, "Tell Neil I'll loan you to him for a little while." I took my coffee and muffin and sat down across from him.

Neil immediately folded up his paper and the conversation flowed. We talked of grief and marriage and children and family and love and faith and friendship. It must have been a half hour before we thought we had taken enough of each others time. I returned with tear-filled eyes as I slid into the booth with Dennis. He took my hand and for a few seconds we met eyes. My heart was warmed... for love and marriage and family and children and faith and friendship.

Misusing spirituality...

A few days ago I read excerpts from The Dark Night of the Soul written by John of the Cross in the 16th century. He writes of the seven deadly sins (also known as cardinal sins) and how they relate to Christians who may be misusing their spirituality. I can't say that I'm terribly familiar with the seven sins - pride, greed, luxury, wrath, gluttony, envy, sloth - but I remember reading about the cardinal virtues (the opposite of the sins) in C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.

The thing that John did with the sins caught me by surprise. Something I would say many Christians need to hear in order to guard against a Pharisaical attitude. The thing Jesus rebuked the most. Except for the first one, he phrases each sin with "spiritual _____." Seems like an oxymoron. It isn't. Our spirituality can go in a bad way.

Out of the seven, these four caught my attention: (these phrases are taken directly from the author):

• Secret pride - to become too spiritual. Content with their growth. Prefer to teach rather than to be taught. Condemn others. Beg God to take away their imperfections, not for God's sake, but for their own inner peace. Do spiritual exercises to be esteemed by others. Want others to realize how spiritual they are.

Opposite: humility... learn to think very little of themselves and their religious works. Focus on how great and how deserving God is and how little it is that they can do for him.

• Spiritual greed - become discontent with what God gives them. Hearts grow attached to the feelings they get from their devotional life, focusing on the affect, not on the substance. Begin to value visible things too highly. Like religious objects/holy places.

Opposite - set eyes on God and not on outward things or inner experiences. Sometimes these things have to be removed in order for a soul to grow. A soul will never grow until it is able to let go of the tight grasp it has on God.

• Spiritual wrath - anger and bitterness sets in when the benefits of the spiritual life are taken away. Some become angry with themselves at this point thinking they are the result of the lack of joy, something they have done or have neglected to do.

Opposite - patience to wait for whatever God would give them, when He chooses to give it to them.

• Spiritual gluttony - become addicted to the spiritual sweetness of the devotional life and strive to obtain more and more of it. Such persons are working their own will... they do these things for themselves, not for God, and for this reason they will soon grow weary in them. Probably better for these persons to give up their devotions entirely. Such souls can actually lose their spirituality.

Opposite - faith in the invisible and unfelt grace of God that is much greater than any addiction to spiritual exercises.

John finishes out this section on the 7 deadly sins with this.

"God perceives the imperfections within us, and because of his love for us, urges us to grow up. His love is not content to leave us in our weakness, and for this reason he takes us into a dark night. He weans us from all of the pleasures by giving us dry times and inward darkness.

In doing so he is able to take away all these vices and create virtues within us. Through the dark night pride becomes humility, greed becomes simplicity, wrath becomes contentment, luxury becomes peace, gluttony becomes moderation, envy becomes joy, and sloth becomes strength. No soul will ever grow deep in the spiritual life unless God works passively in that soul by means of the dark night."

I thought of Psalm 131 when I read this. Three little verses, but so powerful. Oh, that I might be responsive to the passive work of the Spirit in my life.

Good Reads...

With all the traveling we've done in the past couple months, I've had some good extended time for reading. At the back of my current journal I keep a running list of books I've finished during that particular journal season. Here's my list from Aug/Sept.

1. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson - great read on the perseverance of one man to give aide and hope to the Muslim people in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Inspiring, challenging.
2. Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore - wonderful story of a wealthy man whose life intersects with a homeless man. Great insights into the homeless. Getting beyond yourself to authentic love and friendship.
3. Hope Beyond Reason by Dave Hess - personal story of God's healing power when diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia. I loved the principles weaved throughout his story of overcoming fear, doubt, and worry when facing uncertain times.
4. Tribes by Seth Godin - lots of tribes in the world, but who is going to lead them? In his own words, "Tribes will make you think (really think) about the opportunities for leading your fellow employees, customers, investors, believers, hobbyists, readers... It's not easy, but it's easier than you probably imagine." Yes, it made me think.
   

Read any good books lately?

Seattle

I'm currently in Seattle visiting Mike, Joni, and Miles while Dennis is in England for a 2-week intensive leadership course with his new role as Europe Area Director. How fun to connect with Miles who is going on 4 months. The weather has been beautiful with full-on sunshine. Joni, Miles and I went to the little town of Carnation today and walked along the Tolt River where we saw hundreds of spawning salmon making their way up the river and beautiful views of the Cascade foothills.

Taken off the foot bridge looking down on our shadows
in the water. If you look closely you can see the salmon.

And, of course, some pictures of Miles who is such a sweetie.
Can anybody say Mike?

Meltdowns...

We usually use the term "meltdown" to describe a stressful moment in life.

I wondered how such a term originates. After checking with my widget dictionary I discovered this: a meltdown is described as "an accident in a nuclear reactor in which the fuel overheats and melts the reactor core or shielding." That could describe a stressful moment... if you were a nuclear engineer. My thesaurus seemed to sum it up best. An informal freak-out. Now that I can relate with.

To be honest, I have had my share of meltdowns over the past... well, let's say 5 months. Life has been full of transitions and then in the transitions we've had to transition. It's really been a bit crazy, and don't even think for a minute that I've graced this entire time with a positive attitude and a spirit of trust. I've had my moments of overheating, melting down any sense of quiet trust and faith that I might of had the day before.

During a recent visit to my parents I asked about a book I noticed laying on their coffee table. They began to share with me the story of a pastor in PA who battled with an aggressive type of leukemia. Encouraged to write of the months of hospitalization, agonizing chemo treatments, and near death experiences, Dave Hess, eleven years later, tells the story of God's grace and healing through Hope Beyond Reason. Dad and Mom sent the book home with me and at first thought I wasn't expecting much impact since I wasn't dealing with any dire physical issues in need of healing.

Last Saturday I sat down and read the book in one sitting.

I'm not dealing with a life-threatening cancer, but the principles weaved throughout his story apply to anyone in a place where trust must overcome fear, faith must replace doubt, and prayer must take the place of worry. Meltdowns come when fear, doubt, and worry break down the shield of God's promises and truths.

When writing of God's faithfulness, Dave Hess reminded me how "gratitude keeps our hearts glued to the Lord's presence." He goes on to say, "When we forget His faithfulness, our spiritual senses become dull... but remembering His goodness awakens our spiritual sensitivity."

Lately God has gently reminded me of His faithfulness over the years. He has never failed Dennis and me. His grace has carried us through difficult times and danced with us in moments of joy. It's when I forget His faithfulness that I lose hope. Hess says, "Something deadly happens when we forget what the Lord has done." Hmmm... might that be called a meltdown?

God's promises have a cooling effect on the heat of stress; they keep me from boiling over in discouragement or despair. This week He has reminded me:

• Philippians 4:6&7 - Don't worry... pray about everything... don't forget my answers... I will give you a peace that goes beyond your understanding.
• Psalm 34:1-9 - Pray and cry out to me... I will hear and answer, setting you free from all your fears. Those who trust in me will have joy. Those who honor me will have all they need.
• Psalm 32:7,10 - I am your hiding place; I will protect you from trouble. I will surround you with songs of victory. My unfailing love surrounds those who trust in me.
  
• Joshua 1:6-9 - Be strong and courageous... study and meditate on my Word... obey it... don't be afraid or discouraged. For I will be with you wherever you go.

New York

How can a short period of time bring such favor, value and love? That's how we felt about our "interim" phase (just over a week) at Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church. Their welcoming and gracious spirit was a blessing to us. Dennis preached from the book of Joshua (particularly chapters 1 and 5) focusing on the Israelites transition from Moses' leadership to Joshua's. Many shared with us how encouraging and challenging both messages were as they walk through a transitional time in the life of the church.

We were also overwhelmed by the response of many who desire to partner with us in our new role in Europe. One lady who attended the Saturday evening service came back Sunday morning and told me she couldn't sleep that night as she thought about the call on our lives for Europe. Who knows what plans God has in mind with the little "slice" of God's grace we encountered with the staff and people of Eastern Hills? We are grateful!

Within one week we made great connections with Houghton College and six churches/pastors/mission directors in NY and PA to share the vision for Europe. Here again we sensed God's favor as we had only a short period of time to make these contacts.

In the midst of a full week, we took one evening out to revisit a place we briefly passed by 31 years ago on our honeymoon. Traveling back to MI from PA we were passing through Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. With only enough money left for one more night at a hotel we had to give up the $8 parking fee that would have given us extended time to view the falls. So, as we drove in slow moving bumper-to-bumper traffic running parallel to the Niagara River and Falls, Dennis suggested that I get out and walk along the sidewalk so I could see the falls. It was only a minute or so later that I climbed in the driver's seat (while the car was moving in slow motion) so Dennis could view the falls before we headed out of town - a memory we look back on with laughter.

This time though we took our time parking on Goat Island, walking along the rapids to the top of the falls on the American side, then walking across the Rainbow Bridge to view the falls from the Canadian side. All absolutely free! The power and magnitude of the falls is spectacular. I picked my best shots as I tried to capture the falls in all their beauty. This time our evening at Niagara Falls felt more romantic than 31 years ago :).








From NY we enjoyed seeing family in PA, though the time was short. I'll end this post with our sweet little Evee who we are currently visiting in Princeton for a couple days before returning to MI. One of her favorite songs is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Enjoy!

Very Random Thoughts...

A week ago tonight we returned from our time in Europe... just in time for summer! This week has been beautiful and feels just like summer should have felt.  A bit overdue, but I'll take it whenever!

All is quiet here in Grand Haven :). It's amazing the difference after Labor Day. Hardly anyone is on the pier and the Farmer's Market Wednesday morning was so easy to walk through. All the tourists and vacationers went on their merry way, giving the community back to the locals. I actually did a run-walk-run on the boardwalk and pier the other day. My joints weathered well for the almost 3 mile jaunt. Maybe I'll try to take up running... eh, jogging again.

I read this in my yahoo health news this week about foods that will surprise you with high sugar additives. Whoops, that French Vanilla creamer tub I like in my morning coffee may have to go! The average American's intake of sugar additives (like in pop) per day is 22.2 teaspoons!! Check it out for 11 foods that will sneak up on you with sugar content.

Tomorrow Dennis and I are off again. What we thought was going to be a long-term (2-4 months) interim pastor position at Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church has now dwindled down to only two weekends. While we were in Europe the church voted and called a new senior pastor who will begin October 1,  the primary goal in this whole process. So we'll be spending weekend to weekend in NY as Dennis steps in to serve in the preaching capacity, catching a few churches/pastors in NY and PA to raise partnerships as well. We'll follow that up with a visit to my folks and family in PA since we're that close (6 hrs is closer than MI) and probably catch Clint and Jamie in Princeton (just a couple hours from my parents) for a few days before heading back to MI.

Oh, and we joined Spring Lake Wesleyan this past Sunday in celebrating 50 years of ministry!

Remember the The Three Big Questions book?  I'm getting ready to write a new rallying cry for myself in finishing out 2009. I'll make work of that tomorrow on the drive to Buffalo. I want to be intentional about growing deeper in my faith, more so, drawing closer to God. I'm not a daily person, but a seasonal person, so I'm thinking through what that will look like for me. I'm drawn to God by reading His Word, journaling, prayer, reading books that stimulate me spiritually (ones that make me think), good teaching... this all plays into my contemplative and intellectual pathways. I want it to be fun, not rigid. Variety will keep it fresh. God is definitely not boring. I'll update you on this as it comes together.

Well, as I said... very random thoughts :). Have a great weekend!!

Evee, Stella and Miles :)

While Dennis and I were finishing up our last week in Europe, the Ussher's, Jackson's, and Morgan's all got together in Seattle (except for Julie who will visit Mike and Joni at the end of Sept.). It was a first to have all the cousins together. It's G'ma brag time... with a few pictures of their time together.

Gemütlichkeit

Don't ask me to pronounce this word, but it is an Austrian concept very evident in the town we chose to plant ourselves for a few days... it means warm, cozy, friendly, with a focus-on-the-moment mindset.

A previously planned, but postponed trip to Russia offered Dennis and I some extra days in Europe. We spent the weekend in Germany with our team serving in Munich and then headed to a little Austrian town east of Salsburg.

Nestled at the foot of Mount Dachstein (9,000 ft.) is the quiet and quaint town of Hallstatt. A small town (1,000 people), fairly remote, with little touristy feel makes this town a perfect spot for Dennis and I to unwind, process, and replenish before our return to the states. After weeks and months of transition, with more to come, we consider these days a gift.

Hallstatt perches on its lakeside ledge between Mount Dachstein and Hallstatt Lake with little room for the houses to go but up. Yesterday we hiked up Dachstein to the salt-mining caves, a major resource in this area for thousands of years. The trail took us past rippling brooks, major waterfalls, and breathtaking views overlooking the lake and it's surrounding area. We watched hang-gliders navigate their way down from one of the highest peaks to grassy fields in the town of Obertraun across the lake from Hallstatt.

Last night we enjoyed a lakeside dinner of weinerschnitzel that was fantastic. Later a yummy dessert of Quark (Cheese) Strudel with warm vanilla sauce hit the spot.

As always, perhaps pictures give a better glimpse into our stay in Hallstatt.

Lutheran church in Hallstatt.

After hiking up to the salt mine area we decided
to take a tour through the mines. They gave
us this special garb for warmth and protection :).
Don't we look cute?

Hallstatt from Mount Dachstein.

Looking across the lake to the town of Obertraun.
Hang gliders take off from the mountain at the top right.
 

The view from our B & B room.

Town center

Steeple to the Catholic church. Note the
hang-glider to the right in the photo.

Any of you who know my maiden name... check out the
"Schloss Grub" located across the lake. Hopefully we'll
take a ferry boat across to see this castle.

The Week at the Castle...

Today is a quiet day in the castle. Everyone left after breakfast this morning except for the leadership team staying an extra day for some meeting time. It’s been a great week in many ways, and a not so great week in other ways. I’ll start off with the not so great.

Just one day into the conference a flu bug began that made its rounds all week… some people dealing with it as they loaded cars or vans today to travel home. Ugh! Fortunately, I had my share of it earlier in the week that wiped me out for a day and a half. I’m bummed that I missed out on opportunities to connect with people, but there just wasn’t much I could do about it. It seems to take its toll in its short duration of 24-hours, so I still feel like I’m gaining back my strength. Hence, the lack of blog posts this week.

Just when I thought I was feeling stronger… last night I ran smack dab into a glass door in the castle. It’s a route I often take as I navigate the maze of stairs, hallways, and doorways in this old castle, and every time the door has been propped open. These solid glass doors are all over the castle, but this time, this one had been closed. I came down the steps, made a sharp turn to the right and planted a big ole’ smudge on the glass door with my nose! For a split second I was stunned and wondered what in the world happened before I came to my senses to realize I had just made contact with a door. Tears flowed as I held my aching nose… but several came to my rescue and after holding a cold ice pack to my nose throughout the evening service, I have no bruises or swelling whatsoever today.

Now, the great… we love our M’s! What a special week to connect with the team in its entirety (except for those on home ministries). We have amazing people filled with God’s Spirit, committed to serve in the cultures in which they live. We look forward to serving them in the months ahead. Other highlights:

• Learning together – each morning we had a choice of various seminars to attend. Great options from marriage to conflict resolution to post-modernism (my favorite) to relationship building skills. Good teaching and good participation.

• Worship & the Word – many of our M’s do not have an established church in their area, so having the opportunity to worship with a larger group of people was a joy and an encouragement to many. Jen Swift from the Heritage Wesleyan team had a gift of leading us into the presence of God in worship. I love her spirit. The times in the Word were both encouraging and challenging.

• Children – We had kids from just 2 months old to 19 years of age. It was fun to have such a range of ages among us. Heritage Wesleyan has been sending a team for several years now that have activities planned for the kids and teens during the morning and evening sessions. They came with great hearts and I know parents were very thankful for their service.

• Fun Night – a tradition that continues. Each team prepares a skit. I would venture to say that it’s a favorite. Lots of fun and laughter. Dennis and I did the “Top 10 Reasons Why We’re Excited about Being Area Director,” and you know with Dennis, we had props for all ten.

• Prayer Night – I missed this due to being sick, but I know this was a significant night in prayer for each of the fields.

• Great conversations – Dennis and I enjoyed meeting with so many… listening, sharing, investing, encouraging. Meeting one-on-one is what I love to do and there was plenty of opportunity for that this week.

And have I mentioned how beautiful it is here? We have had the best week of weather. Sunshine every day. Only one rainstorm that rushed in as fast as it rushed out. Every direction you look is postcard perfect.

Tomorrow we leave early for Munich traveling with some of our team by car. We’ll spend a few days in Munich with our M’s and then we have some days for just us :). A few pics below.

One of the skit presentations was a spoof on
"America's Got Talent," and of course they had to
get some of the home office people and Dennis up for it.
Though a bit dark, here's Dennis lip-singing
to I Could Have Danced All Night.

The kids doing their part at Fun Night.

With a few people leaving early, last night we were
able to move up into the castle. This is the view
of Mittersill from our new room.

And a few more castle pictures. Flowers are everywhere!

The castle from the town of Mittersill.

Schloss Mittersill

We arrived at the schloss (translated castle) that overlooks the town of Mittersill Friday afternoon. The views are breathtaking! It would be difficult to describe the scenes that surround the castle area. Pictures won't do it justice either. The day was a bit hazy so not as clear as I would like the mountains to be, but at least it gives you a sense of our surroundings.

All the European M's will arrive today (Saturday), beginning our time together at dinner. Our group of 100 is maxing this castle out. Because of that, a few of us are staying in a 400 year old house that once served as the servant's quarters. The castle goes back to 1098!

Our living quarters for the week.

The view from our 2nd story window.
Italy is just across these mountains.

Approaching the castle entrance.

Castle entrance.

Flowers spilling over window
boxes is a common sight everywhere.

We saw numerous waterfalls as we drove to this
nearby lake. It reminded us of Glacier National Park.
I could have soaked up this place for hours... peaceful, yet so invigorating.

We look forward to the times of worship, learning, sharing and laughter with our M's this week. The significance of building relationships with those we serve will be invaluable as we prepare for and already engage in this new role.

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers! God is good and faithful.