Seattle

Sunrise over Lake Washington with the mountains in the background

(from my aunt & uncles back deck)

I just love the pacific nothwest.  I'm in Seattle for a week visiting my aunt and uncle.  They're actually my godparents and not even related to me.  But they've been such a source of wisdom and support throughout my whole life.  It's been so nice to have someone to share life with who is not related in whom you feel comfortable talking about anything.  And I've visited them in many of the places that they've lived -- Erie, Kentucky, Michigan, Florida, Arizona, and Seattle. 

Yesterday, my aunt, cousin and I went wine tasting and had a good time, laughing, tasting wine and just catching up.  Today I went for a 27-mile bike ride around Lake Washington with my uncle and one of his friends.  I enjoyed riding through the pines, up and over hills, around the blue lake with many sailboats and rare-but-beautiful blue Seattle sky.  We stopped at one point to look at the lake and could see the Olympic mountains and downtown Seattle across the lake.  And for the rest of today, we'll relax making dinner and will look at my pictures from my trip.  I'll enjoy just hanging out with them as they've been married for 45 years and have so much life experience to share. 

Oh, Austria

From one of my favorite hikes in Schladming, Austria

Today is a day that reminds me so much of Austria.  Crisp, clear, 60 - 70 degrees, with the sun shining and blue, blue skies.  And on days like today, all the girls and women would be wearing scarves.  I so enjoyed wearing scarves.  Even wee ones as young as grade school would be wearing them.  It was really so darling to walk by them going to school in their scarves speaking German.  And for about 8 Euro, you could pick up a scarf, which made a whole new outfit.  While there, I learned several ways to wear them, thanks to my roommate and the other girls. I'm almost embarrassed at how I was wearing my Target scarf when I arrived in Austria (let's just say that one is at the back of the closet now).  And on days like today, it was almost a given that you would go on a hike in the Alps.  One of my favorite hikes is one that I went on by myself to just read in God's creation.  I sat in the woods and just read the Word.  I remember feeling such a peace and taking a snapshot in my mind, which is still very clear.  I knew that my time would eventually end, but I also knew that it was a great step of faith.  And now it is even a bigger leap of faith, not knowing exactly what is next.  But staying in the word and having a prayer partner has made all the difference.  And I will continue to be so grateful for this time to read, work on house projects, go for rides, visit family, and have people over for dinner.  And one of the best blessings has been getting to know my neighbors better.  Really gives new meaning to: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39).  It's hard sometimes putting yourself out there, but it can also come with a gift of a new friendship. 

As for me today, I'm going to use one of my newly-acquired skills and Skype a friend.

Maria and Me

So I had my 14-year-old niece over for the week.  The week went fast.  We cooked, went to my prayer group, rode bikes at the peninsula, visited the library, went for ice cream, had Chinese on the beach, and just hung out at my house.  She even helped me work in my yard (4 bushes down, 10 to go) and watch another niece and nephew for a full day.  And she also helped me install a webcam so that I can use Skype with my oversees and out-of-state friends.  And after going to my prayer group, we were challenged on how we could be more like Christ, so I asked her what we could do.  She suggested, without hesitation, that we visit a shut-in that we know.  So we did just that the next day.  We also read the bible together, and spent time studying about God's unfailing love for us. So amazing to be studying with her when just a few years ago we were playing with play dough. 

While I don't know when I'll be able to have her over again for a full week, it makes me appreciate the fact that I could do this during this season of my life. 

My family

So, I had a birthday while in Europe, in the Netherlands, actually.  And that was lovely, just unbelievable really.  Never thought that I'd spend a special birthday there.  But it was also nice to have my family throw me a birthday party today.  I had a chance to see all of my family since I returned.  There's 19 of us in total, counting nieces and nephews.  I caught up with them a bit, and just enjoyed being with them.  They really are a wonderful, supportive, and loving family.  That alone is birthday gift.

My parents and siblings:

Jim, Sharon, Mom (Fran), Dad (Andy), Sandy, Karen, Suzanne

How hard can it be?

Where I lived, Schaldming, Austria

"How hard can this be?"  I don't know how many times I said this in Austria and when traveling.  How hard can it be to hike in the Austrian Alps?  Well...as I quickly found out, very hard.  Like perspiring in the first 3 minutes and huffing and puffing because of the altitude.  I was humbled.  And how hard can mountain biking be in the Alps?  Umm...I never walked up a hill before -- and I mean never -- but I walked the mountain bike up the hill four times on the first steep hill in Austria.  Humbled again.  How hard can it be to travel a low cost airline that I've never traveled before from Rome to Amsterdam?  Well, I felt about 2 inches tall after I was herded like cattle and boarded a plane with people openly excited about going to Amsterdam to party (perhaps with the legalized drugs there?).  And each time I went through a situation like this, I knew that I had to practice everything that I was learning in bible school.  And when I came home, I had water in the basement, my air conditioning in my car didn't work, my garage door wouldn't close, and today my drain basin next to my washer kept overflowing as I did laundry.  I just laughed.  I fully expected that I would be challenged when I got home, and these things certainly did the trick.

But in the quietness of being home again, I've been able to read more.  And this has helped me keep perspective.  When you're reading the amazing truth of God's word often, it's very hard to have a bad day, or at least not let things get out of proportion.  And so I've been reading a study on the sermon on the mount by Jacques, whom I visited in the Netherlands.  And appropriately, I've just read about "Blessed are the meek, they shall inherit the earth."  I used to think that meekness meant being weak, but in reality it means being humble.  And even Christ said that he was humble in heart (Mt 11:29).  Moses is also described as humble (Num 12:3).  And being humble means that we are content in all circumstances.  As Paul says in Philipians 4:11: "For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." 

So whether in the beautiful mountains of Austria, or squishing through my basement in my Old Navy flips, I pray that I always remember these words.  For being a Christian means that I can't be content on my own, but with Christ, I can.

Life in North America

Well, it's still an adjustment to come back from such an amazing, challenging, and inspiring trip.  The biggest adjustment is being on my own.  I've lived on my own for years, but now I really miss living in community and eating all my meals with others.  While eating with over 75 people, mostly those in their late teens and early twenties, could be a bit crazy and loud sometimes, it was just like one big happy family.  So I pray for my future, when I can be in community and live in the blessings and challenges of being with others.

In my backyard, Erie, Pennsylvania

In the meantime, I've been busy around the house.  My sisters and my friend kept up with my house, and for that I am so grateful.  I was so impressed at how nice my house looked on the inside and out when I came home. I do have a few bushes to trim, but first I had to work on my basement because I came home to water around the walls of my basement.  I've been meaning to clean my basement...so I've spent several days just moving things around and tossing out garbage bags full of "stuff."  It's so embarassing, but I have held onto papers from grade school and had four file drawers full of college and masters materials. It just never seemed to make the priority list.  But since I lived off so little for several months in Austria and Europe, I began to chuck heaps and heaps of papers (by the way, when I came home, my closet felt like a clothing store and I still haven't cracked open my jewelry box).  And if you know me, tossing out part of my past would have been an emotional experience, but it felt good to get rid of it.  Besides what am I going to do with it, really?  I also had a little inspiration from one of the devotions at bible school.

Every morning after breakfast at Tauernhof, at around 8:30am, a student would give a devotion, or an 10-minute talk on what has inspired them recently from their bible reading, or what God was doing in their lives.  I was so impressed -- the students gave such deep and profound stories of God's grace or provision in their lives.  So one morning, Stefan, a 28-year-old, gave a devotion about looking forward.  For the first part of the school semester, he always seemed distracted, and it was hard to talk with him for any length of time.  But then there was a noticeable change in him.  He looked lighter, less burdened.  So he gave his devotion.  He said that he had met a girl just 10 days before he left, missed his family, and had left his job, so he had a lot on his mind.  But then God inspired him through this scripture:  "Jesus replied, 'No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.'" Luke 9:62. He said that it was easy for him to dwell on what he left, but that didn't allow him to be open to all that God could do during his time at bible school and afterwards. Looking forward can be hard at times because we don't know what the future holds, but then again, that can be the adventure if we trust in the one who called us.  For me, so much has happened in my life over the past few months that looking forward feels good.  So, I want to travel a little lighter, be more open to what could happen, and spend time with Christ as I find my way.

Home safely

Sharon/me home in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA

I arrived home safely late Friday night.  It's hard to believe that I was Germany just a day ago, and now I am in Erie, Pennsylvania.  It was a very long travel travel day and really difficult to leave.  Ashley saw me to my train platform to take the 1.5 hour train from Wuerzburg to the Frankfurt airport.  Once the train pulled out, I got emotional, realizing that I was leaving such a great experience.  But I enjoyed the beautiful countryside, and even befriended a young woman on the train who was also going to the airport, so I was sure to get off at the right stop.  Once at the airport, I found the check-in and my gate with some difficulty, but by now I was used to traveling in foreign airports, so I just asked someone to help me find my way.  I traveled from Frankfurt to Toronto on an 8 hour flight, and then from Toronto to Cleveland.  I arrived home at 12:30pm, which would have been 6:30am Europe time.  Even though I was so tired, I smiled as I walked into welcome home signs, a stocked fridge and cupboards, and even fresh flowers.  My family and friends are amazing.  I felt so loved.

I slept through the night and it was so strange to wake up in a place by myself.  For 2 1/2 months, I've lived in community and haved dined with others.  So, I had to adjust to being on my own again.  I talked with the neighbors and have already arranged to spent more time having tea with my 80-year-old neighbor and will go on more walks with my single neighbor.  Living in community is a blessing.  I can't wait to share my experience with my family and friends and catch up with all the details of their lives.  While being in my little house is comfortable and I feel the same God that I did in Austria here, I am now more ready than ever to follow God's leading, wherever that may be.  In the meantime, I think that I'll enjoy every day sleeping in my own bed and getting into a routine where I can spend more time with God to hear his voice.  Funny, while I am home, I don't feel the same.  I am ready to start the next adventure.