Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Roma
I have so many stories to tell!!! And not enough time, thankfully I'll be back soon and can tell you in person. Bullet points:
- Italy= all the history and architecture that i fell in love with while homeschooling thus I LOVE ITALIA
- gelatto
- 22 hour ferry ride
- meeting up with non-Maastricht Baylor people in Rome
- THE VATICAN
- Hostel guy- Mattheus/Bart
- gelatto
- the colloseum
- rome
- athens
- knowing God is GOOD
- whole new respect for every homeless person aka EVERY human being God has created
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
thoughts
you know that feeling when you just realized how hungry you are because the food you're cooking is just about ready? that i'm going to be sick if i don't eat really, really soon and every minute feels like forever. I'm convinced that is how it feels when you're about to come home after a long trip. When it's three months away it's no big deal, you have three months to enjoy life in different countries, but then, all of the sudden you're only 15 days away.... it feels like you have been gone for forever and you just want to be somewhere familiar with people who know you well.
on another note... I picked up my Bible to read about David's life since I'm about to go see the huge statue in Florence, and i turned to Ruth. I started there because I have today and tomorrow free. I have always loved Ruth and it's been prophesied over me a few times that I will be like Ruth. Maybe I should start a little earlier with this story. I travelled to Sheffield all by myself, the only other time i have travelled by myself was home form Colorado after visiting Kayla. I had no way of getting a hold of autumn other than facebook. It ended up being fine but for almost an entire day I was all alone. I travelled from Sheffield to London to Poitiers to Paris all by myself as well, that was intense (see previous post). France speaks French, I don't know ANY french. Finally, tomorrow night I am travelling all by myself to Florence. There are a few things i have discovered in these lonely journeys.... they are just that, lonely, sometimes scary, often stressful. I almost had a panic attack in Paris the first night. I could not in any way do this without Jesus, He has been so good and so faithful, everything has turned out better than perfect. But there is something about being in a strange city, surrounded by people who speak a different language with no idea which way to go that gives you a whole new appreciation for community and God's gift of relationships. Man, is it a gift, a sweet, precious, and necessary gift. I definitely almost cried when I saw Ash at the airport gate, it was a huge rush of relief and I definitely cried when she left. Thanks so much for coming ashley, I can't tell you how much it meant. But there is something there, something deeply true about us as human beings. We are made for relationship, we are made to want to love and be loved, to shoulder one another's sorrow and rejoice with one another's joy. As I began to read Ruth this ancient truth jumped out at me again. Naomi was all alone, ready to go home. I can only imagine the determination and love it would've taken to send her only two friends away, but I have tasted the relief that she must have experienced as one promised to stay.
I know God is with me... believe me I know, He has come through time and time again, I know He will be my comfort and my companion these last two weeks, but I am so thankful He has provided people to travel with, people to walk through life with, and people waiting for me to come home.
I miss you guys.
My birthday was incredible.... I need to document this. So Ashley and Johanna were here. We woke up and went to the Louvre, it was pretty cool to get to see in real life the things you learn about in class. We went back to Johanna's friend Tytti's house to get ready to go to the ballet at the Opera Garnier (the opera house Phantom of the Opera is supposed to have taken place). Tytti is the best hostess, she made us feel so comfortable. So we get ready and go an hour early to get half-price tickets, only to find out the show is completely sold out. :( So we went to a really famous and beautiful department store before heading to the other really famous venue of arts and music. What we saw could definitely be described as an experience. It was quite possible the strangest post-modern ballet/noise/seamstress thing I have ever seen. Ash and I could't look at each other for fear we would bust out laughing... we were doing our best to hold it in as it was. Thankfully it was only an hour so we didn't have to not laugh for that long. The terrace of that theatre looks out on the eiffel tower. Ash and I walked down while Tytti and Johanna went to get coffee. We bought tea and hot cocoa at a vendor right beside the eiffel tower and watched it sparkle on the hour. We then went to meet Johanna and Tytti but it took awhile because we couldn't find a metro. We got back to Tytti's flat around 11:30. Tytti and Johanna had bought cake and ice cream and snacks and tea and wine to celebrate. We pretty much had a feast, it was the best chocolate cake I have ever had. Oh yeah, there was bread and cheeses and salami too with strawberries and cookies. French bread really is amazing. Finally, I called my family and got to talk to them for awhile. All in all it was pretty perfect. And I think I'll wrap this post up.
Last thing, I am leaving Paris tomorrow night on an overnight train to Florence and meeting up with the Baylor gang there. Then it's to Rome and Corfu and Athens. :)
on another note... I picked up my Bible to read about David's life since I'm about to go see the huge statue in Florence, and i turned to Ruth. I started there because I have today and tomorrow free. I have always loved Ruth and it's been prophesied over me a few times that I will be like Ruth. Maybe I should start a little earlier with this story. I travelled to Sheffield all by myself, the only other time i have travelled by myself was home form Colorado after visiting Kayla. I had no way of getting a hold of autumn other than facebook. It ended up being fine but for almost an entire day I was all alone. I travelled from Sheffield to London to Poitiers to Paris all by myself as well, that was intense (see previous post). France speaks French, I don't know ANY french. Finally, tomorrow night I am travelling all by myself to Florence. There are a few things i have discovered in these lonely journeys.... they are just that, lonely, sometimes scary, often stressful. I almost had a panic attack in Paris the first night. I could not in any way do this without Jesus, He has been so good and so faithful, everything has turned out better than perfect. But there is something about being in a strange city, surrounded by people who speak a different language with no idea which way to go that gives you a whole new appreciation for community and God's gift of relationships. Man, is it a gift, a sweet, precious, and necessary gift. I definitely almost cried when I saw Ash at the airport gate, it was a huge rush of relief and I definitely cried when she left. Thanks so much for coming ashley, I can't tell you how much it meant. But there is something there, something deeply true about us as human beings. We are made for relationship, we are made to want to love and be loved, to shoulder one another's sorrow and rejoice with one another's joy. As I began to read Ruth this ancient truth jumped out at me again. Naomi was all alone, ready to go home. I can only imagine the determination and love it would've taken to send her only two friends away, but I have tasted the relief that she must have experienced as one promised to stay.
I know God is with me... believe me I know, He has come through time and time again, I know He will be my comfort and my companion these last two weeks, but I am so thankful He has provided people to travel with, people to walk through life with, and people waiting for me to come home.
I miss you guys.
My birthday was incredible.... I need to document this. So Ashley and Johanna were here. We woke up and went to the Louvre, it was pretty cool to get to see in real life the things you learn about in class. We went back to Johanna's friend Tytti's house to get ready to go to the ballet at the Opera Garnier (the opera house Phantom of the Opera is supposed to have taken place). Tytti is the best hostess, she made us feel so comfortable. So we get ready and go an hour early to get half-price tickets, only to find out the show is completely sold out. :( So we went to a really famous and beautiful department store before heading to the other really famous venue of arts and music. What we saw could definitely be described as an experience. It was quite possible the strangest post-modern ballet/noise/seamstress thing I have ever seen. Ash and I could't look at each other for fear we would bust out laughing... we were doing our best to hold it in as it was. Thankfully it was only an hour so we didn't have to not laugh for that long. The terrace of that theatre looks out on the eiffel tower. Ash and I walked down while Tytti and Johanna went to get coffee. We bought tea and hot cocoa at a vendor right beside the eiffel tower and watched it sparkle on the hour. We then went to meet Johanna and Tytti but it took awhile because we couldn't find a metro. We got back to Tytti's flat around 11:30. Tytti and Johanna had bought cake and ice cream and snacks and tea and wine to celebrate. We pretty much had a feast, it was the best chocolate cake I have ever had. Oh yeah, there was bread and cheeses and salami too with strawberries and cookies. French bread really is amazing. Finally, I called my family and got to talk to them for awhile. All in all it was pretty perfect. And I think I'll wrap this post up.
Last thing, I am leaving Paris tomorrow night on an overnight train to Florence and meeting up with the Baylor gang there. Then it's to Rome and Corfu and Athens. :)
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Intense Day
Today was intense... I took every form of public transformation today except a boat. Planes, trains, buses, and automobiles. but I am in Paris safe and sound.... a guy already tried to kiss me. Dont worry it wasn`t creepy, a little flattering though. I cant wait to hang out with ashley!!!!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Sheffield
I LOVE Sheffield. I really wish you guys were here. Let me start at the beginning, I got off the train and I was a little disoriented because I was so tired. I walk out to the site of a huge fountain, I love water, and all of these beautiful, windy streets. I went to the library to hang out because I hadn't really gotten in touch with Autumn giving her all the details of my arrival. Autumn met me there and took me on a tour of the city. It was so good to see her and connect here. This city is amazing, but the best part is all the youth. They are everywhere, skateboards and bright-colored hair and soft hearts. Autumn was telling me about life here and what she does on a daily basis, it's really intense but watching these kids, they're worth it and He's worth it. I felt completely connected to this, to what God is doing here. It's funny how youth are alike wherever you go, they need so badly to be loved and to be told they are worthy of your time and love but most of all Jesus' life. I loved walking around town, seeing all the places from pictures of the Elevate team and talking to all the youth that have stuck because of them, all the artwork and creativity that comes from these youth, and most of all experiencing God here. I never really knew that I wanted to work with youth, like give my life working with youth, until I got here. It's funny how you come alive when you are doing what God has called you to do. I mean I'm traveling around Europe but I feel most alive when I'm talking to Neive. Neive, is one of the girls who came to Inside Out last night (their version of Flipedge). I was praying for her when she got there because Autumn told me she wasn't a Christian yet. Autumn preached about community and we worshipped and hung out and played games, it was pretty wonderful and a lot like being in Waco for the Flipside (though that's apparently unusual for it to be that calm). Afterwards a group of girls headed home with us for the first ever youth girls sleepover. We were about an hour and a half into hanging out and eating and talking, we were just about to start the movie, when Neive asked to talk to Autumn. Thirty minutes later they walked back into the room and I can tell by the look on Autumn's face that she had given her life to the Lord!!!! I almost started crying, simply because I had been praying for her all that night, I can't imagine how Autumn felt. It was pretty amazing but the girls are starting to wake up so I need to go. :)
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