Just When You Think You've Seen It All...

I am so proud of my husband for running his first half marathon yesterday. He ran 21 kilometers in 2.5 hours. Then we went home, and Danny slept for rest of the day...haha.

 

So now to the reason for the title of this blog: I completely understand that one of the first things you want to do when you finish a race is strip down and cool off. But seriously, do you have to strip down to pure nakedness in the parking lot, especially considering there were changing rooms? I don't think so. Between Danny and I, we saw enough naked people running around to last us a lifetime!!

Now on a completely different note, we are really thanking God for His protection last night. At about 1:30am, there was a really, really bad storm here. You have to keep in mind that Germany doesn't really have terrible lightning storms or anything, so this was a bit different. I can honestly say that for the first 8 months here, we hadn't had a storm at all; a lot of rain, but no lightning. Well, last night was awful...truly one of the worst storms I've ever been in (even by SC standards). The wind was blowing so hard, and it was so loud that I was sure a tornado was coming. The lightening was non-stop and definitely hit some things. After the worst was over, you could hear fire engine sirens everywhere. I seriously had an escape route all planned out in my head...haha.

For the Brannons

My heart goes out to Cheryl, Jeff, Brady, Karley, Abbey, and Jesse who are dealing with the loss of their Nana. I cannot even imagine what you must be going through. I hope that it brings you comfort that she is laughing, running, and smiling with Jesus. I hope that it helps you to know that she's in no more pain and that she can now talk to and touch the very One who saved her soul...the One that she put all of her faith in. I know that it's difficult to rejoice in her death, being that you are left on earth to feel the pain, but I hope that Jesus Himself will comfort you and give you a peace that only He can give. I love you guys, and I wish I could be there for you. My prayer is that you will rejoice in all of the memories and cherish the fabulous relationship you had with one another. It's an amazing thing to love and be loved in return in such a selfless way.

I love you guys so much!!

Wie ein einziger Tag

Leider, schreibe ich nicht ganz auf Deutch.

One of my goals when we first moved to Germany was to be able to read a book in German from cover to cover (and understand it). Recently, I've begun reading Wie ein einziger Tag by Nicholas Sparks. I found this book at a flea market here in Germany, and I paid about 50 cents for it. Obviously, Nicholas Sparks is not a German author, but an American one. As I skimmed through the book, I thought to myself, "I can read this!" The German didn't look too complicated or anything, so I decided to try it. Well, as I am reading the first chapter, I am thinking, "Man, this story seems somehow familiar." And it is!! Wie ein einziger Tag basically means: Like a single day. However, when one translates titles, they are usually tweaked at bit so that they make sense in German. The book that I am reading is The Notebook. I was so excited. Not only do I understand the book well enough that I know that, but I also really like this story. I am excited to see how it's translated.

On a completely different topic: We are leaving for the Canary Islands, off the coast of Spain, next week. We found a fabulous deal on an all inclusive resort for a week, so we decided to take it. We are so ready for some relaxation. All of our other "vacations" have been very busy with sightseeing and running around and such (not that we are complaining at all!!), so we are ready to just lay on the beach (which we haven't seen in ages, it seems) and do absolutely nothing. I know some of you may think that chilling and relaxing are all I do all day, right? But it's really not. I have figured out a lot of ways to keep myself busy these days. For one, I am helping a few teenie boppers learn English. Also, I am meeting now regularly with a lady who is helping me with my German speech. I also workout for a few hours a day/4-5 days per week. I spend several hours per day studying and learning too. I am quite the self-motivated little bee...haha.

Anyway, I hope to hear from some people here soon. We miss you all, and we are anxious and excited to be coming home in just under three months.

Beth

Crazy Dreams

Ok, so for the last 2 nights, I've had these really crazy dreams, and then I can't go back to sleep. On the first night, I was killed (yes, I actually died in my dream...yikes!) in a freak volcano eruption. We (meaning me and some people I don't remember) were trying to keep the lava from overtaking our small town when I remember kicking the dirt and lava just started shooting up from the ground. I then died. Freaky!! Then, last night, I dreamed that I was riding my bike. I was in a subway tunnel with tons of people, and this guy just started shooting a gun. He shot me first in my right lung, and I flew off my bike. On the way down, he shot me again in my other lung. Then he came over to me to make sure I was dead. I am no interpreter of dreams or anything, but dude, I'm freaking out a little. I don't think I am going to ride my bike today, though...just in case.

Things I Appreciate About Deutschland

 

When we first moved here, I was so not a happy camper. It was always cold and rainy. I mean, come on, September in SC is still incredibly hot and humid. I didn't think it would be that much different here in Germany. Not being able to speak the language or understand very much was also incredibly challenging for such a talkative person as myself. Soon, the holiday season was upon us, and it was so difficult not being able to come home and see my family and friends.

Everything started to change for me after the holidays, though. I had taken several intensive German language classes, so my understanding was getting better and better by the day. I also met some really great people who helped me fill my days with great coffee and fantastic conversation. (Thanks Amanda and Karen)!! Rather than seeing all of the things I missed about America, I began to appreciate Germany a bit more, and I realized how narrow my view of the world was. So, I'm compiling a list of all the things I love about Deutschland...things I may have found a little annoying when I first moved here but now I don't know how I'll live without them.

*Having 5 different trash receptacles. The funny thing is that my very first German lesson when we moved here was to read and know all of the items that go into the Gelbasack (if you're in Germany, you know). Danny and I have been recycling since we were first married, but Germans take it to the extreme, and it's mandated. You HAVE to do it. I love that. Americans get such a bad rap, because we are consumers and wasters. I think we all should make an effort to recycle everything. I mean, why not? The only outcome is good things, so why wouldn't we do it?

*Dining Out. When you go to a German restaurant, you basically seat yourself. It's great, because if you don't want to be crammed next another table, you just pick a different one. On top of that, the waiters and waitresses don't bug you every two minutes. When you're ready to order, you close your menu, and they usually come right away. When you're ready to pay, you ask for the check. Other than that, you're left alone. And you can sit for hours if you want. I've never felt rushed out of a restaurant here. The difference is that the servers get paid more, but don't make as much in tips. When you tip here, you just round up or give an extra Euro or two if the the service was stellar. Since the waiters aren't paid based on how many customers they can get in and out, it makes the entire experience more enjoyable.

*No free refills. I HATED this when I first came here, because I can down several glasses of water in one meal in the States. I find that when I drink slower, I eat slower, and that just makes for a more enjoyable and relaxed experience. Also, how many times have you left a restaurant right after you had your glass refilled? You end up leaving an entire glass of whatever on on the table, and it gets thrown away. Do you realize how much is being wasted? Consider how many people go out everyday, and think about how often that happens. We deserve to be called spoiled and wasteful. (Please don't be offended. I still LOVE America).

*Having my German corrected ALL the time. This used to annoy the daylights out of me. I just wanted to be able say what I had to say, no matter how bad I butchered the language, without being interrupted. Every day when I'd go to the bakery, she'd correct my pronunciation, and it didn't seem like she was being very nice about it. The cool thing is that over the last several months, I've been corrected less and less, which has made me feel like I've accomplished something!! It's funny when you start speaking in German, and the person automatically starts speaking in English. They know you're obviously not from Germany. Now, that happens less and less. When mom was here, I had to translate A LOT!! It was great. For the first time, I felt like, "Yay, I know this. I've got this down"!! It was awesome.

*The fact that it costs about 2000 Euros to get your drivers license. Bear with me on this one. I know that as Americans, we want a deal all the time...something for nothing. As a German, you're required to have so many hours with a driving instructor. It's a lot, from what I hear. Then you have to take a pretty tough test, and if you fail, it's another thousand Euros or so for the training to take the test again. This is great, because if you aren't serious about driving, you take a bus or a train. Only people who NEED to drive do it. And then, the drivers who are on the roads are more well-trained. I've only seen one wreck the entire time I've lived here, even with all the snow. And there's no speed limit on a lot of road. People drive so fast!! But everyone knows the rules, and they actually follow them. You don't see drivers just riding in the left lane, EVER!! It's a huge no-no.

Ok, so I think this is enough for now. I plan to add to this list, so look for updates. There's so much more I want to share.

Beth

My Heart is Sad (Click here to find out why).

I couldn't believe it when I saw the pictures on CNN. The town of Hechingen, where Hohenzollern is located, has been completely devastated by flooding and high winds. It literally looks like a tornado has gone through. Keep in mind that this town is only about 15-20 minutes away from Reutlingen, where we live. There are cars completely flipped upside down, huge trees totally uprooted, and 3 people have died. It's a really sad time for the close knit community, so please keep them in your prayers. It's still raining a good bit, but hopefully that will be over soon.

Beth

I love this!!

I love theological debate with Christians and non-Christians alike. When I was younger, I used to sit in coffee shops and engage in friendly debate with friends and people I didn't even know. It strengthened my faith so much during that time in my life. I really miss those days. I have always thought that Jesus smiles on us when we debate each other about things in His Word. I think that's why He left us some mysteries to try to figure out. While I am no theologian, I can't help but really get into deep conversations about God, our origins, etc. I found this blog today that I think is super interesting. Everyone should take a look.

http://gospeloffrank.blogspot.com

Leave comments and think about how you REALLY feel on topics that are really relevant to our Christian faith.

Beth

Mom's Visit

 

So my mom left on Monday to go back to the States. She was here for almost 2 weeks. I think she got to see a great deal in that time. We went to Paris again which was great. It rained the ENTIRE time, but we made some great memories. I was finally able to buy a painting from Montmartre, and I am so excited about it. I regretted so much not getting one last time I was there, so I knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity if I ever got another.

We also traveled all over Germany. She saw Ulm (big church), Hohenzollern (castle of the Prussian kings), Heidelberg, Dachau (concentration camp), and most of the family in Bad König, Michelstadt, and Erbach. We didn't give my mom a break!!

Now the time is coming where we have to think about leaving Germany to go back to America. I am feeling very ambivalent about it really. At first, I didn't think this year could be over soon enough, but now I am truly starting to love it here. I am sure being able to understand and speak the language helps a great deal. But there's so many things about Germany I am going to miss. A lot of the things that I used to think were so inconvenient, like having 5 different trash receptacles, I now truly appreciate. I love being able to go to a restaurant and just sit where I want. The waiters don't stand over you and bug you every five seconds. You can sit for hours, and no one sets a bill in front of you trying to hurry you out the door. It's great, really!! I've made some lasting friendships here too. Danny's family has also become very dear to me. They are the most non-judgmental people I've ever met. They don't wear the masks that so many in my family wear. They've been very accepting of me. They've never made me feel stupid in spite of my complete and total butchering of their language. I don't know. I just love them a lot.

Now we're face with a big decision. There's a possibility that we can stay another year (everyone gasp!!). At first, I was dead against it, but now I am thinking more seriously about it. But, as I was telling a friend, I don't want to stay here only because I dread going back to the drama and craziness that is the reality that I live in at home. I don't want to be a coward. I do, however, miss my great friends, and I honestly think my mom might have a cow if we stay for another year. We'd probably put off having kids for another year, b/c my mom would, for sure, kill me if I had kids here. There's a whole lot to think and pray about. The positive about staying here is that I would really be able to master the language. In just the last 2-3 months, my German has gotten SOOOOO much better. So, if anyone actually reads this, please pray for us that we make the decision that God wants for us. That's the ultimate questions really. Where does God want us to be?

I guess we'll see.

Nadia und ich...so süß!

 

So Thankful

On this day 27 years ago, my hubby came into the world. I am so thankful for him. He's such an amazing man. I am thankful for his parents who raised him so well. I know they are proud of the man he's become!! I would have never in my life thought marriage could be so fun and effortless. It's such a joy to walk with him through life and to experience so much together. I am proud to be his wife, and I want to make him as happy as he deserves.

Love ya, baby!!!

WHAT THE...?!?! (Click Here)

Since when is THIS a plus-sized model?!?!? She looks really slim and fit to me. What in the heck is this world coming to when we label normal sized (or even slim women) as plus sized just because you can't see their ribs or their spine sticking out of their backs? The modeling industry should be ashamed of itself!! No wonder young girls starve themselves to fulfill this supposed "norm" in society. Who gave them the right to determine what's normal and not? UGH!!!!!!!!!

Our Worldwind Tour in Italy

We had so much fun on our trip in Italy. We decided to just drive our car and be spontaneous. We didn't even have hotel reservations for every night, which ended up working in our favor!!

We left on Wednesday, April 30, and in one day, we drove through 5 countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Italy)!!! Instead of taking interstates/autobahns, we took the long route to our first stop in Como in the north of Italy. We saw such amazing things on this part of the trip. From spring and summer temperatures to 3 meters of snow in the Swiss Alps, we had such an adventure driving to our destination. We stayed one night in Como (just a pit stop), and then we set out for Cinque Terra.

Cinque Terra is one of the coolest group of towns I've ever been to or seen. It's 5 towns connected by hiking trails, and it's on the Ligurian Sea. We had some of the best pizza, croissants, and cappuccino there. Plus, the views from everywhere were like postcard photos. We were able to relax and lay out on the beach. We hiked 4 of the 5 towns. The weather was gorgeous. In all, it's one of my favorite places on earth.
 

Our next stop was Florence. Initially, we weren't going to go here, but we had a few friends convince us that it was worth a night or two. Booking a room here took some time and effort, though. Thankfully, we had this room booked before we left. Anyway, we were able to get tickets to Accademia, which is where Michaelangelo's David is located. Holy moly!! It was truly the most amazing sculpture I've ever seen. I am no art buff, but I was just captivated by Dave. Michaelangelo was literally given this huge slab of marble and told to create something fabulous out of it. I mean, the veins in his arms, feet, and hands were dead on. His face and his eyes were mesmerizing. I so wish I would have broken the rules and gotten a photo, but it still wouldn't have captured the sheer magnitude of this work. This alone was worth the trip to Florence. Other than that, we walked a lot, ate a ton of gelato, and I found out that there's a crazy bug to which I am incredibly allergic (still don't know what that bug is, unfortunately). After 2 nights in Florence, we were pretty ready to get on the road to Rome.
 

Rome is pretty much the coolest city on earth. It even beats Paris!! Maybe it was because I knew so much more about Rome, but this place was truly like taking a walk through time. But, unlike Florence, it felt like Rome was still a very modern city. It seemed like Florence had just stopped somewhere in the 1700s or something. I couldn't believe we were able to walk where so many early Christians, who died for their faith, had walked. Even Peter, the Apostle, was here and was martyred here. I realized how blessed I am to live in a country (even in Germany) where I can worship Christ with all that I am whenever I want and not be afraid of the consequences. How blessed are we?! We went to the ancient Forum, where people like Julius Caesar strolled the streets, made laws, conducted all sorts of business, and was eventually murdered and cremated. We saw temples to the gods that the Romans worshiped, and I was thankful that the One, True God decided to make His temple in me (and you).

We also saw the Colosseum, which was pretty cool, but for some reason, Danny and I both said that we thought it would be bigger. I guess it really is pretty huge, but with all of the other really huge buildings around, it just doesn't look so large. A few months ago I read The Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers in which many scenes take place in the Colosseum. Even though the books are fiction, I could still imagine the real life horrors that some Christian martyrs faced being sent into face lions and other wild animals. After Rome defeated the Jews in Jerusalem, they took over 50,000 prisoners, and many were forced to either fight (the men) or be fed to the animals when the crowd got especially bored. Can you imagine looking into the eyes of a hungry wild animal, praying to God that He takes you fast enough that you don't feel anything? It was heart breaking!! And then I think about the day that may come where I am tested in my faith, and I pray that I have the strength to stand in the face of the worst possible death.
 
 

We also visited one of the catacombs on the Appian Way (remember the movie Spartacus?...ewww gross). I was so impressed by our tour guide. He was Slovakian, and he spoke very good English. We could tell that he was truly passionate about teaching the people about everything including the symbols early Christians used to identify themselves and Christians. He told us stories of the people who were buried here. One that struck me was the story of Cecilia (beautiful name!!) She was a martyr, and over her tomb was a sculpture of her lying on her side, face down. In one had she held up 2 fingers, and in the other, she held up 1 finger signifying the trinity, yet one God!! There was an area down in the catacombs where people could have communion and small memorial services. As we were down there, a group of people were having such a service, and they were singing Praise to the Lord...the Almighty, the King of Creation...in Latin (I think). It was so incredible. I felt so much more close to Jesus than I ever could have in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City (more on that later). It was just such a powerful experience that we'll never forget.

So now on to happier subjects....

My absolute favorite thing in Rome was the Pantheon. We both just thought there was something special about it. The columns were so incredibly huge. I cannot even explain it. There's a huge opening in the dome, so when it rains, the church is totally exposed. But there are drains in the floor, and the floor naturally slants to allow the water to flow out. Ok, this is the thing...this church is soooooo old!!! So old, in fact, that it sits 15 feet below street level. In other words, Rome has literally grown or risen around the Pantheon. Maybe you just have to see it for yourself, but it's incredible.
 

We spent one day in Vatican City, which was pretty cool. We visited the Vatican museum where we saw the Sistine Chapel and many ancient Christian pieces of art. We saw entire rooms painted by Raphael. It was such an incredibly huge museum. I think Danny and I were a little overwhelmed. After the museum, we went to St. Peter's Basilica...the largest church on earth...I believe. There are markings on the ground where the next largest church would fit inside St. Peter's...crazy. The Apostle, Peter's remains are here under this crazy huge canopy. I wonder if he would actually like all that attention being that he lived only to serve and promote Christ. I don't know. What do you think? I know I don't really understand all of the seemingly saint worship that takes place in the Catholic church, but then again, maybe there's something that I'm missing. Feel free to comment and let me know. On a kind of funny note, there was a painting, The Transfiguration, by Raphael that really made me laugh. (I hope I am not being sac religious). So, Jesus is busy transfiguring, and the people who are observing this are really hysterical. There's one boy or teenager in the painting who looks like he's fainting, and the other people on the ground are so busy looking and tending to him that they fail to really see Jesus transfiguring. I think maybe Raphael was trying to say something...think about it.
 

Two minute Soapbox (sorry): While we were in St. Peter's Basilica, I overheard a woman saying, "Man, this is the closest to God you can possibly be." That really knocked the wind out of me. Among all of the decor and gold, bronze, and silver, I can honestly say that the one thing that I didn't feel or see was the Spirit of God. I found myself feeling really sad in the Basilica. I felt the presence of the God so strongly while we were many feet underground in the catacombs. I felt His presence as we were driving through the amazing, God-made mountains in Switzerland and Italy. I feel His presence everyday when I pray and worship. His Spirit cannot be contained is such an earthly container. How dare we think that we can put Him within 4 (really decorated) walls!! Jesus didn't die so that we would make incredibly elaborate temples to saints. He died to SAVE the lost!! How is it that we have missed the mark in such a huge way? I have really wrestled with this since we got back. I just don't understand it. I have a lot of respect for the Pope even though I am not Catholic (He was educated in the university town next to Reutlingen). Why is it that someone whose entire life is dedicated to learning and knowing Christ doesn't get it that it's all wrong?!? Am I the one who is wrong? Ok, end of soapbox...
 

We left Rome pretty early on Friday morning, and I MUST say that I am so proud of my husband for having the patience to drive in Rome. It's absolutely nuts!! We are so used to Germany where there's so much order and structure. Well, in Italy, as soon as you cross the border, it's utter CHAOS!!! Danny did great, though!!

Our next destination: Bolzano/Bozen to see the Ice Man. That's right, the Ice Man. Let me tell you a little about Bolzano/Bozen first. It has two names, because one is Italian and one Austrian. In WWI, a war in which Austria started and lost, Bozen was given to Italy as payment of war damages. So that meant that lots of people were suddenly not Austrian citizens anymore. They became Italians, even though the spoke German, ate Austrian food, built Austrian-style houses, and had blond hair and blue eyes. Over the years, more real Italians moved to the area, and were a little upset that everything was still so Austrian, and the Austrians have tried many times to break away from Italy and rejoin Austria with no success. So you have a entire section of Italy that is truly more German/Austrian than Italy. Most of the people are pretty much forced to speak both languages. The tv is in German and Italian. Menus are in German and Italian. It's just crazy. We had NO idea what language to speak. It was fun, though, trying to figure it out.
 

Ok, so back to the Ice Man. He was found by German hikers in 1991. The hikers just thought that he was one of the many non-ancient people who lose their lives in the Alp/Dolomites every year, but as it turns out, he was from about 5000 b.C. His clothes and equipment were still in pretty good shape. Apparently, the ice preserved him and his stuff very well. Scientists could even tell what color his eyes were...blue. Pretty cool stuff. He was pretty gross looking, though, and this is coming from a NURSE and one who has dissected cadavers before...ewwww.

Our final destination was back in our temporary "heimatland"...the Bodensee (Lake Konstanz) in southern Germany. We met our friends, Kyle and Karen Dresback, there to spend some time with them before they left Germany for good. (They left yesterday...booo). It was really nice to have structure and order again. I didn't realize how much I took that for granted in the Deutschland!! Anyway, we had a great time relaxing, eating great fish, and drinking coffee. On top of that, I had the joy of riding a ferry (with the car) for the first time!! It wasn't quite as exciting as I wanted it to be, but it got us to the other side of the lake in a timely manner. In all, we had a really great time.
 

We drove home on Monday, and I must say that I was really ready to be home and not living out of a suitcase. I really missed Germany while we were in Italy. It was strange. For the first 4 months here, I was so homesick, but now I can honestly say that I feel comfortable here. I am not so scared to talk and just be myself. I think Germany will always be a second home to me, even when we are back in the U.S.

Finally Home

We just got home about one hour ago from our long trip in Italy. It was absolutely amazing. We are, however, very pooped, so look for a blog and pictures here in the next day or two. I journaled everyday, so I'll try to share something interesting from all of the places we saw. I cannot believe we only have 4 more months here in Germany. It's actually not cold anymore, and everything is green and in bloom...just breathtaking. I will really miss this place when we leave. ;)

What's New?

Let's see....

The food here in Germany is very rich...lots of fatty meat with creamy sauces served with starchy potatoes or noodles. Oh, and let's not forget the incredible sugary pastries and breads that fill your senses every time you walk anywhere near a bakery. (They're EVERYWHERE!!!) I had set some goals for myself when we first moved here...even put them in writing...such a dork, I know. After being here for about 6 months, I realized that I hadn't even started working on some of them. Not good!! So, about one month and a half ago I started an amazing new journey in getting myself in shape and eating healthy. I completely changed the way I was eating. Not only did I start feeling so much better and having more energy, I have also started losing a good bit of extra weight that I've put on over the years. Danny's not really participating that much in eating better. He loves his sugar too much!! But, he's lost weight too just from eating healthier dinners, I guess. We both feel tons better, and that's the most important thing. Losing weight should only be a side effect.

 

One of Danny's and my friends came to visit while on business from Bosch. We had dinner in Tübingen on Thursday night, and it was hilarious. Travis, our friend, brought another guy with him, Michael. I so wish I could tell you some of the stories we heard over that dinner, but you wouldn't get the full effect just by reading it. All I've got to say is, "Sprechen Sie Deutsch!!" Only a few know of what I am speaking, and you should be laughing your head off.


Yesterday, Sunday, was a strange day. It was actually sunny outside, so Danny and I really wanted to take advantage of it. We decided to meet up with a friend and go to this place where some meteor hit. Well, needless to say, after about 1.5 hours of driving around the booming metropolis of Metzingen (note sarcasm), we had no clue where to find the parking lot where our friend was waiting. Apparently, stores are only open on Sundays 1-2 times per year, and EVERYONE decides to go shopping whether they really need to or not. After being yelled and honked at for not pulling out into speeding traffic, we decided it was time to tuck our tails between our legs and find another activity for the day. I got the bright idea of going for a bike ride around where we live. It was a marvelous idea, honest!! We retrieve our bikes from the cellar downstairs, and Danny notices that his back tire needs a little air. So we walk the bike down the street to the gas station where Danny proceeds to pump up his tire. He checks my bike again, just to make sure, and he decides that my tire needs air also. What he doesn't realize is that my tire has a different nozzle and cannot be pumped up by just an ordinary pump. He then tries to figure out a way to pump it up anyway. (It's the engineer in him that won't let him just leave well enough alone. I do love that about him, though). In the end, Danny had a perfectly ridable bike, and I had a tire that had absolutely no air in it at all. Then, I decided that, for some reason, God just really didn't want us to be outside. It was such a strange day, full of folly!!

My mom is coming to visit mid-May. Yay!!!! She finally booked her flight a few weeks ago. I was so hoping that she would take this opportunity to visit a foreign country. I think we're going to Paris again, because Paris is awesome. I hope that she is impressed by my German skills...haha. And for the record, the only French I can speak is counting to about 13, so we may be in trouble in Paris. Who knows. (Tiffany used her French skills while we were there before).

On April 30, we are going on our 2 week trip to Italy!! I still don't know where all we are going, but I plan on figuring all of that out this week. I got my new Rick Steve's Italy book, so I should be set.

My birthday isn't for a while. It's in July, but I think I am at the age where I don't really want to tell you how old I am anymore...booo. Anyway, we're going to go to the Canary Islands for a week in July. There's a black sand beach on one of the islands, and we're really hoping to stay there, lay on the beach, and drink pina coladas!! I can't wait to see the ocean again!!!

Well, I think that's about all that's new here. We'd love to hear about what's going on back home. Feel free to leave a comment or email me.

That is the Question

What would you attempt for God if you knew you could not fail?

Figuring Out My Purpose

Having been here in Germany for almost 7 months, I have had a lot of time to think and pray and figure out what's truly important in my life. I've been doing a lot of God seeking about what He wants me to be. I feel kind of like a teenager wondering what I want to be when I grow up, even though I've had a pretty successful career so far in nursing.

Today, God used one of my best friends to show me that for basically all of my life, I have been living in incredible fear of being rejected. I've feared actually stepping out and doing what I know God has truly called me and gifted me to do. I've settled for things in my life, because I was scared to truly go after and pursue certain things.

So, today I've made a decision to put an end to the fear in my life. I've decided to go after my dreams and passions and understand that if I get rejected, it's ok. My life is my Jesus' hands, and if I am going after His will, then He'll open the doors that need to opened and close the doors that need to close. You have to understand that this is a little intimidating and scary for me. I've never really faced the types of rejections that I may face here in the near future. So pray for me, that God will guide and instruct me on this new journey in my life. Ooooo...I am actually really excited about this!!

Beth

Dachau

 

For over a week I've been contemplating what I experienced at Dachau, the first concentration camp here in Germany. It's just really hard to put into words how emotional the whole experience was. Here's some historical background on the place:

1. It was the first concentration camp; all the other concentration camps/death camps were designed from this one.

2. The camp started in 1933 as a "work camp." The Nazi's believed that hard work would rehabilitate Jews, Christians, homosexuals, and really anyone who didn't subscribe to their way of thinking.

3. The camp was designed to house 6,000 prisoners, but in the end, it held over 32,000!!

 

4. Every morning and evening, the prisoners were forced to do a "roll call" where they literally had to stand at attention and not move until all the prisoners were accounted for.

5. There were three barracks that were used for medical experimentation. Humans were used as guinea pigs to try new medications, new surgeries, etc.

6. There was an electrical fence around the perimeter of the camp, and many prisoners would purposely run into it to end their lives.

7. American soldiers freed the camp on April 29, 1945, and they turned the camp into a prison for the Nazis.

 

So this is my experience:

We walked into the camp, and our audio guide had us walk the path that the prisoners would have walked at their arrival to the camp. We could still see remnants of the road that was taken into the camp and the railroad tracks that brought the prisoners from all over Europe. As we walked through the front gate, we could read the iron door...Arbeit Macht Frei, which means Work Sets One Free. It was the motto of this "work camp." We then walked out onto the huge courtyard, where the prisoners were forced to stand at attention for hours until all the prisoners were accounted for. We could imagine the electrical fence running along the perimeter that was an escape for so many of the prisoners. And there were watch towers all over with snipers ready to kill anyone not doing their work. Here, I could imagine men of pride and valor being reduced to garbage as their bodies gave out from lack of food and the strenuous work conditions. These were men who stood up to the regime and paid with their lives.

We then viewed a few of the memorials at the camp. The first stated: "May the example of those who were exterminated here between 1933-1945 because they resisted Nazism help to unite the living for the defense of peace and freedom an in respect for their fellow men".

 

Another memorial was actually constructed by a freed prisoner from this camp. It showed men who were starved tangled in a web of barbed wire. I can't even imagine having the ability to construct that after such a horrific experience.

 

Another memorial was a symbol of the different nationalities, religious groups, and countries who had prisoners in this camp. The memorial contained triangles of various colors depicting these groups. (When prisoners were brought to the camp, they were stripped of their clothes and their name and given only a uniform with a triangle patched that contained their i.d. number. Thus, the significance of the triangles in the memorial).

 

Next, we saw the memorial of the Unknown Soldier. It contained an inscription that said, "Never Again".

 

Next, we walked through one of the two barracks. They had been restored, because they were originally torn down. The bunks that men, probably 6 feet tall or more, had to sleep in were incredibly small. And I am sure that some men had to sleep on the floor, simply because there was just no room. Cleanliness was something that was highly regarded by the Nazis, so imagine 32,000 men in tiny barracks but with not a speck of dirt or dust on the floors.

Finally, we made our way to the crematoriums. Originally there was only one, but the death toll had become so high that they had to build another. When I say "they," I mean the prisoners had to build another one. The soldiers did none of the work in the camp. So with this second crematorium, there was also built a gas chamber where, in 15-20 minutes, 150 prisoners could have been exterminated at a time using prussic acid poison gas. This gas chamber was never used, however, there were other means of extreme torture used in killing the prisoners. At times, the soldiers would bring live prisoners to the crematorium and hang them in front of the burning ovens.

 

 

By the end of our journey through the camp, we were mostly speechless and stunned. It's easy to think, "Well, this happened in an uncivilized time, and people are smarter now. It will never happen again." But that is simply not true. This happened only about 60 years ago. The Germans were not uncivilized at all. WWI had imposed some really harsh things on the Germans, and Hitler came promising great things. It was easy for a people so discouraged to believe. Hitler had become their ray of hope, and frankly many of the Germans didn't know exactly what was happening. Everything that the Third Reich did was very secretive. I believe that we came out of this experience knowing that it could happen again, and that we must be mindful of who/what we believe. Just because someone makes great claims and promises doesn't mean that it will happen. And as long as our "ray of hope" is not in man but in Christ alone, we can make it through anything. The Bible speaks of men who will come and, with great speeches and great manipulation, will talk people out of their faiths. Hitler was one, but I believe that there will be a time when we are all tested. And I believe that God has His hands on us, and will give us grace to stand in that day.

I would really appreciate any comments on this post. I'd like to know what you think regarding this time, and perhaps the time that will come.

Thanks,
Beth

HELP!!

On April 30, we are going on a bit of an adventure. We're going to get in our car and drive through Switzerland to Italy. If anyone has been to these places, let us know!! We need to know some great places to visit/stay/eat. We are planning on staying in Rome for a 3-4 days, and we'll hopefully get to attend a Papal Mass. That's really the only thing we have planned that's concrete. I have an Italy travel guide, but I would like some input from people I know who have been there. Thanks so much!!

A White Easter?

This weekend the weather has been really bad. It's been cold, windy, and rainy. This morning, we woke up thinking the weather would be no different, but it was!! It was white!! We were having the Easter blizzard. Nevertheless, we decided to brave the weather and drive 45 minutes to our church for Easter service. (In South Carolina, even church would have been canceled due to the snow). Church was awesome. It was completely packed out. The first song they played was, "Oh, Happy Day" by Steve Fee, and it was in English (a double bonus). A good time was had by all.

The entire day, I've been thinking about what this day really means and how the Easter bunny come into the mix. This the day we commemorate Jesus' resurrection!! Not only did He die for my sins, He defied death by rising again. I would have loved to have seen the faces of the people to whom He appeared. Can you imaging seeing Him and thinking that it just can't be true? But then He shows you His hands, and you have no doubt that this is God in the flesh standing in front of you. Can you imagine His mother? She has seen her Son die such a brutal death, but then He goes to her and says, "Hey mom, Guess what? I'm Alive!!". I can imagine what the disciples thought? It had to have become crystal clear to them that He had told them all of this was going to happen, but they just didn't understand before. They must have felt so dumb, yet so happy at the same time.

Anyway, this has been a great day. I am so hoping that God will reveal Himself to lots of people today. My challenge to anyone who doesn't know Christ is to simply begin to search for Him. Ask Jesus to show you that He is God. It's really that simple. The Bible says that when we seek, we find, and I believe with all of my heart that He will reveal Himself to you if you only ask. That's what He did for me. Trust me, I am about as stubborn and hard-headed as they come, but He has shown Himself to me over and over again.

Happy Easter!!!

Eiffel Tower at Night