(I wrote this June 5.)
Right now I’m sitting on a five hour train ride headed to Weimar. And I can say with confidence that it is much harder to pee on a train than on a plane. But seriously, I feel like I’m in Harry Potter. Everything outside the windows is hilly with tons of trees and small towns and windmills and... castles. You know, no big deal. It’s even kind of cloudy like in the Harry Potter movies, and occasionally we go through long tunnels under mountains/hills. So beautiful. I’m pretty sure almost everyone is asleep... Dr. Cothran has a way of making sure we are always busy! That’s why I haven’t posted in a while. Sorry to my family. :/ Between classwork (two tests, two projects, six journals, reading a book, and daily workbook homework all in two weeks) and all of our tours and outings, it’s easy for time to fly by. I’m facing backwards from the direction we are going on the train, so I can see everything fade away in all the giant windows as we pass it. It actually kind of makes me think of how I don’t want to look at this trip. I keep wishing for time to go faster- I want to see my friends and family and eat Mexican food. But I can’t let the summer slip away. I’ve praised God for the blessing of comfort in being here that He has given me (as I asked last week) and don’t need to let go of it. God does not just provide a way through or a way out, but He is with me the whole time, holding the roof above my head, asking me to work while He does so that it’s not a waste. He doesn’t save us in order for us to just sit there. I think trials are better conquered than just endured, and the way to get all out of this life that God wants us to is not just to find happiness in all of the adventures and fun and learning curves, but to smile at God and rejoice when He refines us to look more like Him, even if that often doesn’t seem joyous at all. But joy can only, ONLY be found in the presence of God, and I think He’s usually the closest when He’s got His hands on us, molding us like clay. Good thing He’s doing that to me every day. :)
Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 64:8
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness...
Malachi 3:3
This is the day the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24
So for those of you wanting to know some prayer requests, I want God to fill me with His Holy Spirit so that I walk in the exact footsteps that would bring Him the most glory this summer. I hope He opens doors for me to reflect Him, that I see those doors, that I open them, and that my class sees more of Him and less of me.
Here’s what I’ve been doing this past week and a half!
Jazz festival saturday! Completely awesome. Amazing live music.
Me, Charlotte, and CT went to Dr. Cothran’s church last Sunday. It’s called the Neanderkirche and it’s in the Altstadt of Düsseldorf. It was Pentacost Sunday, which is a huge deal here. Monday is even a national holiday because of it. Afterwards we were served free beer as we walked out the door... haha. For a church holiday and the pastor’s birthday. Only in Germany.
We toured der Dom in Aachen (not the same as the one in Köln) on Monday. This church is Charlemagne central! Here’s a picture of his royal bust, which is an actual relic with his skull in it. There were several of those throughout the church. Also, these are the tallest stained glass windows in the world- 83 feet!
Wednesday I biked 5k, ran 2 miles alone the Rhine River, biked 5k back. Only in Deutschland can you see a city skyline, sheep and goats, and an old man running in white boxers all at once (he was intentionally left out of the photo).
Here’s my best attempt at a panorama and another photo of the media district of Düsseldorf. Super cool.
Saturday we went to Schloss Berg- a castle! The best part was getting there (as displayed by group Karate Kid photo). We definitely hiked a couple miles through the giant German trees, and took a ski lift up a mountain to get there. And the tour inside of the castle was awesome. I feel like I’m learning a ton of history on this trip.
Saturday night we went to the Japanischerfest. I got to watch Japanese men dance like frogs on a stage, and the world’s biggest fireworks show, all in one night!
Now we are finally in Weimar. I like it here. So much more to come. :)
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