When we moved to Belgium two months ago, it was full-fledged winter here. Below freezing temperatures, snow, sleet, wind, rain, cloudy ALL the time. Now two months later I feel like it is a different world. It’s still very cool in the early mornings, but the beauty of springtime in Belgium has totally surprised me. There are flowers everywhere. Even in our backyard where we’ve done absolutely no planting or yard work (other than mowing once), we have signs of spring everywhere.
I love all the flowers in our yard, but I want to show you my pleasant surprise for the day. (more…)
I have been in Belgium for two weeks and I’m slowly getting used to the cold weather. That is a huge statement coming from someone who was born and raised in Texas. I LOVE hot weather. I look forward to the 100 degree days during the Texas summers. I really love the heat. I even like to sweat. That’s why I find it so humorous that God would send me to Belgium where most of the year is spent under rain clouds and 40 degrees. Two days ago it snowed all morning. This morning we had to scrape ice off the windshield before driving to church. It’s not too fun, but you really do get accustomed to being cold. After a winter in Jerusalem and now being in Belgium, I am totally used to the European heating system, which consists of radiators in every room emitting heat instead of wall vents blowing heat like in the States. At night while everyone is in bed, the heat is turned off. I am totally used to this way of heating, and I even think it’s superior to the system in the U.S.. Why waste perfectly good heat while you’re sleeping? That’s brings up another difference. The bedding is SO soft and comfy. Duvet covers enveloping down comforters is definitely the way to sleep. They trap your body heat, and you seriously get too warm at times, even with the heaters off in your room. I haven’t tried it yet, but my best friend, Lynn, in Cyprus, tells me that her hot water bottle is a must during Cypriot winters. One of my friends in Jerusalem always sleeps with a hot water bottle at her feet. (more…)
Gary just sent me this picture on his iPhone as he was closing the door to our apartment in Israel for the last time.
I have to admit that I cried when I saw it. This last year has been such a gift from Abba God, and I mean that with all my heart. I have no feelings of pain or regret at having to leave Israel. On the contrary, my heart is filled with such gratitude for having spent a whole year there, that I all can do is thank Him for that very special gift. There are many memories attached to this apartment. Great memories. The laughter, the friends we made, the friends from Texas who stayed with us, the meals served, the movies watched on laptops, the games played at the table, the worship at the keyboard and guitar, the hours of Bible study and meditation looking out over the Judean mountains. Ahhh…..great memories!
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Posted in Family on 12. Feb, 2010
Ok…everyone else is talking about the weather today, so I’ll show what it’s like here in Jerusalem. Last week we had something fall from the sky that was a cross between hail, snow and ice. It looked like little white styrofoam pellets. I had forgotten to get some towels off the drying rack on our upstairs balcony, and this is what it looked like. It makes me cold just to look at this picture!
Now the last few days have been a totally different story. Today it was sunny and 70 degrees. Absolutely perfect weather.
I really love the Israeli climate, because it is so much like the climate where I grew up in Texas. The only difference is that it’s incredibly dry and dusty. Just over the hills to the east of Jerusalem is the Judean desert. (I have to dust almost every day.) (more…)
A couple of weeks ago, Gary and I took Austin and Hannah (our oldest son & future daughter-in-love) into the Old City to eat a shawerma. I love falafels and shawermas. Have I ever mentioned that? Anyway, on the way to the little falafel shop, we stopped off at the Western Wall. We didn’t have time to stop and linger, but we saw a white dove on the Wall over on the women’s side, and Hannah and I didn’t want to pass up the photo op! A white dove on the Western Wall…the only section of wall left from the 1st century when Yeshua walked here….a Wall that His human eyes looked at….
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