Day 5 of Quarantine!

Well... I am now in self quarantine... We are very vigilant, not wanting to be fined for breaking any rules. We have to have our mask on when we are outside... We still cannot have contact with Mom. Alan is caring for her!

We did a lot today.

Isaiah got up early and went to play tennis.

Then we had lunch out and did the banking stuff. Isaiah closed both of his bank accounts -- Shanghai Bank and HSBC! Each took a bit of time, but so great to have that done.

I returned and paid for an overdue library book, bought fruit, bought bread, made dinner for Mom, and put away all the suitcases! That was quite a task to fit everything back into the small storage space in our living room. One suitcase I will check the price for wheel replacement. If it's too costly, we will toss that one. Another suitcase will be stored at Alan's office since he will most likely use it for his Chinese New Year trip. Plus we have a retreat coming up next weekend. He will need his carry on!

I went for another run this evening... it is still quite warm here even though it is already Autumn!

I have a long list of things to do... I need to write a devotional for the retreat, prep for my Bible studies, organize what I will do for the Soochow Bible Study, and help Eddie with some web site writing... This weekend is going to fly by.

Daily Lovely Insight:

Malachi is the only book that doesn't end on a note of HOPE... so interesting! Four hundred years of silence and the Messiah appears... God is a Writer who knows how to build up the suspense!

Seek Him First!

Day 4 of Quarantine!

We did the antigen test... NEGATIVE!

So, we are OUT... sort of... four more days of self quarantine.

I cleaned the place thoroughly, taking out the trash, stacking all the bedding, putting away all dishes, and sweeping the floor one more time. I truly think it's cleaner than we arrived as I thoroughly cleaned their kitchen and bathrooms and their floor! 

Ariel picked us up at 1:15 and we are back in the master bedroom of our own home. We unpacked most of our stuff and will camp out in this room. Alan will have to care for my mom. 

I did go out on my scooter and got a few errands done. Since Mom was not back, we put Isaiah's stuff away in the room. I'll do more tonight after Mom is in bed! 

I had another short paragraph to translate. 

And this evening, after Yenny left and Mom went to bed, I went out for a run. It was just a bit cooler... It was my first run in ten days... my legs were in rebellion! 

Daily Lovely Insight:

Seek Him First!

Day 3 of Quarantine!

I broke down and made instant noodles! 

I asked Alan to drop off eggs and another carton of milk to replace what was here... and yes, we still have plenty of food... but I just wanted some instant noodles. They had at least 10 packs in the cupboard, so I made one and Isaiah and I shared it! YUMMY!

I got an email about doing a simple translation document. So, Isaiah and I worked on that!

I did more walking workouts... but it is so hot in Taipei! Alan had said that the weather had cooled down, but the day we arrived, the temperature soared again! 

I got things packed up so that we'd be ready to go back home tomorrow. Ariel will give us a lift home! YIPPY!

I had prayer time with Alan and then with another sister.

I hope to do my antigen test tomorrow morning and go out for a run! Wouldn't that be marvelous? It would have to be early as the heat starts early here! I've been checking the weather in Freiburg, in Antwerp, in Edinburgh... It's so nice there!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Seek Him First!

Day 2 of Quarantine!

Well... I'm glad to report that I hit 18,000 steps yesterday... and I didn't do that by just walking around the apartment. I found four walking exercise videos and I 'participated'. Now... I have to be very sensitive as we are on the 7th floor, so there are neighbors downstairs. I have two exercise mats under my feet and I do no jumping... just marching in place and lots of 'walking'. It's not easy to hit that goal. 

And it's quite 'nice' to be quarantined... The CDC messaged us this morning and we just needed to hit 1 -- no symptoms. We do not get any food from the government now... too bad. People used to receive a box of goodies, including instant noodles... 

So, we were up early and the day was going to be a hot one.

After reading and praying, I went back to sleep! Then I ordered diapers for mom, which I will go transfer money on Thursday and be picking up next Monday. We called the Military Service Bureau and Isaiah most likely won't start his military service until mid November. By the end of October, two weeks prior to starting, he will be informed as to the location. They emailed him a form, which he filled out and emailed back. So, that's done.

Alan is also thinking about going back to the States in January as Alden and his family might be taking a trip to Hawaii. I think it would be a wonderful thing for them as a family. So, we looked at flights. Non-direct will be about 32,000NT$ and direct will be about 42,000NT$. Alan has vacation for about a month! Chinese New Year in 2023 will be from January 21st (New Year Eve) to January 27th. Isaiah will most likely have those days off! I do have 14 days of long term care that the government provides, which I should use up by February of 2023. If Isaiah starts in mid November, he won't be finished until mid February! Maybe the two of us can make a trip to the States while Mom is in the facility??? I do have my MOE job... Lots to think about... 

I did three workouts by 5pm and went and took a shower. I did one more this evening after my Tuesday evening Bible study. Isaiah had tutoring this evening, too. Then Alan and I had time to talk and pray together as he had his evening classes.

A dear friend asked if she can order something from Uber Eat for us... I said, No Need... We will be getting out by Thursday! Plus, we still have lots of food. I had fruit, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, and bread rolls today. We have not even opened the canned goods... 

Daily Lovely Insight:

What do you think this verse means?

Seek Him First!

Day 1 of Quarantine!

I think I like quarantine... ha, ha, ha... It's a forced Sabbath rest!

Isaiah did get up... I woke up several times during the night... But I finally got up at around 7:30 and had my time with Jesus! No rush... No need to get my mom ready... 

I had decided that I won't be cooking for this whole time... as Jenny had bought bread and sandwich stuff. So, Isaiah can make himself a sandwich if he wants to eat. Plus, we have cereal, milk, coffee packets, and fruit.

I did a morning walking routine... I'm trying to get in four each day to hit 12,000 steps. 

Isaiah and I napped on and off. I finished my Tuesday Bible study materials and had prayer time with a dear sister at 4pm.

Did a second workout after that!

Tonight was tap dancing... I watched a little and followed along then went and did another two walking workouts!

I had to do a load of laundry as one can of coffee popped in our luggage. The clothes around it had to be washed... and then I got to talk and pray with Alan... YIPPY! I asked him to go pay our cell phone bills and he did it! He has no

Daily Lovely Insight:

Yesterday we watched the service from Elim in Coventry. The sermon topic was COMING HOME! And that's exactly what was happening... Isaiah and I were coming back to Taipei... I think Isaiah was particularly excited... whereas I wasn't... I guess I was still in the vacation mode... and the thought of the responsibility that awaited me was not a relaxing peaceful one! The passage that the pastor used was from Ephesians... how God chose us to be a part of His divine family... and as I read the chapter, this verse caught my heart:

I needed my heart to be 'enlightened' to know the HOPE I have in Christ. He is the One who lives to be our forever Intercessor and I can see Him praying and singing over me.

Seek Him First!

Back in Taipei!

What a month is has been... I can't believe how fast it flew by... And how ready I am for another trip!

Early Saturday morning, I was up, spent time with Jesus, and took a shower. Then I had a cup of coffee, and Phil was up, helping to load all the bags in the car. Together, the four of us had time to pray together and we were off.

We arrived at London Heathrow, and they now charge 5 pounds just for curbside drop-off! The British government must really be hurting for money! Phil left as his brother and dad were coming over at lunch time and we wanted him to go back and rest! It was already so sweet of him to drive us!

The counter was opened and it was barely 6am. So, we checked in and sat at Costa Coffee and ate toast. We went through immigration so quickly as they had a new machine. We didn't need to take out our lap top or anything.

As we walked around, Isaiah wanted to buy a couple of more gifts. So, we went to Harrod's... I love that shop! Too bad there weren't any grocery stores as I would have wanted to buy some crumpets.

Now... I forgot to tell about the check-in miracle. 

Isaiah was to have one bag, 40 kilos. I was meticulously sure to weigh everything. So I knew that was at 35! Sure enough 34.9! But it would not move on the conveyor belt. She called her supervisor over. And she says, "It's over the weight limit!" But we have 40kilos. So, she says, "Oh, you can move some of the stuff to another bag and check in an extra piece for free!" Ha, ha, ha... I COULD HAVE BOUGHT FIVE KILOS OF CRUMPETS! We moved over to the side, took out four kilos and put it in my carry on. We checked in that piece at 11.7 (I had that piece exactly at 7.7) Isaiah's piece was down to 30.9. The conveyor belt moved! My carry on was at 11.7 and my piece of luggage was 24.9! Everything went through and we only had one carry on plus our computer backpacks and Isaiah's tennis rackets. Amazing!

The flight to Singapore was packed. The meals were delicious and I watched the new Dr. Strange movie! Yeah! I tried to nap on and off... the 13 hours went by very quickly!

We were in Singapore at 5:45 and waited to see what the gate for our next flight was going to be. I walked around and checked out the shops. I had cash, but I didn't buy anything. Like Japan, I love the pharmacies at the Changi Airport. They have some great massage creams and watermelon frost, which unfortunately, they have discontinued to carry! The airport has a swimming pool and lots of transit hotels and sitting areas. We saw a lot of people sleeping on the floor and thought, "That could have been us!" 

I was also messaging Suz as her daughter Sarah was in labor! She had the baby before I boarded my next plane! YIPPY!

The next flight went out from Terminal 2, which was very deserted. And it was on time! This flight was four hours with no time change and we were in Taiwan by around 4:45!

The process of getting out of the airport was quite laborious... First a form had to be filled out... then it was sent back on your phone. That's how they will be tracking you. You must have your phone on 24/7. Then you line up to go through a health inspector, who gives you two antigen tests, a vile for saliva and a slip. You then walk to immigration and baggage claim. When that's finished, you walk out of the airport to this other area where you get into a stall to spit and turn in your vile. They will inform you of the 'PCR' test result. We then pushed our luggage to a taxi stand and your health form is again scanned. A designated taxi takes you to your quarantine place. We pay only 1000$. The government picks up the rest!

We arrived here at 6:30... and Alan was here by around 6:33! He had brought coffee packets and donuts and American cereal.

We got the keys and went upstairs. Our friend, Jenny, had also prepared tons of food! We won't be able to finish half of what she prepared. I unpacked and settled in and took a shower. The place is just absolutely perfect! What a miracle!

Isaiah and I watched an online service. He is getting up at 4:30 for the Charger Game. I am not... But I will probably be up to read!

On Thursday, we can go back home... Yenny, the caretaker, is at the house until Thursday, 7pm! Alan will care for Mom on Friday and this weekend. On Monday, I'm back on duty... By Thursday, Isaiah and I are under 'self-quarantine' rules. We can't go to crowded places, like Costco. But we can go back to our residence and be in the master bedroom. We can also go out for runs or exercise. To leave, we must first take an antigen test. Label it with our name and date it. Take a picture for proof. We don't need to send it to anyone!

This has been a fantastic trip... so many amazing memories made... I truly am making plans for my next trip... well, at least just mentally... I wouldn't go to Paris again. I'd like to hit some parts of Southern France. I'd go to Switzerland again, but closer to the Alps and hike more around there. I want to go up to Scotland again and do the highlands and walk along the coast. And of course, I'll go to Heidelberg and stay just a bit longer! In London, I missed eating more crumpets and did not hit an Ethiopian restaurant. In Germany, I did not eat enough pommes frites mit mayonnaise and toppings. 

Daily Lovely Insight:

God always ends with HOPE and RESTORATION!

Seek Him First!

Last Day in the UK!

What a blessing to spend the day with our friends, Phil and Fran, and their little boy, Peter!

The journey here was tedious... but totally worth it!

On Thursday, I got up early... got everything packed and cleaned and made sure Isaiah had breakfast. He was still feeling a bit under the weather!

We were out the door at 10:55 and caught the bus! From where the bus stopped, we had to walk to the station! With more than 75 kilos (maybe like 100), we each had about 50 kilos. It was not an easy walk. We caught our train, which had to transfer at Northampton. Now, that was a major chore as they changed the platform three times. So, we had to lug everything back and forth... We arrived in London at 1:40 and thankfully, did not need to rush, but we had to get from Euston to Waterloo... via the subway! And London subway does not always have lifts or escalators. We were at the Waterloo station by 2:20 and our train was at 2:45! YIPPY! I had crumpets in my bags, so we ate three of them. Crumpets are my favorites... Can't find those in Taiwan. And I was hoping to have Ethiopian food, and didn't get that on this trip!

We arrived in Liphook, the station nearest to their home, and Phil picked us up! HOW NICE!

Fran made a full on 7 course dinner for us... and it was so lavish! We feasted well.

And we stayed up to chat until past 12midnight!

Today, we were out for breakfast at Harvester and then went and toured around the area.

The weather was so nice... I think I would have liked to have gone for a run... Instead, I went out walking.

It's hard to believe that my vacation is so soon over!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Zechariah 2:8

Seek Him First!

Still Recovering...

Isaiah is really badly hit by exhaustion! Glad we are taking the time to rest!

We still had to go out, but the bank is not closed as a few items have not cleared! He will have to go back again tomorrow... or we will just use up the money and leave the account with 31pence! I wanted to drop off a bag of donation at the second hand store next door. So, we will see what we get to do tomorrow.

We took the bus to the city center and went to the old and new cathedral. It was destroyed during the bombing of WW II and there is a charred cross of the pieces that were left... quite symbolic! They had a worship concert there, which Isaiah went to. We wanted to go to his church, Elim, just to see who is there, but we didn't make it. We went to Kenilworth Castle and walked around. I wanted to go to Lemington Spa as I've heard it highlighted for the vintage shops... but Isaiah was not feeling well. Maybe on another trip... 

We went back to the city center and I bought some meds for Isaiah. Then we came back and ate dinner and rested. I finished the packing... Those chairs are very bothersome and heavy! I wish Alan would have returned them instead of leaving them for us to deal with! Oh my... We will see how we can handle everything tomorrow with Isaiah feeling quite worn out! I'm not sure if I will be blogging for the next few days... I hope so... 

Daily Lovely Insight:

Haggai... I needed this reminder... that God will give me peace... I don't need to struggle and worry... I need to rest in Him. Tomorrow... and catching all the trains... and getting on that plane... He is with us... and all is well!

Seek Him First!

Trying to Recover...

I think we have been overdoing things... We both were feeling under the weather... On Monday, we should have taken a shower afterwards before we started walking around. I think we caught a 'chill'... So, no more running for the next few days until I get back to Taiwan! Then it's going to be quarantine time. And Jenny, our dear friend, has opened up her son's place for us! What a miracle! I was checking all the quarantine hotels and they are so expensive! 

So, on Tuesday morning, we went to the bank... and will close the account on Wednesday. Isaiah stayed up with his friends way too late... and I didn't sleep well either. I guess in hindsight, we should have just stayed home. But we had planned... to go to school and to pick up the gown, so that we can walk around to take pictures. And that's what we did... We walked the whole campus. It was very enjoyable, but Isaiah was feeling the effects of a late night. By around 4:30, we stopped to have dinner at Phantom Coach. Great food! Great price.

Then we were on the bus again heading back home. 

We both fell into bed and slept for 12 hours.

Isaiah did get up to take a shower... 

I got up to help clean up the kitchen and get tea for Isaiah. But we were both back in bed.

So... that was Tuesday... 

Today, we will take the bus everywhere... no walking. Get back early so that we can pack things up and reserve our tickets from London to Guildford. We will go and see Phil, Fran and Peter. They took the day off so that they can host us!

Please pray as we have five pieces of things and they are all extremely heavy! I want to clean up the room, too! So... there is a lot to do in the next 24 hours. On Thursday morning at 9:30, we can also do our online check in and I don't want to miss that. Our train to London is at 11:47!

Please pray... 

Daily Lovely Insight:

Psalm 98 was most encouraging this morning!

Seek Him First!

A Run, A Tennis Game, and More Packing!

I slept in this morning... YIPPY! But actually, my watch did not reset... so I thought I was getting up at 7:23, when it was really 6:23! I was wondering why it was so dark outside!

After my time with Jesus, I decided to go back to sleep... and when I woke Isaiah up, he was like, Mom, why are you getting me up so early??? Oh... it was only 8:45, not 9:45!

We had coffee downstairs and we were out the door by 11:28 to catch the 11:35 bus. It didn't come until 11:45, but it came!

Now, everyone was glued to the TV, but we listened to the broadcast of the Service. Isaiah played tennis with Nic and I went for a nice long run... One hour, 10kms, it was drizzling and windy! YEAH!

We walked back to the house and I finished packing up for Isaiah... at least most of the stuff! And Isaiah cut his hair and I helped to trim it more evenly!

Dinner was at the house and then Isaiah went over to play mahjong and drink with his Asian buddies!

I had a nice evening at 'home'... doing the Tuesday night Bible study, blogging, cleaning, etc.

Daily Lovely Insight:

Habakkuk is a fabulous book. I can read it over and over again and something special continuously pops up!

So... you can rewrite these verses:

Fig trees symbolizes well being and prosperity.

Olive can be seen as a staple of the economy. 

Cattle produces meat, milk, butter and cheese.

What have you been hit with? Make sure of the YET... I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation!

Seek Him First!

Coventry & Church!

We are in Coventry!

So... this morning we had our breakfast and we were off... Our roommate didn't want his breakfast, so we took his portion on the road. He was there for three days and he never ate the breakfast! If only I had known... 

We checked out and took the subway to Gare d' Nord... We wanted to get there early as we had heard that the train was going to be packed and that customs and immigration might take longer. The train was packed, but it went quite quickly. We had a 30+ minute wait!

The ride on the Eurostar was fast... And we arrived in London, St. Pancreas and walked over to Euston, which was a mess. Tons of people... And we heard that people were coming from all over the UK to line the streets. I'm glad we are not doing that.

Our train to Coventry was delayed, but we arrived by 4:30 and walked back to the house! I immediately started going through Isaiah's stuff, trying to pack up 40 kilos! Then we can sort through the rest of the stuff, which will be in my 25 kilo luggage plus our two carry on! I made a huge progress, cleaning the room and sorting. 

We were out again at 5:30 for church. Isaiah remembered that St. Mark might have an evening service, so we went there. And sure enough it did! Isaiah saw a few of his friends from Impact and Christian Union. It was a marvelous service, talking about the vision of the church from Acts 11!

We took the bus home and Emily, the landlord, had dinner waiting for us. She went to pick up a friend's son, Matt, who will be going camping with them.

After a late dinner, I continued the task of cleaning! We got the luggage fully packed at 35 kilos. Hopefully, they will allow Isaiah to put the five kilos in my luggage as we each have only one check in! We are praying! Then we will have one that's 35 and the other that's 30, totally 65! We each will also have a carry on. The room looks nicer as if there isn't much left to pack, but I know that's deceiving. I'm sure I can fill my luggage up really quickly!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Seek Him First!

Last Day in Paris...

Today was our last full day in Paris. Isaiah had 'mapped' out where we were to go... and I knew it'd involved a lot of walking. So, in the morning after my time with Jesus, I was thinking about going for a run, but I really don't like running in our area. Anyhow, I decided to stay and rest... and then went down for breakfast at 9am. I made sandwiches again and had a yogurt and I love the baguettes with jam and butter! We finished all the food in the fridge... and had lunch ready.

Isaiah came down and after our simple breakfast, we were out the door by 10am.

We took the subway out to our first stop... St. Paul and the little village... and the list again is long... we had the Arc of Triumph plus Champ Elysee... and the val de grace and many more places. We ended the day at Montmartre and the Basilica on the hilltop! We walked down to Moulin Rouge and took the bus home. Again, we stopped at the Grill of Istanbul for dinner. The guy welcomed us with the biggest smile! It was a wonderful end to a great day.

I forgot to mention that we had ice cream cones on the Champ Elysee -- Jeff de Brugge... and at the top in the Montmartre area, we bought a crepe with Nutella and banana!

The bus ride was also fun... at night the traffic wasn't bad and we got to see more of Paris.

We did walk through one area today that was surrounded by police and military officials. The whole block was quarantined off. We also saw the American and the British and the Japanese Embassies. We were on Embassy Row. There were two beautiful pictures of the queen and flowers laid underneath. All the flags of these embassies were at half mast. 

After getting back, we got to talk to our roommate from Italy who got the best deal of the Interail pass -- two months for 270Euro! He can hop on and hop off the train whenever and wherever he likes. It was some kind of Eurail Anniversary Sale! What? And no age limit. I need to buy that! But I don't have two months! 

Tomorrow, we leave to take the Eurostar back to London and from there to Coventry. We hope to catch the evening service in at Hillfield Church.

And I did not reach my weekly running goal of 40 kilometers per week. But I have been fulfilling my daily step minimum. In fact, I've walked way above the daily goal of 12,000 steps!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Seek Him First!

A Day at the Louvre!

That's exactly what we did... 

We had bought tickets to enter at 10am, so after our breakfast, we took the subway and was at the entrance by 9:51! The line had already formed!

We were able to chat with Will and Adam, a father and son, who were traveling in France for two weeks. After entering, we never ran into them again. Isaiah navigated and we walked. At around 2pm, we stopped for lunch. We went out to the balcony and had our ham& cheese sandwich and Starbucks coffee! We each had a VENTI cafe macchiato! 

Then we started walking again... trying to see everything... the Mona Liza, the Liberty, Egyptian, Babylonian, Roman, Grecian, you name it, we hit it!

At 8pm, we sat down and I had a nice chat with a gal from Ecuador and I prayed with her before saying good bye. We were able to 'friend' each other on Facebook!

We saw the Mona Lisa again... this time, without the crowd. We also were able to take a picture in front of the Wedding of Cana! After 9pm, the crowd lessen and we were able to 'run' to some of our "favorites" for a better picture! They started kicking people out at 9:35 and we had to leave! We stood in front of the Louvre for several more pictures!

We were on the subway at 9:55 and got to the area near our hostel. A kabab place was opened! YEAH! We had our dinner for 8Euro each... it was delicious. I think it was super delicious because we were so glad to be sitting down... and the place was nice and warm. The owner was nice too... 

We were back and found that we have a new roommate. He's not very neat! We didn't meet him. We just saw how he threw his stuff all over the room! At least it was on his side of the room! Oh well... Let's see how long he stays. We've had a gal, a guy... and now another guy!

Last night I didn't sleep well because there was a mosquito. I was finally able to kill it just after my quiet time this morning. But it had already 'gotten blood' out of me! 

Tomorrow, we have a long list of places to go... I'm wondering if I should go for a run in the morning! I like to run, but it's difficult when I get lost so easily. The path along the River that I ran was not long enough and I got into two homeless camp areas... NOT NICE! These camps are set up under the bridges along the river. I'd love to go and run around these big gardens... but those are a subway ride away. Anyhow, I will decide tomorrow.

Daily Lovely Insight:

Seek Him First!

Walking Around Paris...

Paris is very spread out... Trying to walk it was a big task!

We had a list of all the places that we wanted to hit... and we did it!

I went for a run this morning and then Isaiah and I had breakfast together. It was two French breads with butter and jam. They did have tea, coffee, and milk. We made sandwiches for our lunch and we were off on the Metro.

We got off near the Latin Quarter and started walking. We did not stop until 10pm! I am not kidding! We walked to the Pantheon, Notre Dame, Saint Chapella, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Shakespeare & Company, and so many bridges and more churches than I can remember. We walked back to our hostel... and that was another long walk! I hit over 48,000 steps!

We came back and had our dinner. Isaiah had two more sandwiches and I had spaghetti with cheese! Yummy!

I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight.

Tomorrow... an 'easy' day as we are only hitting the Louvre from 10 to 10!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Micah 2:13

Seek Him First!

Here in Paris...

It was raining this morning... I love the look of the sky!

I went out for a run, which was totally enjoyable and made it even more difficult to say goodbye to Switzerland! I must come back again! I love the yogurt here... I love the cheese here... I love the natural scenery and the slower pace of life. Thinking about going back to Taiwan is very difficult!

We got to the train station as it stopped raining... We tidied up the apartment and locked everything up. The owner had gone on vacation, so we put the keys in the mailbox!

The train came at 11:05 and we were in Lausanne and then on to Paris. It was a whole day of traveling... but the scenery outside the window was very tranquil.

We also had food, so no problem.

We got to Paris at around 4:15 and took the metro to our lodging. We have two beds in a three bed mixed room! It has its own bathroom, which is very nice!

And there is a kitchen, but not very well maintained. The whole place is a bit run down! I think it's the worst of the ones we've stayed at thus far.

Breakfast is buffet-style and included. We will come down anytime from 7-10pm.

We went out and walked around to the Seine River and then bought our food to eat at the "hotel".

I blogged and went to bed early. Tomorrow will be an early day for me. Isaiah helped me to chart out the run-in path. It's very nearby! And I can probably do 9kms. before breakfast. We also reserved our tickets to the Pantheon and planned out our walking tour for the next three days.

Our 'hotel' is quite near the Gare de Nord, so it will be easy to get to Eurostar on Sunday!

Last night I had a lovely chat with Abby. She finally had time to call. She will be silent for the next four days, but it was so delightful to catch up with her. She is getting used to being there!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Psalm 95

Seek Him First!

A More Relaxing Day!

Today, I decided to go back to sleep after my morning time. That was so refreshing... then I had my breakfast in the garden! I looked out to see the fields dotted with cows... So quiet and serene!

We didn't leave our lodging until 11am. We went to all 28 sites. Most of them were closed! That's ok... We walked around some very quaint pockets of homes... and then bought groceries for lunch. I had my Bible study at 1pm and Isaiah had a tutoring session!

Afterwards, I got to talk to Alan for just a short while. Isaiah wanted to stay at the lodging, but I went for a short run. It was actually way too hot! Then after a shower, I walked back to the supermarket and stocked up on our food for tomorrow. We will have breakfast here, but then will be going to catch the train. And we will be off to Paris.

We bought the ticket for the Louvre for Friday, entering at 10am. It closes at 9:45pm. So, that will be a full day to wonder around that gorgeous museum! On Thursday, we will explore several other sites! Anyhow... we are trying to make the most of the last few days of our trip!

And no news from Abby yet... All I know is that her camping trip starts on Wednesday and then I really won't be hearing from her.

Daily Lovely Insight:

For our study today, we looked at how David reacted when faced with Goliath in I Samuel 17: 26-45. His family criticized him. Saul warned him. Goliath taunted him. David was sure of God's presence and he faced these individuals with the most confident response.

Being sure of who you are and whose you are will counter all doubts!

Seek Him First!

A Lot of Walking!

That was our plan for today... hike, hike, hike... 

I went for a short run to check out the area and it was chilly in the early morning. But it warmed up nicely by the time we went out for our 'walk'.

We walked from Moudon to Lucens. Then we hiked around Lucens to Cremins. Then we hiked from  Cremins back to Moudon! I think we walked 27 kilometers today, about 7 hours!

We had stopped at a supermarket and bought things so that we can stop and snack. That was fantastic. 

We were back by 4:30 and rested before we headed out for dinner!

Dinner was at a pizza joint... not far from our lodging. And when I came back, I finished my Bible study questions!

Tomorrow we will explore the town of Moudon. There are 28 'significant' buildings, but the town is very small. There is also a beautiful trail behind our lodging. I also have Bible study at 1pm!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Obadiah is such a short book... but it packs a powerful punch! When Israelites needed help, Edom not only didn't help, but joined forces with the enemy to attack them. God had some fiery words to deliver in Obadiah 1:18, but here is what Obadiah 1:17 says... 

Seek Him First!

Goodbye Abby... Hello Moudon!

We left our little zimmer and went over to pick up Abby. Three of the other participants joined us at Calvary Chapel. We were there early! Yeah!

The service was in German and English... and ended at around 11:35. With a quick goodbye to Abby, Isaiah and I walked to the Haupbahnhof to catch our train to Basel and then on to Bern and then to Romont and then to Moudon! Yes... train and bus!

The waiting time in Romont was long with no WiFi and nothing opened! I would have liked a longer waiting time in Bern. Oh well... I did walk up to the top of Romont and looked at two beautiful "Tour". The town is known for stained glass... 

Now, back to saying goodbye to Abby... I'm glad it was short... or else, the whole church would have heard wailing... 

I miss her already! Even as I write, tears well up... 

She went with her new friends and her schedule was that they were to be having lunch back at the base and at around 2, the rest of the participants from Germany were to arrive in Freiburg. And that evening, there would be a 'team dinner', I think! We have not heard from her. So, I guess she's too busy.

We arrived in Moudon at around 5:45 and walked to our lodging. It's a really nice place. The owner lives upstairs and she filled the fridge with food for us to prepare our own breakfast. Isaiah had a jam sandwich for dinner as he was going to watch two different sports that evening. I unpacked, planned for our next few days, including running paths, and went to bed!

We were going to walk around in the evening and go out for dinner, but he started chatting with Vikki and it got to be too late.

Alan is back in Taipei and his place of quarantine is in a mess. We don't have an update yet. In two weeks, Isaiah and I are to be quarantining there! YIKES! We will see! It's typhoon season and the 4th floor is flooded! There is no way to do the repair because of the rain! And the walls are soaked through so that water is even now going down to the third floor! And probably to the second and then the first floor. It was the first floor lady who sued to have the 5th floor structure torn down. The fifth floor was beautifully done. And with that gone, the damage is immense to the entire building! It's horrific to see!

Now, for Isaiah and I, tomorrow will be a day of hiking. The weather looks nice!

Daily Lovely Insight:

The sermon today was from Psalm 92!

Tag nach Tag, Day to Day!

For God to fulfill His ultimate best for our lives, we need to make day to day choices that are aligned to His ways and plans! We need to sing praises unto the LORD MOST HIGH and proclaim HIS LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS in the morning and in the evening!

Seek Him First!

More Hiking... More Exploring!

We did a load of wash... that takes forever in Europe. 

So, we finally left for town at 11am. It was a bit cooler with a slight sprinkle. But the plan was to go for a hike. We walked down the Main Street... with so many stores. And we found another second hand store! FUN! We love going to look at all the things... I started my collection of blue and white dining ware in Europe! But the prices of these pieces have soared!

We got coffee and streusel and kuchen and walked. The hike was great... Moderate and we climbed this tower that was so windy and a bit scary at the top.

By the time we came down, it was not yet time for dinner, but we decided to have an early and went to Dem Fries & Burger. It was delicious... We had two burgers and fries and chili cheese fries too. 

On the way back, we stopped inside a cathedral and the Saturday mass was about to start. So we stayed! It was nice just to sit and hear the choir boy sing in German. The church had a lot of young people actually, but it was a very typical Catholic service.

We got back to the base at around 7:15. We forgot to stop to get any food... Tomorrow we will leave at 9am from our lodging to attend the Calvary Church service that starts at 10am. Then it will be time to say good bye to Abby and hop on to the train to head to Switzerland... wah... 

Abby came over to where we are staying to pick up her clothes and the lat few things. It was nice for her to just hang out with us for a bit. She went back at 10pm. Isaiah spent his evening watching tennis and other game highlights!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Amos 7:14-15

God calls people to fulfill something greater than they can ever imagine... I know God has much prepared for Abby... 

Seek Him First!

Freiburg Fun!

I went for a run and sure enough, I got really lost. I found a post man and asked him to give me direction. He ended up driving me back to the YWAM base! Hilarious! He first had to stop to deliver a package and then we were off... I was so turned around that I could not get back. It felt like I was running in circles!

After a shower, Isaiah and I went to pick up Abby. We walked into town instead of taking a tram. It was so enjoyable. Very easy walk... And at the bank, we found out we have to make an appointment to open an account. Then we went through the old town a little and Abby bought a pair of shorts. We got to the Aldi Supermarket, where they sell 'start up SIM card'. Hopefully that will work well for Abby.

We then rushed back to our lodging as I had Bible study at 2:30. I was 15 minutes late. But it was a wonderful time!

I didn't get to talk to Alan, but he is busy trying to get packed and ready to take off for Taiwan.

Abby, Isaiah and I took off again... this time, we walked to the lake. I knew the way as it was where I was so terribly lost! We had dinner at a pizza place and I had a calzone! YEAH! Spinach calzone! We found a dollar store, sort of... and a super market. Abby bought a few things and we bought things for breakfast.

This evening, it was just a relaxing time. Abby went to hang out with the DTS participants. They are all very young. The Europeans will be arriving by Sunday, so we have only met the international participants as they need to get over jet lag. We have also met the staff, which has been fun!

Tomorrow is a day of walking and hiking... Isaiah and Abby will plan it. We have already decided on the church for Sunday. Unfortunately, we might miss church on the 18th. I'm trying to see if we can catch an afternoon service! I have really enjoyed attending a service every Sunday during these days of travel.

Daily Lovely Insight:

Seek Him First!

The Queen Has Passed!

That was the big news that hit while we were waiting for the train! Maybe that was why it was delayed for two hours!

This morning, I was up... and went out running. The rain had come and the clouds were still low. It was the perfect fall weather for a run... it was a gift from God! I ran up the Neckar with the Castle to my right... and the clouds just covered part of it... with the trees filled with colorful leaves... Honestly, I could have ran to Eberback, 33 kilometers away, and enjoyed every minute of it. The air was crisp... The wind was light... The smell of fall surrounded me as did the Presence of God.

I came back and showered and got the place cleaned up. We packed and left our sweet apartment at 11:50. We walked down to the Central Train Station... stopping at different places. But we were at the train station by 2:40! We looked up a couple of fun stores and went there... We bought Prinz Cookies and I got a couple of gifts at a second hand store... We went down to the platform... and NO TRAIN! I ran up to ask... The train was going to be delayed for 140 minutes! WHAT? I could have had a full day in Heidelberg. But with the luggage, we couldn't do much. I could have asked for the luggage to be kept at the apartment IF I KNEW THE TRAIN WAS NOT UNTIL 7pm!

We had food... We texted the YWAM people and the person where we were to stay! 

We finally arrived in Freiburg at 9pm. Laura from YWAM met us and we took the tram to the YWAM base. She had some curry with rice! YEAH! We chatted and ate. Then it was a short walk to where we'd be staying. Abby is staying at the Base as several of the participants have already arrived. Tomorrow we will go and get some things done... and on Saturday, we will go and tour the city. On Sunday, we will go to church together and then we will take off... WAHHHHHHHH... It won't be easy to say good bye to her!

Now, Isaiah is weird out because the place that we are staying at is someone's home! He has never done this. I love it... The guy is really nice! He works in Basel and he is smart to do this! He rents out one of the bedrooms... and I picked this place because of the location. It is a two minute walk to the base!

I will go and run tomorrow... Explore this area a bit... I have a feeling that it will be too easy to get lost here. We will see... The tram is a bit expensive to go into town. So, I think we will walk tomorrow or look into buying the three day pass! It's a bit expensive -- 27 Euro per person!

Daily Lovely Insight:

The simplicity of trust... That's the lesson that I am learning each day! God is alive... So... ALL IS WELL!

Seek Him First!

Another Full Day!

It was another full day of everything I wanted to do here and much much more... I think I can stay here another year! And to try everything that I want to eat, I need at least another week. 

The kids have been great. They are totally willing to eat gelato twice a day! And we have not done the Pomme Frittes Stand and the "Piano Bar", which is now going by another name. That's the place with coffee that was served in a bowl topped with a huge amount of whipped cream. But again, I don't see that being served anywhere on the Haupstrasse! 

OK, let me back up a bit.

This morning I was up early... I just didn't want to miss a minute of my time here in Heidelberg. I decided to run to the furtherest bridge and then back... all along the Neckar... In the early morning, with that crisp air, it was magical! Unfortunately, it was barely 12kms. 

Then after a shower and a simple breakfast (I buy Kuchen and Strudel the night before), the kids were ready to walk! We looked at thrift stores, souvenir shops, and department stores. At Kaufhof, we found Abby's sleeping bag and sleeping pad... both on sale! They were only 26Euro! YEAH GOD!

We then went to all the stores nearby and found lots of goodies... snacks! The kids looked at me and said, "No wonder you gained 15 kilos here!" I have only four days to eat all the things I love from Heidelberg. (For dinner, they finally got to try my favorite Spatzel, German homemade noodles!)

We walked back to our apartment before heading out for PhilosphenWeg! What a great hike! The kids were great... We went all the way to the very top and hit all the major spots! It took the entire afternoon! From across the way, you can see the Castle and Moore Haus and the Old Bridge... Oh, how I loved going along this path in all four seasons... to capture that view! 

And since we were on the other side, we decided to go out for dinner at a restaurant there! Of course, we had another gelato before heading back to our apartment!

I started packing things up so that we won't be rushed tomorrow morning, plus I hope to go for another run! I will again be singing the hymn, How Great Thou Art... 

What a beautiful time I've had here!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Seek Him First!

I Got To Go See Moore Haus!

Today the plan was to go to the Castle and hopefully visit Moore Haus and then down to Haupstrasse and if time permitted, go and walk to PhilosophenWeg.

We spent a lot of time at the Castle. I had to go to every corner and every alcove of that beautiful place. The weather was so perfect with a light wind blowing. The Castle garden was not crowded. The trees were changing... leaves were turning from green to orange and red to brown... 

We walked to Moore Haus. I pressed the buzzer and someone was there. The visiting professor came down... and praise the LORD, I was allowed to go inside! That's a miracle as the rule has been NO VISITORS ALLOWED due to Covid! I could only go into a few rooms... but it was fantastic!

We then went down and walk the length of Haupstrasse and at one thrift store, I found a wonderful pair of shoes. We were looking for a sleeping bag and sleeping pad for Abby. She neglected to say that she needed those items for DTS.

While strolling, we had to have spaghetti ice and gelato and desserts... Oh yes we did. Then we went to Gasthaus and had a full meal. We each ordered something different! I had the German dumplings... Abby had the German fried noodles, and Isaiah had bratwurst with sauerkraut! We licked the plate clean!

At 8pm, we walked across the "Old Bridge" and took plenty of pictures. Then we walked for a bit on the other side of the Neckar, but we didn't hit PhilosphenWeg as it was already way too dark.

We came back and I had a short chat with Alan. We were able to pray together. 

I had the translation project to work on! I finished that... and Abby was on line trying to see about getting a sleeping bag and pad ordered and shipped to the YWAM Base in Freiburg before next week when she will need these items.

Tomorrow will be another full day... We hope to hit two or three more thrift shops and more eating...

Daily Lovely Insight:

Joel 2:12 -- God continues to call His people to return to Him... 

Seek Him First!

I'm In Heidelberg!

We had a fabulous time with Serge and Nancy and their two kids. The time truly flew by... 

Nancy made breakfast for us and then drove us to the train station. We missed the 8:30 train but caught the 8:59 train which arrived in Brussel Nord at 9:22. We dashed over to the Flixbus 'stop' and there were so many people. But no one really there to answer any questions. The bus that came was Freiburg... Then the one to Paris Gare. Finally at 10:05, the bus came. We loaded up everything and we realized that we forgot our snack bag. BUMMER. And we didn't go buy anything because we didn't want to miss the bus.

The bus did not make any 'rest stops'... So, we only had water. It stopped several times just to pick up people. But it was not like the one to Edinburgh when the bus stopped and you can go buy food and go for bathroom breaks. It was a long ride, but I rested and looked out the window. We passed through Luxemberg and several other quaint little towns.

We arrived in Heidelberg at around 5:50 and walked to the supermarket to pick up items for breakfast. Then we were off on a 40 minute trek to our lodging.

It took us a bit of time to find the place, but we love the apartment. It's spacious and located right near the Haupstrasse and the Castle and across from PhilosophenWeg! So, after getting settled, we went out for schnitzel and fries... yummy!

We then walked all the way down Haupstrasse and back up... We had been in a bus all day. It sure felt good to be walking around in Heidelberg even if it was 10pm!

Tomorrow I'll have my quiet time and then go for a run. We will have breakfast in the apartment and then walk up to the Schloss via the steps and see if we can get into Moore Haus! We will again walk down Haupstrasse and go across the Neckar. We also have to buy some gelato and pastries... Yes, it will be another full day!

Daily Lovely Insight:

These are some of the highlights from the HOP Sunday sermon!

Definition of Turmoil: a state or condition of extreme confusion, agitation, or commotion 

(Merriam-Webster dictionary)

1. Turmoils can be big or small, but God's grace is always sufficient for us. See 1 Cor. 12:8-9

2. We can delay our learning of God's lessons, but our good and everlasting God will make sure we learn it eventually.

3. For Christ’s sake, we should delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when we are weak, then we are strong. See 2 Cor. 12:10

4. Let's get to know each other's troubles. Let's learn from other more mature believers who can share their experiences and wisdom with us.

5. Don't just invite Jesus to your house when encountering turmoils. Jesus wants to stay. Do not be afraid to show your "messy house". He is the only one who can and is willing to help us clean the inside. Open the door. He is outside with a bucket and mop ready and waiting.

6. We are one body. Let's embrace our turmoils. Face them together and grow in Christ. See 1 Cor. 12:27

Seek Him First!

Church and Lunch... and Construction Site!

What a blessed day... We all went to church and talked to many at the church. Then it was a short walk to have lunch out... 

Serge drove us around the expensive part of the area... and then we looked at the house that is being built, which should be finished by June of 2023.

We came back and rested... and I got packing! We have to leave early tomorrow!

Dinner was at home! NICE! And then we walked to the local gelato place and had ice cream.

It was just such a relaxing day!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Colossians 1:6

That was the Scripture for the service this morning!

Seek Him First!