Unlikely Visitors

Nothing is sweeter than visitors--people willing and ready to step into your life, share it, understand it, and love you for it...especially when you are so far away from home. I have been anticipating my dad's 10-day visit for several weeks. Considering that German winters can be long, cold, dreary, and sometimes depressing, I knew that his visit would give me something wonderful and special to look forward to...

Dad & I in Altstadt or Old Town, Zurich

[*Fun side note and story: Soon after dad booked his flights, I received an email from my mom's high school friend who needed my help with a school project for her 4th grade daughter, Natalie. Are you familiar with the Flat Stanley books? This project is designed to teach elementary school students about geography, history, culture, and language. Each student creates and sends his or her own "Flat Stanley" to travel across the world and experience life in a new place. So, it was quite a delight to receive Flat Stella and host her at Liel for several weeks. My dad and I took her on several adventures this week--we hiked up the tallest mountain in our region (Hochblauen, 1300 m), visited Roman ruins and bathes in the town of Badenweiler, attended BFA track practices, shopped at the local grocery store, and delighted in some yummy German kaffee und kuchen. Both my dad and Stella left this morning from the Zurich airport, en route to Washington, D.C. Please enjoy some of our pictures!]

Welcome to Liel!

Roman Ruins

Badenweiler, Germany

Stella ordered a "latte macchiato und kirsche kuchen" at the BioCafe

(Lauren's favorite...see last post)

We're having a great time together :)

Dad & I at the preserved ruins of Roman bathes in Badenweiler

Returning to dad's visit...

It was indeed wonderful and special! Dad and I ventured around the Old Town of Zurich, went for several hikes in the Black Forest and in local vineyards, enjoyed wonderful German food and coffee at my favorite places, but most importantly, he shared life with me. He stepped into my work, my world, and into my relationships with these students. He played cards in the dining room with Seth, Michelle, and Laura. He cut and peeled carrots (for the first time in his life:); after all, he is more accustomed to tilling soil and planting seeds) in the kitchen. He hung bulletin boards and pictures on the third floor. He washed LOTS of dishes in our dish room. He helped me grocery shop for weekend meals. AND bless his heart, he helped me fold laundry in the basement (also a first)! It was so special to see him laugh with the girls, tease the girls, holler up the stairs for the girls who were late for dinner, and simply call them by name.

Over the weekend, we were able to chaperone the BFA high school retreat in Lenk, Switzerland, which was a time that we both treasured. The purpose of the spiritual retreat is to give the high schoolers a break from their busy schedules to enjoy creation (the Alps!), worship, the teaching of a guest speaker, and small group time with their adult leaders. We were able to ski with Joyce and Talya, soak in the powerful teaching, and lead small groups to discuss the sessions. Dad helped lead a small group with senior guys and I led a group of sophomore girls. The lessons on sin, why bad things happen to good people, love, and the will of God were extremely challenging. Dad and I were both able to have vulnerable conversations with our students and share pieces of our testimony about how God has redeemed our pain and enabled us to love. Dad left the retreat feeling transformed by the powerful messages and changed because of the relationships he built with those boys. Glory to God in the highest :)

Speaking of glory to God...

This reminds me that during the retreat, our worship band from Salem, North Carolina, introduced me to a new song that I cannot help but share...

Glory to God Forever

Fee

Before the world was made,
Before You spoke it to be,
You were the King of Kings.
Yeah You were, yeah You were.
Now You're reigning still,
Enthroned above all things.
Angels and saints cry out.

We join them as we sing glory to God,
Glory to God, glory to God forever.
Glory to God, glory to God,
Glory to God forever, yeah.

Creator, God you gave me breath
So I could praise Your great
And matchless name all my days,
All my days.
So let my whole life be a blazing offering,
A life that shouts and sings
For greatness of our King.

Glory to God, glory to God,
Glory to God forever.
Glory to God, glory to God,
Glory to God forever.

And take my life and let it be
All for You and for Your glory.
Take my life and let it be Yours.
Take my life and let it be
All for You and for Your glory.
Take my life and let it be Yours.

We sing glory to God, glory to God,
Glory to God forever.
We sing glory to God, glory to God,
Glory to God forever.
Glory to God, glory to God,
Glory to God forever.

And take my life and let it be
All for You and for Your glory.
Take my life and let it be Yours.
Take my life and let it be
All for You and for Your glory,
Take my life and let it be Yours.

We sing glory to God,
Glory to God,
Glory to God forever.

This is one of my favorite pictures--Daddy at the foot of the cross

(on a walk through Liel's vineyards)

What a perfect way to end this update--take our lives, Jesus, they belong to you.

Glory to God, forever!

*Thank you, Dad, for loving me enough to step into my life that is so far away. I love you.

.............

Liel's Unlikely Visitor of the Month Award!

We are honored and blessed to welcome Kristine Hong to the Liel dorm! Kristi is an answer to our prayers and wins our unlikely visitor of the month award! She will be serving as a short term missionary at BFA for the next three months where her official title is a Resident Assistant at Liel! God's goodness continues to surprise and humble me. We are so thankful that Kristi was willing and able to come and join us in this outreach to BFA students.

Glory to God, forever.