31 Days in December #19: Mountain time

We have the day off. No rehearsals and meetings. So we head to the big mountains. "They're only called mountains if they have snow on them year round," says D. "Otherwise, no matter how tall, the Swiss consider them hills."

These are mountains.

Walking in Wengen

L drives us up to Lauterbrunnen (pure water-well) where we catch the first train up to Wengen. We have a half hour before the second train leaves for Kleine Scheidegg, nestled under three huge mountains: the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. After we walk through the town, we pop into a cafe, where I enjoy a cup of hot chocolate.

Three tall mountains: Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau

The tops of the mountains almost touch the high clouds. Today is overcast, a change from the sunshine we've enjoyed until now.

The Kleine Scheidegg ski resort

By the time we arrive at Kleine Scheidegg, it's time for lunch. 

At the Banhof Restaurant

The soup with sausage is SOOOO salty that I can't finish. It disappears into a hungry husband!

Creamy tomato soup with sausage

The red train up the Jungfrau or "top of Europe" takes people further up the mountain to its peak. We stay put in KS: D says she has trouble breathing at that altitude and we're not about to spend another $100 for that ticket.

The Jungfrau Express

On the way down, L and I sit in the same carriage. We strike up a conversation with two Chinese students, studying economics in Birmingham UK. They've flown to Italy to travel through Switzerland and Austria. They'll fly from Vienna to Birmingham this weekend to study for finals. What a nice break! In Europe, distance between countries is less than North Americans might imagine.

Bleak but beautiful view from the train

In the evening, D and L prepare a Swiss raclette of potatoes and cheese ... with a bunch of additives: olives, onions, bacon, sausage, prawns, pineapple, apple, peppers, pickles, etc. We eat in the winter garden (enclosed porch) to keep the smell of melted (stinky and fabulous) cheese outside the main house.

On my plate:
potatoes and cheese

The raclette grill

It's the 12th anniversary of the death of W's dad. We talk about memories, coming and going.

Read more:

*My word shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11 ESV

*A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart. Acts 16:14 ESV

Moravian Prayer: Let us have confidence in your purpose, Lord. Your will can open hearts and minds in ways we cannot imagine. May we be given the strength to be patient and prepared in our service to you. Amen.

31 Days in December #18: Time in Thun

L drops us in Thun, the nearest town, before lunch. He teaches music to high-schoolers in a reform school on the other side of the lake. D is working all day. W and I wait at the train statin; we pass off a rehearsal CD to Leanne, who will sing Sunday. (She and I will rehearse again Friday.)

A castle above Thun

Thun has Switzerland's big military school with specialized tank training. Military trucks have rumbled by in convoys while we've been here. D says tanks also drive by on the roads, which thrills her grandsons.

Tree bark

I love the old trees, pruned into knobby faces overhead. The tree bark adds texture to the side of the streets as we walk by.

Trees laughing overhead

W and I find the Christmas market and browse the regular market booths lining the streets. We taste sausages and cheeses, admire home-crafted wares, and marvel at the skilled tradespeople - from candlemakers and bakers to woodworkers and jewelers. L meets us in Thun after noon, on his way home to Oberhofen. He takes along our few purchases to lighten W's bag.

Founded in 1133

W and I decide to walk home (5km or 3 miles). It seems further because our feet still feel yesterday's walk around Bern. There's a wide walkway along Lake Thun (Thunersee). White swans paddle past, along with ducks and turns. Older couples stop to feed the birds and sit on the benches along the lake.

Many swans a-swimming

Above us, castles tower against the blue sky. Bells in clock towers chime the quarter hours.

W pauses on our walk

We snap a photo of a staircase with feet instead of posts at the bottom.

Funny footed stair

L has made tortellini, and by the time we're home at 3, we're hungry. Deeelicious!

When we're done, he takes us to a new suspension bridge, 5 minutes away by car. The bridge connects the villages of Aeschien and Sigriswil. Children walk from their village to the next village's school over a 340 meter (375 yard) span and above a 180 meter (200 yard) chasm. The bridge also connects the hiking trails the Swiss love.

The suspension bridge

W doesn't like heights but he pays the 8 CHF (about $9) to the ranger so I can walk across and back. Every time someone treads on it, the steel bridge sways. It's like walking in a moving bucket. I remind myself that if the Swiss have engineered it to support their schoolchildren, it's probably safe. How amazing to lean over the canyon and the breathtaking surroundings. The trees below look like matchsticks and the houses like dots on the mountains.

Villages along the valleys gouged out
by mountain streams

W stays home to finish grading (papers from students back in Seattle), but L and I leave about 6pm to pick up D from work. We go straight to church to rehearse for Sunday worship. About 15 musicians show up to sing and play, ending with prayer at 9:30pm. We relax together, eating a slice of toasted Panettone after the half-hour drive home.

The evening view from the hills above Oberhofen

Read more:
*I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. Exodus 6:7 ESV

*Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago). Luke 1:68-70 NIV

*He has put all things under Christ's feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:22-23 ESV

Moravian Prayer: God, you are the one to whom we belong. Help us to trust your word, made flesh, in Jesus the Christ. Enable us to see the fullness of Christ in all. Amen.

31 Days in December #16: Freiburg

We spend the afternoon in Freiburg, Germany, visiting a Christmas Market. As the day draws to a close, we eat with a family a half hour away. The husband is ill, so we visit with the wife and children. It's dark when we cross the open border back to Switzerland and home.

Freiburg

Entry to the Christmas Market

The altar in the church

Holding up the walls

Many points of meditation

Typically German wood ornaments

Night falls over the market

As we see the beautiful buildings among the hills and valleys, we are astonished at the partnership of God and his creatures. What we've noted so far:

1. God has people everywhere who love and serve him.
2. God's people are creative in their worship and work.
3. Every group in the world has its own ideas of beauty and adapts to its environment.
4. God's story is told in traditions and his offer of friendship with us extends to everyone who will listen.

What thrills you travel?

Read more:

*You bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover them with favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:12 ESV

*Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life and honor. Proverbs 21:21 ESV

*Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 ESV

*And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is his name. Luke 1:46-49 NIV

*Take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16 ESV

Moravian Prayer: God our Defender, your love offers us spiritual resilience from that which would harm us. May we find sanctuary in it always.

Merciful One, may we accept that the standards of human societies differ from the standards of your kingdom. Renew our calling to act justly, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you. Amen.

31 Days in December #15: All together now

The concerts go well. Lawrence writes the arrangements, pulls together musicians, and manages a creative show. It's relaxing to watch because he's done so many events; small glitches don't phase him. The lights flicker but the music goes on. After all these years of hearing his music, we're still in for a musical treat.

The tables are packed with enthusiastic listeners at every concert. We sing carols between songs by the choir and band. Overhead the young tech crawls on the beams to adjust the lights.

My brother plays a few violin solos, to the delight of the crowd.

Lawrence plays his 5-yr-old gift from Dad,
sadly not a hockey stick ... but a violin

And when it's over, young servers hand out coffee, spiced cider, and home-baked cookies (Saturday) and home-baked egg braid bread (Sunday). The Swiss take fantastic baking for granted.

20" of bread left from the long loaf

Everyone takes a long afternoon nap after lunch. We walk along the lake as the sun drops behind the Alps.

Wally and Doris at lakeside

A boat at sundown

It's a long uphill climb to the top of our walk. We catch our breath and start down, back home.

Beautiful silhouette of the clock tower 

31 Days in December #13: Setting the table and enjoying the view

The neighborhood: typical Swiss architecture

After a good night's rest, we head to the church to set tables for tomorrow's event. The organizer has set up a model of the finished tablescape. Young gals are cutting heavy fleece-paper to size for tablecloths. We lift the wicks on the tealight candles before inserting them into their holders: tomorrow's crew has to light them quickly before the concert.

It's calming to be with people of similar DNA. The women move easily between tables, placing things just so, rearranging, counting sugars and creamers, and pulling tablecloths straight. Doris and I relax into the rhythm of their work.

Frost outlines the trees.

The weather outside is cold and the views look like picture postcards.

Ice crystals on branches

This corner of Switzerland hasn't had snow recently. In the mountain shadows, last month's snow lingers. Each morning, white hoarfrost lines the trees.

The fog burns off under the blue sky

We're looking forward to strolling beside the Thunersee (lake) next week. The sidewalk stretches along the lakefront for many kilometers. Last visit, an old man with an traditional Swiss Alpenhorn practiced at the side of the walk, the deep tones echoing off the mountain slopes. (Listen here to a mellow Alpenhorn.)

Walkway along the Thunersee

Per capita, Switzerland may have the highest number of qualified sailing aficionados. The boats lie quietly at anchor, the wind resting between the mountains. W and I feel the stress of the past months draining away as we take in the beauty.

Tranquil lakescape

Read more:
*When the cares of my heart are many, may your consolations cheer my soul. Psalm 94:19 ESV

*Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 ESV

*Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us. 2 Timothy 1:14 ESVMoravian Prayer; Spirit and Sustainer, make us bold in our faith as we proclaim you as God and King. Remove any shame we may have of being your disciples and help us step beyond our own weakness to share the good news to the world.

Great Comforter, there are times our lives seem hopeless. Days are filled with stress, sorrow, grief, and pain. Holy Redeemer, walk with us, abide with us and sustain us with your ever present love, even in times of great joy. Amen.

31 Days in December #12: Swiss view

As the sun goes down over the Swiss Alps, we look out the window to this view. It's our first night at my brother's in Oberhofen, just south of Bern.

A fairytale view at dusk

Flights go smoothly to Amsterdam and onward to Basil. Sadly, they refuse to upgrade us because coach hasn't been oversold. We have barely an hour in Amsterdam, time enough to dash into the Delta Lounge for a light lunch.

Our niece Kristi provides a tasty homemade soup with German bread (oh yum!) when we arrive in Lörrach (Germany). Then Lawrence takes us past Doris' work, where we pick up fresh baking.

Berger Bäkerei cookies

We'd slept less than an hour on the flights, so when we arrive in Oberhofen (Switzerland), we crash into an hour-long nap. We wake refreshed as the sun goes down.

Shelves of temptations

The ear begins to pick up language quickly but we are definitely not current on modern German! We watch a few hours of German TV to acclimate to the new sounds and culture, while L heads off to the final rehearsal before the concert tomorrow.

We're happy to wish Mom Kowalski a Happy Birthday! Blessings on her special day, and may God bless the year to come.

Read more:
*God stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. Job 9:8,9 NIV

*Paul and Barnabas said, "We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them." Acts 14:15 ESV

Moravian Prayer: Glorious Creator, you have made a wondrous planet for us to share and nurture. We often take far more from the world than we give back. Through your grace, help us respect this marvelous gift and treat it with the same love and care you give to us. Amen.