31 Days in December #17: Bern, friends, and bears

Leanne and I go over the music for Sunday a few times before W, Doris, and I have to leave for Bern. Neither Leanne nor I know our part but we're in the first rehearsal so it's no big deal. 

The streets center around fountains
with historical statues

Bern is Switzerland's capital city, beautifully dressed for Christmas with 4' live trees fixed to buildings along the main streets. When the sun goes down, the lights twinkle down on each side of the thoroughfare where pedestrians walk.

Das Rathaus (Parliament)

We're meeting Regina and her three children (5, 3, 1) who have taken a 2.5 hour train trip from NE Switzerland to Bern. There's a play car for children on their express train and the children have had a good trip. 

Regina's family under the clock tower

D and Regina lived in our neighborhood when their son was a baby. We met at a cafe in Kirkland and then again on walks closer to home. They spent Christmas with us in 2010, playing a trombone duet and little M sitting on my lap at the piano for the carol sing.

At the Bärenpark

The kids walk with Regina and me all the way from the station through town to the bear park. One bear is strolling around the stumps, to the delight of the children. The littlest gal is an angel: she sleeps all the way to the park, walks around a bit while we're there, then hops back into the stroller without fussing. What a pleasure to see them on their own soil again, after several years ago on ours!

Doris and I at the Christmas Market

After Regina's family catches the train back home, W, Doris, and I walk through the Berner Christmas Markets. I love the Christmas celebrations in this part of the world.

We head back home through Thun where we pick up some chocolates at Aldi.

A cream horn to finish up

Doris makes a cheese fondue for supper: bread, apples, cheese. Accompanied by pickled onions and red cabbage, it's the perfect meal. A few pastries finish up the evening.

Read more:

*Jacob said to his household, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves." Genesis 35:2 ESV

*But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us"). Matthew 1:20-23 NIV

*Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34 ESV

Moravian Prayer: God, you dared to become as vulnerable and frail as we are. Grant us the courage to let go of what keeps us from living a redeemed and renewed life in relationship with you. 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.