Stargazing at the Roger Chaffee Planetarium

If you actually happen to take me up on the suggestion from yesterday to discover King Tut while he’s in GR, I’d also like to recommend paying an extra $4 to see one of the awesome planetarium shows in the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium (also at the Grand Rapids Public Museum), which had a 1.2 million dollar upgrade just last year in 2014.  The planetarium was named in honor of the astronaut from Grand Rapids who lost his life in 1967 during the Apollo 1 spacecraft fire. Chaffee Planetarium’s own literature says it best: “All of the brand new shows feature the latest Digistar projection technology and immersive surround sound for an unbelievably rich and realistic experience. Recline, relax and experience the incredible forces of our universe.” We found this to true! It’s recommended for age 8 and above, but even our Giles got into it after the show began.  For those of us who love star-gazing, there’s a really helpful program explaining some of the major constellations visible in the night sky right now in our area. The program we saw was a very inspirational documentary called “Back to the Moon for Good.”            In less than a half an hour, it explains the history of space exploration  and challenges inquiring minds to consider competing for Google’s Lunar X Prize, which has offered 20 million to the first team who develops a rover that can successfully travel to the moon and across 500 meters of surface before returning to the earth. Are you inspired? I think I’m too old, but maybe you aren’t, and who knows what our kids or grand kids might do?! Maybe moon exploration isn’t your area of expertise or vision, but may I challenge you to consider what is…and to pursue it with all the enthusiasm you can muster? My passion is writing, and one of my sons really challenged me to try to write even more, so I’m going to try to write a book this fall in addition to my blogging. How about you? Got a passion? I’d love to hear all about it!

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:3).

King Tut Discovers Grand Rapids

Tutankhamun became “King Tut” at the age of 8 and died mysteriously at age 19. He was buried and for over 3,300 years virtually forgotten until Howard Carter—after years of searching—discovered his tomb in the Valley of the Kings (1922), the only completely undisturbed treasure trove of Egyptian antiquities! For years, there were traveling exhibitions using various artifacts from the tomb,  but at present they can only be seen in Egypt…and at that, only some of them.  However, a group of skilled Egyptian artisans working in conjunction with research scientists and Egyptologists have created an incredible exhibition  including over 1,000 exquisite, precise reproductions of the original artifacts, and it’s in Grand Rapids from May 16-September 1, 2015.  The exhibition provides a detailed history of the archeological search,  some “virtual reality,” 3-D experiences, and many videos that make you almost feel like “you were there” when the treasure was discovered.  There are also audio guides for both adults and children,  and our grandchildren were (literally) mesmerized for two hours, which (believe me) is not usual for 4 active boys ages 9-3!! If you or any of your loved ones are history buffs the way my family is, I really recommend your visiting the Grand Rapids Public Museum  to experience Discovering King Tut while he’s still in Grand Rapids!  I was particularly fascinated to notice the depiction of wings covering the tombs, very like Old Testament descriptions of the Ark of the Covenant, and the fact that they made tiny replicas of servants to help them in the afterlife.As much as I’m tempted to think it might be cool to have servants to take care of me after I die, God tells us in the Scripture  that He’s already sent his Son—as a servant— to take care of us by dying in our place before we die, so that after we’re dead we don’t have to fear any curse, from any man or “god,”   because through faith in Christ, we can be freed from the curse of the law and redeemed to God!  When our body dies, if we are trusting in Christ to save us from our sin,  we can be assured that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8) “Behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch” (Zachariah 3:8).

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

“For he hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

“I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (The Apostle Paul, Acts 20:20-12).

Dalí: Bizzare can also be Brilliant, but is it Beautiful?

Did you happen to read the Google Doodle about Wassily Kandinsky, the Russian credited with being the first purely abstract artist? He was born 148 years ago today but began his career as an artist in the early 1900s. Much of his work was condemned by the Nazis as “degenerate art” and destroyed in 1937, although in 2012 one of his paintings (shown below) sold for $23 million! Do you like abstract art? One thing I will say about Kandinsky is that he believed vibrant color can produce an intense sensory experience in the viewer’s soul, and I totally resonate with this. I love color! What do you think of his paintings?Isn’t it true that so often, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure”? I look at these incredibly expensive paintings and think, “Looks like child’s play to me.” But, I really didn’t intend to write about Wassily Kandinsky today. It’s “Travel Tuesday,” and I wanted to share about visiting the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, which boasts the most comprehensive collection of Dali’s work in the world. My brother had to talk me into going, tho, because I’ve really never been a fan of modern art. Of course, many are, including my son Jon. I remember perusing the Museu Picasso in Barcelona with Jon and being amazed that Picasso could paint such an artistic and realistic picture of his sister’s first communion at the tender age of 15! What happened to him over the years of his long life? Two world wars and despair? To me, his pictures became disjointed…ugly. What makes his art the most sought after in the world today??Jon tried to point out some of the brilliance of his creative Cubism, but I was a skeptic, thinking more along the lines of Picasso’s comment to a friend concerning the above 1910 “Portrait of Daniel-Henry Kahweiler”: “What would have become of us if Kahnweiler hadn’t had a business sense?” Through February16, 2015, there is a special exhibition of Picasso at the Dalí  Museum…rarely loaned works from more than 25 international museums and private collections.  I went last month, and if you’ll be in the area, you might enjoy going, especially if you can make it to one of Joan’s 3:30 tours. She’s a peerless docent who’s been volunteering for nearly 30 years and makes each piece of Dalí’s work come alive by explaining the fascinating symbolism in both the themes and minute details. Dalí’s best known work, “The Persistence of Memory,” suddenly became more than just a series of melting clocks…it was Dalí’s way of trying to express Einstein’s theory of relativity…an idea that came to him as he watched a piece of Camembert cheese melting on a hot August day! 🙂 Everything in his pictures represent something (some are almost prophetic), although much of the symbolism is so esoteric that only friends, art dealers, and those who bought his art understood the messages…often because he’d explain!

Like Picasso, Salvador Dalí was classically trained and as a young artist showed great promise, although it looks to me like the horrors and disorientation of World War I and II caused a spiritual disintegration.  He became a communist and an anarchist,and over the course of time, Dalí’s paintings became less and less “real” and more and more “surreal.” Dalí took pleasure in Dadaism, an “anti-art” movement rooted in Wassily Kandinsky’s theoretical abstraction and totally detached from the conventions of reality.  He liked to shock people, and I dare say, much of his work caught me off guard.  Each picture made me ponder;  some reminded me of Alice-in-Wonderland-style fantasies, and some were totally grotesque surprises that made me wince.

I left the museum with much more appreciation for the genius of Dalí, Picasso, and other Cubists, Surrealists, and Dadaists. The hands that smeared  bizarre graffiti across the pages of our 20th century were doubtless full of existential angst, but they also painted brilliant messages. However, these questions still remain: Are the messages true? And, are the works beautiful? They  certainly are wildly popular today: Picasso’s paintings are selling for astronomical prices…the most sought after in the world at the moment. But, the pictures these artists paint leave me with an ominous sense of impending doom. In reality, God promises our world a future restoration and holds out the hope of a spiritual kingdom of light that will last eternally. He doesn’t want us wallowing in disembodied despair. He wants us to think on the bright and beautiful! Look up, our redemption is coming. 🙂

 ^“Finally, brothers [and sisters], whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

 

 

 

Korea’s Enchanting Folk Village

If you’ve visited and loved traditional cultural theme parks like Michigan’s Greenfield Village   or Denmark’s Den Gamle By,  then you’d probably love the Korean Folk Village just 30 miles from Seoul.  This folk village is carefully situated on 245 acres according to the principles of feng shui (philosophy of orienting everything to harmonize with nature), with a river flowing in front and a mountain behind.  Some 260 traditional Korean houses were relocated from all over Korea  to create the atmosphere of a Joseon period village,  and visitors from around the world can spend the day experiencing the life and customs from days gone by.  Grace is an amazingly intrepid adventurer, so despite their baby being just a few weeks old, she and Michael took us there before we had to leave South Korea.  We were totally delighted!  The Korean Folk Village is one of those wonderful “hands on” living museums  where children can run, play, and participate.  Beyond the many opportunities to see villagers in period costumes  carrying on life and practicing their trades,  such as spinning silk from silk worm cocoons,  weaving shoes and other items from straw,  or making pottery (which is crucial to provide for every family’s ample stash of kimchi pots).  We were also able to enjoy three live performances.  A rather elderly looking man did some very active tricks walking a tightrope,  and afterward, daring souls could practice on a tightrope close to the ground!  There was a troupe of traditional Korean acrobats  who danced and performed  all sorts of break-dance style acrobatic feats.  The kids’ favorite were the Masangjae,  a very talented group who performed martial arts  and equestrian feats.  From previous experience, the kids knew that if they waited patiently enough, they’d eventually get to ride around the ring on horseback (for a small fee). I think this was the most looked-forward-to & longed-for highlight of their trip!  Either that or snack time! 🙂    Some Korean snacks aren’t as appealing to western palates,  but the sweet, crispy coconut rice balls were a real hit with all of us!   We had a memorable, most pleasant afternoon,  although we were only able to enjoy a fraction of all that was available  and never even made it to the exhibition hall or the amusement facilities zone. But, what a wonderful day we had! Thank you, Mike and Grace. 🙂  I don’t know about you, but I often finding myself so excited by life that I don’t want to stop, and I wish instead for  “just 1 more turn?!”Or, like the kids wanting to hold the chickens, I want even more than can be given. But, Mike and Grace love their kids dearly and do delight in giving them what they can…as long as it’s good for them.

I think God is just the same. At the front gates of the Korean Folk Village there’s a place where you can write out wishes and tie them up. I don’t exactly do “wishes,” but I certainly ask the Lord for blessings. Do you? If you could have any good thing in this world, do you know what it would be? Have you asked your Father lately? The answer may be “Yes” “No” or “Wait,” but He encourages us to ask, and we’ll never know what’s possible unless we do ask!

“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask,
and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24).

[Not that you have time or interest, but if you want to see my posts on Greenfield Village or Den Gamle By, you can just type those words into the “Search” bar at the top right-hand side of this article, and it will bring them up. This is also true if you’re curious about whether or not I’ve written on any other topic.]

Sam I Am Visits The High Desert Museum

Have you ever watched a porcupine eat a carrot?  Walked right up to a skunk?  Held hands with a chipmunk?  Watched a badger trot along beside someone as if he were their pet poodle?  Well, me either…until just last month!  My sister kept urging us to go to the High Desert Museum,  but frankly, a museum just didn’t sound interesting on a trip out west  where the skies were not cloudy all day.  I mean, really…whooo’d want to be in a stuffy old museum  when they could be out exploring in a natural wonderland?  Still, like Dr. Seuss’s Sam I Am, and just to make my sister happy, we went. We were totally delighted with what we found!  The museum has an extensive collection of fascinating exhibits  both indoors and outdoors.  The day we were there,  they had 10 special programs that were very educational  as well as entertaining   on such diverse subjects as “Desert Dwellers Show,”  “Raptors of the Desert Sky,”  “Otter Talk,”  and a “Spirit of the West Exhibit Tour.”  At the “1904 Miller Family Ranch and Sawmill”  we felt like true wild west pioneers settling into a genuine log cabin and enjoyed interacting with a living history interpreter in period costume who was a charming hostess and very knowledgeable about  life out west at the turn of the century.  My sister had warned us  to take a picnic lunch because it would take a long time  to see everything,  but Sam I Am (that’s me) assured her that nobody would last more than 3 hours  at a museum.  However, as per usual, my big sister was right  and I was wrong! Plan for a long stay if you get a chance to explore The High Desert Museum,  and bring lots of provisions, ’cause ya just might decide ta take yer moccasins off and make yerselves at home fer awhile. However, if you do forget to pack a picnic from home, they sell green eggs and ham at the Rimrock Cafe (well… at least  green burritos), and if you’re looking for a little something special, the Silver Sage Trading Store sells mighty fine scorpion suckers. (For real, but they promise they’re non-toxic.)Well, I could go on all day telling you about how much fun we had, but I bet you’ve already gotten my point.By the way, do you have anyone in your life (besides me) urging you
to reach out by faith and try Jesus? Are you still not sure? I hope that—like Sam I Am and me (and Baby Sophie)—you’ll give God a try. I believe you’ll be just as thrilled as we are! “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him.” (Psalm 34:8)

(I took all the pictures during our day at The High Desert Museum.)

The Romance of Northern Europe (14): Russia’s Glorious Hermitage

The Hermitage in Saint Peterburg, Russia  is one of the largest, oldest, and most magnificent museums in the world.The Hermitage houses over three millions items  and includes the largest collection of paintings anywhere in the world.  This extraordinary palace was founded by Catherine the Great in 1764  as her personal residence and private collection of treasures,   but since 1852 it’s has been open to the public. (Picture above from Wikipedia. Attribution: A. Savin.) The collections occupy a large complex of six historic buildings along Palace Embankment on the River Neva and include the Winter Palace, which was a former residence of Russian emperors. It was our great privilege to enjoy a performance at their theater and tour this monumental complex during our Northern European cruise,   and I wanted to share some of the Hermitage’s mind-boggling beauty with you.I think one of the major differences between The Hermitage and other of the world’s greatest art museums that I’ve visited—such as the Louvre in Paris,  the British Museum in London, the Smithsonian Institution, and Metropolitan Museum in the U.S. and the Uffizi in Italy—all of these were built as museums. The Hermitage was built as a palace, and for this very reason,  even the intricate details of each wall are gold-encrusted displays of opulence. Catherine wasn’t showcasing world treasures, she was showcasing her home, and she wanted it to be unsurpassed for beauty apart from any furnishings.As in the Catherine Palace, every detail in each room is artistically crafted, right down to the colors and designs in their elaborately parqueted floors. But don’t look down for long. Looking up takes your breath away!There are massive chandeliers in every room, and every ceiling is a masterpiece of art. The windows are dressed with richly embroidered draperies, silk,  and velvet (note the marble window sills inlaid with gold-plated duct work)! and a closer inspection of things only leaves one more and more enthralled! 🙂 For instance, notice the balance and beauty in this rose sitting room. Now notice the gold and satin! Imagine reclining on one of these chairs! Oh, and have I mentioned that each room has its own hand-crafted fireplace? Can you imagine sitting by a snug fire playing the harp in this room? Frankly, it’s hard to imagine trying to sleep in a room this huge and grand…but I could get used to eating at a silver table inlaid with mother of pearl. Besides being palatial, The Hermitage is one of the world’s greatest museums. There are rooms filled with “first editions” and original works by famous authors and composers, ETC. Also, the Hermitage holds the world’s largest art collection, including a phenomenal portrait gallery…and my personal favorite: The Raphael Loggias, a long corridor filled with pictures depicting the Biblical narrative from Genesis through Revelation. There are also entire rooms dedicated to the artwork of Rembrandt and other of the world’s greatest artists. Even if you couldn’t read, I think by the time you’d finished studying the pictures, you’d have some conception of God’s great love for us through the life and sacrificial death of Christ, making a way for all of us to be reconciled to God through repentance and faith in the atoning work of Jesus. Furthermore, God is preparing a home for his children in heaven that is far more marvelous than we can even imagine—even more beautiful than the Hermitage! It is my prayer that everyone who reads this post will find refuge in God and that—before you exit this life, you will have peace in the assurance that God is preparing a special abiding place just perfect for you in heaven!

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

(Spoken by Jesus Christ in the Bible:  John 14:1-3)

The Romance of Northern Europe (13): The Magnificent Catherine Palace

Someone asked me if I actually saw the Catherine Palace or just promised to write about it. If you’ve ever seen Disney’s Condor Man (which is a ridiculous spoof on From Russia with Love…but our family all thought it was very funny), then I’d like you to know that, like Woody, I test out everything before writing about it in the comics (or this blog, whichever comes first).Yes, we really did go on a marvelous cruise of Northern Europe in the springtime and although this one picture (showing the magnitude of the palace complex) was taken by “Royal Russia,” all the rest of these pictures were taken by  yours truly and my trusty husband of 41+ years,  who has endured and enjoyed world travels and cultural experiences with me!  The Catherine Palace was originally commissioned by Catherine I in 1717  as the summer residence of the Russian tsars. Through the years, it changed in style and grew in magnitude and opulence,  but in January of 1944, the palace was totally destroyed by the German army  as they left after the bloody 872-day siege of Leningrad during World War 2. Today, much of the Catherine’s Palace has been restored to its former Rococo grandeur, but in order to raise funds for completing their renovations, the Catherine Palace now rents out its dazzling “Great Hall” for special events, & we enjoyed being beneficiaries of one of their magical evenings of entertainment! Alan and I were part of a group who arrived at the front gates early enough to tour the palace before the concert, but even then we were welcomed with music!It is said that more than 100 kilograms of gold have been used to guild the glorious rooftop and intricate stucco facade of the Catherine Palace, but I think the complete value of this treasure house is beyond estimation.For example, the walls in every room are enhanced with gold-guilding, and artfully adorned with exquisite furniture and statuary. Stunning curtains line the windows.The floors are crafted with intricate parquet inlays; the ceilings are graced with ethereal scenes from the world’s great artists;and each room has a gigantic, blue and white porcelain heat radiator.  The Portrait Hall covers 100 sq. meters and is filled with superb oil paintings.  In the Light Gallery (and on the evening we were there) over 696 lamps are lit near the mirrored walls and windows and hanging from the chandeliers,  giving the room a magnificent, golden glow. (Does this look like Lumière from Beauty and the Beast, or what??!)  Well, besides touring the palace and the Royal Carriage House,  we were treated to an evening of classical music  and a royal reception (not really at this table) to try some of Russia’s famous champagne (which I opted out of) and caviar (which was exotic but excellent). The evening ended with a stroll through the perfectly manicured palace gardens while enjoying even more musical entertainment! I couldn’t help but be impressed with all the music, and I believe it’s really true that Russians (and probably all of us) love beauty, music and dancing. It’s hard to even imagine the beauty and joy that awaits us in heaven!

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
(1 Corinthians 2:9)

Wide-Eyed with Wonder at the Children’s Museum

For those of you who—like me—think of a children’s museum as appropriate distraction on a cold, snowy day…or at least a wet, windy day, please think again! While Kathy was visiting last week, we kept waiting for a yukky day when we couldn’t be outside to go to GR’s Children’s Museum, but that day never came, so we finally decided to go on a sunny spring morning, and we were happily  delighted with our investment during prime kiddy-adventure time! At the construction site, you can build things with foam blocks, or don a hard hat and a pair of work gloves so you can get to the down and dirty business of collecting a bucket of foam rocks or climbing up the ramp for a big slide down. Right next door was a fully equipped, miniature kitchen…just perfect for Iris! Oliver wasn’t too impressed. He preferred watching some boys build a rainbow, and he was pleased as punch when they left, leaving him all the balls to himself! Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Iris was whipping up some great pasta, which she summarily shared with all her luncheon guests. After lunch, Iris decided to check out the display on an active bee hive.  Iris loves all living things (especially ants, which she calls “babies”), so she was disappointed that she couldn’t hold the bees, but she was very excited to see them going in and out through the tube, collecting nectar for their hive. Oh, children’s museums are full of wide-eyed wonders, like this mirror,all sorts of clever musical instruments for playing tunes,fascinating lights & colorful, geometric building blocks that even babes can hold, as well as giant construction toys that only big, tough kids can handle! One of Iris’ favorite “toys” was a life-sized car, free for the climbing! And, after waiting patiently for her turn, she even got to take it for a spin herself. Another ingenious invention was a huge bubble maker. You could stand in the middle, pull down the rope, and presto: encircle yourself in a rainbow bubble! I think Iris’ very favorite attraction was the grand bowl of bubble solution. She watched intently as others made impressive shapes,but she discovered it was much easier said than done!Now, how do you do that again??? After a lot of practice and a little advice on being gentle…Iris was able to get her bubble off the ground! She was even able to demonstrate for a smaller tot who was watchingand made some beautiful bubbles to share! I think Iris could have stayed all day, but Olie had missed the luncheon and said he was getting hungry.Iris called a local pizzeria to see if we could get reservations for a snack, but they said they were already booked solid and wouldn’t have room. So, instead, we decided to just pick up a few groceries and then head home to eat. As luck would have it, we had to wait in a long line to check out, and then Iris remembered that she needed to stop at the bank…and the post office….and the fish market…but we did finally make it home, where we had a splendid lunch and a big nap. All in all, I’d say the Children’s Museum is a great adventure, rain or shine!

Looking for adventure? Don’t wait for a rainy day to learn something new! If you’ve never read the Bible, may I encourage you to start today? (The Gospel of John is one great place to start: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” ~John 1:1-5) It might be hard to understand at first, just like Iris trying to learn how to make bubbles, but I believe if you’ll persevere, you’ll discover a treasure house of wisdom and love that will leave you wide-eyed with wonder!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

The Armstrong Archives (82): Adjusting to Residency

Armstrong Archives 1980

Saturday, January 5, 1980 We’ve been enjoying January despite Alan’s being in the C.C.U. (critical care unit). Today I took the boys to Ann Arbor’s Natural Science Museum where we saw such wonders as mastadon and allosaurus skeletons, stuffed timber wolves and wolverines, and a 12’ living python. You know how interested the kids are in dinosaurs, so that was a terrific hit, and we’ve been reading a science book all about snakes this week, so it couldn’t have been more appropriate. (Did you know pythons have been known to eat as seldom as once a year—one didn’t eat for three years!?)

Last night Alan and I had our first date in about a month. We went out for supper then to an outdoor artificial-ice skating rink. It was 22° and snowing (unusually cold…it rained most of last week), but we just had a great time—and even warmed up with a cup of cocoa at the Big Boy afterward. We took the boys skating once last week. Aaron loved it and will learn quickly. Michael (on rented skates) lasted only about ten minutes, but he’s all ready to go again.

PS—Aaron’s wallet cap is among his most prized possessions, (and Michael is forever trying to get into it)! Thank you. 🙂

Wednesday, January 16, 1980 Hi! Thanks for your letter. I have been up to my neck in helping start a women’s Bible study at the church this week. You know how the kids love having me on the phone! I started a new rule: When the phone rings, Aaron has to head for the couch with a book to look at. It helps.

Alan has been on call for every other day now for a while, so he’s either sleeping or gone it seems. Today I took the boys over for lunch, which was fun.

It’s been rainy and relatively warm here all week. I can’t remember such a mild winter in Michigan…but I like it!

We had a really nice, really short visit with Rob [my oldest brother]. I didn’t see his satellite plans—wish I’d thought to ask. That would have been fascinating! Aaron has a Lego rocket he calls Seasat. [My brother was an engineer at Lockheed and helped design Seasat.]

Thursday pm, January 23, 1980 Busy, busy, busy! Alan worked 122.5 hours last week and weekend. It was beginning to seem like he’d gone on a trip somewhere!! The only good thing is that we’re finally learning to be happy even in spite of not much time together. Last year we used to inevitably get cranky and irritable when he worked long hours; it is so nice just being able to enjoy what little time we have instead of having 1,000 problems to solve. I suppose Baby #3 may knock us all off balance for awhile. But meantime, I’m enjoying the peace and quiet!!

We had our first ladies’ Bible study this morning at the church. I didn’t want to teach right away with the baby due so soon, so I got another girl to teach Philippians and promised to take over in May with Romans. Meanwhile, I’m organizing a “Bible Club” with the pre-school age children who come with their moms. Although I won’t be able to teach it for more than about six weeks, I wanted to get the ball rolling so that it will be a good experience for the kids too. We had nine 2-4 year-olds (another woman kept the infants in the nursery), and we had a great time. We sang songs, had a flannel graph Bible story, played games, snacked, worked on a memory verse, had a quiz, and colored pictures.

Aaron has been a great help to me in preparing, and he is really good at cutting apart the flannel graph pictures with scissors. In a few more years he can be the teacher!

Before I forget, if you have any letters I sent you between February-June of last year (you probably don’t), could I borrow them? I got behind in the boy’s journals then and am trying to fill in some blanks if possible.

I’m still feeling fine…which almost makes me think the baby is more likely to come the last half of March rather than the 5^th. I’m guessing March 15-April 5^th. Who knows? Do you have pressing plans then?

The Romance of Northern Europe (10): Exploring Tallinn, Estonia

Although Tallinn is the birthplace of Skype, one of the world’s top ten digital cities, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back 5,000 years, has a population of 430,000,* and is the capital and largest city in Estonia, I had virtually never heard of it until we went on our Northern European Cruise last spring. We came into the city via the Tallinn Passenger Port, which is one of the busiest cruise destinations in the Baltic Sea. We docked very close to Toompea Castle, part of the fortification system for “Old Town,” the ancient city center, and commenced with a delightful walking tour of the city. St. Olaf’s church (far right) was the tallest building in the world  from 1549 to 1625 and is still an impressive landmark today, although there are many beautiful churches! (Lutheran, St. Mary’s Cathedral)(Russian Orthodox, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral) (St. Nicolas Church, was dedicated to the patron of fishermen and sailors in 1275, but today it’s a concert hall and houses a museum of ecclesiastical art.) In many ways, Tallinn has never lost its Medieval look and charm,  although now everything has a touch of modern class added! Ancient walls are adorned with modern art for sale, and the town center is flanked with inviting open air cafes,some with snuggly sheep skins adorning the chairs. Talk about warm and plush!We visited in May—a great time to travel!—and there were flowers blooming everywhere. The markets were also bursting with colorful bouquets for sale. The Town Hall Square (aka “Raekoja plats”) is home to “Raeapteek,” founded   in 1422 and one of the world’s oldest continuously operating pharmacies! Of course, not all the attractions on the square are quite so ancient. 🙂 After a long morning of trekking all over Old Town  learning about Tallinn’s heritage and taking in the sites,  we were treated to a traditional tea  featuring both savory and sweet, stuffed croissants  in a historic restaurant. (This fresco was painted on the ladies’ bathroom door!)I mean, this was a seriously, authentically ancient building! After a chance to rest and relax, we made our way past some lovely lassies in traditional garb to the “Fat Margaret” Tower and city gate, which now houses a fascinating little “Estonian Maritime Museum.”There’s also an excellent open air museum in Tallinn, which we didn’t see, because we just didn’t have time to see it all, hear it, taste it, or experience it all.But, I think that’s just the way it is! My dad used to always paraphrase Huckleberry Finn: “You pays your nickel, and you takes your choice.” No matter how hard we try, we’re only going to experience bits and pieces of life. We’ll notice certain things, but we may never really understand them. We’ll figure out some things…but there will be all sorts of things we miss.       That’s why I’ve chosen to put my trust in God, who alone is omniscient! On this wonderful “cruise” called life, we’ll never get it all figured out, but God knows and understands everything, and He can lead us into the ways of peace.“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

(*The above aerial view of Tallinn was taken from Wiki Commons)