A poem(w/ photos of Scotland hikes, ferry ride, and swimming)

The Return...(for Christy)

Bursting blooming, autumn looming

the hills are full and shaggy

with heather a-rain drenched, the clouds broke open

and blessed us, me and my lady.

Each drop that soaked through to our shoulders

and rose through the souls of our shoes

served as a reminder to our spirits

th'we were never far from You.

For You fill up our hearts like rain fills up our fabrics

once dried up-the tear-ducts were empty.

Is that rain on the street? Or the movements of feet?

You're turning our mourning to dancing.

websites

Hey, check out www.isleofberneray.com
the "hostel" we are staying in is the picture between the sheep and the boats. You can get an idea of what it is like here. Also www.glencoescotland.com and www.skye.co.uk you'll see pictures of the places we just came from. Love and God Bless

Haggis and Heather, the Highlands and the Islands

Scotland has been fantastic. Flying in, we already felt welcome, and since arriving a week and a half ago, the spirit still remains. We stayed with a beautiful and hospitable family for a few nights in Glasgow, where Joseph met up with an old friend for a couple days of fellowship, then we thought we would travel north a bit, visiting the Highlands and seeing the beautiful lochs(lakes). Christy was here over a year ago just after her best friend Shyloh passed away and the land was rugged and brown, just before spring. This time around the land is bursting over the top with greenery and many different shades of heather. We feel this is a new season we are going into... :) From the Highlands we ferried over to the Isle of Skye and had an incredible time of hiking, exploring, hitching, and just standing in awe before our Creator. Yesterday we ferried over to the Isles of the Outer Hebrides and we are staying in centuries old thatched roof stone cottage right on the ocean. Last night we saw the most magnificent display of the Milky Way either of us may have ever seen, and this morning we woke to a big storm, so it is mostly indoor weather, with time to read and pray. We will post some pictures soon, along with some poetry we wrote when sitting in a pub listening to traditional music when we get the chance. We love and miss you. May we all go under the Mercy

Eiffel Tower Etc. For Emily

Fruit and Flowers of Medieval Flavigny France

Happy to be in Scotland.

Hoohah.
We flew from Paris to Glasgow, Scotland yesterday and are staying with beautiful friends here. They are such fun to talk with and they are keen on having bees around so they can harvest honey...so Joseph got stung on his eyelid this morning, but he's a trooper and it healed up well.

Flavigny,France (where Chocolat was filmed), was so quiet and so lovely...we walked and explored a lot there and were amazed by the quaint and simple beauty there, the flowers, forests, valleys...And there is no chocolaterie there, but there is an Anis Sweets factory, so the fragrance wafts through the village bringing even more atmosphere.

Paris was of course not quiet, but it has it's own beauty. Our niece, Emily asked for a photo of the Eiffel tower, so here it is Em! We walked our heels off here, saw the Mona Lisa, and art galore, and had a great time getting lost in the streets of Paris.
We are looking forward to the time in Scotland and will be in touch.
Love J and C

Great Experiences

Bonjour!

We did have a lovely time in Valence, where we hiked to a 1000 year old ruins that was the most windy place we have ever been. The wind was moving us and throwing things at our face. It was rad. And Lynne, our kind host in Valence, connected us with a great lady in Lyon; where we spent last night. Not knowing us, this wonderful lady Gisele (75 years old), showed us all over the city doing tons of walking; showed us the place where it is first recorded that Christians were martyred in France. She showed us an old Roman theatre, and shared a lot of history and then insisted on taking us out for a French dinner. (Joseph had escargot...snails, and Christy had Foie gras...duck liver or something) It was all delicious and we are blessed by the hospitality.

Then we arrived in Dijon today just in time for a parade of dance and song from all over the world celebrating the grape harvest...Awesome!

Having the Holy Spirit is amazing. He is the best Guide in the whole world. He is continually surprising us!

Tomorrow we are off to the village where the film Chocolat was filmed, a film we really enjoy!

Then Paris for 3 nights before flying to Glasgow Scotland. Have a wonderful day and know that you are SUPER!...Au Revoir, Joseph and Christy

France...

So, we took our 12 hour journey to France by bus and train and are staying with a cool lady; Lynne; who works with Wycliffe Bible translators. We are in the Rhone Alps region and heading for Lyon tomorrow.
There were strong winds last night and the coolest weather we,ve had since Iceland.
It is great to hear French...we will do our best to communicate after being in Italy for a month and a half.
We are just about to go explore a bit.
Lots of love...
Joseph and Christy

Painting by Bellini, Writing by Christy

I have seen Him, no, not a rockstar, He was washing my feet.

I have known Him, He has drawn me. He would not let go,

much to my delight.

I have heard Him, He shouted at my enemies

and they were gone without a trace.

I have seen Him, blood-covered, red heart, red skin

He kept His eyes on me.

I have seen Him, He found me hiding in the toybox with Bluebear.

I have tasted Him, Honey-wine-and fire brews down deep inside.

We have seen Him-The Messiah in dry and weary lands

We have seen Him-He was a baby in the hay

I have seen Him in the leaf, shimmering

and in the avalanche aftermath, crying...

I have seen Him in the flower thriving and in the cell dividing.

I have seen Him, He was crying my tears, He said He understood.

...They came quickly running, storming down the door-

Up to this time, hearts hard, eyes glazed, we had to wait.

(Christ came for you and for me, the least of these, not people who have it together and know where to go, having their act together. He understands and loves and is passionate about being True Life to us.).......Love to you today.

Rainy Romantic Venice

Umbrella holding people everywhere, we can barely fit through the tiny streets. Beautiful!

We're in Venice!

Ciao!, We are staying a night in Venice, it is rainy and romantic. Arriving on the train is cool, we crossed the Adriatic sea onto the Island. We are taking a break from the solitude and contemplative reading...etc. This is the first time since our wedding that we've seen this many umbrellas in one place.
We had a great time talking with Christy's brother Adam, and the wonderful family! We love our family, our nieces and nephew rock!
Will write soon.
Pray for us if you get this note.
Joy to you today,
Learning to be loved by Christ,
Joseph and Christy

A Surprise!

We rode bikes downtown tonight, and stumbled across a beautiful open air concert, opera, choir, grand piano and all...Free! It was outside in a main square in front of cathedral.
God is good.
Love,
J and C

Some fun.

Well, our time in N. Italy is going well. The fresh figs on the front yards, tree are a great breakfast. We have been reading as many books and playing as much music as we can, and hope to see Venice in the next couple days....So, we have a list of dreams that we are trying to accomplish on this trip, some serious, and some not so serious. One was to jump up and down on one foot in a park in Rome. Heres the photo. Ok, and this lady you see here, was HILARIOUS. Must have been about 80, we were walking kindof late in Rome, and she was dancing by waving here hands up and down to disco tech. She made a lot of money just standing there and moving about 3 inches every few minutes. We thought we could takes some cues from her on making our lunch money, but i think in order for it to work, you have to be an old Italian lady with a dress on. Hope you are all well. Smiles, Hugs, Joseph and Christy

Joseph got new glasses!

Rome etc.

Rome was crazy and amazing. We have limited time now, so cant say much. We saw a lot, and walked more. Here are 2 photos of the Colosseum where a million people were killed for entertainment. The elephant is one piece of art done by a cool homeless fellow that we stumbled across as we explored. We stayed in a crazy B and (not so)B, that was run by a guy named George, where each morning our breakfast was a surprise. morning 1- He slept in and brought us 5 bucks to go get our own breakfast. morning 2- he brought some pastries and coffee later than we asked for them. morning 3-he had us follow him to a cafe and we got to pick something out, which he payed for. Funny George.

More to come later....Below there are photos and a post about Assisi. Now we are back in N. Italy house.sitting for missionary friends. We have a place to ourselves for the first time in 4 months, which is a blessing...so we will see what is next.

LOVE YOU.

J and C

Assisi

Journal from Christy, written in Assisi 8.3.07

We are in Assisi, Italy, sitting in a church with many people, mostly older...In front of us all is the crucifix that is said to have spoken to St. Francis at age 25. There are many with specifically shaved heads, many in robes, many in penance. Here we all are in pilgrimage. We seek to be small, to put ourselves in perspective with the Sovereignty that must be greater than us. We seek to make ourselves big, to be noticed and seen and to control circumstances, control ourselves and control others. We seek. A thunderstorm made its journey through Assisi today. People hid together beneath pillars, arches, umbrellas and the like. We are all crying out for different things, and in different ways. Our broken hands lack the strength to reach.

...An organ began...the people to stand. The robed men like you and me float to the front and recite. recite. recitte. recite. Everyone here proclaims their part. The wounded sheep of a wounded Shepherd.

The priest dressed in green taps his feet.

He sits with jitters and twiddles his thumbs.

Before us a balding man on white marble seat.

The girl dressed in pink grates her teeth.

She sits and wonders and shudders inside.

Sober, a young woman on a hard wooden bench.

Italy Photos!!!(entry below)

Italy Photos (entry belows)

Italy Photos to go with Journal Entry Below...

Insight to Italy...Photos too!

Italy. Hot and Gorgeous. ...Delicious food. Rad people. Denny and Maureen, who run festival we volunteered at, are an awesome couple from PA. They have become great friends.

So while we were camping for 10 days Rock onthe Rock festival (hairnet photo, cooking in the makeshift kitchen), we met an Italian fellow, Giovanni (photo of guy) who invited us to his home in Volterra, Tuscany. So weve been staying in a lovely guesthouse surrounded by olive trees and a swooping valley. His family is so rad, we made real wood.fired pizza with his Dad at their home. His Mom, Anna is a beautiful tennis.shoe and dress wearing enthusiastic lady who doesnt speak English but asks us to do singing, drumming concerts at her house every evening. The gelato has been insanely good, we have to share or we wont fit on the plane to come home.
Last night, they made a special dinner for us (that lasted about 3 hours), including all sorts of delicacies, not the least of which is pasta with truffle sauce (truffles are special mushrooms, and they take special dogs into the woods to find them).
So, tomorrow we got to Assisi to see what we can learn from St. Francis. We are well fed and have gotten car sick a number of times on the windy roads of Italy. Jesus is doing a good work here in this nation. There is freedom springing up in the hearts of the hungry.
We hope you enjoy the photos and stories...there is no way to say all that is happening, or mention all the beautiful people and places we are finding. The villages in the photos are San Gimignano, Siena and Volterra. The fellow with the long hair is Pastor Bob, an instrumental fellow in starting Christian Rock, Pastor and chaplain for countless musical artists. Enjoy!
With Thankfulness to you for your friendship,
Joseph and Christy