Reels at McHugh's in Belfast - Have a wee listen!

The Irish Goat

Ireland Photo Notes

Hi! We are in Belfast staying at the YWAM house on the floor for free, what a BLESSING! Thanks to Jesus and Padraig. There is a great Traditional Irish Music Festival going on here, and great opportunities to get to learn from the YWAM team here whose main focus is reconciliation and forgiveness.

Our Anniversary weekend was awesome, we got to explore some in N. Ireland and also Donegal in Ireland. It really is a Wow-a-minute here!

Here is a description of the photos below, if you just keep scrolling...

1. Murlough Bay, one of the prettiest places in N. Ireland..we got to see butterflies and goats and put our feet in the water here.
2. A beautiful colorful village we drove through, Killykiel (sp?)
3. The cliffs at Bunglas are the highest cliffs in Europe and the wind was INTENSE, it blew us up the mountain effortlessly! (Not so effortless was the journey back down)
4. Christy in her new red hand-knit in Ireland sweater, an Anniversary present from Joseph...The background is the Cliffs at Bunglas with a rainbow...(we have seen 11 or 12 rainbows in the last week! ...still looking for the pot of gold, haha....
5. Joseph being a climbing guy.
6. This is the rad beach we had all to ourselves on our Anniversary and went swimming with the huge waves!
7. (black and white) Inch Abbey, 12th Century ruins near where St. Patrick lived.
8. A steeple in Belfast
9 and 10. The Giant's Causeway, N. Ireland, formed a really really long time ago by lava, or just a creative touch of God.
11. A rope bridge 100 feet over the ocean that led to a beautiful island.

HOPE YOU ENJOY THESE!
LOTS OF LOVE! HAVE AN INCREDIBLE DAY!
Joseph and Christy

First Anniversary Sell-uh-brae-shee-own!

The Gorgeouseness of N. Ireland!

Northern Ireland and Ireland!

We just want to let you know we have been in Northern Ireland and Ireland for a few days...We celebrated our One year Anniversary and it was awesome! Joseph planned a beautiful time...we will write with photos in 1 or 2 days. Ireland is a blessed country!
We love you!
Joseph and Christy

Christy thoughts accompanied by Scotland's beauty

Gradually you forget to remind yourself of the offenses

that you had let disturb you so.

You decide to lose the frown and let your smile show

The kindess of the Scottish folk

The haggis and heather of the highlands

brings creative life to your tired hands

To find beauty in the feet soaked through

and through and through

and in the eyes that light the grey to white

that washes over the room

I'd like to build a house of stone

with trees tall by the stream, and be there in

the winter and for the coloring of the leaves

Today we saw the first tree, seasoned with Autumn's breath.

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