Oh, what a tangled web I weave...in my mind when I don't blog for a month, and then try to recall all that has happened...
The past month has been so very busy. There has been much activity here at the Petrie house-- guests by the droves, extensive house reconstruction, and now preparation for a trip to England. Some of Paul and Rebecca's friends have made it possible for them to spend a week on the southern coast of England in a handicapped-friendly cottage. They extended the invitation to me to come and continue to help with Rebecca's care. I am grateful for this opportunity to spend time with Petries, see a little bit of the UK, and rest, hopefully.
Since my last posting, I've made a couple of cool day trips. I believe I have mentioned my Dutch friend, Diana. She is from a town about an hour and half away in the Netherlands. A few weeks ago, July 4th to be exact, I went home with her for the day. That very day the Tour de France was passing through her town, so after lunch, we biked to the site and watched them zoom by. It was cool to see that, and the parade that accompanied it was very fun and exciting. On the way back to her parents' house, we got stuck in a traffic jam of Dutch bike riders. That has never happened to me before. That day also happened to be a family birthday party for Diana's grandmother. After our biking excursion and an ice cream cone, we returned to her house to celebrate, which was also very fun. They did not speak much English, and I do not speak much Dutch, but we managed to communicate, and it was very enjoyable. It was cool to see the inside life of a Dutch family. The Netherlands was a cool country, and made for a fun day off.
Last weekend, Diana and I went to Bruges, an old medieval town permeated with canals and fascinating architecture. It was intriguing, exciting, and fun. We took a tour on the canals around the city, walked, explored, ate, and drank. The above picture is taken from the top of the bell tower, the Belfort. (It took me 366 steps to capture it for you guys.) As you can see, it is a beautiful town, and the perfect weather added to the delight.
The day to day life continues to be busy, draining, and full of lessons, as well as enjoyable and rich. I am finding out more and more what it means to deny myself, to put others' interests before mine, and to "let the love of Christ control me" (2 Cor. 5:14), realizing I can love Him only because He loved me first. So, in my effort to love Him, I have to first accept His love, which is unfailing and unending.
The end of my time here in Genval is drawing near, which stirs up mixed emotions in my soul. In my last couple weeks here, my desire is to serve Paul and Rebecca well, and embrace fully this time I have to be with them.
