The Beauty of Fall

Note: The picture above does not do justice to the beauty I am currently witnessing.

As my alarm clock goes off, my eyes suddenly open. Out the window, I see the grayish white sky of early morning. Five minutes later, the sky is a brillant blue and speckled with a few dainty clouds. As I stand up, I see that the trees surrounding The Monument are tinged with orange and gold. The hills around Kandern are covered with the beautiful colors of fall. Soon - too soon - these leaves will be gone. Until then, I will enjoy their beauty and the majesty of their Creator.

Tag der Deutschen Einheit

Yesterday was German Unification Day, so I had the day off. This day commemorates the two Germanies (East and West) becoming one on October 3, 1990. (The Berlin Wall "fell" in 1989.) I think to most Americans my age, communism is something we read about in our high school history books. However, it becomes more and more evident to me that there are still are communist(ic) governments in the world, and its legacy lives on in many other countries, affecting many people's lives. I think many of us tend to think of Western Europe and Eastern Europe. However, the other day someone referred to Western Europe (countries that never were communistic), Central Europe (countries that were communistic and no longer are, but still feel the effects of it), and Eastern Europe (countries that still are communistic or otherwise very controlling).

God has given me a heart for Europe. I know I don't understand the history of this region and how that history affects the people as much as I should - may God deepen my understanding and make me more sensitive to the spiritual needs of the people in Europe.

Dreiländereck

The area I live in is known in German as the "Dreiländereck" ("three country region" or something like that). It's the area where France, Germany, and Switzerland meet. Nearby is the Alsace region, which the German and French fought over for centuries. It is interesting to have such a mix of cultures nearby! In Cincinnati, you cross the (Ohio) river and you're in Kentucky. Here, you cross the (Rhein) river and you're in another country - either Switzerland or France, depending on where you are!

A few weekends ago, I went with some of my new friends to Weil am Rhein. In the picture below, we are standing in France, and looking back across the Rhein (which we had just walked across...on the bridge, obviously:) toward Weil am Rhein. BEAU-TI-FUL!!!!!!!! I love seeing God's majesty in creation!

(I have to give credit where credit is due - Meghan took this picture, not me. Thanks, Meghan!)