Venice, Italy was beautiful and was everything that I expected it to be. However, Bled, Slovenia was the most delightful place I think I have ever been. What an unexpected treasure of a destination it was for me! Getting to know a culture means getting to know it's people. People are fascinating. Especially people who have grown up and lived under completely different circumstances, standards and beliefs than you. We were blessed to have met so many kind hearted people in Bled. As breath-takingly beautiful as the nature in Bled was, it was the people who revealed it's true beauty. I'm learning more and more about our Father through learning more about the lives of His children. Prior to this trip, I wanted to travel to the big touristy cities to see the big sites and do the things every tourist does to say that they did it. Now, I'm realizing that true enlightenment lies in the unique, savored moments with a free and willing spirit.
I'm starting to like this whole "no control over anything" thing. I am so weak. I always am. It's silly that my feelings of control over my life in the past (in more comfortable settings) have caused me to feel strong. Now I see that any strength I've ever had, has not been my own. I was a wreck yesterday - I cried a lot. I was just sad. Pride and my fear of not being accepted have kept me from being vulnerable, opening up and seeking relationships here. Truth is, I cannot do this on my own. Like I said, I'm weak. I need encouragement, acceptance and love. I know God's love in my head, but it's hard to feel it in your heart when you're not letting in the people that he tangibly loves you through. I am so thankful for His loving pursuit of me shown through my passionate friends on this trip. Sometimes it takes a friend holding you in bed as you cry for a bit, a nap, and then a wake up call to bring your focus to His faithfulness in His promises. I was encouraged to write verses on colorful papers that I had bought to decorate our apartment with - this turned my whole day around. Of all the nourishing verses discovered, the two that have completely resonated with me and renewed my hope, peace and joy is:
"But he said to me,
"My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,
so that Christ's power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses,
in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
"But God disciplines us for our good,
that we may share in His holiness.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.
Later on, however,
it produces a harvest
of righteousness and peace for those
who have been trained by it.
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
'Make level paths for your feet,'
so that the lame may not be disabled,
but rather healed."
Hebrews 12:10-13
I am beautifully broken because I am graciously saved by the unconditional love of Jesus Christ.
Because of Him, I am able to DELIGHT in my weaknesses.
These weaknesses keep me dependent on Him.
This is exactly where I want and need to be.
I am so thankful for super-natural eyes to see that He is training me.
His plans are always to prosper me and to "fill me with the
knowledge of His will through all spiritual
wisdom and understanding."
AMEN.
"Oh to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander Lord I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart,
O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above"
BLED, SLOVENIA.
These pictures are of the relaxing Vintgar Gorge in Bled, Slovenia, of course. The water was the prettiest color and so crystal clear! Hannah, Shelbs and I paid 3 euro to walk over a mile along the gorge by the wooden walkway!
Above is one of the many places I spotted a cross placed in God's beautiful creation of Bled, Slovenia. If you can't already see the beauty of God through the nature all around, these crosses directly claim glory to God in such a peaceful place. Bled, Slovenia is a good place.
The nature in Bled was so magnificent.
I couldn't help but sing praise songs to God
the whole way walking through the Vintgar Gorge.
His presence was so tangible.
THE VINTGAR
Breath-taking.
**Side note: Brandon, Lexie, Michael and I went canyoning in Bled the first morning that we spent there! The only pictures we got of it were on an Australian girl's camera who was also canyoning and we forgot to give her our email... but somewhere out there, a picture of us canyoning in the Slovenian mountains exists! The water was FREEZING and we looked SO SILLY zipped up in our layers of wet suits!
PLUG: Above (and a few other pics I've included in this weeks blog belong to the wonderfully talented Shelby Smith's handiwork) http://shelbymlynnphotography.wordpress.com
Below is another snapshot of happiness from good 'ole Shelbs. We rented a boat and the boys rowed us out to the precious church on the small island in the middle of Lake Bled!
Inside the church on the island! I loved the shining cross from the sun through the doors of the church. It reminded me of the resurrection and His coming again!
This is our group (on the island!): Michael, Shelby, Brandon, Hannah, Lexie and myself!
It was the coolest moment as we were rowing back to shore: we looked up and the clouds were moving, revealing the most majestic mountain looking over Lake Bled and the castle.
"In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Matthew 26:64
Heck yeah, that's some slap-your-mama-good lasagna right there!
Bled, Slovenia:
You are so special to me. Thank you for being lovely.
<-- Now here's a short story to tell: We really wanted to knock out Bled, Slovenia and Venice, Italy in one weekend. I'll have you know that it is indeed possible. However, you just might be apt to reserving a night train to spare some time. Then your train might arrive an hour later than expected: at the late hour of 1 am. There might not be seats for you on that 1 hour train ride, so you might be subject to sitting outside the bathroom door, on the floor, at the caboose. Albanian drunk middle-aged men may or may not try to step on you and your tired friends trying to make it to the out-of-service bathroom. Language barriers. Then you might have a 3 hour layover in the sketch-cold-uncomfortable Villach train station until 5 am... Then you might jump on a 4 hour "overnight train" to Venice and possibly find yourself arriving around 830 am facing the beautiful Venice, Italy. What's that saying about "it's not the destination, but the journey?"... Because in this case, I beg to differ!
Our humble hotel: Hotel Villa Serena
HAHAHA. I think the boys were a little tired on the water taxi ride to Murano and Burano.
MURANO is an island off Venice known for it's glass blowing! 99% of the stores are glass stores, go figure. We bought Christmas ornaments for our families and friends!
(photo cred: Shelby M'lynn)
BURANO is the next stop we made to a teeny, crayola box of an island. It has always been known for it's production of lace! Burano and I got along well (: I bought a delicate leather watch from a gentle Italian man who spoke soft words in Italian to me. I only understood his kind smile, and that was enough!
...doors.
THESE lovely ladies. I love their hearts.
MAX, our gondolier, took us for an authentic gondola ride!
...doors.
Max whistled and sang quietly a little bit. I hope you can hear part of it!
I appreciate asian tourists who ask me to be in their pictures... I was so confused, I thought he wanted me to take the picture for them, but he put me IN the picture, HA!
VENEZIA @ nighttime.
That pretty bridge is the famous Rialto Bridge!
I love this woman. We stumbled upon her quaint store - how could you not be drawn into this shop?? LOOK AT IT! It turns out, she and her daughter make the leather journals in their workshop, just up that ladder! I love Italians.
YEP. NUTELLA CREPES. would it be too much to eat these every day for the rest of my life?!?
P.S. I also experienced my first NUTELLA GELATO!!
stuffin my face with NUTELLA!!!!! no shame.
it was an adventure.
Thank you for your souvenirs to take home to loved ones.
This was yesterday on a class tour to the Parliament building in Wien. Haha, I live here.
God is so good.
He is more than enough.
Please be in prayer for me as this trip continues.
Pray that my focus is ALWAYS first and foremost on HIM.
And thank you for all of the prayers and encouragment (:
Peace and Love and Joy be with every one of you!
Lacy
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