"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." 1 Corinthians 9:24
So, life has changed a bit since I last posted. I have wedding news. No, I'm not getting married (Dad, you can breathe easily again). One of my best friends, Lydia, is getting married! She has asked me to be a bridesmaid. This August I get to witness her promise to love her man, Nick, for the rest of their lives, God helping them. What a blessing! I look forward to being able to share in her joy in person and to meeting this man that I have heard so much about!
Cassie, Lydia, Abbey & I.
This is the last time that I saw them before I left for Paris.
They are all now done their undergrad, and Lydia's getting married.
Life changes quickly!
We recently had 2 weeks of vacation. In total this month, I have spent more time on vacation than in school. Awesome. Below you'll find a bit about my travels.
Scotland. It's a beautiful country, at least the bit that we saw. We, Rachel & I, had a really great week.
We got a full-day walking tour of Glasgow from a friend-of-a-friend, learning about the city, its inhabitants, the passion that the Scottish have for football, getting completely confused because of accents, and enjoying some local cuisine. The weather there was actually bi-polar. Apparently because of its proximity to the ocean, it can be raining, and then just a few minutes later become sunny, turning into rain again just a bit later, and back and forth again and again. From Glasgow we took a 3-day tour of the Isle of Skye and the Highlands, finishing in Edinburgh.
The "mountains" on Skye are very unique, being formed from a long-ago erupted volcano. They are black with lines running down them. There is only one mountain in Scotland that is actually high enough to count as a mountain, according to world standards, and that is Ben Nevis. We saw it. What else was there....small lakes (lochs, like Loch Lomond), cliffs, a water fall, a beach, cemeteries, castles, tiny villages, Loch Ness (we took a cruise on it), and wind on one particular cliff on day that was so strong it could nearly knock you over (or make running MUCH easier, in one direction!). It's hard to describe everything, so I'll leave it mostly at that. We made a traveling buddy right before the tour started when, as Rachel was trying to take a picture of the two of us together, Emily kindly suggested that she could take it for us: the beginning of a beautiful friendship. ;) We spent the next few days of touring together, as well as some time in Edinburgh as we were all staying there for a few days.
Loch Lomond.
English/Scottish Gaelic
In a super old, small cemetery.
This castle has been in the same family for some 800+ years.
The capital of Skye, Portree: "The King's Port."
Eilean Donan Castle, the most photographed castle in Scotland,
also ironically the newest, rebuilt in the early 1900s.
Loch Ness.
Edinburgh, at least the "old city" part, is beautiful. The buildings are interesting, the accent is much easier to understand than that of Glasgow, and we once again had beautiful weather. We took a free walking tour on the Friday morning and wandered on our own a bit in the afternoon. I climbed the big hill and enjoyed some alone-time, the view of the city and the "Firth of Forth", and some wind.
This is where John Knox is buried. The cemetery has become a parking lot.
Edinburgh Castle (side view).
St. Giles' Cathedral: The High Kirk of Edinburgh.
Holyrood Palace: Where the Queen stays when she visits Edinburgh.
One of the views from Albert's Seat, Edinburgh.
On Sunday we headed back to Paris via Ryanair and I thought about the fact that it's very possible that the next time that I'm on a plane, it'll be on the way back home. That's crazy.
Holland. Just as beautiful in the spring as in the winter. I was very lucky to experience incredible weather during both of my visits!
On Monday morning I left for Amsterdam. I spent the afternoon there, enjoying incredibly beautiful weather, the canals and bridges, standing in line for 1 hour at the Anne Frank House and then walking through it, discovering a part of history. On my way back to the train station, I saw so many people heading home on their bikes; I've never seen anything like it! It's like the end of the day rush at home, but on bikes!
The main goal of the trip was to visit Dad's cousins that I met at Christmas one more time before I go home. So that evening, I took the train to Assen and met Gera there. She drove me to Veendam where I stayed with Rita and her family. I had a good week of doing mostly nothing, enjoying the 30C temperatures and the sun, and enjoying time with Rita and my "Holland brothers," Niels & Stefan. On Saturday, Rita brought me to Barneveld where we spent the afternoon with Janneke, Martina and Joke. That night we had a delicious bbq at Martina's house. Sunday morning (Easter) I went to church with Janneke's family, my second large celebration service of the Christian calendar (the other being Christmas) at her church. That afternoon I began my trip back to Paris. Monday was another day off yet, and I spent my day sleeping, cleaning up, and catching up on emails.
Amsterdam
Barneveld Castle
Bikes at the train station.
Now I'm back at school. My friends and family and finished school back home. I can't really complain much because I started a month later than them, but I'd really like being on summer vacation like they are right now! Such is life, and it's not so bad. We have come to the "last leg of the race" here in Paris. As of today we have about 32 days left here; we've come a long way since we began with 258 days left, or something like that. What a change! I am so very much looking forward to being back home, able to spend time face-to-face with my family and with my friends. In the meantime, though, the verse from 1 Corinthians comes to mind, as well as that of Hebrews 12. The first I have quoted at the beginning of this post, the "Run in such a way as to get the prize." The second is this:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." Hebrews 12:1-2
Right now this verse, for me, is a reminder to finish this year off well, to make the most of the last weeks that I have here in Paris. It's a reminder to "run with perseverance" at a point in time when I have little drive to work hard. Run with a purpose. Live with a purpose. That's kind of what it comes down to, doesn't it? I do have a purpose here, and I should live like that. I don't think that I always do that. It's never too late to begin, though.
I wish all my fellow university students back home a wonderful summer break. I hope the weather starts to brighten up for you all soon.
Blessings and strength for your race,
~Lynette
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