Mon Aventure

I had a strong need to feel alive.  To feel my lungs burning and expanding, cement pounding underneath me.  Maybe Bear and I will both be in pain tonight, but at least we'll be more alive and happy. 

Perhaps we won't run tomorrow.  Perhaps we'll do something else.  But today running met the need.

Did you know the ancient Hebrew name for LORD was Y-H-V-H?  It has evolved over the years to be pronouced by many of us as Yahweh.  The ancient rabbis believed that these letters were actually breathing sounds and were essentially unpronounceable because they were a series of vowels.

What a beautiful revelation.  The name of God is the sound of breathing.

This brings new depth to the passage in Acts 17 that says many seek and grope for Him, though He is not far from each one of us.  For in Him we live and move and exist. 

And new depth is brought to the song we sing, "This is the air I breathe."

As I ran, I breathed.  And I reveled in His name.

How can so many eyes and minds be darkened, unaware of His presence when the very breath in their lungs is from Him and the sound of His name is on their lips?  Another mystery too big for today.

We found an apartment.  Actually, God handed us an apartment.  We have not even formally begun the search for an apartment.  The rental availability rate in Geneva is currently less than 1%.  It typically takes 3 to 6 months for an apartment to become available.  We had not even begun the search because our visas were not finalized and there's no point in looking at apartments if you don't have the legal paperwork to jump on one when you find the one you want.  Furthermore, it costs several thousand dollars (Swiss franks) to pay a relocation company (real estate agent) to help you find an apartment.  No sense paying for it until you're ready to use it. 

Only a few days after our visas came through, Chris came home and said that a guy at the office is offering us his apartment.  He is currently sub-leasing it to another couple, but they are moving out at the end of March and we are welcome to take their place.  This apartment meets all the criteria we are looking for..... two bedrooms, a small balcony, old building with charm, lots of natural light, close to the park and the lake.  Unbelieveable.  God has spared us the money and exhaustion of apartment hunting.  Unbelievable.

I also have to tell you about another apartment that was offered to us when we first arrived.  It was in the building next door to Chris' office.  Great! we first thought.  Close to work, no commute.  Furthermore it had a HUGE balcony.  It was someone else's roof top.  We could have thrown parties out there.  But as soon as you step onto that balcony you realize why we turned it down.  I could see Chris' office, his desk and his office mate from the balcony and they could see me.  There was a whole wall of office windows.  NO WAY was I going to have the freedom to lay out and sunbathe.  Not that I ever do.  I'm not into that, but it's the principle of the thing.  A person needs to be able to chill out on their balcony without work friends playing Peeping Tom.  No, it just wasn't going to do.  We respectfully declined.

We'll be moving into our brilliant apartment with the itsy bitsy balcony in roughly 4 weeks. 

There is one drawback to our perfect apartment.  It's on the 4th floor with no elevator.  This is common for many of the buildings in Geneva.  No elevator.  I'll be climbing 90 stairs 3 times a day to take the dog out.  I'll be climbing 90 stairs with groceries in tow once a week. 

I went ahead and bought it now, because truth be told, my arms have been falling out of their sockets carrying those 2 bags of groceries home from Migros once a week.  Those two bags are frequently VERY large and heavy. 

I love the location of our future apartment for another reason... it's right around the corner from a new friend of mine.  Her name is Bethany.  Actually, some of you already know her from the beginning of this story when I met her in December at a work Christmas party. 

Speaking of friends, Switzerland seems to be raining friends down upon me.  I found it challenging to make friends in the U.S. but here I am experiencing abundance. 

Woman in Geneva do not smile at you on the street.  That's an American thing.  But the woman I've formally met and befriended REALLY know how to laugh.  We've all heard that laughter is the best medicine and it's so true.  Americans could use a dose of laughter.  I know I, for one, have been in need of it for years and I haven't had enough yet.

My days are full of long walks, good friends, and work in my cozy apartment in front of the window.

Here you can see my new easle. Yesterday was cloudy when I took this picture, but it's a very bright spot when the sun comes out.




Right now I'm working on a painting of the Voyager of the Dawn Treader from the Narnia series, for a young guy back in the U.S. who has been absorbed by this story since childhood.  The painting will be of a ship (The Voyager) with the head of a dragon.

So far, the sky is done and the ocean water is in progress.  I will show it to you when it is finished.


Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!  (Today, March 5th, is my parents 33'd anniversary.)

33 years ago, two Virginians fell in love.....