Bits from Belgium - Week 7

~ Psalm 52:8-9 ~


Groeten aan mijn vrienden en familie!

I spent the day today in the Flemish/Dutch part of Belgium and thought it would be a fun change to use some Dutch today instead of French! If it throws you off a little and is a little [lot?] confusing, don't worry! Now you know how I feel! :-) Just when I was starting to get a tiny bit comfortable with using a tiny bit of conversational French to "get by", I got introduced to "the other half" of Belgium, which is Dutch speaking. Confusing? You bet! It's a good taste of what it's like for the people here though, since they live it every day!

So Week 7 is here! How are YOU?!

Have I ever told you how much I enjoy and appreciate your e-mails, letters, cards, etc?! Yep, still do every bit as much as I did 6 weeks ago! As they say in Dutch... Dank U!
The wonderful "same old" from here! I am still well, still learning lots, still being stretched, still very happy, and still very thankful!
I've been thinking quite a bit this week about the difference between you hearing about and seeing pictures from my time here and my actually experiencing it. I think about the thoughts and feelings I have had when my friends have gone far away for a long period of time and life goes on at home. You try to picture where they are... what they're doing... what they're feeling, thinking, and experiencing. Even when they get back, you may have mental pictures or stories laid out in your mind of what it must have been like. It seems I have always been on that side of the story, and never really gotten to experience "this side" of it. It's really quite amazing, and oh, so different and much more wonderful than I ever "saw" from my side before! I SO wish there were some way to bring you here or let you experience some of what I'm getting to experience in "real life"! My pictures and updates do not even come close to being able to describe my life here in the "living detail" that it is... despite how hard I try! :-)
There is a realization in all this that I'm just the same, usual me that you all know, love, (and sometimes don't love), and that you shouldn't picture anything different when you think of me here. But at the same time, that same me has been given the amazing privilige to be plopped into a life and place completely different from that at home, and observe, embrace, and be a part of it for 3 months as I am carried by the grace of God and prayers of my friends and family! I think of it kind of like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz or Alice from Alice in Wonderland! :-) Still the same old me, but very much impressed, growing, and amazed by all I'm getting to see and do! :-)
I can't wait to come home and tell you all about it... thought it may take months or even a lifetime to realize and share about everything I've experienced and learned!

On to my not-so-bitty bits!
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Donderdag - 23 Augustus, 2007 - Nothing thrilling to report for you. Just another "normal" day of learning, growing, and experiencing life in the Petrie household and in Belgium! I attempted spaghetti and sausage meatballs with garlice bread for dinner.

Vrijdag - 24 Augustus, 2007 - Went for very long walk in the evening. It was a lovely day, and so nice to walk, although when I realized how far I'd walked, I realized I still had to turn around and go back too. Oops! My legs are a little sore, but oh well... it feels good. :-) I took my camera with me to take some more pictures of the area or anything I might find. I always seem to find things worthy of pictures when I don't have my camera, but when I have my camera, I see little of interest. Oh well! Anyhow, I did take a few pictures of various parts of the town and neighborhood though. Shortly after I had taken a picture in one area, a lady came off her porch and rattled off a question French about photographing. (She was asking me about what and why I was taking pictures, I found out later :-) I told her I didn't speak French (in French) and asked if she spoke English. She was rather excited at this and used her English the rest of our chat. We visited for several minutes, discussing my impressions of Belgium, where I was from, etc. She told me about her visit to the U.S. and a bit about her house (considerably "young" by Belgian standards, it was built in the early 1900's). It was a pleasant chat, and funny, because she spoke quite good English (although she said she hadn't used it since school, years and years ago!), and I kept finding myself sticking French words into my Frenglais as I talked. It's probably more confusing that way for her, but we were able to carry on a nice conversation just the same. As I walked home, I saw several hot air balloons in the sky, two that looked like they were right beside a very large, rising moon! Unfortunately I could not get a good picture of it because of my location and height, but it was a really neat sight, and the sunset was gorgous too! Have I ever told you how beautiful I think Belgium is? :-)

Zaterdag - 25 Augustus, 2007 - I went to Champion again to make some purchases today. It was my third time there, and I realized that I'm more comfortable each time I go... mostly because I know a bit more French each time I go, and I understand the "order of operations" a bit better. I also try to make it pretty clear right away that "Je ne parle pas Francais!" I still walk out of there with an amazing feeling of wonder and accomplishment, and each time I'm there I use a bit more French, understand a bit more, and am more excited about going back!

Zondag - 26 Augustus, 2007 - Sundays are "movie days". I watched "One Night With The King" with Paul and Rebecca and Annie (about Queen Esther)... one day after I finished reading the book of Esther in the Bible! That was kind of neat, especially since I didn't pick the movie... they did!
... The moon is bright tonight. The night is clear, crisp, and cool. It's 10:40 p.m., 59 degrees Fahrenheit. I stick my head out my open skylight and smell the clear air. It smells of almost nothing... but maybe a bit of fall, something burning, and leaves in the air. I'm not a good sniffer, but whatever it smells or doesn't smell like is pleasant. I hear one cricket chirping and a couple cars driving. It's very quiet. I'm easily impressed, but I think it's a gorgous night. :-) I'm very tired. I think about you as I look at the moon. It's comforting somehow, even though I know you won't be seeing that moon for another several hours. Thank you God for the "lesser light to govern the night"...

Maandag - 27 Augustus, 2007 - Happy Wedding Anniversary Paul & Rebecca! Happy Wedding Engagement Jonathan & Pam!!!! We didn't do anything terribly special today to celebrate, but we did enjoy an immensely interesting dinner time discussion about how Paul and Rebecca met, their courtship, wedding, and life after that. Wow, what amazing lives they have lived! I also made an experimental berry meringue pie with frozen, pre-made crust and frozen berries. I didn't really follow a recipe and just followed the advice of Rebecca and another meringue pie recipe. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, quite honestly, but it seemed to be quite edible, since the four of us managed to eat about 2/3 of it for dessert! That was encouraging and has me motivated to perhaps try it again sometime?!
I went for a walk this morning, which is nothing new, but as I walked I realized how amazingly much there is to "take in", and how I wish I could share it with you! The pictures show you what I see, but there is SO much more that my senses experience on my walks through this little Belgian town! This morning was simply gorgous! It was 9:20 a.m., 3:20 a.m. Ohio time. :-) The sun was warm on my face as I walked downhill (and then back up!) around the block in the cool, brisk air. It felt like September in Ohio. I could hear birds chirping, the prevalent sad but beautiful coo of doves (sometimes they sound like owls!), and cars and trucks driving to and from their business on this Monday morning. Flowers lined various houses and the sidewalk beside me, filling the air with some delicious and ever-changing scents... mint... morning glory... roses... leaves...over-ripe apples...somebody's breakfast... I can hear various people talking here and there on phones, to eachother, to nobody in particular... all in French. I see a petite, elderly lady whiz by on a little motorcycle. The sight made me smile. :-) I do a lot of thinking while I walk... hum or sing some songs, and pray. I also enjoy just looking around me and delighting in all there is to absorb! I understand that it's important for a youngish lady walking alone to be alert and aware of her surroundings and what's going on around her, so as you can see, I "work" hard at taking everything in! :-) Seriously, I love it! There's so much going on and so much available to love, admire, and "soak". I think it sometimes takes being in a new environment to recognize and realize the beauty of some of the simple, everyday things. It reminds me of a song by a group called Telecast... "It's the Beauty of Simplicity"... i sang it on my walk today :-)
"It's the beauty of simplicity / that brings me down to my knees / I'll praise You for eternity / and Lord I love You / Because You / You first loved me. / It's the beauty of simplicity / that fills me with eternity / I've tasted Your divinity / and Lord I love you / Because You / You first loved me..."
I stopped by the bank to exchange some money. For those wondering, the return for a USD 20 is 14.21 Euros... ugh. :-/ On the good side, I completed the entire transaction in French without having to say "Parle vous Frencais?" :-) I should mention that that "transaction" did only consist of a few verbal exchanges, but I was still excited to be able to do it all in French, and also excited because now that I know the days of the week, I can tell the hours of operation for various businesses! :-) The hours of service here are not like in the states with a standard 8 to 5 or 9 to 5 or whatever. Here they vary greatly by day and are unpredictable hours. One bank is open today from 9 until 12 and then 2 until 4... and that's it. Tomorrow could be completely different, as could Wednesday. I guess people in the town just get used to it and know the hours!

Dinsdag - 28 Augustus, 2007 - I made ratatouille for dinner today. I'd never had ratatouille, let alone made it! Thanks Mom and brothers for the suggestion and recipe! It turns out it is a favorite of the Petries, and they said my little "creation" tasted like ratatouille should, so that was an encouragement! I woke up at about 5:00 a.m. this morning to find the full moon shining in on my face! That doesn't happen back home in my downstairs bedroom ever, so it was rather cool through my skylight! I could/should close the blinds on my skylight so I sleep a bit longer since the light often wakes me up early, but I so enjoy being able to look up at the stars, blue sky, or clouds in the morning that I haven't been able to close it yet! It's an awesome way to wake up! :-)

Woensdag - 29 Augustus, 2007 -
Today was my day off. I got up earlier than usual and joined a friend of the Petries and her neighbor for a day of "kringwinkel"ing! (Thrift store shopping!). We traveled all over a large portion of Northern and Western Belgium stopping at various thrift stores that the Petrie's friend knows. As I mentioned previously, this was mostly Flemish territory, so I heard a LOT of Dutch today! It was exhausting traveling and shopping from store to store while trying to decipher some language and communicate. It was also a BLAST! :-) I was able to find several items I was interested in finding as well as a couple others, one which includes a waffle iron! I don't know that I will have the time to actually make a Belgian waffle while I'm in Belgium, but if not, perhaps I shall try when I get home. I do have a recipe now, (thanks Andria! :-)! Throughout the day's travels I got to see a windmill, another castle ruins, acres and acres of Belgian countryside, lots of delightful livestock (mostly horses, cattle, sheep, and chickens in people's back and front yards! That's familiar!). Also saw many "Belgian Blue" cattle (a unique breed I had heard about in my animal science studies, but never seen in such abundance! I wonder why here? ;-), and savored a chocolate filled croissant. Mmmmm! We also had the great privilige and shock of driving down Ohiostraat, which when translated from Dutch to English is OHIO STREET!!! :-) How crazy is that? Our friend, who did the driving, has a GPS system in the car (her name is "Liz" :-), and that was a new and fascinating experience as well, as she navigated us all over central Belgium! :-) All in all, a lovely, tiring, wonderful day with many more memories and new experiences and some small items and pictures to bring home to prove it! :-)

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Oh dear, are my week reports getting longer and longer?! :-O I'm sorry! This week's Bits might actually take you until next week to finish! As Rebecca would jokingly say, "My, my, dear, dear..."

I am sorry!

Save the best for last though...
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Blessings in Belgium:
* The time and ability to see the "beauty of simplicity" all around me!
* The amazing people I'm getting to meet and learn about!
* The giving of time and self from other people, which has allowed me to see and do what I have!
* The knowledge and experiences I am gaining here in areas so different from those I had at home
* The ability to communicate with "all ya'll" at home and throughout the U.S.!!
* The amazing privilige it is to be here in this place, doing what I'm doing, with the people I'm with!
* The uniqueness and intrigue of the cultures here and throughout the world that season our lives!
* Good health and physical, spiritual, and mental strength to get through each day!

Prayer Requests:
* Good nights' sleep and energy for each day
* That I can be humble and serve the way Jesus has taught and demonstrated
* That I might decrease so that He might increase
* That I can love, be a light, and bless those I interact with
* That I will be in tune with and always seeking and listening for His guidance throughout each moment and day

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Heb een grote week!
~ MB

P.s. To all my LDFC'er Friends! Have a posilutely, absitively fantabulous time this weekend!!!! You will be in my thoughts and prayers!

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"But I have learned... that service also opens up levels of fulfillment far exceeding any others I have encountered. We are called to self-denial, not for its own sake, but for a compensation we can obtain in no other way." - Dr. Paul Brand "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made"
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