My apologies in advance.....this is another post that got written in March 2014, right after my birthday celebration, but then got stuck in the "to post" file for several weeks. The story is still one of my favorites. And my artist friend is well on her way to creating beauty in our midst.
“I like my town but I can’t say exactly what I like about it. I don’t think it’s the smell. I’m too accustomed to the monuments to want to look at them. I like certain lights, a few bridges, café terraces. I love passing through a place I haven’t seen for a long time." - Georges Perec, Species of Spaces and Other Pieces, “The Town”
“I like my town but I can’t say exactly what I like about it. I don’t think it’s the smell. I’m too accustomed to the monuments to want to look at them. I like certain lights, a few bridges, café terraces. I love passing through a place I haven’t seen for a long time." - Georges Perec, Species of Spaces and Other Pieces, “The Town”
I stumbled across this quote several months ago and decided even then that it really needed one day to show up on my blog. I like Antwerp, I like Belgium, I even like Brussels (on a limited basis....and there will be a future blogpost on a recent visit to the capital city of Belgium and Europe). It's not the smell that I like. In fact, the smell and pollution and poor air quality of Belgium, particularly Antwerp and northern Belgium, was big news yesterday when we were under a smog alert and had to limit access to using our cars and if driving, speed was severely limited, especially on highways. I'm not so accustomed to the monuments down in Antwerp city, so I do enjoy looking at them. I do enjoy some of the bridges and outdoor cafes, especially now that the sun has been out for the last week and the temps in the 70's so people are out and enjoying a coffee or other beverage. I do indeed love passing through a place that I haven't seen for a long time.
But what I love even more than all this, is enjoying a day with a friend and a chance to celebrate! And celebrate is exactly what we did....in great fashion....together....in the city.... with the sun warming our faces and our hearts. We've been on a journey together since our first meeting on Easter Sunday 2013, when she clearly let us know that though she was visiting us on Easter, she wasn't interested in just another religion. End of story. Except that her comment actually becomes the cornerstone of her journey. For indeed, she is well on her way to seeing miracles in her midst ~ as we've prayed together, studied together, fasted together, eaten all kinds of lovely meals together, played together, worshipped our risen Jesus together. And most recently enjoyed a fun trip to an art supply store together.
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| Love the delivery truck holding up traffic for the drop off at the corner halal butcher shop |
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| One artist, well equipped and ready to go! |
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| A place that we were told to fear has now become a place of safety |
Although on some days it may be about the monuments or the sunshine or the shopping, on all days it's about the gift of friendship, of lessons learned together, of being on a journey towards God and holding the hand of another as they too look to the beauty of creation and birthdays.
Memorable birthday 2014 ~ even in these advancing years!
