Vacation to NY and Ireland!

My three favorite items to take on a traveling adventure: a moneybelt--so those pesky pickpockets won't get your credit cards; spacebags!--so all your stuff can be smushed down in your bag; and a journal!  A journal is so important because it's so hard to remember everything that happened!  

Here's a few highlights from my journal this trip.

My friend Becky got her passport recently and was itching to get it stamped!  Of course, as a good friend I had to oblige her and go with her somewhere!  We found a great deal to Ireland..just couldn't pass it up. So we booked it!  It was going to be a different kind of trip than I had taken before.  Usually, I go with a friend and we research what all we want to see, research the subway system, take Rick Steve's book and off we go! When we land-we hit the ground running and take in all the sights, museums and history and love it all!

This trip was going to be different because we booked with a tour company.  We didn't have to plan anything.. all we had to do was be where they told us and prop up our feet on the bus :) Nice!

We decided to take 2 extra days at the beginning in NYC.  No tour company here..just crammed everything in!  The weather was absolutely beautiful!  The first day we saw Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, ate at Lombardi's pizza and saw Mary Poppins on Broadway!  There's a great place in Times Square that sells 1/2 price Broadway tickets for that day.  You are limited to what they are selling but we walked up at 7:30 and bought $67 tickets to Mary Poppins on the 9th row center.  The show started at 8:00!  It was a great show!  Loved all the songs! I'm counting my steps on my pedometer too...this day 12, 055 steps!

Day 2 NYC-Got on one of those hop on/off bus tours and went to the WTC site, rode Staten Island Ferry, walked across the Brooklyn bridge, saw St. Paul's church, and went to another Broadway show--Shrek the Musical.. really funny!   18, 170 steps!

The next day was the day we left for Ireland so we didn't do as much. Went to Central Park, walked around alot, people watched, ate and ate! Our plane left at 6:30 pm--it was a 6 hr flight.  14,000 steps

We basically lost a whole night's sleep because the flight was about 6 hrs and Ireland is 6 hrs ahead.  So we landed at 6:30 am!  I think I slept about 30 minutes on the plane---not near enough!

We found our tour group and off we went to the hotel.  I was so impressed at the quality of hotels and food.  All 4 star hotels!  I would have never been able to stay in such great places if we hadn't gotten a great deal on the package.  Remember, I've been to Europe with my niece before and stayed in hostels and a tent in Venice! Quite the experience!

Anyway... Our tour group arranged for us a bus tour around Dublin.  Really interesting with lots of facts and sights...my brain was trying to process --no sleep does a number on ya!--Took lots of pictures though.  I wish we would have come up to Dublin a day early though because we would have been able to see a lot more...oh well, maybe next time!

Some things I learned on the tour: Mr. & Mrs. Guinness had 21 children!  --no wonder he invented the great beer!; the harp is the national symbol of Ireland-not the shamrock; police officers are unarmed in Ireland...

We went to a great pub that night and were thoroughly fed and entertained by Irish singers and step dancers!  Had some Guinness and Irish coffee too!  It was still light at 10:30 and the sun came up at 4:30!  Short nights there!

The next day we started our drive south toward the Rock of Cashel, Cork and Tipperary --and yes it was a long way there :)

I'll post a few more stories soon.....

God's Word

A few Bible verses that have encouraged me and been a blessing to me lately:

Job 29:3 "..and by HIS light I walked through darkness."

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 "⁷ And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

2 Corinthians 6:4-10 "But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, ⁵ in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; ⁶ by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, ⁷ by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, ⁸ by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; ⁹ as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; ¹⁰ as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

I have read the Bible all the way through a few times in my lifetime. (I should do it more!) And it's amazing to me how I can read something and I think "Wow! where was this verse?? It's speaking right to me!" I'm a big reader and have read many books.  If I pick a book up and read it again..it says the same thing it did last time.  It doesn't "speak" to me.  It's the same story, the same plot etc.  But the Bible is living and active.  God uses it to pierce to my soul.  I'm thankful I serve a God that cares about my life.  He uses His word to help me through tough situations.  I just need to read it!

Hebrews 4:12 "¹² For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

Traveling

I get to go to Europe again!  I'm so excited! My friend just got her passport and wanted to go somewhere so .... I just had to oblige her :)  We searched and searched for deals...until we found a great one to Ireland!  We leave in 5 weeks!  I can't believe I get to go again.  I love to travel.  You learn so much.  History is right before your eyes.  I love to read and I love history.  I've read lots of history..but there's just something so different about seeing the actual things right before. It makes it come alive and seem real.  I remember it more when I'm actually seeing it.  Ireland will be great. I think there will be lots of beautiful scenery as well.  I definitely have the traveling bug.  I can't wait to infect someone else with it!  Look out Becky!

It's hard to let go

Being a parent is tough.  I thought when the kids were all little it was hard. And it was!  Changing diapers all the time, waking up in the middle of the night, getting them in and out of car seats, being their sole entertainment, picking up after them all the time etc...  That was all physical stuff.  I was physically exhausted.  But now it's different.  It's an emotional/mental thing.  I'm constantly praying and thinking about them. Where are they? What are they doing?  Are they making wise choices?  Who are they hanging out with?  What influences do they have on them? It's exhausting too...but in a different way.  I want so much for my kids.  I want them to first and foremost honor the Lord.  I want them to be a blessing to others. I want them to have fun. I want them to take to heart all that we've taught them these last umpteen years.  I've given so much of my life for them. I want it to mean something.  But in the end...it's up to them.  I think, reflecting on this Easter weekend, that that's just a little tiny microscopic bit of how God feels toward us.  He gave everything for us!  He watched His Son die a horrible death..just so I could have life.  He wants me to honor Him.  He wants me to be a blessing to others.  He wants me to have fun.  Do I choose these things? Sometimes.  It means so much when I come to God because I want to and because I love Him.  I know that it's like that with my kids too.  I want them to want to.

Finally technology again!

It's been a rough few months for me and technology getting along.  First of all my newish computer went on the fritz in January.  We sent it in to the shop and waited and waited for it to be returned.... and waited and waited...  Then they finally called and said it couldn't be repaired so they would issue us a new computer.  But wait!  All my data was on that one!  Could I get it back..  Yes...but wait some more.. so we waited and waited...and waited... Finally 2 months after first sending it in..they said we couldn't get it back after all..  Well we could--but then they couldn't issue me a new computer.  Yikes!  Well, at least I had my phone/pda that had data on it... Until!!!!-- I accidentally put it in the washing machine!!  Oh my goodness!  It was in my housecoat pocket and then I spilled coffee on myself...and dutifully put my housecoat in the washing machine with out a thought..  Now where is my phone??  Oh no.. I didn't!  Yes I actually did!  Well luckily the phone had insurance and the sd card survived.. (i don't know how!)  So we were able to get a replacement phone fairly quickly.  Then I finally got a new computer Saturday.  Ahhh...   Now if only I can remember to back things up!

Life happens

Life has it's ups and downs. Some periods of life seem to be more up and sometimes it's more down. I think I'm in a "down" time. It seems like lots of bad things happen. Why? Why do kids get cancer? Why do people say things to hurt others? Why don't people take time to be together and do things for others? Why do our kids seem to drive us nuts sometimes? Why does sin creep into our lives? Why do bad attitudes seem to take over sometime? Why is the world going to hell in a handbasket? These questions can overwhelm me at times and cause me to start to sink in the floodwaters of life. That's when I have to cling to my only life raft. The Lord and His Word.

Job 29:3 "by His light I walked through darkness.."

Psalm 16:8 "I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."

Ps 42:5 "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God"

for Tuesday

I want to tell you about a great way to help someone! I have a friend whose grandbaby has cancer. She is only 2! There is a great fundraiser going on right now to help the family with expenses. Go to www.homestudio.etsy.com and you will see the cutest pendant necklaces made out of scrabble tiles! I bought 3 myself and I love them! So go order a necklace today and help a little girl out. (Be sure and put "For Tuesday" --that's her name-- in the checkout so they'll get credit for the purchase.) thank you all!