The Netherlands Part 2: Market Day

In Holland every town has market day. Vendors set up in the square selling their wares. Wormerveer’s market day is Wednesday. So on my first full day in The Netherlands Brenda

The open air market in Womerveer

and I went grocery shopping!

Brenda at the green grocer

I did notice that Brenda’s fruits and vegetables do not last as long as the veggies and fruits I buy in the States. It makes me wonder what’s in the food I eat.

The cheese vendor

Cheese is a major part of Dutch society. The cheese and potato vendors seemed to be among the busiest booths.

The Potato Vendors

When we finished our shopping for the week Brenda treated me to Freits with Freitsaus (French Fries with a mayonnaissy like sauce on them).

A lady carrying Freits from the Freit vendor.

Walking back from market I got some shots of Brenda’s neighborhood!

the canal behind Brenda’s home.

Brenda’s dream home on the Zaan

A funky car

The church garden next door

Brenda’s box garden before I took shears to it.

Brenda’s box garden after I took shears to it.

In case you are wondering I did make it out of Wormerveer. On Friday we will explore Amsterdam together. Check in tomorrow because PAstor Wrinkles will be back with more chapter charts….

 

The Netherlands Part 1

Well I am finally back. I am, slowly getting caught up on all my reading of fellow bloggers. I will be responding to all your comments soon. In the meantime, here for your viewing pleasure are pictures of what I have been up to!

Vacation began on June 18th with a flight out of Boston at 9:30 P.M.

By 6:30 A.M. on the 19th ( which I suppose was sometime around 2 A.M. EST) I was arriving in Iceland. This is a place I would just love to explore someday if God permits!By 7:30 I was back in the air heading for Schipol, The Netherlands. I arrived at 1 P.M. after a three-hour flight (I know time change in the air is really confusing).

My sister greeted me with grapes and soda for the train ride to Wormerveer.

We were about an hour on the train and the bus which dropped us off almost on Brenda’s front step. Her home is called “The Young Prince” by the people of Womerveer and is a converted bed and breakfast. That’s it on the right next to the river. Here is what Brenda sees from her front porch every day.

A houseboat across the river.

The city of Wormeveer upon the Zaan River.

Longboat racers practice on the Zaan

Well dear readers, there will be more tomorrow!

Share Your World With Cee Cee Pt. 12

This weeks questions are really fun! 🙂

1. What’s my favorite holiday and why?
   My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because it is celebrated via some of my favorite methods! Lots of eating followed by a required nap. On what other holiday does your family expect you to take a nap?
2. Do you prefer your food separated or mixed together? Depends on what I am eating; For instance,  jello and gravy are a bad combo (which often happens at church pot-luck when you over fill your plate);That said, I am a big casserole fan so mixed together is my preferred form.
3. Before making a phone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? If the phone call is really important then I sometimes even make a script. Usually I at least have a planned purpose in calling. I am not a telephone for fun type of guy.
4. When yo are with your friends. Do your interactions include much touching—for example, hugging, kissing, rough housing, rubbing backs?   Would you like to have more of this? I live in New England, land of the frozen chosen, so touching is seldom encouraged. Rough housing is usually discouraged except on the playing field and rubbing backs is definitely reserved for private settings. But we do hug in church (sideways hugs only unless you’re related) and you can be kissed on the cheek by a lady over sixty.  A firm handshake is usually the order of the day and grasping the hand with both hands is a sign of deep proper affection. I think I am fairly Victorian in my personality so I am OK with this. 😉

Here are some more pictures from Thailand:

New Endeavors

Life is full of change. This next month shall be veritably overflowing with it!

I said “Bu-bye” to my youngest last week as she embarked on her summer internship in Thailand. Soon I shall be posting updates on her perspective of the world from Chang Mai province.

A few days ago I said another “Ciao” to my son who is on his way to a  summer internship in Myanmar! You sill be seeing lots of pictures from the Far East in the weeks to come.

My daughter Amanda has just started a new job in a nearby town and will be teaching children’s church here at Cornerstone with me 🙂 (God knew I probably couldn’t handle all three out of country at once).

And then this month I have the awesome privilege of travelling to The Netherlands to visit my sister who is working as a missionary associate there!

So …yeah… lots of change which will bring lots of pictures. At least Cee Cee will be happy I can stop posting pictures of broken trees! 🙂

The Very Inspiring Blog Award

     I have been blessed by three of my friends in the blogging community! Drusilla at  http://drusillamott.wordpress.com/

Angela at http://meetingintheclouds.wordpress.com/

And Kate at http://believeanyway.wordpress.com/

have nominated me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. As I accept the award I need to share seven things about myself and nominate seven other bloggers. This is one of my favorite parts of receiving awards!

7 things about me!

1. I have been a Christian for 31 years.

2. I currently pastor in the church where I first dedicated myself to Christ.

3. I am an unabashed fundamentalist the emphasis being on fun! 🙂

4. I am a type B person living in a type A world. So I spend most of my time asking “Is it time for coffee break?” and hearing “Maybe tomorrow.”

5. My personality index is phlegmatic/ choleric. Yes I am conflicted.

6. I have three children all in Bible college.

7. I am a member of C.cada artist’s community

7 inspiring nominees are:

1. http://thewayeverlasting.com/

2. http://onechristiandad.wordpress.com/

3. http://ofdustandkings.com/

4. http://chiefofleast.com/

5. http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/

6.  http://twominutesofgrace.wordpress.com/

7. http://pbus1.wordpress.com/

Check these writer’s out!

C.cada Update

Holy Week is upon us! C.cada, our church’s artist community, is getting ready to minister  for Good Friday and Easter services. Our choir is doing a choral medley of the two songs listed below. Clayton Phelps, one of our guitarists, has written a Gethsemane piece for Friday night. I can’t wait to sing it with him! 🙂

After I play piano for Good Friday and Easter services I am making dinner for Mom and the girls. What are your Easter plans?

Share Your World With Cee Cee Pt. 3

Here we are in week three for me (week 16 for some others) of sharing my world. This week’s questions are great!

1. If you had a choice, which would be your preference: salt water beaches, fresh water lakes, hot tub, or desert? My definite favorite is salt water beaches. Not because I like salty water but because there is something powerful about the ocean. I love to watch the waves from under a beach umbrella! 🙂
2. What book do you think everyone should read and why? Wow this is a long list but way up at the top far above all others is the Bible because it is the true revelation of God and His plan for redemption and the single authoritative rule for faith and conduct!
3. What’s your favorite way to wake up and what’s the first thing you do?  I like to wake up slowly. I love to push snooze for at least a half hour. Then I walk the dogs and pray and read the most important book which everyone should read (see question  number 2 if you skipped it as soon as you saw the “B” word)
4. What do you do to relax? I read a lot, I  pray, I go to the movies, and I absolutely love  getting my fingers into the earth and planting!

Here are this week’s photo offerings.                                                    French Rose

                                              Mountain Laurel

                                           Black Locust Flowers

Ahh! Yes I am looking forward to my yard this summer!

Share Your World With Cee Cee

One of the new blogs I am reading is doing this…  game… I guess you would call it. Cee Cee asks four questions and the participant (that’s me!) answers them. Sounds simple right? Here are this week’s questions.

1. Who was your favorite Teacher – what grade and why?
2. What do you like most about your home?
3. If you were forced to change the name of your blog what would you change it to?
4. If a movie was made based on your life, what actor/actress would play you?

1. My favorite teacher was Mrs. Hagemeyer in fifth grade. She was the first teacher who wouldn’t put up with my penchant for slacking. She called me to a higher level and wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. Thanks Mrs. H!

2. I love the yard. It is so wild and untamed, a place of dreams!

3. If I had to rename this blog I would probably call it “Fifth Man In the Fire”. I sometimes feel like I’m part of that story from the book of Daniel even if I am only an extra! 🙂

4. If  someone had to play me I think I would like it to be Kevin James!

 

Thanks Cee! This was fun!

These are some spring snow pics from Massachusetts

Award Sundays:The Readership Appreciation Award

I was speaking with a friend at the lunch table today about blogging.

The question at hand … “What is blogging really about?”

My simple answer to that was, “Blogging is about relationship and community.”

When I began “Reinventing the We’ll” I guess blogging was about writing and writing for an audience. A couple of years in, it has become about something else…people. Don’t get me wrong I still write because I love writing but it’s no longer just my voice that I am concerned with. When I write I want to hear the voices of my audience speak back to me in the comments section. Your comments have enriched me so much these last few years. Your voices have sustained me in some dark times. Thank you! 🙂

I have also been blessed to be able to read your work and to be given a voice on your blogs and that has been such an awesome privilege. Paulette http://pbus1.wordpress.com/ (sorry Paulette I just couldn’t let the opportunity pass) has nominated me for the Readership Appreciation Award. I am not sure I deserve a reward for doing something that was only a benefit to me but still I whole heartedly accept.

Here are the rules:

1. Award your top 6 bloggers who have commented the most.
2. Be thankful.
3. You cannot award someone who has already been awarded. And you cannot give the award back to me.
4. Don’t forget to tell the bloggers you’ve awarded.
5. If you don’t want to pass on this award, that’s okay too. Just admire it.

 

Now Paulette has already nominated some of my top commenters but here are six more who have added so much to my blogging life!

1.  Deb at http://twominutesofgrace.wordpress.com/

2. Rachel at http://stirringthedeep.com/

3.  Nicole at http://lovingsimplemoments.wordpress.com/

4.  Tom athttp://tomraines.wordpress.com/

And these are some new readers who have blessed me!

5.  Sarah at  http://theflyingonion.wordpress.com/

6. Paul at http://imagebreakers.wordpress.com/

To all of you who faithfully read “Reinventing the We’ll” Thank you! May you be abundantly blessed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFrdJ2V3r7Y

Prague Vicariously Pt. 2

Here for your viewing pleasure are a few more pictures of my sister’s recent tour of Prague! Brenda is working for missionary Judy Mensch in The Netherlands. Her role as a missionary associate and as a professional director/ stage manager is to build the drama wing of Kidzark&Zo. For more info on  Kidzark& Zo go to: http://www.gonetherlandsag.com/

Thank you for the cross Lord!A beautiful city!Does anyone have the time?ChiaroscuroBeautiful Blue!