Never done this blogging thing before, but my Mom recommended I start one for my time abroad in Europe this semester, so here I go. I think I've got my blog set up properly, but Mom, feel free to correct anything or give me tips on how to best do this. I'm not as computer savvy as you, Bethany, or Tabitha. haha. Anyway, guess I'll try writing a piece of news in here now about what I've been up to.

I am currently in Germany staying with my amazing friend, Vicky, who is the best hostess/tour guide/translator I could have asked for. My first full day here was Tuesday, and one of the first places Vicky took me was a BAKERY!!! There are bakeries on nearly every street here in Germany, and for anyone who knows me, they know that bread is my greatest weakness. The bakeries here, therefore, are like Heaven to me! And they are quite affordable as well. I wish somehow I could learn to bake the way they do in these German bakeries and open one up in the states, because they are just so remarkable! Anyway, I'll try to stop going on and on about how much I love the bakeries.

So far, I have been impressed by how much I love Germany. It's a bit more difficult and overwhelming when everyone around you speaks German, but with Vicky being fluent, I can completely depend on her which is quite nice. Germany is a beautiful country from what I've seen thus far. On Tuesday we explored Bad Homburg (Bad is the German word for Bath) and got a tour of a castle (schoss) in the town. We also walked inside a gorgeous church. :-D Then, yesterday, Vicky took me to Mainz where we went inside a beautiful church built in the Medieval Ages. The paintings in the main section of the church told the story of Jesus, and we quite enjoyed walking down the main aisle, point out to each other what each painting was a replica of in Jesus' story. I was in awe of the vast size and amazing architecture of this very OLD building. I can't imagine how difficult construction must have been for such a vast structure. But as I looked in awe, I wondered to myself if the building had been built truly to glorify God or if man had built it to glorify himself? I silently prayed that no matter the true motive behind it, that it would be a building to bring glory to God ultimately and that His sovereign will would reign supreme in that majestic building.  

Then after looking around the cathedral, we went to the Guttenberg Museum!! I got to see really old Bibles among the first to be printed in common language. It was remarkable to look at those huge Bibles and realize they had been printed sometime back in the 1450s. I am so easily blown away here in Europe whenever I come across something so old! Later that day, we came across an old Roman archway that had been standing there since who knows how long?! And I just had to touch it. I have this thing about wanting to touch the really old stuff I've come across, because in touching it, it feels more real. I'm touching history, touching an object that was touched by so many other people throughout the hundreds of years it has been standing there. And suddenly I feel connected to them, connected to their lives, connected to history. And this is why I'm so thrilled to be here in Europe, a place full of RICH, OLD history! Thank You Lord for this amazing opportunity.

~Lydia Delleane