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One Year Later
One year ago, we moved across the globe to Switzerland and began a new chapter in our lives. It feels like just yesterday that we put our belongings on a boat, said our goodbyes, and boarded a plane to a new country with a one-way ticket. It certainly has been a great adventure thus far. Here are ten quick observations and thoughts on our first year in Switzerland: Switzerland is Beautiful Amy and I are amazed at the overwhelming beauty that this country has to offer. It seems that no matter where we go, either into the mountains or walking the streets of a new city or village, the scenic…
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Blausee, Switzerland
God speaks. He always speaks. And yet it is during the times when we feel alone or abandoned that we need to hear His voice the most. Yesterday, Ash Wednesday, was a day to begin the journey into the “desert”, or “dark wood” of our hearts. Midway in the journey of our life I came to myself in a dark wood, For the straight way was lost. -Dante, The Divine Comedy, [Inferno I:1-3] The Lenten season is all about confronting the things that we would rather not confront. However, if we are not careful, we can be tempted to believe that we are alone in this confrontation, alone in the…
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Time is Love
The thoughts blow in uninvited during certain times of our lives. And the feelings that accompany these thoughts make us pause, at least for a moment, and wonder how the days of our lives keep coming and going like the sea tide under our feet. There are times when we welcome these thoughts and are able to wrestle with a greater truth. While other times we don’t or just can’t. So we move quickly to replace them with thoughts we believe will make us happier. Or at the very least, thoughts that masquerade the reality of our current state. Nevertheless, whether we welcome them or we resist them, we have…
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Bern, Switzerland
Bern, Switzerland has been our home city for just about a year. Even though we live just outside of the city in the village of Worb, Bern is where my wife Amy goes to work every day, and it is where my kids love to walk the arcades and look in the shops. The slow pace and beautiful architecture of the capital city of Switzerland captivates us every time we walk its century old streets. One of my goals for this New Year is to explore a new place in Switzerland at least once a week. Whether that is a day excursion into the Alps, explore the many different trails…
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The Corner of Church and Gay
The other day I was asked by a friend about the place that I come from. “What part of the world is it?” “What is it like?” My answer was quick, as we had to begin our days…but her questions lingered long after we said our good-byes. Driving away I thought about the simplicity of my answer and how little my description did to convey the beauty found within the community in which I come from. The more I drove, the more my thoughts painted a picture of the wealthy town that we left. I thought about the buildings, the parks, the restaurants, the people. Until finally I found myself…
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Mürren, Switzerland
We spent the day in Mürren, Switzerland yesterday on a beautiful Saturday before a storm made its way in. We explored the quaint town with its snow covered streets (for skiers to get around) and magnificent views of the Alps. We eventually made our way up to Allmendhubel where we had lunch, and, where the boys got to play on the coolest playground ever!!! One thing that both Amy and I have really enjoyed about Switzerland, aside from its beauty, is its pace of life. It seems that the intentional emphasis on “slowing down” by the Swiss people can be reflected in not only the quality of life here but…
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Die Hausmann (The Houseman)
I have to be honest that the first time I was called it, it rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was because of the accent “HA-ous-Mah-n”. Or maybe because it was something that I never identified myself with before. I mean to answer a question posed by strangers, “Was tun Sie hier in der Schweiz zu tun?” (What do you do here in Switzerland?) with “Ich bin eine Hausmann” (I am a Houseman) is awkward to say the least. I mean on one hand it sounds way to formal for washing floors and toilets. On the other hand it sounds like I should be getting paid for this. And…
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The Call of a Father
There was a scene in the new Star Wars film The Force Awakens that captivated me. I must admit I am not a Star Wars expert or fanatic, but I grew up watching the original trilogy like most young boys of my generation and I loved it. So now being a father myself and watching the new film with my eight-year-old son made the experience that much more memorable. Without spoiling anything, the scene I mention for those who saw the movie is the one that left most of us gasping with a collective “WHY?” It was the scene in which Hans Solo confronts his son, Kylo Ren. For those…
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Kandersteg, Switzerland
Today I was able to go to a place that I have been wanting to go to since moving here to Switzerland, namely, Kandersteg and Lake Oeschinensee. After about a 50 minute drive from our house I arrived in Kandersteg and went up the lift to trails leading me to Lake Oeschinensee. My family and I are very grateful to experience this adventure in Switzerland and have seen some beautiful places. But this is near the top of my list. The combination of the majestic peaks of the Alps and the silent serene landscape of the snow and trees made this visit very spiritual. For it took me out of…
