We visited Science Ridge Mennonite Church on Sunday morning.  Bridget Donaldson, our niece brought the morning message on find our refuge and strength in the Lord.

I am reading the Gospel of John this week.

Labor Day has been good to catch up on some odds and ends around the house.

Jesus continues full of grace and truth!!!    + Cal+

July 16, M - We had stress and lunch in downtown Strasbourg, France. The traffic was crazy. Wow, was it ever hard to order lunch. Went to phenomenally Beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral. Then our trip took us through the Alsace area to discover our long lost Zehr cousin in Struth France. We drove through town and discovered an old cemetery on the edge of town. There were some old tombstones with the Zehr name. I asked about a building with Zehr on it. (I think that might actually be in Switzerland.) Being hot and sweaty, I decided to wash my hands and face at the city fountain. I gave my card to the lady cleaning the fountain. After she looked at it she said, "Some one with Zehr family name lives here." She scampered off and returned inviting me across the street. I retrieved the family for a brief visit with our long lost cousin. The great grandmother of the women we visited with was a Zehr. We sang some songs and said, Good bye." We thought it would be easy to order so, we ate supper at a French McDonald’s. Wrong about easy to order. But it worked out fine. Overnight at the Etap in Nancy.

July 17, T - We had a time finding a bank to cash travelers checks before we left for Paris. Travel to Paris reminded us a bit like traveling through Illinois. I can see why some of the early Illinois migrations felt right at home in Illinois. We checked into Etap just north of the city and took a public bus to the Opera house. Let someone else do the driving!!! Then, we hopped on a bus to sit on the top deck and explore Paris in a none driving way. Saw the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Seine River, Notre Dame Cathedral, A huge roundabout around a square arch Napoleon had built. Shopped. Saw an amazing store with church like interior dome. Supper at a Greek restaurant.

July 18, W - Made a visit to St. Denis Cathedral in St Denis. St, Dionysus, a disciple of the Apostle Paul was buried there along with lots and lots of French Kings and Queens. We bought sandwiches for the road and where off to Amsterdam. There we were moved by the story of Anne Frank’s family as we went through the Anne Frank House. We had supper at an Italian restaurant on a canal with an Egyptian waiter. We stayed with some Dutch Mennonites. They lamented about the decline of involvement in the church. They are very active in the Mennonite Church, yet their children and grand children are not interested in the church.

***