Swooshing in Suiss. 27 January 2009 (Charlie)

What is the climax of happiness? Some might say giving away money,some like spending it, others may say that traveling is the ultimate. A Russian would say it is when the KGB come to your home looking for Ivan Ivanovich and you say Ivan Ivanovich lives next door. A family man would say that there's nothing like being with your family and all of us are born to like spending time with our Father in heaven.

Everything said, what is the ultimate for me? I like to have a bit of everything. Traveling to a different destination, Spending every hour of every day with my family and most of all spending hours in my Heavenly Father's arms. You might say it sounds unfair that I have all of this, but isn't grace always a bit of unfair happiness on earth!

Looking towards the future where everything isn't always going to be this way ,I know that having the right attitude and reacting out of the Spirit will always fend off a burning arrow heading your way, even if it is a stray arrow. That's where I am now. I'm working hard at the relationships with the people around me, trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, but at the same time reacting out of love and a soft heart and not out of self righteousness and revenge. It is not easy and I still fail a lot but I know I can accomplish everything through Christ who strengthens me.

The hard part over with," what have I been doing here in the Swiss Alps?" Other than working hard at my school work in the mornings, the afternoons are filled with laughter and excitement. The most fun of all: two bobsleigh like plastic snow sleds that is not only fun because of the amount of snow but also because we have an immense amount of slopes to go down.

I don't know how fast we go, but it is a bit fast for comfort. One wrong turn and you are sent flying through the air into the soft snow. That's probably why we enjoy it so much. Me and Dawie race often and he always ends up winning me while he is accidentally going backwards. I guess that's because he actually fits in the thing...


Other than swooshing, me and Tinus go on daily up hill jogs with spectacular scenery and immense fresh air(It is not as wonderful as I am trying to convince myself).



We also drive down the mountain to go shopping for food once we have sunlight. These drives are amazing, not just because of the shear hugeness of the mountains but because of sights like seeing vineyards covered with snow and castles and churches on every small hill top.

I have to work now, so enjoy everything you do, even though you are running uphill!