Well, I have hesitated to write all that we did, but several friends have actually asked me to please post what I wrote when we were in Italy so here goes. If it is boring, you can go back to watching golf on television,ha!
We flew into Rome on Wed, Sept 10th after a wonderful smooth flight. We met our friends, Ken and Reny at the airport there and proceeded to our Hotel San Carlo which was about 2 blocks from the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. We ate lunch at an outdoor pizzaria, which I will tell you up front, we ate every meal outdoors except one, in Lucca because it was raining. The pizza here is so yummy because it is on crust as thin as crackers and lots of sauce and cheese and artichokes are very popular as a topping.
The next day we did the typical “tourist” sightseeings of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and I must say that it blew me away to see the colors, the scenes, the gold, the talent. No words can explain just how truly awesome this is. It made me think of God’s gift to Micael Angelo. According to the tour guide, history tells us that he did not even want to do the chapel and was forced by the King or his family would be at risk of dying, since the King told him that if he didn’t paint, he would attack Florence, where Michael’s family lived. The guide told us that there is so many artifacts and art pieces there at the Vatican that if you stood in front of each one for 3 seconds, it would take 12 years to see it all. I stared at the art, the beautifully brightly painted scenes of our Lords life and thought about something. Since we heard that Michael Angelo didn’t even want to do what our eyes were beholding, would it have been even better had his heart been in it? I cannot even imagine how it could, but it also reminded me of my obedience to God. How many times have I felt that God asked something of me and I gave it a half-hearted attempt? What would have been the result if I had given it my all? Because of His love and grace, God still takes my life of half-hearted plans and desires or gifts and uses then for His glory. Just think of what could be accomplished if we gave Him our best?
Our hotel there in Rome had a rooftop garden where we came at the end of each day and I would sit and write what we had seen. Looking out at the houses around me, hearing the street sounds below, blessed my heart. It was just a time of putting my feet up, sitting in the cool air and just thinking about all the history which we had encountered each day! That was such a great part of the day. We would then go walking to find “just the right” place to dine and talk about what we had experienced, practice what little Italian we knew and laughed and enjoyed friendliness of the people we met. Will write more tomorrow!
Chocolate Castles 