L.I.F.E. + how I use it

cristallclear

I did not know, how beautiful croatia is, until we went there for our fall vacation this year. We left switzerland in rain and Dalmatia invited us with sunshine and a cristall clear beach. The streets are absolutely comperable with what we are used in switzerland, except for the high fee on the highway. But entering croatia in Rijeka and leaving the highway in Makarska was a exceptional experiance. No traffic at all!

Joe and Sonia Hough our wonderful hosts invited us into their cosy and welcoming apartment house. We had a blast to stay there and enjoying the fellowship with this extraordinary couple. We met 12 years ago, when they were part of a missionary work in moscow. This sweet friendship began quietly and became particular.

From the first day after our arrival in Marusici, whe began to explore and conquer Croatia in the neighbourhood of split. We went riverrafting on the cetina river. A young guy with long blond hair was our guide, he was singing, talking and smoking along the way. At the end he showed us the rock, where Winnetou jumped from, in one of this famous movies from Karl May.
To see Split was a interesting tour. Build in the middle age was split one of the important points of trade. The castle and the church were the main buidlings surrounded by narrow streets and their houses. Today this houses are occupied by small souvernir shops.

Trogir a beautiful charming little village, also out of the middle ages, is even more narrow. When you stretch out your ellbows, you can almost touch the walls on both sides. Not to forget all the national parks. We went to Krka where a tremendous waterfall is to be visited.

And then the beaches, where ever you go to the adriatic sea in croatia, the shore is cristallclear and deep blue. I went many places in this world, but haven’t seen such a blue sea. The green of the pinetrees, the yellow of the kalkstones and the blue of the adria is a perfect combination of the real mediteran colour touch.

I think this was not the last trip to croatia and the villa virginia and let e say:

If you’ re really serious about relaxing, you should consider the villa virginia in marusici, croatia.

To see some pictures taken in croatia ::click here::

I just came home from a 6 days trip to california. The courtneys (Brian and Susie) who are like family let me stay in their house. It was somehow like coming home. The reason to go overthere was to visit my friend Kevin’s wedding. A lot to do before: Shopping, Clothes, Ironing oh and a haircut at michaels. Sam drove me around, brought me to the apple store in SJ and bought me my first sushi on this trip. He is a cop on a motorcycle, he’s one of the nice guys.

The wedding was somehow unusual. Europeans are use to long wedding parties. But not americans. The Wedding started at 6:30 pm and was about to end at 9:30 pm. Well I’m glad I had a least the chance to concratulate the couple before they left for honeymoon to hawaii.

After the wedding I spent a georgous day with my dear friends ben and elaine. The have become like brother and sister to me over the years. And of course we went for sushi :). Bob and I went to the Church Service at the coastlands. After this Randy and Michelle took me to a real american restaurant in town. As we were sharing from our lifes we got reminded how close we are, also randy and michelle have become wonderful friends over the years.

On sunday Bob picked me up to the church service in steves newhope church.

Have to go to work, more is coming soon….

I won’t bore you with explanation of why I didn’t blog for so long, business is the lamest excuse, although it’s true.Let me just share a little from the latest things happen to me.

Business:
At the beginning of this year a prayer request became reality. The Lord putted me into a new position and business. I sold my company and got to be a part of that 8 years old computer company in town. Most of my responsabillities are the same as before, but now I’m also doing the whole management things. Wich is a huge challenge for me. I have and already had to learn many skills in the windows world, wich is hard for a MAC Addict, but I’m doing fine. All in all I’m happy and thankfull that the Lord takes care also on our lifedreams.

Church:
Since this big changes in business, there was not too much time left for church planting.We met every other week with a fine couple and walked throught the gospel of John. It’s very important for me to tell you the concept about these meetings: We read and discuss how the stories we just read could be appliable in the present day. I strongly believe the people around us are well educated, sophisticated and experienced with life and work. I want to respect that and try to find out what peoples vision of life look like and show them the door, where Jesus could enter their lifes, without giving up everyting, but doing selfdesigned steps and growing. I see myself as the person who brings the people close to the Lord, close enough they can taste him in all kind of ways. What they do, if they hunger for more or step away, that is their decision wich I respect highly.Beside that Julia meets women on a bookreading-coffee. It’s all in all the same concept.Of course I meet with the bicycle people in te racing club, but I feel that time comes to an end. I will be part of the racing team for one more year and then step out. I had much nice talks to bikers, but I had to accept, they come together for a hobby and not for church. So their focus is always in bicycling wich is their step out of a fast driven world.

Mission:
In December I was in Albania again for a conference. It was a blast to get together with Chris and Laura Dakas and their wonderfully growing group in Albania. A year ago we planted the wish to get closer to one another, this year we could see how that developed. It’s a real blessing to see such impact. One of the pastors overthere has a vision I would love to support. He builds a house where he will give young people the cance to start their own business. I tought of adopting one or two of these young guys and help them to open a computer store.

Vision 2008
Finding a balance in business and poineering church.  

Windows Vista hassle
Meanwhile everyone knows the new operating system Widows Vista. Microsoft wants the Computer-Manufacturers and Seller to sell computers only with vista. Well, they are fortunately nice enough to let us still downgrade for a while (the next few months) to XP. Why is this a hassle? Have you ever tried to install your Barcode reader, or PayMaker, maybe Autocad but because your not ready to buy software for thousands of dollars, you have to use what you have? Poooh don’t buy a computer use your old one or buy a used one, because Windows hardly supports sch things yet, even they want everyone to have it.
I just took back a computer from a client, because He is not ready to upgrade his peripherials and software for another couple tousand of swissFrancs.I totally understand it and appologized for something I have not caused. Now , on our bill, we have to downgrade to Windows XP in order to satisfy a precious client.

Apples iPhone hassle
I still don’t get the new philosphie of Apples iPhone strategy. Well known as a company that invites people to help developing and make things better for intuitive use, Apple seems to go a complete new way with the iPhone. I think because other companies have their stinky fingers on that device and Apple earns a lot of money because of it. So sad that they locked the oportunity to install third party software and make iPhone a cellphone like everyother. Of course they have contractive bindings to AT&T, and can’t allow iPhone users to go with other carriers. But it would be a nice research to check out, if tis is clean from the lawside if they send you Updates that destroy yours or others brainwork. However it’s maybe better not to update to the newer version, wich anyway only includes things to end Apple even more money through the iTunes WiFi Store

Conclusion:
It’s not always the best to have new things, sometimes old stuff is more apriciated and and prevents you from the hassle to reestablish everything that you have been used to before.

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Our week with Sam and Misty Courtney together with their incredible cute kids, went so fast because everything we did was so much fun. We went shopping in Gilroy, we went swimming in Aptos, we went downtown santacruz. Sunday morning Sam and I went biking we drove through the vally where the big EPI-Center was from the big earthquake ‘99. It’s incredible how much horror a earthquake can bring, but also how much beauty it can cause when new landscape is build. However it was a nice ride ride and a wonderfull fellowship with sam.
Oh, they have a Wii. We played it every free second, I think sonn we’ll have one also.

Friday night we were invited to a tremendous dinner at Lorraine and Bill’s. Let me tell you, only if you didn’t already know: Lorraine is a outstanding good cook. I think only one drop of rain could melt that meat we had overthere, that’s how tender it was. It melted on the tongue in seconds. The Icecake was just a delicious rhyme at the end of a wonderful evening. And I’m glad we met Bill and Lorrains son Jim with his family.

We had a blast! America was a wonderful and refreshing experience. I wouldn’t want to miss a second we spent overthere. We met so many wonderful and loving people. Thank you Bob, Cynthia, Avonlea, Ashton, Lindy, Amir, Fabio, Chris, Helen, Lorrie, John, Dave “the Dodger-Dog”, Ted, Lara, Brian, Susie, Christine, Nancy, V, Sam, Misty, Madison, Shelby, Kip, Gail, Ross, Kelly, Alex, Judy, Asgeir, Jeff, Sally, Priska, Ben, Elaine, Steve, Donna and many more ( I’m sure I missed some of you guys wich I still remember but my name memory is getting poorer and poorer)

And of course Gino, Claire, Jeff, Kirsty, Jenna and Hillmar who brought us Chico and the Sierra Nevada Brewery a little closer … and made me sweat-up to paradise.

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