The Streets of Bayreuth

I wonder how long these bricks have been here. The ones that make up the streets of downtown Bayreuth. The ones that line them. What stories could they tell? Did they know the Third Reich and its unthinkable crimes? Did they see the persecution and shame that eventually transformed this country into the respectful, tolerant-of-every-peoples place that I sense it to now be? And what about these days? Do these bricks realize the beauty they display, all together, as they form the streets and sidewalks? Do they recognize famous people whose feet touch down? Do they recognize the trepidation of an American foreigner who is only just finding her way?

Today marks the beginning of our third week of life in the city of Bayreuth. We moved here from the tiny town of Heroldsburg-Waischenfeld for Phase 2 of our Germany adventure. It is the city of August Festspiel and Richard-Wagner Operas and a park called Hofgarten where beauty oozes behind every tree. It is the city we now call home, with it’s beautiful Pedestrian Zone that runs right through the middle of town and construction-workers that start work every morning at 7:30. Coffee shops and clothing shops and pharmacies and bike racks line the streets. We walk or ride our bikes everywhere. Unless we ride the bus to school. I take the girls to school on the bus and then walk home for the exercise. It’s a different life from any we’ve known. Even Paris. More comfort-zone stripping. More adventure. More believing that God has put us here because He loves us and wants us to rely on Him alone.

So many things about home and easy and comfortable make it natural for us to put our confidence in things that are not worthy. Like knowing how to do stuff and secretly relying on ourselves to get things done. But when all the easy gets stripped away, we realize that all we really have, all we truly need, is God and what He decides to give. His guidance to show us His way to do stuff — because we really have no clue. His peace to get us out of the apartment and onto that bus where we are only pretty sure it will get us where we need to go on time. His love to ensure us that even when we look like fools, He treasures us and laughs with us and only want what is truly the best for us. I firmly believe that is one big reason why we are here.

And I am so, so thankful for the opportunity to live it! To know God more. To live in this land where strangers give Gummy Bears to kids at the bus stop and outside restaurants are a way of life. To learn a whole new language and grow big-time courage in my kids.

Yes, so very thankful.