'Three cheers for the greatest guitarist on Grafton Street. Hip hip hooray!'

Well, hello.

I feel silly apologizing for not writing these past several days. I know that making that apology presumes a readership that checks this site often enough to notice my lack of posts. However, I am sorry for keeping you in the dark, even if you were unaware or apathetic of the dark. That concludes my (silly and presumptuous) opening comments.

During the school break for carnival last week, I saw some of Ireland. I saw Green. It was nice to my eyes. We flew to Dublin, day-tripped to Wicklow, then moved on to Kilkenny. I hardly know what to say. Dubliners were friendly. I was going to spend the entire four days in St. Stephen's Green, but they close the park 20 minutes before sunset.

We celebrated Aubrey's birthday. 'She's not like other girls, she's (was, rather) a birthday girl.' Aubrey Wilson is a lovely lady and travelling friend. Aubrey has basically been Patience and is a peace-maker always. Three cheers for the greatest Aubrey on Harcourt Street. Hip hip hooray!

We climbed a large hill in Wicklow. I don't know how to put words to the beauty of the view from the top of it. I haven't ever wanted so badly to be able to fly. Ever.

Kilkenny was so good to us, and better than we thought. It was like the underdog of Ireland, and it won the championship. When we arrived most everything went wrong. While we were eating dinner and trying to amend plans for the next few days we prayed for God to direct us and keep us from discouragement and frustration. Then Anne sat down. Anne and Michael are a couple from California who are living at the hostel, the Folksrath Castle, this winter and helping Jack with management. Anne, after giving us more advice than we would have known how to ask for about touring the area, offered to drive us herself to visit a few places that were inaccesible by train or bus. Really? Really. Praise God. So, she drove us a ways outside of the city where we walked through the ruins of a 12th? century priory and then also through a monastery and cemetary. I don't know that the memory of those places will ever leave me. I hope it won't. The monastery, especially, was steeped in silence from years of prayer and thought and study of God and I was so encouraged to walk there.

Now it's exam week.

A friend of mine who is overseas at the moment e-mailed a reminded that I wanted to pass on. He says, "Still, there is always the cross...and there is someone who hangs upon it. If we walk the road we have been called to walk, death is certain: death to some desires, death to some relationships, and perhaps even to our very lives. Still, what other promise is there greater than that of resurrection and His Kingdom? He is worthy." Thank you, Jim. Thank you, Jesus.

This is close to awfully long, but I have one more story. On Saturday night we were sitting in a Dublin train station. We were hungry and were facing a bakery that was closing. The ladies started throwing away sandwiches from the refrigerator, but turned to us and asked if we'd like any of them for free. We said yes and thank you. When we started eating Bethy told us that she had been worried about her declining bank account and the expenses as we travelled. She asked God to make her more dependent on Him for every need, and to show her practically how He provides. He did.

God be with you:
Audrey.