A quick get away. Part one.

We spent a little over a week in early November traveling with our great friends Scott and Karen.  They are the easiest people to spend time with.  We all like to "wing it" and not try to do too many of the tourist attractions along the way. 

We spent time in Amsterdam.
The Hotel Pulitzer where we stayed.  Beautiful!

We drove from Amsterdam through Germany to Solingen where the Wusthof factories are located.

We got the royal tour of both factories and saw all that goes into making these amazing knives.

I couldn't take any pictures inside.

We also stopped at the Haribo factory to stock up on Gummi Bears.

We had a lovely dinner at a beautiful tiny restaurant across the street from our hotel.

And the next morning we were off on another road trip to visit Lefty's German relatives.

We arrived at the Willie and Ermgahrt's home and were warmly welcomed with the following:

All of the above was home made!  And....DELICIOUS!

In just a few days.

"America is in a constant state of change.  Every two years the governing power can shift in one direction or another.  But, on average, only half of the eligible voters in the country determine their local, state, and national government.

We all know that our freedom is bought with a price.  Many lives have been sacrificed to stave off the forces that seek to suppress our freedom of religion, expression, movement, and thought.  In my lifetime alone, Nazis, communists, anarchists, and radical Muslims have sought to steal some of the most basic freedoms that Americans take for granted.

All citizens should get out and cast their votes on the issues that live beyond today and will affect our children and grandchildren.  Voters will decide which leaders will chart the course of the free world.

America will continue to make changes, but change does not begin at the ballot box.  In a sense, that's where it ends.  Real change begins when people decide that they care enough about their country to do something about it.

If you love God and country, do not be discouraged.  Know that your vote influences this nation, and this nation influences the world.  You can make a difference and so can I."

Excerpts from The Soul of a Nation by James Robison.