Archive for the Travel
Sunday, May 20th, 2012
Romanian Worship (video)
As I worshiped this weekend at Bethlehem, I remembered being with brothers and sisters in Romania just a few weeks ago.
I thought perhaps you’d enjoy a few moments with the worship team from Holy Trinity Baptist Church in Bucharest.
And don’t miss the video and story about music that I posted at Tell Me When to Pack.
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Please visit my travel blog — Tell Me When to Pack.
Sunday, April 29th, 2012
Serendipity & mystery gifts
In the fine tradition of Serendipity, I don’t know what I’m looking for. In fact, I expect to find something I didn’t know I was looking for–several things even. When I see each I will know, “Aha! That’s it! That’s what I didn’t know I wanted!”
And since I don’t know what it will be, neither do you, and that’s why each item is called a mystery gift.
Check out the info on mystery gifts from our destinations in Europe–Bucharest, Geneva, and Hamburg–which we’ll be visiting this month. Johnny will be speaking (and me too, once) at conferences in each city.
Anyway, so far there’s a Bucharest giveaway and a Geneva giveaway. While you’re over there, subscribe to Tell Me When to Pack so you’ll know right away when more giveaways are announced.
Sunday, April 15th, 2012
The Secret Piano
My mother’s a pianist, and right now my mind’s still in China, so this book caught my eye: The Secret Piano: From Mao’s Labor Camps to Bach’s Goldberg Variations, by Zhu Xiao-Mei.
I’ve ordered the The Secret Piano to read on my Kindle. It’s just $.99. I can’t tell if that’s the regular price or a special for today.
Zhu Xiao-Mei was just ten years old when she began a rigorous course of study at the Beijing Conservatory, laying the groundwork for what was sure to be an extraordinary career. But in 1966, when Xiao-Mei was seventeen, the Cultural Revolution began. . . . One by one, her family members were scattered, sentenced to prison or labor camps. By 1969, the art schools had closed, and Xiao-Mei was on her way to a work camp in Mongolia, where she would spend the next five years. Life in the camp was nearly unbearable, thanks to horrific living conditions and intensive brainwashing campaigns. Yet through it all Xiao-Mei clung to her passion for music and her sense of humor. And when the Revolution ended, it was the piano that helped her to heal. (from Amazon product review)
She lives in Paris now and has recorded The Goldberg Variations and much more.
Sunday, April 8th, 2012
How long is Easter?
I watched midnight quietly welcome Easter to Minneapolis.
At the same moment:
It was 8 am in Uganda. Nephew Luke might have been grabbing a bite before gathering with other believers.
It was 6 am in Cameroon. I’m guessing that Steve and Julie, my brother-in-law and sister, would soon be waking and preparing to celebrate.
It was already 1 pm in China. The church bell in Ya’an would have been heard 4 hours earlier. An hour after that, believers in Yibin would have been summoned by their church’s bell.
When my church service begins at 11 am, others–like my cousin Rachel and her family in Hawaii–will just be waking to Easter’s light.
How many hours does Easter last on our globe? My math fails me. And that’s just as well, because the reality of Easter is not a one-day thing–not a 24-hour event.
Easter is our reawakening to the ever-living Jesus. The celebration is our springtime springboard into the whole year of THE LORD IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED.
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Please visit my travel blog — Tell Me When to Pack.
Wednesday, April 4th, 2012
Compassionate heart
There are many reasons I thank God for our Talitha. The one I’m thinking about right now is this: I love to watch her tender heart in action. I see that compassion especially when she’s reaching out to young children. Whether it’s nieces and nephews or strangers, none views her as a stranger for long.
Last year, we visited Redeemer Bible Church one vacation Sunday. They had visitors representing Compassion International. At the end of the service, Talitha made a beeline to Compassion’s table at the back of the sanctuary. By the time I made my way there, she was clasping to her heart a photo of Juan. “Please, please, please. May I sponsor this sweet little boy in Guatemala?”
Now she writes to Juan, and he writes to her. A few months ago, a translator sent Talitha this message on Juan’s behalf:
When he saw you [a photo], his face lit up in smiles and tears of happiness. He asked God to meet you one day in person, to be able to speak to you.
So you can imagine the “Please, please, please” that followed when Talitha found out there’s a Compassion Sponsor’s trip to Guatemala in July, when she will indeed get to meet Juan, Lord willing.
And she invited me to come too. A mother doesn’t take it lightly when her teenager wants to be with her. So both of us are preparing for Guatemala.
Talitha’s excitement about Compassion’s ministry doesn’t stop with sponsoring and traveling. On her own, she’s taken the initiative to set up and man a Compassion information table at Bethlehem Downtown campus on Compassion Sunday weekend–before and after the service Saturday evening, April 21, and the Sunday morning services April 22.
Please stop by to pick up information about Compassion International. If God is leading you to sponsor a child, you’ll find packets there to choose from, so you can sign up on the spot. It would be hard to measure what a blessing that would be to Talitha, to see you blessing a child who lives in a difficult situation.
Request to you:
1. If you already are sponsoring a child through Compassion, please comment here to let us know.
2. If you’re familiar with Compassion, and can help Talitha at the Compassion table Saturday evening or Sunday morning, April 21 and 22, she’d love to hear from you.
Saturday, February 25th, 2012
Countdown to China
The Esther Expedition launches this Thursday. I’ll be in China for 4 weeks, and will be writing about my adventures and discoveries at my other blog, TellMeWhenToPack.com.
Please click over there and subscribe so you can follow what’s happening and give me feedback and suggestions along the way.
Today’s post is a helpful, humorous introduction to visiting China without making a fool of oneself–at least not a complete fool.
Saturday, January 14th, 2012
Why I want to know more
Skip on over to Tell Me When to Pack to see part 1 of the video of my presentation last week about my Esther Expedition to China, coming up in March.
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
You’re invited
(If you’re following Tell Me When to Pack, please forgive this duplication, but I want to make sure lots of friends get our invitation for Tuesday.)
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It’s not that long ago when I was thinking, “Can I really spend a month in China? Is this a crazy idea?” Right at that time, no kidding, this was my fortune at Lee Ann Chin (don’t tell Joann, but that’s my family’s favorite “Chinese” place to eat).
I don’t want you to think that the paths of my life are guided by fortune cookies, but yes, my tickets now are booked.
Joann and I are thankful to all of you who are following with interest our Esther expedition. We’re getting together to talk about our trip and hope you can join us. We’ll have pictures and stories and maybe some goodies too.
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Bethlehem to China: A Journey
Downtown Campus, Room 114
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
7:00pm - 9:00pm
In the late 1920’s, a young woman departed Bethlehem for southwest China, where she worked as a nurse and teacher until 1951. Esther’s story rests in her letters, and it’s a story waiting to be discovered and told.
In March 2012, Noel Piper and Global Partner Joann Pittman will travel to China to trace the life and legacy of Esther. They’ll be seeking the land and people that captured Esther’s heart, traveling to the towns and villages where she served, hopefully even finding people who remember her.
You are invited to hear Noel and Joann talk about their upcoming “Esther Expedition” on Tuesday, January 10, at 7:00pm at the Downtown Campus.
RSVP isn’t required, but we’d love to know if you’re coming. You can do that by commenting here or by using the Contact link above–also if you have any questions.
Saturday, December 10th, 2011
A gift from China
Visit my other blog, Tell Me When To Pack, for a chance to win a Christmas gift from China.
Thursday, December 8th, 2011
Where to find 2 free audiobook downloads
If you follow both my blogs, you’ll notice that my posts of ebook and audiobook information are usually over at Tell Me When to Pack. That’s because it’s my travel blog and the best way to pack lots to listen to and read is with downloads. Of course, all you NoelPiper.com readers are welcome to stop over and see what’s up.
Right now, I’ve posted the December offer from ChristianAudio.com–two free audiobook downloads.
Monday, December 5th, 2011
Mini journey–maxi discovery
Over at my travel blog — Tell Me When to Pack — I just wrote about a mini journey during which I made a maxi discovery. And it’s all Christmas-related.
Tuesday, November 29th, 2011
Art by a Native American brother
Over our mantel hangs artwork of Turning Bear Mason, a Native American who is forthright in his desire to glorify God through his art: “God has given me a hunger to know Him through His truth, that is through His Word and His creation.”
I’m drawn into the moody, deep blue landscape silhouetted with sparse evergreens.
But in the late afternoon, when the blinding western sun glows through our front window onto the print, the brooding scene awakens. Now I realize there’s a teepee that had been hidden in the shadows. It’s as if the woman inside has lit her cooking fire and her home flares with life against the darkening sky. I imagine the Evening Prayer of her family, gathered in a circle around the fire, thanking God for the food he has provided.
Turning Bear Mason’s 2012 calendar is a very accessible way of enjoying 13 of his paintings and sharing them, as family or business Christmas gifts. This Thursday, December 1 is the last date to order. Here’s the info for ordering. Page down for a sample of the calendar art.
2012 Fine Art Calendar: Fine Art of TurningBear Mason
www.TurningBearFineArt.com
13 Month Calendar January 2012- February 2013
Pre Orders needed by Thursday December 1, 2012
Call 520-780-9547
or E-Mail Studio@TurningBearFineArt.com
Size: 17 x11 Folds into 81/2 x 11
If desired there will be a space allotted on the back of the calendar for your business label – Size 1 ¼ x 3 ¼
Cost: $19.50
$15.00 for orders of 300 or more
The Fine Art calendar will have 13 Oil Paintings printed on very nice stock paper.
Great End of Year Gifts for your business associates, friends or family.
Samples of paintings on the calendar: Saguaro National Park, Arizona Sunsets, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, some wildlife in landscape from around the Western Us and Canada.
The calendar is being printed by Arizona Lithograph, a premiere Fine Art printer in Tucson, AZ.
