Yesterday we visited the beautiful city of Innsbruck. ‘Inn’s-bruck’ means ‘bridge over the river Inn’…To appreciate Innsbruck I had to look up to see…
…other people…
Looking down I just saw my feet; looking up I saw people. I love people watching… earwigging conversations, observing expressions, behaviour and interactions…
Musing… If I look down I only see my own shoes, my journey, my needs and problems If I look up I see those around me. I seek to understand them… what it’s like to walk in their shoes.
…where I am…
Looking up further I saw houses, trees, churches, beautiful architecture, historical monuments… Innsbruck was bombed during the war; it’s now a beautiful city…
Musing… Seeing where I am in my life, putting my life in the context of my current situation… Marta, our tour guide, yesterday said: ‘If you don’t have what you’d like, then you must like what you have.’ That sort of contentment is both realistic and wise.
…the mountains…
In Innsbruck, whichever direction you look, above the rooftops you see mountains…
Musing… Being in Austria I remember ‘The Sound of Music’, where mountains are the place of freedom and hope… ‘Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, till you find your dream.’ I remember Psalm 121: ‘I will lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?…’
…the sky…
Above the mountains is the sky. Yesterday it was bright blue all day.
Musing… Psalm 121 continues ‘My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.’ I see the immense beauty of God’s creation… Thinking of heaven I pause, remembering friends… those who have recently died… those at yesterday’s funeral… those who are bereaved… those that fear that death is near…
…Jesus…
On the ‘bridge over the Inn’ there is a statue called ‘The Naked Jesus’. Most people walked past not noticing it.
Musing… The concept and image of ‘The Naked Jesus’… Most people walking past unaware…
malcolmsmusings.org 
I especially like what the tour guide, Marta said–excellent advice 🙂
LikeLike
I liked it too. It resonates with Paul’s comment at the end of Philippians of learning to be content in any and every situation….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly what I was thinking. Gratitude is so crucial–it helps get us to “contented” 🙂
LikeLike
I agree – we start with contentment… that includes joy and peace… and we are then grateful because we see what we have, not what we don’t have.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amen–I was 59 before any of this made sense to me. I’d been a discontented ungrateful Christian for decades because I didn’t have a personal relationship with the Lord…I feel wealthy now, and so beloved. I still deal with depression, but now that I practice the Presence of God I don’t feel alone.😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful place to ski too – not in June obvs.
Sent from my iPhone
>
LikeLike
We did see someone on the ski jump – but we understand that they pour water down the slope before anyone jumps. We didn’t try it!!
LikeLike