Faith & Footprints

By Kelly Wise ValdesHallgrímskirkja Church – Reykjavík, Iceland

Iceland’s tallest and largest church is also its most photographed site. Named after 17th-century hymn writer and church scholar Reverend Hallgrímur Pétursson, the infamous Hallgrímskirkja Church was designated to begin construction in 1945 and was finished in 1986, taking more than 40 years to complete.

The church was designed by one of Iceland’s most famous architects, Guðjón Samúelsson, who is said to have sought inspiration for his modern design from natural Icelandic elements including the basalt lava flows and waterfalls. The shape of the futuristic structure is a cross between a glacier and a rocket ship.

Visible from almost any point in the capital city of Reykjavík, Hallgrímskirkja Church sits at the top of a hill above the central art and design shopping street in the capital. The iconic building is more than 22-stories in height, and a visit to the top rewards sightseers with priceless views of Reykjavík.

The church also features an oversized pipe organ designed and constructed by a famous German organ builder. The organ weighs more 25 tons and is more than 4 stories in height.

Sitting in front of the iconic church is a statue of Icelandic Viking Leif Eiriksson. He was the first European to set foot on the North American continent around A.D. 1000. Historians believe that Eiriksson found America 500 years before Christopher Columbus. Archaeologic findings also suggest that he settled there for some time. The statue was a gift from the United States in 1930.

Hallgrímskirkja is a Lutheran church, as are most churches in Iceland, with services held each Sunday. The wonderful acoustics and the enormous pipe organ make it a perfect venue for classical music concerts. It also serves as a focal meeting point for many cultural and community events, such as the annual gathering for watching the fireworks on New Year’s Eve. On this night, thousands of local people set of dozens of fireworks in unbelievably dazzling show. For more information, visit https://www.hallgrimskirkja.is/en.

Live Like You Mean It ...

The Strongest Part Of Who I Am

By Derek Maul

“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well,” (3 John 1:2).

It is a sure sign of aging when your health insurance provider sends someone to your house to make sure you’re not dead!

Well, something like that. They did my first Medicare checkup, and the nurse practitioner was very impressed with everything, from my medicines (none) to my 15,000 steps per day to my 168 pounds to my BMI. But my favorite was the mental acuity test.

First, she gave me three random words to remember. Later, she asked what they were, in the middle of another question. It was too easy, because the words (‘cat,’ ‘baby’ and ‘house’) immediately made me think of our 1-year-old grandson playing with his cat in their Miami house. That’s an image that is impossible to shake.

After that, she asked me to draw a clock face—analog—representing ‘1:15.’ When I completed the task I said, “I’m sorry, but did you want that time to be a.m. or p.m.?” She didn’t think I was very funny at all.

The exercise made me wonder about health, and how we measure it. Is it about functionality, or something more? Are we surviving, or do we want to thrive? Where does our body end our soul begin? What is really important, moving forward? And what am I going to need, going into my next decade and beyond?

Because in my world now it is absolutely and unarguably p.m.

The good news is that while my mental acuity will one day reveal some slowing down, and my physical strength will eventually show signs or wear, my life with God can continue to thrive and to grow and become the strongest part of who I am.

And that is a good plan. Because finally—even though I will continue to thrive rather than simply survive—this life with God that is at the core of who I am is going to be all I need.

Derek Maul has written for many news outlets, including the Tampa Tribune, Te United Methodist News Service, All Pro Dad, FOCUS Magazine, Newsweek, USA Today, Te Christian Science Monitor, Presbyterians Today, Guideposts, Chicken Soup for the Soul and many other publications. Read Derek Maul’s daily blog posts at www.derekmaul.wordpress.com