Musings from Italy

Insights Into Our New Adventure

Join Naida and I as we share anecdotes & insights, scripture, & stories from Italy. And who knows, we might even share some food-tips.

Here’s my first food tip: WE HAVE YET TO HAVE A BAD CUP OF COFFEE!

Remember, Naida’s and my priorities for this new adventure are:
1] Retirement
2] Travel
3] Growth

We look forward to sharing this new adventure with you.

Recent Musings

Latest Blog

May Review 2026

by | June 1, 2026 | 2026 | 0 Comments

May Gets us Closer to the End of Construction . . . This is what we are looking at. And soon it'll be better . . .Our "Futuro" ParcheggioVISITING US FOR AN EVENING?Naida's Fav's-1Naida's Photos (early in May) The beginning of May some special friends visited us one...
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Blogs from 2026

April Review 2026

by | May 1, 2026 | 2026 | 0 Comments

April was warmer weather, yardwork, and Easter . . . On Easter morning I had an overwhelming thought, "What must that 1st Pasqua morning have looked like?" And so I took a short video of what I think that 1st Easter morning might have looked like. Here in Capestrano...
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March Review 2026

by | March 31, 2026 | 2026 | 0 Comments

And the Art is Up On the WallsThis is Sterling, the first horse Naida and I purchased when she got back into riding in 2008. This piece was painted by a fellow rider and she perfectly showed the entire world Sterling's true character. He now sits above our dining...
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February Review 2026

by | February 28, 2026 | 2026, Italy | 0 Comments

Our YouTube ChannelThe New RoofIt was a longtime coming, but once they started they were done in 3½ weeks! 1st major project behind us. Whew!MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES Step right up for your next movie! Uhm, well, actually its going to be a few short videos from Febbraio...
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January Review 2026

by | January 31, 2026 | 2026, Italy | 0 Comments

January 2026Remember that Naida and I have a YouTube channel you might find interestingJanuary Brought . . . Friends, new friends & renewed friendships. Food, oh my, food. Naida says she's never eaten more cheese or pasta (not to mention her favorite pizza, made...
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Blogs from 2025

2025 in Review

by | December 31, 2025 | 2025, Moving, Retirement | 0 Comments

"Out with the old and in with the new, huh?" We had no idea what that meant. Ask yourself, WITH THIS KIND OF A VIEW . . . how do we focus on our Italian, "Tutti i giorni" (everyday)? È imposibile!We decided to write it in both English and Italian. Enjoy whichever one...
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Leaving Albania

by | April 21, 2025 | 2025, Moving | 0 Comments

So, what are our "Take-Aways" from our time here? After all, we have been here for nearly 4 months! And the people. How do I explain them? I hope in the bullet points below to share some of our "Treasures Garnered" by being here in Albania. The People, they are the...
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First US Return

by | February 3, 2025 | 2025, Retirement | 0 Comments

Join us as we travel across the USA. If you want us to, we will do our best to connect with you. Below, discover our schedule and be part of the adventure! Remember to use the contact information at the top of our home page: (MarkMirza.com)Remember, this is tentative,...
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Man-Up

by | January 27, 2025 | 2025, Retirement | 0 Comments

Two Caveats: 1] This isn't political, so don't go there in your comments. 2] For these men's privacy, I won't use their real names, merely initials, okay? Leonard Ravenhill always encouraged the men he mentored, to read biographies of great Christian men. One of my...
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Albania Grows On You

by | January 13, 2025 | 2025, Missionary, Moving | 0 Comments

We are in Tirana, Albania's capitol. The people have surprised us. I'm not sure what we expected, but I can tell you WHAT WE DID NOT expect. We Did Not Expect to Engage Recently Oppressed People It has been fascinating, and, I know this sounds trite, but engaging with...
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Estate Planning

by | January 6, 2025 | 2025, Retirement | 0 Comments

I had no plans to make this my first post in 2025, but listening to a short clip by Alistair Begg, and remembering my friend, Arthur Farr's recommendation, reminded me why I have asked congregations over the years about their fear of death. I should probably also...
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Blogs from 2024

2024 Review

by | December 30, 2024 | 2024, Italy, Moving, Retirement | 0 Comments

This journey has required us to trust the Lord, and WAIT UPON HIM for everything. Not so easy when everything is new. The photo below I took from our bus, the first day in Italy. Little did I know Naida and I would live this "Mark-ism" through many trials.The...
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2024 Christmas Holiday

by | December 23, 2024 | 2024, Italy | 0 Comments

ACTUALLY . . . We Planned a Christmas Holiday, And Then a Move to Italy. It was That Simple. Click onto this post "Photos of Christmas Past" to read the story of how this Italian Adventure began . . .FLORENCENaida posted a GREAT video of our INCREDIBLE B-n-B in...
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Here Here

by | December 9, 2024 | 2024, Moving | 0 Comments

ACTUALLY . . . We Were Here, Then We Were Not Here, But We Returned Here, Then We Were Not.By accudent, we got to stay in Capestrano (because our car broke-down). SURE, MARK, SURE . . .Long answer, I ACTUALLY had the right keys, ask me later, I might tell you. SURE,...
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Signing

by | November 18, 2024 | 2024, Moving | 1 Comment

THIS THURSDAY WE SIGN PAPERS FOR OUR NEW HOME This Thursday, November 21st, we are scheduled to close on our home. We are "antsy" to get into our home, but are grateful to A LOT OF FOLKS: Chance Gaither, for the sale of our Atlanta home David Benton, for the purchase...
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Mercato

by | November 11, 2024 | 2024, Italy | 0 Comments

"Shopping" is the English word and "Shopping" is the Italian word. We're learning to do life differently here in Italy. For the last 25 years, we've taken 2 weeks to build a grocery list and then we stop at Kroger and buy groceries. And that's about it, every 2 weeks,...
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Adventure And Fear

by | November 4, 2024 | 2024, Moving, Retirement | 6 Comments

When an Exciting Adventure Leads to PARALYZING FEAR . . . Because You Cannot See the Future. There is Lots of Fun in an Adventure, But Also Lots of Unknowns.The Apostle Paul knew he faced an unknown, namely, the unknown reaction to him, by the Jerusalem church...
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Tour

by | October 28, 2024 | 2024, Italy, Moving | 0 Comments

DAVID BENTON FROM AHOMEINITALY.COMNaida and I affectionately call him Italy-David.Some asked, "Since you are already committed to buying a home, why go on these tours?" The answer is easy, "Italy-David." You see, we have come to trust his judgment, and we knew that...
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Goodbye

by | October 21, 2024 | 2024, Moving | 1 Comment

When this post is released, Naida and I will have been in Rome for a few hours, awaiting our bus to Pescara, in the Abruzzo region. Actually, there's a possibility we could be on an earlier #FlixBus (https://markmirza.com/flixbus/) which would be flinging us thru the...
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This is How it All Began

by | October 14, 2024 | 2024, Italy, Moving, Retirement | 1 Comment

2023 Christmas on the Beach . . . Turned out to be a bit, "BORING," FOR ONE OF US. And so Naida found this alternative for the following Christmas (this year, 2024). While I reluctantly agreed, I am now ecstatic with anticipation, not just for Christmas, this year,...
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Removed

by | October 7, 2024 | 2024, Missionary | 0 Comments

We're homeless! Neither of us have a job! Everything we own is in our car (except for the horse, of course). BUT, NAIDA AND I ARE EXCITED!!!Did you know God talks very plainly about REMOVING THINGS FROM YOUR LIFE. Plainly? He speaks STRONGLY, about it. Proverbs 25:4-5...
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Toilet Paper

by | September 30, 2024 | 2024, Moving | 0 Comments

What did Covid-19 teach you? Don't tell me about which government agencies you feel like you can or cannot trust. And, I'm not interested in the fact that you now use A LOT LESS toilet paper than you used to. What else did you learn? Again, I don't want to know how...
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Touring

by | September 23, 2024 | 2024, Italy, Retirement | 3 Comments

Great Question! As you know, on October 20th we fly to Italy where we will make our way over to Pescara, VIA the #FlixBus line. (https://markmirza.com/flixbus/) On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of the same week we will connect with 35 or so others, AND TOUR CITIES IN...
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Traffic

by | September 16, 2024 | 2024, Italy, Moving | 0 Comments

We are moving AWAY from Atlanta We are moving 2 hours outside Rome We are moving to a small village . . . on a rise . . . in a valley . . . between 2 mountains Traffic will be different Follow our story as we navigate the joys and challenges of retirement in a new...
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Flixbus

by | September 9, 2024 | 2024, Italy | 0 Comments

This is the bus you'll take from Rome to our new home in the "Stunning Abruzzo Region," as our friend, Italy-David calls it.We have said from the beginning that, "While everyone else DOWNSIZES when they retire, we are UPSIZING" because we want you to have a place to...
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Retire

by | September 2, 2024 | 2024, Missionary, Retirement | 0 Comments

Surprisingly, it was our annual Christmas-Beach vacations which prompted a change. One of us decided it was boring going to the beach. After some research Naida thought it'd be fun to visit Italy at Christmas. And so it began. While planning our visit, she started to...
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Home Sold

by | August 26, 2024 | 2024, Moving | 1 Comment

For his contact information, call me, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind me telling you his name is Chance Gaither and he can be reached at (404) 662-1982. Chance has been great! We tried to sell the home, "as is" so we could just get this behind us. But, it didn't work!...
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Views

by | August 19, 2024 | 2024, Moving | 1 Comment

THE VIEWSI know some of you will think I'm a bit weird, but I ALWAYS HAVE. I remember when I lived in San Francisco and could look out my 16th story condo and see other huge skyscrapers all around me. I LOVED IT! And then when I lived on Potrero Hill, I could look out...
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24-7-365

by | August 12, 2024 | 2024, Retirement | 1 Comment

That means she won't be working 10 hours a day. She'll be home. She won't be working 6 and 7 days a week. She'll be home. She'll be home every day! She'll be home 24-7-365. Yikes! I mean, yippee! Follow our story as we navigate the joys and challenges of retirement in...
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I Fix Porcelain

by | August 5, 2024 | 2024, Moving | 0 Comments

A Heartfelt Goodbye & Tribute to All My Docs Or as we will soon start to say in Italy: Professionisti Medici But first . . . Lord, thank You for so many times that You've protected me from falling and hurting myself, from getting into an automobile accident and...
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Dark Threads

by | July 29, 2024 | 2024, Italy, Moving | 0 Comments

Naida & I view difficulties in our lies as Dark Threads the Weaver Needs to build the Tapestry of our life, which give us God Stories, but He also includes Gold Threads, smaller and often insignificant, but they are there.

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Walking Alongside One Another

by | July 22, 2024 | 2024, Missionary, Moving | 0 Comments

If it's been awhile since you've read this intimate account of Paul with his friends from Ephesus, the button below will let you read the entire historical account. Just as Paul had to say goodbye to his friends, many of which he'd NEVER SEE AGAIN, Naida and I are...
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Italian Food Experts

by | July 15, 2024 | 2024, Italy, Moving | 0 Comments

"Mark, are you ready for the food in Italy?" I looked back at him indignantly, but he continued. "How well do you know Italian food, Mark?" "We're experts! We make it all the time," I told him. And then I gave him names! De Cecco Pasta Ragù Sauce Kroger Frozen Pizza...
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Goodbye-DC

by | July 11, 2024 | 2024, Moving, Retirement | 0 Comments

Saying Goodbye to DC, Again But this time I was not alone. I returned to DC to introduce my replacement to the Congressional leaders and staffers we were able to visit with, on this very busy week. Joe Fowler, who is now with CommonThreadMinistries.org (PART-TIME) was...
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Retirement

by | July 6, 2024 | 2024, Retirement | 2 Comments

Follow along as we discover the beauty of retirement in Italy, where every day is an adventure filled with rich culture, delicious cuisine, and new experiences.As we embark on our retirement journey, Italy beckons with its rich history, vibrant culture, and...
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