Brokenness and restoration

This bridge may not mean anything to you, and I wish I could find my other picture of it when it did not look like this. This is one of the main bridges that crosses the Danube River in the city of Novi Sad, Serbia. When I first was in Novi Sad in 2002, three years after NATO bombed this country, the bridge was still in "two pieces", making a "V" shape in the river, destroyed by a NATO bomb. So, this past weekend, when I saw the bridge restored and cars zipping back and forth over it, my breath was taken away and tears welled up in my eyes! It took many years and there was tremendous suffering and inconvenience endured by the people as they had to find other ways to cross the river, but now the bridge has been restored...all the bridges have been restored and travel across this great river is "back to normal."

Serbia is a country which has endured centuries of turmoil, brokenness galore. The wounds run deep, but hope abounds as Jesus Christ is being lifted up and people's broken hearts are being met by God's amazing grace and love, which heals all broken bridges. The needs are great, though, because the physical can be restored so much more easily than the emotional and spiritual.

Travelling light

You would think after having lived overseas and travelled so much to so many different destinations that I would have the packing thing down to a science. Well, on our trip to Ukraine, I travelled like, well, like a tourist...and in the process, decided that I would NOT let that happen again. I'm not quite sure how it happened; I sort of knew what to expect, what kinds of clothes we would need, etc., but it seemed like the bag just kept getting more and more full. Til finally, I had so much stuff, that I needed help carrying it all...

Isn't it funny how life is sometimes like that; we can at times let stuff accumulate, thinking that "this is a necessity" or "that is essential", when in reality, God is saying, "Let it all go! Seek Me and I will show you what is necessary and essential, and that burden is light!"

Gypsy church

They'd cleaned up the public pathway leading to the entrance of the one room church, so that we didn't have to step on broken bottles and animal excrement. The room holds about 50 people, maybe, and on the walls are pictures of church life! We had the privilege of meeting with the women in the church. As we came in and I tried to strike up conversations in Hungarian with some of the younger girls, I learned a lot. One 16-year old has a 2 year old child and one on the way. Another 15 year old is pregnant with her first child. It's a church of many generations as we had what seemed to be about a 3 or 4 year old up to an 80 year old woman! Their openness to the message of "Forgiveness sets the forgiver free" was astounding! As personal ministry took place, God gave me the ability to come up with simple songs, in Hungarian, that we could all worship God with together...He's always so good to provide! We could have stayed all night, and these women probably would have too. It's always so interesting how you think you are going to bless, but you come away BEING blessed by them!

Holocaust survivor

We had the unique privilege of attending a Shabbat on the Friday night we were in Ukraine. There is a Christian ministry there of women who are reaching out to, loving and serving holocaust survivors and their families. They graciously invited us to take part in the Shabbat and we were amazingly blessed!

One of the Jewish men there is named Laci. He's Hungarian, speaks about 7 different languages and when I asked him if I could ask him a difficult question, he said, "Sure!" I asked if he had been in a concentration camp during WW II and he replied, "Yes, I was in Mathhausen, and there I learned some English, so when the Americans liberated us, and we were taken to Vienna to the hospital, I served as a translator for the doctors there!" This 88 year old wonderful, energetic, funny man blessed us so deeply during our short conversations with him. I don't know if he knows Jeshua as his messiah, but I pray God reveals His Messiah to Laci bacsi soon!

Divine encounters

"Zenész vagy?" (Are you a musician?)

"Igen!" (Yes!)

That's how our divine encounter began with Zolan and Marta, two young Christian believers who are volunteering for a year, each serving in different venues in Ukraine. Zolan had his guitar slung over his shoulder and mine was on my back, and after our greeting in Hungarian, he offered to help us get our luggage off the train. We then struck up a conversation with both him and Marta and learned about their work in Ukraine. Zolan, who is Romanian, teaches at a gypsy school in a village outside the city of Uzhgorod; Marta, who is Hungarian, teaches and lives at an orphanage which houses 67 girls, most of whom are handicapped, and all of whom speak Hungarian!

We could have stayed and talked with them all day as they were as curious about us and our work as we were about them and theirs. But after exchanging phone numbers and email addresses, we parted paths, hoping that we might meet again.

As it happened, our fearless leader, Mary Jill, had worked in just enough "gap" time in our week-long schedule to make a trip to the orphanage where Marta serves. She was thrilled to see us arrive and proceeded to show us the building and grounds and explain the history of the orphanage. We had arrived just as Marta was finishing up Bible study with a room full of girls, and when she cut it short, some of the girls became very sad; we asked why...she said, "They are quite heart-broken because we cannot finish Bible study!"

The orphanage was funded and built by a Danish Reformed Church and now employs people from the neighboring village in its fields and daily workings. The girls are well taken care of and we heard of their wonderful love for each other: there are a few girls who are completely bed-stricken, and on nice days when everyone goes outside, the able-bodied girls carry the bed-stricken girls on their backs outside so they too can enjoy the activities!

I left part of my heart at this orphanage........

My 200th post...wow...more about Ukraine

Have you ever connected with someone so quickly and so deeply that you wonder if it is a divine connection, designed since the beginning of time for such a moment as this? That happened to me during our recent trip to Ukraine when we got to visit an orphanage which houses 67 girls, most of whom are handicapped in some way. As we sat in a room listening to one of the volunteers there explain the history of this Danish Reformed Church sponsored orphanage, two of the girls who live there came bounding into the room. I struck up a conversation with one of them, Timea, and learned that she is an excellent soccer player, loves to dance, and can do the splits, both ways! Apparently, she is quite a "spitfire" in that orphanage and can be "challenging". No wonder...she is a "true" orphan, has no family, and when she arrived, had cuts all up and down her arms. Timea and I experienced this "divine connection" and as she asked me all kinds of questions, including, "when are you coming back?" my heart melted for this precious 13 year old. Who knows what God has in store for our relationship? He knows! (Timea is wearing the sky blue athletic jacket).

Teammates!

One of the greatest blessings of the last year has been that God has begun to bring "teammates" for me...certain women with a similar heart and passion for our Lord and for the advancement of His Kingdom! I was blessed to travel with two of these women to Ukraine and minister alongside them. Our giftings really compliment each other and God used each of us for His glory in that nation. MaryJill (on the right in the picture) is the compassionate, "fiery" organizer who knows EVERYBODY and makes all the necessary connections. Plus she is a gifted teacher and encourager! Jennifer (center) is the "electricity" in the threesome, teaching with clarity and compassion and ministering powerfully in the Spirit one on one with people too. I'm the "air" in the trio, worshipping with my guitar and voice and doing some teaching and some one on one ministry as well. We were definitely the perfect Three Musketeers in Ukraine, certain women following Jesus' lead into what He wanted to do in and through us!

Ukraine...what can I say?

It's been a long time since my last blog, but you'll be hearing more from me in the next few days as I process this past week two friends of mine and I spent in Uzhgorod, Ukraine. I'm finding it challenging to put into words all that happened...it was one of those "one week that feels like three awesome weeks" experiences. Suffice to say that my life will never be the same, which is exactly what should happen on a missions trip.

In this first entry, I'll start with the beginning of the trip. Jennifer and I traveled to Debrecen, Hungary from Budapest and were blessed to take part in a worship service at the International Church of Debrecen. There was such a powerful presence of the Holy Spirit there, and a fellow missionary, Edith, spoke a great message about the Lord's Supper. Pictured is Edith. The last time I worshipped with these brothers and sisters, there were maybe 20 people in the room; when Jennifer and I arrived, there were no seats available and at least 10 people standing! God is growing His church in Debrecen! More to come..............

It's Prom time in Hungary!

Today at my school, Deak, is a very special day for the senior class. It's "graduation pinning day"...that's the best translation we can think of...the 11th graders "pin" a ribbon onto the lapels of all the seniors. On the ribbon is written "2002-2006", commemorating their four years they spent in high school. From this day on, through the end of June, people will see seniors from all the different high schools sporting these ribbons around town as each publically "declares" that "I am graduating this year!"

However, tomorrow evening is the BIG event: Prom! They do prom here in February because in May, all seniors are taking exams which cover four years worth of material. Prom involves parents, relatives, friends, even neighbors, as they all come at the very beginning of the evening to watch special dances like the English Waltz, etc., danced by the seniors, who have been practicing these dances since November! Girls wear rented wedding dresses and boys wear tuxedos with tails for these special dances. Following the last special dance, each senior along with his/her advisor, who has walked with them through four years of high school, enjoy a glass of champagne together, toasting each other! All teachers are present at the prom, and following the opening dances, which typically last about an hour, students and families go to different classrooms to have dinner, and the teachers enjoy dinner together in the big staff room.

Then the dance begins...with a band or a DJ. Girls change from the wedding gowns into prom dresses, and guys into suits, and families either stay or leave, but teachers typically stay and dance with the students! After prom will take place at a local bar which the senior class has rented out til the wee hours of the morning.

Overall, I prefer Hungarian prom to the typical American prom. Here, no one has to have a date...everyone is welcome and there is no pressure to have a date. Families are involved and included. Teachers are welcomed by the students and not "avoided" as chaperones. In fact, the students WANT the teachers to go out and party with them all night long! The community feel is one I respect and have grown to love.

Converging lives

I spent the weekend in Pecs with 4 other women and we enjoyed some of the things most women enjoy...eating, talking, laughing, talking, shopping, talking, eating, talking, sharing, thermal baths, encouraging one another, talking, sleeping and just plain hanging out sans family responsibilities. We stayed in a small hotel near downtown, and right across the street from us was a synagogue. It struck me how fitting our location...women, all of whom are walking in the New Covenant, the fulfillment of the Old Covenant, resting in the shadow of the Almighty. As the snow fell and blanketed the synagogue and our hotel, I saw in this physical picture God's grace blanketing all of humanity.

Rain Tax and Train "tax"

Because I teach conversation classes at school, I sometimes give the following homework: "I want you to watch the news and in the next lesson tell me what is going on here in Hungary and in the world!"

This week, a student in one of my classes reported that she'd heard that Hungary has now instituted a new tax. This is called the "Rain Tax." I looked at her quizzically and asked her to explain. "Well," she began, "since we've had so much rain in the past couple of years, and the pipes in the streets which carry that rain are worn out, all business owners must now pay what is called "Rain Tax". This will help pay for replacing the worn out pipe system in the streets."

I stood, nodding my head, and thought about the challenges these people continue to face day in and day out with new taxes being required, benefits being cut, and salaries staying the same.

One cut which will affect a large number of people is the 50% off train discount pass that many people get. The new law states that someone is only permitted to travel 12 times in a year at the 50% off rate; after that, they must pay the full price. I have a friend whose husband works in Budapest, and after completing her teaching job at the university on Wednesday, she travels weekly to be with him there. This new law will impact them tremendously.

Rain tax and Train "tax". They warned it would be "challenging" for the first 7 years after entering the european union.

The whole earth is full of His glory!

As I drove into the school parking lot this morning at 7:15, the sky boasted a beautiful pinkish-bluish morning hue. My CD player was blasting the worship song, "The whole earth is full of His glory, great is the Lord, worthy of praise, lift up your voice, lift up His praise, the heavens declare, our God is the King, sing with the song that the angels sing!"

As I was belting out this song, I spotted three large, wide "Vs" of geese flying across this painted morning sky in front of me! "The whole earth is full of His glory!" I parked quickly, got out of the car and watched these 3 interlocking "Vs" of geese make their way across the sky and thought, 'what a gift from God...a symbolic picture of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 3 persons but one God, working in unity! God is so good to remind us that the whole earth is indeed full of His glory, and He blesses us with tangible pictures of this!!!

New Year, New Beginnings

New years are great! Besides getting the opportunity to write 2007 on every official document, letter, email, etc., there's a sense of newness, freshness, chances to begin anew and press into change!

Because God doesn't "work" on our calendar time, He is always ready, every morning, for a "new" start. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and therefore, every day, every moment, is like a "new year's start" for the follower of Jesus!

I bought a dresser today...it was the ONLY one available at the furniture shop across the street from my house, and it was less than 1/2 the original price. I also bought a night table to replace the tottering fold-up "table" I've been using for 6 1/2 years now. I've needed the dresser for a while, but have procrastinated getting anything new, settling for tossing my socks and underthings in the upper cabinet part of a standing wardrobe. Now I have separate drawers for these things...it's all a new experience for me, and they are organized! During the cleaning and organizing process of today, I filled a large garbage bag full of old papers and such, and that from just one room. I tend to hang on to things, but today was clean out and get organized day. The new year is a good time to do such things, and it dawned on me this evening that it's just like God. He's longing to come in and bring in the new, the necessary, and take out the old. He wants His house in order, the clutter removed so that He can pour in all that He wants to in our lives.

Now I have a tangible picture sitting in my bedroom to remind me of this object lesson, and every time I look at my new dresser, I'll think about how God, every morning, gives us a new start in His Spirit, that we can walk anew with Him, in His peace, freedom and covered by the blood of the Lamb, free from the clutter.

Holiday cheer

Here in Hungary, there are some neat Christmas happenings! Outdoor Christmas markets are fun to visit, but in the freezing temps like we are having now, my heart goes out to the vendors, who have no option but to stand in the freezing weather. At these markets, one can purchase hot spiced wine and something called kurtoskalacs...it is like a long tube of sweet donut! Yummy!

Santa already came on December 6th, so now the focus is on the gift-giving. On December 24th, Jezuska (the baby Jesus) comes and brings the Christmas gifts. Unfortunately, many literally only see the sweet baby Jesus and don't realize the significance of His birth.

One of the greatest joys I have during this season is the opportunity to bring my guitar into all of my classes and sing Christmas carols in English! Of course we sing everything from Jingle Bells to Joy to the World! Just last week, after one of my lessons, I could hear the students walking down the hall singing out "Glo-o-o-o-o -oria, in excelsis Deo!" May God penetrate the hearts of MANY students in the school, that they will hear and understand and respond to the TRUE message of Christmas: God has come in the flesh to reconcile people to Himself for all of eternity!

Kidney stone blasting!!!

Wow, what an experience! We began lining up at 8 a.m. in the waiting room...all patients waiting to have kidney stones "blasted"! I was 3rd in line, and when the guy before me came out, we asked him if it hurt. "No!" So, I got in there fully expecting very little pain...maybe some discomfort....well, 1/2 way through the electrical blasting of the right kidney, the doctor asked if I wanted pain killer...I must have had SOME look on my face! I said, "Yes, that would be good!" I made it, but it was UNCOMFORTABLE!!!

Be sure to drink PLENTY of water...trust me on this one!!!

Cross-cultural Medicine - II

Today, I "fit-in" with the Hungarians...for the most part...in my visit to the hospital for blood test and EKG before my procedure tomorrow. I arrived and was number 6 in line for getting my blood drawn; the woman about freaked out when she saw I was a foreigner, asking me how I intended to pay...and I had to explain to her that I am a resident, I work here, and pay taxes and am covered by the Hungarian medical program. This greatly relieved her. Drawing blood took about 5 minutes total.

EKG was an interesting adventure. That took about 2 minutes, and I was out of the hospital. I looked at my watch as I walked out of the hospital and the entire "ordeal" took one and a half hours; doing the math lets you know just how much time I spent waiting. That's what life here is like...waiting...waiting...

Cross-cultural Medicine

I've had an interesting couple of days, especially today. I awakened Monday with cramping in my lower abdomen and decided to stay home and rest. When I woke up at noon, I was still not on the up and up, and decided to pay a visit to my family doctor...who examined me and promptly sent me to another clinic where I could see a surgeon there, have an ultra-sound and figure out if I had a kidney stone or appendicitis! Well, when I met the cute doctor, I started speaking in Hungarian, and about 1 minute later, he said in near perfect English, "where are you from?" I laughed and asked him why he didn't tell me he speaks English??

Anyway, I have 3 kidney stones...one is big enough to need "blasting" apart. So today I meet cute doctor at another hospital, and he ushers me past 985 people waiting to see the urologist, and I go in after waiting maybe 10 min....it's a catch-22 being a foreigner....you get nasty looks from those you "cut in line" in front of, but you get in to see the doctor a whole lot faster. And I've found you cannot really argue and say, "No, I want to wait here with the other 985 people who were here before me," because that will insult the doctor who is trying to take good care of you...who, has an ulterior motive...he wants English lessons! Amazing how one can get "roped" into things in a different culture.

So, it turns out the urologist speaks English as well! Hallelujah! The only time he "broke out" of his completely serious mode was when I happened to mention that my dad is a urologist...it was at that point that he raised his eyebrows and probably realized he needs to take very good care of me. So, my question is, what do I need to do for him, because here in Hungary, there is a "special payment system" in this socialized medical system. I'm thinking a nice bottle of wine and some chocolate will be in order when I go in on Thursday to have my stone BLASTED...and tell him the wine is from my father, who says "Thank you!"

Ah, but the adventure continues...I have to go down to x-ray....which doesn't take too long....but waiting for the x-ray in a hallway with 20 other people and only 3 seats, for 1 1/2 hours, is yet another adventure...."do I really live here?" Once I garnered my x-ray, I returned to see only 743 people waiting to see the urologist, and again, after two people before me, I was called in...this time I heard some mumurs from people....I think they had been there 2 hours earlier and were STILL waiting to get in for the first visit. Hmmm.

So, Thursday is blasting the kidney stone day!!! I'm so excited, really! As the doctors pointed out, it sure beats trying to pass a 6mm stone, which would be worse than giving birth to a child! They are indeed looking out for my best interest....I left the doctor's room, eyes to the floor and mumbled a sheepish "goodbye" in Hungarian to those in the waiting area, wanting ever so much to have been lowered down from the window in the doctor's room so I wouldn't have to face the stares of those patient people, who wait in these kinds of lines for medical care every day. Ah, the adventures continue!

Water

Water. It's an amazing resource...every living thing needs it to survive; it can be a powerful tool for good, or it can, when left unchecked or allowed to come in torrents, cause great destruction. Water can be soothing or suffocating; it can buoy you up, or bowl you under.

When I get around water these days, doesn't seem to matter where, I learn. It's no surprise that in the Bible, there are innumerable references to water, in many different contexts, but the ones that fascinate me the most are those in connection with the Holy Spirit.

When I was in Kansas City this summer at the International House of Prayer (www.IHOP.org), the Lord gave me a song as I sat in His presence in the main prayer room. The song is entitled "River of Your Love". The refrain goes like this: "The river of your love washes over me, and I am consumed with You."

In our harried world, it is challenging to find time to sit or lie in God's presence and allow His love to wash over us like a river and be consumed with Him; however, when we do, the blessings are amazing: conviction of sin, revelation of Who He is, comfort, peace, joy, love, contentment, and sometimes for me, tears (more water) come flowing...tears of thankfulness for His amazing goodness!

May you experience the healing waters of His love the next time you are around water...

Thanksgiving part 2

As promised, here are some fun pix straight from my Thanksgiving party!!! Two good friends, Bori and Zsuzsi, who grew up in the children's home and have now moved out and have babies of their own, came with their two little girls, Bori and Vivien! My friend and colleague, Krisztina came with her daughter, Adel. Tom Turkey turned out beautifully, as you can see, and we ate, laughed, played, and spent much needed time together!!! I thank God for these precious ones!!!

Article in the paper

On Wednesday, I was minding my own business at school when the regional newspaper, Delmagyarorszag called the schoool to ask if any American teachers there would be preparing a traditional Thanksgiving meal on Thursday. I was the "chosen one" to open my home to the journalists, who came that afternoon to take pictures of the Thanksgiving preparations and write an article as well!

So, here is the link to that article where you can see me busily preparing the turkey, which, by the way, one of my students' grandmothers killed and prepared especially for me!!!
http://www.delmagyar.hu/cikk.php?id=70&cid=137205

Follow-up pictures to come in the next posting!!!

Thanksgiving Day!

This year is an especially blessed year for me this Thanksgiving! For the first time in 7 years of teaching here in Hungary, I have only 2 lessons on Thursdays, and finish at 9:10 a.m.....so, I finally have time to cook a proper Thanksgiving dinner! And this morning, I received an added blessing...my second class wasn't even in the school, so I could get home even earlier to put the turkey in the oven!!!

However, there's a test today...this is the FIRST TIME EVER cooking a turkey...and I have no temperature gauge on my oven; could be a really interesting day!!! One of my students' grandmother's killed and cleaned the turkey for me!!! Talk about fresh! Hope I don't ruin it by not cooking it correctly!

In the next blog, you'll get to see pictures from the big event! Until then, remember how incredibly blessed we ALL are!!!

Locked doors

This past Thursday was parent/teacher conferences at school from, get this: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.! Can't complain. All teachers are assigned a room in which to be for conferences (we don't have our own classrooms in Hungary), and parents look at the listing of names and rooms to determine where they need to go to find their child's teacher.

I arrived to find I was to be in room 126 with one other teacher. Parents were mingling around, and I looked for the key. There was no key to be found in the school...so, the door remained locked and darkened. The other teacher who was supposed to be there had found another room, displaced the teachers who were supposed to be in there, and proceeded with her conferences. I decided to plant myself on the bench outside the darkened classroom and as parents came to inquire, I was there.

I watched as parents arrived, walked up to the door, tried the handle, saw it was locked and darkened, and yet some of them stood there, continuing to wait...it seemed that maybe somehow, miraculously, the door would open...or something. Others tried two or three times, looked around, and walked off. Others tried, then asked those standing nearby if they knew anything about the teachers who were supposed to be in that room.

Lots of reactions to closed, locked doors and darkened rooms. "But they are supposed to be here!" "You can't change things on me, I cannot handle that change!" "But the sheet SAYS room 126, so I'm going to wait here!"

The teachers were still available, just in different places...they had not changed, they remained the same...but it took some openness on the parents' parts to realize that maybe they had to do something "out of the ordinary" or something "they weren't used to doing" in order to meet the teachers. They may have had to shift their paradigm to see things from a different perspective...to experience parent/teacher conferences. Of course they could still meet with the "unchanged" teachers...but for some, it was VERY uncomfortable to have to "change" locations.

Interestingly, I think that for some followers of Jesus, it becomes uncomfortable when God shows up in a different place. He's not changed, but He's drawing us to Himself, the unchanging God, in a new location, and we may have to change our thinking about how "things are supposed to be" with Him, because He is in the business of taking us to new places with Himself, and He sometimes, or often, does that by making us a bit uncomfortable. He doesn't want us standing at the locked door, stuck in the ways we are comfortable functioning in...rather He wants us to seek Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and that may mean going to uncomfortable, unfamiliar places.

Sometimes He doesn't ask us to understand; He asks us to trust Him; because if we understood, then we wouldn't have to have faith in Him, we could have faith in our understanding, and to have faith in anything but Him alone could lead us into idolatry.

Wrestling with God

I picked up a book the other night off my shelf...it actually belongs to some friends of mine...sorry, I'll get it back to you soon. It's called "Lover of My Soul - Delighting in God's Passionate Love" by Alan Wright. The following is an excerpt which captures exactly where I am.

"One night by the Jabbok, Jacob was preparing to reenter the Promised Land. I suppose God wrestled with Jacob just so the patriarch would never forget the source of his blessings. The Lord wrestled the man who had always come out on top just so he'd never forget that the Lord always gives the victory. But mostly, I think God wrestled Jacob for the same reason He wrestled with the Hebrew people and He continues to wrestle with you and me. God would rather stoop to wrestle us than let us wander away from Him in pride. He wrestles us because He wants to keep us. He wrestles us because He wants to be close to us. If you feel as if you're wrestling with God, has it occurred to you that maybe He's just looking for a little more contact with you?"

It's interesting to be in a place that not many can understand, and even I have a hard time sometimes understanding where God has me; but like Jacob, I know that my Beloved wants even more contact with me, and He was willing to go to the cross for me, and now He is willing to wrestle with me, to draw me closer to Himself, that I might experience His passionate love for me and be able to hear His voice even more intimately and clearly.

Peaceful

There's just something about being in a peaceful setting with no one around, and no sounds except the breeze blowing through the trees and reeds. These pictures show the small lake in Dios Jeno where I spent a couple of days during our fall break hanging out with a friend and relaxing. The Lord does lead us beside quiet waters and restore our souls.

Alone on a Train

After a full day of Christmas shopping in Budapest at the end of October, I boarded the afternoon inter-city train to Szeged. When I found my seat, I noticed a young man, maybe 22 years old, helping a young girl, maybe 8 or 9 years old, get settled in her seat. Once she was set, he said goodbye, and this 8-9 year old girl was left alone on the train.

I made a mental note, as did the people sitting across the aisle from her I'm sure, that I was going to keep an eye on her the whole way and make sure she arrived safely to wherever and to whomever would meet her in Szeged.

I believe most Americans would find it unconscionable to put a 9 year old girl on a train, alone, for a journey of nearly 3 hours. But this is Hungary, and she reached her destination safely, even enjoying a sandwich and drink along the way.

The Lord reminded me that He, like me with the girl, never lets us out of His sight, keeps us safe, and will make sure we reach or final destination, sometimes, we may have to travel alone, and there will be scary, uncertain hours, but He's promised never to leave nor forsake us.

Bird

While in Dios Jeno, in northern Hungary, sitting by the lake and watching a bird soar on the lift of the strong wind, I heard the Lord say to me...."You see, he's facing the source of the wind---facing into the wind, and the wind is giving him lift, is maintaining him---he doesn't have to work at all to stay afloat; one drop of a wing tip and he's sailing with the wind, racing along"; it was almost like the bird was playing, enjoying just BEING a bird.

God calls us to BE, to look full into His face, to rest in the lift that He alone can provide and to know that wherever His Spirit takes us, it is a GOOD place. He is not going to dash us into the tumultuous water below, but rather lift us to the heights, above the tumult---and it's easy when our eyes are facing Him and we are fully submitted to His Spirit and not fighting to go our own way.

Cocoons and butterflies

The word "cocoon" came up during lessons this week as some of my classes and I discussed the exciting topic of plants and animals. We were talking about the names of the "babies" of various animals....eg. dogs - puppies, cats - kittens. We came to butterflies and said caterpillars. Then we talked about how the caterpillars go into a cocoon and are transformed into beautiful butterflies.

I asked my students if they'd ever seen a butterfly trying to get out of its cocoon, and watched the struggle. I asked if they knew what would happen if someone comes along, during the struggle, and "helps" the butterfly break out of its cocoon. No one knew....so I told them. "If we see a struggling butterfly trying to break out of its cocoon, and try to help it along by tearing away the outer cocoon, then the butterfly will die very quickly. You see, in the process of the struggle, the butterflies' wings are being strengthened, so that it can fly and live as it was intended. Trying to "reduce its apparent suffering or struggle" actually is detrimental to the butterfly and quickly brings death instead of life.

Obviously, it was an easy transition to discuss human life and the struggles that individuals face in life...and there are times when we need to let people struggle through the "cocoons" in their lives; yes we can cheer them on, speak words of encouragement, but we should not necessarily try to "remove" the "cocoon" because it is in that person pushing through that he or she will come out strong and will be prepared for his or her future life as a new butterfly!!!

Cutting grass and painting doors

As a teacher, I often have to wait years to "see results" in students' lives. Of course it is worth the wait, but sometimes I just need to see immediate results! That's when I find fun projects to do! Saturday, I went to a friend's house and had a blast cutting grass and painting an ugly green door! The grass was not too long, but afterwards it looked great! The ugly green door was really ugly. I put two coats of white paint on it, and the entire door and wall area where it is located was transformed!!!

Seeing these two "transformations", one not so radical, (the grass), and the other, shockingly (in a good way) transformed, (the door), reminded me of how God works in our lives. Sometimes, His work is subtle; He changes us and it's noticeable, but not earth-shattering! Other times, He does MAJOR work, and the transformation can be seen by all, at first glance, because He's done so much work in us!!!

May we always be open to the way that GOD wants to transform us, and may we never limit Him in what He wants to do both in and through us!

I'm naive

I had a very disturbing class discussion today with one of my classes of seniors. Quite honestly, I cannot even share the content of it; however I can share that I learned that I am very naive. I know about murder, I know about incest, I know about corruption, I know about cheating, I know about pornography, I know about all sorts of sordid things which are the reality of the world we live in. But, to hear my students frankly state what they did today left me speechless! All I can hint at is that the discussion made me think that our world is entrenched in what plagued Sodom and Gomorrah, plus some. I think my students got a kick out of realizing how naive I am...this "revelation" for me about them and about people brings me to my knees again, crying out for mercy.

Testing

I went to the post office today to mail two envelopes with pictures and letters. I stood in a long line for 1/2 an hour, only to get to the window and discover I needed to fill out customs forms. So, I had to step out of the long line, which had gotten longer, and fill out the forms. When I finished, I saw the line was even longer.....so I went upstairs to the usually shorter line....only to find a slew of people there too. I knew my patience was being tested, and I wanted to pass. So, I stood and waited.....a full hour after having entered the post office, I was walking out, having mailed two envelopes. Hmmm. As I walked home, I wondered if I'd passed the patience test, when the Lord decided to bless me. I ran into a student who graduated last year and we had a great talk! Then I ran into one of the girls who used to be in the children's home...we also had a good "reconnection" time. Had I had a "quick" turn-around time at the post office, these meetings would not have happened. We all would have missed out on the blessings, and I would not have been tested.

Attack cat

Last night, I accidentally stepped on Toby's paw---he screeched, and immediately, Simon, my other cat, jumped on Toby, attacking him!!! The two of them raced off toward my flat, Toby fleeing on a hurt paw and Simon in hot pursuit, and me chasing both of them trying to break up the fight! Poor Toby....hurt foot, his mom's fault, fleeing the wrath of his "thought-to-be" buddy, Simon, who has decided that he must attack Toby! My only explanation is that Simon is so possessive of me, that when he heard Toby screech, he thought he was screeching AT me and moved into "protection" mode. I and my neighbor spent the next 20 minutes trying to calm the two boys and get them back together again...Toby very leery about being anywhere NEAR Simon, understandably.

I'm reminded of the verse which says the enemy is like a lion, prowling around looking for someone to devour. We must always be aware of his tactics, but more importantly, our undivided attention should be on worshipping Jesus, and HE will warn us!

Models

Aren't we gorgeous? The outside is simply a reflection of what the Lord has done and is doing on the inside! This "international" group of women, two Americans, one American living in Hungary, and one Korean living in America, has been knit together in the Lord to live out the verse, "They will know you are my disciples by the way you love one another!"

Blessings in abundance

"...I call you friends!" Friends in the Lord are the most amazing friends one can ever hope to have! Pictured here is a group of friends with whom I share much. We all have a heart for the world; we all love to laugh; we all love to eat; but most of all, we love Jesus, and the mutual encouragement and admonishment exchanged is priceless. I will treasure this day in Budapest with these friends!

Blessings and Buddies

Do you have people in your life who are not only tremendous blessings, but also GREAT buddies??? These friends above are some of the dearest ones who fit into the "category" of blessings and buddies! They have come across the miles, across an ocean, to minister to the hearts of Hungarians, and in the process, I'm being totally blessed and encouraged! We were able to enjoy a day and a 1/2 in Budapest together as well seeing the sights! His blessings never cease!!!

Sunsets

I had a friend who used to remind me to take time to enjoy sunsets! So yesterday, as I was driving home from Debrecen to Szeged, there was a beautiful sunset; so I pulled over to the side of the road, and not only enjoyed, but took a few pictures.

I like to think of sunrises and sunsets as God's "good mornings" and "good nights", coupled with His "I love you!"

New Revelation

Go read Colossians 3:16. We were reading this today at church, and it was so powerful because for the first time, I saw that it says we are to TEACH each other through singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs!!! How cool that worship is also about teaching each other for our edification?

Precious ones

When I met Bori in 1996, she was a scared, shy 14 year old girl, who kept her distance and would not come and enjoy the activities the other kids in the children's home were taking part in.

Bori captured my heart then, and now we are dear friends! She has since moved out of the children's home, and has a little girl, kis Bori (little Bori). I got to spend some time with the two Boris and another girl who also moved out of the children's home and now has a little girl. Susan and her daughter Vivien live in a little village near Szeged.

I was humbled by how challenging their lives had been, and continue to be, but how precious they are with their little girls. While they were "rejected" by their parents, they have turned that rejection into love for their little girls. I love this picture of Bori with little Bori!!!

Precious ones

One of the major blessings I've received since living in Hungary is being involved in the lives of young people who have grown up in a state-run children's home. While it took years to develop trust with these kids, the payoffs are wonderful. I now have trusting friendships with a number of these young people, many of whom are now living outside the home. My prayer is that Jesus in me can love them and that He draws them to Himself! This is my "daughter", Bori, and her daughter, Bori! Both are precious ones!!!

Worship

God is transforming His body, the church. He is lifting up His worshippers; we are all called to be worshippers. Yesterday, I had the privilege of taking part in a one-day conference in Budapest, and during the worship, it was refreshing and encouraging to see 40, 50, 60 year old people dancing before the Lord, waving flags and so free in their worship of the Lord! Some would say they look like fools...indeed, we are called to be fools for Christ; so I say, dance, run and wave on as the Lord leads you!!!

Here in Szeged, the interdenominational worship team, New Song, is taking on a new look as well. Some have chosen to leave the worship team for various reasons, and God is lifting up others to be a part of this exciting worship here in Szeged! My heart's desire is to see Jesus lifted up, people set free to worship the way God calls them to worship Him, and only HE can instruct each individual as to what that "looks" like! Glory to Him alone!!!

You already HAVE it!!!

About a week ago, I went to the ATM machine (bankomat) here in Hungary and put my Hungarian card in the machine with the hopes of withdrawing money. The message I received said that my card had expired and I needed to check with my banking institution. I looked at the date, and duh, yes, it had expired.

So, I decided to try to find a time to go in....bank hours here are rather non-conducive to working people...closing at 3 or 4 in the afternoon; so today, I finally went in. When the woman pulled up my information, she said that my new card had already been mailed to my home address here in Szeged! I was caught off-guard a bit, but then I remembered that in the past 3 weeks, I've not taken the time to go through my mail which arrived during the summer (my neighbor had paid all the bills).

So, I go home, look through all the mail, and lo and behold, there is my shiny new bank card, good til 2008!! I already had the card, right here, in my house, available to me, free of charge and all that is in my bank account was already available to me...but I didn't know it nor did I access it.

What does this have to do with anything? Well, for the past couple of years, I've been growing a lot in my understanding of God and spiritual gifts. In Colossians 1:19 it says that ALL the fullness of the Father dwells in the Son, Jesus Christ. ALL the fullness...everything!!! So, logically, if Christ dwells in us by faith, then we have Christ IN us through the Holy Spirit, which means that all the fullness of the Father dwells in us!!! He's given us EVERYTHING!!! All gifts are available to us because HE is IN us in the Holy Spirit!!! But how often do we "leave the gifts in the envelope on the shelf"...or do we even realize that because Christ dwells in us, every gift also dwells in us?

For me to naively say that I don't have my card, or my card is better left on the shelf and I will try to get money other ways is simply silly. For us to say that God has not poured out His fullness into Jesus, and thus into us who know Him as Lord and Savior, or to put a limit on what God wants to do in and through us is also just simply silly!

Lord, draw out of me all the gifts that You wish to make use of in my corner of the world, and beyond, for Your glory...I put no limits on You, and I thank you that I already have all that I need: Your Spirit living in me!

Swimming lesson #5629

Name Days

Here in Hungary, every person has a "name day". It's sort of like a birthday, but it's your name day...on a Hungarian calendar are written every name that a Hungarian can name his/her child. For example, on March 25 is Iren's name day (this happens to be the name that I have in Hungary...LONG story) and so on that day, in the English department at my school, the person whose name day it is brings in something to eat for everyone to share. My long-standing tradition is to make chocolate chip cookies for everyone. Another colleague buys a gift for the celebrant and gives a short speech for the person whose name day it is. Then, everyone lines up to give the celebrant a kiss on each cheek....so there is a lot of kissing going on during a name day celebration!
I actually enjoy this tradition, and tomorrow, we will celebrate Maria's name day (Maria nevnapot). I just happened to have "chosen" one of the two Maria's in our department and am excited to give her her gift tomorrow and see what wonderful cakes or cookies or yummy treats the TWO Marias will bring!!!
"My" Maria is in the striped blouse in the center of the picture!

Worship in Szeged

Yesterday, I attended the last 2 hours of a day-long nationwide gathering of charismatic Catholic believers here in Hungary. This year's event took place here in Szeged. The last two hours included worship, led by a team of musicians from across the country, including 3 of the main worshippers on the Szeged interdenominational worship team, New Song. It was a sweet time of seeing many people whom I don't normally see regularly, and it was amazing to see over 1000 people gathered in one arena praising the Lord here in Hungary!!!

First week of school!!!

Well, I survived, and so did my students!!! Not only do I have 17 different groups this year, but over 230 students! Yes, I teach 1/4 of the school!!! Try remembering that many names, most of whom I meet only once a week! It'll be a fun year, and a chance to influence many lives!!!

Battles on the field

One of the most challenging things we face here in Hungary is when a new church starts, the "traditional" churches often assume that it must be a cult or a sect. What is at the root of this? Bottom line is FEAR. And this fear goes all the way back to the Garden, when Adam and Eve were afraid because they had done the one thing God told them not to do. Enter FEAR. From then on, fear has plagued the generations, has kept individuals and groups from walking in the freedom that Jesus went to the cross to win for each one of us!

Then you have the enemy coming in, and even amongst fellow believers, nurturing that fear, planting skepticism, watering mistrust, and wreaking havoc, so that believers are more focused on the problems and issues than on Jesus Himself.

Oh, may we return to the Gospels and there read Jesus' heart for us: He cried out to His Father for us to be in RELATIONSHIP with Him and thus with God His Father, our Father, that we would all be one in Jesus!!! Once we figure out it's all about relationship, this world will be turned upside down for His glory...and isn't that what life is all about anyway?

What should happen...

Thursday of this week, I met with my 30-somethings Bible study girls. We had a precious time together, during which I learned that they've been meeting together all summer, each one sharing the teaching responsibilities. This is exactly what should happen as a result of pouring into people's lives with the Gospel. What joy to see them in love with Jesus and spurring each other on to know and love Him more and more.

Family blessings

While I didn't get to spend a long time with family this summer, the time with them was priceless!!! Thank you for loving me!!!

Back in Hungary

Coming back to Hungary after a 3 month sabbatical has had its ups and downs.

Things I forgot about: smells....seems they are more marked here than in the U.S. Drivers: they are extremely aggressive, wow! Roads: full of "obstacles"...you cannot doze off for long because you'll surely be awakened by a pothole. People walking on the streets, or rather sidewalks....just seeing people outside is fantastic!!!!! GREAT food!!! How difficult it is for people to make ends meet here...and that only grows increasingly difficult.

Things I remembered and am thankful for: people who, when we get together, want to talk for longer than a quick 10 minutes. Dear friends! Hungarian honesty!!! My wonderful neighbor and friends who took care of my cats for 3 months!!! Amazingly, LANGUAGE!!! It's coming back very quickly! Last but not least: my cats, Toby and Simon, who were only angry for a few hours that I'd left them for 3 months.

Things I miss in the States: friends and family. Understanding everyone when they speak, almost perfectly, except in the deep South, where concentration is a must!

I'm so blessed.

Teaching in Szeged

I teach conversational English to 9-12 graders at a bilingual high school. Each year, I typically have between 190-220 students because I meet with most of them only once a week. Yet, I do get to teach most of my groups for 4 years, and thus can develop fairly strong relationships with many of my students. After 4 years, there is a definite sadness as they graduate, but the reward is seeing their English develop, for most of them, to a level of fluency which will serve them their entire lives! This is a picture of one of my classes of seniors!

God on the Island of Singleness

As I was sitting at home, on my island of singleness (see two posts below) last night, reading a good book, God said to me, "When you worship me, I can minister to your spirit!" So, I put my book down, picked up my borrowed guitar, and began to worship. As I worshipped, all the "island" feelings of loneliness began to melt away into His amazing presence! It was balm to my spirit as I lifted Him up and He gave me His perspective.

Lesson learned: take the lies to the cross of Christ immediately, repent, and turn and worship the King!!!

More about Szeged

A great deal of my time in Szeged is spent teaching English at Deak Ferenc bilingual high school. I teach conversational English, and work on a faculty which includes, among many others, about 17 English teachers. For the past 16 years, we've had our annual English Department Christmas Party, held typically at the native teacher's flat...that would be mine! We all bring a dish to share and play some games, maybe sing some carols and play a gift exchange game! Everyone looks forward to it every December, and this past year, we had about 30 people in my flat, because we also include teachers who used to teach at Deak! Some come in from Budapest, where they now live, 2 hours away! This is a precious time of relationship building with my colleagues!

The Island of Singleness

Only some of you will be able to relate to what I'm writing about, but I sense the need to "get it out there" so that those of you who may not be able to relate, will at least have a taste of this place where some of us find ourselves from time to time.

I call this place "the island of singleness". When you think of an island, a number of things probably come to mind. Beautiful sandy beaches, trails leading up to fruit-laden trees, the gentle pounding of the surf on the sand, sunshine, peacefulness, endless blue sky, coves and inlets perfect for swimming or snorkeling...indeed, these are typical island images.

Now, for a minute, imagine yourself on that island. Are you alone? For many, you would answer, "No, of course not! I'm there with friends or family or a significant other."

Well, just imagine being on that island totally alone. Again, some of you are saying, "That would be FANTASTIC! I would LOVE that! I would WELCOME that!"

But what if you spent a good deal of your time alone on that island, and that island was within ear shot and eye shot of other similar islands, where there were others, not alone, on their islands. They are laughing, enjoying each others' company, sometimes arguing, but then making up, doing things together and basically in community.

And there you are, on your island, alone. It was fun the first time; lots of reading, lots of playing in the surf, sleeping on the beach, eating all you want with no one to have to share the last coconut with. But then, you find that almost weekly, you are "relegated" to this island, always within earshot and eyeshot of the other islands. And then it's not once a week, but numerous days during the week. You hear the others talk about going to their islands and all the fun they are going to have...and you know you are heading to yours. Oh, you invite others to your island, but they already have their islands and their plans for their island time.

It's a powerful picture, which, as I've said, not many can begin to relate to, but I share it with you to encourage you to pray for those you know who are single, who may sometimes find themselves on the Island of Singleness when they would much rather be on the island of family, or the island of friends, or even sharing their island with family or friends.

"And the Lord God saw that it was not good for (a person) to be alone."

Ministry in Hungary

Some have asked to see more pictures of happenings in Hungary, so for the next few blogs, I'll include pictures of some of the ministry that God is doing in Hungary. This first picture includes 3 of my closest friends with whom we've been meeting for Bible study for 6 years. The baby, Tamas, is Anita's miracle baby, whom God healed in the womb!

End of Sabbatical

The old addage, time flies when you're having fun is so true. One week and counting before I head back to my home in Hungary. What a wonderful, challenging, growth-filled sabbatical time this has been for me in the States. I wouldn't trade one second of it because I know that God has been at work and I am thankful for that fact and reality!
A part of me is really looking forward to returning to my adopted country; a part of me is really NOT looking forward to saying "see you laters" here. The tension of living in the here and now, with eyes focused on Jesus, knowing that all we are, do, say, think, and feel is for His glory.
If I've learned nothing else this summer (which of course I've learned tons), I've learned that my heavenly Daddy ADORES me; I never really KNEW that in the depths of my heart. Only HE can show us that...and it is not a journey from the head to the heart, it's a journey from the heart to the head, the direction that only God can go. If my heart is changed by Him, my mind can come into alignment with my heart. This is a radical new lesson I've learned this summer for which I'm eternally thankful to my Daddy in Heaven for teaching me.
So, while I will be saying very tearful "see you laters" to precious people in the U.S., I'll be saying joyful "hello agains" to precious people in Hungary! And someday we won't have to say goodbye ever.

"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know, just as I also am known." (I Cor. 13:12)

I got the above picture blown up to hang on my wall in Hungary upon my return there at the end of this month. I asked the woman at Wal-Mart if she could tell which was the real "mountain" and which was the reflection....she looked at it for about 30 seconds, when a colleague approached and said after about 3 seconds, "that's the reflection!"

30 seconds verses 3 seconds. I so want to reflect the likeness of Jesus Christ that it takes no more than 3 seconds for people to see Jesus in and through me. Why? Because I have tasted deeply of the love and passion of God for me, and I long with everything within me for others to know that same passion and love that He longs to pour into their hearts. There is nothing more precious, and as He continues to refine me in His fire, He will pull me out when I am a perfect reflection of Himself...and then I will see Him face to face!

Roots and exposure

While hiking in Colorado back in June, I glanced to the right and spied this tree, clinging to the side of the "cliff". The picture made me stop dead in my tracks and stare, for a good minute or so, at what was a physical picture in nature of what the past 8 months have been for me spiritually!
If you can see in the picture, nearly 3/4 of the root system is literally "exposed" to the air and elements, not receiving nourishment, while the other 1/4 of the roots are digging in hard, clinging to the soil and sucking out the nutrients the tree needs to survive.
God, in His awesome, loving, gentle, mercy has been exposing my roots...the bad roots, and we all know that bad roots produce bad fruit.
The exposed roots on this tree looked dry and unable to receive or give anything toward the life of the tree...they were dying or were already dead.
I am thrilled that God has exposed my bad roots, although I've often felt a bit like this tree looks....exposed, and clinging with the remaining good roots to the "cliff", just trying to hang on and live! But if the bad roots had not been exposed and subsequently "uprooted" and killed, the tree itself would continue to produce bad fruit, even though there are some good roots.
God, in His mercy, has strengthened the remaining good roots and is planting me in new soil for more good roots to grow and receive the much needed nourishment necessary for healthy growth. I'm clinging to the only One who can provide everything I need for that growth, and that's Jesus Christ!

Faithfulness

I don't think I will ever stop being amazed by God's faithfulness. He is SO involved in the initmate details of our lives, if we will let Him be, and if when we do, we are attuned to His tender voice, wooing us into His presence, to behold His face, and be embraced by His loving, gentle arms. The Bible describes God as always faithful because He cannot deny Himself...wow, faithful is who He is, not just a characteristic!!! We humans see faithfulness on the practical level as some sort of fruit or action from someone. But people can also be unfaithful...God can never be unfaithful because that would deny who He is. I'm floored when I ponder that the lover of my soul, His very essence, is faithful...no wonder the Bible says repeatedly, "don't be afraid!" This Truth frees me up to be utterly faithful to others because I know that the One who lives in me cannot be anything other than faithful TO me, and it is His faithfulness that will flow through me!

Disappointments

Life is full of disappointments. Usually these are a result of people's choices. One of the things I struggle with is when someone says he will do something and then backs out, repeatedly. I find people like this to be untrustworthy. However, we must be careful never to attach people's actions as a reflection of who God is or how He will act. He is fully trustworthy and will never, ever let us down. He will never leave us nor forsake us. That is a Truth to live by, especially when people continually disappoint.

Good friends

Do you ever need to be reminded of the goodness of God in providing? He ALWAYS does....in every way that He sees fit, which is always perfect for us. Sometimes, for me, He provides in ways I never expect...meaning, I expect less of God than what He wants to give me. But our God is a great God, our God is a GOOD God. These are three precious women whom God has literally dropped into my life...His provision as all three of them deeply love Jesus and are running HARD after Him. God, you are sooooooooo good, ALL the time!

Colorado

There's nothing like a week based at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, in a forested setting, at a wonderful retreat center where we get waited on for every meal to recharge the batteries! What a tremendous blessing it has been to be here, meet with fellow missionaries from all over the world, laugh, cry, talk, sing, play, go for hikes, and just plain unwind. God is good ALL the time.

Rest and Relaxation

From the balcony of this retreat center, I can see Pikes Peak, which towers over my city of birth! I'm loving my time here in Colorado, where I'm getting a week of debriefing and renewal. This wooded setting is perfect for just what I need: rest and relaxation.

Family

There's just something about being with family! I don't get to see my family often, so these moments are precious, and we make the most of them so as to cherish them forever! This is my "little" brother and his dear family. We were together in the mountains enjoying father's day by taking a narrow-gauge railroad trip! Zack and Brooke have gotten sooooo big! I always enjoy my time with them and am truly blessed!

Colorado Mountains

My brother's Father's Day wish was to drive up into the mountains here in Colorado and ride the narrow gauge railroad in Georgetown. What a FUN experience that was for all of us! Not only was the sky a raging blue with just a few scattered puffs of clouds, but the mountains and trees and the raging river below us reminded me of the amazing creativity of God in His creation! We experience a bit of what it would be like to wind through the mountains long ago, up to the silver mines where fortunes were probably made and lost through the centuries. This truly is "God's country" out here in the West.

Microwave popcorn

Some friends and I were getting together to watch a movie and I was at the store buying, among other things, some microwave popcorn. When I got to the popcorn aisle, I stood there for about 10 minutes, looking at about 10 different brands of microwave popcorn. The differences varied from "movie theatre butter" to "carmel flavor" and just about everything you can imagine in between. I froze. I couldn't make a decision. I called my friend to ask which one I should buy. Even when she told me, it took me a minute to find THAT particular one on the shelf. Amazing. I forgot what it's like here in America. Can one have too many choices?

Back in the U.S.A.

As I stood in front of the dairy section, checking out the 10 different brands of half and half creamer for coffee, I was boldly reminded of the fact that I am indeed back in the U.S.A. In addition to my gaping mouth at the number of choices of half and half, I stood there shivering in the air-conditioning of the store. In fact, every store or "enclosed" place I enter is cooled with this stuff called air-conditioning. Because this is not a typical state of being in Hungary, I'm finding myself "chilled" a good part of the time I'm inside anywhere. I have resigned myself to the fact that I must carry around socks, a jacket or sweater, and long pants anywhere I go. It'll be an "Olympic Clothing Summer"....taking off, putting on, taking off, putting on, etc.

My initial observations on this particular visit (I visit a couple times a year) are the following: cars are BIG. (This always strikes me!) gas for cars is cheap! (sorry America, but we're paying $5+ in Hungary for a gallon of gas) housing is expensive! (can't seem to find a place to rent for $60/month here) EVERYTHING is readily available (don't have to search a lot of different stores) friends are GOOD! (I knew this already, but it's a fun reminder!) I love worshipping in English! (I knew this already too!)

I'm sure I'll discover other things as I proceed on this 3 month sabbatical, but it's good to be on this side of the Atlantic for a visit where I don't have to stop and think, "Ok, how do I say this or ask this question?" when I walk into a shop or restaurant! I DO miss my boys, though!!!! :-(

Cats

One week and counting till I have to give my cats, Toby and Simon, last hugs and start missing them for 3 months. I've had them since they were 6 weeks old; Toby turns 8 this month, and Simon next month. Everyone who meets them falls in love with them, unless of course he/she has allergies to cats, or is afraid of cats in general. Even non-cat lovers have said how much they like MY cats...this is why I'm so sad. I'm gonna miss them....and they me, I'm sure.
Cats can teach us lots about life...and because my boys are not typical cats, but more like dogs, they have taught me much about love. Much about asking for what you want. Much about what it means to chill out and relax. Much about how much we all need a good rub sometimes. Much about cuddling. Much about independent moments. Whenever anyone calls me, Toby is right here ready to speak with whomever has called! I'm gonna miss them!

The joys of Spring

This Spring is very strange for me. I'm home, recovering from a herniated disc in my back. It's strange not to be teaching and feeling the overwhelming exhaustion that comes at the end of the school year. Yet in this, there is also joy...I don't have to wake up early and get to work each morning. My 3 month sabbatical has turned into 4 months, thanks to this herniated disc.

Spring also brings to us here in Szeged the annual wine festival. I've heard this year that there are 80 different wine "stalls" in the park, just a 5 min. walk from my house. I think I need to take my daily walk that direction one of these days to check out the wine scene.

Spring also means hormonal cats...there's a "rapturous" symphony outside my bedroom window every evening. My poor "sterilized" boys would love to take part in the rites of Spring for cats, but cannot. Toby, however, has discovered how to do some lovely "spraying"...thankfully he is only doing it outside for now, but I'm not happy about this and just spent a fortune at the vet on some aromatic thing that is supposed to "calm" the cats so they don't get agitated and spray their pee on the stairwell wall or anyplace else they decide to leave their scent. All this joy, just as I'm going to be leaving them for 3 full months...

Finally, there is the joy of getting ready to travel...packing, laundry, cleaning, last minute shopping, saying "see you laters", etc.

Oh, I nearly forgot the joy of picking up my residency permit today! I left rejoicing thinking that I'd gotten it for 2 years....but it dawned on me later that once again, they only gave me a one year residency permit, despite the herculean efforts we all made to have everything in order for a 5 year residency permit to be granted. I think they like creating work for themselves. Such joy....

Yet as I lie here on the floor of my living room, enjoying the wood smell of my new loft, hearing the wind blow through the trees outside, and relish in the fact that yet another day has been granted to me to live and thrive, I am truly filled with joy...the joy of being alive!

Pruning

I awakened the other morning to the sound of a chain saw and a hand saw, and branches falling! I looked out the window to see two men trimming the tree that has drooped over the wall into our side of the "yard" from the neighbor's yard for years. Finally, they were trimming the tree, pruning. As the sagging branches dropped to the ground, it was as if new life was breathed into the rest of the tree, which could stretch skyward with greater strength than before! It was freer to stretch, reach, and now grow! Isn't it the same with God's pruning? He trims and cuts off those branches, wanting more growth, more healthy fruit, children who grow heavenward!

Stepping up.....

I just finished reading my former students' book, "When God Says Jump", by J.R. Briggs, and promptly loaned it to one of my 20-somethings Bible study girls! It's a very good book for that age group...for any age group, but J.R. is connecting with those in that age group especially who are battling with the pull of what the world expects and the draw of the love of God and His calling on our lives. J.R. stepped up to the plate and risked big in writing this book, and I know many, many lives will be blessed by it!

God calls us to step up...to recognize that He is God, that His love, power, and mercy transcend anything we could ever imagine, and He is completely and totally trustworthy. We are called to step up and trust Him to where He is going to take us. In this picture, you cannot see where the steps are leading, and that is the picture Scripture gives us as well...the "leaders" in faith didn't know where God was taking them, but they knew WHO was leading them. And this is all we need to know to step up, closer to the Father's heart, which is beating for us, passionately, and for the world!!!

The joys of construction

I'm having a loft built in my flat. The joys of construction. Upheaval and dust everywhere. But, in the end, the final product is going to be beautiful. Isn't that the way it is with God's "construction" as well? Just look around at the people you know in whom He is doing His great work...aren't they beautiful?

Spring in Szeged....Part V???

Well, here you have it folks. This picture pretty much captures the peak of the 2006 flooding of the Tisza River in Szeged, Hungary. As you can see the sandbags were needed to trap the overflow. Apparently, they even removed the artwork from the museum (pictured), just in case. There were soldiers and volunteers patrolling the riverside to make sure people didn't get near the riverside. I believe this is the highest it has risen since the big flood in 1879, which basically destroyed the entire city of Szeged. No profound thoughts...maybe you will have some.