Sunday, July 31, 2005
Precious times of worship
While walking along Hadrian's Wall in northern England, I was blessed to be with two friends! We had a blast laughing and sharing the experience of walking in a historical place. Yet, we had many times of walking in silence, and it was during those periods that I asked the Lord to drop a song into my heart so I could worship Him. What joy I found as I would be walking along and suddenly, I'd find myself humming or even singing aloud, quietly, the song the Lord had given me. It is these sweet times that the Father shows me, once again, just how intimately He loves me!
Wait! This is not what I expected!
ceo for the kids
I tried to visit a church this morning, one which I've visited a number of times before. I was a few minutes late, and did not hear the usual praise and worship songs belting from the street-side windows. I went inside, and noticed in the room where there are usually tables set up with books and tapes, were mattresses and sleeping bags. I went into the room where the church normally meets, and a group of unfamiliar faces was sitting on the floor in a circle, still in PJs, being very silent and journaling, I think. I looked in, walked out, poked my head back in to make sure I didn't know anyone, and then turned to leave, a bit confused. That is definitely not what I expected!!! As I walked home in the sweltering heat, I asked the Lord, "So, what do we do now?" The church has obviously changed locations, at least for this week, and my morning plans had changed as well. However, the Lord brought to my heart two Truths: first, God does the unexpected, and it is always GOOD! Second, He reminded me of the Truth that He is the same, yesterday, today and forever! He is unchanging, and I can worship Him whether I'm in a church building or in my living room at home because HE is the same everywhere!!! Circumstances in our lives change; people come and go; even the weather, sweltering hot today, in 6 months will be freezing cold; but GOD NEVER CHANGES!!! Who He is, the great I AM, is the Rock upon which we can stand. And the things that Jesus did in His days on this earth are the same things He said we would do after He ascended into Heaven and poured out His Holy Spirit into our hearts. The unchanging God is in the business of changing us, sometimes unexpectedly, if we let Him, so that we are more like His Son Jesus. I am thanking God that there was no church meeting there this morning, because during my walk back home, the Lord chose to give me the "sermon" He wanted me to hear from Himself!
I tried to visit a church this morning, one which I've visited a number of times before. I was a few minutes late, and did not hear the usual praise and worship songs belting from the street-side windows. I went inside, and noticed in the room where there are usually tables set up with books and tapes, were mattresses and sleeping bags. I went into the room where the church normally meets, and a group of unfamiliar faces was sitting on the floor in a circle, still in PJs, being very silent and journaling, I think. I looked in, walked out, poked my head back in to make sure I didn't know anyone, and then turned to leave, a bit confused. That is definitely not what I expected!!! As I walked home in the sweltering heat, I asked the Lord, "So, what do we do now?" The church has obviously changed locations, at least for this week, and my morning plans had changed as well. However, the Lord brought to my heart two Truths: first, God does the unexpected, and it is always GOOD! Second, He reminded me of the Truth that He is the same, yesterday, today and forever! He is unchanging, and I can worship Him whether I'm in a church building or in my living room at home because HE is the same everywhere!!! Circumstances in our lives change; people come and go; even the weather, sweltering hot today, in 6 months will be freezing cold; but GOD NEVER CHANGES!!! Who He is, the great I AM, is the Rock upon which we can stand. And the things that Jesus did in His days on this earth are the same things He said we would do after He ascended into Heaven and poured out His Holy Spirit into our hearts. The unchanging God is in the business of changing us, sometimes unexpectedly, if we let Him, so that we are more like His Son Jesus. I am thanking God that there was no church meeting there this morning, because during my walk back home, the Lord chose to give me the "sermon" He wanted me to hear from Himself!
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Church should be more like a pub!
ceo for the kids
Oh boy, I'm sure I'll hear some responses to this one!!! Why do I think church should be more like a pub? I'll explain. I live in the heart of downtown Szeged, Hungary. As I walk out the door of my building and turn left, within 20 steps, there is a pub on my left, which I've been in only once (to look for a stray bus driver who had parked in front of our door's driveway). However, every time I go by the pub, I glance to my left to check it out. It's usually open every day, even Sundays, from early in the morning til late at night. Since I walk past this pub nearly every day, I've been thinking a lot about the significance of it, and I've been watching people come and go; so here are my observations as to why I think church should be more like a pub. First, it's open a lot! Second, the proprietor welcomes everyone! Third, everyone who goes there feels welcome! Fourth, everyone greets each other and says goodbye when they leave! Fifth, people are having "felt needs" met (by no means am I advocating alcohol consumption, but rather stating that they are looking for something, and believe they are finding it there!) Sixth, they are being "filled up". Seventh, they are finding accepting, non-judgemental fellowship and friendship. Eighth, people want to go there. Ninth, both families and singles are welcome...I even see little kids in there sometimes. Tenth, there is laughter and "good" music. Ok, ok, I know this is a stretch, but if we were to "spiritualize" all ten of the above reasons, it would be easy to see, I think, why church should be more like a pub! First, church should be open a lot. Second, people working there should welcome everyone! Third, everyone who comes in should feel welcome. Fourth, everyone should make an effort to greet those who come in and say goodbye to those who are leaving. Fifth, "felt needs" should be met....first by the Lord, but also practically speaking. Sixth, people should be "filled up" with the Gospel. Seventh, people should receive non-judgemental acceptance and love and friendship from everyone. Eighth, people should want to go to church! Ninth, ALL should be welcomed, from the old to the young, married to singles. Tenth, there should be laughter and joy in the Lord, and worship music!!!! Of course I await your comments on my Pub theology.
Oh boy, I'm sure I'll hear some responses to this one!!! Why do I think church should be more like a pub? I'll explain. I live in the heart of downtown Szeged, Hungary. As I walk out the door of my building and turn left, within 20 steps, there is a pub on my left, which I've been in only once (to look for a stray bus driver who had parked in front of our door's driveway). However, every time I go by the pub, I glance to my left to check it out. It's usually open every day, even Sundays, from early in the morning til late at night. Since I walk past this pub nearly every day, I've been thinking a lot about the significance of it, and I've been watching people come and go; so here are my observations as to why I think church should be more like a pub. First, it's open a lot! Second, the proprietor welcomes everyone! Third, everyone who goes there feels welcome! Fourth, everyone greets each other and says goodbye when they leave! Fifth, people are having "felt needs" met (by no means am I advocating alcohol consumption, but rather stating that they are looking for something, and believe they are finding it there!) Sixth, they are being "filled up". Seventh, they are finding accepting, non-judgemental fellowship and friendship. Eighth, people want to go there. Ninth, both families and singles are welcome...I even see little kids in there sometimes. Tenth, there is laughter and "good" music. Ok, ok, I know this is a stretch, but if we were to "spiritualize" all ten of the above reasons, it would be easy to see, I think, why church should be more like a pub! First, church should be open a lot. Second, people working there should welcome everyone! Third, everyone who comes in should feel welcome. Fourth, everyone should make an effort to greet those who come in and say goodbye to those who are leaving. Fifth, "felt needs" should be met....first by the Lord, but also practically speaking. Sixth, people should be "filled up" with the Gospel. Seventh, people should receive non-judgemental acceptance and love and friendship from everyone. Eighth, people should want to go to church! Ninth, ALL should be welcomed, from the old to the young, married to singles. Tenth, there should be laughter and joy in the Lord, and worship music!!!! Of course I await your comments on my Pub theology.
More swimming theology
ceo for the kids
I really do love swimming, now; didn't like it much before, but I feel so good afterwards, that I'm growing to love it. Last night as I was doing my typical 1000 meters under the stars of Szeged, I believe the Lord impressed on my heart yet more truth. The pool where I swim is used for waterpolo matches in addition to normal lap swimming. My doctor told me I'm only allowed to swim backstroke, so as I make my way across the pool on my back, I must of course be mindful of where the end of the pool is. There are nets which are pulled across wires for the waterpolo matches, and during lap swimming the nets are pulled to the side, but the wires remain. I've figured out that when I see the wire above me, near the end of the pool, I have exactly 10 backstrokes to swim before I need to turn and touch the wall. During the daytime, these wires are easy to see, thus concentration is at a minimum because it's all "in the light" and I can easily see the wire and begin my count to 10 so that I don't slam into the wall. However, I usually swim in the evening, which turns to night; and even though there are lights over the pool, in the darkness, the wires are increasingly difficult to see. As the natural light fades, I find I must concentrate all the more "in the darkness" to see the wire above. If I miss seeing it, I grow very leery of what awaits....a slammed hand against the wall, which is not fun. Add to the mix foggy goggles, and I have a challenging situation on my hands. Last night as I swam, I began to consider what a beautiful picture this little slice of swimming pool is of life with the Lord. We are allowed to swim along freely, but we must concentrate, not on life, but on the wire, on the Lord, for HE is the focus of our lives. When we have Him as the focal point, He can keep us on the path He has set out for us, and keep us from slamming into the wall, needlessly. Sometimes, in the darkness, we have to concentrate all the more on Him and His truth; when we do, and we SEE HIM, we can boldly swim those last 10 strokes to the finish line of whatever He's called us to at that moment.
I really do love swimming, now; didn't like it much before, but I feel so good afterwards, that I'm growing to love it. Last night as I was doing my typical 1000 meters under the stars of Szeged, I believe the Lord impressed on my heart yet more truth. The pool where I swim is used for waterpolo matches in addition to normal lap swimming. My doctor told me I'm only allowed to swim backstroke, so as I make my way across the pool on my back, I must of course be mindful of where the end of the pool is. There are nets which are pulled across wires for the waterpolo matches, and during lap swimming the nets are pulled to the side, but the wires remain. I've figured out that when I see the wire above me, near the end of the pool, I have exactly 10 backstrokes to swim before I need to turn and touch the wall. During the daytime, these wires are easy to see, thus concentration is at a minimum because it's all "in the light" and I can easily see the wire and begin my count to 10 so that I don't slam into the wall. However, I usually swim in the evening, which turns to night; and even though there are lights over the pool, in the darkness, the wires are increasingly difficult to see. As the natural light fades, I find I must concentrate all the more "in the darkness" to see the wire above. If I miss seeing it, I grow very leery of what awaits....a slammed hand against the wall, which is not fun. Add to the mix foggy goggles, and I have a challenging situation on my hands. Last night as I swam, I began to consider what a beautiful picture this little slice of swimming pool is of life with the Lord. We are allowed to swim along freely, but we must concentrate, not on life, but on the wire, on the Lord, for HE is the focus of our lives. When we have Him as the focal point, He can keep us on the path He has set out for us, and keep us from slamming into the wall, needlessly. Sometimes, in the darkness, we have to concentrate all the more on Him and His truth; when we do, and we SEE HIM, we can boldly swim those last 10 strokes to the finish line of whatever He's called us to at that moment.
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Long time no hear from!!!
ceo for the kids
Well, for those of you who have faithfully been checking in with my blog, my humble apologies for having neglected it for 3 months now!!! Just after my last entry, ministry here in Hungary began taking off, and I was swamped, day and night!!! How to summarize? Well, the beginning of May saw a conference here in Szeged: The Father's Heart: Home for the Orphan. A dear friend of mine from Israel, Joan, led a team who came from Atlanta in ministry to MANY people from Szeged and the surrounding cities. People heard about God's great and amazing love for them and FREEDOM in Jesus!!! My life, through it all, was RADICALLY changed, and I love Jesus more than I ever thought possible!!! In mid June, another conference was held, a worship conference, which was an amazing follow-up to the May conference!!! Plus, a wonderful team from Virginia came to teach English and minister to young adults from a local children's home. In early July, Joan returned for follow-up ministry which was TOTALLY blessed. Then I and 3 friends headed to England to hike Hadrian's Wall along the border between England and Scotland! A welcome break from the heat of Hungary!!! I will give some more personal blog reflections in the next few days, but this will have to suffice for now....the broad strokes before filling in the details.
Well, for those of you who have faithfully been checking in with my blog, my humble apologies for having neglected it for 3 months now!!! Just after my last entry, ministry here in Hungary began taking off, and I was swamped, day and night!!! How to summarize? Well, the beginning of May saw a conference here in Szeged: The Father's Heart: Home for the Orphan. A dear friend of mine from Israel, Joan, led a team who came from Atlanta in ministry to MANY people from Szeged and the surrounding cities. People heard about God's great and amazing love for them and FREEDOM in Jesus!!! My life, through it all, was RADICALLY changed, and I love Jesus more than I ever thought possible!!! In mid June, another conference was held, a worship conference, which was an amazing follow-up to the May conference!!! Plus, a wonderful team from Virginia came to teach English and minister to young adults from a local children's home. In early July, Joan returned for follow-up ministry which was TOTALLY blessed. Then I and 3 friends headed to England to hike Hadrian's Wall along the border between England and Scotland! A welcome break from the heat of Hungary!!! I will give some more personal blog reflections in the next few days, but this will have to suffice for now....the broad strokes before filling in the details.
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Learning curves
ceo for the kids
I'm not an organizer. I don't like organizing. I am a big picture person and I share those pictures and visions and somehow end up being the organizer for things. Conferences, events, etc. BUT, God is stretching me....He's asking me to step out in faith and I'm learning so much that in my weakness HE is strong. I'm also learning humility and trust. We are having a big conference here in Szeged from May 4-7. The main speaker, a messianic Jew named Joan Lipis, is coming to teach and a team from a church in Atlanta is coming to help in this ministry. The ONE message that has come through all the planning and organizing and communicating amongst this team is this: "IT'S NOT ABOUT US, IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS AND LIFTING UP AND GLORIFYING HIM!" Please pray with us for this conference, for UNITY amongst the team members, for a consistent message of the love of the Father to come through, and for lives to be changed as people enter into relationship with Jesus Christ.
I'm not an organizer. I don't like organizing. I am a big picture person and I share those pictures and visions and somehow end up being the organizer for things. Conferences, events, etc. BUT, God is stretching me....He's asking me to step out in faith and I'm learning so much that in my weakness HE is strong. I'm also learning humility and trust. We are having a big conference here in Szeged from May 4-7. The main speaker, a messianic Jew named Joan Lipis, is coming to teach and a team from a church in Atlanta is coming to help in this ministry. The ONE message that has come through all the planning and organizing and communicating amongst this team is this: "IT'S NOT ABOUT US, IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS AND LIFTING UP AND GLORIFYING HIM!" Please pray with us for this conference, for UNITY amongst the team members, for a consistent message of the love of the Father to come through, and for lives to be changed as people enter into relationship with Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
A day of blessings!
ceo for the kids
Today, I got to talk with some very important people in this community......11 different pastors from various churches in the city who meet monthly to talk and pray together!!! I was invited to talk about this conference coming up in May here, "The Father's Heart". Amazingly, they all seemed open, and even more of a blessing is that they are interested in meeting with one of the pastors who is coming to help in this ministry! Another blessing came this evening at church where we have started and outreach to punk and rocker young people. Two of them showed up tonight, both from the children's home, one of whom is a believer, and the other is very interested in knowing more about God! These are dear, dear young men whom I've known for 5 years now! God is working here in Szeged, so please keep on praying!
Today, I got to talk with some very important people in this community......11 different pastors from various churches in the city who meet monthly to talk and pray together!!! I was invited to talk about this conference coming up in May here, "The Father's Heart". Amazingly, they all seemed open, and even more of a blessing is that they are interested in meeting with one of the pastors who is coming to help in this ministry! Another blessing came this evening at church where we have started and outreach to punk and rocker young people. Two of them showed up tonight, both from the children's home, one of whom is a believer, and the other is very interested in knowing more about God! These are dear, dear young men whom I've known for 5 years now! God is working here in Szeged, so please keep on praying!
My first singing experience in a Hungarian Wedding
ceo for the kids
A week ago, I got a call from some friends on the worship team here in Szeged. "Arden, there is a couple getting married on Saturday at one of the Catholic Churches here in town. The guy is British and the girl is Hungarian. They want some songs sung in both English and in Hungarian. Can you help us out by coming and singing with us?" And so, we sang, in the freezing cold temps of this church, and while it seemed so RANDOM to me to be singing in the wedding of people I didn't even know, it was a great worship experience for me! The only one I had to please was Jesus, and I pray He was!
A week ago, I got a call from some friends on the worship team here in Szeged. "Arden, there is a couple getting married on Saturday at one of the Catholic Churches here in town. The guy is British and the girl is Hungarian. They want some songs sung in both English and in Hungarian. Can you help us out by coming and singing with us?" And so, we sang, in the freezing cold temps of this church, and while it seemed so RANDOM to me to be singing in the wedding of people I didn't even know, it was a great worship experience for me! The only one I had to please was Jesus, and I pray He was!
Saturday, April 02, 2005
A "where are we?" experience
ceo for the kids
Late Thursday night of this past week, I received a phone call from some friends asking if I could help them sing in a wedding on Saturday. "The guy getting married is British and the girl is Hungarian, and they want some of the songs sung in English. Can you help?" And so began my first church wedding experience in Hungary. The Szeged ecumenical praise team was invited to sing, and I joined them in a FREEZING cold Catholic Church. After the wedding, there was a reception line, which we went through, and congratulated the bride and groom....."Hi, I just sang in your wedding and I don't even know you!!" No, I didn't say this, but it was quite an odd experience for me to greet this random couple for whom we'd just sung during a very holy union. Gotta love serving cross-culturally!
Late Thursday night of this past week, I received a phone call from some friends asking if I could help them sing in a wedding on Saturday. "The guy getting married is British and the girl is Hungarian, and they want some of the songs sung in English. Can you help?" And so began my first church wedding experience in Hungary. The Szeged ecumenical praise team was invited to sing, and I joined them in a FREEZING cold Catholic Church. After the wedding, there was a reception line, which we went through, and congratulated the bride and groom....."Hi, I just sang in your wedding and I don't even know you!!" No, I didn't say this, but it was quite an odd experience for me to greet this random couple for whom we'd just sung during a very holy union. Gotta love serving cross-culturally!
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Loss of a friend
As I type this, friends in Charlottesville are waking up to a new day, but one during which there will be much grieving. Hundreds of people have lost a dear, dear friend, who went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday at the "young" age of 47. I've written about grieving here in Hungary before, but this time it is a bit different. I'm not quite sure why, but I believe that the Lord is giving me more and more of His grace to "grieve from a distance," not an easy thing to do, but something that is stretching me tremendously. Today, I'm longing for the community of believers who will gather to celebrate this friend's life; I'm longing to cry with them, to laugh with them, just to "feel a part of things." It's challenging to have "closure" from a distance, and yet in the midst of all these "human" challenges, I'm meeting the Lord in ways I never thought possible. I was literally walking down the street yesterday afternoon after having wept bitterly most of the morning, and my heart was so light and full of peace and joy. I asked the Lord about it, feeling a bit "guilty" for having this peace and joy amidst the pain of losing a dear friend, and I believe that the Lord reminded me that Ellen is now rejoicing and is at peace, and is seeing her Savior and Lord face to face. THIS gives us every reason to know and sense God's peace and joy. Our human loss is immense; but when we heed the Psalmist's admonition to "Be still and know that I am God," (Psalm 46:10), we can rest in His loving grace, which carries us through the grief and into His presence in new ways. I've "lost" a friend on this earth, but through it all, I'm gaining a new intimacy with Jesus....this is what Ellen would want anyway! Glory to God this Easter season which she is celebrating with the Lord Himself!
ceo for the kids
ceo for the kids
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Learning......
ceo for the kidsI feel like I'm in a very steep learning curve right now. Lots of things are happening in and around me. A dear friend and fellow missionary senses a calling from Hungary to South Africa; my friend and mentor leaving. I'm trying to learn what it means to LISTEN to the Lord, REALLY listen and discern His voice over all the competing voices around me. I was home ill for a week with a nasty virus which completely wiped me out. During that time, I prayed for a funeral service. A family in our church lost a father and grandfather. As I prayed, one word kept coming to mind: PEACE. So I prayed for peace in everyone's hearts, that the peace of Christ would reign over the service, that the Holy Spirit would grant everyone a tremendous sense of peace; that the service would be a time of peaceful worship of the Lord. At a funeral? Yesterday, I got a call from the daughter of this man, a dear friend of mine who said, "Hi Arden! Just imagine we experienced such PEACE throughout the entire service. Everyone! Even those who are not Christians said they simply couldn't understand the peace they sensed. And then we started to worship, and it was the most beautiful worshipful time ever at a funeral. I expected it to be horrible; funerals are horrible, but it was so covered in peace!!!" Mind you, I had said NOTHING to this woman, and as I sat listening to her, my heart was rejoicing in Jesus that HE would give such a gift to them, and now to me, to celebrate what HE wanted to give them and give me through this man's passing. I shared with her what the Lord had put on my heart to pray on that day, and she nearly jumped for joy at the confirmation that indeed, the Lord is so very, very good!!! I've jumped in the river and I'm being carried along by the Word and the Spirit into realms never dreamed of, and oh boy, is it exciting! Amen!!!!
Monday, March 07, 2005
Birthdays in bed....ill that is....
ceo for the kids
You know, for 4 out of the past 5 years here in Hungary I have been flat on my back in bed, ILL, on my birthday!!! Go figure. Maybe my body fights all of January and February against all the nasty viruses going around and then just as the beginning of March hits, my immune system just isn't up to snuff to fight anymore. But on my birthday? I learned a long time ago not to ask the question "why", but rather ask, "so what can I learn through this?" Well......I don't have an answer.....except that it was fun celebrating my birthday last year and NOT being sick. Slowing down is always a good thing, and now I'm forced to slow down. May it be a time of reflection, prayer, and worship that I wouldn't otherwise have if I was going full-steam ahead!
You know, for 4 out of the past 5 years here in Hungary I have been flat on my back in bed, ILL, on my birthday!!! Go figure. Maybe my body fights all of January and February against all the nasty viruses going around and then just as the beginning of March hits, my immune system just isn't up to snuff to fight anymore. But on my birthday? I learned a long time ago not to ask the question "why", but rather ask, "so what can I learn through this?" Well......I don't have an answer.....except that it was fun celebrating my birthday last year and NOT being sick. Slowing down is always a good thing, and now I'm forced to slow down. May it be a time of reflection, prayer, and worship that I wouldn't otherwise have if I was going full-steam ahead!
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
"I want to die!"
ceo for the kids
I tutor a young lady, 16 years old, at school who, over 2 years ago suffered a stroke and has diabetes. She insists on coming to school, is very intelligent, but sometimes lazy like every typical teenager. She has a visible limp and shakes as a result of her health issues, so she is "different". Here in Hungary, for years, the disabled were "put away", and now that they are more evident in public life, not everybody knows how to handle them. Yesterday, armed with my wonderful lesson to teach her, I walked with her into the library, where we sat down and she began to weep. After about 2 minutes of not being able to say anything, she looked at me and said, "I want to die!" Of course I'd been praying, but now I was REALLY praying, "Lord, give me YOUR words to say to this young girl." She proceeded to tell me how she has no friends and no one likes her and she is ugly and ill and she just wants to die. I listened and prayed, and then gently talked with her. I shared my struggles with her when I was 16; I told her that many, many others also feel like they have no friends and are "ugly" and are "ill"; but their illnesses are on the inside. I also shared with her the ONE friend who will never leave her no matter what: Jesus. Right now, she doesn't believe God loves her; I can understand her feelings. I pray the love letter that God has written to us will touch her heart deeply, in addition to the Holy Spirit drawing her to Himself, that she would find deep, inner healing, and even outer healing, and find the FRIEND who will never leave her or forsake her. At the end of our conversation, she looked at me with a smile, and said, "I'm not sad anymore, thank you." For me, life IS worth living if just for a moment like this.
I tutor a young lady, 16 years old, at school who, over 2 years ago suffered a stroke and has diabetes. She insists on coming to school, is very intelligent, but sometimes lazy like every typical teenager. She has a visible limp and shakes as a result of her health issues, so she is "different". Here in Hungary, for years, the disabled were "put away", and now that they are more evident in public life, not everybody knows how to handle them. Yesterday, armed with my wonderful lesson to teach her, I walked with her into the library, where we sat down and she began to weep. After about 2 minutes of not being able to say anything, she looked at me and said, "I want to die!" Of course I'd been praying, but now I was REALLY praying, "Lord, give me YOUR words to say to this young girl." She proceeded to tell me how she has no friends and no one likes her and she is ugly and ill and she just wants to die. I listened and prayed, and then gently talked with her. I shared my struggles with her when I was 16; I told her that many, many others also feel like they have no friends and are "ugly" and are "ill"; but their illnesses are on the inside. I also shared with her the ONE friend who will never leave her no matter what: Jesus. Right now, she doesn't believe God loves her; I can understand her feelings. I pray the love letter that God has written to us will touch her heart deeply, in addition to the Holy Spirit drawing her to Himself, that she would find deep, inner healing, and even outer healing, and find the FRIEND who will never leave her or forsake her. At the end of our conversation, she looked at me with a smile, and said, "I'm not sad anymore, thank you." For me, life IS worth living if just for a moment like this.
Friday, February 25, 2005
just imagine.....
ceo for the kids
Just imagine, during my weekly visit to the children's home yesterday I had 3 boys waiting eagerly to learn English. Was it just luck that I had grabbed 4 English language books before leaving home, wondering if these might be useful? When I pulled the books from my bag, the boys' eyes lit up with joy and they asked, "Are these ours to keep?" I told them, "Of course, but you need to come to class." AND, just imagine that at the end of the lesson, we got to talking about church, and one of the boys, Laci, who has been coming to church, was talking excitedly with the others, and one or both of them may come visit on Sunday!!! I love just living and watching the Lord do what HE wants to do.
Just imagine, during my weekly visit to the children's home yesterday I had 3 boys waiting eagerly to learn English. Was it just luck that I had grabbed 4 English language books before leaving home, wondering if these might be useful? When I pulled the books from my bag, the boys' eyes lit up with joy and they asked, "Are these ours to keep?" I told them, "Of course, but you need to come to class." AND, just imagine that at the end of the lesson, we got to talking about church, and one of the boys, Laci, who has been coming to church, was talking excitedly with the others, and one or both of them may come visit on Sunday!!! I love just living and watching the Lord do what HE wants to do.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Stuck behind an "old" person
ceo for the kids
I was doing my weekly run to the market near my house this morning when I got "stuck behind" an old man who was moving very slowly. Because of the large number of people making their way to and from the market, I couldn't do the "quick pass" that I normally do when confronted with such a "road-block". So, I ambled slowly behind this old man, trying not to be the stereotypical American who is always in a hurry, and just enjoy the situation. However, when a break in the crowd presented itself, I dashed, passing him on the left and picking up my pace again, heading for the vendors. While walking behind the old man, I got to thinking about our lives with the Lord.....how many of us are "stuck behind", unable to move forward? How many of us just become satisfied with the "status quo", the thought that "this is the way we always have done things" kind of mentality? How many of us get stuck when God wants to move us out into His "lane of traffic"; it's more daring, more exciting, takes more faith, but we are not stuck. We are moving, carried along by the Holy Spirit into what the Lord wants. May it be so.
I was doing my weekly run to the market near my house this morning when I got "stuck behind" an old man who was moving very slowly. Because of the large number of people making their way to and from the market, I couldn't do the "quick pass" that I normally do when confronted with such a "road-block". So, I ambled slowly behind this old man, trying not to be the stereotypical American who is always in a hurry, and just enjoy the situation. However, when a break in the crowd presented itself, I dashed, passing him on the left and picking up my pace again, heading for the vendors. While walking behind the old man, I got to thinking about our lives with the Lord.....how many of us are "stuck behind", unable to move forward? How many of us just become satisfied with the "status quo", the thought that "this is the way we always have done things" kind of mentality? How many of us get stuck when God wants to move us out into His "lane of traffic"; it's more daring, more exciting, takes more faith, but we are not stuck. We are moving, carried along by the Holy Spirit into what the Lord wants. May it be so.
"Can I come to church?"
ceo for the kids
I went to a "Farsang" celebration at the children's home this past Monday. It's their version of "Mardi Gras", and some of the kids in the home were doing performances in front of a small audience. At the end, one of the young men in the home, Csaba, whom I really don't know very well, approached me and asked if he could talk to me. I said, "Sure," and we walked to the side of the room to talk. "Could I come to church on Sunday?" he asked. I stood there, taken aback, a bit surprised, but wonderfully elated. "Of course you can come!" I've probably talked to this boy 4 times total, for about a total of 5 minutes. As we chatted about the time, and where to meet before the service, the Lord began to impress upon my heart a lesson that I think I will be learning my whole life, slowly. HE is the one doing the work. HE is what life is all about. He is working in people's hearts, drawing them to Himself. We are called to be His children, to love Him, to obey what He's called us to be and do, and He will do what HE wants to do. We receive the blessings in "little" situations like this one.
I went to a "Farsang" celebration at the children's home this past Monday. It's their version of "Mardi Gras", and some of the kids in the home were doing performances in front of a small audience. At the end, one of the young men in the home, Csaba, whom I really don't know very well, approached me and asked if he could talk to me. I said, "Sure," and we walked to the side of the room to talk. "Could I come to church on Sunday?" he asked. I stood there, taken aback, a bit surprised, but wonderfully elated. "Of course you can come!" I've probably talked to this boy 4 times total, for about a total of 5 minutes. As we chatted about the time, and where to meet before the service, the Lord began to impress upon my heart a lesson that I think I will be learning my whole life, slowly. HE is the one doing the work. HE is what life is all about. He is working in people's hearts, drawing them to Himself. We are called to be His children, to love Him, to obey what He's called us to be and do, and He will do what HE wants to do. We receive the blessings in "little" situations like this one.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Squeaks and spirituality
ceo for the kids
As I was coming home from meeting some friends yesterday, I could hear that one of my Z-coil heels was squeaking badly. These are very cool, comfortable, healthy shoes that have springs for heels. I had just gotten a pair of the hiking boots for Christmas from my parents and had been wearing them almost daily through the winter here in Szeged. The squeaking was disturbing me enough to think that there was something seriously wrong and I should look into it. So, I took off my boots when I got home and unscrewed the heel to examine the problem. I tried compressing the spring with my fingers and as I did so, "POP!" a vital piece of the heel broke off!!! To my dismay, I realized that there was no way I could just "reach in" and retrieve the broken piece as this is an enclosed heel. Broken and useless. Now I cannot wear these heels (I can attach the open heeled springs and continue wearing the shoes). Broken. Needing to be repaired.
Like this heel, the Lord sometimes gives us a "squeaking" noise and wants us to heed what He is saying. But unlike this heel, He does not want us to take things into our own hands and try to fix it. Instead, He wants us to come to Him and let Him repair what is broken. When we try to fix things, they break, inevitably. When we give things to Him, He perfects them. There are many such accounts in the Bible of Jesus healing the "squeaks" in people's lives; paralytics being healed and not just healed but fully restored and in full strength! People being raised from the dead, not to a weakened state, but FULLY alive! I need to heed the "squeaks" and immediately run to Jesus and ask HIM to heal completely and perfectly.
As I was coming home from meeting some friends yesterday, I could hear that one of my Z-coil heels was squeaking badly. These are very cool, comfortable, healthy shoes that have springs for heels. I had just gotten a pair of the hiking boots for Christmas from my parents and had been wearing them almost daily through the winter here in Szeged. The squeaking was disturbing me enough to think that there was something seriously wrong and I should look into it. So, I took off my boots when I got home and unscrewed the heel to examine the problem. I tried compressing the spring with my fingers and as I did so, "POP!" a vital piece of the heel broke off!!! To my dismay, I realized that there was no way I could just "reach in" and retrieve the broken piece as this is an enclosed heel. Broken and useless. Now I cannot wear these heels (I can attach the open heeled springs and continue wearing the shoes). Broken. Needing to be repaired.
Like this heel, the Lord sometimes gives us a "squeaking" noise and wants us to heed what He is saying. But unlike this heel, He does not want us to take things into our own hands and try to fix it. Instead, He wants us to come to Him and let Him repair what is broken. When we try to fix things, they break, inevitably. When we give things to Him, He perfects them. There are many such accounts in the Bible of Jesus healing the "squeaks" in people's lives; paralytics being healed and not just healed but fully restored and in full strength! People being raised from the dead, not to a weakened state, but FULLY alive! I need to heed the "squeaks" and immediately run to Jesus and ask HIM to heal completely and perfectly.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Sad pictures
ceo for the kids
I could hear him screaming, shouting at someone rather. I couldn't understand anything except "give me the wallet!" As I came closer, I could see them, two gypsies (a minority ethnic group here in Hungary), and the man was screaming loudly at the woman, whom I'd seen before. I began to pray as I approached them. At first, my prayers were selfish: "Lord, please protect me around them." Then the Holy Spirit convicted me immediately: "YOU are already protected! PRAY for THEM!" OUCH. So, I began praying for them, especially for her. As usual, she was completely strung out on something, drugs or alcohol or both. The man was obviously upset about something to do with money. She tried to flee, but he went after her....I prayed for her protection, that he would not hit her. As I got to my door, I looked back to see him holding her by her elbow and pulling her down the street. I felt so helpless and continued to pray for her protection, for them to somehow come to know Jesus, for them to be freed from the shackles that bind them. Many would say, "Well, this is life....there is nothing really we can do." Indeed, it is when there is no hope, when the enemy is allowed to gain a foothold, when Jesus is pushed to the wayside and the spirit of this age is allowed to run rampant. The Apostle Paul admonishes us to realize that our battle is NOT against flesh and blood, but against the powers and principalities of this present darkness. (Ephesians) I thank the Lord for the tangible, physical reminder, right before my eyes, of the need to pray, to do battle in the spiritual realm. There IS indeed something we can do and it is more powerful than any physical intervention: pray.
I could hear him screaming, shouting at someone rather. I couldn't understand anything except "give me the wallet!" As I came closer, I could see them, two gypsies (a minority ethnic group here in Hungary), and the man was screaming loudly at the woman, whom I'd seen before. I began to pray as I approached them. At first, my prayers were selfish: "Lord, please protect me around them." Then the Holy Spirit convicted me immediately: "YOU are already protected! PRAY for THEM!" OUCH. So, I began praying for them, especially for her. As usual, she was completely strung out on something, drugs or alcohol or both. The man was obviously upset about something to do with money. She tried to flee, but he went after her....I prayed for her protection, that he would not hit her. As I got to my door, I looked back to see him holding her by her elbow and pulling her down the street. I felt so helpless and continued to pray for her protection, for them to somehow come to know Jesus, for them to be freed from the shackles that bind them. Many would say, "Well, this is life....there is nothing really we can do." Indeed, it is when there is no hope, when the enemy is allowed to gain a foothold, when Jesus is pushed to the wayside and the spirit of this age is allowed to run rampant. The Apostle Paul admonishes us to realize that our battle is NOT against flesh and blood, but against the powers and principalities of this present darkness. (Ephesians) I thank the Lord for the tangible, physical reminder, right before my eyes, of the need to pray, to do battle in the spiritual realm. There IS indeed something we can do and it is more powerful than any physical intervention: pray.
Monday, February 07, 2005
Simon and Spirituality
ceo for the kids
I have two cats, Toby and Simon. They are American cats, but now are bilingual as my neighbor speaks only Hungarian. They also have two homes, mine and hers. Spoiled? Yes! Recently, or it seems yearly now, Simon came down with a urinary tract infection. After a round of antibiotics, I thought we had it licked. However, about 3 days ago, he started dashing to the litter box about every 2 minutes, trying to pee, but only squeaking out little droplets. Instead of returning the the anti-biotic-dispensing-vet, I opted to pump him with the build-your-immune-system-drops the vet gave me at the last meeting, and force feed him lots of water, remembering that the vet said he needs to stay hydrated. Well, it didn't take long for Simon to figure out that when mom is holding a syringe full of water in her hand, that means force feeding of water. So, he runs and hides under the bed. He has no idea that this is for his own good; that if he would just submit to the discipline of drinking water that his urinary problems would most likely resolve themselves, that if he would undergo a bit of discomfort now, that later, he would be much better off. How true of us in our walks with Jesus, isn't it? We sometimes run away from our loving Father when He comes at us with a syringe full of something we don't necessarily want, be it discipline, rebuke, or conviction. All of these are really good for us because after enduring them, we become healthier, stronger and life returns as we return to the giver of our lives. I thank God for both Simon and Toby and all the lessons they teach me about life with the Lord.
I have two cats, Toby and Simon. They are American cats, but now are bilingual as my neighbor speaks only Hungarian. They also have two homes, mine and hers. Spoiled? Yes! Recently, or it seems yearly now, Simon came down with a urinary tract infection. After a round of antibiotics, I thought we had it licked. However, about 3 days ago, he started dashing to the litter box about every 2 minutes, trying to pee, but only squeaking out little droplets. Instead of returning the the anti-biotic-dispensing-vet, I opted to pump him with the build-your-immune-system-drops the vet gave me at the last meeting, and force feed him lots of water, remembering that the vet said he needs to stay hydrated. Well, it didn't take long for Simon to figure out that when mom is holding a syringe full of water in her hand, that means force feeding of water. So, he runs and hides under the bed. He has no idea that this is for his own good; that if he would just submit to the discipline of drinking water that his urinary problems would most likely resolve themselves, that if he would undergo a bit of discomfort now, that later, he would be much better off. How true of us in our walks with Jesus, isn't it? We sometimes run away from our loving Father when He comes at us with a syringe full of something we don't necessarily want, be it discipline, rebuke, or conviction. All of these are really good for us because after enduring them, we become healthier, stronger and life returns as we return to the giver of our lives. I thank God for both Simon and Toby and all the lessons they teach me about life with the Lord.
Saturday, February 05, 2005
Typical Saturday
ceo for the kids
My typical Saturday morning routine here in Szeged consists of getting up early with the cats, who want to be fed at 5:00...I usually go back to bed for a couple of more hours.....and then I head to the "PIAC", or market! It's like a farmer's market, which is open year-round, even in the cold winter months. This morning as I perused the yummy looking fresh fruits and veggies, I couldn't help but think about how cold it must be for those vendors, who don't have the luxury of "picking up a few items and heading home to a nice hot cup of tea!" I went inside this long building they have there where one can find lots of different little shops, from the meat vendor to the bakery. My first "sight" was a gypsy woman, about my age, carrying an empty beer bottle (mind you it was 9:00 in the morning) and looking a bit dazed. I walked past the people standing at the tall tables busily cutting up their sausages and dipping them in mustard and eating them up with a bite of bread followed by a slosh of coffee or beer and was a bit taken aback that these scenes no longer surprise me. This is life in this little part of Szeged Hungary. I proceeded to my "meat man" who sold me some beautiful boneless chicken breasts, while old "nenis" looked at me and ordered their chicken claws for their soups, feeling a bit guilty for being so "rich". Then I ordered my usual 20 dekagrams of turkey breast, sliced, and my favorite cheese, and made my way back out into the frigid temps to buy some bread from the bread truck. Making my way back home, I unloaded my treasures and set out again to the post office and then to the "normal" grocery store where I loaded up my rolling backpack and walked 4 blocks to the pet shop to get more kitty litter, loading that in my basket and making my way home through the brisk winter air and back into my nice warm apartment where I was warmly greeted by fuzzy cats, curious to see what I'd found on this Saturday at the markets! Shopping done by 10:30 or so, I'm able to sit down and enjoy my coffee and breakfast before embarking on the cleaning. You see, life isn't so different for me here than for you in other places around the world!
My typical Saturday morning routine here in Szeged consists of getting up early with the cats, who want to be fed at 5:00...I usually go back to bed for a couple of more hours.....and then I head to the "PIAC", or market! It's like a farmer's market, which is open year-round, even in the cold winter months. This morning as I perused the yummy looking fresh fruits and veggies, I couldn't help but think about how cold it must be for those vendors, who don't have the luxury of "picking up a few items and heading home to a nice hot cup of tea!" I went inside this long building they have there where one can find lots of different little shops, from the meat vendor to the bakery. My first "sight" was a gypsy woman, about my age, carrying an empty beer bottle (mind you it was 9:00 in the morning) and looking a bit dazed. I walked past the people standing at the tall tables busily cutting up their sausages and dipping them in mustard and eating them up with a bite of bread followed by a slosh of coffee or beer and was a bit taken aback that these scenes no longer surprise me. This is life in this little part of Szeged Hungary. I proceeded to my "meat man" who sold me some beautiful boneless chicken breasts, while old "nenis" looked at me and ordered their chicken claws for their soups, feeling a bit guilty for being so "rich". Then I ordered my usual 20 dekagrams of turkey breast, sliced, and my favorite cheese, and made my way back out into the frigid temps to buy some bread from the bread truck. Making my way back home, I unloaded my treasures and set out again to the post office and then to the "normal" grocery store where I loaded up my rolling backpack and walked 4 blocks to the pet shop to get more kitty litter, loading that in my basket and making my way home through the brisk winter air and back into my nice warm apartment where I was warmly greeted by fuzzy cats, curious to see what I'd found on this Saturday at the markets! Shopping done by 10:30 or so, I'm able to sit down and enjoy my coffee and breakfast before embarking on the cleaning. You see, life isn't so different for me here than for you in other places around the world!
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