Dinosaurs & Princesses



We had a near perfect day Saturday. It was Joshua's turn for a date with Dad and they were off to the Dino Exhibit here in Budapest. It was a special show that has been traveling worldwide - all robotic dinosaurs that growled and moved. He hugged Dad so hard and said, "Thanks SO MUCH for taking me here!"

We girls and baby (poor boy had to stay with the girls!) had a splendid morning. We made a heart-shaped cake with lavender icing & pink sprinkles, watched a princess movie, made paper hearts to decorate the table, and finally made strawberry lemon tea. We also read the "Princess and the Kiss" (Jennie Bishop). They had so much fun mixing the cake, decorating, and squeezing the lemons. As we sat down to have our tea party, we lit the candles on the table. Elizabeth exclaimed, "Jesus lights me up! He candles me! He is a light inside me and it comes out when I smile." Wow! She's right! Her face glowed in this new understanding of God's truth. Jesus did say "I am the light of the world," John 8:12 and "You are the light of the world......let your light shine before men...." Matthew 5:14-16.

Elizabeth said "This is the best day EVER, and I will never forget it!"
I won't forget it either.

Self-Sufficient or God-Sufficient?

I have been using the 31 days of prayer guide for our region and the August 23 prayer request of praying against self-suffiency really got me thinking. Living here has made me think of how self-sufficient I really was when I lived in America. I can list a line of accomplishments like Paul did in Philippians 3:4-7. It makes me feel good about myself to think of what I have done. It makes me feel special to know that I have achieved something tangible. Of course, that is just a deception. Just as the rich are deluded in thinking that their wealth is a safe wall around them (Proverbs 18:11). Here, my past has no relevance. Do things or achievements really set us apart in the eyes of Jesus? When I'm having a hard day, it becomes easy to say, "If only I had ____________ (a maid, more time, different job), then everything would be better today." As if things or achievements could smooth out any unpleasantness. And then that thought leads me to comparing myself to others. "I wish I could____________," or "I wish I was ______________."

There are moments when I have mourned for some possessions we had to leave behind. Why? It's just stuff! But why does stuff mean anything to me anyway? Somehow, in our human mind, we attach our heart to tangible things and sense a need to hold these with a clenched fist. Isn't this the same idea when our children ask for new toys every time we go shopping?

What if you strip away everything - family, friends, possessions, your church, your ability to make your own choices, your vehicle, your money, your language, your skills, Chic-Fil-A, or Wal-Mart? What if no one really cared how many degrees you have or how much your job pays? We can unknowingly hold onto these things instead of holding onto God. It can get so comfortable we don't even see our need for God in the daily, common life.

Sometimes we think it's greener on the other side of the fence.....but there really isn't another side of the fence. How we live and the choices we make show where our heart is. I am honestly asking, "what is my goal?" If I really wanted to know God would I do anything different? Would I change something in my life? What would I have to give up? What am I really holding onto? My answer should be nothing!

"My goal is to know Him....forgetting what lies behind (let go of it all) and reaching forward to what lies ahead.....I press on to the goal of God in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:10-14

Family Fun






We took a tram ride into town to Gellert Hill which wasn't too difficult to maneuver. All the kids were able to get a seat and Monte carried the double stroller, diaper bag, and the drink/snack bag up the steps into the tram. Gellert Hill has slides for kids half way up the hill. Giant slides!! They had to climb a lot of steps to get to the top of the longest slides, and one is a tunnel slide. We had a great time and no one got hurt. The baby even tried to go up the steps and slide too. He got to go down the tiny slide with dad. I love family time! Outings take a lot of work to get everybody ready - socks, shoes, bathroom, water bottles, snacks, restock the diaper bag, change the diaper, don't forget the money/passports/cell phone, leave the dinosaurs in your room, shut all the windows in the house (remember no AC), go back one more time for the pacifier and special blanket, and then someone starts crying, and one more "are we there yet?" I'm tired before we leave the house, but it's so much fun to do something special together that creates memories.

Shopping





We went on an adventure the other day, and took all 4 kids into the central market in Budapest. This is a 3 story shopper's paradise - the best produce, meats, cafes, and souvenirs!! We bought an assortment of treats for lunch - bananas, hot dogs that did not come with buns (we purchased slices of bread instead), and langos, a Hungarian fried bread that is topped with whatever you choose. I got a langos topped with sour cream and shredded cheese. MMMM, what a combo! Hungarian sour cream is simply the best I've ever tasted. It beats Breakstone anyday! We let the children buy a gift - cute little puppets on a stick that only cost 400 forint each (about $2.00). Paprika (peppers) abounds here and many booths sell only the finest quality of powdered paprika (shown in the above photo). Goose liver is also a popular delicacy. Salamis are sold in numerous varieties (also in photo). We did not stay too long in the market because the children were SO curious about everything and liked to play with all the beautiful wooden toys. This building was designed by Eiffel, the same man who designed the Eiffel Tower.

Spend Time with People You Love





Yes, it was someone else's turn for a date with Dad. A giant swing, a pony ride, and chocolate ice cream was the perfect combination for a three year old.

Doing the Wrong Work


As a former stay-at-home mom, I now know the feeling that others talked about - being torn between your children at home, and the work required of you outside the home. My "job" is to spend time in class with my teacher, do my homework, spend time conversing, listening, and practicing....anything to help me learn better. I feel like I have an incredible load on my shoulders and to do all of the above is to only do a little in each area, and none of it well (so it seems). It is very easy to be BUSY doing all kinds of things, and my to-do list is very long. I am very good at doing 3 things at once! But am I doing things of VALUE? Is God directing my work?

"Thus says the Lord of hosts, consider your ways! You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes......consider you ways!"
Haggai 1:5-9

The Lord wanted them to rebuild the temple. But the people were focused on their work. It was a total inward focus - on their house, their clothes, their harvest, their earnings, rather than focusing on the Lord's work. And he took away the fruit of their labor. I must DAILY allow God to direct my work. By asking him, he will show me the priorities for the day, and he may give me something to do that wasn't on my to-do list! Whether you have a short or long to-do list is irrelevant. What matters most is that we are doing the right work. Business is not always fruitful, but the right work will bear fruit.

(This is a cherry tree in the photo!)

Let Your Light Shine






While our friends were visiting, we girls (just the women!) left all 7 children at home with the men. They played with the children, changed 2 babies diapers, cooked dinner and fed them all, and got them ready for bed. What a blessing! This is what we saw along the way....we skipped the mall and went shopping in town on Vaci Street. Lots of little shops and sidewalk cafes, and lots of people. people who don't know our Lord. Even though I am not speaking Hungarian well (at all!) and cannot communicate, I get the feeling that who I am is speaking louder than my words. I really stand out here, not just because I am American. There is a lack of light, and you can see it on people's faces. I try to smile at people and that is VERY strange here!! My smiles are not returned (at least not yet). But how we live causes nonbelievers to see the real difference, and this makes Christ believable.

"There's no more powerful tool of social and structural change in our world than for Christians to believe and live out the doctrine and the gospel of Jesus Christ." (N.L. Demoss)

The Harvest






"And should I have compassion on Ninevah, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand?"Jonah 4:11

"And seeing the multitudes He felt compassion for them because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." Matthew 9:36-38

We live in a city where Christians are a small minority. The majority are people who do not know Jesus, and have no hope and no peace. Do we have compassion just as God does? Jonah's concern for his personal comforts and personal issues almost kept him from following God. It is difficult to think of such vast numbers of people who do not know the difference between their right and left hand. There is a great harvest now.

Refreshed by Your Love








Thank you, friends, for coming to visit us. We have been greatly refreshed by your love.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

Friends



Old friends from far away have come for a visit this weekend. Our babies are just one month apart in age and they have enjoyed playing together. We are blessed to have such good friends who have known us for 15 years! we visited Castle Hill, ate Hungarian ice cream, and made pizza together last night.