Language Learning

Can you read that? If you can, you must be Hungarian. As we study and advance deeper into the Hungarian language, we realize how much more there is to know! (Same feeling I had while in seminary.) We are amazed at how intricately detailed this language is. Just to look at the words fools you into thinking this is an ordinary language. We were warned before we came here.....but you just have to try it to believe how difficult it is!!! We are definitely feeling the effects from the Tower of Babel.

Here are some basic facts:
1. All letters always make the same sounds, unlike the English language. We love this part! We are able to read anything regardless of our level of comprehension or grammar.

2. You add endings to the words. For example, the noun "bed" can have 91 different endings!! A verb can have 84 different endings.

3. Words can be very long.....and you can even make up a new word! How cool is that? Examples:
osszeszedelodzkodik
energiagazdalkodas

4. There are specialized verbs that are not in the English language. For example:
English - "I am having ice cream." Hungarian- "I am ice creaming."
Engish - "We are having coffee." Hungarian - "I am coffeeing."

Regardless of difficulty or simplicity, our purpose for being here demands that we speak their language. And so, we are back in school, feeling humbled, talking like toddlers, but enjoying the job.
Acts 2:4-11 - "......we hear them in our own language speaking the mighty acts of God."

7 Great Years

With 6 people in our household, we get to celebrate someone's birthday about every other month! This month was filled with much anticipation of a dinosaur party, chocolate cake, and lots of friends, as Joshua turned 7. He wanted to invite the entire first grade class (just 14 children), and so we partied with 14 children from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Korea, Romania, and of course Hungary & America. The children played with Josh's collection of dinosaurs, made dino masks (they're wearing them in the photo), and ate. The only thing "dinosaurish" that I could find for the party were dinosaur shaped (turkey) nuggets and dino gummy bears at the grocery store! So, we had fun designing our own dino cake, complete with a spiked tail. My mind was filled with memories of being pregnant for the first time, preparing a place in our tiny apartment for our new baby, eating lunch in La Madeline's restaurant while having contractions, and finally......the emergency c-section. What more can I say? God really IS good.

The Crown

Her flower crown reminded me of another kind of crown - the kind that the Lord daily places on us.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget none of His benefits.......who redeems your life from the pit; who crowns you with lovingkindess and compassion; who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle." Psalm 103:2-5

A list begins forming in my mind of all the ways the Lord has crowned us with his love and compassion. The good things He gives are satisfying, and can cause me to forget my true age! My youth is daily restored and I am energized by the bounty of His goodness. I have often thought of this verse and am amazed at the truth - if I realize the truth of all He has done for me, my soul cannot help but cry out in praising His name. If I forget His benefits I can only be filled with despair, instead of holding a beautiful crown of his love on my head.

The short list of His benefits to me:
Peace in moving our family to live in another country,
Seeing God put our lives together here as a family,
Hearing words from God when I open the Bible to read,
Being able to live in a spiritually dark place and share the Good News,
Being greeted with 2 kisses from our Hungarian friends,
Our stolen trash can showing up (unharmed) in our yard 4 days later,
Having to buy 6 pairs of shoes in a period of 4 weeks,
Having a washing machine for our dirty clothes,
Having access to medicine for our children,
The ONE morning that all 4 children slept in until 7AM,
The endless hugs and kisses (especially the slobbery kind) from the children and husband!

Are you wearing your crown today?

A Few Of Our Favorite Things

A can of Dr. Pepper that only cost $1.25, losing a front tooth, blowing bubbles in the backyard, finding a praying mantis, and playing princess dress-up......that's a wonderful week!
Having a Savior, knowing my sins are forgiven, living in peace with no regrets......that's eternal joy.