Romania--the Churches

Officially Romania follows an Orthodox Greek Church tradition. According to Wikipedia, only 5% of the population is Protestant. The Orthodox church is a presence in every town with large churches dominating the skyline. The little community where we were staying (maybe 200 families at a stretch) has 3, yes that says three, of them. All within sight of one another. All served by the same priest. But they can't go to each other's church. (Basically you go where grandma was buried type idea). Actually, that statement implies that they go. And they don't. Weddings, funerals and christenings is apparently the only time the church is used. I did not see a single person go into any of the Orthodox churches. I heard their bells at 530 a.m., but saw no life. How sad. [This is not to imply that there are not Greek Orthodox believers, just that the trend in Romania is membership by heritage with no other involvement.]

Yet for the Protestant churches, there are not many pastors available. This is especially true in the little mountain villages. That is why a pastor like S will end up having several churches to lead. And it is not possible, like we would think in our Western mindset, to just combine churches and go to the next community. Most of the people in these mountain churches are elderly and virtually none have a vehicle. If they do have a vehicle it is more likely to be a horse and cart than a car that could get them to church in the next village!

Pastor S. has five churches that he leads. He rotates which church he is at on a Sunday morning and then is in the larger church on Sunday nights (the smaller churches do not necessarily meet in the evening). Each church has an elder that leads the prayer service for one hour before worship and then leads the worship service in S's absence.

While we were there we were able to attend three of the church's services and visit one of the others. The first church we went to was Paros. It is a small church, approximately 30 people. On the morning we were there, S said there were only two members not present and one of them was ill.


German brought greetings from our church and K preached with S interpreting.


The second Sunday morning we attended the church at Coraesti, a church of about 20 members. Everyone, and I mean everyone, brought a song or poem to participate. They might sing in twos or threes, but everyone participated. It was lovely to see so many involved in the service.




Both Sunday evenings we were in Salas, the church where we were also living. This church has about 90 people. It is so welcoming. There is participation across the age groups as well. It is just a blessing to be among them.


The girls participated in every service we were in by singing. Most times they sang "Here I Am to Worship" while Jewel sometimes did the sign language.


The two hour services in another language were often more than the girls could manage. So we brought them posters to color. Flower got a little help!

We didn't know it, but this lady is not a member of the church. She is a family member that visits, but is not really involved and not a believer. Flower gave her the picture after the service and Pastor S said later that she was so thrilled to have it. Just a little piece of paper can brighten someone's day!

The other church we went to see was Malaesti. Last time we were there, renovations were just being planned. All of that is now complete. It was an adventure to get there, because we arrived at nightfall and the roads were all dug up for sewer lines to go in. So we walked through the village with no lights by open ditches! A few of the neighbors turned their lights on for us to see, and one even opened her gates so we could by-pass a rather large hole!


One of the Saturday's we were there, a pastor from another church brought his youth group down to spend the day with the kids from Salas and participate in the youth service. We started the day with a drive up the mountain and then a hike to the waterfall. It was gorgeous!

Then German, S and the girls hiked down to the water so that the girls could taste it!

Here are all of the kids on the mountain.

Then we went back to the church for lunch of salami, cheese, peppers, cucumbers and bread.

The kids leading the church service.

German was asked to give his testimony at the youth service. One of the visiting teens interpreted. Apparently she did great except for when German forgot to take a breath and let her speak. That flustered her a little.

We took lots of video of the kids singing, but out of respect to them (I don't have permission) I will not post any of it. Suffice it to say, hearing a bunch of teens enthusiastically singing praise songs for 40 minutes on the mountain and 90 minutes at church was pretty incredible!

Romania--the Why and the Where of it All

I am not going to bore you with day-by-day accounts of our 15 days in Romania. But I will do a few posts painting in broad strokes of description and pictures what we saw there. I guess I'll start with why Romania and where in Romania we go.

One of the things that we love about our little church in England (which is big by British terms---150 members) is that it really has a heart for missions. When we came seven years ago there was a full-time missionary from the church in Brazil (now in Peru, 20+ years in the field), a couple in the church that with his two brothers have a ministry to Asia and he has taken couples to Laos with him, an evangelist in the church that works in prisons and schools both in the UK and in Poland (predominantly but also other Easter bloc countries) and a gentleman who co-founded a ministry to Romania. [A side note--we now also have a 20something year old in Thailand for his second year, a 20something in Texas working on the production team of a mission group, an eighteen year old in Texas working in schools and churches, a young man that just went to his first church as a youth pastor and three young people at Bible college training for vocational ministry.] German was immediately drawn to what was happening in Romania. Since that was a place that I had considered when we spoke of adoption as an option to grow a family (pre-Jewel), I was also intrigued. So out of our interest, support followed and then to us it seemed the only natural step was to go. So we did four years ago when I was pregnant with Flower. We promised we would return, and this was our promised trip.

Where we go is in the mountains of Transylvania. It is absolutely a gorgeous place!

The largest church that Pastor S leads (he pastors five churches) has a Christian Centre attached that has a kitchen and dining hall on one level and bedrooms on the upper level. That was home for two weeks.


The needs in Romania are immense. Becoming a part of the EU has tied the value of their money to the Euro. Prices have gone up accordingly. BUT, salaries have not. They were already living in a level of poverty, and now it is even harder. The rural people have it somewhat easier in that they are able to grow most of their food, have animals for food, etc. They have no purchasing money, but they are able to survive. Petrol prices were not that different than the rest of Europe, which is mind-boggling. But things that seem so basic to us are truly luxuries to them. (An example of this...I asked what we could bring the pastor's sons, something that they would like from England. The request came back that what they needed was shoes because good shoes could not be found second-hand. We were happy to help with that. I was able to get name-brand shoes at a good price to take to them. The same shoes (one pair) would cost, new, in Romania an equivalent to 1 1/2 months salary! For shoes! That is ridiculous pricing compared to what is affordable. More than once we stopped at a mall to eat at a food court or use public toilets and I NEVER saw anyone purchasing anything in the shops---and most had signs of 75% off sales.)

The countries infrastructure is poor to non-existent. The road system is atrocious. The three hundred mile trip from Budapest, Hungary (where we flew into) to Hateg took ten hours! And it really is a catch-22. Romania loses out on industry opportunities to Hungary and other surrounding areas because of the infrastructure. But it is difficult to improve infrastructure without industry income. Where roads have been "improved" work begins and when the company runs out of money they just stop. Makes travel an adventure in itself!

The main purpose of this trip was to see the progress of the Children's Home that is being built and then to encourage the people of the churches. The home has been a dream for four years. It was hoped that it would be finished at this time, but rising prices of materials, a by-product of becoming part of European Community, falling value of money and the slowness of funds coming in has it delayed. The hope is to have it finished by next Spring and the first kids in it by September. It will utlimately house ten children and will be their home until they are adults and leave for their own jobs or family.

Here is how it looks right now. Don't be misled by how "finished" it may look. In Romania the concrete floors and walls are erected first. Then layout and plumbing is decided and the concrete must be cut through to put in plumbing and electrics. That is really the next step. Walking through you could not envision what was the bathrooms, kitchen or bedrooms because everything looks the same!

One area is mostly finished, with the exception of the stairs to get there, and that is the loft! As a recent addition, they decided to finish the loft space off into two apartment rooms so as the children grow into young adults they can have some space away from the others. German and Mr. K. (charity founder) used the rickety ladder by the wall in the above picture to climb up and check it out. It gives a good idea the standard of finish the rest of the home will have.


I'll stop for now, but I'll have more about the people and the churches in another post.

In Other Words--Who Is the Pharisee? That Would Be Me.

“A pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself,
but a spiritual man is easy on others
and hard on himself.”
by A.W.Tozer

I had just finished my graduate studies and taken my first real job. I had moved from Kentucky to Washington, but the delivery of my furniture had been held up along the way, so I was in temporary housing for a couple of weeks waiting for my things to catch up with me. In the meantime, I set about the task of making a life for myself. The first step was find a church. My first weekend I drove to the "big city" 25 miles away and attended a largish Baptist church. I dutifully filled in the visitor card, writing in my new address--the one where I was not currently living.

Tuesday night, I was surprised to hear that I had visitors. It was three people from the church that I had visited on Sunday. I was quite impressed that they had not only driven the 25 miles out to the little town where I was living, but when the house on the address appeared abandoned they had taken the initiative to check with a neighbor. The neighbor happened to be my new landlord and he told them where to find me! Viola, visitors! We had a very lovely visit. They told me about the church and the area. I told them about my seminary studies and how I felt God had orchestrated the move to Washington as everything had happened so easily.

I was beginning to think, "this could be a place I could be a part," when it happened. The visit was coming to an end. There was an awkward silence. Then the leader of the trio asked the question. Or maybe I should say THE question. She said, "So, at any point in your life have you come to a realization that Jesus is salvation?" What?!! What had the last hour been about? I smiled, said "yes" and showed them the way out. I felt like I had just wasted an hour of my time talking to air.

The problem was they missed the relationship. They were so caught up in the "rules" of church visitation to see the essence of the conversation. The "rule" says "ask the question and present the gospel." It doesn't matter if the question had already been answered in the course of the visit. The rule said "ask it explicitly." Problem for them, my rule said if they weren't interested in hearing me as a person but only saw me as a prospect, I wasn't interested.

It is easy to judge the experience as poorly managed. For a long time I carried not just a feeling of "that is not the church for me" but a feeling of disdain. I quickly labeled an entire congregation with one Pharisaical moment. I decided that the church must be more about rules than people. Whether or not that was true I'll never know. I never went back to find out differently. God did lead me to a wonderful church where I was able to serve and grow (and meet German but that is a different post altogether).

I wonder now as I reflect on that moment, how many times I have been that leader to someone intrigued by my church, or more importantly my Savior? How often have I been more interested in the rule than the person? What are my rules? Does someone have to make the 'right' clothing, music, entertainment choices for me to listen? Do their children have to stand and participate in the service or is coloring in the notepads okay? How many church services a month give someone the value to have their opinions heard? Do I have any idea the heart of someone who is doing a job, and do I have the right to say it is for recognition not service? Wow! I think there is probably a Pharisee living in me all the time. It is a constant battle to silence her. I must daily (some days hourly) take her to the throne of God and beg Him to help me keep her quiet. Why? Because it is much easier to judge others than to judge ourselves. It hurts much less. But the only way we become like Jesus is when we are most concerned about dealing with our own sin. We show we are disciples as we silence our box-ticking, judgement wielding, rule following Pharisee and extend grace to others while asking God to mold us more into His image. Who is the Pharisee? That would be me...but with God's help you will never have to meet her because His grace tempers her expectations. Praise Him for that!

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"
Matthew 7:1-3

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Luke 6:37-38

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
Matthew 23:25-28

Father forgive me when I act the part of the Pharisee. Forgive me when I worry more about what others might think than about how much you love them. Forgive me when I set up rules that may fit with the path that you have called me to walk in but then expect everyone else to conform to my path. Please give me eyes to see with grace that you have set other paths for other people. Father help me to always see the relationships with others are more important than the jot and tittle of the law. But please do not allow me to become complacent with my own sin. Let me see the planks in my eye and give me the courage to have you remove them. Because it is only by the blood of your Son that any of us are able to stand. In His Name...Amen.

I wrote about this same struggle two years ago. You can find the post here. I still need to remember this!

Amy is our hostess this week. You may find links to other reflections on this quote at In Pursuit of Proverbs 31.

In Other Words--Let Your Light Shine

“There are two ways of spreading light;
to be the candle or the mirror
that reflects it.”
~Edith Wharton~

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Mark 5:14-16

Our church is the only church in our town that stands on a natural hill. For the last several months we have been claiming this verse. That we are a light to the community that cannot be hidden. It is easy to say the words. Much more difficult, however, is putting action to those words.

How exactly are we a light to the community?

Obviously we are open for worship and prayer. The preaching is honest, Biblical and God inspired. Anyone that comes in from the community will encounter the light. But that is in the church building.

We have made intentional efforts this year for the church building to be open at least some part of every day of the week. We want the community to see it as a community that is alive and well. Youth activities have been added and expanded to encourage the kids in and off the street, and in turn here the Gospel. One community officer recently told our youth pastor that on the night of our youth evening there was very little trouble in the town from kids because our church and another church were providing a place for kids to hang out. Light in the community.

Once a month we hold a service where the offering is not monetary, but is food and staples. This is then taken to a community center to be distributed in Jesus' name. A little more light is shed.

Direct shedding of light is important. It is important for people to see that God is working in a group of people. As opportunities arise, it is important that we tell those people the good news.

But as this quote implies, we are not always able to directly shine a light. We may not be able to tell of the love of Jesus for any number of constraints. Sometimes we are just reflecting it. But being a reflection is no less important. The definition of a reflection is "an image, representation or counterpart." When we are reflecting the light, we are being an image or representation of Jesus who is the Light! We are putting flesh onto the idea of Jesus for those around us to see. We are showing that He is mercy, good, truth, integrity, forgiving and redeeming. And in that image in us hopefully they will want to see more of Him!

German works in the business world. He is often the lone Christian in an office, especially now that we live in Europe. He is not in a position where he can be a direct light quoting scripture or openly praying about issues in people's lives. He is often not able to directly discuss God with a colleague. But he can reflect it! He can operate with an integrity that is often foreign to negotiations. He can keep his cool when all around him is battling. And when someone says (which has happened often) "how do you deal with this foolishness without losing it?" (or a more colorful paraphrase of that), he can answer, "because God gives me grace to handle it." His reflecting the light often leads to a little more sharing. On a few occassions we've rejoiced as someone to whom he has sought to reflect light has contacted us and said, "just wanted you to know, I've become a Christian." Reflection brings the light! We know it because that is exactly how German came to know Christ, through the "differentness" of his peers which led him to ask "why?"

Back to ways our church is light in the community. Even a church congregation is sometimes reflecting instead of shining. One way is availability, love and tolerance until the heart is soft enough to accept a direct message. We offer our building for groups such as Narcotics Anonymous and Parenting Classes. No direct preaching at them, just a place where they are welcome to meet and we even provide the tea and biscuits! Shedding a little light. Maybe that little reflection of God's love will entice them to get to know us better. Maybe they will seek answers in another church. Maybe it won't do anything more than plant a seed of love, but we are faithful to loving the community no matter the response.

Are you a candle shining in the darkness? Are you a mirror reflecting His love? Be faithful to the kind of light He is calling you to be. He will do the rest!

Father, help me to shine and reflect your light in my home, in my church, in my community, in my blog, and ultimately in your world. Amen.
Bonnie is our hostess this week. Please join us at Ink It Blog.

Marriage Monday--10 Tips for Frugal Living

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I almost skipped this month's topic. Not because I don't think it is important, I do. Not because the current economic situation does not impact us, it does. More because I am accused often of not being frugal and I didn't want to seem hypocritical. However, those who accuse my family of not being frugal are looking at externals and don't really know the meaning of the word. They see the car German drives (it's a company car), or the neighborhood we live in (for ridicuously affordable rent), or the vacations we take (addressed below) and they assume that we must be living extravagantly or pridefully. That is not the case. Frugality is not living on nothing, it is living as a good steward. Dictionary.com defines frugal as:

1. economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful: a frugal manager.
2. entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty: a frugal meal.

Economical in use. Not wasteful. In other words, doing the most with what you have. In praying about this post, God has once again reminded me that He determines if it is extravagant, prideful, or as His steward. I'm going to let Him be the judge. (For what it is worth, I believe that we can fall into pride of not spending as easily as we can fall into pride of showing off what we spend. I pray that across the Marriage Monday posts this week, we are reminded that we are sharing what God has taught us about frugal living and not falling into the temptation of pridefulness.)

My top 10 Tips:

1. Tithe. Honestly this could be all ten of my tips. It belongs to God. Don't scrimp in giving it back to Him. The Old Testament defines a tithe as 10% of everything. The New Testament challenges us to be cheerful givers. I believe that the tithe will look different for every family, but if we honestly seek God's will of how to use our money, resources and time He will lead us to give, usually more than we ever dreamed possible.

2. Discuss all major purchases as a couple. You will have to define what a "major" purchase is for you. Discussing purchases before making them allows you to be in synch of what your needs are, plan for how and when to pay for it and saves a lot of headaches later if one partner does not see the need for the purchase.

3. Research, research, research any major expenditure. Find the best price out there. Read the reviews and make sure it will meet your needs. And then enjoy it. This goes for appliances, electronics, cars, and (for us at least) vacations. We travel a lot. We have the blessing of living in Europe with its five weeks of paid vacation time and want to see as much of the world while we are here as possible. Every week I'm on the look out for cheap airfares. Often I can find roundtrip tickets for 1 penny plus taxes. That means the four of us can fly roundtrip for around 60 pounds. We can't eat out at some of the nice restaraunts around here for that! But it is not a bargain if the hotels and food are going to break the budget. Know what you are buying and make decisions based on if it is really the best use of your money at the moment.

4. Once you decide what you want, save for it! We try not to carry a credit card balance. We have an upper limit of what we are willing to carry as a balance and we don't go over it. Instead we wait and save for what we want. Delayed gratification means you appreciate it so much more when you are able to get it.

5. If it is something that should last more than 3 years, buy the best you can afford. It does sometimes pay to spend more. Our computers, though nearing obsolete now, have lasted years because we bought cutting edge at the time of purchase. We also bought expandable--easier to add memory than replace the entire system. Think about how long something needs to serve you and spend accordingly.

6. As much as possible, use fewer pre-packaged and prepared foods. Convenience is lovely, but the savings I see from making my own baked goods, or fresh versus tinned vegetables is amazing when I really compare cost to cost. Plus it tastes better as well.

7. Plan your shopping days so that you can get everything in one trip. This may be one of my favorites because I am becoming more of a homebody, but I really hate having to leave the house 3-4 days a week for a "quick errand." By planning the trips together I save money on fuel, but I am also a better steward of my time.

8. Take advantage of all those schemes to earn points. My grocery store and our petrol station participate in a scheme that you get points for each purchase that can be used for other types of purchases. One of the places the points can be redeemed is Blockbuster. Free movies for buying groceries or getting gas. Yay! Another grocery store will send a coupon every month as a percentage of the points accrued shopping with them. But you have to remember to use the coupon! Sometimes it means a savings of 10% off my grocery bill. It matters. My drug store accrues points to buy their products. I never pay for toothpaste, shampoo etc because of the points accrued buying diapers up until this year. Many credit cards accrue points for purchases. These are great advantages, but it is a waste of energy to carry the cards if you aren't going to actually use the benefit at some point.

9. Reuse and recycle as much as you are able. Every little bit is being a good steward. If you have curbside recycling, take advantage of it. Keep a reusable grocery bag in your car (or better in your handbag) and you are never caught without one. Small steps help our environment.

10. Most importantly, pray about how God wants you to use your resources. This, obviously, ties back to number one. But it also goes beyond that. Praying for wisdom in purchases helps you recognize is this a want or a need? If it is a want, does it detract from your walk with God? Is it a blessing that He is giving to you? If it is a blessing, give Him the glory and accept it!

I find that the more I seek to be a good steward of what God has given me, the more content I am. As contentment settles in me, I find that I want or "need" less. And it becomes a rewarding cycle.

For other posts on frugality, please vist Marriage Monday at www.chrysaliscom.blogspot.com. Be blessed this week!

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To my readers who use Firefox. I'm aware that my blog is not displaying correctly for you. It is working in IE. I have no idea what has happened since I had not changed the template or settings. If any of you have any ideas of how I can make it more readable for you, I'm happy to listen. Just email me (address in the sidebar) or post a comment here and it will be emailed to me immediately. Thank you and I apologize for the inconvenience.

In Other Words---Faith to Believe

If God said that Jonah was swallowed by a whale, then the whale swallowed Jonah, and we do not need a scientist to measure the gullet of a whale. ~ A. W. Tozer ~

My early theology was built in play dough, Sunday School Songs and building blocks. I cannot remember a time when I wasn't involved at church. That faith of a child came naturally to me. "Aunt" Josie taught it and I believed. Granny sang it to me, and I believed it. Noah took all those animals in the ark. Of course. Moses and the children of Israel crossed on dry land. Uh-huh. Jonah lived three days in the stomach of a big fish. Right. I didn't question. I had faith that the Bible was true and right.

And you want to know something? I still believe it. I never question those things. I believe the Bible to be an accurate picture of the movement of God through His people on the earth. And if He said it in His Word, then I can accept that.

He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:2-4

Honestly, the fact that I am able to respond in that kind of faith is a gift of God. I question everything else.

What does the red sunset mean? Why do children have ears when they have no use for them? Does a triangle always have 180 degrees? (aside, non-Euclidean geometry was a favorite, and this was my prof's favorite question to confound non-class members) Can any politician really represent "main street"? How does anyone survive in this world without faith in God? (Actually I ask that one alot!)

I love the quest of knowledge. Logic fascinates me. I want to understand how things work. And I can really drive you mad with my questions sometimes (hmmm...maybe those children come by it honestly). But I find no need to question my faith. That's what makes it faith. It is accepted as truth.

Faith:
1. confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.
2. belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.
3. belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion: the firm faith of the Pilgrims.
(according to www.dictionary.com)

I'm thankful that my personality has allowed me to accept God easily, without hours of debating the authenticity of the miracles. That is not the case for everyone. I have a friend who has probably the most brilliant mind that I will ever encounter in day-to-day life. Incredibly logical. Irritatingly logical at times. Yet a few years ago he had a life-changing encounter with Christ. Since he is the type that would know off the top of his head what a cubit is, or how much fish a whale can swallow at a time, or any number of "facts" that could call into question the miracles, I'm sure that reading Scripture is somewhat of an adventure for him. But he comes with the same faith. Whether he knows that a whale's gullet is big enough to swallow a man, so God used an available creature (made by God btw) to teach Jonah a lesson or he knows that there is no way the whale could have swallowed Jonah alive but somehow God made that happen, he still must accept that the story has truth and purpose. His being logical does not stop him from being faithful. Instead it leads him to a point where he has more facts than many of us and he still chooses to believe God! That may be more faith than I can bring because he is coming to a place where all logic says "no" and he still believes "yes."

Whether you come today with child-like faith that says, "you say it I believe it" or you come with faith that encounters your logical mind and still believes or you come as Tozer saying that there is no need to question, the faith you bring is all you need. God only ever asks us to bring our mustard seed of faith. He grows it into what we need to believe Him more and more. Are you bringing Him your faith today? What is stopping you?

I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20b

Father God, thank you for giving me people in my young life that would channel that child-like innocence and teach me about you. Thank you for protecting my faith from science and logic teachers that could see it only as something to ridicule. Thank you for giving me friends that show me that the path to faith may be different, but you are always the same. Help me to teach my little ones of You so that their imaginations and hearts may be captured by a faith that will sustain them through life. Amen.

Deborah is our hostess today at Chocolate and Coffee. Please join us for other interpretations of this great quote.

Accidents Happen

I thought, I'd better warn you...accidents happen.

Especially when you have a migraine and are just trying to live until nap time. And then you sit in the room with the little Flower until she falls asleep, because you have a foreboding feeling that something could happen. But once she is sound asleep, you feel that all is safe, so you creep away seeking the darkness of a quiet room for your aching head.

Accidents can still happen.

Because she may wake up. And as she makes her way to her toy room, your large recliner may accidently jump in front of her, placing her in the little corner where you keep your cross stitch materials.

And while she is in the corner, that she is not allowed to be in but is now accidently there, the scissors may accidently jump into her hands. Not just any scissors, the extra-pointy-extra-sharp ginghers.


And while the extra-pointy-extra-sharp scissors are accidently in her hand, they may accidently jump up and cut some of her long, beautiful blond hair. Accidently. On both sides and in the fringe. And these remnants may accidently be left behind as evidence.


All of this will of course lead to a rushed visit to the hair dresser the next morning.

Where you may find yourself accidently smiling, because the new do is kind of cute as well.


So consider yourself warned....accidents happen. Just ask Flower.

In Other Words---Is Hospitality a Lost Art Form?

Hospitality is becoming an almost forgotten Christian virtue in our style of life today...In the New Testament, however, hospitality was a distinctive mark of Christians and Christian communities."
~Alexander Strauch
from The Hospitality Commands~

We were in Belfast for a long weekend. A youth pastor who had come to work with our kids in England several times lived near Belfast. We decided to visit his church while there. We didn't call, we didn't plan for it, the opportunity just arose and we took it. He greeted us warmly, lamenting that his wife was working and not there for us to meet. We took our seats and the worship was wonderful. After the service he caught German. "Follow me home," he insisted. "My wife wants to meet you; we'll have lunch at my house." She had just come off a shift at the hospital. She pulled frozen chicken patties and peas out of the freezer. It was simple. It was unplanned. It was perfect. In fact, it is the only meal I can remember from that trip and we ate in a Michelin-starred-top-chef restaurant as well!

Hospitality.

I don't know the book of today's quote. I've not read it or anything by this author. So I cannot speak from where he is speaking. But I can speak from my own experience. And my experience says that hospitality is not a lost virtue. I've seen it time and time again in all kinds of places.

I see it in churches as someone befriends a new person.
I see it week after week when a believer opens their home for a Bible Study, house fellowship, youth group or other gathering.
I see it when someone takes a cup of tea to the homeless guy selling magazines outside the store on a cold day.
It's there on the play date as children begin sharing their things and their lives and are learning about what it means to be Christian.
It's a present virtue in so many blogs across the web, where believers are welcomed to come and learn and be themselves.

Hospitality is still there. Maybe it looks different than in Biblical times. But then our culture looks different as well. Anytime someone is reaching out to make someone welcome in Christian love, hospitality is present.

I pray that people find it when they wander into my little slice of webspace. I thank you for extending it to me when I come to yours.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 4:8-9

Lord, give me a hospitable heart. Give me eyes to see the person who needs a welcoming smile, a warm handshake and an offer of time and friendship. Thank you for allowing me to so often see your gift of hospitality offered through others. Amen.

Chelsey is this week's hostess for In Other Words. Please visit her at Joyfully Living to read her take on the quote, as well as some other wonderful, witty and hospitable bloggers!

In Other Words---You Want Me to Go Where?

“Still, accepting God’s existence is one thing; honoring his command is another matter entirely, especially if we’re required to go back when we’d rather go forward.”

~Liz Curtis Higgs
from Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible~

We all like to believe that God is using us; that He is commissioning us to do something in His kingdom. Some of us are quite happy for that commissioning to be in the work we are doing right this moment, close to home, reaching the people around us. Others would be totally ecstactic if God said, "Go..." somewhere new, somewhere with different challenges. The response would cry out "Just tell me where." Yet, others of us don't even worry about knowing the "where." We'd love to be Abram, setting out for the land God would show, and to have that much faith to go.

Yes, a Christian who is seeking to grow in their relationship with God wants to move on with Him. But, what if He were to say, "go back"?

Anyone who knows me for very long quickly understands that I love to move on. We have lived in England longer than anywhere else during the time of our marriage. I have itchy feet, I'm ready for God to take us elsewhere. I've been ready. For three years I've been ready. And time and time again God has clearly said, "stay." We have lived within the blessing because we stay. It doesn't keep me from reminding God that I'm willing to go. I'm sure He just smiles and whispers, "I know, not yet."

Just before I read this quote in Higgs' latest study, a friend and I were talking and praying. She, too, has been ready to go for a few years. We love each other because we can say, "I love you, but I'd love to tell you good-bye!" Anyway, she asked the question, "Could God ask anything more difficult for you than to stay?" I immediately answered, "He could say go back to the States." A week later I read this quote. And began to think, "Could I trust Him if He said go back?"

Could I?

If He said go back to Texas? (Dix, Amy, Adrienne, you guys know I love you, so don't take this personally!). I wasn't the greatest farm girl growing up. There aren't any jobs that would draw German to West Texas. I am not sure that Texas could ever be home again. But if God said go back, would we? We would because God doesn't call to where you aren't needed. But it would be a difficult step of faith.

But that isn't what God is calling us to do (sorry guys!).

What if it wasn't a physical place, but an emotional place that He commissioned me to go back? What if it was back into a discipling friendship that ended in broken hearts all around? What if He called me to face that battle again? *Deep breath*. I can almost feel the physical pain from that emotion even now. But I've known that this period of time might be only a respite before another round. My head would say, "I'm not ready," but my heart would hopefully trust Him enough to go back.

Again, that isn't what God is saying. Not yet.

In fact, what God is still saying is "Stay." But the last few weeks of meditating on this has taught me so much. Time and time again, God has brought a person, a situation, a place, a feeling to my mind and said, "Would you go back to this." I'd love to tell you that each and every time I've said "of course Lord." But it isn't that simple. Knowing that He is sovereign is easy. I know that He doesn't leave unfinished business---but I do hope that in some of those places He has appointed someone else to finish it! I have had to grapple with these truths, that if He sends me "back" to somewhere, then there is something to accomplish. In each situation I've had to struggle with what I didn't want to go back to and why. It's been hard, but it has also been freeing.

In the story, Hagar had run away from Sarai who was mistreating her. Sarai was jealous of the pregnancy. But God still had things for Hagar to do. He didn't promise her that Sarai would all of a sudden treat her well. He didn't tell her things would be easy. Instead He assured her that He was with her. And He sent her back. Ishmael was born. Abram had his son. Later, after the birth of Isaac, Hagar would be sent away again. Again, God would meet her in her need. That time, he would not send her back. She would have a new purpose. But in the early part of Hagar's story, God sent her back. She trusted and she went. How difficult that must have been! But she did it.

If God asks us to return to something that has been left behind, there is a purpose. The purpose may be for someone that is there. But more often than not, the purpose is to continue to refine us to be ready to "send forth."

Has God sent you back? Is God sending you forward? Is He asking you to stay? Can you trust Him no matter the direction He sends?

(Oh, and in total irony, my friend who sparked this whole train of thought has been called back...she and her family will be returning to Saudi Arabia in the new year after four years here. I'll miss her, but I know that God has called them back to a purpose and can't wait to hear what He does!)

Father God, help me to trust You in all places. If You say return, may my heart return without fear. If You say stay, may I be content in the place You place me. And if You say go, may I step out in faith. I seek to serve You whereever I am. Amen.

Thank you for being a part of In Other Words this week! Please write your own thoughts on the quote, and then leave your link below. Have a blessed day!

It's My Turn! (In Other Words)

It's my turn to host In Other Words on Tuesday! I'm excited to see what you all will do with the quote that I have chosen. However, I'm a little nervous about getting Mr. Linky to work the first time, so please be patient with me! The quote is in a discussion about Hagar in the book Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible. For your information ahead of time, a "slightly bad girl" is someone who loves God and often tries to follow, but still has trouble trusting at times. Isn't that just about all of us?! See you on Tuesday!

“Still, accepting God’s existence is one thing; honoring his command is another matter entirely, especially if we’re required to go back when we’d rather go forward.”

~Liz Curtis Higgs
from Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible~

Thank you Jesus

They crowd into the little church building.

Twenty men and women, all who have seen their younger days. Their faces etched with years of eking out a living and a life in a land where plenty is missing.

Their clothes somber in color. The men remove their hats and take their place on the left side of the church. The women cover their heads with scarves and take their place on the right.

Prayer service begins. Each take a turn in voicing their prayer. The phrase reverberates through the little room.

Mulţumesc Iusus.
Thank you Jesus.

The world would think they lived in poverty. They know that they are wealthy beyond belief.

And I am humbled.

Father God give me discerning eyes and a thankful heart. Amen.

Come to Sting My Heart for more posts from Thankful women.

In Other Words--Lament

“For at least when we express our anger to God, our wrestling keeps our skin pressing into His. God is still present. When we honestly expose our inflammation, express our soreness, we are still staking our commitment to our relationship with Him.”

Ann Voscamp from her blog post,
Even if He doesn’t: Learn to Lament

The lament. It is an art that we have moved away from in our modern-we-can-do-it-ourselves world. We seem to see it as a weakness. As sacrilege to tell God how bad things feel while at the same time acknowledging He holds all things.

But God is BIGGER than that. Much BIGGER.

He shows us in Scripture it is okay to lament, to wrestle, to hold onto Him when there is nothing else and to demand to be heard. (He may not answer the way we hope, but He always remains with us when we show our desperation to Him.)

It is Jacob wrestling with the angel, demanding the blessing.
It is Moses telling God not to destroy the people because of His reputation.
It is Hannah pouring her heart out so deeply that Eli thought she was drunk.
It is the woman in the crowd, jostling to simply touch the hem of His garment.

And it is you and it is me saying "I hate how this feels but I'm still going to trust You."

When we say that, He always answers, "I'm here."

For other thoughts on this quote visit Loni at Writing Canvas.

Marriage Monday--Romance Matters

Want this button?

Today's (now yesterday's) MM topic is Romance. Here is what E-Mom has to say in the introduction:
You can approach today's topic, "Why Romance Matters" any way you want. Consider telling us about your favorite restaurant, your favorite song, or the little things you do for one another throughout the week. What tones down the tension, and tunes up the tenderness? How do you encourage your husband to open up and share his feelings? We want to know.

Essentially, tell us what you've discovered about the importance of romance and intimacy to your marriage.

When I asked German this weekend if romance matters, his answer was simply "yes." More clarification given? Not at all. Later he said, we probably haven't had too much romance lately. A sign that there is guilt there because our date nights have all but disappeared. But a night out is not what defines romance.

It's romantic that he still wants to hold doors open for me...even after almost thirteen years of marriage. It's romantic when he comes around the car to open my car door with flourish (and it teaches our girls about those little touches). It's romantic when one of us sends an email in the middle of the day that just says "I love you." Lighting candles, unexpected flowers (from either of us), notes in travel bags, slipping away with the girls to let the other person sleep, doing a task that is normally the other person's duty, remembering "off" anniversaries---first date, first kiss, found out we would be parents, reunited after a move---and doing something special to commemorate the moment are all romantic acts.

We are currently in a season where "dates" and big romantic gestures are difficult. Family is an ocean away and our most regular babysitter decided that something silly that following God's call to full-time ministry was more important than taking care of our kids (tongue planted firmly in cheek). But the fact is child care is difficult right now. Add that to incredibly busy work with travel and church schedules and organized romance is out the window. So the other things matter more. But, honestly, the little things have always mattered more. Romance is doing something to show your partner that they are important to you. Planned time to show that is great. But being unexpectedly reminded that you are special? Well that can keep a person going for a long time.

Romance matters! However it looks in a person's relationships, it matters! But don't be discouraged if you can't make big romantic gestures---the little ones are just important.



For more amazing women's thoughts on romance, please visit Chrysalis. Be blessed!

photo credit: ladyheart (Andrea) found at www.morguefile.com

Menus, Goals, and Updates....Oh My!

Hey everyone! I'm back! I can't wait to tell you all about the amazing trip to Romania, but little things like laundry, kids, house, laundry, and bills may take precedence. So please be patient. I also have to decide which of the 5000 pictures we took to show off. It may take some time. In the meantime, just let me thank you for your prayers for us as we traveled. It was truly a wonderful trip for all of us. But now back to routine....

So....Menu Planning Monday





Monday--Pork in Marscapone Sauce, green salads, steamed carrots
Tuesday--Shrimp Scampi (South Beach diet cookbook), green salad, steamed peas
Wednesday--"lasagna" casserole (layers of meat, mushrooms, sauce and cheese without noodles), green salads
Thursday--Grilled lamb steaks, corn on the cob, green salads
Friday--Chicken Curry, rice for kids, green beans, salad
Saturday--Grilled pork steaks, salads, vegetable to be determined
Sunday--Small Group Fellowship meeting; Build your own sub sandwiches, raw veggies, crisps

Goal updates




August Goal Review:
*order math curriculum--no
* Clear out one closet and donate unused clothes to charity--no
* Finish stripping paint off of old cabinet--didn't touch
* Finish 3 1/2 states plus Liberty stripe on Flag Sampler--finished the states and 1/2 the Liberty stripe
* Read Ministry of Motherhood--will be my travel book--YES!!! Why, oh why, did I wait so long? Amazing book!
* Prep for and then go to Romania for 2 weeks to help out in the churches and children's home--YES! More on this to come

September Goals
* Buy Math Curriculum and finalize preparations for first month of school
* Choose Fall Bible Study material and order
* Complete 1 1/2 stripes on Flag Sampler cross stitch
* Complete a Baby quilt
* Organize sewing room
* Finish stripping cabinet and prep to stain
* Find time for one date night with German

I'll be back later today with my Marriage Monday post! See you then!

Birthday Girl

Saturday was Jewel's sixth birthday. I'm still not sure how she got to be six so quickly, but she did. She was so excited about having a party, which we kept denying. Finally, she told us she knew there was a party because "B" had told her she was invited. I told her that "B" might be invited to a party, but she didn't have an invitation so she couldn't come! But the day arrived.

First we started the day with pancakes, eggs and bacon. (sorry no pics)

Then, we sent the girls to the toy room to play as this was erected in the back garden.

It is a bouncy castle, obstacle course and slide. Jewel and Flower had a blast on it all morning.



Then at 1:00 ten of her friends (plus 17 mommies, daddies and other adult friends) arrived for the party. They played and played on the bouncy unit. We ate pizza and other snacks. The theme was "Princess Jewel" and all the girls received tiaras (the lone boy received a pirate hat). Jewel's big present was a Disney Princess bike from Daddy and Mommy and a Princess bike helmet from Grandad and Dixie. (pictures to follow when they are downloaded)
This is this year's cakes:


The night before the party the weather predicted rain arriving at 1:00 and lasting all night. The morning of the party it said arriving at 4:30. The party was scheduled for 1-5! The rain started at five minutes before five and lasted all evening. But, everyone was wrapping up and heading home at that time. We were able to cover the unit with the tarp until the castle man arrived at 6 to retrieve it. Just as we loaded it into his van, the heavens opened. God was so good to give us a party window! A great time was had by all!

Ladybird, Ladybird

Last week was Holiday Bible Club at church (VBS for those in US). The theme was "Wastewatchers" and had recycling and transformation at its heart. One of the center pieces of action was a garden and a ladybird bin.

So, in honor of Jewel's birthday, I made 84 ladybird cupcakes for the kids and workers.

In Other Words--Order My Steps...all the way to Romania

Order my steps, in Your word
Order my tongue, in Your word
Guide my feet, in Your word
Wash my heart, in Your word
Show me how to walk, in Your word
Show me how to talk, in Your word.

(refrain)
I want to walk worthy, my calling to fulfill
Please order my steps, Lord, and I’ll do Your blessed will
The world is ever changing, but You are still the same
If You order my steps, I’ll praise Your name.


~A hymn by Glen Burleigh~

Such an appropriate quote for me this week. On Friday, German, the girls and I will leave for a two week mission with a church and children's home in Romania. I cannot wait to go! We were there four years ago (just before Flower was born) and viewed the land the children's home is being built upon. We dreamed the dream with the pastor and charity founder. And now, we go back to see the building taking form!

But, in the preparation for the trip, I must stay focused on the purpose. I need not get stressed about getting the details right. I must let God order the details in His will.

And, when we get there, I must depend on Him to guide us. I am well and truly out of my element in a country where I know virtually none of the language, and where the task is "be with the people and encourage them." That is fairly vague to this type A introvert! Yet, I know from past experience, that He will order the steps of the trip. Before, I was able to let my two year old disappear with complete strangers, playing in the homes and blessing the people. I was able to sit at tables so lavishly laid out by those with so little, and in absolute humbleness marvel at their hospitality. I was able to make "conversation" with a few words and lots of hand gestures. I was able to hold back my tears in the gypsy camp until we left. I know that He had appointed those times four years ago. I know that He will appoint them over the next two weeks. I pray that I am able to hear the call and follow worthily.

A few images from our last trip!

Give me understanding,
and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.

Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.

Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
Psalm 119:34-36

Lord, Prepare the paths for us to walk. Prepare our hearts for what we will see. Order our steps as we seek to honor You by going. Amen.

Lori at All You Have to Give is the hostess for In Other Words this week. Come and be blessed!