Talent Show

Last night was our annual talent show, hosted by Student Council. It was a wonderful time and I was so proud of everyone--behind the scenes drink/dessert set-up, emcees, performers, and everyone from student council. Here are just a few pictures:)

Michael and Corina playing "Amazing Grace" on dulcimers
Hannah and Lexi singing "Who am I" by Casting Crowns
Matews, Andrew, and Marco with "Jehovah Jireh"
The Seniors and their sponsor, Mr. Barbusca, 'dancing' to "Every Move I Make"
A wonderful night of laughter and celebration!

Raging Fire and Rivers

These last few weeks have been anything but easy. Had I already had a plane ticket, I might not have stayed. My mind and heart have been attacked and I've felt myself succumbing to doubts and confusion. It's hard to keep holding on to hope and truth in the midst of a battle from every side.

One of my friends, Elizabeth Hunnicutt, has written a song based on Isaiah 43 that has been playing over and over in my head (and on my iPod too).

Isaiah

Fear not, for I have redeemed you
I have summoned you by name, you are mine
You are precious and honored in my sight

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you
When you pass through the rivers, they won't sweep over you
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned
For I am the Lord, your God

You are my witnesses and my my servant
Whom I have chosen so you may know and believe me
And understand that I am He

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you
When you pass through the rivers, they won't sweep over you
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned
For I am the Lord, your God

I even I am the Lord and apart from me, there is no Savior

I love the truth that even though we walk through fires and raging rivers, we don't have to fear being overtaken. God has the victory. A friend recently reminded me that everything that crosses our paths has already been filtered through God. He knew, he knows, he's with me in the midst of it all. Praise the Lord!

Elementary Field Trip

This year we decided to try and take the entire elementary to the People's Palace last month. I had called to check on prices and learned that because we were a school group, only adults would need to pay. How cool!

It was a wonderful trip together. We took the metro (subway) there and back, stopping for a picnic lunch and lots of time to play in a park nearby.

The People's Palace: part of the 'legacy' of Ceausescu's reign.

The first graders waiting during a mid-tour bathroom break.
The animals/plants in this park were all made from tires! Other than the screws sticking up in wrong places, I thought it was a great idea!

My class! It's hard to believe how much they've grown and changed in just a few months. I'm finding it hard to believe that there are only five more weeks in the year and that some of them will be in middle school next fall. :)

Jar of Clay

2 Corinthians 4:7-9
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

I've mentioned before that I used to think that life was going to get easier. I've learned that isn't the case, but there's still part of me that is surprised when challenges come. Go figure.

Somehow it's still hard, even knowing the reality of it.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

I struggle, though, with not losing heart. It is so easy to allow my vision to be filled up with the troubles that seem anything but light and momentary. It's so easy to have those be the focus of my day. My thoughts spin out of control and the unseen somehow gets lost in the dust.

I've been asking God recently for eyes to see clearly. For him to bring light to my path and my life--that I wouldn't walk in the cloudiness and dimness, but that my life would be brought into the light.

Above all else, I want to see Him. I want my life to be all about Him. How far I have to go...

Too Much

It seems this applies to so many things in life...

-too much to do (it all seems to come at the same time)
-too many decisions to make (some little, some big)
-too much to think about (not just decisions)
-too much stuff in my 'little' apartment
-too many pillows on my bed (although I think they look nice)
-too much laundry to do (the basket is quite full and so is the drying rack)

...too much...how much is too much?

I'm setting the goal of getting rid of the excess, trying to figure out what is necessary to keep and what can be let go of...

Dreams

I had a dream. Sure, it was a little unrealistic, but it was my dream. It's hard to have a dream come face to face with reality. Until it does, there's still hope that it in fact might come true.

DREAMS
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
by Langston Hughes

So, for a bit, I'll grieve the loss of my dream and then I'm sure another dream will come along and I'll get swept up in the potential of this new dream. Dreams do come true--I've seen it in my life and in the lives of others--but, it's not every day.

Visa, con't

I feel even more thankful for my visa this week!

One of our staff went to Rome for Spring Break. His mission agency isn't able to help him get a visa, so he had been leaving the country every 90 days to get a new 'tourist visa' (what you get as an American almost any time you enter a country--90 days without needing to apply for an 'official visa').

On his way out of the country, he was told that because he has been in Romania for more than 6 months on a 'tourist visa' (which is technically not the way things should work), he could not return for 6 months. His passport was stamped with the date that he could reenter Romania.

I'm thankful that at least for the next year I don't have to worry about that happening. We're still praying for a number of other people who are in the process of obtaining visas.

Barcelona

One of my established goals is to make sure I get out of Bucharest at least once a quarter. This helps keep me sane and joyful in the midst of a not-so-beautiful city where I live and call home. I decided to seek out some sun this spring break and traveled to Barcelona. Although it was windy and a little cool, I spent time walking along the beach and sitting there too.

One of the highlights was the Sagrada Familia--a church in Barcelona that is still under construction. It's designs are beautiful and were created to mimic designs found in nature. What better way to honor the creator than creating a church honoring his designs. It was neat to travel to the top and see the roof closer up as well as see all around Barcelona from a height.

I took part of an afternoon and traveled out to the area near the Olympic stadium. The hilly area is covered with gardens and I spent time reading and journaling on the benches here.

From the castle on the hill, you have a great view of the harbor and sea. Beautiful!!
I forced myself out of bed a little earlier than needed on the morning of my departure to see the sunrise--well worth it!

Nightmare

It's always been one of my biggest fears...oversleeping and missing my flight. That fear is compounded when most flights out of Bucharest leave early in the morning so it's not unusual to have to set my alarm for 4:00 or earlier. I usually set more than one, just to be sure.

This morning, the first day of spring break, I was scheduled to fly to Barcelona. Last night, I had checked that my alarm was set for 5:00--plenty of time to catch my 9:15 flight--and crawled into bed. In that early morning haze, I was a bit startled that there was already sun shining in my window...not a good omen. Flipping open my cell phone, I see it is now nearly 7:00. This strikes panic in my heart and I race to the bathroom, jump in the shower, and frantically try to think through what needs to be done on my list of everything I wanted to do. Only the essentials. Most of the packing was done, for which I was really thankful. I've been known to leave that for the morning of departure.

As I called at taxi at 7:20, I was thankful that it was Saturday--less traffic. We made it to the airport by 8:00 and by 8:20 I was checked in and through security and passport control. Yeah!

As I sat waiting for boarding, I figured out that I had set my 'weekday alarm' for 5:00--not thinking that because it was Saturday, it wouldn't go off. I'm thankful for just the right amount of sleep and the gentle nudge of God that woke me in plenty of time to get to the airport.

Visa :)

After jumping through the two different stages of making the visa application, it was just a matter of waiting. It generally takes a month from the date of submission until you return to pick up your visa. I went today and it was ready:) So, I am ok to stay in Romania for another year. It is great knowing that I don't have to worry about questions every time I fly in and out and that I don't have to plan my life around leaving the country every 90 days.