Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's here! The day we've been hoping for with the Advent season and the celebration of the birth of our Savior. When I reflect on this time of waiting, I realize that instead of the normal stresses of the holiday season, it was different this year. Yes, there was still some gift buying, some baking, some frustrating family moments, some amazing celebrations... but there was something new. Something that I've taken for granted so many Christmas seasons before is celebrating with family. Not just my relatives and immediate family, but also my dear friends and my family at Home Acres. Throughout the last 24 days of Advent, not one day has gone by when I haven't wished I could be home to celebrate with y'all (especially Christmas shopping with my sister or Jodi). However, not a day has gone by when I haven't thanked God for all of the blessings I have in my life.
Joy to the WORLD, the LORD has come!
It was for the WORLD that Jesus came. Here I am, still on this beautiful earth, fulfilling a calling in my life and it's so important to remember that this morning. For the WORLD, Jesus came and for the WORLD, we've been sent as disciples to carry out His works and will. No matter where we are, we can rest assured that God is with us.
Silent night, Holy night...
All is calm here in Budapest. This morning I'm headed off to church with St. Columba's, where we will also have a potluck lunch. Following lunch, I will probably wander around the city, then rush home for a few phone calls home to my family, to my brother and sister-in-law and to a few friends. No, it's not going to be the same as if I were home, but I know that our great, ubiquitous God is here with me, while also being with the celebrations back home.
Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope you find peace today as you celebrate, wherever God has taken you.
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The kids at the tanoda are making Christmas cards!
Mikulás (St. Nicholas) Day! Mikulás came to visit the Ferencvárosi Tanoda!
and this is random, but some of you really didn't believe that this is lunch sometimes. Hungarian lunches usually begin with a soup, so that's the first course. Then this lunch was followed up with a main course of cake, covered in chocolate pudding sauce. This was served at SCHOOL! Imagine the uproar if this were the states - I'm picturing the PTA swarming the lunch room with tempers and picketing the school! That thought made me smile as I was eating this, wondering where my nutrition for the day would come from...
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