Merry Christmas

Here are some photos taken this week

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Christmas Vacation

My Dad and Mom arrived safely and we are having a wonderful time! I'll be on vacation until January 2nd so I won't be posting for awhile.

I hope that you have a blessed Christmas!

Christmas Choir Concert

I mentioned in my update that we invited the students from Pécel to come to the Christmas Gospel Choir Concert. Three girls came and it was great to know that they were hearing the truth about the meaning of Christmas through the music.

Below is a picture of the group after the concert.

In the picture: ESL Staff: Kori, Erika, Jenn and myself - Students: Moni, Vera and Szilvi.

Final ESL Class

We had a great time at our final class of the semester in Petőfibánya. Due to a number of challenges we had trouble getting there but God allowed each of us to arrive by the time we needed to be there and brought everything together in spite of all of the distractions and problems.

We gave the students their completion certificates.

We also celebrated birthdays. Brenda's birthday was the same day as the last class. Then Heidi shared about her spiritual birthday which was the very next day. It was a great introduction to Jesus' birthday and the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Of course what is a celebration without food? We had a dinner of Swedish meatballs (one of Brenda's favorites) and I baked a couple of cakes.

Please continue to pray for the people of Petőfibánya and God's work in this town and the surrounding areas. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday (this weekend) there will be an evangelistic Christmas program presented. Please pray that lots of people will come and be impacted by the message!

Smile for Today

Click on comic to visit Rose Is Rose comic page

Christmas Market

In my update last week I metioned that I would post some photos from Budapest's Christmas market. Finally, here they are...

Cultural Perspectives
and

The other night I was talking with a friend about different cultures and perspectives.

It started because we had been in a resturant and when the table next to us heard us speaking English, they leaned over and started a conversation. The ladies at that table were all Hungarian. One was an artist who lives in Hungary and another was her agent who lives and works in the Netherlands. They started talking about the changes in Hungary over the last two years and gave their viewpoints of how they had witnessed the Hungarian mentality changing. As one who is not from this culture, I am always interested in hearing what Hungarians say about themselves. It often helps me gain a better understanding of the things that I see or deal with on a daily basis.

This led to an after dinner discusion with my friend about American culture and some of the things that are applauded in American society that impact our own lives in ways that we often don't immediately realize.

Later I saw this article and thought it's comments were interesting in light of my recent discussion. I am only sharing part of the article here. Click on the title to see the entire article on the New York Times page.

Unhappy? Self-Critical? Maybe You’re Just a Perfectionist
By BENEDICT CAREY
Published: December 4, 2007

Just about any sports movie, airport paperback or motivational tape delivers a few boilerplate rules for success. Believe in yourself. Don’t take no for an answer. Never quit. Don’t accept second best.

Above all, be true to yourself.

It’s hard to argue with those maxims. They seem self-evident — if not written into the Constitution, then at least part of the cultural water supply that irrigates everything from halftime speeches to corporate lectures to SAT coaching classes.

Yet several recent studies stand as a warning against taking the platitudes of achievement too seriously. The new research focuses on a familiar type, perfectionists, who panic or blow a fuse when things don’t turn out just so. The findings not only confirm that such purists are often at risk for mental distress — as Freud, Alfred Adler and countless exasperated parents have long predicted — but also suggest that perfectionism is a valuable lens through which to understand a variety of seemingly unrelated mental difficulties, from depression to compulsive behavior to addiction.

Some researchers divide perfectionists into three types, based on answers to standardized questionnaires: Self-oriented strivers who struggle to live up to their high standards and appear to be at risk of self-critical depression; outwardly focused zealots who expect perfection from others, often ruining relationships; and those desperate to live up to an ideal they’re convinced others expect of them, a risk factor for suicidal thinking and eating disorders.

“It’s natural for people to want to be perfect in a few things, say in their job — being a good editor or surgeon depends on not making mistakes,” said Gordon L. Flett, a psychology professor at York University and an author of many of the studies. “It’s when it generalizes to other areas of life, home life, appearance, hobbies, that you begin to see real problems.”

Unlike people given psychiatric labels, however, perfectionists neither battle stigma nor consider themselves to be somehow dysfunctional. On the contrary, said Alice Provost, an employee assistance counselor at the University of California, Davis, who recently ran group therapy for staff members struggling with perfectionist impulses. “They’re very proud of it,” she said. “And the culture highly values and reinforces their attitudes.”

Journey 12-5-07

“Then he said to the man “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.” Matt. 12:13

You ever get the feeling that your pastor has been spying on your life? Now I know that he is just preaching through the book of Matthew but the last two weeks the messages have been tailor made for this very point in my life. Last week the message was on rest. This week the message was on the mercy of God and approaching God with our weaknesses. Here is a VERY brief abbreviation of the point that hit home for me.

Jesus knew that the Pharisees were seeking to accuse him. Did he care that it was a trap? No! Jesus was merciful above all! He cared about this man when the religious leaders only saw him as a pawn. What about this man with the shriveled hand? How did he feel suddenly being put on the spotlight in a showdown between Jesus and the Pharisees? Did he try to hide his weakness? Was he too embarrassed to make his hand a public spectacle? No. He allowed his own weakness to become center stage while looking to Jesus.

It is important that we as believers don’t put on masks and pretend that we have it all together. We are redeemed but still being transformed. We must be real and honest so that the world around us can truly see the mercy of Christ at work in us, for the Lord tells us that “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness*.” So then we can each boast all the more gladly about our weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on us and so that all may see that He deserves the glory.

*2 Corinthians 12:9b

Kudos to Ford

I need to have some parts replaced on my car so yesterday I set out on my first attempt at getting it done. At the first place the quote was so high I thought that they were just trying to rip of the foreigner. But I kept asking at other car places and the quotes were all equally as high or higher. (Sorry for my unkind thoughts).

None of the places that I stopped had the parts in stock so I ended up at one of the Ford dealerships and I have to say that they were nicer, more patient and more helpful than ANY business that I have ever been at here in Hungary. They literally spent over an hour being unbelievably patient with my limited Hungarian as they tried to explain what I needed, even going so far as to tell me that the part that they could order for me wasn’t the one that I should buy since it would be aluminum instead of steel. They even called around to find out where they had the parts in stock. Over and over again they tried to find another way to explain when I wasn’t familiar with the words they were using. I was amazed at their patience and helpful attitude!

I just wanted to say: "Yeah Ford!" I was SO impressed with the kindness, patience and professional attitudes of this dealership.

Just for Fun

Here are a couple of pictures of the "kids".

You can see that Gus taught Finn to get over his avoidance of water. Now Finn plays in the bathtub just like Gus.

Manger Throne

(City on a Hill: It's Christmas Time - Third Day)

I've started listening to Christmas Music and I've found myself singing this song over and over. "What kind of King would leave His throne?" How amazing is the message of Christmas! All of the power and glory of heaven contained in a tiny baby who would change forever change the world and bring salvation to you and me. What a message of hope and joy, my heart a throne for God's own Son!

Listen to a clip from this song here

See CD at Amazon

It is December 1st, time for the FIRST Day Blog Tour! (Join our alliance! Click the button!) The FIRST day of every month we will feature an author and his/her latest book's FIRST chapter!

This month's feature author is:

JODI COWLES

and her book:

The Minor Protection Act
Musterion (December 1, 2005)

I really enjoyed Jodi's compelling novel. I found The Minor Protection Act suspenseful, interesting, believable and surprisingly encouraging as Jodi portrayed believers ready to count the cost of following Christ even while the nation follows a popular President and jumps on the "Minor Protection Act" bandwagon. The story presented a challenge to think of the stand we take for our faith and to remember that there may very well come a day that, in our own nation, we must truly consider the cost.

You can find the book at Amazon (follow the link) or Jodi is offering signed copies via the Minor Protection Act Website. You can also read the full synopsis of the book at the MPA website. 25% of the author's profits are donated to the The Voice of the Martyrs so think about making this book a Christmas present for the readers on your list.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jodi Cowles caught the travel bug when her parents took her on her first international flight at six months of age. Since then she’s been in over 30 countries. Along the way she’s gotten locked out of her cabin on an all night train to Kiev, helped deliver a baby in Indonesia, taught English in South Korea, gone spelunking in Guam, hiked the Golan Heights and laid bricks in Zimbabwe. Her interest in politics stems from hunting Easter eggs on the south lawn of the White House as a child. For her 30th birthday she ran the LA Marathon and promised to get serious about publishing. Jodi resides in Boise, Idaho and this is her first novel.


AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

If the politically correct set was searching for a poster couple, they would need to look no further than Erik and Roselyn Jessup. In college they lit up doobies while attending passionate speeches about legalizing marijuana and freeing Tibet. Erik was even arrested once for helping break into an animal research center. Roselyn bailed him out. After five years of dating they decided to tie the knot. Seven years later, after Roselyn had enough time to get established in her career, she gave birth to their pride and joy, Jayla Lynn Jessup.

Both had satisfying full-time jobs that left them only enough time to pour themselves into Jayla. They attended every event at school, even if it meant working overtime and paying the after school program for a few extra hours. When Jayla made the principal's list or won a spelling bee, they were cheering, and filming, from the front row.

Jayla began junior high at a brand new school with a brand new curriculum. It was being called "progressive" in the papers; the first program of its kind implemented in California with plans for a nationwide rollout over the next 10 years. Praise poured in from around the country, applauding the straight talk about sexuality and focus on tolerance.

Erik and Roselyn were thrilled to have their daughter in this groundbreaking program. Granted, it took several phone calls to district authorities to accomplish the transfer and Roselyn had to drive an extra 30 minutes each morning to drop off Jayla, but it was quite a coup to brag about in their circle of friends.

Jayla turned 13 two years into junior high. For her birthday she told her parents she wanted to order pizza and hang around the house – there was something she needed to tell them. Over pepperoni and Coke, Jayla calmly informed them that she'd been discussing it with her friends and teachers and had decided she was gay.

Though she had never had a girlfriend, or a boyfriend for that matter, Erik and Roselyn were quick to affirm her decision and let her know she had their full support. Roselyn applauded her daughter's honest, courageous move and told Jayla how proud she was. Erik was also supportive and went so far as to tease Jayla about her best friend Sara.

There weren't too many lesbians in her junior high and Jayla had a pretty average experience, but she attracted attention when she entered high school wearing the rainbow buttons specially purchased by her mother. Soon she was 15 and seriously involved with Carla, the 17-year-old senior who was President of the Gay Pride Club. When Erik and Roselyn saw the relationship deepening they sat Jayla down and had a heart to heart "sex talk," encouraging her to be responsible and safe, and only to have sex if she was truly in love.

She was. However, when the year ended Carla left for college on the east coast and broke off the relationship in a letter. Jayla was heartbroken. Erik and Roselyn were quick to comfort, as any loving parents of a shattered teenager, but their answers seemed hollow to Jayla, their comfort cold. At 16 she began dabbling in drugs - a first for her.

By the time her senior year began the family bond that was once so strong had disintegrated to the degree that she seldom spoke to her parents unless it was to strike out in anger. She had not entered into another dating relationship, as much as they encouraged her in that direction. Rather, she seemed withdrawn from the world and spent endless hours either locked in her room or suspiciously absent. Finally, Roselyn had enough and took her to a doctor who prescribed an anti-depressant for teenagers that had just been released on the market.

By Christmas the medication seemed to be working. Jayla was coming around, spending more time at home. She seemed calmer and more at peace. They were even beginning to talk about college. But New Year's morning they found her dead, her anti-depressant bottle and a quart of vodka laying empty in the trash and a mass of journals and letters scattered around her in the bed.

Erik and Roselyn were devastated. Jayla had been their whole life. They dove into the letters and journals, trying to make sense of it all. What they found only served to inflame their anger. Some boy named Nick had been telling their daughter that she was a sinner, quoting Bible verses that said her sexual preference was an abomination before God. Jayla's journal was full of self-loathing, page after page about her relationship with Carla, page after page of rambling, agonizing pain. Why was she made like this if homosexuality was a sin? Why would her parents have supported her if it were an abomination? Why had she listened to the seventh grade teacher who told her experimentation was the best way to determine her sexuality? What was wrong with her?

They could hardly stand to finish it but they read every word. In the end their grief found relief, as it so often does, in bitterness and hatred. The day after Jayla's funeral, attended by hundreds of students from Jayla’s school, Erik and Roselyn met with the District Attorney. A year later, bitterness not yet assuaged, they went to see a lawyer. In the culture of America, where there is rarely tragedy unaccompanied by litigation, they found a willing law firm. Someone would pay.