Learning to Feel the Car.

I am sorry that it has been months since I blogged last. Today I am here to tell you about the trials and tears of learning how to drive a manual car. Just to let everyone know everywhere else in the world, the people drive manual cars. In fact, it is more expensive to buy an automatic car or it not even available. So begins my story: since I am a short term missionary I would never think they would trust me with driving a car so I was not worried about learning how to drive manual in the states. That was my first big mistake. I found out towards the end of my training in November that I would need to know how because my supervisor has a car and they were leaving 3 months into my term for a month. So I tried it but didn't really get it in the states but I thought I would find a way out of it. So I get to Hungary and I still thought that I would find a way out of driving because I have to walk everywhere anyway so why not during the they month leave too. Well it turns out that I would have to take them to the airport and pick them up. So now I would have to learn how to drive a manual. So about 2 and half weeks before they left I began learning and practicing driving. Not only did I have to learn how to drive a new, that happens to be a manual, and in a totally different country with different signs and rules and people and bikes everywhere. So I begin driving with my supervisor and he is great and very patient with me. I unfortunately not patient with myself and do not understand how I could be doing the same thing and the car would still die. We practiced in parking lots and on the road and it was terrible. What made things worse is everyone had an opinion. My favorite opinion was that "I needed to learn to feel the car". What does that even mean? Honestly I am not sure if I know what it means know. How am I suppose to feel the car? I think this is so dumb. I think the car should learn to feel me. I say go and it goes. Starting in first gear, the car would die on me every time. I was so angry and anxious about this. I knew that there was no way to get out of this. This was the first time I ever wanted Hungary to be like a America. Honestly I was ready to go home. I was done with this stupid car and if I could not get it I was going home! Through this whole experience the Lord showed me some lies that I believe and some strongholds in my life. Like truly trusting in the Lord. The Lord knew I was going to go through this, so he had equipped me to complete it. Also I was stressing out over a car! You would think that there would be better things to stress out about then a car. This was just a car. By the time my supervisor left I could drive the car and get around the city with no problem. All I can say it is because of the Lord. I can't explain how to do it or why it is working but it is and I thank the Lord for it. I know the equip me even for the little stuff and I should trust Him with everything.

White as Snow

This week in Hungary it has been snowing! I have never seen so much snow in my life. One day this week I went with friends sledding. It was so much fun. I got to relive pieces of my childhood in Europe. I don't think many people can say that. The snow was so deep and soft. The ground was completely white, there was no sign of the ground and even the tree branches were covered. The snow did not come down to hard, it just looked like powder floating down to the ground. The reason that I focus on the snow is to get you thinking, have you really looked at snow? I know I hadn't consider this because the last time I might have seen snow like this was maybe when I was 7 or 11 or something like that. I was walking home and I was really looking at the snow, in the park, on the street, in the road. And I got to thinking about the expression of "white as snow". In Matthew 28:3 refers to what Jesus was wearing when He rose from the dead and left the tomb and Daniel 7:9 refers to what God is wearing on His throne. Both verses say "white as snow". And then Isaiah tells us something different, "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord : though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." Isaiah 1:18. I looked at the snow and it was beautiful and perfect. It was so white and pure. I would be in awe if I saw the Lord and His garments were as white as snow. As snow has a little glitter to it. You see little specs of glitter. And then I think about the passage in Isaiah. My sins are like scarlet which is stained but the Lord will wash my sins white as snow. I have heard that my whole life and since I have been a Christian I believe it but to be able to it. It was amazing, knowing that before the Lord I will be pure and beautiful and glittery like the snow and also He will look also pure and beautiful. It also showed me how my sins make me not white as snow. It does not take much to dirty snow because it is so white, only a little dirty snow or mud and it doesn't look as pretty or pure. Soon the snow we be dirty slush and will melt away but I know that the Lord has forgiven my sins and I will white as snow. Thank you Lord for this blessing. I hope when you look at snow you will be able to see the merciful Lord's handy work. 

Cooking in Hungary

The most interesting challenge that I have been faced with here in Hungary is cooking. First, of all I am not a cook. I boil water and use a microwave and I thought I could use an oven. So, even in America cooking for myself would still be a challenge but since I am here in Hungary it becomes a little more complicated. I have to use a gas stove and oven and the stove is pretty old. Which means I cook on an open flame. I have made many epic fails and almost ruined a pan. Then I have to use a wooden spoon to regulate the temperature in my oven because you cannot adjust the heat. On top of that I have to cook with foreign ingredients so some of the ingredients that I use at home like sugar is different here than at home. Today I took on the task of cooking dinner for couple people and make dessert. I made cookies from scratch and I was really worried about how they would come out because the brown sugar is not the brown in America and the sugar and flour are a little different and I didn't use vanilla extract but vanilla sugar. And they do not have chocolate chips here only chocolate bars. So I got a strawberry and chocolate candy bar and just a chocolate candy bar and cut it up using a knife. When I got it mix together I prayed that the oven would not ruin my cookies because I have lost many battles with this oven. But everything came out great and hopefully my the end of this adventure I will be able to cook for family and friends. Today was a fun day to play in the kitchen.

I have been in Hungary a month!

I have been in Hungary for a month now and wow where to begin. This month has had a lot of small victories and a few meltdowns. I have enter a world that is always cold and grey so the temperature is at freezing or below and the sun never shines.  The world I live now involves leaky showers, two days for my clothes to dry, my washer looks like a cheese grater, and everything I need is in walking distance. I speak a language that to me is crazy. The grammar is really different and one English word could translate into 20 different Hungarian words. I live in the land of soup, all kinds of soup but I can't find peanut butter. To cook in my apartment I have to work with an old gas stove and it's always a battle with it. Sometimes I can cook something and not burn it but other times the stove wins. It is always something everyday.

But the most wonderful part of all this is that the Lord is with me. I know this because He brought me here and working through me. I am discovering who I am for the first time and its weird. The Lord is putting a love for the people here because there is so much potential they have. The are so smart but they are lost in their sin and doing whatever they want. Alcohol, smoking, gambling, and other things that consume the lives of these people. They are a very close people group until you establish a friendship with them. Which I have found can be difficult. This has been hard but wonderful because the Lord has stripped everything from me that I thought I needed. But the beautiful is all I need is the Lord. Through the Lord I am started to build friendships with people. I still have a lot to learn and do. This month is a good start. I have been going through the Book of James and the first chapter is where I am right now. It talks about struggle and pain and being able to find joy in the struggle because it will not last and the Lord is with me. Also it talks about temptation when things get stressful, temptation seems ok but that is a lie from Satan and temptation to sin is always bad. Finally the last part of the chapter talks about holding on to the Word. I think it really sums up everything. We will deal with struggle and pain which will lead to temptation and sin but we must hold on the the Word and the Lord. I am so glad that I have a Savior that will always hold on to me no matter what. Praise the Lord.

Song of the Day: "It is Well" by Kutless

My life is not like mayonnaise!

I have finally had it to Europe! I have been here about 11 or 12 days. This is very different but still somewhat familiar. It is still familiar in ways like the apartments look like some in the states, I have a bathroom in my apartment, there is McDonalds, and the clothes and people and stores look like America in some way. I know people who are in harder places than me. But once you get around the people and into some of these places, this place is very different. The language is really different from English and the people are a lot more guarded than in the states so smile at people is weird to them. I really feel like I am like a 5 year old child because I cannot communicate with the people and I do not know where anything is and I do not know anyone here. I really like my apartment. It is very warm and comfortable. I really appreciate all the work that went into it. Today I started learning the language. I am glad that I am learning the language so I can understand and communicate somewhat. I am sure you are wondering why I wrote the title of this post, "My life is not like mayonnaise." Yesterday someone ask us if our life was like mayonnaise, meaning that life is good but boring. Mayonnaise is good by itself but you cannot live on just mayonnaise, you need other stuff too for your taste buds. Right now God is teaching my to live my life more than just good but amazing. First He moved my to Europe, ok check. Now He is taking away all the comforts of home, ok check. Now I can start to truly rely on the Lord and live my life for Him. So the Lord is adding spice to my life here in Hungary because this is a challenge but a blessing too.  So the challenge for the day: Is my life just mayonnaise or is it more?