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.