Christmas Traditions

I love Christmas traditions.  From Pillsbury cinnamon rolls Christmas morning to Christmas carol charades with the Mehlers to LRC with the Berliners, I simply love things that we can always look forward to year after year.  This year, I think I may have discovered a new tradition I want to be a part of.  On Saturday night, my church hosted a festival of lessons and carols.   I got the unique privilege of participating because the Christmas choir I am in sang two songs.  I had never heard of this type of event  before, but it was really great!   This idea started at the Kings College at Cambridge University.  On Christmas Eve in the year 1918, Cambridge hosted its first Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.  To this day, they still hold the service every Christmas Eve.  In 1928, they began broadcasting the service and it has been broadcast every year since (with the exception of 1930).  The festival always begins with the hymn "Once in Royal David's City" and always ends with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing."  I am hoping to make the listening of this service part of my yearly Christmas traditions.   Would you like to join me?  This year's service will be at 3pm London time (9am Chicago time) on Christmas Eve.  If you would like to listen, click here and enjoy!  Hope you have a blessed Christmas season remembering the great gift we received from the most generous Giver!

Stories

I love stories.  Who doesn't?  I especially love hearing peoples' life stories.  Perhaps it is the history teacher in me, or perhaps it is just a quirk.  Either way, there is little I enjoy more than a good story.  Yesterday I had the opportunity to sit down with one of my students to hear her story.  I thought I was sitting down to help her write a bio for a scholarship possibility, but in the end I think I got a beautiful picture of how God can use one person's story to shower His grace on many.   You see, this particular student doesn't have the typical middle class suburban life story so many of us know as "normal."  She was born in the midst of war.  She had to leave her home country and live in a refugee camp.  She saw things know child should have to see.  She was bullied when she was finally able to attend school.  Eventually, the Lord brought her to ICSB.  While there is heartbreak in her story, there is also clearly the grace of God.  I was amazed to watch this resilient girl share about her desire to use her experience to help others.  What struck me the most was not that this girl saw (in my opinion) some of the worst sides of human evil, but that she saw the need.  The need for someone to help.  The need for someone to instigate change.  She is not content to sit by as others live in poor circumstances.  As we ended our conversation, I couldn't help but think (and share with her) that God is going to use this story in a mighty way.  It is clear to see how He is using it in her life, and I am excited to see how He is going to continue to use it in the lives of others.  I was blessed yesterday when I heard a story.

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. "  Genesis 50:20

Nicest shower ever!

So, a couple weeks ago our shower started to leak through the ceiling into the downstairs.  Needless to say, we stopped using the shower and called our landlord ( I should note here we have two showers, so we weren't going for weeks without bathing).  Anyways, about a week ago our landlord brought a plumber in who ripped everything out leaving a vacant cement slab.  When we came home today they were installing a new shower.  The shower we had previously was relatively new, but they still put in a whole new shower.  To say we were amazed is an understatement.  Our new shower boasts two heads, a seat and eight jets that spray out the side.  Pretty cool and somewhat hilarious.  Please enjoy the pictures below!

The whole shower

The jets and the seat...apparently it gives a back massage

The dual heads

Shelf

Shiny...huh?

New Year, New Digs

Well, I am about to begin my third school year in Hungary and it is hard to believe!  I have lived overseas for more than two years!  I am really looking forward to the coming year.  Although it will be full and busy, I anticipate a joyful year in ministry.  At the end of last school year, my roommates Emily, Hannah and I moved to a new house.  For those of you that know the Olsens, it is their old house, so it may be familiar.  I am grateful for my roomie Hannah, who got here a week before Emily and I, and cleaned out most of the spiders!  Ick!  Here are a few "cleaned up" pics:

This is the living room

Dining Room and "2nd" Living Room

Kitchen

Kitchen

Entryway looking out into the Beautiful Garden

My Room!  They actually built a wall around what used to be a loft to make my room :)

The rest of my room

Animals in the Rubbish Bin

So, this is a delayed post, but it is too entertaining to not write down.  A few weeks ago my roommates and I were at home when our landlord called to tell us there were "animals in our rubbish bin."  Here is how the conversation went between my roommate and our landlord (the "me" is Emily, and Kati is my landlord):

Me: Hi Kati, how are you?


Kati: I am fine, but Emily, there are animals in your rubbish box.


Me: What animals? What is a rubbish box?


Kati: Your rubbish box that you put your rubbish in.


Me: You mean our trash can?


Kati: Yes, there are animals in your rubbish box.


Me: What animals?


Kati: I do not know their names.


Me: Ok. What should we do?


Kati: Fill your rubbish box with water. And Domestos. (aka. Draino)


Me: Uhhhh.....


Kati: Then wash it out. Make sure you do it right away. It is very hot. You do not want the animals in your rubbish box.


Me: Ok, Kati, we'll take care of it. Have a great night.


We decided to all go outside together to check for "animals."  Turns out that our trash can was filled with maggots.  GROSS.  We had a pretty funny time filling the bin with water, domestos and I added some other cleaners for good measure.  My favorite part of the evening is when we couldn't move it because it was so heavy, so Hannah and I had to push it over into the grass.  It was quite dramatic and altogether hilarious!  Here are some pics of the eventful night:

Getting ready to push her over...the box was our protective shiel...

 

Ahhhh....please don't dump the maggots on me

 

What is that...ewww.....

The aftermath...we may or may not have left that all there for a day or two...

Blessings

I'm back!  I have so much to share, but not enough time to write it all down right now, so I will try and share a few things over the next week.  First, I want to highlight my evening last night.  As many of you already know, I am supervising the student council this year.  The new president, Beth, was recently sharing with me her heart to be a group of leaders that is defined by prayer.  One of the ways she envisioned this was through prayer meetings outside of school and our regular meeting time.  Last night we gathered at one of the students houses for an evening of prayer and singing.  What a refreshing time!  As a young adult, I was so encouraged to see teenagers earnestly seek the Lord in how to best serve their school and fellow students in the coming year.  I was truly blessed as we lifted our voices in unison to praise our great God!  The parent whose house we met at, approached me this morning and also shared what a blessing it was to him as he sat upstairs and listened.  Please be praying for the student leaders at ICSB this year as they seek to grow in the Lord and lead their student body.

Last Week

Saturday afternoon, upon returning from the fabulous senior trip to Cyprus, I received a facebook message from one of the senior girls with all the "happenings" this week. Here is the list:
Sunday- Liz's grad party
Monday- Card party at Kim's house (Yes, that is me. Since they are done with class, they think it is super fun to call me by my first name).
Tuesday-Cassie and Michelle's Grad party
Wednesday-Last Bible study of the year
Thursday- Girls day out at the movie (although I am "older" they are allowing me to participate in this fun day of teeny bopper movies and dinner)
Friday- Graduation and end of the year party
Saturday- ???
Sunday- Lunch with Kim (me again ;)

After a week in Cyprus with the seniors, the Lord continues to affirm my love for this class. They are just a great group of students and I am blessed to have taught them and known them. It is going to be a busy (and fun!!!!) week, but I am looking forward to some great opportunities to pour into these girls as they prepare for leaving home (Hungary) and going on to college. It is amazing to look back and realize I haven't even known them a year. That is just the power of Christ working in the relationships of His children. Love it! Please be praying that God would continue to grow the girls in Himself and with each other.