Romania {Part 2}:Rose

The lovely Rose & myself. 

{a few notes first}

I have an admission to make: I've been procrastinating. As soon as I got off the plane, home & settled back into daily U.S. life again, the very thought of trying to collect together my stories, pictures, thoughts sent me crawling away mentally! That was because, even though I know in truth that my trip was only a mere 11 days (and there are much longer periods of time, for example years, that people go overseas for) ...to me, this trip was huge & very full. SO much happened! So many memories of faces, conversations, gestures, songs, words, scenes, and feelings are still...almost a month later...swirling in my mind.

Basically, I freaked myself out thinking that I needed sit down to write up a huge, long letter and blog post, showing all the pictures & detailing everything that happened, even down to the meals I ate! (I exaggerate things in my head too much sometimes...) and everything I learned, did, heard, saw and felt.

Now, while I'd still like to do that in a way, I'm going to do it differently: bit by bit. So if you'll be loving & patient with me, friends & family, I'll get all the important things out on paper (or screen) for you to read...but it's going to take me a little time. :)

{now onto the good stuff!}
    So to start, I'm going to highlight one of the neatest, loveliest things that happen to me on my trip. It's a pure example of God trying to make me smile with His love, and winning. :) That beautiful thing that happened is Rose. About one year ago, I was looking for new friends to follow on a book web world I'm a part of (called Shelfari) and I happened to come across this one girl's profile who immediately sounded like someone I would really be able to connect with. Her name was Rose. :) Turns out....she was Christian too, and near my age, and loves the United States as much as I love the country of Romania....which as it turned out, that's where she's from! 
We've been emailing, sharing books recommendations, and keeping in touch for about a year now often dreaming  together 'out loud' about "how neat it would be if we could meet someday!"
It was fun to imagine. :)

Little did Rose or I know....what God had in mind!
As soon as plans were confirmed for this mission trip to Romania, I emailed Rose with the news: I'd be in her home country very soon!!
   Ballistically excited, we tried to figure out how to meet up!  After a while, it didn't seem it was going to be easy to meet, since she lived some distance from the area were the team a& I were going to be. I almost gave up hope! :( But after some messaging, and and phone call (it was so amazing to hear my dear pen pal's voice for the first time!) things lined up. Rose took the train a whole 3+ hours to see me! We met up in Sinaia, and we had lunch together, walked around the town, and spent time talking. Her calm, sweet manner impressed me. :) Along with her beautiful English! And her HUGE love for Jesus. :)) The best part of her is her joy for God that radiates out of her.

   We were so lucky (blessed!) and Rose also got to spend the rest of the day with us all, and the night too, eating dinner and hearing our speaker & friends Becky Walsh, from Casa Shalom, talk. :) I don't really have words to describe just how fun it was, being with Rose! I wish she lived next door!

So, although my Romania friend, Rose had to leave early in the morning the next day, it wasn't before we got some good pictures together and had a chance to have some lovely conversations. I really cherish my time with her in my heart and thank the Lord for putting it all together for it to happen. :)

Rose,
I miss you already! And I hope and pray we will meet again someday!
God bless you abundantly over & over.
Love,
Your American sister,
~Hannah

Rose and my team members, Steve, Beth & Paul out walking before dinner.

Rose, surprised me by writing a blog post in response!
Go check out the rest of the story from her opinion
{Here}

Bless the Lord O My Soul [Laura Story]

I am Very Grateful for...

the bonds of family

photographic inspiration

excellent books of poetry to devour late at night

  

the bright sunshine warming my back

new films to look forward to

the miniature spring flowers coming up everywhere!

quotes that tickle my brain

tiny, adorable animals

...and last but not least:
new Scripture to keep close & write down.

In that day you will sing:
      “I will praise you, O Lord!
   You were angry with me, but not any more.
      Now you comfort me.
 See, God has come to save me.
      I will trust in him and not be afraid.
   The Lord God is my strength and my song;
      he has given me victory.”

 With joy you will drink deeply
      from the fountain of salvation! *

What are you Very Grateful for?

Karl, Silence, and Friends

K-a-r-l

We might be selling my car, Karl.
[insert sobbing]
I can't believe it, but it's true...this may be happening in the near, unforeseeable future!
It feels a little like sending your kid off to an orphanage! (Mom says I exaggerate here; I might be.)
But I was raised in that car, practically! My older sister, Victoria learned to drive in it, and so did I. It wasn't my brother, Josh's style so he got a VW Fox. Which was pretty cool too....but still. Nothing compares to driving my Karl, a powder blue 1986 Dodges Aries station-wagon. Thus named "Karl" for the plastic, meaningless, blocky little 'K' on the side of the driver's door. He also has this odd quirk of accelerating faster than you want to. ;) There is also absolutely no winder-shield washing fluid (the reservoir cracked and leaked ages ago), and the mice like living in the warm heating ducts. >.<
But! It's still works! Some of the time. :)
Time to let go, I tell myself.
*sniff*
And looking at the new one that will replace him (shhhh) I don't feel too bad about it anymore. ;) Who knows, maybe some artistic hippie will find him, fall in love with him and paint him psychedelic colors like I always wanted too! Wouldn't that be funny seeing the old car you sold, being driven around town like that? It'd be funny, indeed.

S.i.l.e.n.c.e

I was laying in my bed last night, trying to force myself to sleep, trying to drain the day's worries and consciousness of all the mistakes made and trying to just be quiet. Enjoy the silence. It was hard. Sometimes I feel like I am not living unless I am talking, or hearing someone talking at least. Maybe that sounds extreme. Maybe it's not though. Reading about Richard Wurmbrand, and how he spent years in solitary confinement created a gratefulness in me that hasn't gone away--a gratefulness for speech, for talk. Yes, there are times I just want to yell, "Would you all just SHUT UP!" to whoever is talking their heads off. However it is, at other times, that the comforting sound of Mom talking with Dad, or of Lizzie explaining something interesting to Mom and Jon, or the sound of a good friend's voice on the other end of the phone makes me all happy and tingly and sunshiny inside! :)
You know the feeling don't you? It's that feeling that says, "I am alive, I am human! Breathing, living, loving, hearing humanly alive!" What an amazing thing, God. (He talks too, you know.)

But silence is important at some crucial times; say, when you need to decide something. Often, if I really examined why I was talking so much, so fast I would find that I was doing it to drown out something. The other person, my heart, the situation, others' opinions,or maybe even...God Himself. :( It's true.
Silence leaves everything to the imagination.
Silence leaves room for those bottled up things in the corner of your consciousness to blow up, or diffuse.
Silence opens up an audible way for God to get to you (finally.)
Silence can be scary.
And yet, if the Lord helps you fill the silence, and helps you sort all the knots out, silence could turn out to be a good thing. A tool to open up, to grow, to humble yourself. And that, that...is wonderful thing. :)

F-r-i-e-n-d-s

My sister Lizzie, is doing a informal survey of those around her based on the question of what things are important in a friend. What must they be, to capture our hearts? At first I admit I thought this ground had been covered already, but then...when she asked me what three things I thought were most important in a friend, I had to think. And even then, the answers I gave ("a good listener", "cares about you", and "love you") seemed okay, but cliche and 'fluff' answers.

So, she got me thinking, with that survey. :) What is a friend? Or, more importantly for each of us to stare in the face:
What kind of person is a friend for me?
Who draws me, sticks with me, loves me for who I am and never leaves?
(Were the friends that drifted away even 'friends' in the first place?)
How can I be that person to someone, or several persons?

I feel like these questions (and more) are so important to answer, at least for myself, but I am definitely going to need a lot more silence around here to find some answers.

Here's to Life, and It's Questions,
~Honnah

I Never Thought I'd See the Day...




{Actress Claire Foy}

 

Heard that phrase before?
"I never thought I'd see the day when..."
I can think of two ways it can be said. One way, there's a smile too be found at the end, when you look up at the speaker's face and see that they are proud of something, or something you did. Or, there can be a tiny hint of disgust or disappointment found in the saying of it: "I never though I'd see the day when my own children would [do this or that.]" That's when the phrase is sad, very sad. And that's when using it hurts.

I can think of many things I could use this phrase for now, both ways, too. {We don't always like to mention the negative--or, conversely, we dwell on it too much-- but you know, life is not always sunshine & roses. There's real issues and words that aren't sunny and happy, too.}

So I'll start by sadly, mournfully noting that:

I never thought I'd see the day when...
...so few people think about God. Even remotely. {Like He is no even there...}
I never thought I'd see the day when...
...the use of electronics became balls & chains and gods to the users.
I never thought I'd see the day when...
..."liking" and accepting so many secular, evil things (even if evil only "in part") becomes normal amoung God's people.
And I certainly never thought I'd see the day when...
...everyone would become so preoccupied with everything else, it would feel like God did die.

But.
And here's where I stop with the negatives, to also note that:

I never thought I'd see the day when...
...so many beautiful miracles of God are taking place!
I never thought I'd see the day when...
...more and more of my whole family is serving, and worshipping, and loving the Lord!
I never thought I'd see the day when...
...I would be blessed with SO MUCH, beyond (far beyond!) what I need!
I never thought I'd see the day when...
... my siblings and I would not only get along, but deeply love & respect one another!
And I never thought I'd see the day when...
...my Jesus, God Lord of all Creation, would become so real to me.


To tell the truth, I never really thought I'd see this day. :)

It Will Be Worth It

You say: It’s impossible
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)
You say: I’m too tired
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: Nobody really loves me
...God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)
You say: I can’t go on
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalms.91:15)
You say: I can’t figure things out
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say: I can’t do it
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)
You say: I’m not able
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: It’s not worth it
God says: It will be worth it (Romans 8:28)
You say: I can’t forgive myself
God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: I can’t manage
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)
You say: I’m afraid
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)
You say: I’m always worried and frustrated
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)
You say: I don’t have enough faith
God says: I’ve given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)
You say: I’m not smart enough
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: I feel all alone
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

~~~

It's easy to feel like giving up. I admit I wondered halfway through the day why I even got out of bed! But then I remember, I'm living now because I'm meant to be, and I live in Christ now & as long as I do stay here on this earth to be a light. To bring some joy, some kindess and love as I can to others.

I'm going to keep doing just that. Especially on the days when I need it most myself...
What resonated with you today, or this week? Was there a truth, or a thought that lifted you up out of the ordinary into the bigger picture of things? I'd love to hear it. :)

Falling into Autumn: Joy

Falling into Autumn: Joy: " Have ever sat down &amp; really thought about what brings joy to your life?? What makes you happy &amp; WHY it makes you happy? I do it s..."

via Love Charles Vintage

My beautiful sister in law, Autumn, wrote a extremely thought-provoking and encouraging post. Even though she is what the Christian world calls a 'new' believer, I have learned SO much from her! She is overflowing with a love for God and a joy--real joy-- that I wish I could claim. I still have a lot to learn. :)
Take a look at Autumn's blog post...