How can I keep from singing?

This question comes from a song by Chris Tomlin:

How can I keep from singing Your praise

How can I ever say enough

How amazing is Your love

How can I keep from shouting Your name

I know I am loved by the King

And it makes my heart want to sing

I could not keep from singing tonight...I am sitting in bed about to go to sleep, and I'm still singing! Why? How amazing is His love!

Yesterday marked 3 months until I get married. I have only one month and one week left in Budapest. The time for me to leave is very near, and I am excited to be home, however tonight was a night that made it hard to say good-bye.

The youth pastor from the church I attend hosted an all worship night. All we did was sing, praise God, and offer our hearts to the Lord. I loved worshiping with my students and with my fellow teachers. It was such a sweet time for me. The young students seem so much more focused on the Lord than I ever was...or even am today. I just love to watch them worship and I feel closer to the Lord through them.

I am so thankful for these students and the chance to worship with them. I do enjoy teaching art, but it is moments and times like tonight that really made me fall in love with Budapest.

Mom's the Word

"Hearts at Home is a Christ-centered organization that encourages, educates, and equips women in the profession of motherhood."

No, I'm not switching professions and becoming a mother, but I did have a chance to serve and get to know the Hearts at Home organization while being here in Hungary. Being able to share my art skills, I was asked to help create some decorations for a Heart's at Home event being held in Hungary. The event being planned was a special Mom's night out on April 20. The event, entitled "Mom's the Word," was to be a 3 hour event with 2 special speakers from America, tasty treats, books on mothering for sale, and a wonderful time of fellowship. The night was sponsored by Hearts at Home and was intended to be a special evening for moms...no kids, no husbands.

I helped by creating some decorations for the event. In keeping with the title, I made many signs with different words on them. These words were both positive and negative things that are associated with motherhood, words like hope, happiness, crazed, alone, etc. The signs were in both Hungarian and English in order to appeal to all the women at the event. During the evening, I was also on photo duty. I took many pictures of the event. When I got asked to help with this event, I thought, "Sure! I'll help the moms out. I would love to serve them!" I thought I would just help and none of the "mom" stuff would apply to me. Little did I know...

Unfortunately with the recent volcano, the 2 speakers from America couldn't fly to Budapest. In the end, I think God wanted us to hear from someone else...A local missionary and mom stepped up last minute to speak. She spoke beautifully about the different trials of having 4 kids and of living in 3 different countries. I found that much of what she said could be applied to teaching and to my personal faith walk as well.

Two things stuck out. First, she said, "You are the perfect mom for you kids." This really hit me about teaching...I am the perfect art teacher for these students right now. God wants them to have me. In a time of the school year where I am feeling weary, this was a wonderful encouragement of the Lord's plans. Secondly, she spoke about wisdom.

James 1:5 "If you need wisdom, as our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking."

We can pray for wisdom at anytime and will receive it. What a good reminder of God's provision for us.

We enjoyed a testimony about a son who kept all the notes his mom ever wrote him, some music from a talented singer, yummy treats, and even had a visitor. This visitor claimed to be a mom...but upon closer inspection, finding a mustache would lead us to believe otherwise. The night was a lot of fun, filled with lots of laughter and encouragement.

You can read more about Hearts at Home at their website:

http://www.hearts-at-home.org/

Love From Afar

Lately I have really been feeling the love from home! I have gotten many cards in the mail...so much that the family I live with says that I get more in the mail than they do! It was especially nice to receive things this past week as it was my birthday and Easter. I did not realize how important family and friends were to me until I could not be with them during these times. I really appreciate receiving these blessings in the mail (...one day I got 10 things in the mail!!).

Also, I had a wonderful time talking with my home church on Sunday. I had really been wanting to do a live chat or at least connect with the congregation in some significant way. God was so good to make all of the technology work for this to happen! While I could not clearly see faces, I could make out who people were, and I loved hearing the congregation sing. I also enjoyed praying with you. The time was so special to me. It was a pleasure to be able to share my experiences with you in this way! My prayer was that it would be a blessing for those listening as much as it was for me. I think it was just what I needed to get through the last month and a half of school!

Thank you for all the letters I have received, for being in attendance at the chat time, for all your encouraging emails, for your financial support, for reading my blog, and for your prayers. If you have ever been involved in my journey in any of these ways, you are an answer to my prayers. Each of these small acts of love are huge when coming from so far away. I am so blessed to have a wonderful group of support. You really are with me here in Hungary.