Sick Day

Today I took a Sick Day. I have had a cold for 2 days and it wasn't getting any better. When I woke up this morning and could barely swallow and lift my head from my pillow I called my boss. I said I needed to stay home today but I'll be back in school tomorrow. I slept for 15 hours. I have no idea when the last time I slept for 15 hours was. I think that If it wasn't for my aching back I could have slept even longer. It's a beautiful day and I love spring time.

I was walking down the street the other day and I realized that I smelled spring. You know that warmness, smoggy, downtown Budapest smell where there's a hint of fresh urine, some fried cooking's from somewhere and the exhaust of the buses. AMAZING. SPRING. hehe. But really, when we come out of Winter into Spring its like we peel a layer of clothes off. No more bundling up in 100 sweaters, long johns, a coat, gloves,scarf, hat, socks, and shoes. Its a light fleece and or a windbreaker with maybe a sweater to keep the winds from nippin you.

Isn't that how God is.. (i love all the spring time analogies). I'm almost finished with a study by Beth Moore called Breaking Free. Right now we are studying how to rid the strongholds in your life. Last night before I went to bed I read through 60 verses which applied to the stronghold in my life. I haven't slept so well in months. When God takes the stronghold out of your life its like peeling layers of clothes off your body. He peels them till we are laying nude on the beaches of Nice, France. That is what he wants to do. But just as the weather is, sometimes we don't allow him to peel off the layer and it gets cold again so we put on another sweater to make us warm. Then he continues to work in our hearts till its all gone. To make us completely free of the extra layers we have put on. So... this is my winter-spring-summer analogy.

I am going to go study for my GRE now. ugh.

Pictures

Click Here for Dad's rendition of his travels..lots o' pics of me
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=28913&l=2f57f&id=681201385

And here to see some of my updates on pics
http://liberty.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2131562&l=f21bd&id=55702898

Have a good weekend!

Locked Out

Today, I was straightening my house a little bit and I was taking out the garbage. I grabbed the keys to open the door to the trash shoot when my door closed behind me. It’s okay though because I had my keys. I realized a few seconds later that I had grabbed keys that definitely did not work. So, I was stuck, in the stairwell of my house without keys, cell phone or walled. I thought to myself.. What am I going to do?? I cannot leave my house because I could not get back into the building. So, I prayed. I literally asked God for a miracle. I had knocked on Tamas(my neighbor’s) door and Kati’s (my boss) doors but there were still at school.

So, I was standing at the top of the stairs on my floor just waiting when the elevator stopped on my floor. And out walked a locksmith.. hehe nah but my neighbor Richard who is from Uganda stepped out. We have spoken a few times before and so I asked for his help. He walked me down to the “landlord” but they were closed and then he walked me to these people just standing outside one of the doors.. to make a long story short we walked over to Pisti in his car and he said he’d be up to help me in 20 minutes.

Richard walked me back home and then he said, don’t worry, he said he will come and when they promise they will come, they mean it. What a cultural insight.

Anyways, Pisti came to my door and literally unscrewed the lock and used pliers to turn it! Thank Goodness I have a deadbolt!

I said Thank you I think five million times and gave him a few thousand forints.
So.. I got locked out but was in my apartment within 45 minutes. That’s a miracle my friends. A miracle.

A Typical Wednesday in the Life of JKF

6:25-Alarm goes off-I push snooze
6:35-Alarm goes off and I literally roll out of bed, one eye shut cuz i was too lazy to wash the make up off my face.
7:05-Take a big gulp of Christmas Blend Starbucks Coffee (thanks mom) while doing my hair.
7:15-Leave the house, lock and deadbolt and head down the stairs.
7:26-Get onto the Hev. (the commuter Train for one stop)
7:34-Walk into my school and promptly say Jol Reggelt to everyone I see (Good Morning)
7:45-The Bell Rings
7:47-I guess I should go to class
7:47-13:15 Teach Classes, eat some food, talk to colleagues, fill in grade books, blog, facebook, and email.
13:15-Leave school and go home.
13:22-Get on Hev-one stop
13:30-Walk into my apartment (after checking my empty mailbox. sigh*), clean, bake, read, listen to music, nap, watch tv..something
17:00 -Leave my apartment to meet Laci at Calvary Chapel to give a PDA and then get on a bus to go to Aaron's to cook for Bible Study
18:00-Get to Bible Study and cook dinner.
19:00-Bible Study begins
21:30-Leave bible study and get on metro-to tram-to home.
22:00-Spend time with God
10:30-fall asleep and wonder..what will I teach in school tommorow

If I can remember-Im going to take Pictures of all of this today..:-)

Attis and Internet

I've been blessed with great friends here in Budapest and I want to introduce to you one of them. Attis and I have been great friends since we met. We love to hang out, go to different pubs/restaurants, talk, worship, drive, grocery shop and most recently help me get internet.

Attis has been a great friend to me and lets me talk things out with him and I always get great feedback. Also, he makes me practice my Hungarian which is sooo good for me.
(Attis is in black)

Yesterday, Attis and I met at the yummy palacsinta place and then we went to Mammut (a mall) to get me mobile internet. Thanks to Attis I can now be online at home. So, Sami, Becca, Mom and Dad and all of you who I talk to you better start thanking Attis :-) Anyways, he set it all up and I'm rollin!! I'm so excited to have this here!! So thanks Attis for being a great friend and for helping me have internet. Koszonom!!

Hope of Spring

Today the Newell's and I went for a walk down to the river. It was a bit chilly this morning but it was beautiful.
Every morning this week as I've walked to school I hear the birds and I realized that I hadn't heard them for a long time. Its a hope of spring. The hope that things are looking up and its not going to be dark and dismal anymore.

That is what God.... DOES. He brings us hope even when we are consumed with darkness or in a dismal state.

I'm so Glad I have a God who cares so much about me that he gives me hope through chirpping birds, sunshine and a blue sky.