People

People are a good thing. I recommend keeping people around and often. And if you forget, keep a few or ten tucked in your pocket just in case.

Relationship, relating, relations is something that has echoed in all parts of me since one of my first nights back in Hungary this school year. It's not a new thought, but it perplexes me and twists my set ideas and fascinates me how intricate and perfect and deliberately we were designed by God. We are relational beings. That's fact; there's no getting around it.

Community I've heard has been a buzz word in circles. I don't care about that. It's what ESI boasts of sending teachers in. It's what we were created for. We're all in one whether we are participating or not. It's a true shame if you don't take part.

My roommate left me for month and she returns tomorrow! Woopee! Without someone around, it's been lonely. I've become a bit used to being alone and have almost started to like being alone. I actually started to get a bit defensive if/when my alone-ness was infringed upon. And when I didn't have my alone-ness, it was ok and even good. Plainly, we weren't made to be alone. (I understand my argument is weak, but trust me)

I have been with people all weekend. Saturday afternoon, we had a retreat with the entire team. It was so good to see all of them. Matt Patrick had encouraging and refreshing words for us. Our guests speaker and his wife, Matt and Diane, stayed over my place for the night. We talked before we went to bed, and talked some more in the morning. I got serve them and make them breakfast, and then they turned around and served me and did the dishes. I went to church this morning and talked with people whom I never had before. I came home and Matt(the other one, or rather the first one, the other Matt is the other one) brought over three of the Czech teachers. They stayed the whole afternoon and evening and we talked and did nothing for some good hours.

I've been wanting to say something about this relating stuff for awhile. I'm not sure this is the end of it; I feel my thoughts aren't complete.

But I can say this: God is moving! He's doing something in me and it feels good. He's bringing me back to my roots(I don't know what that really means...) I'm trying to say, He's reminding me of who I used to be and what good things I had going. I've lost touch with bits of me, and He's revealing Himself and me in a new and old way. Here's some ways:

Exploring on the mountain skiing with Amy
Reading an email from an old friend
In prayer
In singing
In playing the guitar
Matt Patrick's "Time Flies"

I can't and I won't explain it all. But God is on the move and it's so exciting. I feel some streams of refreshing flowing over me and oh how wonderful it feels. I wonder if I've been a fish out of water for quite some time. I wonder a lot of things. But two things are certain:

1) God created/creates relational beings.
2) God means what He says, He's got our backs.

(I'd insert pictures here, but my camera has had an attitude lately. Maybe whoever has been praying for me, could say one for it too:-)