No other love

There is a song that runs through my head quite frequently. As a musician, this happens a lot. This song, however, takes my mind and emotions and mixes them together. It carries  me back to a place in the past that is almost tangible. Has that ever happened to you? The lyrics to the song are:
To keep Your lovely face
Ever before my eyes
This is my prayer
Make it my strong desire
That in my secret heart
No other love competes
No rival throne survives
And I serve only You


This has been my prayer lately. I am realizing that I harbor so many things that compete for my heart, which is committed to the Lord. Many of them are often screaming to be on the throne where He resides. There are times where I am sure He has all my heart has to offer, only to find there are still things I am holding above Him. When will surrender be a lifestyle?

Hungary has been a real blessing. Though I am growing to love this country, I have really struggled with the absence of church family. It feels so strange to sit in your living room and listen to a pastor teach online. No worship. No fellowship. I am longing to be a part of the body once again. I have been praying for God to bring the right people into our lives. He has been faithful and brought us closer as a family. I am excited to hear the kid's when they reflect on this year in the future.

This week, the weather has been everywhere! Sometimes in the same day. We literally had warm sun, rain, and snow within a matter of hours. It reminds me of prairie days. I decided that I miss the forest, and when the tasks of this housing turnover are complete I will return to it. I will bring a knife, but I WILL return! I miss the beauty and serenity that creation brings.


Over the break, we have had the opportunity to get to know some of the students better. A young couple and a young Ukrainian woman stayed behind for the holidays. They have been a blessing to us; helping above and beyond what was asked or expected. It is such an awesome thing to work with others who love Jesus and desire to work as unto Him. Soon everyone will return, and time here will tick away quickly. We hope to see a little more of this continent before our return. I know that we planned to get out more, but somehow God wanted us to be here in this small village for the majority of our time. That isn't too bad, though. In just over 4 months, we will fly back to the states. Part of me is anxious to get back to real life. The other part knows the of that thought process never ends! I am focusing all my efforts on enjoying the last few months here, and thinking about home less and less (even Coco- though it kills me to admit that). Life is always changing, so I must remember to keep my eyes fixed upon the One who never changes.