My Bubbling Teapot

I couldn't believe my eyes! But that's what the sign said. "No achohol will be sold in this store on the days of May 25,26." What's going on here? What are the people in this town going to do if they can't buy beer for two days?! I mean beer is bought here like Coke or some other soft drink. But why? That was my question. Why aren't they selling beer on these two specific days? John asked his tutee and this is what he told him. The pope is coming to Poland on this weekend and all the cities he will be visiting will not sell achohol during the duration of his visit! It feels a little like God is coming to visit this country. I guess our little store in Minsk was just honoring his visit to the country, becausethe pope wasn't planning to stop in our town. But that doesn't stop the achoholics, John's tutee told him. They just stock up the day before for the days that none will be sold in the stores. I heard that Pope Benedict held a mass in Warsaw....

How can I explain how I felt? It was one of those times that my heart sunk to the very tip of my little toe. I was happily sewing my last dress for the summer season, feeling a great feat was about to be accomplished. How I wanted to celebrate after this last seam was finished! With gusto, I pressed the pedal a bit harder. What in the world? The pieces didn't match up. One was a good 6 inches shorter than the other. Did I get the wrong piece? Impossible--this was the last piece to put together!! Maybe I got ahold of the scraps? I looked carefully. I examined it closely. What was the problem. Then I noticed a big, jagged gouge cut right out of the bottom of my skirt!!! Oh, no! Then I turned to look into two guilty eyes. "Mom, I thought that was your scraps. I didn't know it was your dress." Her eyes pleaded me to understand. And really, it was my fault. I always allowed Allison to play sewing with the scraps of material while I sewed. I had lain the skirt on a nearby ...

Recent conversation heard between my two youngest: Derek: Alli, I have a joke for you. If you were going to be executed... Alli: Whhhhat? What's that? Derek: You know, like getting your head chopped off...now, if you were going to be killed which room would you choose? Alli: (from the shower) Whhhhhhhhaaaattttt? Derek: (repeats joke) Alli: Whhhhhhhhaaaaaaaattttt? Derek: Okkkayyy! (sigh) I'll say it one more time (repeats) Alli: Derek, I can't hear you!!!!!! Derek: Alliiiiii, you have your ears covered. Alli: Derek, just wait until I get out of the shower. Ok? Derek: I won't tell it then. Alli: Okkkkayyyyy! Tell me again. Derek: Now, if you were going to be killed which room would you choose? a room with lions that hadn't eaten in three years, a room with a fire, or a room full of soldiers? Alli: uuuuuuhhhhhmmmmmm! None of them!!! Derek: You HAVE to choose one!!! Alli: Ok, I think a room with fire. Derek: Hee! hee! hee! hee! A room with lions that haven't e...

Our small church group here spent this weekend together at a local church retreat. This place is run by a dedicated Christian couple that work hard to give you a wonderful time. We had such a good time connecting and learning to know each other in new ways. One of the purposes of the weekend was to give everyone that attends our church a chance to tell their life story and show how God has worked in their personal lives. This was scary for most of us, but especially those who aren't used to being open about themselves. It was so encouraging. We heard how God protected specifically one man's life during the war and how God pursued him until he was ready to give his whole life to God. A dear sister shared that she was Catholic when she married a Christian man, and it took 13 years before she gave her heart to God. Another sister found that in loneliness God spoke to her and that he was faithful as He was drawing her to himself. A new Christian testified that little details in he...

Since I figured out how to post pictures, I will share some pictures we took of the children for our prayer cards. Meet our family: Allison age 6 Derek age 7 Austin age 11 Conrad age 13

Now, I know you won't understand how estatic I was when I found bags of chocolate chips in my freezer, but it made me quite happy. Poland stores, with their aisles overflowing in European chocolate, don't sell a single chocolate chip. I have tried to use their wonderful chocolate bars and create, you know, "chocolate chunk" recipes. But since it isn't baking chocolate, the chocate runs everywhere in a sticky mess. So, whenever possible I ask friends to bring me chocolate chips from America. When John's nephews came for a visit in February, I sent them a list of things that they could fill their suitcases with if they had room. Of course, I included chocolate chips. I failed to tell them, though, that I was then using my last bag. I was indeed grateful for the two bags they brought, but I realized that it wouldn't last until furlough. So, I began scouring my recipe books for cookie recipes, cakes, and things that don't take chocolate chips. In my opini...

The dear 95 year old believer we met in Ukraine. She was preparing dinner when we arrived, but she had time to tell us all about her life. You would be amazed at the stories she can tell about her life and how God has kept her through the years.

How can we possibly put into words our weekend trip? Another country, another language, a completely different world for us. Wayne and Connie Hursh and family sent us a list of memories. 1. Bumpy Berezyanka Road. All the roads were bumpy, but the one to the Berezyanka village to go to church Sunday morning took the prize. Think roller coaster, think huge potholes, think about driving a truck through a field, think about hills and valleys. Yes, it was really that bad. 2. Visiting Baba Anya, and listening to her inspiring stories. What a dear lady and what a testimony. She is 95 years old, lives by herself in this poor apartment, up five flights of steps, and she can't stop talking about how God has kept her during her life. She has been a church member for 10 years now and a vibrant Christian. She continually thanks God that she can still read the Bible. 3. Mt. Dew from Poland! We blessed Wayne's with a case of Mountain Dew and they were so happy with the luxury. I also stuck...

We are ready for the adventure of the year. We are leaving early Friday morning to head to visit friends in the country of Ukraine for a long weekend. We expect the trip to last 9 hours, and then however long it takes to get through the border. Today, when Conrad was inspecting all the food purchases for the trip, he said, "I can't wait to go. There is so much good food to eat." We are all excited. It will be kind of a extended field trip for the children. So, bon voyage! We will give a report upon return. Pray for us as we go. Driving here in these countries can be hazardous.

This weekend was what I would call a "mountaintop experience" for our small group here in Poland. Sometimes we can feel discouraged in dwindling numbers. We watch friends in whom we have invested much time and energy walk away from the truth that they once embraced. We see them making wrong choices that will affect their future and destiny. We cry. We pray. We wait. God knows their hearts better than we do, but it tears at our hearts. But this past weekend, we had Polish visitors from Torun. They were all former Jehovah's Witnesses and one man shared his moving testimony with our group. Although we had invited friends and acquaintances, only a handful showed up. But those of us that experienced this day felt uplifted. This man had been an elder and preacher in the JW organization for many years. He sometimes spoke to audiences of 5000. He was sincere in wanting to do right, but the more he studied the more confused he became as he realized that what he was teaching was co...

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF SPRING ~ ~ ~ The air is beginning to smell like spring. There is a soft feeling instead of the harshness of cold. Last night I heard RAIN!!!! How exciting! It was a comforting sound to hear the pit-pat-pitter-pat on the metal window framesas I drifted off to sleep. Yesterday, I saw the first crocuses poking theirbrave little heads out of the ground. Nothing like living through a long,gray winter to make spring colors look so beautiful. Did you ever notice how vivid the first colors of spring are??? CREATIONS AND PROJECTS AND OTHER MENTIONABLES ~ ~ ~ Derek decided the other day that he wants to make a rock tumbler. Anyone know what that is? Lolita's dad told Austin that he should get one to polish his rock collection. Well, we checked them out on the internet and they are quite expensive, so we told Austin that it will have to wait for a birthday. And besides, who has a month to wait for a rock to be smoothed and polished in a little noisy machine. So, Derek say...

What a sad history Poland has!!! What other country in the world do people travel to specifically to visit concentration and death camps? And our guests are no exceptions. All of them want to see a concentration camp. And I don't blame them. But, a wave of nausea crawls over me each time I step inside. And this time with our nephews was the same. "Work Bring Freedoms" proclaims an iron sign at the entrance of Auschwitz in Southern Poland. How many people that were herded through this place believed this? Many Jews had been promised better farms and so had brought all their earthly possessions with them. The pile of suitcases behind glass is a grim reminder of the reality of what happened here. You can't imagine the un-Christian feelings that arise within you when you see evidence of this cruelty. A visitor's personal feelings in our travel book tell my feelings exactly, When you go in there's a sign in five languages that says, "There were four million....

All my children love in different ways. Conrad's love language is quality time. Austin's is physical touch and Allison's is probably words of affirmation (haven't figured hers out completely yet.) But Derek's love language is the most obvious of all. He gives gifts. Many times he gives me a drawing or a note or some paper craft that he has made just for me. On Valentine's Day, he hung a big red heart in the office. "I love you, Mom and Dad" it said. On my birthday, he gave me a special blank book that he had made himself. When the flaps were opened, they again revealed part of his heart. On Mother's Day it was an elaborate card with his love written inside. His eyes always glow when his gifts are aknowledged and accepted. (And of course, he especially enjoys when I exclaim with oohs! and aahs!) Our recent trip to Cracow was one of those times. We traveled by train with John's two nephews for a fun two days exploring Cracow and also visiting Aus...

Dear H A you tow are invitede to a teapartea on wenssday come whit your hats from Allison This is the note I found in our email sent folder this morning.....ahhem! The mother hadn't been consulted previously, so it came as a shock to get an email in reply to the invitation. Oh, dear! How do you retract an invitation to her dear friends without offending them???? Life gets interesting when little ones learn to read and write, doesn't it? The same little girl recieved new girlie PJs as a present from Aunt Dorcas this week. She was so proud of them, she flounced around in them for the rest of the afternoon and evening. The same little girl was delighted to get a personal invitation to Corleen and Alison's new apartment for a tea party. All the little girls were to bring their hats (BTW, do you think that is what inspired the above email invite.) Dressing for this party was quite an ordeal. Complete with a hat, shawl, "broach", handbag and long coat, this giggling l...

"I am going to OH tomorrow for a school reunion that will be this Saturday. It's been 9 years since we've had one. I'm secretly hoping that the other girls have matronly shapes, too. (: I dug an elegant little purse out of the closet to replace my diaper bag!" My friend in my writer's workshop sent the above quote to our group. Another writer answered with this email. "And, by the way, matronly shapes are a sign of a noble calling. Go in delight. Would you really rather be a slender single girl?" I've been thinking a lot about this. How many times during my children's infancies, had I longed to exchange my diaper bag for my dapper bag? When I would stand beside a young slender slip of a girl, I would think about my pear shape. When I looked into the mirror and see bags under my eyes, I would think about the many sleepness nights. When a friend would tell me all she accomplished in one day, I would think about my interupted schedules. When I w...

Dear family and friends, Some of you know that we have been keeping our eyes open over here for a house to buy. We have rented this present house for five years, and although we could live here the rest of our lives, it isn't a place that we would be interested in buying because it isn't ideal for our family. Property prices are definitely rising in this area. We have seen an increase in the past two years. We have looked at various places and have even had serious interest in some of them, but it seems that God hasn't opened the door for us to buy yet. We are once again seeking His will and would ask you to join us. John went with Jacek to look at a property this past weekend. We decided that I wouldn't go along since the price seemed unaffordable and it seemed senseless for both of us to waste our time chasing dreams. When John returned, he told me, "I have just seen the place of our dreams." The property is 2-3 miles from Minsk. It is a 2.5 acre place with ...

For one week our red limousine was in the shop. There were many things to fix. This meant no vehicle for us at all. We live on the edge of town. What are legs for anyway? We found out this week. We've learned that when walking, --allow plenty of extra time because it will take longer than you think. --beware of road water that cars throw like a tsunami toward the pedestrians on the sidewalks. --walkways can be icy during the winter months. Wear sensible footwear and avoid shiny spots. --scraped sidewalks are a one-way street. Please yield to oncoming pedestrians. --stray dogs follow pedestrians all the way to your front gate. --buy in small quantities when at the grocery store. Every ounce seems to become a pound heavier with each quarter-mile. --think and plan ahead and avoid extra trips. --remember that you always wanted time for your daily exercise program. --don't think of the taxi you could have called for $3. --you become more thankful for your reliable? transportation. S...

Valentine's day has always had a bad omen in our relationship. Sixteen years ago, on the 14th of February, shortly after we were engaged, I was attending winter Bible School and John was teaching school. Our contact was only by phone and mail (email hadn't been invented yet). My mailbox was strangely empty over Valentine's Day. Nothing from my beloved!!! How can this be? My imagination ran wild... John is trying to tell me it is all over between us... maybe something will come tomorrow... He doesn't love me anymore... Well, poor John. He never once thought about Valentine's Day until he recieved my life-sized card in the mail. He rushed to the stores that evening only to find that all the cards had been removed from the shelves and Easter cards were taking their place. The next day, in desperation, he sent me a big bouquet of roses... which of course I should have loved... and they were gorgeous... but somehow I couldn't forget that they were one day late... We...

It all started when the guy that lives with us flattened the front of our vehicle when he met another vehicle when sliding through an icy intersection. No, let's back up. A few weeks prior, I was taking Allison to the dentist. Now in Poland parking spaces are all meant for compact fiats not mini vans. I was wheeling into a promising looking parking spot when I kissed the fender of an innocent car beside me. Horrified, I parked and climbed out. I rubbed the scratch and it seemed to disappear to my relief. I needed to find the owner, but I had no idea where he was in the three floors of this public building. And what would I do if I did find him. I had no idea how to tell him in Polish what happened. Many bumpers in Poland sport dents and scratches, but I still wanted to be honest. I took Allison into the building and when I returned later, I saw the car speeding away. I still feel a tinge of guilt about that. But back to my story. The same day, I rode with John and sat in the car ...

When we lived in America on the way town, my boys would count basket ball hoops... now they count roadside shrines. When we lived in America, my children never rode on trains... now they are quite familiar with all kinds of public transportation, trains, trams, buses, and metro... When we lived in America, my children wouldn't have thought twice about the cashiers at Walmart... now they whisper in amazement, Mom, that lady speaks English!!!... My children talk about rondos, markets, street vendors, tutors, bigos, pierogis, gates and fences, drunks, Warsaw, and fiats like they are normal life. Which indeed they are!!! Their world has expanded to a new culture. In fact, this is the culture they know. This is their home! I always get ecstatic when I think about furlough. My heart hammers as I think of this summer and the ten weeks we will spend in America. For me, I will be returning home, to the comfortable, the familiar, the life I knew. But for my children, they will be leaving the...