Day 14- Comeback

     I love history. And I love pretty much anything to do with history. So it always warms my heart when I see something getting refurbished or reused (in a historical sense). Here in Bucharest, they are doing a lot of work fixing up the "street-face" in the city. Old building getting worked on, newer blocs getting worked on... hopefully in a few years they will be done and everything will look good, or better.
     But its not only buildings and old objects that get makeovers or "second chances," we do too. In fact, when we start over in Christ, we are born again as new creations. We get a whole second go at things. I think its pretty exciting. And I think its something we should take full advantage of. I mean, it may take a little work for us to get to 'tip-top' shape. But if we stick too it, God is faithful and he will see us through.

Day 13- Easter Sunday

   

There is not a lot that needs to be said today. Not much else has been on my mind this past friday, saturday, and early this sunday morning. God is amazing in so many ways. But it continues to floor me that he would die for me, despite all of my inadequacies and faults. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. But not only that, he rose again. And that is our hope and our salvation. Happy Easter guys, and I wish you a wonderful time with family, friends, and our Savior as we remember his sacrifice and conquering of sin and the grave.

Day 12- Fortune Forecast

     If there is anything more fickle than the weather, it is fortune. When I say fortune people probably think of different things. For some they may think of money. For some they think of something mystical and pagan. But by fortune I mean your lot in life, your standing, your "luck."

Unirii Boulevard tonight on my way home

     Last week was one of the prettiest weeks we have had (here in Bucharest) all year. The sun shone, the breeze was soft, and the temperature was warm. Everyone was sure that spring had finally arrived. That all changed on monday when there was a storm. And with that storm came a cold front. And with that cold front came 6-inches of snow. So, needless to say, the past few days have been very cold and... snowy. Weather often changes drastically, without much warning. Growing up in "Kentuckiana" I learned this very quickly. Whereas most places experience the seasons over the course of a year, we often saw all four in a single week (sometimes a day). And weathermen try and give us a heads-up as to what the weather will do, but they can only be so much help. I think we all know how much we trust the forecast sometimes.
     Life is often as unpredictable as the weather. One day we can be on top of the world, so to speak. We are the "luckiest" person alive and everything is going our way. The next day we can lose everything. The 'winds of fortune' shift from our sails to another's. This simple fact of life brings up a few points.
One, we should be careful to treat others amiably regardless of our own fortune. If we are doing well and everything is going our way, we should be careful not to rub it in the faces of those less fortunate. If we get something and someone else doesn't, don't gloat. Because as soon as we think we are set and all is well, things can change. And soon you can find yourself in the reversed role as you watch another  person moving up the ladder, and you yourself watching them pass. The old proverb rings true: "Treat others as you would be treated."
Two, we see that nothing is for sure in this life. Therefore, we should enjoy what we have while we have it. But we should be careful not to value one thing too much, because if and when we lose it we need to be able to move on.

The icy path.. such a change from a few days ago

And three, there is not a set forecast for life. There is nothing that can tell you exactly how your life will play out or what tomorrow will bring. But we do have a guidebook for every situation that we can use. And weather you believe in destiny, predestination, free will, etc. it doesn't matter. The basics are there, right in front of you. And if you trust in Him and follow him there is no need to worry. Because, He works for the good of those that love him, no matter what.

Day 11- Not Home

     Well... Im a bit off track. This past week was crazy for me, and I couldn't do it. So I am taking this into consideration and I will say, I will do 365 "posts," but they may not all be quite within a year. This slight change is because, although I will try my best to keep it at one a day, weekends and random (unforeseen) things occur and I just cant deliver. So its better to be upfront with that, than to disappoint unnecessarily.

Peles Castle in Sibiu, Romania

     Anyway, This is kinda a flashback picture, but it goes very well with what has been on my mind of late. We put so much work and effort into meaningless things. We concern ourselves with money, position, power, and material things which all let us down at one point or another. We can spend our whole lives trying to build a legacy and pouring ourselves into something, but ultimately it all ends. Everyone will die, it is inevitable. But Heaven awaits those who spend their life pursuing God and following his commandments. So lets try and pursue what matters. God loves us and he has allowed us to love each other. So love your fellow man, and love God above all else.

Day 9 & 10- Never Know

     So 9 and 10 are going to be combined because what has been on my mind the last two days is the same, but for different reasons.

     Yesterday my day started out with me waking up late. I didn't have classes till later on in the evening so I was able to sleep in a bit. Unfortunately, when I did awaken I found that I had no water at all. I made the most of it, and went on about my day. When I returned last night, I found the water to be running but in exchange I had to give up my internet. So I had no internet last night, thus the lack of an entry.

     Today went much more smoothly. Everything was working, the weather was gorgeous... it was a wonderful day. I got to go to Subway with some of my friends from school. That's right, Subway made it to Romania. It may not seem like a big deal if you are reading this in the States, you may not even like Subway. But trust me, its a big deal.

     The common theme here is that you really never know what you have until its gone. You don't realize how many trivial tasks really require running water (or water at all) until you don't have any. You don't notice how much that will throw off your routine until it does. And even something as insignificant as a sandwich shop can seem like such a special treat when you don't have it. I mean, it is just a little reminder of home. I don't know if I am making total sense. Basically, you don't realize what you truly have, or how significant some things are until they are taken from you or they are just no longer at your disposal.

Day 8- Never Grow Up

     If there is one genre of movie that I hope I never grow out of, its Disney. I LOVE Disney movies. The stories are almost always good, the characters are lovable, and they are just fun. If I am ever feeling down or sad, I just watch one and...BAM... happy again.

     Its a little thing, but its a fun one. There is something about being a child that I think we all find attractive our whole lives. For one, you have (or should have) very little responsibility when you are a child. People do almost everything for you. Life just seems easier. There aren't the "grown up" problems of bills, jobs, relationships, etc. But more than that, there is a wonder that we seem to lose as we grow older. The world becomes smaller and less amazing as we come to "understand" everything that happens around us. We lose that magical feeling.
     Obviously, magic is not real, and I'm not saying it is. But like I said before there is a child's wonder and awe that I think we should all strive to have. A child's curiosity and innocence are inspiring, I think. Christ told us in Matthew 18:3, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven." I'm not a scholar, by any means, but when reading this verse I feel like its telling me that unless we have that sense of wonder and that curiosity we can never see past our own world and onto something greater. So many people get caught up in their own knowledge that they dismiss the notion of God because they don't find it logical or they don't want to. I'm not saying we aren't supposed to question, search, and grow. But what we should be careful of is getting too "grown up" for God. Because no matter how old we are, we will always be His children.

Day 5,6,7- St. Paddy's Day Weekend

     Well... hang in there as I try and figure out how all of this is going to work out. I told you there would be some little hiccups as I tried to figure out how I can best do this whole thing. And right now, its looking like I may do weekends all in one post. So, unless there is something super pressing on my mind or i do something so awesome it deserves a mention, I will most likely post once per weekend.

     Anywho, this past weekend was St. Patrick's Day, as I'm sure you all noticed. Yes, St. Patrick's Day is recognized in Romania as well... and it was awesome. This weekend I got to hang out with a lot of people. Some of them were my usual friends and companions, but I also got to see and spend time with some people from school I don't normally see. 

At the concert

     Friday and Saturday were largely uneventful, but I got to see friends, have movie nights, etc. Sunday, the big day, was a little different. We all went to the Old Center and attended the St. Paddy's Parade, a restaurant, and then the St. Paddy's Concert. It was a lot of fun. The Irish Ambassador came out and spoke, there were a few small Romanian bands, Antonia (a very famous Romanian singer) sang, and then there was a U2 tribute band. All in all, it was a blast. 

     But getting to see some people that I don't normally see outside of school got me thinking. Yes, I talk to lots of people, but I rarely really venture out of my circle of friends. I see people. I talk to people when I can. But I have become slightly complacent with my friends. I don't really work at trying to include new people and make new friends. I think it is an important thing. Yes, we have our circle of good close friends, but we should constantly be growing as a person, as well as in Christ. And one of the best ways to grow as a person is to meet new people and learn about them and their lives. I have gone to school with these people for a year and just in hanging out that one night this weekend I learned so many new things about them. It was a good time for me, and I hope for them.

The restaurant we hung out at... "Biutiful"

     So I would encourage you to step out of your comfort zones and find someone (one or a few) that you don't know well and just go get a coffee or something. Show a bit of interest in them and I am sure they will surprise you.