Nesting, Surprises. Conversations.

Staying at a friends flat while they are away isn't half bad. All I had to do was turn on the power and I'm enjoying their furnished apartment. It's a nice segway to the unfurnished apartment I'll be moving into this February.

I'm already starting to think about decorating on a budget. I know I can decorate on a budget, that's for sure! I would have kept the huge wood table and six chairs that I found in the pennysaver when I lived in Los Angeles for $50 but it would have cost more to move than I originally paid for it with all the improvements included. It was a project, but I sanded it down, put a protective coat on it and painted it black. It looked like something you'd see in a Pier I or Bombay magazine. And I was VERY proud of it!! I ended up giving it away to a great family in LA when I moved. Anyways, I'm excited to have a place that's unfurnished, even if it means going without a few things for a few months. I'm sure it will come together. Biggest thing is that I want a great place to invite these girls over to hang out. I think the kitchen will be a coffee theme. I'm even going to try and paint a few pictures and if they turn out alright, they will be my wall hangings. We'll see how it turns out, but I'm excited.

Over the holidays our Sunday church service in Budapest closed up shop. Budapest is a ghost town until the end of January. But, today, I was pleasantly surprised to see Eszter at the Faklya club (the place we meet for church). I've been meeting with her and hoping she'd come around more often. We had a good spiritual talk before I left in December. Next Sunday she's going to come again and afterwards come over for lunch along with Nori and Ella. Excited about that.

After church today Jeff and Ana had me over to their house for lunch and just catching up. I love their family!! Their kids are awesome. Jefferson thinks he's black. Charlotte is a 6 year old spit-fire. Their older girls are amazing and fun. I love being with people who are not high-strung. I love the phlegmatic personality type. I desperately need more phlegs in my life. They are a wonderful tempering element in my life and I thank God for phlegs. If you don't know what I'm talking about, have the patience to be tested and want to know more about personalities there's a test you can take....It's kind of fun. http://www.oneishy.com/personality/personality_test.php

Anyways, we talked about the Sunday service and Jeff really feels that the way we are doing church needs to change a bit. It's interesting because I've had this conversation with so many people who go to a variety of different churches and it seems to be a reoccuring theme. I just think that God is up to something. But what it will look like is a bit unclear for most of us. We are talking about perhaps hosting Rob Bell type meetings twice a month either in a bar or coffee shop focused around a topic and then having a once or twice a month Sunday service where people come together, learn to worship, take communion and enjoy that sort of fellowship together. Coffee and cookies have been a big hit since it was introduced in November. Anyways, we shall see. The main thought I had about church is that the goal is twofold - connect people with God and connect people with one another in a faith community. If this is being accomplished, I don't think the other things really matter....Do they?