It's raining, men

This rainy morning, I boarded the 6:35 bus for Diósd--a bus 25 minutes earlier than my normal one--and promptly noticed two things. First, the bus driver was exceptionally polite as I greeted him ( "Jó reggelt") and second, the bus was full of men. I do not exaggerate. Most volán buszes headed out of the city in the morning have several empty seats, since most commuter traffic is going into Budapest. This bus was full, and every passenger was male.

That would explain the excessive chivalry from the bus driver as this lone, shivering woman clamored aboard and will come in handy later.

I felt a bit uneasy for a little while as passengers near me started to stare, but then I got into a good (silent) conversation with God and was distracted. Then, when the bus stop at which I had to disembark because of my cheaper bus pass arrived, the driver continued on. He drove across the highway overpass and dropped me off much closer to ICSB. What a gift! That walk across the M0 can be nice, but the wind and rain of this particular morning would have made it miserable.

As I climbed off the bus, my mp3 player switched from more worshipful music to the ever-so-slightly offensive 1982 classic, "It's Raining Men". The quick walk from the testosterone-filled bus through the rain to school had me laughing all the way.

Not only did God keep me perfectly safe in an awkward situation, He has a serious sense of humor.

Today, This Weekend, and Next Week

Here is a quick summary before I head off to a retreat:

First, all through this week and today, I've had some added responsibilities at the International Christian School of Budapest. The chance to speak in the high school chapel on Wednesday was quite an honor, and I enjoyed sharing about the faithfulness of God (Psalm 30). This morning, I had the second teaching evaluation by my administrator; it went quite well. I'm so glad that everyone here is interested in the betterment of the students, the teachers, and the school. Feedback is helpful and encouraging!

This weekend, my English Home Fellowship group from Golgota is headed to Mátrakeresztes, a village in the Hungarian mountains, for a retreat. We'll be hiking, resting, eating, and studying God's Word together. I'm really looking forward to it! Photos from the weekend are rather unlikely, though, because my camera is currently missing...

Finally, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mark the culmination of two years of reaccreditation work here at ICSB! The team from the Association of Christian Schools International and Middle States will be here for a site visit. They will observe our school, evaluate our self-report, and have important interviews with families and staff. We are all very excited and a bit exhausted.

Through all the daily life and special events, God is truly faithful as a loving Creator, Savior, Lord, and Friend. I can't help but give thanks!

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever. Psalm 30:11-12

Rolling in the aisles with Romeo and Juliet

It is true that Romeo and Juliet is a tragic love story, but the first act's exposition has some hilarious moments. Today in ninth grade English class, we had a good time.

I won't bore--or entertain, depending on the perspective-- you with the building plot of this Shakespearean play, but in case it's been a while since high school English I'll summarize. At the end of Act I, Romeo and Juliet meet at a party. They are instantly attracted to/in love with each other. Romeo compares himself to a lowly pilgrim approaching a sacred shrine or saint and, through, the metaphor, suggests kissing. Juliet demurely but slyly lets him kiss her a second time. They are then eternally in love. Yes, yes, I know it is fiction.

As my freshmen were packing up their books, they discussed the day's reading. Basically, they thought Romeo was a stud for getting Juliet to fall for his lines. Girls--to my surprise--were actually lamenting the lack of Romeos around. The best response, though, was from one bright young lady. She said, "Why don't people flirt in metaphors anymore? It works so well, and you can see who the smart guys are."

I've been grinning for the rest of the day.

ICSB in the News

The following article appeared on the Budapest Times website yesterday. Our director, David Welsh, is quoted throughout the beginning of the piece. The story might also give you an idea of the international scope of our city.

http://www.budapesttimes.hu/content/view/11182/219/