Bouquet of Virtue

I have always loved a good story. But to me, a European story is the best story. Somehow, everything always seems more beautiful. The heroine is always more beautiful, her hero is always more handsome, the food always looks tastier, the sun always looks warmer, and there is always violin music playing in the background. Even the difficulties of the main characters always seem less, well... difficult.

I don't think that before moving here I expected my life to turn into a European movie. But somewhere along the line maybe I wondered if things really were better in Europe. Having lived here for a bit now, I can tell you a few things: the food really is tastier! You know in the movies when friends or family get together for a meal and the table is heavy with all sorts of delicious looking cuisine? That really happens here...and the food really is presented with such care as to make it look even better! One of my personal favourites (and a Czech national dish) is Knedlo vepřo zelo (dumplings, pork and sauerkraut). "REALLY!?" you say. Now, before you toss my credibility out the window, you will need to try it sometime. It truly is amazing. In fact, I almost can't write about it anymore because my mouth is watering too much.

Another thing I can tell you is that while the sun (at least where we live) is not warmer...the sunrises are more beautiful. I cannot even begin to be able to compare the beauty of watching the sun rise over the tops of these rolling hills with any North American sunrise I have seen. Understandably though, a sunrise is an intensely personal affair and I would not disallow you the right to contradict me on this one.

As for the heroine and the hero... What do they really look like in Europe? They still wake up with bad breath (well, maybe just our hero does). In order so they don't get fat, (due to all the good food, of course) they need to exercise more. They don't hear soft music playing while they stroll through the fruit market. They are late. They are impatient. They disappoint people. They fight with each other, and they are sometimes too hard on their kids.

The truth is, we love our life here. We love this town, we love the people, and we love our God who sent us here. But it doesn't come without stress. If you were to pick a different flower for each of the lessons and virtues that God is teaching us, you would have a stunning bouquet. And the plot line would unfold something like this:

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self control, perseverance and in your perseverance godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:5-8 (New American Standard)

If you are wondering what life is like here, or what God is doing personally in our lives, this Scripture sums it up. In the midst of all the hidden stress we struggle through, the joys we celebrate, the faith we cling to and the daily failures we succumb to...you have the story of two servants (not a hero or heroine) who are seeking for God to add to our faith...

Moral Excellence

Knowledge

Self Control

Perseverance

Godliness

Brotherly Kindness

and Love

Please pray for us that we would apply all diligence to this work.