The Three Little Pigs

This book is pretty significant for two reasons. First of all, it afforded me my first excursion with a Croatian that wasn’t on our team all by myself. It all began with a game night with our neighbors. They suggested Pictionary. It was all in Croatian, but this family speaks English. We thought that is would be a great opportunity to get together and learn more about Croatia.

During Pictionary is when I asked Ena to take me on an adventure to the local knjižnica (library) the following week. We decided to walk because it isn't far away from our street. She was such a great help in getting my library card and showing me the ropes. It isn't free like in the U.S. It costs around 50 Kuna (roughly 10 USD) per year and one kuna for each book that you check out. It was pretty difficult because the library had never had a non-Croatian apply for a card before, especially an American adult that was only going to be taking books from the children's wing. Ena is such a great friend to have. Later we went for coffee, just the two of us. All in all, we spent close to 3 hours together in an errand that could have been finished in 45 minutes. Hopefully we can continue our budding relationship with more Pictionary, trips to the library, and cappuccinos.

Secondly, this book was also a help in starting a new chapter in studying Croatian. Our language-learning has been a bit unconventional, but I seem to be understanding more and more svaki dan (everyday). The goal set by our team-leader is for 30 hours of language-learning activities each week. We are averaging well over that consistently. Each week we meet for Croatian class with our resident tutor, beautiful sister, and close friend, Ivana. On those days, we meet at our home for coffee and class time. Mix that with shopping, conversations with neighbors or shop keepers, watching Croatian TV, listening to Croatian radio, and church services in this new tongue. Now you have yourself a full time, over 30 hours per week language learning regimen.

As of late, God has found a way to work on multiple needs with one task. I have added a new reading hour to my weekly schedule. Ivana and I were talking one day when God delivered this idea of reading with her oldest son Jakov. Jakov is her happy, right brained, oldest of 3 brothers, first grader.

Now, Jakov and I get to meet one afternoon per week. After school, he comes over for a snack and one-on-one reading time. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. Jakov gets good reading time in. Tim gets a few hours to himself. I get some intensive language training. I get to read aloud with a native Croatian to help with pronunciation. I also get new vocabulary words. Plus, I get to enjoy acting like a kid while reading, drawing, and having plain old fun with my new buddy. This week was a big week, we finished Tri Praščići. In Croatian, the book is called Tri Praščići. It’s a familiar story worldwide. I knew the plot and characters pretty well. The Croatian is the only new part. The most recently version that I read featured three brothers named Florijan, Sebastijan, and Pablo. I realize most people over 10 years old wouldn’t waste their time, but for someone learning a new language it’s a great pick.

Jakov was super proud when we finished this book! Next week we begin Mali Vitez. I think it’s about a little knight or prince. Our goal is to read 5 different books. Once we complete the five, we have decided to make homemade brownies together that he can share with his family. He’s got a big sweet tooth, and brownies are just as delicious in any language!

Taco Četvrtak (Taco Thursday)

This week we had lots of drama in our lives. This drama didn't involve us misspeaking in Croatian or some other cultural blunder. We didn't even have to get out of our pjs for this week. It mostly revolved around the less popular water closet. Our house contracted some sort of stomach bug that resulted in a, let's just say, "less-than-glamorous week".

I (Rachel) had a pretty rough go 'round with this particular issue. This week consisted of a dance between the bedroom and bathroom for several days. Funny enough, all of our friends and family in the south were being held hostage in their homes for days on end due to insane ice and snow. Tim did a wonderful job of doctoring this week when he was feeling up to it. This guy kept us warm, fed (when possible), and very well medicated. The usual egg drop soup wasn't available as per our usual family remedy in the US; but we stayed well stocked in eletrolytes and broth thanks to Timmy.

Up until Wednesday night, the only things that I had successfully accomplished this week were church on Sunday, language class on Monday, and a few selfish cries to God for help. When Thursday morning rolled around, I was a brand new person. I felt relief. I felt myself. I even had a little pep in my step. God had given me down time. God had given me rest. God had given me a handsome doctor (Timmy) to love me back to health. God had answered my prayers, AGAIN! It's funny how your flesh can convince you that nothing else but you and your pain exists. I was free again.

Thursday is also the day that I began to realize that I was hungry like nobody's business. I was terrified to eat or drink more than broth and bananas until now. We went to the our pantry and discovered how God had yet again done a miracle. We just recently found taco shells in our local store here which was a major find for us. We have several packages of seasonings from the States. Thus began our Taco Četvrtak.

Thank you Valley Grove Baptist Church in Thomaston, GA!!! These guys sent us a huge package around Christmas with sweet cards, letters, washcloths, and beautifully shelled pecans (which aren't to be found here) and enough flavor to quiet Rachael Ray. Thank you for being willing to minister with us and to us all the way over here. You helped to feed a truly hungry couple. I know tacos aren't a usual go to meal after an ordeal like we had going on here, but it was the most wonderful comfort food to us.

We are back to our old selves again. Tim is currently driving to the capital to pick up our teammate Garret from his furlough in the US and I'm in-between church services this fine Sunday. Next week looks interesting and full of our Lord's promises!!

Picture This

It has been a super-long time since my last update of this blog. We’ve had such an adventure, and this rollercoaster-ride is just beginning. Hopefully you’ve been getting our updates via email or Facebook. If you took a picture of our lives right now, you might be surprised by what our life looks like. I know that I wouldn’t recognize the life that God has chosen to craft mine into. As we begin this New Year, the Harris family leads a life that is saturated, sprinkled, and shining with promise and opportunity. We are still adjusting to living Croatian-style, but it’s beginning to feel more and more like home.

Our main task is meeting for language-learning with our brilliant Croatian tutor Ivana. She usually comes over a little early for a chat and coffee before our lesson. We enjoy using the method we were taught during our training in Colorado. Tim is grasping the language quickly and naturally looks for opportunities to use it throughout our daily lives. I, on the other hand, am learning as well, but sometimes find myself more cautious. My confidence is increasing daily, while my vocabulary grows rapidly. The Holy Spirit is definitely at work as we rely on Him to be the Ultimate Communicator.

We also meet regularly with our teammates. We pray for each other and any other prayer needs that seem to be pressing on our hearts at the time. I love this time. It is especially unifying for our team. Also, it’s so humbling to hear the hearts of my friends and co-workers.

We just took down our Christmas decorations and have the house ready to live in for as long as God allows. We will need to find another place to live before May. Our landlord has sold this house, but our God is taking care of us. We have several positive possibilities for a new place to live, and He is showing His power throughout this situation.

All in all, we are moving forward. Daily life is becoming more of a routine. God has us in His hand. As long as we continue to dedicate each day to Him, and His work, we have no needs and most of our desires are covered as well. I plan to keep this blog current and would appreciate any questions, topic ideas, and accountability.

Praise God in EVERYTHING!!!

Life in Fast Forward

As we ready ourselves for church, we are running in a million directions. I've had to pack stuff up to go to storage for Atlanta. I've gotten our overnight bag packed. After church,we are trekking to GA and back before morning. We've been trying not to buy new food, but to eat what we've got in the frig because of our move starting on Monday. We have dinner and lunch plans for 2 different days next week. All the while we are house sitting for 2 different supporters between now and the 11th. I don't know where to start. Sometimes I don't know if we are coming or going. But in the midst of all this, I get little pats on the back from my Father and my hubby! Early this am, Tim goes for his usual run and alone time with the Lord. When he comes back in, after all the hustling around and trying not to forget any little detail, he's smiling. He is almost giddy. He's flirty and even a little skippy. You see our life is hectic, right now. Our life is changing and turning and growing into something unrecognizable...to us. Usually this would stress me out! I want control, balance, stability. Seeing Tim smile and hearing him sing to himself when he thinks no one is around is all just witnessing his faith. He sees only God in the drivers seat. He's resigned to do whatever is asked of him. His encouragement lifts me up on a day that I may need it. Tomorrow may be the day that I do this for him, but today he's bringing the Holy Spirit into whatever room he enters. This is how we can keep going. Does someone do that for you? Does God show up in the lives of those around you to propel you forward into a fresh new view of Him in your life? Today I am challenged to get filled up so that tomorrow, I can be in that position. I challenge you to do the same. Get so close to God that he shines through you.

His ways...Isaiah 55:8-9

Good Knight! It's been so long since our latest update on here. I should be ashamed of myself. I intend on doing a better job of utilizing this tool to display how Jesus is impacting our lives. Besides, who doesn't need to journal and get it all out from time to time?

We are now right in the middle of a lot, but who isn't? Today, I got to see how God is providing for us in a super fantastic way. We knew that the time was coming for us to get a new laptop. We have just been making due with the one that we have. It seems to get slower and slower, while new updated programs seem to get faster and cause my little Vaio to work harder.

It's tough now. We both are working from home on preparing for our overseas move. Without jobs, we were gonna need a miracle to be able to afford a new computer. We priced a few and did a little research, but didn't have the money just felt stinky about building up debt. Who knows, God has the power to keep this baby going until He provides another one. We thought that maybe we could try and save up some dough in the next few weeks, with massage and fix it projects, to get one. We even thought that we could wait until we were home on furlough after 2 years. We knew that buying one overseas was probably out of the question. We would have access to a limited selection and outrageous pricing in eastern Europe. I was sort of getting bummed. I knew that this laptop was gonna be my way of communicating with all of our supporters, friends, and FAMILY. I was getting bogged down pretty heavily just thinking of not being able to talk to my family, that I've always been so close to. I had started thinking that maybe God was gonna need me to focus on my work more and "wean" me off of them for a while. All these thoughts, feelings, and situations were pretty hard to face then today happened....

I got a call out of the blue. One of our supporters had heard of our need and God spoke to them. They are gonna give us a brand new laptop. They have already ordered and paid for it. They even paid for all of the software that we will need. They have no idea how big of a deal this is. First off, I know what a sacrifice it will be for them financially. Secondly, personally, it was God's way of speaking to me. He has actually been listening to my pleas, problems, tears, and sometimes whining.

This isn't an isolated case ya'll. He is working and listening and formulating fresh new ways to pop Himself into your lives too. Our God is the Father of logic, but He is also SUPERnatural. He does things His own way outside of how we see could are even possible to happen. His ways aren't our ways. His thoughts aren't our thoughts. If He didn't choose such an extraordinary way of meeting our need, we all would do a pretty poor job of exclaiming His greatness. He is our Savior, when no other conceivable way would work. Our God is big, audacious, worthy, and hungry for our attention! Thank you God for finding such extravagant ways of loving on us!

Why aren't you dead yet?

Our church just started a series with this title and it got me thinking. I know people who question the meaning of life, why we are here, what's the purpose, and whether God has a plan at all. I am here to tell you that God does have a plan and your life has meaning....true meaning. That's why you aren't dead yet. God hasn't fulfilled His plan in your life yet. I know that God has a significant role for each of us to play. He doesn't need any of us, but He chooses to use us if we are obedient and willing to be used for His Glory, not our own. If you're still breathing, it's because the best is yet to come. Your most significant contribution is still ahead of you. I challenge you to get in tune with God and discover your role in the plan. I love to play chess. Every piece has a purpose and role to play. Every piece is completely dependent on the other pieces and a "master" with enough foresight to formulate an attack that will be victorious.
God is our Chess Master. He knows all of the pieces intimately, and He knows how each can be best utilized.
He knows you intimately, which is appropriate since He created you!
He has chosen you. He created you specifically the way you are for a reason.
Surrender every decision to Him and see where He leads you.
I can tell you from experience that it will be much farther than you ever thought you could go!

A little update

We have been a little out of touch lately, but we haven't lost faith! We are proud to announce that we are currently @ 65%. We want to thank God for being faithful, even when it is tough! We are also happy to report another supporting church. They have agreed to support financially and with prayer...they are a new family!

Also, we want to thank the LadyBugs small group for the cookbook idea. They organized, created, & published a wonderful cookbook for this ministry. All proceeds go to our departure costs. Thank you for your hard work, your prayers, and the good food!

Vacation: we haven't had a normal vacation in a long time. We want to be good stewards, so we have saved some money for the trip. Please pray that we will have a good time of relaxing and rejuvenating our bodies and souls. Please pray that God will give us a fresh outlook on this vision.

Check out our website for recent prayer requests/needs.

Tim & Rachel