These are my friends David, Majka (Maria)and Liliana Phillips. David is a missionary with Campus Crusade for Christ and hails from Chicago. Maria is a Slovakian native. Lily is a beautiful combination of the two. I had the privilege of joining them in their flat for some dinner and fellowship recently.
My journey here in Slovakia continues to provide a unique opportunity for me to experience God in ways I’m not sure would be available to me in my homeland. Sometimes I think about what my life would look like if I had not come to Slovakia, what would I be doing? Most likely not too much about my life would be different now than it was 16 months ago. We are creatures of habit, routine and structure, us human beings. That’s true of me more than anyone I know. We find comfort in familiarity and predictability. We want to achieve productivity with what we do and then we like to look with pride on our accomplishments. We experience feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment when we use our brains and brawn to create something which is functional and fruitful. In many ways, these human tendencies help us to create a variety of good and beneficial results.

Too cute!

Had I not moved to Europe I probably would have continued to serve in a counseling ministry on some level. In addition, I was still enjoying my volunteer experiences as a mentor and friend to young people. Certainly, I feel as if those activities are a productive and fruitful endeavor no matter where you conduct them. However as I experience a whole new lifestyle and culture here in Slovakia, I have a new vantage point for which to look back on my life in Minnesota. As a result I have some new perspectives which are leading to opportunities for growth and a different way of living.
One of my inclinations is to question how the human tendencies of habit, routine and structure fit into God’s plan for my life. God is certainly the supreme designer of everything which operates in an ordered and organized fashion. However, is it possible that lifestyles rooted in routine and structure can interfere with the way that God has designed us live? These tendencies are not limited to how we act but also includes our internal, emotional make-up. Can I really become all that God has created me to be when I am seeking the comfortable places in life such as human acclamation, encouragement or admiration? I have learned that I can easily become dependant on being seen, noticed and acknowledged.

Another international table of food and fellowship. Starting at the bottom left we have Lenka(SK), Gloria(USA), Sara(Ireland), Me, Daniela(SK), Jana(SK) and Matt(USA).

Looking back I would say I became entrenched in many of these comfort zones and lost touch with God and the way He desires to move me into a deeper understanding of my real identity based on His intricate design of me. God constantly desires to weave new relationships and experiences into the story of my life. Sadly, all too often I allow my human tendencies to disrupt God’s plan by pursuing worldly experiences which help me to feel useful, well-liked and…comfortable. Naturally, there has to be some measure of routine and structure in our lives otherwise chaos and confusion would take over. However, the question is , in what ways have we unknowingly allowed these tendencies to take control of our lives and therefore prevent God from truly leading and directing us so that we are following Him rather than engaging in a lifestyle of self determination?

This is Michaelangelo helping out with some renovation projects.

I don’t believe that God is concerned with my comfort or level of success, even within the context of serving Him. There are no examples that I can find where the godly men and women of the bible attempted to lead comfortable lives or sought to be successful (at least the way we tend to define it). It seems to me God is far more concerned with my desires, specifically as it relates to my relationship with Him. I believe God is most pleased with my life when my desires center on being hidden away with Him in a trusting, intimate relationship where He can lead me into a deeper brokenness. At that point, in my weakness, God’s strength can be fully developed in me and then He can use me in whatever fashion He desires. I have been awakened to the sad reality that I have been far more devoted to my ideas of what I can and should do for Jesus rather than just desiring Jesus Himself. God may not be so concerned with our happiness and comfort in the external but thankfully God does provide an inner comfort to all of us whose primary desire is to enter into the quiet where the sacred romance can blossom. This is a journey which is far from over for me as I can still sense my inner desire to experience the familiar, comfortable experiences of the world as well as the limelight rather than the quiet, unknown and mysterious ways of God.

When I seek to wrestle with and understand the true plan and purpose for God’s creation, as well as the incredible significance of our existence, I quickly realize that only God can truly possess such amazing wisdom. Yet God Himself has implanted in me a desire to take part in the rich and mysterious purpose of the universe. Certainly the definition of this purpose is rooted in the glorification of God and the active demonstration of His unconditional love. But what is my part, my role? How do I engage in that endeavor in a way that truly honors God? Is it up to me, do I get to decide? If the answer to that is ‘yes’ then I must ask myself, what will all of my ideas and my plans and my efforts accomplish for the benefit of God and His kingdom? The answer, of course, is nothing. How can I remain free of the entanglements which come from my human tendency toward desiring a safe, comfortable and self determined existence? When I am honest with myself I can see at the heart of that desire the goal that I will emerge from my activities and efforts unscathed and filled with “happiness”?

The reality is life with God will not lead me into happiness, at least the way the world defines it. And life with God will not leave me unscathed because this type of life involves a warfare which is unseen although anything but unreal. So, if our ideas, plans and efforts are not inspired by God they will be extremely limited in their ability to bear any real fruit. How can I be assured that my ideas, plans and efforts will be God inspired and thus truly bear fruit?
I have been finding the answer to that question in the re-creation of my lifestyle here in SK. The main framework of this lifestyle centers on the daily striving for a steadfast hiddenness and solitude with God. The challenge of this endeavor has been one of the most difficult I have ever encountered and I feel as if I have only scratched the surface.

However, the fruit that I am seeing as a result of my efforts has inspired me to press forward into a deeper and more consistent life of intimate solitude with my Abba father. Our deepest desires for fulfillment and significance are found when God’s process of purification unfolds in the furnace of solitude and hiddenness. Prayer, fasting and a devouring of God’s word are the preoccupations of this hiddenness. The transition from years of habitual busyness, framed by routine and structure, to solitude and hiddenness with God is massively challenging. There is very little about our world and its experiences which are conducive to a true, quiet intimacy with God. However, despite what we have come to believe, this lifestyle is one which God meant for us to make the highest of priorities. Therefore it is a lifestyle which we can nurture and bring to fruition, regardless of our obstacles and limitations.

A very relevant question in this discussion, one which I have often struggled with, is how can we remain in that secret, hidden place with God? For me when I first began seriously attempting to enter into a sustained quiet with God I discovered how dependant I am on being engaged in busyness. It was nearly impossible for me to quiet my mind and my heart because I was thinking about how I could help others and the praise I would get for my efforts. When I attempt to separate from those experiences to simply soak in God's presence I easily begin to feel stressed and irrelevant due to the dependency. I then begin to question my value and significance as a person because if I cannot be productive then what am I worth?. The temptation then is to quickly re-engage into the busyness so that I can feel that old familiar comfort which is born out of feeling I am useful again. But this is not rooted in the truth and there can be no freedom in deception and delusions. The truth is the only way I can know for sure that I have true value, worth and significance is to learn to sit quietly at my fathers feet and allow Him, the one who made me, to lavish His love on me and show me who I am. (Many of these thoughts were inspired by the writings of Henri Nouwen).

Summer is a wonderful time in Slovakia! Most people take significant time off from work and travel with their families out of the city for various adventures around the country. Its amazing how empty this city of 450,000 feels during the summer months. For the people and tourists who remain in the city there is always something fun going on.

The old city is the place to be on a nice summers evening. This is in the main square right in front of the national opera theatre. There are car shows, live music concerts, dance competitions, street musicians, great food and lots more. I have seen many towns set up a movie screen and lawn chairs in the main square to create a drive in movie atmosphere. Slovak towns of any significant size have a main square where there are lots of flowers, fountains, memorials and monuments. Its a place where the people of the community gather to have conversation, food, drink and where the children can run and laugh.

One fine Saturday afternoon some friends and I decided to get out of the city ourselves and get back to nature for a day. The short journey included this ride on the barge across the river (Danube). We could have put the car on the barge but we would have had to wait quite awhile as there was dozens of cars waiting in line.

It was a fun little trip across the river and free.

Our desination was Small Rye Island. This is a fairly good sized island which gives you an idea how large the river is in this particular area. We walked about 3-4 miles just looking for a place to have a small picnic, which is nothing to Slovaks.

There were quite a few people on the island today and everyone had a different way to get here. This a real blast from the past. What better way to travel on a hot summer day?

Along side of me are my compadres Jan (alias Bobo), Petr, Josef, Janko and Josef.

This is the menu for the day. No, those are not cigars. Here we have an assortment of Klobasa (sausages) and Slanina (bacon) which is quite popular here. Being the carnivore that I am, this is a thing of beauty.

Lahodny obed (delicious lunch)! Everybody had there fill.

There is a small lake near by where I had the opportunity to take a swim, which was a fantastic treat. The temp's were into the 90's during this week and I have been missing the lakes of my homeland. A day near the water is a day well spent. Great guys, excellent food and super weather. It was a great day by the river.

One of the most popular activities for Slovaks in the summer months is wilderness camps. Some enjoy the real thing with tents, sleeping bags... But most prefer coming to a hotel in a beautiful area of the mountains for rest, relaxation and reconnecting with family and friends. This is the hotel Lomnista located in central Slovakia. There are 3 main ranges of mountains in this area. The Tatras, Matras and Fatras. This particular area is known as the Mala Fatras (mala meaning small). They are not foothills but also not full grown mountains.

Guests stay either in the hotel itself or in one of these "A" frame cabins. Many of these facilities were built by the communists and seem to have the same type of architecture and layout no matter which one you visit. Some places keep up the facility nicely others not so much. Without exception, each of these facilities is surrounded by the evidence of a beautiful creator.

I decided to spend a portion of one my days hiking up the largest hill in the area. As you can see the price of admission ( a little time and sweat) was well worth it. There are quite a few bears in the area and I was told to be careful. That's why I got a little nervous when...

...I came across this large cave. At the risk of having a bear come charging out at me I decided to investigate the site and get a good picture.

Uzasny! (Awesome or awe inspiring).

A birds eye view of the camp.

This particular camp was a family camp as you can see by the puppet show. I had friends there who invited me to stay for a couple days. Any chance to get out of the city, meet new people and enter into the quiet of nature is a good thing.

Welcome to Vienna, Austria. My Slovak friends Natalie and Barbara are singing in a professional choir in Bratislava. Their choir was hired on to perform with this Opera production in an outdoor venue in the city. It was a beautiful night for love, passion, betrayal and a large opera singer dying as she sings her last breath (the basic ingredients to your typical Italian opera).

Here are the 2 singing sensations now. This was a very special event for them and they were excited that I came to watch them perform. Isnt it every little girls dream to dress up in a frilly costume and stand on a stage singing? Natalie (left) was the first Slovak I ever met when I came to Slovakia in February, 2005. She has been a great friend and has helped me with countless details of acclimation and information. Barbara (I call her sweet tooth) is Natalie's little sister.

If you look really closely you can see there is a full orchestra right in front of the stage. I think that is my favorite part of any opera, the music. The synthesis that occurs when all these musicians work together produces something very special.
It is a beautiful type of artistry which is hundreds of years in the making.

In some of the earlier stories on the blog I have spoken about the cultural tendency of Slovak families to have a cottage out away from the city somewhere. The main activity at these cottages is growing produce. This is my visit to the cottage of my dear friends the Haspra's. They live in a middle sized town 2 hours north of Bratislava called Previedza. This cottage, which they have had for 18 years, is only 20 minutes out of town.

Here, Grandpa Haspra gives me the full tour. What a character he is. I could only understand a little of what he was saying and still He had me laughing the whole time I was there.

The loft serves as the sleeping area. The wood structure of this cottage reminded me of the cabins built in northern Minnesota. There were quite a few cottages in the vacinity and all of them had spectacular gardens.

What a lovely day in the garden with my friends the Haspra's. Peter (center) I originally met on that first trip in 2005. Sister Kristina was at home studying today. Earlier we had been to the family flat and mama cooked up a batch of Halusky for everyone. Haulsky is probably the quintessential Slovak dish which consists of small dumplings (pea sized) which are smothered in goat milk/cheese and topped with chunks of bacon. Vyborne! (excellent) The garden all around the cottage included apple and peach trees, strawberry's, rasberry's, corn, peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, grapes, lots of flowers and I'm sure many other things I did not see.

This past weekend I went for another journey into the Slovak countryside. This time to a Hotel and resort called Polana which means a clearing in the forest. This is not far from the other place I visited so we're still in the Mala Fatra's here. The church I attend has an annual rereat here where 25-30 families gather for fellowship, relaxation and learning. The topic this week is The Mystery of Family presented by the senior pastor.

As is usually the case, I have a room with a view. Fortunately I was on the top floor because the beauty in this area is something to behold. The cool, clean mountain air was a welcome change from the city. The daily schedule is to hear the teaching of the day after breakfast and then gather in our small groups to discuss the teaching. After lunch, its free time until dinner and evening program. Activities available include hiking, biking, tennis, a form of bowling, billiards, darts, swimming, sauna, massage and short trips around the area to see special attractions.

This is the D'ettorres family. They hail from Ohio and have been here in Slovakia almost as long as I have. Meet Victor and Darla and their children Dominick and Ana. I am becoming fast friends with these lovely people who are hear as teachers and missionaries serving at the C.S. Lewis school which I have spoke about before. They too were at the church camp where I had the opportunity to get to know them much better. This photo is from last week when I was graciously invited to go to their home for dinner.

At the morning teaching sessions the 3 Americans sat in the back so a translator could keep us in the loop without distracting too many other people. My language skills are coming along although there can be no expectation at this point that I could follow a highly intellectual speaker who is using the full capacity of his vocabulary. Our translator said the teaching will be difficult for many native speakers to grasp. So, as much as I would like to be at that level...patience, effort and more patience.

There were lots of places to go hiking after the meetings. This is a dam where several mountain streams congregate. We also heard that there an interesting cave to experience about 1 hour away by car so about 20 of us took the journey. I rode with a Slovak family to the cave to get to know them better and practice my Slovak. And then rode with the D'ettorres on the way home to continue learning more about them. Its a funny thing that children do new languages much better than adults and so both the Slovak and American children are constantly helping to translate for their parents.

The Bystrianska Jaskyna (cave) is situated in the Nizke Tatry (Low Tatras). There is an abundance of stalactites and stalagmites in the cave which was discovered in 1941. Part of the cave has been used for years as a medical treatment for children suffering from respitory diseases which is called Speleotherapy. The entry fee was about $3.50 and photos cost extra.

Outside the cave we had more time to talk and hike around.

The kids really enjoyed the cave. We also had a fun time of running and rough-housing in the woods after our cave tour. Another fantastic 2 weeks has flown by here in Slovakia. The supreme author continues to pen an amazing story here as I try to walk obediantly in the role He has graciously given to me.