Language Learning... in as few words as possible

Language learning can seem like a long and tedious process...

Language learning can get your tongue all tied up or your mouth twisted into seeminly unnatural contortions.

Му, го, ги, што?

Language Learning can make you feel like you're "doing hard time" in a prision of frustration and ambiguity...

"Hey! Where's my 'get out of jail free' card?!"

Language Learning can make your head feel like it's going to explode!

"Ќе ме пукене главата!"

Language Learning can have you putting the wrong things in the wrong places... many many mistakes which can become the fodder for funny stories (though many unshareable as you stumble across certain "words")....

"The direct, indirect, huh? goes where?"

Language Learning can seem at times to be moving along quite smoothly.... only to find you're going the wrong way...

But then there are those bright shiny moments of hope admist the seemingly never-ending darkness of Language Learning....

...Like when you go to the "Нотар" (pronounced "Notar" not "hotap") and can honestly answer "yes" when they ask if you understand the contract you just signed....

...of course it's not advisable to follow up that moment of triumph by demonstrating your language prowess like I did by saying, "Еден убав сончез ден, ќе разбирам се... но денеска не е донот за мене." Translation: "One bright sun-shiney day, I will understand everything... but today is not that day."

...Yet, the rays of that bright sun-shiney day of the future do extend to the here and now when you realize that you're able to share tangible hope with someone who is going through an extemely difficult time... in their own heart-language.

A moment just like that came for me just this past week as I was able to share with a dear lady, who has lost so much in this past year, hope from God's word and in her own language. How exciting to see the embers of hope growing within her as she shared with me a verse from the Bible that has really touched her heart... "Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you." ... and I was able to understand her thanks to Learning the Language.

That kind of fruit makes all the labor worth while.

This post is lovingly dedicated to my colleagues around the world who are in various stages of the journey towards that bright sun-shiney day. Please pray for us all as we journey along the curvy road that is Language Learning.

PS and please forgive me all the blatant uses of cliches and mixed-metaphors. ;)