by Andrea Booth,
friend of CA in Aix en Provence

Today as I walked through the streets of Sopron, the old stomping grounds of brilliant musicians Franz Liszt and Joseph Haydn, I found myself in a historical paradise. We were given an excellent tour by a Hungarian teacher named Istvan.
We learned all about the city’s thriving dental industry, as apparently people come streaming in from the West to get their teeth checked here for a bargain. The local wine is called “Blue-Frankish wine” because once upon a time when Napoleon invaded, his soldiers were keen on purchasing the local wine with their “blue Franks.”

After strolling through the medieval streets of downtown Sopron we headed towards the Esterhazy Palace. At the palace we were serenaded by a live Orchestra. It doesn’t get much better than this.

Istvan insisted that Hungarian was relatively easy to learn and could be, after all, mastered in a mere 15-20 years. I was struck by Istvan’s comment, particularly after Hud’s talk on “Shortcuts that Cause Erosion.” Fifteen years seems like an eternity to most of us. We are so prone to shortcuts.

As we looked at the beautiful Baroque and Rococo architecture that graces the steeples and facades of Sopron, I wondered how many hours/days/weeks went into carving these works of art that have shaped the city’s legacy.

What would the city look like today if the builders had taken shortcuts? What if, after the 1676 fire ravaged the city, the architects hadn’t bothered to restore what had been destroyed?

If we viewed our lives like the city of Sopron, we might see that when trials consume our works of excellence like flames engulf a city, we are faced with the reality that our works are not eternal. Yet God reminded me today that the hard work and discipline never ends. That we cannot give up. That when the things we build (relationships, communities, churches, or even careers) inevitably face erosion, we are called to maintain them, nurture them, and love them for God’s glory no matter how many times we need to start again from scratch.

Interact with Andrea about her article by emailing her at andreacbooth [at] gmail [dot] com