Is it raining in there? It's raining out here, too. --Winnie the Pooh

Today is gloomy, windy and rainy.  And possibly the end of the world. 

What more reason to be thankful for a fall filled with blessings. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the last few months.

September

  

October

November

What? I'm back in MA?

Echoing my friend Monica's last post that was titled "What? That just happened?" I've been home for a week and still feeling whiplash from the last three weeks in France.

After working and feeling blessed by about a million little and big conversations at the language school I was thrown into my last position as a counselor at camp TED head first.

I wrote this blog during TED but neglected to post it, here goes:

I have to be honest; it was hard to switch into my final role as camp counselor. Over the course of this internship, I’ve had the chance to occupy the role of houseguest, intern, work group member and dinner guest. Staying with three different French families made me helpless to my own schedule—I didn’t know when I would eat, go out or have time to myself. This was definitely a chance to practice being patient with others and myself, by the third home, I was anxious to have my own room and space at the language school.

At the school, being a part of the work group was easy. We hung out with Thierry and Phillip, and completed light manual labor. Each night we were dinner guests, at either a french family or a missionary home, an awesome opportunity to meet people and hear their stories.

One of the families I loved meeting with were the Kroners. They are at the language school to learn French to head to the country of Chad. I remember sitting in their living room hearing about how God pulled them to consider missions, and then showed them that He wanted them to move to Chad. Listening to Mrs. Kroner I could see how much care they're taking while living out their call to missions. Each step is taken in faith, bathed in prayer and with the utmost attention on the welfare of their boys. I liked listening to them and hearing about their heart for God as a family.

The day we traveled up the road to Champfleuri was full of anticipation. Over the past two years Monica and I have come to see Champfleuri as basically the best place on earth. We've met God here in various ways, and we were excited to see God move again this year.

I thought being a camp counselor would be the easiest of all my roles this internship, because it’s a role I already know how to do, and in some ways I can see that it is easier. Compared with other years, I am not as intimidated by the French kids. Usually the first day when they all arrive fills me with excitement and fear—they are “other” and I am the norm. But for the past four weeks I’ve been the outsider in a foreign land, so when I saw them arrive it was natural—of course there are French kids: I’m in France!

However getting used to the hectic pace of camp life and be a good counselor has taken a toll on me and the other two interns. We’ve been learning to trust each other and get along in a new environment. It has definitely been harder than we imagined.

[Editors note: looking back, its probably good I didn't end up blogging during TED--I think my posts would have been mostly me complaining about being tired...]

Let me tell you what it’s like to work at an English learning French Camp.

Mornings include a prayer meeting, breakfast, small groups and a big talk. During mealtimes it’s the counselor’s job to sit amongst the French campers and get them to speak English. Breakfast is definitely the hardest meal to facilitate conversation because the kids are tired and don’t want to speak English. When I woke up today, I wanted to fall right back asleep. Every evening after the kids go to bed the counselors have a meeting called the “Cinqieme” or the fifth meal of the day. During the Cinquieme we debrief about the day, have some food, and prep for the next day. Last night’s meeting was long, so I didn’t get to bed until 12:00. [See what I mean?!]

Monica and I were definitely not disappointed in one way: we met God again, we saw Him really run this camp, and we were awe struck that we could be a part of it all.

Kids wanted to talk about God. Everyone was singing the songs. There were hardly any discipline issues. Everyone was happy to be together and there were very few cliques. It was definitely a mountain top time for many people, and now that its over, I know we're all sad TED is over.

As I'm back in the swing of life at home, I'm trying to remember the great and small ways I saw God work over the past two weeks and thank Him for it all. Its hard being at home. It's hard to discover what's 'normal' now. More on this in my next post.

this week

Mount Blanc
Beautiful medieval city of Conflans
Amazing View!

Wrote this blog entry progressively over the week:

Monday marked the third week I've spent in France and commenced a three day stint of painting and cleaning at the language school. Living here has given me the opportunity to spend time with missionaries--an amazing experience I encourage everyone to seek out. Most of the missionaries I've met have easily shared with us their testimonies, their homes and their lives to us three inquisitive interns. Meeting these people has given me a lot to think about, and when I have a lot to think about, I make a list. So here is a list of observations upon meeting missionaries:

1. They are regular people who trust God, and let Him have the first place in their lives. Missionaries aren't more spiritually gifted than anyone else--they just choose to listen to God's promptings in their lives to "Go," and they try hard to be faithful to His call. This amazes me.

2. The people I've met sacrifice the status quo for the Kingdom of Heaven. They try to look to the greater cosmic consequences of their actions--the furthering of God's Word in a world that continually rejects Him. Families leave the comfort of family and singles leave the possibility of comfortable married life for Christ--because His way is better than life. This challenges me.

3. The people I've met practice humility and selflessness. Thierry said to us the other day that doing missions means you are concerned with loving people, this is a lesson he has learned again and again doing mission trips to Nepal. I got the same response when I asked Thierry how he feels about foreign/American missionaries coming to France-- are you offended by their different cultures? His response simply that you have to love people, you have to want to share the gospel with them--and the gospel is entirely cross-cultural. It speaks through our cultural insensitivity-- there is power when we go in God's name out of love for His people. This fact gives me hope, and increases my often weak faith.

Each day after lunch Monica, Mike, Phil, and I spent time together doing a devotion or asking Thierry questions about missions. This was such a valuable time.

Now, I'm at champfleuri! Camp Totally English Days (TED) starts tomorrow, and all the counselors just finished our day long meeting. It was the easiest meeting I think I've sat in on (this is my third year as a counselor at TED) but I'm definitely feeling the stress of adjusting to a new environment all over again--something I've had to do a lot of this internship.

So camp starts tomorrow-- Prayers would be appreciated for the American campers who are trying to be intentional christians during their time at the camp and the French youth that are coming that don't know Christ or are struggling to believe. ALSO prayers for the counselors that we can gel as a group and work together.

Monica, Mike and I are all excited to be here, but definitely feeling run-down--emotionally and physically, so I would also appreciate prayers for us as we could rely on each other as a team and not take out our stress on each other, you know?

More updates coming as soon as I can find another moment to sit down!

too long, too much!

Hello, world!

Last time I posted was a week ago, but it seems much farther away. Since last week I have biked, hiked, toured Paris, moved to the language school in Albertville, and started work on a new project: refinishing a small apartment also at the language school.

I have so much to post about, but first a few pictures.

Champs-Élysées!

McDonald on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, we were shocked at the pastry selection!

Monica and I, and the Seine.

Tomorrow

...marks two full weeks of France, and I will honor this special occasion with a list! I love lists!

My top 5 favorite "French phrases" I’ve heard in the past two weeks:

5. "Brosse le dents!"

Usually shouted by a Mom to her kids. Definitely the most popular phrase I’ve heard. I literally just heard while I wrote that sentence. It’s also kinda beautiful, it is truly onomatopoeic, similar to it’s English translation—“Brush your teeth!”

4. "Doucement!"

While it means “Slowly!” it’s used in a variety of contexts. my favorite being in the Mirone household. I heard Valerie use this word a lot to Jonathan and Lucas, especially when they were emptying the dishwasher.

3. "Alors…"

Natalie murmurs this to herself when thinking of what to do next in the kitchen or when we were working on the spare apartment. She uses the soft and guttural French ‘r’ in a way I cannot come close to mimicking. This word stumps me, but it’s one of my favorite things to hear.

2. "Would you like a café?"

This phrase is wonderful. This phrase is full of expectancy and hope. I actually cannot remember being asked this in French, but I’m in France, and its definitely one of my favorite things to hear.

1. "Où est le chat?"

Silas likes cats, and so whenever there’s a cat around, Thierry will ask Silas, in an high pitched voice, “Where is the cat?” and then Silas’ big blue eyes will grow wide as he searches. It’s adorable.

I’ve been spending a lot of quality time time with people the past two weeks. I’ve had the chance to have deep conversations over delicious meals, hear life stories and joke around. This has been balanced with a lots of time reading and writing. The past two weeks have been so formational for me, even though looking at my schedule, I didn’t physically do very much. I know God has been teaching me, and revealing things to me I needed to see.

Monica described this very well yesterday (over espressos, fruit tiramisu and chocolate cake)—this internship is a time where all the normal distractions (school, friends, family) are no longer there, so we have time to examine otherthings (calling, purpose, our walk with God) with a new lens. For me, I’ve been seriously examining where I am right now, the blessings I’ve been given and what that means for the next step of my life.

I realized today while driving through the valley to Champfleuri with Thierry, whatever happens next will be scary. Graduating college is the next inevitable life step, and even the “safe” option: living and working near home, is still a risk. Nothing is for certain. Every moment is a risk, and the question I need to answer is—who/what am I taking a risk for? Myself and my personal gain or Christ and the hope I daily find in his death and glorious resurrection? The only real certainties are those found in Christ, and the promises in His word. There is no other life giving choice than to follow His lead—wherever that may take me.

Life is full of choices.

Anyway, that's enough philosophizing for tonight. I’m going to squeeze some reading in tonight before I sleep— enjoy the pictures below!

Bonne Nuit!

Crazy, right?! I have never seen a more gorgeous rainbow!

I took a walk by myself on Saturday, and amazingly it was the only time that day when it was not raining. There are tons of these little poppies everywhere, and each time I see them I think of Monet.

The view out the Ageron's bathroom window--it's a valley. What what?!

Evening "pic-nic" at the lake

Living

Last night I wrote this, but the internet wasn’t cooperating—

The past week, I was working with Thierry and living with his family. This was a great way to ease into being in France, they made me feel so welcome in their home. I had my own room, set of towels, and every morning for coffee used a faded “FBC Reading mug.” At mealtimes they always translated for me what they were laughing about, and Valerie is a great cook so I was fed delicious food every day. The menu included: roasted vegetables, homemade bread and on one occasion a delicious fruit tiramisu—mom, research this. While living with them I was able to help by watching their 8 month old son Silas, a smily happy baby. When I went to pick him up from his crib today, he smiled at me—probably recognizing me as “that girl who fed me once and makes funny sounds.” He is one reason I was sad to leave them today.

Another reason is that I’ve finally learned my way around their kitchen, and this morning I spent a few hours just sitting and talking with Thierry and Valerie while I slowly munched on breakfast bread. And today at lunch, my last meal at their house, Thierry told me Silas had his first piece of bread yesterday, I jokingly asked if it was a grand occasion for every French citizen, and Thierry and Valerie laughed, “yes” they said, “like an American’s first donut!” touché.

The Mirones are a great family because they are dedicated to reaching people for Christ. I liked living in their home because I could see how they daily juggle family and missions work. I learned that when balancing the two, a constant desire to serve God and serve family has to be reached, without one overtaking the other for very long. Both of these callings—to missions work and family—need to be met with love and concern for honoring God with the whole of a persons life. This is one of the lessons I take from living and talking and laughing with the Mirones.

Today, after picking up Monica at the airport, I started in my first stint living with a French family, the Lorcerys. I’ve only been here a few hours, but I can already tell that there will be much less translating, and much more trying to remember the French I learned my Freshman year. There are three girls, and one is coming back with me to America to be an intern at my church. We met over the weekend, so we got the initial “I don’t know you, but I know I need to get to know you so let’s just smile at eachother” awkwardness all over, phweph. So today we spent a few hours chatting as we ate ice cream and then made dinner together.

When she asked me if I would like pizza for dinner, I said yes—but I was slightly disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, I love pizza, but it’s a standard meal in every American household, and not very French in my mind. Besides, my friends the Todds make the best homemade pizza on the planet, and really—everything else pales in comparison.

But as we chopped up three zucchinis, a carton of mushrooms, four tomatoes, and a giant green pepper—I realized this was no standard American pizza. Marie then lined a large pastry tin with wax paper, and proceeded to throw all the vegetables into the pastry and cover it with small pieces of ham and cheese. Then it went into the oven for about fifteen minuets, and poof—Pizza! My disappointment was unnecessary, it was an true French experience, and really delicious.

Now—I write this sitting in the Lorcery’s kitchen. I have yet to exactly pin it down, but I think a kitchen, more than any other room, can describe a family the best. So I will try to describe their kitchen.

First, some background on the house—it was converted from a carpentry (or ‘place where they used to cut wood’) barn into a beautiful modern home with lots of exposed wood. The father (I forget his name) is an architect and the mother (Natalie) an artist—and they built the house themselves. Last night Natalie told me that they used to live in a old house in the neighboring village that was dark and right next to the road. They didn’t like it, so they looked for something else and prayed over a new home and then this property became available.

The coolest thing about their house is that it’s entirely open. The kitchen is in the center, and giant wooden stairs at one end lead to the open second floor with a desk, television, and couch. The bedrooms are off of the second floor, and the attic (where I’m sleeping, don’t worry, there’s a window!) is in the middle of the landing where the three girls have their bedrooms. So the kitchen is the focal point of the whole house, architecturally and literally. I home I’m not breaking any unspoken cultural rules by sitting at the island and typing away, but the Wi-Fi works the best here.

So, the Kitchen—The giant island with stools is bright lime green. The kitchen drawers are bright orange and the refrigerator/oven/espresso maker in the wall (whaat??? Yes. You read that sentence correctly) is gray. There is a giant wooden cutting board, a touch-screen stove top, and just cool kitchen accessories lying around. The coolest of which is an orchid.

This morning I talked with Natalie while she made me toast and taught me how to use the espresso maker, and then I helped her with some housework. I truly believe God’s giving me the courage I need to converse with the little French I know. Natalie speaks very good English, and Marie is learning quickly, but the rest of the family speaks little to none.

I read this morning from Philippians about being in chains for Christ, and how Paul surrendered his entire life for Christ’s gain. For him to live or die is a little issue, but working for God’s glory matters greatly. I’m holding onto this today and treasuring these words.

Prayers for continued courage and reliance on God are much appreciated!