I wish I could say that we were spending Liz’s birthday in Paris, but alas no… we’re far from being well dressed and enjoying a dinner cruise on the Seine as we were when this photo was taken a few years ago. I’m in dirty, smelly clothes & surrounded by some 30 animals while she is in town with the kids… at least for this morning.

As you perhaps guessed it… I’m back on the farm this week. If you’re new to the blog then you’ll find “the dirt” on the farm (pardon the pun) here.

Hat’s off to an incredible lady!

I remember being in absolute awe of her the first time I watched her go through childbirth (Sophie came via emergency c-section, so I couldn’t be present), and I’ve had a similar thoughts about her these past several months. There has been significant uncertainty about the continuation of our time here – valid reasons to stay, valid considerations that would warrant leaving – yet through it all, she remains incredible!

I told someone recently that the longer we’re together, the more I admire her and see the gift that God has given me in her. There is value in longevity that will never be experienced if the process is cut short early on.

Team Meeting & Future

Thursday Bro. & Sis. Nowacki were down, along with Bro. Brochu, for an important team meeting about the work here in Châtellerault. One of the other key families in the church may have to move due to a job situation and we ourselves are AIMers, which by definition, typically means “short term” although to date we haven’t operated as “short-termers”.

We’ve applied for associate missionary status (suggesting a longer term commitment) and there are considerations with the boys’ schooling that we’d rather not disrupt but there are other questions that muddy the waters somewhat…

School-Daze

Speaking of schooling… ’tis the season in France for school open-houses, where they essentially court potential students. School-children begin orienting themselves toward a career in 9th grade, so they choose a high-school not according to where they live, but to their decided career path:

• Will they pursue higher education?
  … high school X.
• Will they pursue optometry?
  … high school Y.
• Will they pursue sales & marketing?
  … high school Z.
• Will they pursue a technical or manual career?
  … high school A, B, or C.

So… this week Dominic spent an afternoon at one school. Today he is visiting two more and next Saturday… yet another. Call me crazy, but 14 years-old, for most kids, is pretty young to be choosing your life’s work!

(re. photo of Dominic: THIS is what happens when you find random selfies of other people on your phone!  🙂 )

Farm life

So this week I’ve been back to the farm, animal-sitting. There’s been more running than before (teaching at the University, Dominic’s school stuff, etc.) so a little less relaxing than normal, but still… I get daily nuzzles from a Donkey, fresh eggs some homemade quince jelly and lots of quiet!

This week a huge wind-storm passed through the area & I came home Monday to a small tree down on the telephone wires (no breakage fortunately). Here’s a bit of what it looked & sounded like.

 

 

Finally…

• Thank you for stopping by today… let what you read inform your prayers for us and for France.
• If you would like to help spread the word about my book (a fundraising effort for our work in France),
  • Click here for more info.
  • Click here to connect on Facebook. 
  • Click here to pre-order your copy.
    – eBooks available for pre-order.
    – Hard copies will be available for order March 31
• This Monday will be another Short Term Missions Monday. I’ll talk about communication that can help get your short term missions project & related funding off the ground. Click here to read that post.

God bless you today!

 

 

 

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