Not a week goes by that we couldn’t sing the high praises of the girl in today’s feature pic. She keeps a number of plates in the air at any given time – admirably so. But this week may have taken the cake…

A houseful of SICK!

Just over a week ago, Sophie came down with a cold that knocked the wind out of her sails on Friday (although she went to school like a trooper) and most of the weekend. By late Sunday night I was beginning to feel it coming on as well.

I taught on Monday & Tuesday mornings but spent the afternoon, Tuesday in bed, curtains pulled and had a good long nap. By this time Liz & Timo were feeling it as well and Timo stayed home from school on Wednesday & Thursday. Dominic was spared most of the week but I’m not convinced that he won’t get it too.

Not really feeling like eating much… or even having coffee (stop the presses!!) we in stead went through about 750g (1.5lbs) of honey with hot water and lemon. It was one way to taste some of the various French honeys that are so abundant here.

Supermom

As you know… it’s hard to keep a good mom down and Liz is certainly that!

Before she got sick, she’d rented a shampooer to attack the chairs at church. Even as it became clear that she was feeling lousy, and so as to not let the investment go to waste, she spent some 25hours at the church this week, giving them the once over. As you can see, they were due for a good cleaning and it made a good difference.

Afterwards, at home, she made sure that those that were feeling well enough to eat had something to fill their tanks.

She’s incredible!

UPCI General Conference

This week saw about 8,000 ministers & wives gather in Louisville, KY for the annual General Conference for our church.

In years past I’ve made the effort to stay up and watch some of the livestreamed services, as a way to stay connected to what’s happening in the churches back home and hear some of the most impactful preaching that is setting the direction of our movement.

Given the 6hr time difference though (1:00am start to evening services), and more importantly this darn lousy cold that’s holding on… I erred on the side of healthy caution and will try to catch some of the services if they’re made available elsewhere.

High-points

In the midst of all the sick though, there were some high points that we give the Lord glory for and for which we are thankful:

1. Last Sunday we celebrated the 1 year anniversary of Ghislain & Annie attending our church. They walked in, for the first time, on their wedding anniversary one year ago and have been incredibly faithful ever since. They’re a blessing!
   
   
2. Sunday afternoon we visited with our most faithful non-attending saint… Jeannette. She’s confined to a nursing home now but is so, so faithful – an example of Christ-like-ness.
   
   
3. Thursday I was having coffee with my friend Bruno, who let down the veil about some health challenges that he was facing. It was a chance to witness to him about a prayer-hearing and a prayer-answering God.
   
   
4. Sophie’s closest friend at school told her that, while she’d generally had a negative view of Christians (whom she saw as people that claimed Christianity but whose life REALLY didn’t match the description), Sophie really gave her a good example of what she thought a Christian should be like. That was HUGE for Soph!

Here’s the Takeaway…

Even in the midst of “sick”, as we continue to walk step by step, doing our best to honour God, it can have an impact on the people in our immediate sphere of influence.

I think that kind of comes close to New Testament Christianity… simply trying to live as changed individuals… saved by grace, doing our best to live according to the biblical example, and letting that rub off onto those that are curious, interested or hungry.

So we keep taking daily steps.

I encourage you to do the same.

God bless you today and thank you for stopping by.
Let what you read inform your prayers for us and for France.