There was a time when blogging was just a natural part of my weekly routine. I didn’t have to think about it too much, it was just ‘there’, but seemingly, little by little, other little things are putting the squeeze on it.

On one hand I feel like I did as a teenager, writing to distant pen-pals, always feeling a pang of guilt for taking a bit of time to respond, and feeling the need to ‘say so’…

This week is no different… it’s already well past midnight, Friday night, but I’m putting a stake in the ground and going to pull a few ‘bits & bobs’ together (as the British say); gonna pull a few thoughts together to give you a bit of a rundown of the past couple weeks.

To be specific… let me give you the top 7.5 newsy-bits from the past 3 weeks…

Top 7.5 things about the past 3 weeks

1. Work

I’ve continued to be able to do a number of things related to teaching, even after the end of the traditional school year – Thank you Lord! I was doing some entrance oral-English exams for one of my schools and have continued to tutor. This kind of work is necessary, because missions funding is not always regular to our periodic dismay. Work related stuff is not all tough-slugging though… I got to attend an end of year concert by a number of my students – both present and former.

2. Pastor Brochu in Châtellerault

Over the past year or so, Pastor Brochu has been back to Châtellerault roughly once per month. This has been a real source of strength and encouragement. In the end, he remains the missionary responsible for the work here so it’s a real blessing – both to us and to the church family – to have him onsite more often.

3. Sophie’s Done

In France, students achieve the equivalent of their B.A. in a matter of only 3 years as opposed to 4 in North America. Soph got her results this weeks and now officially done her undergraduate university studies (with no small sense of accomplishment and relief). She’s going to take a bit of time off and look for work. Remember that no only did she complete high school on a North American curriculum, but before doing her university studies, she also re-did the last two years of French high school. She deserves a break!

4. Barn-o-Rama & Downsizing

A friend of mine back home is going to be helping us empty and move the barn that has, for 8 years, housed furniture, and boxes of our life, and has ‘lived’ on a friend’s property. The time has come for something a bit more definitive and while it pains me to not be able to be there in person, it needs to move. Some of the larger pieces of furniture will be going to the local Habitat-for-Humanity Re-Store and personal items will be stored elsewhere. It’s time to downsize. I wouldn’t mind finding a home for our old antique hat rack… but I don’t have it in me to try to coordinate that from a distance.

5. French Mothers’ Day

Last Sunday was Mothers’ Day here in France so we took a bit of time to honour the moms in our church family just a little more than normally; Liz made some strawberry freezer jam for them. Her turn came later in the day when our kids pitched in and brought home a few take out pizzas from a nice pizzaria in town.

6. Steve Drury – “Bitter or Better”

I’ve had a wonderful opportunity to work with Rev. Stephen Drury (formerly of Tupleo Children’s Mansion, in Tupelo Mississippi and the UPCI Stewardship Dept.) editing a new book he’s putting together, and getting ready to publish it for him on Amazon. I’d met him on a couple of occasions, many moons ago, but what a neat opportunity to get to know him through his life story: Bitter or Better, soon to be on Amazon and a story of how circumstances can either increase or diminish our faith, depending on our response to them.

7. Inaccessible Funds

Yet another pain in the neck regarding living ‘between’ two countries… for years, while still in Canada, we’d contributed to Registered Education Savings Plans for the kids, to help prepare for the cost of university studies. In years past, it’s not been an issue to withdraw some of those funds to offset educational costs here in France… but we’re told that recent changes have made is such that that money is only available if students are attending a school IN CANADA.

In the words of Charlie Brown… “Good grief!”
Criminals can move money cross-border without difficulty, but normal people….. ???

7.5 … Timo’s almost there

On a more positive and final note… Timo is finishing up his last few exams over the next week or so and will therefore soon be done. That’s why he’s the 7.5… because it’s almost there, but not quite.

Bonus

As a final bonus… I give you the 2023 edition of the Pierre de Ronsard Rose in full bloom at the church. If it were possible, it was even more breathtaking this year than in years past.

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Thanks for stopping by today.
Let what you see & read inform your prayers for us & for France.
God bless you