What can I tell you about this week that you don’t already know? Let me begin by saying that it was both mundane and extraordinary at the same time.
Bible School Housekeeping
From a work perspective, this week consisted primarily of Bible School housekeeping. After last week’s full week of teaching, there was a fair bit of marking and grade calculation to be done. I also finished marking & grading the last straggling tests & papers from the Spring session as well. It feels very good to have this off of my plate. (You know that feeling you get when you look at that “one particular pile”!!).
It was done just in time too. The 2015-2016 Bible School year begins next Saturday.
La Rentrée
The North-American term “Back-to-School” is translated as simply “la rentrée” (the coming back). It refers not only to the return to school, but also to the return from summer holidays and the recommencement of clubs or organizations that have taken a break for the summer. Several folks who have been away on summer vacation are beginning to make their way back to church as well… vive la rentrée!
Replacing Jayc
Remember back in July when we were excited to welcome a Beagle pup, named Jayc, to the family. Well… within 24h, Jayc was paralyzed in the hind quarters. The breeder came & got him, took him to the vet and that was pretty much the end as neither cause nor cure could be found. The breeder replaced him with a second pup and after 5-6 days, again, signs of severe illness. The breeder came back and took him to the vet as well… same result. In the end, this well established breeder’s kennel had been hit with a bad virus and lost 47 dogs. We weren’t ready for a “round 3”, sooooo…..
This week we welcomed a pair of Dutch Bantam chickens into the family (we’ve had small animals before – chickens, quail, rabbits & homing pigeons – so we were in familiar territory!). Meet “Jayc“ (remembering our beagle pups) and “Ginger“ (*think… “Chicken Run”, the movie*). Sophie is our “Chicken-ista” and handles them like a pro!
Thursday we put their pen together and now can enjoy their pecking, scratching and clucking all day long (along with the occasional crow).
Exploration
On Thursday, Liz spent a few hours at the church with one of our ladies who regularly cleans the building. Afterwards this sister came to the house and joined us for supper.
The kids had been wanting to visit l’île Cognet, a small island in the middle of the Vienne River that flows through downtown Châtellerault. It can’t be visited year-round, but during the summer there is a bridge facilitating access. It turns out that our sister from church had never visited the island either, although she’s lived here many years. Following supper, rather than diving straightway into dessert, we opted for a stroll to discover this quiet haven of virtual wilderness right downtown.
The kids enjoyed a wild round of hide-and-seek and it allowed views of the Henri IV bridge than we’d not previously seen.
Prayer
Could I ask for your prayer support in the following 3 ways?
- I’ve had conversations with a few church members that reveal heavy needs. Pray for the Lord’s wisdom in working through situations with them.
- The boys will begin school this week and Sophie a little later. Pray for strength for Liz and the kids.
- My residency application process – although it should be straightforward there are still a few hoops to jump through before October 10th.
Thank you for your support… It is an incredible feeling to know you’re in the Lord’s will for your life! We are… and you are part of that!
#PrayForFrance
After dropping Miranda at the airport hotel, we headed to Melun 
First stop… “Forever 21” a clothing shop she knew of on Rue de Rivoli… where she eventually scored a few deals. One of the biggest treats that we walked out with though, was the company of two friends – Angela 
One of the things that was pretty cool 
Monday morning we had breakfast at the hotel with the Wallaces before heading into Paris for a quick visit to the Arch of Triumph. It’s one thing we’d not yet done and Liz’s friend Milena was still in town so we got to do it together which made it extra special.
Yep…. eighteen! They arrived with about 40lbs of other things. Let me explain:
We weren’t only glad to get the goodies that she brought, it was also nice to spend time with a familiar face from home. Milena was one of the first folks that Liz got to know when she began at Air Canada 18 years ago.
We recently got a couple of other things from North America as well:
A few years ago, Liz & I translated Bro. Timothy C. Mitchell’s 
Ahh… at last. The kids have been getting to know two kids who’ve been spending lots of summer-vacation time with their grandparents, who live across the street from us. Last night they went for an evening swim at the same lake where 
If you find yourself in open water and the wind kicks up you can easily get in trouble given the canoe’s shape and the way they ride low in the water. The canoe will rock & roll with the crests & troughs if you remain parallel with the waves and, if they are rough enough, you can easily capsize. Still, it’s not impossible to safely navigate such water… the secret is to drive the canoe into the waves… crossing them perpendicularly. In this way they slice the waves, rather than being victim to them. We would do well to face trial & difficulty head-on as well: Tackling and mastering it rather than hesitating and falling victim to the agitation that it can bring.
French National Holiday: This past Tuesday was the French National Holiday… July 14th. Oddly enough, it’s often referred to as “Bastille Day” in North America but not so here. It’s either “le 14 juillet” or “la fête nationale”. Pictured are some of the fireworks with the Henri IV bridge as backdrop. 
Jayc: many of you saw our Facebook post last Monday about Jayc 
As I sit down to share with you our week, the sun is already high and there is a cool breeze coming through the open door behind me, causing the drapes to brush up against the back of the chair… this chair… the one in the photo. Usually I avoid laptopping in the living room but this morning I’m making an exception. I’ve spent a lot of time this week in the office upstairs and need a change.
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AIM Long 