Celebrating Advent with Dirty Windowpanes...

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year…!  No matter what continent you live on, there are always thrilling Christmas festivities to be found in every culture around the world.  Here in France, the local Christmas markets are a wonder to behold.  Each year the decorations and the vendors are a little different, helping to entice people to come and to linger.  At the market, there are a myriad of possible gifts to purchase, roasted chestnuts to eat and chocolate samples to try.  It makes for a really magical evening!

But as I think about Christmas this year, my mind isn't always focused on the events of the season that are coming ever so quickly.  Instead, I am finding myself at times going back to the end of November when our church began celebrating the season of Advent.  Each week now during our services, we are reading passages of Scripture to remind us of Christ's Coming.  And as my thoughts continue, I find myself imagining that I am like a child at Christmas time, only instead of sitting in front of the tree laden with gifts waiting to open that special surprise, I am in front of a frosty windowpane looking outside, anticipating my Savior’s soon arrival.  

It’s true that mothers can sometimes be frustrated with the smudgy fingerprints that their kids often put onto their clean windowpanes.  But what if we were like those children as we wait for our Lord?  What if we were so excited about His return that we remained in front of the window gazing intently at the skies, so enthralled in the confidence of His coming that we pressed our faces to the window in anticipation?  

Christmas 2015... As I am thinking of Christmas and all the festivities that come with the season, my heart and my mind seem to be stopping for a moment and reflecting on what type of person I truly want to be.  I want so much to be like that faith-filled child with my hands and nose pressed against the window - waiting and watching … Dirty windowpanes or not!  

Come join me ... Let's make a mess of those windows as we anticipate that wonderful day!  =)

Joyeux Noël! 

May we walk well...

Confession:  I am not a runner.  The older I get, the more I am OK with this fact.  I often will think to myself as I watch someone else running past,  “Wow.  How easy they make it look.”  However, slowing the pace down just a bit and enjoying a good walk is something that you will often find John, Tzatziki and myself doing throughout our week.  Walking is a favorite pastime here in France.  There is the daily leisurely walk for one’s dog; or the stroll to the local market to pick up daily food supplies; or even every now and again a “speed walker” can be seen trying to bring up their heart rate for maximum physical advantage. 

But as my thoughts settle on all of the walking that consumes my daily life right now, I am finding my attention turning over and over again to the spiritual encouragement found in the Scriptures about the topic.  As I mull over various passages, I have been highlighting those that have stood out to me. And over time, I have turned these verses into a prayer for both my family and for those who are my family ‘in Christ.’ I thought that I would take the opportunity to share some of my thoughts will you in order to possibly encourage you in your own prayer life or perhaps as you are out walking in your own daily life, you will think of us and pray for our ministry here in France.

    Heavenly Father, the Apostle John writes, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth”. (3 John 4)   Lord, may they walk in Your truth.  But may they not only be found walking in Your truth, but may they continually walk in the freedom that Your truth provides, not enslaved by all the baggage that so easily weighs us down, because it is “for freedom that Christ has set us free.” (Galatians 5:1)  May Your truth pervade every fiber of their lives and lead them …

    And as they walk, Lord, may they not only live by the Spirit, but may they also choose to walk by the Spirit, so that they will not gratify the desires of their own flesh.  (Galatians 5:16, 25) The world speaks so loudly as to what “truth” is, but may your Spirit guide them as they continue. 

    I know one day, Lord, our walking here on earth will be done and I ask that my loved ones and I will be able to continue to walk well, while we are here.  Please, Heavenly Father, go before us, go behind us, remain at our sides, undergird us with Your strong right hand and sing sweet songs of deliverance over us until we are together with You in Glory. 

    Amen.

... From the cheering section!

Once upon a time, not too far ago in the past, the Lord gave to John and I one of the cutest baby girls to hold, to nurture and to raise … and we named her “Tiara.”  

She came into our lives with vigor and a love for life.  It seemed as if there was not an adventure that was too high or out of reach for this little girl.  At the age of 9, she was climbing the tallest pine tree around, bringing quite a lot of consternation to the crows that were there nesting.  They just couldn’t quite understand why a little girl was invading their space!  But I think they began to realize they needed to get use to it, because this girl named Tiara was going to continue to reach for new heights every day of her life.  And she has…

From trying her hardest to outplay the French girls on the city volleyball team 

here in France to trying to out-maneuver the guys on the ultimate frisbee field at university, Tiara continued to always reach forward in the area of sports.  But more than her love for sports of all kinds, Tiara continues to press ever forward to knowing her God better and serving Him more completely.  And it’s because of this pursuit … that those around her, including her family, are continually encouraged to do the same. 

This past May, that girl named Tiara - no longer the pigtailed girl of 9 - walked across her university stage to receive her diploma, with honors.  There was no hooting or hollering from her family - just the quiet sense of assurance that goes into knowing that it was not John or I who got her this far.  We had the extreme privilege and honor of watching her grow and stretch ever-forward but in the end, we knew, it was her heavenly Father who carried her all these years.  So as John and I reflect on this past graduation celebration, our hearts burst with pride at all that our daughter has accomplished and we are so excited to see what lies in her future … But two things we remain confident of:  the road ahead will continue to be filled with exciting adventures for her to experience and secondly, that this young woman named Tiara will always have her Heavenly Father leading the way forward, going behind her, remaining at her sides, undergirding her with His strong right hand and hovering above her singing sweet songs of deliverance for her to revel in.  John and I just have the extreme privilege and honor of cheering her on along the way …

You go, baby… we are so proud of you. =)

Tales from an International Dog ... Part 3

There are times in life when one stops in his tracks, looks at a new invention, ponders on what a great idea that it is, and then continues on his way in life making a mental note to himself that he would never be caught dead trying this newfound contraption!  This has been my life experience this past week.  While Robin and Ariana were out in town, they passed the local laundromat and spied this new machine that had been placed right next to the washing machines.

To all dogs, both living and dead, the sight of this new contraption would be enough to scare them to an early grave!  Yes ... your eyes are not deceiving you.   There, placed in a public building, was a washing machine for dogs!  To make it worse, the pictures that were placed on the Dog Shower were that of "happy" dogs... dogs who were content with life and obviously with this new invention.

Now, you might say, "What a great idea!  Think of all the mess that is saved at home by using such a machine."  My friend, I do not want to challenge your practical thoughts, (I am sure that my own masters have been contemplating the same thing).  But, you can be absolutely sure that you will never catch this dog using the services of a public Dog Shower here in France or in any other country... (I'm just saying...)

Me ... (Tzatziki) waiting for the next great adventure... 

just not one that includes a Dog Shower.... 

... a walk through the vineyard