One of the purposes of this blog, entitled “A Day in the Fields,” has been to help people understand and experience what life is like living in the south of France. In order to help people understand our lives here, we sought to describe all the cultural differences and life experiences that we have had since we moved here ten years ago, with three kids in tow. So in order to do this, we have written about many of the area festivities that we have seen, the local wildlife that we have encountered, and the thrill of experiencing God’s Creation and all the diversity that fills it.
However, there is one event that we continually experience here in our ministry & in our “field,” but we have deliberately chosen not to focus the spotlight in its direction. It has not been for lack of words, or even for the lack of material that we haven’t expressed these occasions. Actually, it has been because … frankly, sometimes it just hurts too much. But in order to paint the fullest picture of life here “in the fields,” we thought that it might be necessary to take you out “into our field” and not shield you from some of the hurts that we regularly feel. So in order to get the true experience, we invite you to take off your shoes with us and virtually walk through the rough stones & dirt and feel the various emotions that come along with our walk.
It’s true that the vineyards in our area are just so beautiful. Even Thomas Jefferson, America’s third president, enjoyed the fruit of these vineyards as he served as Minister to France back in the 1780’s. In his wine cellar back at home in Monticello, there is reported to have been many wines from our area. But as many of you know, when we speak of “our field” here in France, we are referring to people and our ministry here among the expatriates in our region, rather than the local vineyards. So today, as we take a virtual walk together through the rough and dry soil, we wanted to introduce you to some of the bittersweet moments that we often experience.
Because “our field” is among those who are foreigners in France, that also means that they are often just temporarily living here. So, for us, one of the hardest moments as we “work” in our field is the need to stop over and over again to say good-bye to those who need to leave us and move to another part of the world. Our family can write time and time again about the life around us here in France, (because there is so much to take in that is unique to France), but we would be remiss if we didn’t communicate the sometimes tearful moments that we experience as we have need to ‘tend to the fields’.
Everyone enjoys the thrill of watching the vines that look so pruned & gnarly gradually begin to blossom with green leaves and then eventually luscious fruit. And we, too, in our ministry have had so many of these times in our experience with the people that we work and live amongst! But our barefoot walk today together impels us to linger at the various forks in the vineyard. It’s here at these stopping points that we are finding ourselves so often these days. People tend to define it as “times of transition.” Frankly, we just bluntly call it “pain.” 
You see we have found that amidst the joyous celebration of watching the fruit ripen, there are also days when we need to tearfully part ways with people from all over the world who have become “family” to us and bless them as they move on to another “field” somewhere else. It’s during times like these that we cling to the “blessed hope” that is before us, knowing "sans doute” that one day we will see each other again in our heavenly home … and possibly have a very long and strong cup of coffee together reflecting on all that God has done.
So, it’s on days like today that we focus on what God has been doing in ripening His fruit in this field and give our international family members a huge hug and say “à bientôt” (see you soon), and through the tears we try and look straight ahead into the eyes of the Author and Finisher of our faith. You see, this is His field and we just have the privilege of “tending” to it.
Thanks for taking a walk with us today…
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