Trailer

Location: Paradise! A toute petite village not far from Verdun, France

Ok, it is nearly 10am, and at any moment, I will have to go lend a hand to my neighbor, the brother of my hostess, as he unloads firewood. I am also on a French keyboard, so bear with me. Whatever is left unsaid here I will try to write later...

After lots of chaos and three days of wedding celebration in Nancy, I was ready for something new. Alas, I had been praying about where to go next, but had no idea. The LORD had told me to wait patiently, that He had plans for me to stay in France. My attitude was such that France was the last place I wanted to be, so I was a bit discouraged. Suddenly, I received FOUR invitations in one day! The first was the one I had been waiting for--a village of 200 persons, complete with cows and chickens!

So that's were I am. I cannot stop laughing outloud and smiling out of pure delight! We are in a beautiful house at the edge of town; and though trucks pass by my bedroom window, there are just as many tractors! The house is like a bed and breakfast because it is so stylish and homey, and I am fed like a king. My laundry was done for me, and it was all ironed, even against my protests! Across the street is a retired American couple, and everyone has beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. After all of the wedding celebration, I am considering this as my honeymoon! It is wonderful, and I am enjoying the LORD and my time here immensly!

Yesterday, I walked in the rain to the middle of nowhere, past many cows, to find the local fishing hole. A local military chopper descended almost on my head as I walked alone on the road; I had decided to run if the first bullet missed, but it never came! When I came back to town, I was invited to join the Americans for homemade apple juice; for lunch I was sent to fetch an elderly neighbor woman I did not know. Despite my big feet sticking out of the borrowed, dry slippers, she came! She is in her eighties, so after lunch I had fun helping her in her flower garden for several hours.

Oops, have to run--more later!

Indescribable

Location: tiny French village on 7 July at 11pm

Everything is indescribably wonderful, except my internet situation. Pardon my typing on a French keyboard. Seriously, wait till you hear the latest! It's like I'm living in a National Geographic calendar! It would be hard to imagine things better than this! I'm safe and happy for now--more later!

Voila le Slideshow

Sorry, I just remembered to post the slideshow I mentioned. Those pictures and a bunch of fun ones from my last days in Cluj are now on the Picasa site; check out the link to the right. My Wheelchair Distribution photos are there, along with the ones from B. The picnic photos are perhaps the most fun, as we were actually throwing the camera in the air with the timer set. You will also see us trying to clean up our friend J. after some Encourters of the Bird-Kind. Oh, and there is a good photo from J. that I added to the Chair Project album, and some good pictures Courtesy of N. You will see why I had such a wonderful month in Romania! Enjoy! (PS I have new post below, too.)

Behind the Back with a Scooter in a Sack!

Location: A bedroom in the house where I have been staying in Nancy, France (a little before 9am on July 6)

So I survived the weddings. I say that because, as most of you know, I am not a big fan of weddings. Marriage is a wonderful thing, especially when it is a life of growing together in God. But wedding ceremonies are not my thing, and no matter how nice they are, I have to admit that I can think of many places I would rather be.

Nevertheless, for the last two days, I joined in the marriage celebration. It began at the courthouse in Place Stanislas downtown, where there was a short ceremony that was pretty much straight to the point. We paraded in, applauded, and paraded out. You will see that this all took place behind the back of old Stanislas, standing guard on his pedestal in the center of the square. Before long, I was headed to the church for the mass. I had the distinct privilege of singing with the choir (in a borrowed necktie) for the duration of the nearly two-hour service. Because the groom is a fireman/EMT, the firemen saluted the married couple as they exited, even taking them out in the firetruck with sirens blaring! Then it was to the reception hall for the party. A couple of hours of drinks and hors-d'oeuvres were followed by several hours of meal, with dancing in between courses. When we left around 4:00 am, I was amazed to find that there was a designated driving service, since the French appreciate their wines. These young men arrive on site riding small motor scooters, then they fold up the scooter and place it in a large sack, stow it in the trunk of the car, drive you home, and then unfold their scooter and leave. How is that for nifty!

So we made it to bed by around 5:00 am, napped a little before we started over on Sunday. Then it was to the church for a second meal, this one from about 12:30 pm to 6:00 pm, also complete with music and dancing. I think we had enjoyed it so much the first night that we decided to celebrate again! Sunday though, we did not have the French version of Twist and Shout or the Hokey Pokey, nor was Cotton-Eye Joe or YMCA played again. Do not worry though, there were plenty of apple and raspberry and other kinds of tart, and I ate a piece for each of you!

So as a visiting foreigner, this whole weekend was quite a circus. The house was loaded with people coming and going, I never knew where I would sleep or shower, and there were a lot of cultural things to take in. But I could tell that the family and guests really had a good time, and I enjoyed "putting my hand to the plow" so-to-speak and helping with the work that needed to be done. Admittedly, though, it is nice to have found some peace this morning.

So now what? Well, thank you for your prayers. I have been uneasy about the next couple of weeks, not knowing what I would do or where I would go. As always, I knew I could find something, but I also know the prudence of waiting upon the LORD. As I prayed, He had told me just that; trust Him and wait, He would provide. I was also pretty sure that He was wanting me to stay in France. Wouldn't you know, in one day, I received 4 invitations to houses in France! So I am not certain yet, but I am probably off to one or more of them today or tomorrow. If you do not hear from me for a little while, I may be away from Internet access. The invitation I am most excited about involves a small village of 200 people, complete with cows and cocks wandering around!

So I am thanking and praising the LORD, especially after my time of prayer this morning. I was praying for many of my loved ones, and it is wonderful to see what the LORD is doing in their lives. I found out about the LORD's work in Mozambique through a friend that is enjoying Him there, and I learned that my friends' baby in Indiana got to go home from the hospital after a long, dark stay. My friends in Romania are experiencing His mighty provision, and there are new lives coming into my family and friends in the States through births and adoptions. I am excited to hear about His work in my church congregation in Indianapolis, as well as His plans for France.

The LORD is at work, which means so am I. Many here think I am simply touring on vacation, but this is work. I rest in the LORD and join Him in His work. Just because I do not get "hired" or "paid" in the conventional sense does not mean I do not work. I can assure you that there was plenty of work this past weekend! May you think you would give anything to have a job like mine . . . do it. The LORD asks that you give everything and follow Him! It is well worth it, but I promise it is no walk in the park!

So in a couple of weeks, I will beginning work at a camp in central France. Until then, my "work" will have me on the road, destination unknown. Look forward to meeting you along the way! Thanks for your prayers, Dear Ones! Know you have mine, and that your loving God is the one listening to them and watching over you! And His marriage feast will be better than any we have ever experienced, in France or anywhere else!

ArachnoCircus

Location: You would never believe where I am typing in Nancy, France, at 10:30 in the morning on the 4th of July.

I am at the house of my host famliy still; it is the morning of the wedding. As you would expect though, everything is a circus right now. My hosts have been great, but there is "tout le monde" (everyone!) here, in and out, here and there, etc.! So to find some peace, I have found that the underground cellar-workshop behind the garage is an ideal place. It is manly, and I like it. It smells like grease; I had to move things to find a place to sit; and there are tools hanging and piled everywhere. Last night I had the huge blessings of using Skype to talk with two American friends of mine, and one asked me how many spiders there where here when she saw my peace-refuge. At the time, I had not seen any, but now I can say with confidence that I am typing in the midst of NUMEROUS spiders and webs and all sorts of crawly things! It is a great place because I am rarely disturbed by anyone here.

(By the way, I forfeited my part of a wonderful raspberry tart dessert to talk to my friends last night, but the Lord repaid me in full. As promised, when I found the leftovers, I ate a piece for each of them, and for breakfast this morning, I had one for me! French pastries are hard to beat!)

So the wedding starts soon. I need to get a shower and change clothes, though I already went to the big grocery store this morning. (I was there yesterday, too!) We have been playing musical beds, so last night I had to retreat without my luggage to an empty bed, and I have yet to recover it. But after the hard work of yesterday, I was able to crash into dreamland without any problem.

Yes, we decorated the reception hall for several hours yesterday. I do not ever want to tie another bow on a chair or blow up another balloon! In fact, I decided that if I ever get married, people will only dance or sit on the ground at my reception--no chairs to decorate! But after all our hard work, I was impressed. It looks good! So good that I told the groom they should delay the wedding a week so we did not immeditaly ruin all of our efforts! (He thought that a bad idea.)

So on this American Independence Day, I am thankful for the freedom of the LORD. The Bible says that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. I am not in the USA right now, and we could debate how much freedom there is there. I hardly have a place to sleep or get away from the chaos and heat here, so I am appreciating freedom all the more. But in the Lord, I am free.

Today, be free. Let the LORD lead you where and how He will. Maybe it will not be comfortable. Maybe it will be among spiders and old tools. Maybe it will be in the midst of a celebration. Maybe it will be alone or with many other people. But let Him lead you. Only in Him is there true freedom. I bless you with the freedom of the LORD, in the Name of Jesus the Christ!

Details

If you do not see it yet, you will hopefully see a slideshow soon, courtesy of B. (pictured with me above). The photos are from the first day of the distribution, and include our evening outing to the Botanical Gardens. Hopefully they will give you a non-me persective. I have more photos I hope to post soon, but it takes a while. Oh, and if you are in a photo you do not want posted, just let me know, please. I have also posted several posts recently; they all come together because I often write them offline and post them simultaneously. I now have good internet access again temporarily, but I think my laptop just shut off because of the heat. I'll let it cool before I nurse it, but for now, I need to find some relief from the heat myself. Blessings!

The Dishionary Returns!

Location: Living Room of my hosts in Nancy, France, a little after noon on the 2nd of July.

Bon! I am now two days back in Nancy, my home for a year when I was in college. I must admit that I find communication a bit easier here than in Romania, since I studied French for so long. (However, I continue to say "da" for "yes" instead of "oui", "si" for "and" instead of "et", and "multsumesc" for "thank you" instead of "merci"!) I have been seeing many people I know, and the terrain is familiar, too. It is a little like coming home after being away for a long while...

But what is really nice is being back to dishwashing. I washed dishes this morning and yesterday; I even made our dinner yesterday. I also went grocery shopping for Saturday's wedding at a Sam's Club-like food supplier that welcomes local restaurants as its customers. When I lived here in the past, I used to go grocery shopping every Tuesday evening with my host-dad. Yesterday, though, it was reminiscent of Gilligan's Island--"a three-hour tour!"

My hosts are a little concerned that I am more of a slave than a guest, but I assure them that I am not on vacation, I am here to work. One does not have to receive a paycheck for an activity to be work, and I believe that we were created to work and to enjoy our work.

Nevertheless, I know you will enjoy the LORD's sense of humor: because of some minor remodeling in the house, almost all the dishes are in the bedroom where I am sleeping. Thus, I am literally eating and sleeping and working among dishes!

Some of you know, too, how much I delight in, and even need, some alone time. I have been having some here, which is very nice. And though I still struggle with the late-night schedule of so many of the persons around me, I have been able to sleep-in a little the last couple of mornings, catching up on some much-needed rest! Having moved, my phone has been strangely silent, and I have no one to call, either.

In between my personal time and the work and other things, I have had some excellent opportunities for some excellent conversations with the people around me. In addition, I have heard some excellent reports about the work God is continuing in Cluj at the wheelchair distribution I left behind! God is excellent!

So this post seems a little boring to me; I apologize if it is to you, too. But surely you know not all of life is super-exciting, and for that I am glad. In fact, I do not tell you about all my dish-washing and other tasks to show you how domestic I can be. I tell you about this to help give you a new perspective of the "holy." In Jewish tradition, the priests had to carefully wash everything they used so that it would be "clean." (Not so different from washing dishes!) But they became confused and thought that the important thing was the washing of the dishes, not realizing that in fact the important thing was their hearts and minds during while they were washing. You and I, too, can use every moment as holy. We can delight in the moments we have, we can pray for the persons we love and hate, and we can rest in the peace of God during our activity.

I just learned that a woman with whom I worked before I left Indianapolis was let go unexpectedly from her job of more than 10 years. She is one who was concerned for me when I was leaving on such an undefined endeavor of faith. And only yesterday, I was being told again about my great faith.

I am not sure that I have great faith. People think it takes a great faith to face the unknown, preferring instead the security and comfort of the familiar. But you see, a job lost after many years will demand perhaps even greater faith. In a way, my lifestyle, as adventuresome and spontaneous as it is, is perhaps more "secure." Because I live in the unknown and unexpected, it is hard for my world to be turned upside all of a sudden. Because I never know what tomorrow may bring, it never shakes me up too much.

Faith is a funny thing.

Fortunately, the Lord taught us about it in the Bible.
1. Faith, like most everything, is a gift from God--it is not something we find or increase ourselves.
2. God gives us faith in proportion to what we need, in "doses" we can handle, if you will.
3. The disciples showed us that it is okay to ask the Lord for more faith.
4. We do not need much faith--faith the size of a mustard seed moves mountains.
5. We should daily live in the faith we have, not worrying about the faith we do not have.
6. Our faith is built on God's faithfulness, recorded in the Bible and manifested in our lives. Even when our faith fails us, God is faithful.
7. Finally, if we lack faith, we should fall back on love. The Bible says that faith, hope, and love remain, but that love is the greatest.

My friends, maybe you do not feel like you can move another mountain. Maybe you feel bored and worn out; maybe you feel like your world is turning upside-down. God is faithful. Let Him love you in the holy moment in which you find yourself. Stop washing the outside of your dishes or yourself, and let Him pour His purity and His life into you. He is faithful, and He loves you more than I could ever explain. And you do not have to believe me--instead, compare my words to what you have experienced. Look at the blessings in your life. See what the Truth of the Bible says. But if my words are true--if my words are inspired by the Jesus who I invited to dwell in me--then I encourage you to fall into the waiting arms of Him who is faithful. It will be like coming home after being away for a long time!

Mountains and Valleys (2nd of 2 new posts today)

Location: Train seat number 75 en route to Nancy, France from Paris, almost three hours later than planned (9pm on 30 June)

I know I just wrote when I was in the Munich airport, but the day is very different now. Earlier I discussed the importance of emotions. Now they are raw in me, so it is a good time to write.

I arrived in Paris a few minutes late, but otherwise happy. I had met some missionaries finishing up a three year term in Bucharest, Romania of all places, so we got to chat on the way a little, and it was a nice blessing when their little boys yelled hello to me in the Charles de Gaulle Airport. My train to Nancy was an hour later, so I was not worried as I picked up Alfred (my backpack and trusty traveling companion) and headed to the mass transit station.

Unfortunately, things were more difficult than I had expected. I felt very much attacked by the evil one, and I thank those of you who were praying for me. I managed to buy a ticket and get on the right city train, but as it became overcrowed, it seemed to go slower and slower. When I finally reached my stop, I had already missed my train (for which I had purchased an online ticket). The Gard du Nord (one of Paris' four train stations in which I had never been) was far more complex than I had realize, and I literally turned in circles trying to find my way. On top of that, I had only eaten the tiny in-flight sandwiches we were offered, having forgotton the picnic's leftover chicken that was to be my lunch. Furthermore, though I had thought to get my French SIM card (for my cell phone) out and ready, when I put it in, all the phone credit had expired. And the icing on the cake was that it was late enough that there was hardly anyone around to help.

After asking and wandering and wandering and wandering, I finally found the right place for help. To my dismay, the line was longer than any of the trains, and I ended up waiting for about an hour, trying to hold back Alfred from inching forward too much! During that time, I wanted to cry again. Though I mentioned that it is okay and even good to cry, I rarely cry from frustration, and I have to admit that such a display of tears would strike me as not the least bit manly. I did not cry, but here is what I was feeling: I hate traveling, tired, sick of my heavy burden, hungry, worried I would eventually have to go to the restroom, concerned about being unable to call anyone, and thus concerned that my host family in France would be worried and waiting, sweating hot, weary of standing, wishing I had company but glad no one was sharing my misery, sick of the group of teenage girls in front of me, regretting I ever left Romania, and I was unsure of how the night would turn out, be it an expensive hotel or late train or worse.

Though I did not cry, I cried out to God--He is my ever-present help. As I leaned against my last bit of patience, I remembered that He is so great that I can praise Him in the rotten times as well as in the good times. I was also thinking about how I try to remind you that adventure can be awfully lousy while you are going through the midst of it. Except for God, those moments seemed terribly bleak.

Fortunately, I realized that satan was trying to attack me while I was weak and not expecting it. As I prayed, I knew there was hope, even though it did not feel like it. I finally dug out my Romanian SIM card again, and used roaming minutes to call my host family. I eventually made it up to the window, and five Euro later, I had a new train ticket, directions to the Gare de l'Est (the neighboring train station to which I knew I had to go), and even a little bounce in my walk. By the time ten minutes had passed, I had grabbed dinner (fried chicken, in honor of my forgotten lunch) and recharge minutes for my phone. (Over a month ago, I had had the foresight to keep 50 Euro with me for my return to France, knowing I might need it before I could get cash.) Within a half-hour, I was on this train, had charged my phone and called the family, and was sitting down, eating my dinner.

It is amazing how quickly things looked up! You see, when satan attacks, it is smoke and mirrors. Rarely are there serious things wrong, he simply exaggerates and distorts reality to make everything seem overwhelmingly hopeless, and when we believe it, we give up. But if instead we turn to the Lord, the smoke disappears and the mirrors are cracked, leaving us a window into life and truth.

Yes, I will be happy to arrive somewhere where I can rest. Yes, part of me wishes all of this had never happened, that I was still in Cluj after a good day of wheelchair adjustments and laughter. But such is life. What is more, I asked for it. I knew what I was getting into when I chose to follow the Lord at all costs. I knew that carrying a cross (or Alfred) would not be pleasant or easy. When interceding in prayer for brothers and sisters in the Church who have been attacked by the evil one, I knew that would make me a target. But the Lord is my refuge and strength, my ever-present help in times of trouble. The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are saved.

Days like today force me to run back into the strong arms of the Lord. Whatever your day is like, I encourage you to do the same. Every adventure is better when you can face it praising our great God!