A COVID-19 Update From Paris

Life has changed for us all and many of us are now living with limited face to face contact with the outside world. President Macron has addressed the nation twice in the past week, each time issuing orders for decreased human contact. So here's a little update on where we stand.

This is a street near our house that is almost always packed with cars and people.
 A very different scene now. 

     1. All public events and schools in France have been cancelled and closed. All activity at The American Church in Paris has been cancelled. The staff are joining together to create connecting activities and online worship experiences for our community. It's quiet. But it's not all bad. We are grateful that we live and work in the building so meeting the other pastors is easy and frankly, a blessing. Our learning curve on being tech saavy is large but we are doing what we can to remain a connected, committed community of God's people. Our mantra is that the building is closed but the church remains alive and well. If you are interested in seeing the videos and resources we are putting out, please visit the ACP website: acparis.org. I am preaching this Sunday.
     2. The government did indeed issue a strict home quarantine directive yesterday. All bars and restaurants are closed. You are asked to work from home if you can. Food shops remain open but they are limiting the number of people who can be inside at any given time. It is unclear if the outdoor markets, which are such a big part of how the French shop, will continue to be open. Boulangeries are open so getting fresh baguettes is not an issue. Parliament actually debated whether or not boulangeries were essential and decided, bien sûr, they must stay open! In order to enforce the quarantine, you must carry a paper with you that states your business.

Our permission letter to be outside.
You must carry this with you every time you leave the house. 

You can shop for and medicine, go to the Dr., get some exercise, and walk your pets. But you must do so alone or perhaps with one other family member. It is not yet clear to us if we can walk Maddie together given that we are already spouses and sharing space. We'll find out I guess if we get stopped on our walk and told that we are breaking the regulations. Either way, we are so grateful for Maddie! She remains a lovable companion. These strict regulations are in place for 2 weeks. But we all expect it to be extended.
     3. There is plenty of food and other products in town. While the shelves are emptying out, mainly from people all shopping at once and doing a bit more stocking up than normal, (The French tend to shop a bit each day), there is not chaos or hoarding going on. I've been able to get everything I've needed/wanted each time I've gone to the store. It's all been very civil and polite. I'm very impressed with how the public is behaving during this time. There is a quiet acceptance that life as we have known it is finished for a bit. I'm grateful for the atmosphere that surrounds me.

What else would you buy on St. Patrick's day during the COVID-19 quarantine?
Guiness and anti-bacterial spray!

     4. All European Union countries have now closed their borders. No one can travel in or out without an extraordinary reason. Flights are being cut back and people are pretty much being ordered to stay put. Many people have had travel plans interrupted. I was supposed to go to Copenhagen for a couple of days, leaving tonight but alas, I will be here in Paris. My ticket was refunded immediately which was very nice.
     5. It is indeed a new normal. It's actually kind of nice that Paris is quiet right now but also a big bummer that you can't enjoy the city. We are thankful that we have a dog that needs to be walked.

She has taken to looking out the window and perching here outside the window. She is such good company.

We are grateful that our colleagues are our neighbors and that we enjoy being together. We will figure out how to Facetime others, keep in touch, gain some level of social contact in the midst of not being able to meet.  I am trying to clear space to make a list of all the things I have always wanted to do if I had time, and then work at doing some of them. I am not in a state of panic but taking it a day at a time. I believe the science and the advice of doctors and the World Health Organization that limiting social contact defeats the spread of the virus and will ultimately save lives, especially to those most vulnerable. My advice is to breath deeply, exhale slowly, be in prayer for yourself and others, and try to lean into this quieter, less social season that all of us are facing.
We do not yet know what this whole season will yield...but what time in history we are living through. It will become an immortal question...Where were you when the coronavirus swept the world?
Since today is St. Patrick's day, I commend to you the prayer of St. Patrick.
Stay safe people and do your part to help others stay safe too. And wash. Often. With soap.

La Différence En France: One Month In

Just a little over one month in and I'm fully reminded of the ways in which France is different from the US. Much of it I don't really mind at all but some things do require some adjusting.

1. The number one thing that still drives me crazy is the fact that the French do not pick up their dog "merde." This I do not understand. By big city standards, Paris is actually quite clean. There are trash cans sprinkled liberally throughout the city but alas, no one picks up their dog's crap. Except for us. And every time I pick it up, I wave the little green poop bag in the air showing all of Paris that this is a civilized thing to do. (Not really, but I'd like to start my own French Revolution on this topic).
2. Laundry takes forever in Europe. I really cannot figure out this reality but the machines run on super long cycles and the dryer really takes a long time. I know having a dryer is a luxury so I have learned to plan for the time it takes and I do hang dry quite a few things anyway.

That little drawer on the left of the dryer closes while drying. Since we are in an apartment, the dryer has a "water drawer" where the excess steam and water from drying collect and I have to empty this after each wash.Also, the size of the appliances is quite a bit smaller than US standards! Works for us. I have figured out how to reduce the time on a wash cycle by changing the timer but the shortest wash cycle for non-delicate is still over an hour. All that said, I am super happy for such a nice washer and dryer in the comfort of my own home. The washer and dryer are in the bathroom which is actually quite large. One thing about French design that is kind of interesting is the reality that most of the time, the toilet is not in the same room as the shower or bath. The toilet has a separate room, often with a little sink. Then in another room you have sinks and a shower or tub. It's really kind of nice.

3. Kitchen appliances are small too. My refrigerator is actually a fairly good size by European standards and so is the freezer.

I can actually stock pile a bit in the freezer so I am grateful for that. I would not be able to cook a 20 pound turkey in my oven and that's OK because I would never eat 20 pounds of turkey and it would cost a fortune.

Turkey is not common meat in France. (We are getting a new stove/oven! It won't be bigger but it will function better than the current model!) The stove and oven are also electric which is what I had for all the years in Sweden but I do miss my big gas range sometimes. Alas, no garbage disposal so I'm constantly digging food remains out of the sink but again, that is only a convenience not a necessity. The kitchen is small compared to the rest of the apartment but I am figuring it out. Counter space is sometimes a challenge.

I know for a fact that it is still a lot bigger than many kitchens I have seen in other places. It's odd...I've seen so many large apartments with very small kitchens. One would think in France, the kitchen would hold the seat of honor in any living dwelling.
4. I go to the store often. I am super grateful for 3 really wonderful grocery stores and a street devoted to daily outdoor markets within walking distance of my house. I don't throw away much food anymore because we tend to buy fresh on the day we are going to use it. In CA my nearest grocery store was a 3 mile drive away and so I am grateful for the chance to zip down to the store on foot. I have a nice little grocery cart that I wheel along behind me that makes getting my goods home a bit easier.

I need to master the art of going to the speciality shops for specific items. On the Rue Cler, which is a famous food street in Paris, I have a wonderful cheese shop (fromagerie), butcher (boucher), florist (fleurist), and an amazing display of produce and other delights. All within a 10 minute walk from my house. Of course, the bakery is close...5 minutes. The only way to enjoy bread and pastry in Paris is fresh. But because I am on foot for everything I have succumbed to ordering larger items off Amazon, and a larger grocery store that I get to by bus also delivers, and it really is helpful. Sometimes I have a hard time communicating with the delivery man since he only speaks French but alas, I have always managed to get my food up to my apartment!
5. The food is tastier here. I think it must have to do with preservations and additives that are just not as widely used here as in the US. Food goes bad quicker but since we tend to buy only what we need, we are eating it fresh most of the time.
6. The dog has to be taken out not just let out. Maddie seems to have adjusted to apartment living quite well. I'm sure she misses lounging in the sunshine on the patio but she has made herself quite at home here.

She now understands that she doesn't get up until we get up! Then one of us has to hustle downstairs with her, cross the street to the grass strip that runs beside the road. She's very good about waiting, and we are now alert to her own signals of needing to go out. There's the morning outing, the midday outing, the long walk late in the day, and the end of the day outing. The walks have been delightful as we discover Paris with our sweet lab in tow, but when it's driving rain outside and windy or cold, it's not that fun having to take her out by hand. Still, we'd never have it any other way. It's delightful having Madeline in Paris with us!

7. Out of respect for the culture, I have learned that French people really appreciate being greeted when you enter a shop. A simple bonjour goes a long way in their tolerating my inability to speak their language. Always say merci, which is thank-you and then a polite au revoir (good-bye) on your way out is also necessary. These small niceties are greatly appreciated and exhibit some cultural sensitivity on the part of me, the foreigner. The French get a bad rap for being arrogant or rude. I have not seen this. I see them protecting their culture and wanting foreigners to understand what's important to them, and in my mind, that's OK. I am the outsider here. And I do not speak French. Although I am trying to take in a bit every day with my duolingo app!
8. My main mode of transportation is my feet! It is very freeing to not have a car, both from an expense and responsibility point of view. We also have a monthly card called the carte navigo that allows us to travel on all modes of public transport throughout Paris and so it's very easy to get around town. But walking remains the preferred mode. I have obviously increased my daily average step count and I actually really love not being in a car all the time. There will be times when we will rent a car to go somewhere, especially when taking the dog but that's pretty easy to do here. I get in a some stair climbing as well as we live on the 4th floor of the building. I usually walk up with Maddie in the morning and try to walk up a few times during the work day. I call it croissant combat! But unfortunately, the elevator also breaks down with frequency so then I have no choice! I don't mind walking up that much. I hate having to lug stuff up. C'est la vie when you live in a multi-story flat.

As time goes by, I'm sure I will note even more differences as many of the differences are subtle. But generally speaking, I feel that we are navigating this new life quite well and learning something new every day which is a good thing. We do feel remarkably at home here...the house and our office are starting to feel like ours (photos to come), we are learning the day in day out rigors of our job, we enjoy our colleagues, and are building some friendships. All in all, we are are enjoying notre vie en France.

One Week In

We have been living in Paris (again) for one week. It has been a joyous homecoming for us. We love this city and feel very much at home here, with the exception of not being able to speak French. More on that later. We are also very thrilled to be back on the staff of The American Church in Paris. This is a community that we love and are grateful to have the chance to abide in ministry with them once again.
So here are 10 of my deepest impressions from our first week.
1. Jet lag is the devil. It is a miracle that we can get in a plane, fly half way around the world, and step onto a different continent in a matter of a few hours. The downside of this ability to experience travel that moves this quickly is that our bodies and minds don't really keep up. So while you feel a deep sense of tiredness and fatigue when you first arrive, it's also true that you can't really sleep when you are supposed to. Unless you are a dog. Then you sleep pretty well no matter what. Thankfully, we are almost through the fog and not feeling like we will never ever feel normal again.
2. The trip over: Everything went amazingly well. There was little traffic between Palm Springs and Los Angeles International airport the day that we left. I did have a pretty epic meltdown when I discovered a drawer full of clothes that I had intended to pack still in the dresser. How I had missed that one will never know, but with tears streaming down my cheeks, I shoved various items in different suitcases and left a few things behind. Thankfully, we had the nicest, most wonderful agent at the Air France desk. She was super accommodating and helped us with every detail, even checking a 5th bag for free that was supposed to be a carry-on in order to alleviate overhead baggage. Maddie had to go back about 2.5 hours before our flight but she didn't put up too much of a fight. The flight was crowded but we had bulk head seating and so had enough space in front of us. I watched The Art of Racing in the Rain, which is a lovely film, but caused a bit of uncontrollable sobbing in my seat since it's about the love of dogs. Thankfully the man seated next to me slept throughout the entire flight.
3. Our dog is a great traveler! We knew this from her adventures of last summer but Maddie is really the star traveler of all time. She handled the trip very well and was quite excited to see us once we fetched her from the special baggage area. She had to remain in the crate while we wheeled through customs and she wasn't so fond of that. She was whining and banging on the crate door. But once we got her out, she wagged her tail with delight was very happy with her newfound freedom. She did pee for awhile once we got her to a relief area. We arrived to ACP after about a 45 minute drive and in all of the commotion of meeting people, getting keys to our apartment, and getting our stuff upstairs, we forgot that Maddie might want to get out again. So the first thing she did in our new apartment was to take a dump. She felt terrible but enough was enough! Since that first accident, she has been a champion of waiting until we can take her out. Apartment living has been quite different for her but so far, she seems very content. She does sleep all night and doesn't make a move to want to go out until we get up. Which is good since we live on the 4th floor of an apartment, with an elevator, but said elevator breaks down regularly so we all are getting our steps in.
4. The apartment is great. Spacious and lovely even as it does take some time to make it feel like our home. Pictures to follow when we are more fully set up. My lovely husband has an uncanny ability to see a room and figure out how it would look great so he spent the first day moving things around and at the end of the day, the living room looked quite lovely. I spent a great deal of time getting the kitchen set up and that always makes me feel more at home. Our shipment won't arrive for 2-3 more months which will help the place to reflect some of our personal style, but the apartment is furnished so we don't have to start completely over. We did make a trip to Ikea and will be ordering some furnishings that the place needs. It's mostly fun getting set up. I even cooked a full meal tonight. Nothing fancy, just homemade bolognese sauce, a lovely green salad dressed with delicious homemade "real" French dressing...olive oil, balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard. Heaven on lettuce or with a bit of fresh baguette dipped into it.
5. Baguettes and butter. We had some good success earlier last fall following the principles of the keto diet. Almost no carbs or sugar. That's a bit harder here! Fortunately we've upped the number of steps we are taking in a day because I just don't see how to avoid eating baguettes. Pastries are a treat and I don't feel too tempted by those on a regular basis, but OH MY GOODNESS, the baguette...with salted butter, dipped in homemade French dressing. Do you think there are a lot of carbs in that? The French grocery store is still a delight. It's great to see such fresh, beautiful food! All the cheeses, the many different wines, the fresh produce. It's all wonderful. But while the avocados look great, they are quite a bit more money than they were in CA!
7. The city still dazzles.

A street near where we live.

We live in the neighborhood of the Eiffel Tower so are treated to many glimpses a day of that beautiful structure.

That's the church spire lit up in front of the dazzling Eiffel Tower. 

The church and our apartment, which is in the church by the way, in case you didn't know that, are on the Seine, and there are lovely walkways all along the river. Maddie is absolutely enthralled with the river and takes every opportunity to catch a glimpse of it. She also wants to jump into every fountain she sees. Getting her a little more leash trained for big city life has been a bit of a challenge, but she's actually doing well. But I digress...back to the dazzling city. It's lovely...and it's not even spring. Springtime in Paris...yeah, I can't wait.
6. More Maddie: Everyone loves her.  Seriously. Strangers stop and talk to her in French and as far as we know, say very nice things about her.

We did not know this woman. But she just had to pet Maddie.

Who knows what they are saying? We do not speak French. But she's quickly becoming the church mascot. I do not think we will have any problems finding dog sitters. We've already had one person tell us to go on vacation so she can care for our dog. We love her. She's awesome. And thankfully most of Paris thinks so too.
7. It is truly wonderful to be back at ACP.

Sunday was a fantastic day to return to worship and soak in all the joy of this community. We didn't have a role in the service so this Sunday is our real start. I am preaching on February 23 and Doug has planned and will lead and preach at the Ash Wednesday service on February 26. We did start work on Monday with multiple meetings and a evening council meeting. The week contained many meetings with various groups and people and while we feel excited about our job, we know that we have a lot to learn. Day by day we hope to figure more and more out.
8. Old friends, new friends. It is a great gift to return to a place that we already lived. To be reunited with people who are dear friends and know that the possibility of getting to know others is such a joy. The familiarity of the neighborhood and even navigating the city feels quite manageable. Once we got our new phone numbers and monthly metro cards, we felt that we could go anywhere! And we hope to do so. We need to find out what the rules are for dogs on the metro and busses. She might have to have a muzzle. But once we've got that figured out, look out Paris. Maddie is coming for you!
9. What do I miss? Sunshine. It's really gray here. But the last 2 days have been blue sky and sunny so we've taken advantage of that and gotten out. Golf. But not really. It's good to get back to work. And I've already started thinking about places we want to visit. Places that will likely have a golf course. My big kitchen. But the kitchen here is nice. Just smaller. Not tiny. But smaller. No garbage disposal. No ice maker. But a freezer that will hold a few things! And we have great stores nearby and we will shop most every day. And we miss friends and family, of course. But we're pretty sure that some will show up on our Parisian doorstep one day. And I miss opening the back door and letting the dog out. But I'm getting used to putting on my rubber boots, grabbing my coat and walking down the stairs and outside. It's good for me. It lets me justify eating baguettes and salted butter. Did I mention how delicious that really is?! Oh, and I really miss speaking the language of the country where I am residing. But I’m going to work to remedy that. French is hard. It's the only language of a country I'm living in that I feel like I might not be able to learn. Did I mention that it's hard? The written words sound nothing like the spoken words. The accent is unique. The vocabulary is vast. Every word that I know is a different word in French. Go Figure. I am determined to progress beyond Je ne parle pas français which means...I do not speak French. The French are more patient than people give them credit for. When you encounter someone who doesn't speak much English, be nice to them. They probably feel pretty bad about it.
10. This is a good move for us. We feel good in our skin here. It will take a few weeks to feel a sense of rhythm and to get more things figured out. I want to get set up for grocery deliver at a bigger grocery store that I take a bus to get to. We did successfully order some dog food for Maddie on French Amazon but the church secretary showed me a better website to use. I just need some help navigating it. And we want to continue to clean out closets and set up the apartment in a way that makes it feel like our home and not an air bnb. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to live in this world class city once again and be part of a church that fits us so well. The adventure has begun. Let's see where it all takes us! Thank you for your interest!

Letting Go Through Tears

The new move to Paris has motivated us to continue to get our house in order, literally and figuratively! Because we are going to rent out our house, we are trying to scale back what we will need to store in the garage. We have committed to not storing things that we are not using. Stuff has been sitting in boxes for years and we decided that this new move is a good chance to really get a handle on the junk that lurks in our lives for no useful reason.

     Much of what I have had to deal with are boxes and files from my parents. Even though they passed in 2013 (mom) and 2014 (dad), the long and sometimes arduous process of sorting through their minutia has taken time. While much of what has been there is not stuff that I want, it is undeniable that much of it evokes memories for me. I recently realized that part of why letting go of stuff from my childhood and their lives is so darn hard for me is because it’s my only link to my history. I don’t have living siblings to share stories with, to remember events and people and places. So all of that comes through photos and other memorabilia. My biggest regret is not finding some of these files and boxes while my parents were still alive. There have been so many times when I’ve come across something and I would love a little more back story on it. And lacking anyone in this world who shared that history with me, well, I’m left to my own internal dialogue and wondering. So letting go of many things has been pretty heart wrenching at times. As I have pored over slides that I found of my mom’s trip to Europe in 1956 or pictures from my father’s coaching career, I admit to shedding more than a tear or two. Finding the newspaper clipping of a softball team my mom played on in Galesburg, IL where she hit .557 for the season brought such a smile to my face. Priceless is the file marked “Problems” from my dad’s coaching career. This is a treasure trove of letters he wrote to school officials and referees through the years expressing his unhappiness while at the same time containing not a few letters from angry parents for not playing their “super star” son more. I have kept these things. It brings me closer to them and helps to continue to fill out the richness in their lives since they are no longer here to share with me the broader story. 

     But I have also chucked piles of photographs that we have had sitting in a box. I was a spectacularly horrible photographer back in the day and it’s amazing how good the quality of photos are that we now take on our phones. Imagine the days when you shot a roll of film and had to wait to see how they turned out. Most of the time, they turned out pretty poorly! It was time to get rid of them. But some will obviously remain with me and I will tuck them away for a few years and when we return and go through our stuff once again, I will enjoy the memory that each photo brings.

     Like many people my age, my mom and grandmother had beautiful crystal and china that no one wants in this day and age. I have my mom’s set of Royal Copenhagen blue flower china and that is a great treasure for me. But beautiful as they were, my grandmother’s Heath and Rose Spode plates and tea cups were just not something I would use. Fortunately a dear friend who lives nearby could not resist them and so she picked them up at our garage sale! I love knowing that they have found a lovely home in which to be enjoyed. I also had piles of white milk glass, ever so popular when my parents got married and surprisingly, I was able to sell all of that as well. Granted, for a $1.00 a piece but at least someone will enjoy them. But the Fostoria crystal of which there is a glut in the market failed to move. We ended up donating it to a second hand store and I hope someone who needs something like this will enjoy it. Letting go of these things wasn’t so very hard. We had tried to sell them on 2 other occasions with the same result and so I realized that whatever they were “worth” was only valid if someone wanted it! The hardest thing from the garage sale that I had to let go of were the books that I had won as a child on the Art Linkletter Kid’s Say The Darndest Things show. Yes, back in 1967 I appeared on this show and said some funny things. One of the prizes were this set of books that I adored. I read the cover off those books but they have been sitting in a box for many many years. I always hoped to have them for our kids but alas, that never panned out. A friend picked them up at the sale and I hope whatever happens to them, she will enjoy them. I feel a bit of regret in having let them go but that’s nostalgia speaking. I hadn’t looked at them for years. And they were a little crusty and moldy and needed to be read by someone else. Unbeknownst to me, the books were translated from Scandinavian authors, one of them being Astrid Lindgren and after I realized this, I flipped through them one last time and could see the Scandinavian influence that escaped me as a child. Sigh. I may have to call my friend and ask for them back.

     But the biggest thing that I had to cope with happened yesterday. We have had my parent’s sterling silver and some of the jewelry that my mom had that I no longer wanted sitting in a drawer for a very long time. I’ve made various inquiries through the years to different shops and online sellers about the value but have had a hard time pulling the trigger on getting rid of this stuff. For some reason yesterday I came across a buyer here in the desert who got great reviews and was well located for me. So I decided to pack up the silver and grab the jewelry and head over there. I really liked the shop a lot and the offer that they made was commensurate with what my own research was revealing so I decided to take the significant step of letting go of these things. Now, there’s nothing about the silver or the jewelry pieces that were meaningful to me. I had taken what I wanted and knew that anything else that I had kept would sit in a drawer forever. There also wasn’t such a huge collection. My mother was hardly one to drip in gold and diamonds. But there were some pieces that were worth selling so I carefully handed them to the buyer as he checked out what quality the gold, silver, or stones were. Nothing is ever as valuable in monetary gain as it is in emotional connection so I just realized that if I was serious about wanting to get rid of these things, now was the time to let it go, when we were really trying to cut back on how much we were willing to store. What I had not expected was how emotional this experience was going to be. The buyer was very gracious acknowledging how hard this step is. I managed to fight back the tears as I completed the transaction but as soon as I walked out I burst into tears. I sat in my car with tears running down my face, wondering where this wave of emotion was coming from. All I can say is that it’s weird to sell your parents stuff and it’s hard to let go of things from your past even when they don’t really mean that much to you. I think I also realized that the more I let go of the stuff from my parents’ lives, the more distant my connection to them in this world becomes. We’re also letting go of the car that we inherited from them. We are super happy that the person who bought it really needs a car and it’s a great car and she will enjoy. But it’s just another thing from their lives that I am letting go of.  It’s a strange thing to explain...but it’s almost like grieving their passings all over again. Even though it’s been 7 and 6 years since their passing, the loss of them remains so fresh. I long to share things with them, to talk about their lives, to hear the backstory, as I mentioned earlier. I do not regret selling the things that I did yesterday but I think I just realize that in getting rid of the things that belonged to my parents, it really is just a stark reminder that they are no longer around to care about these things. It’s a very strange place to be emotionally. 

     So while getting ready to make another big move, I have also been coping with the often uncomfortable emotions of coping with what I have lost and what I need to let go of, literally and figuratively. Once the nostalgia wears off, I rarely miss an item, but the longing for connection to my parents and my past will never go away. And I also know that I don’t have to let everything go. And so I haven’t. And I am thankful that the stacks of boxes that will remain in the garage has been greatly reduced. Even so...it’s been pretty heart wrenching at times to let go. Grief is like that. Heart wrenching and hard. I suppose we never let go of wanting our loved ones to be with us. We know they are in a better place, a place of peace and rest where their earthly issues are far behind. So this is what I know in the midst of all of this...it’s not really any of the stuff that I feel sad about letting go of. I don’t want any of those things in my day to day life. But I do want my parents in my day to day life and that’s not ever going to happen again. And so I cling to the things that evoke warm and beautiful memories of them and will treasure them always, either in my heart or in my garage. 

Madeline in Paris

It’s been so long since I posted anything on this blog that even I wondered if it was still viable. But this piece of news merited a post so here we go. When we returned to the US after our year at The American Church in Paris, France back in 2017, many people asked us what we thought would be next. We said that we didn’t really know but if given the chance to return to Paris, we would do so in a heartbeat. We also got our sweet little Labrador puppy shortly thereafter and named her Madeline, in part because of the children’s book Madeline which chronicles the adventures of a little orphan girl throughout Paris. So today we’re letting our world know we have been given the chance to return to Paris and Maddie will get to be Madeline the Lab in Paris. It’s all so exciting we can hardly stand it. Photo mock up by Michael Nelson

In late September we got word that there was an opening for the associate pastor position at the American Church in Paris and we felt compelled to apply for the position. It’s basically pastors of Community Life and includes adult education which encompasses a rich lecture program, retreats, fellowship events, pastoral care, and leading worship and preaching. So much about this job suits us and we were excited about the possibilities. A couple of weeks ago the council unanimously voted to call us as interim co-pastor associates. It’s interim because the church has a significant transition ahead with their beloved senior pastor leaving after 12 years. Next autumn, an interim will be in place, then the following autumn the permanent senior will be in place and at that time they will begin a formal search for a permanent associate. We would be allowed to apply should we desire to stay on after the transitions. So it’s an initial 2 year contract with the possibility of renewing. We are very grateful for the longer period of time on the initial contract as we have felt a desire to “settle down” again with a congregation for a longer period of time. The fact that we already know so much about this community and church is a huge bonus as it doesn’t feel like a brand new move. We loved ACP so much that to return in a capacity that we are well-suited for is one big gift.

That’s the church spire to the right of the other big tower in Paris!

The plan is for us to rent out our house in the desert (furnished) to a long term renter. We’ll sell the car and golf cart, pack up some stuff to ship, put other stuff away for a bit and move to France. Tentative move date is January 30 with a start date at the church February 1, 2020. 

In the meantime, we’re sorting through boxes and closets and books, playing golf, eating grapefruit off our trees, spending time with friends, and enjoying the Advent and Christmas season here in the desert one last time for awhile. 

I really hope to write more along the way...following the adventures of Maddie the Lab in Paris could be pretty fun. We are utterly grateful beyond believe. Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season. What might be new for you in 2020?

A Mixed Bag of Emotions

      Today I am a jumble of emotions. On the one hand, we are having a fantastic seaside holiday at a northern Croatian resort where the water is blue, the sun shines without clouds, and the people are lovely.

 

     But in the midst of this idyllic retreat, the church denomination where I hold my ordination, The Evangelical Covenant Church, is blowing apart at the seams after taking some decisions that I feel are wrong in every way possible. Our Church has not been immune to the struggle with the divided manner in which Christians interpret scripture as regards people who are same-sex attracted. The leaders of our denomination imposed new rules upon clergy, without their consent, that we are forbidden to officiate at same-sex weddings. This policy has come under much scrutiny and objection by many of us because our denomination is also one that has not demanded that we agree on matters of theological debate. So while we hold that the baptism of infants and adults is appropriate, there are churches and pastors who don't practice infant baptism. And while we affirm the ordination of women, there are churches and pastors who would never call or affirm a woman in pastoral ministry. So while our denomination has a tightly held belief that marriage is intended only between men and women, and that any "coupling" by same-sex attracted people is sinful, many clergy and lay people alike disagree with this conclusion and have found a different way to interpret scripture. For the first time in our history, the Church has said, this is the one thing that we will not agree to disagree on. In my humble opinion, the arrogance with which those who hold fast to this interpretation has made it quite difficult for those us seeking another way to abide. So pastors, in an attempt to challenge the rightness of the decisions, have defied the policy and chosen to officiate at same-sex weddings and write statements of inclusion for their local church believing that this is the TRUE Covenant way...the way of holding together in spite of tensions. This all came to a crashing close yesterday at the Annual Meeting of the Church.

The Covenant logo, now modified to indicate the kicking out of 1st Cov. Minneapolis. 

     This is particularly painful for us because one of the pastors being singled out for his "egregious" behavior is our dear friend and colleague, Steve Armfield. He, along with his wife Janet, and their daughter Lindsay are family to us. Lindsay was our intern in Stockholm and Steve followed us at Immanuel as the interim during a critically painful time for the International Fellowship. He helped both us and the church cope with the sad reality of no longer being united. He made the decision to officiate at his gay son's wedding, a decision that, to me, holds the highest example of unconditional love a parent can show a child and a true representation of loving Christ more than the rules of the Church. But the Church objected even to this and thus they have deemed him unworthy to be a Covenant pastor and stripped him of his credentials yesterday. Because we are in Europe and the event was taking place in the US, I was up long into the early morning, texting with his daughter Lindsay. To say this breaks our hearts is a bold understatement. I feel like a piece of my heart has been ripped out. And I wonder where I fit within my ordaining body. Additionally, the Church voted to remove another pastor and historically significant church, 1st Covenant Minneapolis, because of their stated desire to welcome all...including same-sex married couples. This is deeply painful and an egregious mistake on the part of the church. Why we have not been able to allow for differing points of interpretation on this issue, as we have on so many more, is a great puzzle and deep wound for so many. I guess they will now have to change to their name to 1st to be kicked out of the Covenant, Minneapolis.

     I know this topic is deeply dividing for the Christian church. But the way in which the Evangelical church in particular, continues to display such a lack of grace is problematic for me. I was not interested in the denomination changing their position. I am, however, deeply committed to allowing the local church and clergy to decide how to best minister to their gay brothers and sisters. These dear people, all who inhabit the world of the LGBTQ community, have suffered such deep wounding at the hands of those who claim to love Jesus, all of our credibility as people of love and grace vanishes in the broader society. I grieve these decisions with an incredibly heavy heart. It's hard to imagine a man with more integrity, grace, wisdom, and love for Christ and his church and his family than Steve Armfield. To them I say, we LOVE you deep...you are family to us even if our church family has ousted you.

   The last thing messing with my emotions today is the book I am reading in preparation for our visit to Auschwitz next week. It is called We Were the Lucky Ones. READ IT. Feel the pain of hatred toward an innocent culture group. Live with the pain of privilege that might be yours if you are Aryan...I was crying on the beach earlier, my salty tears mixed with the salt of the Adriatic, as the reality of human cruelty alongside of the courage of the Polish people who survived World War II under impossible circumstances was unfolding before my eyes. 

     I am having a great time with my beloved husband here in beautiful, wonderful Croatia, but to continue to post our vacation highlights without taking time to express the deep lament that is filling my soul felt disingenuous. To those who are hurting today...I offer you my solidarity. To the LGTBQ community: I Love You. I accept you. I believe that Jesus loves you as you are and wants to woo you into his loving embrace. To Steve and Janet and Lindsay...our love for you will never waver, our respect for you grows deeper every day. You are the embodiment of all that Jesus is about.  Amen. 

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Bird Whistles in Luxembourg

  Today is Éimaischen in Luxembourg. Traditionalists say it is named after the biblical town of Emmaus but the connection to bird whistles is unclear. The Monday after Easter people flock to the small town of Nospelt 

Nospelt is a potter town.

and to downtown Luxembourg where a festive atmosphere urges them to buy bird whistles made out of clay, called Péckvillercher.

Loved these bird flags that Nospelt proudly flew.

Wanting to live like a local today, we headed to Nospelt this morning with some friends. Nospelt is a cute little village and we had a good time looking at whistles, carefully choosing which ones to bring home. Our friends told us it was a tradition, well their tradition anyway, to take a photo in front of the church with your birds! The Monday after Easter is the only day that you can buy Péckvillercher so it's a great tradition that you don't want to miss.We ate some delicious sausages and Doug enjoyed a glass of beer while I preferred sipping on bubbles. The glasses were free to keep! It helped that it was an absolutely beautiful day and the flowers were in full bloom.
     From there we headed to downtown to take in the "big city" party. It was nice to see all the people in town enjoying the day. We found 2 more birds to take home. These are a bit special because you fill them with water and that creates a beautiful whistle. Without the water, the pitch is high and shrill. The brown birds in the photo are the water ones.While we were in town we indulged in a traditional Luxembourgish treat called Gromperekichelcher. I have no idea how to say that but I enjoyed eating it. They are basically hashbrowns that have been fried a couple of times! Potato fritters. Delicious and full of grease!
     It was fun taking in this tradition with the locals and we have some nice souvenirs to help us remember the day after Easter 2019.