tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80165744981499786082024-02-16T12:52:07.671-08:00Back (and Forth) Across The PondI am currently living in southern California figuring out what it means to be back in the US. Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.comBlogger858125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-15242445637132691892020-03-17T06:10:00.000-07:002020-03-18T03:12:36.237-07:00A COVID-19 Update From Paris<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9rQm2qLaUKCuj7XhWiHuhul72iMIn6UGpjabO4Ij1dGyck7GN74JvsWrLuN_pcDPVmHq_ki8d-HeNQUkzkoNfPsyIZUibyCdUjqac5MylHKo86h8tkjol4dZTFjAUAwVT4erv3-YaiHk/s1600/IMG_0397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9rQm2qLaUKCuj7XhWiHuhul72iMIn6UGpjabO4Ij1dGyck7GN74JvsWrLuN_pcDPVmHq_ki8d-HeNQUkzkoNfPsyIZUibyCdUjqac5MylHKo86h8tkjol4dZTFjAUAwVT4erv3-YaiHk/s320/IMG_0397.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">This is a street near our house that is almost always packed with cars and people.<br />
A very different scene now. </td></tr>
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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: <a href="http://acparis.org/">acparis.org</a>. I am preaching this Sunday.<br />
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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8coEZGH6RB-DgK2nX8k6LoYZuaI9gnc6OJSSZQ649LAKWb8gyI8lM6_OWLzNx92kJ0aBsGbbZrjOkSe0MuA-MxpNjhq4ZP3YFH3l3pHAUS_J0tHRh_PSpVJb2-7udEDDDe3Xp41eSdBGK/s1600/IMG_0392.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8coEZGH6RB-DgK2nX8k6LoYZuaI9gnc6OJSSZQ649LAKWb8gyI8lM6_OWLzNx92kJ0aBsGbbZrjOkSe0MuA-MxpNjhq4ZP3YFH3l3pHAUS_J0tHRh_PSpVJb2-7udEDDDe3Xp41eSdBGK/s320/IMG_0392.jpeg" width="240" /></a>Parliament actually debated whether or not boulangeries were essential and decided, <span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">bien sûr</span>, they must stay open! In order to enforce the quarantine, you must carry a paper with you that states your business.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HnUMgY3PluiwIM2gQwPVoIwMESHRG8NcPYItgE79xYnTbsydZUIu4rYB-P-5sAHd2PAbeVHegC8CrsWYBCMpnNlc_E6EWMONiC5jxz2axr2Ovhvg5OEGMhNRC87LIJ4wI2SbxcuyeAwL/s1600/IMG_0399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HnUMgY3PluiwIM2gQwPVoIwMESHRG8NcPYItgE79xYnTbsydZUIu4rYB-P-5sAHd2PAbeVHegC8CrsWYBCMpnNlc_E6EWMONiC5jxz2axr2Ovhvg5OEGMhNRC87LIJ4wI2SbxcuyeAwL/s320/IMG_0399.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Our permission letter to be outside. <br />
You must carry this with you every time you leave the house. </td></tr>
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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.<br />
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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9rBw4zo4DwInHS0x6XDofgvWWNk6XZfKP52k2J4qGuqkw6v7Sz0ogor1wlWliHI2L4BgM8jI_C8vn_BeIC6BjrDg9yT0KBVT0Bhun-aIvKrpmFf8DRzm3B0cgDdg_30WdeIjaz5MtRhs/s1600/IMG_0394.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9rBw4zo4DwInHS0x6XDofgvWWNk6XZfKP52k2J4qGuqkw6v7Sz0ogor1wlWliHI2L4BgM8jI_C8vn_BeIC6BjrDg9yT0KBVT0Bhun-aIvKrpmFf8DRzm3B0cgDdg_30WdeIjaz5MtRhs/s320/IMG_0394.jpeg" width="240" /></a>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.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AY7546BVlYfKZ9XjDNroDpQcA6LnvbQ8uSon6GRZ1eBva5LHFslA-EGBJinVubQYMs-DiaFWo5ta0s_EgbEj4hv4Q9CetQdM13O0qMfttP9UprbHazYAFtsLUysDIUjMvaanj1JZNLSA/s1600/IMG_0395.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AY7546BVlYfKZ9XjDNroDpQcA6LnvbQ8uSon6GRZ1eBva5LHFslA-EGBJinVubQYMs-DiaFWo5ta0s_EgbEj4hv4Q9CetQdM13O0qMfttP9UprbHazYAFtsLUysDIUjMvaanj1JZNLSA/s320/IMG_0395.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">What else would you buy on St. Patrick's day during the COVID-19 quarantine? <br />
Guiness and anti-bacterial spray!</td></tr>
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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.<br />
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.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BuErpQdgBPAApEC3d_9gEoR4WT0lj_NVgDAoabe9zYosJPABrEbUx5OAp8LkklL6ng8_fGMtvsfb1cyp_NghQuSQ4xa9jR0DCNhsYEal2i8UgKPrBQeFQ8TEqXdWLQm7ZXGSYC_3n78l/s1600/IMG_0400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BuErpQdgBPAApEC3d_9gEoR4WT0lj_NVgDAoabe9zYosJPABrEbUx5OAp8LkklL6ng8_fGMtvsfb1cyp_NghQuSQ4xa9jR0DCNhsYEal2i8UgKPrBQeFQ8TEqXdWLQm7ZXGSYC_3n78l/s320/IMG_0400.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">She has taken to looking out the window and perching here outside the window. She is such good company.</td></tr>
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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.<br />
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?<br />
Since today is St. Patrick's day, I commend to you the prayer of St. Patrick.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxyl-zHKpHeylTiwfrGnPB2HwbIzOU1kAVKByBqI-BYvNbmpuy8CRsSAupEbsJYdybivjJSgaiwYUNF-9h7F_eNSwzaNAdOYHMRve98c01qQwapTrDwc0F6BxmisAUV4xy3Ax7XLVKC8NE/s1600/IMG_0536.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxyl-zHKpHeylTiwfrGnPB2HwbIzOU1kAVKByBqI-BYvNbmpuy8CRsSAupEbsJYdybivjJSgaiwYUNF-9h7F_eNSwzaNAdOYHMRve98c01qQwapTrDwc0F6BxmisAUV4xy3Ax7XLVKC8NE/s320/IMG_0536.jpeg" width="246" /></a><br />
Stay safe people and do your part to help others stay safe too. And wash. Often. With soap.<br />
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Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-59264247816561292752020-03-04T23:26:00.000-08:002020-03-05T12:29:06.056-08:00La Différence En France: One Month In<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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.<br>
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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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhif9mkB4nrxx79xMueQxR9wBlKG8A5Yn51xoZ4Lt185KV4rxChtYPO4yVHhZiSV4XkXRr4UTyFtQ_e0tYkUjBMjFRd0RR-Ek2FHtNGgc64kkntsId7YNQNwJ4-sA7CfeX0uLl-eO-TH6Zy/s1600/787029_pla_biologisch_abbaubare_hundekotbeutel_fg_5602_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhif9mkB4nrxx79xMueQxR9wBlKG8A5Yn51xoZ4Lt185KV4rxChtYPO4yVHhZiSV4XkXRr4UTyFtQ_e0tYkUjBMjFRd0RR-Ek2FHtNGgc64kkntsId7YNQNwJ4-sA7CfeX0uLl-eO-TH6Zy/s200/787029_pla_biologisch_abbaubare_hundekotbeutel_fg_5602_6.jpg" width="200" id="id_9ee2_a282_c20e_a7b0" style="width: 200px; height: auto;"></a>(Not really, but I'd like to start my own French Revolution on this topic).<br>
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. <br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWRkCclr66ixQP7C1XytNJ4U5KQr6ynSi7KUcX90Wrb7jhIR7cNS1zzeTE0Sg7JetyPlPmFsDioDtMRIA18CA9bcANgTJbmLjp83bQlYXdyGEAP36TAHG5E30K0b3W_JgYQz2BVP59d4_/s1600/IMG_0309.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWRkCclr66ixQP7C1XytNJ4U5KQr6ynSi7KUcX90Wrb7jhIR7cNS1zzeTE0Sg7JetyPlPmFsDioDtMRIA18CA9bcANgTJbmLjp83bQlYXdyGEAP36TAHG5E30K0b3W_JgYQz2BVP59d4_/s320/IMG_0309.jpeg" width="320" id="id_9163_f70_3852_c4d" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a>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.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmdXo_O6M0xkoHJM8kEblf0Th0eo1dIYsAR6guJEIuighmoAww5YDwDPPfoRK3BB_3MNtWiERBG32ehZK2-lHxsKmw9Be4iB8CZvSpR_HF6XHJ1KBF9Zy-NGcSfqC1bmbJEBnVWP96reHV/s1600/IMG_0235.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmdXo_O6M0xkoHJM8kEblf0Th0eo1dIYsAR6guJEIuighmoAww5YDwDPPfoRK3BB_3MNtWiERBG32ehZK2-lHxsKmw9Be4iB8CZvSpR_HF6XHJ1KBF9Zy-NGcSfqC1bmbJEBnVWP96reHV/s320/IMG_0235.jpeg" width="240" id="id_635_f7b4_5ee7_7409" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a>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.</div>
3. Kitchen appliances are small too. My refrigerator is actually a fairly good size by European standards and so is the freezer. <br>
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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. <br>
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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.<br>
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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.<br>
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.<br>
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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!<br>
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.<br>
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. <br>
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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!<br>
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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!<br>
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.<br>
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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.<br>
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Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-86435345772195127382020-02-07T13:07:00.000-08:002020-02-07T13:46:25.630-08:00One Week In<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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.<br>
So here are 10 of my deepest impressions from our first week.<br>
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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP84pVUjEiS0B2xBVsVE56hF7K_VvfO3-hoDy8gbQA3i2cRuwdgAopF9qM1bfgtrjFGn2ZZM_uwUEe8D45KGPCZpTyLNVDzzKJT4msaD6_O2rnfl6K6RdPx5ClrLwHGOH1TQGdY1W1JOJt/s1600/0CC3C51E-9AEF-4D0A-98AA-A5AE71F530CC.heic" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP84pVUjEiS0B2xBVsVE56hF7K_VvfO3-hoDy8gbQA3i2cRuwdgAopF9qM1bfgtrjFGn2ZZM_uwUEe8D45KGPCZpTyLNVDzzKJT4msaD6_O2rnfl6K6RdPx5ClrLwHGOH1TQGdY1W1JOJt/s320/0CC3C51E-9AEF-4D0A-98AA-A5AE71F530CC.heic" width="320" id="id_8544_e91e_921c_1c5c" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a>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.<br>
2. The trip over: Everything went amazingly well. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4OpDpqygqlddTb-YbCZ57oDm-YJjeiJRq9iFZ2d_vr_zOCwP0clBHvMCPiUFtZI6C8NLyxXoyM19VuBVpd2EFE7xfNigsj8wkNKV2ThMEsi1Yvx1XPUTL3jj005kIKIy3wcw_XkgKE-G/s1600/C50B101E-AD1A-4FB3-9E0F-FCBB9063A326.heic" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4OpDpqygqlddTb-YbCZ57oDm-YJjeiJRq9iFZ2d_vr_zOCwP0clBHvMCPiUFtZI6C8NLyxXoyM19VuBVpd2EFE7xfNigsj8wkNKV2ThMEsi1Yvx1XPUTL3jj005kIKIy3wcw_XkgKE-G/s320/C50B101E-AD1A-4FB3-9E0F-FCBB9063A326.heic" width="240" id="id_ce15_9cb_8d2e_427c" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a>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.<br>
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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAag_nKowuoz7qfMCdm5lW5YHuH5ODozKvwBfA6Iq7nGajreyX163aRYPUP8A0AwkvcHH93lT2frmWqCbfG64ld4jHN9fyvC46j8DDiqfrDpFLsdDDw7YkiB_MifDub2Jll7NppJLu83db/s1600/2245AF56-5BDA-440E-ABE3-94B2AB27CE9E.heic" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAag_nKowuoz7qfMCdm5lW5YHuH5ODozKvwBfA6Iq7nGajreyX163aRYPUP8A0AwkvcHH93lT2frmWqCbfG64ld4jHN9fyvC46j8DDiqfrDpFLsdDDw7YkiB_MifDub2Jll7NppJLu83db/s320/2245AF56-5BDA-440E-ABE3-94B2AB27CE9E.heic" width="240" id="id_9d5c_1b82_e76c_9f55" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a>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.<br>
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.<br>
5. Baguettes and butter. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zxYk3c1hm44DlZYqOwIKhWEbD5UChwisGgdeqAefyZNjlWap-os77vdp-9AjNrm73oc-1dK8IOVJY8I_oXpKj-vmFv7rnx1iRQD-2YMnzqkhc8d-GL-CtMc6Sti8VoXqulWRRdAVifKf/s1600/bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zxYk3c1hm44DlZYqOwIKhWEbD5UChwisGgdeqAefyZNjlWap-os77vdp-9AjNrm73oc-1dK8IOVJY8I_oXpKj-vmFv7rnx1iRQD-2YMnzqkhc8d-GL-CtMc6Sti8VoXqulWRRdAVifKf/s320/bread.jpg" width="240" id="id_773d_f8e5_3f51_cc36" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a>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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wdhBQUp5uTiaJ1Vu6gGMp6diLLgcInwiQNqlnEzpxfzE1BQ6L3iDrLg2T1aWtjLzGLAYGBWAszuxSGfh2w_6VcwrJCgq-3q6dFHcw4qJjSkhi_tuOtzWPFQZ-KBhtYyQHDJhDOEqwH6/s1600/4A38E026-7C0D-4E1B-BBE3-66B4C8F8FF6A.heic" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wdhBQUp5uTiaJ1Vu6gGMp6diLLgcInwiQNqlnEzpxfzE1BQ6L3iDrLg2T1aWtjLzGLAYGBWAszuxSGfh2w_6VcwrJCgq-3q6dFHcw4qJjSkhi_tuOtzWPFQZ-KBhtYyQHDJhDOEqwH6/s320/4A38E026-7C0D-4E1B-BBE3-66B4C8F8FF6A.heic" width="240" id="id_a3a3_3ccb_dec2_756b" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a>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!<br>
7. The city still dazzles.<br>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemXGGN6RzWXgsXq0gh4tUcift79wDFTIE8002txe2XdInT_MgsQhVAo0-mPcLKbWWl1El917VTsfHl45e5H-j7XWpUPNzDZ8USqvsqUFW83FgwQvYM91fqF8V9jvnd2PSNEpaE-qoI4K3/s1600/55E32E47-8D18-4D8B-B3BE-7FCDFC8C9371.heic" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemXGGN6RzWXgsXq0gh4tUcift79wDFTIE8002txe2XdInT_MgsQhVAo0-mPcLKbWWl1El917VTsfHl45e5H-j7XWpUPNzDZ8USqvsqUFW83FgwQvYM91fqF8V9jvnd2PSNEpaE-qoI4K3/s320/55E32E47-8D18-4D8B-B3BE-7FCDFC8C9371.heic" width="240" id="id_bfbc_ac6e_2133_6c9" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">A street near where we live.</td></tr>
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We live in the neighborhood of the Eiffel Tower so are treated to many glimpses a day of that beautiful structure.<br>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaaTDIF8seahwwRScsiRryVzcHZBCocKl2l4IfQHN2VndvMVHZRWlSsmM7RUxby3M4e3F_nyplOqibjEoNe7FujivZfHHmVLWUkA-w1yEgYJ9e7-23ojMb5Xq5EvceQrxu2yJq3xr9NyN/s1600/764F882C-2C4D-4448-A8C8-0605AD71BF5D.heic" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaaTDIF8seahwwRScsiRryVzcHZBCocKl2l4IfQHN2VndvMVHZRWlSsmM7RUxby3M4e3F_nyplOqibjEoNe7FujivZfHHmVLWUkA-w1yEgYJ9e7-23ojMb5Xq5EvceQrxu2yJq3xr9NyN/s320/764F882C-2C4D-4448-A8C8-0605AD71BF5D.heic" width="240" id="id_6edf_6bc_707a_68b" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">That's the church spire lit up in front of the dazzling Eiffel Tower. </td></tr>
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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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvdBjL_fOX01f7MTBNgG5Ps0BiUF71M16rfUEYzObMQlp4ro7zW40f5bUu9xKy6b1xhR0xPMgV-BENb8oxsKMCYxtve11CCLXfULXMSm9NGhiIDHRNfx3BNZBYTU8Dl8VXrZWleC2BHpr/s1600/34B3D7C7-88ED-4151-B005-9241BF8FC9BD.heic" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvdBjL_fOX01f7MTBNgG5Ps0BiUF71M16rfUEYzObMQlp4ro7zW40f5bUu9xKy6b1xhR0xPMgV-BENb8oxsKMCYxtve11CCLXfULXMSm9NGhiIDHRNfx3BNZBYTU8Dl8VXrZWleC2BHpr/s320/34B3D7C7-88ED-4151-B005-9241BF8FC9BD.heic" width="240" id="id_e5f_2eef_60c0_23c1" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a>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.<br>
6. More Maddie: Everyone loves her. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyYCA1EeBS8uRsKnSEm_28cIN2KkWv7ED5FJ5nRrXvMe3W8EECAe9DrWINE7EJWxXu8_k7s__IMtxOv1CsSpzu1sur_9PWsJLWhsbIVLT7xiu2VZ0PHqiy9EGb198hIGExx21jFqHZlcy/s1600/8E32D8C4-7ECE-4A22-ADB1-5A7C283516AD.heic" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyYCA1EeBS8uRsKnSEm_28cIN2KkWv7ED5FJ5nRrXvMe3W8EECAe9DrWINE7EJWxXu8_k7s__IMtxOv1CsSpzu1sur_9PWsJLWhsbIVLT7xiu2VZ0PHqiy9EGb198hIGExx21jFqHZlcy/s320/8E32D8C4-7ECE-4A22-ADB1-5A7C283516AD.heic" width="240" id="id_5e35_524d_127b_4fef" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a>Seriously. Strangers stop and talk to her in French and as far as we know, say very nice things about her.<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" id="id_651c_b02_5a0d_c561"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNGNApO5ci01FUGzjh23aJDmQtLI7MMmsZvHhJaN6l3q8Q-R2Zkk_lbJziUN6tPAuGNbb1fXukdKcGmG0gNxF8filyhSsS-X2K-tvAi4FbiWT4n7IXXQctTOfjssGUmPqLPWpnAomVvJ8/s1600/IMG_0076.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1541" data-original-width="1600" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNGNApO5ci01FUGzjh23aJDmQtLI7MMmsZvHhJaN6l3q8Q-R2Zkk_lbJziUN6tPAuGNbb1fXukdKcGmG0gNxF8filyhSsS-X2K-tvAi4FbiWT4n7IXXQctTOfjssGUmPqLPWpnAomVvJ8/s320/IMG_0076.jpeg" width="320" id="id_4072_343b_f1cd_8eb4" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">We did not know this woman. But she just had to pet Maddie.</td></tr>
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Who knows what they are saying? We do not speak French. But she's quickly becoming the church mascot. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGP5wa1o62bY0Ifj6a_Q_7EEWTSz9WXzx-0qwT93YhZZfqx1XpHJGcksYYy7KYoz5tQ6yIo9lmQxPOlzqQMeGAcDhH-tA7fCZA09m91wsm5GRhnZxk_H2N4qfiskWrVXaACdDElWh1Qp_a/s1600/D7435421-078F-4E6C-92BC-3005919891E8.heic" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGP5wa1o62bY0Ifj6a_Q_7EEWTSz9WXzx-0qwT93YhZZfqx1XpHJGcksYYy7KYoz5tQ6yIo9lmQxPOlzqQMeGAcDhH-tA7fCZA09m91wsm5GRhnZxk_H2N4qfiskWrVXaACdDElWh1Qp_a/s320/D7435421-078F-4E6C-92BC-3005919891E8.heic" width="240" id="id_eca2_7ee1_d8bf_b67b" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a>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.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnPc3EFPAGykAVLzGd18eCSUW5fmpU-hvullpA-2YeH2ejztnLLRld1IPhRuUC9Wu2aFIldgmw4PYR6gzMvcdQQFfsZxX6q40ktXmriE511hj5xqdt-BXSqg6a370huHZ9srvK-EkT8cx/s1600/IMG_0071.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnPc3EFPAGykAVLzGd18eCSUW5fmpU-hvullpA-2YeH2ejztnLLRld1IPhRuUC9Wu2aFIldgmw4PYR6gzMvcdQQFfsZxX6q40ktXmriE511hj5xqdt-BXSqg6a370huHZ9srvK-EkT8cx/s320/IMG_0071.jpeg" width="240" id="id_8e2f_1732_d587_4c9d" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a><br>
7. It is truly wonderful to be back at ACP. <br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoXkjJYhyphenhyphenkZSFC0an8IdsS6c0n5eEc5OJJwHg5L3GN4vN1V3jnY3FvvPYCF2JniR9WM0_Xi9wdLkVy6FHTXTHC9N4FfzD1srs-NpWiUrvzQNWfjPesfUK4MoFNw5gnfZUlkqTbmTKYZnK/s1600/acp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoXkjJYhyphenhyphenkZSFC0an8IdsS6c0n5eEc5OJJwHg5L3GN4vN1V3jnY3FvvPYCF2JniR9WM0_Xi9wdLkVy6FHTXTHC9N4FfzD1srs-NpWiUrvzQNWfjPesfUK4MoFNw5gnfZUlkqTbmTKYZnK/s320/acp.jpg" width="240" id="id_a182_9149_e4a1_d7ed" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a></div>
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.<br>
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!<br>
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 <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">fran<span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">çais 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.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">10. This is a good move for us. </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wlHQ5SzYpyekwHQonOeG48wob9gEHQAcZ_AoRcC1HblQD-AQg5DbDgrcP1k3UaCq6pzWqhcMUap5_tH2GaMz2Z8T2_A56O3PwJJI0W9GZQQClMEIuDHnyp57kwkO1OPpNM49wva6rb0G/s1600/IMG_0077.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wlHQ5SzYpyekwHQonOeG48wob9gEHQAcZ_AoRcC1HblQD-AQg5DbDgrcP1k3UaCq6pzWqhcMUap5_tH2GaMz2Z8T2_A56O3PwJJI0W9GZQQClMEIuDHnyp57kwkO1OPpNM49wva6rb0G/s320/IMG_0077.jpeg" width="240" id="id_cbfe_8847_332c_efb3" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a><span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222222; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">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!</span><br>
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Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-44484767762928405842020-01-16T07:45:00.001-08:002020-01-17T05:22:49.172-08:00Letting Go Through Tears<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">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.</span><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> 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. </div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> 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.</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> 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.</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> 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. </div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> 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. </div> Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-1173989303483050032019-12-04T05:41:00.001-08:002019-12-04T05:54:29.821-08:00Madeline in ParisIt’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. <img id="id_a00b_eb96_7da0_6b01" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PMQ7PMO0cyiV3hSekxXGbTmi72EYT4PBDrdqiVl700UflQNnhw78uUW_eOY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 497px; height: auto;">Photo mock up by Michael Nelson<br><br><div>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.</div><div><img id="id_a2f3_51f0_88ac_7e6" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/xBJKyQ1Um1zBHunO-mL8BiwPSksDUXZ_4mMyTA0d1mmMrvmcL8ynYCHCJRQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 261px; height: auto;">That’s the church spire to the right of the other big tower in Paris!<br><br><br></div><div>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. </div><div><br></div><img id="id_7a28_6bea_ea6c_c7af" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/m8Tj4SFLGDcMj3kzAkfyttKvmHxqL-pJt6fvHRHJ6w7WONeQw6RklvfYZKs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 183px; height: auto;"><br><div>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. </div><img id="id_5b2_a206_511_5efb" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/nJtn55Xmay7_rB717Ag7QTTRQ0IeHmhe--yv32VSsSVFmsaIqZ3hx226J-0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 246px; height: auto;"><br><br><div>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?</div>Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-16338938513270502242019-06-29T04:24:00.001-07:002019-06-29T22:59:19.388-07:00A Mixed Bag of Emotions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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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.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1HNvyz2O-GZBxISw_ikCP15znbmSzmQQOqxf_ezwGI7CeeDHCuaqIXQ4hlZd9nP7pjtjzpPDXfE4dZLTcx_At2pPdpJliPAi6dzNgHXAci1nauS6lmoTnI6cC045gMkK_eWRlwu0UbE2/s1600/IMG_2243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1HNvyz2O-GZBxISw_ikCP15znbmSzmQQOqxf_ezwGI7CeeDHCuaqIXQ4hlZd9nP7pjtjzpPDXfE4dZLTcx_At2pPdpJliPAi6dzNgHXAci1nauS6lmoTnI6cC045gMkK_eWRlwu0UbE2/s320/IMG_2243.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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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.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Covenant logo, now modified to indicate the kicking out of 1st Cov. Minneapolis. </td></tr>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr6TZlAF_w-itRwLBW8uiTHIgSZmK-3UKbIFoDLj4DsNVWR6N77ILUMGNxIW8XwXE_9zHiu7d5CrqW2WtSfcO93p7vUyGx5S1a7rDEVtvyZ6mG-fZnDE4FdpLELOpBFKcdOn9G073VF4Y/s1600/book.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="701" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr6TZlAF_w-itRwLBW8uiTHIgSZmK-3UKbIFoDLj4DsNVWR6N77ILUMGNxIW8XwXE_9zHiu7d5CrqW2WtSfcO93p7vUyGx5S1a7rDEVtvyZ6mG-fZnDE4FdpLELOpBFKcdOn9G073VF4Y/s320/book.jpeg" width="207" /></a>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. </div>
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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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaVyGxQMizUu1JDxqZwkw2BcW_6CVox4_5wl7_Y3aqicBn41tqY6uGGi-j8qyz2OqYsUkVKsPwtJRDeXGJkF75pqo_lMos9M1v5FGRbnccKKFYnxa9ozMU76QpzqNcQ-_CAqmwsuzHwgn/s1600/IMG_2241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaVyGxQMizUu1JDxqZwkw2BcW_6CVox4_5wl7_Y3aqicBn41tqY6uGGi-j8qyz2OqYsUkVKsPwtJRDeXGJkF75pqo_lMos9M1v5FGRbnccKKFYnxa9ozMU76QpzqNcQ-_CAqmwsuzHwgn/s320/IMG_2241.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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-->Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-9189859047206842812019-04-22T11:33:00.000-07:002019-04-22T11:37:38.460-07:00Bird Whistles in Luxembourg<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: left;"> Today is <span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Éimaischen</span></span> in Luxembourg. Traditionalists say it is named after the biblical town of Emmaus but the connection to bird whistles is unclear. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmOPkF7o4-eTcB6Wos5MJRmWf5RBF1uLJztF7fR6FhfBseiHxL2bvzOIRf6VtJkCJBxofpuAE0MUW8lcWonmi5QOctuo4FskNt2WHZRfe_oHuvNxohA5hI-4T8UunAv2J7RbljnEmbEmZ/s1600/IMG_0641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmOPkF7o4-eTcB6Wos5MJRmWf5RBF1uLJztF7fR6FhfBseiHxL2bvzOIRf6VtJkCJBxofpuAE0MUW8lcWonmi5QOctuo4FskNt2WHZRfe_oHuvNxohA5hI-4T8UunAv2J7RbljnEmbEmZ/s320/IMG_0641.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="text-align: left;">The Monday after Easter people flock to the small town of Nospelt </span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUf4m6VGnkFlQY-9CxXSxy30-g9XbIQQ0DKxVUzkUb2q3c7fPKUD15e5e-hiDoPExlMOyFjmzUeuzN9TDYhCDw_rstPQRNbJ_4AcrsmVPqcPKuaguM7pVP2lzXqFZEQn_boprj_Wm2RTN/s1600/IMG_0639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUf4m6VGnkFlQY-9CxXSxy30-g9XbIQQ0DKxVUzkUb2q3c7fPKUD15e5e-hiDoPExlMOyFjmzUeuzN9TDYhCDw_rstPQRNbJ_4AcrsmVPqcPKuaguM7pVP2lzXqFZEQn_boprj_Wm2RTN/s320/IMG_0639.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 17px;">Nospelt is a potter town.</td></tr>
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and to downtown Luxembourg where a festive atmosphere urges them to buy bird whistles made out of clay, called <span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Péckvillercher</span></span>.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoJ7FNG6xanBJ81kP6UFuS3u92O9LJFTD1p2UaZWM-I_LjdAvlCVIZb0dsZjIobdsrN1ymPGq3weAJEgbeWXenDIshBUfbpwi5bJW4MgaQq6FM6zlSeCK1D0zbct2Mpn5c-z1z8zooo15/s1600/IMG_0651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoJ7FNG6xanBJ81kP6UFuS3u92O9LJFTD1p2UaZWM-I_LjdAvlCVIZb0dsZjIobdsrN1ymPGq3weAJEgbeWXenDIshBUfbpwi5bJW4MgaQq6FM6zlSeCK1D0zbct2Mpn5c-z1z8zooo15/s320/IMG_0651.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 17px;">Loved these bird flags that Nospelt proudly flew.</td></tr>
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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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWcN9ncp8O-VVVeTvO0uvWnx5dKdTUOYutyjyotdFjzCXfPEOF19jhVoj1czbNkxiDR-7JRBY_kUQgQOzRh0rIhyphenhyphenEwKCGVt3gIvG7kuOQ49hvxnQKo4ICoj1AMS22K4keljSQXf3naX_w/s1600/IMG_0645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWcN9ncp8O-VVVeTvO0uvWnx5dKdTUOYutyjyotdFjzCXfPEOF19jhVoj1czbNkxiDR-7JRBY_kUQgQOzRh0rIhyphenhyphenEwKCGVt3gIvG7kuOQ49hvxnQKo4ICoj1AMS22K4keljSQXf3naX_w/s320/IMG_0645.JPG" width="240" /></a>Our friends told us it was a tradition, well their tradition anyway, to take a photo in front of the church with your birds!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVOdXZuYxN4Zb3QEuuUicl11s24xnPu5QmjTD5QCGK7u3fYx6BrlHPQSvPZEkX_FeMNvY99kxLtCpi-CCkuL7004B-1r1DyQrAmfc5NApxeeHzjRprHUoP9QYZAjENOWJ6Jb5CMsctqtw/s1600/IMG_0643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVOdXZuYxN4Zb3QEuuUicl11s24xnPu5QmjTD5QCGK7u3fYx6BrlHPQSvPZEkX_FeMNvY99kxLtCpi-CCkuL7004B-1r1DyQrAmfc5NApxeeHzjRprHUoP9QYZAjENOWJ6Jb5CMsctqtw/s320/IMG_0643.JPG" width="240" /></a> The Monday after Easter is the only day that you can buy <span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">Péckvillercher so it's a great tradition that you don't want to miss</span>.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwo72eOSvAvQy99VDl-F5YLIHvPtOyus31hhP-gE9x_AFHqiuUY-yW6kheuCfDv1NE7tjgwF_vwntMb7Gc9Br8yzCbgTc5gk852GnTrddZDjzQNMxfrI8E3Vb2TpjUZGElQJrAuxuHfQI/s1600/IMG_0644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwo72eOSvAvQy99VDl-F5YLIHvPtOyus31hhP-gE9x_AFHqiuUY-yW6kheuCfDv1NE7tjgwF_vwntMb7Gc9Br8yzCbgTc5gk852GnTrddZDjzQNMxfrI8E3Vb2TpjUZGElQJrAuxuHfQI/s320/IMG_0644.JPG" width="240" /></a>We ate some delicious sausages and Doug enjoyed a glass of beer while I preferred sipping on bubbles. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHS6a0F9CXj765W7b9SUE5NQ-h_TV-1BREjJ8Q4LEdFZ4vx5VEqmvYoZI6_B49U1PAgoV6EOzgFGl78KHX1qTYTGYJd89j-CJCpnzV4TbF6W2hTbktbbb2RvrTFueDl7xl_XhcoMH4zuZr/s1600/IMG_0656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHS6a0F9CXj765W7b9SUE5NQ-h_TV-1BREjJ8Q4LEdFZ4vx5VEqmvYoZI6_B49U1PAgoV6EOzgFGl78KHX1qTYTGYJd89j-CJCpnzV4TbF6W2hTbktbbb2RvrTFueDl7xl_XhcoMH4zuZr/s320/IMG_0656.JPG" width="240" /></a>The glasses were free to keep! It helped that it was an absolutely beautiful day and the flowers were in full bloom.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgix281fe2apSSN4dpFcm2y6eq0Mehsaga5d9a76O9sCXUd5K7b7a_skzB6Gn5294qzRDmS6vUnXFa3KLi3Uink1XDCKyXYTPYG70-78Tjtxj-xoqCOEWQiUc5TLFaZszajO8vQfatCNDX_/s1600/IMG_0654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgix281fe2apSSN4dpFcm2y6eq0Mehsaga5d9a76O9sCXUd5K7b7a_skzB6Gn5294qzRDmS6vUnXFa3KLi3Uink1XDCKyXYTPYG70-78Tjtxj-xoqCOEWQiUc5TLFaZszajO8vQfatCNDX_/s320/IMG_0654.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPRyteKh7gAcjAXkm0McJcOxpJVy233RSKeuaxFaCd4r8yyjSSUJDZvcZSX44GY6H6mmcNTq0uMWUqcZYQtkXmY-H2_ShVvAduC8w8RdY9T5YupNFCJHDLSU9dYqZn3DkkXWHN8HNzoFz/s1600/IMG_0655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPRyteKh7gAcjAXkm0McJcOxpJVy233RSKeuaxFaCd4r8yyjSSUJDZvcZSX44GY6H6mmcNTq0uMWUqcZYQtkXmY-H2_ShVvAduC8w8RdY9T5YupNFCJHDLSU9dYqZn3DkkXWHN8HNzoFz/s320/IMG_0655.JPG" width="240" /></a>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.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGm_VwCBUOxzOdNH-kQRj7ET7_AYbpwOREVk5e98adwtg0a36NaB3Q6zmtYr-ZiA_PMXjtRj1Nf02zQi0h2n8Gd1dYeFAavWWZxZe9wgNf_VxN-HLUR7sdwY2_E1dZQdeCktKZdV7IrWwb/s1600/IMG_0658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGm_VwCBUOxzOdNH-kQRj7ET7_AYbpwOREVk5e98adwtg0a36NaB3Q6zmtYr-ZiA_PMXjtRj1Nf02zQi0h2n8Gd1dYeFAavWWZxZe9wgNf_VxN-HLUR7sdwY2_E1dZQdeCktKZdV7IrWwb/s320/IMG_0658.jpg" width="320" /></a>While we were in town we indulged in a traditional Luxembourgish treat called Gromperekichelcher.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bwx8MYFbbziV0CVOLhyM_Z4uf4P3ifyeo_Iv85le1Bypty93KNn5BaPvGwX0yTm62mSE5SilJXm1Y_az63bWfYvHA6y7tXPX8f2SVZmTR8-cicrW4523s0zBrh7DdyQZ1i-fb9FMloaH/s1600/luxembourg.food_.img_85121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bwx8MYFbbziV0CVOLhyM_Z4uf4P3ifyeo_Iv85le1Bypty93KNn5BaPvGwX0yTm62mSE5SilJXm1Y_az63bWfYvHA6y7tXPX8f2SVZmTR8-cicrW4523s0zBrh7DdyQZ1i-fb9FMloaH/s320/luxembourg.food_.img_85121.jpg" width="320" /></a> 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!<br />
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.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYz4OODq_6nduu5WDaRWDVbyU1sd4e_kIvjELBKN1gFRg0h0WYDAqHNFWggLVFITurubl4VsaKKbUhvz2DwsXQYHBAoa4Ey7vBSlE4apDA4mfZ4WIkJQAoEiSuCLGmJRBCyPsGEHPLJht1/s1600/IMG_0659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYz4OODq_6nduu5WDaRWDVbyU1sd4e_kIvjELBKN1gFRg0h0WYDAqHNFWggLVFITurubl4VsaKKbUhvz2DwsXQYHBAoa4Ey7vBSlE4apDA4mfZ4WIkJQAoEiSuCLGmJRBCyPsGEHPLJht1/s320/IMG_0659.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-14593328576749436152019-02-28T12:55:00.001-08:002019-02-28T12:55:28.021-08:00A Visit to the Orval Abbey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The intention was for the pastoral staff to have a day away together before Logan takes off on his paternity leave. Sadly, Logan had to cancel at the last minute but Paul, Doug and myself decided to head out anyway. Our destination was the Orval Abbey in Belgium.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNguBGpLDr7f5neLMg1zbwjWIqRIDiFNWD_Qtrb4qY9CPkLyRuHwUrZPwMgG2Q6CBFuku-XGdCf056DzCBkTPpdcINTab540EG0cOxGRoxep89PHM2nj02N-3fV2tL4QyZbpiu4HWA8pn/s1600/IMG_4409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="1600" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNguBGpLDr7f5neLMg1zbwjWIqRIDiFNWD_Qtrb4qY9CPkLyRuHwUrZPwMgG2Q6CBFuku-XGdCf056DzCBkTPpdcINTab540EG0cOxGRoxep89PHM2nj02N-3fV2tL4QyZbpiu4HWA8pn/s640/IMG_4409.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">The abbey as you approach by car.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaPtfYYDL7yU0r4sM28qMV0QcAUAp4m5eGWhHpwhiqqhATYn4mBehERMBNHimoZMWo3yxA0TrJw9xDv-ugst9BuBo6a4ezmC-3oAbyjZ2yn5I9T4m12dn0aJiZ7PFyVNh4G9W1zPT9Qhj/s1600/IMG_4410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaPtfYYDL7yU0r4sM28qMV0QcAUAp4m5eGWhHpwhiqqhATYn4mBehERMBNHimoZMWo3yxA0TrJw9xDv-ugst9BuBo6a4ezmC-3oAbyjZ2yn5I9T4m12dn0aJiZ7PFyVNh4G9W1zPT9Qhj/s640/IMG_4410.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">The front of the grounds.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nLmziisTiG39f3EzozfCgl4IqlxCoqwjiGDelC4auC10C24MjHRWBNlnCSgTPt9wltRwLJMc7VdISYwrHCAQ1k0FZ4aQca0ot4BHZ-AIuL9D9RdyfuoKtwUXU1z909ls63k0SM7NFB-8/s1600/IMG_4406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="1600" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nLmziisTiG39f3EzozfCgl4IqlxCoqwjiGDelC4auC10C24MjHRWBNlnCSgTPt9wltRwLJMc7VdISYwrHCAQ1k0FZ4aQca0ot4BHZ-AIuL9D9RdyfuoKtwUXU1z909ls63k0SM7NFB-8/s640/IMG_4406.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grounds are breathtaking. <br />What a stunningly beautiful place this is! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iHIiZ1VI8Vp1G4aNIJRnrO85Mcq89o0fzAQhSrLdkdVLTtI9PF3v1ImkyYX7ErGuRGPv86hv_tVPIvq6y276YCbyfkAQYLYurTrSCvpcavnSe1rnOgBgKGkjGwTO5FHdcIv2pWpL2KEY/s1600/IMG_4407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iHIiZ1VI8Vp1G4aNIJRnrO85Mcq89o0fzAQhSrLdkdVLTtI9PF3v1ImkyYX7ErGuRGPv86hv_tVPIvq6y276YCbyfkAQYLYurTrSCvpcavnSe1rnOgBgKGkjGwTO5FHdcIv2pWpL2KEY/s640/IMG_4407.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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The abbey is a functioning abbey to this day although there are only about 14 monks still living there. The monks are known as the Trappist Cistercian monks. We arrived just in time to join them for their midday prayers. Entering this church was quite amazing.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidvuL__haLKo8Q4hxkAJHjISpFNd26gFiGBAaeU-E4FrjAGIlVd2YY2BzwyC-1XPKgv_baL0LbVFg1WOKNzyFHVkSgwowt0KnmffgTfkF8kRd-4NhdH_I-mB6mcqKfEiJ8NAjgvaaMUyIj/s1600/IMG_4402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidvuL__haLKo8Q4hxkAJHjISpFNd26gFiGBAaeU-E4FrjAGIlVd2YY2BzwyC-1XPKgv_baL0LbVFg1WOKNzyFHVkSgwowt0KnmffgTfkF8kRd-4NhdH_I-mB6mcqKfEiJ8NAjgvaaMUyIj/s640/IMG_4402.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">The front of the church. Such a stunning entry. It is really breathtaking.</td></tr>
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It was a very beautiful, short service, all in French but enjoyable none the less. Since it was lunch time, that was next on our agenda!<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqWE_iE7TfYbt-uR1ueMnWe-qvEhaypUuYM08xnOOYr1RxfaHUm-fUEnTIkUOhGPaiVe_nsrQ5P2Q2rc97NXZm5lhanU3hxjhOdbFbuEktJdLJbky_1TKWKwmCLUFVEyZbxc4owJDlOwO/s1600/IMG_4408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqWE_iE7TfYbt-uR1ueMnWe-qvEhaypUuYM08xnOOYr1RxfaHUm-fUEnTIkUOhGPaiVe_nsrQ5P2Q2rc97NXZm5lhanU3hxjhOdbFbuEktJdLJbky_1TKWKwmCLUFVEyZbxc4owJDlOwO/s400/IMG_4408.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Quite well-known and liked beer. </td></tr>
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Over the years they have brewed beer and made cheese and that still happens today. Visitors are not allowed in the brewery or fromagerie due to health concerns but a nice exhibit explained how the beer was made.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEsW-W1qAnn83yMVDZC3_CDNEFS_JZ1-3IsXWXEbVLvEpI688ycJOQuknpfa37w_RGUSjP_tyYqaN6f5HJ02Uo05hkLrGqdxcEKhXmklZywPzyt4VYw5wr98gecPJvtqr_AoUtiC7xYyw/s1600/IMG_4420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEsW-W1qAnn83yMVDZC3_CDNEFS_JZ1-3IsXWXEbVLvEpI688ycJOQuknpfa37w_RGUSjP_tyYqaN6f5HJ02Uo05hkLrGqdxcEKhXmklZywPzyt4VYw5wr98gecPJvtqr_AoUtiC7xYyw/s400/IMG_4420.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Good information.</td></tr>
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We enjoyed both at lunch. The beer is pretty bitter, a bit to much for my taste and the cheese is much like port salut, creamy and mild.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcV9FIcFI6UbkIvaBR71tuNJqf-vr72cxxCj_anq2n2k2V-kpDhB0Rb1RsZDRGhx2B8sAaWIVEY7aS0-JnXHpRESk9iTdpJxWya9lLnZmXauJ_Fd-JNqk6sAVzXck6V4ZD3Dx0ialO6z1/s1600/IMG_4419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcV9FIcFI6UbkIvaBR71tuNJqf-vr72cxxCj_anq2n2k2V-kpDhB0Rb1RsZDRGhx2B8sAaWIVEY7aS0-JnXHpRESk9iTdpJxWya9lLnZmXauJ_Fd-JNqk6sAVzXck6V4ZD3Dx0ialO6z1/s400/IMG_4419.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">The cheeses they make.<br /></td></tr>
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We returned to the abbey and walked the grounds.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-z-PKL8F2xSBHduOcWJsPNdXLPD8WY8js5nW79ps_91ZbXR8eaoR8RE_eqV9PxPJ35nlTG5NjnX5XWglTnxmnqE8MV1ce1z9vPrQ_BBrbwyBsg7wmlxmawlN08tpnEAF3WeqX3mdbPtSH/s1600/IMG_4404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-z-PKL8F2xSBHduOcWJsPNdXLPD8WY8js5nW79ps_91ZbXR8eaoR8RE_eqV9PxPJ35nlTG5NjnX5XWglTnxmnqE8MV1ce1z9vPrQ_BBrbwyBsg7wmlxmawlN08tpnEAF3WeqX3mdbPtSH/s640/IMG_4404.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">One of the side buildings.</td></tr>
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I was astonished by how large the facility is and also how beautiful the ruins are.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDJMeWrwj2s9ohxnck704OM_wG3MCI00PhYjeb6LWe1oIJaemyZTz_M6KpxZRIbRvXyvkPsS5oofGeCnPh2l7_SxcOu7syyAz-RycExLwz45LlV2ewavSo7A5aMuNH4r4IjQjZJeLS9Za/s1600/IMG_4433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1539" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDJMeWrwj2s9ohxnck704OM_wG3MCI00PhYjeb6LWe1oIJaemyZTz_M6KpxZRIbRvXyvkPsS5oofGeCnPh2l7_SxcOu7syyAz-RycExLwz45LlV2ewavSo7A5aMuNH4r4IjQjZJeLS9Za/s640/IMG_4433.jpg" width="614" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">I could not get enough of this rose window.</td></tr>
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The first monks arrived from Italy in 1070. In 1252 the entire abbey was gutted by fire.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhhP1YDdBeDa5TDO6gm17tnzeGIb2CjQYYEBV5p8ywq3wAiVVA8WqQySwbo13oEPJEcCvHAH8GL97ZnGmoMT6tnz9wCwr6QLhshUN5fYSJjifJMH3YF75XtpNa-DhbwTzcZeT-0R1aU_p/s1600/IMG_4429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhhP1YDdBeDa5TDO6gm17tnzeGIb2CjQYYEBV5p8ywq3wAiVVA8WqQySwbo13oEPJEcCvHAH8GL97ZnGmoMT6tnz9wCwr6QLhshUN5fYSJjifJMH3YF75XtpNa-DhbwTzcZeT-0R1aU_p/s640/IMG_4429.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">A good look back through the ruins.</td></tr>
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In 1793 the French destroyed the abbey as an act of war. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMD6fAJ_tpdv1V_MQ9D_hc1b6101DdFnQBwMv7of-XNfi6VoNdl76YOmtku7AmkM30Y8Dz2HkdUCYPjL0lCLZioo-Hg_qjom1HaJGsZnDHgzssR-eIYQG0Skkoj3ouKVJohHdNWvgG1dx/s1600/IMG_4426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMD6fAJ_tpdv1V_MQ9D_hc1b6101DdFnQBwMv7of-XNfi6VoNdl76YOmtku7AmkM30Y8Dz2HkdUCYPjL0lCLZioo-Hg_qjom1HaJGsZnDHgzssR-eIYQG0Skkoj3ouKVJohHdNWvgG1dx/s640/IMG_4426.jpg" width="480" /></a>Just as recently as 1948 the newer buildings were finished.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pvg5m-LKrHhmNelLUihu2ra6gIkOHAOHcnJfwdfbKc4i5qc6si-7q8JhKsR7fuVHiIQ93y1D6bcqeBgBcHlLhoSQs-LzarcdrmnqMG1r6ZrofL5VtDi9kLfYeVvG282eDcVPK35yFyCY/s1600/IMG_4431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pvg5m-LKrHhmNelLUihu2ra6gIkOHAOHcnJfwdfbKc4i5qc6si-7q8JhKsR7fuVHiIQ93y1D6bcqeBgBcHlLhoSQs-LzarcdrmnqMG1r6ZrofL5VtDi9kLfYeVvG282eDcVPK35yFyCY/s640/IMG_4431.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">This stone table reminded me of Aslan's table in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe of the Chronicles of Narnia.</td></tr>
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A much more rich history exists but this at least gives some context.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbwyFBYiWpTJcBKjGne7qwbeUc-d5a5AQey55KsHSLe2qImH9KxQFIgKSVJlV8KYrQ-sURuQ6siBmEcBMkNVB8mc2j5h0ydlQHwwO-zUK89QieQV-i-EC23kRCh_A_mHgn_OTXcGtTaE4/s1600/IMG_4427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbwyFBYiWpTJcBKjGne7qwbeUc-d5a5AQey55KsHSLe2qImH9KxQFIgKSVJlV8KYrQ-sURuQ6siBmEcBMkNVB8mc2j5h0ydlQHwwO-zUK89QieQV-i-EC23kRCh_A_mHgn_OTXcGtTaE4/s640/IMG_4427.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Love the new and the old together. </td></tr>
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Today anyone can come and use the place as a retreat center.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpS7FGhvTbvvNMRsMEMSj3HdHR4Fr0zmFQ5IVIQW4F-PrLfNilynT1dkOjDzqlPJ4JejlPqbXSNx0RVesNMW3FilXbVru_DZtLJQrua53iuqZlkqfBA7ELcOUfuGxwCX_2PM7pEY4zBLx/s1600/IMG_4411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1487" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpS7FGhvTbvvNMRsMEMSj3HdHR4Fr0zmFQ5IVIQW4F-PrLfNilynT1dkOjDzqlPJ4JejlPqbXSNx0RVesNMW3FilXbVru_DZtLJQrua53iuqZlkqfBA7ELcOUfuGxwCX_2PM7pEY4zBLx/s640/IMG_4411.jpg" width="593" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Today's guest house.<br /></td></tr>
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As we began to tour the grounds I was taken in with the beauty and the story that unfolded beneath these old walls.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zgMXOVnMU6cAGY9RO8wDld1ZGtafBKMa6hE3hrxeyelRwtDg_isSMPxcyvadFAiPaOB45vD-I7J5FFbRuUiUVFbT9zoMRmquCAzxxghO3bgLgLcbP2Fc89fhMK9Qyn3pLR87KNxJAF1R/s1600/IMG_4425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zgMXOVnMU6cAGY9RO8wDld1ZGtafBKMa6hE3hrxeyelRwtDg_isSMPxcyvadFAiPaOB45vD-I7J5FFbRuUiUVFbT9zoMRmquCAzxxghO3bgLgLcbP2Fc89fhMK9Qyn3pLR87KNxJAF1R/s640/IMG_4425.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">The ruins of the old buildings are just fantastic.</td></tr>
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The ruins are just lovely and the placards with explanations kept us well informed. Because we've have such incredible weather, I was deeply chagrined to be without a proper jacket as the weather became more typical for late February. Fortunately my husband was willing to give me his sweater as he had brought a proper jacket, so I didn't completely freeze to death! Even so, it was peaceful and restorative to wander the grounds and take in the beauty.<br />
The place was about an hour from Luxembourg City, about a half hour into Belgium. What fun to take a day and explore a deeply spiritual place.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CDW71-HXFw0oF0m8xN_Bk56OeAEdcsIXhh-Rvz43eLIIC6eFk_p24e1qEW25y5YptetIz5Cmyaxx0EiHmU6Pu0EIGCDPGX5m8Tgwg9FbP9-hy5ikbts2uBKxmL2y0DX9ohi7dSCq3Oye/s1600/IMG_4436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CDW71-HXFw0oF0m8xN_Bk56OeAEdcsIXhh-Rvz43eLIIC6eFk_p24e1qEW25y5YptetIz5Cmyaxx0EiHmU6Pu0EIGCDPGX5m8Tgwg9FbP9-hy5ikbts2uBKxmL2y0DX9ohi7dSCq3Oye/s640/IMG_4436.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">The sculpture is a rendering of the Good Samaritan.</td></tr>
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</div>
Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-8906026387939148802019-02-22T00:09:00.003-08:002019-02-22T01:23:08.757-08:00Life in Luxembourg<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We've been moved into our beautiful flat for almost one week. We're adjusting to country life quite well! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2n7kQvJ5A_EtBSv4ihb5xGyUj_T70rbmc_-fgNKjIsyTIxePWvEdYRPgrhrPF8qC07F2h0BPXA8rVihcKMXrM_7P7zxhvGZnXXuKM_0-tlbOVFvoUB56RrhiG80Ku_AndWFaNdjAfFBu/s1600/IMG_4277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2n7kQvJ5A_EtBSv4ihb5xGyUj_T70rbmc_-fgNKjIsyTIxePWvEdYRPgrhrPF8qC07F2h0BPXA8rVihcKMXrM_7P7zxhvGZnXXuKM_0-tlbOVFvoUB56RrhiG80Ku_AndWFaNdjAfFBu/s320/IMG_4277.jpg" width="240" id="id_5ccc_5252_3f78_bc3d" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a>The surrounding forest makes our daily walks with Maddie a joy and she is in dog heaven, off the leash, running like the wind, sniffing every exotic smell the forest yields. She is always on the hunt for the perfect piece of wood to carry around. The bigger or heavier the better!<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCemTItKsIVbuggth9uk12yQaW2GVSpDJn_k2MoQQNrtJEPOjdlMNT8pVQLJfQvCDrFKoUA-vYS7SpARbY4S2fqdxBKVUzrASKwfI_A-MsjtTKicrrobizBbGoNhi3_-wU4x6d84kT9_X3/s1600/IMG_4276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1264" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCemTItKsIVbuggth9uk12yQaW2GVSpDJn_k2MoQQNrtJEPOjdlMNT8pVQLJfQvCDrFKoUA-vYS7SpARbY4S2fqdxBKVUzrASKwfI_A-MsjtTKicrrobizBbGoNhi3_-wU4x6d84kT9_X3/s320/IMG_4276.jpg" width="252" id="id_9920_a290_94b_a32" style="width: 252px; height: auto;"></a></div>
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We saw the vet last week and Maddie received a clean bill of health! Her legs look great and that whole ordeal is behind us! She had to get a few more vaccinations that Europe requires, begin taking de-worming pills and will have to have flea and tick treatments while we're here. All of this is new to her but she's handling it quite well! We are so thankful for the vet and the excellent medicine she received. Removing those dew claws ended up being a much more traumatic experience than we had counted on so we are all just super happy it's now in our rear view mirror! She is one tired pup at the end of the day!<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjnjJNdHarJpIFAoj5wtBLs5bNw1LDI69aokwJhrkAj9qunewfyBL6xXi4gpha2Pkd3SpV57BWV06MEvCPQup5wP0oHGg1pw0qBBnBDyi6KnSkZwTMDc4LRxW1dNSZyvduKme4XsFs0xQ/s1600/IMG_4241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjnjJNdHarJpIFAoj5wtBLs5bNw1LDI69aokwJhrkAj9qunewfyBL6xXi4gpha2Pkd3SpV57BWV06MEvCPQup5wP0oHGg1pw0qBBnBDyi6KnSkZwTMDc4LRxW1dNSZyvduKme4XsFs0xQ/s320/IMG_4241.jpg" width="320" id="id_b388_6554_a2a0_8362" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></div>
It's about a half hour to forty minute drive into Luxembourg city from where we live and we've made that drive many times this week as we've had a lot of meetings with people as we seek to get up to speed on the work we'll be doing while here. While it's a pretty easy drive we have also realized that during the day parking is one big headache in the city center so we are grateful that there is bus service from our village into town. It takes about 45 minutes but it's a great option when we don't want the car. We have discovered a wonderful American-esque grocery store (meaning lots of product to choose from but with European quality) along the route we travel so when we have the car, a stop there will likely become a regular habit! <br>
For the first time ever while living in Europe it makes sense for us to have a car. Thankfully someone from church has been able to lend us a car as we get settled in and during this time it has become obvious that we would not be able to function very well without a vehicle. So we bought a car! Another man from the church buys and sells cars so he was able to get this car at a dealer's auction in Germany. He says that in 6 months, when we return to the US he'll likely be able to sell it for us for a profit! So it made good sense for us to do this. It looks really great!<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fLMAvMK0wSFKLbFfPJ9UKd8u58Y-egjYiDA2nQ30ha5SMGgkxtJqoGKEg9PYCCxQR1RTwVb-nVvOw4vebLLedASbf-if16cgW6mDXaY3qaxib0XwcirjEvzvNAIqQ-ilOx-k9eSuCFiT/s1600/IMG_0315.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fLMAvMK0wSFKLbFfPJ9UKd8u58Y-egjYiDA2nQ30ha5SMGgkxtJqoGKEg9PYCCxQR1RTwVb-nVvOw4vebLLedASbf-if16cgW6mDXaY3qaxib0XwcirjEvzvNAIqQ-ilOx-k9eSuCFiT/s320/IMG_0315.png" width="320" id="id_3a1c_4e38_a08d_30dd" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a>Maddie will travel in style in the back and it will be fantastic to have a car when as we travel around this summer. Also, there are so many wonderful day trips from where we are and we won't have the stress of using someone else's car etc. The short distances we can travel to be in wonderful places is kind of a thrill for us. it has always been a dream to live more centrally located in Europe and well, it doesn't get more central than this! We are excited and happy that getting a car worked out so well for us. </div>
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I am reminded once again that everything is smaller in Europe! Our fridge is small, our freezer tiny! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTvcdsSUnINQkE0pyPUz-zmwVpxapXok0gptfdHKkFRKAneaOKYlCrHq_QqKYqQ7mqqAixyo50vrpoAKlVYaZgukx8QEBJGOB9x-z6ILJmtOQIWc2_Y2hZ_i8Phs-TCU-XPDxwk1GTfW-/s1600/IMG_4273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTvcdsSUnINQkE0pyPUz-zmwVpxapXok0gptfdHKkFRKAneaOKYlCrHq_QqKYqQ7mqqAixyo50vrpoAKlVYaZgukx8QEBJGOB9x-z6ILJmtOQIWc2_Y2hZ_i8Phs-TCU-XPDxwk1GTfW-/s320/IMG_4273.jpg" width="320" id="id_4939_bc74_45a1_ef85" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></div>
We are getting used to not having ice! The washer and dryer are also much smaller so it just takes a bit longer to get through all the laundry. But I am so grateful to have laundry right here in our flat. Speaking of our flat...the story of this space is beautiful. The couple that owns the main home that is above our place built this garden level apartment for his father so he could spend his final years with them. After he passed, the daughter and son-in-law lived here while they built their home next door! Now they keep it as a retreat for clergy and missionaries so that when they need a place of rest they can provide it. They have graciously offered us this space for the 4 months that we are here and already we feel like part of the family. Their hospitality and gracious welcome is a bit overwhelming at times but so deeply appreciated. We feel like we've known them for ages and we are very excited to continue to graft them into our lives. We look forward to enjoying the outdoor patio as the weather warms up and talking more and more with them about their lives.<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXgW1-axLh0kbfbldPXQ2uySNa8OA1s8npkzuYy4-4b1wZAQ1WcDZDlsYhL4kobkXnakV2wu9q5wpZGOBwdIQqMc14hNPlrPBXjgJsYbw728Qn_QzhOx0nep9v6bf_fzmZtvAvjobuDwN/s1600/IMG_4267.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXgW1-axLh0kbfbldPXQ2uySNa8OA1s8npkzuYy4-4b1wZAQ1WcDZDlsYhL4kobkXnakV2wu9q5wpZGOBwdIQqMc14hNPlrPBXjgJsYbw728Qn_QzhOx0nep9v6bf_fzmZtvAvjobuDwN/s320/IMG_4267.jpg" width="320" id="id_97d8_a01_7093_aa77" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our back patio on a frosty February morning</td></tr>
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We have been quite lucky since arriving that winter seems to be waning. It's chilly in the morning with temperatures in the 30's and 40'sF (0-4C) and there is often a layer of frost in the morning. But it quickly burns off and the sun has been shining consistently since we arrived. People say this is atypical but I'm grateful. It warms to 50's and even low 60'sF (10-15C) during the day and we've been able to walk Maddie with only a fleece for a jacket. The weather at our home in the desert has been horrible with high winds, cold temperatures, and tons of rain so I think we are actually better off with what we have. At least it's sunny! The sunny days have yielded beautiful sunsets and we are consistently dazzled by how gorgeous the landscape is. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-TslZR6cz6P00u95yT2ZOIu2PXU1e2ov-SGV_2KBoLMgC2O6bUZGYq-W9uh0uYG2ICAA4uuEX2oMNu770kKVSCf-uu9vl3ZbIM34oKknaZnPXC1QgVhNpqaBBGnkGeP3ZDpkMvZfTUXb/s1600/IMG_4282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-TslZR6cz6P00u95yT2ZOIu2PXU1e2ov-SGV_2KBoLMgC2O6bUZGYq-W9uh0uYG2ICAA4uuEX2oMNu770kKVSCf-uu9vl3ZbIM34oKknaZnPXC1QgVhNpqaBBGnkGeP3ZDpkMvZfTUXb/s320/IMG_4282.jpg" width="320" id="id_7d7c_7d77_3c5b_8d72" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></div>
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Fortunately, the days are stretching out and the sun doesn't set until about 6.30pm. Mornings are still quite dark with the sunrise not happening until 7.30am. I will be happy when we switch to summer time (what Daylight Savings Time is called in Europe) which isn't until the last weekend in March. I do look forward to enjoying the long, lovely European spring and summer days.</div>
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Luxembourg is mostly forest, farms and wide open spaces. The city is really interesting as there are lots of hills, a deep gorge that cuts through the center and high plateaus that have been developed as well. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJLHcTur4oGZMe3akusmO_t0c8I9T3g60iwG4lp0pqlDI6MRec-nawqHseVft2Sa7MyoCObkB0H76VCf-F3z8ImQa0ldY1piW4U4PNGgw1tn115Ildu3DrESveGCbu2nQ0k8g2JXrstCR/s1600/IMG_8724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJLHcTur4oGZMe3akusmO_t0c8I9T3g60iwG4lp0pqlDI6MRec-nawqHseVft2Sa7MyoCObkB0H76VCf-F3z8ImQa0ldY1piW4U4PNGgw1tn115Ildu3DrESveGCbu2nQ0k8g2JXrstCR/s320/IMG_8724.jpg" width="240" id="id_c0f_31e7_d1e4_93af" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3pHp3B3vp9jgYgMgfRcd19BSZyzBCelVAPa2EkPEjbRIOycts-dDup9a7aDPltDzS3rgPs_6FzHD-K4SO2Xyo0S4CYqixuzAs9XOoNKMP9WrxZXyi0XpxckL2_rH7CBSePeWTx-OGe3J/s1600/IMG_8726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3pHp3B3vp9jgYgMgfRcd19BSZyzBCelVAPa2EkPEjbRIOycts-dDup9a7aDPltDzS3rgPs_6FzHD-K4SO2Xyo0S4CYqixuzAs9XOoNKMP9WrxZXyi0XpxckL2_rH7CBSePeWTx-OGe3J/s320/IMG_8726.jpg" width="240" id="id_94fc_425f_4b02_79ca" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a></div>
We look forward to having a chance to wander through the city a bit and get a feel for the lay of the land. There are endless hiking paths to explore. <br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCY28Yo7GGcis8xoRwrnuZ8r7PziRbsP6EnsJjlpxjy6b6EsxaKfx1V3S7Ver7ZS9aOh-2Y0fiNHGJZ_SIeVFa6BskzYAh1UKx-WBJGsI9TW19Zc-1GfxN9VRHe6GY8eGYB79cX6qTHvk/s1600/IMG_4279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCY28Yo7GGcis8xoRwrnuZ8r7PziRbsP6EnsJjlpxjy6b6EsxaKfx1V3S7Ver7ZS9aOh-2Y0fiNHGJZ_SIeVFa6BskzYAh1UKx-WBJGsI9TW19Zc-1GfxN9VRHe6GY8eGYB79cX6qTHvk/s320/IMG_4279.jpg" width="240" id="id_4005_90cf_dcd_8159" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a></div>
We are living in the area known as "Little Switzerland" and there are so many things that we are eager to explore. We have yet to visit the Villeroy and Boch outlet but that's at the top of my to do list!<br>
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As for work...yes, there's that little detail! I am preaching Sunday so it's been good to find the discipline to study and write again. We have meetings scheduled with various leaders and are learning about the administrative tasks that we will need to cover while the associate pastor takes his state provided parental leave. The main thing right now is learning names, spending time with folks and getting a feel for how things function on Sundays. It's a joy to be back in an International church.</div>
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Life is good for us! Luxembourg is quite a bit like Sweden so thus far it's been pretty easy to navigate. We don't really have a feel at all for the Luxembourgish culture and hope to gain a bit more insight to that. As for language, most everyone speaks English so that's great for us! All around us we hear Luxembourgish (yes, that's a real language!), French and German. I'm pretty much non-functional in all of the above so working on a few phrases. </div>
We continue to enjoy each new experience we have and look forward to all of the new things that we will surely encounter over the next several months. </div>
Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-68951234791840666132019-02-17T23:09:00.001-08:002019-02-17T23:40:17.786-08:00Landing in Luxembourg<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It has been a fast and furious 3 weeks since we left the United States. Since leaving, we've been in 3 countries (Luxembourg, France, and Egypt) on 3 continents (North America, Europe and Africa)! If that doesn't tucker you out, I'm not sure what does! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpWyj2o0XKrV7h_UDn6L5ZW8p1PgLMnx3unqPEsjjjZ6uulJNYXbLdF0Fj1w1hTPrs6g5hyZoFD6ZIYxaD45NpcciOAnq99-mVHOhZ-lTq4y4sm7gyf6WTzT52kH51-8GI_NG0Wox2v8b/s1600/IMG_4241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpWyj2o0XKrV7h_UDn6L5ZW8p1PgLMnx3unqPEsjjjZ6uulJNYXbLdF0Fj1w1hTPrs6g5hyZoFD6ZIYxaD45NpcciOAnq99-mVHOhZ-lTq4y4sm7gyf6WTzT52kH51-8GI_NG0Wox2v8b/s320/IMG_4241.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
I'm finally finding some space to get caught up on our adventures.<br />
Maddie has done very well through all of the transition. She continues to be the cutest, sweetest pup and we have no regrets about bringing her with us. She did however, almost not get out of CA.<br />
The day of our leaving was pretty stressful. We had to drive almost 3 hours to get to LAX plus we had to stop at the US Department of plant and animal control (10 minutes from the airport) to get one final stamp for Maddie's exportation to Europe. The window was narrow for getting the stamp and boarding our trans-Atlantic flight. So of course, when the gentleman behind the counter told me that we were missing her initial rabies certificate, I almost had a heart attack. Fortunately we had friends staying at the house and my cousins nearby so we began a frantic series of texts trying to get this doc scanned and sent. I did know exactly where it was in the house so they were able to easily locate it. Whew. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7jFhjSNw3apSUBoIMHF6mKH0nagpJO3TGSQps4yPez0iVzpkuYt5Zyp-LUtLCAv66IA6l9ypk0LtUbhRHnjSauwS1TkND0JD_OM0mV70AeN7X3xD-CXDOh3UMA4cJHWN801vB8YM3vUO/s1600/20004640-AF3D-430C-954E-20A12738ECE1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7jFhjSNw3apSUBoIMHF6mKH0nagpJO3TGSQps4yPez0iVzpkuYt5Zyp-LUtLCAv66IA6l9ypk0LtUbhRHnjSauwS1TkND0JD_OM0mV70AeN7X3xD-CXDOh3UMA4cJHWN801vB8YM3vUO/s320/20004640-AF3D-430C-954E-20A12738ECE1.jpg" width="320" /></a>Disaster averted, until there was an issue with the date of her microchipping in relationship to the rabies vaccine. Finally, we got it all squared away and were able to get to the airport to begin the long process of checking her in. There was definitely a glass on wine on the plane!<br />
It was great to see our sweet girl in Paris where we landed to change planes for Luxembourg. But then the Lux Air folks told us that her crate was too big and it couldn't fit on the flight even though we had pre-confirmed the size of the crate and had that in hand. Fortunately, the gate agent was wrong and we were finally on our way to land in our new country. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KksQoOfBcIdKzRqE_FWE0JC7jnKyZmdkeQ5ZxhyphenhyphenjPFAVmhL3nESjG8MODaf4RGHRmL1khby0GU-eN_bkwl44jk2H42BIbdUVnIu8zXHtnFpOqmj17cHpP6Alk6jqx7ZDS64vaHwu_-e9/s1600/IMG_3030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KksQoOfBcIdKzRqE_FWE0JC7jnKyZmdkeQ5ZxhyphenhyphenjPFAVmhL3nESjG8MODaf4RGHRmL1khby0GU-eN_bkwl44jk2H42BIbdUVnIu8zXHtnFpOqmj17cHpP6Alk6jqx7ZDS64vaHwu_-e9/s320/IMG_3030.JPG" width="320" /></a>Our dear friends, Paul and Beth, he is the pastor of the church where we'll be serving, she his wonderful wife and partner in ministry welcomed all of us into their home and provided the most amazing hospitality for us. What a gift they have been to us.<br />
Luxembourg greeted us with an epic snowfall that was absolutely gorgeous. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4OFDWSuFQpIS2sTcTaoc9x7x-Nx2GFb15gnJNgcJHi9yoLQFeWIL4K_UTdXs97pDE-jEv0MXCASiCnDN1hRlhyphenhyphenfzzHbdo7oKe7cear__Cat1NeiMSFmgUmN_OERYZpATsmUXp9kWCPLg/s1600/IMG_3051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4OFDWSuFQpIS2sTcTaoc9x7x-Nx2GFb15gnJNgcJHi9yoLQFeWIL4K_UTdXs97pDE-jEv0MXCASiCnDN1hRlhyphenhyphenfzzHbdo7oKe7cear__Cat1NeiMSFmgUmN_OERYZpATsmUXp9kWCPLg/s320/IMG_3051.JPG" width="240" /></a>Experiencing snow was another first for Maddie and she loved it. But she was still healing from the dew claw surgery so the first thing we did after a wonderful night of sleep was to visit the vet. This vet was so amazing and she was so unalarmed by Maddie's wounds that we all felt much better when it had ended. While the snow was fun, it was not great for keeping the sores dry so we tried these botties that were of no good at all. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOq_A4Nss2Wm-f4XedB_51sPceVSB7bg4LEpMhFuUt5k_RwzMLdGNw5MgICZmaT23vHlOWFka0r79CCLNblIUeuMEWCPDabX1kcI5Gaq7y6Btl5oeHZWjoXVBP-KLh8xpgzwpNt46LWfI/s1600/IMG_3050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOq_A4Nss2Wm-f4XedB_51sPceVSB7bg4LEpMhFuUt5k_RwzMLdGNw5MgICZmaT23vHlOWFka0r79CCLNblIUeuMEWCPDabX1kcI5Gaq7y6Btl5oeHZWjoXVBP-KLh8xpgzwpNt46LWfI/s320/IMG_3050.JPG" width="240" /></a>Within 30 seconds Maddie had kicked them off so we just tried to keep the wounds dry after she came in and treated them with this healing powder and cream that the vet had given us. These were miracle products as Maddie healed up very rapidly. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UBFe4WV8zBJZMSY_FokP-2wkXyCjENRJmshUIRgNXWMBCOQntPiriUWypIq0GXG3k8f5m0OPdtQLVuAL2GE1Q4ZkUzRY750jEuKtp6E5GluND_eq6EMilmDAysAmzAcFooHTtEE7S1d1/s1600/IMG_4211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UBFe4WV8zBJZMSY_FokP-2wkXyCjENRJmshUIRgNXWMBCOQntPiriUWypIq0GXG3k8f5m0OPdtQLVuAL2GE1Q4ZkUzRY750jEuKtp6E5GluND_eq6EMilmDAysAmzAcFooHTtEE7S1d1/s320/IMG_4211.JPG" width="240" /></a>Wow were we all glad she could finally stop wearing that awful cone! She now has her EU pet passport and this will make life much easier for moving around!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoGhwTioEWNitY2gYZinjsyUjQlTen-KzqjQP1TbhIuaN2ab-XBp0Rmori1JH0H13_gdfmRWAjx5fTQDTkZlEj2obnQugZvdqsVbDMiz4hQtjahvZMS9Yat1oDGCh2eCuMmSE6KGorxvK/s1600/IMG_4269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoGhwTioEWNitY2gYZinjsyUjQlTen-KzqjQP1TbhIuaN2ab-XBp0Rmori1JH0H13_gdfmRWAjx5fTQDTkZlEj2obnQugZvdqsVbDMiz4hQtjahvZMS9Yat1oDGCh2eCuMmSE6KGorxvK/s320/IMG_4269.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcKZUt7reYnwr88zSqKtzcUXWbqp5iI4Q37274hSlkplXjHFTYe3bsp5HKu6tvaAXy4yeuZCKcDuhQTHXEB8f8iLeDggbtjv0bo2OaAKMlaPrvCwdc2f0GhJOr9V_cB0uf97axWmVZTJq/s1600/IMG_4270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcKZUt7reYnwr88zSqKtzcUXWbqp5iI4Q37274hSlkplXjHFTYe3bsp5HKu6tvaAXy4yeuZCKcDuhQTHXEB8f8iLeDggbtjv0bo2OaAKMlaPrvCwdc2f0GhJOr9V_cB0uf97axWmVZTJq/s320/IMG_4270.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
So while Maddie settled into life with Beth and Jess, the resident border collie, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIyyo8qU21TpUt63FnPtzXRxk9Y7ltdSvlRA8CKe_rV5f4QUVfcbyEqgp68kbxnipwp0XPasXt-ajaR9RQUBH-3SFTnRV1prejulU7kyuUt4dGx5CH0LXCN5ZVxHZEGunYZQ-zj9DKqwu/s1600/IMG_4228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1415" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIyyo8qU21TpUt63FnPtzXRxk9Y7ltdSvlRA8CKe_rV5f4QUVfcbyEqgp68kbxnipwp0XPasXt-ajaR9RQUBH-3SFTnRV1prejulU7kyuUt4dGx5CH0LXCN5ZVxHZEGunYZQ-zj9DKqwu/s320/IMG_4228.jpg" width="283" /></a>Doug and I snuck away to Paris for the weekend. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPJVkXwAhPpVQSOJI9jQH2hC0x3L5eJNRu5_DVu8BqUqVTim3yPLU9T9U8CfaP4HN0qtKO0DMP65smTNERhtpiXUpjXpA_KiDg37cWW67avf_T1faPpHARCzKeAWfITLTb-eyv_ijL3rI/s1600/IMG_3092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPJVkXwAhPpVQSOJI9jQH2hC0x3L5eJNRu5_DVu8BqUqVTim3yPLU9T9U8CfaP4HN0qtKO0DMP65smTNERhtpiXUpjXpA_KiDg37cWW67avf_T1faPpHARCzKeAWfITLTb-eyv_ijL3rI/s320/IMG_3092.jpg" width="240" /></a>We had some banking business to attend to and really enjoyed connecting with dear friends and the wonderful church where we worked in 2017. We went to Doug's favorite restaurant as an early birthday celebration and watched with joy as he ate his very favorite dish, Cassoulet. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3bNSCU377F9Nuhozr2QyN5THlIFyuWeac7D7WuS7W1KGwHXybYx8h0Lwmcx4ce82UfZWAYOaVbuQTeykH6YIMKV8crymaHiAu_tvo1ssrK9R4iHhG-VqkQHfIneLr08vETCrr_4twGXu/s1600/doug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3bNSCU377F9Nuhozr2QyN5THlIFyuWeac7D7WuS7W1KGwHXybYx8h0Lwmcx4ce82UfZWAYOaVbuQTeykH6YIMKV8crymaHiAu_tvo1ssrK9R4iHhG-VqkQHfIneLr08vETCrr_4twGXu/s320/doug.jpg" width="240" /></a>We wandered around our old neighborhood, connected with friends and ate some of our favorite things. It was a wonderful weekend.<br />
Sunday night late we left for Egypt. Those adventures will wait for another post! Being with treasured colleagues in a spectacular place was a great gift. So thankful for these days of exploring, learning and enjoying together.<br />
Last Thursday we had an epic day of travel that began with a 3.00 a.m. transfer to the airport in Luxor, Egypt, through Cairo, and onto Paris by flight. Then we caught a train to Lorraine, France, where we then caught a bus to Luxembourg, where we then caught a commuter train out to our friend's place. We were very happy to land at home around 6.00 pm.<br />
The next couple of days were spent at Paul and Beth's, doing laundry and repacking, getting ready to move to our place on Saturday. It was really fun to see Maddie in such good health, running and playing and enjoying her new surroundings. We took a gorgeous walk through some nearby woods and the new environment suited all of us. We returned to unusually warm temperatures so hints of an early spring were all around us.<br />
On Saturday afternoon we moved to our new place and it far surpassed expectations. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lD-VPFlbN2YKymtjaDStRkMsoIH6CmSAL69P18CQKGjEQUsAM3QMSA5eZ_vVmU_vvMeWlo5LMx8mvZpUSdgZI99UQAffuvwoTLqW2VGdvzJGml2SNf52Krjvo0iGSmKu_zKsrT5eP2I7/s1600/IMG_4242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lD-VPFlbN2YKymtjaDStRkMsoIH6CmSAL69P18CQKGjEQUsAM3QMSA5eZ_vVmU_vvMeWlo5LMx8mvZpUSdgZI99UQAffuvwoTLqW2VGdvzJGml2SNf52Krjvo0iGSmKu_zKsrT5eP2I7/s320/IMG_4242.jpg" width="320" /></a>It's a lovely, spacious place with a fully fitted kitchen, a nice size living room, a cute dining room table, a couple of nooks with chairs for reading or relaxing, a lovely patio with wonderful views and a good size master bedroom along with a fully modern bathroom. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3lDhyc_SnVXtSRIp8oQrJlWTC3ya-K3_GL7HOuwn3LJLaCRRFiSwSGNGJmQBwyfBGzetM00YaK_xatEN6kwWUPeHGr0wbhDWRSohg-ITUOp8SZPfzlnOAHomId6nPYkpl58Gts0rWUwY/s1600/IMG_4243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3lDhyc_SnVXtSRIp8oQrJlWTC3ya-K3_GL7HOuwn3LJLaCRRFiSwSGNGJmQBwyfBGzetM00YaK_xatEN6kwWUPeHGr0wbhDWRSohg-ITUOp8SZPfzlnOAHomId6nPYkpl58Gts0rWUwY/s320/IMG_4243.jpg" width="320" /></a>It will be a fantastic place for us to enjoy these months. The two things that I will miss about my house in the desert are the garbage disposal and dishwasher! Small problems that are not really problems at all. And it's back to an electric stove which I don't love but am capable to using!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCc4tgUgHOK7HpKvl80mgI_JqR1lmGabyh385osjBWRmyYlDgg0VuVDBXw_9FT1_eU-weGFhGV0YhOPdGzhwepVC83UPTm4DabBqWG92BZFvPgftP2RqgVJrqHnIurBOfnyCky9XToRPa/s1600/IMG_4268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCc4tgUgHOK7HpKvl80mgI_JqR1lmGabyh385osjBWRmyYlDgg0VuVDBXw_9FT1_eU-weGFhGV0YhOPdGzhwepVC83UPTm4DabBqWG92BZFvPgftP2RqgVJrqHnIurBOfnyCky9XToRPa/s320/IMG_4268.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back of the house. The glass doors open to our living area.</td></tr>
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Baloo, a playful, boisterous Bernese Mountain dog lives upstairs and loves to see what's happening downstairs any time he gets a chance. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZcZ9L68VIUc2Fr-iC_rH0tFqrbpeBFtruX1A4h025m4BVNyP2sxBBGFqHh2pXRD2qFp2DG2PDj1ByR1xOBGSnXxXezv9dnUZb-8gy74q5qtDBHNdQuyl7UqlamRCyAl0ZObgFe4UCqbm/s1600/IMG_4260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZcZ9L68VIUc2Fr-iC_rH0tFqrbpeBFtruX1A4h025m4BVNyP2sxBBGFqHh2pXRD2qFp2DG2PDj1ByR1xOBGSnXxXezv9dnUZb-8gy74q5qtDBHNdQuyl7UqlamRCyAl0ZObgFe4UCqbm/s320/IMG_4260.jpg" width="240" /></a>He and Maddie were fast friends. There are vast networks of hiking trails around us and there will no shortage of wonderful ways to get Maddie and ourselves out for walks!<br />
Yesterday we had our first Sunday at All Nations Church Luxembourg. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhaGn22lQeRtG8vuyDgZR7e1A6u5kZnUK6ohgkdclJ_3sc-n17NohTdpWhrMq4o1QKVK40L2fMfwWACABXoEQ-weboioUHVOovznPWr04DxlxoE07zTZ8GGAEdc7Vv5TFcvlrnDpu6Irx/s1600/IMG_4245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhaGn22lQeRtG8vuyDgZR7e1A6u5kZnUK6ohgkdclJ_3sc-n17NohTdpWhrMq4o1QKVK40L2fMfwWACABXoEQ-weboioUHVOovznPWr04DxlxoE07zTZ8GGAEdc7Vv5TFcvlrnDpu6Irx/s320/IMG_4245.jpg" width="320" /></a>It was a great day of meeting an eager, warm group of people, enjoying the worship service and anticipating what the next several weeks might look like for us.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOZxUkUQ17HvkHd3c_HX4Ga13ypTgTZ4pfjpHYQ4cXND3o-e_nhphcNjBy4-yHKbjP2d6egMucBuERQvnvtO2ivZEWi7ra-aGFgafX15QlL6RQRQPCj4wKQpINPXF6iUSLZHp3wTSllxu/s1600/IMG_4244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOZxUkUQ17HvkHd3c_HX4Ga13ypTgTZ4pfjpHYQ4cXND3o-e_nhphcNjBy4-yHKbjP2d6egMucBuERQvnvtO2ivZEWi7ra-aGFgafX15QlL6RQRQPCj4wKQpINPXF6iUSLZHp3wTSllxu/s320/IMG_4244.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Paul, the senior pastor and dear friend</td></tr>
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I am preaching this Sunday so have a lot to do get back into this rhythm! We look forward to getting to know people and journeying with this church for the 4 months that we will be with them.<br />
It is great to be back in Europe. We really do feel at home here in many ways. It's a different experience this time around as we are living in the countryside, about 30 minutes outside of Luxembourg city, but we are pretty keen to enjoy that kind of life for a bit, especially with Maddie in tow. It's also amazing to be so centrally located in Europe with the ability to be in Luxembourg, Belgium, France, and Germany all in the same day! We are excited to explore the region on days off. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvBdIqjmkQe6PuaGItIM08KlF2gjhJ4SoLjO2S5VlET0D5FXlZunlg2qG_iM4SyOQ6fcHKpVyeGHRJsotU5r5shSe7NUnt3aupNfrmk_u4NNErJtKJGW3ryNCIaJzuFfI6K6HQvPmuUfY/s1600/IMG_4262+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvBdIqjmkQe6PuaGItIM08KlF2gjhJ4SoLjO2S5VlET0D5FXlZunlg2qG_iM4SyOQ6fcHKpVyeGHRJsotU5r5shSe7NUnt3aupNfrmk_u4NNErJtKJGW3ryNCIaJzuFfI6K6HQvPmuUfY/s320/IMG_4262+2.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
After so much travel and moving around, I still wake up wondering where I have to be and even where I am! But as we settle more deeply into this place, it'll start to feel like home and we are very happy to not be packing up and heading some place else anytime soon.<br />
Landing in Luxembourg has been great! We feel utterly grateful that we've been given this opportunity and want to soak it all in.</div>
Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-30424962283297500252019-01-23T06:51:00.000-08:002019-01-24T06:44:20.892-08:00A Book Is Coming!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> A couple of years ago I received a grant from the Louisville Institute to work on a project directed toward telling the story of the International Church in Europe with the end goal of inspiring congregations, especially in the US, to adopt a more welcoming posture when it comes to welcoming the stranger and the immigrant to our churches. On January 8, 2019 I received an email from Wipf and Stock Publishers with the subject headline: Offer of Publication: I Was A Stranger. It was a thrilling day for me and I'm excited to say that I am now in the final throes of getting the manuscript ready for publication. To say that there are a few things to do is an understatement but it's all very exciting and encouraging. This morning I signed the contract and the goal is have everything submitted by April 1. I hope it will be sooner but since we are leaving for Luxembourg on Monday and then spending a weekend in Paris and attending the International Pastors Conference in Egypt, I really won't have any time to work on the manuscript any further until mid-February. And then there are strict guidelines that I must meet for formatting before the document gets submitted for final typesetting and printing so while I'd like to see this all happen sooner, I also didn't want to put myself in a bind where I couldn't give this the attention I need to. I have no idea what the timeline for publication will actually be. Maybe it will be ready for you to include on your Christmas list next year!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> My working title is I Was A Stranger: The Church's Call to Offer Hospitality to the Foreigner and the Stranger. The publisher has the right to change that as they see fit and they are also responsible for the cover art. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_6fbe_1aa7_c6e0_4dfd" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Mk2jgnBIdjvyVy9y8hqBLThRYfwPe6971b_54tRx5SXsh6zfuvmQk3ysKzgzTpwxEv1v8JvirX5h9NBwRNvpFPg6-Eh9uS4D4C6sLT4rr95g9xih6xEna2FFwZhupPh3zyKfHHMpN-oj/s1600/10897133_10152508666491471_8922053984562511164_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="360" id="id_79ef_8538_ec_640f" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Mk2jgnBIdjvyVy9y8hqBLThRYfwPe6971b_54tRx5SXsh6zfuvmQk3ysKzgzTpwxEv1v8JvirX5h9NBwRNvpFPg6-Eh9uS4D4C6sLT4rr95g9xih6xEna2FFwZhupPh3zyKfHHMpN-oj/s640/10897133_10152508666491471_8922053984562511164_n.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 640px;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The slide I used in our final worship service at Immanuel International in 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> To (hopefully) whet your appetite for more, I include the preface here. I'm indebted to the churches where I did interviews, none more important in my life than Immanuel International in Stockholm, Sweden. To God be the glory. It's the movement of the Holy Spirit in my life that has enabled this work to now come to fruition. Stay tuned for more information as this process unfolds. I hope you enjoy the preface. </span><br />
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On
4 different occasions I have packed up my life and moved to a foreign
country. 5, if you count moving to rural Alaska as a foreign country,
which in 1981 for a girl from Southern California, it certainly was. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most of the time, I knew only a handful of people who were living in this foreign land that I was about to call home. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In fact, as this
manuscript is reaching completion, I am readying myself for foreign
move number 6, this time to Luxembourg and the same truth remains: I
know only a handful of people in this place I am about to call home.
I am buoyed once again by the reality that an International church will be at
the center of our life.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I
am a social creature by nature, the very definition of what it means
to be an extrovert. To live outside of a community that knew me well
overwhelmed by feelings of isolation was pretty much the definition
of a death sentence for me so I was always pretty hungry to find
connection wherever I went. Being a person of faith, looking to the
church to find community and acceptance and encouragement came
naturally to me. One would think that the church would be rock solid
in these areas but truth be told, even the church can fall woefully
short of its calling to welcome the stranger. The old saying birds of
a feather flock together proves to be true more often than not in the
church. It’s kind of ironic. Many show up to church looking for
connection and community, but sadly, once it’s found, the instinct
can be to close off the opening for others to find the same. We love
finding community but have a harder time leaving the community open
to newcomers. We like the safeness of our established communities,
especially ones that look like we do, act like we do, and fall in
line with how we think. But the problem with the church operating out
of this perspective is that it’s not what Christ ever intended for
his church. Christ intends that his church be the place where the
doors are wide and open, all the time, and as the biblical evidence
will support, particularly for the stranger. In my opinion and
through my experience, I believe it is possible that the greatest
exhibition of the gospel comes through acts of hospitality.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I
know what it feels like to be a stranger and a foreigner at the most
visceral level. It is a place that leaves one vulnerable and lonely.
The past 3 occasions that I moved to a foreign land and found myself
in the stranger seat once again, I did so as a pastor called to lead
an International congregation in Europe. Prior to my first call way
back in 1998, I had only a small understanding of the role of
hospitality in church ministry. But through the 16.5 years that I was
privileged to lead, alongside my husband who was my co-pastor in
that adventure, the congregation of Immanuel International in
Stockholm, Sweden, I realized that a congregation that lacked
hospitality and community was empty of all that God truly wanted for
his church. An ability to welcome the stranger and embrace the
foreigner became the life blood of our ministry and I have a deep
desire to tell the story of what’s happening through various
International churches in Europe in order to help other churches
strengthen their ministry to the outsider.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Immanuelskyrkan in Stockholm, Sweden
is a unique congregation. It is a Swedish church that belonged
to the Svenska Missionförbundet denomination, which is a sister
denomination of the Evangelical Covenant Church in North America.
Immanuelskyrkan is now part of Equmenia Kyrkan, a denomination that
formed out of a merger of the Svenska Missionförbundet, and the
Baptist and Methodist churches in Sweden. Immanuelskyrkan is situated
in the heart of Stockholm and over the years began outreach
ministries to the Korean immigrant community and the International
English speaking populations in Stockholm. The desire on the Swedish
church's part was to provide places of worship and fellowship for
these immigrant groups who were moving into Stockholm for whom
worshipping in Swedish was increasingly difficult. From the onset,
the desire on the part of Immanuelskyrkan was to be one church with
three language groups. My husband had done his seminary internship
with the International fellowship and had seen this model
functioning. He had fallen in love with the fellowship and developed
a longing to return one day. Prior to my attending seminary, I had
lived in Colombia, South American and while I was not part of an
International church while living there, I was privileged to
experience local Colombian churches who increased my view of the
world wide church. So when the lead pastor job at Immanuel International opened up
in 1998, and my husband and I were called to be the lead pastors, we were thrilled with the possibility
that awaited us. In our minds however, we thought we'd sign a three year contract, spend five years at the most living in Europe and then come
back to the US to continue our </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“real life”</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. Well, that initial
three year contract turned into almost seventeen years with this
amazing congregation and opened up my heart, my mind and my eyes to a
world of Christian ministry that had been previously hidden from me
in my mono-cultural world.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I
can honestly say that what sat at the heart of our ministry was
hospitality, being a welcoming community, a place where strangers
could be seen and heard and be called stranger no more. The
International church in Europe has transformed my life and throughout
this narrative you will hear stories of others whose lives have been
shaped and touched by these congregations. Within the walls of these
congregations are expatriates and refugees worshipping and praying
together. The International church has welcomed wealthy top dogs of
multi-national companies to break bread with newspaper delivery men
and taxi cab drivers. At the foot of the cross of Christ we found
level ground, each of us a lonely sojourner in need of community, a
wayward sinner in need of a savior. All who joined us found the
deepest level of community and unity with people who looked
differently than we did, who grew up in different socio-economic
situations than we did, who came from religious traditions that were
different than our own. And the great surprise was that it was not a
recipe for conflict but instead a place where deep and unexpected
connections took place. The ultimate gift was living into our dream
of becoming a place that reflected heaven itself.</span></div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So
join me on a journey from being strangers to becoming friends to
ultimately calling one another brother and sister because of the
deep bond that we formed through the love of God in Christ. Discover
how God’s word guides and directs us to welcome the stranger and
embrace the foreigner. Listen to the story of the people of God and
allow your heart to be changed to reflect God’s own heart for the
foreigner and the stranger.</span></div>
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-->Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-77390422826868159342019-01-01T20:58:00.001-08:002019-01-02T07:53:57.301-08:00Reflections on the Year Gone ByThe best way for me to reflect on the year that has just passed into the past is through the photographs on my computer. I take a photo most every day, and I take too many and don’t delete enough of them, (as you will see on this blog, too many but fun to share some of my favs). It is a joy to locate certain experiences in my life through these random photos that remind me of where I was at any given time. So as 2019 starts, a desire of mine is to also write with greater frequency, not just post photos on social media so a look back marks an attempt at fleshing out some thoughts on the year gone by. Here’s a summary of our last trip around the sun. <div>January: We celebrated the New Year in Paris, France with our dear friends with whom we had had the pleasure of sharing in the ministry of the American Church in Paris for the previous 10 months. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_df00_4bb6_2bf0_c252" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WeB5jUNdO7I/XCxEnucw7vI/AAAAAAAAOkY/RfafKsCT5ak1USIqwibZSviycG8miYAGACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 241px; height: auto;"></span>The first week of January saw us packing up that life and getting ready to return to the US once again. Winter in Palm Springs gave us a slightly different climate than winter in France and I enjoyed eating the fresh citrus from our grapefruit, lemon and key lime trees.<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_796d_ebfc_cb7f_8447" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qtkxNoaKeC8GiWI2x5gKPneuv3_4oDKFkQGkBmK2OfuJLU9cBT7CrtGFlFvCjbbtbZrz8CdtljWW53D8sa8rugSH-epUKYo9NIjBB7f9Qp9Kmb_bOP-sqT4fo7HZ2vWK4hAjU71V1nTQ/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 164px; height: auto;"><img id="id_7ce7_4b18_f33c_dfcc" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOokJA1okIOyH3jFlgFajFtAQlriHOyo9dvWhZ8050V9k11gwnyFGlWzPzmyz1cnD4H1kIum1Pz1JYhynbBZHQIS2HBVXPOuXxMPhZpjFBYt8V3QXnbaRQWXO5DZozi4lo14hGT0IpW4BY/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 209px; height: auto;"></span></div><div>February: Working on the house and yard, working on our golf games and hosting Doug’s mom for a break from the Minnesota winter occupied our time. A trip to the coast with Doug’s mom to visit the mission at San Juan Capistrano and to watch the dolphins play in the pacific were highlights. Near the end of the month, we somewhat unexpectedly welcomed Ms Madeline into our lives and nothing would be the same after that!</div><img id="id_d533_ff83_22d0_97ac" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dB26a-soVk4/XCxEqFPc0CI/AAAAAAAAOkk/V1ZOVL31I7Y2RcavanafzpQLA42N-offQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 239px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ff64_ca6c_210e_f2af" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zoxxANx2afK9zVAPbwdUnZPms6aQKHjooUeGqTzAhSX4pIoGL6yBWwIDdF1MxstrabFL03mFjSBuQbQYbvqFWLR92pzLbd8rbr4464hRlih1YDrrooKwzCUyeo2I_ouZspUWBEcFUWJ6/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 237px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_5d39_4f4f_8802_fda5" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JKTij4JK2Uw/XCxEsHWAkCI/AAAAAAAAOks/_1pe8F-9O60RktehCPPGq8b2gqk2eBGAACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 231px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_1e41_c519_56a9_5de4" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEfvyNWBTUPLzc6Xatl9jZOHOv-3RuhrUf6IOJrzQxZaHdKGydSMRQzHxUmlcwbyGjd5sEsLX2len-4lux7RJU6HCYJKOXAsGirktePzMEVXd4jdklzsHuGZx-iBEH5XJT15sQ2KgjHjN/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 214px; height: auto;"><br><br><div>March: March was largely dominated by adjusting to the nugget of love that had invaded our lives, but we still had some time for visits from friends, and a memorable and beautiful trip to Sedona and the Grand Canyon with dear friends from London days. Watching the cactus bloom in our garden and continued warm temperatures were a delight.</div><img id="id_b5d0_80be_ca2f_7658" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jAsx70UMYOo/XCxEtRa2qSI/AAAAAAAAOk0/9wu5lZ-46mY4OR3T_-zmCBF_VyqHu1a5QCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 254px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9aca_98d6_6c16_f390" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YINboOFAYK8/XCxEuE3lRuI/AAAAAAAAOk4/oII3Yjl8BIMI6vINcL6KKEzYVNFDlM89QCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 285px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_4f6e_9d29_d7b8_b34" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqxuu74klE8A2-w5mVsOfqZ5TKiOovhX8SFknVM1G9PCE2fjjYJkyvLvU_lAEA-7_re8NO_PLuM1E8YpzNnB7s0bN602X7tRxX4dcxHcxdM9cEXt7IEc5Uh1Um-V_YZvshN8x77A3TC7J/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 260px; height: auto;">Some silly fun at Easter. All dressed in clergy attire for Easter dinner at my cousins. <br><br><img id="id_2069_2c98_5e0b_d3ce" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uNlgN54ZtWU/XCxEvRf0ddI/AAAAAAAAOlA/pIs0eTyuDqMkFoT0FqEuY-GoeBAg9bzhQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 206px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_3acf_8753_903b_adf0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j_bRk6hggHQ/XCxEv78q4dI/AAAAAAAAOlE/pHeP8vDdkgAIEWUjhkV9m5UHeLxD3WvzwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 162px; height: auto;"><br><div>April: Lots of golf, lots of Maddie, hosting a group of clergy who were on a golf holiday brought us much joy. I took a spontaneous trip to Chicago to attend a conference on two topics that are prominent in our churches and culture: Immigration and human sexuality. I took a couple of days to drive up to Holland, MI to see a couple of sets of friends and fell in love with this quaint town. I vowed to return in the summer with Doug and Maddie. After my parents died, we gave some money to our alma mater, North Park University, in their honor and I was able to visit the campus of North Park and see the wall of donors for the first time. Being back on campus brought back some great memories for me and I was able to connect with some dear colleagues and students from my days as campus chaplain. </div><img id="id_b800_345_c565_5148" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-68YHO5CDoCw/XCxEwuKi1PI/AAAAAAAAOlI/LXOHdniCNLYUpY7Eg82epGaeuI5dRQg_wCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 215px; height: auto;"><br><div>May: Our dear friend Scott, senior pastor of the Paris church, dropped by for a couple of days of rest in the midst of a busy travel schedule. We enjoyed the golf course and taking naps! Maddie continued to grow a lot during this month and we discovered that she likes to eat fabric when she’s alone, having discovered a couple of destroyed towels, a half-eaten golf shirt, a hole in our duvet cover and a completely decimated doggy bed upon arrival home once day. We still don’t know what motivates this so she can’t have any comfortable towels or beds with her when she’s alone.</div><img id="id_f8c3_8297_fe6e_9c78" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--TNntf21nx8/XCxExNpr2MI/AAAAAAAAOlM/SEao8sE2nfglO5QTWYiKiSuRP7NOfcGiQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 160px; height: auto;"><br><div><br></div><div>June: The desert temperatures started rising, hitting triple digits much too soon. We prepared for our big road trip to Minnesota with Maddie. Our first stop was in Park City, UT to enjoy the company of friends from Stockholm days. Neither of us had been there and I love me a nice former Olympic host city! We found it beautiful and enjoyable. I do not think it will be our last trip there! We continued east, serendipitously meeting up with friends on vacation in Rapid City, South Dakota. Maddie experienced rain for the first time and thought it was rather strange to have water falling out of the sky! A stop for golf in Hawley, MN with a dear friend was a great way to start our time in MN. We enjoyed the time with Doug’s mom and Doug’s siblings and their families and Doug even attended his 40th high school reunion! We also attended the annual meeting of our denomination and met up with long term clergy friends who we had not seen in many years. I loved being in downtown Minneapolis and channeled my inner Mary Tyler Moore when I could! <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_17cd_4f1c_47c4_4d57" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKVHlutiexMvDDJs5dJPSleVlW_cDs0rY9-JEeWBwB4dc09AjKrYrzcZWlfQnh_8rum6L9I4gBLn6aqMCBmn235E4DyR76XvpSDRIXQr_A5tBU61rX1B2n9mxCIkudFfeOZErR6vgewQR/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 176px; height: auto;"></span>Reunions with friends always fill our hearts with joy and a special bonus was discovering that our dear friends from Oslo, Norway happened to be in the twin cities at the same time we were! They took us to the best deli as well and we plan to return there on repeat visits to MN! Sharing a meal with a couple I married many years ago always fills my heart with joy as well. Got to do so with 2 in MN and 1 in MI. I am proud of who these couples are as spouses and parents and it’s special to see how their lives have unfolded. </div><div>July: Instead of heading straight west to begin our trek back to CA, we decided to head east to MI and check out Mackinac Island, MI. I had never been there and it was a lovely little stop. From there we headed south to Onekema, MI where one of Doug’s buddies directs a camp. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_54cb_374c_d86a_2be0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rn3IqaipCTU/XCxEydAB-8I/AAAAAAAAOlU/O7DKI0g7SDICeInU0_d4JnDEt9ZK-kfTwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 391px; height: auto;"></span>What fun to enjoy the shores of Lake Michigan, encounter friends who were at the camp that week and take time to teach Maddie to swim! She took to the water like a Labrador would and never looked back! <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_9ac6_8c6b_fd04_ebef" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPSwXEav22HTxamAEYAt22bN9lYdAAn6GhjbRW-bnFC70hB9RXESmhqa0AkWXlpNA7V8DuywHeslXuxxZnLclk-zoBt3xmyTqvT1PqqRecYe3BD2_NEZltbEl1pY6Q5WcGVPUY7SQgAnl/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 168px; height: auto;"></span></div><div>I fulfilled my dream of getting Doug and Maddie back to Holland where Maddie got to enjoy the attention of 3 fun children, one who shares her name and was part of the inspiration for naming her as we did!<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_e84b_af90_6f46_fa6b" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSPl4PrGMHhpIFe9-HhcB6OGok3DB5CADmRK_AbYkyVWSFWqOoK9p8Rm5Ky8quZNcpT6KLoR2kSXoE-Buz02APq14lcqLltOzn2MpGiKAqh9WcCpJSgiAX0_FA1DCmA_HzKDwsb8_2d7v/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 184px; height: auto;"></span> More swimming, watching Sweden in the World Cup, and deep and abiding time with good friends rounded out our time there. Connecting with yet another colleague from International ministry revealed to us how important those connections continue to be. But alas, inevitably, it was time to put the pedal to the medal and head west. The only social stop we made on the way home was to see Doug’s cousin and his family along with his only living aunt and uncle. It was a special time as it is unclear how many more years will dot their lives. We listened to podcasts on this road trip and really enjoyed listening to stories like S-Town and Serial. We learned a bit about Route 66 as drove along it and that was pretty cool. We stood on the corner in Winslow, AZ and saw some fine sights. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_aeda_70eb_25c8_8f9" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X2AKhxC36lE/XCxE0-W0MQI/AAAAAAAAOlg/AR4mxXHL_SsPvox6rwi1RIO1Wnyu9PYfwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 219px; height: auto;"></span>Maddie was a master traveler, making herself at home in the back seat. After almost 6,000 miles however, we were all glad to be home.</div><div>August: Except the weather is really bad in August in the desert. High humidity made life pretty miserable and while we continued to play golf in the early morning, we spent a lot of time inside. So weird for me to want the summer months to go by quickly! Summer is a good time to get indoor projects done however and so we finally finished the guest bathroom. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_1435_83f3_6360_870f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5Sg5gYs3I_4/XCxE1sidmAI/AAAAAAAAOlk/yITS6pS1y7cLV9tpuPQ8mxDiSki5zK4uACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 303px; height: auto;"></span> It looks great and now I think all of the major projects are done! I mean, Doug will always want to have some project going but at least the big stuff is behind us! In the midst of all of this, I had a bit of a health scare. I needed to have breast biopsy because of some questions that arose from my mammogram. Fortunately, all came back completely negative and we rejoiced that I was not sick. It was a scary time but gave me some good perspective on life. Life is a gift. I want to enjoy it more and more. We took Maddie to the beach to get out of the heat and enjoyed our very favorite art show, the pageant of the masters in Laguna. Maddie got to learn to swim in the surf at the Huntington Beach dog beach and I know that a trip here will be included each summer. I also marked the passage of time by attending my 40th high school reunion.</div><br><img id="id_7dd8_d25c_db48_7194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHWCIbMnK_DoHgQkxE9LSlrDdYyrxS1TIqT2xBsaIYAh2F_f2PRMJk4JaVR1I_G-b4KtRcpJIXh-VOI46YWcv5xuxJe84AUmT9gUKQXfnSYWgOTECdncBzyaWOx5Agu0ZZCaiXru2fGQa/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 181px; height: auto;"><br>September: The longing for cooler temperatures was in full tilt by September but it doesn’t really cool off much. We headed to Big Bear in the mountains above us and took a side trip to Alpine camp, the place near Lake Arrowhead where I grew up going to camp. I took an unexpected trip to Portland, OR to attend the funeral of a dear friend who died too young from colon cancer. The silver lining was staying with good friends we’ve met here at the country club who smartly spend summers in Vancouver, WA. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_fb04_c923_5330_b0fa" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNWswgamMIhvzBOmSBfKIhmBskwuvcYGsQ5y615IqMdf-EwwLRlH5PkUpsxei6pYD66ggNDXsirNdUOfKUlnX8ddWUTOED81ANJmcsfjN9Vmsx1Kdx2KbEC7r8B5gqamhyphenhyphen24iU8cf8plrl/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 209px; height: auto;"></span>Their hospitality was such a gift in the midst of the grief and sadness I was experiencing from Kristi’s passing. <br><div>October: The golf course shuts down for the month for re-seeding so that opened up time to get other stuff done. We sold our black cart and acquired our new little red machine which runs much better on our hilly course. We continued to work with Maddie on her training and I worked hard on the book I’ve been writing about the church being a more welcoming presence for foreigners and other strangers. It’s been a good process for me and I am awaiting news on whether or not a publisher wants to pick it up. I’m grateful to the Louisville Institue for providing funding for me to pursue this dream and I am hoping and praying that I will be able to get it published one day. The heat finally started to break and we enjoyed amazing sunrises and sunsets across this vast and beautiful desert landscape.<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_433f_2f25_36a8_cf23" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F5W_BZDtGiA/XCxE3_VQptI/AAAAAAAAOlw/teOWKYpM8tsL1ZdB1E7zIhKXyFIdIQ4ygCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 256px; height: auto;"></span></div><div>November: Golf started up again, Doug went to MN for Thanksgiving but I stayed back to hang with Maddie. I baked pies and took the lead in caring for Maddie. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_78ce_927_5c56_e981" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DA9dPFpsEgUsk3H8E_jYzaHzizWq3NADzDHxORD4Oq9LMABeyVe1LC2xmKVjjRZop9ux3b-omd3oAJoKmVis8vvXsFBiNJVCyfAskWLXPdveFFGrqldsrmcOdk_2ncuISR-ew2V25-Az/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 143px; height: auto;"></span>A friend from Paris days came to visit and enjoyed experiencing the desert for the first time. Doug and I did an obedience class and Maddie responded really well and we learned a lot too. Unexpectedly but joyfully, we received a call from the All Nations Church in Luxembourg to come and work with them for 4 months from mid-February-mid-June in 2019. We are excited about this new adventure and look forward to seeing how God will use us and grow us during this season. And yes, Ms Madeline will indeed be coming with us.</div><div>December: The month that has just ended was filled with visits. Our former worship directors from Immanuel who also happen to be like family to us came from Sweden to spend the holidays with us. Another woman who shared in the leadership of our church and knew Ben and Anita well joined us for a few days after Christmas and we had a great time laughing, playing cards, being silly. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_789e_4e9e_b32d_894a" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1AyJvuX6qV1lFFimkpVB1sZkiQWkxqzOTqHjuTJQn0l2zAAYefCsSr-_d41xiU-NAOU48_Rr5Cha_ea4aqpj20UMhs9QWMY-sP8fFHpjGKYTQjKwPV92y5d7YCBy-xPUcQgqGCzpQfwzw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 229px; height: auto;"></span>We enjoyed taking in some Christmasy things here in the desert like dinner at the Mission Inn in Riverside and touring the crazy Robolights display in downtown Palm Springs. We rang in the New Year at the party at our country club surrounded by friends who we’ve come to really appreciate and enjoy. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_736c_f6ac_be81_e77" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U1AyNOrtZNI/XCxE54iy3LI/AAAAAAAAOl8/k4h8FHpFNv8utjAFSgrAi7qx5U3D0DYbwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 238px; height: auto;"></span></div><div>2018 was a busy and fun year and filled with re-connecting with people from various walks of our lives. We are now ready for new adventures in 2019. None of us ever know what awaits us when a year begins. Undoubtedly there will be joy and sadness, frustrations and hope. Through it all we hope to stay the course that we feel God wants us to be on and look for ways to serve and care for others, especially those less fortunate. We have decided on a church when we are here in the desert, Hope Lutheran in Palm Desert. It’s been a great gift to look forward to going to church again and are enjoying getting to know the pastors. </div><div>Perhaps this reflection is more for me than any other reader. But as I reviewed this year, it made me realize how lucky we are to enjoy such deep friendships, some which span many many years. It seems no matter where in the world we find ourselves, a close friend from some season in our lives isn’t very far away. Our lives are so different than they once were without the constant rhythms of pastoral life determining our schedule. It’s a gift and a loss at times. The new community that we are a part of here at Mission Lakes brings interesting and diverse people into our lives and offers us such great recreational opportunities that we are very grateful for. It’s a great landing spot for us as we continue to traverse the globe, following the calls that come our way through the gracious hand of God.<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_14a2_3f15_a88c_7944" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fjIHmAueulk/XCxE6XwD06I/AAAAAAAAOmA/tSo4OCD8f9kCOkdAM2VwWnQH5_tiGii4gCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 200px; height: auto;"></span></div><div>We do wish you and yours a very happy new year. Peace where trouble lurks. Joy where happiness reigns. Gratitude each and every day. </div>Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-28142760693730339282018-12-01T07:37:00.001-08:002018-12-01T07:37:34.613-08:00Here We Go AgainToday is the first day of Advent, the season of the year, marked by the four Sundays that precede Christmas. It is a season that is filled with joy and hope and anticipation. Children (and well, let’s face it, adults too) all over the world where Christmas is celebrated have eagerly awaiting December 1...the day that they can begin opening Advent windows on their advent calendars, one for each day as we head toward Christmas, each one filled with a candy, chocolates or a surprise.<div>Advent is a well-celebrated season in Sweden, probably in part due to this being the darkest time of year up there and the extra light supplied through candles and decorations is more of a necessity than a luxury! I could always find these wonderful Advent calendar candles, numbered with 24 numbers and a cute little symbol. I would burn each portion of each day while doing a little reading about Advent. This year, when Doug was in Minnesota, he went to the Swedish Institute’s Julgladje, (Christmas Joy). I asked him to look for an advent candle for me and he found one! So this advent, I get to maintain my tradition of watching Christmas come closer by burning this cute little candle every day.</div><img id="id_d1ab_5515_12f6_5b59" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ktkgcC-Q07I/XAKqunQZoUI/AAAAAAAAOjc/QbXMw-2GcD8qaBtjeSCx3f_zKU3ifOYyACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 273px; height: auto;"><br>But this Advent we also stand in anticipation of a bigger event that is unfolding in our lives. A couple of months ago we were contacted by the pastor of a church in Europe wondering what our status was and if we were open to employment. We said that we were basically waiting (the central theme of Advent) to see what God might have in store for us next. He told us that his associate pastor was going on paternity leave and that he’d like us to consider coming and filling in for him while he’s on leave. It didn’t take us long to say yes and in the past week the details have finally been worked out and at the end of January we’ll be moving to Luxembourg to serve at All Nations Church Luxembourg. <img id="id_e708_e5a5_b706_377f" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-5OYMWbCJMcXzcDVOimTafr_A0-1183zCAHArs6bfrIU4LhS0IayJj0oaqr_IqyV0b-IF9608IDBlvJHJtJoI8zXyjo5TIiAtT-lmFQKq0QmmSHGzXgCWjhm6h-B66-sEIDV18GaOulH/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 421px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_3ebc_8ce9_d43c_421f" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ASXoCbgp59HIkjfUjgajHS2Bk9026HSSZbv6zpHZUllOMKJEpKiiU_950IhAROAgDDtEIfaKKavd1swI1nvyvtpCeCtdKzr7sYkCgDCCZ201gmIgxbQ1sCcMUNE-e598DP-ZCJJfVu7h/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 421px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><br><img id="id_16cc_f8fa_2e82_22c2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O9emk3m5g1s/XAKquKdniJI/AAAAAAAAOjY/cWmVdMhj-CofMaoZzilIzOuyxjGeFkdzwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 428px; height: auto;"><br><div>We are thrilled. Luxembourg city is a gorgeous little town that will be fun to explore more deeply. We love the lead pastor and his wife and we both have some prior connections with this church. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_7270_2527_9509_2c8b" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ClV4xfcKLuXyQ2dpY7vnjP2m3rJvcMYR-6clZxl5UUyiWfvT9ehsZ_ioChLdjugzpijAHUVHUDCj48Q1pFKXabE8OCBPck2Op_3sp5zia7QaRVmKnQhOnTyZaIfmMZOA87hgBMJh5sbF/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 425px; height: auto;"> </span>4 years ago I spoke at their all church retreat. Last year Doug preached there and this church was one of my interview churches for the book I’ve been working on that pertains to the church being a place of welcome for strangers and foreigners. So in some ways we already feel a connection to this community and it will be great to get to know them a bit better in the coming months. The assignment is short, only mid-February through mid-June. Yes, we are taking Maddie with us. But because it ends in the teeth of summer, we plan to stay in Europe for a few extra weeks, perhaps doing some pulpit fill-in for pastors wanting a vacation and taking time to visit friends who remain there. We had already planned to return to Europe in January, to visit our friends in Paris and then attend an International pastor’s conference in Egypt the first week of February. So we’ll still do that but instead of coming back to the US, we’ll stay on in Lux and start work around Feb. 17. </div><div>Lux city is a beautiful place and we look forward to exploring it with even more depth. We do welcome this opportunity to return to Europe for a season, to connect with Paris and the American Church there, to spend some time enjoying the gorgeous Swedish summer, to have some time to savor relationships that mean so much to us even though the geographical distance is great. And of course, we feel very blessed to connect with another congregation and look forward to serving that community in whatever ways we can.</div><div>We’ve been waiting and wondering what our next steps will be. Now we know. So it’s back across the pond once again. May your Advent journey be filled with hope and anticipation...Christ is coming. Let’s get ready.</div>Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-54668149688437976602018-11-26T07:51:00.001-08:002018-11-26T07:51:09.715-08:00Reflections on Thanksgiving<font face="Arial">I went to a beautiful Thanksgiving eve worship service last Wednesday night. It was held in a large Episcopal church in Palm Desert and the minister from the Lutheran church where we have been attending was preaching. I have fond memories of attending this type of service prior to our move to Europe so it was something I really wanted to do. The sanctuary was gorgeous. <img id="id_9cdc_36b0_154d_d3c6" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQb3oKiGS-nSyNbjiB-0MtvlVGsi-KVCxjQ5UxW2PRIzD4x79gqF4icuix6ywCyzzFziUvvDT0SNGecOopB1UMxaWBO9LD3gd7cbULUleC-AsrzST3arb1UDyUmpMBvJIz9AUC4oLAvbu/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 215px; height: auto;"> Big choir, big organ, fine liturgy...it was just what I needed! As I left I began to reflect on a couple of things. First, it’s still a little strange at times to be the congregant and not the pastor. I like going to church and not being the one worrying about every little detail, but I miss crafting the services and preparing well to give others a meaningful experience. And those reflections got me thinking about Thanksgiving memories in general. </font><div><font face="Arial">This was only the 3rd Thanksgiving day I have spent the US for the past 20 years. Once, while we were living in Sweden, we made a trip back to spend Thanksgiving with Doug’s family and to celebrate my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary which was in December. Two years ago we were here in the desert and Doug’s mom and sister joined us. This year Doug and I spent the holiday apart. Doug flew to MN to be with his mom and the rest of the Fondell clan and I stayed in the desert to take care of our 11 month old pup. We just weren’t quite ready to find care for her for week. And it’s been good. Good for me to be the primary care-giver to Maddie and good for Doug to spend time with his mom and family. </font><div><font face="Arial">While growing up, the focus on Thanksgiving weekend was on my dad’s football teams. The post-season play-offs were in full tilt and if his team was not playing, well, there was a pall upon the household. Fortunately, his success meant that most Thanksgivings we were engaged in a Friday night lights situation and that meant that Thursday morning there would be practice. But dad always made it fun with ending the practice with a field goal kicking contest that every player would participate in followed by a major pie feast. The parents would bring pies and lots of extra folks would come and serve them up. Each player got 1/4th of a pie and there was feasting and merriment all around! It was also Southern California so it was very warm. We’d then enjoy a Thanksgiving feast at the beautiful home of my dad’s team Dr.’s house where we could also swim and play tennis if we wanted to. But because my dad was always crazy with football and because we always went to these friend’s house, I didn’t grow up with the preparation of Thanksgiving aromas wafting through the house and I didn’t even watch my mom make the meal. </font></div><div><font face="Arial">My college years were spent with invitations to various friend’s houses. Memorable Thanksgivings include one in Detroit where we attended the Lions NFL game, especially meaningful since at that time one of my dad’s former players was playing for the Lions! Another highlight was a trip to DC to spend the holiday in Maryland with a group of college friends. I recall seeing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time, thinking it so odd that the sun was setting behind me on the beach, seeing beautiful Washington D.C. for the first time and a crazy mishap with marshmallows and an oven door. Trust me, cleaning up melted marshmallow from a hot oven door is not a fun thing to do on Thanksgiving day!</font></div><div><font face="Arial">The years I spent in Colombia revealed to me that Thanksgiving would become the holiday that I was most homesick in all my years of living abroad. The November holiday is a uniquely American thing and it is the one day that the entire nation eats pretty much the same thing with small variations on the sides. And so to be in a foreign country where I had to work and where nothing was geared toward the holiday, well, I just felt the most out of step with home than any other day. The PTA of the school where I was teaching in Colombia always put on such a lovely dinner for us teachers but it wasn’t quite the same. I do recall one parent saying to me once, “This Thanksgiving holiday you have...it’s a lovely thing”. That has always stayed with me. </font></div><div><font face="Arial">Soon after I met Doug we often were in Minneapolis for Thanksgiving which became a fun new tradition for me. Other times we were with church friends, especially if Doug had responsibilities over the weekend in his church. The inter-faith service that our community in Chicago participated in was always a real treat, because the rabbis joined us and the theology of the day worked for Thanksgiving without any real compromise on anyone’s part. </font></div><div><font face="Arial">The move to Sweden meant being away from the US again on the holiday. The first year, I didn’t really think it would matter but then it was Thanksgiving weeks and those old longings were emerging. I wasn’t a great cook when we first moved to Sweden and so I was on the phone with my mom a lot, asking about the timing of things and especially about how to make gravy! The internet was just emerging as a “thing” so looking up anything you need to know and watching a YouTube video to learn wasn’t quite on the radar yet. I remember going to the store on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It was quiet. Not many shopping then in Stockholm. I was thinking about the contrast of the stores in the US that very moment. I tried to piece together a meal from unfamiliar ingredients. We ended up with roast chicken and soggy stuffing and some potatoes. It was all quite unceremonious. But over the years, I finally figured out that I needed to take THURSDAY off and make it my own holiday! <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img src="blob:file:///59c086f3-403f-4ccf-a80b-e2b0c0d99dea" id="id_247f_a991_3f48_9dde" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"> </span>And then the magic of Thanksgiving really took off. I had to search high and low for a 9 or 10 pound turkey, and pay a fortune for it but it was definitely worth it. We often had lingonberries instead of cranberries but it worked! We began a tradition of inviting a few Americans but always had some folks who had never experienced a Thanksgiving dinner.<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_f61c_4a43_afbc_f419" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KkXx0sAv8H8/W_wWYNw2D-I/AAAAAAAAOiY/J7fAg9rOOrYoC1YUv8b__RuBoIuEhs7fACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 344px; height: auto;"></span> I loved creating a beautiful table, filling it with delicious food and gathering friends around. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_6603_dbe9_bd67_80b1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICW3WgT8ELobjagJSERvkjAF-jL9B2HmOjsVYxLmgRQ_LQaSoyyG-fMDeunD6DDvXcKWFTy6DwFQQgLGwaJyvI5VFtykD4Ig2I38FhwqMpmW6x0cZGHGmWJ9UMqoOsieOR9tRkFX_8QXu/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 329px; height: auto;"></span>My folks came over for Thanksgiving one year with a 20 pound turkey in their luggage! It almost didn’t fit in my tiny Europe-sized oven! But we had two tables full of people, each one with a memorable story and something profound to be thankful for. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_4e24_d6_ce7_5d59" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFmL5StTc_McZp3cKG3qgzkB0_shle_Bie78Clo5G5hknvSpWGFLK-1V-BRRD8JoLyjwNuo_SC2jG2RwAhTlhckQpIes7NdGV0YmZucvUCo9ZVReLna3IjmPEmPGrr0v0kw9JylyvKP1s/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 269px; height: auto;"></span>Anytime friends were coming to Stockholm during the autumn, it was a given that they’d be bringing canned pumpkin, a bag of pecans and stuffing mix! Throughout the years we enjoyed welcoming different folks to the table and it was pure joy. I miss gathering folks from the around the world at our table and now those longings emerge here in the US. Often on Friday morning I would peruse the internet, enjoying my own version of Black Friday. I was never a Black Friday shopper but enjoyed seeing what deals were on offer even if I wasn’t ordering anything. For me, it was about connecting with my homeland, something i think every person living in a foreign country feels the need to do no matter how far removed from one’s own culture you are.</font></div><font face="Arial">The Thanksgivings in London and Paris were wonderful and unique each in their own right. In London, the church held a big Thanksgiving potluck the Sunday before Thanksgiving so that was a lot of fun prepping and cooking food for that. Then on Thanksgiving day we participated in a big worship service at St Paul’s cathedral, not a bad way to give thanks!<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_1915_723_4d1_6712" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_R0cwMaI4ZvPfakINOjgtvr9Ahqh4AG5o654_OLJmRSNSLrDVDzAPC8SkFnhLB1Mdpmg52iVOQg8TYDp6Lo64CGxd4uuYUwOU5t8B_EUp09T4BauB43d15Qt4pzSa4R1zzWFYKtbY0ILA/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 352px; height: auto;"></span> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_e123_b83e_582b_3294" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9-2AGT29QzY/W_wWZNPnqDI/AAAAAAAAOio/oscm_YUNtakmyZAnfilO4aotFOk8uq8HACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 349px; height: auto;"></span>In Paris, there was also a big worship service, and the English speaking Rabbi gave the message so it was nice connection to our Chicago days. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_f83a_cb30_7136_582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1AMDLrBi29yJPmpO0L6aizhmTAS5C8_008cbkDC6nvjJSIbR9ZLGfi3B2jjUYusLUHgiML6rA48GzsIOgMRGrnV-LklSIqnvtdty6aRkPnwEE82YPrw9ej4L4z25oq5aE9WjYZuZJGxA/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 409px; height: auto;"> </span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The church hosted a big meal but not on Thanksgiving day so I wanted to do my own meal. </span></font><span style="font-family: Arial; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But turkeys were hard to find and expensive and French chickens are so delicious that I roasted chickens and made all the sides and our intern and his wife, and their best friends who were visiting feasted with us! </span><span style="font-family: Arial; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); width: 266px;"><img id="id_c023_e40e_9e84_83be" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-73o0BKJoT-4/W_wWZHFcnzI/AAAAAAAAOik/OdqZ-P7t0f8LhG94EKFABdgcs6WSldwDwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 266px; height: auto;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> I didn’t have any of my own decorations or table ware so I used ceramic yogurt cups as flower vases and made a table runner out of pictures from my favorite table decorations, the picture above, from Stockholm! By then I had perfected making gravy and liberally used French butter in just about everything, including my home made pie crust which has now become a signature dish of mine! In fact, I used the last of the French butter I imported to make my apple pie this year.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); width: 306px;"><img id="id_49c9_fee8_5586_6db1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1Dt-HsJc6EM/W_wWZd65guI/AAAAAAAAOiw/R5Rg4dhEo7kaeSasMMUqegTpW3SyaBcAACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 306px; height: auto;"></span></div><font face="Arial">This year was a holiday spent with friends while Doug was with family. We have a friend we met in Paris coming to visit us for the coming week so I will make a turkey dinner so we can enjoy some of the leftovers! I remember 2 years when Doug’s mom and sister were here, I was so excited to know that I could get every ingredient that I wanted in abundance and didn’t have it do any recipe gymnastics to make something work! <br></font><div><div><div><font face="Arial">Thanksgiving became memorable for us through the years instead of being a day of loneliness and longing because we decided to forge new experiences and traditions in a variety of settings with a wide variety of friends. Of course you miss loved ones when you hop around the world like we do but you learn to satisfy your longings through creatively engaging new traditions. But no matter where in the world you are, or how much distance separates you from people you long to be sharing the day with, Thanksgiving is about being grateful for the abundance of blessing we enjoy in this life. OK, Thanksgiving is also about butter and gravy. But it is a very good reminder to be grateful. This Thanksgiving holiday we have, it really is a beautiful thing. No matter what, there’s something to be grateful for. It’s good to think about that and say it out loud sometimes.</font></div></div></div>Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-68507632611308728502018-11-02T13:49:00.000-07:002018-11-02T13:49:22.966-07:00Local Halloween Flavor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last Sunday afternoon we ventured over to the Halloween Golf Parade in Palm Desert. It reminded us that we really do live in a smallish town. The local newscasters are always the celebrities. <br />
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I gave the parade an A for effort. The theme for the parade was Super Heroes and teachers were lifted up as some of the best super heroes. <br />
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I loved that many schools were represented with their marching bands and drill/flag teams along with a few cheerleaders for good measure!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLM4yipGUS0i9kGdcUWlJrslycx016FjKeOslbfTX6ag-evrpwcNmlZNYimFeILvwJS2jfhBatuQwLTJEOvmYwr6_zELkpEEcg4mrJ8yXA4zSCJjABo0qRxxBBW9ZBbSkKSoOCcqIw3ce6/s1600/fullsizeoutput_51a5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1256" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLM4yipGUS0i9kGdcUWlJrslycx016FjKeOslbfTX6ag-evrpwcNmlZNYimFeILvwJS2jfhBatuQwLTJEOvmYwr6_zELkpEEcg4mrJ8yXA4zSCJjABo0qRxxBBW9ZBbSkKSoOCcqIw3ce6/s320/fullsizeoutput_51a5.jpeg" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drill team...see the wooden guns flying?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outstanding drum corps</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmI0k9qZVt87ar3sraIzsW7rVxAd7Xm1llaMfYHPfF5D35ZDE2ZkKr-Aem-zsfNotEk4jKxLxG8UjMB1wiwPYW_N_O0Yhh_AzI51P-60OAYnTeY10u4fh_1kyz8eW2YkVaObFKwHjQQU1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_519e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1183" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmI0k9qZVt87ar3sraIzsW7rVxAd7Xm1llaMfYHPfF5D35ZDE2ZkKr-Aem-zsfNotEk4jKxLxG8UjMB1wiwPYW_N_O0Yhh_AzI51P-60OAYnTeY10u4fh_1kyz8eW2YkVaObFKwHjQQU1/s320/fullsizeoutput_519e.jpeg" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOVED seeing Jr. High marching band kids</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUielL0paApimTYgF6oJgfby2XtgPYORYSLd__Ho8YxwFtK7n4j61tpefiEkgvIRGPlIGVh3APrOAWxxtAkzLv4Jzci9L4F4vtj6xlw26M0G-T-t4X9HhScJ9VKzK9yEPzHzCRQHiMkXMD/s1600/IMG_2508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUielL0paApimTYgF6oJgfby2XtgPYORYSLd__Ho8YxwFtK7n4j61tpefiEkgvIRGPlIGVh3APrOAWxxtAkzLv4Jzci9L4F4vtj6xlw26M0G-T-t4X9HhScJ9VKzK9yEPzHzCRQHiMkXMD/s320/IMG_2508.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heavy lifters<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Some of the golf carts were cutely decorated. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdIrpiM9RQgRxINX9olcihVkDvTqpxD8kjNY7Isni8X1u2G9Pdyc_nu6NVe3R-hR1pnJXsadI4sx_wIxOOtXC4-FUGztSQ4K4zuAoIbw4FEZSGWmNv2YQDurkM9KbrgzvfwLdoKoCJdCm/s1600/fullsizeoutput_51a1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 15px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1090" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdIrpiM9RQgRxINX9olcihVkDvTqpxD8kjNY7Isni8X1u2G9Pdyc_nu6NVe3R-hR1pnJXsadI4sx_wIxOOtXC4-FUGztSQ4K4zuAoIbw4FEZSGWmNv2YQDurkM9KbrgzvfwLdoKoCJdCm/s320/fullsizeoutput_51a1.jpeg" width="218" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">I had a special fondness for the one "dressed up" like a VW bus. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And this tribute to some fantastic women in our world was a big hit too!<br />
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This one, highlighting 90's stuff was super cute too. </div>
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When did the 90's become such a thing of the past? </div>
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I might've even tucked some ideas away for when our club does a golf cart parade!</div>
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Sadly, I have to give the overall parade about a C-. It was roasting hot (not their fault) but the parade organizers didn't keep things moving at a good pace and there wasn't enough music between the bands so there were long lulls that were quite boring. So we left a bit early. Even so, it was fun to get out and enjoy a community event, especially one where you could cheer kids on and celebrate their involvement.</div>
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Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-17169232799333541152018-09-22T09:25:00.001-07:002018-09-22T09:31:31.056-07:00Autumn Perspective Today is the autumn equinox. This was one of the sadder days for me when I lived in Sweden because it signaled that the time of year when there would be more darkness than light was beginning. Don’t get me wrong. I love autumn. I love the sports of autumn, especially American football, baseball playoffs, the Ryder Cup and when I was playing, volleyball. And the dazzling display of changing color that the trees brought to us in Sweden always delighted the senses. Our last few boat rides in Stockholm were often chilly but gorgeous as we watched the foliage transform along the Djurgården canal and throughout the archipelago. And after a hot summer, (which was rare and awesome in Sweden), the chilling air was refreshing and it was fun to think about putting on a sweatshirt. But that waning daylight was always a tough pill to swallow.<div> Now I am living in a California desert and have to laugh at today’s temperatures. (C left, F right) <img id="id_434f_fce6_a8bf_6865" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fHg9L3sbedQ/W6ZtBWzXPWI/AAAAAAAAOfU/D355OEbNDKIJ0yH_HWrCIs4a4kkPjRZfACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 182px; height: auto;"> On the news they’ve been showing the forecast with a little note stating autumn underneath the 105F! It’s just so different and so funny. Since I grew up in CA, it’s not that unusual to have a warm September and I do remember as a kid watching the trees try their level best to change color, going from green to green yellow! When I moved to Chicago for college I got my first taste of trees that really changed color and have since experienced some even more dramatic autumn action around the world. On my Bucket List is to get out east one October to experience the awesome New England autumn that is legendary. But here in the desert, autumn is really only a calendar thing. We have color going on in our garden, but it’s not autumnal color. <img id="id_d86a_5988_f6db_faaa" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8pOsyefloAE/W6ZtDaKkBTI/AAAAAAAAOfY/jhrZ6I8l5Hsns7zhTt8Eaofmc3B5jKOGQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 242px; height: auto;">Lovely lantana<br><br><img id="id_af6b_98fa_dfb0_9b32" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60bsf8S3Q8kOFwNhz-ywOCIvIbF51n795Z2uBpI4TVz6J3yuKl8NgeoIA8_miHW3HrJw8ZuXuD6XchMegq4V-P_GafsRicFlzS0WrhmNELZx4pPl65nTNlBWg1w_pelpfgnTUc32mUU2n/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 203px; height: auto;">Purple sage<br><br><img id="id_5a3b_e667_9bc1_be16" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-06GDsub_i3M/W6ZtDxy07HI/AAAAAAAAOfg/NgeVldusmKYpN2ChrULZjh7Drjs-JV8zACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 211px; height: auto;">Yellow Tecoma </div><div>I love the riot of color that the desert foliage brings our way. It’s just so very different than reds and oranges that come with cold weather places. In addition to the blooms around our garden, our citrus trees are busy ripening the fruit for the winter harvest. Our key lime tree is already dropping tons of fruit! <img id="id_3a72_140c_8e70_a166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxpm-D-xUL2rvBogiW6RGK0l8rWKqxo7yEfYg2jsROFFiHdhK-f2RFYz54aNEDHY3nr9fJ-w73hQG8NFHzE77kAnFaJqmaO2SjUz8sD-lqhgnqsWi6vYrGg73e6ATojo9y8wGyUe56qgP/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 211px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_d532_ac0_5e32_8263" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Zkj-0kxV3Qk/W6ZtEwrteII/AAAAAAAAOfo/ZFx2WolSdOwIjP9EdWX8cGfhMCkh4YwYACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 250px; height: auto;">The lemon tree is full of fruit! I have succeeded in my goal of never buying citrus as the techniques I used to freeze lemons and lemon juice have worked out well!<br><br><img id="id_cb27_83fd_527_23ac" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b9bfx4DBTU0/W6ZtEfQfpAI/AAAAAAAAOfk/72w43FjPwzsZsHFegd5VvNgmzsM6PdrugCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 261px; height: auto;">Grapefruit gold getting ready for good eating and juicing!</div><div>So on this autumn equinox, with temperatures still hitting triple digits, it’s hardly sweater weather! I find myself longing for summer to be over, a feeling that I never had for the 16 summers we spent in Sweden! But like in life, there is a season for everything and for this particular season in the desert, I remain grateful for the warmth of the sun, hot as it may, the blue skies that dot our landscape most every day, the beauty of the desert landscape with its pinks and purples instead of reds and oranges, and the changing seasons, however slight that change may seem! And while we’ll have shorter days during the “winter” here, it far surpasses the 6-7 hours that we got in Stockholm. So here’s to 9-10 hours of daylight and temperatures below 100F and the opportunity to put on a long sleeved shirt! No matter where in the world you are experiencing autumn, or down under, the change to spring, may you enjoy whatever bounty abounds around you. And if you live in the Nordic north, get those candles ready for the cozy winter!<br></div>Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-24950427919193629822018-08-20T07:34:00.000-07:002018-08-20T08:15:27.047-07:00Two Women Named Kristi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Oddly enough, in the past month I have lost two friends named Kristi to the very same cancer: late stage colon cancer. Both were recently diagnosed, and within months, both died from complications that arose during the treatment. It has been sad and unexpected news on both fronts.<br />
The first woman who died is someone I have not seen in years. Her family went to the same church as mine as we were growing up and she was a bit older than I was so I was actually much closer to her younger brothers. But I remember thinking that she was the most beautiful person I'd ever met when I was a young girl. She was fun, and vibrant, wearing a huge smile much of the time. Facebook re-connected us years later so even though we hadn't seen one another, we had gotten caught back up on our comings and goings. Because I wasn't on the inner circle of friends, I didn't even hear about her diagnosis until she was very sick. And then she was gone. Sadly, her wonderful father is still alive and he has had to walk the incredibly difficult road of losing a child. I feel so deeply for people when this happens having watched my parents and Doug's parents go through this. She also leaves her three brothers and a loving a husband, children and grandchildren who she obviously loved very much. I will be able to attend her memorial service this coming Saturday and as often is the case, the silver lining will be renewing old friendships and celebrating a life well-lived. Peace to the memory of Kristi Robbins Steven.<br />
The other woman who died is someone I had an abiding friendship with through the Association of International Churches in Europe and the Middle East. Her husband, Steve, served International churches in Oslo, Norway and Berlin, Germany and were active participants in the annual conferences and youth conferences that were held each year. Though we only saw one another once or twice a year, our friendship deepened as we shared ministry and life concerns on a deeply heartfelt level. Kristi was a warm, generous person who had vast musical gifts. She shared all of her gifts openly and graciously and we loved meeting up with them each year. We shared a lot of laughter, especially at the banquets of the conferences, but also spent time in heartfelt conversation, sharing our deepest wounds, ministry stressors, and life concerns. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWaDJGtWLR03Bmwq4vRBKxk7_haIsfUfYhhKysSC3x7bLwkqBbho_s8OLgWmSZTHnciefXTkdIrictvu9wGqn6pPO9fDL_aPKlPhzne0AMELRX_0gMGskDG49eexjhoZc69_e0dWEW5N_/s1600/aiceme+all+093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWaDJGtWLR03Bmwq4vRBKxk7_haIsfUfYhhKysSC3x7bLwkqBbho_s8OLgWmSZTHnciefXTkdIrictvu9wGqn6pPO9fDL_aPKlPhzne0AMELRX_0gMGskDG49eexjhoZc69_e0dWEW5N_/s400/aiceme+all+093.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve and Krisit on the shores of the Baltic at our Stockholm Church retreat center playing a bit of Kubb</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10xNX_BTs6f8sYrzlitItrDenHCHLDh5uuB48xLbjIwwPbfYYj1V6r1zZtc7Hu9aqmsJ16rs9on03Mz-AcbXRCVompxyAPw8r8H8iu0ivYNtnO6jKnvc3AEmhNmu7TrC4Z2eWgAaM2mr7/s1600/banquet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10xNX_BTs6f8sYrzlitItrDenHCHLDh5uuB48xLbjIwwPbfYYj1V6r1zZtc7Hu9aqmsJ16rs9on03Mz-AcbXRCVompxyAPw8r8H8iu0ivYNtnO6jKnvc3AEmhNmu7TrC4Z2eWgAaM2mr7/s400/banquet.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always getting ready to share some music</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGwNu2I2FrfjUEDlTWVzh23dBb8BvqW5jtDIzZdi8tX1z7gGcte_rPmeVR5IhgbxFH99V8sWTsYo9ZQPbkQF0p-u7v5z09QDFROVM4YOo-ZlBqVM4u0nfnwmPmdmawEKhIGHFyysah-pU/s1600/steve%2526K.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGwNu2I2FrfjUEDlTWVzh23dBb8BvqW5jtDIzZdi8tX1z7gGcte_rPmeVR5IhgbxFH99V8sWTsYo9ZQPbkQF0p-u7v5z09QDFROVM4YOo-ZlBqVM4u0nfnwmPmdmawEKhIGHFyysah-pU/s400/steve%2526K.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leading and encouraging</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ56zFtFM4Qiq2AxNbbU88ixTAgMYe0Bwm5_snvTg8ZD2alEcBDx4xw55Bg4ovq3aYQURwJVRgmA2S5E05Y1df1MFVYYybH_k7cDRmDbUbk6SnfB-IfMhhL3sG0kS_ehEpJUUeY3SKauY3/s1600/steveand+kristi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1340" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ56zFtFM4Qiq2AxNbbU88ixTAgMYe0Bwm5_snvTg8ZD2alEcBDx4xw55Bg4ovq3aYQURwJVRgmA2S5E05Y1df1MFVYYybH_k7cDRmDbUbk6SnfB-IfMhhL3sG0kS_ehEpJUUeY3SKauY3/s400/steveand+kristi.jpg" width="335" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve and Kristi always shared such beautiful music with us.</td></tr>
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Steve and Kristi are good friends and we will now miss Kristi very much. They have two girls, now college-aged, who loved all things royal so when the royal wedding took place in Stockholm, they were quite envious of our proximity to the event! I sent them photos of our experience in downtown watching the Royal Newlyweds enjoy their special day. Their youngest was an au pair in Europe last winter and she came and spent a weekend with us in Paris. We have felt connected to the Kienbergers for most of our International church career. They recently moved back to the US and invited us to enjoy the Oregon coast while we were opening the doors to greater sunshine in the desert when the fog got to be too much. Kristi was diagnosed only in June and so things declined very rapidly. So rapidly that I actually never got around to sending that note that I wanted to write to her and Steve. Then all of the sudden we got word that she had passed due to complications and like that, Kristi is no longer part of this world. I feel so deeply for her husband Steve, and their two daughters, one starting her senior year of college and one just starting her college journey. The blessing I suppose is that because they were back in the US they were much closer to family so all could be with her during this challenging time. Even so, the shock of her passing must be a bit overwhelming as she was so deeply loved and gifted.<br />
So peace to the memory of Kirsten E. Penner Kienberger. I will miss her as I know so many others will as well.<br />
<br />
One final note...if you are thinking about writing to someone to thank them for something, to give them a word of encouragement, or just to reach out and re-connect, do it today. We really never know what tomorrow will bring.</div>
Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-49093450702982489732018-07-28T10:11:00.004-07:002018-07-28T10:11:34.984-07:0020 Years Ago<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I haven't written much on the blog of late...guess life has been just a bit to mundane to muster the energy to write about something! But today is July 28, 2018 and it made me think about July 28, 1998. 20 years ago today we moved to Stockholm, Sweden!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Many happy moments shared in Sweden</td></tr>
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It's hard to imagine that 2 decades have gone by since that initial move overseas. We were so young...a mere 37 and 38 years old.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UIROp4DpBIWp6QRNXr0UPuHp-QBjNNJ9CmE6NcGoT6y554Bp5FotZGX-kPnQty3zlfjMW61FU7JMmsomTfvVEliqDeYTu05qwDq5DDS6M3prbXMgRqNIqDIhOEI1qqs-eF7xfup2W71j/s1600/Dalahorse.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="559" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UIROp4DpBIWp6QRNXr0UPuHp-QBjNNJ9CmE6NcGoT6y554Bp5FotZGX-kPnQty3zlfjMW61FU7JMmsomTfvVEliqDeYTu05qwDq5DDS6M3prbXMgRqNIqDIhOEI1qqs-eF7xfup2W71j/s320/Dalahorse.tif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">We were kids when we moved to Sweden!<br /></td></tr>
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Neither of us had been senior pastors of a church but I had been the campus pastor at North Park and Doug had been the interim senior pastor at the church where he had been an associate for 7 years so we were ready to step into more responsibility and leadership. But still...looking back, I realize that the church took a bit of a chance on us, green as we were! But the beautiful thing about our going to Immanuel at such a young age and then staying on for almost 17 years, is that we and the church grew up side by side. The church was very gracious with us, allowing us to try new things, use our creative energy, and make mistakes! We learned just about everything we've ever known about ministry and life in the caring embrace of the beautiful congregation of Immanuel International.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicejcGH_kirZKI44g6aTAAmCDw6iMrqXiX_FDFG16H6b_Xl4I00wzKsf48zxYhZO2fsXaErR79A8GpcmN7fbFQGkdNUoEUU3L2Vh_cVlE_Qlh6PqG0tdzs5GzCG_62tfhad13pfH6rI9O9/s1600/20121223_132707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicejcGH_kirZKI44g6aTAAmCDw6iMrqXiX_FDFG16H6b_Xl4I00wzKsf48zxYhZO2fsXaErR79A8GpcmN7fbFQGkdNUoEUU3L2Vh_cVlE_Qlh6PqG0tdzs5GzCG_62tfhad13pfH6rI9O9/s320/20121223_132707.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Celebrating Advent and Christmas at Immanuel was always a highlight<br /></td></tr>
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That congregation has kind of ruined us for life as far as churches go. It's a bar set way too high but we are so thankful that we were privileged to lead and be a part of that place for so many years. Friendships that we formed during those years are friendships that are sealed on our hearts. We don't get to see those dear folks very often but thanks to social media and Facetime and Skype, we do get to check in once awhile. That said, I also know that years and years could pass by without contact and our shared history in Sweden would immediately draw us near to one another again.<br />
There is no way to recount the highlights of 20 years but here are some memorable moments.<br />
-We moved our first dog, Lucy, overseas and she spent several years enjoying Sweden with us after surviving a 4 month quarantine.<br />
-We got Tanner, our Swedish born lab, 4 months after Lucy died. He was a huge part of the heart and soul of our life there. What a fabulous companion.<br />
-We owned 2 boats while in Sweden...one a complete junker that at least helped us get a prime marina spot and the fabulous Finnmaster...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuRdKHoP3hjKCGrD3LA8q2t3SEo0pbbpA2h34nLZJG4yxvmtspLsLCLegYXID_wlTtPNCIKErl2ENrGxNyCwWLNvjY5DY0TWiq8psKMWfWROCar2LA7940WU3yL9FAyEUxk_NInfVqNnV/s1600/Inaugural+voyage+with+the+Finnmaster+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuRdKHoP3hjKCGrD3LA8q2t3SEo0pbbpA2h34nLZJG4yxvmtspLsLCLegYXID_wlTtPNCIKErl2ENrGxNyCwWLNvjY5DY0TWiq8psKMWfWROCar2LA7940WU3yL9FAyEUxk_NInfVqNnV/s320/Inaugural+voyage+with+the+Finnmaster+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The boat that we enjoyed countless hours on, sharing with friends, exploring the fabulous Stockholm Archipelago.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4Gaw-SB_UFWV_jh8IrimCG4qgB_1WWiG7_iBujCFwD8lQzeXVT3qjEkdtfqhLkzDNtcvy_9xiUcfR5l7uGtOQSwncyv06POs8FCEgSh9pgXMrEMfos4p6gAdziDnveOQVWa3UiSS_AHW/s1600/IMG_0006+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4Gaw-SB_UFWV_jh8IrimCG4qgB_1WWiG7_iBujCFwD8lQzeXVT3qjEkdtfqhLkzDNtcvy_9xiUcfR5l7uGtOQSwncyv06POs8FCEgSh9pgXMrEMfos4p6gAdziDnveOQVWa3UiSS_AHW/s320/IMG_0006+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Tanner and I both loved swimming in the Baltic even though it was usually freezing cold!<br /></td></tr>
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-We attended the International Pastors Conference every single year that we lived there, with the exception of the one I missed when my mom died. That group remains a mainstay of support, collegiality and friendship for us even to this day.<br />
-We suffered loss during these years, most notable: Doug's 2 sisters, my brother, my mom and dad, our dear friend Ethel Magoye who helped us forge the Uganda project we worked on, and dear Bali, the mentally ill man who graced our congregation. Peace to the memory of them all.<br />
-We endured the dark winters and enjoyed the long summer nights. I can honestly say that while the snowy winters were initially always beautiful and more fun to walk the dog in, I do not miss the short days one bit. I can long for the amazing summer nights in Stockholm but now that I live where sunshine is pretty much guaranteed most of the time, it isn't as hard to live without that long light.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZQyb2THbsQxS-Etr87Vx0Kl5NnE2NbOdbVnxRT44iQgtFew7ed7aRYSu2KM4071x47xJiBEX5sZxUk8UPaAJVAeo08dGfOfIk2-tn1kg9mBwwns9n21HPcf-xM2kws1MoWJfGurMjLki/s1600/IMG_0390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZQyb2THbsQxS-Etr87Vx0Kl5NnE2NbOdbVnxRT44iQgtFew7ed7aRYSu2KM4071x47xJiBEX5sZxUk8UPaAJVAeo08dGfOfIk2-tn1kg9mBwwns9n21HPcf-xM2kws1MoWJfGurMjLki/s320/IMG_0390.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Summer nights<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
-We became Swedish citizens ensuring our right to live and work in Europe forever. What a gift.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGTlDzKaZ-YgYMICiNeujiAhJHf_5-a5o3fKSKHg8dl7gDkSo-rCV0i2cjmHuzpm68opiEdf299P0dDwfovOXcKqlQHy9zCuPe34qicf67swlyTrluXtr1djvEB2BLIhqjej1wi-jg824/s1600/20130714_191858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGTlDzKaZ-YgYMICiNeujiAhJHf_5-a5o3fKSKHg8dl7gDkSo-rCV0i2cjmHuzpm68opiEdf299P0dDwfovOXcKqlQHy9zCuPe34qicf67swlyTrluXtr1djvEB2BLIhqjej1wi-jg824/s320/20130714_191858.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYYIuEwEG7QKF21VgCckTt_ae-RNrzsn7MLElBJZaB60Ld1rmlAuEKiB5-vh_Yxdm-gsiN2YupK-g7mdpT7IYs4i9US2Y4IwssZbaUpwdGLiCXmt1H6LQQik-s1cwfst5RLSY6GN55hdS/s1600/IMG_0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYYIuEwEG7QKF21VgCckTt_ae-RNrzsn7MLElBJZaB60Ld1rmlAuEKiB5-vh_Yxdm-gsiN2YupK-g7mdpT7IYs4i9US2Y4IwssZbaUpwdGLiCXmt1H6LQQik-s1cwfst5RLSY6GN55hdS/s320/IMG_0006.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">The entry to our apartment<br /></td></tr>
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-We lived in the most beautiful city apartment and retain amazing memories of meals shared around our table, parties held to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, church events, holidays, both Swedish and American, and friendship.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvxON5ac8ADelUMPfDac7csYx4tR0YijTYui3yUQQ2y9hWcVXoRM6M8ibNHuOGAWRrdGhnLxfRfmAboGOa-luHDDnjP7cKkv8CA0oxqFo23zBSQhm_mCsPavZah0dpChBYGMZDJbKIThZ/s1600/IMG_0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvxON5ac8ADelUMPfDac7csYx4tR0YijTYui3yUQQ2y9hWcVXoRM6M8ibNHuOGAWRrdGhnLxfRfmAboGOa-luHDDnjP7cKkv8CA0oxqFo23zBSQhm_mCsPavZah0dpChBYGMZDJbKIThZ/s320/IMG_0010.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Our cozy kitchen<br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddhaJ1_G-4R2GzS99pPglfn8KY1gGFyShapx9SusVLuIiJDzvQ39QpHe1uhseHlS6w92t0nRHT6dUFXvM63lRkg8iIj-rQc8MdY6_z_EllIVASsmPQLNatZ8LzWlPmh4OkkkVx6V7SaDg/s1600/IMG_0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddhaJ1_G-4R2GzS99pPglfn8KY1gGFyShapx9SusVLuIiJDzvQ39QpHe1uhseHlS6w92t0nRHT6dUFXvM63lRkg8iIj-rQc8MdY6_z_EllIVASsmPQLNatZ8LzWlPmh4OkkkVx6V7SaDg/s320/IMG_0011.jpg" width="320" /></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKHYNfJ70D4JpI60qVp37QbJuVa2OT4RIdIG_uGz018u_fW85Zm0vEORWPKQa-ZF7FW1ALD6lDXhE8eVAbnxV4xGHU63OLBwupViw7vXVColCWNy66sK577BdRBkV5H551ezatI9LixCB/s1600/IMG_0012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKHYNfJ70D4JpI60qVp37QbJuVa2OT4RIdIG_uGz018u_fW85Zm0vEORWPKQa-ZF7FW1ALD6lDXhE8eVAbnxV4xGHU63OLBwupViw7vXVColCWNy66sK577BdRBkV5H551ezatI9LixCB/s320/IMG_0012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Home office<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFXp-iootdxJQ2iuXY1srcnB1A2m_K0Q8zNXgbVGmEw9LzEvwWuJj8cThS_-fDHRoXqKpd0CZw78957s5VW6GgF8naJSLma9tKoCze_Nfwge_sbMQknAqOk0Wv7oeysQmDqgzLtK6AQpe/s1600/IMG_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFXp-iootdxJQ2iuXY1srcnB1A2m_K0Q8zNXgbVGmEw9LzEvwWuJj8cThS_-fDHRoXqKpd0CZw78957s5VW6GgF8naJSLma9tKoCze_Nfwge_sbMQknAqOk0Wv7oeysQmDqgzLtK6AQpe/s320/IMG_0001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Our living room. I loved this apartment.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFehViSL3moxIjKAkAMevMotZXhlCVUiNpFa9gwcBJkEjDKIm4tZQL4KTx6p30Y14Xr04lfbuPsn_8NW4OfwvTvxbTveDPjRUY6CKHEwLQdH7se9N1aj1PlGqeffUELaQm2T_-9bD7Cbv/s1600/IMG_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFehViSL3moxIjKAkAMevMotZXhlCVUiNpFa9gwcBJkEjDKIm4tZQL4KTx6p30Y14Xr04lfbuPsn_8NW4OfwvTvxbTveDPjRUY6CKHEwLQdH7se9N1aj1PlGqeffUELaQm2T_-9bD7Cbv/s320/IMG_0002.jpg" width="320" /></a>Oh if those walls could talk, what a story of friendship, love and life would emerge. <br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAiCC4tOhBy7RalFU20ncI-LBG4jpCuJXfVjBObkAjE09wA-KOP3BUtHDNm0JilHxExl1yEeHASqfOf-KZSy8QCe5HQ6hMianXcd78mH1IGbWBdbeoQvVSC7hbdDXc4n1Lusa87z_qgwS/s1600/IMG_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAiCC4tOhBy7RalFU20ncI-LBG4jpCuJXfVjBObkAjE09wA-KOP3BUtHDNm0JilHxExl1yEeHASqfOf-KZSy8QCe5HQ6hMianXcd78mH1IGbWBdbeoQvVSC7hbdDXc4n1Lusa87z_qgwS/s320/IMG_0004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Our beautiful dining room. So may meals shared around that table with loved ones from around the world.<br /></td></tr>
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-We dressed up a lot...<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7LhbZujhqX7W7HeA80jfRbvaXLGJ7obJEetCcTUkFA2DEG-FtTn1qRJbU6n7qxzFva18zXIp0oKTDVMLST7OsQhTEWjKCnwN0sd9tADNS1OehyphenhyphenjV0u_c1tDbpQMPBawphdM3fvIohXBm/s1600/Scan+142440000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="472" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7LhbZujhqX7W7HeA80jfRbvaXLGJ7obJEetCcTUkFA2DEG-FtTn1qRJbU6n7qxzFva18zXIp0oKTDVMLST7OsQhTEWjKCnwN0sd9tADNS1OehyphenhyphenjV0u_c1tDbpQMPBawphdM3fvIohXBm/s320/Scan+142440000.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">We were always up for dressing up!</td></tr>
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Like the king and queen of Sweden, as crazy characters for our Vacation Bible School program known as Wacky Wednesdays, for parties and halloween.<br />
-We loved deeply and were deeply loved in return.<br />
<br />
People ask us if we miss it. That's hard to answer. I miss some things. Other things not so much. I miss the people. I miss the church. I miss living near the people and places I love so much. Mostly I'm just so grateful that those years were ours to enjoy. We grew so much. We learned so much. Our horizons were broadened in meaningful and necessary ways. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOEklvlzGS9DJZ0o86ReiPNGm6UcnYJrRral3zWSlKSAIb_qaYgprIVDQeTG-lrnThvE7sX7EBs9S0bRHW45U2eR-e1FvcmSAA94iBoCGs6yVy6DLssFBzEbvVqGx1Ga9yRwMEul8om0n/s1600/1010196_10151457764661471_997905186_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOEklvlzGS9DJZ0o86ReiPNGm6UcnYJrRral3zWSlKSAIb_qaYgprIVDQeTG-lrnThvE7sX7EBs9S0bRHW45U2eR-e1FvcmSAA94iBoCGs6yVy6DLssFBzEbvVqGx1Ga9yRwMEul8om0n/s320/1010196_10151457764661471_997905186_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
20 years ago today I departed on a jet plane from Chicago O'Hare airport into a vast unknown. There were tears. There was sadness. But there was great anticipation about the new life we were going to forge ahead with. We'd signed a 3 year contract and suddenly 16.5 years zipped by. But in the meantime, my heart became full with friends who became family, people who made places memorable, experiences that I will never forget, and a church that will always be the gold standard for congregational life for me. I savour the memories with gratitude in my heart. </div>
Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-59414539472172336492018-04-25T14:52:00.001-07:002018-04-25T14:52:29.017-07:00Chicago In My HeartI’ve been back in Chicago for the first time in awhile. I’m attending a conference tomorrow that supports my Louisville Institute project and is addressing some concerns about issues that are important to me. And so I built in some time to see old friends and enjoy this old haunt of ours. Chicago is a city of significance for me. I went to College here, I went to Seminary here, I did my internship at a Covenant Church close to the University, and I was the University Chaplain for the 5 years prior to our moving to Sweden. Chicago has the been the birthplace of some of the most deep and abiding friendships I’ve ever known. It’s a gift to return, to feel the nostalgia of this place we called home, and to remember many, many wonderful times.<br><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_c48a_bb0f_3792_fafa" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-khHEnTDVKiA/WuD4itR8faI/AAAAAAAAOYY/AVseC2LLNF8_A5dbKywrhbsI-jtGFQQiQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 249px; height: auto;"> </span>Doug and I met in Seminary, got engaged at the Swedish restaurant that is across the street from the University (perhaps a fore-shadowing of what our life would be?!), <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_c1e7_5529_83ff_c4b3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b8CyhhHaAs0/WuD4jBHw78I/AAAAAAAAOYc/ChbU-hsJoo8v_ei_L6F3wzqKw97MQ712gCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 252px; height: auto;"> </span>and were married in the campus chapel, newly built during my first year as chaplain and the first couple to celebrate our nuptials there. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_71f1_857e_75bd_e2fe" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh186L7mTVHgDKNDKn5kZtBAJWI3SX1781OLnYJvxWt-0N-ZccOqZMBjxJ3og99GOQZfJBY6XMfWWMy72lBEjxDl9eKXN5-mXVrMweV4mYVZULj-3YZoBLtkSbTR9tHfe2l3WzhtgiA6W0n/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 274px; height: auto;"> </span>The corner of Foster and Kedzie on the north side of Chicago has shaped my career and my family and I am grateful.<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_d805_2634_c739_eb5b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Q17P6RwCqAI/WuD4jP4eTeI/AAAAAAAAOYk/P1b7nxkSCVA3UKlZfP2FPjMh1I-82RPhQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 206px; height: auto;"></span></div><div>Big changes have occurred during the years we have been away, most significantly, a big, beautiful building went up. The Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson center for science and community life has transformed the center of campus and it was a thrill to see it up close. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_7625_c9b5_3f56_5f43" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNajb24cbgPYVWEH1SYZo6KFT8F5AgYv6ypddxgljowZcUriC6YFxvTrYvMfq9Nurc8u4yazaHVeO1VnO_AzaBxXH65J8mJGowEIfCU84jqlC8ICODJRfcCU0zZ2Q5-_-KxoBbNCJSU8k/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 392px; height: auto;"> </span>My parents had both died when the campaign for this building was happening and my mother happened to know the G. Timothy who the building is named for and so in the midst of our grief and sorting through all that went along with dealing with their deaths, Doug and I decided that we wanted to make a gift to the campaign in memory of my parents. They both studied sciences, and valued education so it seemed a fitting memorial. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_9a3b_3945_1e22_ea4e" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTfe4xKbkiqfQfno4Vladqehxp5O4m2Ead18fJXc-Hp9LXrN5pO5jbFcbAh5TwNHpQyer8ZdcoRl1Y-1J3SAgbI_psQvoiHO2mJfb-Yh39zSSD426gzr5zyeH3O32hstlLRq75_-U7lkP1/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 375px; height: auto;"> We </span>had not seen the building nor the donor wall so it was pretty neat to get to see it on this trip. In addition to our own connections to this campus community, my mom also went to this school and taught there for awhile and Doug’s folks also attended this university so it is really a place of significance for us. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_fbff_e7d6_7fb6_1d7e" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhea3Bll0v1LY9gbEuLtcGZwvyjPiRlky1Jexws4Uuk9o5r61JnkJMrDKllE1p_9nsno0tebSP2r0QjSZy9E-vF-EoXWye8UvMmGZ7veTR1kp0U0slIUjxTqCfFQgQBAhjVvHchhQ0fG2/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 272px; height: auto;"></span>I loved walking around the campus, seeing the spring flowers finally in bloom, remembering so many deep conversations I had with students, the countless chapels that we executed and the theological studies that helped shape and form me into the pastor I am today. I used the library for a couple of days as well to get some work done on this book project I’m forging ahead with and it was such a gift to have that made available to me. I spent some time with the current President of the University who was the CFO while I was chaplain and an ardent supporter of me and it was so good to get caught up on his life as he prepares to finally retire after 29 years of faithfully serving this place so many of us love. The University Ministries offices are in a completely different place than when I was there and I loved seeing the prayer chapel, open to students, to drop in for a quiet moment, to share a request, to meet with God in a still, small place. This cross was fashioned out of a mulberry tree that had to come down in order to build the building. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_7b3d_c882_1c80_aa51" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-14KX1cM_6hw/WuD4k90e3YI/AAAAAAAAOY0/6fVUcqjhYJcKvvsez4bYTyAv1bazwt0gwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 247px; height: auto;"></span></div><div>I have enjoyed connecting with a variety of people, including a student I met as a freshman who I hired to work with me in University ministries after he graduated, a woman who was part of the student life team and is now the dean of student life, a couple whose kids I had in my first youth group and who I roped into going on a mission trip with us one year, a woman who I worked with at the church during my internship who has graciously opened up her home to me to let me come and go as I please, another woman who was a student when I was chaplain who now works at the University who has shown me immeasurable support through the years. It’s nice to have fans who affirm and encourage you. I have been able to spend time with dear friends from the church that Doug served before we moved to Sweden, one family who were our next door neighbors, another who have just suffered a great tragedy, having to bury their beloved and wonderful 28 year old son due to an unexpected medical condition. Hard, heartfelt, loving, connected conversations with friends I hardly see but with whom I enter right back to a place of closeness and understanding. I spent an evening with my best friend from University days, a woman I met as a freshman almost 40 years ago! Went to church at a place where countless other relationships from this amazing community were present to reminisce and reconnect with me. It has been a joyous love fest of celebrating deeply woven relationships for which neither time nor distance have torn down. And of course, I ate pizza!<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_618f_e753_a72e_a47e" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbcCbizHO8kjP79xZHNWn3ykQjZmXbQfJX2DzQi4oKuGQh3ni6PeOM4MGXc2DfpsyYXJ0PQdvIvJfSR91c6sBniAHz4Y1fzPmPull7uJ40R0iKdPWu9fjTtfkLXZ8exhzcqglonXnihCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 245px; height: auto;"></span></div><div> I don’t know if I could live in Chicago again...it did snow just last week! And the traffic is epic for sure. I did enjoy re-tracing my commute, roads that I drove on zillions of times in all kinds of weather. The muscle memory was there for sure! So who knows what will bring us back this way. But no matter what, I will always welcome with an eager heart the opportunity to stop by the Windy City and feel the deep resonance with this city of my heart filled with friends of my heart. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_b9a2_7a46_9f67_8436" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-INW6j4zOE9k/WuD4lymq1_I/AAAAAAAAOY8/D944bPxmUo4RASjl5GYJrnOkbUIr4EDXACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 439px; height: auto;">-</span></div>Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-70689536384467784142018-04-04T16:09:00.001-07:002018-04-04T19:45:18.081-07:0004/04 for the 4th time So it’s been 4 years now since my dad died. The past week has been kind of rough as Facebook reminded me of the journey through his final days on earth. It’s still touches a tender spot in my heart. Tears come easily. Grief returns. I still miss him most days. <img id="id_d2ad_caac_a64d_225" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eixem5AoDrA/WsVbITikTgI/AAAAAAAAOXs/0ERPEPSe4CYu-cfSVZ53JyvRwTA3rOrnACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 335px; height: auto;"><br><br><div> Today is also the 50th anniversary of the murder of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Until this year, I had no idea that my dad’s death corresponded with this significant event in history. Of course, the assassination of King is a much more significant event in history than the death of my father but my own personal history is much more deeply affected by the untimely passing of my father.<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span></div><div> So what can I say today, 4 years down the road? I still miss him. I feel very thankful for the gifts that he and my mom left to me and Doug, gifts that have allowed us to build the life that we have here in California. He would’ve loved that we lived in both London and Paris since leaving Stockholm. He would’ve loved seeing Maddie and watching her grow. He would be all over every renovation we’ve done to the house and to the yard. He would’ve loved this year’s March Madness with all the upsets and the fact that Loyola Chicago got to the final four. He would’ve loved that I’ve learned to make pie crust from scratch and he’d be up for eating pie whenever I felt like making it. He would be up here with us all week watching the Masters. He would be thrilled that the Angels acquired Shohei Ohtani and would be excited to watch almost every game of the 160 game season! And he would’ve reflected deeply on the death of Martin Luther King, acknowledging his amazing legacy, one that helped him to love the underdogs in our society, most notably the young Hispanics that he took under his wing and helped them build their businesses and establish their lives in the US under somewhat hostile circumstances.</div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_f516_8b13_1576_90a3" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHh6Aytd8WuwozLDZMsmoqBV6OhjGHj6ZyDgH_h7P4O8e2Z_SAaVB46CqJ6QlFhE9dzceaVhNjuldGfaPmuKVuWIwZKt1my0QmcsFORQ-2wvM5NJgjTTn4qNwNY1tmexJHh_qhfRJhnSNs/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></span><div> I wish he was still with us but I also must admit that I wish he was alive as the younger, healthier man that he was. Admittedly, it would not have been easy to watch the aging process continue to take its toll, but I wanted him around for at least a few more years. I wish we were getting together regularly to play cribbage. I wish we were watching sports on TV, yelling at the refs, cheering for our favorites. I wish we could’ve gone on an Alaska cruise together. I wish we lived in the desert full-time while my parents were still living. Yeah, I wish for many things.</div><div> But even in the midst of the grief that I feel, I feel grateful that we shared the relationship that we did. We understood one another pretty well. We thought a like on many things although not all things. I inherited his intensity in all things and while at times I wish I were more mellow in my reactions to things, I’m also happy for the deep feelings that he taught me to exhibit. </div><div> I am grateful that his impact was deep in my life, but also in so many others. I still hear from former players, in fact, got a great note from one of them today, who acknowledge the role he played in shaping their lives. I still wonder if I will ever attempt to tell the story of Coach Moon and his championship teams through the eyes of his players but that’s a project for another day, probably another year. </div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_e34_20b1_8331_73f4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-00jvRqIJQHA/WsVbIMaBudI/AAAAAAAAOXg/GwoELmYVS5Qk3pv1JAiVw_d30nJ8QvsLwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 218px; height: auto;"></span><div> So, for me, the 4th of April will always be mostly about my dad and his passing and not the other very significant event that rocked the US 50 years ago. I will always journey through this time of year, especially when his death date lands so close to Easter as it did this year, with sadness and gratitude. His final days were so awful for me, so unexpected, so hard to believe that in many ways it’s taken me 4 years to even understand how deep the wounds went. Both of my parents have their fingerprints all over our house in obvious ways, like the 52” TV that hangs in our house that came from theirs, like the lovely 2012 Honda SUV we drive, like the ways in which the sale of their home helped to pay for the renovation of ours. But even beyond these physical gifts, their fingerprints are all over our lives as we seek to be generous and loving to all we meet, as we reach out to those less fortunate than we, as we try to leave a positive imprint on others in the way that they so deeply and effortlessly did in so many other people. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_287_c780_5029_9098" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TDyUFfkac_Y/WsVbIbHwOtI/AAAAAAAAOXk/BXxTJH13thwfqA-CH5Nxih_hkCd8OrK_ACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 252px; height: auto;"></span></div><div> I had great parents. And for all who knew them, I’m confident that they thought the same. Incidentally, the 5 year anniversary of my mom’s passing is in just 3 short weeks so April is pretty much a month of remembering my loss while acknowledging how much I gained through their very beings. Peace to their memories. And wow, do I have a treasure trove of them. </div><img id="id_a7ce_c598_d002_4376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSKid6_FHH1_0L8is3ZvPMRLWtMkNWoB3SUPBHI31AgsQou4A1CBevQMvt5dlIrEc6RjyEd9ZdP5Itn-8ytxES5bni2H9VCEussH7Sums-HrHeUfkW4hzkN-VQQXmDo2SNnE37TG2Yv7h/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 243px; height: auto;"><br>Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-41901206099260220402018-02-23T06:10:00.001-08:002018-02-23T06:10:10.472-08:00And Her Name Is.... ICYMI, we got ourselves a little yellow Labrador retriever on Monday. She is a doll and admittedly we are falling in love even though the sudden halt to our life of leisure and independence took some getting used to. We had not intended to get a pup quite this soon but Doug saw the ad for these puppies on craigslist and there were so many things that were right about this situation for us. So we drove out to the breeder’s house and I knew within 10 seconds that we had ourselves a dog.<img id="id_cdeb_98eb_f13a_c36c" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZT6LxoImuAj_4DgdksbFOcevkSuUJz26cAfo5ZzprMrpbANCCk7BG54Cq7TvQPrn-N3pJN8dDlsr0Ox6gxWmzgZxeZnW5BXw7av9ee7-Kx_-sGS6eSYoWwlwDZ7Jq6kywri-MGiS8n1G/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 230px; height: auto;">The puppies loved shoelaces and all of them were busy working on mine at one point!<br> There were 7 pups in the litter, one of the female yellows was spoken for so that left our little nugget along with two males. One of the males was rowdy and reminded us a bit of Tanner. Charming as he was, we kind of thought that a bit smaller and perhaps less intense this time around might suit us better! People say that dogs choose their owners and well, I kind of feel that way about her. She was so sweet, wanting to be picked up and loved, and she was tiny, a very petite little girl. <img id="id_4ce_4913_72e4_a1cd" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--5qdsI1V_Ko/WpAgv5qfukI/AAAAAAAAOWQ/UEPbhj8B6cEx0_dhRcpTm_rhveFArn6LgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 211px; height: auto;"><br>So that was that. We said yes, we paid for her and off we went with her in tow, which was a huge surprise to me that we were bringing home a dog on Monday, February 19, 2018. <div> We still had all of Tanner’s stuff so the only thing we really needed was to stop and buy food, dog poop bags and a few chew toys. Crazy that we were back in dog ownership and even crazier that we were back into puppyhood. You do forget how demanding these first weeks are but slowly but surely we are figuring out the drill. It’s much easier working with her from a house with patio doors that lead directly outside than from the apartment we had in Stockholm and of course, the mild climate is an advantage as well although it has been unseasonably cold out here with a lot of wind. We look forward to hanging out on the patio with her although she already seems quite at home on the chaise loungers!</div><img id="id_7311_36c7_de8_c4db" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIlMc1V_Tk5Wnj9cxoaukwD8oe_8DxWcACcRdqkj5uqdNqYe4Z7Ujxcjioml-8FxaAg_cCg3XaFsSpu0XMro_g9zuym8zk6H0MWYbe4wwF1jjbreiJV78lLeciGfuj3HVAP81QBwg9OIF/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 214px; height: auto;"> So really likes chasing a tennis ball and jumping around the backyard. She likes her monkey toy the best. <img id="id_fdf_cf60_609a_2020" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IpgoEeDwYqzARi3n04uPJN8PWYpWc_xoeaa3vlok8HzLu9RANGgqsO9DiorypNHL7mBQd5vrbEUNUH0FnSS2_B5DzM54bnO5g7tpu5oLuYVGPyudkZB2Ipo_tt-TosUoLAMYWMMcaOst/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 211px; height: auto;">And of course, she is interested in chewing shoes, my red toe nails (note to self, next pedicure, get a more subtle color 🤣) and anything with strings. She seems to be responding to no but it’s early. We do have to watch her like a hawk as she’s fast and determined. She eats like a champion and she is smaller than Tanner ever was and also much more mellow. She wants to play hard but then she’ll crash out on your lap for hours. She loves being close and we’re happy to be her cuddle buddies right now. <img id="id_feab_fd40_2f19_146e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eF2A3fWi2jA/WpAgue2BwWI/AAAAAAAAOWI/42GgQ-ymX2QfpO7V1eBGvvXoZvTxlt4OwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 190px; height: auto;"> We are trying to be strict, not letting her jump, not letting her sleep over night with us, saying no, but it’s hard to not want her on our laps all the time. <div>So of course, the great debate was her name. Because she was unexpected in terms of the timing, we hadn’t really thought about it. I have always wanted a dog named Zoey but Doug nixed that over and over again. Very disappointing for me but what can I say? We tried out Annie. It didn’t stick. Other candidates included Harper and Sandy but again, neither of them felt right for them long haul. We moved away from Nordic names since our connection to Sweden is in the rear view mirror. And we tried to think of something related to our travels or food but calling a dog baguette while cute, didn’t really seem all that practical! We wanted a strong female but naming a dog after Jo March in Little Women when your name is Jodi seemed a bit over the top. Female names have always been harder for me so I just wasn’t feeling drawn to anything.</div><div> Then Doug came up with Madeline/Maddie, inspired by the children’s books set in Paris and that seemed quite viable. We also enjoyed, in Paris, the amazing company of an 8 year old Madeline last spring so that was a good connection too. But I wasn’t sure. So I did a little more digging and came up with Sydney as it suits the global nature of our lifestyle and is a beach city. I could’ve gone with Cali based on our new home or something related to the desert but again, nothing really stuck for both of us. So we tried out Maddie and Sydney. I put the question out on Facebook and while there was lots of support for both names, Maddie was a bit of a front runner. I began to get concerned about saying sit Syd and Sydney didn’t quite have the strength we wanted. Then I was watching the US women’s cross-country sprint team comprised of Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall, beat out the Swedes and Norwegians for the first gold medal ever in cross country skiing and suddenly Jessie was appealing! But again, the alpha male in the household didn’t like it at all. So after all of the back and forthing and wondering and garnering opinions from everyone we know, Maddie was making a strong case for herself. Then, the US women’s hockey team won the gold medal in large part because of the stealthy play of goalie MADDIE Rooney and well, that was an excellent connection as well. </div><div>So meet Ms. Madeline, Labrador extraordinaire, curious, strong, adventurous. It suits her and we love it. Nicknames will surely include mad dog and Madagascar and we couldn’t love her more. </div><img id="id_ffbf_44e9_5b03_db4d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AwA5sm25qmw/WpAgvmw2vxI/AAAAAAAAOWM/5zMDCQsdDf0s77K0Q8jh1_EuDchLnRayACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 246px; height: auto;">And with all of our beautiful photos of Paris, we just might have to recreate our own series of books with this Madeline’s adventures in Paris. Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-1341081836789858842018-02-14T06:58:00.001-08:002018-02-14T07:03:16.341-08:00Valentine’s Ash DayThe calendar lands us at a strange juxtaposition of Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday. I jokingly told some Pastor friends that maybe they should impose chocolate on people’s heads this year instead of ashes. It’s tough to give up chocolate on Valentine’s Day. Another Pastor friend posted this on FB:<img id="id_32fb_bba_ee70_d820" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6WHJ3zn_SQ76YdnorPWJUdRKBS-F62kLJuNyN2zcpRGAfBdi6iV3-nSaiJUljRcCDsVRFWsNSzBM8R985CyDIRdLfZTYzmg2cC0H6CMzQ5hgbIGNHl6E5zXB16K49Q_Bs3WyhY3tXyXJs/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 291px; height: auto;"> Cracked me up. But really, the two days have the gift of love at their core. On the one hand, Valentines invites us to express our love to those who are dear to us. Ash Wednesday reminds us of a love far greater than our human love, the love that God has for his children, that while we are yet dust, sinners in a sometimes very evil world, God sent his son to die for us so we might know the deep love of redemption and forgiveness. Love is painful and involves sacrifice. Valentine’s Day is painful for a lot of people. For the single person longing to know the joy of committed love, it stands as a stark reminder of their aloneness. For those struggling through the pain of a broken relationship, the cards and flowers and candy hearts only point to their own broken heart. And for the one who had a Valentine for more than 50 years but their beloved has passed on, it’s an unwelcome road to be on, to face this day alone. But even committed love has its share of pain embedded in it. We fight and disagree with the one we love and who loves us. We hurt those closest to us. We take them for granted and push them aside for selfish gain. Perhaps on Valentine’s Day we would do well to sit with the pain of the way we disappoint our loved ones in order to be further propelled to love better. That’s what Lent does for us. It prepares us to experience the love of God in Christ better, more fully. But first there is some pain and sorrow. Because Ash Wednesday is pretty painful. It is a stark reminder that we are but dust, from the dust we have come to the dust we shall return. It ushers Christians into the season of Lent, a season of reflection, repentance, sorrow of our sin, fasting or giving something up, a time of solemnity when we set aside celebration to sit with our failure for just a bit so we might know the victory that is ours in Christ when Easter arrives a few weeks down the road. In church on Sunday, at the end of the service, the pastor pointed out that all of the hymns we sung had alleluia in them and that as we enter Lent there will no music with alleluia in it until Easter. We put that away for a season so that we can learn to sit with pain and shortcomings and failure. And that’s not very much fun. But it is necessary in order to experience more fully the joy that Easter and resurrection bring. <div><br></div><div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As for us, Doug gave me a bouquet of beautiful yellow tulips </span><img id="id_18d2_11ba_e386_768e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A613CuykvA0/WoROkNzjPJI/AAAAAAAAOVs/VVDSvBtZp-IYNsg-8o7kN-56706xf1xWQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; width: 222px; height: auto;"> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">and I asked his mom to bring some of favorite malted milk balls from MN since she arrived yesterday. There will be cards and expressions of love. There will be ashes on our foreheads after noon when we attend a midday service. And we’ll probably have something yummy to eat tonight. And I’m thinking about my single friends and the longing that they have today and wanting them to feel loved even without that special someone in their lives. </span></div></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yes, today is a painful day for many for a variety of reasons but it’s also a joyful day because our pain is promised to be redeemed. So maybe it’s quite all right to celebrate Valentines and Ashes on the same day. Because if you are hurting today, know that there’s compassion wanting to meet you. If you are joyful today, soak it in even while acknowledging that joy recedes and you will likely need to forgiven by a loved one sooner than later. Love well. Forgive well. Admit your shortcomings and Thank God He’s present in it all.</span></div>Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-60624940650339042162018-02-11T19:33:00.000-08:002018-02-11T19:33:06.704-08:00Reflections on Being Back for One Month<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My Facebook memories reminded me this morning that it was a year ago that we announced that we would be moving to Paris. It's hard to imagine the whirlwind of activity that was surrounding us at that time as the decision to move came about quite quickly. But with the year in our rear view mirror, as I have stated over and over again, we are so thankful for the opportunity that we were given to serve at ACP. I have been missing ACP a lot this week. The women's retreat was Saturday, our youth intern and his wife were in London for a youth pastors gathering with other good friends of ours and it would've been wonderful to have joined them in that little adventure, and we miss the stimulation of working with creative and thoughtful colleagues along with the fun of bumping into one another on a regular basis and all of the energy we put into making each other laugh! We also miss the students and young adults that we journeyed with weekly throughout our time. The new youth pastor is scheduled to arrive soon and we are so excited for him but it makes us a bit nostalgic! And today we tried a new church, Hope Lutheran in Palm Desert and found it to be encouraging. They even had handbells...not as good as ACP but still, a nice connection and they even played an old Covenant Hymn, 'Children of the Heavenly Father' which made us feel a bit more at home.<br />
Yet, in spite of the above, we have been really happy in our home here in Desert Hot Springs. The "winter" weather this year has been stunningly beautiful with above average temperatures and very little wind, unusual for our area. We've enjoyed the golf and the exercise classes, the pool and the jacuzzi, the fresh citrus fruit from our trees, getting our home in order and the presence of burgeoning friendships with people who have warmly welcomed us back. We even played in a 4 person scramble last Saturday and came in 2nd place! It's hard to believe that we've been back a month. Where does the time go?<br />
This past week it began to dawn on us that we were not on vacation but that this is life. For me, this season is laced with gratitude for the opportunity to chill out along with feelings of occasional loneliness and isolation, not having a job to do, feeling a little bit insignificant in the overall scheme of life. I need a little structure to my life and have realized that I need a bit of a schedule especially if I am going to make significant and important progress on my grant project. But now the Winter Olympics are in full force so that really screws up my drive to be productive! I know I will find rhythm in this life and am learning to enjoy each day for what it brings.<br />
So some reflections on America.<br />
<span style="color: red;">Deals.</span> There's always a deal. The low price of some merchandise still staggers me. But I guess the sheer volume of goods the US consumes helps that factor. We joined this thing called Movie Pass.<a href="https://www.moviepass.com/">here</a>. You pay $10.00 a month and you have unlimited access to films in your area. The catch is you can only go to one movie a day and you can't see the same movie twice. Not such a big problem! So far we've seen 3 movies and that easily pays for our monthly fee. Weird. Don't understand it. Happy to use it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2T55hzWT8oMlmpkzNBvJUclCyMrHhpsZEOGOzzmlkgQorDkipjUyX5PipdUDXbNl00lHlEKY_XEXTCmoNeRiq3HHyberdCwFSFtje0FPS9bUOEG9XbtDiDCi5JawW7EVoiO06T_I6-Ba/s1600/IMG_0597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2T55hzWT8oMlmpkzNBvJUclCyMrHhpsZEOGOzzmlkgQorDkipjUyX5PipdUDXbNl00lHlEKY_XEXTCmoNeRiq3HHyberdCwFSFtje0FPS9bUOEG9XbtDiDCi5JawW7EVoiO06T_I6-Ba/s320/IMG_0597.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
If you live in the US and you like going to films, you should check it out <br />
<span style="color: red;">Food.</span> Overall the CA grocery stores have decent produce. We are lucky. But I do miss the variety of lettuce that the French stores carried. And of course, the lovely cheeses. You can find "specialty" lettuce in Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, but those stores aren't convenient to where I live. In face, the nearest grocery store is a 3 mile drive from us so I definitely miss walking to the store to buy fresh produce and that unforgettable baguette for dinner. I either have to buy it ahead and hope I use it in time, or run to the store all the time, which isn't as fun in the car. Love the ribeye steaks that go on sale out here and also been indulging in Mexican cuisine with homemade guacamole (the avocados have been beautiful and cheap) and carne asada with my own marinade. Fajitas remain a staple in our household.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBN8vXyszqYG1P-YeKyc3WfNK738ACFSKAIC5tI1mLlRXMmb1FomtQHZJKRb6vPGybXZMqUfGZIn7tXj7KtGkljSjdjkbdLdpnT8WI8UmKvu7N9qvtGl5myqi7rI9Nu3NPEDdStJeW0e-Y/s1600/27540685_10155160881506471_1790423129377756151_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBN8vXyszqYG1P-YeKyc3WfNK738ACFSKAIC5tI1mLlRXMmb1FomtQHZJKRb6vPGybXZMqUfGZIn7tXj7KtGkljSjdjkbdLdpnT8WI8UmKvu7N9qvtGl5myqi7rI9Nu3NPEDdStJeW0e-Y/s320/27540685_10155160881506471_1790423129377756151_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="color: red;">Convenience.</span> Ordering stuff off of Amazon, stores like Target, and a vast array of choices in every store we enter is often overwhelming but also kind of fun after the years of struggling to find exactly what you need and where you might find it in the smaller European markets. Excess goes along with this but it's nice to know that you can track down almost anything you might want or need for a decent price.<br />
<span style="color: red;">Violence. </span>The US is, sadly, a very violent place. The nightly news is filled with reports of killings, shootings, accidents, robberies, etc. Why we struggle in this category so much more than other places is a mystery to me. I remain nervous about our loose gun culture and hope I don't get caught in a crossfire anytime soon.<br />
<span style="color: red;">Time Zone.</span> While I miss being nearby all of beloved friends in Europe, it is admittedly nice to be closer to my US friends. Of course, many of closest friends still live a couple or three time zones away but it's still better than 6, 7, 8 or 9 hours apart. But it's weird that when I get up in the morning, my European friends are half way done with their day. I'm always wondering what time it is somewhere else. Funny because I can barely keep track of what time or day it is here. I rarely wear a watch anymore.<br />
The US is my native country and the place I do feel most at home in the sense that my defaults are deeply ingrained for functioning here. While I find some aspects of this culture troubling, at least I have a decent understanding of this culture. It's nice to fully function in the native language as well!<br />
I have learned to enjoy living in other places and am grateful for all that my experiences of living abroad have given me. I will always have to adjust to certain things being quite different than what I grew used to in Europe. I think my reverse culture shock would be even greater though if I was working or adjusting back to life here with children in tow or living somewhere that I didn't love so much. But with all of the great recreational opportunities that are on offer for us through our club, it really helps us to enjoy the California lifestyle that I have always treasured. I love the sunshine, the staggering blue sky, the desert landscape, and the mountains and the hills that rise up around us.<br />
Life is good. I am thankful. Not much more I could ask for at this point. </div>
Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-17453852032492147312018-02-01T07:39:00.001-08:002018-02-01T07:39:22.588-08:00(Backup) The Sad State of our UnionBecause it’s often difficult to fairly critique something when you haven’t heard it first hand, I decided to torture myself and actually watch the State of the Union. It’s no secret that this president drives me absolutely nuts every time he opens his mouth so it required some effort to give him my precious time. It will come as no surprise to those of you who know me well that I found his speech lacking in vision and inspiration, filled with half-truths and outright lies that will appeal to his base and leave people hungry for more of the same. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Now, to be fair, if he does indeed engage in criminal justice reform, if he brings down the price of prescription drugs, I can get behind those initiatives. But I’m gonna go out on a limb here and simply say that a year from now, I have serious doubts that either of those things will be checked off his to do list. T</span>his is what dismays me with politics. Feed the base with baseless claims knowing that people who support him will simply take it as gospel truth and continue to spew the racist rhetoric that has been such a hallmark of this administration. America first has some dubious history behind it. We must not forget what this has lead us to in the past. <img id="id_521_ff6_aabf_cc99" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vUW1UzbK_sk/WnM0pyRAe0I/AAAAAAAAOU4/54qnkDY0Vc0JS3rOA0aK84VDNjhNWMPlACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 533px; height: auto;"><img id="id_686_1748_ca5d_b2d2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9adsV3-p2iI/WnM0pz45yYI/AAAAAAAAOU0/dSH2QYdzr5Q_Wa7H5hTFSmWHBG-Ddy7zgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 538px; height: auto;"><br><br><div>Now, I realize that one makes the claim that someone is racist that gets people’s ire up. So let me explain how I’ve come to this conclusion based on what I heard and saw in the SOTU. It’s clear that he values white American citizens over all others. </div><div>Trump’s plan for immigration reform is laced with bargaining chips. He is basically saying that he will only say yes to the DACA dreamers if we slam the door shut to all who follow. He told outright lies regarding the visa lottery and chain immigration. His quote: “<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The third pillar ends the visa lottery — a program that randomly hands out green cards without any regard for skill, merit or the safety of our people.” The truth: </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The visa lottery program provides 50,000 immigrant visas to people from countries with low immigration rates to the United States. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">An 18-page guide from the State Department says applicants must have a high school education or two years of work experience in the past five years that requires “two years of training or experience.”</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The applicant must undergo a medical exam and cannot have a criminal record. Visa winners are then subjected to a lengthy background check that can last for months. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">His quote: </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives.” The truth: Immigrants who obtain green cards or citizenship can petition to<a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/26/us/politics/the-facts-behind-the-weaponized-phrase-chain-migration.html" title="" class="styles-link--1Tap3" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"> bring in their relatives</a>. But that doesn’t automatically allow entry<span class="styles-pre--1zpwS" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>into the United States. Anyone applying for residency must undergo national security and criminal background checks. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The federal government also places annual caps on the number of immigrants’ married children and adult siblings who can sponsor for a visa. The system is badly backlogged; as of Nov. 1,</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Immigrant-Statistics/WaitingList/WaitingListItem_2017.pdf" title="" class="styles-link--1Tap3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">more than 3.9 million people</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">were waiting in line. Some siblings of immigrants who in 2004 petitioned for a visa to come to the United States were just this month starting to have their claims processed. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For me, granting the DACA dreamers either citizenship or green cards should not be held hostage to other issues and 90% of Americans feel the same way. They were brought here as children, by no fault of their own and have figured out life here. If they have no criminal record and show proof of thriving and contributing, why in the world would we want to destroy the trajectory of their lives by continuing to hold them hostage to a broken system? The fear that drives an amnesty is that it will fuel others to bring their kids in illegally. That’s a separate issue. Deal with DACA on its own merits. Do the right thing without holding it hostage to other immigration reforms that may or may not stem the flow of illegals immigration.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Over and over again Trump talked about America first. This is perhaps the most disturbing thing for me. And where I have deep theological issues with the conservative Evangelical support for this president. Our gospel is not one of America first. It is one that values all of God’s children equally, globally. As Trump talks of immigration reform and DACA, he only lifts up examples of gang members, while refusing to tout the myriad success stories of kids and families that have struggled through ridiculous obstacles to build a solid life here. Of course, we should control our border a bit better but at the same time, we shouldn’t assume that a wall or discriminatory practices will ensure that. When Trump says that Americans are dreamers too it fails to acknowledge the ways in which American citizens are also drug users and abusers, domestically violent, serial sexual harassers, white collar thieves, etc. Trump needs to stop insinuating that most of the crime in this country comes from illegal immigrants. It is just not that simple or clear. And I propose that if we granted those who live and work here illegally amnesty, the quality of their lives would rise and their contribution to a better society would increase even more. Trump said a lot of infammatory things about immigrants. If you are a supporter, do some fact checking before you get behind his very biased and slanted view of things.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Speaking of a slanted view, his claims about tax reform and unemployment are also highly nuanced. His quote: </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We enacted the biggest tax cuts and reform in American history.” The truth: </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mr. Trump won’t stop making this claim, even though</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/29/us/politics/fact-check-trump-tax-cuts.html" title="" class="styles-link--1Tap3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">zero evidence supports it</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">. Tax cuts signed by President Ronald Reagan were larger as a share of the economy and in terms of their effects on federal revenues. The recently passed tax bill appears to rank 12th in American history, as a share of the economy. Look, I don’t blame any sitting president for taking credit for the economy when things are good but we have to be discerning when it comes to these realities. There is no way that in a year’s time Trump’s administration can be responsible for the wild growth in the stock market, the low unemployment among African Americans (it’s proven that the trend was already in place when he took office and has just continued), and wage increases, which are in fact increasing at a lower rate than they were at the end of Obama’s second term. Look, bottom line, Trump exaggerates EVERYTHING. It’s always the best, the most, the grandest, and the greatest with him and frankly, it’s causes lots of eye rolling at this point. It’s just so easy to shoot holes in what he says. So it’s not just a repeal of Obamacare, it’s a repeal of the core of the disastrous Obamacare...also false but also hurtful to those for whom Obamacare has been a lifeline of insurance, me included. It has its problems but it is not carte blanche disastrous. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For me, this SOTU points to what I’ve been feeling for a very long time. I think the current Republican Party is mean. I think they are selfish, self-serving, money grubbing, white supremicist seeking individual gain who don’t really hide it very well. How in the world parts of the Christian church can get behind this is baffling to me. I don’t care if people are rich, but why do they have to be so rich that they squash those below them? I’m quite sure that there is very little money trickling down even with stock portfolios blooming and companies showing huge earnings on the year. I’ve long said you can live on 9 million dollars as easily as you can live on 10 million and a million reallocated dollars for those less fortunate would go a long way. But unfortunately, we get our money, we keep our money. We don’t give it away. And individual giving can never support the kind of social programs and helps that a collective effort can produce anyway. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The state of our union makes me very sad and leaves me quite dismayed. Right now, America is selfish. We are not the shining city on a hill that Reagan called us to be. We are a money grabbing, kick your way to the top, discriminate and disparage people of color and those who are less fortunate, and less privileged for the sake of comfort at the top. That Trump continues to feed this base, both rich and poor, of people who like his rhetoric and are willing to be fed a pack of lies in order to confirm in their minds what they want to hear is very sad to me. There’s just so little honest, sane engagement in this day and age. It’s a very different America I’ve come back to this time and I definitely do not want this America to be first. It is not good for our world and it does not honor the God I love and serve.</span></div>Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016574498149978608.post-10069411287625790772018-01-25T07:10:00.000-08:002018-01-25T07:10:07.252-08:00New Look, New Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We landed back in the US 12 days ago and this is the first blogpost I've put up since we arrived. I had to change the photo header and the description to sit our current surroundings and I figured why not change the color layout as well! Change is good. Keeps things fresh. Right?!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXgCWhwYb9lxfKMjZK0DD6Y8xP_CBj80cFB-L4heytsgYee2hvpdCDyhkLBr-SFKgf-ZjsYYgAoRadN3O3exNXUXcMlCI-kMQhX6kPuggKR7OEsBzbhjMDvAu6wBBOsXBygP2kVXdyHBq-/s1600/IMG_0559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXgCWhwYb9lxfKMjZK0DD6Y8xP_CBj80cFB-L4heytsgYee2hvpdCDyhkLBr-SFKgf-ZjsYYgAoRadN3O3exNXUXcMlCI-kMQhX6kPuggKR7OEsBzbhjMDvAu6wBBOsXBygP2kVXdyHBq-/s320/IMG_0559.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Fortunately the trip was uneventful and we got all of our luggage home without incident. We had a quick stopover at Heathrow airport in London where we were able to pick up egg salad sandwiches and notice the embarrassing headlines regarding the US. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowyrkbQJUc3DZTNigWGdQRSbApddQpGPtomIir2jeqYHQLIV1RBPctENf3qxaSHoI13MgAgS1ZCnqAj1FRYVQFFE8d2dc7iHBQQh4vyuFFJ7nvYhCGKVLN6YmNUopkPRc4VPlir1bmurS/s1600/2018_02_trump_med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowyrkbQJUc3DZTNigWGdQRSbApddQpGPtomIir2jeqYHQLIV1RBPctENf3qxaSHoI13MgAgS1ZCnqAj1FRYVQFFE8d2dc7iHBQQh4vyuFFJ7nvYhCGKVLN6YmNUopkPRc4VPlir1bmurS/s320/2018_02_trump_med.jpg" width="243" /></a> Lovely, NOT.<br />
It is always nice to land in warmth and bright sunshine, but in the dead of winter, it's especially nice. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3_fOI9fFQsIDI3Zjn9IjCn7ssErw7nhEhcfa_HLOomITOl5D-WrM79WxLunZI_ZG8phJBRbdUsqE_YwDQ8aXK2OmEGM2uj8M5CN4V7E1vx5O_p3JqiHPCaiAyyjDxjYYW2yGRMBVkS8H/s1600/IMG_0477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="1600" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3_fOI9fFQsIDI3Zjn9IjCn7ssErw7nhEhcfa_HLOomITOl5D-WrM79WxLunZI_ZG8phJBRbdUsqE_YwDQ8aXK2OmEGM2uj8M5CN4V7E1vx5O_p3JqiHPCaiAyyjDxjYYW2yGRMBVkS8H/s320/IMG_0477.jpg" width="320" /></a>Our departure from Paris was laced with tears and laughs and the joy of savouring a year of pure delight. The American Church in Paris will always hold a place of high regard in our lives and the memories of our life there will remain bold and impressionable. We're soaking up the podcasts and keeping up on what's happening through the website and contact with colleagues. We miss our dear colleagues, the students we worked with and the joy of Sunday worship services that always inspired. But it's also pretty wonderful to be back in the home that we have built, in an area that we love. It's amazing that even 4-5 years down the road from my parents' passing, when I return to this area, I miss them. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIBbuIQQYwRYeydQKFHdiZAIE53-hSls_tPnj08AG32hEYuF_gVxBKYLKPptVbtOrs5Tr02eSW3i8wgB6ozdku1E_LlCZOb6qUB3HzMQSA-CkhskybvIKumISQLTwl33uNkm9UoFKgtjb/s1600/IMG_0474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIBbuIQQYwRYeydQKFHdiZAIE53-hSls_tPnj08AG32hEYuF_gVxBKYLKPptVbtOrs5Tr02eSW3i8wgB6ozdku1E_LlCZOb6qUB3HzMQSA-CkhskybvIKumISQLTwl33uNkm9UoFKgtjb/s320/IMG_0474.jpg" width="240" /></a>I wish they were here. That feeling returned once again as we pulled into our town. We remain thankful that my cousins live nearby. They provide us with a sense of family that is otherwise void for us in this area. They helped us out tremendously in the months that we were gone and we are forever grateful for their willingness to watch over our house and take care of our mail and any number of other details that come up when you live abroad. Thank you Mike and Susan!<br />
Coming back this time we have a few more friends in the area and it's been wonderful to have people greet us and welcome us back. We were invited to a retirement for a friend and many of the folks that we enjoy playing golf with and hanging with were there. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYKi0hQH09cqSEOgcAJr0282OogiF50MhiMwFxJECB6EgVGnhaXY77r_uC083NNiuipBRSDGIPvOF_aFYI8lc9cPgzrLXwzL3RCgWYYZfYqcXocrieOqC7D9A2QRiUJgZzFSU63sRgVVh/s1600/IMG_0479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYKi0hQH09cqSEOgcAJr0282OogiF50MhiMwFxJECB6EgVGnhaXY77r_uC083NNiuipBRSDGIPvOF_aFYI8lc9cPgzrLXwzL3RCgWYYZfYqcXocrieOqC7D9A2QRiUJgZzFSU63sRgVVh/s320/IMG_0479.jpg" width="320" /></a>What fun to be welcomed back. We had to laugh a bit as the party started at 5.30 and was pretty much over by 9.00. We are not in Paris anymore where nothing ever got going much before 8.00! Life here consists of early nights and early mornings.<br />
We started playing golf and returned to our water aerobics class pretty much right away. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiMBrkdAWZF7m3SwnG23npXp34JOw0-KrIVwgS7ha4LPW1qkvPeMYJPNVmdFxi9igCmrAvbAfj9yf4ccRR6p-GrifpTCitchUdoodZ4RR1jHMdZhfnf2UL_PYuYwVei6M2DNJLPcVVnH4/s1600/IMG_0480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiMBrkdAWZF7m3SwnG23npXp34JOw0-KrIVwgS7ha4LPW1qkvPeMYJPNVmdFxi9igCmrAvbAfj9yf4ccRR6p-GrifpTCitchUdoodZ4RR1jHMdZhfnf2UL_PYuYwVei6M2DNJLPcVVnH4/s320/IMG_0480.jpg" width="320" /></a>The water exercise is the best I've had for the issues related to my hip and back and I'm thankful for the opportunity to swim and sit in the jacuzzi. Water is healing! Picking grapefruit, lemons and limes, squeezing juice daily, and using them in my cooking is awesome. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVdh1B1ccCCBMqebMCe9ibovatlJ3RGdGIIHzD7h3iVB9SNxaVhjsumEFT7QgEkOPpcXect7kr2d35h-UuKe892ojShXeUCK3QHfEV6bXnrIuUllToywhSADSo-zxnhW7S2P1-7ALCQ0a/s1600/IMG_0482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVdh1B1ccCCBMqebMCe9ibovatlJ3RGdGIIHzD7h3iVB9SNxaVhjsumEFT7QgEkOPpcXect7kr2d35h-UuKe892ojShXeUCK3QHfEV6bXnrIuUllToywhSADSo-zxnhW7S2P1-7ALCQ0a/s320/IMG_0482.jpg" width="240" /></a>It never ceases to amaze me that we have this out our back door.<br />
The garden looked pretty good although was a bit ragged in places. Doug has worked hard to get it looking good again. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3uxipub3R_51zbDwoS9bulPYEekF_U7YyotvVVcf1BJA_DuTZYrOH-RT9uztP19ksmV6FWsGSl9iM9ap5BNvFEXCMLT8FqAwo-1bt9rtkROK1QZ17uUOZxETuWWFZLU5v0-cj-ZZYdgxU/s1600/IMG_0486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3uxipub3R_51zbDwoS9bulPYEekF_U7YyotvVVcf1BJA_DuTZYrOH-RT9uztP19ksmV6FWsGSl9iM9ap5BNvFEXCMLT8FqAwo-1bt9rtkROK1QZ17uUOZxETuWWFZLU5v0-cj-ZZYdgxU/s320/IMG_0486.jpg" width="320" /></a>The house was in good shape but of course, there's too much stuff and lots of disorganization so as we've unpacked we've tried to re-organize a bit. Always feels good to have a clean start.<br />
I love my kitchen, the big sink, the gas stove and the large island. We love having our outdoor grill. And we've traded fresh baguettes for fresh tortillas. So far I don't miss it too much! I do miss the French grocery store, the beautiful food and ease with which food termed gourmet here in the US was just readily available. I did find my favorite cheese at Trader Joe's so when I really need a fix, I can splurge. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGWrecoh0kqBVPZ9Y93QXXWd0iUOPjFafjnnpLSc8DLdoQzBIAhJQUVQ9EozSsEV1QaYhEiC7NLO5Y6Qo7aHbLbLVYpUNSXOTOtal4m09sYEZ630Ycv3SDUHSD59wZwO75TQiatb9sEaw/s1600/IMG_0488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGWrecoh0kqBVPZ9Y93QXXWd0iUOPjFafjnnpLSc8DLdoQzBIAhJQUVQ9EozSsEV1QaYhEiC7NLO5Y6Qo7aHbLbLVYpUNSXOTOtal4m09sYEZ630Ycv3SDUHSD59wZwO75TQiatb9sEaw/s320/IMG_0488.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
I love driving my car but I hate that I have to drive everywhere! No walking to the neighborhood store to pick something up. We loved watching the Minnesota Vikings and their miracle finish against the Saints, only to suffer the disappointment of getting trounced in the NFC championship game. We love our big TV and our comfortable and beautiful living room. We went shopping at outlets yesterday and found great deals on nice clothes and stopped to eat at In-n-Out on the way home. We've met friends for Happy Hour. We've sat on the patio and taken in the starry sky.<br />
Trump's America is as disgusting to me as ever and I just want to renounce all support of this man from the far right conservative evangelical leaders. He does not get a 'mulligan' on his moral failures. He continues to articulate a racist point of view of minority people and wants to dismantle so many good things in this nation. Those who support him seem to be able to give him a pass in return for the returns they are seeing in their stock investments. This represents a moral failure of catastrophic proportions. Who is looking out for the vulnerable and the weak? I'm quite sure that people's giving percentage has not increased with the increase in their portfolios and that is why trickle down economics do not work. The trickle just dries up as soon as the flow of money comes into the fat cats pockets. Sorry, just needed to be clear about where I stand, in case that was in question!<br />
We miss people. Always. But I love the sunshine. Love the recreational opportunities that are now at our fingertips. Love seeing folks who we haven't seen for a long time. Love being back in the US time zone, having phone conversations with Doug's mom on a regular basis and connecting with friends.<br />
Right now, it feels like we are on vacation so our life is kind of resembling that. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKtt3_F81MfId94mpWtMgRu43fhWjrDttJxOt4YE_8RgxnZ6I0LyEcGA3pB_DlqZHo8uosmsmlCHiOqg7-dosjkBkdgMqbbR0x2B2824dnGM-UWujpEtKukOKtqhfFGdG16h6OLqRS7ts/s1600/IMG_0546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKtt3_F81MfId94mpWtMgRu43fhWjrDttJxOt4YE_8RgxnZ6I0LyEcGA3pB_DlqZHo8uosmsmlCHiOqg7-dosjkBkdgMqbbR0x2B2824dnGM-UWujpEtKukOKtqhfFGdG16h6OLqRS7ts/s320/IMG_0546.jpg" width="240" /></a>Eventually we'll have to figure out what we want to be doing with our time. I need to work on my project for the Louisville Institute so plan to get that going pretty soon. We need/want to find a church that we can enjoy and volunteer with. We'd like to learn more about what other volunteer opportunities/needs there are here in the Coachella Valley and figure out where we might be useful. In the meantime, we are enjoying our life here. We are thankful for another season of sabbatical as we adjust to life in the US, ponder when our next trip back to Europe might be and in what capacity and enjoy the joy and beauty of each new day here in desert.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_RoSqAL0-Hy0ZcPzzXW_D2LMJ0y2dV7afVPMIBUghQbgdYARi7jnBaGZ3P9Ec1HZQS2e408NYz4eRN5p6AwvbGf7jDxs0ZUlW9VB201GpObBRymnVXGZOnJIAQqp0pBiQDey7M21zPTIg/s1600/IMG_0556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_RoSqAL0-Hy0ZcPzzXW_D2LMJ0y2dV7afVPMIBUghQbgdYARi7jnBaGZ3P9Ec1HZQS2e408NYz4eRN5p6AwvbGf7jDxs0ZUlW9VB201GpObBRymnVXGZOnJIAQqp0pBiQDey7M21zPTIg/s320/IMG_0556.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 15px;">Taken this morning, just as I finished up the blog</td></tr>
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Back Across the Pondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795162496282047562noreply@blogger.com