Realizing that I just posted something yesterday and that I am now doing it again but there is a good reason. Last Sunday there is little doubt that I did not enjoy my church experience (whose only highlight was Sarah VLD’s comment “The only thing cuter than old people is Japanese old people.”), and this week was about as opposite as I think it could get. I loved it. To be able to sing in French (pretty well anyway, still didn’t know all the words on the projector but got most of them!), to listen to four different testimonies and then to be able to witness their full emersion baptisms, just wow. It’s ever a marvel to me, being able to see people grasp and except how broken they are and then to see the spirit working in and through them. It’s the first time I can remember being moved to tears during a Sunday service of any kind. There was also the added bonus of being able to sit next to Missy (STINT) who had been there through a large part of one of the girls walks. Also to be there on this Sunday with the baptismal service, which only happens about once every year and a half, was amazing.
It gives me a lot more courage in the promise that my prayers for this city will be answered. “Live as a child of God and you will be able to pray and most assuredly be heard as a child” ~ With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray.
“how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11 NIV)
Talked to my dad last night, it was good, first time in a very long time that he actually said the words ‘I love you’ to me. I know I used to pass it off as just not his thing but I am his son and he is my dad. That is something that needs to be verbalized and it was, and it was good.
I’ve got quite a few backgrounds that are pretty rad as well that I’ve taken around the city. Not sure if/when I’m going to put some/all of them up here. I’ll probably only put up the scenic ones as I don’t see there being a strong desire for the photo booth background or the one of our team before we left the hotel in St. Paul, MN.
That’s all that I have for now. It’s very hot today and since it’s Sunday I’m in my black pants, and long sleeve shirt with shoes. The walk back from Jean Jaures was pretty wicked.
It’s also the 60th anniversary of D-Day today. Bush is at Normandy, there is crazy security at the Place du Capitole as in no cars, about a fifth the people as normal, and near no street vendors (there was one guy selling flowers) that is very unusual for a Sunday. Though the doors to the Capitole were still open so no protests like there were yesterday.
Dans le grace de Dieu,
~paul