Hello all!
Sorry, I haven't got any pictures for this post, so it will strictly be written words. Let's see... I've been back to school now for over a week. For the most part it's been going well. Not too much different going on in class, so I won't dwell on that...
This past weekend was interesting. Seven of Annina's friends from Switzerland came to Paris for the weekend, so I got to meet them. :) Anna, Annina and I made dinner for them Friday evening and Saturday I went into Paris with Annina to meet them for the day. We didn't do anything particularly touristy, but rather just enjoyed being in Paris. We went to Montmartre again and because it started raining, we ducked into a restaurant for coffee, hot chocolate and conversation. I had a 'chocolat a l'ancienne', which means I basically drank liquid chocolate (mmm..., and it was dark chocolate too...). As we drank our liquid warmth and ate our crêpes we talked about materialism and social justice issues. Specifically, we talked about consumption of clothing (aka, buying lots of cheap clothes that are made in sweatshops) and what our roles in this area of society are and could be. Where do you draw the line, because most stores outsource their production of clothing, which does create jobs for people who may otherwise not have jobs, but allows for a gross lack in humanitarian rules and regulations to the detriment of the workers. Also, many people can't afford expensive clothes, but if we did buy fewer, better quality, fair trade clothes, would our mentality about clothing change? Would we take better care of clothing and wear things that may not be in perfect condition anymore, but are still in good enough condition that you can't justify tossing it? It is some interesting food for thought...
After it stopped raining, we walked around Paris some, went to the Champs Elysee and window shopped, then went to the Jewish Quarter for falafels. Oh, by the way, all of her friends spoke Swiss-German, some spoke French and most could also speak and understand English, so it was quite the mélange of languages.
Sunday I went to church at the school, ate lunch with Anna and Annina, relaxed, etc. Monday was Armistice Day so we had no school. Rather, we had brunch with Sabrina, one of the professors at the school. She made us pancakes! They were the best pancakes I've had in France (also, the only one's I've had in France, but who's counting?). Afterwards, Annina and I were talking about our favorite exercise routines and decided to use one of the classrooms to work out in. We ended up working out for 2 hours. No big deal, just, you know, a bit sore now... Anywho, we did about an hour of cardio and strength training and an hour of stretching! I love stretching like that :)
Tuesday I read my meditation in culte! I think it went well... For those who are interesting, I've typed it up below (in French - And I'll give you an English translation too...). The dark red, crossed out words are my mistakes and the light red words are the corrections of my professor. And, not to toot my own horn, but I totally wrote this in French. I did not write it in English and translate it into French! Toot, toot.
Bible verses: Jacques 5: 7-8
Frères, patientez donc jusqu'à ce que le Seigneur vienne. Pensez au cultivateur: il attend les précieuses récoltes de sa terre. Il prend patience à leur égard, jusqu'à ce que tombent les pluies de l'automne et du printemps. Vous aussi, prenez patience, soyez pleins de courage, car la venue du Seigneur est proche.
James 5: 7-8
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
Romain 5: 3-4
Mieux encore! Nous tirons fierté même de nos détresses, car nous savons que la détresse produit la persévérance, la persévérance conduit à la victoire dans l'épreuve, et la victoire dans l'épreuve nourrit l'espérance.
Romans 5: 3-4
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Quand j'ai vu quej'ai dû je devais écrire une méditation au culte en classe, j'ai pensé "Je voudrais vais dire quoi? Quel verset? Qeul sujet? Pourquoi moi? Je ne suis pas missionaire! Je n'ai jamais pensé que je voudrais pourrais écrire une méditation en anglais et maintenant j'ai dû écrire une méditation en français. C'est de l'ironie." Donc, j'ai réflechi et réflechi et j'ai stressé un peu (mais pas beaucoup) et j'ai pensé "Je veux parler en français comme selon ma capacité en anglais." Et voila! Patience. J'ai besoin de patience pour apprendre le français. Je pense que c'est similair la même chose pour vous. C'est une chose que est la même pour tous les étudiants aux Cédres, peut-être. Je ne suis pas missionaire comme vous, mais un point qui est trés important pour nous est la communication en français.
Maintenant, je veux parle comme je vais parler quand je vais quitter la france. Je pense "Qui est-ce que je vais être? Est-ce que je peux parler et comprendre le françaisfluidement couramment?" Jacques, chapitre 5, verset 7 dit, "Pensez au cultivateur:
il attend les précieuses récoltes de sa terre. Il prend patience à leur
égard, jusqu'à ce que tombent les pluies de l'automne et du printemps." Pour le cultivateur, il est toute les années. C'est chaque année il doit exercer beaucoup de patience. Pour Dieu, c'est tous le temps. Le Seigneur est trés patient avec nous. Pour nous, c'est un temps pour apprendre la patience du Seingeur. C'est un temps pour comprendre les chose étranges à nous qui nous sont étranger. C'est plus dificile de vivre dans un pays étranger où la langue est complètement différente. Toute les choses sont plus compliquées. Si je suis malade est-ce que je veux aller chez un médecin? Non. Avec ma tante, peut-être, mais seulment moi? Vraiment non. Je pense souvent que à "Comment je peux faire ça? Ou comment je peux obtenir cette chose? Ou commet je peux voyager là à cet endroit?" Chez moi, aux Etats-Unis, c'est trés facile pour moi. Ici, pas beaucoup du tout. Mais, Romains, chapitre 5, cerset 4 dit "Car nous savons que la détresse produit la persévérance." La persévérance est trés importante pour vivre dans ce monde. Pour moi, ma vie aux Etats-Unis est facile et confortable. Pour beaucoup de gens, leur vie n'est pas facile ou confortable. Je pense que c'est trés important que je comprend comprenne cette difficulté parce que si je peux comprendre ça je peux les comprendre gérer. Et, si je peux les comprendre je peux les aider mieux davantage les autre. Même si je ne dois pas suis pas missionaire pour ça.
When I saw that I would have to write a meditation for chapel in class, I thought "What do I want to say? What verse do I use? What subject? Why me? I am not a missionary. I never thought I would have to write a meditation in English and now I have to write one in French? That's irony." So, I thought and I thought and I stressed a bit (but not a lot) and I thought, "I wish I could speak French like I can English." And voila! Patience. I need the patience to learn French. I think it's probably the same for you all. It's somthing that is the similar for all the students at Les Cedres. I am not a missionary like most of you, but something that is important to all of us is the ability to communicate in French.
Right now, I want to talk like I think I will be able to talk when I leave France. I often ask myself, "who I will be be? Will I be fluid in French?" James 5, 7 says, "See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains." For the farmer, he has to have a lot of patience every year. For God, it's all the time. God is very patient with all of us. For us, this is a time to learn the patience of God. It's a time to understand things that are foreign to us. It's very difficult to live in a foreign country where the language is completely different. Everything is more difficult. If I'm sick, do I want to go to the doctor? No. With my aunt, maybe, but just me? No. I often think, "How can I do this? Or get this? Or get to this place?" Where I live in the States, it's very easy for me. Here, not really. But, Romans 5:4 says "but we also glory in our sufferings, becuase we know that suffering produces perserverence." Perserverence is very important to live in this world. My life in this world is easy and comfortable, but for many people, thier lives are not easy or comfortable. I think that it is important that I understand this difficulty because if I can understand it, then I can better understand the people whose lives are difficult. And if I can understand them, I can help them more effectively. I don't have to be a missionary for that.
Till next time!
Sorry, I haven't got any pictures for this post, so it will strictly be written words. Let's see... I've been back to school now for over a week. For the most part it's been going well. Not too much different going on in class, so I won't dwell on that...
This past weekend was interesting. Seven of Annina's friends from Switzerland came to Paris for the weekend, so I got to meet them. :) Anna, Annina and I made dinner for them Friday evening and Saturday I went into Paris with Annina to meet them for the day. We didn't do anything particularly touristy, but rather just enjoyed being in Paris. We went to Montmartre again and because it started raining, we ducked into a restaurant for coffee, hot chocolate and conversation. I had a 'chocolat a l'ancienne', which means I basically drank liquid chocolate (mmm..., and it was dark chocolate too...). As we drank our liquid warmth and ate our crêpes we talked about materialism and social justice issues. Specifically, we talked about consumption of clothing (aka, buying lots of cheap clothes that are made in sweatshops) and what our roles in this area of society are and could be. Where do you draw the line, because most stores outsource their production of clothing, which does create jobs for people who may otherwise not have jobs, but allows for a gross lack in humanitarian rules and regulations to the detriment of the workers. Also, many people can't afford expensive clothes, but if we did buy fewer, better quality, fair trade clothes, would our mentality about clothing change? Would we take better care of clothing and wear things that may not be in perfect condition anymore, but are still in good enough condition that you can't justify tossing it? It is some interesting food for thought...
After it stopped raining, we walked around Paris some, went to the Champs Elysee and window shopped, then went to the Jewish Quarter for falafels. Oh, by the way, all of her friends spoke Swiss-German, some spoke French and most could also speak and understand English, so it was quite the mélange of languages.
Sunday I went to church at the school, ate lunch with Anna and Annina, relaxed, etc. Monday was Armistice Day so we had no school. Rather, we had brunch with Sabrina, one of the professors at the school. She made us pancakes! They were the best pancakes I've had in France (also, the only one's I've had in France, but who's counting?). Afterwards, Annina and I were talking about our favorite exercise routines and decided to use one of the classrooms to work out in. We ended up working out for 2 hours. No big deal, just, you know, a bit sore now... Anywho, we did about an hour of cardio and strength training and an hour of stretching! I love stretching like that :)
Tuesday I read my meditation in culte! I think it went well... For those who are interesting, I've typed it up below (in French - And I'll give you an English translation too...). The dark red, crossed out words are my mistakes and the light red words are the corrections of my professor. And, not to toot my own horn, but I totally wrote this in French. I did not write it in English and translate it into French! Toot, toot.
Bible verses: Jacques 5: 7-8
Frères, patientez donc jusqu'à ce que le Seigneur vienne. Pensez au cultivateur: il attend les précieuses récoltes de sa terre. Il prend patience à leur égard, jusqu'à ce que tombent les pluies de l'automne et du printemps. Vous aussi, prenez patience, soyez pleins de courage, car la venue du Seigneur est proche.
James 5: 7-8
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
Romain 5: 3-4
Mieux encore! Nous tirons fierté même de nos détresses, car nous savons que la détresse produit la persévérance, la persévérance conduit à la victoire dans l'épreuve, et la victoire dans l'épreuve nourrit l'espérance.
Romans 5: 3-4
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Quand j'ai vu que
Maintenant, je veux parle comme je vais parler quand je vais quitter la france. Je pense "Qui est-ce que je vais être? Est-ce que je peux parler et comprendre le français
When I saw that I would have to write a meditation for chapel in class, I thought "What do I want to say? What verse do I use? What subject? Why me? I am not a missionary. I never thought I would have to write a meditation in English and now I have to write one in French? That's irony." So, I thought and I thought and I stressed a bit (but not a lot) and I thought, "I wish I could speak French like I can English." And voila! Patience. I need the patience to learn French. I think it's probably the same for you all. It's somthing that is the similar for all the students at Les Cedres. I am not a missionary like most of you, but something that is important to all of us is the ability to communicate in French.
Right now, I want to talk like I think I will be able to talk when I leave France. I often ask myself, "who I will be be? Will I be fluid in French?" James 5, 7 says, "See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains." For the farmer, he has to have a lot of patience every year. For God, it's all the time. God is very patient with all of us. For us, this is a time to learn the patience of God. It's a time to understand things that are foreign to us. It's very difficult to live in a foreign country where the language is completely different. Everything is more difficult. If I'm sick, do I want to go to the doctor? No. With my aunt, maybe, but just me? No. I often think, "How can I do this? Or get this? Or get to this place?" Where I live in the States, it's very easy for me. Here, not really. But, Romans 5:4 says "but we also glory in our sufferings, becuase we know that suffering produces perserverence." Perserverence is very important to live in this world. My life in this world is easy and comfortable, but for many people, thier lives are not easy or comfortable. I think that it is important that I understand this difficulty because if I can understand it, then I can better understand the people whose lives are difficult. And if I can understand them, I can help them more effectively. I don't have to be a missionary for that.
Till next time!
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