Are they Roadblocks or Opportunities?

• Association Crée!  Our association is Created.

  
  

  Pauline, one of our partners, looked on the government website for starting an organization to offer classes or events to the public in our community. She wrote the statutes and objectives, we discussed and tweaked them to reflect what we are trying to accomplish and Pauline wrote them out in French. Our board meeting was held last week with Jerry, our director, by telephone in the states on Eastern time, and Web Ex with Simon and Pauline on New Zealand time - 10 hrs. ahead of us and we on French time - 6 hrs. ahead of Jerry. Officially Simon is now President, Russell - VP, Pauline is Secretary and I am the Treasurer. Thank goodness for computers and the web. Within 3 weeks of landing on French soil the paperwork was done and delivered to the Sous-Prefecture in the town of Rambouillet (Rahmbooyay) 30 min. south of us. 2 days after that we received a formal letter saying our association was created!

  
  

  Some who read this may not believe that God orchestrates our steps or is in the details but we do believe he is. We believe that that as Christ drew us to Him and we accepted his gift of life that we believed his promises that he is alive, cares for us and has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us. We believe there is a spiritual realm in this world. We don't just deal with the physical or mental.  Who puts thoughts into our heads and our hearts? Obviously that is a simplistic rational and I could deal with that topic for pages and pages but won't.

  
  

  Parisians answered some basic questions last year in the "Le Parisien" newspaper about God. 62% said they wanted to know more about him, they didn't know who to talk to and they were afraid to bring it up in front of their friends because they would be ridiculed. This is a secular society. Why are millions being spent in France on superstitious/dark arts and other types of new age philosophies if people aren't searching for something beyond themselves to help them get through life? 

  
  

  My universe is a Biblical one or a Biblical worldview and we are so thankful for the guidance we are given from the Holy Spirit. Some may think this is mumbo jumbo but it's been a guiding force in our lives for over 47 years. Jesus himself said I have come that you might have life and have it to the full. I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me yet shall he live. This is not a dead god but a living one who literally died for me. Here's a great example of why I have peace from knowing I have a living God who does care about the details of my life. 

  
  

  Jesus said these words to his followers: "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet  (King) Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown in to the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don't worry about these things, saying "What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, he will give you everything you need.  Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today. This is taken from The Living Translation: Matthew 6:25 - 34 

  
  

  I say all that because everything we've done since arriving in France has been amazing, out of our control, from the people we've met, to the partnerships we've formed and how God went before us and picked Pauline and Simon to partner with and live in this incredible 500 year old house that has a history. Every time we've had a roadblock or haven't known what to do, new people have stepped up to help us. From being ready to help us with paperwork, to a brand new friend that we met one time at the Anglican church went with us to the prefecture to speak French on our behalf. The lady at the Prefecture loving Americans and very excited for us. We had to write on our paperwork what country we are from. She lit up when she saw the word "Americaine". I was surprised she got so happy. We found out that she had just housed Americans for a big anniversary of D-Day and hopes to go to the states sometime. She gave us her phone no. so we can be in contact with her but also she would like to know where to visit in the states.

  
  

  Yes, we have other roadblocks or opportunities and that is why we have wonderful people who have come alongside us to pray for those things that can become a hindrance. He hears our prayers and satisfies our needs.

  
  

  We are waiting on our furniture, clothing, basic goods, art supplies, etc. to arrive. The date for arrival to port was August 9th but so far it is not here. It's only been a little more than 4 weeks since they left the east coast. I was told it could take 5 to 6 weeks. Our new friends from the Anglican church in Versailles offered to help unload the container when we get the date.  Our D-Day is in 21 days to start at the French language school in Massy (Mahsee). There is a lot to be accomplished in that time period from lesson plans for our art/english classes, and advertising.  New students to attain. Russell is working on the logo, poster, and flyer design. We hope to get the opportunity to be a part of the town's Association Day September 7th where everyone who wants to be a part of a club comes out to sign up. There may be roadblocks to that. We are hoping with Pauline and Simon's connections to the town and the mayor that the Mairie's office will allow us to join in now. In some towns there is a waiting period of a year before one can get a table for sign-ups. It doesn't mean that we can't have our classes but we will have to work harder to get known on our own.

  
  

  We are renting a vehicle for a while and will purchase something within a month. Right now we have a lovely car and it's a "stick shift" which I haven't driven since 1979. I never drove one very well and there are lots of hills here and bicyclists.  Just learning that is more nerve wracking with all the other stuff I have to do. I could use prayer that we get the priorities done and figure out the rest later. Once French language classes start - September 3rd,  R was going to stay behind at Les Cedres to study while I drive back  on Tues. and Thurs. to teach art class which will start maybe the week of September 17th at 4:45 pm. I will offer 3 classes on Wednesday. There is no school on Wednesdays in France. At this point, R will have to drive me if I'm not comfortable driving yet. It's an hour and 15 min. train ride or a 30 min. car drive. He can take the train later if I have the car thing figured out.

  
  

  We love being part of the family of God that goes beyond anything I've ever understood but we are thankful to Him who set up HIS FAMILY.  You know what to do. Thank you!

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This Old House

Stairs going upward

Carefully treading,

Ancient days of walking 

The grain is so lovely 

But footsteps are heavy

Unsure.

Roof tiles are grimy

And thousand year chimneys

Views from our windows

Green forests rise simple

Mairie's from the kitchen 

Flags stand at attention

I look.

Church bells are tolling
Cars whooshing and
Humming, motorcycles whizzing
People need bread,
Talking and moving,
Shutters flapping,
Flies buzzing
At laundry in windows.
Silent angels on guard.
It's France.

C

Back Home in France!

Amazement and overflowing with love is what we have for all that has been accomplished through God's work in the lives of his people as He orchestrated our trip back to France. "They're here!" we heard, once the visas arrived at our permanent address where our daughter Emily and son-in-law Joe live in Manhattan, Kansas.  Our move managers were immediately put to work trying to get a container for port to arrive so we could load the furniture and household goods in Atlanta, MO and try to leave the following day for Paris. We now are trying to get a month in summer to French language school starting July 15th!

Dad Barr's pole barn in Atlanta, MO and his house in Macon have been the places where all our "stuff" has been stored since late 2009 when we sold our house in Olathe. Carefully taken care of all this time, our furniture was sitting padded and wrapped to leave for it's final destination. We waited and waited on the assigned day for the container to show up - it didn't, and the trucking company couldn't find an available 8 ft x 20 ft container.

Next day, a new crew arrived ready to load in very hot and humid weather and finally at 3:30pm it arrived. Hubby Russell, had everything carefully staged in the warehouse and it all happened in less than 2 hrs. That may have been a record. Our move manager said it usually happens in about 3. We didn't want to have to pay any extra after the 2 hrs. given.

As I share this, the container is traveling by rail to New York harbor where it will sit for a week to get picked up by a ship, travel 2 weeks over sea to head to the port in La Havre, France. It may take a week or 2 to get to our house in beautiful Chevreuse an outer suburb of Paris.

Friends from Macon First Baptist, the Bear's, said they had just returned from a trip to Scotland and a cruise in Copenhagen. One day while sitting at a table having a drink they watched as the ship take huge containers out of its belly with large cranes and sit them on the harbor. As they worked with us that day in the hot warehouse and cool apartment out back loading our container they realized back on the ship that those crates held families belongings from probably many years that they got to see the process from beginning to end with our goods.

Thirty-three years of marriage have given us memories that we wanted to bring with us to France so we could hold on to them while our family was away from us. Some people said, "why don't you just buy garage sale finds or from IKEA instead of hauling all that? That's a great question and each family has to decide what is important to them. At a cost of $5,000.00 for shipping and $42,000. worth of insurance to replace the items we brought we felt it was worth it to us. The value of the dollar is worth 30% less than the euro and it is nice to have some items that are made of good quality or have sentimental value that you don't have to replace. We also have lots of artwork and art supplies/books for our business that are expensive to replace or "one-of-a-kind" It takes time to show the world who you are by your things. Being artists we love to express ourselves and make the house cozy. It will be fun to show that to our new French neighbors.  It also saves a lot of time to replace what is needed and we can get to work faster.

The very next day after the first attempt to get a container, another one arrived and our goods were loaded. We contacted our dear friends who allowed us to take a Buddy Pass to fly on "standby" to Paris from Kansas City! That was 2 days ago. We didn't make the 1:50 pm flight. One of us could have gone on to Chicago but we didn't want to separate our luggage. The 3:15 pm flight was successful and off we went. The flight itself arrived in Chicago fine but we had to stand in line with a bunch of other airplanes to find a gate. By the time we could de-plane we had only 30 minutes to catch our Paris flight! First we had to take a shuttle (did I say stairs with heavy carry-ons?) Then we rushed to the gate from Gate 1 to Gate 19 at O'Hare airport. Out of breath we gave the attendant our passports. Another one said, "Are you the Barrs?" YES! we screamed. She said, "Great!" 3 minutes to spare. Oh...my...word.

6:30pm the plane took off. Russell was down about 13 rows from me. That was very fine! He wanted to have some quiet. I sat next to an adorable 3 year old named Emily and her cute mommy Emma. She reminded me of our little Harmony, big smiles and the normal squirmy toddler taking in all that was around her. It was an enjoyable flight and we all tried to sleep with an arrival French time of 9:25am.

We passed through customs just fine with a stamp and a nod. All 4 large 50 - 70 lb. bags arrived just fine and very quickly. Manu was waiting for us to take us home. He is so sweet and asked if we were huggers. "Yes!" I said and I got a great big one. Thank you Manu!

Our next entry will be about Chevreuse and getting settled in. Staying up a while to sleep.

Plans set in motion

French Visas arrived this morning in Manhattan, KS where our daughter and son-in-law live and our permanent address is. Emily will carry them to the airport on Tuesday and deliver them to us. Nothing like personal airport service.

Pieces of styrofoam, cut cardboard and stretch wrap are being placed around more precious furniture to keep them from getting damaged. A forklift was delivered today and our father, Sherman, is gearing up to be the forklift driver. Pray for his energy level and clear mind. 3 pallets are lying around and will be filled with items for him to pick up. The scaffoldings will also be a staging area. Our shipping manager informed us that the delivery truck does not have a ramp. After much searching, calling and talking availed NO ramp that can go 4.5 ft up in the air or to be found anywhere in our neck of the woods (within 50 miles). But, hey, we found someone with a Bobcat and forklift attachment!

Pray for helpers. 11 am on Monday the 8 x 20 x 8 container will be arriving on a Steamship Port truck. That's not the best time for working men. Did I say, another prayer request? I like that it's in the morning while we are not dragging to the ground like we are most afternoons.

The port truck is smaller than a semi, our shipping manager said, whatever that means. Hopefully the driver will find our out-of-the-way place where the pole barn is with our furniture. Let's hope the truck isn't too big that it can't get down into the garage.

Yes, we are crazy and to prove it once again we will attempt to fly standby to Paris from Kansas City. A friend and supporter of our work is employed by United and giving us Buddy Passes. It is our wish to arrive in Paris on the 10th leaving Kansas City to O'Hare on the 9th. There is one flight from Chicago to Paris that leaves at 6 pm. We want to be on it. There are 13 seats available from KC and 30 available in Chicago on the Paris flight. You know what to do.

We aim to get there, Lord willing, and the creek don't rise. (I'm starting to sound more country since living in these here parts.)

Visas Issued!

Our Visas were mailed this morning! We now have the green light to ship our goods July 8th. Then off to Chicago for flight to Paris. More later when the shock wears off. Praise to God for His faithful guidance.

Gospel Cafe near Versailles

Who would have thought that our French friends would enjoy American gospel music in restaurants and bars. Our team is having a great time sharing music and getting to know folks in small venues around Versailles. This will be one of the things we will be doing after we're settled.

Families are being contacted by our landlords in Chevreuse about our desire to teach children Art, songs and poetry in English during the lunch hour once school starts up again. Our art supplies have been packed, our myriads of art books, artwork and furniture to fill our 3 floor building and the cellar are in a staging area of the pole barn where all our goods are located. Even though we are physically and mentally tired our excitement can hardly be contained.

Waiting on the French Consulate

All the boxes are packed, things given away, thrown away, and burned. Duct tape on the concrete pole barn floor is outlining the  area we need to fill our 20 ft. container. (8 x 20 x 8). The furniture and goods are in the staging area. Whew! it's mentally and physically exhausting to go through 33 years of married life - again (3 1/2 years ago we sold our home and moved out, crisscrossing the country looking for partners in this mission work while staying in other people's home or in our own vacation rental in California when our guests are not staying there).

The Consulate in Chicago said they thought we needed a different kind of visa. What?! Our team in France said everyone comes in on the long term visa. Our director realized later we needed another letter from our French association stating the type of work we do to satisfy them. The French embassy has the letter now. So, we wait on them to mail our visas (if there are no other probs) to our permanent address which is our daughter and son-in-law's house in Manhattan, KS. Next thing we do is wrap all furniture edges with styrofoam or other soft material and stretch wrap. Trying to find a 12 ft. ramp to rent so we can load into the mover's semi. By doing all this ourselves we save thousands. We may be building a ramp at this point.

The container will take approximately 5 weeks from our place in rural upstate NE Missouri, by truck, then train to NY harbor, sit and wait for a week, get on a ship to Le Havre, France and to our little town in Chevreuse. Very exciting!

Headed to the French Embassy!

Carol and I have an appointment at the French embassy next Friday, May 24th, 2013 to apply for our visas! Paris or bust!

BARRPottery From the Past

Carol and I have shared how we wish to offer art & pottery lessons in Chevreuse when we return to France. While this will not be a full time job, we want to start an association and this will be a way to meet our neighbors and hopefully become an accepted part of the community. When we closed down the BARRPottery site we left very little evidence of our pottery on line, so to rectify that, here are a few images from our days back in Olathe, KS.…

Manning our award winning booth at a local art fair.

Custom glazes, "Yellow Green Matte" and "Nutmeg"
became our signature look.

Bottles are a difficult shape to throw on the wheel.

More bottles.

Functional ware, like bowls sold well.

Original card holder… and vintage BARRPottery cards.
I'm sure there a few hiding in a drawer somewhere.

This large pot was designed to be difficult to glaze.
It was a test pot for the Yellow Green Matte glaze.
When this pot came out of the kiln, we knew
the glaze formula was a success.

During our family art show in Olathe held in the
lobby of the Comfort Inn.

Some of the pots thrown for the crowd actually survived. 

Our entry in the "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?" show at the
artist's guild of Kansas City.

Table top grouping at the Family show in Olathe. 

Moonshine Jug

Fluted Jug 

It gives us great pleasure to know several churches in the Kansas CIty
area serve communion with our pieces.

Carol's hand built pitcher and mugs.

This bottle measures 18 inches tall

Another of Carol's hand built vases.

Russell's first teapot.

"Nightscape"  You see something different
every time you look at it

The beginnings of the dragonfly as a constant
 motif in our pottery.

Wheel thrown and then altered. This large planter
was a special order.

Another classic glaze combination.

These were made using slabs of clay and real leaves
rolled into the surface.

Another classic BARRPottery vase.

"These Shoes are Made for Walking"

A letter arrived from our friends of New Zealand who will rent their building to us in France. 
One of our teammates will rent the place for a while until we get there. We will be working alongside him once we are settled. 

Here's an excerpt of what our future landlord said:
"We have a strong sense that the "Cordonnerie du Progrès" as the house is called, is supposed to be used for God's work. This old shop sign on the front of the building says in French: The Progressive Shoemaker. Pauline started looking for passages in the Bible that she could pray over regarding the whole theme of "shoes" since this is an old shoe and leather store. In their village in the old times they had tanning works along the river, so this was a shop for making leather goods. 

Ephesians 6:15 says,  "Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet" (Contemporary English Version) The Good News version says,  So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace."

Russell also mentioned in Romans 10:15 says, "And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written (Isaiah 52:7) - "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" 

One more reason Russell got his boots shod in France the last time we were there. He wore the soles off. :0) I had to get bigger soled shoes with more cushions. Thank you Pauline for the "shoe" analogy which is perfect on so many levels. 

We are excited about the time when we will leave for France. Those of you who are on our HEART team, our children, and the many others who have come alongside are wholeheartedly cheering us along with your words, and your sacrificial giving plus your deep felt prayers and sharing of verses have been felt from the bottom of our hearts. We are indebted to you. You encourage us so much! Thank you Pauline.

Excellence in Chocolatiering

It wasn't that long ago hubby and I were out looking for a place to buy chocolate because it was a holiday. Trying to be on a low carb diet we were opting for the sugar-free kind. It's really not possible to have sugar-free in the same sentence as chocolate. The FDA requires that this confection cannot be called chocolate if it's sugar-free.

Driving around we came to a fine looking Chocolatier's house (which will remain unnamed) and went inside but there were no sugar-free chocolates to be had. Hard to believe, really. We bought a few wonderful looking coconut pieces. Our server lazily plopped the beauties in a small brown unmarked boring lunch sack and barely talked to us much less say thank you. I say! What happened to wrapping them up very prettily and delicately with a smile and hand them over as if they were a precious gift? We paid a high enough price for them and were so excited for this treat. She didn't seem to care. The chocolate tasted fine although I prefer the toasted coconut haystacks which I thought I was getting. You'd think I was such an expert on these delights.

As we left the store I commented to hubby dearest how things at this Chocolate house are so different compared to our French experience. The patisseries have the most beautiful displays and the chocolate confections are not only a delight to taste but the chocolatier takes her time to wrap this tasty with tissue, shining clear celophane and lovely ribbon. Many even put them in a gorgeous box. They are something to behold. Doing things with excellence seems to be par for the course in Paris.

Going back to our recent holiday, we decided to try a different location for sugar-free chocolate and found gold when we went to Sees Candies. I have been partial to RussellStovers since we're from the Kansas City area where this delectable chocolate is produced but Sees in California is right up there with other forms of delicious dark wonderfulness. And they had sugar-free, but as I said before they couldn't call it chocolate because chocolate has to have sugar in it.

We decided to take some home anyway (which by the way was very yummy and didn't taste like sugar-free). The store was packed with customers lined up in two lines and cutely decorated. The employees were decked out in their See's corporate finery. Everyone matched. They handed out free samples to us and I was delighted that they cared, truly cared about the customer. It gave me some hope that there are still some in America who also strive for excellence.

It didn't help my diet though.

A place to roost in la Vallée de Chevreuse

Russell and I have developed a fun fascination with roosters—never dreaming that so did France. The rooster is France's national bird. The name comes from the Latin term 'gallus' loosely relating also to the Gauls in Ancient Roman times. Here's an excerpt from Wikipedia on the history of their national bird: "The association between the rooster and the Gauls/French was developed by the kings of France for the strong Christian symbol that the rooster represents : prior to being arrested, Jesus predicted that Peter would deny him three times before the rooster crowed on the following morning. At the rooster's crowing, Peter remembered Jesus's words. Its crowing at the dawning of each new morning made it a symbol of the daily victory of light over darkness and the triumph of good over evil. It is also an emblem of the Christian's attitude of watchfulness and readiness for the sudden return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment of humankind. That is why, during the Renaissance, the rooster became a symbol of France as a Catholic state and became a popular Christian image on weathervanes, also known as weathercocks." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallic_rooster) 

     The Gallic rooster's popularity faded away until the French Revolution in 1789. It's used as a mascot in sports and in the corporate world. Most only see the rooster now as a secular symbol and probably don't even know from whence it came. One sees the rooster on top of many very old buildings, gates or fences in France—especially on Catholic buildings. We have a special collection of roosters going with us to France. I found a magnificent one during my traveling days selling wall coverings to the interior design industry. My sister-in-law really wants that bird but I told her it's going with me to France. We have to represent.

     Our exciting news relates to this roosting creature as we look forward to our new roost in Chevreuse. Roosting is perching aloft to sleep at night. Russell and I will be perched aloft in our rented 3 story building upon our return to France. The ground floor is a small storefront, with a storage cellar below and a small but beautifully restored 2 floor apartment above. This is a huge gift from God, and from our friends who own this building. They attended the church plant we've been working with in Magny les Hameaux. They are "Kiwi's" from New Zealand who bought this 16th century building a few years ago in downtown (population 6,000) Chevreuse. They thought they would use the upper part for a vacation rental and rent the storefront for commercial usage. But when they decided not to return to France and considered what we were going to do when we returned to France they thought, "Let's allow the Barr's to live there." They told us it was their way of continuing to bring the good news and hope to the community they've been a part of for decades.

     The building is located in the outer SW suburbs of Paris with the forests of Versailles around this ancient 11th century village - 20 min. from Versailles. The town is a 5 min. drive to the last train stop to downtown and 10 min. to the France Vie office and 17 min. to the church plant's worship place in Magny. We are being offered this building for the same price we would get for a 2 bedroom apartment. Thank you Pauline and Simon! This moves our ministry efforts at least a year ahead. 

     Our desire is to form an association under the umbrella of France Vie to have meetups/events/classes with the community. Join us in saying, "Cock-a-doodledoo!"

I will remember Your works, O Lord;
Surely, I will remember Your wonders of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works
And consider all Your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is so great as You?
You are the God who works wonders;
You have revealed Your strength among the peoples.
You redeemed Your people with Your power,
The descendants of Jacob and Joseph. 
Psalm 77:11-15

Catching Up

From Carol,
I clicked my way to dear 'ole Blogspot to see when I posted last and there was a gasp when the words said Feb. 2nd!!!! What??!!  Alas, my most recent post in early March was not there. My Macbook is too old now for new software updates. A dear artist friend gave me this computer to help us when ours got stolen in France. Blogspot must have updated their software and I no longer can save, or publish any documents to their page. sigh... I will type it separately for now and send it to Russell, who has a newer computer, to upload. Don't you love "work-a-rounds"? At least this computer is still working and I can save my own documents.
     Let's try this again and "catch you up" (as we say in Missouri)....
     Snow and more snow fell upon the heels of our car as we left the Midwest while keeping ahead of it the whole way. Of course, our 1999 Saab (or Sob) is out of the auto shop and we left Missouri sometime in mid-February racking up time in California since then. The car drives like a dream now but the console in the center heated up quite hot along the way. The gear shift cable was taken out and a new one was put in.  But, why is the heat from the engine getting into the console? Love the smell.  While checking the heating and cooling buttons we were sometimes able to get the engine smell out of there and the heat next to Russell's leg to subside.
     Our time in California revolves around when I can get my teeth fixed. A broken tooth, an abscess that affected 2 teeth and now surgery. Our time table (never the right one) was to leave California by the end of March. Now the dentist is saying I could have the last appointment on the 10th, if the infection is gone. We are still battling that. This is a serious infection and I'm on my third round of anti-biotics after going in yesterday for more work.
     In the meantime we have enjoyed our time in Santa Cruz in our mobile home, visiting churches and sharing our ministry. There was a visit to see James and Rebekah in Burbank and since our home is going to get rented out this coming Sunday we will be leaving again, to spend Easter with them, and visiting others while we are there.
     Recently, we created a Facebook Event page that shows how we are doing on our monthly pledges to leave for France. Currently we are at approximately $1350 per month in pledges remaining to raise! That's quite a bit less than the previous month!
     As a thank you we want to give gifts.  Artists love to give art as gifts. New pledges through our Facebook event page have gifts for certain levels of pledges. If you are not on Facebook and want to give a pledge we will certainly give you a gift!
     All of our financial supporters from the beginning are getting a PARISBarr's t-shirt specially designed by Russell. For those pledging $10 - $49 per month are also going to get a CD of cover songs that our son, James, and daughter-in-law Rebekah, are singing and playing on. Being in the TV and film industry, they have great friends who have professional skills and equipment to help them in this endeavor.
     For any new pledges of $50. - $100./mo since our Facebook event started will receive a print from our daughter Emily.
     Emily's special print edition of 15 entitled "Holy Ground, Light of the World" is a Mixed Media Varied Edition. Watercolor, Teabag Paper, Stippling, Ink 8" x 10". Each print is hand painted and drawn using stencils for each layer. Emily uses the highest quality watercolors, archival inks and 100% cotton printmaking paper.

     Wouldn't you love to own this?
     New Pledges of over 100.00 will also get a piece of pottery from Russell or a small painting from me.
     We've done a better job of updating on our Facebook pages so if you want more up-to-date information about our trek BACK to France. Please ask to be our FB friend, if you are not.

He knows.

Our car remains in the auto repair shop. The old part is still in the car but the new part arrived last Friday. They spent the afternoon trying to get the old part out but to no avail. The weekend is over and today is a new day for the guys to try it again. It had been a frustrating week when we really wanted to be in California the week before.

He knew I would break a tooth and what that would do to me. Thursday evening it happened. Friday it began to swell a bit. Saturday I began to look like elephant woman in the jaw and the pain it created sent me to bed. No dentist office was open on the weekend. Ibuprofen every 3 hrs (I couldn't wait for 4) and a nurse at the hospital said to get Ambusol to numb the area. It was excruciating but I was determined to make it through until Monday. There was no sleep to be had. You'd think I had swallowed a golfball by early Sunday morning. Russell saw my predicament and we headed to the emergency room at the nearby hospital. Armed with anti-biotics and vicodin, we left the hospital for Russell's folks house (our temporary home) an hour later and I went straight to bed.

He knew. I wouldn't have been able to take a 25 hour trip to California, I couldn't have helped Russell drive the car, nor visited with some of our supporters along the way.

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools." Ecclesiaste 7:8

Optimistic Perseverance and 60 DAYS Left to Leave For France!!

Every person knows what it's like when they are ready to do something and they are stuck in time; no way they can move forward. Maybe it's just standing in a grocery line or there's a predetermined schedule but, No! you aren't going anywhere until this roadblock is moved. Today it's been 10 days since a part was ordered for our 1999 Saab 9-5 wagon. We were supposed to leave for California 2 days ago. This car is only needed another 60 days before we hope to leave for France to work and live. It cannot break down permanently until we get on that plane. I mean it! 

Granted, I'm trusting that everything else will be in place for this big move to this far away country in 60 days but just hang with me and "let's believe" (like getting 2000.00 more in monthly financial commitments to join with us on this journey). All my friends say we are the most optimistic people they know, and persevering. Those two words are synonymous in our book. If you want to have a great life, be optimistic while you persevere. That's our motto. Or mine. I have to keep reminding Russell to switch from pessimistic to optimistic. We've been trying to get to France to work there full time since 2007. Hey, we've had over 6100. per month to raise and we are down to 2K now. It's expensive to live in France with their health insurance and ours combined, taxes, fees, etc. etc. besides our salary and benefits and ministry expenses.

The auto makers decided to create a road block when they chose not to make Saab's any more! Of course we had to have one of those. I thought it was a great deal to buy a used one with a rebuilt engine for 4K in late 2009 to drive across from California to New York by way of Kansas City many times telling people we need money to work for our "non-profit Christian church planting" organization to reside in Paris, France. The car, so far, has cost us about $8,000. which isn't bad considering the miles we've put on it. And it gets 32 mpg on the hwy. The people at the auto repair are telling us it's probably not a good idea to go to California once again and yet we don't have options. So, let's not only believe, let's pray that this car will make it.

Other roadblocks along the way is the "Paris, France" part of the equation. Some of the responses we get when we tell our story is, "You want us to give you money to go to Paris, France? I'd like to go to Paris, France. I tell them that I am working with refugees from North Africa and Turkey and there are a some French Christians over there asking for help and yes we are artists, but it's for a good cause. Come on somebody, anybody?

My dream wasn't to ask God if I could go live in France in my 50s, share the Good news of Jesus Christ and leave my children and 2 beautiful little grand daughters behind. I did manage to win a trip to Paris originally in 2000 and thoroughly enjoyed it but never in my wildest dreams did I think God would call me to go work there. He called my husband too and so there you are. We can't get this monkey off our back and we just want these roadblocks to go away so we can get on with it. Life happens, and time goes by and here we are. Ready for blast off if we could just get the Saab out of the repair shop.

It was 70 degrees yesterday and did I say a snowstorm is coming tonight?

"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."
Hebrews 10:36

King Obama in a Manger and a French Christmas

We hope you are looking forward to a wonderful year. We are. I wanted to share French Christmas traditions and what our team does over the holidays.  I'll get to the Obama manger story soon enough.

     Paris is a place for lights and Christmas is no different with special Christmas lights in historical settings and holiday displays. Christmas markets are all around with ice skating rinks and snow villages. The markets are open from the 3rd week in November until New Year's Eve. Christmas day they all have a day of rest. There is even a Christmas market at Disneyland which is in the far NW corner of Paris west of the Charles de Gaulle airport. The markets are taken from an Alsatian tradition in Germany so there will be Alsation gifts and other creative crafts which are truly unique.

     It's a time of wonderful events to share the Good News to those unfamiliar or for those who love great music, fellowship, sharing the wonderful story of Christ's birth and great food (just like us in America). This is a busy time for our team.

     Parisians are familiar with great music, art and food. Meru, our church plant up north, offered a wonderful concert from a professional Christian singer. Christmas Carols were sung in December one evening at our newly formed Gospel Cafe right across from the Palace of Versailles. Many French are curious how Americans or other expats celebrate Noël. This is the name for "Christmas" in French. Natalis, for noël, means birth in Latin. The more developed church plants have music, share about Jesus' birth and the history surrounding this time, and there's always great food just like we would do at our home churches but with French songs and French food. If someone would come into our home we would share our personal Christmas traditions. They are very interested in that. This would be a time to invite our neighbors. Some of our team is from Australia and Germany besides American and French. Each have unique ways to celebrate the Lord's birth.

     You may see manger scenes and some areas of Europe have craftsmans who've carved figurines of local dignitaries to be part of manger scenes! go figure. In some areas where our team sold manger scenes for a small fee and giving away Bibles the person running the sale in their area said we couldn't have religious objects like Bibles because it was a secular event. Really? They must not have thought a manger scene was a religious object. People were buying them and I know it was annoying for our teammates that they had to take the Bibles off the table. It shows you how secularism has affected many people.  I just read an article that there are even an Obama and Romney Italian carved wooden figurines to put in your manger scene. Now Romney has tears streaming down his face and Obama wears a crown! 

     The church bells do ring on Christmas Eve at midnight and worship services are available at the churches which are still open. Some will come out for these events where they may never enter a church any other time. 

     Also on Christmas Eve, the children leave their shoes by the fireplace (if they have one), to be filled with sweets, fruits, nuts and given small toys by Pére Noël or even may believe the gifts come from the Christ Child (le petit Jesus - pronounced zhayzu). Some gifts are hung on a tree (outside).

     In Paris they have a Three Kings Cake and they may make one for their children. A bean is hidden inside the cake. Whoever finds the bean is the queen or king for a day.

     The Christmas tree has not been very popular and even though the yule log has faded, a chocolate yule log cake called " bûche de noël" is a favorite. I am glad the French love chocolate! We do too. 

     Russell and I celebrated a French Christmas with some of our French friends in Olathe, KS. There are two French couples now who are members of our home church and this is the second year they have invited many French/Francophiles to attend this wonderful event. The bûche de noël was there. Very yummy! They talked about the significance of Christmas and we all get to share in music, stories, food and small gifts for the children. It gave us a time to speak with these folks and many we got to meet 2 years ago came back again.

---Carol

Celebrating Thanksgiving in France

Thanksgiving has come and gone here and we like many others are very thankful for our many blessings. Our team in France didn't celebrate the American holiday on last Thursday but still came together in gratefulness on Saturday with a few French friends to share with them why this holiday is so important to Americans. 

     Finding a turkey in Paris, like a Butterball in the frozen meat section, is non-existent  but if one asks the butcher at the local Charcuterie one can be ordered for a "pretty price." There will be mashed potatoes, maybe green bean casserole but one won't find Campbell's mushroom soup, maybe it can be made from scratch. Pumpkin pie and probably even French desserts will be found at the table, and maybe cranberry dressing if the supermarché has fresh cranberries. It's highly unlikely that the jelled cranberries in the can will be found. One might be surprised what can be found in the "gourmet" section which is more or less for expats who are lonely for a food item.

     Doing missions work far away from home can be tough on missionaries during major holidays. Especially those who may be just starting out and also those who have been working in another country for many years and have older children who are in the states going to school or working while they remain on the field. We are just beginning our work in France. While in the states now we wait for our return knowing that we will be going back next time for much longer periods missing time with our immediate families during holidays. I know that being thankful for God's word will be very helpful during these times and having a great team as ours in France who will come together as a family for holidays will help.

     The Puritans surely didn't have the 21st century dining room table setting but they had some wonderful prayers of thankfulness to God and those nearby Indians to keep them from starving. The Puritans also had determination to remain faithful to him during very tough times. There is a wonderful book called "The Valley of Vision" that has many Puritan prayers. They were thankful for God's greatness and deliverance through trials. Here is a prayer from a Puritan. It may not have been on that day but it will give you a glimpse of how they viewed life.

Help me to stand with wary eye on the watchtower of faith,

And to cling with determined grasp to my humble Lord,

And if I fall let me hide myself in my redeemer's righteousness,

And when I escape, may I ascribe all my deliverance to Thy grace.

Those of us who love God with all our hearts have so much to be thankful for  - 

  If we dwell in the shelter of the Most High and rest even in the shadow of the Almighty then we will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." He will cover us with his feathers and we will find refuge under his wings. His faithfulness will be our shield.  

     I am thankful I do not have to fear from terrors that may fall or arrows that may fly in my direction. They will not come near me. Even the Lord's angels will guard me in all my ways. They will lift up their hands to protect me.  The Lord will rescue me and protect me. He knows me by name.

     When I call, you will answer Lord. When I am in trouble you are with me. Thank you for delivering and honoring me. Thank you for giving me peace and satisfaction in my life. For this even words cannot say how truly grateful I am. (Carol's version of Psalm 91)

Election

This is from one of our teammates in France. 

"While some of you very likely gave up watching for the sake of a good night’s sleep, I had the opportunity to roll out of bed this morning, turn on the TV, surprised to find right at that moment Obama giving his victory speech. I found that to be more convenient than staying up past 1AM. We chose to follow the events on the English-speaking international news channel, though it’s interesting to follow it all in French from time to time as well.

I avoided going out yesterday, in part out of fear that Frenchmen would grill me about the election, Frenchmen who very often know more about American politics than I do. It was indeed a subject of conversation over the meal at last night’s Alpha Course, questions about electoral votes, Mormonism, time zones, campaign trails…

I was overseas the day Bush was elected for a second term, but this was the first time I was overseas for the entire campaign, or la folie, as I’ve referred to it. Apart from feeling generally out of the loop and ignorant to all that was happening, I can’t say I really minded.

As our team started the day in prayer yesterday, we prayed for the United States, but most of all for the Christians there, that above politics, they would be more concerned with improving and protecting their own unity as the body of Christ and in advancing the kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of America, of Democrats, or of Republicans.

Because what would happen if we put an equal amount of energy and (the) $6 (ad) billion dollars towards making disciples of all nations? What if we proclaimed just as loudly our message of true change and real hope? What if we kept our eyes fixed on our story that lasts longer than four years, on the One who always delivers on the many promises he makes?"