Faire d'escalade

c'est mon premier temp aller faire d'escalade. c'est un bon idee!
The view from above the clouds was certainly a blessing from God! I have also posted living proof that Chris Farley was in fact abducted by space martians and returned to us as a little girl. Sweet! I have been missing you Chris. French Language studies are making progress. I will find out today whether I have to stay in first grade or move to second. Actually, I passed with flying colors, but now there is just to determine if I am, in fact, smart enough to skip a level, or if all this cheese I'm eating is clogging my language learning brain cells. I heard that they actually speak French in Heaven. I know it is hard to believe, but they say its because you need all eternity to learn it.

mountains mountains...... snow???

This was the best climb yet. We hiked at a killer pace up the mountain for three hours and took a bit of a nap at the top. It was gorgeous though chilly as you can see. When we woke up it was minus 5 c and we had to run down the mountain to keep warm. It was worth it though and it was an awesome time of viewing God's magnificant creation. I was wondering though on the way down why it got so cold. It was so bad I wanted to sing frosty the snow man and go to sleep in an italian pizzeria somewhere. All of a sudden this Frenchman comes trotting by us on the way down the mountain all decked out for Antartica and wearing a hat that says SKI on the top. I was like "VOILA!" clearly God thought this guy wanted to ski so He gave him the weather and the snow. Someone should talk to people who wear ski hats and gear on nice sunny days- it just ruins it for everyone. The second picture is of the guys I was hiking with. When I gave them Snickers they were overjoyed. The first picture is of the frozen grass.

manifestation

Yesterday I was able to witness the ultimate French debacle. A manifestation that crippled the public transport systems all over the country and some even affecting other parts in Europe. The workers are on strike to protest the government's reforms(and everyone I have talked to here is not pro-new president). It has been interesting to see the response of people to these manifestations and how they are handled, or not handled. Yesterday a few madmen organized a group of students to barricade the buildings and particularly the buildings with the keys so that no one could have class. That shut down the university for the day as well. It was really cool though because I got to stand and talk with fellow students for quite a while and even to talk about why I am here. I am finidng that foreign students are more willing to talk about God than the actual French natives. Hopefully tomorrow I will have pictures of a hiking excursion I will be joining.

It's another beautiful day here in France. This story is in response to Andrew Cross's blog "close encouter with a tent" which can be found acrossky.blogspot.com.

Andrew and I went hiking in the mountains of Alberta, CA and while we were thrilled at the magnificent visage to please the senses, we had to be cautious of the much-feared, much-acclaimed Grizzly bear; weighing in at @ 2000 lbs and featuring paws and claws big enough to strike fear into the heart of even John Bunyan. We were a tandem group, which was actually illegal since bears were known to be in the area, and there was really no way to avoid the bears seeing that the area we chose is the number 1 spot for grizzly bears in the entire world. I am deathly afraid of bears. To top things off, there was food wrappers right outside out tent(thank you Andrew) and my hiking partner did not seem to be as worried as I. In fact, he was pure optimism impersonated. "Ah, don't worry about it, its a quick death anyway," was his attitude. I had the attitude; "I don't want to have to stumble 15 kilometers with one arm because a grizzly bear had the munchies. Anyway, we went to bed that night about dark and all night I kept hearing this sort of rooting around/ sort of rustling that I have mentally associated with imminent bear attack. I lay there, paralized in fear, wondering why it was taking the bear so long to follow the trail we so carelessly left him. After a few hours, when I was emotionally exhausted and could no longer force myself to be awake, I finally resigned myself to certain death, and having made my peace with God, I fell asleep. When I awoke in the morning, Andrew casually mentioned that for some reason whenever he uses the particular tent we were using, it always sounds like something is rooting around outside, but not to worry, its just the fabric. Thanks Andrew for not mentioning this earlier and allowing me to lose an extra 5 years off my life because of the mental trauma I endured.

I stumbled upon an old church and a convent from the 17th Century today as I was looking for a friend's pizza shop in the Italian quarter. I am struck by the rich history of the Church and the Gospel that can be found in France. But as I found today, the churches are nothing more than tourist stops and bulletin boards while folks stand by at the bus stop watching and yelling at the drunk puking on himself and begging for something to eat. I wonder if the guards that stand around in the old church (now museum) smoking all day ever wonder why a few men would risk everything to build such a magnificent meeting hall. I don't have to wonder quite as hard why that drunkard at the bus stop slurred to me about getting drunk so he could kill himself.

Formage de bleu

The first picture is me doing the unthinkable- holding a package of moldy cheese. Its actually not bad at all. In fact, I might even say that I like it. First time I tried it I was repulsed and actually considered getting back on the plane to say the least. Second, I wasn't necessarily enchanted- more like getting a slip and slide for Christmas in Antartica, and third, fourth and fifth I actually enjoyed it- though not as much as a cold coke after a hard day's work. The second picture is playing fut with my Francais freres. The third is my host father and myself fashioning a roof for their shed. He is a godly, dedicated man and I appreciate the opportunity to learn from him. Hopefully more pictures of ministry at the Feu to come(i.e. the Christian concert and English nights). The Lord has provided more opportunities for me to learn than to share, so please pray for my contentment with that, and boldness to share when the times come. This next week is supposedly the breakthrough week for the so-called French language learning fog. Pray that the breakthrough comes swiftly and decisively like a hornet while sunbathing(though not quite as painful). Also if you could think of me and my lovely girlfriend who has so graciously loaned me to the Lord and moldy cheese for the year. I'm sure we could use prayer for strength and breath mints(for me)

Pictures of Grenoble

These are a few pictures I was able to take the other day when I was waiting for my bus. French lessons are still at the same altitude, which is pretty far over my head. I started talking to a girl in French on the tram today after my friend took his stop, and she said, "its ok, I'm Canadian, we can talk in English. You're American right?" I responded, "how did you know?" Than I realized that 1. My jeans weren't painted on 2. I wasn't wearing a man purse 3. I didn't have an entire bottle of gel in my hair(no offense of course) 4. I was talking to the person next to me(an apparent taboo) 5. I had a camera 6. Apparently I have a severe accent 7. I said that I was an American. I think that's where she got me.

my first french email!!!

so this is going to be my first email in French.

oooo vooo sweee suuuiiiiillllll. eeeehhh juu. jjjjjji laaahhhhh ooofffsweeee.

If that takes you more than a split second to read/say than you aren't going fast enough. That should be all one sound. That is the entire 119th Psalm BTW.

French class today was a bear. I didn't understand anything so I bought notecards to write down my feelings and then light on fire and flush down the toilet...Just Kidding! All you children under the age of 18 don't try this at home!

One nice thing about France is that if class is on break for 10 minutes and someone feels like going on break for the next week or even just an hour, no one cares or even says anything. The adverse can really be a pain when for instance my Scottish friend waited days for a key to his apartment which he subsequently couldn't move into. Pray for him, he has had a rough go of things with that and then the icing on the cake with Scotland getting there muscles pulverized by Argentina in the Rugby World Cup. Pray that God gives me a chance to witness.

The ssSwisssss Alpssss

Mountains are a common theme in the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 4 Moses says,
"the LORD said to me, 'Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.' And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom. Then the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of words, but saw no form; there was only a voice." Mountains are used as an illustration for the righteousness of God, a place of refuge, a place of hiding, the place where Moses fasted for the people of Israel when God wanted to destroy them. The place where God chose to reveal His deliverance for Elisha, the place with God associates His work, (See writings of David, Moses, Jesus, ect..) The Holiness of God's mountain is compared to the Holiness of God Himself, a symbol of blessing/ reprieve for the righteous in Isaiah. Many others which I have not the time to look up.

The bottom three pictures are from my trip to Geneva with Woody today. It was a great time of fellowship and enjoying the splendor of God's Creation. In France, many believers if not most, believe in Evolution as the means of the earth coming into existence. What irony in view of such majesty! The first picture is another from our hike last week. The 2nd from bottom is one of Mount Blanc in the background, the tallest peak in all of Europe.

I had two conversations in French today. I stumbled through them, but I made it!!! What I don't understand is how I can say something seeming exactly like they say it and they look at me trying to figure out what on earth I'm saying. Then when I make myself into an amateur mime to try and act it out, they finally get and say OHHH! You mean _____ !!! And they say the exact same thing I just said the same way. I must be missing something. Maybe I'm not hissing my esssessss long enough. I appreciate your prayers for not only is starting from scratch a daunting task, it is especially hard when communication is limited if not impossible.

First French at La Feu

Well today was my first conversation in French and it was at the La Feu, an Evangelical fellowship for University students. I was embarrased at how many times I had to ask the poor guy to slow down and repeat things, and at how many things he had to explain in English, but it was an exciting achievment. Language classes are going well, but they are very challenging and I am in a fog of sounds and da's and la's and le's and vous and vous etes, apostrophes and exceptions and pronouncing my "s" like a girl. It is an interesting experience. Thanks to you who prayed, I feel much better and feel that I am on the road to recovery. I give thanks first to God, and second to the "pain au chocolat" the French chocolate filled croissant. One more pastry I am sure will line the streets in Heaven.

Bon Nuit!

parle vous francais?

It has been an instense first few days of class. We basically go over the same things all day long. Our professeurs do not speak much Anglais so we all just stare in bewilderment at them when they give instruction. It is a ver confusing way of learning, but whenever a concept is grasped it makes the victory that much sweeter. Pray for my boldness and clarity in proclaiming the Gospel and challenging my fellow students, especially as I have been sick and not much in the mood for conversation or anything else that requires not drooling on my pillow.

the day of the alpes, the chinese and knowing nothing

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so basically this is my way of cheating out of a short novel. Woody took me up a peak today and as you can see, the view is breathtaking. It is at a place where three mountain ranges of the French Alpes converge and form a basin, which contains the town in which I live and the city of Grenoble. If you have really good eyes you can see the ski resort where the olympics were held a few years ago. Pray as I start classes tomorrow that I have the boldness and words to share the Good News with my classmates. Today I showed up for my exam amid hundreds of chinese and was waved into a room where I was interviewed by a French teacher and all I could do was laugh because I had absolutely NO idea what she was saying. After she realized what was going on, we both had a good laugh and she kicked me out with the words, "you know nothing. come back tomorrow." I then had some interesting conversation with Chinese students who think that French and English are identical. They kept trying to talk to me but I didn't know half of what they were saying because every other word was French, and they didn't understand what they were doing. I do have to say, though, it is quite the experience to have a conversation with 20 chinese people at once and not even know what they are saying......