French devotional

As this school emphasizes French language learning for missionaries, we learn Bible vocabulary in addition to the usual coursework. We also get practical experience utilizing that vocabulary. Two mornings per week, a student shares a devotional or a testimony with the school. At the beginning of the year, the professors shared, then the upper level students, and now we're beginning with my class. I was the first to share from my level on Monday and I wasn't sure I was ready to talk for 15 minutes in French! But God gives His grace for the moment and He truly did strengthen me for this task - on Monday morning, but also throughout the last few months as He's walked with me through this language learning process. It's pretty incredible to realize I couldn't even introduce myself in French 4 months ago. And of course there's still a very long ways to go, but writing, correcting, practicing, and then actually giving the devotion on Monday was an encouraging language experience and another step forward.

 I shared on the theme of (God's) strength in (our) weakness with the verses from Isaiah 40:28-31 tying in the story of my paralysis with transverse myelitis at age 10 and the story of Faith, the girl pictured below who also had transverse myelitis.

As I was paralyzed, as I sought to care for critically ill patients like Faith when there was no treatment available, and as I learn the difficult French language, I do sometimes feel like the caricature above (click on the picture to make it bigger) representing the word "s'épuiser" - to become exhausted. And many of us here in Albertville feel like that now as illnesses of various sorts have been running rampant through our community. (Community is great for lots of things, and I certainly wouldn't want to live without it, but sharing germs is not one of them! But I guess it's good that I'm still getting some pediatrician practice in here these days!) But God does renew our strength. I appreciate your prayers for all of us that the Christmas break will be a time of renewal and healing for all of us. I'm especially excited to welcome my family here for Christmas! What a joy it will be to be all together! Joyeux Noël!

Let It SNOW!!!!

Although I was born in Michigan, we moved away when I was 6 and thus I don't really remember seeing snow like we've had here the last week. It certainly doesn't snow like this in Tennessee! We've had so much fun already enjoying winter activities that will likely :) not be possible in Burundi. I learned a very important phrase in class on Friday: Ça glisse! (That's icy/slippery - relevant as I walk everywhere here - and the sidewalks and roads are definitely "glissant!") 

 We took some of the girls to an International Curling tournament. Interesting, but of course the kids were most excited about our snowy walk there and back. 

 Sarah and I with the girls at the Olympic Center (Winter Olympics in Albertville - 1992)

 On Friday more than a foot of snow fell - and it fell fast and silently quickly blanketing the world in white. I was thankful one of my classmates with a car let me ride with her to the store at lunchtime to stock up on groceries - and to buy snow boots! Now I'm ready to walk to the grocery next time. :) 

 Everyone enjoyed a snowball fight after school - the adults maybe more than the kids! 

 The sun came out today - this was the view that greeted me this morning

 View of Albertville (and castle on right) from Conflans (medieval village above Albertville)

I climbed a bit to enjoy the sunset tonight - with each step sinking almost to my knees! Good exercise! 

And I'll close with a plug for 2 beautiful, less well known, snow songs with great gospel lyrics:

"Whiter Snow" by my teammate Eric McLaughlin - click here for music and lyrics 

And "Winter Snow" by Chris Tomlin - click here

33 and 3 birthday celebrations!

I've always loved my Thanksgiving birthday (Nov. 28) - sometimes on Thanksgiving, usually during Thanksgiving weekend. Family is often together and there are lots of fun things to do for a birthday celebration this time of year. Well, my family continues to creatively bless me on my birthday from a distance as do friends around the world. And friends nearby planned THREE birthday celebrations for me this year! I definitely felt loved and celebrated!

Amazingly delicious birthday dinner (chicken cordon bleu and cherry cheesecake!) with friends who live here in the dorm with me

 Birthday lunch with the girls on my team

 Brownies (from the U.S.!) and ice cream with the team

 What an incredible blessing all these teammates are to me! Abundantly beyond anything I asked or imagined! 

 Presents! Including cherry coke, hot tamales candy, and macaroni and cheese. My favorites! :)

 And the youngest teammates keep my walls beautifully decorated

And, finally, not a birthday, but a definite celebration - we all passed our exams! And are no longer "debutant" French students. Here we are celebrating at an Indian restaurant in town. It's both encouraging to realize how far we've come and discouraging to experience how difficult it still is to have a simple conversation! But we press on - one day at a time.