new used car

we're very excited to have found our new used car today. I'll be driving around in it for work and trips to PDX and such. Its a '98 gold Camry- practically new with only 47K miles on it. I'll be looking for a nice car scent and probably an iPod with an iTrip to expand it's stereo equipment. My buddy says I could just slide a pound of markout under the seat for a great coffee scent. I'll use Verona if I do. But then again, I get a little tired of smelling coffee all day at work and will want a break once I escape the Bux.

our mountain

our mountain
Originally uploaded by spigs.

Mt Rainier gets a sun shower just before sunset. Zack is burning through some 8mm film that Grandpa gave him. I shot using Z's camera.

As life moves along, we still are hunting for a car for me. I'll work tomorrow at the Bux and will have a few days off starting midday the 1st to take a short trip to PDX.

Christmas was a nice time featuring a small gag gift from my dad to Grandmother: a rear-view mirror. Grandma apparently slipped and fell a few days back and when asked if she was alright, she replied that she didn't have eyes in the back of her head to see if she was really hurt... So we wrapped up a "rear-view mirror" for her... and she took the joke like a champion, even holding it behind her so she could see her "rear". I don't know, but it might have been the first time we ever dared to pull a stunt like that.

Merry Christmas

family
Originally uploaded by spigs.

The Spigers celebrated Christmas a little early this year. Here we all are, Happy included. You can get a feel for the farm and trees that we grow here.

schedule

3:55am- my alarm wakes up
0 dark 30- I drive to Starbucks and work til whenever
Whenever- I try to function for the rest of the day.

Just returned from Minneapolis Minnesota. We helped Andrea and her family pack up their house to move to Portland. Now Andrea and the kids are here at "Frampa's" house. Its been hectic and joyful at the same time. I'm so glad to be spending some time with them all. It will be nice to have them so close, whether I stay in Pierce/King County or move to PDX.

I just got the David Crowder's "Lime CD" and am takin' it for a spin. I think I'll get miles out of this one! I'm hearing for the first time "I Need You" the way it was written. I was pretty darn close but need to bring my guitar skills up so I can transfer it from the piano to the guitar. Ciao.

csi memory

Dorte 'n i
Originally uploaded by spigs.

Thanks to Laurent who posted all his photos (you'll need the word 'laurent') from the CSI conference in Hossegor France. Check out the Aussi kangaroo that came all the way to France! This trophy was to be awarded to the Rubgy Champion- I never heard if the Northern or Southern Hemisphere won.

jobjob

So I just completed a french work week as an administrative assistant and really enjoyed it. I also just got off the phone with the nearest Starbucks wherein I accepted a job to start on the 15th. So was that a grande or venti, nonfat, mocha with whip??

I'm going to keep working part-time as admin assistant because it's a creative outlet for me, but the Bucks will give me the benefits any normal person wants and needs. Now I just need a car.

2200

It is 10:27. For those of you who know me well, you know that my biggest pet-peeve is flies in my room after 10pm. I usually go after them with a magazine for a torturous penalty.

Currently there is a fly beating its dopey head around on my walls and ceiling. Things are about to get gnarly.

worldview

what do I believe about God?
-powerful creator
-complete love and justice
-insane grace
-ultimate peace
-intimate salvation

here at home home

each day is long and I am good 'n tired at the end.
moving from one room to another can take a real long time.
c'etait chouette, le coup de fil de Brigitte.
will we ever find a car?
how do you comfort a boy whose father just died tragically?

Friends

Friends
Originally uploaded by spigs.

Happy Birthday Bethany! I love you love you love you!

Ben and Andy

Ben and Andy
Originally uploaded by lspiger.

here are a couple crazy dudes.

Smith

Smith
Originally uploaded by lspiger.

here is the marriage of a couple that I introduced

I'm sittin' here in the Intern House in PDX; gotta love the place- 'babe' the cat who no one wants to touch, and bloggin' from the wireless connection in the living room. Andy won't say hi but he's sitting in the room too, Kel is gonna make virtual tour2004 of the house and Mike is wearing his burnt orange sweatsuit. The schedule for the afternoon: hair cut at 1730, dinner at Acapulco's to celebrate Beth's bday at 1900. See ya dude.

they are rebuilding her home

DSCF4932.JPG
Originally uploaded by lspiger.

girl who's home was destroyed in a devastating earthquake.

the news

So after 10 amazing days in Morocco I have safely landed elsewhere. I have parked my suitcases at "home home" and am tucking into bed.

lance le !

I couldn't believe it. Yesterday after days of email work, 'photoshopping', and multiple visits to the printer, I said: Do it! We started the printing part of the Christian Surfers International conference in Hossegor France. I've been sweating over this for weeks now and to have finally said 'go for it' felt so wonderful. We waited down to the very last minute available, needing one confirmation from one dude in Seignosse. We have posters and flyers and tracts.

So the hustle of meeting people and trips to Bilbao and all over town has begun. The waves come and go. They expect a nice swell Sunday which could produce waves of 3 meters. They are beautiful to look at but powerful and out of my level for swimming or surfing. I'll take my camera out here soon and catch a photo of the break against the dig... you gotta see it!!

My time here in Biarritz is passing way to quickly. I have really grown fond of hearing the ocean not far from the house, the gorgeous sunsets and sunrises, the varying weather, walking into the beautiful town, meeting people and chatting. Tonight I had dinner with Juliette in a pizzeria downtown. We chatted it was such a great time for me. I wish I could hang out longer with the youth around this town. Who knows... ?

hullo mudder, hullo fadder...here i am at...

After spending a week in the washing machine, which I actually enjoyed, I am back working frantically on the final details of the Christian Surfer's Conference. I'm not anyone important but I'm busy gutting up the courage to make phone calls for them, talking in French to a ton of people who I don't know and twisting arms of friends who are much stronger in the area of translation than I.

I'm tired.
I cry.
I sleep.
I eat (or ate mussels today which I don't really like because of their funny texture).
I pray.
I pray.
and pray.

...and pick the surfing scab on my knee wishing I could surf as well as the guys I saw tearing up the waves today.

"hang-10" or "washing machine"

Tomorrow I jump a TGV (fast train) for Bayonne. I'll be wisked off to a camp where I look forward to meeting some young french people. I am joining in at a Youth for Christ surf camp directed by friends Lorenzo and Marie-Alice Monge. I'll let you know if I truly achieve "hang-10" which I highly doubt since it will be my first experience paddling the great Basque coast. Pray for fearless investment on my part in the lives of those around me; that I will compassionately put others before myself.

Bonne nuit de l'Espagne Euskadi de Hendaye. A sunset from Hendaye looking in the direction of Euskadi in Spain.

tomorrow

So tomorrow I'm off to Spain for a day trip. We'll be crossing through basque country and back in one day on our way to Santander. I'm dropping off Tabitha and cousin Johanna to help in a camp for a week. We should get a few nice shots on our way home. Thanks for all the prayers and support.

voilà les jumeaux Paul et James. Lequel est lequel?

Here is Steve's eye just a few minutes after impact. Looked pretty scary. Don't worry Korea, I'm sending him back in one piece.

les feux d'artifices à Biarritz le 15 août.

House of Blues: Here is a friend Steve Heckman who slammed his head into the head of Paul yesterday and instantaneously grew a bump resembling the likes of Bart Simpson.

Welcome to the party in St Laurent de Gosse. These men play with mad cows. Here are the pro's saluting the crowd.

a view from the bar during the Fêtes de St Laurent de Gosse. I was invited to serve along with the young people. The party lasted 3 days (and nights) including La Course Landaise, kids games, concerts, and unfortunately, lots of drinking for the entire town. Interestingly enough, I was warmly welcomed and adopted into the little landaise/basque community.

La Course Landaise: an only slightly dangerous game where a few dudes taunt mad cows and then jump out of the way of their charging opponents... or just jump over them.

it was a close call but a magnificent move by this guy.. note the ambulance in the background who were on site the whole event just in case someone got seriously injured.

Sunset in Biarritz - my favorite time of day 

I watched a little paddleboarding at the Nokia Biarritz Surf Festival 

I took a glance over my sholders a few weeks back while in Ancizan in the Pyrénées Mountains 

Greetings from Jean-Yves and Pyrénée at Labenne 

The Sea

Full moon last night.
Sunday afternoon in humid 30°C weather with storm warnings.
Trip to the beach in des Landes.
Super steep beach and beach breaks in heights up to 2 meters with incoming tide.

I followed Tabitha into the water during a calm and we swam against the current rising and falling with the large swells. Then we decided to get out... I watched the one powerful wave pound the shore and started like mad for the water's edge. We had been pulled south toward the stronger more dangerous current. Before we could get our feet on the sand, I felt the pull and watched the 7th wave rise up behind me. Nearly screaming 'I can't move!' because of the pull, I knelt under the power of the salt wall as it crashed over me and swept me up the steep beach leaving my knees in red bloody speckles.

I hope you enjoyed your Sunday evening, contemplating the power of our Creator, but from a safer distance.

Sunset Sunday at Labenne, France 

Cinderella and Prayer

Today was a day to pray and listen to God.  The day went smoothly and I am nice and tired this evening as a result.  I think God gave me the peace I asked for in regards to my hurricane thinking. 

I also cleaned and scrubbed a bit; a last ditch effort to ready the house for the return of the family tomorrow and their guests this week.  I took some time out today to read the story of Cinderella in French.  Yes, even young adult women still dream.

Mountains

I took three of the children to see their grandparents in the Pyrenee mountains.  Mountain roads in a 9 passenger van are quite a ride.  We enjoyed the time of hiking around seeing the sights and eating good food for 3 days.  bummer I don't have my camera with me to post a few shots.  We returned to Bayonne on Thursday to welcome Bernard and Evangeline home from their vacation.  Now I'm back at cleaning and cooking and trying to find time to straighten out the Surfer Bible and Conference in Hossegor.    Thanks for your prayers.

no i'm not dead

just a quick word to tell you that i am alive and kicking. i'm located in the southwest of France at Maison Puyo east of Bayonne and north of the L'Adour river by about 10 minutes in a car.

i'm taking care of a few children while the parents are 'getting away' to celebrate their 20 years of marriage. this weekend a few extra gals are over hanging out to learn about God together. Tomorrow i will share about who we are in Christ in a short devotional.

I took Tabitha (# 2 of 7 children) to the dentist in Biarritz. We took the 9 passenger van, parked downtown and hung out on the beach to eat our sandwiches. Imagine- 2 young gals in a huge van downtown 'tourismville' who get lost trying to get out of town.

In the past 6 days, I have driven 4 different vehicles: the camionette/van, a small car with no brakes (repaired the day after), a tiny car that i bombed around in the pays basque to take the boys to get their shots, and a Mercedes which we cruised up to Seignosse (near Hossegor) in.

Hope your vacation is going well.

repartie

Il est 7H.
Jonathan est super gentil.
Je pars pour Montparnasse.
Mon TGV est le 8515.
Il soleil est brillant.
Je laisse notre appartement en ordre.
J'ai fait ma valise pour 3 mois.
Ma guitar est prête... mes doigts- non.
Les étudiants Basques Espagnols partent pour Seattle/Portland/Suzanneville/Redwood City.
Je vais sur la Côte Basque.

the south

noonish here in Paris France. Alaina and I have been chillin' since yesterday evening. I took her to my fav Cuban food joint and we shared a meal and then walked and walked and walked til we reached our intended destination in the 7th. We joined an amazing soirée featuring Provencal food and wine. We talked and I reconnected with Carrie who Michelle introduced me to a month ago, Kelly the server and Charles and Elizabeth. We had a nice evening.

We snuck out the door for a few minutes with our glasses to a bar around the corner to watch the final minutes of France vs. Greece. My heart sunk as I watched the time run out on them down 0-1. Don't worry les Bleus, je vous aime quand même.

So now I have about 3 days to get packed and cleaned up and ready to catch my train for the south. Time is flying and I have quite a bit of work to do. Its good to be a little busy though, it keeps things moving forward.

PFR sings

pour me out,
til there's nothing left of me

pour me out,
so that some day I might see

i want to lose myself in finding You
embracing grace and facing truth
tear down these walls that dim the shape i'm in

pour me out,
from my river to Your sea

pour me out,
let me ride on waves of peace

i want to understand this greater plan
how character can shape a man
Your image surrounding me, pray that will be

brain pain and an unsafe God

I'm having one of those days. Its a moment when you think, "that's all nice in theory, but in practice...?" I don't know why It is crashing down into my head today. I really don't have much space in the brain to think about It but I am. Its the question about 'church'. I've been pretty intrigued by the simple church movement and from what I've seen and heard, it looks like an amazing process but my questions come in regarding multiplication.

Almost 3 weeks ago, I asked Michael Moynagh (author of Changing World, Changing Church) how can the emerging church in all its facets and forms effectively multiply? I keep hearing that it can be done with non-Christian people obviously led by a small team of solid believers. I'm wearying of seeing churches grow and develop at the sake of other's decline. Comfy Christianity seekers. I don't know how much of this goes on in France where the believers are few and the churches are quite small but I imagine it happens. I know of 1 church in Paris that was started exclusively with a group of non believers meeting regularly in a home to discuss faith. Today this home church is still vibrant after 10 years.

I think I'll ask a few people some questions, find out history, correct my preconceived ideas and see if I can relieve the brain pain I have over this topic.

Anyone out there know the name of the home group church movement in Germany - they are 700 and counting.

I'm swimming in all this all the while reading a book by John Eldredge and Brent Curtis called The Sacred Romance. Somewhere all this comfort christianity conflict is tied up in my mind as I wrestle with a Wildly Dangerous Romantic God and desire for the security I know in Him. Lucy asks the Beavers in CS Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, if he, Alsan, is safe. "'Course he's not safe! But he's good."

back

Well, I've safely returned to Paris. I'm plugging in all my electronics, making phone calls, trying to stay awake and thus confused about what I should be doing right now. So I thought I'd blog and tell you all that I'm home. There's too much email to respond to, too much computer organization to do, only one week to do it in, and a fly or bee that is trying desperately to get freed from my room. I think I'll let him go.

saying goodbye in Vancouver with my buddy Tim Spring. 

a week ago he walked

And he wore the mortarboard. Congrats to my brother Zack who's going to Seattle Pacific U in the fall. 

I said goodbye to my niece Abby today up in Seattle. Abby will have a new sister or brother next month. I'll miss them all... but I plan to be back for Abby's third birthday on February 21st next year! 

shortsands lining up 

girlfriends at the beach 

jeanette and britt- you rock! 

Bethany 

Sk8 Church and Andy's bus

in Portland- the city I love 

under the sun

I've been snowed in with emails about the Surfer's Bible here in the Seattle sun. Today I arrived back at my folks from a whirlwind tour of Portland. It was with tears that I drove the minivan back over the I-5 bridge and gazed, rather glanced, at the Columbia river flowing from the foot of Mount Hood. Hood is our winter playground. Short Sands Beach just south of Cannon Beach is the surf spot where I and some girlfriends spent a day basking in the sun and wind. Its been an incredible visit. Tomorrow I begin the challenge of packing up the things I'm taking back to France. I'll also see my sister in Seattle one last time. Sunday morning I board the plane for Paris.

JT

'Bonjour' de mon neveu Jonathan, qui a vécu des miracles en entrant dans ce monde il y a 13 mois. Aujourd'hui il est très mobile et il aime danser, rigoler et manger, bien sûr.  

dans le sunspace

Ma nièce, Anna, découvre l'oeuvre de Dieu. Le papillon est mort dans notre chambre qu'on appelle le 'sunspace'. 

the shoe decision

So I made a decision to buy new tennis in the moment I donned my fav's to mow the lawn this afternoon. I knew that mowing in them would render them green and ugly like "farm shoes" all are. Bummer. Now I need to search for new tennis. I'm thinking some New Balances might be nice.

Tomorrow my little bro slips on the robe and mortar board. We'll be partying all afternoon.

home home

There are certain things I love about being home. There is the lawn to mow, which I always thought resembled a football field; the pool to clean, and the ugly mouse cooking in the sun that the cat caught and left on the cement step on our deck.

So far, I'm feeling great to be home, taking extra vitamins and trying to figure out if the weather will be nice or not. Currently, mild temperatures with partial clouds and slight humidity.

voyage et massage

Dans 24 heures je vais être dans un avion. Je vais aux Etats-Unis. Et puisque c'est de Seattle d'où je viens, je vais me rendre à l'aeroport de SeaTac où mes chèrs parents m'attendront. Le but de ce voyage est de voir ma famille, discuter avec eux et d'autres personnes dans ma vie. Je vais aussi rendre visite à Portland où se trouve mon église Central Bible. Mon amie Jeanette m'attends avec impatience. Je vais profiter de cette visite : Jeanette va avoir bientôt son diplôme en massage. ahhh...

Voilà : il faut que je fasse ma valise. Bonne fête Maman !!

slowly slowly.... supersonique!

Summer it taking shape. Monday I leave for a short trip to Seattle and return the 21st when I'll take my camera on a photo shoot of Les Passagers in concert on the Champs Elysées. It looks like I will have the opportunity to meet some friends before I go down into the south.

This summer is going to be important for me : learning what I desire, what God desires, what I want in life and what I love. It will be challenging and I am asking for reinforced prayer as I learn to deal effectively with different stressful situations. Michelle tells me that God is going to do some amazing stuff this summer in me and for me.

So far, the ride into the unknown has already taken some crazy turns and I'm planning on cinching up the seatbelt and hanging on for dear life! Its like getting on the Indiana Jones rollercoaster here in Paris. You may not be prepared to go upside-down until the sholderpads come crashing down on your sholders. And then you're in for another surprise when it takes off backwards.

a new day, a new view

I put on my fav sweats this morning and took a stroll in the woods behind the village. Everything is so green- you will find every shade of green in those woods.

I talked to God as I went- told him all about what life looks like from my view down here. He reminded me of the many ways I could respond to the 'hiccups' in life and I talked to him about it: life, culture, love, and living for him. I then pleaded with him to hold me upright and calm. I even bargained with him to let me carry his load- which is light and easy- while He carries mine which, to me, seems heavy and awkward.

Next monday I plan to make a short trip to Seattle to see family and talk with a few friends. Then this summer I will venture into the southwest of France to work with kids. I don't know quite where this grand adventure will take me, but God has promised that his ways are higher than mine, his dreams out-do any dream I could ever have, and his plan is more exceptional than I could ever organize.

construire ensemble

Je suis rentrée d'une super weekend passé parmis les jeunes de la France et la Suisse. Nous sommes restés dans un petit village, Ovronnaz, situé dans les Alps Suisses. Pour voir le film qu'on a construit ensemble là-bas, viste le site d'OIKOS où se trouve également un petit clip qui me fait mort de rire.

Poste/Phone Panic

What does one do when La Poste doesn't deliver? One writes an email. What does one do when the email response says to call? Well that completely depends on the person. I am not as agile as most french people over the phone so I tend to fear, shake, pray, wipe the sweat from my palms as I dial the phone number for help.

I've been putting my faith into practice a little more than usual these past couple days. The story goes that in faith we bought a plane ticket for the States where I would undergo an interview for a life-time career. Left hanging in the balance by an undelivered ticket and the sudden knowledge of a lost piece of my application (which was found), I'm constantly sitting on the edge of my seat wondering what is next. It is not always easy to live in limbo. But by the Lord's strength and faith, I dare to move forward. I figure there must be some purpose for this crazy lesson in patience.

La Poste

So the post office delivers in the US, but warning: it might take 8 days. I wish it worked that way here in France. I'm still waiting for an important document. I've taking to pleading with the Lord to drop it off. I'll make sure let you know how this saga ends.

The weekend retreat went fine. I took some nice photos to remember it by as well. You can see one here. We sang and laughed, ate together and danced! I even got 'multicultural' hair. 2 hours and 4 hands later, and I'm covered in little braids!

a little prayer

For those of you who pray, maybe you could say a simple prayer lifting up our church weekend. We'll be celebrating our diversity. I ask the Lord to calm my pounding heart- I have one too many things on my head and heart.

Me and the Poste

I've been frustrated lately with the nice little organization we call the Poste. Not that the poste doesn't have an enormously crazy task every single day but for the fact that 2 very important documents have not arrived at their destination in a timely manner. I'll keep my chin up though and pray for their rapid delivery. More to come...

"Danses?" "Oui"

I should have taken my water bottle with me. Even though the Seine runs next to the swing dance floor, there's not much water to be had. I took my very out of shape Lindy legs for a spin tonight. I met a couple people and enjoyed trying my french out on strangers. It was a warm evening and with the swingin' we got pretty hot. I'll go again next week if I can 'swing it'. For now I know I'll sleep super well...my legs are like rubber.

more on the unknown

Not knowing what it will all be like or look like is probably a good thing. It means I have the utmost freedom to be and live out who I am wherever I land. For now the sights are set on the Côte Basque. I know I need only one thing : to be connected to Jesus. (John 15)

life

I was greatly encouraged by the speaker at church yesterday. His exhortation to live a transformed community life only convinced me more fully of my desire to keep moving forward with the "full-time" project. I sometimes wonder how I got where I am today and where it is all taking me. (I think I've said that once before already...) So the task this week is prayer: prayer for the review of my application with CBI and for my plane ticket to arrive. We'll know more on Wednesday.

After a cool party for my roommate yesterday afternoon, the boyz helped us assemble my new bed. We have 4 in total to do but since my room was such a "bazard" I had to get it done. Fortunately Kash and Antoine are 'near' pros at putting together Ikea stuff. My bed came together but I sliced my finger on some metal pieces and needed minor first-aid. We wrapped it up and I'm back at life... paying special attention to not aggravate my fingers and hands where all the little cuts are found.

Oh, and the word is out all over France and the DOM-TOM about the Surfeur Bible Project. My desire is to see this thing come to life, unity of the brotherhood and new brothers and sisters as results.

Par Terre

I sleep on the floor. I've been sleeping there on a brand new mattress for 5 days now. I love it... I sleep well, I even dream or have nightmares that I can remember. The only problem with my situation is that my old bed frame and everything under it are still on the scene. I've been making due though since I am so extremely happy about the new mattress! Thank you Twin Lakes Church for the generous gift to OIKOS so that we sleep better.

on house church

Alan Creech seeks to answer the important question, "why we do church a different way."

I've had a hard time following my own ideas these past couple days. I've been hangin' around the House Church Blog lately. I am wondering where my path will take me. I know that when I think about seeing churches multiply- I want to be a part of it. I also can't seem to wrap my mind around how a movement of believers like this would look- I don't care what you want to call it: house churches, simple churches, home groups... I guess I've been "running around the track" too long.

syndication

I'm curious to know if the little button below my archives works for you. I'm still trying to understand how in the heck it all works. My next task: getting a photo album on this blog. I'm taking one day, one 'add-on' at a time. So far, I'm pleased.

itchin' to Lindy

checking out a few of Evrim's photos from Larry's 'dance-off' made me miss the DJ nights at the Viscount. We used to dance our legs to rubber until the DJ would chase us out by putting on the hip-hop and still then we'd figure out a why to swing to it. I miss the Lindy Hop and figure that I'm so out of the habit that I'll never regain my nimble feet. Still, I hope to visit the Slow Club here in Paris one wednesday night and see if I can find my groove once again.

help

RSS or Atom?

ice cream outside auschwitz

I've never visited Auschwitz, but my friend Vic Varis has. And I think what he has to say about this Irak thing was worth reading. There are just some days when you wish you weren't an 'american is Paris'...

ahhh...

thank you blogger... finally I got it right but I had to restart from scratch.

pardon me

sorry for all the messiness with the blog. i'm trying to make it more interesting and reader friendly. but it bothers me that my white frame just disappeared...

comments

can you comment on this?

Je pensais- même si je suis une 'meuf' qui parle beaucoup, ça va avec moi. Au moin je peux m'exprimer en français ou anglais... quel avantage!! Et les gars- je vous aime même si vous me critiquez parce que je sais que c'est normal.

Les gars ici me disent que je parle beaucoup- normale pour une 'meuf'.
"Même en français?"
"Bah- ouais!!"
Je trouve interessant que je ne comprends que 60% de ce qu'ils disent parce qu'ils parlent tous en même temps, et rapidement! Je pense qu'eux, ils parlent beaucoup plus que moi mais peut-être qu'ils ne parlent pas sauf quand je suis là...

Peut-être que c'est vrai : je parle beaucoup- mais s'ils savaient combien de pensées me passent par la tête....

its one of those blustery rainy grey days here in Lognes FRANCE. I slept in after fighting a prolonged evening with myself. Sometimes I wish I could just turn my brain off. Thanks to all my friends here who are putting up with me: Michelle, Audrey, the Finley's, the Monge's, Swanson, Elise, Kash, Evrard, Ruben, Antoine...

I'm committed to never compromising my passion for Christ.
I promise myself to keep dreaming big.
I will keep working hard to learn to laugh at myself and be curious about life.

now if I only could get this blog a little more interesting...

It looks as if the Christian Surfer's French New Testament will be taking off. Today with the beautiful liason between Thierry and Christian Bonnet, Lorenzo and I batted the ball into their court. I am in awe of God and how He brings together the things He wants- I'm so stoked to meet the dudes He plans to save through this effort!

The French Bible Society welcomed us and listened to the project, flipped through the english version I brought to them, thumbed through official documents and asked questions. Then they started brainstorming- farther than I imagined. Christian is putting out calls to all french speaking Bible Societies and multiple missions who might add to the order of this "bible". Now we wait... for their decision and estimate for the project.

I emailed off the last of my two papers to CBI. I'm asking myself what is next other than to pray and read the Word as the committee reviews what I and others have said.

I keep dreaming big for the future. I decided that I want two labradors: a black one and a white. We'll name 'em "Tank" and "Toffee". And we'll have a big enough piece of land so that they will be content outside. Maybe I'll give English lessons in the town where I live and work part-time in a café. Or help organize big events and host people traveling through and do photography. Of course I would be located in 'near paradise' with mountains towering nearby but a 5 minute walk from the crashing surf of Southwest France. You are invited- bring your boards, I'll have a garage where you can sharpen and wax. I'll even make you cookies!

I am so proud of the Lagny Youth. Yesterday they all participated to lead worship, act in skits, and share their experience with the Love of God to their elders. The church was full and from my vantage point behind the keyboard on stage. We showed the youth video from February. (I'll do my best to find a place to post it for you.) It went rather smoothly and was a joy to be apart of. Just one more proof that our God works through even my weakest moments.

when one has a weakness,
and one can see it in its reoccuring raw-ness,
one tends to want to correct it.

when one is resolved to correct it,
one takes extreme mesures to ensure success.

that is how one can work with god for change.

Je viens de mettre des photos des Passagers sur mon Imagestation.

You can check out the photos from the live Easter concert by Les Passagers. They will soon be available on the OIKOS blog as well.

Summary

Its friday. I need to burn a quicktime video of the Lagny Youth. I want to mail in my papers to CBI. I have to practice the piano for Sunday. I should practice the guitar. A meeting is set up with La Société Biblique Française for next Friday. I wish I could upgrade this blog so as to include photos.

I somehow got myself involved in a publication project for Christian Surfers several months back. This time, it happens to be their Surfer Bible but in French. So after months of emails getting details straightened out, I gutted out a short email to "contact" at the French Bible Society. I got a response from the person I hoped to and suddenly everything is rolling like mad. We're hunting up a meeting time to show the director the finished product and answer his questions. Thank the Lord for providing just the right people at just the right moment. Now we can pray that I'll have just the right words and that we'll have enough money to make it fly! I'm actually so stoked to be part of this project to get the Word into hands that normally wouldn't pick it up.

Je viens d'ajouter quelques liens pour les francophones. Je vous présente EVRARD et son beau blog et vous envoie vers le site qui touche aux étudiants à Rennes et ailleurs par mes amis avec Agapé.

Forgive me for wearing my heart on my sleeve
Its been two weeks that I've pecked away at my life story and my life beliefs. Slowly they are coming together and stored conveniently on my hard drive. With the contemplation that it takes to piece together one's history, comes another weight brought on by the grand questions of life. What am I doing? How will it end? Have I taken a wrong turn?

Each night I lay to rest these questions and confidently ask only for the strength for tomorrow. Why I offer up who and what I am: Grace to the broken. ...way more valuable than my life...

today i had a thought:

two years ago i was located in portland oregon usa.
today i live in a paris suburb.
two years ago i worked at starbucks on 45th and glisan street.
today i work with cbi.
two years ago i drove a '95 toyota camry that i called little genie.
today i don't have a car.
two years ago i did my shopping at fred meyer on 102nd and glisan.
today i bought my groceries at tang frere in lognes france.
two years ago i got my exercise by going swing/lindy hop dancing at the viscount on burnside and 6thish.
today i went for a vigorous morning walk around the town to exercise.

how my life has changed... and yeah, it was all one thought.

words from Garry Friesen, professor, friend and author of Decision Making and the Will of God:

I recently gave some marriage advice in my Bible class. By the way, none of my marriage advice has been contradicted by my experience. Since my marriage experience is minimal, actually nil, I usually end my comments with “but, what does a single guy know.” A lady from my Bible class e-mailed me and asked, Could you write down those points you gave at the end of class? We had just finished a discussion of husband/wife relations and specifically the submission of wives to husbands (complementarian view in contrast to the egalitarian view). “Ladies,” I said, “if you believe in the submission of wife to husband, I have three suggestions.”
(1) Don’t say yes to the proposal of a wimp. Trying to follow someone who is afraid to lead is impossible.
(2) Don’t marry a man who uses his leadership as a power trip rather than a chance to show sacrificial love. (Test him by finding out how he treats his sister and his mother).
(3) Don’t marry a man who is hooked by pornography. You will never be able to satisfy a man who is in the process of perverting his sexual desires.

But, then again,
what does a single guy know,

Garry

Return to my Roots

All my youth, my loving parents sent me off to school with the typical american lunch: PBnJ sandwich, juice box, piece of fruit, and couple cookies. It was the staple on which I survived as a student, an athlete and musician. For the last week, it has become my comfort food and lunch. PBnJ on toasted bread, piece of fruit, juice and whatever little sweet thing I can find.

I just completed my first working draft of a biographical sketch. This too has been an adventure down memory lane. As I reread my story, my childhood and history of my walk with God, it is with some pain and then joy that I contemplate where I've been. The story could be much longer than 5 typed pages but the application for which it is destined says no more than 6.

summary of recent email from CBI:

Hi,
welcome to the party.
here are 10 thousand steps to finish by May 13th.
see attached.
see attached.
see attached.
see attached.
see you in June,
Linda

I can't get it out of my head: the crucifixion of this innocent God/Man. This morning I entered a cinema to watch The Passion of Christ. I purposefully chose the daytime and strategically picked Good Friday. My stomach knotted as I climbed the escalators into the shopping and cinema complex. I could barely speak out the words, "one place for the Passion, please". I organized myself with a neat pile of tissue and my water bottle as they rolled previews for Monster and a french comedy about marriage.

And then, I watched this Jesus take on the sin of the world. He healed while being arrested, He was silent when accused, He sacrificed his power when tortured, and He triumphed when he died. I wept the whole film and the girl next to me sobbed the whole time. I can still hear her. My heart weeps as I remember the weight of my sin that fell upon Him. What a scandal, this cross- that an pure and holy God receive the just punishment deserved of men.

Good Friday must have been one of the longest yet shortest days in history. Long- an agonizing day that saw the fearsome wrath of God on the Sin of the world. Short- It is finished. Today I will remember that my sin is paid for. By one man sin entered the world and by One Man, it is paid for.

This Summer
This morning I had a phone call confirming my summer desire. I'll be taking off for Basque Country in late June. The purpose is to explore the mission field, meet people, participate in the current ministries and a September surf outreach, and get wet. Its about time I learned to surf...
...keep watching for more info...

When it rains here during the springtime it works like a faucet: there are two positions= "on" and "off". When it is on, you look for cover so you won't be pelted to tiny bits and wetter than a drowned cat. When it is off, you warm up in the sun and watch the steam rise from the puddles that you are stepping around.

The fearless Gideon team headed out for a second round of street interviews and gift delivery in the town of Chelles France. What is Easter all about? We get a variety of responses: chocolate, the kids, family, long weekends; bells in Rome, 'something catholic' or is it Jesus? Easter is the day we remember Jesus' victory over death. We will live again: One for all, once and for all! Better decide before its too late.

I'm still chuckling to myself after reading how to not embarrass myself at a Baptist church by the TallSkinnyKiwi.

sorrow: ...this mountain's high/ too high for us...
...your ways are high/ too high for me... Martin Smith

I was asked "why?" the other day by a young woman. Why these horrible things? Why these deaths, wars, diseases...? All I can say is I wish I had an answer. God is just too huge for me to understand. And so instead I ask for compassion, Lord!

Creative idea #57 gone kaput: spaghetti is 1cm too long to fit in a Pringles can.

Emerging Church publishes my supervisor's words.

I just bought Delirious? 's World Service album! I've been waiting what seems like an eternity to get my paws on it! I listened to the prereleases until they stopped letting me stream them... but NOW... ah thank you iTunes!

This wednesday, the 31st, is the day of prayer and fasting for the Pays Basque in France. 40 days have been organized to pray for France over the period of Lent. I'm tossing it into overdrive this week as I pray and communicate with my mission agency in CO about applying for full-time ministry in this unreached corner of France.

The italians brought the sun...
Well, they aren't exactly italian but they are my friends who came passing through Paris this weekend and they came in from Italy. It was wonderful to visit with Fae and Debbie, Kimi and Jenny... Thanks for your warm presence here in Paris- you lifted my spirits, like the sun always does.

I will never forget the organ playing randomly as we sat in St Eustache today. Sun rays flooded the stained glass of the gothic cathedral and I set my face toward the glow capturing the moving light with my camera. The majesty, reverance and beauty- reminds me of my God.

I joined a rainbow of faces at church today. We celebrated birthdays, Audrey's dream coming true (she's going to CA for the summer), and friendship today at the Claye church.

Yesterday I contemplated the idea of getting some design training. I stumbled upon some of the crazy flash sites that make you want to learn how. It was my day off, my day to dream. I even slept like it was my day off last night.

Today, I have compiled some photos from Barcelona. My brother and I dared to venture into the terrorized country just after the March 11 bombings for a little skating. I'm not a skater but moreso a photographer, and filmer in this case. It took us about 2 days and 10 falafels to meet some guys who then joined us for another couple falafels. German, Spanish, Canadian, Irish, American- thanks kyle reynolds, for the pharmacy sweatshirt- the NYC guys know PDX and the DEPT. Joey, Thomas and guys- hope we meet again some day!

Brie with Sun-Dried Tomatoes


1 pound Brie
2 Tbsp. minced, fresh parsley
2Tbsp. freshly grated parmesan
4 sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drain, reserving 1 Tbsp. oil, mince)
6 cloves garlic, minced and mashed to a paste
4 leaves fresh basil (or 1 Tsp. dried, crumbled)

Remove rind from Brie with a sharp knife. Place Brie on a serving plate. In a small bowl, combine parlsley, parmesan, tomatoes, garlic and basil. Add reserved oil and combine well. Spread mixture over Brie and let stand at room temperature one hour before serving. Serve with French bread or crackers.

Thanks Anne, it was a hit!

Monday: the sun is shining...wait a minute... not now... but now.... It's springtime in Paris.
taptaptap, I have about 100 emails needing response and Monday is my day to write them.

Gearing up for a little more pain this year, I decided to enhance the experience by purchasing a new Fender guitar. This baby is making people smile. The quality of sound surpasses what a debutante like me should be strumming. My musicianship goal is to be singing a worship song or two by summer. Kinda steep, but I count on a small hour per day to callous those digits and train agility.

written 11 March in face of life and ministry here in France

Exhausted from a full day, I sit down and recognize the dirt I've accumulated throughout the day: my ears have endured foul language, my feet have walked dog-trodden cobbles; my hair has grown straw-like in the dense air of a cafe, and my faces itches from the smoke of my neighbor's cigarette. Its been a tremendously profitable day.

Exhausted from the old life without Jesus, I sat down to realize that dirt in my life was killing me: my mouth poured vulgarities, my feet darted around in anger and looking for love, my hair became part of my mask, and I wore the smoke of my condemnation upon my clothes and skin. And then I met Jesus who listened to my words, walked my paths, breathed this earthly air and exchanged his perfect eternal life for my rightful damnation. This is the most effective day of my existence.

From here out I move forward desiring to become more like this amazing personification of Grace, godly and pure. I live here on earth among millions of souls just like me and I will remember the dirt that has been washed away. And I will go out into these peoples to live an ever brightening life among them because of Jesus.

Pray for France:
60 million souls

photo- green eyes: she looks like Liv
green- Gabe in Chicago is donning it again; Starbucks at Metro: Pyramides, 126 Ave Opera
sing- elise; elise and lise for lagny
lagny- beware of 806 in pedestrian cross walks
walks- from lognes to noisiel to gournay
from short to long- emails
print- surfer=surfeur
uncertainty and love

Suivez mes amis les MONGE et même partagez ce dont Dieu vous a donné. Sorry for all you who only understand English- but that sure shouldn't stop you from giving! This is an excellent cause for the Name of Jesus.

I am truly becoming française. I can not décider which langue de parler. Je talk english même avec un french accent. And en plus, I sleep with socks on my hands slathered in crème pour les protèger at night because le froid here is making them too dry. Anyone a une solution?

Go Mel! vote here

Feeling bored? Try out a few lindy clips. to get your heart pumpin'. Anybody in Paris wanna teach me how?

Take a stroll through my cross collection from Père Lachaise today.

Meet Basque. A worthy read for the curious.

Père Lachaise
Took a stroll through a cemetery today. I guess it blew my mind: so many people have lived and died, and all that is left if stone. Sepulchers with broken stained glass windows remember the years past, and rusted metal doors tell of the beauty that once was. Certain trees have lifted ancient stones and tipped crooked the crosses. Flowers are either fresh cut, wilting, or dead- only the plastic ones have somewhat survived.

I shuffled around wondering what people really believe about their lives and what they anticipate from the end. For as much Catholic tradition that is painted across this landscape, one might find it surprising that just outside the gate, death feeds an industry; I can pick my stone, choose my carving artist and pay for the flowers.

They tell me somewhere snuggled in among the history lies several famous people like Jim Morrison... I only saw Oscar Wilde's monument kissed in a myriad of lip shades.

Congratulations to my friends Dan and Kara in Portland who will marry on March 13th.. Sorry I won't be there. We can't all be everywhere at once, and besides, someone needs to go to Barcelona and film my brother skating. (Kurt- you wanna come?) It will be my mini vacation of the year. Remember last year- took 2 1/2 days to visit Nice! You can see the photos via the link on the side there.... ------->

Its been one year since I've been 'en France.' Yesterday I tacked up a string of Christmas lights on my wall. Everyone loves Christmas lights even if it's not Christmas. They are so useful. I had a brilliant idea of shaping them like a star but my star looks more like an amoeba than a star, and my roommate thinks it slightly resembles the street layout surrounding the Arche de Triomphe. My desk is cluttered with cords and books and papers, and my wardrobe won't close cuz of my favorite sweatshirts that hang on the doors. It was a busy day finishing one invitation for the Chelles Church, and planning for the technical side of Saturday's big youth event. One video down, one loop to build and a powerpoint show of publicity to create. Sorry if my email bounced back today; my bad- I have to start remembering to dump my online stack on a daily basis.

Zer gertatu da?

Now if only I knew how to pronounce it. Of course this question structure triggers a neutral sentence order response. Oh, I finally know what to call the cross hanging around my neck- thanks to some energetic french basques I met in Paris this weekend: it a Lau-Buru.

J'ai changé.

I said, "A change could do you good"!

I think a hair cut might be in order.

Where in the world have I been?



create your own visited country map
or write about it on the open travel guide

So maybe I haven't seen that many countries- I can't wait to see the others.

Laïque

The point is this folks, we are in desperate need of some authentic missional communities of Christ that are not concentrating so much on "doing" church as they are BEING the Church. Rob Graham

Uncover your head.

it snowed here.

Here is a link to go and check out the photos from this trip to the Basque.

Ok. Last time I told you that this was going to be a journey blog. Well, my journey has many facets and the one I'm about to tell you about looks like it will turn into a longterm project.

The Pays Basque or Basque Country of France and Spain has been layed on the hearts of multiple people in the last few years. The number is Followers of Jesus are few and far between but interest in a relationship with Jesus is increasing.

A year ago, I made a debut trip into the region, starting in San Sebastien Spain. We toured by car the northern coast came face to face with the beauty of God's creation, cliffs and world-class surf waves from Bilbao to Mundaka. We met people who would become our friends for life and were invited into homes that any other stranger would never have entered.

6 of us then made our way up into Biarritz and Bayonne of France to encounter God at work through a family hard at work in house church planting and a lone surfer who just wanted to show us his surf spots. This rendez-vous turned into the launching pad for a new believer and an open door into a whole network of local surfers from Hossegor to Hendaye.

Today, I am reflecting upon a return trip to the French Basque country. I returned to Paris Wednesday night from a long weekend spent with Bernard and his family in Bayonne. The trip featured the voyage of three mission-minded men: Gerald, Chris and Joe and their surf boards; the second encouter with Jean-Yves and his family, waves, and Christian Surfers International.

"What's going on," you ask? There is a growing movement in house church planting in the region, more spiritual interest than ever before, the Surfer Bible on the verge of translation into French, the preparation for an evangelistic outreach into the surf community in late September and a new team of reinforcements dedicated to the region is developing for which missionaries and believers in this area have been praying for years.

This team looks like it will be coming from several corners of the earth. Just today- an email from a family in Australia-- Christian Surfers holding their annual conference in the region will target these waters and beaches soon-- a boardsports missionary in Paris fields calls and project propositions for which he does not have enough time-- a french pastor and his Basque wife watch from Marseille-- an exchange student program hosting Basque students in Christian homes dives into another season of recruiting-- and young men and women in America are mailing applications to a mission agency while CS guys translate testimonies into French surfer lingo.

Meanwhile back in Lognes France, I'm clicking away at a very long blog. I think I'll let this turn in your head for a while and then I'll let you in on what I'm thinking... and maybe sign up for photos so I can give you a visual!

Good morning Thursday. These last couple days have been devoted to organization for the coming year- kinda like spring cleaning. I've been cleaning too: Audrey let me re-pot her Christmas plants and I think they are going to make it. Besides their living presence in the house, they will be quite beautiful- adding necessary greens and maybe a pink or blue here and there. They tell me the sun will come out again, the cold will melt into warmth and the brown grass will turn green. I've started to look forward to Jonathan's tulips- they're coming!

organization also means reloading and updating all the email addresses that I have floating around after another year. This time I'm putting the LizToppy to use and organizing in it's sync'ed addressbook and mail features- We're gonna love it! But 600 addresses is an awful lot of people to keep track of.

This is also the week that I think and pray and write down goals and dreams for the now and future. I'll be turning the original work over a few times before its ready to share; but this blog is going to start telling a story of where I am going in life. Believe me...it will, eventually.

Like last year- this one starts with a bang! A trip to the Pays Basque. This trip's menu:
1. revisit Bayonne and it's surf with Gerald Griffin, Chris Probasco and Joe Brandi.
2. reencounter with Bernard and Evangeline Gaye and their house church network.
3. see Jean-Yves, Cecile and Pyrenee; witness JY's baptism!! He became a Christian last year when we visited!
4. talk to the Robinson's about involvement with their student exchange program.
5. take my new digital camera for a spin and let 'da boyz be boyz'- surfing is in the lineup! (3m waves yesterday.)

I had nightmares in highschool about the PSAT and then the real thing, the SAT. I didn't score so well but to me it didn't matter much after I got off to Bible College. Today I stumbled upon an IQ test online and decided that it has been enough years to give it a whirl and see just how I measure up. Well I scored 131 and they labeled me a Visionary Philosopher. They say that I have a talent for explaining things to people because of mathmatical and verbal skills. Well, now that my brain has been squeezed for all it is worth..., I think I'll fight sleep and the jetlag for another couple hours. Been up since 5:30am. Oh, wanna take the IQ Test?

I just arrived back in Paris after a very long travel experience. Thank the Lord they de-iced the plane in Seattle before taking off and that they didn't try to fly the plane in Cincinnati with a broken door. It sure did make for a long haul as well as an eventful trip.

With a trip home fresh in my memory, I can't say how wonderful it was to see family and friends. I missed out on a second trip to Portland because of the gnarly snow storm but I did get to see a few people early on. There was absolutly no way that I could have seen everyone even though I wanted to. Certainly there is a list of precious faces that I had wanted and intended to see: Jeanette- I never got my massage, the Cabes, Timmy, Celeste..

Well, I'm trying to stay up as late as I possibly can, and after a nap this afternoon I am doing pretty well... I do have a ton of laundry and cleaning and organizing to do over the next week before I trip it to the Pays Basque.