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| So, it's been a veeeeeeeeerrrrryyyyy long time since I've posted here... Partly because I've been lazy, but also partly because Xanga changed stuff around and I couldn't figure out how to post a new blog, lame yes, but also honest.
Today was a really good day. I think it has to do with my connection with God today. We started a new sermon series at church today based of this book. Darin Brown was the speaker today and was basically outlining the premise of the book (which isn't hard to determine based on the title). Jen "hates" when Darin preaches because he always makes her cry...he succeeded today...I was almost there as well. Jen and I are going to read the book, which is set up to be read over 30 days.
Like I said in some earlier postings I hope to re-discover some passion...in anything. I'll keep posting about progress and the book here.
Oh, I do have some news! I have a new guitar!
She's real purty! And plays like a dream! There is a downside
though. I now need a new amplifier to compliment this beast. It also
has inspired me to practice more because I don't feel that my current
skill level does this baby any justice....you can find a quote about this in Keith's blog. I don't know if you can see in the picture, but it does say "Gibson" on the Headstock....with a some fancy writing that says "Les Paul"...ya Willis, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout.
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| Now it's Monday morning in Paris, I've had all of 1.5 hours of sleep on the flight...but I'm feeling ok for now.
We land in Paris and make our way to the luggage claim. We have a LOT of stuff so we grab some carts to carry our things. It takes a while for bags to start coming out, but eventually all of our luggage is retrieved....luggage, not equipement. So we wait. And wait. I bug Bill that our guitars are pancakes; he doesn't laugh. But we do get all our stuff, and it's all ok.
We find Bill Baird without much problem and some people hit up an ATM to get some Euros. I had got a few at the AAA office in Wheaton, so I was good for now. We make a nice little parade over to Bill B.'s car and cram it full of as much stuff as possible. We were only left with a few small bags to bring with us, which was nice. Bill B. would drive back to Poitiera with with our stuff and we would take the TGV (high speed train) there. Getting to the train station was easy, it's part of the airport...a simple rail shuttle got us there easily. We stopped at a little bakery shop to grab something to eat...mmm pasteries...many more to come. Then it was a small wait until our train showed up.
When we finally got on our train, the group sat in a smallish compartment that would fit just our team. Nice. Unless you're clastrophobic...like my wife. She was turning a bright red colour and breathing fast when I finally asked her what was wrong. Her and I quickly moved into a bigger area.
The train ride was quick, of course napping most of the way didn't hurt, unless you're my neck and then you were a little stiff from the ol' head bob action related to sleeping in a sitting position. We were in Poitiers way before Bill B. One of the church staff, Karen, met us at the train station in Poitiers and shuttled us and our luggage in three trips to our hotel.
We met up at the church, which is about a 7 minute walk from where we were staying. It's a quaint little area...boy, we're going to make some noise in here.
We move some stuff around in preparation for tomorrows set up. Bill eventually shows up from Paris and we unload at the hotel. I don't know where the hours go, but I think some of the ladies went grocery shopping and some of us played ping pong for a while. Dinner was served and we hit the hay early-ish that night.
More to come.....
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| So sometimes God will prompt you with little nudges in a certain direction.
Sometimes you get wacked in the back of the head with a 2x4.
I think today was a 2x4 day...
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| Bonjour!
What a truly fabulous two weeks this has been! I don't even know where to begin. I'll probably attempt to break this down into a number of parts...but when I do that I tend to forget to finish what I started.
Sunday, November 11th
On this morning I was scheduled for worship at church, as was Bill, Keith and Deb...all of us also on the France Mission team (Tommy, Gemma and Jasmine were also on our team this Sunday morning but not going to France). We had a four song worship set prepared for this day. I never look at the worship order on myworshipplanning.com because we usually run through the set and what will happen where the morning of service and lately we also get an outline of the overall service so we know what's going to happen where. I even asked Bill if we were playing all four songs in a row and (as I recall) he told me "yes". Which I thought was a little weird, and here's why: our last song in our set was "Beautiful One" with a twist...I would open the song with the "Sweet Child O' Mine" intro....no problem, except this song is following communion...awkward I thought...but okay. So after communion I rip into the intro....not noticing anything else, and the band starts....and then Bill ends the song about a third of the way through it (well done I might add)...but I was left feeling confused as to why the song was cut short...was it time? Nope...that song wasn't supposed to be there...it was our closing song! All is well though, I've learned my lesson and will make sure I am well aware of the order of things before Sunday morning service begins. Apparently everyone else in the band knew the proper order and they nicely covered for me....thanks gang.
After service is finished we hastily tear down so we can meet up at the church office to be driven to Dulles! Our hope is to be on the road no later than 1:30pm and we managed to get away a little earlier than that.
WE'RE GOING TO FRANCE!!!
It's probably here where I should mention that we had already faced our first challenge on the trip and we hadn't even left yet. Our bass player, Josh, had found out only 4 days before our scheduled departure that his passport application was rejected because he didn't have his proper birth certificate (which he was told was okay when he dropped off his applications MONTHS ago)....Mandy scrambled desperately to try to help Josh get his birth certificate over nighted from New Mexico in hopes to get same day turn around on his passport. This was a long shot at best and didn't end up happening. So we departed for Dulles with only 9 people and short a bass player.
Check in at the airport went relatively smoothly. We had a lady helping us that did a very good job of organizing us and we only had two bags over weight! Both pieces of luggage were equipment that we expected to be over weight anyways. Oh ya, we also had decided to bring the keyboard with us too, once Mandy found out how expensive it was going to be to rent the equipment in France....sounds kind of last minute, but Mandy didn't get a quote on price from the missionaries in France until a few days before we left. Bill and I were both really worried about checking our guitars...but they got to France and back unscathed!
I got flagged to go through the extra special security screening...probably because I'm a Canadian...I know how much Americans hate Canadians, especially know that our dollar is worth more than yours. I actually got through security faster than the rest of the group...so that was nice...it was also nice not to have any cavities searched.
Now it was just waiting time. Boarding went smoothly and Jen and soon found out we were on one end of the middle row of five seats on the Boeing 777 and there was an empty seat in the middle so we would have lots of room! Except for Jen's feet which had an open electrical box by them so she couldn't fully extend her legs...good thing she's short!
I tried to sleep on the flight. I took an OTC sleep aid called Sleep MD, it's supposed to help you relax and sleep. I had taken it the two nights before we left and I can't honestly say if it works. I can say that when I awoke after using it the two previous nights that I felt awake more than usual when I got up. I only managed about 1.5 hours of sleep, with the six hour time difference and us landing in Paris at 6 am Paris time...it was going to be a long day.
to be continued....
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| It's been four weeks since my last entry, certainly hasn't felt that way. Lots has been going on. Lots of tough decisions lay ahead.
Only four days of work in Waterloo left. My time has been interesting here.
I spent five whole days at home in Maryland last week. It was just long enough to give me some sense of normality...then I had to leave again. I had a job interview set up. It was with Hour Eyes in Frederick. The place was nicer than I expected (my expectations were pretty low...if you've ever seen the Hour Eyes on 355 in Gaithersburg, you'd understand why). I was offered the job, almost a little too easily. The drive to Frederick isn't bad and I'd be against the flow of traffic all the time, so that's good. Took me 22 minutes from door to door, not bad. I'm just not convinced it's where I'm supposed to be.
Opportunities with IRIS seem to be popping up in Ottawa. Could be huge, and sooner than I expected. Like February soon...now that's just speculation, but it could become reality. I've been to Ottawa a number of times and it's a nice city. It's the Capital of Canada for those that don't know and has a good mix of activities to partake in. We're trying to find a good time for IRIS to fly Jen and me there to meet with some opticians and check out the city. Jen's never been there, but I think she'd like the mix of newness and old European charms.
I don't know what I think about the chance of moving to Canada. I'm really torn. We love living in Maryland, but as many know, the cost of living is huge. I haven't found an opportunity that I think compares to that of IRIS in Maryland, but it's not all about money....even though it's a huge part. I mean, could we live in Maryland with me working at Hour Eyes...sure, it'd be a tighter fit financially, but it'd work. The benefits are pretty decent too....something that wouldn't exist with IRIS because I'd be a small business owner and not an employee...but income would more than offset that. We love our friends in Maryland, but I'm getting tired of seeing them all move away. We love our church, I'm sure we we could find a place that we could substitute it for in Ottawa...but part of me doubts that. We love the DC area, there's so much to do, and you can drive a little ways and you're in the middle of nowhere.
AAAARRGGHH! I can find a counter argument for almost any point I make.
And I know what some people will say. You'll make new friends...you'll find a new church...life without risk is boring...yada yada...that doesn't help. Jen and I watched Evan Almighty with Bill and Kristen (it's good, see it), and I remarked that I wish it was that easy...that God would appear and tell me to do something, but I don't feel that away about this stuff.
I'll build an ark if You want me too...just show me the wood.
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