Bastille Day 2008

I'm watching on TV a live evening concert taking place on les Champs de Mars by the Eiffel Tower. 500,000 people are present. While it would be fun to be there, we probably have a better view on TV. The sun is still up, as it doesn't set until around 10:00 p.m. in July, which is one of the great things about Paris in springtime & summer. This reminds me some of last year's Central Park NY concert we went to with Peter Kenote.

This morning we watched on TV the annual Bastille Day parade. While I've been in France 15 years, we've been in the U.S. 3 of last 4 Bastille Days. I think I may have watched just one other Bastille Day parade during all these years.

Sometimes I take for granted being in Paris. I think that I'll be around here forever, so I'll wait until next year. But it's probably good to not have this attitude, but rather to don't put off until summer (or this fall) what we can do this this summer.

I consider it really a gift from God to get to live this dream of living, ministering, and raising a family in Paris. I expect that someday, if I'm ever gone from here, I'll look back and think that this was one of the best seasons of my life. Sure, the dollar exchange is terrible and we have to live frugally. But it's amazing to get to live in such a beautiful & diverse city.

I'm blessed to have 3 different countries that I now love. These are the U.S., France, and the Philippines. The singer just said, "Quelle joie de vivre en France." ("what a joy to live in France). This is true.

We're starting to think about another Home Ministry Assignment (HMA) starting summer 2009. However, this may be longer than the summer. Perhaps this is why I'm feeling more nostalgic about living in Paris today.

Ten years ago, in 1998, we tried to catch the fireworks in Paris on Bastille Day. For some reason, they canceled them, without ever explaining why. (Well, not every part of French live is wonderful). We were getting ready to leave France 2 days later for studies at Wheaton. We planned on coming back to Paris in a year, but it ended up being 2 years later.

It will be interesting to see how the next couple of years play out. It's good to have this summer to step back a little bit and reflect. We really didn't have that privilege during the last coupel of summers in the U.S. I'm enjoying a slow reading through the Gospel of Mark in French during the last few days.

I was struck by the story in Mark 9 when a man says, "Je crois. Mais aide-moi, car je manque de foi." ("I believe. But help me, for I am lackingin faith."). I think that this verse is appropriate for the French people, as well as for many in this post-modern age.