Follow Up to a Taste of California

Yesterday we were still basking in the joy of seeing how well A Taste of California went on the previous night. We had many opportunities to connect and follow up with some of the participants.

Yesterday morning 3 of the participants dropped off their children at English Club. They seemed tired, but happy about the party.

I dropped off our 2 older kids at the home of one of their school friends. His mom happens to be one of their public school teachers & attended one of the Christmas cookie baking parties. She had lived in California for a year. While she couldn't attend the California party, she appreciated the burritos that my wife sent for her. Our kids had a fun time playing with her 2 children.

I had to exchange a train ticket at the Gare de Lyon. While there, I ran into the team of 6 California women who helped create the party. It was a nice surprise to see them again. My wife will be with them in the French Alps this Saturday for a women's leadership training event.

In the afternoon, two women came by to pay for the CD of Erin, who played at the party. One is a retired former elementary school principal who lives in our building, while the other is her daughter (who is about my wife's age & has 2 kids a little older than ours). They ended up staying for afternoon snack and inviting us to spend Easter with them in Bretagne (western France) at their family home.

A little bit afterwards, I got a call from a woman who couldn't make the party, but whom lent us a music stand for Erin. She asked if I could pick up her daughter this morning & bring her to the school where our younger daughter attends. Of course, I said yes.

Finally, we got an e-mail from a friend whom we've known for 4 1/2 years. Our kids have been going through school together. She wrote the following, which I've translated into English.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: C

Publish Post

Date: 2010/1/13
Subject: merci !
To:

Bonjour ...

Je voulais te remercier pour cette soirée franco américaine très sympa

I wanted to thank you for the very enjoyable Franco Americaine evening.

Tes amies sont adorables et nous ont gatées.

Your friends are adorable and spoiled us.

C’était une super idée

It was a super idea.

A très vite

See you soon.

C

In thinking about the last 2 days, I'm reminded that ministry takes place in the midst of relationships. Intertwined lives can be messy & time-consuming & energy-consuming. But that's what it's all about. John 1:14 states that "the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us," which has the literal translation of "tabernacling among us." It's about incarnational ministry. God with us.

There is a tension of "being in the world, but not of it." Some have taken this as a call to just be around Christians. Sadly, many Christians I know (including myself for a good part of my adult life) have been of this practice, whether intentionally chosen or not. This tends to lead toward legalism & nit pickiness over pretty insignificant stuff in the big picture. We go to Christian schools, fill our schedule with church activities, play in church sport leagues, go to the Christian barber, etc. But where is our impact & testimony to the world in the midst of this mindset?

Jesus was criticized by the religious elite for spending time with "sinners and tax collectors" We're all going to criticized for something. I guess it's better to be criticized for doing something significant than for other petty stuff. May God wake us up out of our sleepy fog to the needy people around us.