In the City of Lights - Paris, France May 17, 2012

Anne-Cecile and I begin a two week visit to see her family and friends in and around the Paris area. We have learned to plan early. Anne-Cecile begins a year-long chaplaincy internship at a Hospice center in Tacoma, Washington this September. So we decided that the trip to France had to happen sooner rather than later.

May 16th arrived sooner than we thought and we were on our way to SeaTac International Airport in Seattle for the beginning of our trip. This is the first time we didn't fly on Air France directly from Seattle. The flight was operated and we traveled on a Delta airplane. NOT the most comfortable ride I have ever had on an airplane! We were packed-in too close for comfort, and that is not an exaggeration. But we're here, arriving almost 10 hours later at Charles De Gaulle International Airport in Paris. Anne-Cecile's father, Denis Baer, was outside baggage claim to claim us and the reunion began.

Since Denis and his partner, Muriel, were hosting her sister from southern France when we arrived, we stayed with Anne-Cecile's brother, Frederic, and his family the first day/night. After a wonderfully French lunch with the whole family, Frederic, his wife Virginia, niece, Julie and her boyfriend Quinton, nephew's Martin and Ugo, these eyes had been open far past their bedtime so to "nap" we went for a few hours.

The thinking on international travel is that in order to acclaimate to the time difference (+9 hours difference) you should only "nap" during your first day and then sleep when your hosts are sleeping. You may wake up earlier than everyone else, I was up at 5:30 am wide awake, but begin the acclaimation process. I may need that "nap" again this afternoon. Will keep you posted.

Frederic owns and operates his own computer software business from a small cottage next to their home in Aisniere, a suburb in the northwestern part of Paris where they have raised their family. He enabled our laptop to hook-up to their WiFi hotspot and here we are. We actually brought our laptop in order to download pictures from our cameras to the laptop but its also nice to use our own laptop to check emails, Facebook, etc. The AOL software connection works just fine as if I were in Puyallup.

This afternoon Denis will pick us up and we will relocate to his home for the duration of our stay. Denis and Muriel live in Igny which is a town south of Paris about 20 miles. What is striking about coming into Paris from there is the view of the city including the Eiffel Tower each time. I never get tired of that! Traffic can be a challenge however.

Denis' home is in a development built by a Canadian construction company while they were in France working on a long-term project so the homes are definitely North American in size and plan. They have two vehicles so graciously allow us use of one while we are here.

So today is acclaimation day - no plans but moving out to Igny.

As I sit here typing, the window in front of the desk looks out over the very busy, both pedestrian and traffic, Rue du Menil. The community is a mix of ethnicities including Muslim, African and French. Their clothing sometimes identifies their enthnicity but not always.

A French cultural magazine is on the television describing the latest French cultural events of the day. Sometimes the story is from England so I can understand without reading subtitles. Decided that learning to be conversant in the French language is no longer an option, it must happen sooner rather than later. I have been married to Anne-Cecile for almost eleven years. Rosetta Stone - you and I are going to become good friends this year!

Au revoir pour le moment

"Christmas Time Is Here"

"Christmas time is here. Happiness and cheer. Fun for all that children call their favorite time of the year. Snowflakes in the air. Carols everywhere. Olden times and ancient rhymes of love and dreams to share. Sleigh bells in the air. Beauty everywhere. Yuletide by the fireside and joyful memories there. Christmas time is here. We'll be drawing near. Oh, that we could always see such spirit through the year. Oh, that we could always see such spirit through the year..."

When do we stop imagining, dreaming and wondering about Christmas and the blessings this special time of year can bring? Growing up in a family raised by a single father, we didn't realize we were any different than most families. We had all the trimmings of Christmas. That is a tribute to our father, Lawrence, our older siblings, Jon and Chris, who made all the miracle of Christmas appear before their four younger siblings very eyes.

I can't imagine Christmas without the church. Being raised in the church by a former minister certainly accounts for that but even when I wasn't in the ministry I had to be in church on Christmas Eve. I found one to be part of like when I lived in Pocatello, Idaho. I found the Presbyterian Church and was there for Christmas Eve like always. When I was home from seminary in Kamiah, Idaho, my sister Chris, her son Adam and I were at 2nd Indian Presbyterian Church for the Christmas Eve program then at our own church, 1st Indian Presbyterian Church on Christmas night. And does hearing that ancient story of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ ever grow old? Never. Quit the opposite: I always hear something in that story for the first time and inevitably a tear finds its way to my eye. How could God love me that much? I shall spend my ministry trying to find the answer to that question but if I never do, that's okay too.

Candles have a special place in Christmas celebrations. They inspire us with their light, their glow and with their mere presence. A candle can help us to remember the Scripture verse that says, "where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them." When we turn out all the lights on Christmas Eve at the Church of the Indian Fellowship to close the service and see the glow of the candles then sing "Silent Night," we are on that hillside near Bethlehem when a group of shepherds were the first human beings to be told by the Angel that the Creator had sent his son to be born not in a palace of kings, not in a lodge of a mighty Chief, not in a village of greatness but born in a place where animals were kept out of the cold and lying in a bed of hay surrounded by his own creation.

"For behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto thee; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Then suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and say; "Glory to God in the highest and peace to all people on earth."

So I end this post using the words of that theologian with a blanket, Linus: "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." Who said imagination, hope and miracles don't still happen. They do, they have and they will. Amen.

It's Been A Hard Days Night!

This morning started early with a Committee on Ministry meeting at Olympia Presbytery's office south of Tacoma. The committee deals with transitions in congregations with leadership issues and the like. So there's much going on and always is. The meeting adjourned about 1:15 pm and I was back on I-5 headed back into Tacoma and my next meeting at the Church, 2 pm sharp. But I was there before they were. Wish I hadn't gulped-down my lunch but oh well. On the way home it was time to run some errands and off to "Wally World" (Wal-Mart) I went. When I finally made it home, Anne-Cecile only had and hour and a half before she had to leave for the church and the Women's Bible Study. I answered some messages and made some other calls before it got too late and that was my day. So the nice guy that I am, I made supper for us: Pork steaks, baked potatoes and mixed vegetables. Was a great relief from turkey, sandwiches and soup we had been consuming since Thanksgiving Day. The day ahead will be busy too so that's it for now. Its really been "A Hard Days Night!"

Standing in the Need of Prayer

Church of the Indian Fellowship is in need of your prayers. We are working with our Synod office in Seattle and the Puyallup Tribal Council in Tacoma to assist this congregation with much needed financial relief. The blessings of God continue at this 134 year old church most recently when we added five new members to our Family on November 14th, one through the sacrament of Baptism. We have a couple, Diane and David Norman, who are ready to become members and another preparing to take our New Member's class. The vitality of these brothers and sisters in Christ will enrich the church as God leads us in his work. At this time of faith-building events in the life of the congregation, I am reminded of the old Gospel hymn entitled, "Living By Faith."

"I care not today what tomorrow may bring, if shadow or sunshine or rain. The Lord I know rules or' everything and all of my worry is vain. Living by faith in Jesus above. Trusting confiding in his great love. From all harm safe in his sheltering arms. I'm living by faith and feel no alarm."

Thank you for the prayers and thank you for taking the time to read this blog.

Ministry News - Christmas Activities

Thanksgiving Day is over and now we enter the season of Advent, the four weeks preceeding Christmas Day. The Session (otherwise known as the Board) of the Church has set the activities for this year: Monthly Dinner & A Movie is on Sunday, the 12th of December at 6 pm. We begin with a potluck dinner then show the movie at 6:30 pm. The movie is "Christmas in the Clouds" and is set in a tribal ski resort featuring Native American actors and theme. Our children will be practicing for the annual Christmas Program to be held on Sunday, December 19th at 2 pm after the annual Christmas Potluck dinner. The Festival of Candles and Carols will be on Christmas Eve, Friday, December 24th at 6 pm. We hope that many will be able to take in these events during the Christmas season at Church of the Indian Fellowship. You may contact me at (253) 840-2533 for more information.

Hello and Welcome

With the help of my internet-savy wife, Anne-Cecile, I am inaugurating this blog today. You will see posts from me about my ministry, Native American topics and other topics of interest to me.
So welcome and thank you for visiting the blog, under construction.