Yesterday was a slow and uneventful day for me. I was tired and had a few things to do around the house and by the time I was showered and dressed it was too late to go anywhere so overall it was just a nice and relaxing day. The sun was out! (thankfully) and I had my windows opening listening to my recently downloaded Brad Paisley's American Saturday album. I thought I was going to be able to say nothing eventful happened, nothing to blog about, nothing really to talk about, ha!
Last night I met up with my au pair friend who lives about 10 mintes by train away, and we went to this welcome party for our church. It was hosted at the Pastor's apartment and was for people who are new to the church, to meet the people who are in charge, to meet other people who are new, get acquainted with what the church believes and also find ways of being able to get involved! It was such a great evening! I do have to admit that I was tired by 9pm as I am not used to being out and being social like that anymore, but it was delightful nonetheless to meet other Christians for all over the world doing everything you can possibly imagine here in this city but all have one common factor: our love and devotion to JC!!! I have found ways I can get involved, been introduced to many new people, and even made a few new friends.
Well, the first situation arose when it took me about an hour and a half to get to the Pastor's apartment when it should've taken maybe 45 minutes. I took a bus from where I live to the train station and was able to get on a train within ten minutes of being there...well the train decided instead of going its normal speed it would CRAWL along the tracks...I honestly thought I could've walked faster than the train at some points. It was a bit creepy also as it stopped, came to a dead stop, in a tunnel. It was dark and just creepy. What should've been a 15 minute train ride to my destination of choice turned into a 45 minute train ride. :-( Then once I arrived at La Defense to switch to the tram, I had no clue where the tram was! agh! Thankfully I was born with some common sense and an ability to navigate in unknown territories and I was able to find the tram but it seemed like one mishap after another.
I then realized that it was not a "dinner" as I had originally thought it was going to be. I should've known that no dinner would be served as you didn't have to pay to go and it was being hosted in a Parisian apartment (the big ones are considered small to me as I come from Texas where my one bedroom apartment for myself was almost 800 square feet...). Well, I had left my house around 6pm (when dinner is not served until 7:30 or 8pm in my house) and had not thought to grab a snack or anything. Smart one. We arrived at the Pastor's house and immedietly started meeting people and chatting away and before I knew it, 7:30pm had turned into 9pm and all I had eaten were 2 rather small carrot sticks and a inch of bread with some cheese. It was 10:30pm before we finally left and I was starving by this point. Not an uncommon situation for me now that I live here. haha. I'm still learning how to eat what is served to me and not be hungry 3 hours later. Not sure how to fix that though.
So then Lisa and I headed back to La Defense to catch our train back out to the burbs and we get there and look at the schedule on the tv that tells you what trains are coming at what time... um, we have a problem...the only train coming for the next two hours is the one to Saint Germain. Thats fine for me, I can go to that train station without a problem...My friend on the other hand cannot get to her house by way of Saint Germain. Oh.snap. What do we do? Seeing as how anything that could go wrong has gone wrong since I arrived here, this was not a big deal. I mean, no one was bleeding or seriously hurt in any way so this was easy breezy! Ha! After a short panic session and trying to figure out an alternative solution but deciding that I'm not going to leave my friend at a shady train station at 11pm by herself, I do the only thing I know to do...I call my host father and ask if he wouldn't mind giving her a ride to her house at 11:30pm at night. I owe my host family so many favors its not even funny!!! I mean, I hadn't even intended on staying out that late in the first place so my host father was kind enough to stay awake to come and pick me up from the train station and then he politely agreed to drive an extra 15 minutes to take my friend to her house in another suburb. Luckily my friend did not live too far so it wasn't a very big deal, but we both just felt bad for the inconvenience and the fact that it was nearing midnight by this point. Needless to say, I am frustrated with the unreliability of the trains and their lack of running on a consistent basis! I mean, its Friday night and you're not running past 11pm? Thats ludacris!
Needless to say, we both made it home safe and sound and I thuroughly enjoyed myself minus the few mishaps along the way! This city is definitely trying to teach me a lesson which I knew prior to coming here so its not a slap in the face or a rude awakening...but it doesn't make learning "patience" and how to be "humbe"...two things i'm not good at, any easier by any means! But i can confidently say that i am learning how to not panic in the times of trouble or frustration, how to keep my mouth shut when its the best option, and how to really go with the flow more than I even though possible!
I was reading my "prayer walking" book this morning which encourages me to walk and pray consistently every day and while I have not been very consistent in the walking, well, lets be honest, in either, I decided a Saturday morning with the sun shining was a perfect way to start the day. This chapter talked about how being consistent and persistent in your prayers pays off because our God is a good God who wants to bring about justice and quickly (Luke 18:7-8). It was such a powerful way to start my morning as I am reminded, I am not only not here alone but I am surrounded by a God who LOVES me and wants me to bring my requests to him. And that I do, i can assure you of that! He brought justice to the widow in Luke 18 and he will surely hear my cries and pleads to him today and answer my requests. He doesn't say they'll always be answered in the way I think they should, or in my timing, but He will hear them and answer them! I am so blessed to be on this journey alongside the one who brought me here! It's an amazing thing to know you are right where you are supposed to be. Amazing. And last night and each day I am here, proves that to me more and more. I feel like the church I am getting involved in is right where I am supposed to be serving and learning. And I know that where I am living is right whre I am supposed to be living and serving! I still have a few 'kinks' to smooth out and the road is still bumpy...but I honestly pray that it always will be so that I never forget where I come from and who I serve.
So, I'm off to go into Paris this morning to meet up with a lady I met at church a few weeks ago, we bonded on Facebook over my want to go to the American grocery store...and coincidentally, its an American/British grocery store and this girl is British. She so kindly offered to host me for brunch in a little bit so I'm excited to spend some time with someone new! And enjoy a nice dr pepper for the first time in almost month! And then later today my host father is going to teach me how to drive his car so last night does not repeat itself! I am excited and a tad bit nervous to learn to drive a manual, but i figure, everyone else has learned so it can't be THAT hard!! :-)
Oh, and I got another letter from the states yesterday, Thanks Ellen for your encouraging words on my last post but also for your very kind letter! It made my day as I enjoyed reading it!!!
And since I'm doing a shout out, I also received a letter this week from my dear friend Alisa!!! I love you guys so much!!!
Love, me
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