When I grow up..

Life is a crazy thing and I am so excited about it. I just returned from a relationship seminar at church. We had special speakers John and Helen Burns- they are not only wise but also completely hilarious! I have actually heard Helen speak before- she was a speaker at one of the wonderful RVC chick nights last year. Tonight her husband said something that really resonated with me. He said expectations are the fuel of life- when you’re full of expectations you are full of life! He used the illustration of when you ask a child what they want to be when they grow up? They shoot for the stars with their answers! They have so many expectations for life- so many dreams. He then went on to say disappointment is an unmet expectation, and the truth is that in life we are going to have disappointments. The key is to know how to deal with disappointment in a way that allows you to continue living with expectations, to continue dreaming. He was referring to relationships (obviously, at a relationship seminar) but I think that is such a key thought for living life. It would be a lot easier to quit having expectations and to stop “reaching for the stars” after going through a few difficult times- let me tell ya, it sure would be a lot easier living life within my comfort zone! If I stopped having such high expectations from life I definitely would have a lot less to live up to and a lot less responsibility on my shoulders. -But what a sad life, mediocre at its best. A life full of expectations is a passionate life- the kind of life I think Christ called us to live. It was kind of encouraging this week when a girl at school asked, “ok, so lets say money and talent aside, what would you do if you could do anything, absolutely anything in the world, with your life?” I smiled when I thought about how I am really working towards what I truly want to do with my life! (Ok maybe besides the secret desire tucked way deep in my heart to be a singer/ballerina.. but we won’t go there today..) Little by little I am making steps towards realizing my dreams (and creating new ones along the way!) Tonight John gave us steps for dealing with disappointments within our relationships because when you do so correctly you are repairing that disappointment and releasing yourselves (as a couple) to expect again. I think in our personal lives its kind of similar to how we need to have a discussion with God when we’re feeling hurt or discouraged. Let’s not stay discouraged, but instead repair that hurt and continue dreaming! Just think of how we could change our worlds ☺

PS- We have the seminar on cds at church so if anybody is interested in learning more let me know and I could send one your way ! It was all pretty simple, but very insightful- aand they were hilarious.

Photobucket!!

So I have finally started a photobucket! I believe this is the working link:

photbucket.com/ramandt7

It is just another way for me to share my experiences with all of you back home :)

SISTERHOOD

Ah, tonight was the first « Sisterhood » meeting that I’ve been to at Hillsong! The pic is of my friend katy eating a galaffe on the way. Tonight was just so cool, really inspired me and got me even more excited about being part of the sisterhood at Hillsong Paris. A large part of the night was dedicated to socializing and eating, naturally. Then our pastor’s wife spoke to us about confidence. She spoke about the source of your confidence should come from God and your identity in Christ. What she had to say really resonated with me because this is something that has had such an influence in my day-to-day life, most notably while in France. When I first arrived here I was completely overwhelmed. Not in the sense of being scared to try and figure out the metro and get a long in a big city, but overwhelmed in the sense that it was the first time in my life I felt that I could actually completely and quite seriously fail. Thank God for the message from Beven my first week at Hillsong, when he spoke about having confidence in the capacity that God has given you. I’ve definitely been able to recognize a pattern that when I place my confidence in Christ I face my challenges with a completely different demeanor. Instead of already feeling defeated, I attempt with the mindset that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! It is still a daily choice- no, more like a minute to minute choice from time to time- but I pray that the more often I make that decision the more natural it will become. The real importance in sourcing your confidence in God and stepping into your identity in Christ is that you are saying yes to letting God use you to do wonderful things in his name. Not only is life more enjoyable, you are building the kingdom!

Jazz Hands

So last night was definitely a Paris moment I would like to just bottle up and remember on those days I am frustrated or homesick.. It was a night I'd like to repeat :) I went to a jazz bar with a few girlfriends to listen to a band named YAPA. Amazing. Amazing atmosphere, amazing music. They were seriously talented- I highly recommend giving them a little look (its really funny cuz that expression in french translates to literally "throw them an eye"- "jettez un coup d'oeil") We went because I had actually met one of the guitarist my first weekend here and have chatted with him a little on fb since then.. very cool man. Anyways, i felt very parisianne and loved it.




This front guy is my friend, simon.

Did I mention we had front row seats? lol It wasnt actually intentional.. we showed up fashionably late and they were like "quatre?" and pointed to the booth right in front of them. nice.



http://www.yapa.fr



This guy was totally grown-up french version pauly bleeker.. it was great. He could play just about every variation of guitar there is! I feel like he just kept pulling out different guitars! tres impressionant.



Andrea and I.

I ordered my first cosmo ever. We were in a "new york" styled jazz bar and I thought it was fitting.. thought of carrie haha.. anyways, it tasted like pink lemonade! Very delicious.. probably very dangerous. I let all the girls taste it and they assured me that was not what a cosmo tastes like in the states!



Sarah, Krissy and I. Don't worry, I, too, had a scarf with me last night, it was just in my bag at the time.




Although I did not wear tights, which by doing so was almost like an announcement to all passerbys that I am not french. Seriously, tights could not be bigger here right now.. I am waiting for my package from lindso (i think she said she threw some in there? ps you are wonderful linds)

BUT the real reason for this picture is FALL TIME! Im in love with fall time here. I think Parisian leaves are made of different stock- theyre huge! I have more than once caused a scene on the side-walk and it is completely attributed to how beautiful they are! Every once in a while I am so taken a back by how large a fallen leaf is that I will stop suddenly to look at it and before I know it I have caused a domino effect with the people behind me. Oops! Probably nooot the best sidewalk etiquette..

Stay tuned to hear about my visit to Jim Morrisons gravesite, and more!

bisous a tout le monde!

Election day.. kinda..

November 4th, Election day!!

Atleast kind of.. the election coverage doesnt really start here until about 1AM, but of course there is "pre-coverage" and then the results should come in during the wee hours of the morning. I cant believe its already here, while at the same time so ready for it to be over with. American restaurants and bars all over Paris tonight are leaving their doors open to cover the election. I was going to go with a few friends but opted not.. instead Im going running in the morning. :) Also everyone is getting sick right now and I didnt think staying out all night would do anything to increase my chances of remaining healthy- no matter how many daily vitamins I take!

Here is the first page of the Figaro today- a popular newspaper in Paris. Sorry it is sideways!





And this just cracked me up: "Fumer tue" = "smoking kills"

Could they have made it any bigger? And yet it doesnt even phase some people..




And last but not least, ta da! Do you like my first painting that I did in my still life class (nature mort in french, so morbid!) ? Ok, I know it isnt anything youd find in one of the expositions going on here in Paris right now- but Im not gonna lie, I am pretty proud of myself :) I have a really hard time being "creative and artsy", so right now this is my pride and joy!

Maybe sometime Ill even post a picture of a drawing from my model vivante class!

If youre lucky ;)

Whohoo! Les examens de mid-semestre sont finis! And my only solo presentation of the semester is finished as well.. what a wonderful feeling. I am just going to rest in denial until about 8 tonight about having hw for tomorrow..

So this afternoon, as a kind of celebration I got together with a girlfriend from church- léa. We had originally planned on going to the salon du chocolate- a huge exposition of chocolate! with a million different kinds of samples!- but I made the mistake of thinking it ended today when in fact it ended yeterday. oops! Thats ok.. I really dont neeed a million samples of chocolate.. instead we met at place st michel and walked around, peeking in a bunch of jewelry shops. We even found this shop filled with scarves of evey color, pattern and fabric! gorgeous. Did I mention I have been practicing self-control lately? Then we got crepes- I got a creme de marron crepe -aka thanksgiving on a crepe! That is "cream of chestnut" -absolutely delicious :) So with our crepes in hand we continued walking..and you know, just happen to stumble upon the pantheon! Will never get over it.. more times than not, just walking around Paris you'll find yourself face to face with some of the worlds best known pieces of architecture. Whats even better is I am starting to know a brief history of a lot of them. I saw like 4 buildings that I had just written about in the essqy for my mid-term earlier today haha

Amazing fall day.

Here are just a few pics from place de Pantheon




Do you know the architect of the Pantheon?



Soufflot, apparently he was a big deal. Atleast my teacher definitely thinks so. Atleast I think it was Soufflot..



mon amie Léa- she is getting married in Provence in the spring and IM INVITED :) talk about beautiful..



Paris, je t'aime!



of course if you turn around you can see a little bit of the beloved tour eiffel :)