Simply Trusting

Life in these parts has been pretty exciting lately. This weekend held the Junior Senior Banquet, organized by the junior class to honor the senior class. I had been asked to help with music,so. Was privileged to attend. It was a fantastic evening showcasing the talents of many of our students, and highlighting tributes to seniors from their classmates and dorms. The entire evening was very special! In addition to JSB, we have had a lot of other activities. Sometimes it seems as though every individual in the dorm is flying off in a different direction. We have had home soccer games, meetings, appointments, recitals, field trips, in addition to normal meal planning and everyday tasks around the dorm. Needless to say, life has been full. However, in the midst of it all, we have had opportunities for quiet times, together, as a 'family.' My favorite times are when I'm sitting on a couch or cooking in the kitchen, and one of the guys will come in and start up a conversation. S

The other night as study hours began, I struck up a typical evening conversation with Keenan, a junior. Me: "Soooo, what homework do you need to do tonight?" Keenan: "oh only about 20 minutes worth" Me: "yeah right. What do you really need to do?" Keenan procedes to list out his assignments, and starts to rummage through his school bag while I turn to another student to check in. As I turn back to Keenan, he's holding a small orange paper-back book and telling me he wants to show me something. The book is called a 'carnet' (car-nay), he explains, and is the way the French school system has chosen to record all kinds of information about a student. The student is then expected to show the book regularly to his parents. Keenan leafs through the book, explaining its various sections to me. One part has late passes, and another record visits to the nurse. There are several sections in which detentions and the reason they rewarded are noted.

Right now I'm sitting in a room somewhere a little farther south than Germany, and a bit warmer. We're on spring break, and it's been good to get away from the snow. I won't rant here, but I will say that I am extremely thankful for the light and the spring breezes floating in my window right now. I have had a lot of opportunity to reflect over the last several days, so I want to try and catch you up on the last few weeks. We have had a plethora of activities going in. The guys went on high school retreat, and I had the privilege of going with them. We heard the amazing story of a life transformed by grace, and were challenged to make the time on earth we do have count for Christ. Bg themes, but so important. We worshipped together, and soaked in the glory of God in creation. I was also blessed to lead a small group, something I really enjoy, but also something that doesn't fit my normal schedule at this point. We returned to the dorm refreshed, and ready to contin

Last week, the guys had exams, so the schedule was a little different. I had a little extra time in the evening to chat with the guys, which was awesome. I'm constantly amazed by the people God is shaping them to be, and I wanted to introduce you to one of them. This post is a little delayed, but it was such a fun conversation, that I wanted to share it with you anyway. Enjoy! If you were sitting with me right now, you'd be sitting on a couch in our cozy living room. It's been snowing all day, so it's cold outside, but the house is warm. Most of the guys are in their rooms, or in the computer room studying. They have midterm exams Monday through Wednesday this week. Nico, a sophomore from Marseille, France, just plopped down next to me, and we are sitting talking about his day, the exams he has tomorrow, and lots of other random subjects. LH: What is your favorite french food to make? Nico: Tartiflette, which is from the French Alps, the Savoie. It's potatoes