Merci beaucoup!

Last night we visited some friends on Hugo's boat again after a full day of doing really nothing but chillaxing. Eating dinner at 10 PM takes some getting used to, but we enjoyed the dance of communication and watching Bastien cook meat on a tiny barbeque with a wind up wind-blower thingy to fan the flame. We then slept in bunk beds on the boat after star-gazing on the back netting overlooking the moonlit water... We talked a bit about God, and the guys were open to say they were not practicing Christians and Claire does not believe at all. It was hard to hear that her experience in Bible classes at her Christian college in Chicago didn't do anything to make her question spirituality. The prof didn't take the time to explain the stories and the people in them, because everyone in the class was presumably Christian (or raised so anyway). As she said, "They would tell us about how so-and-so went here and did that...I would think, 'I don't even know who that dude is.'" I think what's harder for me is seeing how hospitable and truly loving she is, more so than even I could be, and there is no God to point to. A lot of experiences make me want to ask God how to share/live the gospel and what it looks like? I don't really know how to approach the subject.

She says, I don't believe in God, but I know you do, and that's great.

I say, okay. Fair enough.

And we go on loving. And I keep praying because my words and actions fail altogether to often.

K, moving on...

Today we slept in on the boat, then came back home and had a lovely picnic out in the backyard garden with Claire's parents and sister. I got to paint a little bit, which was really nice, and other than that we've been sipping "long coffee,"  (American coffee, not straight espresso which is normal coffee here served in the tiniest cups I ever saw), reading, and catching up on Facebook, of course... Crystal, Amy and I went for a walk down the country lane and ended up walking all up and down the narrow, colorful, cobblestone streets of town. Then we went to market and bought wine and a mini cactus as a going away present for the Jeannets, to remind them of the Arizonan girls. 

We arrived back at home and rested before dinner at 9-- a crepe party! All nine of us had our own little spot on two 6-circled skillets and we made crepes of all kinds-- goat cheese, shaved ham, Nutella, and teensy killdeer eggs that were speckled on the outside and bright blue on the inside. We talked about soccer with Claire's best friend (also named Claire) and heard about big game for Manchester tonight. The convo ended with Claire saying, "I don't really watch soccer. I just watch the players. MMm MMm!"

We fly to Madrid tomorrow morning at 11 AM! We leave this haven around 7:30 AM because there will be a transportation strike and the roads to Marsailles are expected to be packed. 

Ima try to hit the hay early and say my prayers quietly to myself....

Or as Claire's best friend said, "Waah Waah Waah!" (That's how we sound to them, dang it!)

LOVE (to Jess and Mom :) !! 

PS. Virgin radio is amazing... we should opt for it.