Round Two

One of the most popular toys of her age group.

Never too young to start.

Everyone watches Caleb play a game.

Alseep in the carseat.

Tuesday night we had a good time with our guests.  We stayed talking until almost midnight.  Tuesday we started round two of sickness for the year.  Arianna and Caleb were sick on Tuesday.  Angie picked it up on Wednesday, and Lilia got it Friday.  It was not too bad, just a little fever and stuffiness.  We did cancel the Bible study on Thursday night.  Thursday, I took Arianna and the boys on a walk to McDonalds to play on the playplace and just get out of the house  some.  Arianna did not sleep good on Thursday and Friday night.  Thursday night she woke up every two hours.  Which makes not only a tired little girl, but tired parents as well.  At least the weather has been nice, warming up to about 60 degrees every day.  I enjoyed basketball practice on Wed. and Friday night.  We have a new player who just moved here from Paris.  I hope to have the chance to invite him over.  Things went well at the market Friday morning, there were not as many people as I expected with the warmer temperatures. I did get to speak to a few regulars and share a cup of coffee.  Let me take the time to say that the coffee you buy from the cafés is great.  If I could make it like that at home, I might drink coffee regularly.  The last time I made some coffee at home I couldn't even finish one cup, it just didn't taste as good.  Maybe I am spoiled by the good stuff.   We also got some good news about our cell phone, actually it was bad news.  They called on Wednesday and said our phone was back from the repair place (to catch you up, Angie had dropped it in the snow a couple of weeks ago and it wouldn't charge).  Angie went to pick it up on Saturday to find out that they couldn't fix it because their were signs of water damage.  Here I was that evening and on Sunday, thinking what to do because we couldn't get a replacement with our current provider until July.  Sunday night, I said to myself that maybe it will work. (Round 2) After saying a quick prayer, I plugged it in and it charged.  How exciting!  Praise God!  I hope that it will keep working at least until we leave for the states.   Services went good in Sunday.  We had a good talk with my parents as well.  Looking forward to seeing our families this summer.  The kids started school back today, so our routine will settle back in hopefully. God bless, JASON

Ready to go outside?

Sunday in Barcelona

Part of the group in Barcelona.

Preparing to speak in Barcelona.

About to cross the border into Spain.

Time for your close-up.

Last week finished well.  Warmer weather arrived and we had nice contacts with people as a result.  We met one family who had come to our Thanksgiving meal as they walked by outside.  We invited them in and had a good visit.  They asked several questions about the Bible Study.  Also they will be moving into a house not to far from ours.  Bible Study went well Thursday night.  There was a long discussion afterwards after someone asked a question concerning the importance and purpose of church attendance.  I went to the market again on Friday, after missing the last three weeks for various reasons.  It went well, with several good contacts.  I always focus on the good, but don't think that there are not any negative reactions.  One lady walked by the other day and noticed the Bibles and said, "I don't believe in that, if God exists, I just wish he would stay up there (pointing up)."  I pray that God will somehow reach them. Our services in Barcelona were wonderful.  We left at 8 am and arrived at 11:15. (services started at noon) I shared about our work in France during the Sunday School time and then preached a message.  We enjoyed wonderful fellowship over the meal afterwards and stayed until late in the afternoon. It was encouraging and even the kids were well behaved.  Yesterday we had a visit from a lady who comes to our Bible study who wanted us to meet her daughter.  Lilia had a friend spend the night last night so we also got to visit briefly with her dad.  Today we are having two guests for supper.  I am truly excited about what God has done for us these last couple of months.  I also want to mention a prayer request.  A good missionary friend of our, Alvin, who serves in Scotland, was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, doctors give him 6 to 8 months.  He is 49 years old.  Pray for him, his wife, and their work in Scotland.  God bless, JASON

Chilly weather

This past week went well.  We have experienced the coldest temperatures in this area since 1985.  It has been over a week since the last time the temperatures were above freezing.  The snow that we got last Sunday is still hanging out in  places.  Tuesday the boys went back to school, Lilia went back on Wendesday.  It has been cold, down to -10, I once saw.  However, life goes on.  We had some good visits with friends and neighbors last week.   I was even able to help our neighbor re-hang her vent hood, and a wall heater that had fallen off.  We did have a little cabin fever Tuesday afternoon, and so we jumped in the car and went to Carcassonne for a little evening out.  We shopped and ate some pizza's at a friends house.  Bible Study went well Thursday.  We had our normal crowd inspite of the snow.  There were only 6 of us at basketball practice on Wednesday and Friday night. I did meet a christian lady living in Limoux through a friend of a friend.  We gave her a ride to church in Sunday and I think that she will come to the Bible Study as well.  We are looking forward to being in Barcelona this weekend.  I will be preaching at a church there that is part of the same association as our churches.  We might stay the night and shop a little on the way home.  Things are cheaper in Spain than in France in general because their taxes are lower.  The kids are on their two week winter vacation from school.  With that in mind I better get ready for all that is going on before the interruptions start.  We have opened up a sack full of board games that someone gave us and the kids have been enjoying them, but a lot of questions concerning rules and procedures will come.  Enjoy the pictures of the kids enjoying some hot chocolate to warm up after playing outside. God bless, JASON

New Camera for the Snow

Took this picture before heading to bed last night.
I like the whole "palm tree in the snow" theme.

We got a new camera for Christmas from my parents.  It is amazing how fast things have changed in the camera world.  Thinking back I realized our former camera was about 5 years old.   This new one can do high definition videos.  We have been focused mainly on staying warm these last few days.  It got down to -8 (c)Thursday night, the windchill was -12. We got a good bit of snow on Friday.  I didn't set up at the market, but I stopped by to check out who was there.  Where I usually set up there are at least thirty stands on a normal Friday, yesterday there were three.  I am not complaining because up until this point we have had a relatively mild winter.  Saturday we stayed warm and enjoyed a few snow flurries.  Angie, Lilia, Arianna, and I had been battling colds, so I took the boys to church on Sunday.  There was supposed to be a meal afterwards, but snow started falling heavily during church, so everyone one went home afterwards.  It snowed all day yesterday, this morning we have 15cm still on the ground (6 inches). I did stay up and watch the superbowl. It has just started snowing some more.  The kids school was canceled today.  The forcast predicts that it won't get above freezing until this next weekend.  Enjoy some snow picks from the new camera, check back soon for some high definition videos.  Blessings, JASON

Winter guests

The kids got a box of Christmas goodies from their grandparents.

Arianna runs to give Lilia a hug.

We have had a good week so far.  The theme so far has been guests.  Frequent guests of ours have been our neighbors across the street and down a couple of houses.  The son is about a year older than Caleb and has some discipline problems.  We have already had to deal with him opening our garage to get our bikes out and playing in our yard without permissions.  We have to keep an eye on them when he is over.  He has a nice streak at times and just needs love. His family has been tight on money because they just moved. We are trying to be loving and wise in our relationship  with them.  We also met with our next door neighbor and he high school age daughter.  We had a real good visit and even let them taste Dr. Pepper and some leftover cheesecake.  Angie visited with her a couple of more times these last couple of days.  We also visited with one of the members of our Bible study, she is having a hard time finding work.  Please pray for her.  The weather has cooled off and looks like winter is finally here.  It is supposed to get down to -8 degrees C tomorrow and the high is -2.  I do not imagine I will go to the market.  It has been snowing off and on all day, but is not sticking yet.  I am ready for the Bible study tonight.  Angie is getting her haircut done this afternoon by the lady I mentioned previously who is looking for work.  Arianna was not interested in watching scooby doo (in French) and decided to push her baby stroller around the couch.  God bless, JASON