AN ENGLISH SPEAKING AFTERNOON

Yesterday, Heidi and I joined our French friends that meet biweekly to practice their English for an afternoon discussion of Christmas traditions both of France and the United States. Our host Ghislaine, who is French, lived in the Midwestern United States for five years and loves the American Christmas decorations. Her home was decorated as you would see in the states, inside and out. Very lovely!! Few French people decorate the outside of their homes because they are very conscious of saving energy.

We had a great time speaking English and also learning some new French vocabulary as well. Ghislaine served her homemade macarons and they were the best!! Better than ones I have had at the local French bakery. It was interesting to compare our American traditions with the French ones. Here is a link where you can read about some of the French traditions. The tradition that both Heidi and I decided to adopt is the one from the Provence region of France where our family and Linda vacationed this fall. You are treated to 13 different desserts on Christmas day made with fruit, nuts, chocolates, etc. I just wouldn't want to have to make all those desserts but Heidi likes to bake so I'll let her be the boulanger.

Of course what would Christmas be without the little village that includes a Starbucks? Now if that isn't American I don't know what is! In order for their American decorations to be lit they must use a transformer since it is not the same voltage used in France. Remember the curling iron story when we first arrived?One of the traditions in France is to display your santons along with the crèche. Santons are little figures of villagers and peasants dressed in the traditional south of France attire from the beginning of the 20th century. Ghislaine shared that she does all the outside decorating and her husband is in charge of the inside, probably not typical of what you would see in the U.S.

This is the time of the year to be joyful as we await Christ's birth. God must also want us to be joyful because the word "JOY" or a form of the word is used over 200 times in the Holy Bible. Today ponder what your are joyful for in your life.

JOHN 15:10-11 "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."