Wading
12Jun09
{I had the hardest time thinking of what to post today…and I finally narrowed it down to 2 random possibilities. Write a post for one of the categories I’ve created but that has zero posts, or post something sitting in my drafts folder that I never finished. The first zero category was “Norway” but I’ll save that for next week 
So, I bring to you…a post I started but never finished! And I’m not going to. I’m just going to leave it as it is. That’s the random part! This post was written February 10, 2008. I had been in France for about 6 weeks at that point. Enjoy. To see more caffeinated randomness, go to Andrea’s. TGIF!!}
So, I bring to you…a post I started but never finished! And I’m not going to. I’m just going to leave it as it is. That’s the random part! This post was written February 10, 2008. I had been in France for about 6 weeks at that point. Enjoy. To see more caffeinated randomness, go to Andrea’s. TGIF!!}The past few days have been days plein with reflection. I have struggled with who I am here in Paris, and who I am at home, and trying to reconcile these two different girls. I have felt homesick, yet it was not the typical homesick I had expected. I didn’t miss a particular person, or activity, or food…I missed community in general. It’s amazing what four years at {myundergrad} does to a person – I am yearning to feel a part of a community again…especially a community of believers.
Someone asked me a few weeks ago (and I shamefully never responded) what I meant when I said that it’s hard to find a church here. It’s hard on a lot of levels…it’s hard first of all because the Church is not vibrant here. It’s hard because it seems like everywhere I turn my head I come face to face with a church or a cathedral, yet they are all mostly hollowed out tourist attractions.
Filed under: caffeinated randomness, works in progress | 15 Comments
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Chatter
Caity on A good run… Jansen on A good run… Ronnica on my prerogative Ronnica on roll call Amanda on my prerogative
Wow. That was indeed random.
<'SB-<
First off hello from SITS.
This post hit home for me. I moved to where I currently am 5ears ago. This is home now, but I still get that homesickness that you describe. The sense of community I had back home was very different that what I have here. I stop going to church because of this. It was too painful. Maybe one day I will return. Maybe.
Oh, I wish you would finish it!! Just the few sentences you did write were so poignant. Awesome, my dear!
I used to write a lot of “random” stuff until I realized there was usually a reason behind it and therefore wasn’t all that random. I like the idea of posting unfinished drafts, though. I found a couple a few months ago that I fell in love with all over again.
When you said that the Church is not as vibrant did you mean just in Paris? I do agree that many churches in Europe seem to be more of a tourist attraction than actual places of worship and community.
I think Europe as a whole, but France specifically as that’s the only place I have close experience with. It’s “laiq” – or, officially secular…I can’t remember the statistic exactly but it’s something like 10% of French Christians attend church weekly. Also, I guess (a year later) I meant Protestant church…I can’t speak to Catholics. But I know that Catholics and Protestants together make up that 10%. I eventually wound up at The American Church (which is actually more of an ex-pat church in general).
I just love your life experience while in Paris! I am so intrigued by it and am falling in love with your blog because of it!
A lot of the French would say that they are catholic, but you’re right. I don’t think weekly attendance is very high. Though observance of major holidays is pretty universal from what I saw.
The French think of church as a different concept than we do for the most part. You’re likely not to find anything quite like you’re looking for. But good luck on that road!
I identify deeply with this posting…inside Japan and even into the ‘real world’ here in America.
hey, thanks for stopping by at mine am now taking a look at yours and liking wot i see and def adding you to my google reader…you officially have a new follower:)
Aw, thanks
I so understand that community comment….just sayin.
What an interesting idea…oh man I have so many half written drafts!
Happy Friday!
Oh so true! I had lived away from home all through last year & can understand what you must be going through!
A random post but fully honest, indeed! Have a lovely caffeinated weekend!
I totally understand what you say about missing being part of a community. We recently left our church of nearly 10 years because we didn’t like the direction it was heading, and though I know we made the right choice, it’s been hard. I miss it. And finding another church where we feel we can grow has been difficult to say the least.
You are not alone… I feel your pain.