1.  a good meeting this morning to sort out our taxe d’habitation, with help from a visiting friend who helped with the more specific language, which is certainly not part of my vocabulary!

2.  Lora’s visit, and not just for the above. She’s good company and is also helping with some translation stuff in the prayer room

3.  being able to meet our friends and co-workers (in Eastbourne) off the ferry; walk back to our place through the boot sale and market, picking up where we’d left off when we last saw them. Great couple of days – thanks Martyn and Sue

4. that I took Martyn up on his offer to help sort out the back tyre on my bike, which we thought would be complicated to fix, and he had it sorted and ready to go within an hour. Just looking for the basket to put the baguettes in now!

Martyn doing a minor miracle with the bike

5. living by the sea again and seeing the ferry at the end of the promenade, as it’s a reminder that we can be back with family and friends within five hours

6.  the beautiful French language and the awareness that I am actually understanding more and more of it

7.  singing worship songs in French that I already know in English – great way to learn

8.  clementines – keep buying them at the market and can’t seem to get enough of them at the moment

Oh my ........

9.  meaningful conversations with some people at the church here, and a meal next week where we’re anticipating exploring this even more.

10. (this one might sound a bit strange) learning new recipes to use up leftover food rather than throwing it away, and the sense of satisfaction this brings

So, I’m not just thankful on Tuesdays, but it’s a good day to stop and remember some of the gifts that have come my way over the last few days.

I’d be interested to read some of yours…

Over the last few years we’ve moved from having a garden to just a balcony, and now to neither of those, but fortunately we do have deep window ledges!

Not wanting to let the challenge of no outside space deter me from growing at least something, here’s the offering so far coming in the form of herbs and lettuce leaves:

The peonies would have been un peu difficile so I got them from the market!

For the salade

More herbs

Favourite flower

Greg Boyd

It can be so easy to live life saying I believe in God and have a relationship with Him, and yet not be aware of His presence on a moment by moment basis. This book, along with others such as Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence and Letters by a Modern Mystic by Franc C. Laubach are helpful reminders about what it means to walk and talk with God and be aware and awake to the fact that He is always with us.

It’s definitely a challenge, but what a difference it can make when we start to believe it’s true. The mundane can become sacred and the everyday routines seem less of a chore when we’re aware that we can talk to God about them and do them ‘as unto Him’, It’s also a great aid to living with thankfulness, because being aware of everything around us and living in the moment draws out our gratitude.

So, my weekend and week ahead consists of time with friends in Paris, where I can practice being aware of Him and what He may want to do or say through me, but also in the shopping, cooking, cleaning, painting that will inevitably follow on Monday. It’s all His and all just as important to be present in.

How about you? Do you have any helpful ways of reminding yourself to live in the moment and aware that God is with you?

Along with the everyday ups and downs of life there’s been plenty to give thanks for, and as I’m playing catch-up with this discipline of recording my gratitude, they’re in a list form again. Less detail but still appreciated:

1. We had a lovely few days with our friend Penny; relaxed over meals, talked and laughed a lot (all three of us, not just Penny!), prayed together morning and evening and generally enjoyed having our first non-family visitor.

Penny

2. This was followed by a great weekend with our friends Catherine and Adrian. Good food again (notice a pattern forming here), at a local restaurant complete with veggie menu, watched Midnight in Paris together, and enjoyed introducing them to our local church.

Catherine & Adrian

3. Made a new friend as we had a visit from someone from Hastings. We also discovered we had quite a lot of mutual friends.

4. Memorable weekend with the university students from The Bridge in Paris, along with Suzanne and Guy. Enjoyed studying the words of Jesus together, worshipping Him and, of course gathering round the table to eat!

6 of the 8 .....

5. So glad that my brother has been able to visit for a few days. It was a pleasure to show him around Dieppe and he took us on a nostalgic trip back to Honfleur.

Beautiful Honfleur

6. This brings us to Good Friday – a reflective day – spent doing a 6 mile coastal walk to the next little seaside town called Pourville. Beautiful day all round.

On the way out of Dieppe

Sharon's friends from local vegetarian group

Pourville - worth the walk

7. Saturday we took the train to Rouen and wandered around the city admiring the cathedral, medieval architecture, and generally enjoyed meandering through all the narrow streets.

8. Easter Sunday – many words already spoken of this day, but I’m thankful that history changed forever, the power of death was broken and lives are continually being changed because of the world’s greatest Gift.

9. Beginning to recognise more faces at church and also being kissed more as people are getting to know us! Being able to understand some of the sermon and his excitement over the good news he was sharing!

10. A day for chilling out, cooking and generally catching up before everything starts again.

Perhaps I’d better let you know at the beginning of this post that it’s one of my more deep and meaningful ones, but I hope something about it resonates with you.

Quite a lot of the time I use this site to make a record of all the good gifts that come my way every day, and for me, it’s a helpful discipline to write down just how much there is to be thankful for.

Above and beyond the everyday good things though, there is an overwhelming sense of gratitude I’m experiencing particularly at the moment, for a Saviour, a Friend who sticks closer than a brother, an Anchor when the circumstantial waves of our lives come crashing in, a Father who loves and goes on loving no matter what, a Hope in a world desperate for something more than the here and now, a Reality that reminds me that there is more to this life than the superficial sight we often live by and a Joy that promises a future where there will be no more pain and tears.

The great thing about this gift is that it’s for everyone – no-one’s excluded!

Over the last week there’s been some specific situations to be thankful for, as well as all the everyday benefits that come my way, so here’s a snapshot:

• A cancelled ferry, which might not seem like an obvious reason to be grateful, but it turned into an opportunity to get to know a couple of other passengers (in fact, one came and spent the night at our flat with us!). Fortunately we didn’t have a deadline and were able to sail the next day, having made an acquaintance and a new friend.
• An opportunity to help out at this event and meet up with some friends there at the same time.
• Sourcing a splashback for this – much cheaper in the U.K.
• Being able to have real and meaningful conversations with a couple of close friends – as much as I enjoy life here and know it’s where we’re supposed to be, it’s always good to be with people you really know and have some history with.
• Hearing that two different sets of friends are coming to see us in Feb/March – looks like March is going to be a busy month!
• A meal out with our family celebrating our eldest son’s upcoming birthday.
• A chance to meet some people who are guests at this, and also some of those who are volunteering.
• Coming back to a relatively warm flat, especially as it’s between -5 and -9 at night here at the moment! (Not much warmer in the day – the highest was -3 today.)

These two photos show the journey into the port at Newhaven and back to a snowy Dieppe harbour.

Sunrise near Newhaven

Snowy and sub zero Dieppe

Well, so much for coming back the next day with my Top Ten Thanks!

We’re in the middle of a season of travelling, but I’m glad to be able to stop what I’m doing and take some time to give thanks; to put aside any anxious thoughts, concerns, to-do lists, etc and enjoy this moment, right here and now and look back at some moments that have made up our days recently.

1.  Good conversation, coffee and unexpected lunch with another English lady I’m getting to know here.

2.  A weekend at The Bridge catching up with friends, enjoying warm hospitality, delicious meals, encouraging words, Freckles the dog to stroke, and all in all just feeling loved.

3.  Being able to cook/bake again. Might not be high on everyone’s list of thanks, but I actually find it quite therapeutic!

4.  Spending time with people who are passionate about following Jesus and making Him known, even if this means moving away from the security of the everyday routines for a while.

5.  Getting closer to having this place ready for people (hopefully!) to come and experience a place of retreat, while also advancing God’s kingdom through prayer.

Here’s some moments I’m anticipating:

6.  Seeing family again in a few day’s time.

7.  A trip to Nottingham in April to see some more family members.

8.  Catching up with friends we didn’t get to see last time we were in the U.K.

9.  Having a second read of this great book: A Meal with Jesus by Tim Chester.

10. The mid-week gathering tonight with our church here in Dieppe.

Well, that took some time out from my day of painting the shower room, but well worth stopping for to remember  the moments that make up our days.

Here’s a couple of photos from our recent visit to Prague:

St Charles Church

Even on a cold day there are visitors to this beautiful square

Life, over these last few weeks has been a mix of some good moments and some times when it’s actually been quite difficult, as I’m sure that’s the way it goes for most of us.

One of the things I’ve noticed is that when it’s not so easy and straightforward, it helps to call to mind thankfulness for the ‘small’ benefits that constantly come our way, but are easily taken for granted.

Like what? I’m sure you’re wondering. Well, these occasions seem to make me more grateful for the fact that I wake up every morning; that there’s food in the cupboard and water at the turn of the tap. More than enough clothes to wear (I may be quoted on this later!) and fresh air to breathe. I know it may all sound a bit trite, but for some people many of these things are a daily battle.

There may be days when it’s a definite choice to give thanks, but it usually doesn’t take long before I realise that, yes, life is complex and tough sometimes, but looking at it from a perspective of gratitude makes me more aware of the consistent and undeserved gifts that come my way.

I’m calling to mind what some of these recent good things have been and they’ll hopefully appear in my top ten list tomorrow.

Here’s my offering:

1.  Lots of painting (rooms that is, not canvas) accomplished over the last few days.

2.  Delicious veggie takeaway after a busy day doing the above.

3.  Discovered that the Soldes (sales) start here tomorrow so may be able to pick up a few bargains.

4.  Managed to understand the hot water system and now have l’eau chaude at the turn of a tap.

5.  Receiving our first potential booking from people looking for a prayer retreat.

6.  My husband! May sound corny, but he really is my best friend, and it’s just as well because although we’re gradually making friends, we do actually spend quite a lot of our time together.

7.  A book I’m reading at the moment called ‘Finding Sanctuary’ by Abbot Christopher Jamison (remember The Monastery programme – it’s him). It’s not a book to read in one sitting, but it’s thought-provoking.

8.  Candles – I love the atmosphere they bring.

9.  The exercise we get from the half an hour uphill walk to the church – not always quite so thankful on the way up, but love the walk back and the knowledge that it’s doing some good.

10.  Saved the best from today until last. We’ve just been to the Tuesday Prayer and Bible study and the church are doing a Daniel Fast (Jeune de Daniel). It was great and we felt really at home and have been made very welcome. There was a freedom to worship and I’m loving learning all the French songs. So thankful for this particular area of our lives at the moment.

Thanks for reading – hope you’ve found something to give thanks for today.

Today, as I was purchasing some veggie stuff at the fabulous Saturday market here in Dieppe, I was approached by a woman who asked me if I was from England. Part of me was so pleased to meet another Brit, but another part was conscious that, despite my best efforts to speak French, my accent obviously still leaves a lot to be desired.

Anyway, we chatted for about 10 minutes and then she gave me her card so I could get in touch later. Looking down at the address, I noticed that she had also included her English home, which just happens to be in Eastbourne!

After drinks together in a local restaurant and then back at our place, the whole situation seemed even more uncanny, as we discovered we had two boys very close in age who attended the same school and that we actually have property a couple of streets from each other back in Sussex.

So, I’m thankful that although the plans we had for today went completely out of the window, we were able to spend around seven hours with someone who we will hopefully become good friends with during the coming months.