Livin' on a Prayer

   Sing it with me now, "We're halfway there, WO-OAH! Livin' on a prayer!"

 
The reason I choose to use this song is the line "We're halfway there." It's true, it may be hard to believe, but my time here in France has been cut in half.
  It takes some time for one to get comfortable and get one's bearings in a foreign country. Obviously, this time frame is different for each person.  Routines don't make themselves, at least not in my experience. They must be created, after that they keep themselves going.
  My life here is in full swing.  As usual, I don't have trouble filling up an agenda.
I have been busy with church and school activities.
  Besides church on Sundays, we have college group on Monday nights.  The group is called GBU (it's an acronym for College Bible Group or Groupe Bilique Universitaire.)  It's really been great being a part of this circle of students, on a spiritual and companionable level, but also just in the interaction with French people.  In addition, we have small group every other Wednesday night.  We take time to share life and go through Francis Chan's Crazy Love with a group of about 7 students.  It has been a privilege getting to know this group of young people and being challenged with the Word of God.
 We have also had the opportunity to visit with some friends from church in their home.  We had a great time of sharing life and comparing cultures.  (When I say "we," I'm referring to myself, my girlfriend Elizabeth, and Amber).
  On Tuesday nights, as I have mentioned earlier, I play basketball at the school.  I love basketball and practicing French is just another plus.
  School seems to be picking up: I come home in the evenings, and I have assignments to do for the next day.  In all honesty, I don't like that.  Being in Argentina did not help to fortify my study habits, and then not having school for two months had a similar effect.  But, when I complain about my petty homework assignments, I simply think of next year and returning to Grace.  This is child's play compared to real college courses.  :(
  Looking at this list of activities, I am saddened because I know that in about 8.5 weeks, this will all come to an end.  It really makes me think about how I use my time.  But France is not my only time that is limited: my time here on this planet has a definite end that is fast approaching.

^{Psalm 90:12} So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

We're so finite compared to God's infinitude.  It's not worth getting caught up in our own petty lives.  Why worry about the things that will pass away?