Easter

I teach Sunday school at church about every other week. Our class is roughly five to nine year-olds and on any given Sunday there may be from one to seven children, all girls. The parents of these girls hail from France, Senegal, Madagascar, Congo, Russia, and the U.S.

Since the fall of 2010, we've used the rotation model. I came across it when we visited a church in Bogotà that summer. We follow a six year (or so) teaching plan and stick with one Bible passage for three or four weeks before moving on.  I have loved it as we've had the freedom to approach the passage in different ways each week. We've done drama, cooking, praying, crafting, reading, acting the passage out with Playmobil people, art and probably other things that I've forgotten.

For Easter, we've looked at Jesus' trial. Last week, we acted out a few examples of what happens when someone is caught stealing.  We juggled the roles of thief, victim, police officer, and judge between the three who were present. Then we read the story of Jesus' trial and talked about it. No fancy craft, and the acting out was even done as we sat around the table because our Sunday school room has no space for us to move around. But, the kids were completely engaged.

This week, we read and talked through the resurrection passage from Luke. Then we did the above coloring page while we kept talking. Since we don't color very much, the girls were extremely enthusiastic. I've honestly never seen so much care go into something as seemingly boring as coloring rocks.

So, the girls are coloring their rocks, and we are talking about various things. Things like whether you should use a grey marker or a pencil, and whether to use your finger to smudge the pencil to add shading to the rocks. And we are talking about Jesus and his life when one of girls mentions that Jesus never married.

And another replies, "Of course he did, he had a son."

At which point we talked a lot, and I got her back on the right track theologically.

We continue to color, and I mention that the city in the background is Jerusalem. I also say that I once visited Jerusalem.

Same girl with wide-eyed curiosity, "Did you see Jesus?"

At which point I draw a time line which ends up having everyone from prehistoric peoples to Louis the fourteenth on it.

Happy week after Easter to you all!

My Walk

I thought I'd post pictures of the daily trek to school. Scott goes with her in the morning, and I do afternoon pick-up. It's about a twenty minute walk.

I pass our bus stop, local grocery store, and our pharmacy. Sometimes I wonder if the pharmacists keep mental track of our medical needs. Like, do they look at me when I come in and think, "Boy she sure has bought a lot of lice shampoo over the years." Hopefully not.

 Next to the pharmacy is the real estate agency that we used to buy our apartment almost five years ago.

A few years ago, Justin always brought a foam ball to play soccer at recess. I think this was partly politics; if it was his ball, he could always play. When it would get kicked up onto a roof, he would beg for three euros, and go down to this gas station to replace it.

For our first year and a half in Nice, we lived in the apartment above this restaurant. The bathroom was really nice and big.

 This is a side street on the way. The onion domes are the top of the very lovely Russian orthodox church.

 I go under the train tracks leading to the central train station. It doesn't smell great.

 And out again into the light...

 past a store with a small dog in the window. He wouldn't look my way.

 There are several cafés and restaurants with tables and chairs outside...

and stores with produce on the sidewalk.

The way back is different. Anna is chattering about her day, waving at me to catch up so we can cross the street on a green light, visiting animals and friends on the way, and occasionally getting ice cream. I will post about all this another day.

But the pictures here show my walk down to school. A friend posted recently on her blog about a walk that she has found where she can reflect and pray  When most people think of walks for reflection and prayer time, I suppose we think of lovely, lonely places far away from people and pollution and clamor.
I like these too, and there are these places, even in Nice. There are olive groves, historic neighborhoods, rose gardens, and hills.

But the reality of my life now is that my walk is this busy European city street. It's a walk that is part of the pattern of my life. I don't have to plan it into my schedule or go out of my way to make time for it. It is my schedule.

Christmas in Nice

We've had a busy holiday season with good friends visiting, lots of food, and much fun with our friends' new Wii.  All those years of step classes finally paid off as I achieved the highest score on the Wii Fit step activity.  Never mind that I was competing against children under the age of ten.  It still counts, especially as they beat me in EVERYTHING else.  Oh, except hula hoop.  I did pretty well there too.  Not the highest scorer, but close. Unfortunately, the Wii departed with our friends.  We miss the Wii.  A lot.  Oh, and our friends too.

So here's a picture of the living nativity scene in the center of Vieux Nice.  We all bundled up to go see this one afternoon.  There were live animals, but the old store mannequins dressed in crop pants and leg warmers were umm, just weird.