April 8 | Travel Log: Day 3 (Posted 6-12-15)

I really enjoyed Normandy yesterday, which was a real eye-opening experience for me. It is humbling to consider the immense sacrifices that men my age and even younger made so that I could live the life I live, and dream the dreams I dream. In many ways, their sacrifice is a beautiful reflection of what Christ did for us, although on a much smaller scale. Historical sites such as Normandy which commemorate sacrifice can make the Gospel that much more real to us.

The day was not without classic Sachem irony however. I wound up having to walk 2 hours (maybe a 20 minute drive) with three 40-pound bags to the train station. That was inconvenient. What was even more inconvenient was having to do it all over again when I got to Rennes because I didn’t have enough money for a taxi and the hotel. Needless to say, I’m pretty sore right now, and my clothes were absolutely drenched in sweat when I got here yesterday evening. But I made it!

Looking forward to the adventure in store today!

April 7 | Travel Log: Day 2 (Posted 6-12-15)

I arrived in Caen, Normandy last night, and the plan today is to go to both Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery here. I have a mutual friend who goes to school here, and he’ll be picking me up around 12 to go out to lunch, hit those two sites, and then drop me off at the train station so I can head on to Mont Saint Michel tonight! I’m pretty excited to see this part of history with my own eyes. 

April 6 | Travel Log: Day 1 (Posted 5-12-15)

Travel Log: Day 1

Today I travelled to Normandy – not my most pleasant travel experience (DEFINITELY NOT MY WORST EITHER). Normally on trains I just sit wherever there’s an open seat, kind of like at sporting events. Your ticket has a specific car and seat number, sure, but since logically the amount of people should be equal to the amount of seats, and since I was one of those people with one of those seats, if I sit in someone else’s seat then that means that because I am not sitting in my seat, there must be an open seat; especially since there are always multiple people who cancelled their tickets or missed the train. I promise I have never had any problems before, in the States or here in Europe (and at this point I’ve been on a lot of trains in both places). But today I learned a lesson.

I was woken up an hour into the trip by a guy asking, “Is this your seat?” Clearly it was his. I got up, thinking for sure I would find another open one. Except there were none – anywhere. In fact the spaces between the cars were almost completely packed with people! After looking through literally every car,  I was able to find one open spot between the cars where I could sit for the rest of the trip. I am seriously considering sitting in my assigned seat next time.

April 5 (Posted 5-12-15)

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to write yesterday, but with good reason. I’m working on my last undergrad class, and I’m taking it online – SCOM 345, or Persuasion. It might quite possibly be the toughest class I’ve ever taken. There’s a lot of work, and a lot of speeches to give, with a lot of specifications. My first speech for the class was due this week, but I also had to finish writing and translating my speech to the church to turn into my pastor today during the service so that he can look over it this week and give it back to me with some suggestions and corrections next Sunday after I get back. Those two things put together equal an all-nighter. Thankfully I got both done and done well, but I’m hoping I can catch up on some sleep today! And then, tomorrow I’m off to Normandy!

April 3 (Posted 5-2-15)

Yesterday I gave the second of a three-part lecture series on Love. This time, it was on “Loving Others”. It was based off of the “5 Love Languages” identified by Dr. Gary Chapman. Here’s a trailer which gives a quick synopsis of what the book teaches:

https://vimeo.com/39484374

And here’s an interview with Dr. Chapman:

April 2

For those who have been following my blog, I’m sure you noticed the change in pace from the excitement of the first week or so adventures to the daily analyses I have been providing for the sake of my internship which have dominated my blog since.

If you were really enjoying those, I am sad to say that yesterday was my last entry of that sort, as starting next week I will be travelling for the remainder of my internship. Because of this, I will be going dark for the next two weeks, until I arrive back stateside. This is for two reasons: wifi (my access to wifi will not be consistent), safety (it’s probably best not to say where and when I will be in certain locations, in the off chance that someone is actually reading this, and that that person is not a nice one) I will post all of my blog entries when I get back!

Great Sermons | 9. The Defeat of Defeatism – William Sangster

Mercredi, 1 Avril, 2015

Verse of the Day: «L'insensé dit en son coeur: Il n'y a point de Dieu!» Psaume 14.1

Quote of the Day: “One should love none but God and hate none but himself.”—Blaise Pascal

«Il faut n'aimer que Dieu et ne haïr que soi.»—Blaise Pascal

French Fun Fact: The number of times the French kiss each other as a form of greeting varies depending on region. In Corsica, the number of kisses can be as many as 5! (confessedtravelholic.com)

What’s Really Happening Over Here:

Weather – Mostly Cloudy, Precip. 20%

Temperature – 45⁰F, high of 50⁰

News – New road opens up to crash site in French Alps (thelocal.fr)

More News – http://www.ouest-france.fr/

A Day In the Life:

So yesterday I bought my ticket for my trip on Monday to a very historic part of France…whose name I will not divulge just yet, just to keep you in a bit of suspense. But I look forward to seeing some important sites and taking some pictures!

The Defeat of Defeatism

“William Sangster was a Bible-believing Methodist in a time when the Methodist Church was crumbling in unbelief.  Dr. Sangster did all he could to rally his denomination back to the fundamental truths of the faith.  This sermon is an example of that bold preaching.  Dr. Sangster 

failed in bringing Methodism back, but never failed in his personal ministry to publish the eternal truths of God's Word. (newsforchristians.com)”

I love Sangster’s choice of language throughout this sermon. He uses a balanced combination of metaphors: “strange temper of the times”, "painting the ship while she goes down", “In a true adventure the element of fear is only a condiment at the feast; it must not maintain itself in the central place”; and of repetition: “Statesmen feel it. They want peace, but they are so sure that they cannot get it that they bend their whole strength to the preparations for war. Economists feel it. They dread a slump in trade, but they have no confidence in their ability to avoid it. Doctors feel it. Lord Horder said recently: ‘All is not well with the family doctor...He has lost caste...He must change his own attitude of defeatism.’ The Church knows the malady too…”  I can only imagine that his delivery was complimentary.

You can view the speech in its entirety here.