La Lumière: June 2022

In leading France's technology team, May has initiated a lot of change. She heard a brilliant colleague, Ben Sisson, say, "Change brings chaos, and chaos brings opportunity." This quote impacted and encouraged her. She even printed it out and posted it on the window of her office. May continues to be an agent of change and opportunity, persevering through the chaos it involves.
Dan recently finished a graphics design project for our human resources department, the transition chart. It is designed to help people process through transitions, analyzing how they experience them on psychological and social levels. It is a very useful tool, shining a light on a time inevitably marked by chaos, anxiety and vulnerability. As his team was giving feedback on the design, they found the material helpful because everyone happens to be experiencing some sort of transition now.
This is exactly where we're at right now, transition chaos. Both of our are boys leaving home, we are moving back to Rennes, and the constitution of our teams is changing. This month, there is also a major leadership transition in Cru here in France, where the three people who have been at the helm for the past 17 years are passing the baton to a team of six. They are hosting an event to celebrate this pivotal moment, be thankful for the past and look ahead to the future. Voilà, persevering through the chaos!

Radio France concert hall, another favorite place.
Please pray
- for transitions, that we manage the chaos and trust in the Lord.
- that we all stay healthy and able to carry boxes!
- for Silas's summer internship with Amazon in the city of Montélimar (in the south).

Efrem will be gratuating in early July!

Magical view from the Seine.
We bought a belt for each of the boys from a leather worker just around the corner. He would often wave to me as I walked by on the sidewalk. He has a young pit bull named Orson who has finally mellowed, and we stop and talk if we cross paths while walking his dog. Even though we see each other rarely, I took the time to talk with him and mention that we're moving away, which he seemed to appreciate. For me, it is a way to say goodbye to Paris and prepare for the move. I also told the fruit and vegetable guy that I wouldn't be seeing him once a week any more because of our move. Same with the butcher, the lady I buy fish from, and the watch repairman. It's important to say goodbye, even to places that have been significant: the park we love to walk through on Sundays, the steps up the hill of Montmartre which serve as our free stair master workout, our go-to bread store on the corner. It also cultivates a spirit of appreciation which is easy to pass over. If you had to move, what people or places would you want to say goodbye to? Does that question spark thankfulness?
