The French

OK, so here’s the truth: when my husband called me to share that he just invited 2 French tourists over for dessert Saturday night, I was not thrilled at all. “What?” My in-laws were in town and I would be taking the children to our dear friend’s birthday party that evening – stranger guests from France to top my night off did not sound lovely in the slightest. My husband is a CHP sergeant and at work Friday night a couple from France came into his office. The man was a police officer in France and had grown up watching CHiPs and it was a dream come true for him to meet some real CHP officers, not Paunch and John! As they gave the couple tour around the office, showing off the latest and greatest CHP cars and motorcycles, my husband learned that they were staying at a hotel very close to our home… so he invited them over! Oh, and did I mention that the woman didn’t speak English and the man could barely get by? And did I mention that my husband was quick to tell them that, “my wife speaks French,” but the truth is that I haven’t really spoken in about 15 years? This was extremely out of character for my type A, safety first, conservative husband. It’s actually something I would do! And as I talked with a friend at the evening birthday party in anticipation of my French rendez-vous later that evening, she pointed out how cute it was that my husband was starting to act like me and do things that I do. I guess when you spend enough time with someone, you begin to take on some of their characteristics. You begin to try things that you haven’t before. You enter into new realms and experiences that open up your eyes to parts of you that you didn’t know existed. If we spend enough time with Jesus, we too will take on his characteristics and slowly become more like him, discovering more of who we are in the process.

        The evening was lovely. The couple was more than grateful and thrilled to be invited into a real American home. And guess what? We now have new friends in France that have welcomed us into their home the next time we find ourselves in Lyon!

*The above photo is my husband in Paris with the French police.  I guess it's a cop thing to hunt down law enforcement in other countries!  They didn't invite us over though!!