Thanksgiving Celebration 2025, Paris 7th arrondissement
Watch our short videos
Click images or links below. We will be adding more in the upcoming Thursday – Sunday.
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
– John Hugh
In French we often say “merci beaucoup.” A direct translation of this would be “thank you a lot”. But it’s really “thank you very much.” I like the French people and the language’s emphasis on more thankfulness. We can always emphasize giving thanks more. While in English we will say “thank you so much” often, the French seem to run with it all the time. I’ve noticed and appreciated little things such as that.
Thanksgiving weekend is here and the holidays have officially arrived. For us here at Thanksgiving, it’s simply not the same. We do our best. We had an Egg Bowl gathering (even more thankful for the 6pm game) and a pot-luck Thanksgiving dinner Saturday to watch this great new documentary film that highlights our church plant – Youtube A City of Light. And for the day itself, we had lunch with some Americans while a normal Thursday occurs in Paris.
We are very thankful. Going on year 5 now, and you can keep up with us on our church newsletter. But life is full. One son is looking toward graduation and college. Another is at a wonderful autism school. Our youngest is on the brink of the wild ride of teenage years. Family rhythms and working together are getting stronger here. A new church being established. A new home is here.
At the same time, and at risk of overt patriotism, we are thankful for our original, always home America, and then Mississippi. We went to an Armistice / Veterans Day Ceremony two weeks ago. It occurred at the American Cemetery at Suresnes, outside Paris.
We all (5 of us) engage more in national history here. For me, it’s ancestors going back from the Revolutionary War to World War 1, World War 2, and then Korea. For Linda, she carries the history of two sides and sets of immigrants – Italians on Ellis Island and Vietnamese. This is the beauty of America. Both these sets of histories are not simply valid, but true. It is still the new world filled with the possibilities of what could be over that next hill, or a morning of new opportunities. We carry that and live that here in France.
At the same time, I’ve grown to appreciate in a fuller extent the necessity and richness of international collaboration. I’ve become more fascinated with the nation of France, its history, and culture. Not only it, yet the different spheres of Europe and their people. Such a philosophy of life was encapsulated by many leaders after World War 2, attempting to put in structures that would do all they could there would not be an opportunity for such devastation to occur again.
One of those leaders, arguably the foremost, was General and then President Dwight Eisenhower – Ike. I’ve grown to admire and like Ike more and more while here. Our kids go to a school President Eisenhower helped to found outside Paris. It was – and is – to be a place where the postwar values of international cooperation are shared and learned. President Eisenhower knew an American fully engaged in the world would make American a better, stronger, safer place. That was in 1951. Much has changed, yet I’m thankful we are now part of that tradition here or at the very least, helping carry on that legacy.
Yet being here, and even being involved, there remains some grieving when we’re part of this world, at least for me. We live now in a place increasingly international with many mixed families who have history and connections across Europe, Asia, North, and South America. For our kids, they won’t have the roots I did. The global is more emphasized here, not as much the local.
So I miss the small town. The Main Street or Mayberry aspect, even the over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house we go. Especially around Thanksgiving. I don’t take it for granted, how I grew up, and what a gift it was. Hopefully our kids can have the gift of a bit of both.
We are thankful for such gifts of both: life in France as Americans, as Mississippians, and most of all as Christians. Philippians 4:6 – “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” – comes to mind. We pray for our kids to feel and find a home in both their roots and their wings – being thankful for all the opportunities we’ve given and the home we’ve built here.
Paris is full of people just like this – especially young singles, students, and expat families. They are a part of why we’re here – to help them build a home, and to know, when our real home is in Christ, we can be at home anywhere on earth.
This is often the world of the missionary. Being the bridge to connect the home with mission field and then feeling pulled away from home simultaneously. It’s a challenge we’ve face, and not always well. There are the pressures of establishing and providing for your family, while doing what you feel you’re there to do – start and grow a church.
Perhaps I’m most thankful for a fuller and deeper perspective in this adventure. The longer we’re here, the more we know both the traps and pitfalls and pressures – and can be more skilled to avoid them. We’ve certainly had them this year, yet it’s been a healthy pivot point too.
After nearly 5 years here, we are planning for another 5 too. Our oldest graduates this year. It will be a new season. We are all older. We all speak French better. A big part of our life now is here. It’s a home. But the USA remains as much a home as ever. Roots have begun here, and that “sense of place” Eudora Welty famously wrote about can be multiple. We hope to help more find that sense of place, wherever the Lord is leading them on this crazy, exhilarating journey we call life.
We are thankful.
We will write again at Christmas. Enjoy the opening of holiday festivities, 2025.
As always, thank you for reading! Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog, so you never miss a post.
Paris Partner Goal
We have intentions to stay in France for another 6 years. God has been gracious to open so many doors.
Our goal is for 40 new Paris Partners at $25/month by Dec 2025. We have more ideas and dreams for Paris. Join us in the adventure by donating here!
Follow our church plant @eicrivegauche on Instagram or Facebook or visit www.eicparis.com.
