"A Together" family

We have a saying in our family. It usually comes out when I try to push my way into our tiny bathroom to brush my teeth at the same time Julie is trying to do her make-up. It's often when we are late for something or when all of us are tripping over each other trying to help make dinner in the kitchen.

"Why do you have to do that HERE and NOW?" is usually what prompts the statement.

Well, its because we are "a together" family! We wish it meant we have it all together but it usually means we are doing things all together. On one hand it diffuses the obvious annoyance of having your entire family or spouse in your space when you just want some space. But on the other hand, I am super grateful and proud of our family. And yes for better or worse...we are a together family.

Recently one of our children was saddened by the challenge of having to complete work (in French) at school while being timed and said that it sometimes made them feel like crying because they just couldn't do it. They weren't upset at the school or even their teacher but simply that their best wasn't good enough.

I responded that I felt the same when my best isn't good enough since if I mess up at work, people could get really sick or even die. In hindsight I think I hit the fly with a sledge hammer but with good intentions. Unfortunately, they couldn't relate to the life of surgeon very well so instead, I grabbed my french journal. I write a journal in french each day which is subsequently corrected. 

If you can read french, you may find the journal entries and mistakes amusing.

I showed them the the endless red ink of all my corrections on my last 55 journal entries. They flipped the pages of my notebook astonished that their dad could have made so many mistakes. I had them fooled for so long. I was quite astonished too as I usually don't look at every mistake I have ever made all at once! Thankfully, for two kids in a new country, new language, new school, trying to make new friends and satisfy their new teachers, it was what they needed to see to be encouraged. 

We regularly pray for courage in the small daily challenges facing our kids in this sometimes hard adventure. This week for the first time one of our kids volunteered to read aloud in their French class while the other feels confident enough to speak french to their new national friends. These are the answers to many dinner and devotion-time prayers. And no, we definitely don't have it all together but despite our mistakes, we are all in this as "a together" family..... JESH

Happy... cough... New Year!

Bonne Année! And yes we all began 2018 sick...

Jesh and his siblings 25 years ago.

As Christmas approached and french classes finished for the holidays, we decided to make a trip to Scotland. My (Jesh's) family had spent a year when I was a child and  I had long been awaiting an opportunity to return. 

During my time there as a child, I had many memories of living in a small shepherd cottage, attending a one room schoolhouse, working on a sheep farm and making many Scottish friends. I would say it is the highlight of many childhood memories – I have nothing but positive memories of that time. Living in that rural peaceful place has shaped who I am today.

So we packed our car and began the over 1600km trek - driving. Yes you read correctly. Driving was definitely not Julie’s first choice of transportation but we did find a Starbucks along the way. She figured the savings from driving should equate to the occasional Starbucks drink.


We stumbled on Vimy Ridge and reflected on our proud Canadian heritage in World War I.

Did you know that there are 28 Costcos in the UK? A Thiessen road trip would not be complete without a Costco hotdog and fountain drink and thankfully we were able to continue this tradition.

My family's longtime Scottish friends who run Greenhope Bed & Breakfast were very hospitable despite us being quite ill with colds and coughs during our entire stay. 

We were welcomed with a blanket of snow and being Canadian, this brought great joy to our kids.

What a treat to stay at Greenhope cottage, the same cottage (now renovated and expanded) that my family lived in 25 years ago.

View from Greenhope 25 years later.

As I reflected on my many childhood memories, I was struck by the fact that my parents took many risks including selling their successful business, shipping a few possessions overseas and moving to a new country and culture. I do recall living humbly but this didn't negatively impact my memories of this time.

As my children witness abundance and poverty in many countries and cultures in 2018, my prayer for them is that would be that they would be continually shaped for God’s purpose and that their memories of these times would purposefully contribute to who they will be and what they will do.    JESH