So my last post talked about being led through the city and not getting lost but instead being taken to a place that I had not planned for but was happy to be at upon my arrival. (yes I realized that was a bit of a run on- disclaimer)

I kind of think that travel is a bit like life. As previously mentioned - I walk up to someone and either point at the map where I want to be or show them a piece of paper that I have scribbled on the name - they then point me in the direction with lots of hand motions and words -i simply respond merci with my confident look and head off. Remember this as I promise to come back...

So I was able to spend a night at the sacred heart basilica where I would get to take part in vespers, compline, mass, and finally night adoration. I realized i was running late for evening vespers - so with my backpack i went running up the streets and many many steps to the basilica in about 10 minutes and I thought it was going to kill me- lets just say the days of me wearing my bunker gear and scba and running up the stairs at kerr hall are long gone.

After night vespers I wander around and enjoyed the people and places behind sacred heart. I have to say it was pleasant to walk around in Paris and not smell urine. I guess that is the price parisians pay for making others pay for their toilets!

So then I headed back to the bascilica and went to check in for night adoration. The nuns were very nice and everyone was unsure if we each really understood the other. Most everyone for night adoration was a local and showed up with small bags and me and the hikers pack stood out. One of the other women there for adoration in the check in lobby began to talk to me about the camino and that she had hiked it for 8 days and hopes to be able to hike all of it one day. She was very pleasant and at compline we would sit together. It was nice because I had some questions about certain times they had bowed during night vespers and she told me that it was in respect when they said the father, son, and holy spirit. So my French skills have started by saying in French when I do the sign of the cross. She also taught me how to say peace be with you in french but alas i have already forgotten that after i used it at that one mass. She asked if i had been to adoration before and i told her in the states but not at the basicilica. She gave me some updates about the schedule and said the nuns had told her to just ask, ask, ask the Lord and to give Him everything and then to trust during your time. She said sometimes what we ask for is not what God wants and this is where trust comes in. She spoke with such passion and the passion this women had made me think of Barbara Jean and how her faith during adoration had help form my faith. During the mass during the sign of peace - the woman just embraced me for a hug and in her greeting was such reassurance for my journey and my call. I would only see her again as we passed in silence in the corridor for our evening shifts but I will say she was absolutely amazing and it was nice to have my first real conversation with someone about faith.

My shift was 5am after getting to bed sometime after midnight (it felt like an ACTS desert). I woke excited and head down from the cells to the bascilica. The church was in complete silence and it was very dark. Only some candles from earlier remained lit in the side chapels and only three lights were on for the entire church - one on the ambo where the word of God is proclaim, one on the altar - where He becomes real for us, and finally on the the monstrance. The monstrance is set high above and in the low lighting you could not see all the artwork from earlier... Now the focus was solely on adoring Christ.

There were a handful of others there but I did not notice them and enjoyed this time with God. It was the exact opposite of the basilica earlier when tourist where coming in and out during the mass and walking in the side chapels.

So I started with the pray formula - praise, repent, ask (there is my friends word), and yield. The words all came very easy and it was after the ask part that I felt the greatest peace during yield. For those that know me you know what question I ask and so as I previously said we would come back to this. Our life will be like asking for directions in a foreign language. We will continue to ask God and go in the direction until we are unsure if we are still going the right path. Then we need to stop - ask and yield to here His answer. I used to give God multiple choices but what if He does not like that style? After all I think He is more of a essay kind of guy! So I am going to attempt and change myself to ask open-ended questions instead of multiple choice.

Thought of the morning- what kind. Of questions are you asking God.