Faithfully Lost in London

I'm ba-ack

2006-04-06T15:34:00.000+01:00

Hello all! I apologize to y'all who have enjoyed reading my blog and keeping up that way. I have been horrible at keeping this updated for many reasons. One - its difficult to write about mundane stuff but inappropriate at times to tell anyone who could stumble upon my page the fascinating, but difficult and private interworkings of my life. Two - online time has been somewhat limited lately, and I have been struggling to find time to return emails let alone write in my blog. Three - There is so much to catch up on that needs to go up here. I've done so so much over the last few months and its so hard to figure out how to begin to explain or express it on here. But, I shall try. Bit by bit.

~ January ~
Sick Days - It took me ages to recover from tonsilitis. I have never felt more ill in my life. All I wanted was Mom, Saltines and Gatorade (ha - MSG) - none of which I could get. Thank God for the doctor that is a member of our church who made the housecall and gave me the drugs.

Christian Education Project - I spent a day with Rob who works with the local CEP - an organization that works in several of the local schools to support christian youth clubs within schools and have assemblies for the younger kids. Good work's being done there and it was really a different experience to see how church and school fit together here - unlike at home where they are so separate.

Youth Work - Due to volunteer staff changes, I stepped up to find the material and start leading the local youth club (5 churches together). I've really enjoyed it but it really knocks me out every other Monday night.

Dinner for Fellow Texan's Birthday - My friend Jordan, a fellow longhorn and Religious studies student, is studying at King's College here in London and I joined her and some of her friends for a true Texan birthday dinner and salsa dancing night. It was so nice to hang out with wonderful new people, to have Tex-Mex and to just get out of the house and the church for an evening.

~ February ~
Squash - I spent a Saturday learning to play Squash with my friend Kathryn, who was incredibly patient with me. So much fun. Took 3 days for my bum to recover.

Home - Traveled home for a few days. My brother made All-State Band and my parents and I cooked up how to surprise him - I showed up! The All-Sate Band was amazing. I also got to see my great Uncle Shine, who passed away last week. I tried really hard to spend time with everyone, but it just didn't quite work that way, especially since I was only the country for 6 days and one of those was in Tyler visiting my uncle and 2 of them were in San Antonio for Mike's concert.

March -
Tour of the UK with Bethany - Bethany, one of my best friends from UT, came over to visit me and we spent a few days in London, took a train up to Edunburgh, then hired a car and went to Glasgow (got semi-snowed in), then up to Loch Lomond and Stirling, then down to Oxford and stayed with lovely people there. After that we headed to Bath and Stonehenge and then back to London and to Windsor. We had a fabulous and funny time. I'll have to write more about it later for it to get the blog time it diserves.

Healing Prayer School - I went to a week-long conference at a church here. Really a life-changing experience. My eyes have now been opened to one main thing the church should be. Will write more on that later too.

April -
Holy Week - Well, He is risen and it is finished. Thank God. 17 services later. Seventeen - yes, you read that right. Seventeen services over the week. I don't remember the last time I've been this exhausted. All part of the learning experience.

Anyway, I will write more later. This is just the beginning. I hope.
Much love to everyone!

Out Sick

2006-01-10T11:17:00.000Z

Today is one of those days when I can without a doubt say that I feel the best I've felt in a while. Last Wednesday I started to get a little sore throat, and by Thursday afternoon it was a full-blown fever and I had lost the ability to swallow. Acute Streptococcus Tonsilitis was upon me.

I've never had the pleasure of this lovely little disease before and now that I have I would advise anyone against it. I have not a clue how I got it - I know no one who has it or anything like it, but it is an airborne thing so I could have gotten it from someone on the train who coughed or sneezed. And supposedly its more common here than in good ole Texas. I was told to possibly expect to be hit with some nice English illnesses. Yay.

I must say some positive things about this though --
Thankfully a wonderful woman from our church who is a doctor made a housecall for me and gave me a prescription and now I'm feeling better (minus the nausea from the meds). I'm so glad that I didn't have to go to the local hospital or anything. Things like that in another country (granted I'm not in some third world country but still) - they are really scary and overwhelming.

The other positive - I lost 13 pounds over the last 5 days. This is quite possibly the most effective post-Christmas diet ever and the least recommended one too. So, I'm going to run, well, slowly make my way downstairs and have some chicken broth and toast for lunch. Yay for food and the ability to eat it.

My Simple Short Christmas Morning Sermon

2006-01-04T14:50:00.000Z

Good morning and Merry Christmas to you all.
When I interviewed to come to Holy Trinity this year, my mom said, "Oh, Shelley - we could come have Christmas in London with you!" Little did I know then how wonderful and important it would be to spend Christmas with my family after being half a world away for four months. My family is more precious to me now than ever. They are my life's tangible example of unconditional love, forgiveness and support.

This Christmas I wanted to share my family with you - so that's why my dad did the reading we just heard from Isaiah, in just a while my mom will sing and after the service as we leave to go celebrate today, my brother will play the saxophone.

Family is a central theme to Christmas - not in the least through the Holy Family. Our reading from Matthew spoke of Joseph adopting Jesus - the angel coming to him and saying - this is your family, name this baby Jesus, Emmanuel, meaning God is with us. God is in your family now.

With any family starting out, as I'm sure many of you can attest to - life is never the same as it once was. I can only imagine how for this family letting God into the center of it, giving their lives up to God - to say that nothing was ever the same for them, is an understatement.

We can learn a lot from this holy family. Joseph and Mary truly opened to hear God speak to them - to tell them what he was doing in their lives and what to do. Where would they be without openly listening? We too are lost without God's word and guidance. Not only did Mary and Joseph listen and be open to what God told them - they let go of all prior notions of what life might be and whatever plans they once had - and opened up for God to truly come into their lives. God's plan, through his ultimate wisdom, is better than what any of us could ever dream up or create for ourselves. If we, like Joseph and Mary, can let go of the seeming control we have over our lives and open to Christ coming in and being born within us, we will know the true beauty of Christmas and the unconditional love, forgiveness, grace and peace of Christ.

As simple as this may all sound - just open and receive - it is incredibly difficult to do. One thing that God gave to help us is family - not only our mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers by blood, but also our family of brothers and sisters in Christ. He gave us each other and the church to be a supportive family - to love and grow as individuals together, to receive God in this world, so that his will may be done.

Let us pray. Father, we thank you for your love and your grace - given to each of us. Please help us to open and fully accept the grace and peace of Christ in our hearts and into our lives - so that you may be at the center of our lives - guiding all we do. Please help us to be a holy family - supporting each other in our walks of faith and working together to love and serve you. Amen.

Hello again

2006-01-03T14:31:00.000Z

I must set the record straight. Contrary to popular belief --- I have not gotten myself completely lost in London; I have not fallen into the Thames or the English Channel; I have not been gobbled up by Nessie; I have not escaped to Switzerland; I have not joined a convent (I think that was my favorite one actually); and I have definitely not been swept off my feet and taken to Paris by a Frenchman named Jacques. Seriously, where do y'all come up with these things?

So - what has happened to me? Why have I fallen off the online social scene for an entire month?

Well, I could say many things - one being that there are a ton of things to do at a church preparing for Christmas; another thing being that there are a ton of things to do preparing for your family to come spend Christmas with you; yet another being that simply trying to summarize anything blog-worthy and appropriate when you are going through an interesting time of transition and personal reflection is incredibly difficult.

So, my apologies to those who have missed my updates - I have missed you as well. I am attempting to recover and jump back on the blogging bandwagon - and to begin working my way through my lovely little pile of emails to return -- sorry guys. I have updated my pictures - I think the total is about 350 or so now. The link to them is here.

A quick update on the last month.
Christmas happened. Even though I, both personally and as lay assistant at the church, felt not quite ready for it --- it happened. Many things accompanied Christmas's coming - including six Christmas and Lessons and Carols services, five Christmas meals, four caroling adventures, three Christmas parties, three hours of sleep on Christmas Eve, two nights at the theater, countless Christmas leaflets, countless Christmas cards, countless to-do lists, a musical and a pantomime. I did enjoy the last month, even though it was a bit overwhelming and definitely different than Christmas back home.

It was wonderful to spend time with my Mom and Dad and Michael. They arrived on the Thursday before Christmas - a wonderful woman at the church drove me to pick them up at the airport and we barely crammed the luggage into her car. We spent that day moving into the bungalow that we stayed in for that week. The family that I'm living with has a son who lives just a couple doors away, whose wife is from Romania. They traveled there for Christmas, and let us stay at their house. What a blessing! We also hired a car to get us around during the holidays, so I got to drive. Oh wow - first time driving in months and on the wrong side of the road and with roundabouts - crazy.

Friday during the day we went into London - to Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, Leichester Square, Foyles, had dinner in Chinatown and had a quick meeting with Big Ben. That night our church had Caroling in the Pub - where about 70 people from around the parish donned Christmas hats, and sang Christmas carols while drinking pints.

Saturday and Sunday was spent doing church Christmas things. Saturday was Christingle - a unique British children's candlelit service and the Christmas Eve midnight mass. Sunday morning we all rose early for the 8 am mass I led and preached for and each member of my family had a part in as well. That day was filled with wonderful company and more Christmas food than you can imagine and more than I care to enumerate.

Monday - Boxing Day as they have here - Michael and I went with several families from the church on a walk through the forest that is a tradition here. It was about a 3 mile journey over a few hours, with a picnic in the middle. Beautiful forest. That night was a party hosted by another family of the church. Good food, great company.

Tuesday we joined the curate's family on a journey to Cambridge. I have always wanted to see what Cambridge and Oxford are like. I loved it. I went totally camera-happy (as you can see here.) It snowed off and on that day, but was sunny too. That made some beautifully interesting pictures. We had great dinner and games with their family as well - making the day really nice.

Wednesday we got a wonderful day of nothing really. Just sitting around being a family. We slept in, went to lunch at a pub (Mike had fish n chips), watched movies, straightened up the house and ordered pizza. Good times.

Thursday we went up to Londontown again. We checked into a hotel for that night and we toured the Tower of London and did great touristy shopping. Michael and I walked for forever that afternoon, seeing as much as we could before going out to a wonderful Indian dinner and to the Drury Lane theater to see The Producers.

Friday early in the morning, they left. It was really difficult to let them go, and I think just as difficult for them to leave. Avoiding sounding too sappy - having them here was really the best Christmas gift I could have received.

Christmas Lights to Music

2005-12-05T17:15:00.000Z

Last night I was visiting another church and the preacher used this video as an example of seeing the light and of horrible neighbors. I loved it - and loved that it was used to open up a sermon.
Check it out - http://www.ebaumsworld.com/videos/xmaslights.html

Prayers for Scott

2005-12-01T13:53:00.000Z

Please keep in your prayers Scott and his family as they bury his mom today. Scott's mom, Gayle, was a wonderful woman - an overwhelmingly loving, tell-it-like-it-is person, who battled cancer for 4 years. She supported the church - especially its young adults - in every way she could. She had a real heart for young people.

Thanks to all of you who have written emails and messages asking about Scott and letting me know that you are praying for him. It really means a lot, especially since I am an ocean away. I have now found out the hardest part of being this far away.

Tex Mex Dinner

2005-11-25T16:37:00.000Z

Last Sunday, I cooked a Tex-Mex meal for our church fundraising dinner and auction. This is a picture of me and Mary about 20 minutes before starting to serve it. Do I look slightly frazzled? It's cause I was. If you ever want an interesting experience, attempt to make a "Texan" meal for 50 Brits, using only local shops for the ingredients and finding substitutions for many of them, and explaining every bit of what's in it, how you cooked it, etc. And - a new experience for me - almost all of it was from scratch. Thank God for Daphne, the mom I live with. She helped with a lot of the finding, the multiplying and the cooking.

All went down well. We had fabulous Chicken Tortilla Soup (an excellent recipe courtesy of Aunt Charlotte and Heather) for starters. The main course was tacos - both beef and refried beans and both soft and corn tacos (as seen above). All the fixin's with them. Charro beans and Spanish rice as sides (wonderful recipe courtesy of Dick). Dessert was peach and raspberry cobbler.

I fixed up the tacos in a buffet line -- complete with "How to Build your own Taco" instuctions. The instructions didn't help though. I stood behind the table, making taco after taco. Describing to people what guacomole was and assuring them that I made everything mild and that the only hot thing was the jalapenos (which are pronounced "gel-lop-in-nos" and tortillas "tour-till-as" of course).

For the tables I made a Fun Texas Facts sheet - complete with the state flag, a map of the US, and a few facts including --

Texas includes 267,339 square miles, or 7.4% of the nation's total area.
The UK could fit into the state of Texas 2.8 times.

The population of Texas is 21 million, not including the 16 million cattle. (That made me think of Ryan. Shelbert misses you, man.)

Rodeo is the official state sport, although High School (American) Football is much more popular.

Waco, Texas, became the birthplace of Dr Pepper soda in 1885. Dr Pepper is the oldest major soft drink available in the United States today.

I also included a few "Texas phrases" - some of which the churchwarden acting as our auctioneer tried to use in an introduction, going something like this -- (you have to read this and hear the British accent in your head) "Howdy, y'all. I don't want to be big hat, no cattle, so let's get this auction started. This ain't my first rodeo, so there won't be any piddin' around - that just gets my gizzard. So, we'll start and get this through lickity split!"

Right.

It was an interesting, fun and tiring day. The soup was the biggest hit -- even the old ladies who were the hardest critics were asking for the recipe. I did get a couple "oh, that was interesting, love" comments, but the majority of people seemed to really enjoy it, and enjoyed the experience of eating with their hands. And I enjoyed tasting food that actually tasted a bit like home.

Thanksgiving in London

2005-11-25T15:26:00.000Z

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Several people that have spent time away from the US told me that thanksgiving could be one of the hardest times away - weird that it's a missing holiday and hard because it's so far away from home... And none of Nana's dressing. Yesterday was alright - yes, hard, but ok.

Jordan and I met at St. Paul's Cathedral for the Thanksgiving Day Service for the American Community in London. Security was tight. We were asked to place our valuables into plastic bags provided. I walked through a metal detector and while Jordan was wanded she was asked if she had packed her bag herself and if it had been in her possession at all times. Never thought walking into a cathedral would be like walking through airport security.

The service was nice. We sang more familiar hymns - Come ye thankful people come, We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing, We plow the fields and scatter, and (I loved this) America the Beautiful. How many people get to say that they sang America the Beautiful in St. Paul's?

The US Ambassador gave a speech about how London was probably the best place in the world to celebrate Thanksgiving outside the US. He read the Presidential Thanksgiving Day address which Jordan and I thought was cool - not at all because we were particularly interested in the address, but because we wondered how many people in the world heard it before we did.

A pastor from Kansas gave the sermon which was on grace and gratitude which was very well done. There were 2 US Marines there who paraded in and out with the American flag. I've never been one for American military pageantry, but this time it felt nice and I truly appreciated it.

The one part that got to me during the service was one of the most trivial. Saying the Lord's Prayer here has been somewhat awkward for me. I'm always the only one in the crowd that pronounces "tresPASSes" instead of "TRESpesses." I've had people turn and look at me during or after the prayer - a reminder of how foreign I am, how far away I am, how different this is, and that I'm just not home. But, yesterday, I said "tresPASSes" and all of St. Paul's did as well. I don't know how it came to be such a big deal, but I started tearing up at that point. That was the most trivial, yet most important feel-like-home moment.

Following the service, we were invited to tour (more like be cattle-prodded through because there were so many of us) the American Memorial Chapel at the front of the building, behind the main altar. It was a nice simple space with a beautiful book in a glass box. The more interesting part for me was the glass case at the entrance of the chapel. The donations to renovate the chapel were collected in the case - and all the money inside was American bills. After 3 months of seeing only UK money, it looked so odd. I liked the concept though - obviously Americans helping to fund it - a small, if not somewhat insignificant example of alliance. (As I've said before - it's the little things for me.)

After leaving St. Paul's, Jordan and I made our way to her campus. We picked up ham, cheese and tomato croissants for our thanksgiving lunch on our way to her lecture - Salvation and Personhood. Fascinating class. We looked at Karl Barth, some of the anti-anthropology movements of the 20th and 21st centuries, and the philosophy of structure versus the philosophy of subject. Two hours of lecture later (with a wonderful break in the middle - a great British concept) we went to the Chaplaincy room. After two cups of tea and an hour of great deep conversation with students and staff, I reluctantly left for the tube back and made my way to Alpha.

Thanksgiving day was a good one this year - definitely not what I would have ever expected really. Though I know today when I call home, I will almost be able to smell Nana's dressing over the phone....

Some Days You Gotta Dance....

2005-11-23T14:27:00.000Z

Today I walked back from morning mass a little stressed. I was lost in my music - headphones blaring all the way to my home away from home. Nothing was wrong, I just wanted to drown everything out for a few minutes.

When I walked into the house, I realized I was alone. This was a rare oppurtunity --- one of the very very few times in the last few months that I've been really alone. I didn't know what to do.

I talked to the dog for a minute, then put my mp3 player on random play. Soon, Outkast came on and I couldn't resist.... it was on. I got up, turned the headphones all the way up, and started dancing all around the living room. I truly danced like no one was watching -- the dog watched for a minute and then crawled under the table to hide. I'm sure that I looked ridiculous - in my button up white shirt and sweater vest moving all about and singing (rapping? flowing?) along with Dre and Big Boi -- but I didn't care! I let loose for a minute. It felt so good.

Hymn that Jumped out at me

2005-11-22T16:27:00.000Z

Leave your country and your people,
Leave your family and your friends.
Travel to the land he'll show you;
God will bless the one he sends.

God like Abraham before you,
When he heard the Father's call,
Walking forth in faith and trusting;
God is master of us all.

Sometimes God's word is demanding,
Leave the security you know,
Breaking ties and bonds that hold you,
When the voice of God says, Go.

Take the path into the desert,
Barren seems the rock and sand.
God will lead you through the desert,
When you follow his command.

Go with courage up the mountain,
Climb the narrow, rocky ledge,
Leave behind all things that hinder,
God with only God as pledge.

~ Willard F. Jabusch

Little Things

2005-11-18T08:30:00.000Z

I'm severely homesick this week. I think I'm starting to come around now, but the last few days have been down-right depressing.
It's the little things that are going to bring me out of this wave of homesickness. Like ---

- Beyonce and Julio Eglesias have finally been taken off the phonebooths I pass every day. They were staring at me as I walked past, taunting me - visible examples of American trash littering the world.

- Walker's potato chips, sorry, crisps... taste exactly like Lay's back home. A bad thing to find comfort in, but nice if you stop at one snack-size bag.

- If I'm mentioning food, I must say - the chocolate here is fabulous. It kicks American chocolate butt. Goodbye Hershey's, hello Cadbury's. Quality Street all the way.

- Reading for fun is wonderful. I've made it through I think 9 novels since I've been here, including (but not exclusively) girly ones that I never thought I would really get into. They're such a nice escape at the end of the day. I'm now addicted. Worse than chocolate.

- I went shopping (online) with Mom the other day for Jessica's wedding shower present. Mom and I have always had nice bonding time shopping. I miss that.

- I'm loving the charity Christmas cards that I found. (If you know that I don't have your address, please send me a note.)

- Thirty-something days until my brother and parents come for Christmas! I'm so excited, but I can't think too much about it -- yes, this is sappy -- if I do, I start tearing up.

- Bethany's coming mid-March! I think we are doing London in a few days and then heading up to Scotland. Love love!

- Steph's coming in late March! I get to meet her husband, catch up and show them around town. Yay!

- Sometime soon I'm getting a couple days off to head up to Oxford to stay with a friend of a new friend and get some time a bit away from B-side. I think it will be a much needed break from my newly stuck rut and for some reflection time.

- I got the best hug that I think I've ever had in my life the other day. No one has hugged me like that since I left home. I really needed that.

- When I was feeling a cold coming on a few days ago, I got home from a meeting and there on the dresser was a little tealight burner with some smelling oil stuff for colds and a little note from Liz (one of my British sisters, no - not in the nun sense) telling me to light the candle and sleep well. So nice.

- My warm scarf still smells a little like a scent I associate with home. People probably think I'm crazy when I walk along the streets putting my scarf to my nose and sniffing it. Or maybe they just think my nose is really cold, which it always is.

- I got a nice little set of emails and messages from people this week. I was really good to hear from y'all. Thanks for reading - it makes this whole thing worthwhile and makes me not feel so much like I'm talking to myself on here. Don't be afraid to comment on here if you want. It makes me smile.

Weekend Away

2005-11-14T15:08:00.000Z

Last weekend I went on a Parish Weekend Away with a sort of sister church to my current church. I had a wonderful time! I must admit, I was a bit nervous about it before I went - I've had not so positive experiences with church gatherings of this sort before, so I was a little unsure about this one.

Friday afternoon I headed off to the retreat center (about an hour or so away) with a couple interns from this other church. When we arrived at the retreat center, we found our rooms -- I felt so spoiled because the interns there had been put up in dorm-style rooms and I was put up in this wonderful little suite with my own little kettle with teas and coffees, a window overlooking the gardens and hills and my own bathroom. Both Saturday and Sunday mornings I soaked in the bath for over an hour while enjoying Earl Grey tea and reading my new Marian Keyes novel. That was enough to make my weekend in itself...

But, the speaker, who was the church vicar - was absolutely wonderful. The topic of the weekend -- church growth - "Beyond Ourselves." He had gone on his sabatical to the States to visit mega-churches - to see what they were like in action, to see how they got there and whether he thought they worked and were a good thing. All of his talks were biblically based (which I don't think is that easy or obvious to do with such a practical and modern subject) and and were down to earth and organized. Here are a few really random, interesting quotes/points from the weekend - I can't go into too much of it here because it was 6 hour-long talks. Although I have tried, I have not been able to come up with a synopsis of his talks, so here's just a couple interesting tid bits.

"We are in the middle of a spiritual awakening - the difference with this one is - it's not being led by the church."

Beyond Ourselves - meaning - "I've wanted to live my life in such a way that anyone who looks at my life cannot say it's me - that it's obvious it's God."

"Sin at its heart is ultimately about destruction of community. Biblically - first between man and God, then between man and woman, then through families and communities."

"The Parish church is the condom of the Kingdom (of God) - it's there to prevent growth." - The former Bishop of Chelmsford

"Love is the first victim of busy-ness."

"Biblically the day begins in the evening... Work springs from rest. One of our first tasks is that we sleep... Sleep is profound trust in God."

"One of the dangers of vision is that we fell we must see or know all before moving on it. But, that's incorrect... We cannot know exactly what is coming. We cannot plan for everything... 'Now we see but a poor reflection in a mirror' - 1 Cor 13:12. Sometimes we have to trust and just do."

"The problem with a lot of clergy is that they are getting more boring." - Bishop of Chelmsford

Saturday night they had a small fireworks show - complete with sparklers and the best hot chocolate I've ever had in my life. They also had a party - where even the vicar let his hair down and sang with the band - which was an all-age group of musicians doing songs from the Beattles, Aretha, etc. Good times were had by all. A few pics are on flickr. Click the box to the right.

Taste of What's to Come

2005-11-10T08:46:00.000Z

Alright - I'm working on updating the blog - I'm a bit of a perfectionist and am not going to post anything that is half done. So, while I'm working on these posts (several at a time) I thought that I would give you a little taste of what I'm working on. Just so that Brandon will know that I am going to put more on here - he let me know that I let my Halloween entry sit there for way too long... =)
Here's what's in the works ----

- A summary of my weekend away - The focus of the weekend was growing churches - how it's done successfully, prayerfully, whether or not it should be done, benefits of larger churches, etc. Very interesting stuff.
- Some Youth Prayer Night inspiration
- A peek into my identity crisis - not just personally, but theologically. Finding where exactly I fit in all this.
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town - my Christmas battle every year - What messages are we sending?
- Picture of me in my cassock.....
- A look at some of my new favorite (not some not so favorite) English food
- A few new-found Anglican prayers
- A write-up of my adventure to St Paul's today

Cockney Rhyming Slang

2005-11-09T14:37:00.000Z

Another vitally important English lesson brought to you by the Guide to Cockney Rhyming Slang, my cockney mates down at the pub, and my wanna-be cockney mates too -- you know who you are...

"Rhyming slang is generally believed to have originated in the underworld of London in the middle of the nineteenth century to outwit the inquisitive eavesdropper - policeman or stranger. It is a slang in which a word is replaced by another word or phrase that rhymes with it, for example, apples and pears meaning stairs."

To make things even more complicated, "when the rhyming slang is a phrase, the rhyming part is often dropped leaving those who do not know the idiom in the dark. Thus, for plates of meat (feet), the usual rhyming slang is plates -- these canoes'ain't arf'urting me plates. (Canoes - shoes)."

You may be saying (much like I have been) - What...? So, here's a quick rhyming slang tutorial. Those in italics are ones that I have actually heard used in real everyday conversation. Now that I have this nice little dictionary, this part of the world makes so much more sense to me.

Airs and Graces -- faces
Aristotle -- Bottle
Ash and Oaks -- Smokes
Baked Beans -- Jeans
Bar of Soap -- Dope (American) -- yes, that was in this dictionary...
Bushel and Peck -- Neck
Cain and Able -- Table
Carving Knife -- Wife
Cash and Carry -- Marry
China Plate -- Mate (ex -- E's my best china.)
Dog and Bone -- Phone
Eyes of Blue -- True
Fox and Hound -- Round of Drinks
Gay and Frisky -- Whiskey
Hi Diddle Diddle -- Fiddle (to be dishonest)
Holy Friar -- Liar
Ice-cream Freezer -- Geezer
Judy and Punch -- Lunch
Lean and Lurch -- Church
Near and Far -- Bar
Oily Rag -- Fag (cigarette)
Potatoes in the Mould -- Cold (ex -- It's bleeding taters tonight.)
Rabbit and Pork -- Talk "She always rabbits on." -- There is actually a popular song called Rabbit about a woman that won't shut up.
Ribbon and Curl -- Girl
Saint and Sinner -- Dinner

Whirlwind Weekend

2005-10-31T14:58:00.000Z

Looking back on the last few days ----

Thursday night I led discussion at our Alpha course. If you ever want a stressful yet enlightening evening, get group of head strong, outspoken people together who completely disagree about everything and try to have a positive purposeful discussion with them. In this corner, weighing 100 pounds, 82 year old Magda* who believes in original sin, but not in evil, the Devil, or evolution. And in this corner, weighing 240 pounds, 69 year old George, who believes in the Devil, thinks that he rules our lives in every moment, does not believe in original sin or the Genesis creation story. What a night. All I could do to calm the group was explain that different people have different opinions and beliefs, and we are all learning in this class and can learn from one another, etc... I made jokes to cut the tension... I pulled out a Bible and started reading some things, pulled out the Alpha manual and tried to get us all back on the topic of the night which we were so far off of ("Why did Jesus Die?") --- but it was absolutely no use. After the match was over, I was left sitting there in my cassock, sweating (it's a really heavy cassock), thanking God that it was over and that no one was hurt.

Saturday was my shopping and library day. I felt so ridiculous --- what did I buy? A Bible. At home I have 5 Bibles I think, but did I bring any with me? No. I work in a place filled with Bibles. But, this weekend I'm going on a church weekend away and need a Bible of my own, so I went and bought one. It's a nice little pocket-sized New Jerusalem translation (I opted not to spring for the Good News translation - ugh - which was actually £4 more). No NRSVs in sight. Not even RSVs. Not even the KJV. Not that I would want a KJV.

Sunday was a long day. I was very thankful for the extra hour of sleep. I went to the 9:30 service, sang at the 11:15 service -- almost all the music was totally new to me (Ave Maria, the Peruvian Gloria... not particularly familiar for this Methodist raised Texan) and I was singing by myself, so it wasn't easy. After the morning services, I had Sunday roast at a couple's house - absolutely wonderful food, good company, - although it got a little uncomfortable when the mom kept saying quite enthusiastically that both her sons are single, how wonderful they are and they're single...

Last night was the All Souls mass. I love All Souls. The first time that I felt called into the ministry was at an All Souls service. I'll have to write on that later though.
After the mass, Gemma took me out to the pub for some girl talk. Good times. A girl's gotta have her girl talk.

Today I've been doing laundry, journaling, taking a long bath, crossing out things from last week's to do list, and playing with the dog -- a combination that I find quite therapeutic. I've also been planning for a worship service I'm leading in a couple of weeks. It's Remembrance Sunday - a day of remembering and paying tribute to those who fought and died in war - particularly WWI. Since this is not a thing celebrated in the US, I have had to ask several people about it, so that I can know what it's about and what the traditions are and so on. Many comments have been made about me, the American, leading this service - including, "Oh, Shelley - I'm so glad that you are leading this service - I mean, if it wasn't for you lot, we'd have lost the war anyway." It's great to be appreciated I guess.

*Names and descriptions and situation have been changed to protect the innocent -- primarily me.

2005-10-29T14:42:00.000+01:00

Many of you may have seen this before - I discovered it for myself just this morning. This is "Christ II" - a photomosaic done by a company called Runaway Technology for the anniversary of Christ's 2000th birthday - they say. It's made up of little pictures of the Dead Sea Scrolls manuscripts - a really fascinating way to think about it I believe. I stumbled across it in the Ilford library this morning.

I have decided that, as much as I hate to admit it..... I really miss University. I miss study. I miss the class discussion. I miss the interesting new insight. I miss challenging myself and working to further establish my personal belief system through intellectual means. Let me make this clear though - - I do not miss the exams. I do not miss early morning classes. I do not miss UT itself - at all. Well, just the football. I'm actually really frustrated that I'm missing this amazing season.

So, in efforts to have a some study on my own - I headed to the largest library in the area from which I have access to borrow books and made a bee-line to the religion section. As I suspected, there was a lot more on Catholic and Anglican church history than anything I was particularly interested in, and I didn't know who half of these authors were. Apart from my former textbooks, recommended reading from profs, secularly popular authors and those that my dad has introduced me to - I know nothing. I know, that's what theology school will be for. But, I just had to jump start some myself.

Limiting myself to 3 books - for fear of being overwhelmed and frustrated with more and being limited in selection itself - I checked out Systematic Theology (Paul Tillich), a collection of Mother Theresa's writings, and The Cambridge Companion to Postmodern Theology. On the cover of the latter is the above picture. I hope to not bore you with too many discussions on what I'm reading - I know that most of you who are interested in reading my blog are much more interested in seeing pictures and reading of life in London than you are about theological studies. So, I will try to keep in fun and balanced. But I am very excited about my books and my new-found appreciation for school. Wow, didn't think I would say that.

True English Evening

2005-10-25T20:55:00.000+01:00

Sunday night I had Sunday Roast dinner with the family I'm living with and with a couple of their friends who were in town on holiday. These friends were not just any old friends - they were the former vicar at the church here and his lovely wife - both quite characters.

Dinner was absolutely wonderful - roast lamb with onion gravy, mint sauce, veg, roast potatoes and brown gravy. For dessert, cherry crumble with cream and for afters, cream crackers and cheese -- not just any kind of cheese, brie and stilton and english cheddar and some other soft cheese thing. About 2 hours before starting dinner, we were served wine - which continued all through the meal until dessert, when it suddenly became port.

Well full and more than tipsy (because before the wine and port, they had commemorative Trafalgar beers as well), Jim (the dad here) and Chris (the retired vicar) decided they would introduce me to some classic English songs - like traditional pub type songs. For a little over an hour, Jim pounded away on the piano - all by heart and learned by ear and Father Chris sang with his deep resounding English voice. It was so much fun. I do not think that I have done something that fun and entertaining since I've been here.
Here's the lyrics to one song they were singing. I wish that I would have thought to record it on my camera, but I was enjoying it too much to even think about it.

Harry Clifton, 1832-1872
I am a broken-hearted milkman, in grief I'm arrayed
Through keeping of the company of a young servant maid.
Who lived on board and wages the house to keep clean
In a gentleman's family near Paddington Green.

Chorus:She was as beautiful as a butterfly and proud as a Queen,
Was pretty little Polly Perkins of Paddington Green.

She'd an ankle like an antelope and a step like a deer,
A voice like a blackbird, so mellow and clear,
Her hair hung in ringlets so beautiful and long,
I thought that she loved me but I found I was wrong.
Chorus

When I'd rattle in the morning and cry "Milk below!",
At the sound of my milk cans her face she did show,
With a smile upon her countenance and a laugh in her eye.
If I'd thought that she loved me I'd have laid down to die.
Chorus:

When I asked her to marry me she said 'Oh what stuff',
And told me to drop it, for she'd had quite enough.
Of my nonsense -- At the same time, I'd been very kind,
But to marry a milkman she didn't feel inclined.
Chorus:

"The man that has me must have silver and gold,
A chariot to ride in and be handsome and bold.
His hair must be curly as any watch-spring,
And his whiskers as big as a brush for clothing."
Chorus:

The words that she uttered went straight through my heart
I sobbed and I sighed, and I straight did depart.
With a tear on my eyelid as big as a bean
I bid farewell to Polly and to Paddington Green.
Chorus:

In six months she married, this hard-hearted girl,
But it was not a Wi-count, and it was not an earl,
It was not a 'Baronite', but a shade or two wuss,
It was a bow-legged conductor of a tupenny bus.
horus:

The French Invasion

2005-10-25T20:10:00.000+01:00

Last Friday was the 200th anniversary celebration of the Battle of Trafalgar - basically when the British navy kicked some French butt and they are really proud of it here. They even had beers made to commemorate it - although I think they would possibly make beers to commemorate everything if they could. For more on the Battle of Trafalgar click here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Trafalgar.

Completely unrelated to Trafalgar, the French invaded Barkingside this weekend. Barkingside has a twin city in France and every year, a group of people from one of the cities visits the other for a long weekend and they switch off year to year.

On Friday, our guests from France went with us on a tour of a really beautiful church in the area (click on flickr.com box to the right to find pictures) and then we had lunch at the local cullinary college. Saturday night is when the fun came for me -- I went to dinner at our churchwarden's house. Six was the number of bottles of wine we polished off; 5 the Englishmen; 4 French people who oui ouied all night; 3 - the number of hours we sat around the table; 2 dessert courses; and I was the lone American and the youngest there by FAR.

The French all seemed to have no clue that I was not part of the English bunch until someone outed me as their resident Texan. Looks of confusion (or maybe distress?) came over their faces. As usual, to solve this somewhat uncomfortable moment of silence when people wonder what I must be like cause I'm from Texas (images of cowboys, trucks, big macs, and George Bush dancing ungracefully in their heads --- yes, that IS what many people later said came to their minds after they met me) I break the ice with "Oh, don't worry - I didn't vote for him." This, of course, broke the ice with laughter immediately with the English and, after successful translation, with the French as well. What had not happened up to this certain situtation was the hostess actually asking -- so, Shelley, what is your position on the war in Iraq? Oh. No.

Suddenly eyes from around the world were focused on me - this poor little young Texan in a sea of glares had been made into an international diplomat in a matter of moments. I was sweating, shifting in my seat, wondering how she could have the nerve to ask such a question over a peaceful meal and in international non-english speaking company. She was one-upped though -- 2 minutes later, after my shaky explanation of my basic anti-war sentiments, a Frenchman asked why Texans hated the French so much. I don't even remember what I said, but it must have been good because they were all joking and laughing with me, and when they left made sure to exchange email addresses with me to keep in touch and send me pictures. Whew.

Changes

2005-10-18T12:40:00.000+01:00

The wind of change has picked up and the weather is colder - I shivered all the way to morning prayer this morning.
My snotty nose froze up as well - the snot itself also now being another recent development in my mornings.
The leaves are turning and beginning to fall from the trees - absolutely beautiful.
I've become a tea drinker -- all kinds from Earl Grey to Camomile to Peppermint.
I've lost about 10 pounds (no, it's not because the food is bad - I actually live with probably the best cook in the congregation).
I've learned to hang dry my laundry on the line - although I still have trouble motivating myself to put it away immediately.
More English phrases have been taught to me than can and should be published.
Managing crazy people and very crazy conversations is now something that I can add as a "skill" on my resume.
Working with people from completely different backgrounds and with completely different views has become commonplace.
I learned a short-cut to the Post Office.
I now have, thanks to Daddy, a pro account on flickr.com for my pictures - so many many of them are going up soon. I think around the neighborhood of 150 more.
I also have now become known as the weird girl that takes pictures of everything...
I've grown accustomed to travelling by myself on the tube and buses.
I've grown to appreciate family and friends and just plain home more than I ever have.
I can now say that I've been hit on by a foreigner - a French man in town who asked me if I spoke French and when I said no, he said, oh it doesn't matter and insisted on giving me his number. Apparently all the French I need to learn is - Sorry, not interested.
I've actually started to pronounce some things the English way - with the INunciation on a diffeRENT sylLABle.
I've now read more for pleasure than I did my entire college career and I have watched less television than ever in my life. (Seriously, like 2 hours total since I arrived)
But, most of all the most influencial change for me at this point is that I now am beginning to no longer feel like I am the one who came and crashed the party. I'm starting to feel like I have made a little place for myself to be here, made a few friends that I can talk with, toughened up to where some things don't bother me as much and learned to go with the flow a bit more. Flowing is good. Changing is good. But, I'm definitely still me, just growing up a bit.

Hymn/Prayer from London

2005-10-12T17:51:00.000+01:00

Sunday I lead one of the worship services and this is one of the things I talked about to introduce one of the hymns. It sounds a lot better now that I've written and revised it, but this is what I tried to say.

Growing up, band was a huge part of my life - really an extension of my family. In high school, I was in the marching band and we spent what seemed like every moment together, whether in rehearsals, performances, football games or classes. The band kids really were my brothers and sisters.

In my school, of course, group prayer was not allowed. But before every performance we had an on-the-field warm-up, for which our band played "Let Us Break Bread Together." This, to me, and to many of us, was our prayer. This communion hymn was put into another context and given another meaning - one where the sharing of Christ was not just done at this table behind me, but done everywhere - in our schools, workplaces, and homes.

For my brother and his friends in the band, it took on a new meaning for them as well. My brother, Michael, is in the same band now as I was then. Friday, the 30th, one of the band members was killed in a car accident at age 15.

It is said that when we break bread, we are in communion with not only those that are with us, but also with those who have gone before us. As his 170 band brothers and sisters gathered at his grave to play tribute to Abraham, to his life and their friendships, I can only imagine how this hymn took on a meaning of being in true communion with one another.
If you would, please join me in singing Break Bread. As we do, I would like for it to be our prayer - for Abraham and his family, and for his band family.

Let us break bread together on our knees.
Let us break bread together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, oh, Lord have mercy on me.

Another Day in London

2005-10-08T22:01:00.000+01:00

I went into town today to see The Producers with Jim, a lovely man from church, and his grandson David, and his girlfriend, Vivian. We had a great time and I actually had my camera today. Yay! So, hopefully I will figure out how to get them all on here sometime soon (I'm currently trying to decide which online photo hosting thing to use...), but here are a few to start with.

1 - Ben. I've always wanted to see Ben. This is my first picture of Ben. And Parliament of course. Very exciting.

2 - Vivian and me with one of the statue ladies on the South Bank of the Thames. Yes, there are people who paint themselves and their clothes and pose completely still as statues and seem to make some good money doing it.... Sometimes if you give them money and take a picture with them, they surprise you and change their pose or shake your hand or something.

3 - The front of the Drury Lane Theater where we saw The Producers today. I really liked it. It was funny seeing an American show with a bunch of Brits. It is an absolutely beautiful theater that's over 300 years old.

4 - Vivian and David on the bridge by the Eye. You can see St. Paul's in the background. Viv and Dave are so nice. I'm possibly going to a Pink Floyd tribue concert with them in a few weeks - a band called Pink Fraud. Hmm...

5 - One of my favorite pics of the day - the pink toilet paper. Yes, I was a dork and took a picture in the ladies room on the bank of the Thames. As the flash went off I knew the old ladies washing their hands on the other side of the door were wondering what was going on..... I just couldn't get over the pink toilet paper! I'm told it also comes in blue and green if anyone's interested.

Healing Music

2005-10-06T14:31:00.000+01:00

I didn't think that the thing that would help me through homesickness the most is music. There is a healing quality to it. And it doesn't have to be anything fancy, or anything profound.

Last night I was feeling particularly out of place, lonely, homesick, overwhelmed, lost, etc... and I went into the sanctuary waiting to rehearse with Gemma and Sterling (singer and guitar player for church). I laid on the floor at the front of the church by the altar and started singing - it just kinda came out. The voice that echoed through the empty pews almost seemed not my own -- it actually reminded me of my mother's - funny how that happens. Somehow, lying there singing this song over and over again, I felt almost at home. I felt more comfortable, felt a presence there, felt warm, felt filled... I just sang -

All the chisels I've dulled carving idols of stone
That have crumbled like sand beneath the waves
I've recklessly built all my dreams in the sand
Just to watch them all wash away
Through another day, another trial, another chance to reconcile
To One who sees past all I see
Reaching out my weary hand, I pray that You'd understand
You're the one One Who's faithful to me
You're the only One Who's faithful to me

- Jennifer Knapp, Faithful to Me

Map of Where I've Been So Far

2005-10-05T11:05:00.000+01:00

So, here's a map of where I've been so far. For 6 weeks here, the picture doesn't look that exciting, but it gives you a clue. The explanations are so much more interesting.

1 -- Woodford - This is where Malcolm, our church curate (associate pastor in training) lives with his wife and kids. Last Sunday I had "Sunday dinner" (England thing - a huge roast lunch around 3 in the afternoon) with Malcolm, his wife, Christine, and their two daughters, Katherine (22) and Rebecca (16). I had a great time with them - we played Dutch Blitz (a rare card game that's kinda a mix between Solitaire and Speed), we talked about so many things, and Rebecca let me play on her clarinet for a while - that was a blast from the past. After all that fun, I went to church with them in the evening. Really wonderful church. Very lively, upbeat. It was so wonderful to be around a lot more people my age. I also met the youth director there and we clicked immediately because she is doing the job I did back home, is young and is going through some of the same things I did with it.

2 -- Barkingside - Where I live, work, etc. It's a busy, multicultural, old suburb. I will soon be posting pictures of the church, the house, the vicarage, the high street, etc.

3 -- Gants Hill - Home of what I've heard is one of the most dangerous roundabouts in East London. It used to be called "Seven Ways" because there were 7 turnoffs/exits on it. Craziness. This is where I had my first English pub experience - at a big pub there called "The Valentine." One of the girls I'm living with - Mary - has a boyfriend who is in a band and I saw them play at the same pub. Gants Hill also has a few "posh" night clubs and things - none of which I have bothered to experience at this point.

4 -- Wanstead - I wasn't supposed to go to Wanstead. I was on my way home from my first night out in London - my first night to ride the Tube by myself. I was so happy, had just gone to see Stomp on the Strand (see #8)... then we stopped in Wanstead and when the doors closed again, we didn't move. A few minutes later, a calm, matter-of-fact voice comes over the intercom and says, "Sorry ladies and gentlemen - there will be a delay. Someone has jumped in front of the train." Agh. So, a couple minutes later, the driver came along, opened the train car doors and let us go to find rides home. A crowd gathered at the front of the train - all trying to get a look. Awful. So, I went up to the street level, crossed the street to a pub, so that I wasn't just hanging out on the street and called Jim, the dad that I'm living with. He came and picked me up - thank God. I don't have a clue how to get the bus back from Wanstead. When I told him about the person jumping in front of the train, he said that this happened pretty often actually. Whoa.

5 -- Ilford - This is our bus ride away shopping, the big library of the area, the nearest cinema, etc. I bought my digital camera there (which very soon I will actually have some pictures up); I went to see Pride and Prejudice there (loved it); I went to the library and checked out piano music books; and I walked around the mall.

6 -- The Tower of London - My first London experience. The vicar and his wife took me to the Tower of London and we spent the day there. I really enjoyed it - so much history, so much tradition. Really really neat. I don't know how else to describe it.

7 -- Covent Garden, etc. - Well, this map was way too small to actually plot out all the things I did that day. A couple Saturdays ago, a man from the church took me into London. We walked around Soho, Leicester Square, visited 4 churches around the area, including St Martin in the Fields in Trafalgar Square, went for a quick browse in the National Gallery and went to Covent Garden. There we saw 4 street performances. Fun stuff. Very fun day. There was so much to take in that day though, I think I need to go back and experience each one of those places in a little more detail and with more time so that I can take it all in.

8 -- Piccadilly Circus, The Strand, etc -- This was my first night on the town in London. Kevin came to London and we met up at Picadilly Circus station - this looks much like Times Square I think, I've never been there, but that's what I've been told. It was full of lights, people and everywhere you looked, there was something new and different. We had time before the show, so we walked down to Trafalgar Square, said hi to Big Ben, got a quick glance at Parliament and Westminster Abbey (that's going to be another intense sight-seeing day taking that on fully) and went this beautiful park on the Thames. After all that, we headed to The Strand (a street lined with theaters and stuff) to see Stomp! Kevin is awesome - he got us front row seats. The show was so creative - I loved it.

9 -- Oxford Circus - my first night going into London completely by myself. I went to visit All Souls at Langham Place church. I enjoyed it - it was an evening service with a full orchestra - it was kinda weird to have modern songs like "Shout to the Lord" done with a full orchestra. A little cheesy or something. After the service I met some Texans! That was really exciting. They are from Houston and moved here for job reasons. They have invited me over for fajitas - yay.

So, there's my summary for the time being. Much more to come - this Saturday I'm going to see the Producers at the Drury Lane theater. I'm also looking to plan trips to Bath and Stonehenge, to Nottinghill, down to the London Bridge and many more interesting things.

2005-09-27T19:48:00.000+01:00

Last Night's Dream

I've had some wonderful, vivid dreams since I have been here. Don't know why, but I do hope it continues, especially after last night.

Last night I had a dream that I was in my childhood room in my little pink and white day bed in the house I grew up in. My bed was seated right under my big bedroom window with its pink curtains. I dreamt that I woke up to a knocking on my window. I was scared at first, but drew back the shades and pulled up the blinds to see who was knocking. There was my Papaw, who passed away last year.

Excitedly, I opened the window; he climbed in and hugged me. He sat down on the bed at my feet and we had a great little chat about what I'd been up to, how the family was, what life was like in London, and how he was - very peacefully happy. He told me that he was proud of me, that he thought I was doing a great job and to keep it up, kiddo. He grabbed my hand, squeezed it tight, and climbed back out my window. I asked him if he'd been to see my mom yet, cause I know she'd like to see him, and he said, "No, I had to save my baby girl for last," and winked. Then he turned and walked away, with his little shuffling step, whistling.

I woke up after that - kinda shot up in bed, tears streaming down my face, but smiling.
You never know when or how people you love will come back to you. But when they do, however they do, it's such an amazing gift.

2005-09-23T13:06:00.000+01:00

Friday, September 2nd was one of those days... I realized that Dorothy was indeed now in Oz and that Muslims caused Hurricane Katrina.

I had two very interesting conversations back to back. One was with a woman in church who told me how horrible she thought the disaster (Hurricane Katrina) had been and how she knew what had caused it -- "those Muslims." Now, I'm not sure exactly how she could come to that conclusion, but I was appalled that she could blame a natural disaster on people - obliously people she knows nothing about. After letting her know that I didn't know why this had happened but that I didn't think it was because of anyone - frankly I don't think that we can know why - I left the church to go run an errand, thankful that I had somewhere else to be.

Not 30 feet down the street from the church was a group of men in traditional Muslim dress. One of them stopped me and asked if I worked in the church and if I knew if his Muslim group could use the church or parish hall to pray because the mosque is so far away. After I gave them the church office number, one man asked me about my accent and asked where I was from. When I told him that I was from America, he said, "Oh, we are praying constantly for the people who are suffering from that disaster. Is there anyone there that you know who we can pray for?"

He went on to give me his home phone number and let me know that his wife did not speak English so I would have to ask for Ali. And he told me, "I am your brother. I want you to feel at home in this country and please call me any time, 24 hours a day, if you need anything. If you are stuck on a train somewhere and don't know where you are at 2 in the morning, call me and I will drive you home."

Wow. This to me was such a "coincidential" (there are no coincidences I believe) thing - I felt that God was telling me that there needs to be more of an understanding of other faiths - an understanding especially that we cannot make judgements without knowledge - especially to do something as ridiculous as to blame people for things like natural disasters.

Today, it makes me wonder what this woman in church will say to me... Is it those heathens - those Muslims, Catholics, Buddhists, Baptists or Sufis in Texas that have caused this hurricane to hit my home state? I'm sure in this view from the land of Oz it is so.

2005-09-20T16:53:00.000+01:00

Harvest Sermon
-- My first untrained, unpleasant sermon attempt in the UK... This is one of the 3 sermons done on this day - an effort to symbolically join the three services here at Holy Trinity and a way to focus on all three Harvest readings in the lectionary. --

When Father Edmund asked me to preach this Sunday on the lectionary reading from the Book of Revelation, I was slightly taken aback. Why would he possibly want a young women with little experience to speak on possibly one of the most diversely interpreted and controversial books of our scripture? Its controversy goes back to its inclusion in the Bible that was heavily debated in both the Roman Catholic and Anglican canonizations. Its history of radical interpretations goes back to when it was written over 1800 years ago. Even today when a tsunami hits or when the tragedy of a hurricane is upon us, some are quick to respond that it is the end of the world as spelled out for us the the Book of Revelation. I don't know about any of that, but I do sense a certain urgency in the book.
But, is it an urgency of dread or an urgency of expectation?

The reading we are focusing on today is near the end of the book, so let's put it into context; let's catch up - so far John, the writer, has explained that he has had visions about what the end of the earth will be and what heaven will be like. In these prophetic visions he has seen the throne of heaven, great signs in heaven, including a great battle that ends on earth, and the fall of Babylon. Here's where our reading comes in - it can be called the New Jerusalem or heaven.

Now, do something for me. Close your eyes. Really, its alright, close your eyes. (For those of you reading this, this does not apply of course....)
Envision what heaven would be like to you. You don't have to share this with anyone - this is just for you - and there is no right or wrong answer - so feel free to envision whatever comes to mind.
What does it look like? Is it like you thought as a child - angels on clouds, dressed in white playing harps? Or something different?
What does it taste like? The first of the harvest of homegrown peaches? That's what I think of from back home. Is it like chocolate? Or steak for you men out there?
What does it feel like? Being that close to God... Enveloped in his love and peace...

Alright you can open your eyes now.

Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, "I wonder whether they have rum and Coke in heaven? Maybe its too mundane a pleasure, but I hope so - as a drink at the end of the day. Except, of course, the sun never goes down there. Oh, man, this heaven thing is going to take some getting used to."

I don't know if your heaven included rum and Coke and John did not have it to write about. He definitely had other things in mind. When he was writing this, Jerusalem had fallen. Sacred ground had been decimated. All the Jewish people wanted was for their promised land that God had given them to be restored. So, that could be what John writes about here ---

"Then the angel showed me the River of Life, rising from the throne of God and of the Lamb and flowing crystal clear down the middle of the city street. On either side of the river were trees of life, which bear twelve crops of fruit a year, one in each month, and the leaves of which are the cure for pagans.
The ban will be lifted. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in its place in the city; his servants will worship him, they will see him face to face and his name will be written on their foreheads. It will never be night again and they will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will be shining on them. They will reign forever and ever." (Rev 22:1-5, New Jerusalem translation)

John envisioned a heaven much like the Garden of Eden - with the river and trees of life, and the closeness to God beyond what any human on earth can have. He describes heaven as a beautiful joyful place, face to face with God.

Both then and now we try to envision what heaven is. Whether it be the rising of the promised land, a bountiful harvest with steak for dinner and rum and Coke at 5:00. Truth is, we humans cannot fathom it. We can know that the good that God has given us today is a fraction, a scratch on the surface. The joy that we feel today or any day can be magnified knowing that it is only a bit of the joy we have in store. And the God that we pray to, sing about, that we are building a relationship with while we are here on earth, will be with us face to face - there will be no separation from us and him.

So, what does this have to do with today's festivities - what does this have to do with Harvest? From what I have gathered, Harvest here is much like Thanksgiving in America - yes, a time to get together and eat a huge meal including apple pie, but also a time when we are reminded to give thanks to God for all that he has given us. I think the reflection on heaven reminds us to thank God for the promise of life eternal, the promise of knowing him fully and the joy of expectation.

2005-09-19T08:59:00.000+01:00

What a Weekend!

I had a really busy, but incredible weekend.
Yesterday was the church's Harvest festival - kind of like Thanksgiving, but early in the year and they have this massive lunch with almost 90 people. Daphne, the mom of the house I'm living in, was in charge of it this year, so I joined in with her daughters (Mary and Liz) to help. Saturday was my day off so, naturally, I spent the entire day helping set up and cook. They do a great job of this - many people got together, everyone brought a bottle of wine for the day, all had jobs to do, and in hours all the food was cooked (4 course meal), the stage was decorated, a coffee/tea table set up, a wine/juice table set up, the center peices for the tables were made, places were set -- and I mean full stop with a dinner plate, bread plate, folded napkin, 2 forks, 2 spoons, knife, soup bowl, butter... for all 90 people.

At like 8:30 that night we came back to the house and Daphne was saying how we needed some entertainment to keep the people around a little longer - saying that it was a shame that we had spent days preparing for this thing and it would last about an hour. So, us girls took it as our mission to come up with about 1/2 an hour of "entertainment" to keep people around for a little while. Mary found a mixed up Goldilocks story to read, Liz dressed up really ugly (ugly false teeth and everything) to do "I feel pretty" and we spent hours trying to find some kind of Texas country song for me to do. We got bored with that and I started downloading other American music to play for them, and we started talking about the music that we sang in church back home. I brought out the Caedmon's Call and they were all over it. They had never heard it before and were like, Shelley, you have to do that. So, I did "Shifting Sands" with the CD. I really missed Sarah... We also stumbled upon a karaoke version of Sister Act "I Will Follow Him." So the three of us made up a dance and sang it (On Sunday we found cassocks to dress up in - it was really pretty funny). We were up till about 12:30 rehearsing (and laughing most of the time) and then I stayed up to reorganize my sermon til 2:30am.
I got up really early to run through my sermon again, ended up reorganizing the reorg (pretty much putting it back how I had it before the middle of the night reorg, then went to the church at 9:30 to set up. The service was at 10:30 (for which we were missing a server/acolyte, so I got to learn how to do that last minute on top of the sermon), lunch right after, then the "entertainment" (which is all on video... ugh) and then the cleanup. We left the church at about 4:30, I went to take a little nap and woke up at 2 this morning - then I put on my pjs and went back to bed and woke up at 8am. Like 14 hours of sleep. I guess I really needed it.

So, that was my weekend. This is all after Karaoke on Friday night at this pub, but that's another story... I'm staying busy, trying to have fun and make the most of my time. It's still hard, but Saturday was just about the first time that I've started to feel like myself since I've been over here. It felt weird, but really good.

2005-09-15T11:22:00.000+01:00

Latest Soundtrack of My Life

Funniest thing to listen to while walking through peaceful neighborhoods of London -- Gorillaz (Feel Good, Inc & Fire Coming out of the Monkey's Head)

Best Music While Riding the London Underground -- Maynard Ferguson (Trumpet Rhapsody, Cameleon)

Best Homesick Soundtrack -- Garden State

Best Trying to Sleep After Having that Cup of Tea at 11pm (Crazy Caffeinaholic Brits) Music -- Ben Folds (Selfless, Cold and Composed & The Luckiest)

Texas on My Mind -- Pat Green

Best Missing Scott Music -- Pink Floyd

Best Music for Introducing American Contemporary Christian Music (Brits have very different, really cheesy Christian music, well... we do too, but it seems like the selection is very limited here) -- Bebo Norman, Jars of Clay, Caedmon's Call, Jennifer Knapp

Best Walking Through Covent Garden Music -- Simon & Garfunkel

Best Wishin They had a Sixth Street Here Instead of Another Pub Music -- Outkast

Or At Least They Could Have a Pete's Piano Bar -- Queen, Willie, Garth

Missing my Bubble Baths Music -- Norah Jones

Best Walkin in the Rain Music -- Maroon 5 (Sunday Morning, Secret, The Sun)

Best People Watching in the City Music -- Weezer

2005-09-14T22:19:00.000+01:00

English/American Dictionary

This will be an ongoing editing job for me as I delve more and more into this language I'm beginning to understand. I just thought I spoke English.
I have had some embarrassing moments with a few of these...

cot = crib
fortnight = two weeks
loo = restroom (and they don't say "I need to use the toilet" they just say "I need to toilet")
nappies = diapers
uni = university and they don't say college or school
college = the last two years of high school - much more specialized though
reception = kindergarten
jammy = lucky
fruit machines = slot machines (they are in every pub in town, my friend Dan won £52 the other night - no I have not tried my luck, I'm not very jammy)
pint = beer (and no, I'm not so fond of English beers yet)
pram or push chair = stroller
fag = cigarette (and everyone smokes - indoors, outdoors, in restaurants, in the church office, while they're cookin' dinner - I'm so surprised they don't smoke in the church service)
jumper = sweater
vest = tank top
pants = men's underwear
trousers = pants
biscuit = cookie (yes, they have "Oreo biscuits" on the package)
boot = trunk of the car
petrol = gasoline (and its prices are absolutely sky high here)
trainers = tennis shoes
me = my (as in, "I need to get in me bed." or "I'll do it meself.") (This is real cockney, the more "proper" speaking Brits say "my" -- I'll explain "cockney" later)
diary = day planner, calendar/organizer
rota = schedule
wellies = rainboots
sorted = cleaned, organized, thought through, calmed down (they say this for everything)
cheeky = being a smart alec
fringes = bangs
dog's body = gopher or slave to someone
pinch = steal

2005-09-14T22:04:00.000+01:00

Hello all my homies!
In my efforts to keep up with home and to keep an interesting, possibly entertaining, record of events for myself, I'm creating this online journal.

So far, things in London are fine. Homesickness has only strongly affected me a couple days out of the 19 days I've been here - not that I'm counting. I've met some absolutely wonderful people - without them I would be having a much more difficult time adjusting. I'm settling into some of my regular weekly meetings and started to get a handle on what my job duties will be here.

Here's what I'm actually doing over here --
Every morning (except Mondays and Saturdays) begins with Morning Prayer at 9am - a very traditional Anglican morning prayer practice. Lots of "Our Father"s and "Glory be"s.

Mondays - my light day.
- 5:30 I help with Beavers (young Boy Scouts)
- Lead Youth group 7:30 - 9pm.

Tuesdays
- Church staff meeting
- Pram Service (little toddler worship - real cute), then toddler play time
- Serve Communion to homebound church members and do other house visits
- Help with Prayer/Bible study group (last night lasted until past 11pm)

Wednesdays
- Morning Mass and tea (tea is after EVERYTHING here, whether its at 8am or 11pm)
- If writing prayers or anything for Sunday worship, complete it and get it proofed
- Help with Guides (Girls Scouts) 7:30 - 9pm

Thursdays
- Finalize, proof and copy worship bulletins for Sunday
- Organization and random task day -- I'm now doing things like setting up an address book from which labels can be printed and updating the phone records and starting to collect email addresses (novel concepts)
- Help teach Alpha course (beginning Oct)

Fridays
- Random errand day - walk miles to do random things for the vicar
- Finish prep for Youth and Scouts for next week
- Help run Scouts (older group) 7:30 - 9pm

Saturdays --- my day off!

Sundays
- Do one or more of several things at services (preach, lead, serve, sing, read, etc.)
Services are 8am, 9:30am, and 11:15am
- Evening services every Sunday - either at Holy Trinity or visit another church in London

So, yeah, with the exception of heading to the pub and my occassional London City excursions, that is my life.