The past couple of days, it seems like I've had a few people ask, "So what do you do every day?" So for those who are curious, I thought we could let you know what a normal week looks like for us since we've been here in London:
Sunday
10:30am - South Hanwell Baptist Church service
1pm - Speaker's Corner (maybe)
6pm - South Hanwell BC evening service
Monday
am - Evangelism training
afternoon - Personal study/time with Martin
8pm - Prayer meeting
Tuesday - Day Off
Wednesday
am - Personal study/time with Martin
11am-2pm - Outreach in Richmond
evening - Home Group
Thursday
11am - South Hanwell BC English language class
1:30pm - Discipleship meeting at local restaurant with new believers
2:30-4:30pm - Ealing Broadway prayer walk/outreach
7-10pm - Oxford Circus outreach
Friday
am - Evangelism training
12-3pm - Leicester Square outreach
5:45-7:30pm - Ealing Broadway early outreach
9:30pm-midnight - Ealing Broadway late outreach
Saturday
11am - West Ealing outreach
1:30pm - Wandsworth outreach
I know that not all of this will make sense to you (i.e. the names of various locations), but you can at least get a decent idea of what it is that we do. As you can tell, our week is heavily weighted toward Thursdays and Fridays.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Dependence Day
Yesterday we got to experience the 4th of July in a different country, the first time we've ever done this. Not only was it a different country, however, it was in fact the very country from which we declared our independence those 236 years ago. I personally wanted to run up and down the streets yelling, "Whooo!! America!!" (*in Patriotic/Redneck voice*), but Rebecca wasn't too keen (note: use of British word) on me doing that.
Nevertheless, we had an enjoyable Independence Day experience, complete with an American flag at lunch, as well as ice in our drinks (the ice itself a tribute to the American way). There was one thing about our day which was particularly different...and refreshing. You see, in churches across America, especially those in the South, people were singing songs about, and frankly giving glory to, the USA. For the past few years, I have watched and recoiled at people, who normally seem to care very little about singing with fervor, as they sing with unparalleled passion. It's actually quite sad to see people who are more passionate about singing songs about America than they are about singing to a God whose kingdom is eternal.
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed coming into church on Sunday morning and finding that the first song we were singing had these words:
Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own
Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee
And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity!
Jesus' kingdom truly is eternal. It will be here long after the grand ol' US of A is gone, and it's nice to be reminded of that every now and again.
Nevertheless, we had an enjoyable Independence Day experience, complete with an American flag at lunch, as well as ice in our drinks (the ice itself a tribute to the American way). There was one thing about our day which was particularly different...and refreshing. You see, in churches across America, especially those in the South, people were singing songs about, and frankly giving glory to, the USA. For the past few years, I have watched and recoiled at people, who normally seem to care very little about singing with fervor, as they sing with unparalleled passion. It's actually quite sad to see people who are more passionate about singing songs about America than they are about singing to a God whose kingdom is eternal.
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed coming into church on Sunday morning and finding that the first song we were singing had these words:
Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own
Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee
And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity!
Jesus' kingdom truly is eternal. It will be here long after the grand ol' US of A is gone, and it's nice to be reminded of that every now and again.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Guess Who?
So Rebecca and I did something really awesome (or brilliant, as the English would say) yesterday, something which we will never forget. Here are some hints:
1) It made us want to be a paperback writer.
2) It made us want to give peace a chance.
3) It helped us to realize that "life goes on."
4) It involved a band on the run.
Do you know it yet?
Let's make it a little more obvious.
5) It made us think of yesterday.
6) It helped us realize how marriage requires "all my lovin'."
Ok, for those of you who still don't know, we're going to practically give it to you.
7) We sang "Na na na na na na na na na na na Hey Jude!" with several hundred thousand other people.
That's right! We saw The Beatles in concert in Hyde Park! Ha ha. Not really. But seriously...we saw Paul McCartney! This is one of the few things we really wanted to do while in London, and we feel like it was a bit of a milestone.
He played for literally three hours, including two encores, and we could have stayed even longer; but all good things must come to an end.
So if you're feeling a little bit jealous and thinking to yourself, "I probably didn't miss that much; it probably wasn't that big of a deal," believe us when we say it was a very big deal and you really did miss out! You should be very jealous.
Also, after the concert, we wondered around like Forrest Gump in central London, not knowing what important places we were seeing. We know that we saw Buckingham Palace, but who knows what other prizes of history we may have casually walked past without even knowing.
That's all we've got to say about that.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Second Chances
While this title might sound sentimental, it is intentionally misleading. You might think I'm going to talk about something serious, but you've got it all wrong. I want to bring you into the world of toilet flushing in London.
You might expect a second attempt when embarking on such a task as cranking a lawnmower or weed-eater. You give it a pull, but it doesn't quite do the trick; so you try again... But have you ever had to take a second stab at flushing the toilet (or loo, as it is called here)? Growing up in America, using the bathroom was always a relatively leisurely activity for me. I do what I have to do, and then I casually push the lever down, often with only one finger.
But we realized quickly upon our arrival here that one cannot be so casual in one's flushing attempts. Perhaps it's simply older plumbing, or perhaps it's different standards of comfort, but you actually have to put some work into flushing many toilets in this country. There's a reason I likened it to cranking a lawnmower: you often have to be quick and forceful. It actually adds a bit of adventure to using the bathroom, especially when you're at someone's home, where you've never been before.
Imagine: you go into the bathroom and do your business. You reach to flush the toilet, giving the lever a slow, gentle push down. But nothing much happens. A little bit of water trickles into the bowl, mocking you slyly. You think to yourself, "Ok. So it's going to be like that, huh?" You give it a firmer push, and it shows a little more life but still no full-fledged flush. Now it's officially serious. You put the lid down so as to give yourself a little more space for momentum. This time you're even more forceful and quick, but still nothing of significance happens. You begin to think to yourself, "Maybe there's something wrong. Maybe I should ask someone if there's a trick to this." But then you think to yourself, "Wait a minute. When I came in here, there was nothing in this toilet. Obviously this is a fully functioning toilet, which people have managed to flush in the past. I will not let this conquer me." You give it one last push, this time really giving it all you got. Success! You feel a sense of accomplishment come over you. Then you wonder whether you should feel so proud over such a menial task. Nevertheless you leave the bathroom with your head held high.
In case you're wondering, this scenario was not purely hypothetical. Next time you flush your nice American toilet with just one try, I want you to remember us and all the English people here, for whom toilet flushing is a real task and be grateful. Maybe even say a prayer for us.
You might expect a second attempt when embarking on such a task as cranking a lawnmower or weed-eater. You give it a pull, but it doesn't quite do the trick; so you try again... But have you ever had to take a second stab at flushing the toilet (or loo, as it is called here)? Growing up in America, using the bathroom was always a relatively leisurely activity for me. I do what I have to do, and then I casually push the lever down, often with only one finger.
But we realized quickly upon our arrival here that one cannot be so casual in one's flushing attempts. Perhaps it's simply older plumbing, or perhaps it's different standards of comfort, but you actually have to put some work into flushing many toilets in this country. There's a reason I likened it to cranking a lawnmower: you often have to be quick and forceful. It actually adds a bit of adventure to using the bathroom, especially when you're at someone's home, where you've never been before.
Imagine: you go into the bathroom and do your business. You reach to flush the toilet, giving the lever a slow, gentle push down. But nothing much happens. A little bit of water trickles into the bowl, mocking you slyly. You think to yourself, "Ok. So it's going to be like that, huh?" You give it a firmer push, and it shows a little more life but still no full-fledged flush. Now it's officially serious. You put the lid down so as to give yourself a little more space for momentum. This time you're even more forceful and quick, but still nothing of significance happens. You begin to think to yourself, "Maybe there's something wrong. Maybe I should ask someone if there's a trick to this." But then you think to yourself, "Wait a minute. When I came in here, there was nothing in this toilet. Obviously this is a fully functioning toilet, which people have managed to flush in the past. I will not let this conquer me." You give it one last push, this time really giving it all you got. Success! You feel a sense of accomplishment come over you. Then you wonder whether you should feel so proud over such a menial task. Nevertheless you leave the bathroom with your head held high.
In case you're wondering, this scenario was not purely hypothetical. Next time you flush your nice American toilet with just one try, I want you to remember us and all the English people here, for whom toilet flushing is a real task and be grateful. Maybe even say a prayer for us.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Manson Family Five (plus 2 Americans)
We thought you might want to see a picture of the Manson family with whom we stayed whilst in Dunstable (whilst is another very British word to use, by the way). Pictured are (L-R) Tim, Vikki, Max, Rose, Jonathan, Rebecca, and Matt.We had a great time with the Mansons, and, as you can tell from the picture, their kids are very cute (not to mention Tim and Vikki themselves). We had a fun time playing and telling lots of silly jokes; example: "What is wobbly and flies? A jellycopter! Ha ha ha!" Max also had a formula for Knock-Knock jokes, which he found to be hysterical every time; example: "Knock Knock. Who's there? Apple. Apple who? Apple fall down the toilet! Ha ha ha!" For those of you who know us well, you know that this is right down our alley in terms of humor. It's sometimes a little scary to think that we (particularly Matt) find the same things funny as a two-year-old.
Monday, June 21, 2010
{Insert Catchy Title}
It just occurred to me that we don't really have a catchy title for our blog, so I was running through some potential options. So far, my favorite has been "Bloggy McBlogster" because it kind of makes fun of the whole "blogosphere", as it were.
Speaking of 'as it were', we wanted to just mention a few funny Brit-isms that we've noticed that perhaps other Americans will find funny.
1) 'Pants' means 'underwear' and 'trousers' means 'pants.' This creates quite a bit of communicative confusion at times. For example, 'I like your pants' takes on a whole new meaning.
2) When speaking of time, people here will often say something like 'half 5.' You might think that 'half 5' means 'half of 5' or 4:30, but you would be wrong and consequently early. It actually means 5:30.
3) Much like #1, 'suspenders' means something totally different, which we will not even mention. For instance, Matt told a joke that went like this: 'Why did the firefighter wear red suspenders?...To keep his pants from falling down!' The kids to whom he told this joke looked at him in bewilderment, and we quickly realized that both 'pants' and 'suspenders' have different meanings which are entirely inappropriate to discuss openly.
4) Words that end in an 'a' sound will often have an 'r' attached them to them. For example, 'Rebecca' becomes 'Rebecker.' Also, while singing in church, you might sing 'I stand in oar of you' rather than 'I stand in awe of you.'
5) 'Smart' can describe both one's intellectual prowess as well as one's attire. Matt was told that he needed to dress 'smartly.' He responded with a 'deer-in-the-headlights' stare, and then said, 'I already wear glasses; how am I supposed to look any smarter?'
We'll probably have some more of these along the way.
If you have any ideas for a more catchy title, feel free to suggest them; although we will probably like our title better than yours, we will nevertheless consider it.
Speaking of 'as it were', we wanted to just mention a few funny Brit-isms that we've noticed that perhaps other Americans will find funny.
1) 'Pants' means 'underwear' and 'trousers' means 'pants.' This creates quite a bit of communicative confusion at times. For example, 'I like your pants' takes on a whole new meaning.
2) When speaking of time, people here will often say something like 'half 5.' You might think that 'half 5' means 'half of 5' or 4:30, but you would be wrong and consequently early. It actually means 5:30.
3) Much like #1, 'suspenders' means something totally different, which we will not even mention. For instance, Matt told a joke that went like this: 'Why did the firefighter wear red suspenders?...To keep his pants from falling down!' The kids to whom he told this joke looked at him in bewilderment, and we quickly realized that both 'pants' and 'suspenders' have different meanings which are entirely inappropriate to discuss openly.
4) Words that end in an 'a' sound will often have an 'r' attached them to them. For example, 'Rebecca' becomes 'Rebecker.' Also, while singing in church, you might sing 'I stand in oar of you' rather than 'I stand in awe of you.'
5) 'Smart' can describe both one's intellectual prowess as well as one's attire. Matt was told that he needed to dress 'smartly.' He responded with a 'deer-in-the-headlights' stare, and then said, 'I already wear glasses; how am I supposed to look any smarter?'
We'll probably have some more of these along the way.
If you have any ideas for a more catchy title, feel free to suggest them; although we will probably like our title better than yours, we will nevertheless consider it.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
COLD!
Well, we've been up to quite a lot in the past few weeks here in lovely, but extremely cold, England. I want to really emphasize the word C-O-L-D! No one told us it was going to be quite so cold, but since we've been here it has barely gotten over 20 degrees Celsius (68 Fahrenheit) and has frequently been down around 8 degrees Celsius (46 Fahrenheit).
This week we've been in Dunstable, a relatively small town about an hour north of London. Dunstable is more of what you might imagine when you think of an English countryside with rolling hills, lots of pasture, etc. Dunstable's population is comparable to Auburn when there are no students in town. We've been working alongside Tim Manson, assistant pastor at West Street Baptist Church, and we've been staying with Tim, his wife Vikki, and their three children Jonathan (5), Rose (3), and Max (2). We've thoroughly enjoyed our time with the Manson family and have lots of fun with them and their children.
Today we went with the Mansons to the Whipsnade Zoo, one of the nicer zoos we've ever been to. It was much more spread out and open-air than we're used to, and the animals seemed to have lots of room to roam. Matt was able to share some of his useless tidbits of knowledge about the Animal Kingdom to impress the Manson kids. It was very cold (about 13 Celsius and windy)!
Monday we'll be headed back to London. Hopefully we'll finally be able to get into some semblance of a routine as we have now stayed at three different places (interestingly all within the same family).
On a side note, you may be interested to know that we have become quite the skilled tea drinkers (hot tea, that is). Matt got into the habit of drinking tea at the office with Tim, and Rebecca felt the need to try to catch up with his progress. So we're now drinking several cups a day and are actually enjoying it, especially since it has been so cold.
Hopefully we'll be better about keeping this updated, so feel free to check it out every day or so.
P.S. Did we mention it has been really cold?
This week we've been in Dunstable, a relatively small town about an hour north of London. Dunstable is more of what you might imagine when you think of an English countryside with rolling hills, lots of pasture, etc. Dunstable's population is comparable to Auburn when there are no students in town. We've been working alongside Tim Manson, assistant pastor at West Street Baptist Church, and we've been staying with Tim, his wife Vikki, and their three children Jonathan (5), Rose (3), and Max (2). We've thoroughly enjoyed our time with the Manson family and have lots of fun with them and their children.
Today we went with the Mansons to the Whipsnade Zoo, one of the nicer zoos we've ever been to. It was much more spread out and open-air than we're used to, and the animals seemed to have lots of room to roam. Matt was able to share some of his useless tidbits of knowledge about the Animal Kingdom to impress the Manson kids. It was very cold (about 13 Celsius and windy)!
Monday we'll be headed back to London. Hopefully we'll finally be able to get into some semblance of a routine as we have now stayed at three different places (interestingly all within the same family).
On a side note, you may be interested to know that we have become quite the skilled tea drinkers (hot tea, that is). Matt got into the habit of drinking tea at the office with Tim, and Rebecca felt the need to try to catch up with his progress. So we're now drinking several cups a day and are actually enjoying it, especially since it has been so cold.
Hopefully we'll be better about keeping this updated, so feel free to check it out every day or so.
P.S. Did we mention it has been really cold?
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