Papers and Packages

Hey everyone from the lobby of the Celtic Hotel! It's hard to believe that we've been here in London for almost two weeks! It feels like we've been here forever yet such a short time as well. The past week has absolutely flown by!

The front of the Celtic Hotel

Last Sunday, the whole group went to St. Paul's Cathedral for the 11:30 service. It was beautiful beyond description. As we walked up from the tube stop, the bells were chiming, calling everyone to come and worship. Outside, I was awed by the size of the building, but that was nothing compared to the inside. We worshipped under the dome, and everything was just gorgeous. Around the inside of the dome (haha whenever I saw the dome, I keep thinking "Headed to the Dome," for all you Passion-goers) are images of the apostles and prophets and stages of Christ's life. The dome stretches high above, letting in light from outside and filled with light from inside. The service was very formal but I could definitely feel the presence of God. The boys' choir sang that day. Because St. Paul's is stone inside, the acoustics are incredible. Every time the boys or the organ cut off, the sound would remain for about ten seconds or so. So beautiful! Every time that happened, my breath would catch as I just reveled in the beauty of the service. The reverend spoke about Peter bringing Nathaniel to meet Christ. She explained how Peter did not try to explain everything about Christ or give Nathaniel a list of good works to do; he simply told Nathaniel to come and see Jesus. The sermon was much, much different than I expected (in a good way). The reverend challenged the congregation to simply invite people to come see Jesus, because that is all that He requests. We don't have to provide all of the answers (and who has all the answers?) or perform a certain way to earn His pleasure; He accepts us just as we are and He delights in us. We took communion, and I tasted wine for the first time. Altogether, it was a beautiful experience and God touched my heart. Not because it was in a famous building, but because God was there and I was praising Him, even here in London, across the ocean from my usual church family. I have a Christian family here in London, too. :) Praise God for His Church! Worshipping at St. Paul's has been my favorite experience in London so far.

St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's from the roof of the National Gallery

That afternoon, some of us returned to St. Paul's for an organ concert. It was phenomenal, but I fell asleep :/ Also that afternoon, I watched kids play with their dads in the park. If you've never seen that, come to Russell Square and just sit and watch. It was adorable :) We had a walk through Bloomsbury (even though I just had to go find everything Dr. Parks pointed out again for myself) and I went to All Souls Church with Dr. Parks for the evening service. It was hard to believe that All Souls and St. Paul's are both Anglican because All Souls is so....American, I guess. But their hymns are more real somehow, and they sing all the verses of every hymn. The preaching is so scripturally based and very to-the-point. I think that I'll try to attend this church regularly.

the fountain in the middle of Russell Square

Watching the Changing of the Guard

We have now completed a week of class. I am taking History of Science, Art History, British Literature, Introduction to Theatre, and London History and Culture. We already have so many assignments, and I'm trying not to go crazy over it. I know that I'll get all of it done, but having 4 papers (though 2 are really short) assigned in 4 days is crazy! Slightly overwhelming. Class can involve anything from sitting in the classroom in St. George's for 3 hours to exploring the British Museum's Parthenon and ancient Egyptian exhibits to taking a walk around the Inns of Court taking notes frantically while our hands freeze. We've been on a backstage tour of the National Theatre; seen "Comedy of Errors," "Twelfth Night," Wicked, "The Importance of Being Earnest," and Guys and Dolls;  toured the Cabinet War Rooms; witnessed the Changing of the Guard; experienced the longest walking tour EVER (about 3 and a half hours) through Cheapside; been to Portobello Market; listened to Mozart's Requiem by Candlelight at the church of St. Martin in the Fields; and been rained on incessantly (to make up for the beautiful first week we had, I guess). The group's doing great, and it's hilarious to see all of us battling over the internet connection when we get back to the hotel at night.

the group headed to Wicked

pretty chapel in Lincoln's Inn

On my own or in a small group, I've done several interesting things including (but not limited to):
-finished Mrs. Dalloway (much more impressive than it sounds)

with my binoculars at Wicked

-gone onto the roof of the National Theatre and taken pictures of St. Paul's at night
-used my binoculars for the first time in a theatre
-developed and recovered from a shin splint
-had Tex Mex (and they gave us ICE in our drinks!!)
-pinched my finger in the handle on the toilet
-attempted and failed to apply for a library card
-discovered Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and desperately tried to get to Hogwarts

Off to Hogwarts! :)

-been saved by the same James who tried to kill us all on our Tube Rallye
-discovered the Mighty Box
-almost had my purse picked by an 8 year-old boy at Portobello Market
-found the most amazing bookstore EVER across from the ULU
-watched Micheal re-inact Singing in the Rain by running up to a lampost and jumping up on it with his arm and leg thrown out, singing :)
-eaten at a pub
-listened to a David Platt podcast about fear vs. faith
-seen a second sun in Trafalgar Square, complete with free orange juice from Tropicana
-ridden the longest escalator in London
-shopped at Primark for super cheap clothes
-played piano for the first time since I left for London

In case you didn't know, this is the sun suspended on a crane.

-been lost and re-found my way in London

the longest escalator in London: @ Angel tube station

-ridden on the top of a double-decker bus
-had the biggest pancake covered in fruit and ice cream in my life :D

My DELICIOUS pancake :) Complete with fruit and ice cream.

Today I got back from class to discover that I had a letter AND a package!!!! Yay for my roommate and my family!! :) If you want to make me happy, please send me stuff. Like peanut butter. Not even kidding. But my family and my roommate are amazing :) Tonight I did laundry for the first time in the sink and promptly knocked over my full laundry detergent bottle, and it all spilled onto the carpet. So now we have blue towels instead of white, and our room smells like soap. I also explored the Disney store today. I could live there, I think. :)

my clothesline complete with (hopefully) clean clothes

As always, Jesus is faithful. He's teaching me so much in my reading and throughout my days. I'm being reminded again and again that no matter what, He is with me; He is faithful to His promises. I'm continually amazed by the love of my Father and His devotion to Israel and to His people. Thank you for all your prayers. Please continue praying for my friend who does not know Christ, and for healing for another friend. Please also ask for all of us to have energy as we live our days in London and that we make the most of every opportunity that He gives us. Please also pray concerning First Baptist Church Clinton's Disciple Now this coming weekend--for youth, the speaker, the band, the leaders, the media team, Kenny and Julie and Taylor, and the church family as a whole. I hope that students are open to receive whatever God has to tell them through this experience and that they come away determined to rely on His strength and change the world. Pray also for summer missions interviews that will take place this weekend--for the team of students and ministers who will prayerfully consider all of the applications and place students where they believe God is sending them, for Mrs. Beverly while she oversees all of this, and for the students who are interviewing. It's hard to believe that a year ago, I was beginning preparation for the hardest yet best summer of my life. I can't wait until this summer!! Until next time,


"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador [currently in London]. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." Ephesians 6:19-20

Londoners Walk on Red.

Hello from London, England! I still find it hard to believe that I'm actually here and that we are not headed home in a few days--try a few months! We have only been here 3 days, but I already love it and miss everyone at the same time. London is busy, busy. Everybody headed somewhere all of the time. Here is a phenomenon--the oldest buildings and streets I have ever seen mixed with everything the twenty-first century has to offer. (For example, I walked the stones of the Great Bath in Bath today, where Roman emperors walked, and then on the coach ride home, I saw a McDonald's and Texaco off of the American equivalent of an interstate: motorway.)

Headed to London, I had no idea what to expect, and that scared me. I'm the kind of person that likes to know what I'm doing at least in the immediate future, and the concept of coming to a country where I knew no one but my classmates and my summer missions teammate blew my mind. Many, many people told me that yes, I should come and yes, this is God's will for me; and I fought a huge battle about why I was coming and such. But now that I'm here, I know that this is exactly what God wants me to do, exactly where God has placed me, because as soon as I set foot here, all doubts and fears I had vanished. I know that He will use this trip to challenge me and help me grow, and I hope beyond all reason to glorify Him in all that I do.

Our group of 23 flew from Jackson, MS, to Atlanta, to London Gatwick. (There are 2 London airports--Heathrow and Gatwick). The layover in Atlanta seemed to take forever (but we played Dutch Blitz) and the flight to London seemed even longer than forever (probably because I woke up about 3 hours before the flight was over, a.k.a. 4 am greenwich time, and couldn't go back to sleep). But we made it to the airport and through customs without too much trouble. I had an interesting time trying to work the trolley (luggage cart), but after asking for help on how to get the wheels to turn, I was ok. Until I crashed it. But that's a different story. We went by coach (bus) to the bed and breakfast that we're living in until February and then after Spring Tour, called the Celtic Hotel (pronounced Seltic). I'm on the very, very top floor. That means lots of skinny, steep stairs. It's not that high up, but it is hard to get there when we're all sore from a day of walking. But it will build character and muscle and whatnot, right?

The group at the Atlanta Airport

First View of the National Gallery

The first day, we did not rest at all. I cheated and took a 45-minute nap at 2 pm, though. We got our mobiles (cell phones) and Dr. Parks dislocated his shoulder and had to go to the hospital for x-rays and a morphine injection so they could pop his shoulder back in socket. He is fine though, praise the Lord. He keeps joking about falling and such, and I'm really glad he's ok. It really scared me. Our first walking tour with Dr. Rumblelow took us all over the city, to Trafalgar Square and such. We got our Oyster Cards for the tube and buses (passes for travel systems through and under London). The best thing of all was that night, when Dr. Parks took us on our first adventure through the Tube (subway). We emerged at the Westminster stop and came out and saw something breathtaking. There was Big Ben. Right there. Big and everything! Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye (a huge ferris wheel) and Westminster Abbey are all together right on the Thames, all lit up. Breathtaking moment, right there.

Big Ben right above the Westminster Tube Stop

The Eye at night

the view at the top of the stairs to the Tube

Bench behind St. Paul's Church at Covent Garden

Day 2, we had the famous Tube Rallye, a scavenger hunt that takes us all over London. I was on a team of four, with James, a Katie (we have 4), and Becca Stovall. We must have walked 6 or 7 miles yesterday. We took a bus, the Tube, and walked. And walked. And walked. James, our fearless team leader who would just cross the street on red and almost get us run over, even ran up to the bus as it was pulling away and knocked on the door so that we could get on. The driver gave us a death glare, but taking that bus was the best decision we made all day. To top it off, we ended up winning the Rallye! That was exciting! The prize was £5 each. Which is a big deal. So proud of Team King James Tried to Kill Us, a.k.a. Team Walk On Red, a.k.a. Team Deathwish! It was so much fun! And the important thing is that I now know how to navigate the Tube and match up the bus map with a physical map.

A tired yet victorious (unknown at this time) Team Walk on Red

Today we took a day trip to Stonehenge, Avebury, and Bath. I'm pretty sure all of us were conked out on the way there, so we missed all of the beautiful fog that characterizes the London countryside. We got to Stonehenge where we saw....a big pile of rocks. But it's pretty cool to think of how old they are, and how MASSIVE they are and how COLD it is. However.....it was SUNNY! The weather has been absolutely gorgeous since we got here, and the sun was so bright today that some of my pictures didn't turn out! :) It's a rare day indeed when Stonehenge is not covered in fog. Oh. And we saw sheep. And our driver, Paul, made them stampede. Priceless!!

A rare, sunny day at Stonehenge.

Yes, we are Stonehenge.

Avebury was yet another string of strange rocks that somehow got there for no particular reason that anyone can tell. It was cool to walk around b/c it's a lot like Moundville in Alabama, only much, much colder. So good to see GRASS. And small children. And a beagle! I got lost though, and James had to come find me. Then we went to Bath and wandered around, seeing the Royal Crescent, the Assembly Rooms (where my camera died), the Fashion Museum, Bath Abbey (which is my first time to go into an old church), and the Baths. (This is Jane Austin’s Bath!) We got to learn about the baths and when they were built and how there were animal sacrifices and such, and we even got to taste the water from the hot springs. Tasted like sulfur. Then we came back to London, and now I’m sitting in the lobby combating the spastic wireless internet so that I can blog. Oh, and we're watching the Saints v. 49-ers game.

Can you see the white horse?

Firsts that I have experienced the past few days:

-first overseas flight

-first time through customs

-first coach ride

-first Tube ride

-first meal in London (turkey and cheese Panini)

-first injury of the group (no, it was NOT me!)

-first Rumblelow walking tour

-first Celtic Hotel breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, and grapefruit, which is DIVINE!)

-first British shower

-first did-the-tourist-really-do-THAT? Moment

-first time watching sheep stampede due to a honking coach

All in all, it’s been a great first few days. Things will slow down a bit as classes start Monday, but I’m so excited about everything that we’ll get to experience living in London and seeing everything we’ve studied about since 3^rd grade or so. Just a week ago (has it really only been a week?) I was in church in Mississippi and was thinking about how a week later, I would be worshipping in St. Paul’s Cathedral, which is older than our COUNTRY. Yeah. Tomorrow I’ll be worshipping at St. Paul’s. Wow! I can't keep "Feed the Birds" from Mary Poppins out of my head. ^_^

Prayer Request time. I left a friend behind in the States whom I met only a week ago, but she has already become precious to me. Pray that she will come to know Christ as her Savior. And another friend who loves Jesus with every fiber of her being is really having a tough time right now with sickness and not being able to go back to school this semester. Pray for healing for her and for her to focus fully God’s sovereignty over all and His unimaginable plans instead of the hopelessness that comes from circumstances. Pray that my classmates and I will stay firm in our faith and pursue our relationship with God with all of our being, even in a country so dark that they think they know God when they do not. Pray for revelation among Great Britain, and for an awakening to want to know Christ.

Until next time, good-bye!

"For your Maker is your husband--the LORD Almighty is His Name--the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth. The LORD will call you back..." Isa. 54:5-6    Praise to a God Who relentlessly pursues us!

LONDON!!

Finally, after years of waiting and months of planning, hours of flying and miles of driving, I am in London!!!!! :D I'm so excited to be here! :) Can't wait to see what God has in store today. More posts and pictures to come soon! Pray for all of us to get rest tonight because we have a tube rally tomorrow and jet lag has hit us hard. It's weird to think that it's bedtime here and the middle of the afternoon back home. I'm headed to bed, but hopefully I will post tomorrow!
Hehe ^_^ I have conquered the Tube. And the first injury on the trip was not me. That's a first. God is gonna do some amazing stuff this semester!!
From the UK,
Beth Ann