UK Recap

After two weeks, I am now back in the land of snow and ridiculously cold temperatures. The reality of starting school again tomorrow and the need to unpack and re-organize my life loom in my mind today, but I wanted to take the time to update you on the remainder of our time in the UK, to share lasting thoughts and impressions, and to say a sincere "thank you" for your prayers that have upheld us over the last couple of weeks.

Since my last posting, we left Jess' delightful company in Stroud and headed for all things London. We spent the first night with my friend Tricia and her flatmates. The next day, Tricia took the day off and went with us on a prayer tour of outer London. We stopped at a local Hindu temple, Tricia's parent's church, Finsbury Park Mosque (known as the most extremist mosque in the UK), and even managed to squeeze in a trip to my favorite Indian restaurant in the entire world! This day was one of my favorites thus far as it included the company of another dear friend who I had not seen for 2 years and the best aspect of London- the multi-culturalism. :-)

Here is next top model Jess looking very welcoming and hospitable in her new haircut

Me and Tricia at the Indian restaurant

Amazing Indian food! Yum!

One of the local Hindu temples

After our first day praying for a revelation of Christ in all nations and people groups represented in London, we made our way down to Horsham where we stayed with my darling friend Debbie and her family for two nights and made a day trip to the coastal city of Brighton. The time went by entirely too quickly with Debs, but I was ever so grateful for every minute the Lord gave us to reconnect and further cement the friendship that we have been given!

We left Debs on Wednesday and made what was supposed to be an hour long journey to London. Four and a half hours and 3 (I think?) trains later, we arrived at London Victoria with a great story of ice on the tracks, vague train announcements, and meeting a lovely uni student named Viti. Our original plan to do a city tour of London that day was thrown out the window in favor of a trip to the British museum and joining with Tricia for an italian dinner and a showing of the musical "Wicked". We stayed overnight that night with Tricia and left the next morning to do a hop on, hop off bus tour of London. Anna and Miriam were able to see Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the London tower and bridge, Shakespeare's Globe theatre, etc. before we made our way to the airport and hopped on our flight to Dublin.

Our last two days in Dublin included a bus tour into the Wicklow county countryside (home to the production of the movie "Braveheart"- my favorite!), some lovely live music at a pub (actually, the Blue Moon Saloon in Bemidji could have birthed some of this stuff! Anna was SUCH a fan. *note sarcasm*) :-), and last minute souvenir shopping. I made friends with a delightful young lady from Brazil named Paula and we had a great day exploring Wicklow with her! We then left Dublin early Saturday morning and made our arrival back to the States via Newark. Therein ends the travel chronicling.

Lasting impressions and thoughts of the trip: For better and for worse, I am a pilgrim. The echo of my heart can best be summed up by Brandon Heath's song "When I'm Alone"-

"When I'm alone, the faces they come and they go, I wonder if they think I've changed, I wish I could stay but be where you are, the countries and the cities so far, this is my dream and my gift, but sometimes I get scared that somehow I'll cease to belong anywhere..."

Traveling always reminds me that nowhere on earth is home. My life and heart are fragmented. Pieces are in Bemidji, Minneapolis, Northfield, Oklahoma, Tanzania, Afghanistan, England, Mexico; with Debbie, Tricia, Jess, Cathleen, Kaitlyn, Carley, Dana, Andrea, Anna, Miriam, Janet, and an elipsis filled with hundreds of others. It is truly my dream and my gift to have all of these wonderful places and people making up my journey. But sometimes I do get scared. I belong everywhere and nowhere; with everyone and no one. The only place I am truly united is in Christ who is in all and is all. In Him there is no distance or time or place. And for that unity, I praise Him with a gratitude that I cannot express in words. I am so thankful that the "hellos" and "goodbyes" of this world that often leave my heart torn and bleeding still find me in his consistent company.

Lord Jesus, thank you. Thank you for this trip. Thank you for a thousand beautiful places that I love in this world and the promise of one true home as I look ahead to the one country that you have prepared for those who love you. Thank you for the pilgrimage. For every hello and goodbye. For every moment that takes my breath away in wonder. For every smile and every tear. For every hug and every hand you have allowed me to hold. Thank you for your comfort when the temporal nature of it all leaves me overwhelmed and broken. Thank you that one day the pilgrimage will end and I will see your face and the faces of those I have loved in you year after year and season after season. In you is every promise I hold dear. Though I am an alien in this world, I am at home in you.