WOW.
This has been a great trip and there is so much to tell. Unfortunately, I am barely awake so please check back in a day or two...I will have the Wed, Thurs, and Fri reports--with London pictures. I am now not only trained to teach this anywhere in the world, but also released to do so by both of the trainers.
Pray for my travels tomorrow on American Airlines, we have a Plan B and a Plan C, it is AOK.
Cheers!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Monday & Tuesday, April 7 and 8
Monday--Tuesday, April 7, 8--It Begins (OK it is late Tuesday night now so, yes, I will make these two shorter, not out of reader-sympathy—but because I am tired)
The two days of the training have been wonderful. The two trainers and very good at this, it is very interactive with 30 of us at 5-top tables, and I am getting a sense of how, where, who, and when God might want me to share my own version of this around Austin and several countries. It is a training for trainers with people from 11 countries of origin. Ethically, we are from all over: Half are British, one German, one Italian, one New Zealander, one Sri Lankan, myself, and five African countries—all fantastic serving, teachable people. Two days down and three to go—much more on what I am learning later, but suffice to say I am emotionally growing through this and growing in vision with how God may help me to share this with others so that can offer the comfort, wisdom, and healing of Jesus with those with mild to extreme traumas in their lives.
Tuesday morning I had coffee with several pastors and discussed how churches change (The quote of the day was by Jonathan who taught in Sunday service at BBC, in response in my saying that ‘we were moving out of the ‘80s’ at GH, and he said, ‘That’s nothing, we are moving of the 1880s here at BBC!”) We concluded to pray for each other and keep up with blogs and email.
I have enjoyed having longer conversations with about 8 of my fellow students: Grown up missionary kids, a man with Parkinson’s that had to come back from China, many missionaries in transition, single and married issues, counseling issues for people they are caring for, and several other talks planned for the next few days. Everyone is either a current missionary/church leader, former missionary, or serving the refugee/asylum-seeking peoples in GB.
Keep praying, I am blogging this and going to sleep!
The two days of the training have been wonderful. The two trainers and very good at this, it is very interactive with 30 of us at 5-top tables, and I am getting a sense of how, where, who, and when God might want me to share my own version of this around Austin and several countries. It is a training for trainers with people from 11 countries of origin. Ethically, we are from all over: Half are British, one German, one Italian, one New Zealander, one Sri Lankan, myself, and five African countries—all fantastic serving, teachable people. Two days down and three to go—much more on what I am learning later, but suffice to say I am emotionally growing through this and growing in vision with how God may help me to share this with others so that can offer the comfort, wisdom, and healing of Jesus with those with mild to extreme traumas in their lives.
Tuesday morning I had coffee with several pastors and discussed how churches change (The quote of the day was by Jonathan who taught in Sunday service at BBC, in response in my saying that ‘we were moving out of the ‘80s’ at GH, and he said, ‘That’s nothing, we are moving of the 1880s here at BBC!”) We concluded to pray for each other and keep up with blogs and email.
I have enjoyed having longer conversations with about 8 of my fellow students: Grown up missionary kids, a man with Parkinson’s that had to come back from China, many missionaries in transition, single and married issues, counseling issues for people they are caring for, and several other talks planned for the next few days. Everyone is either a current missionary/church leader, former missionary, or serving the refugee/asylum-seeking peoples in GB.
Keep praying, I am blogging this and going to sleep!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Sunday, April 6—Snow, Church, the British Museum, and the British Library—all in 14 hours!
I woke to snow. Big flakes, probably the biggest I’ve seen since living on Mackinac Island, MI in Lake Huron. I ate a great “full English breakfast” in the Avis Hotel, dressed smartly for the day, and walked to Bromley Baptist. I was greeted 4X before sitting down in the 1864 sanctuary with a real pipe organ and then had wonderful service—great blended worship, blended races, and blended generations, and very good sermon for Mathew 25:1-11. Following the service I was invited by an OM (Operation Mobilization) couple to stay at their 20-bed 1870 Victorian missionary house, 2 DOORS DOWN form my hotel. Tuesday will be my first night there—less money great fellowship—God bless OM!
Straightway from church (did I mention that Spurgeon preached there, maybe sat where I sat—original pews to be sure, all built about 20 year after The Alamo, to put it in TexasView) I walked to the train, rode back into town, transferred at Victoria and after two trains and then…The Funniest Thing Happened to Me on the Way to the Museum…I walk right into the FREE TIBET (Bobbies Everywhere kinda of tense) Olympic Torch protest! I miss seeing them rush the torch, but join the crowd and chant Free Tibet, take a picture of my new friends, stay off of CNN (a joke my family that I plan stay off CNN on these trips and that is another close call), and make it in the indescribable British Museum. Unexpectedly I recalled a 38 year old happy memory of being thrilled to walk in there at 10, a memory so sudden and sweet that it brought tears to my eyes.
I will not even try to describe the Museum, but while I did not stop and read and soak in all of it in hours (it would probably take a week), I did walk through all of it and videoed an hour’s worth to whet my families appetite. (As Millers growing up, museums and libraries were the highlights of any trips or new cities). From there I walked to the British Library where I sent almost all my time in the Treasures Room—my favorites were the Guttenberg and other Bibles, Leonardo Da’Vinci’s notebooks, the Magna Carta drafts/versions/stories, most engaging to read from 200 year ago was a dedication, letter, and short story first page by Jane Austen on her own laptop (writing desk, type). Jane is even funnier when read in her own handwriting! From there, “Reverse course, Mr. Sulu!” (Sorry, the profile clearly states the Star Trek thing—we are all a package for each other, myself include for you, my hapless reader…it is just that some of us are TIGHTLY WRAPPED packages, and some of us not, and do not want to be). I returned to the Avis and slept to prep for Monday.
Straightway from church (did I mention that Spurgeon preached there, maybe sat where I sat—original pews to be sure, all built about 20 year after The Alamo, to put it in TexasView) I walked to the train, rode back into town, transferred at Victoria and after two trains and then…The Funniest Thing Happened to Me on the Way to the Museum…I walk right into the FREE TIBET (Bobbies Everywhere kinda of tense) Olympic Torch protest! I miss seeing them rush the torch, but join the crowd and chant Free Tibet, take a picture of my new friends, stay off of CNN (a joke my family that I plan stay off CNN on these trips and that is another close call), and make it in the indescribable British Museum. Unexpectedly I recalled a 38 year old happy memory of being thrilled to walk in there at 10, a memory so sudden and sweet that it brought tears to my eyes.
I will not even try to describe the Museum, but while I did not stop and read and soak in all of it in hours (it would probably take a week), I did walk through all of it and videoed an hour’s worth to whet my families appetite. (As Millers growing up, museums and libraries were the highlights of any trips or new cities). From there I walked to the British Library where I sent almost all my time in the Treasures Room—my favorites were the Guttenberg and other Bibles, Leonardo Da’Vinci’s notebooks, the Magna Carta drafts/versions/stories, most engaging to read from 200 year ago was a dedication, letter, and short story first page by Jane Austen on her own laptop (writing desk, type). Jane is even funnier when read in her own handwriting! From there, “Reverse course, Mr. Sulu!” (Sorry, the profile clearly states the Star Trek thing—we are all a package for each other, myself include for you, my hapless reader…it is just that some of us are TIGHTLY WRAPPED packages, and some of us not, and do not want to be). I returned to the Avis and slept to prep for Monday.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Saturday, April 5 -- Powersightseeing London
Saturday, April 5—Powersightseeing London (it really is not that cool with my rolling bag and my massive backpack; no check-in luggage for me, thank you! Also, lots of cobblestone in downtown London—so don’t watch for me on the Travel channel)
London-Gatwick express train went smooth and then I did the Tour d’London, no really, downtown London, in just a couple of hours…get ready—your feet will empathetically hurt after this: Arrive in wonderful Victoria Station (one of my favorite places), then I walked and covered this in several hours—and enjoyed it: Buckingham Palace—I did not see the Guards actually change, but I did see them march back from somewhere and go into their barracks next to the Palace—oh, yeah and I have video AND pictures of all of this, it was 34 degrees and windy—several parks and memorials, Parliament, Big Ben, the London Eye, Westminster Cathedral, The Themes, the Anti-Slavery Memorial (William Wilberforce!), Trafalgar Square, and lots of tourist from every imaginable country. Tired I return to Victoria and took the train to Bromley South and onto my hotel where I unpacked, went out for dinner, ate a chicken baguettes at Café Rue, and while walking back God directed me to this old church, which turns out to be Bromley Baptist Church, with a cornerstone laid by Charles Haddon Spurgeon on July 4, 1864—a church plant by the elder Charles Spurgeon! You will glad to know that they have community groups for everyone each week—a 144 year-old church plant can adapt! I walked back to the hotel and planned Sunday…
London-Gatwick express train went smooth and then I did the Tour d’London, no really, downtown London, in just a couple of hours…get ready—your feet will empathetically hurt after this: Arrive in wonderful Victoria Station (one of my favorite places), then I walked and covered this in several hours—and enjoyed it: Buckingham Palace—I did not see the Guards actually change, but I did see them march back from somewhere and go into their barracks next to the Palace—oh, yeah and I have video AND pictures of all of this, it was 34 degrees and windy—several parks and memorials, Parliament, Big Ben, the London Eye, Westminster Cathedral, The Themes, the Anti-Slavery Memorial (William Wilberforce!), Trafalgar Square, and lots of tourist from every imaginable country. Tired I return to Victoria and took the train to Bromley South and onto my hotel where I unpacked, went out for dinner, ate a chicken baguettes at Café Rue, and while walking back God directed me to this old church, which turns out to be Bromley Baptist Church, with a cornerstone laid by Charles Haddon Spurgeon on July 4, 1864—a church plant by the elder Charles Spurgeon! You will glad to know that they have community groups for everyone each week—a 144 year-old church plant can adapt! I walked back to the hotel and planned Sunday…
Saturday, April 5 -- Austin to London
After a very busy Friday morning with my Terri and the girls, I had some stuff for Nathan so I picked him up UT and drove him to his house on 38th Street and then onto the airport in Terri’s van. Though the Dallas flight was late, I rested in Austin, rested in Dallas, and then had the shortest-feeling transatlantic flight yet. God bless our Martha of AA fame! She secured me a window, bulkhead row seat with an empty seat beside me on a 777. I slept more than ever….. and by now it is 10 AM Saturday and we are landing at Gatwick.
Friday, April 4, 2008
In London
Friday, April 4
Since this is my first blog ever, I have to say a couple of things (which is I guess the point of a blog) before I give my Friday trip report....
1. I have never written a blog before
2. I do not read blogs, not because they are evil or by nature self-absorbed, just because I haven't gotten around to it. The idea of sharing your life and thoughts with anyone who cares seems great.
3. Actually, it does not even matter if anyone reads it--simply the activity of writing is healthy.
(In fact, it seems to already be working for me!
Since I have several books and articles to finish, others to start writing, and most importantly, I need to develop a writer's mindset and lifestyle, it seems only fitting for me to do this.
I actually enjoy writing, but there are two primary problems with my writinglife:
(a) I do not write very much outside of documents at church, have frequently recommended that people keep a spiritual journals--while admitting I have never regularly done one--seen great benefit to countless people, but it remains the one classic spiritual discipline that I do not regularly practice.
(b) when I do really write from my mind and heart (OK, mind mostly), sometimes no one but God and me understand what I am saying, and even then, sometimes I don't when I go back and read it.
I discovered years ago when Terri was editing some things for me that I really do not like explaining things--I really just like connecting things together.
Thus, rather than a paragraph having a topic sentence ABOUT A SINGLE TOPIC and the sentences clearly explaining that topic, all neatly summarized in a compelling conclusion sentence that leaves the reader eagerly waiting for the next paragraph...left to my own devices, I do not see a topic sentence as a springboard into a paragraph, but rather each sentence is a topic and a connection to the next sentence-topic, and so-on and so-an, sort of like Tiger in Winnie the Pooh, happily bouncing off the page/screen, talking to himself.)
Returning to not writing well, it is not even that have the excuse that I do not know how to. Having read my whole life, having a fairly good grasp of grammar (the subject in school I found the most boring), and being a pretty good editor of others' work I know I can, if I will.
In parallel, it reminds me of my bad attitude about learning how to dance--really dance, like my boys learned for their formals, and Kristin is learning, and Terri and the girls would love for me to learn. With Terri and both girls wanting me to--I must. I believe I have the minimum system requirements for it-minus 1: Basic coordination x Basic intelligence/memory x Basic rhythm x Basic motivation--OPPS! (screeching stop sound) I find repeating the same steps over and over and over again to be stunningly dull and uninteresting...but I am reconsidering about learning how to dance with my wife and daughters, AND learning how to write.
4. Thus, quite seriously, I think I need the discipline of writing in my life--real writing can help me, makes sense to people and help people become who they are. So I suppose (and like all of this stuff I am just thinking of this right now...) it is like how God is helping me to continue to emotionally mature so I can "weep with those that weep", writing regularly with increasing clarity can help me to mentally, maybe even socially mature!
5. So I am going to set out and share things as they happen, and for, example, lots is happening in London these days.... more later, but I must say I several disclaimers, truly not for anyone's benefit but my own. I intend to write this blog for a given day or topic, with God's help to not be/write with pride or false humility, to share what I am praying about/ experiencing/ observing/ feeling, with a healthy motivation that I am doing to in a way that is helpful to me and if it is helpful to you, than that is also great.
OK, that's it; I'll post this one, and then get on to The London Report....
Since this is my first blog ever, I have to say a couple of things (which is I guess the point of a blog) before I give my Friday trip report....
1. I have never written a blog before
2. I do not read blogs, not because they are evil or by nature self-absorbed, just because I haven't gotten around to it. The idea of sharing your life and thoughts with anyone who cares seems great.
3. Actually, it does not even matter if anyone reads it--simply the activity of writing is healthy.
(In fact, it seems to already be working for me!
Since I have several books and articles to finish, others to start writing, and most importantly, I need to develop a writer's mindset and lifestyle, it seems only fitting for me to do this.
I actually enjoy writing, but there are two primary problems with my writinglife:
(a) I do not write very much outside of documents at church, have frequently recommended that people keep a spiritual journals--while admitting I have never regularly done one--seen great benefit to countless people, but it remains the one classic spiritual discipline that I do not regularly practice.
(b) when I do really write from my mind and heart (OK, mind mostly), sometimes no one but God and me understand what I am saying, and even then, sometimes I don't when I go back and read it.
I discovered years ago when Terri was editing some things for me that I really do not like explaining things--I really just like connecting things together.
Thus, rather than a paragraph having a topic sentence ABOUT A SINGLE TOPIC and the sentences clearly explaining that topic, all neatly summarized in a compelling conclusion sentence that leaves the reader eagerly waiting for the next paragraph...left to my own devices, I do not see a topic sentence as a springboard into a paragraph, but rather each sentence is a topic and a connection to the next sentence-topic, and so-on and so-an, sort of like Tiger in Winnie the Pooh, happily bouncing off the page/screen, talking to himself.)
Returning to not writing well, it is not even that have the excuse that I do not know how to. Having read my whole life, having a fairly good grasp of grammar (the subject in school I found the most boring), and being a pretty good editor of others' work I know I can, if I will.
In parallel, it reminds me of my bad attitude about learning how to dance--really dance, like my boys learned for their formals, and Kristin is learning, and Terri and the girls would love for me to learn. With Terri and both girls wanting me to--I must. I believe I have the minimum system requirements for it-minus 1: Basic coordination x Basic intelligence/memory x Basic rhythm x Basic motivation--OPPS! (screeching stop sound) I find repeating the same steps over and over and over again to be stunningly dull and uninteresting...but I am reconsidering about learning how to dance with my wife and daughters, AND learning how to write.
4. Thus, quite seriously, I think I need the discipline of writing in my life--real writing can help me, makes sense to people and help people become who they are. So I suppose (and like all of this stuff I am just thinking of this right now...) it is like how God is helping me to continue to emotionally mature so I can "weep with those that weep", writing regularly with increasing clarity can help me to mentally, maybe even socially mature!
5. So I am going to set out and share things as they happen, and for, example, lots is happening in London these days.... more later, but I must say I several disclaimers, truly not for anyone's benefit but my own. I intend to write this blog for a given day or topic, with God's help to not be/write with pride or false humility, to share what I am praying about/ experiencing/ observing/ feeling, with a healthy motivation that I am doing to in a way that is helpful to me and if it is helpful to you, than that is also great.
OK, that's it; I'll post this one, and then get on to The London Report....
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