A Beautiful Day

So I just realized that my last several blogs have been about the weather...oh well. Today was by far the most beautiful day since we've been here. So we decided to go to an area of London we haven't been to yet. We went to the city of Westminster in the borough of Kensington & Chelsea to Portobello Road (which apparently was in the movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks - good times!) There were blocks and blocks of market vendors selling all manner of things. Then we went and saw the marble arch at the Marble Arch tube stop. It was actually the original entrance to Buckingham Palace until a new wing was added to the Palace and the arch was moved to it's current location.


Across the street from the arch is Hyde Park. There were loads of people out in the park on such a great day. I did not realize how much the weather here changes so there's no telling when a day like this will come again. Our friends have said that last summer was terrible, but hopefully this summer will be just as beautiful as today!

6 Months In...

When Angie and I began our preparations to move to London, we expected that the first year would be almost nothing but learning and building relationships. As much as I love to learn, that's not always an easy thing to do. As we've spent the last 6 months observing and sometimes feeling oblivious (yes, even in England), I find it hard not to just dive in head first. IT HAS BEEN SIX MONTHS! But this week I've been reminded of how important it is to crawl before we walk, and walk before we run. There's so much that we still have to learn. It seems that so much of what we've learned about the culture here is changing as the weather changes and the sun is up longer.

At the same time, I am SO encouraged by the doors that God continues to open for us. Today I had the privilege of having coffee with two Christ-following teenagers that I am getting to know. We had some AMAZINGLY encouraging conversation. Please pray that God will teach these teenagers how to embrace their identity in Christ and bring the Hope of Christ to the community around them. I am meeting up with them again next Thursday (+ several more teenagers).

On a different note, what's up with the American Idol contestants singing "Shout to the Lord"?!? We just watched it and were utterly shocked! They did take out the name "Jesus" on the first night, but on the next night they SO sang, "MY JESUS, MY SAVIOR, LORD THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU...". I am....well....speechless. How my heart beats for the people who will have watched this to know the freedom that is in Christ! So much that I could say right now. So many questions. But ultimately, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:3).

More Crazy London Weather

OK so two days ago we had the most beautiful day since we've been here. The high was 64, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, there was a gentle breeze...gorgeous. then chris wakes me up this morning and tells me to hurry and come see out the window. so i go and look and what do i see?
yes! for the second time since we've been here - snow! and a much heartier snow than last time. and so i had a first today - for the first time in my almost 28 years, i walked to church in the snow. it was actually quite beautiful. a lady in church this morning asked if i had snow like this where i was from in the states. i answered with a resounding no! so it was definitely a treat. of course as i sit and write this most of the snow has melted, but we had fun while it lasted. here are pictures of our snow fun!

holding a small snowball with the pretty flowers behind

chris holding a large snow ball, saying hurry and take the picture, this is cold!
me holding a big, cold snowball


we made a mini snowman!