First day in God's country (this side of the Atlantic) was today. The only down side was that it was only a day trip (well, that and the driver taking me to the airport had to pick me up at 5:30 to catch the flight).
Once we set foot on terra firma in the land of the Scots, I did a fairly decent job of keeping the spontaneous grin off my face in the taxi to the office in Aberdeen. This was mostly due to the fact that the taxi driver hardly said a word and my boss was busily working away at emails and such on his Blackberry. However, on the way back to the airport, we had a quite chatty driver, who was reasonably cute, and had a REALLY thick Scottish accent, and I'm surprised my cheeks weren't sore from all the grinning that was going on.
Heaven.
29 July 2005
26 July 2005
i met brian regan
I can't believe I almost forgot to post this!!
On Saturday AND Sunday, July 17 and 18...I saw stand-up comedian Brian Regan at the Improv in Houston.
After the show on Sunday, I said a lot of extended good-byes to several friends, because I was heading off the next day for a month in London. Catha and I were going to walk to the garage together, and it turns out we were among the last to leave the theater.
Our loitering and chit-chat turned out to be PERFECT TIMING. As we exited the Improv, I saw a couple talking with none other than BRIAN REGAN himeself! I didn't realize that Catha didn't see him, we kept walking, and I said "I'd really like to meet him, but I'm not sure I want to be THAT fan" (or something like that). When Catha realized we'd just walked righ by Brian, she quickly turned to be 'that fan'.
Why don't I want to be 'that fan'? Well...I'm glad you asked. I don't want to be 'that fan' because I say stupid things like "Hi...I'm Dove. We saw you last night as well...we're like, Brian Regan ambassadors in Houston. I just love that you can be as hilariously funny as you are and not resort to crude and profane humor. I really appreciate that."
[For the record, Catha DID speak, but this is my part of the story. If you want her part of the story, ask her.]
Yes. I said I was an 'ambassador' for Brian Regan.
Yes. I spoke for Catha on that one.
Yes. I felt like an idiot.
BUT...I DID get to shake Brian Regan's hand!
pipe dreams
According to this site, July 25 (just missed it!) was 'Pipe Dreams Day'.
---quote---
During the 1800s, opium was heavily imported to Europe from Asia. This hallucinogenic drug wasn't illegal at that time and was widely used in some literary circles in England. The opium was smoked in a pipe and usually produced strange visions. The creative writers called these visions "pipe dreams". Today the term is used for farfetched ideas that probably aren't going to happen.
---end quote---
I wholeheartedly believe in pursuing your dreams...especially those that would be called 'Pipe Dreams'.
The best fruit is at the end of the vine, right? Sure, you may not get there...but you'll ALWAYS be better off / a better person for having 'gone for the gold'. The farther out you reach, the better the fruit gets, even if you never make it to the 'ultimate' goal. But a LOT of times you do...you just gotta go for it.
Hey...living in France was once a pipe dream for me. Done.
Living in the UK was a pipe dream as well...and here I am!
Just wanted to take a minute to say:
'Go for the gold!'
'Just do it!'
'Aim High!'
...and all that...
---quote---
During the 1800s, opium was heavily imported to Europe from Asia. This hallucinogenic drug wasn't illegal at that time and was widely used in some literary circles in England. The opium was smoked in a pipe and usually produced strange visions. The creative writers called these visions "pipe dreams". Today the term is used for farfetched ideas that probably aren't going to happen.
---end quote---
I wholeheartedly believe in pursuing your dreams...especially those that would be called 'Pipe Dreams'.
The best fruit is at the end of the vine, right? Sure, you may not get there...but you'll ALWAYS be better off / a better person for having 'gone for the gold'. The farther out you reach, the better the fruit gets, even if you never make it to the 'ultimate' goal. But a LOT of times you do...you just gotta go for it.
Hey...living in France was once a pipe dream for me. Done.
Living in the UK was a pipe dream as well...and here I am!
Just wanted to take a minute to say:
'Go for the gold!'
'Just do it!'
'Aim High!'
...and all that...
22 July 2005
'SuperDrug': a daily habit
I have often considered myself a well-prepared traveller, but it turns out that on this trip, I have really been an embarrassment to myself.
I arrived in London (Woking) on Tuesday, dead on my feet after a few hours at the office...went home and fell fast asleep by 4:30pm local time. Therefore, Tuesday doesn't count.
~~~~~~~
Wednesday morning: "Ack! No hair dryer in the apartment. I guess today will be pony-tail day at the office. Oy! I forgot the moisturizer I bought the DAY I LEFT."
Wednesday lunch SuperDrug shopping list: hair dryer, moisturizer
~~~~~~~
Thursday morning: "BLAST! I forgot my shampoo! [You can see how this realization didn't happen on Tuesday, right?] Hmm...no hair spray either. What HAPPENED to all that stuff?" Yes, I washed my hair with body wash, which works better than one might think.
Thursday lunch SuperDrug shopping list: hair spray, shampoo
~~~~~~~
Friday morning: "DAMMIT! I just dropped my blush on the bathroom floor and it broke into a thousand pieces...oh, and how about some lip liner...hmm...guess I'll need a sharpener." And then as I stepped out of my building to walk to work, "Hmm...first day I haven't seen the sun, and oh yes, the weather guy said it would rain this weekend...maybe I ought to have an umbrella."
Friday lunch SuperDrug shopping list: blush, umbrella, lip pencil sharpener
~~~~~~~
SERIOUSLY! I've never been THIS unorganized. At the rate I'm going, I'll need another suitcase to bring home everything I'll have bought by the time August 12 gets here!
(Oh...just in case the context clues weren't enough, 'SuperDrug' is a local "chemist", or pharmacy for we American types.)
I arrived in London (Woking) on Tuesday, dead on my feet after a few hours at the office...went home and fell fast asleep by 4:30pm local time. Therefore, Tuesday doesn't count.
~~~~~~~
Wednesday morning: "Ack! No hair dryer in the apartment. I guess today will be pony-tail day at the office. Oy! I forgot the moisturizer I bought the DAY I LEFT."
Wednesday lunch SuperDrug shopping list: hair dryer, moisturizer
~~~~~~~
Thursday morning: "BLAST! I forgot my shampoo! [You can see how this realization didn't happen on Tuesday, right?] Hmm...no hair spray either. What HAPPENED to all that stuff?" Yes, I washed my hair with body wash, which works better than one might think.
Thursday lunch SuperDrug shopping list: hair spray, shampoo
~~~~~~~
Friday morning: "DAMMIT! I just dropped my blush on the bathroom floor and it broke into a thousand pieces...oh, and how about some lip liner...hmm...guess I'll need a sharpener." And then as I stepped out of my building to walk to work, "Hmm...first day I haven't seen the sun, and oh yes, the weather guy said it would rain this weekend...maybe I ought to have an umbrella."
Friday lunch SuperDrug shopping list: blush, umbrella, lip pencil sharpener
~~~~~~~
SERIOUSLY! I've never been THIS unorganized. At the rate I'm going, I'll need another suitcase to bring home everything I'll have bought by the time August 12 gets here!
(Oh...just in case the context clues weren't enough, 'SuperDrug' is a local "chemist", or pharmacy for we American types.)
21 July 2005
hiatus from grammar patrol?
What with learning a new language and all, I've completely lost all sense of pride with regard to the supremacy of my grammar skills.
I'm ambiguous with every email l send, as the spell-check feature suggests the British spelling of more words than I care to remember...I sometimes allow the dictionary to correct me, sometimes not.
So now I live in fear that everyone will think me a horrible speller, both here and in the States. I suppose this is one of those sneaky ways God gets at our pride.
Score another one for the Creator.
I'm ambiguous with every email l send, as the spell-check feature suggests the British spelling of more words than I care to remember...I sometimes allow the dictionary to correct me, sometimes not.
So now I live in fear that everyone will think me a horrible speller, both here and in the States. I suppose this is one of those sneaky ways God gets at our pride.
Score another one for the Creator.
London, the early days
So, I’m in London. Well, technically I’m in a town called Woking, but it’s much like being in Katy…where it’s still okay to say you’re in Houston. I’ll be here a month before returning to the States for about 2 weeks…and then officially moving here.
The Cliff Notes version of the early days…things I’ve learned:
• I don’t sleep well on planes (well, this I already knew, to be fair, but it has been confirrmed)
• Sleep is NOT over-rated
• Corporate housing doesn’t come with hair dryers
• In the UK, ‘Bacon’ = cooked ham
• Body wash doubles well as shampoo
The Cliff Notes version of the early days…things I’ve learned:
• I don’t sleep well on planes (well, this I already knew, to be fair, but it has been confirrmed)
• Sleep is NOT over-rated
• Corporate housing doesn’t come with hair dryers
• In the UK, ‘Bacon’ = cooked ham
• Body wash doubles well as shampoo
11 July 2005
...that I may know Him...
The Internet home page on my laptop is set to Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest daily devotional reading. Admittedly, I rarely read it...but my logic is thus: I'd rather the home page be set to something pointed toward Christ than anything else. And it increases the chance that I'll read it at least some of the time.
I actually took a few minutes to read the devotion this morning...and in true God-like fashion, He used the words written so long ago assigned to a seemingly random day to speak to me exactly where I am.
As one prepares to completely uproot her life and face a reality of a completely blank slate...as exciting as it is, it can be a somewhat daunting idea. It offers the opportunity to re-define yourself in your "new life", unencumbered by the assumptions and expectations of the world you have been living in...but it also strips you of all comfort factors (family, friends, 'stomping grounds', etc.). It really puts you into an introspective "who am I" and "who do I want to be?" mode...which I believe can be a very good thing. However, if these are the only questions one asks, I see bad things afoot, for to forsake the greater pursuit of knowing Christ would be a tragedy.
Sincerely, I have always believed that the opportunity to live abroad again is a great chance to readjust my worldview and open up my eyes to things God may want to do with my life that I just can't see here, but I think there's more. Yesterday, as I listening to our pastor speak about the short-term missions project in which hundreds from our church will be participating, I began to see my assignment in London as my own personal mission trip. Sure, Mustang is paying for me to go, and I'm sure they're going to expect to see me around the office regularly, but what is there to prevent me from viewing (and acting) as though I'm on a foreign missions assignment? Nothing at all. In fact, I think that's the biggest part of the purpose of this trip that I've missed up to this point.
So, hopefully tying this all together, many (including myself) would quickly jump to self-discovery as a huge benefit of such a time as this. But I think I'm seeing that things might probably fall out as such:
In this order, the focus remains on Christ, and not on me.
From Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest
(Edited. Emphasis mine.)
--- begin quote ---
July 11 - The Spiritually Vigorous Saint
...that I may know Him... —Philippians 3:10
A saint is not to take the initiative toward self-realization, but toward knowing Jesus Christ...He sees every situation in which he finds himself as the means of obtaining a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ, and he has an attitude of unrestrained abandon and total surrender about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we will have the realization of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives, and He will bring us back to the same point over and over again until we do. Self-realization only leads to the glorification of good works, whereas a saint of God glorifies Jesus Christ through his good works. Whatever we may be doing— even eating, drinking, or washing disciples’ feet— we have to take the initiative of realizing and recognizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial task. "Jesus, knowing . . . that He had come from God and was going to God, . . . took a towel . . . and began to wash the disciples’ feet . . ." ( John 13:3-5 ).
The aim of a spiritually vigorous saint is "that I may know Him . . ." Do I know Him where I am today? If not, I am failing Him. I am not here for self-realization, but to know Jesus Christ. In Christian work our initiative and motivation are too often simply the result of realizing that there is work to be done and that we must do it. Yet that is never the attitude of a spiritually vigorous saint. His aim is to achieve the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances.
--- end quote ---
These thoughts are quite newly thrown together in my mind, so please pardon their jumbled nature.
I actually took a few minutes to read the devotion this morning...and in true God-like fashion, He used the words written so long ago assigned to a seemingly random day to speak to me exactly where I am.
As one prepares to completely uproot her life and face a reality of a completely blank slate...as exciting as it is, it can be a somewhat daunting idea. It offers the opportunity to re-define yourself in your "new life", unencumbered by the assumptions and expectations of the world you have been living in...but it also strips you of all comfort factors (family, friends, 'stomping grounds', etc.). It really puts you into an introspective "who am I" and "who do I want to be?" mode...which I believe can be a very good thing. However, if these are the only questions one asks, I see bad things afoot, for to forsake the greater pursuit of knowing Christ would be a tragedy.
Sincerely, I have always believed that the opportunity to live abroad again is a great chance to readjust my worldview and open up my eyes to things God may want to do with my life that I just can't see here, but I think there's more. Yesterday, as I listening to our pastor speak about the short-term missions project in which hundreds from our church will be participating, I began to see my assignment in London as my own personal mission trip. Sure, Mustang is paying for me to go, and I'm sure they're going to expect to see me around the office regularly, but what is there to prevent me from viewing (and acting) as though I'm on a foreign missions assignment? Nothing at all. In fact, I think that's the biggest part of the purpose of this trip that I've missed up to this point.
So, hopefully tying this all together, many (including myself) would quickly jump to self-discovery as a huge benefit of such a time as this. But I think I'm seeing that things might probably fall out as such:
- Know Christ (Phillippians 3:10) - this must be first or #2 can not happen, effectively
- Go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19)
- These will result in a greater self-realization, not for that knowledge in and of itself, but to further the effectiveness of #1 and #2 above.
In this order, the focus remains on Christ, and not on me.
From Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest
(Edited. Emphasis mine.)
--- begin quote ---
July 11 - The Spiritually Vigorous Saint
...that I may know Him... —Philippians 3:10
A saint is not to take the initiative toward self-realization, but toward knowing Jesus Christ...He sees every situation in which he finds himself as the means of obtaining a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ, and he has an attitude of unrestrained abandon and total surrender about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we will have the realization of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives, and He will bring us back to the same point over and over again until we do. Self-realization only leads to the glorification of good works, whereas a saint of God glorifies Jesus Christ through his good works. Whatever we may be doing— even eating, drinking, or washing disciples’ feet— we have to take the initiative of realizing and recognizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial task. "Jesus, knowing . . . that He had come from God and was going to God, . . . took a towel . . . and began to wash the disciples’ feet . . ." ( John 13:3-5 ).
The aim of a spiritually vigorous saint is "that I may know Him . . ." Do I know Him where I am today? If not, I am failing Him. I am not here for self-realization, but to know Jesus Christ. In Christian work our initiative and motivation are too often simply the result of realizing that there is work to be done and that we must do it. Yet that is never the attitude of a spiritually vigorous saint. His aim is to achieve the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances.
--- end quote ---
These thoughts are quite newly thrown together in my mind, so please pardon their jumbled nature.
07 July 2005
i'm not scared
All day long, people have said to me "You're the first person I thought of this morning when I heard about the bombings in London today". That statement has mostly been followed by something like "How are you feeling about going now?" or or "Are you scared to go now?" or even "Are you still going to go?"
Yes. I'm going. No, I'm not scared. And here's why:
I believe in the Sovereignty and Providence of God. And Providence is not the sort of thing you get to believe in sometimes and not others...God is either Sovereign in His Providence, or He is not. It is all I have to stand on, but it is the firmest foundation I will ever know.
Because men much more wise than I could ever dream of being have explained this much better than I ever could, by way of elaboration, I give you the following:
In this essay on Providence and human action, John Calvin writes, from Psalm 23:1-4,6:
--- begin quote ---
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. The faithful who dwell safely under God's hand are nevertheless exposed to many perils. David compares God's care in guiding the faithful to the shepherd's rod and staff. When a sheep is walking in a dark valley, only the shepherd's presence keeps it safe from the attacks of wild beasts or from other accidents. David was not boasting of his own fearlessness; but was rather saying that he would walk boldly wherever his shepherd led him. And now that God reveals himself to us in the person of his only-begotten Son, as our Shepherd, more brightly than he did of old to the fathers under the law, we do not honor his protection properly unless we keep our eyes fixed upon it and by so doing trample upon all our trepidations."
--- end quote ---
Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the concern behind the questions. Here I mean only to explain why I walk with confidence. I'm not crazy...it's just that I know whom I have believed in...
Yes. I'm going. No, I'm not scared. And here's why:
I believe in the Sovereignty and Providence of God. And Providence is not the sort of thing you get to believe in sometimes and not others...God is either Sovereign in His Providence, or He is not. It is all I have to stand on, but it is the firmest foundation I will ever know.
Because men much more wise than I could ever dream of being have explained this much better than I ever could, by way of elaboration, I give you the following:
In this essay on Providence and human action, John Calvin writes, from Psalm 23:1-4,6:
--- begin quote ---
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. The faithful who dwell safely under God's hand are nevertheless exposed to many perils. David compares God's care in guiding the faithful to the shepherd's rod and staff. When a sheep is walking in a dark valley, only the shepherd's presence keeps it safe from the attacks of wild beasts or from other accidents. David was not boasting of his own fearlessness; but was rather saying that he would walk boldly wherever his shepherd led him. And now that God reveals himself to us in the person of his only-begotten Son, as our Shepherd, more brightly than he did of old to the fathers under the law, we do not honor his protection properly unless we keep our eyes fixed upon it and by so doing trample upon all our trepidations."
--- end quote ---
Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the concern behind the questions. Here I mean only to explain why I walk with confidence. I'm not crazy...it's just that I know whom I have believed in...
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