warming up for the countdown

The writing has been on the wall for a few months, but I've finally uttered a potential date for finishing my assignment in London with the people who can make it happen.

August will definitely be my last month here, and I'm aiming for a last day in the office during the 2nd or 3rd week of the month. There are a few things I'd really like to see finished by then...but as I'm trying to manage a decent vacation before hitting the ground running in Houston in September, I'll be working hard to keep it to mid-August.

Suddenly I'm tempted to think about things like apartments and neighborhoods I like in Houston...cars, the price of gasoline, the HEAT (oh, the heat.) in Houston, and where in the world I want to go for some R&R before leaving this small island and rejoining the world of baseball lovers and 24-hour everything.

But actually I don't want to think about those things any more than I have to...I want to savor every last drop of England that I have left to enjoy. So as always...I seek to find the balance.

Actually...I seek tension, I think. I need to find a way to happily hold my excitement over going back to my homeland in tension with all that I have to live for right here and right now. Living in the moment and living in the future seem to be two desires that pull in opposite directions. Planning requires you to live in the future a little bit...but oh how easily I let the future consume me...and I forget to hold the line in tension by keeping a good deal of my attention on today.

Here's to tension! It can be good for you sometimes.

i don't get it

The spell check feature in Blogger recognizes the word "blogger" as legitimate (which is handy), but doesn't recognize "bloggers" (which isn't).

in the weeds

I have felt like I've been "in the weeds" at work since the day I landed in the UK. I tend to feel that way about keeping in touch with friends near and far as well. And, as all haphazard bloggers do, I feel the same about keeping this record a current and accurate reflection of record-worthy stuff.

So, in typical "catch-up" fashion, I offer a few bits and pieces:

I have been reminded yet again this week that I have very funny, wise and deep friends...which I count as a huge blessing. Amen.

I miss my best friend tremendously. Grr. And I hate that her little man is almost a year old and I've only seen him twice. Double grr.

Louie made a point of saying "thank you" to me. Honoured.

"Summer" is a relative term.

Dr. Pepper can bring joy that one never knew was possible.

Having a "clean slate" is under-rated. Highly under-rated.

I like church at Hillsong London. They love to celebrate Jesus...and I DO mean celebrate. And they're authentic. And friendly. And helpful. Every time.

I made two successful first-guess identifications of band names for over-head music in public this weekend. This is NOT something I'd list as a skill on a resume for ANY job. Gold star for me.

Someone from my pastorate (read: church community group) at HTB called me today to get the specific words from a quote I used in a little talk I did last week. She said she'd been thinking about some things I said all week. Floored. Thankful. Cheering for God.

That'll do for now.

how did that happen?

Passion:London has come, but it hasn't gone. Thursday was a long day, but it was gone in a blink...all at the same time. I want to have some pithy words to describe it, but I'm at a loss.

I don't know why I'm always amazed at how much we can actually accomplish in just a short space of time. And when you put the 'God fact' on top of that...well...indescribable things happen.

I'm so thankful to have been a part of what God did through a few hours of time in so many lives - not just the students that attended, but the volunteers and hopefully some of the venue staff as well.

I didn't get to interact with many of the students, but the few I did were so fired up to be there. And the volunteers. The volunteers were incredible. I'm so thankful to have been part of it.

But 'it' isn't over. Not by a long shot.

Passion:London - almost there!

It's been years in the making, but the Passion World Tour is now well under way, and has already made stops in Kyiv, Stockholm, Sao Paulo, Kampala and is be lighting up the night in Paris tonight.

On Thursday, Passion:London will come to life.

If you're not already following along, check out the 268 blog to see some pictures and read about the events held so far, or the World Tour site to see where else the tour is headed.

Pray for health and endurance for the volunteers (it's gonna be a LONG day).

Pray for the traveling World Tour team...they've been on a long journey, and our weariness due to one event can't compare to what they're working with.

Pray for the students coming to the Hammersmith Apollo on Thursday, and for a new awakening in the university generation across the UK.

Pray for a full house - not because I'm hung up on numbers, but because I long for ever seat to be filled with a soul that gets exposed to the hope of the Gospel light-years beyond 'fire insurance'.

Pray for the students to fall in love with Jesus in a way they've never imagined.

Pray for dramatically changed lives.

Pray for students to be awakened through the Spirit with a longing to live a life of total abandon for the name and renown of God.

So much hope...so many more prayers...not enough words. If you pray...I don't know what else to ask for...just...go for it.