Coffee Talk

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:35:02 +0000

My goodness, I have been utterly exhausted every night since I left Dallas. Between walking hours each day and taking very, very few breaks during the day and filling each day to the fullest with memories...I’m smack dab wiped out!

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 18:36:21 +0000

Well, today was quite the spontaneous adventure. Less than 24 hours from the time I had the idea to go to Paris, we were actually IN Paris! We were up at 4:15 and on our first train from Cambridge to London by 6:00. We could have caught an earlier train out of there to Paris but we had non-exchangeable tickets. So, we sat at the station and drank cappuccino and read C.S. Lewis books. Then, we slept on the train a bit and looked out the window a lot. France is much more pastoral than I thought.

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:37:25 +0000

Oh my, was this morning only this morning? It has been another long, full day. First up, we went to a plenary session by Randy Alcorn. I’m a huge fan of his books. He spoke from his book about “Heaven.” I enjoyed it but since I had read the book, the Question and Answer time afterwards was my favorite part. What a wise and researched thinker.

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 18:33:58 +0000

Brilliantly acted. Masterfully adapted. And, C.S. Lewis was obviously other-worldly to conceive and write such mystery. It is deeper than deep.

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 18:39:10 +0000

This morning we took an early bus to Cambridge. It was a two-hour drive and the countryside of England is like a painting. We arrived and settled in to our rooms. We immediately left to walk into town to explore.

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:24:57 +0000

This trip is going by really fast and really slowly at the same time. The days are so very full but I can’t believe we still have five whole days remaining. I am trying to stay present and soak up every minute but I can’t help but think about getting back home, too.

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:26:51 +0000

Today was another rich, full, wonderful day. An orthodox bishop by the name of, Kallistos Ware, led the morning meditation/talk. It was so unique. He looked very stereotypical. White hair, long white beard, long black road, deeply melodic voice. It was like out of a movie. He spoke on the Jesus Prayer and it was very impactful.

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 18:31:03 +0000

Today and yesterday were both chock full. Yesterday, Jennifer and I walked around Oxford for 6 hours. My feet were killing me but it was a glorious day. I think Oxford is the most beautiful city I’ve ever visited. The gardens are breath taking and the streets and buildings are so fascinatingly textured. We shopped in the morning (including going to Blackwell’s Book store, which I could have stayed in all day.) We also sat outside on the street (with cars blockaded) and drank tea and listened to a wonderful street musician who played mostly Eric Clapton and The Beatles. (I knew all the songs, thanks to Tucker. :-) We also went to Boots Pharmacy, which is famous over here. It is a cross-between Sephora and a fancy drug store.

Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:33:19 +0000

Today has been a very rich, full day. I woke up at 7:30 and met Steve and Jennifer in the dining hall (that looks exactly like the one in Harry Potter.) Then, Jennifer and I took a two-hour bus ride in to London. Our first stop was Harrod’s Department Store but we didn’t stay long because it was just like a huger version of a fancy department store in the States and everything was overpriced.

Thu, 26 May 2011 21:48:12 +0000

Wed, 25 May 2011 21:45:36 +0000

Tue, 24 May 2011 21:42:11 +0000

Sun, 22 May 2011 21:38:14 +0000

Fri, 20 May 2011 21:34:38 +0000

Tuesday was another rich, full day.

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:15:27 +0000

Dear family and friends,

Tuesday was another rich, full day. We started at the house of a sponsored child. Listen to the very condensed version of this amazing true story. There once was a woman named, Beatrice. Her husband was in prison for killing Tutsis in the genocide. She lived on some land at the top of a beautiful hill but the rains were killing her and her daughter. They lived under a tarp and it was not sufficient shelter to protect them. One day, she heard that World Vision was coming to the village and looking for “the poorest of the poor.” She signed up and the community chose her daughter to be registered to be sponsored. Somebody sponsored the little girl. The support money bought them food and World Vision determined that their most dire need was shelter so they decided to build them a small house. They even hired Beatrice to help build it. With the money that she made, she bought a single chicken. That chicken laid eggs and she fed her family and sold the rest of the eggs. With the money she made, she bought two pigs, who quickly reproduced and she sold them at market. With that money, she bought a cow. She used the milk to feed her family and the manure to fertilize the ground so she could plant a garden. Now, she is organizing a co-op with other women in the village. Isn’t that incredible!