life here - sort of

We were driving around the other day on CR 45 when Rebecca stated that it was much easier living here than living in Oxford. There are many reasons for this statement, some of which have to do with the fact we have access to our SL1 Saturn vehicle, others of which have to do with the shops and restaurants being so accessible and close to our apartment. If we need to get vanilla extract, no problem, magnetic strips again no problem, how about a hand towel to match the faded maroon colored one we have, again many choices right at our finger tips. Imagine if life in third world countries were this "easy" doing the everyday chores of cooking, shopping and cleaning would not take most of the day, rather it would be a part of the day just like we are experiencing. As we came back we found items that we forgot we had, have never opened, haven't really used etc... My theory; if we haven't missed it, haven't used it and if we aren't going to then lets sell it. We heard of a garage sale going on in with our friend's mom, so we are taking loads of stuff to sell next Friday and Saturday. Not the way that expected to spend part of our 11th anniversary but we will still go out for ice cream that night, after hopefully getting rid of a bunch of stuff. Will continue to muse about life here as it is different from the Motherland, do keep on reading and keep in touch if you can later
earl

New colours

In my mind and body it feels like 2 in the afternoon, reality of the clock states that it is indeed 9 AM. I must confess that last night we hit the sack at 9 PM, probably could have at 7 PM except we were at Chili's enjoying fajitas and refills on ice-cold Coke:) what a pleasure that was! Anyway we are back in Goshen in our lovely apartment, it doesn't look like it used to. It is bigger, I think, and it has more color- a soft bluish-green on some walls, pale yellow in the bedroom and more of a sunflower yellow in the bathroom. This is an upgrade to the off white we've had for the last 7 years. I am quite convinced it is bigger, ya we have more space than we used to. I have unpacked all of one piece of luggage, not much for being home for 30 some hours. Our flight out of Heathrow was delayed 3 hours, and then after boarding we sat another 2 without moving. This put us 5 hours behind so when we landed at O'Hare field in Chicago it was already 12:30 England time, and once we arrived home it was 5:30 England time because of losing one hour to another time change. We fell into bed to say the least. Yesterday is basically a vapor except for our slow stroll through Meijier, I probably looked as though I had never been a supermarket before. Mouth gaping open, wandering somewhat aimlessly through aisle after aisle of choice after choice. We found a small British foods spot in the store, PG Tips were 7 dollars, a tiny Marmite was 5.29 and my favorite Jacob's Cream Crackers that are .50 at Iceland were 2.50 here. Just a small taste of Oxford, one that we probably won't make at that price. I know that there will be much adjusting to get used to, but for now I will sit back and enjoy reading the local newspaper, looking out over the beautiful landscape and staring at the beautifully colored walls of our "bigger" apartment.

We're off

We leave our humble abode at 21 Sycamore in just over an hour:( Today at 1 or so we board a BA flight for Chicago O'Hare where we will be on American soil for the first time in close to a year. What a year it has been, if you have been with this blog during that time you have walked with us through some of that year. Of course most of it has to be experienced and to be honest most of it is in our memory, but what memories they are. Last night we had our leaving duu, we put a pub quiz about America together, it was a real blast. There was a huge crowd here, and way more food than we could ever have expected. For the intermission of the quiz we went outside and spelled TASH on the ground with our bodies since there was note from her saying that she missed everyone. We'll then place those photos on facebook for all to see. I know I'm rambling and I still have a fare amount of stuff to do so I must skadaddle. Do take care and see some of you soon, others of you I won't see for a while but blessings to all.
PS - I'm not sure if this blog will stay functional or if I will start another one, I will continue writing on this for at least a little while so please keep on logging in. later
earl

Holiday at home

This is a wierd concept for some, to have holiday at home. This is what the last week and part of this week is like. Not huge plans, enough to keep one interested, and lots of time simply hanging with people. We have really caught up with many friends, and have much significant time planned to spend with others until we jet back to the states on Friday. today is a day for only the Sycamore house, breakfast, a picnic, fajitas for supper and then a vid to finish it all off. Tomorrow holds a trip to London, maybe the London Eye, lunch with our dear friend Greta who happens to be passing through on the way back from Israel to Pennsylvania. Then strolling through Covent Garden, Picadilly Circus, maybe a walk along the Thames with a nightcap of STOMP. I am jacked up, I've always wanted to see the production and the night is tomorrow, can't wait. Wednesday is a day of work:( although I like to hoover and we have a brand new one that was just delivered last week. Thursday night is a party that we are planning it our leaving do. Rebecca and I are putting together a pub quiz about America and us, just to see how much American culture our brit friends may or may not have picked up. Then down to the pub one last time to bid goodbye to many, oh what a sad day that will be. Yesterday after judging the annual battle of the bands said goodbye to Doctor Mark and Tash, do plan on seeing them soon so that is all cool. Remember us as we say goodbye and pack, not the easiest of times:) later
earl

the end is near

Not the end of the blog, maybe but the end of our time at KBC and in Oxford. It has been an amazing year, today was somewhat of a clean-up and get ready to go type of day. The garden looks so different from what it did even a few hours ago. My arms feel more like jelly than normal, the strimmer that I used whilst cutting the very pinnacle of the highest vegetation became quite heavy as I swung it back and forth without falling off of the ladder. The trees that bent over to the ground due to excess leaves and branches now look almost bald as we cut and hacked away at them. The bushes are nicely rounded or squared and the front garden is totally weeded thanks to Jazzy. We also planted some begonias in our neighbours front garden, she was so touched by that expression of goodwill and friendship. They look really lovely along side of the new turf that was placed there about 3 weeks ago. Totally off subject of leaving has been the many games of Settlers that we have been playing, it is a fun game one that we really didn't play until the very end of the year. Looking back I think that is OK because we didn't have the time to get together and play during the rest of the year, so it has been quite special at the end. Saying goodbye to friends has not been easy, although because it has been a slow draw of people sort of day by day is going quite well. Tomorrow night I am judging at a battle of the bands contest at OCC youth, that should be a fun time, I have never done that kind of thing, I hope that I'm not too easy or too hard on the bands. Much going on next week in our final hurrah's, will tell about that in my next entry. later for now
earl

Continuing to work backward

I have already covered the happenings on Friday and Saturday, now on to Wednesday and Monday. The final banquet was on Wednesday night, it was a very nice meal at a quite posh hotel. The whole college was there, we took one big photo together for the upstairs near the library and then many other photos as well, some of these you will see at the end of this blog. After eating Simon took the mic and handed out some awards, he is a real comedian and left hardly any stone unturned as he made mention of most students and got a laugh very routinely. Once he was done he forked the mic over to Rebecca and I to host the remainder of the proceedings. We had arranged for the tutor group leaders to be thanked, and then Paul impersonated Simon by delivering a monologue that turned into a spoof like preach about a topic that Simon talks about all the time at college. He wore his sweater, stood like him, paused like him and garnered a bunch of laughs. After that we had poetry which was written for each staff member, these brought a chuckle, and then the finale of the evening was a sketch that Rach and Ian had put together to give an example of what a Monday morning staff meeting is really like. All staff members were had during this sketch, laughter and tears rolled during this time, hilarious to be truthful, it is the kind of the thing that you had to be there. I was there and it was amazing, the staff felt oddly blessed through this skit. I felt good about it all, the jokes were great, nobody felt taken advantage of yet everyone had a laugh at each others expense. Monday night was a superhero party that you'll see pics from also at the end. Some of the costumes were quite outlandish, I went as Big Dog whilst Rebecca went as the Super Bee. Janson calls me Big Dog and many of the girls call her Bee, so that was a good time, even while the rain fell on the BBQ. Do enjoy the pics. later,
earl
the best tutor group ever

Gaynor, Simon and Us

Us and friend Little Beth

Ben as a Sheik and Michelle as a Gypsy

Dan and Tony, oh the lycra

Super Bee, Amy and the Big Dog

No weeks to go :) and :(

I'm typing at the dining room table preparing to go to a celebration gathering at OCC today, this means that our time at East Basingstoke is finished, for that matter all other KBC related activities are offically over. This past week has been a whirlwind of parties, formal gatherings, celebrations, laughing, crying, chatting, writing and hanging out. I'll work back from yesterday. The graduation or commissioning service was yesterday, it was a packed day full of meeting people and for me much music. I was given the opportunity to put together a band for the service, we were able to play with a full drum set. Mike Bilson was on drums (he's very good), Mark Coghlan on piano (he's amazing), Dan Lucas on bass (he's going to be studying music in university), Dave Latham on acoustic (he's as good as they come), Abi Jonas on violin (she plays piano, violin, sings classical, etc...) Anna Walker on BGV (killer rock voice), and Ellen Miles on BGV (someday you'll have her CD, she's that good) and me, probably the weakest musical link of the group. Anyway we fit in a short practice and then took the stage and played our proverbial socks off. Beth T gave a great commencement speech on behalf of the students, and diplomas etc... were handed out as well, it was a glorious time. After times of prayer for the students our band played one last song "Happy Day" by Tim Hughes, it was a happy day in a sad type of way. It was a blast, I felt that we rocked, it was a high point to go out on for sure. Then we chatted with the masses who were there, met some parents of our friends, said goodbye to some (Little Beth, Anna and Eric) and remembered we would see many of our friends today as well. The principal of KBC Simon and his family are leaving today for France so we had to say goodbye to them as well, that was a bittersweet time, they have been so gracious and friendly to Rebecca and I. Working backward Friday night we hosted an all KBC BBQ at our place, we counted 70 people that were here for at least some of that. If you have been to our place it is not that big, but the rain held off and 40 or so could hang in the back garden and enjoy the rare sunshine. It was great to host one last, huge party, I think that we'll continue to do so no matter what our next steps are, we have realized even more that we are socialites and love having a full house whenever possible. I think that for now I'll hold off writing about earlier in the week, rather I'll do a photo montage thing to cover the banquet, it was fab as well. Do take care,
earl

What is God like?

What is God like is a question that we were given to grapple with today at college. It is part of our end of the course reflection time. This was an encouragement to review in our minds what we had learned about God and to attempt to put on paper what we thought He is like. I thought that I would share my thoughts with you, I trust that you will join me as I reflect, maybe you'll learn something new or see God in a new light...
A mystery that can partially be solved, a father who generously pours out his love and wrath on his children, a king who chooses us peasents as heirs in his kingdom, a being who is somehow everywhere all at the same time, a judge who does not show partiality who exhibits righteous justice, a potter who models us his clay into his image, an artist who paints the horizon daily and has since the foundation of the world.
The word indescribable comes to mind, adjectives don't do the trick, neither do adverbs. To attempt to explain eternity, omniscience, love, justice, omnipresence, in words is a tas too difficult for mere humans. This can only be expressed in awe and wonder. The kind you sense when standing next to Niagara Falls, watching a fire burn, listening to waves crash over the rocks, counting seconds between the claps of thunder and crashes of lightning, gazing into the deep night sky, the aroma of freshly baked bread, attempting to imagine what forever really is... indescribable, full of mystery, robes of glory and bringing me to my knees.