What? Yet another new experience?

What a year!!!

Yes, another new experience!

Remember the wedding shower I went to in June? Well, I've just been to the wedding. My first American Wedding. We've been here 11 years and never been invited to one. Even when we did pre-marital counseling with a couple, not even they invited us. So this was a very memorable occasion for Alan and I.

Patience Decker and Brian Pedersen were married this afternoon. Both Bride and Groom wore white - hers a beautiful dress and he, a white linen suit - and very handsome were too. There were five bridesmaids, but our attention was grabbed by the young daughter of one of them - little Kailey, the 20 month old flower girl. There were four groomsmen looking incredibly handsome in their tuxes. The Bride was crying with a huge smile on her face - is that possible? - as she walked down the aisle on her radiant father's arm. The happy couple gazed at each other with such love and such tenderness throughout. Oh, lovely it was!

I tried to take a photo, but only managed to get one at the reception when Bride and Groom had the first dance - but she'd changed her dress by then... I am hoping that someone else makes their photos available, then I can display one here and show what a lovely dress she was wearing.

I'm rather weary after such an exciting day. It started off really exciting - well more like yesterday finished off exciting - Nathan and I were in line for a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in the early hours of this morning... crowds of people in Borders playing games, drinking polyjuice potion, winning prizes for the best fancy dress, Stephanie won the Spelling Bee and we all eagerly anticipated the receipt of this much awaited tome. As the hands on the clock were reaching for the twelve, we counted down - New York New Year's Eve Big Ball style - the seconds. 3 - 2 - 1 Midnight arrived with a great cheer. Those who had preordered their books had already been given different colored wristbands - telling the order in which we could obtain our books. We were blue. First was orange then silver then pink then blue - we were not the last... Some of the first people in line were almost overcome with emotion as this magical copy was placed in their hands.

We sat around, friends knitted, others chatted and took photos, Nathan found a copy of Foxtrot to while away the time. There was a great atmosphere, all tired, but in good humor as we waited. We waited till after 1.30 am to receive our book. Then Nathan was eager to get home and start reading - me? I went to sleep - I'll probably get around to reading the book later on. I've waited this long to find out what happens, I guess I can manage to wait a little longer.

I am avoiding studying

I don't want to study, really! I so really don't want to study, I mean I really, really, don't want to study - truly. I mean, who wants to study systematic theology when the dog needs walking/the grocery shopping needs to be done/there's always laundry/the bathrooms need cleaning/I want to do some gardening/I need to update my facebook photos/I need to watch the grass grow....

I've got a headache just trying to figure out all the ways I can avoid it! Though I really do need to study - you see, we have a midterm in a few weeks, and we are going to be gone for a week of that. Do I really want to be reading about Christian Doctrine while swinging through the trees of a Costa Rican Rainforest like Tarzan? nope! (interesting image though) I need to be a real grown up and get it done now. I just won't be able to do it the night before like in the old days. Well, I wasn't able to do it then either, I just did it all the night before - and got the appropriate results to show for it!

Now I really want to do well. I have been doing well which is really strange for me, I'm much more used to failing exams and retaking them than I am to passing, and passing well. So I guess there's a pride issue this time, which is a sin, so maybe by not studying I am breaking the power of that pride? - Ha! now that's good! What a theory! I could probably preach a sermon on that... I wonder if anyone will believe me...

Great news!

Alan Johnston (I wrote about him a while ago) the British reporter held captive for four months in Gaza, has just been released!!! Yippee ... and is looking forward to being reunited with his family in Scotland. For a full report check out this link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/world/2007/alan_johnston/

Pining for Blighty

Well, I'm ailing with what seems to be my annual dose of homesickness. It appears that with alarming regularity, most summers, I yearn to be back in Old Blighty. We have been here over eleven years (having only come for two). Most of the time, I'm OK. I love to walk along the banks of Lake Michigan with the dog, and marvel at the skyline of Chicago in the distance (must put up a picture some time) and thank God for the amazing privilege it has been to be here and experience so much good stuff. Yet.... and yet, something inside me wants to go home.

Some things here I would miss:

I would miss the church, Evanston Vineyard and all the wonderful and gifted people there, and all the friends I have made - and marching in the July 4 Parade (done it for years!), I would ,miss my next door neighbors - well actually I'd take them with me!
The schools - I really like the High School, there is an amazing variety of subjects to learn - that weren't available when I was at school;
I would miss various opportunities for the children:
the various High School bands - marching/symphonic and jazz, boy scouts and their annual camping trip to deepest darkest Wisconsin, the beach being so close, guaranteed warm (swelteringly hot and humid) weather in summer and cold (bitingly bitter) weather in winter,
The Youth Group and all their crazy activities,

I would not miss:

skunks!


What do I miss back in Wales/England?

My family - being in driving distance. OK so we may not actually get to see them, but the opportunity would be there should we choose to.
Old friends ... what can I say, they just can't be replaced.
The BBC and decent news shows
Buying decent bread at the grocery store without having to take out a mortgage.
Quality newspapers - the Chicago Tribune cannot compete - really.
Pork pies, sausage rolls and Cornish Pasties.
Kettles that don't need to be replaced every year
More awareness about the impact of our own lives on global warming than you could hope to find here.
Dr Who

And so on.

I guess I really need to throw myself into appreciating being here and making the most of it until this sickness passes, and it does, usually. One day, God may send us back and I don't want to leave with regrets about all that I didn't do while I was here. The Apostle Paul spoke about how he was content in whatever situation he found himself, whether poverty or wealth, wherever he happened to be. I would like to find that contentment - to make the most of every situation. Jesus came that we should have life and live it to the full, not spend it in a hole wishing we were somewhere else!

So having preached myself a sermon, I am going to take the dog for a walk along the shore of Lake Michigan and thank God for that privilege, and enjoy the beauty of where I am right now.

Thanks for listening.