Day 8 - Saturday, April 25th 2015

The moments are fleeting and while we are anxious for home, we are realizing that this experience may never happen again.  Our bodies are very, very tired but the adventurous spirit within us tells us to press on just a bit further.  We finally woke up to a proper London morning with a light touch of rain!  A full English breakfast prepared us to walk the halls of Parliament.  It was a surreal moment to stand in the rooms of the House of Commons and House of Lords where we’ve seen British politicians debate vigorously over the country’s issues. 

Ready to go into Parliament on this drizzly morning

This was as far in as I was allowed to take pictures ... but this place is amazing!

Our next stop was to Buckingham Palace and it was on that journey that we had one of those serendipitous moments that are remarkable!  We stumbled onto the street where the Queen herself was laying a wreath in honor at a memorial.  The music, the pomp and circumstance and the fact that she was just  several yards from us was surreal!   

That first small memorial monument, right in front of all the guards, was where the Queen was

Onto Buckingham Palace where we saw the changing of the guards and the preparations being made for the London 2015 Marathon.  It was a colorful explosion of Union Jacks!   

Walking down the final stretch with Buckingham Palace right at the end of the road

The beautiful gardens in front of Buckingham Palace

Changing of the guard

 

 The next stop was Harrods Department store via The Tube.  We had waited for the most anticipated moment when 41 of us hopped on and off in true British parkour style! We navigated fairly well  (at least 35 of us did J).  A world-class shopping spree followed at the store where there is nothing they don’t offer on their shelves or will order for you from anywhere in the world.   

Heading down to the Underground

Riding a very busy tube

Harrods here we come

A quick stop at the British Library afforded us a view of the Magna Carta and Beowulf.   

Inside the British Library

Waiting to go see the Magna Carta & Beowulf

Back to the hotel for a quick rest, we prepared ourselves for a final dinner in The Library, a room with a view overlooking Big Ben.  We ate a delicious dinner and each precious traveler recounted their “moment” on the trip – the event, or conversation or observation that was the most meaningful to them.  It was a beautiful reflective moment.  The benediction of the trip happened as we soared above this incredible city in the pods of the London Eye. 

Our view out the window from dinner in the Library

A view of the city from the London Eye

This final event gave us some altitude on all that we have seen and experienced over the last eight days.  We saw, with new perspective, the city that we have come to know and love in a country that has intrigued and captured our hearts.   But down below is a city, a country, a people who are lost.  For all the delights we have experienced, England is a godless country destitute of hope and desperately in need of a Savior.  This elevated perspective reminded us that walking those streets are the store clerks who served us, coach drivers who transported us, porters who welcomed us, tour guides who explained mysteries to us, actors who entertained us - Englanders who were looking for someone to answer a longing in their heart they may not even be aware that they have.  We pray that God would make His name great in this country and draw the hearts of the people back to Himself.  We pray for those who are doing the hard work of ministry here.  For those at the Metropolitan Tabernacle.  For this country to be humbled before its God.  And then we ask God to stir our own hearts for those who are waiting back home for us.  We must return changed.  If we have not, we’ve lost nine days.  We resolve to take the things that we have seen and heard and bring the message back:  England was great, but Christ is magnificent!

Junior - Kylie Brown

Senior - Adam Li

Freshman - Ben Wyllie

Dan & Sandra, with Sandra showing off her new 25th wedding anniversary diamond ring

Psalm 96:3 Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples!"

“The surest way to promote godliness abroad is to labour for it at home.” Spurgeon

Day 7 - Friday, April 24th 2015

The light came on in London this morning and Big Ben beckoned us to start our day with a hearty breakfast with panoramic views of the Thames, Parliament, and the Ministry of Defense. Have we mentioned that our hotel is a five star where you can practically reach out and touch the London Eye?  It's pretty magical!  

Some of our rooms are those front ones looking right out into the London Eye

Our first stop was to the Metropolitan Tabernacle, where our spiritual mentor, Charles Spurgeon, left a rich legacy. Our own Mr. Huckabone spoke to us at the church and we had a sweet prayer time asking God to make Himself great in this country. 

A quick double decker bus took us to the Globe theater where we were taught and entertained by an authentic Shakespearean actor who gave us some practice with Hamlet. 

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Putting into practice the things they had just learned

We grabbed a lunch and jumped on a ferry to the Tower of London and were awed by the Crown Jewels and history of weaponry and pageantry.

Tower bridge being raised for the passage of a ship

A bit of an aerial view of the tower of London and city beyond

 

Enjoying the Tower of London

The evening concluded with a delicious English Pub dinner of fish and chips and steak and ale pies. No dinner is complete without sticky toffee pudding!!  

Enjoying a nice dinner together

For those of you wondering what Sticky Toffee Pudding is...

Here ya go!  It's often served with ice cream too

Our night wasn't quite over as we realized that we forgot to lock up the Tower, an 800 year tradition that happens with the same pomp and circumstance every single night since William the Conqueror. We were honored to be a piece of a very significant part of their history. Alas, the Tower is safe for one more night!!  A ferry ride to our hotel doorstep was an enchanting way to end our day. It was a remarkable day indeed. It's getting hard to think about leaving...

Junior - Sidnie Brenner

Senior - Cameron Lewis

Senior - Samantha Villapando

The Tower gave us much to contemplate.  It is positioned at the very heart of this city as a buttress from invaders.

The Tower has stood for over 800 years.  It has been tested and tried and still stands.  It has adapted to the threats as they have evolved over the centuries but at its core, it still relies on high walls and watchful eyes. While it operates today mostly for ceremonial purposes, it is important to remember that it represents intentional defensive plans to protect and secure the things that are most important to this country.  Not an hour of the day passes but that the iconic watchful eyes of the Tower guards aren’t actively anticipating an attack.  They are relentless and deliberate that nothing and no one would breach what is valuable.  It is that same active watchcare that a believer must deploy to stand guard over his own heart.  It gets even more complicated when it is our own heart that becomes the very enemy.  Fortifications are necessary because of the enemies both within and without.  A naïve believer will assume that he or she is capable of withstanding the onslaughts.  He may even believe that there are no credible threats.  She may be deluded into a false sense of security because it appears that all is well. But Satan is ruthless in his objective to invalidate the Gospel through a fallen believer and to ruin him in the despair of his own failures.  Stand guard over what is valuable – your head, your heart, your testimony.  They were precious enough for Christ to die to rescue – so they are worth defending at all costs.

Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance.

“A Christian man has both defensive and offensive weapons, he has a shield as well as
a sword: but Satan has fiery darts, and nothing else. I never read of his having any
shield whatever; so that when we resist him he is bound to run away. He has no
defense for himself, and the fact of our resistance is in itself a victory.” – Spurgeon

Day 6 - Thursday, April 23rd 2015

The final push of this trip is right in front of us, but first stop on our way to London was at some strange stones in the middle of a sheep pasture. The mysteries of Stonehenge are mostly speculative, but while we were looking at this interesting construct, we were aware that it represented earliest man’s attempt to find anything and anyone to worship…except God.  It stood to us as a sobering reminder of the same proclivities in our own hearts on any given day. 

Group picture among the stones

Traditional Ninja moves

As we approached London we were escorted right in front of Buckingham Palace! Tradition says that if the Standard flag is flying above the palace, the Queen is present. With Kate’s imminent birth of the new princess, Elizabeth is sure to be in town!  It’s pretty cool to see that flag in the wind and search the royal windows to see if she is peering out at the rest of us.  There’s something wonderfully symbolic about that flag flying above the palace; it shouts to the world that Her Majesty is present. It’s not a stretch to realize that we too have a flag that flies above our residence (that is ourselves). His Majesty resides in us and gives the world an expectation to see who He is and experience the anticipation of being in His presence.  What good is Buckingham Palace when it is empty of royalty – it’s only a pretty building.  Likewise, what good is a well-built life if the Royalty does not reside within?  She brings the value to the palace; He brings the value to our lives.  So wear your flag high – you are the residence of the Most High.  Our next stop was to Westminster Abbey where the bones of this country’s heads of state and famous authors and composers have been laid to rest.  We were in awe at the ability to reach out and touch the coffins of Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I. We stood on the stones of Charles Dickens and C.S. Lewis, Caedmon and Robert Blake!  So many of  ourliterary friends were waiting to greet us – it was like walking into their majestic home! 

 

Westminster Abbey

Covent Gardens and dinner at Nando’s ushered us into an evening at the theater where we watched “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and laughed heartily.  Big Ben lit the way for us as we strolled arm-in-arm back to our hotel along the waters of the Thames. This is an extraordinary city!

The view of our hotel - County Hall Marriott

Dinner at Nandos

1 Corinthians 6:19,20

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Taylor Jensen

Lance Legault

Chandler Garrison

“Many Christians forget that they are bearing a testimony: they do not think that
anybody notices them. Ay, but they do.” Spurgeon