More of Those Crazy Self Portraits

Okay so we're still freaks. But we do have a lot of fun taking these pictures. We seem to take turns looking either really good or just so so. So here are a few more from the places we have visited.

This one is taken in Edinburgh, Scotland

This one is in front of the Loch Ness

This is in the Cotswold area in England

This one is taken at Lower Slaughter, England

This is in front of one of the Stones of Avebury

And here we are in Piccadilly Circus, London

You know, I keep looking at these pictures and reflecting on what it takes to have a really happy and "successful" marriage, and the basic elements seem to be respect, trust, and a really good sense of humor, and it really doesn't hurt to marry a girl like Mimi.

There Are Some Strange Things in This World

So as our trip is heading south, (I mean literally not figuratively) we set our course for Stonehenge. Now we have seen lots of old churches and castles that are all 800 years old. But the thought of seeing something that was erected 2,000 years ago is pretty compelling.

But as we had breakfast with a couple of know it alls (the biggest downside of the B&B life…everyone thinks their interesting) they tell us how overdone Stonehenge is…too commercial…and not accessible anymore. So they happen to mention this place called Avebury (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avebury).

So as soon as we could break away from Cliffie Claven and Chatty Cathy, we head south. After seven or eight  missed turns (a good day) we arrive in this little tiny town of Avebury.

No one can really prepare you for what you find when you arrive. 

I mean we saw some other stone circles that I swear some farmers got together and moved with their tractors just to get the rocks out of their fields and then told everyone they had been there forever. But these were really really cool. Some of these stones had been standing in this field 3,000 years before the birth of Jesus (that is now 5,000 years old). 1,500 years before the Temple in Jerusalem was constructed, these worshippers of something arranged these giant stones into a very detailed pattern for some unknown reason.

Not only were the stones standing in the field, but they had obviously dug a deep gully around the perimeter and seemingly piled all the dirt into a burm around the gully. What were they doing? What were they thinking. What were they worshipping?

Unfortunatly, many of the stones were torn down by marauding tribes and by the church. The stones were used by the local church to construct their building to bring glory to God. I saw their church and frankly, I was more inspired by the stones.

When I see these stones I don’t see a bunch of pagans dancing around naked amongst the stones I some pagan rituals. I see people who were earnestly looking to explain this inner desire to know and touch the sacred within each and every person and the great wonders of the magnificent world all around us.

In Romans, Paul says that we can see the hand of God reveled in what was created in nature. David said the Heavens declare the Glory of God. These people found a way to express their awe and wonder by creating a natural temple made with the most majestic items they could find, stones, earth, water, grasses. And then the part of their nature that is like Creator God assembled them into a massive temple to the God they maybe never had a chance to know. Their sincerity and commitment could never be called into question…albeit misguided from an eternal perspective.

Why is it that we have to destroy everything that doesn’t fit neatly into our little box? Why can’t we recognize the God qualities in others? Why can’t the church see people and their practices like God does…feeble attempts to explain the sacred in each one of us. When we meet the source of that sacredness, it does put it all into perspective…but I still don’t get it right all the time. I would hope God’s grace will steer and guide me rather than destroy me. Trust me, I am counting on it.

A Dream Come True

So you know, I've been playing golf for 30 some years, and all that time I thought if I ever got to Scotland I would love to pay St Andrews. Well Mimi said I could and so we drove there and well it all worked out and I got to play. I said "c'mon Mimi, you play too." So she said yes and so we both played.

Here I am at hole number One at the Old Course (I thought they'd have rules about flip flops...what kind of joint are they running here).

So I get the obligatory Caddie (from a real Caddie Shack). His name was Bryan McCrackky.

So I was on the first green lining up my putt (putting for par...I thought this course was a lot tougher)

Of course it is a tradition to get your picture taken after completing your first hole (oh the pressure was off finally).

Mimi was a wreck after her 13 on the first hole...but boy you got to give it to the old gal for hangin in there...and at her age!

So we make it all the way around...and despite the Arse Whoopping she got, Mimi was so nice and kind to William the Conquerer.

Are you on drugs, we could never afford to play there. This all happened on the really cool Women's Putting Club course. 18 holes of PeeWee Golf...but at St. Andrews. Our cost was 1.5 pounds (3 bucks) versus 100 plus pounds (200 bucks). But it was awesome. So if anyone ever asks, yes I did play a round of golf at St Andrews...so I got that goin for me...which is nice!!!!

The Loch Ness Incident

Well so you know, Mimi and I were compelled by our two grandsons, Jackson and Aidan, to go to Loch (or Lake) Ness. You may have heard that there is this "monster" who lives in the lake. Well of course me being a black and white kind of guy, all science no emotion, you know me...well I just think it is all the ramblings of some Scottish fishermen who have been sampling Scotlands finest malt beverage (not the beer that's for sure).

But you know we just couldn't face our grandkids and not say we went looking for "Nessie" as they like to call her (apperantly it's a she...one more reason to belive it is a myth started by Seamus McTartan). So despite the 300 mile round trip, the exhorbrant price of fuel, and the commitment to one valuable day...we headed north to Inverness. 

We arrived and found the road to the Loch and headed back south down a very congested road. I can't believe all the saps who obviously believe this ridiculous myth. But they pile into the gift shops and buy all the junk for their grandkids (oh wait that was us).

So first chance we got, I pulls the car over to the side and head down to the water so Mimi and I could take one of our self portraits. 

So then Mimi says let me take one of you...I told her no because I look fat and all...but when I know she wont back down, I figure, hey I better send out some vibes you know.

Well then I was actually standing in the water, cause of all the things I'm afraid of, a mythical seamonster isn't one of them. So as I'm standing in the freezing water, Mimi starts shouting something...I'm like "what I have no idea what your saying." It's just like how she tries to talk to me while she's walking into another room...you know. 

So as she's taking pictures and trying to talk to me, she's starting to scream at me. Well I wos getting kind of hacked you know...who does she think she is? 

But the screaming persists...

"LOOK BEHIND YOU" she says. For what?

So I looks behind me, and as usual Mimi is seeing things that aren't really there.

Next thing I know...Mimi's passed out on the ground...must have been something she ate.

So I gets her loaded up on my back and haul her back to the car...what was it you ate I ask her...it was Nessie she says. Maybe it was the Haggis, I never know with Mimi.

OUR SELF PORTRAITS

I know, we are weird. People ask us all the time, "would you like us to take your picture?" No we like to take our own pictures. These have been taken with the laptop, my Canon, my iPhone, and we have taken some with Mimi's little digital (but we're Wertz's and forgot the card reader and the cord). So here's a selection from various places.

In a Dublin Elevator

On the Coast of Ireland

At Slane Castle

At Conwy Castle

At a sheep ranch in Scotland

My fav...at PDX

In Philly being silly

Waiting in Chicago

Empire St Building NYC

RECAP OF OUR JOURNEY

For those of you just picking this blog up, or for those of you who have been following us and need a recap, or for those of you who have been following us and just forgot, here's a recap of our adventures so far.

USA

• Thu 6/20 PDX, fly to NYC
  
• Fri 6/21 NYC
  
• Sat 6/22 NYC
• Sun 6/23 NYC, Philadelphia
• Mon 6/24 Work in Camden
• Tue 6/25 Work in Camden
• Wed 6/26 Work in Camden
• Thu 6/26 NYC, fly to Chicago

IrelandFri 6/27 Dublin

• Sat 6/28 Dublin
• Sun 6/29 Neil Young @ Malahid Castle
• Mon 6/30 Limerick, Cork, Rock of Cashel
• Tue 7/1 Belfast, Bangor, Slane Castle 

Wales

• Wed 7/2 Dublin, Holyhead ferry, Conwy Wales
• Thu 7/3 Conwy Castle

England

• Fri 7/4 Train to Liverpool
• Sat 7/5 Liverpool, Chester, Conwy
• Sun 7/6 Lake District, B&B near Carlisle

Scotland

• Mon 7/7 Edinburgh, Perth

Okay Jackson and Aidan, Tuesday we go to find the Loch Ness Monster near Inverness Scotland. Wednesday we go to St Andrews and then back to England

More later

 

Let’s Be Honest for a Minute

I have now been a Christ follower now since September 26, 1974. That is almost 34 years. I have never had a lapse in my conviction where I wondered if I made a mistake about my decision. I have always said I would gladly take a bullet to the head as opposed to renouncing my God (I hope and pray I don’t have to though). I read my Bible, pray (with some ceasing), serve, give, and generally try to honor God in all I do.

But let’s face it…I’m a hypocrite…I am. I don’t always do what I say I believe. I don’t always practice what I preach. As a follower of Jesus I have no problem admitting I am flawed, wrecked, and basically worthy of Hell if not for the great grace of God.

But let’s also be honest…most people are hypocrites. Doctors who smoke. Lawyers who break laws. Dentists who eat candy. Environmentalists who litter. You know…most people.

So when I met Bob the other night at the bluegrass festival, I was not prepared for the level of hypocricy I was about to encounter…an Atheist who loves Gospel music. What???? Most Christians I know hate Gospel music. You know, “if you don’t turn your life around then God’s gonna burn you in the fires of hell” type of songs. How do you do that? And yet, every performer at the festival is under a strict compulsion to sing at least a couple of Gospel songs. That would be like me singing “Oh I can’t wait to get to Hades my eternal home.” Or “I just love living this Godless life, free from the constrains of an oppressive god.” I just couldn’t do it. I don’t understand it.

What it makes me wonder is; has God just become another topic in a country song. Is He right there with an unfaithful woman, a runaway dog, or a broke down pickup truck. Has the view of God and his majesty slipped so far from the importance meters of people that someone who swears there is no God can sing about the GREAT IMORTAL YAHWEH like he’s an unfaithful runaway truck.

Now don’t get me wrong, I really liked Bob the Atheist. I think he is funny, and a really neat guy. But Bob, you’re a hypocrite. Welcome to the world where all of those who hold near and dear our core beliefs, don’t always do and say what we truly believe. Next time you want to be critical of the church, just remember the God we worship, forgives us for being a hypocrite…and he even forgives Atheists…even if he doesn’t believe in them.

OK, Now We’re Getting Obsessive

So we leave Conwy behind and head for Liverpool…heading north and our journey away from Wales and on to bigger and different things. However, we did not get to see Trevor and the Morris Boys play. So after a great time in Liverpool (see future blogs) we head back towards Conwy…way out of the way…get a hotel…drive an hour or so back…sold out Bluegrass show…so we convince the ticket lady we’re friends of the band…we drove all the way here…please sell us two tickets so we can see our friends…stand in line (first ones in)…all for a half hour show. It’s what brothers do. But it was PRICELESS!

Too see the joy that these guys had playing together was so great. Trevor said later that despite all the “stuff” that had gone on between David, Glyn, and he, the music always held them together. I think that is really powerful. Whatever it is that goes on, surely we can find the thing that keeps us bound together.

Well after a couple of really good bands (especially Special Consensus…see them on iTunes) we headed down to the pub with the Boys. We also got to meet Trevor’s longtime friend Bob and his significant other Heather. They were down as well camping in a converted ambulance. He’s a devout Atheist who loves Gospel music (more on that in a future blog).

But when everyone left, the pub was closing, we spent a long time lingering with Trevor…it was like we just couldn’t bear to say goodbye.

How does that happen? You meet someone for just a few days and you build such closeness, a connection really. It’s the kind of thing that makes you wonder if God didn’t orchestrate the entire vacation just so he could introduce us to Trevor (I hope He’s also going to help pay for it J). It makes you wonder. And if it were true, did he do it for Trevor…or did he do it for me. As a pastor and an evangelical Christ follower, it is easy for me to think that God orchestrated the whole thing because Trevor needed some spiritual direction in his life. He needed to be somehow reconnected to God (in a more traditional form).

But the more I process this whole deal, I’m convinced that God introduced me to Trevor for my benefit, for me to be reminded of God’s magnificent GRACE. That the God I worship and love and am committed to, would devise a scheme to connect two people together from different countries and experiences, and allow them to have a bond, a connection, a friendship, a chance encounter with the Magnificent God. Music is a great bonding agent for brothers and friends, but when God is that bonding agent…well then you become Brothers.