London--Week 6 (Wrapping up London)

We took it a bit easier this past week, focusing on seeing a few of the last sights we wanted to see in London and making sure the girls weren't spending all of their time strapped into a stroller or on our back.  Our backs appreciated the break as well. 

Despite the "more relaxed approach" we did still manage to see a fair bit related to Britain's WWII experiences--the secret war rooms Churchill and his cabinet used for most of the war and the collection of equipment, weapons, airplanes and tanks in the Imperial War Museum.  Perhaps most sobering was the "Children at War" exhibit--a retelling of how the war affected the youngest of Britain's citizens and how virtually every family was affected and split one way or another.

Emma is starting to feel much better after a long week of unsettled-ness.  She finally slept well again last night for the first time in about two weeks.  A real blessing for her and for both Elizabeth and me.

With a more relaxed week comes more opportunity for reading.  I've been working through a book called "Young, Restless, and Reformed."  It's about a resurgence in Calvinism throughout the United States, especially among the younger generations.  Unfortunately, this resurgence is often played-off against the Calvinism that has been rooted in Grand Rapids for the last 150+ years--the Calvinism in which Boston Square is rooted.  The book makes the argument that this resurgence is a reaction against the uncertainty of post-modernism with its claim that there is no ultimate truth and that it's okay for different people to hold different beliefs.  What surprised me was that the Calvinism that is described is a very conservative Calvinism--one that might have described the Christian Reformed Church forty or fifty years ago.  It seems to me we have a more compassionate version to offer these days, and one that certainly should have much appeal in a world desperate for a transcendent, sovereign God who loves us deeply. 

We worshiped at Holy Trinity Brompton again this Sunday and were able to hear Pete Greig preach.  Pete is the organizer of a movement called "24/7 prayer" which encourages churches to set up a week where there is someone praying every moment of every day.  There have been remarkable stories of revitalization that takes root through this, and we've talked some about trying it at Boston Square (yes, we're a bit smaller than most who do this, but why should that stop us?  We can pray with the best of them!)  He had a powerful message about those times when prayer doesn't seem to work.  Perhaps his most meaningful point for me was that these are moments when the faith that is present in prayer is then matched with the faithfulness that is created by continuing to bring these requests before God, even when it doesn't seem like God is listening.  It is a church built on prayer, and the pray that takes place after the service, where those who would like someone to pray for them are matched with those willing to lead in prayer, is extremely powerful.

Our hearts were warmed this week with the psalm that was featured in our daily devotions:  Psalm 84.  One line reads, "blessed are those whose strength is in you,  Lord, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage."  We continue to seek God in our travels, reading, and prayers. We move to York this week, and will spend a few days in Cambridge on the way.

Peace and love,

Jay

Misadventures of the week:  (1) I bought ice cream treats at the mini-market.  They were buy 1 get 1 free, so I came home with quite the stash of assorted ice cream bars.  Only then did we discover that our fridge/freezer was not a fridge and a freezer, but a fridge or a freezer.  We decided it was more important to preserve the milk for the girls than to keep the ice cream frozen.  (2)  Emma is starting to really embrace the sacraments.  We have caught her several times attempting to baptize Brianna and also offering her Cheerios "in the name of the Father, Son, Amen."  Sign that girl up for seminary!  (3)  Jay wanted to watch the England-USA football/soccer match in true local company, especially to see how they would react if/when England scored.  Instead of heading to the pub, however, I went to the All Souls Church football watching party.  In good technology-at-church fashion, within two minutes of the start of the game, the picture went out.  Of course, by the time they got it up and running again, England had already scored.  It was their only goal of the match.