Back in London

July 11, 2013 

I am becoming familiar with the London Underground, which is a train system and not a band of delinquents. Since returning to London I am now staying at The Highbury Centre; founded in 1893 to provide affordable housing for Christian missionaries. Note that the British English way of spelling center is “centre”. The Highbury Centre is adjacent to a beautiful park also named Highbury. Today I took the underground (aka The Tube) from Highbury to Piccadilly Circus (the Times Square of London). I stayed there for a couple of minutes and then walked through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens on my way to Buckingham Palace and “The Eye” (a giant Ferris wheel). Then I hopped on The Tube and went to the Tower of London and from there rented a bike and rode to Embankment Gardens, then back to The Tube to return to Highbury Centre. I should note that this was a lot of train riding, a lot of walking, and a little biking (and even though in England, unlike in Cambodia, there are traffic laws that people actually follow and there are paved roads, it is a lot scarier riding a bike in London than it is in Phnom Penh!). Additionally, because the trains are in fact underground there are also a lot of stairs involved, which proved to be interesting the other day when I had all my heavy bags that had to be hauled up several flights of stairs. Not all train stations have “lifts” available – lifts are the same thing as elevators and apparently the Americans with Disabilities Act is not enforced in England. So, it was a good thing that I also managed to sneak in a nap today.

The garden at The Highbury Centre

Ministry of Defense Building in the foreground of "The Eye" 

Regarding the parks in London I have noticed some differences from the city parks in the US and those in London. The parks in London are huge and have really nice large lawn spaces for people to gather in. The parks in London also have a lot of large lawn umbrellas and chairs provided for people to use; and a lot of people will bring small barbeques and light them up on those lawns. (I can’t imagine that happening in Phoenix.) When you look out at the park lawn you see dozens of plumes of smoke going up into the sky. After returning from all the activities of today I decided to go for a short run through the park. It was a beautiful evening.

I think that this is a picture of Hyde Park

Highbury Park (This is definitely Highbury Park - notice the smoke

plumes from the barbeques on the lawn.)

 

I told my brother that I  have been feeling somewhat anxious, perhaps even eager – eager to get to Cambodia and begin serving God. But that this morning God placed in my heart that now is the time to be serving Him. It is not about being in a particular location, but rather about having my heart in the right place at all times. I need to be freeing myself of seeking my will and have a heart solely focused on seeking His will. I need to have an attitude of love and service; and release any and all anxiety or sour attitude that is present in me. (Mother Teresa wrote that bitterness and pride are twin sisters and moodiness goes with them…do not go to the altar of God with them in your heart, but go with a pure heart. A pure heart will see God.)