Back in Thame

I left France yesterday and returned to London. Following the short 2 hour flight I spent the next 5 hours on and/or waiting for three different buses: one to downtown London, a second bus from London to Oxford, and then after standing in the rain for 1 hour in Oxford the third bus to Thame. Apparently, after having tremendously warm weather all last week London got hit with the storm from France, which barely brought rain at all to where I was in France, but just hit hard just North in Montpellier and brought hard rains and flooding – known as a “Red Alert”. I actually was kind of happy, though, to be able to experience a London rain and cooler weather. Plus, once I got back to Thame I met George Weber. George and his wife, Liz, run a bed a breakfast in Thame. It is called the Scotsgrove House. George offered to come pick me up from the bus stop and so at 10:30 in the evening he drove in the rain to get me. I could not believe what I saw as we drove up to the Scotsgrove House. The house sits on 7 acres and was built 900 years ago. I am staying in the room that formerly housed the Governess. It looks out at beautiful gardens. The house has leaded glass windows and craftsman style millwork throughout. George and Liz are tremendously kind and generous people; very hospitable as B&B proprietors. As George says, "you have to have a passion for doing this kind of work." They both possess the kinds of personalities that make one feel like good friends right from the beginning and so you really feel comfortable and at home when staying here. George even invited me to join him tonight at his church for worship service. It truly is an honor to stay here and it is the perfect place to be just before leaving for Cambodia.

Scotsgrove House

Scotsgrove House

Sheep next to Scotsgrove House

 

Today I took a bus from Thame to Oxford and visited the Bodleian Library, which houses some amazing original handwritten manuscripts and drawings by J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and others. How exciting it was to see a hand-drawn map of Narnia from C.S. Lewis himself. Close to the library there is another Bridge of Sighs (as there is in Cambridge and Venice).

University Church of St. Mary the Virgin

Bridge of Sighs, Oxford

Tomorrow is my last full day in Europe before heading to Cambodia. I am both excited and nervous – there are so many unknowns to this move. But one of the great things about having so many things that are unknown and out of my control is that it increases my faith. I do not hold any illusions of a “grand thing” that I am supposed to do or accomplish in Cambodia, but rather my deepest hope and desire is that in this move I will continue to pursue glorifying God more and more. I really have come to believe that the process of continually seeking God, His will, and glorifying Him is the one true calling that we all have. It is of little consequence or importance to me what my job title is. I believe that the reason why God has placed a calling upon my heart to go to Cambodia is because by going there something will happen to deepen my faith in, love for, and obedience to my Creator.