Thoughts For The Road: July 2014

Ah, summertime. This magical time of year that we all wait so anxiously for the whole rest of the year, only to watch it again slip from our grasp in a rapid 8-10 weeks' time. May I be honest for a moment? I'm not that huge a fan of summer. *gasps* I know, I know...I am a Jersey Shore kid, aren't I completely obligated to love, crave and worship all things summer? My question is we are obligated by whom, exactly? Of course, I enjoy the extra sunshine, the temporarily raised temperatures and the opportunity to possibly have life feel a bit more laid back, but the thing is, though, once one is no longer on a young student's schedule, once one has a real job and an adult's load of responsibilities, what is it that is so magical about summertime? Most individuals cannot spend 40+ hours a week basking on the beach with a good book and an iced-tea in hand, so what seriously is the point of the temperature reaching degrees above 75 (Fahrenheit)? Seriously. And besides, all we in the northern hemisphere are well aware that just because the calendar says July 12th, there is no guarantee that it will be warm and sunny, no guarantee at all. If you're from New Jersey, I sincerely hope you have accepted the fact that most of summer switches between being dangerously hot and dry or not-shockingly chilly and rainy. Those few perfect days a year New Jerseyians actually do experience usually come around in October, March, or those weird Indian-summer days in the dead middle of winter. For me, this just adds more stress to the list of things I am "supposed" to be doing or the way life is "supposed to feel." No thanks, summer.

     Wow, this post is turning into a soap box rant rather quickly. Time to turn things around and get to the point. (Yes, there's a point). My view? Celebrate every single day of your life-every season, every day, all the moments, each and every moment. Stop living in a cycle of crazy-business so you no longer have to pine after those two months where "maybe things will be more relaxed." Nope. My mantra- Life is not an emergency, ever. (I'm pretty certain I've stolen this from Ann Voskamp, so credit to her.) I don't really care if it's minus 10 or plus 95, if it's rainy or sunny, if it's January or July, I'm not waiting for one time of year to come around because life is right here and right now and I might as well take charge and start living in the blessings so abundantly poured into each day. I realize that life comes in tides and schedules seem to naturally ebb and flow in and out of super busy and not-so-busy, but I refuse to regulate the rest of the year into waiting for 8-10 "magical" weeks where life is "supposed" to feel completely different and be completely exciting and relaxed. I love it all. I relax in it all. I soak in life in it all.
     All this being said, because this is the time of year when I am more easily able to take some time off, this past week I did just that. After three months submerging myself into a foreign culture where my native language is not primary, learning a new job, settling into a new apartment and attempting to get to know new people, I was exhausted mentally, psychologically and physically. Journeying on the long and often trying road of faith means over and over again coming to the near end of yourself and finding God scoop up your broken self there, dust you off, heal you and send you back on your way because He has placed you in this place for this time and this moment, even when you're coming to the point where you really don't know why anymore. As I learn to embrace this struggle and conversation with God, I slowly learn to see it as another point of grace. God is bothering to interfere with my life and change me in the inner parts...and isn't that the best grace we could dream of? And thankfully, right in the midst of the struggle, God gives those gifts of extra grace, extra blessing all to provide the refreshment and new strength so desperately needed. So what God gave me this last week was a very short break in London. A few months ago, I somewhat spontaneously booked a flight for this particular week because the prices seemed quite reasonable and I didn't want a week off to roll around only to find I had nothing planned. It wasn't a well-thought through decision and I didn't do much besides booking a flight and hotel to plan the time. I just figured that I wanted to go, so I would.
      What I didn't realize at the time was how incredibly perfect the timing would be for me to spend even just three days in a country where my own native language is primary. I always feel the need to say that I do still love Poland and I am so grateful to be here and living out this chapter in my journey, but that doesn't mean the road isn't sometimes dark and extra arduous. It is. It gets really hard. Yes, God's grace shines into the darkness, but the darkness can shout pretty loud too. Anyway, once in the midst of three days excitedly running around London, I quickly realized that it was God who had this little visit planned out. It became so clear that He knew by mid-July, this trip would be absolutely exactly what I needed to take in new breaths of grace, to remember who I am in His and really to just have a small break somewhere where I could read signs and menus and understand directions and public transit announcements. If you have traveled abroad, then I am sure you understand what an almost-inexpressible joy it is to know that you can just ask anyone for help and be basically completely sure communication will just flow. I love being surprised by God. It's amazing when I hear Him say "here you go, I planned that for you today." It happens here in Warsaw too, but I specifically noticed a few clearly planned blessings for me in London and it made the trip so much sweeter.
     The first example of these specifically planned-by-God blessings would be how I unexpectedly met three Christians on the street who happened to be from the northeast (two of whom are actually now missionaries in East London) and spent some time walking with them and sharing life a bit while they gave me directions to Buckingham Palace. It feels like such a small world when you meet a Christian from Philly on the other side of the Atlantic. Out of all those people standing in front of Westminster Abbey, why on earth did I ask those three Americans for directions? The only thing I knew beforehand was that their accents were American, but for them to be Christians and from the northeast? Yea-God moment. They even asked to pray for me before we parted. So there we were, just four goofy Americans out of place in the middle of London standing in a circle with heads bowed, talking to the Creator of the universe. Did that really happen? Yes, I'm still telling myself it did. Thank you, God, for the unifying fellowship of believers.

The second example would be how I "randomly" passed by a studio where a very talented actor from my very favorite show (Martin Freeman from Sherlock, obviously) is performing in Richard III for the summer. I had no plans or intentions ahead of time to see the play, nor did I even actually know where it was running until I walked passed the studio. I noticed there was to be a show that night. I walked in and asked if there were any tickets left ("What's that? Front row-on the stage, in the 'splash zone'?") and four hours later I experienced one of the most unique and fun nights of my life. Thank you, God, for surprise fun.
The third and possibly most important surprise blessing happened on my last night in London. I had heard of this park called Hampstead Heath and I had thought of possibly trying to visit. Well, when I got there it was like discovering a secret spot of leftover paradise where the sun shines bright and sets slow, the wind blows strong and the world is hushed and quiet high above (and surrounded by) the bustling, noisy, city-dirtied streets of London. Walking around and finding a lonely bench on a field on a hill and sitting with a C.S.Lewis book took me straight to Narnia- to that place where Christ is so close, where He is God and I am me and all is grace and bright and clear and peaceful- a repositioning in the God-security of who I am on planet earth and in eternity's story, if you will. Thank you, God, for those moments. Thank you, God, for Your planned surprises and extra moments where You whisper (or shout), "I am here. I am for you, not against you. I want to bless you. I will keep leading you."

And the weather in London? Occasionally sunny and warm, but mostly chilly, grey and drizzly. I honestly wouldn't have had it any other way. The perfect expected London weather.
Now back in Warsaw, I keep trying to think of how I can even sum up what that flash of three days in England meant to me. It was fast, it was random and it was mostly put together on a moment-by-moment, run from one touristy destination to the next with a vague list of what I hoped to see while there; but what was so clearly spoken into that time was that God is still leading this journey and He still has a plan for me in Poland for this chapter of life, even in the moments when I am really unsure what that plan is or how things will look even in the next week or month. He is good. He is strong. He is directing and He can be trusted.
(Below are some extra photos I took at various predictable locations around London, if you're interested.)

For those who don't know-This is a main spot where the BBC film's Sherlock

This is the actual Baker Street Underground Station which is near the real 221B Baker Street from the original Arthur Conan Doyle novels about Sherlock Holmes.