Looking Up

The everyday architecture of Scotland had a subtle excitement set against the grey sky background.  

Glasgow

Glasgow seen from very near Wesley's flat. It's beautiful when the sun comes out.

suns out, guns out

just for fun, here's a link to my good friend Jean Paul Molyneux's awesome surf photography website. click the link

Monday

A nice slice of my Monday afternoon

L'Abri

Time is flying. I've already been here in Scotland for 3 weeks.  This is what i've been up to, not that its much of consequence, therefore i'll keep it brief.  

      Upon the great recommendation of Wesley, Helen, Kurt Simonson and many others, I took up residence at the Manor House of the L'Abri Fellowship for a weeks time. In their own way, each of them have had a some kind of challenging and consequent growing experience while attending L'Abri. So naturally I felt obliged to see what it is about l'abri that can be so much to so many.  I soon found that one week was a highly insufficient duration in which to understand the true nature and workings of L'Abri.  A retreat from communication and technology, a place of intentional solitude yet of great community, a space to question yourself and God, and to hopefully gain answers through helpful wise counsel; all are descriptors of L'abri.  

       In order for you to obtain a better idea of what L'Abri is, let me plot out a normal day in the life of a L'Abri student.  This is the general schedule for each day though certain activities will change on the daily. 

07:30- wake

08:00- breakfast (everyone is expected to be present)

09:10- prayer in the chapel (optional of course)

10:00-14:00 - everyone must do one of these two options given below: 

Chores: work doing chores around the house (vacuuming/food prep/cleaning the             kitchen/chopping wood/folding clean laundry/flattening the pitch, etc.)

OR

Study: reading books, listening to lectures recorded from past speakers at l'abri, or take walks when you can't read any more, ha.

11:30- tea break 

13:00- lunch. Every lunch the main group is broken into 3 groups of ten where we eat together and discuss a question that at least one person in the group would like to discuss.  each group lunch is facilitated and mediated by someone who works at L'abri. 

14:00-18:30- work and study sessions again.  you must do which ever activity, work or study, in which you didn't participate in earlier.  So if you did chores in the AM, you will be studying in the PM.  

14:30- tea break

18:30- dinner

>19:00- a lecture done by a L'abri worker, Wednesday movie night, or free time. 

repeat

it takes some time to adapt to the simple yet rigorous lifestyle of L'abri, which i feel I didin't have time to fully grasp.  Although I was there for only a short time, i did appreciate the wonderful sense of community i experienced.  All meals together, chores together, tea time together, sleeping in the same room with ten other guys.  Also the  diversity of people brought together by a desire to figure life out, with all its complications, is something was really intriguing. It seemed to narrow the field of person staying there to those who were somewhat humbled and searching for answers outside of themselves.  

Mind you L'Abri is based in christian theology. Since this is public knowledge, a lot of the students that choose to take up residence at there are christians questioning some aspect of their faith, although i cannot even try to lump everyone who attends into groups, especially after only one week. 

All in all I enjoyed my time there, though i wish i could have spent another week there to get to know the people there better. I'm also very excited to be shifting locations soon to Lille, France.  

be on the look out for some photos about L'abri to pop up soon.  

Supplemental Photos

Since the United Kingdom's weather is so poor and it is raining most days, it makes most sense to take my iphone to places my nicer camera dare not venture.  Therefore the majority of my everyday photos will be turning up on the feed below. Please czech is out if you get a chance.

JYSO SUPPLEMENTAL

Thanks so much

The Last 4 Days

So I haven't been the best at posting lately. Time has been passing quite fast recently.  I'll hit some main exciting points in the week and then add some photos in occasionally to keep the interest high.

Wesley took me to a great little coffee shop in the West End (nice up beat and more lively area of Glasgow where surrounding the University of Glasgow)It was called Artisan Coffee. It reminded me of a more down to earth Kreutzberg CA in slo. great coffee. poor overs, chemex, nice lattes. wonderful atmosphere. it's funny, coffee here isn't like coffee at home,  most places you go, you'll ask for coffee and the server will give you a look as if beckoning for a more developed answer, which they are. You see, a normal "cup of coffee" in the states is sensibly called an Americano in Scotland. fitting i guess.

Since it's been raining and freezing cold since i've been here, it's allowed me to dig in and get some good reading done in the screwtape letters and Lord of the Rings Part 2: The Two Towers.  Great books.

Been eating well. Haggis, Turkish Kebabs, Fish and Chips, Spaghetti Carbonara (Helen's speciality), and loads of good British tea, ciders, and beer.

A Play, A Pie, and A Pint is exactly what it sounds.  Wes and I went to a renovated old church and watched a play while eating a meat pie and drinking a pint of guinness.  It was such a great idea. Loved it.

One fine rainy day, I had the opportunity to go on a sweet run in the rain down the River Clyde.  This is main river that flows perpendicularly to the City Centre of Glasgow.  Felt great to get out and run for a bit.  helped rid my body of the left over jet lag.

Been blessed to be introduced to some of the Wes and Helen's awesome friends.  Malcolm, Richard, Kevin, Ruth, Moira. All great folk.

Wesley, Helen, Malcolm, and I had the opportunity to celebrate Wesley's birthday by taking a wee trip north about 40 minutes to a lake just north of Glasgow called Loch Lomond.  There we hired a flat for the night and were able to hill walking (hiking) for the day.  Had dinner at a sweet little pub that night.  sat, talked, and nursed some pints for the about 3 hours.  fabulous time.  then went back to the flat and told stories and played games.  then today, we went canoeing on the loch to a small island inhabited by 30 deer, 10 of them being white. pretty cool.  still a bit sore in the shoulders from all the rowing, but it was so worthwhile.  The whole trip was amazing.  The saying here goes " you can experience every type of weather in the course of 20 minutes in scotland." Well that saying held true while we were up in Loch Lomond. We experienced rain, snow, clouds and perfect sunny weather in one day.  crazy.

Twins

Wes, Helen, Malcolm, and Me 

Skipping stones on the loch

Loch Lomond

Glasgow::: Arrival

Flights went well. Arrived in Glasgow near 7:30am this morning to open arms of Wesley and Helen. Had some wonderfully Scottish breakfast in the West End consisting of poached eggs and sausage on a warm ciabatta roll.  Fantastic. Then, Helen, Wes, and I trounced around some small alley ways and some more major city streets popping into little nuanced antique and second hand shops, saw the Glasgow botanical gardens, and got some incredible Turkish Food. All this and only a couple of hours of sleep since sunday morning.   Weather: high s of mid 40's F, chilly wind but the sun came out.  Quite a nice change, so they tell me, from their recent more frigid and grey weather.

just laying around at wes' flat

Breakfast at the West Bank Cafe