Alpha Course

At our church they have several Alpha courses going on that just started in January. These are something that I have not been familiar with in the past but are pretty common around here. The course is mainly discussions based on Christianity and allows non-Christians and Christians to discuss things and ask and answer questions about what they believe. It is a great thing for people who are thinking of becoming Christians to do especially so they can find out what they need to know and discuss some of the tough questions they may have. Also, it is great for Christians to discuss what they believe and why they believe certain things. Having to try to answer some of the tough questions often gives Christians a deeper understanding of their faith and trains them in apologetics so they can more convincingly defend their faith or even explain their beliefs in an honest and insightful way. I am going to one at our church which meets on Wednesdays and we have coffee and desserts and hear someone's testimony of their journey to faith in Jesus and followed by a themed talk and great questions to discuss in our smaller groups. I have enjoyed chatting with different people and exploring some very interesting theological topics. It is a great time every night. If you ever get a chance to do one, go for it, and I am sure you will enjoy it and learn a lot.

Health Professions Council

I have just received my approval from the Health Professions Council (HPC) that means I can officially work as a Speech Therapist in this country! Finally! In light of my recent blog* see Only in America post below* I would have to say this, "Only in Britain!" does paperwork take this long to actually come through so I can work in a field where they have a high demand for me! Anyway, I can get a job now since I have this registration and I have a car. I am just waiting for my special card and number to come in the mail and a call from the people I applied to yesterday. I am hopeful that I will get something lined up for when I return from NJ on Feb. 28th. Thank you to all of you who prayed for me to get this registration and who paid for my lunches and coffees in the meantime! It is much appreciated, and I know I will have a lot of favors to return as soon as I earn my first paycheck!

Note: this picture is the logo for the HPC and not some random metaphor for all the pieces finally fitting together in our new life (although it is a clever piece of symbolism, get it "piece")!

"Only in America!"

If you don't know (which you may not), Stephen Fry went to the US for a road trip that he narrated over video footage of himself doing things that he seemed to think we typical American things and going to typical American places in each of the 50 states. The key phrase is "he seemed to think" because there were a few things that did not well represent the states they were from. He intended to show Great Britain a realistic picture of life in the United States, but he still was somewhat biased and not necessarily well informed. For one thing, the only activity he took part in, in NJ was gambling in Atlantic City. Come on New Jerseyans, you know there is so much more to NJ than Atlantic City. I bet lots of you haven't even bothered to go because you are too busy on the beach, the boardwalk and at diners to bother gambling away your hard earned money!

Well aside from that and some other not-so-realistic representations, Stephen Fry did find a rather amusing difference between the Brits and the Americans that can be discussed with reference to this little phrase, "Only in America!" Now, think, when would you say that? Would you say it to mean that America is crazy and nothing goes right or that America is great and anything can happen? You choose. Quick because I am going to tell you the answer. 1 more second....time's up! Ok, it is usually used to refer to how great things are in America because of a cool thing that happens i.e. (this one's for New Jerseyans) You get to a diner very late at night and you know for sure you can still order your favorite chocolate chip pancakes which will just about hit the spot after a long hard drive through traffic on the parkway, and as you bite into the first mouthful, you thankfully and simultaneously exclaim (with a mouth full of pancake), "Ah, Only in America!" For those of you from different states, insert your own pleasurable American custom followed by the exclamation. You get my meaning right! It's like oh, yeah this is what is great about living in America, no where else can you get this feeling, opportunity etc.

Well, guess what! They have a similar phrase on the other side of the pond that goes like this, "Only in Britain!" Do you know how they use it? Right now you are wracking your brain trying to think of major benefits to living in the UK that compare to chocolate chip pancakes, I know, but here is an example. You are on vacation; you are headed to the beach, it is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit and it is August, the weather forecast is good; you get to your spot, lay down your blanket, run into the ocean for a quick icy dip, run back, pop open your picnic basket just as it starts to rain, and you say to yourself as you open your umbrella, determined to enjoy your sandwich, "Ugh Only in Britain!" Yes, you see, it is a much different sentiment for the people of Great Britain. Yes, they like some things about their country, but honestly they do seem to think too much about the US. They watch all our movies and shows for goodness sake. They know the grass is often greener in the US. Ok well maybe not the grass everywhere in the US, but you have to remember it rains pretty much every day in Britain so they are bound to have greener grass!

The moral of the story to all you Americans reading this is, be happy that in your country you can say, "Only in America" with a smile and pride because of your land of opportunity, whilst over in Britain, there are loads of wet Britainians grumbling about the weather over a pint in a dark, smelly pub sighing, "Only in Britain!"

Incidentally the picture of Stephen Fry here is of him in the beautiful desert of Arizona or New Mexico or something but the thing is this is one of those defining images and it happens, "Only in America!"

Country Walks

I went for a 5.5 mile walk with my mother-in-law which took us from our town of Stansted to Braintree and back through footpaths and around fields: the scenic route. We followed a map and directions in a book entitled 50 Walks in Essex. So we walked for about an hour and a half and then stopped at the pub for a lunch before continuing back home. It was a long walk, but not too tiring really. I had wondered if it would be muddy, but after having to scrape my boots every five minutes due to the colossal attachment of very sticky mud that was weighing my feet down, I realized that mud must be a given. I took a few pictures, and this one is of Digby Wood. It is so middle earth looking to me with the trees very green and ethereal. Other views from the walk included fields, fields, and more fields, oh yeah and a highway and a couple of old buildings i.e. churches and houses. It was definitely a tiring walk but very invigorating as usual. The only hiccups were the two huge blisters I got on my heels from not wearing two pairs of socks. Oh well, it was still a good walk. Maybe next time I will go with Tim for a more romantic country walk. P.S. The blisters are pretty much gone if you were wondering, but the boots are still muddy!

Recently Read: Waking the Dead

I also just read Waking the Dead by John Eldridge which was very interesting. It takes a look at why some or perhaps many Christians are living lives that are almost DEAD spiritually without really being sure what to do about it. They may feel a bit of malaise or some boredom now and then but they don't necessarily feel depressed (although they might). This is a situation that I think anyone can find them in if they are not careful and deliberate about their spiritual and emotional self. That may sound very self-centered, but it makes a lot of sense. When we are at our most healthy in those aspects we can end up offering the most to others and often the opposite is also true unfortunately. The book is not about "pampering yourself", but it does wake you up to the fact that you need to be in tune to yourself in a way that incorporates your whole being spiritually, emotionally, relationally and physically. It is an encouraging book but at the same time a challenging one. So read it and see if you can learn something new. I know I do not want to be dead anymore, not even asleep, I want to be fully alive and I think you might too!

Recently Read: A Long Way Gone

I have just finished reading this book, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, by Ishmael Beah. For those of you who have read it, you must have been very saddened by his story but also the story of the friends he had and lost during his life in the civil war in Sierra Leone. For those of you who haven't read it, it is a very honest real life depiction of the journey of Ishmael Beah from losing his family to becoming a soldier at the age of 13 to being rehabilitated and later speaking out against the atrocities of the war. He explores the thoughts that went through his mind at each stage of his very difficult childhood. It is one of those books that raises awareness about the struggles of children and families during the ongoing civil war and political unrest in Sierra Leone along with many other African countries today. Pick it up and read it, and recommend it to friends, but if you are feeling very enraged at life's unfairness to people in Ishmael's situation, go ahead and get involved! Go on a mission's trip, support financially, do research on other organizations who are trying to help the social structures of these countries and save the lives of people who have no other choice and no voice! Go ahead, make a difference, but don't just read the book.

The Rain in Spain?

Well how about the rain in England? You may have heard it said that it ALWAYS rains in England, but that is not strictly the case. The truth is that it ALWAYS rains in England in the winter! This is the real truth, and it is especially true in January I am told. Well, I have been here for 5 months now, and the weather has not bothered me very much.....that is.... until now. It has been rainy and gloomy for about a week straight, and while that may not sound that bad, you must remember that when it rains here, the daytime does come, but the sun does NOT come out! Yes, that's right, there can be a daytime without sun, but I am not really sure it counts in my book. I feel like the sun has been very lazy around here. For example, last week we had one or two sunny days, but the rest of the days, the sun chose to appear for about 45 minutes around noon-ish and then went back in and didn't return before nightfall. How rubbish!

But the funny thing is that the English are notorious for talking about the weather, even (I might add) when there is nothing interesting to talk about which is pretty much all the time. The weather is pretty constant I think compared to what we got back in NJ, so I ask you- What is there to talk about and Why do they do it then? The answer for this is a simple one, and it goes back to another traditional English custom. They do not talk about ANYTHING personal if at all possible. This I have found to be true, and I am sure that many English folk would agree with me that this is a common custom. Thus they resort to talking about the weather to avoid asking more personal questions such as, "How are you and how is your family?" etc. You get the point, the weather is just about as personal as many people get around here.

For someone like me who craves human interaction and relationships that are meaningful, that becomes extremely frustrating and difficult. How can they cope, without relating personally to another human being? I don't know, but one thing is for sure, if there was more acceptance of going to counseling or therapy of any sort, they would ALL have to go just to get their feelings (if they have any) out! I am sure that they do have feelings, but I believe that many of them push them so far underneath the surface that they do not even realize that they are there. I would consider this unhealthy, but many of the older generation especially lives that way and seems to survive. Whereas the younger generation may be changing the way of the American style of really talking to each other and relating to each other. I am hoping that I can be a pioneer in this social change and contribute much to this culture and its emotional development. So hold onto your hats, England, the winds are about to change and the only thing that may remain truly constant just might be the rain in the winter!

Hatfield Forest

Hatfield Forest is one of the many great National Trust places that I can go to in my new car. It's about 10 minutes away from the house and there are lots of lovely trees and a nice lake with plenty of places to walk around and take pictures of the wildlife. The National Trust is an organization that is responsible for the care and restoration of old fashioned stately homes and gardens for tourism. People can go and visit the stately homes and gardens and have coffee and soup and sandwiches and cakes in the cafe. Since my mother-in-law is a member of The National Trust, she has a card that gets her or us (if we take them with us) into these places for free. It is one of the many activities I will be taking advantage of now that I can drive. Don't you love the tree?

My New Car!

Say hello to my little friend! Yes, this is it; it's a 1993 Vauxhall Astra with 66,000 miles on it. It's not the youngest tool in the shed or the smartest chicken, but it will get me around town and maybe beyond, and the best part is: It's an Automatic! Yes, I know that everyone drives stick here, but I thought it would be better to master the WRONG side of the road first, and then tackle shifting gears so I can pass my test eventually. We bought the car from the mechanic where the Webb family traditionally shops for cars, so hopefully it will not disappoint, but if it does, we are only 25o quid (like "bucks" but for pounds) down. All in all, another answer to prayer! Not to mention the fact that this picture was taken about 4:30pm when last week it would have already been dark, so the days are getting longer, hurrah!

Sick of Sponge

Here in England, it appear that the sponge cake is definitely one of the most popular desserts found in shops, at tea times and at church socials everywhere. In fact, it may actually be the case that the sponge cake is the most religiously acceptable cake to make for a church social. There are some ladies who would be outraged if there were not at least 5 different sponge cakes being make for a church social event. I think it may even border on blasphemy! But as for me, being the rebel that I am, I have had it with sponge cakes. Although they are very light, fluffy and sweet, and they generally do hit the spot with a cup of coffee or tea, my body is telling me that it has had its fill of the sponge cake smorgasbord lifestyle. I think all the cake over the last few months has made me dislike the cake and begin to feel (upon just gazing at the cake) the way I would feel just after eating it: sick to my stomach with a headache and beginning to lose the will to live. I know it may sound dramatic, but I do believe that a combination of the wheat and sugar really puts be over the edge and then makes me feel sad that I went over the edge for no reason. So basically, I am so over the whole sponge cake novelty. Bring on some fresh fruit and yogurt anytime!

BTW: If anyone is interested, this is a picture of a Victoria Sponge cake named for Queen Victoria (because she liked it). It was named for her after she and some other ladies started the tradition of tea time in the afternoon around 4:00 which has become a traditional British standard (although now somewhat old fashioned). Also, the British standard for creating a proper sponge cake is from a recipe is as follows: 4 oz. flour, 4 oz. sugar, 4 oz. butter and 2 eggs with larger cakes being a doubling of this recipe as required.

Poetry Frozen in Time

As Emily Dickinson said, "Poetry is life distilled." Well, at the moment if you distilled my life then you would get this (my first poem written in England).

dungeon
of cavernous damp
the mold of old years
corroding me
like a plague
I can't cure.

then suddenly
there is a stirring,
stinging in my feet
my knees though weak
wish to spring forward
to run, but where?

can't move
almost out of air
what if this is my last breath?

By: Marissa Grace Pajot (my pen name)
circa November 2008

Those thoughts are now frozen in time just like my photo of the frosted branch. There is nothing I can do but look at that picture of my life at that moment and know that, sometimes that is just the way things are. Sorry for those of you who were hoping for something fun and happy this time. I hope to do more soon. Maybe I will write something else that is not so depressing. Maybe.

Frozen Webbs

Here are some pictures of the spiderwebs that frost over when the dew freezes on them.

Here are some Webbs who are very cold and trying to warm up with a cup of coffee.

A New Favorite Christmas Hymn

From The Squalor of a Borrowed Stable (Immanuel)

By: Stuart Townend

From the squalor of a borrowed stable,
By the spirit and a virgin's faith;
To the anguish and the shame of scandal
Came the Saviour of the human race!
But the skies were filled with the praise of heav'n,
Shepherds listen as the angels tell
Of the Gift of God come down to man
At the dawning of Immanuel

King of heaven now the Friend of sinners,
Humble servant in the Father's hands,
Filled with power and the Holy Spirit,
Filled with mercy for the broken man
Yes.  He walked my road and He felt my pain,
Joys and sorrows that I know so well;
Yet His righteous steps give me hope again
I will follow my Immanuel!

Through the kisses of a friend's betrayal,
He was lifted on a cruel cross;
He was punished for the world's transgressions,
He was suffering to save the lost
He fights for breath, He fights for me
Loosing sinners from the claims of hell;
And with a shout our souls are free
Death defeated by Immanuel!

Now He's standing in the place of honour,
Crowned with glory on the highest throne,
Interceding for His own beloved
Till His Father calls us to bring him home!
Then the skies will part as the trumpet sounds
Hope of heaven or the fear of hell;
But the Bride will run to her Lover's arms,
Giving glory to Immanuel!

Wintry Scenes

Here are some wintry scenes from Stansted and surrounding area just to prove that it does snow in England even if not a lot! It is very pretty with the frost and snow when it does. I have taken these pictures over the last couple of weeks. I hope you enjoy!

In the Studio

Here I am with Phil recording his 3rd album with his band, The Partridge Quartet. In this picture Phil and I are just playing around with harmonies for his cover of Hallelujah, the song from Shrek. Tim took a lot of video footage of the entire day with all of us hanging around and singing and playing around etc. We did a couple of Christmas type songs and I added some harmonies in the background. It was lots of fun, with Phil and his band members (Rich and Adam) and their silly and often irreverent songs. We had a great time fooling around in the studio which was pretty much just a garage in a parking lot by the railroad tracks. It was all pretty Rock and Roll, and we had a great time.

Our Getaway Chalet

Well it is finally the new year, and Tim and I didn't have long left to hang out together and relax, so we went away to his auntie Gill's farm in Shere where they have a chalet for people to rent out for vacations. It happened to be free for a while, so she invited us to go and stay. So we went to stay for a couple nights on our way to visit Phil in Southampton. It was a nice little wooden cabin with a bedroom and a large living room/kitchen. We had a nice cozy time watching movies and going into Guildford for a day of walking around and wandering into the little shops. Then we headed to Phil's for a day of recording his 3rd album in the studio.

Owl Friends

Here I am in Scotland with Dylan the owl. Tim's uncle Rod runs the Scottish Owl Center which is where we were staying in Scotland. They have a bunch of different owls and some of them are trained for displays like this one, whose name is Dylan. Dylan is a barn owl and very friendly. He enjoyed flying back and forth from my hand to the perches on either side of the room. Rod rewarded him by feeding him bits of baby chick meat which is what owls eat for treats. They get the baby chick meat from chicken farmers who don't need the male chicks and get rid of them. In the wild, owls normally eat small rodents etc. and swallow them whole only to cough up the indigestible parts in pellets later on. That part is sad and very disgusting. Owls aren't the most warm and cuddly creatures, but they are very interesting despite the whole "swallowing little animals whole" thing.

Scenes from Scotland

Random Christmas Pics

Happy New Year!

Here is our winter wonderland at night. It is the only part of the house that was decorated for Christmas (apart from the stuff in our bedroom). We are still enjoying it even though it's past Christmas now. We like to prolong things in our family; just ask my mom when she takes down the Christmas decorations at home! But we wanted to wish you all a very Happy New Year. We've got 5 hours on the Americans, so we are already well underway with our new year's resolutions. I will post more soon about our adventures over Christmas and in Scotland, but for now that's it.