Lee Abbey Ticker

So, I just realized that I haven't given an update on the events of the last few weeks at Lee Abbey.

WORSHIPNIGHT! February 28th saw 10 community members and 3 residents risk public humiliation and global censure by singing in front of a completely packed Garden Room of students and staff. God certainly gets all the glory for this one, almost every bit of it went smoothly and efficiently - and no one ran from the room screaming and holding their ears! Seriously, the residents said they enjoyed the worship music and they all heard a very relevant talk on how our identity in Jesus is the answer to escaping a stressed-out life. Thank you for your prayers!!! The picture here of Alice and myself was taken just before we sang. Next (and last for me) Worshipnight is on 9th May.

ENGLISH WITH EXPERTS: Dr. Watson and I have enjoyed the regular appearance of one hard-working Spanish lawyer who is here to learn english every week at our Thurs evening "English with Experts" hour, plus the occasional resident who stops by to chat. So, we were completely blown away this week to find 8 people waiting expectantly for us in the lounge! Please pray that Gill and I learn how to better prepare for our English time and that we have wisdom in learning how to challenge different English levels.

COMMUNITY GRAMMAR CLASS: Before the Devon retreat, I consistently met with about 5-6 community members for a short grammar lesson once a week. I'm planning on starting this back up next week, please pray that I am able to negotiate scheduling difficulties, plan lessons well, and be enthusiastic for the opportunity to help my friends.

NEW WARDENS will be moving in the end of April and officially take over on 1 May. David and Mary will be here for only one more month . . . and they are definitely experiencing the mix of emotions that comes with retiring: excited to be moving to their new house and be close to grandkids, but sad to leave their Lee Abbey family and responsibilities.

NEW COMMUNITY - we've had four new people this month, with two on the way! Aron arrived first from Serbia. He's a lawyer, and is now working on kitchen team. We've had some great political discussions already :) A week later, Jung Eun (sweet girl from South Korea) and Luke (from Turlock, CA) arrived and started on Kitchen Team. Luke has since moved to Office Team and is doing his best to beat my record for learning all the residents' names quickly. Most recently arrived is Istvan (a Hungarian Steven) who is also on Kitchen Team. He's a sweet guy whose English will improve very quickly if his determination to learn has anything to do with it - and he's already biked around half of London in just a week! Next week, we expect Marcelo (a Brasilian from South Africa?) for Kitchen Team and then in April, Israel (from India) who will join Office Team.

I'm currently suffering withdrawl while Alice is visiting her family in Brasil, but I'm halfway through (one week down, one to go) so I think I should be able to just squeak by . . . please pray that she has a safe journey home.

I added a link to my Devon Retreat photo album on the side, or you can click here.

That's all for now, folks.

No Man is an Island . . . but sometimes you need to escape to one!

Living in community definitely proves John Donne's great statement to be true as well as poetic, but it has also helped me see how desperately I need time and space that's just reserved for me and God.

Last week, I traveled for six hours by coach to Barnstaple in the beautiful county of Devon. I went with six other fellow community volunteers and met up with David and Mary, the warden and his wife (they physcially leave Lee Abbey on April 15th, but there is some doubt as to whether they are still here in mind and spirit :)

We were met by Lee Abbey Devon's "Stephen" who is also the financial officer there (our financial officer is also named Stephen, so the two make for interesting counterparts) and he drove us to the coast near Lynton and Lynmouth to Lee Abbey Devon's estate.

We arrived in pitch black darkness with stormy rain and tempestuous winds. Stephen dropped us off directly at the front door of The Beach Chalet and I had absolutely no orientation or clue as to what was around us. We dried off, ate a delicous meal, prayed for God to bless us with good weather for our hike the next day, and slept soundly despite the whistling gales outside. I woke up at 6:30am (unheard of for me!) and opened my window to this absolutely breath-taking view!!!

I didn't realize how much I needed the 5 days away until I was there. I drank in the beautiful creation around us and the serenity of being in a place relatively little disturbed by man. The thing I appreciated most about the group I was with is that everyone else also seemed to just enjoy the peace. We could all be together in the house and yet still be alone in solitude. We didn't need to entertain ourselves or each other or constantly make noise, but let each other rest in God's presence and in the joy of silent communion. We just as easily sat quietly staring at the ocean as joined in a competitive game of Monopoly (British version, of course - Pall Mall instead of Park Place :)



God and I had several wonderful conversations that week about many interesting things, but the most impressing thing I took away with me this last week was the knowledge that I desperately need to make a quiet space in my life even at Lee Abbey to just be with and enjoy God away from other people. It doesn't mean that I need to physically be away from everyone, but I need to intentionally give God some quality time when I'm not singing, reading, intercessing, or complaining to him - just enjoying Himself for who He is.

Little ancedotes: I met the White Lady (queen of the Valley of the Rocks) with the picture to prove it. We traveled from the little town of Lynmouth to the little but more highly situated town of Lynton by way of a water railway (no fuel at all, the two little cars are attached to each other and they go up and down the cliff using water ballast). We found out that Dr. Watson consistently makes the most perfect soft-boiled eggs (the key is 4 minutes in boiling water, serve immediately!) AND knows several tricks for breaking into a locked house. None of the British people knew that Monopoly was originally an American game (they all thought it was native). Clotted cream (from Lynmouth) with strawberry preserves on scones is not only quintessentially British, but also absolutely delicious.