Christmas UK style....

This year's Christmas was probably the most...different Christmas I have ever spent. Check out my facebook page to see pics. Here's how it went...

We had 4 days off for Christmas. And, well, we kind of wanted to get out of London considering all transportation is shut down on Christmas Day. So we went to Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Me.

Ben.

Valerie.

Jordan.

On Christmas Eve eve we journeyed out to Victoria station to await our 9 hour bus ride. Midway there I realized we forgot our passports. Yay. So Valerie and I went ahead to get a good spot in line for the bus (because I was NOT about to sit to a stranger for 9 hours). It was a hilarious sight to see me to attempt to carry 2 massive suitcases up some stairs. I guess there was some Christmas spirit in London because two men stopped to help us carry our stuff.

We managed to all make it to the bus station and after a good fight to keep our first in line spots, we were all set on the 9 hour overnight bus ride. It wasn't a good sleep at all, BUT when I awoke it was to beautiful white snowy Scottish hills all around me!

I was so excited about a white Christmas! 

CHRISTMAS EVE DAY CONSISTED OF: 

Walking a mile to our hostel in the snow, luggage in tow. Checking into our hostel and then exploring the city. This included many Harry Potter sights where J.K. Rowling wrote the books. We enjoyed breakfast at The Elephant room where she wrote the first books. Ben had a full Scottish breakfast.

Haggis. (mix of the nastiest parts of animals and oatmeal)

Black Pudding. (not quite sure but there's blood in it. sick)

The real deal.....

I stuck with a chorizo/egg panini and a beautifully crafted soya latte. 

Then we walked around in a graveyard to try and find the Tom Riddle grave. We finally did :)

By this time we were all exhausted but kept on trucking. We walked down the royal mile, enjoyed watching some bagpipe playing, browsed a German Christmas Market, etc.

Oh, and for those of you who don't know my maiden name is McKinney, which is Scottish. So I found our plaid and bought material to make a blanket. 

We came back to the hostel and I made some Bubble bread and popcorn. Ben and I just stayed inside and watched some Christmas movies. I went to bed a little sad and yes, cried a little bit for not being in the U.S. with the fam...but all in all it was a pretty good day.

CHRISTMAS DAY

I woke up to see a long black sock hanging from my bed and then Ben telling me some elves had come in the middle of the night. (The hostel workers literally came into our room and hung socks filled with goodies on all of our beds. Kind of creepy it sounds, I know, but it was fun to wake up to). 

Ben and I got ready for the day and went to St. Giles, the 2nd oldest building in the city, for a morning Christmas service. It was a conservative Anglican service but we really enjoyed it. The inside of the cathedral was absolutely gorgeous. 

After the service, we walked back to the hostel and it was time for breakfast and presents! I warmed up the bubble bread and made some starbucks coffee (thanks Mom for sending that!) and then we opened presents next to the fire. One of my favorite gifts was an owl hat (pictures on facebook) from Ben!

Ben and I decided to spend the majority of our Christmas day hiking up to the very top of a dormant volcano (Arthur's seat). Keep in mind that it was very snowy and icy. It took quite awhile to get to the top, maybe an hour or so. Getting down seemed to take longer since it was so icy. Honestly, we pretty much skiied down on our boots haha. And we also rolled down the hill (video on facebook). It was fun.

But I was FREEZING! and it took an hour in the freezing cold to walk back to the hostel. 

When we got back and ready for the evening, I found Jordan was talking to some of the guys from the hostel around the fire. There was a LOT of talk happening. They were basically grilling us about our faith, what we believe in, the Bible and its accuracy, Jesus, etc. It was AWESOME!!!! By the end of the conversation, everyone we talked to left telling us that we were different than "Christians" that they had met. I've decided that I am going to be much more careful about calling myself a Christian because for a lot of people in this world, that is a negative thing. They picture a bible thumping screamer on the side of the street, condemning people. Anyway, it was a highlight of our time there. Some major seeds were planted.

It didn't seem like Christmas at all, truly. But thankfully our friend Rebecca (who lives in Edinburgh) invited us over to her house for a few hours that night and when we arrived it totally felt like Christmas! Her house was so cozy and warm with a Christmas tree. We were served tea and shortbread (very British) and opened Christmas crackers (also very British). It was super fun. And we had jambalaya for dinner.

Thats right.

Jambalaya as my Christmas meal.

Beat that. 

It was so good considering we had only eaten breakfast. 

So this Christmas was different. But it was good. A good time....

Hope your Christmas was good as well. :)

"COME, FOLLOW ME"

Jesus was a Rabbi. 

He asked a few fisherman to "Come, Follow Me"

In Jesus time, all Jewish children would attend school at the age of 6. They would be under the teaching of the local Rabbi (teacher), who was the most respected member of the community. By the age of 10 the students would have the first five books of the Bible (The Torah) memorized. 

Genesis.

Exodus.

Leviticus.

Numbers.

Deuteronomy.

Can you imagine having to memorize the family lines? The Laws in Leviticus? Ugh. By the age of 10!

Maybe it was easier because not everyone had a copy of the Torah. Actually, there was probably only one copy per village kept in the synagogue and only read once a week. 

At age 10, students would begin to sort of....divide into two groups. 

Those who had natural abilities to understand scripture. The "smart" kids.

Those who chose to work in the family business. The "not so smart" ones.

The "smart kids" went on to the next level of education, called Bet Talmud and spent the next four years memorizing the ENTIRE Old Testament.

Genesis through Malachi.

All of it. 

Memorized. 

By a 14 year old. 

Do you have the Old Testament memorized?

I don't...

Believe it or not, there was a next step in the education of these Jews in Jesus time. It was to apply to become a talmidim (disciple) of the Rabbi. The goal was not to be the Rabbi's favorite student, but to actually do what the Rabbi did. 

The student had spent 8 years memorizing the Old Testament, Genesis through Malachi. Wrestling with questions about God and what the scriptures meant. And now was the moment where he would have the chance to be a disciple of the Rabbi. To do what the rabbi did. 

Only one catch.

The Rabbi has to believe that the student has what it takes. 

He has to believe in the student. 

If he believes that the student has what it takes, the Rabbi would say, "Come, follow me". 

Are you seeing where I am going with this? Let's continue....

Fast forward some time, and you see a Rabbi who is starting his teaching and training of disciples at the age of 30 (which is when a Rabbi usually begins teaching and training). 

This Rabbi's name is Jesus. 

And He calls out to fisherman, who hadn't made the cut. Didn't believe they were "good enough" (or were told this) to continue their education. Memorize the entire Old Testament. Apply to follow a Rabbi.

Jesus asks these fisherman to "Come, follow me." 

Jesus believed they had what it took.

Jesus believes we have what it takes. 

Jesus BELIEVES IN US. 

Why don't we believe in ourselves? Why do we choose to believe others (parents, teachers, peers, church "authority", etc.) who tell us we don't make the cut. 

Jesus BELIEVES IN US. 

Jesus asks us to COME, FOLLOW ME.

And even more on the plus side, His yoke is easy. 

When Jesus was frustrated with his disciples over the course of His teaching, He wasn't condemning them, telling them they weren't good enough yet. 

Peter didn't sink into the water because He lost faith that Jesus would help him walk on water. Peter lost faith in himself. 

Peter lost faith that he could do what his Rabbi was doing.

JESUS BELIEVES WE CAN BE LIKE HIM. 

BELIEVE YOU CAN BE LIKE HIM.

BE LIKE HIM.

(The idea and main concept of this blog came from a book called "Velvet Elvis", which I highly recommend)

Serbia Here We Come!

Today we found out where we are going on our outreach and the place is...

SERBIA!!!

Serbia is located in Southern Europe and is beautiful (see picture of Uzice above) That's about all I know about it at the time and am researching more. We also know that we will  be in the city of Uzice and helping with a new ministry. We will be making a lot of contacts with the people there, performing dramas, serving in churches, etc. We are basically there to serve and do whatever is needed to help the ministry grow there in Uzice.

We will be in Serbia for 3 weeks of the outreach and then going to somewhere in the UK for the last 3 weeks (possibly Wales)

We are in dire need of funds to be able to go to Serbia. The reality is that if we cannot raise the funds that we need to go on this outreach, then we aren't going. Not only that, we won't have completed our training with YWAM and cannot be on staff or continue on in this organization. We must complete an outreach phase to be considered as completing the training.

YOU CAN HELP IN MANY WAYS, EVEN IF ALL YOU HAVE TO GIVE IS $5 (or less!)
The total amount we need is approximately $3,700, but don't let that massive number scare you! Also, if you donate via the donate button on our blog then it is a tax-deductible donation done online! So easy!  When you donate through paypal button you must write that the donation is for Ben and Tara. Otherwise it will go towards YWAM London's general fund and not to us as there is no way of knowing it is for us if you don't specify.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP


* Sponsor us for one day while we are on outreach- $90 sponsors both me and Ben for one day. We will give you a day that is your day to sponsor us and ask that you pray for us throughout that day

* Support Tara while she runs a race in a Santa Suit and Ben as he does 2,000 pushups per week.  There is a facebook event page for both of these but you can just click the donate button on our blog and give $2, $5, $10, whatever!

* Purchase a calendar created by Tara with photos taken in and around London. Click on the LuLu button on our blog.


****WE CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THAT WHEN DONATING VIA PAYPAL ON OUR BLOG THAT YOU  MAKE SURE TO WRITE THAT YOUR DONATION (BIG OR SMALL) IS FOR BEN AND TARA. *****


***Donations via the paypal button on our blog are tax-deductible***




Please continue to be in prayer for us and thank you for all your support! We will be learning dramas and working out how outreach will really play out from now on. Pray that the Lord would lead us in absolutely everything as we plan outreach.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!