half term

Before I write much we do have plans for some pics to go up, forgive us the pic part of this program is not the easiest to navigate:( Let me tell you a bit of what life has been like for us in the last week or so. First of all it has been half-term which means that all kids are off school, and life in general has less of a rush to it, less meetings, less traffic (sort of, we'll come onto that) less of the normalcy that a week is, if there is a normal. You would think all of that would translate into a load of free time and non-business and to some extent it wasn't as busy but where does the time go, I'm sure we all ask that sometimes. I had about 9-10 smaller projects going on, none that pressed to much, all that took a bit of thinking and some creativity, all of which were quite enjoyable to do. You know what it's like when there is something huge to accomplish you get right to it and go for it, when there are smaller less imposing projects they tend to get pushed off and not addressed as quickly. But throughout the week the numerous projects were completed, we had another very successful panto practice (will blog about sometime) a very interesting Alpha Saturday and today we played Killer Bunnies so ya it's been good around here.
There is a saying that the English always talk about the weather, that's because the weather is often worth talking about. This week on Wednesday we woke up to a layer of ice on the car, as we drove toward Oakley all the cars had measurable snow caked on them, as we reached Oakley it was a white-winter-wonderland, what a surprise snow in October, snow at all! I picked up Chris to go for a coffee in the town centre of Basingstoke and a trip that usually takes 15 minutes from his house took an hour or so. The roads were jammed and packed, they were like slow moving parking lots. Not because of cautious driving only, there had been loads of accidents that closed roads, and ice/snow that closed roads as well. It was a traffic headache except we weren't in a huge hurry, it was half-term you know, sometimes life is lived best in less, in half-term, slow moving speed, I'm sure it will crank up as soon as tomorrow as we stare meetings from morning to late evening, but hey that's life, we'll enjoy it all anyhow!
e

Our New Home - The Village of Overton

I've been getting a little grief about putting some pictures on here so I figured it was high time I did something about it. :) We get easily caught up in our daily life and forget sometimes to take enough pictures but recently I did take several shots of our village so here they are. Enjoy! RR

Big Things

I was talking to mom on the phone and she asked what about big things? I didn't know what she meant, big as in the size of the sun compared to the earth, big as in "i have big test on Monday I'd better study" big as in "a big part of our sales are hamburgers and hot dogs" big can be taken in many different ways. I'm looking at big from the standpoint of too much for me to handle or enact only God can do the "big" and I can be there to help. Much of the way of following Christ is looking, seeking and finding where He is already at work and then joining Him. It's not about coming up with a big idea that is near impossible to start or complete, rather it's about joining what is already brewing, or getting a team around to take on a new initiative. Maybe in our lives things look too big because they are not what we are to focus upon, they are too big for us to handle on our own. They aren't too big for us to handle with Jesus at the helm, the ship ain't too big that it can't be steered down the canal, I learned that first hand, even though it was a relatively small boat, you see the analogy hopefully:) When God has asked us to do "big" things at first they do seem improbable and impossible, over time and understanding they don't usually seem so big, in fact they seem attainable and possible. Of course over time we usually see what God is already doing, it's not just us on an island trying to reinvent the wheel again, it's already been invented, we just have to be willing to use the wheel that exists.
In Bible college one of the most important challenges that was laid out to the students was to think big, not settle for the small. This changed our thinking, instead of thinking what can we do, our thinking shifted to what can we do only if God is behind it and through His power. Though that thinking may not seem like a monumental shift try it yourself, you'll realize that when He asks "big" things that they can only be done in His power. This is something we learn all the time, hopefully it is an everyday occurrence, because if so then we are going for it, and doing the big, the improbable and impossible which turns to attainable and possible. thanks for listening, love ya mom
deeder

little things

Ya it's the little things that are usually the roughest aren't they? Small thing in my mind, the leaves changing in Goshen were cool, they were amazing in Elmira, but here not so much. It's not that they are unpretty (word?) but it's more that they are not spectacular. Maybe that's not the worst thing, getting used to spectacular is not the best way to live, in fact it probably sets one up for frustration more often than not. It seems to us if we let the little things get to us, then they get to us. I know that sounds simple or maybe even corny but it is true. If we don't let them get to us, then we're not bothered, sort of like me and brownies. If they're there, I eat them, if they're not I don't remember them and don't eat them. If I'm not bothered then life is easier on the whole. If you have found this confusing count yourself normal, cuz as I write this I'm getting more confused by the sentence. Switching gears a bit, Rebecca and I are involved in a village pantomime this Christmas. For those of you who don't have a clue what I'm on about, it is a like a comical play that local villagers come together to learn and perform, the crowd interacts with the actors/actressess and it pretty much a farce much of the time. sounds fun doesn't it, we're playing ourselves in the story of Alice in Wonderland, that doesn't exactly fit, but ok, it is a panto as they say. Gotta run now, the clock is striking 6:44
e

helping out

One of the areas of life that gives both Rebecca and I much joy is the classroom. We thought that we might have some opportunity this year, but didn't know how that might work out. It has, we are going into the Kings School (the school run by Basingstoke Community Churches) to work with small literacy groups from y3 to y5. This happens to be the ages that I taught at Ox Bow so wonderful memories are being conjured consistently whilst working with these lads and lassess. Today some of what Rebecca did with a group was rhyming, again straight out of her book of past experience:) We each have 3 groups in the morning, I have one of 3, then a group of 8 then another of 6. The 8 is like my own little classroom for a 1/2 hour, oh what fun, today we continued on writing a story based on the story starters from last week. To those of you who are educators you will probably understand that, if you're not you may not care much, but I do get a charge out of it. Rebecca has a group of 2, 3 and 4, it is much like when she used to send small groups out to the para, now we are the people who the small group goes and finds. No it's not heavy duty, but it's like a large Slurpee on a sweltering day. It doesn't last that long, but it is very refreshing and you look forward to the next one. So next Thursday should be a blast, as we continue writing stories, working with rhyming words, a short drama about 4 guys on a ship and creating different types of sentences, the more life changes the more it stays the same.
Mr. and Mrs. Robinson

Life in Slow Motion

Hey, it's Rebecca here, reflecting a bit on our new life in England. I'm going to try and describe how I am feeling but not sure I will be able to articulate it exactly. God has been up to some incredible things and I feel like I am just sitting back and watching Him do such cool stuff and He is allowing me to be a part of it. One thing that has been incredible is our neighbors. Since we arrived we have been warmly received by the people around us. We had 22 neighbors at our open house a month ago and the friendliness has continued. God has blessed me with an American friend right here in the village that simply knocked on my door one day out of the blue right after I had had a bout of homesickness. This friend has introduced Earl and I to numerous people down at the pub and it just makes everything more familiar. Two weeks ago we had the privilege of being asked to lead an Alpha course. Alpha is an 11 week course where people come to learn and discuss the Christian faith to see if they want to be followers of Jesus. It is an informal and engaging time. We are leading this course at the home of some of our fellow church members and it is great fun! It seems wherever we turn God is allowing us to experience Him in some way or another. One day out of the blue at the pub someone started asking me questions about my faith, it was cool to be able to share what God is doing in my life. I can't wait to see what will happen next! RJR

a rainy day

This is not all that uncommon in England to have "a rainy day". There is a saying "into one's life some rain must fall" how true is that, without it there is no growth. I have been working on a teaching series from stories of Elijah and one of Sunday's points was how important rain was in the culture of the Israelite people. Of course it is important now as well, but maybe we take it for granted though. Ya it is a bit grey, maybe unpleasant to walk in, and can make things sloppy but the alternative of hard-baked ground, brown grass and dust is not that great either. My mind has floated to thinking about what the rain in our life that falls is. I think in the saying it means rain is a bad, unfortunate, untimely happening that takes place, I would rather flip it the other way and say the rain is a wonderful, God-given provision that elicits life and growth. I have been known to enjoy an overcast day, somewhere in the 50's with a bit of wind, so maybe that's weird, maybe that's why a rainy day in my book is a good one, just so long there aren't too many in a row:)
your weatherman

Keeping Up

I know I know keeping up with a blog should not be very difficult, but go ahead and try it, you'll find that it's not that easy. Rebecca and I were talking the other day, we do much of that these days:) and realized that our day to day life was not very normal, it changes, shifts and looks different all the time. As a result routine which is something teachers get very used to has been somewhat tossed out the window. A typical week for example will have us in the town centre on Monday morning for prayer, then coffee with a friend. Often then we'll be home for the afternoon with either a men's discipleship group meeting or a leaders meeting at night. Tuesday's usually don't have too much although yesterday I was visiting a friend, we had lunch guests followed by a planning meeting, then we're going to see a Abi from KBC (that was pushed off until today) then we fit in a walk between the raindrops, a leftover based supper and a leaders meeting at night. Today now for example I am not leaving the house hardly at all, but know of 3 people stopping in at some point. All of this to show that routine is all but impossible for us to fall into, so things like writing consistently, playing guitar consistently, keeping up with friends all over the globe consistently fall away a bit, hopefully not too much though. One aspect of life that we are desperatetly trying to maintain is the idea of not being busy, but rather being intentional with our time and sometimes that means being busy but not running on a hamster wheel to accomplish it all. I realize there are only so many hours in a week, and Rome wasn't built in a day. With all that being said, i ought to get a move on with the day, working on a message for Sunday from I Kings 17:1 where Elijah confronts Ahab, oh it is soooo juicy, what a great kickoff to amazing stories from the Old Testament. So have a wonderful and find some time to step out of your routine and do something different!
edr

long time

It has been a long time in my book since last I wrote on this blog, do forgive me, my creative juices have flowing elsewhere in the last while. i am just finishing up a 6 session teaching on the life of Elijah oh what a guy he was. If i could obey, listen and have half the faith he did consistently that would be amazing, he walked into crazy situations and trusted completely. I don't want to make excuses, nor should I have to but i do have a twinge of feeling bad for not writing more often. people ask where our days go, it can be hard to recount but alas they do, there are people to see, meetings to attend (many prayer meetings lately which have been really good) things to shop for, books to read, songs to be sung, etc... As you see we are busy, not in the sense of running around like chickens with our heads cut off, but in the sense of busy doing what God has asked us to do. In that vein it is a great busyness, we are all about His kingdom and being His warriors here on earth. i'm not going to promise an amazing amount of posts, although who knows maybe the creative juices will start to flow the blogger way more often... off to finish up the work on Elijah it has been a long time coming. later
etp

The Shack

Rebecca here again, well, I don't know if any of our blogs have ever been a book report and I don't necessarily think this one will be exactly that either. I just finished reading The Shack, by Wm Paul Young. This has been a highly debated book, seems people either love it or hate it. It doesn't fit within your normal religious boxes, that is for sure. Since KBC, I have felt I can read books more critically than ever before. This book captured me, read it within about a 24 hour period, simply couldn't put it down, I love books like that. Anyway, whether I agree with every line this man penned or not, there were some significant truths in this book and it really shows how God wants to meet us in the midst of our pain and how much He truly cares about us. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"...just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable strategies, doesn't mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Don't ever assume that my using something means that I caused it or I need it to accomplish my purposes. That will only lead you to false notions about me. Grace doesn't depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets and colors. "

"Guilt'll never help you find freedom in me. The best it can do is make you try harder to conform to some ethic on the outside. I'm about the inside."

"...humans are not defined by their limitations, but by the intentions that I have for them; not by what they seem to be, but by everything it means to be created in my image."

"I am not merely the best version of you that you can think of. I am far more than that, above and beyond all that you can ask or think."

My favorite:

"Living unloved is like clipping a bird's wings and removing it's ability to fly. ...pain has a way of clipping our wings and keeping us from being able to fly. And if left unresolved for very long, you can almost forget that you were created to fly in the first place."

My prayer is that I will always remember that I was created to fly! Because knowing who we are in God makes us an incredible threat to the enemy! Praise God!

The Shift

Hey, it's Rebecca writing! It has been awhile since I have given my 2 cents worth so decided it was high time! :) As some of you know approximately 2 weeks ago on August 30th we had an open house. We invited our church family to come as a way to thank them for their immense generosity as well as see our house in it's "final" state (well, not perfectly final, since we just got our new couch today!) . Anyway, we also decided we would put some flyers in our neighbors' doors, just the ones who live close by, as a way we could meet the people in our village. Well, it was a glorious day, we feel like God ordained it, pretty much the only warm day for weeks, the next day it was absolutely chucking it with rain. We had 55 people come to our little cottage, 33 church family, and 22 neighborhood family. It was wonderful, we feel so blessed to have so many people around us. As I met new people that day, as I had only met 1 or 2 of the neighbors, something happened that was really cool. In the midst of meeting new people, the friends from church suddenly became familiar. I had been struggling with so much unfamiliarity around me and it seemed within a moment God changed things for me. The unfamiliar became familiar and I realized I could relax around people I didn't really know that well. Actually, since that day homesickness has not been an issue. I am content and know God has us here. No, I do not have as many close friends as I do in Indiana, those kinds of relationships take time, but I am not lonely, the Lord has given me contentment. Now, for those of you reading in Indiana, don't think that I don't miss my friends, I most certainly do! but I am glad that I am where I am supposed to be for this season.

time flies

I was picking blackberries today (as you do) and realized that I hadn't written in almost a week. It's not that i don't have anything to write or that I don't want to, sometimes it just doesn't happen. There is so much I could write about concerning our time in Overton, but that seems like a daunting task to undertake. We are very encouraged to say the least, maybe it is the honeymoon element of not being long yet, but i'd like to think that it is God at work. I do think the latter, He is amazing and is working in our lives, people that we are meeting both in and out of the church, and there is a buzz around. you know that kind of buzz when people are sick of being complacent, almost an itch to get going, try new things, meet new people. That's the buzz we are sensing, and that is encouraging. We realize that it will not always be hunky-dory (spelling?) cuz that's life, but we don't have to live under the circumstances, instead we can deal with them and use them to our advantage. I think that is some of what we're up to, listening to people, their circumstances and seeing where God is at work in their lives. He is constantly working and speaking, are we, am I listening and acting on what He says. I've been studying Elijah to prepare some talks on him as a person and his actions and Elijah obeyed, trusted and acted, he then left the rest to God. That is where we are at the moment, a great place to be, hearing, obeying (or attempting to) trusting, acting and then seeing what God is doing with our humble offering of obedience. That's sort of our life this week in a nutshell, at least a theological nutshell, have a good one
edr

one

We've been in 47 for one month, it seems more like 4 months but alas only one. I can't say the old adage that time has flown, it doesn't feel like it has, rather we have been blessed with some slow and some very fast moving days. May I take some time to list a number of facets I enjoy about living in Overton or our little cottage? I'm going to anyway since I'm the one writing this entry, so here goes...
Blackberries - I know I've been on about them before but how amazing is the fact I can stroll through the garden arrive at a patch, pick till my hearts content and it costs me nothing except the random scratch or sting from a nettle
Duck Races - I saw one once in Watkins Glen, the little rubber duckies were pummeled by rushing water, some actually made it across the finish line. The Overton duck race was not as quickly paced. A meandering, gorgeous plot of the Test River (how it's a river I'm not sure, there is more water in ditch behind Burt Hall's house) is used as the "race" course. Hundreds of little duckies each numbered are placed and then coaxed through human wave making to make it about 400 yards down stream. All the while the wooded/muddy path that goes along the river teams with people, stalls selling jewelry and cakes, with a man on a portable pa system shouting play-by-play of each race. I wish that words could explain the afternoon spent at Flashetts watching the ducks, rooting for numbers 45, 73 and 145 but in the end we didn't win any race, maybe next time we'll mentally prepare our duck better for the race
Doorknocker - These don't exist in America except maybe in New England or somewhere older, but remember I'm in England not new England and our door is 250 years young at this point. It has an impressive handle which is a huge and I mean huge knob, one can't wrap their hand around it if attempting to hold on to a grocery bag or anything else for that matter. What I really enjoy is the doorknocker, it is sort of like our 18th century version of a door bell. It doesn't work well, it's meant to forcefully strike against a metal ball that emits a loud "knock", ours doesn't forcefully move hence it doesn't emit a loud knock more of a sound when you slap a feather (as you do), needless we don't realize people at our house until they peer into the windows
mourning doves - their voice is often heard, they are ever present, much like God in a way, much like God to deposit us into this village to experience such life altering facets such as blackberries, duck races and a poorly working doorknocker.
edr of overton

more pics from our new pad

some pics as requested

There have been a number of requests on our blog, but none more loudly and widely heard than "what does your house look like" Anyway we are ready to share some pics with you all since we are somewhat finished with accessorizing the place, it has been an effort and worth the effort. So here goes, do enjoy:)