Skittles taste different in England.

My dear friends and family,

May I please start off my entry with an annoying, yet necessary, disclaimer.
I am sincerely apologetic for my lack of necessary lengthy responses to emails, blog entires, phone calls, and message replies. I have been doing an awful job at this, and I am fully aware of my shortcomings. Let at least try to explain this to you, not that i'm trying to make excuses. Here at Capernwray, we have limited internet access. It's on for 3 hours in the afternoon, and one hour at night. during these four hours, there are at least 50 students using the internet. Causing the internet to be as slow as molasses. (It took me hour days to download an album, i kid you not.) This makes it very hard to respond lengthy to people. I do wish, more than anything, that I could stop the clock and sit down and tell every single one of you what my days are like here. Not to mention, I have to use my afternoons for other things such as music practice, homework assignments, papers, reading, and much more. So let me just say that I am sorry if i feel distant from you right now. But to be honest, i am. Physically. So please give me grace, and be patient. And please don't take my lack of/delayed communication personally. I love you all the same. No matter how far my travels will take me.

My love for this place continues to grow, daily. But in very different ways. I'm still constantly in awe of the beauty, loving the friendships, and basking in the fact that I live in England. But now, I am starting to fall in love with what God is providing for me on a daily basis. I have never felt so hungry for knowledge, or been so amazed with God's provision. He is teaching me so much, and showing me so much. It's hard, it's scary, it's emotional, but it's beautiful.

Every day is a surprise, here at Capernwray. For example, last night I played 3 on five basketball against five scrappy Koreans, one of whom only really knows curse words in English. I don't think i've ever laughed so hard in my life. I can honestly say I never could have guessed that I would ever be put into that situation, but I wouldn't have traded it for the world.

I'm trying really hard to get better at piano. Really hard. I recently learned a Kanye West song on the piano. My dear friend James is kind enough to sit by me on the piano bench and provide some incredible beat-boxing. And well, i try my best to rap. Music is constantly filling the castle, and I love it. There is some really talented people here. My friend Marika and I were asked to perform for some local elderly people, a worship set here at Capernwray, and a traveling Christmas roadshow. Ha, yeah. A roadshow.
In fact, I'm quitting bible school and joining a circus. Sorry mom.

I went to Liverpool. I listened to the song Penny Lane, on Penny Lane. Yes, there were tears. I stood in Strawberry Fields. I saw all the boys childhood homes. And i went into The Cavern. It was one of the most beautiful days, ever. Ah. Praise the Lord of the Beatles. Seriously.

I'm going to Scotland this weekend. I will have lunch in the cafe that J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter in. I will be so inspired, I will probably start writing the novel, then quit the circus when i sell thousands. Yes. That's the plan...

Love always.

Just take a step back, and look around.

I am constantly surrounded by rolling green fields, sheep, the word of God, and great people.

That is my current life, and I'm enjoying every second of it.

I'm finally starting to settle in here, and feel comfortable. Every morning I wake up, and I look out my tower window, (I suppose you could say my current life is very similar to that of a Christian Princess), and I thank God that I'm here. In the midst of everything going on at home, and my family feeling further than ever, there is this sense of peace that God has given me, that I am so thankful because I really need that right now. I would normally be freaking out, but for some reason, I feel God's presence and control over all that I am worried about.

This place is a constant reminder that I am taken care of by the universe. Ah, yes. Maybe for the first time, the word "content" would be a perfect way to describe the I feel.

I went more north in England last weekend, and got to see William Wordsworth grave. That was incredible, and made me think of my dear friend Annaka, and wishing she could be a nerd with me and just stare at the ground. As I was walking the streets of the lake district, I felt like I was living poetry. Every step a took, another stanza to be written down. It's an incredible feeling to be walking around the a place that you have read poem and poem about. It makes all art so real and close. That's what all of England makes me feel like. Living poetry. It's wonderful.

The classes here continue to be wonderful. I am constantly learning new things, and being challenged. There are always questions in my head, whirling around at the speed of light. And when one finally slows down enough for me to snatch, there are 180 students just waiting to talk, or argue, about it with me. There is something wonderful about the common ground of a hunger for knowledge. It truly makes a close community. I can already tell that the people I am meeting here will be lifelong friends.

I am now going to go watch our football team play a local team for a real game. Our soccer pitch is in the middle of one of the sheep fields. It's truly wonderful. By the way, the idea the sheep are precious and cute is a total misconception. They are some of the ugliest animals I have ever seen in my life.

Here is my house. See the tallest window? That's my bedroom.