An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 9

November 9

This morning I was running a bit late to set fir or morning youth service.  I was frantically soured walking down the street praying that my delayed presence didn't cause my co-worker too much stress.  I turn onto the driveway leading to the church center where we hold the service, and as I'm walking though the graveyard I notice some movement on my left.  I turn my head and see a Muntjac deer.  It looks like any other kind of deer, except for the fact that it is only around 2 feet tall as an adult.  It looks at me, turns and looks at the church goer waking towards us, and bolts across the driveway into the hedges.  It was only about 5 seconds of my day in total, but it was something brand new and rather unique. 

Today I'm thankful for the little Muntjac deer and the wildlife with whom we share the Earth.

This is a Muntjac deer.  The photo doesn't show the size, but imagine it coming up the middle of your thigh.  Photo credit: BBC

An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 7-8

November 7

Every Friday, the UK YAGM have an outstanding date to all meet over Google Hangout to discuss what we've been doing that week, any prayer requests we have, and a Bible verse one of us picks out.  It's a time to relax and be ourselves with people who are in the same situation.  We can finally be homesick, frustrated, exuberantly happy, and confused.  We end our check ups with a small Bible study and a final prayer based on our time together.

Today I am thankful for my fellow YAGM and our weekly talks.

All the 2014 UK YAGM at our course at Cliff College.  It is the first time we have seen each other since we left Chicago in August. 

November 8

Today was devoted to making progress on the various projects I have going on right now.  Some YAGM related, some family related, and some just for fun.  One of these projects is a Doctor Who scarf.  The special thing about this scarf is not the fact that it's six feet long or that it's 100% wool which will keep me warm this winter.  It's special because my brothers and my mom all have variations of the same scarf.  Kiel has a twelve foot long scarf.  Nylan has the same but a little bit thinner, and Alec has a short scarf about 3 feet long.  My mom just started her scarf yesterday, and now I have finished mine.  It's something to keep me connected to my family from 4,000+ miles away.  

Today I am thankful for finished projects and long distance connections.

My brothers, Alec, Nylan, and Kiel, sporting their scarves.

An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 6

November 6

Today a troop of scouts came to the center for Remembrance Sunday, which is the same as Veteran's Day.  We played some games, including tray jousting, four square, and bucket ball, and then we went and talked about the importance of remembering those who sacrificed their lives for us.  At the end we encouraged the kids to come to our monthly youth club, and, like special scouting events I went recall, a badge in honor of the 100th year anniversary of the WWI outbreak was handed out.  The event reminded me a lot about my time in Girl Scouts, the games, the badges, and lessons we learned from learning American Sign Language to being a color guard during a memorial service.

Today I am thankful for my time with an English scout troop and Girl Scout Troop #27 which changed my life and gave me so many opportunities.

The field of poppies outside the Tower of London in honor of the 100th anniversary of WWI and in memory of the thousands who lost their lives.  Photo Credit: Ashlyn

An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 5

November 5

Today my niece is nine months old.  I'm so blessed to have spend quite a few days with her and her parents before leaving this year.  She's incredibly expressive and absolutely loves music, which meant we spent a lot of time together dancing and singing.  I can't wait to get back and play with her at the park and rediscover her wonderful personality.

Today I am thankful for the little girl I am blessed to call my niece.

My niece,Q, reading all on her own.  Maybe when I come home she'll be working her away through chapter books!

An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 4

November 4

Today we had a prayer night at a church on high street, roughly a mile from my house.  Tonight was cold and rainy, and, when my roommate and I had started walking, a car came by and splashed us with a giant, cold puddle, exactly as you would picture it in the movies.  Thus my roommate and I were soaked not even 100 yards into our journey, meaning my roommate and I had a 10 minute walk ahead of us in the dark, in the cold, drenching wet.  Luckily, we ran into two co-workers with a car on their way to the prayer night so our 10 minute walk in the cold turned into a two minute ride in a warm car.  And since I am in England, arriving at the event meant there was a nice, hot cup of tea waiting for me, which was just what I needed to warm up.

Today I am thankful for my co-worker giving my roommate and me a ride and the lovely cup of tea that warmed my bones.

Three other UK YAGM and me enjoying a nice cuppa during our conference in September.  Unlike today, the weather was lovely so we were drinking it solely for enjoyment.

An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 1-3

Thanksgiving is not celebrated in England.  It is one of the subjects that I am asked about lately, along with Halloween (which is by most Christians here), since it is something they hear about but do not know.  The questions are usually followed by "So are you going to host an American Thanksgiving?"  We may have a pie tasting night with my life group or a YAGM belated Thanksgiving in mid December.

Despite this, I will not be having a conventional Thanksgiving.  I won't be with my relatives, nor will I be cooking with my dad in the kitchen for the better part of a day.  So this year I won't be having a Thanksgiving that results in a turkey induced coma, however that is not what the day is about.  It's about taking time to appreciate everything we have been given from a plethora of food to the love of our family and everything in between.  When I was younger my mom would cut up a paper grocery bag and post it on our kitchen wall, and each day she would ask my brothers and I what we were thankful for that day.  This would continue for the November 1 all the way until Thanksgiving.  Since I will not be having a conventional, I will have an unconventional Thanksgiving by posting what I am thankful for each day.  I was at a weekend away with my youth until yesterday with no internet, so I will be giving thanks for the first three days.


November 1

All Saints Day is the time to remember your deceased loved ones and give thanks for the lessons and light they brought to your life. My Grandma Dorothy who passed away just before her birthday this year.  She is dearly missed, and she showed the strength to keep fighting even when she must have been completely worn out.

Today I give thanks for my Grandma Hynek.

Grandma and me

November 2

Today we just arrived back from our youth weekend away at the Beacon at Lee Abbey in North Devon.  It was four days of activities on the absolute gorgeous Atlantic coast of England.  We mountain boarded, rock climbed, and went on long walks through the Valley of the Rocks where feral goats roamed.  Today I am thankful for the youth, who I am blessed to watch grow in their spiritual lives and their confidence.  We had a three hour worship service, which only ended because the musicians were too tired to continue playing, and I was able to see the personalities and talents that are not shown during the one hour segments I see them during the week.

Today I am thankful for the youth with whom I work.

The view of the Bristol Channel

November 3

Growing Leaders, a leadership development course my placement provides, happens on the first Monday of every month.  Four of my co-workers are taking the same course, so we have started a great tradition of cooking and eating dinner together.  It is a time to hang out, relax, and create a friendship in a village where most of us are brand new.  It is also a time for my German roommate and I to try to live up to the wonderful English hospitality we have received.  

Today I am thankful for the monthly Monday meal.

My co-workers and I during our monthly meal (Photo credit: Perry)

Music heals the soul

Thankfully I have not had an issue with desperately missing home.  There are times, of course, that I suddenly get hit with this realization that I have moved 4,000+ miles from Wisconsin and my family.  Sometimes it is caused by a photo of my niece standing, which she could not do when I left.  Sometimes it is caused by the posts my campus pastor puts on Facebook about the campus ministry that was my spiritual home for four years.  My favorite reminders occur when a piece of music catches me off guard, and renews my spirit with fond memories mixed with new experiences.

I arrived in England about a week before my placement was ready.  This ended up being quite a blessing because I was able to meet my field officer with a couple of the other UK YAGM for an afternoon tea.  We were sitting and talking in this amazing artsy tea shop called Drink, Shop, Do when I realized that "Big Jet Plane" by Angus and Julia Stone was playing.  My older brother and I would listen to this band while exploring the countryside around our hometown, and I was happy to hear the song during one of my initial exploration outings when I was figuring out what England was all about.

One thing I have learned about myself while serving at my placement is that I am a hymn nerd.  The church I serve uses contemporary songs, and after a couple of weeks I was craving some good ole Lutheran hymns, such as "A Mighty Fortress is Our God".  So when I attended the Grand Day Out at Oxford, which I talked about in an earlier post, and we sang "Thou be my Vision", I was incredibly excited.  However, this traditional hymn came with a twist, and I, personally, love it.  This is now my go to song when I'm craving a hymn. Well that and "Were You There".  Enjoy.

After a month of being in the UK, I was missing my fellow YAGM because I needed to talk to someone who was going through the same upheaval of life I was experiencing, and I was really craving the spiritual spontaneity that occurred during the orientation week in Chicago.  All I really needed was to travel back in time when we were all gathered in the narthex of a church singing and dancing to the most joyous, lively, spontaneous renditions of "This Little Light of Mine".  Fast forward a couple days later, I was helping out at the London Community Gospel Choir concert at my church, and all of a sudden they burst out into "This Little Light of Mine", and my heart cried happy tears of healing and thanksgiving.  I think the YAGM rendition is better, but the LCGC is pretty darn good.

Peace,
Elise