What I Learned

Top 50

1. God is sovereign over all - that includes everything from airplanes to the future
2. To plod is the job
3. I can survive in a different country
4. Reading your bible everyday does matter
5. Journaling helps
6. Dolphins are shady creatures
7. Somethings are not pronounced how they are spelled
8. A new appreciation for the Psalms
9. It's ok to not know where you are going sometimes
10. There are times when a holy face punch is required
11. How to eat with chopsticks
12. Church hats are cool
13. There is such a thing as too much Jane Austin
14. When you get to the station and the train is no where in sight, don't freak out
15. What donner is
16. I like tea
17. Take extra batteries for your camera when you go out on field trips
18. It is not a good idea to watch Titanic with a bunch of girls
19. You can have a blue slush at any time of day
20. Sometimes Ben & Jerry's makes it all alright
21. You alight from trains
22. You birth from boats
23. The meaning of hospitality
24. Not having a TV is a good thing
25. You should really spend your pense before they take over an entire counter top
26. It is a bit pointless to check the weather in Scotland
    most days it will say high of 45 with a chance of rain
27. How to make frosting
28. I hate flying
29. Though I do not like flying, I much prefer it to taking the ferry
30. I like running in the mornings
31. When someone asks you "Which is better: Ireland or Scotland?" don't answer
32. Nobody likes Turkish Delight
33. There will be Sticky Toffee Pudding in heaven
34. Every house needs a dance party room
35. When you are the foreigner, you are the one with the accent 
36. Sometimes it's not ok to say "pants"
37. Not everyone takes the time difference into consideration when they schedule things
38. You don't need to take pictures of everything; sometimes it's worth it to just stand there and marvel
39. When you want milk in your coffee, ask for a white coffee
40. It is not a good idea to run down a hill
41. Not to buy MAC eyeliners off of ebay
42. The Twilight movies are crap...but I think we all already knew that
43. A cord of three strands is not easily broken
44. Real men wear kilts 
45. Be wary of adventures that entail crawling under pine trees
46. You really only need four pairs of shoes
47. How to be prepared for the afternoon of life
48. Do not leave yams sitting out for four days
49. Read the reviews of a recipe online before you start baking
50. I do not like Irn bru

Some Places We Missed: Pollok County and the Burrell Collection

The next Wednesday adventure we had took us to Glasgow. Sam took us this day first to a grand house within the city. While this house, its grounds and the museum are seemingly located in the middle of the woods, it is actually less than twenty miles from the center of the city. While walking around the house (we didn't go in) we were able to glimpse two of Scotland's mascots: a Clydesdale horse and some Highland Cows.

Next we made our way to the museum that houses the Burrell Collection of Art. The building itself has huge windows that allow the visitor to see the beauty of the woods outside while studying the man-made beauty inside. This collection features many pieces of art ranging from Rodin, Degas and Cézanne, to late medieval art, Chinese and Islamic art, as well as relics from other ancient cultures.

https://picasaweb.google.com/108532852514122909750/PollukCollection?authkey=Gv1sRgCPr7u_3AgIawFw#

Some Places We Missed: Glencoe

This trip was not one of our Wednesday adventures. Rather, one Saturday Beth decided to take the four of us along with Debbie and Fraser (two members of the CY) to one of her favorite spots in Scotland. We traveled up North through the Highlands, stopping at a few different spots to survey the natural wonders around us. Our first stop was at a familiar site, Loch Lomond. We had a short stop here to see how high the waters had risen and how much snow was on top of the peaks. Then we piled back into the cars to journey into new territory (for me at least). I will not even try to describe all that we saw that day, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

For the geeks like me, you'll be interested to know that they filmed part of the third Harry Potter movie (Prisoner of Azkaban) in Glencoe.

We stopped for lunch at the nature observatory in the midst of the mountains and woods. There, I had the best hot chocolate in the world. After lunch we wandered the paths for a bit longer than we were allowed to I guess since when we got back the doors were locked and we had to James Bond our way back to the cars on the other side of the building.

All in all, it was another day of being awestruck at the creation of a Lord who cares to know my name.

By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness,
O God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas;
the one who by his strength established the mountains,
being girded with might;
who stills the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
the tumult of the peoples,
so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.
You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.
-Psalm 65:5-8

https://picasaweb.google.com/108532852514122909750/Glenco?authkey=Gv1sRgCITVhuSo88PdNA#

Some Places We Missed: Dollar and Castle Campbell

When Graham took us out again, we traveled north to the town of Dollar. Outside of Dollar sits Castle Campbell among the Ochil Hills. The picturesque setting has drawn many people, famous Scots such as Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott, to frequent the numerous paths through the hills above the town. It is hard to imagine that the castle was originally known as Castle Gloom and the two streams nearby are named Care and Sorrow. Indeed, the name "Dollar" comes from the Celtic word for sadness. When you survey the hills, woods and streams surrounding you are left without any plausible reason why such a place would be given such a depressing name.

Having seen several castles at this point, the four of us decided to go for a wee hike instead of exploring the castle and Graham decided to wait at the bottom for us. Now when I say "we" what I really mean is Casey, Graci and Josh. By this time I had been battling a cold for the better part of the week and after trekking up the first hill we conquered I thought I would surely die. Not letting me be discouraged, Graci decided to tape our adventure so that we could look back on it later and see all that we had accomplished that day. We hiked for what seemed to me like a very long time but was in fact only about an hour. At one point, we looked back and saw a hang glider take off of one of the peaks and drift slowly down towards the town. I thought for sure he was going to land in someone's garden but he passed out of our sight so we'll never know where he ended up.

On the way down, Graci and Casey thought it would be a good idea to run down the side of the hill. This resulted in Graci face planting into the path and scraping up her hand (I know she does not mind me telling you this story because it is after all on tape and can't be denied anyway). Watching this whole ordeal unfold in front of me, I thought for sure that she had broken something and that we were going to have to find a way to carry her down the hill. Nevertheless, we made it back down the hillside and to the carpark without any rap music or flash dancing. All in all, it was another day of marveling at God's creation and good craic.
https://picasaweb.google.com/108532852514122909750/CastleCampbell?authkey=Gv1sRgCNPPz-m75Ze-hwE#

Some Places We Missed: Wallace Monument

'This is the truth I tell you:
of all things freedom’s most fine.
Never submit to live, my son,
in the bonds of slavery entwined.’

The week after our visit to Stirling Castle, Gram was kind enough to volunteer to take us out on our field trip. This trip took us to another historical site in Stirling, the Wallace Monument. As you can guess from the name, this is a national monument erected in honor of one of the patrons of Scottish freedom, Sir William Wallace. Now first and foremost you must put out of your mind the image of Braveheart that the name William Wallace conjures up. Yes, the movie Braveheart has made known to the wider world the story of Wallace's fight for freedom and is a good film; however, many liberties were taken with the film (like every other 'historical' film that is made) and it should not be looked to as an authority on the life of this man. Also, the Scottish accents in the film are dreadful. I suppose that's what you get when you mix an Aussie accent with an attempted Scottish one.

Wallace enters the pages of history in the year 1297. By this time much of Scotland was occupied by the English and the Scottish people were heavily taxed and oppressed by these usurpers. Things came to a boiling point in this year when Wallace killed the English Sheriff of Lanark, William Heselrig. The following years were filled with guerrilla warfare on the part of the Scots, led by Wallace and Andrew Murray. Murray had been leading a revolt in the north and brought his band of rebels southward to join Wallace's growing number of like minded men.

On September 11 of that year the most notable victory of Wallace's career occurred. The English army was making its way across Stirling Bridge in order to advance northward. Once half of the Englishmen had crossed, the Scottish rebels took out the bridge and slaughtered the English who had managed to get across. At the end of the day, 5000 Englishmen lay dead but the victory was bitter sweet for Wallace. His cohort, Murray, had been mortally wounded in the battle and died a few months later. After this stunning victory and unprecedented success of the revolt, England declared Wallace an outlaw while the Scots made him a knight.

After a year of this humiliation, King Edward I of England marched his forces north to meet the presumptuous Scottish forces that dared to challenge his claim to rule their land. Edward's forces captured Edinburgh and thrashed Wallace's forces at the Battle of Falkirk in April 1298. Following this defeat and a few dismal attempts that followed there after, Wallace resigned the post of Guardian of Scotland to a more politically minded man, Robert the Bruce.

William Wallace found himself now on a different side of warfare than he might have expected. He traveled to Europe serving as a diplomat for the Scottish cause. He visited various royal courts, particularly that of France, to draw support for the cause of the Scots. He received no such support and was indeed betrayed several times during his journeys. Wallace returned to Scotland in 1301 with the promise of French support that never came.

With no outside support, many Scottish nobles recognized Edward as their king in 1304 but Wallace refused. The very next year, William Wallace was betrayed and captured at Robroyston, near Glasgow. He was quickly transported to England to stand trial in Westminster Hall. Two charges were leveled against him: being an outlaw and a traitor. He simply stated that he could not be a traitor since Edward had never been his king. Nevertheless, he was found guilty and sentenced to a horrific death. I will spare you the details since I am sure my mother is reading this and does not want to know the particulars. In the end Sir William Wallace was beheaded and drawn-and-quartered. His head was placed on a pole on London Bridge while his body parts were strewn through out the land. Parts of him were sent to Newcastle, Berwick, Perth and Stirling. Edward wished this to be a message that he had destroyed the man but he had in fact strengthened the Scot's resolve to throw off once and for all the yoke of England. They would do so at a later date under there new king, Robert the Bruce.

The Wallace Monument was initiated in 1856 on top of Abbey Craig outside of Stirling. It was finished in 1869 and opened on the 572 year anniversary of Wallace's victory in the same town. To ascend the interior of the monument visitors much cautiously make their way up a narrow spiral staircase. This was all well and good for me until Graci observed while we were on the second floor that if there was a fire we'd surely never get out. On the first floor of the monument Wallace sword is displayed. This double handed sword had been preserved at Dunbarton Castle until the completion of the monument. It is a staggering 66 inches long and would no doubt live up to its name and require any wielder to use both hands. From the dimensions of the sword it had been deduced that William Wallace had to have been at least 6 foot 6 inches tall with arms like tree trunks. Within it's three interior levels it houses not only the story of Wallace's life and aim, but also tributes to other notable Scots such as Robert Burns, Dr Livingston, George Buchanan and John Knox. The top level of the monument gives way to a tremendous view of the surrounding hills and towns. I think William Wallace would have found this an appropriate feature to his monument: the opportunity for all to stand and behold his beloved Scotland for miles in every direction. This was the country for which he fought and died, and a country he thought worthy to do so for.

That day we also attempted to visit Cambuskenneth Abbey. This abbey is located near the castle and is where James III and his wife Margaret of Denmark were laid to rest. However, when we got there we found that it was closed for the winter months and we had to settle for admiring it from afar. Not to be discouraged, we made our way closer to the castle so that we could explore the graveyard that abuts it. We got a better look at the Covenanter grave sites and monuments of the graveyard than we had from our previous visit to the castle. There was a monument to the Younger Margaret and her sister Agnes as well as several statues of different men who led the movement. Also, there was a pyramidal shaped monument dedicated to the Covenanters. When my mom was here she asked me if I now know more Scottish history than American history and I don't think so. I just find the thread of history very interesting and it excites me to see how it intertwines with other parts of history especially where you would not expect it: case in point Covenanter graves next to Stirling Castle.

https://picasaweb.google.com/108532852514122909750/WallisMonument?authkey=Gv1sRgCKHpzKGMz_a1Bg#

Some Places We Missed: Stirling Castle

As I've already mentioned Stirling Castle in my adventures with my mom, here I will only seek to give some history of the castle. Stirling Castle's first contraction dates are unknown. It is first mentioned in history around the year 1110 when Kind Alexander I is said to have dedicated a chapel there. It remained in Scottish hands until 1174 when Richard I of England defeated King William I of Scotland. Richard demanded all the castles in Scotland be signed over to him however it remained uninhabited by the English afterwards. Many years later when the Wars of Scottish Independence began, the English occupied Stirling and held it as a military strong hold. After a year they were defeated and driven out of the castle by Sir Andrew Murray and William Wallace following the Battle of Stirling Bridge. The Scots were only able to hold the castle for a year before having to abandon it after an English victory at Falkirk. The Scots were not to be outdone and laid siege to the castle under Robert the Bruce. In 1299 the English garrison within was forced to surrender yet again. The castle exchanged hands throughout the Wars of Independence which lasted for sixty years. It was not until 1375 that the castle returned to and stayed in Scottish hands. The family name most associated with Stirling Castle is that of the Stewart monarchs. It was under the early Stewarts, such as Robert II and III, that the castle was built up and expanded. In 1424 Stirling Castle was made part of the marriage settlement between James I and Joan Beaufort. James gave the castle as a gift to his queen and it became tradition to do so in the Stewart family. After James was murdered in 1437, Joan and her young son James II sought refuge in the castle. James III was later born in the castle. The next four Stewart kings (all named James) greatly added to the castle to make it worthy of their great family. This contraction lasted from 1490 until the early 1600's. In 1543, following the death of James V, his baby daughter was brought to the castle for safety. She was crowned Mary, Queen of Scots, that year though she was still an infant.

Stirling remained the foremost residence of the Stewards until Mary's son James VI of Scotland became James I of England and took up residency in London. Afterwards, the castle became little more than a military fortress and only housed one last monarch, Charles II of Scotland. The castle was used as a prison at times, even housing some of the captured Covenanters. The Stewarts were falling out of power in England however so James VII decided to store huge supplies of gun powder at the castle. In the later Jacobite Rebellions, Stirling did not play a featured role. Edinburgh was now the seat of power and was desired by those wishing to rule Scotland. However, during the second Jacobite Rebellion in 1745, after being defeated at Edinburgh, Bonnie Prince Charlie and his Highland garrison retreated to Stirling Castle. They were easily defeated and were forced to flee further northward.

The castle then fell under a different ownership, that of the National War Office. From 1800 until 1964 the castle served as the barracks of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlander regiment. Naturally, many of the grand rooms were converted into hospitals, mess halls, and powder magazines. The castle is in fact still the headquarters of the Highlanders but the regiment is not garrisoned there anymore. Efforts have been made since the 1960's to restore Stirling Castle to its former glory. Many of the lodgings and halls have been refurbished, the art work salvaged and, recently, the tapestries preserved. The Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries have been completely restored and now hang in the Queen's Presence Chamber. It is predicted that all construction at Stirling Castle should be finished by 2014.

https://picasaweb.google.com/108532852514122909750/Stirling?authkey=Gv1sRgCLaI4fzSrfG91wE#

Some Places We Missed: Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond is the third largest body of fresh water in the UK. It stretches from Balloch in the Central Belt to Ardui in the Highlands. The Loch stands as one of the great natural wonders carved out by glaciers during the Ice Age and contains sixty islands. Loch Lomond is even featured in a traditional Scottish Song "Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond" the chorus of which is:

Oh, ye'll tak' the high road, and I'll tak' the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond.

It seems that everyone after seeing God's handiwork that is Loch Lomond is inspired to convey it's grandeur in some way.

https://picasaweb.google.com/108532852514122909750/LochLomond?authkey=Gv1sRgCMCGwcGF5b7yoAE#

Some Places We Missed

Hello all! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the States. My apologies to you all for being so behind in my posting. This week I will most certainly catch you all up on the parts of Scotland that I have visited. Some places I have posted the pictures to in the past but I did not say anything about them so I am seeking to rectify your curiosity about the lovely images you have seen. The sites I hope to describe to you are Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle, Wallace Monument, Castle Campbell and Dollar, Glenco and the Pollock Country Park and Burrell Museum in Glasgow. All right, here we go!

Adventures with Mama Chris Part IV: Visit to the Capital

The final day in our journeys led us to the capital city of Scotland. We boarded the train yet again Thursday morning but this time we went in the opposite direction than we had the rest of the week. Our destination was the city of Edinburgh this day. For everyone reading this from America, please know that the name of this city is not pronounced like it is spelled. It is in fact pronounced Edinbura. If you were to say "Edinburgh" here people would look at you funny and definitely know that you were American (if your accent didn't already give that away).

In Edinburgh, the only site we were set to visit was the Castle. This castle still serves its original purpose in housing the royal family when they are in Scotland. It also is the site of various festivals and military services throughout the year.Like Stirling Castle, Edinburgh Castle is located at the top of a hill overlooking the city. It seems like all the streets in the town angle up to the castle in the same way that they say "all roads lead to Rome." Uniquely though, Edinburgh Castle sits atop an extinct volcano. It is the most expansive of the castles I have visited in my abroad to be sure. The oldest part of the castle is the Saint Margaret's Chapel which was built in 1251 AD by King David I. Though every castle has cannons, Edinburgh Castle has Mons Meg, a super gun (called by some the Atomic Bomb of its time). Since the royal family still lays claim to this castle it is no wonder why it is the home to the Scottish crown jewels. Sorry, no pictures are allowed of the actually crown jewels but it was very interesting to see the history of this part of Scottish heritage and what all it represents.

One of the buildings within Edinburgh Castle is the Scottish National War Memorial. This cavernous building lays near the heart of the Castle and hold the records of military personnel starting in the early 1900's. This was another building where pictures are not allowed to taken. Inside various regiments are honored with displays of their regiment coat and a full listing of the personnel in that regiment throughout the years. This was Remembrance Week in Scotland; this is much like Veterans Day or Memorial Week in America. People purchase and wear poppies around to show their support of those who are serving and have served in the armed forces. Visiting the War Memorial during this week was particularly special for me, being a foreigner, to remind me what the week was about. The military is honored in various ways throughout the castle through paintings, representations of weapons through the years and even a grave yard for military dogs.

After we toured through the castle we tried to make our way to Princess Street. I had been to Edinburgh before but much of the city was under construction. Much of what I usually gaged my whereabouts off of I did not recognize and long story short we were lost for about an hour. Finally we set our selves straight and got to where we needed to go. Somehow we got done with everything we set out to do about an hour earlier than we had anticipated. We needed to be back in Airdrie by six that evening because we had been invited over to the Pastor Andrew's house for dinner. We enjoyed having dinner with all six of the Quigly's that evening and the time of family worship held afterwards. It felt strange to see my mom here with everyone I have befriended in these past three months. God certainly blessed my mother's trip and we had a wonderful time. She speculated soon before leaving the next morning where she would have to travel next to visit me. I guess we all will just have to wait and see.

https://picasaweb.google.com/108532852514122909750/EdinburghCastle?authkey=Gv1sRgCMiZjJzt9dmnCg#5673494772307922002

Adventures with Mama Chris Part III: Stirling when it....rains

Wednesday marked the third day of our sojourning through the land of the Scots. We set out this morning for Stirling. The journey to Stirling by train is only about an hour which was a considerable improvement after Monday's trail ride. Getting to Stirling was only half the battle we found. Like most Castles, Stirling Castle sits at the top of a hill in the middle of town. I only call this a hill because geographical jargon prohibits me from calling it a mountain. We hiked uphill from the train station to the castle entrance, quite a way to spend your morning. After purchasing our Explorer Pass (ensuring our entrance into Stirling Castle, Argyll's Lodging, Edinburgh Castle and a few other land marks) we lingered in the front of the castle for a while. The reason for this was because we were told the tour of Argyll's Lodging would start in about twenty minutes. As it turned out, the times for the tour of the Lodging had been pushed back a half an hour. After figuring this out we made our way a little further into the castle, remarking at the display of the timeline of the goings on in and around Stirling Castle as well as the view thereof.

We joined the tour that led us out of the castle and down the hill to Argyll's Lodging. The castle was an example of how royalty lived and the Lodging was an example of how a nobleman lived. Argyll's Lodging was first the home of John Traill, a successful business man. Construction on this house began in the late 1590's and originally It began as a two story house. In 1629 it passed into the hands of Sir William Alexander, Lord of Stirling. Sir William was the tutor to the Earl of Argyll as well as Prince Charles (later King Charles I). Being so well connected proved a gift and a curse to the first Lord Stirling. He was granted tracts of land in what is now Nova Scotia and northern parts of the fledgling American Colonies. the entirety of Long Island was once in his possession as well. As intelligent as this man was, his business sense was rudimentary. Unable to keep up with his debtors, the Earl was forced to sell off many of his claims to land in the new world. In 1640 he died and his home stood vacant for twenty years. Though Sir William Alexander was able to extend upon the building that he lived in in Stirling, it did not achieve it's current glory until it was bought by the man who it now owes its namesake to. It was in 1660 that the 9th Earl of Argyll, Archibald Campbell, was looking for a new residency that would put him squarely between his properties in the north and the south. He came to Stirling and saw the potential in this vacant house. It was much too plain for a great man to live in; and the Earl of Argyll fancied himself a very great man. He added on to the house the enclosed the courtyard behind a screen wall with an elaborate entrance gate. Greater kitchen areas and halls were added to accommodate the residence and guests of the house as well. In 1680, there was much civil unrest in England and Scotland. Noting his precarious position, the Earl had a full inventory of his house drawn up and turned over to his wife. The Lady of the house kept excellent records of the house and its contents which have made for an easier time for those seeking to restore the house. Once again the house stood empty, forsaken by its former master until it was needed. Much of the interior of the house was painted over or discarded in the 1880's when the house was converted into a military hospital. Later, it was utilized by the town as a youth hostile. Seeing the building's historical significance, Scotland's Historical Society has sought to restore the lodging's former glory. Argyll's records and the fact that most of the house was perfectly preserved has aided their efforts to recommission the lodging that sits in the shadow of the Castle.

Departing from the Lodging and going back up the hill, we properly started our tour of Stirling Castle. We weaved our way through the Great Hall, Chapel, kitchens, and living quarters of the King and Queen. Stirling Castle has several actors placed throughout who give visitors historical background to the building they are exploring in such a way that it is not easily forgotten. My mother and I came upon one such actor in the Queen's Chamber. She said she was the nurse to the infant Queen Mary of Scots. She described to us much of the goings on of the court and the everyday life of persons in that time period. For example, it was well known in that time that John Knox was not thought very highly of in the royal courts. This 'lady' described him to us as a dower faced old crow whose heretical views were sure to get him into much trouble in the not too distant future. I couldn't help but laugh when she said this.

This was the only day of our week that mom was able to experience proper Scottish weather. Indeed, near the end of our visit to Stirling Castle it began to rain. This was not like the rainstorms that we get at home but just the gentle, though cold, rain that frequents this island. Our visits to castles through the week were in an interesting order (not counting Inverness Castle). First we saw Urquhart Castle which is now a collection of ruins. Second we visited Stirling Castle which is wonderfully preserved but not used for its intended purposes. The last castle we were set to visit is still, in ever sense, in use.

https://picasaweb.google.com/108532852514122909750/StirlingII?authkey=Gv1sRgCLevps-Mr6bSbw#

Adventures with Mama Chris Part II: Kicked out of the friendliest city

On day two of our Scotland experience, we did not wake up until 11. Since we were just going to Glasgow, which is about twenty-five minutes away on the train, we did not feel the need to rush. I purposefully planed the week this way so that we did not get too burnt out trying to get where we needed to go. In Glasgow, I took mom to St Giles Cathedral. We explored the cavernous building that afternoon. Even though I had been there before, there was so much I discovered that I had missed on my first visit. After making our way through the tunnels and sanctuaries of the cathedral we departed filled with a sense of awe.

Right beside the cathedral is St Mungo's Museum of Religion. I thought why not stop in there on our way back into the city. Inside this museum, artifacts have been collected from numerous religions all over the globe. We saw Muslim prayer beads and prayer mats, statues of Shiva, and Latin Catholic prayer books. Each religion was set up in the midst of all the others so they might be compared and contrasted easily. There was a small section of the display that pertained to the spreading of religion. The latter half of it described the mission efforts of the Christian church and how they have destroyed other cultures. Being a missions major, I was able to appreciate the cultural aspect of the religious paraphernalia. At the same time however, my heart broke for all those who are lost in this world. This religious display proved two things: first, man is and always has been in search of God; second, the world has reduced Christianity (at best) to one such way to find God.

Back in the city, we made our way through the various streets and shops. For dinner we stopped into Pizza Hut. Now, before my fellow Americans shake their heads at the fact that we visited this restaurant chain, they should take into consideration how differently such restaurants work over here as opposed to home. For example, I had never had pizza from Pizza hut with portobello mushrooms, chicken, blue cheese and balsamic vinegar in Pennsylvania. After dinner, we decided to do some more shopping and would have for a while if the city had not kicked us out. For some reason, nearly all the shops in Glasgow shut down at 6 in the evening. This left us with nothing to do but board the train home. It had been a good day though and going home a bit earlier was beneficial since we had to set alarms for the next morning. No sleeping until noon anymore.

https://picasaweb.google.com/108532852514122909750/GlasgowII?authkey=Gv1sRgCJy8452zlcz2ngE#

Adventures with Mama Chris Part I: Search for Nessie

Fall Break for the SIS students began after theology class Friday, the 4th. We all spent that night celebrating the induction of Deacons and Elders and the calling of the Reverend Kenneth Stewart with the Glasgow RP Church. The next day, however, Graci and I pealed ourselves out of bed at 4:30 a.m. Why you ask...because we both had to be to the airport to pick up travelers arriving on the 6:30 a.m. plane from Newark. Yes everyone, Chris McFall is in the building...or country rather. Graci's friend Gerri also came over to spend the break and roam the UK with her. After getting back to the manse and some short naps, we all set out on a grand tour of Airdrie. Gerri and Graci had to leave us soon afterward. They were starting out their break in London and had another plane to catch in the afternoon. Mom and I did not do much that day and it was wonderful. We bummed around Airdrie and made carbonara pasta for dinner. The next day was Sunday which meant we went to church, of course. The church family extended an extremely warm welcome to my mother, including counting her travel among the prayer points for the week, announcing at the start of the service that she was there, and giving thanks for her in the prayer. After church, Grant and Yvonne hosted hospitality. Those of us who they were kind enough to feed were myself, my mom, Casey, Josh, and the Reverend David Karoon and his wife. Some of you will remember that Reverend Karoon was the pastor called to the Storonaway church from Singapore. Grant and Yvonne made us stuffed chicken and vegetables for lunch but we could not quite figure out what the chicken was stuffed with. Afterwards, I asked Grant what it was and sure enough, it was haggis. We attended evening service that night as well. Once we got home we went to bed early knowing that we had a full day ahead of us for Monday.

Monday morning, my alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. yet again. We had a train to catch at 6:30 and couldn't be late. The train ride from Glasgow to Inverness was timed by the Lord perfectly. It was completely dark when we boarded the train but as we journeyed north we saw the sun come up and uncover the Scottish highlands. The burnt oranges, reds and yellows of autumn competed with the white rigid frost that clung to the patches of ground that had not been touched by the sun yet. Even though it was about three hours on the train, it was well worth it. We even saw some highland cows on the way.

After trying for over two months to not look like a tourist, I gave up that facade in Inverness and walked around with map in one hand and camera in the other. We successfully navigated our way around Inverness to all the major sites and found some minor ones along the way. We visited Inverness Castle, Inverness Cathedral, and St. Mary's Church. Figures that my mom and I would travel across the ocean only to end up back in St Mary's. While taking pictures of the town I realized that the suspension bridge that I was standing in front of was the same suspension bridge that I had sketched in art class last spring. My mom asked me if I was sure if it was the same one to which I replied "That sketch took me two months, yes I'm sure."

As the day progressed we found ourselves unable to answer the burning question: How do we get to the Loch? We had bus passes but were at a loss as to which bus to get on where. Enter Jacobite Tours. Upon enquiring at the travel station as to how to get to the Loch, they pointed us to Jacobite Tours. This was a bus ride through town, down to the Loch, boat ride onto the Loch ending at Urquhart Castle and a return ride to town on the bus. We jumped on this opportunity. The bus didn't leave for a little while though so we ate lunch at Charlie's Cafe where my mom was asked the strangest question ever: "Do you want milk with coffee or coffee with milk?" Perplexed, she ordered coffee with milk. Finally it was time to head out to the Loch. On the bus with us were people from the Czech Republic, Sweden, Italy, Australia, England as well as some other Americans.

The first sighting of a monster in Loch Ness was in 565 A.D. by a christian group, led by St Columba, who had traveled over from Ireland to spread the gospel. Their boat had begun to drift from shore after they had landed and one of the men jumped into the water to swim after it. Before he could do so, he was attacked by a monster. St Columba made the sign of a cross and prayed to God and the monster relented then disappeared. Since then there have been countless sightings of the monster, supposed pictures taken of it and even some scientific expeditions launched to find out just what is under that black water (the waters of Loch Ness are indeed black because the peat from the hills runs off with all the rain water into it). Our boat was not one such expedition but was destined for Urquhart Castle. Like most of the castles in Scotland today, this castle lays in ruins. Ideally placed on the banks of the Loch amidst the surrounding hills, in its day Urquhart Castle must have been a sight to behold. It had once belonged to the Grant Clan of the highlands. However, when Bonnie Prince Charlie raised a rebel army to take on William of Orange and reconstitute a Stuart monarchy, Urquhart Castle had cause for concern. Among one of the prominent highland castles, Urquhart would no doubt come under Jacobite attack, if not control, at some point. After being ordered to hold the castle from the Jacobites at all costs but being ill equipped, the Grants saw no other option but to blow up the castle. Lighting the fuse, the Grants marched out of the castle for the last time. As we set out on the boat the sun began to set and by the time we left the sky was painted with oranges and pinks.

We boarded the train home at 6:43 and thought we would have an uneventful ride home. Little did we know that our train was running behind. We had to switch trains in Perth to get back to Glasgow but they could only hold the train for us for so long. The attendant took all of us hopping trains to the last car and explained to us that we would have two minutes to cross three platforms and catch the train. Once the doors opened in Perth, twelve of us ran into the station and frantically searched for Platform 1. After crossing over two platforms I may have had a heart attack. While standing over Platform 1 I looked down and there was no train. I knew that the next train wouldn't be for about forty-five minutes. None the less we walked on to Platform 1 and read the train times to see how long we would have to wait. Much to my relief, the train we were supposed to be catching was also running late and we had beat it by five minutes. At last we returned to the house in Airdrie at 11:15 p.m. Needless to say there were no alarms set for Tuesday morning.

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To the Top of the World

As I mentioned in blogs past, the Reformed Presbyterian church in Scotland has been growing. The church in Stornoway has grown to the point where it was ready to call a minister and induct Elders and Deacons. In order to encourage the sister church, groups from the Airdrie and Glasgow made the journey up north. Stornoway is located on the Isle of Lewis which is the most northern island on the western side of Scotland. It is the closest I have ever been to the top of the world (thus far).
Knowing that this adventure would take us five hours in the mini-bus in addition to a three hour ferry ride, I signed up to go along. Even though multiple twenty hour bus journeys of the past had prepared me for this trek, I had only crossed on a ferry once before on the way to Ireland. The plan was to get to Ullapool, sail our on the 5:30 ferry to Stornoway, stay in a hostile (for us youngins), attend the service the following morning, enjoy lunch together and sail back in the afternoon. So Friday morning at 10:30 all of us from Airdrie set out. This included twelve of us in the mini-bus, three car fulls and some more who came over via the air. Pastor Andrew led our group despite his terrible back pain that plagued him the whole weekend. About half way through our ride up, we got a call from the group from Glasgow, who had already boarded an earlier ferry, telling us that there was a distance possibility that our ferry would be cancelled. The caravan stopped for lunch and discussed what the plan of action was: go home or press on. Unanimously, we decided to at least get to Ullapool, the town where the ferry would depart from, and see what the situation was. At this point we had about three hours in the mini-bus left but I cannot complain about the duration of this part of the journey. By this time of the year, God has  Scotland's Highlands all decked out in the fall colors. We passed through some of the most astounding scenery. The grass covering the mountain sides was the a burnt orange velvet against the grey of the rocks that jutted out here and there. Fittingly, against the Autumn background, we happened upon some highland cows (or hiland coos). These lucky creatures have the best seat in the house to witness God's splendor in his creation.

At last, we arrived in Ullapool to find out that the ferry was indeed cancelled and the next ferry to go out was at 5 a.m. the next morning. We only had to look at each other to know that none of us were going home that night. The bulk of us got tickets to sleep on the ferry while a few stayed in a B&B in the town. After our tickets were purchased and our luggage was loaded on the ferry, all of us ate dinner at a pub close by. This time, I had proper fish & chips. At my table it was myself, Graci, Pastor Andrew, his wife Heather and an older couple named Harry and Anne. Graci and I were shocked to find out that none of them had had an ice cream sunday before. Logically then we ordered one for the table to share. Back on the ferry, we banned together and held family worship. I do not think the other passengers minded our singing Psalms too much. Jimmy told us just to tell everyone that we got upgraded to an overnight cruise. I finally got to sleep around 1 that morning but was awoken quickly at 4:30 by the increasing movement of the boat. I was instantly nauseous and spent the remainder of the morning either in the bathroom or passed out with Graci on one of the chairs in the main hall of the boat. Some passersby seized the opportunity to take pictures of us as well as Beth, who was in the other chair, and Fraiser, who was sleeping on the floor between the chairs, in this state.

We landed in Stornoway at about 8 Saturday morning. Some of the members of the church there met us and were kind enough to take us back to their houses for breakfast and showers. At last we arrived at the induction service at 9:30. This was the first time in seventeen years a pastor had been officially called to a Reformed Presbyterian church (Pastor Andrew being the last). The service began with public worship led by the Reverend Kenneth Stuart (the teacher of my theology class). He read from Colossians 4:15-18 and reminded those about to take office, as well as the rest of us, that God remembers those who serve him. Likewise, we should remember who we are serving in the office we are given. He defined Elders as those who oversee the distribution of the gospel and Deacons as those who oversee the distribution of materials and resources. He called them to consider the nature of their offices and to see them as part of their relationship with the Lord. Three men from the congregation then took their oaths and were inducted into the office of Elder. In a similar manner, three other men came forward, took oaths and were inducted into the office of Deacon. Lastly, the congregation called Reverend David Karoon to be their minister. David Karoon was a man from Singapore who had originally come to the Glasgow church to assist Rev Stuart there. Upon journeying north to Stornoway, however, it was laid on his hear that this was the church that God would have him lead. He took his oaths of office and was welcomed in by his new church family.

There were eighty people at the service that day. We all joined for lunch at one of the local hotels. You have not lived until you have had pudding with a bunch of RP's after a worship service. Shortly afterwards though, we from the mainland reboarded the ferry and set sail again at 3 that afternoon. This sailing went much smoother than the first and I was able to make up some of the sleep I had missed the night before. By the time we got back to land and reloaded the mini-bus it was 6 p.m. and already dark. Thankfully we all made it back to Airdrie in one piece...even though Pastor Andrew's car did get a flat tire. We were dropped of in front of the church at 11 that night. Thankfully Scotland observes day light savings and we were able to get an extra hour of sleep to be ready for church today. A similar service is taking place in Glasgow this Friday night. Reverend Kenneth Stuart is officially being called to pastor that congregation and Elders will be inducted as well. God is so great to move among his people and stir the hearts of men who are willing to lead his faithful people.

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Glasgow Museum

Greetings all! My apologies for the book length post last week. Since then, our classes have gone back to normal. Our history class is over but that does not mean that we have learned all about Scottish history that there is to learn. This week for our field trip we did not visit a Covenanter site but a more commonly visited site. One of the elders in the church, Sam, took the four of us to the Glasgow Museum. Here we were greeted by an array of faces. In the first main displays that you go through inside there are faces, each with a different expression, hanging from the ceiling above the busts of more recognizable faces (the Queen Mother being among them). As in every museum, on display are things of both national importance as well as international renowned. Featured were works of Rembrandt, mementos of Queen Mary of Scots, and a Spitfire plane from World War II. Oddly enough, there were also different icons of America about the Museum. I happened upon statues of President F D Roosevelt and Elvis. We were fortunate enough to be able to see Salvador Dali's "Christ of St. John on the Cross". It would be unfair to say that I saw all that there was to see there in my short visit or that I could relate everything that I did see. Museums are among the few places that the history buff and tourist could visit together and both enjoy.

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A History Lesson

I know I have not posted in some time but that is because we have been all over Scotland this week. I'll preface this by saying if you don't want to read this huge post you can just look at the pictures.

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To finish out our Covenanter history class we spent four days visiting sites significant to the Covenanters and what they stood for. However, first I should explain what a Covenanter is. The Scottish Covenanters were those brave few who pledged to uphold Presbyterianism in Scotland, resisting Erastianism, and adherent of the National Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant. In each of these documents, Christ’s kingship and headship over the church is promoted. This was in stark contrast to what the kings of England wanted at the time: total rule over the church and state.

It all started with Patrick Hamilton. This young man had been educated on the Continent in Lutheranism. Upon returning to Scotland, he began to his family about the Reformed traditions he had come in contact with. For this, he was arrested, called into account at St Andrews, condemned for heresy and burned at the steak. Today there is a PH on the ground outside the Church of the Holy Trinity where the steak was. This caused an outrage among the people since this man was condemned for merely teaching his family about the bible.

The next martyr was a man named George Wishart. He also had studied Reformed Theology on the Continent. He was responsible for teaching the Greek New Testament. This conflicted with the Catholic Church. With all the threats he was facing, Wishart began to travel with a body guard. The man who was constantly at his side, wielding a double-handed sword, was named John Knox. Eventually Wishart was betrayed into the hands of Cardinal Beaton. Beaton tried Wishart for heresy and condemned him to death. Knox volunteered to die alongside Wishart but Wishart told Knox that he had work to do yet.

It was the spring of 1547 when Protestant nobles took the castle in St Andrews. They had had enough of the tyranny of the Catholic Church. They were later joined by John Knox and persuaded him to become their minister. Up until then he had only been a teacher despite his close relationship with George Wishart. The Protestants dug in and waited for the inevitable attack. The Catholic forces brought in reinforcements from France but were unable to break into the castle for some time. Finally, the Protestants surrendered under the understanding that all within the castle were given life and liberty. The Catholic forces did not honor these terms and the prisoners, Knox included, became galley slaves in the French vessels.

The Cathedral in St Andrews is but ruins now. It was at one time one of the most spectacular Cathedrals. In 1378 a fire partly destroyed the Cathedral and it was not completely restored until 1440. When Protestantism became the dominant form of Christianity in 1559 it was completely stripped of its altars and images. Further destruction of the Cathedral came as one of its walls gave way and instead of being rebuilt, the rocks and rubble were used as building material for new homes in the town.

In 1660, Charles II was invited back to take the throne in what is known as the Restoration. He hated the Covenanters for making him sign the Solemn League and Covenant years earlier when he was trying to hold onto his throne years earlier. Now that he had the crown back he set out to destroy those preachers who thought they could hold his nose to the grind stone. The Presbyterians set out to plead their case and sent James Sharp as their representative. Sharp betrayed the Covenanters and accepted the post of Archbishop.  Charles II believed in the Divine Right of Kings and made it his goal to establish Erastianism in Scotland. Among the first martyrs was Archibald Campbell. Campbell had presided over Charles II coronation in Scotland after his signing of the Covenant. He was quoted as saying “I set the crown on the king’s head and now he hastens me to a better crown than his own.” Among those who were martyred in Edinburgh’s Grass Market were James Guthrie (a pastor in Stirling), Samuel Rutherford (author of Lex Rex and other treasonable papers), and Archibald Johnston (assisted in the drawing up of the National Covenant). One of the men Charles particularly wanted to kill was Alexander Henderson. Henderson had died of natural causes, however, before Charles returned to the throne. The king had to settle for sending soldiers to deface Henderson’s grave.
In 1662 it was decreed that all ministers had to come under control of Bishops by law. As a result, over 400 ministers left the church and preached in fields, houses and barns. The king had not anticipated such a loss of clergy and in order to fill the vacant churches, ministers from the Highlands were brought in. these men were horribly inept and people did not want to go to the churches but preferred to go to fields to hear ministers. These field meetings became known as Conventicles. Anyone caught attending a conventicle was punished with heavy fines and had to quarter troops in their house. Anyone caught preaching at a conventicle was tried and executed.

Tension came to a head in 1666.  An old man named Greir had been fined for not attending church. Soldiers were sent to his house to exact punishment. They were going to roast him alive when word reached a group of Covenanters who had come into town for food. The Covenanters went to Greir’s aid and defeated the troops. Knowing that they would be accused of rebellion, they decided to go to the Privy Council to plead their case. On their way to Edinburgh, many people joined them in their journey until their numbers swelled to almost 1000. When they reached the city they found the city gates locked to them. They decided to disband quietly when a party of soldiers attacked them at Rullion Green. The Covenanters were defeated. About 50 were killed, and 100 captured but many were able to hide in the darkness. The majority of the captured were executed; their heads and hands were cut off and sent to towns as a warning.

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The apex of the Covenanter movement came in 1679. In May of that year, a group of five Covenanters captured Archbishop Sharp on his way from St Andrews to London. When they searched him they found death warrants for other Covenanters on his person. They believed that God had given him into their hands so they drug him from his carriage and executed him in front of his 18 year old daughter. The Covenanters as a whole did not condone this. Their official stance was to promote self-defense but not murder. As a result, the Covenanters began to show up to field meetings unarmed. In June a field meeting of 300 people in Drumclog was discovered by a band of dragoons. Their minister was preaching that day on suffering for Christ's sake and as the dragoons drew near he turned to the congregation and said that they had the theory and now it was time to put it into practice. The dreaded Captain James Claims of Claverhouse led 150 soldiers into the peaceful hillside and demanded the minister be handed over. The men lined up and respond by singing Psalm 76. As some of the soldiers advanced, their horses got stuck in the bog and the Covenanters seized the chance to overtake the soldiers.

Covenanter fame spread as a result and an uprising was planned. About 3000 Covenanters banded together but they had no leadership. While taking their time to devise a game plan, they set up camp for a fortnight. In the meantime, the king sent 15000 professional troops to deal with these opportunistic Scotts. The two forces met in the Battle of Bothwell Bridge. The Covenanters needed to hold the bridge in order to have a fighting chance. Eventually the men on the bridge ran out of ammunition. Once the troops came over the bridge, the Covenanters’ ranks broke and they fled. About 400 were killed and 1200 were captured and imprisoned in Greyfriairs Kirk in Edinburgh. After months of being neglected in the open prison, the Covenanters who were left alive were deported. Now the king’s soldiers filled Southern Scotland and violence increased.

Some of the sites we visited were testimonies to the violence that occurred between 1679 and 1688. These years are known as the Killing Times; during which a bible was considered “treasonable papers” and illegal. Similarly, being out after dark was punishable by death. In the most tranquil woods in Muirkirk lies the grave of William Adams. William was a young man who had been working at one of the nearby farms. Every day he met his fiancé near the stream for lunch. On one particular day he had been sitting by the stream, waiting for his girl, with his bible open. Some soldiers were passing by and saw that he was reading the bible. They shot him on sight, no questions asked. His fiancé heard the shot and rushed to see what had happened. The soldiers were crossing the narrow bridge over the steam when she crossed their path. One of the soldiers had tried to push her off the bridge and so enraged her that she pulled him off his horse. He was inclined to kill her for embarrassing him but decided to let her go. She found William dead beside the steam and buried him there herself.

The last site that we visited was the Martyrs’ Steak in Wigtown. It was here in 1685 that that two Margarets were drowned in the rising tide of the Bladnoch River. Margaret McLachlan was a 63 year old woman who had been convicted of attending conventicles. She was arrested while praying in her house. Margaret Wilson was an 18 year old woman who, along with her sister Agnes and brother Thomas had been kicked out of their house by their parents for attending conventicles. They wandered through the hills for some time before being attested. Gilbert Wilson, their father, was given the opportunity to buy his younger daughter’s freedom for 100 pounds, which he did. His older daughter however was sentenced to death. Both Margarets were tied to steaks in the river during the low tide. The older Margaret was tied much further out while the younger was forced to watch her drowned. They told Margaret Wilson that if she would pray for the king and relent, she would not suffer the same fate. Instead, she sang from Psalm 25 “To Thee I lift my soul, O Lord; I trust in Thee, my God; let me not be ashamed, nor foes triumph over me.” She also drowned when the tide came in. in the same town that year three men, William Johnstone, John Milroy and George Walker, were hanged. All five of the martyrs are commemorated by headstones in the Kirk nearby.

Journey to the Emerald Isle

Every year the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Ireland hosts a Young Adults Weekend. This year it was held in Annalong, Ireland, and we were fortunate enough to be invited along. Friday morning the four of us reported to the Church to begin our journey. Stacy Muir, a member of the CY here in Airdrie, was kind enough to be our chauffeur/tour guide/fellow tourist for the weekend. We traveled on the ferry from Troon, Scotland, to Larne, Ireland. None of us Yankees had ever been on a boat before so we were not quite sure what to expect. The crossing was not bad at all. Graci and Stacy left and the boys lost to me in Rummy. We were not expected in Annalong until seven that evening, so Stacy showed us around Belfast for the afternoon. We (and by we I mean us girls) were pleased to spend some time in Victoria Square shopping centre. After which, we visited the City Hall and wandered about some. Finally it was time to set out to Annalong so we squeezed into Stacy's car and set out. Being that it was Ireland it rained quite a bit the whole weekend but I cannot say that the rain was unwelcome; almost every time it rained, we saw a rainbow.

Young Adults Weekend could not have been set in a better location. The town of Annalong is set in between blue and green; the blue of the sea and the green of the countryside. While unpacking, Graci was perplexed as to why her sleeping bag was so many different colors. We came to find out that she had not been given a sleeping bag but a parachute. Luckily she did not have to wrap herself in the parachute for the weekend, there were some spares about that she was able to borrow. The speaker for the weekend was Rev David Sutherland, minister to the Ballyclare RP Church. The reoccurring theme for the weekend was the Kingdom. Rev Sutherland chose to focus on how the Kingdom is illustrated in the Parables of Jesus. On Saturday in addition to the Talks with Rev Sutherland, we attended two seminars on Spiritual Gifts. One of these was led by Rev Robert Robb from the RP Church in Enniskillen and the other was led by Rev David McCullough from Dromore RP Church. Saturday morning we had our first "fry". Our breakfast consisted of sausage, bacon (what we might call ham), potato squares, fried tomatoes, fried eggs and toast. The ladies that prepared our meals throughout the weekend saw to it that everyone had seconds and that no one could even suspect that they were still hungry. Our Talks and seminars were briefly interrupted by the Ireland-Australia Rugby match. After watching American Football for so many years, it made me cringe to see those men hitting each other without wearing helmets. Ireland pulled out a 15 to 12 win over the Aussies and all was right with the world. After seminars that afternoon, Graci and I were invited to go along with a small group to Bloody Bridge. Bloody Bridge is located out on the Mournes, after one treks up the side of a "hill". The path is guided by a steam that runs through the hillsides into the sea. The Mournes are without a doubt some of the most beautiful countryside in the world. Once again during our hike, a short rain produced a rainbow to add to the completeness of the scenery around us. We did not actually get to see the bridge since we were pressed for time but I did not feel disappointed in the slightest. Following dinner and another Talk that evening, everyone set out for Newcastle in search of some ice cream. The shop we had intended to visit was closed so we went to Subway which oddly enough had ice cream. I had no idea Ferrero Rocher made ice cream!

Sunday morning, a carivan of cars set out from Annalong to Dromara for Sabath Day worship. We were surprised to see that this was the congregation that sent over the team to Stranraer. Even more surpising was the fact that the pastor's sermon was about the Kingdom, the running theme of the entire weekend. After lunch at the church we headed back to Annalong and (somewhat accidentally) saw some of the greenest countryside in existence. Once we got back, we had some free time so Graci, Casey and I made our way down to the sea. The beach in Annalong is a sudden break from the green of the farms that run beside it. At last, we had our final Talk and said our goodbyes to our new friends. The five of us packed into Stacy's car again and headed up north. We stayed in the Brown's B&B for the night. I think if after it's all said and done, I can run a B&B in Ireland I would be quite content.

Monday morning we had breakfast with a Swedish couple (who spoke French), an English couple and Mr Brown. Mrs Brown made our breakfast and it was a perfect start to our day. Stacy took us farther North to see Giant's Causeway. Giant's Causeway is said to be the eighth wonder of the world. Somehow a volcanic eruption from long ago formed hexagonal shaped stones that are piled just so. Paths have been carved in the sides of the mountains allowing for access up and down the Causeway, first for herders and now for tourists. The sheer span of the Causeway is enough to create a very real picture of how small I am...and how big God is. We did get caught in the rain at first but as we pressed on the sun came out and made our ascension a bit easier. Admittedly we did get lost for a little bit once we reached the top and could not discern how to make our way back to the car park. Marching through the muddy paths splitting a field of sheep from a field of sheep, eventually we found the road. Having spent a considerable amount of time in Northern Ireland, Stacy took us to some of her favorite places once we finished at the Causeway. For lunch we stopped off in Portrush. Stacy had intended to show us the town's amusement park but it was closed. Not to be discouraged, we journeyed on to Whiterock Beach. We were brave enough to step into the sea but then ran back out for fear of frost bite. I was quite sad to file back into the car and return to Larne. It is no wonder why Ireland is called the Emerald Isle. In its entirety, the island is green and pulsing with life. I sincerely hope to go back someday.

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Catching up

I have neglected to write about last Wednesday's outing so now we have to play catch up.

Grahm took us eastward to the coast this time. We first visited the town of Culross. Here we visited the Garden as well as the Abbey. The Garden was an intricate maze of various plants and sea shell path ways. We had to pay attention while making our way around town; not that it was very busy but the roads are still cobblestone. In fact, some of the houses in Culross were built in the fifteenth century and are still being used today. After navigating through town and up the hill we visited the Abbey which was fun to explore. Next, we visited Dunfermline, Scotland's ancient capital. In the center of the surrounding woods, the Abbey and Castle ruins still overshadow the country side. It is here that Robert the Bruce is burried...under the church pulpit. Setting out from there we stopped in the town of Queens Ferry. It is here that the Rail Bridge stretches across the waters. Just outside of Queens Ferry, Grahm showed us one of the stately homes. This particular house is home to an Earl but Graci and I decided it was where Mr Darcy lives. Finally we stopped off to see Linlithgow Palace. This place was the birth place of Mary Queen of Scots. I doubt that any of these outings could ever be disappointing.

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Sorry for being so late in posting this. Tomorrow there will be an Ireland post as well a pictures.

Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?

I am not sure if it is one of the effects of jet lag or the fact that the hours of daylight are different here, but each day here feels so long. I had to check the date of my last blog before writing this one and I could not believe that it had only been posted five days ago.
Our field trip this past Wednesday took the four of us into the Highlands for the first time. We did not travel with Jimmy this week but another gentleman from the church named Gram was our guide. When he arrived at the church to pick us up he asked if we were alright with visiting a medieval castle this week. You can imagine our excitement. Somehow we all crammed into Gram's car and set out for Castle Doune. This castle has been famous in pop culture by being the site of the French Guard scene in Monty Python. Yes, this is the castle where King Aurthur and his brave knights were assaulted by flying farm animals by those unruly Frenchmen. [insert Monty Python quote here]. If this was not enough to tempt a traveler to this lesser known castle, it would certainly be worth visiting for the historical value and obvious beauty. It is only five pounds to enter the castle and be directed about by an audio guide. After departing from the castle, Gram had planned to take us to a historic church in the area but the fickle Scottish weather prevented us from stopping at that site. We pressed on, however, to Loch Katrine. This Loch supplies the water not only to Airdrie but to many other surrounding towns and cities. The little car then took us through Queen Elisabeth Forest Park, each bend in the road (and there were many) brought us to a new scene of God's intrinsic artwork. We were even so fortunate to see some of the hairy highland cows along the road. Our last stop before heading back to Airdrie was in the town of Aberfoyle. This small town is home to a wool factory that we explored. The charm of such towns as Aberfoyle is indeed a credit to Scotland's character.

We finished out our first week of "real classes" and began our weekend right. Thursday was Graci's birthday and Friday night nearly the entire CY (youth group) joined us for dinner in Glasgow. We rightly embarrassed her by having the entire restaurant sing to her. Afterwards we broke up into four groups for the CY's Photochallenge. If you have been a member of the Bridge (or AYF for us oldies), you will remember how teams of us high school students would race around town with a camera trying to capture random images. It is like a picture scavenger hunt. No winner has been announced as of yet since all the pictures are still being judged. Once we were done we all met up at Starbucks and discussed our surprise at the fact that none of us were thrown out of any of the stores.

Yesterday Graci and I were able to bum a ride off of our friends Audrey and Debbie to Tessco. This time we decided to do all the shopping for the week in one attempt so we went to the BIG Tessco in Glasgow. By "big" what I mean is there was an escalator in this grocery store. With the return of the all knowing internet into our lives, we were able to look up recipes that were in both our skill level and price range to add to our repertoire. We made out quite well with the exception of our almost purchasing of a skillet costing 50 pounds. Once we brought our plunder back to the house Audrey and Debbie invited us to the cinema with them. The four of us set out to Falkirk to see One Day. Let's just say we didn't see it coming and most of us needed tissues once it was all said and done.

Sundays are becoming our busiest days. We go to Bible study in the morning at 10, have prayer meeting at 10:30, church runs from 11 until around 12:30, we are hosted by one of the families in the church (hospitality) for lunch which ends somewhere between 2 and 3, then we go home and piddle around until we decide to make something for dinner, then it's back to evening service at 6:30 and finally off to someone's house for bant'r. Not that I am complaining; rather I enjoying spending the Lord's day with so many people and having good bant'r. Right now I need to change out of my sweats into something presentable for evening service. I hope to have my next post up on Thursday (reasons to be explained later). Until then, go quote Monte Python with someone!

https://picasaweb.google.com/108532852514122909750/DonneCastle?authkey=Gv1sRgCNnc4Z-XteCubA#

Getting the Hang of Things

After being in Scotland for nearly two weeks, I finally feel like I'm getting the hang of things. We found baking soda, I received mail to the correct address and we successfully navigated our way through town at night. Graci and I have had no luck though in tracking down the elusive ice cream van. To everyone who has been wanting to hear from me: the phone and internet will be functional this Friday.


We took a trip to Stranraer [Strain - rar] on Saturday with the church's GO Team. This team, along with members of the Stranraer RP church and their counterparts from Ireland, organize a day every year where they disperse into the town to distribute 3000 leaflets containing the good news of Christ. We were privileged to assist with this distribution this year. Not only were we warmly received by the members of the Stranraer church but we were awed by the beauty of the sea side city. It is wonderful to see how the word of the Lord spreads. In church on Sunday, Pastor Andrew told us how there were two RP churches (Stranraer and Airdrie) and one church plant in Glasgow this time last year. This year there are four RP churches, with the edition of the churches in Glasgow and Ireland, and more church plants in Edinburgh and Stornoway.


There is not much to report on this rainy Tuesday in Airdrie. Hopefully once the internet is up and working there will be more exciting news to convey. Until then, I'm going to try to stay dry on our run back to the house.

https://picasaweb.google.com/108532852514122909750/GOTeam?authkey=Gv1sRgCKbej4DjwoOKLg