Too Much For Words, Part 3

Ok so while you're reading this you should listen to this song. It makes me happy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btcGAAahSTs

Anyway, this is part 3. So I've talked about the people and the things that I saw, but I haven't said what I felt. I feel like I'm about to spill my guts. Like this is about to get super personal really fast.

I know I just posted this verse on Facebook, but I'm going to post it here because it about sums up whats going on in my mind.

"Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy" 
-1 Peter 1:8

I've got this feeling like I'm going to burst with happiness, love, joy, and excitement. I know when I went on my last trip, I was all ready to move there, learn the language and be a part of that community after I had left, but this is different. I feel it this time. Wow that sounds cheesy but it's how I feel. Last time, that feeling went away when the plane touched down in Richmond and I saw my family waiting there for me to pick me up. To me, it wasn't so much a trip for serving others but was a trip for myself just to say that I had been to a different country. So since that was the only time I went out of the country, I had the same expectations coming into this one, except that this was London and that was a third world country.

When we got on the streets walking around, I was disappointed. No more than that. I was angry. Don't ask me what I was angry at because I don't know myself. As we were walking, I kept thinking "No, this is not what this is supposed to look like. This is not what Masterpiece Theater told me it would be like. I do not like this." I just kept thinking great what have I gotten myself into? I'm going to spend my time here? In this place? When am I going to see Big Ben?

It took me a little time to simmer down with all the pissy thoughts running through my mind, but by that time we had walked to church, which I was only half aware of because I was weaving in and out of a jet lagged haze and I was just thoroughly ticked off. Then people started singing in not English and that was pretty much the last straw for me. Like, do you know how inconsiderate it is of you to sing something that isn't a hymn? Where's Amazing Grace or Rock of Ages?

Then something happened. Wow doesn't that sound dramatic? It might as well have been a bomb going off next to me because I would have payed just as much attention. Want to know what it was? It was this little old lady walking up to the mic to talk. I'm not going to lie, I had no idea what she was doing up there because I was paying zero attention to the guy talking. Didn't they know I was tired?

Then she started talking. And talking. And talking. But with every word she painted a picture of love. A love for God and for others. A love for those that despise her and those that are lost. I wish I could have brought her home so I could show her to every single person I meet because I want them to be be moved by the most godly woman I have ever met in my life. Every word held me captive and I wanted her to keep talking but I also wanted her to stop because it felt like she was talking to me in my selfishness and essentially reprimanding me for my attitude and all the thoughts I'd been having towards this trip. She helped me realize that I was there not for me, but to serve others.

I'd like to say from that point on, I had no negative thoughts towards anything on that trip. Heck. No. But my heart changed.

So that's the end of my blog updating for London. I really could go on for the next 4 hours just talking but I'm not going to do that. If you want to know more, talk to me.

Keep Smiling,
-Maddie