Selfishness, Football, and Velma

It is interesting to talk with the English about what they think of the USA. Unfortunately, most of them only know the USA seen on TV - via New York City and "Hollyweird," as my Dad would say. Unfortunately, people like Tom Cruise and Paris Hilton end up being the face of the States to the rest of the world. Lovely. I've heard many opinions on the American lifestyle, but the one thing that comes up time after time is selfishness. Most of the people I've spoken with here have the mindset that Americans are incredibly wasteful. Images of large SUVs and other un-necessary gas guzzlers that are all about status and image puzzle the Brits (you could NEVER fit even a mid-sized American car on their tiny little roads!). I never realized how much open space we have in the US compared to a tiny little island country like England where they have to build UP-wards instead of OUT-wards. I've never learned so much about recycling since I came here! It's like every English person tries to take me on as their personal project, teaching me how to refute my "wasteful American" ways. They drop a heavy fine on you if you don't recycle properly! We have had more in our recycling bin than in our "rubbish" bin every week! I've heard more than a few sermons on the importance of recycling...that's so bizarre to me, but it's finally all starting to sink in. Weather I completely agree with all of the American stereotypes, I'm going to do my bit to change my wasteful habits.

One of my favorite hymns in the churches here is called "Make Me A Channel of Your Peace." The song is a great reminder, again, of the pitfalls of a selfish lifestyle. I'd never heard of this song before, but apparently it is an adaptation of a famous prayer by St. Francis of Assisi.

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me bring your love;
Where there is injury your pardon, Lord;
And where there's doubt true faith in you.

Refrain:
Oh, Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there's despair in life let me bring hope;
Where there is darkness, only light;
And where there's sadness, ever joy.

Refrain

Make me a channel of your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
In giving to all men that we receive;
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

Refrain

According to Wikipedia.org (I'm addicted to Wikipedia! It's a disease, I know), Mother Teresa started each day reciting this prayer. Many quite diverse musicians have recorded their own versions of the song, and even Margaret Thatcher paraphrased the prayer right after she won the election for Prime Minister of England in 1979. If you would like to hear a version of the song that is very similar to the way the hymn is played in churches, click here: Channel of Your Peace (A big thanks to my friends Dan & Serenity for bringing that link to my attention! I really am in love with this song, and Denison Witmer did a great job on it!)

I hope and pray that as Christians (regardless of tribe, tongue, or nation) we can learn to leave selfishness behind. As much as we seek to be understood, may we even more seek to understand others. As much as we seek to love, may we even more so seek to love the rest of the world with the love of Christ.

In other MUCHO important news...I have made a very important, life-altering decision. After much prayer, fasting, and supplication, I have decided which football team I will claim as my own. Football (soccer) is more popular here than ANYTHING else. I've never experienced anything like the loyalty every person in this country holds for "their" team! When the country surveyed its youth, 5 out of the top 10 role models they listed were footballers. So...drum roll please...I've decided that my team is...Liverpool! And yes, I'm such a girl. I chose my team not based on stats, popularity, players, coach, or anything normal like that. I just picked them because that's where The Beatles are from. What can I say? Any city that can produce hits like "Eleanor Rigby" and "Penny Lane" deserves my support, right? :) Hey, at least I didn't pick them based on how pretty their uniforms are.

I hope that all of you enjoyed your Christmas and New Years Eve! I spent Christmas Eve through Boxing Day in the ORIGINAL Boston, which is in Lincolnshire. My British roommate's family invited myself and my teammate over for the holidays! We had a lovely time, sampling traditional British (and Dutch) Christmas food. As for New Years Eve, one of the local Church of England evangelists invited me over for his "Fancy Dress" party. "Fancy Dress" in England means "Costume Party," and the theme for his was cartoon characters. I went as a surprisingly convincing Velma from Scooby Doo! You can see pictures of Boston and Velma on my Flickr site, if you so wish.

Velma_5
Originally uploaded by sisterhutch11