The end of last week and this weekend were equal parts insanely busy and extremely lazy. If I wasn't going going going at super speed, I wasn't moving at all. Two extreme ends of the spectrum, but oh well, it was good while it lasted.
Thursday, my art history of London class (I don't think that's what it's actually called, but I just like that name better) was taking a trip to Westminster Abbey. I love that class because it doesn't start until 10 a.m., however, this gloriously rainy day we had to be at the bus stop by 8:30 a.m. Joy to the world. So we arrived and then had to travel as a class down to the Westminster tube stop. Getting 40 people on public transportation during morning rush hour went just as efficiently as you would think it did (aka not). Westminster was the coolest place ever, the only thing that I didn't like was that considering how beautiful it was I think it was so beyond rude of them to not allow photography. I mean, obviously I took pictures and recorded video anyway, but I had to be sneaky about it (which I'm horrible at) so it was annoying.
We saw so many interesting things in there, I loved it. The architecture was insane and just thinking how much had happened in that building and all the history that was there was the coolest thing ever. We got to see the chair that all the kings and queens have sat in during their coronation (nbd), the tomb of the unknown warrior where Kate and Queen Elizabeth laid their bouquets after their weddings (so precious), I lit a prayer candle in the church, saw the oldest door in London, and the Shakespeare memorial, etc. Also, there are literally dead people everywhere; buried in the walls and the floors. All over. In the charming words of my professor when some kid asked her about them, "Oh yes, we're walking on bones, darling." Gotta love her. So we saw about a million tombs and statutes and memorials and stuff which is always rad. Fun fact: all churches back in the time that the abbey was built were built in the shape of crosses, so when we were standing at the high altar we were right in the middle of the cross where Jesus' heart would've been (TFIOS, anyone? Emily? Paige?). So by far one of the dopest buildings I've ever been in.
Ceilings are cray.
Stained glass windows are my new favourite.
Jesus was throwing deuces in like ten different rooms.
Oh ya know, just posted up chillin' on top of her tomb.
Even in the rain it was so beautiful.
Cool little hallway thing that was also incredibly cold.
I wish I could lay on the floor and stare at those ceilings all day long.
So after our class was over, we were free to go, obviously, and so we decided to head down to Covent Garden and get some food (Shake Shack) because I'd heard a lot about the cool things they had down there (Shake Shack) and we wanted to look around at what it had to offer (Shake Shack), plus it was cold and rainy and Covent Garden has a covered market area so we wouldn't be super miz. They had so many great stores and shops and stuff (Shake Shack) there it was great. Also Harry Styles had walked those streets so it was truly a magical experience. They also had the coolest little food vendors, so I have to make a trip down there again and eat from the kiosks.
A selfie with Ben was mandatory.
London buildings are the coolest.
This tray makes me happier than any boyfriend ever could (except for you, Niall).
Mecca
I asked myself WWAHD (what would Abby Head do?), and the answer was obviously buy one of these cupcakes. Of course it was the right decision.
So Covent Garden was so fun, then after spending a couple hours there and eating too much (Shake Shack) and buying lipstick and almost purchasing five body butters from The Body Shop (there was a sale, okay? And I still kind of regret only buying one.) we set on our way back to campus because we were all exhausted. Then I took a quick nap and set off towards Waterloo where I was meeting with the Bridges STINT team to go to one of their socials. I ended up getting to meet more people from their team and also some students from LSE which was so awesome. I love seeing different branches of ministry in different countries and it's just cool to see how the Lord calls us to be all over the globe and designs specific people to be certain places. Like wow He is so detail oriented it's crazy. So I got the train home (after sprinting through the station to make it on time. Late and sweaty always) and I've decided that trains are by far the best mode of public transportation there is.Friday I took it easy in the morning. I woke up and got to see everybody's beautiful Rose Ball pictures. Like wow my friends are all so fun and beautiful, how lucky am I to get to follow them on Instagram and hang out with them in real life? (The answer is extremely lucky). Then Alex and I ran into Putney to get some groceries and run some errands. I bought some real food and everything is just so natural over here! I know what all the ingredients are when I read them on the back! So fun!Non-processed or chemicalized (hope that's a word) food is so yummy and great! And then I got a Starbucks and came back and got ready for Sisterhood with church!
Allison and I headed over to City of London and got there early so that we could hit up Nando's beforehand. Unfortunately Niall was unable to make it this time, but I hold onto hope and faith that one day we will share a peri peri chicken together.
St. Paul's is so beautiful.
Notice the beauty of that Sprite and the fact that it came with free refills. #blessed
Worshipping with my sistas.
Wow Sisterhood was so great I really cannot adequately put it into words. It wasn't just one of those things where they gather us all together and some guy talks at us and tells us what to look for in a boyfriend (which is great once or twice, but as a single girl I am really tired of feeling like the only thing that matters is finding a boyfriend because I just really don't want one), they told us how important we are as girls (because we are, duh) and how beautiful and special we are (I know, thanks for the reminder) and how Jesus has incredible plans for our lives (I'm stoked) and that He wants to use us in such fantastic, awesome ways. It was just such a sweet reminder from the Lord about how incredible it is to be a woman and how there is so much goodness in that and there is so much fruit that can come from relationships with my girlfriends and those friendships are so special. We learned about sharing our testimonies and how important that is and how we are so equipped and able to do it. Then we got to hear four beautiful stories from four beautiful humans and just see the beautiful work of our beautiful Saviour in all of their lives and man it was just beautiful. God is so great and so are women. Girl power to the fullest.I also liked how they called us nice things like beautiful and girlfriends and sweets and babes and lovelies and everyone had accents (duh) and it was fabulous. Also they gave us gummies when we were leaving because my girls just understood that calories are my love language. What a great night of worship and food and friendship.
Saturday I felt like complete and utter crap (or "poorly" as the Brits would say) so I did absolutely nothing except watch YouTube and Netflix and eat and so we're not gonna focus on that laziness for too long.
Sunday was so so great. I still wasn't feeling my best, but I had arranged to start serving with Hillsong that day (yippee!!) and so I was so pumped to be alive (what's new?). I slept in a bit and then ended up sitting in the 1:15 service with Allison which was fantastic as always. Then I got a McDonald's (conveniently around the corner from church) and was actually planning on heading home after that because I just wasn't feeling too great, but I decided that since Jesus carried a cross up a hill for my sins so the least I can do is push through a cold and serve in His house for a couple hours. So I met with Ems and she told me all about what the host team does and the kind of tasks I would be doing (turns out her sister lives in Birmingham so she said roll tide and that she wants to go to a (American) football game, so it was a great friendship already) and I got more and more excited.
Then at four I met with Monica and we hiked up probably 1,000 stairs to the team room in what had to be Heaven because it was so high up and I started making packets to put on the seats and I met friends (yay)! British people are crazy because they love America, but like they live in England so I don't know why? Also a guy said my accent was cute, but I don't know why he did that either because he obviously didn't notice the entire room full of British people that we were in. So I joined the team that hosts/ushers/holds doors/does offering/is awesome in the balcony of the theatre. Aside from it being extremely hot (I was sweating, obviously, because I'm still me) it was so amazing. God is just so great to give me a team (incredible, incredible people) and a job (smiling and holding doors, two of my favourite things) and a church that I love so much so quickly here. Wow He is just so so amazing! Like damn.
I snapped this during the lull in the madness between services.
I'm just really thankful this week to be living this life and to be serving my God and to be friends with my friends and to be a part of my family and to be a human on this planet. Everything is amazing. I'll talk to you guys tomorrow probably because we're doing a tour about a murderer so I'll take pictures and things. I love y'all so much and hope you're all enjoying the snow!! Please be safe and make lots of snowmen (no, you're not making too many Frozen references) for me!!xx
And if you want to see, I made a sneaky video during my day at Westminster Abbey and in Covent Garden, so you can watch that here.
Also, I'm trying (AND CURRENTLY LOSING) to win a free ride to the airport at the end of my program so I don't have to carry all my bags on public transportation and be a sweaty mess all over the city of London. Basically, all I need is the most Instagram likes on all my pictures with #CISLondon, so if you would like to help me out with that you can do so here.
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