From the river, the view was perfect, and the first few days of our stay it was quiet and peaceful. Things changed on the weekend when a carnival came to town and set-up in the public grounds behind us. The carnival music did drown out the birdsong, but it was still a lovely view.

Another product of the weekend was more tourists. The shops got busier and so did the river. While we sat on the park bench talking and looking at the church, tour boats would go by, filled with phones & cameras poised to capture the perfect shot.

And they kept aiming at us. At first, we waved and laughed, thinking that they were being funny, but then we realized that they were unaware of the spectacular scene on the other bank. Half the people in a tour boat were floating down the River Avon, and instead of looking to their right at the gorgeous, historic church, they were snapping pictures of two middle-aged Americans on their left.

What in the world? Coy gestured to get them to turn around, but few did. We didn’t understand. What was so interesting about us?

Of course, it wasn’t us, it was behind us. The carnival. The flashing lights and the loud music were very effective in drawing the attention away from the eight-centuries-old church sitting in quiet dignity. Could they really find a temporary diversion that would be dismantled and packed away by Monday more interesting than a church that had weathered the better part of a millennium? Tragic.

But more than likely, the choice was made without thought. The urgency of barker’s call kept them distracted just long enough that the opening in the trees was passed, and they missed a glimpse of sublime beauty. Maybe the carnival was the picture they wanted, but I can’t help but pity those who looked back too late at the steeple rising above the trees and wondered at what they missed.

The post On the Banks of the River Avon appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

I Have My Doubts.

Yes, every American politician would claim to want a peaceful, prosperous America, but if you ask them to define their view of peaceful and prosperous you might be surprised.

Recently I read Jeff Shaara’s Rise to Rebellion (highly recommended) and one scene involving Benjamin Franklin in Ireland led me to research further. No surprise, I found Mr. Shaara’s account to be very accurate.

In the early 1770s most colonists were loyal to their King and their country. They considered themselves British and trusted that the King and Parliament were trying to secure for them all the blessings of prosperity and freedom that the other British subjects enjoyed. When they were taxed they understood it to be their responsibility to pay as active participants in their empire. When the government set up a monopoly and only allowed them to purchase goods that they approved, they also accepted this as the king’s prerogative. After all, he had their best interest at heart. He wanted his empire to prosper and they were part of that empire.

Benjamin Franklin spent years in London prior to the revolution, acting as an agent for several of the colonial assemblies and even he was puzzled by the treatment of the colonies by the British. Weren’t they all working toward the same goal? Didn’t they all want America to grow in wealth and culture?

A Nasty Surprise

But a trip to Ireland, opened his eyes. There he saw a country where 95% of the available land was owned by absentee British landlords. Tenant farmers grew crops that were taken from them and sold to fill the coffers of Great Britain. In Franklin’s words – “three fourths of the People of Ireland, live the Year round on Potatoes and Butter milk, without Shirts, then may their Merchants export Beef, Butter and Linnen.”

Franklin realized that the future the British government envisioned for the American colonies didn’t include freedom and dignity. In the name of protection, they would bleed the continent’s resources dry and not allow the workers to keep their wages. Seeing what Britain had done in Ireland was a warning of what the American colonists could expect. Was Ireland peaceful? Yes. Was it prosperous? The British government was certainly expanding, but at the citizens’ expense.

What is Your Vision?

So much of politics involves promising everything to everybody, and yes, if someone could deliver unlimited benefits without cost, I’d be all for it. But that’s not how the world works. Instead of assuming we all desire the same outcome, instead of arguing about the next turn in the road, maybe we need to ask where this path is ultimately taking us. Ask those running for office what their vision of a successful America looks like and compare it to your own. How much freedom are they willing to rescind to make us feel secure? How much risk will you tolerate to have opportunities? In your ideal America will people have more choices or less? Will we be taken care of or will we have the freedom to succeed and/or fail?

And do your research. Are there “Irelands” that we can study who’ve gone down this path before us?

I doubt anyone’s wish for America’s future is exactly the same, but knowing where you want to go is the first step to getting there.

Happy Independence Day!

(photo by Sam LeVan)

The post Describe Successful appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

It’s the same with houses. While perusing real estate websites I often wander to the international pages and find buildings with a past – structures that had character before our continent had horses. One trend that interests me is the converting of old churches into residences. In Europe, these gorgeous vacant buildings are being remodeled, some with stunning results.

This former church is for sale in Scotland. Charming, isn’t it? I could do without the tombstones, but look at what they did to the inside. Can you imagine waking up to the morning sun rising through a diamond-paned leaded glass windows or walking through arched doorways decorated with a 12th century coat-of-arms? Amazing.

And yet I have mixed emotions. It’d be a blessing to live in a sanctuary that housed God’s people – to be surrounded by walls that witnessed answered prayers, joyous praise and heard the truth of God’s Word preached for centuries. On the other hand, where are the believers in this town worshiping now? Was this church abandoned? Is this evidence of a European trend away from Christianity?

Since we won’t be moving across the pond anytime soon, the dilemma of whether living in a defunct church would be exhilarating or depressing will remain hypothetical. In the meantime I’ll do my best to create my own sanctuary. The remodeling our house most needs has less to do with paint and tile than praise, prayer and fellowship. We don’t have to live in an old church to practice the presence of God.

What’s your dream home like – physically and spiritually?

P.S. Here’s the website if you’d like to see more church-to-home conversions.

http://www.property.org.uk/unique/ch.shtml

The post House Hunting appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.