Some thoughts on waiting and country music
So, here I am, hanging out in Hampshire and waiting for my visa to be processed. My planned departure date was Monday 22nd but of course "the best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley" and there has been a hold-up with the visa-processing people. In an ideal world I would be in Israel already so that I could settle in, have my belongings delivered and work out how to get to school/where the local shops are/how much a pint of milk costs/how to say 'hello' in Hebrew and other essentials. Not to mention go to school for a (really rather useful) week of teacher training and planning starting on Monday. Alas, this is not the case and along with another 6 or so ex-pat staff I'm in limbo, waiting for the Ministry of the Interior to clear our permits and authorise our B/1 visas.
The Brunskill Farewell Tour Bus settled back in Lymington last Thursday after 3 pretty hectic weeks of travel, visits, coffees and lunches, dinners out and time with people that I love a lot and won't see for a while. Not to mention an evening with a good buddy (who is also a country music enthusiast) in London at the O2 Arena in North Greenwich fulfilling a long-held ambition to see Brad Paisley on one of his infrequent visits to the UK.
I am frequently mocked for my love of country/bluegrass/americana but I laugh in the face of such musical short-sightedness. The great thing about country music is that even though it can be corny as hell every song tells a story. Like this one, a favourite Brad Paisley track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE6iAjEv9dQ. You should check it out. I don't listen to much mainstream country (not really available in the UK, that's probably why) or much of the hoe-down, yee-ha variety (which does get on your nerves after a while) but I love a bit of bluegrass (like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARIr6S_0lAQ) and a bit of the more off-beat, honky-tonk alt-country (like this, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoFwQnHFeYM). There's so much great music out there that sometimes it feels like there isn't time to discover it all. Thank heavens for itunes genius and spotify.
Anyway, an e-mail arrived on Tuesday saying that there would be a delay until at least this Sunday (tomorrow), making it unlikely that since Monday's a bank holiday I'm not going to get to the Israeli embassy in London before Tuesday so won't get to Israel before Wednesday. I was pretty damn p*ssed off by this turn of events, which was then compounded by a penalty notice from Hammersmith County Council for 'parking in a boxed junction' which I did not do. I'm not stupid; I was stuck in traffic. I was fairly grumpy for a few days.
However, several things have since been pointed out to me by various people. Firstly, my mother pointed out that after 3 mental weeks of 'touring' I needed to stop, sleep and relax properly. This I am doing. It's rather nice. I'm actually sitting here, watching Pollyanna on ITV3 and typing in my pajamas even though it's 1.47 p.m., slattern that I am. Secondly, as my wonderful friend Rachel P pointed out to me, if you believe (as I do) that God has plans and purposes for all parts of your life then no time is wasted time. I've been able to spend time with my parents, do all my last bits of admin in an un-rushed way, read books (may I recommend Caitlin Moran's How to be a Woman, it's full of swear words but she makes some amusing and trenchant points), sleep in and unwind. It will be good for me to arrive in Jerusalem rested, so that I can get on with the things that God has planned for me there. And thirdly, as my new headteacher encouraged me, 'I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord...' (Psalm 27:13 NIV) I know I'll get to Jerusalem eventually.
The Brunskill Farewell Tour Bus settled back in Lymington last Thursday after 3 pretty hectic weeks of travel, visits, coffees and lunches, dinners out and time with people that I love a lot and won't see for a while. Not to mention an evening with a good buddy (who is also a country music enthusiast) in London at the O2 Arena in North Greenwich fulfilling a long-held ambition to see Brad Paisley on one of his infrequent visits to the UK.
Ain't he cool?
I am frequently mocked for my love of country/bluegrass/americana but I laugh in the face of such musical short-sightedness. The great thing about country music is that even though it can be corny as hell every song tells a story. Like this one, a favourite Brad Paisley track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE6iAjEv9dQ. You should check it out. I don't listen to much mainstream country (not really available in the UK, that's probably why) or much of the hoe-down, yee-ha variety (which does get on your nerves after a while) but I love a bit of bluegrass (like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARIr6S_0lAQ) and a bit of the more off-beat, honky-tonk alt-country (like this, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoFwQnHFeYM). There's so much great music out there that sometimes it feels like there isn't time to discover it all. Thank heavens for itunes genius and spotify.
Anyway, an e-mail arrived on Tuesday saying that there would be a delay until at least this Sunday (tomorrow), making it unlikely that since Monday's a bank holiday I'm not going to get to the Israeli embassy in London before Tuesday so won't get to Israel before Wednesday. I was pretty damn p*ssed off by this turn of events, which was then compounded by a penalty notice from Hammersmith County Council for 'parking in a boxed junction' which I did not do. I'm not stupid; I was stuck in traffic. I was fairly grumpy for a few days.
However, several things have since been pointed out to me by various people. Firstly, my mother pointed out that after 3 mental weeks of 'touring' I needed to stop, sleep and relax properly. This I am doing. It's rather nice. I'm actually sitting here, watching Pollyanna on ITV3 and typing in my pajamas even though it's 1.47 p.m., slattern that I am. Secondly, as my wonderful friend Rachel P pointed out to me, if you believe (as I do) that God has plans and purposes for all parts of your life then no time is wasted time. I've been able to spend time with my parents, do all my last bits of admin in an un-rushed way, read books (may I recommend Caitlin Moran's How to be a Woman, it's full of swear words but she makes some amusing and trenchant points), sleep in and unwind. It will be good for me to arrive in Jerusalem rested, so that I can get on with the things that God has planned for me there. And thirdly, as my new headteacher encouraged me, 'I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord...' (Psalm 27:13 NIV) I know I'll get to Jerusalem eventually.
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