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"Thoughts" |
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The World is a Cultural Yarn Shop. It's
our opportunity to weave the ultimate
tapestry.
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London Missionary Experience
24 November 2008
P-Day! So many things to do and see.... decisions,
decisions. We decided to go see St. Paul's Cathedral, the most
famous cathedral in England. Designed by Sir Cristopher Wren
and build after the great London fire in 1666. So, again
carefully we determined which busses to take to get there and
started out. It was to be bus #9 to Aldwych where we would
transfer to the #15 bus to St. Paul's. Only.... as we were
slowly moving along through traffic and approaching Picadilly
Square, 'the voice' comes on and says the bus is being
re-routed. It ended its route at the Haymarket bus stop.
So once again, here we are, standing on the sidewalk and sort of
lost in London!
Not to worry. While trying to read a map in a stiff wind
that feels like it's out of the Arctic, we determine that we are
close to Trafalgar Square, a place we had been before. Sure
enough, just around the corner was Trafalgar Square and next to the
Square is London's National Gallery, which we had on our list of
things to see. No brainer..... we're outside in the cold, the
wind's blowing and there's a warm place inside with things we wanted
to see.
We spent about three+ hours at the Gallery including lunch.
We saw lots of incredible paintings by all of the masters (at least
the ones I've heard of): Monet, Raphael, Van Gogh, Rembrandt,
Van Dyck, Vermeer, Cezanne, Gainsborough and many more. Here
are two of my favorites.

The Supper at Emmaus
- CARAVAGGIO,
Michelangelo Merisi da (1601)
(Luke 24: 30-31) The painting captures the
astonishment and emotion as the two disciples recognize Jesus for
who he is as the resurrected Lord.

Christ before the High Priest
about 1617
HONTHORST, Gerrit van
Christ was brought before the
High Priest by Roman soldiers. He was questioned about his teachings
and false testimony was called against him. New Testament (all
gospels, e.g. Matthew 26: 57-66).
The scene is focused on the
burning candle in the centre of the composition, and beside it
the arm and raised finger of the High Priest. Under Jewish law his
claim to be the Messiah was punishable by death, and the book on the
table in front of the High Priest contains the proscriptions of the
Mosaic Law.
All in all we have decided that
the best way to see London is get on a bus and when it stops and
they tell you to get off, just walk around a bit and you'll find
something amazing to see. This is the second time this has
happened. We had a great time
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