The Book Shop

Friday morning was bitterly cold, but the weather couldn't hold back my excitement to see the city. In fact, the chill only added to the excitement, because it was exactly the kind of thing that was to be expected of England. I learned how to flag down a bus, how to pick the good seats, how to walk around a moving vehicle without falling, and finally how to get the bus to stop. It wasn't till Saturday that I learned to read the bus schedule and memorize the main stop points for my safe travel. It was easy enough, because Naomi was with me. Tuesday I shall fall from the nest, and it shall be blue skies or long way down. The bus pass was easy enough to get; up the stairs, around the corner, down the escalator, take picture in passport picture booth, up escalator, around another corner, pass another passport picture booth, stand in que, 46 pounds, and there you have it. There is one opportunity to lose the pass, but the second time your on your own and you must do it all over again.

The Store is quite small for the amount of material inside, but it is comfortable. When we arrived Naomi read me the contract, and showed me how to search for items and work the till. After a lunch break there was a quick outing for shampoo and what not then back to the store to practice my till skills.

There was once a bookshop next store that has recently moved down the way. I overheard Naomi give directions a couple of times that morning so when someone came in looking for it, I regurgitated the exact directions to the man and he was off. I turned to find my new team members marveling at what just took place. Penny said, "Okay, your allowed to stay." Penny is like the second in command and amazing.

The second day or Saturday if you prefer, was not so good. I was feeling the results of jumping into a schedule immediately rather than letting my body catch up, well before I got to work. It was going okay and lunch was amazing, I ate with Susan. Susan is a volunteer from Wolverhampton, a town over, who comes over to help out the b'rum store twice a week. She is nearer my age and quite funny. After lunch, I chatted with a customer for a good twenty minutes, what that small conversation took out of me was something unexpected. I was interrupted by Naomi, aka my hero, with a phone call from Phil Brunham. Phil is the UK director of CLC. His phone call was welcoming me to England and an offering of encouragement along with the welcome reminder that God brought me here. Monday will be better.

I know many things happened to get me here, most of which were miracles. The things I do know about are uncountable, and the things I don't know about I am sure are innumerable. Thank you Lord for bringing me to England. Teach me to be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, not put out the Spirit's fire, not treat prophecies with contempt, test everything, hold on to the good, avoid every kind of evil. Sanctify me Lord. Make my whole spirit, soul and body blameless (Thess 5:16-24)