More thoughts about England tour

I am on my way home from England. My mind is spinning as I process the week of drinking from a firehose of information, making new friends and reflecting on the trip in general. First of all, I am really glad I went. I appreciated the input, mental stimulation, rich conversation and the beautiful country. I was glad to be with a group who had the same “roots”, purpose, faith and flexibility.

I wish we had had more time to process together and I would have liked more intentional questions to help the conversation. I felt the trip lacked closure.  Further, I think the devotions in the booklet were inadequate but loved the devotional thoughts shared as a group.

I enjoyed Oxford the most but felt like we crammed Lewis into one day since the trip changed and we didn’t get to spend the whole weekend there. Additionally, I really enjoyed and valued the tour guides we had and wish we had had one in Oxford or one who could give details about Lewis away from the Kilns. The Kilns tour was phenomenal!

I am not sure all my “take aways” are ready to be shared – they are not yet hatched! But here are some of the thoughts prompted by Lewis. They are very thin answers that will need more unpacking but I want to get them put down while I am thinking about them. They are practical.

Life is hard and it often hurts. Lewis’ life experiences of pain and loss began early. The road was hard. Lewis faced disappointments, depression, doubt, pain and loss and death. Hardships didn’t disqualify him. They allowed God to shine through him.

Lewis’ daily practices formed his character – but I think the one that surprised me the most is that he answered ALL his mail. He felt that God had given him a platform and he was to be faithful to the call and use it for the sake of others. He was devoted to a task he hated most, but he would prayerfully answer every piece of mail.  He would take his favorite time of the day – the early morning –  and with tea and toast he would answer his mail. He was faithful in the mundane. He decided to do , nourish others and offer words of encouragement. Eventually he met Joy D. through correspondence – and their relationship was his greatest blessing!

Lewis also believed in prayer and was brutally honest with God. There was a prayer he would pray before any other prayer – “May it be the real I who speaks and may it be the real Thou to whom I speak”.  Lewis wanted to know God and be known by Him. He usually paced and read scripture for about an hour a day, often in the evening but occasionally on one of his hikes. He listened to the still small voice – the Spirit. He often thanked God for the faithful prayers of his mother. Prayer makes a difference.

Lewis had a goal and a destination. Walter Hooper once said that Lewis was the most fully committed follower, the most thoroughly converted man he ever met. There was no aspect of his  life, no area of thinking,  no part of his home, schedule or finances  that was not open and available  to what God might choose to do.

Lewis was cheerful and witty, grateful and kind, sensitive and thoughtful. He had a jovial  sense of humor. Some of his students described him as happily disheveled. His brother said he could make a new coat look shabby after wearing it twice. When he walked into a room he looked like a butcher – broad framed, loud voiced and red faced. He had a twinkle in eye and mismatched shoes.

The books he read, the company he kept and the people who spoke into his life impacted him. His friendship with Tolkien and the Inklings is fascinating. He took the time to reach out and build relationships. They devoted themselves to one another. It turns out that my two favorite authors were friends who worked together, argued with each other, met often, and brought out the best in each other. They changed each other and inspired the world.

So take aways – Be mindful of the company I keep. Worship faithfully. Develop habits that become healthy ruts. Pray. Seek out friends. Answer my mail. Be cheerful, creative and grateful. Drink tea. Read. Hike. Yield and allow God to fully convert me.