Set Your Mind

I have now spent 5 days in this amazingly beautiful city and I completely understand how it influenced so many of the world's greatest authors, poets, musicians, and artists. This place is a buzzing modern city but is also so deeply rooted in this traditions of the past. It pays tribute to its history without being stuck in it. It has inspired my writing and thinking and it's only been a few days shy of a week since we arrived. Today while we discussed Spenser and the Theatre for Worldlings I could not help but remember my time in St. Paul's Sunday mattins and our tour of Westminister Abbey today. Learning about the history of the people buried there and the tradition of the religion I connected the dots between life and faith of this country throughout its existence. When we discussed Spenser's devout faith and his writings of beautiful things being created then destroyed, I was reminded of the verse from Colossians, "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth." I wonder though in his day were all of these stunning churches built to help the people set their mind on things above while still being stuck on earth? Walking in those places I could feel God's presence. Especially during the service on Sunday, it seems that the gap between Heaven and Earth was a little bit thinner in the echoes of St. Paul's. Based on our discussions today I feel that in such a hard time period, the people had no choice but to look to the heavens and put their hope in something bigger than themselves. They needed these opulent places, not to show their own power (well maybe some) but to pay tribute to the Lord that would one day make their suffering cease. Their offering and trust in him does not defy the verse in Colossians, it supports it.

I am in awe of how much I have already done and seen in such a short time in this exciting place. I cannot wait to see what the rest of this adventure holds and I am anxious to keep learning, growing,  and seeking inspiration.