I think the Byrds said it best..

The Seasons - Four, three month periods entitled Spring, Summer, Fall(Autumn) and Winter. Typically noted as containing different sorts of climate conditions and weather patterns than the prior/following season(s), and have direct effects on plant and animal activity/life cycle; actually do exist; are fairly well represented in my current geographical location.

Not to get stuck on the whole time concept, but it's amazing the obvious and more specifically perhaps not so obvious things that I notice because I actually have time to stop, look around, take a breath, and simply exist. This is more than me being aware of something as simple as the "four seasons" (which there are really only [possibly] two of in San Diego--a light fall/spring combo and a seemingly endless summer), and to the people here is something that goes by fairly unnoticed/de-facto. This feeling transcends seeing leaves on a tree change colors, or feeling the temperature begin to change and realize that I might actually have to wear more than just a t-shirt and light jacket, or even seeing a part of the world that is so foreign yet strangely familiar and welcoming at the same time. This is something for everyone, everywhere, any time--it's about taking time, that which has been given to us as a blessing, to every so often, pause and reflect on something that is outside of ourselves, outside of our immediate priorities, and outside of our desires: Time to be thankful for life, for the world and all that is in it, and for a God that truly loves us more than anything else in creation, and has made us the masters/stewards of the Earth, so that we might cherish it and it's contents, especially one another.

This idea segue-ways nicely into a thought I'd actually started developing a little while ago, but wanted to hold off on publishing it. After having written the last section in just these past moments, and realizing what a great context that sentiment provides for what now follows, I am glad that I decided to wait. I'm all about the flow you know? (haha)

Granted, it's not been very long since I left home, but it's amazing how much I'm beginning to learn here in Scotland (about all sorts of stuff). In particular, I feel as though I'm learning a good deal about commitment. Ironically enough, I'm doing so while not really being committed to anything. I think sometimes it's in the "space" and nothingness, that we (as people/humans/whatever) truly begin to understand/learn about the concepts and ideas that we struggle with the most in actual practice. In a practical and analogous situation, I find that often my musicianship improves the most when I actually stop playing/practicing non-stop, and simply take a break, wait, and listen. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I "may or may not" have the tendency to over commit myself at times, I can't seem to ever get into a romantic relationship that goes any distance, and I never seem to have enough hours in a day to get everything that I've wanted to get accomplished done. All this being said, I've definitely not discovered the miracle cure, or solution to any commitment (over or under) issues that I've had in the past, but I will say that my mind is beginning to clear in this "commitment-free" atmosphere, and perhaps, I will come home with a new found sense of what commitment really looks like (at least in my own life). On this more philosophical note, I can't help but interject with a funny and more light-hearted take on what it is I'm really experiencing: please go visit the following website and read entry #120. It will make you laugh and possibly undermine most of what I said above, but it's funny enough that I'm OK with that. http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/

also check out what I think the Byrds' said best: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWg3b15ITS8&feature=related

Until my next philosophical break-through (or lack there of)

Cheers,

- Will

Sorry to keep you Waiting..

As I said in the beginning, I knew that my posts would become a bit more sparse/difficult to keep up with at all (ha) as time went on.  I apologize for not getting to this sooner, but at least you can be certain I've been out and about experiencing amazing things, adding to my arsenal of stuff to write about.

I'm attempting to up-load a video that will explain itself when you watch it.

So, on to the news:  Time has taken on a new meaning for me here.  It seems there is a strange abundance of it, and in every minute of it, I find my self doing something enjoyable and I suppose most importantly, refreshing.  This past weekend I visited friends I had made earlier this summer (while on tour with Pointless) in Glasgow.  I attended a "Ceilidh" (look that up for a better definition) which celebrated the departure of Michael and Debbie Kane to Nazarene Seminary in Manchester.  The couple had grown up in Parkhead (a community on the East-side of Glasgow), and been involved with the church their whole lives.  This is a big step for them, and a creates a space at the Church/surrounding community in Parkhead that will definitely not go unnoticed by all of their friends and family members.  The celebration on Saturday night was great and an interesting cultural experience for me to say the least (videos will be posted on Facebook in the near future).

The next day (Sunday 9/13/09) I attended church at Sharpe Memorial Church of the Nazarene in Parkhead.  This of course is the place where none other than George Williamson's (Jr.) cousin, Ian Wills, is the pastor (not to mention, it seems that George is, in some way, shape or form, related to half of the church--in fact, his aunt Allison lent me just about all of my kitchen supplies for my time here).  During the evening service that night Mick and Deb were hono(u)red again for their time and service in Glasgow, and the sentiment was expressed by Ian, on behalf of the whole congregation, that they would definitely be missed, which even for me (a definite outsider) was somewhat of an emotional/touching experience.  Within the service that night as well, was a time of Praise and Worship Music (which was great and very refreshing), a message given by one of the younger leaders of the church, and time for specific time for just prayer (what a novel concept).

In my time to and from Glasgow and specifically while in Church, I felt something I can't quite explain (yes, this was very generic sounding and something which doesn't do much for anybody, I realize), something I've sort of thought about before, but never really psychologically unpacked, and something that perhaps captured again, this very theme of time; I, now ask myself the questions: What is it that I do with my time, and/or what can be done in the time that I have?  Something mentioned in the service was waiting.  What does it mean to wait?  What am I waiting for?  As a very proactive person, and perhaps as an American consumer, this is something I might struggle with.  We sang the song "Everlasting God", which contains the line (repeated over and over), "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, we will wait...".  I think that in addition to strength, wisdom, assurance, peace, etc., are all things that come from God, and are all things that God wishes to give to all peoples in God's so perfect TIME.  It seems now that I can't help but feel compelled to attempt this new practice, this peculiar discipline of 'waiting', and  so, at the moment, and though I'm not sure what exactly 'waiting' will entail (contextually, ideologically, metaphysically..?), I'm quite content in doing exactly what it is: waiting to find out.  Lord knows I have plenty of time to do just that.

So with time in mind, I don't have to run, but I'm going to go do something else within the bountiful amount of this time stuff that I have; perhaps I'll go wait under a tree in the park or something akin to that..

Blessings,

Will

So I'm really gonna need to start practicing the whole sleeping thing...

            I'm all for putting in as many hours in a day as is humanly possible, but my schedule (or lack there of) in Scotland is becoming sort of ridiculous.  You know your life is spiraling out of control when you wake up at 4:45 am one morning, fall asleep at just slightly before that time the next night/day, wake up at 5 pm later that day, get to bed at a reasonable 12:30am that night/next morning, and finally end up in my current situation of waking up at 3:40 am today (which yes, is one hour before I went to bed the day before).  So that may have been hard to follow, but read it again if need be, and I'm sure you will, if nothing else, begin to see that I'm struggling to find a good sleeping rhythm: both of which (rhythm and sleep) are things I pride myself in.

*note: if that paragraph did not make sense, it's simply further proof of it's subject matter.

On a more pleasant note, I will say that I've had nothing but good experiences on the greater scale of things and I'm meeting lots of people from all over the world.  I've connected really well with one of my flat-mates (Nils - age 26 from Germany) and we kick it quite a bit.  This Saturday, I think I will be traveling to Glasgow for a Ceilidh, which if you don't know what that is, look it up/wait for photos that I will post.  I'll be visiting friends I made when on tour earlier this summer with Pointless.  Also during that trip, I hope to acquire the necessary remaining kitchen and sleeping items I need to make life a bit more practical.  I can't say that I ever thought I'd need to call in a favor in Glasgow, but life's full of surprises right?

If you don't know of it already, I have a facebook account on/within which I've already, and will continue to upload photo's/condensed status updates from my experiences here across the pond.  The URL is:  http://www.facebook.com/wshine427                                                             For those of you that are not inclined to venture into the captivating/life-consuming/mostly frivolous realm of facebook, you will have to be content with the photo content I supply much less regularly, and in smaller quantity on this blog.  That being said, Here is a picture I took a couple of days ago from my window of the sunrise over Arthur's Seat.

It was pretty amazing to watch this go down, and I suppose I have my insane sleeping patterns to thank for the experience.  I guess I will get a similar experience this morning, which isn't such a bad thing to relive.  Below is a video that I'm not sure will play of the Firework show that had in honor of my arrival into Edinburgh...ok, so it was in celebration of the end of the Festival, but it was pretty cool to have Fireworks over the castle shortly after I'd arrived.

So, until next time, what ever time of day that is...

Cheers,

 - Will

Can someone please remind Scotland that it is still Summer..

I made it!  

Scotland is beautiful, despite rather dreary weather conditions and sub-60 degree weather (this could be a cold Fall for little old So-Cal me).  The view from my "flat" is pretty stupendous.  From my window I can see Aurthur's Seat (a famous mountain(esque) land formation here in town.  I also live directly across the street from what is supposedly the oldest, still played upon, golf course/park in the world... and though I don't play golf, this is still pretty awesome to me; perhaps it will soon become the oldest golf course/park to host an ultimate frisbee game...

I've met some people from all over the place already and am hittin' it off well with them.  It's amazing to me that despite being from all over the world, occasional language/accent barriers, and having vastly different backgrounds, when everyone comes together for a fairly united purpose, the same folks seem to get along very well, and very immediately!

I will say now, that I foresee cutting my blogging endeavors down to once a week.  I will make sure to give good week synopses and one or two pics from the weeks' experiences.

I hope that everyone back home and anywhere really, is doing well and trusting in God's unsurpassable Grace and Insight: I pray the same for myself, selfish as it is ;).

Until next time, Cheers!

 - Will

New York, New York... figuratively speaking that is

Well, New York is pretty cool I guess, I mean as far as international airports go.  This will basically be the extent of New York that I take in (that is, what ever is visible from the windows of terminal 3).  Leaving San Diego at 5:30 am and arriving in New York at roughly 2:30 pm brings to light the unfortunate reality that though I woke up before the sun rose, my day is basically half way over--not that that really effects someone like me, traveling onward--so if anything I suppose I should be thankful for a shorter wait for my connecting flight.  Now I only have to sit around for 3 more hours or so till my flight for Scotland leaves.

No, I'm not upset about the wait, nor the fact that I have back to back long, cramped flight situations to contend with; I'm thankful that such a means to get places as quickly as this really is exists.  If I feel any sort of unhappiness regarding my air-travels, I think back to a video I saw a few months ago:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOtEQB-9tvk

Well, I'm gonna sit around now for a while, count my blessings, and in the very near future board the plane that will take me to Edinburgh (talk about crazy time changes: It will be 8 am tomorrow [9/5/09] when I land).

So good afternoon, good night, and good morning to you all... wherever in the world you are.

 - Will

Only hours to go..

I sit here in the kitchen at my parents' home in Chula Vista, listening to discussions on the health values of sausage, or lack there of, I listen to my Mom reflect on how odd she thinks my dad's belly button looks, I think of remaining items to pack/wish they would just pack themselves, reflect back on my excellent experience at Coronado Beach today/all of the excellent experiences I had there this summer (disregarding the sunburn that seems to be growing more noticeable as the night goes on), and finally, I think to myself: "Dang, I have to wake up at 4 am.

Well folks, its safe to say I'm in for an interesting, possibly life-changing, and perhaps most simply noted, a very different sort of experience in Edinburgh this Fall.  My hope is to keep everyone and anyone who cares to know updated via this blog and through photographic accounts on other time-consuming, frivolous internet sources.

I pray that the Lord does big things with me in Scotland, but that I might also rest in the presence of the Lord and learn some new things in my time alone, away from my local friends and family.

Blessings,

- Will