What to talk about...

The fact that I haven’t written a blog in a while has nothing to do with a lack of topics to talk about.  I’ve got loads.  The recent vote in NC that has absolutely blown up my Facebook news feed the past two weeks, going to the horse races, finishing up the season with the Wigan ladies football team, my first sermon, or having another concert by Twelve24 at St. Thomas.  And that’s just the short list.  It has more to do with time and maybe a little to do with being lazy.  But with all these things to talk about, how to choose one, now there’s the struggle.

What I’ve decided to share with you during this blog is about one of the strangest experiences I’ve had in England so far.  Last weekend I was able to travel to the east coast Sunday afternoon with Helen and Jack, a couple in the church.  Then we took our time coming back on Monday.  It was a great time!  On Monday we went to an American Civil War re-enactment.  Yes, you read that correctly, American Civil War. 

During YAGM orientation you are always reminded that things aren’t weird, they’re different.  I haven’t had a really hard time with this lesson until that day.  I caught myself a few times thinking, “man this is really strange.”    Jack is really interested in the Civil War and has done a lot of travelling in the US to see more about it.  I’ve always thought it was interesting that he took such a liking to the American Civil War, but to see these men, women, and children, so into it that they have dressed up and camped outside over the weekend was beyond me.  In addition to it being very, how should I put it again?  Oh yeah, different, it was the first time where I was able to say I was from South Carolina and they knew where that is.  There was no need for the almost habitual follow up of, “Two up from Florida.”   Not only did they know where it was, they knew more about South Carolina’s history than I did, though that isn’t hard.  One man knew enough to jokingly say, “Oh, I’m sorry about that.”

These people took this very seriously.  I had to keep reminding myself I was still in England, which wasn’t hard once I heard them talk.  It really was a great morning.  I can’t say that before I came to England I thought to myself, “I bet I’ll see a Civil War re-enactment,” but I’m glad that I can say I have.