A City with foundations...

Saturday the 4th October was a crisp, sunny autumn morning. By 9am we were at Windsor Gardens station.

The station is walking distance from our home and definitely the most beautiful train stop I have ever seen. I must add that "train-stop-spotting" has never been a great pastime of mine.

Within an hour we were at South Station Boston and we began appreciate the city as we walked towards the New England Aquarium.

The aquarium was a pleasing experience but isn't as good as the Two Oceans aquarium at the Cape Town Waterfront. The interactive dimension of the aquarium is very good however, which kept Michael and Caleigh engaged.

Heather was in charge of navigation and I've never seen her so motivated! She proceeded to march us past Faneuil Hall towards Boston Common. On the way I spotted some ridiculously cool cars down an alley way that led us to the City Hall plaza where a classic American muscle-car and hotrod expo was being hosted.

I admit it, I became deliriously ectatic about every Corvette, Mustang, Thunderbird and low rider on display. Just be glad that I haven't posted every picture taken at this point in our trip.

As we arrived at the common gardens we were greeted by the typical western city cultural melting pot . Of interest were some antiwar protestors who were suprisingly loud considering their advanced age and underwhelming numbers.

I can't say that I don't in some way agree with their point. But is it my South African disposition (ie: complain in the privacy of your home about your government) that made me regard then as odd curiosities worthy of a photo, no more?

After a long trek and with the children flagging, we finally found the original "Cheers" pub. Inspiration for the successful TV series.

I had to assure my kids that "Cheers" was a really a good show and worthy of the footslogging it took to simply walk through the souvenir laden premises. To the boys horror we avoided sitting down to enjoy a meal there, fearing the Brand mark-up on prices. Besides if I wasn't going to drink an ale, what would be the point?

The passage of time since the airing of "Cheers" was emphasised by the pictures of a stunning Kirsty Alley who is currently parodied for her obesity.

Amongst all the walking and wonder we stumbled upon a grave yard. It was the final resting place of John Winthrop. He has a previous mention in my blog for being the founding father of Boston who preached a famous sermon casting a vision for the city as being a "City on a Hill". A city built on God's principles. A shining light of righteousness and justice to the world.

I felt summoned to the spot. It couldn't believe I had found his resting place so soon after our arrival. Don't get me wrong, he isn't a hero to me. I doubt whether I would have enjoyed hanging out with a Puritan. But his message holds a prophetic power today. I can't help think that God is linking the vision of a City on a Hill inside me to a dream of a godly man centuries ago.

A foundational moment in our Boston adventure, pointing to the foundations of the city of Boston.

Philosophy makes way for Philo pastry

I have been in the US for nearly two weeks and the urge to be profound has been overwhelmed by the need to re-orientate and prove how adaptable a South African is.

19 hours on a boeing 767 leaves you desperately dehydrated, but despite that, the flight was entirely endurable and the children were so well behaved!

A few hours at Kennedy airport was stressful and we were keen to get onto our connecting flight to Boston. We spotted Norwood from the air (amazing how hours on Google Earth can cultivate your aerial navigation) as we approached Logan Airport. Boston seemed so inviting...we sensed that this was where we were supposed to be. We were chauffeured to a local Marriott hotel in what the boys called a "limo van". It was a rented monstrous black Ford 15 seater similar to this:

We were going to move into the manse on the church property but work still had to be done on the renovations. We enjoyed the hotel, especially the American breakfasts. I quickly developed a taste for waffles and became a master waffle maker on the self service waffle iron. Maple syrup and whipped cream!

After attending our first Sunday morning services we were introduced to our new home. Check it out! Tommy and Maryann and the team at LWCC had outdone themselves!

The house is literally 20m from the front door of the church but is surrounded by a forest of trees and the yard comes complete with squirrels!

The challenge of getting the children into school remains as we are being made to wait a long time for a doctor's appointment for the pre-admission medical checkup. In the meantime the children are mooching around the house emptying the fridge that was graciously filled with delicious food by the church.

Oh yes, the food. Like their cars, Americans can eat BIG. Shops have loads to choose from and most foods are sweet. I like sweet. Much thought has gone into convenience too. Last night we enjoyed Toaster Strudel. Pop it in the toaster, drizzle on the icing from the sachet provided and Whalla! strawberry or blueberry in pastry to die for!

If I don't post pictures of myself, it means I'm picking up weight...

Why we need a hell

The last few weeks have been hectic. The "Boston or bust" campaign is energy sapping, leaving little left for blogging.

I've had thoughts on why Lance Armstong shouldn't return to competitive cycling, "Don't do it Lance! The magic of seven in a row will be soured by the words 'Lance has cracked!' coming from Phil Liggetts lips."

I have also been amazed at the irony of the Hadron accelerator, especially when the scientists attempting to reduce God to a particle "pray" that their very expensive experiment works.

Today I was burning some information sensitive documents when the fire grew especially fierce. My face reddened and I felt dehydrated as I stoked away. I thought about hell. I imagined standing next to a lake of fire waiting to be thrown into it's relentless fury. I was deeply thankful that salvation expressly promises that hell won't happen to a true believer.

Then I was reminded of how little we talk about hell. Hell has become clumsy talk, the scare tactic of outdated evangelists. Emergent leaders are steering us away from the strict heaven/hell, saved/unsaved catagorisation of all humanity. Admittedly, the latter is a drastic reduction of the meaning of life and the purpose of God. Even a fireman believes that there is more to life than getting people saved.

However, we are cultivating a contemporary faith that skillfully avoids the "H" word as condemnatory and manipulative and these days, preachers prefer motivational talks.

As I gazed at the burning bank statements, I recalled a recent broadcast of an investigative TV journal on child porn. There are many reasons why people do evil: indoctrination, poverty, fear, intoxication.... and I try to see through the act to see the redemptive potential of an evildoer. But anybody who abuses kids and seeks to earn renown by broadcasting the abuse online....makes hell seem like a heluva good idea.

My bewilderment of spirit at the depravity of such people finally finds a counterbalance in the thought of them being tossed into the consuming, devouring fires of hell.

I know that the bible teaches that the list of the damned at the final judgement will offer some surprises. Hell isn't just for the repulsively sinful. But child molestors convince me that a hell should and does exist.