I am blogging from the United Kingdom. My daughter, Sarah, just gave birth to a new granddaughter, Emily Alice Victoria Jones. Her father, Tony, is a pastor in Durham, a Cathedral town in North England just South of the Scottish border.

Tower of London

Tony took me on a whirlwind tour of London, Oxford, and other places of interest. He lived in Oxford for  9 years. In addition he worked as a Barrister in downtown London. So, he knows these areas well. We toured Westminster Cathedral, the Tower of London, the Supreme Court building, watched the changing of the guard in front of Buckingham Palace, and shared dinner next to Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. We also visited the National Portrait Gallery where we saw, amongst others, original portraits of Cromwell, Charles I, Wesley, and Bunyan. Fascinating.

Place where Latimer and Ridley died

At Oxford we ate lunch at little pub called the Eagle and Child. It was there that the Inklings, a small group of writers led by C.S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkein, met every Tuesday morning to drink a pint (or two) of Ale and read their writing to each other. Also stood in the very place where in the 16th century Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer were burnt at the stake for their gospel convictions. Also got a peek at the apartment in Lincoln College where John Wesley lived when before his conversion he worked as a tutor. Stood in front of the pulpit in St. Mary’s church at Oxford where he preached his very controversial sermon on justification by faith alone. We also strolled through Pembroke College from whence George Whitfield received his degree. The history is amazing, and as Tony sadly reminded me, most Englishman have never heard of George Whitfield today.

Emily Alice Victoria Jones

Oh, and of course, my new granddaughter is absolutely beautiful.